Tammy Plotner, Author at Universe Today

December 5, 2009April 26, 2016 by Tammy Plotner

For Christmas – Don’t Think Nintendo Wii… Think Celestron Omni

Are you looking for the perfect family Christmas gift? Well, stop right there on drawing out your credit card, because there is no such thing. Every family is different. Different needs, different circumstances… even different financial situations. But, what I’m here to tell you about is something I’ve found that changed the way my science and nature-minded family looked at things. It’s Omni… And time waits for no man.

A little over a month ago Ms. M.M. from Celestron offered to send me a telescope of my choice for a Universe Today product review. Now, putting an offer like that to an avid astronomer is kinda’ like taking a fat lady to a smörgåsbord – I wasn’t quite sure of where to start. Oh, sure. I could be polite and start in the salad section and ask for a Celestron AstroMaster 114 EQ Reflector Telescope. After having looked at them, they’d make the perfect starter telescope for all ages: a very decent telescope that would withstand the time test. Or, I could go straight to the prime rib and request a Celestron CGE Pro 1100 EdgeHD Telescope… rare, please. These are very serious telescopes meant for very serious astronomers. There’s no joking around with this fine piece of equipment. But what I’m after isn’t at either end of the scale. What I want is something that touches your heart and your head… Not just your taste buds.

And I want to review it for Christmas…

Every year at this time I marvel at all the new technology that comes out. We’ve got net books and Kindle books… cell phone with apps for everything from milking your goat to making natural gas noises with a blade of grass. There’s dolls that grow hair while spouting MP3 songs and remote controlled helicopters that carry their own weapons of mass destruction. We’ve got video games that tell us we’re old and fat and offer to tone us up. And, we’ve even got last year’s “can’t find it anywhere at any price” Wii system that’s now affordable 365 days after I paid twice as much as I should have for it. Oh, don’t get me wrong. It’s a fun toy. There have been many wonderful all-age family bowling matches and slug fests that involved a lot of laughter, but once the game was over? It was over. It was fun at the time, but it didn’t spark anything inside the brain.

“Allys” changed things.

What I asked for from Celestron was the Omni XLT 150 Newtonian Reflector Telescope. Why? Because no one ever talks about them, and even fewer people know about them. The reason the Celestron Omni isn’t a more celebrated telescope is because it is pure telescope. It doesn’t have bells and whistles. It doesn’t have a GoTo system that will whisk you away on a magic carpet until the batteries run out. It doesn’t have a mass of marketing claims behind it – or designs “re-worked” to be affordable. It only comes in two styles – refractor or reflector. And it stands for a principle.

Omni is the belief that all religions contain a core recognition of the same Deity… and so it is with astronomy. For those of us who practice astronomy religiously, we feel a certain kindred-ship with all who love the science and beauty of the night sky, be it the lady with the Moon and stars earrings, or the skinny dude with the “Astronomers Like To Do It With Mirrors” t-shirt. And, the Celestron Omni 150 XLT reflector telescope stands exactly for that. It is a core telescope – able to recognize many the same Cosmic delights as the Hubble Telescope, just as it reveals what you can find in an old pair of binoculars. After all, we’re all in this game together, aren’t we?

I don’t know what magic this telescope came packaged with, but the day it entered my home, it captured us all. My 20-year old son was the one to carry in the box and watched me open it. I was amazed at his response when he caught the first glimpse of the midnight blue paint and snow white trim: “Mom? Can I put that together for you?” Of course, my first thought was no way. After all, this is a loaner scope and one wrong move could mean monetary disaster. However, I kept an open mind. First off, the young man was raised around telescopes and second, just how intuitive and easy will it really go together? I needn’t have worried. Johnny Mnemonic had it fully assembled and balanced in just a few minutes and then we both stood back and admired perhaps one of the finest looking telescopes I’ve seen in a long, long time.

From top to bottom, the Celestron Omni XLT 150 stakes its claim on durability loud and clear. Every part, and I do mean every part is high quality. The optical tube is absolutely the right thickness and the mirror cell and secondary are totally solid construction. The whole midnight blue optical tube assembly is custom trimmed in white. Even the tube rings are excellent, no flapping around like broken bird wings when released. The rack and pinion 1.25″ focuser is not a “cut corners” afterthought – it’s top quality with precise movements and no slop… no plastic knobs and cheap gears. The 6X30 optical finder scope is just the right size and mounted with a heavy-duty bracket that’s going to take a whack or two in the dark without losing its alignment. But that’s far from all…

For those of us who appreciate our optics, then take a look inside the tube. Pristine mirrors? You bet. What you’re looking at is hand selected, high quality optics made from the finest glass available. Only one thing could make it better and that’s Celestron’s StarBright coatings for maximized light transmission. We’re talking about optics on a 6″ Newtonian reflector telescope with a limiting stellar magnitude of 13.4 and 0.76 arc seconds of resolving power! So what’s holding it up? Try a Celestron CG-4 German Equatorial Mount. The CG-4 is a new experience for me, and I’ll tell you right now that I’m impressed… and not just with its stainless steel 1.75″ legs capped with little white bobby socks, either. We’re talking about a rugged equatorial mount with ball bearings in both axis able to carry at least a 20 pound payload. A single knob mounts the head, just as a single shaft continues into the spreader of the tripod. The supplied weights are exactly right and the bubble level and polar axis finder make it all the sweeter. The slow motion controls are snugged into the mount body, not spangling around on too long arms. If I thought the Vixen-mount was great, then there’s a good reason I like this one… it evolved from the Vixen GP2. There’s even an extra “safety” bolt on the quick release to stop an accident before it starts. Now all we need are some clear nights to check out the performance!

Allys stood in my living room for many nights before I finally got clear sky. I’m not even sure of why I started calling the Celestron Omni XLT 150 by a name, because I’ve never named a telescope before. But the more I look at it, the more it reminds me of an Allis-Chalmers tractor… something you’ll see out in the field for the next 50 or more years. And, when we did get out in the field, I knew 50 years wasn’t going to be enough. I had also asked for an assortment of Celestron Omni eyepieces to accompany it, and when I homed in on M67 and saw absolutely no spherical aberration at both low and high magnification factors, I knew I had my hands on an optical standard. Exceptional configurations don’t need gimmicks to set them apart in the field. At a little over a 50 degree apparent field of view, the Celestron Omni Plossls worked absolutely perfectly with the f/5 focal ratio. There’s no “ghosting” and great color correction. Who needs twice as much field with an eyepiece that you’d be afraid your grandkids might touch when you’ve got one that’s delivering razor sharp lunar images at high magnification and diamond dust star fields at low?

Over the weeks and through lunacy I put the Omni 150 through every course I know. At 6″ aperture, it lights up Messier objects with tiny details. It is quite capable of magnitude 12 galaxies. Its 750mm focal length and focal ratio of f/5 presents nebulae the way you want to see them. Little things started to mean a lot… Like how fast any vibration in the mount stopped when you’d tweak the slow motion controls while watching Jupiter at high power or just how smooth and well-balanced the whole system is. I enjoyed superior colors from the singular stars in M50 to the gas-blue flame of Hubble’s Variable Nebula (NGC 2661). This is not a little telescope nor is it a cheap one. It’s a telescope that needs your input to make it work and it delivers back with pristine views and rock solid stability. It is a telescope capable of being turned towards astrophotography – or simply enjoyed year after year.

When I was finished in the evenings, I’d return the Celestron Omni XLT 150 back to the corner of my living room. After all, I can’t be banging around scope that isn’t mine! But what the Omni did for those who entered my home is what is incredible. Not one person, from my parents to my grandchildren were able to resist that telescope. Everyone comments on its good looks and heavy-duty appearance. We virtually lived for a moment of clear sky when we could race outside to look at the Moon or try to spot a polar cap on Mars. Can you say that about a Wii? My grandchildren might have bowled a game or two, but they spent their entire vacation peeking out my windows at night wanting to hunt comets and see where stars are born. Can a video game compete with that? If one can use an Omni to travel in time, then watch a 20-year old explain to his girlfriend what’s going on inside the Pleiades instead of what’s on his latest graphics card. You might get a senior citizen to play a game or two, but when was the last time the ones you know were willing to stand outdoors in the cold to look at Moon, huh? You see, the Celestron Omni XLT 150 might cost twice as much as a Nintendo Wii… but what it did was worth far more.

As of now, I still haven’t returned the Celestron Omni XLT 150 to Celestron. What I’ve done is something I’ve never done before – offer to sell some of my other telescopes so I can buy it. That midnight blue and snow white magic walked into my life and now I don’t want to let it go. When I look through it, I half expect to see two indicator lights somewhere – one red, one green. When I stare into a distant galaxy or count stars in a galactic cluster light years away, they shall indicate whether the flow of history has been tampered with. The steady green light means that history was as it should be, and the red flash light means the only history that’s going to be altered is my own as I check out my book of charts in the dark.

Time waits for no man…

My many thanks to Celestron for giving me the great experience of working with the Omni 150XLT and I want to keep it. If you’d like a Celestron Omni 150XLT Newtonian Reflector for yourself or your family, you can find one at Celestron’s premier dealers such as OPT, telescopes.com, Scope City, High Point, Hands On Optics, Astronomics and Adorama.

December 4, 2009December 24, 2015 by Tammy Plotner

Weekend SkyWatcher’s Forecast – December 5-7, 2009

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Are you ready for an mmm mmm good weekend? Well, the “m” stands for Messier and we’re off to study three of the late year’s finest… and a Herschel object as well! Don’t feel like taking out the telescope? Then don’t worry, because all of our weekend studies are easily done with even small binoculars! When ever you’re ready, I’ll see you in the dark…

Friday, December 4, 2009 – On this date in 1978, the Pioneer Venus Orbiter became the first spacecraft to orbit Venus. And, in 1996, the Mars Pathfinder mission was launched.

Tonight we’ll launch toward a bright open cluster known by many names: Herschel VII.32, Melotte 12, Collinder 23, and NGC 752. You’ll find it three finger-widths south (RA 01 57 41 Dec +37 47 06) of Gamma Andromedae.

Under dark skies, this 5.7-magnitude open cluster can just be spotted with the unaided eye, is revealed in the smallest of binoculars, and can be completely resolved with a telescope. Chances are NGC 752 was discovered by Hodierna over 350 years ago, but it was not cataloged until Sir William gave it a designation in 1786. But give credit where credit is due, for it was Caroline Herschel who observed it on September 28, 1783! Containing literally scores of stars, galactic cluster NGC752 could be well over a billion years old and is strung out in chains and knots in an X pattern over a rich field. Take a close look at the southern edge for orange star 56; although this is a true binary star, the companion you see is merely optical. Enjoy this unsung symphony of stars tonight!

Saturday, December 5, 2009 – No one is certain, but it is believed that Werner Heisenberg was born on this date in 1901! Heisenberg was a physicist and philosopher who discovered a way to formulate quantum mechanics in terms of matrices. His uncertainty principle won him the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1932.

Is it gone yet? Nope. The Moon will rise a little later this evening, but we’re going to run ahead of it tonight and enjoy some studies in Auriga! Looking roughly like a pentagon in shape, Capella is the brightest of these stars. Due south of Capella is the second brightest star, El Nath. By aiming binoculars at El Nath, go north about one-third the distance between the two and enjoy all the stars! You will note two very conspicuous clusters of stars in this area, and so did Le Gentil in 1749.

Binoculars will reveal the pair in the same field, as will telescopes using lowest power. The dimmest of these is M38 (RA 05 28 43 Dec +35 51 18), and it will appear vaguely cruciform in shape. At roughly 4,200 light-years away, the 100 or so fainter members will require larger aperture to resolve.

About 2.5 degrees to the southeast (RA 05 36 12 Dec +34 08 24) you will see the much brighter M36. More easily resolved in binoculars and small scopes, this ‘‘jewel box’’ galactic cluster is quite young and about 100 light-years closer!

Sunday, December 6, 2009 – Today we note the 1848 birth on this date of Johann Palisa. He discovered 122 asteroids with a 600 refractor, and all were visual observations. Check out some asteroids for yourself over the next few days as they approach easily noted objects. You’ll still find the asteroid Psyche close to Jupiter!

The Moon will be along shortly, but we still have time to set our sights about halfway between Theta Aurigae and El Nath. Our study object will be the open cluster M37 (RA 05 52 19 Dec+32 33 12).

Apparently discovered by Messier himself in 1764, this galactic cluster will appear almost nebula-like to binoculars and very small telescopes, but comes to perfect resolution with larger instruments. About 4,700 light-years away and spanning a massive 25 light-years, M37 is often billed as the finest of the three Aurigan open clusters for bigger scopes. Offering beautiful resolvability, this one contains around 150 members down to magnitude 12 and has a total population in excess of 500.

What makes it unique? As you view, you will note the presence of several red giants. For the most part, open clusters are composed of stars that are all about the same age (usually young), but the brightest star in M37 appears orange in color and not blue! So what exactly is going on here? Apparently, some of these big, bright stars have evolved much faster, consuming their fuel at an incredible rate. Other stars in this cluster are still quite young on a cosmic scale, yet they all left the ‘‘nursery’’ at the same time! In theory, this allows us to judge the relative age of open clusters. For example, M36 is around 30 million years old and M38 about 40, but the presence of the red giants in M37 puts its estimated age at 150 million years!

Enjoy the weekend and keep a look out for stray members of the Geminid meteor shower!

This week’s awesome images are (in order of appearance): NGC 752, M38 and M36 (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), Johann Palisa (historical image) and M37 (credit—NOAO/AURA/NSF). We thank you so much!

December 1, 2009December 24, 2015 by Tammy Plotner

Capture A FUor!

What accretes quietly in the night and can be a blast to observe? Try a FUor… These high accretion, high luminosity phase pre-main sequence stars may only last a few decades – but display an extreme change in magnitude and spectral type in a very short period of time. While FU Orionis may be the prototype you know about, there’s a lot more to learn and even more to observe! Step outside in the dark with me and let’s take a look…

What we know so far about FU Orionis-type stars is they flare with abrupt mass transfer from an accretion disc onto a young, low mass T Tauri-type star. In itself, this is very exciting because nearly half of T Tauri stars have circumstellar disks or protoplanetary discs. These could very well be the forerunners of planetary systems similar to our own solar system! How do we know there is a disc there? Try variablility. “Variable circumstellar extinction is pointed out as responsible for the conspicuous variations observed in the stellar continuum flux and for concomitant changes in the emission features by contrast effect. Clumpy structures, incorporating large dust grains and orbiting the star within a few tenths of AU, obscure episodically the star and, eventually, part of the inner circumstellar zone, while the bulk of the hydrogen lines emitting zone and outer low-density wind region traced by the [OI] remain unaffected.” says E. Schisano (et al), “Coherently with this scenario, the detected radial velocity changes are also explainable in terms of clumpy materials transiting and partially obscuring the star.”

While accretion rates for a FUor could range anywhere from 4 to 10 solar masses annually and its eruptions last up to a year or longer, astronomers believe their entire lifetimes only last a few decades. The proto-star itself may also be limited to undergoing an average of one to two eruptions each year. “The brightness of FUors increases by several magnitudes within one to several years. The currently favored explanation for this brightness boost is that of dramatically rising accretion from the disc material around a young star. The mechanism leading to this accretion increase is a point of debate.” says S. Pfalzner, “The induced accretion rates, the overall temporal accretion profile, the decay time, and possibly the binarity rate we obtain for encounter-induced accretion agree very well with observations of FUors. However, the rise time of one year observed in some FUors is difficult to achieve in our simulations unless the matter is stored somewhere close to the star and then released after a certain mass limit is transgressed. The severest argument against the FUors phenomenon being caused by encounters is that most FUors are found in environments of low stellar density.”

Surprisingly enough, even given the short period of time in which a FUor exists, no one has ever seen one phase out. “A cross-correlation analysis shows that FUor and FUor-like spectra are not consistent with late-type dwarfs, giants, nor embedded protostars. The cross-correlations also show that the observed FUor-like HH energy sources have spectra that are substantively similar to those of FUors.” says Thomas P. Greene (et al), “Both object groups also have similar near-infrared colors. The large line widths and double-peaked nature of the spectra of the FUor-like stars are consistent with the established accretion disk model for FUors, also consistent with their near-infrared colors. It appears that young stars with FUor-like characteristics may be more common than projected from the relatively few known classical FUors.”

Just how common and observable are these unusual characters? A lot more than you might think. According to Bo Reipurth (et al); “The original FUor class was defined by a small number (5-6) of pre-main sequence stars that had been observed to brighten up by 3-6 magnitudes on time scales of 1-10 years. The class has since been augmented by a comparable number of stars that have similar spectra or SEDs to the classical FUors, but that have not been observed to behave photometrically in that way. It is likely that the FUor phenomenon is recurrent, but it is not at all clear whether it is a property shared by ordinary T Tauri stars, or whether it is confined to a special minority among them. It is important that more examples be found, and found promptly, and as the result of systematic search rather than by accident as has been the case in the past. The goal would be to examine, on a regular monthly basis, all the molecular clouds within about 2 kpc that lie along the galactic plane and Gould’ s Belt for faint (or previously invisible) stars that had brightened up by a magnitude or more. It is essential that any such detections be followed up spectroscopically as soon as possible, to weed out interlopers: flare stars, cataclysmic variables, Miras, and EXors (the latter also being pre-main sequence but which unlike FUors soon return to their original brightness level, usually in a year or less). All of these objects are readily distinguishable from one another even at modest spectroscopic resolution. Such an on-going survey would serve also to follow the development of FUors.”

So let’s do the FUor dance!

IRAS 06068 641 FU Ori type object - Joe Brimacombe — IRAS 09068 641 FU Ori type object - Joe Brimacombe

According to CBET 2033 released on November 21, 2009 from the International Astronomical Union: “The discovery of a possible FU-Ori-type eruption (see Hartmann and Kenyon 1996, ARAA 34, 207) is located at R.A. = 6h09m19s.32, Decl. = -6o41’55”.4 (equinox 2000.0), and coincident with the infrared source IRAS 06068-0641. Discovered by the CRTS on Nov. 10, it has been continuously brightening from at least early 2005 (when it was mag 14.8 on unfiltered CCD images) to the present magnitude of 12.6, and may possibly brighten further. On recent images, a faint cometary reflection nebula is visible to the east. A spectrum (range 350-900 nm), taken with the SMARTS 1.5-m telescope at Cerro Tololo, on November 17, shows H-alpha in emission, all other Balmer lines and He I (at 501.5 nm) in absorption, and a very strong Ca II infrared triplet in emission, confirming it to be a young stellar object. The object lies inside a dark nebula to the south of the Mon R2 association, and is likely related to it. In addition, also inside this dark nebula, a second object at R.A. = 6h09m13s.70, Decl. = -6o43’55”.6, coincident with IRAS 06068-0643, has been varying between mag 15 and 20 over the past few years, reminiscent of UX-Ori-type objects with very deep fades. Also, this second object supports a variable cometary reflection nebula, extending to the north. The spectrum of this object also shows H-alpha and the strong Ca II infrared triplet in emission.”

Visible? Yeah. You know it. And here are the wide field results as taken by Joe Brimacombe…

IRAS 06068 641 FU Ori type widefield - Joe Brimacombe

“A smaller site of ongoing star formation in the Mon R2 molecular cloud are the objects associated with GGD 16 and 17. To the south of GGD 17, the T Tauri star Bretz 4 is probably associated with the GGD object. This star has been studied spectroscopically and was classified by as a K4 spectral type with a class 5 emission spectrum.” says Carpenter and Hodapp, “The infrared source IRS 2 is positionally coincident with Bretz 4, while the more deeply embedded IRS 1 has no optical counterpart and lies between the GGD objects. A detailed optical study showed that GGD 17 is part of a curved jet extending north of the star Bretz 4 and consisting of HH 271, and possibly also HH 273. Nebulosity close to the star shows the typical morphology of scattered light from an outflow cavity wall. The embedded infrared objects and optical reflection nebulosity in the general GGD 16-17 region is associated with 850 um emission.”

Capture a FUor… It may be the most unusual thing you’ve ever done!

Many thanks to Joe Brimacombe for the awesome images and awakening my ‘FUor’ curiousity!

November 27, 2009December 24, 2015 by Tammy Plotner

Observing News: Nova Eridani or Flash Fire?

K. Itagaki of Yamagata, Japan was photographing the night sky in Eridanus two days ago when Hitoshi Yamaoka of Kyushu University noticed an anomaly – a possible classic nova event. Just how big a jump in amplitude did this star make? Try at least seven magnitudes within hours… and Joe Brimacombe was on it.

According to AAVSO Special Notice #181 released on November 25, 2009, there could be a possible nova in Eridanus. “Central Bureau Electronic Telegram No. 2050 (Daniel W. E. Green, Ed.) announces the discovery of a possible nova in Eridanus, as reported by Hitoshi Yamaoka, Kyushu University, by K. Itagaki, Yamagata, Japan, at magnitude 8.1 on images taken Nov. 25.536 UT. The object was confirmed by Itagaki on an image taken on Nov. 25.545.

Coordinates: R.A. = 04:47:54.21 Decl. = -10:10:43.1 (equinox 2000.0)

According to CBET No. 2050, “Itagaki notes that there is a faint (mag about 15) object near this position on his archival patrol images. Yamaoka suggests that it might be the brightening of a 15th-mag blue star that is contained in many catalogs (USNO-B1.0 position end figures 54s.19, 42″.9), noting that the amplitude of seven magnitudes is rather large for a dwarf nova, but somewhat small for a rapid classical nova. Yamaoka adds that the ASAS-3 system (Pojmanski 2002, Acta. Astron. 52, 397) also detected this object at the following V magnitudes: Nov. 10.236 UT, [14.0:; 19.241, 7.34; 22.179, 7.98; 24.269, 8.12.” Finder charts for this object may be plotted using VSP by entering the coordinates into the form at the this URL.

This object has been assigned the VSX identifier VSX J044754.2-101043. An AUID will be assigned by the VSX moderators and will be added to the on-line version of this notice when it becomes available. Please report observations to the AAVSO International Database as N ERI 2009 or VSX J044754.2-101043.”

Within 24 hours even more news came in via AAVSO Special Notice #182:

“This new variable object in Eridanus, originally called a possible nova in CBET 2050, is most likely a WZ Sge variable. It matches closely the coordinates of GSC1.2 05325-01837, listed in that catalog at 14.76 mag. At the peak outburst magnitude of 7.3, this is about 7.5 magnitudes amplitude, within the range of a galactic variable and lower than a typical nova. It appears to be fading and is about V=8.5 right now. However, WZ Sge cataclysmic variables have a complex light curve and the star may re-brighten. We are awaiting spectral
confirmation and possible GCVS naming, and will pass on that information as soon as possible.

As mentioned in Special Notice 181, the star has been entered as VSX J044754.2-101043 and now has an AUID of 000-BJR-847. You can submit observations to the AAVSO with either identifier. We have a preliminary sequence from Mati Morel, and have obtained BVRI imagery using the Bright Star Monitor at Astrokolkhoz Observatory
which we will use to construct a multiwavelength sequence tomorrow (November 27).

This is a good target for time series photometry, and at its current brightness, we highly recommend using filters. Larger telescopes should consider B or even U filters.”

Congratulations to K. Itagaki on his latest discovery, to AAVSO for pinning it down and to Joe Brimacombe for his quick imaging of the phenomena!

November 27, 2009December 24, 2015 by Tammy Plotner

Weekend SkyWatcher’s Forecast – November 27-29, 2009

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Are you ready for what’s hot and what’s not this weekend? Then start by taking a look at Anders Celsius and then journey to some challenging lunar features! Evolve your selenographic knowledge by locating Darwin and double your vision with binary stars. Monkey around? You bet! But only if it’s with a star with unusual spectral qualities that you can see! Whenever you’re ready, I’ll see you in the dark…

Friday, November 27, 2009 – Today is the birthday of Anders Celsius, born in 1701. Although you might easily recognize the name Celsius in connection with temperature, you might not know about the contributions Anders made to astronomy some three centuries ago. Born to a Swedish family of mathematicians and astronomers, one of his first achievements came when he participated in an effort to determine the true shape of Earth. He was also the very first scientist to recognize the connection between magnetism and the aurora. And, by age 39, he had become the director of an observatory. Celsius also developed the first instrument for measuring the brightness of starlight. Ever resourceful, he already possessed tools to measure position and motion but had nothing with which to gauge magnitude. His idea was so simple it was downright elegant: he simply blocked the light with identical glass plates until the star disappeared. The brighter the star, the more plates it took!

Tonight let us go from one extreme to another as we begin on the northernmost limb of the lunar surface. From the northernmost Sinus Roris, look for lens-shaped crater Markov. To Markov’s northeast is a large, flat crater with very few distinguishing characteristics. Its name is Oenopides.

If conditions are stable, look for a gray slash known as Cleostratus on the lunar limb further north of Oenopides. On the southern limb, look for familiar craters Wargentin, Nasmyth, and Phocylides. Even farther south, note the long oval Pingre.

Saturday, November 28, 2009 – On this date in 1659, Christian Huygens was busy at the eyepiece, but he wasn’t studying Saturn. This was the first time any astronomer had seen dark markings on Mars! Why don’t you try your luck at Mars tonight, too? Wait for it to rise well above atmospheric disturbance and power up! It’s too bad it isn’t – or as big (!) as close as the Moon. . .

Tonight the great Grimaldi will again capture the eye, but let’s head southeast for another featureless dark gray oval, Crueger.

Continuing south, the next crater—Darwin—is hard to see because of its rather un-craterlike appearance. Darwin is best caught by focusing on the rima that includes its eastern wall. Look for a Y formation pointing toward Crueger.

Although skies are bright, we can still see double. Locate 5-magnitude Lambda Arietis (RA 01 57 55 Dec +23 35 45) and its companion. This wide pair is an excellent challenge for binoculars. Both stars are F-spectral types and should appear ivory in color to most observers. Having trouble in binoculars? Try a finderscope of equal power and aperture. To locate Lambda, look a finger-width west-southwest of Hamal, at Alpha Arietis.

Sunday, November 29, 2009 – On this date in 1961 Enos the Chimp was launched into fame! His story is a long and colorful one, but Enos was a true astronaut. Selected to make the first American orbital animal flight only 3 days before the launch, he flew into space on board a Mercury-Atlas 5 and completed his first orbit in just under 90 minutes. Although Enos was scheduled to complete three orbits, he was brought back due to ‘‘attitude difficulties.’’ But whose? Malfunctions caused the chimp to be repeatedly shocked when performing the correct maneuvers, but Enos continued to perform flawlessly and was said to run and jump enthusiastically on board the recovery ship. Although he died a year later from an unrelated disease, Enos the chimp remains one of our most enduring space heroes.

Tonight, launch your way toward the Moon and see if you can spot crater Riccioli. . . You’ll find it centermost and almost on the limb!

Now that you’ve viewed a challenging crater, would you like to have a look at a challenging double star? All you have to do is locate Theta Aurigae (RA 05 59 43 Dec +37 12 45) on the east side of the pentagonal shape of this constellation. Located about 110 light-years away, 2.7-magnitude Theta is a four star system, whose members range in magnitude from 2.7 to 10.7. Suited even to a small telescope, the brightest member—Theta B—is itself a binary at magnitude 7.2; it was first recorded by Otto Struve in 1871. The pair moves quite slowly and may take as long as 800 years to orbit at their separation of about 110 Astronomical Units (AU). The furthest member of this system was also noted by Struve as far back as 1852, but it is not a true member, with the separation only occurring thanks to Theta’s own proper motion. While you are there, be sure to note Theta’s unusual color. Although it will appear ‘‘white,’’ look closely at the diffraction caused by our own atmosphere, which acts much like a prism. You’ll notice a lot more purple and blue around this star than many others of the same spectral type. Why? Theta is a silicon star!

Until next week? Ask for the Moon, but keep on reaching for the stars!

This week’s awesome images are (in order of apppearance): Anders Celsius (widely used image), Northwest Limb Mosaic (credit—Alan Chu), Crueger (credit—Alan Chu), Lambda Arietis (credit –Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), Enos the Chimp (credit–NASA), Riccioli (credit—Alan Chu) and Theta Aurigae (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech). We thank you so much!

November 24, 2009December 24, 2015 by Tammy Plotner

Requiem – Daniel Marquardt

“Looking up in the sky is one of the greatest things a human being can do. Going out to a silent and dark site, enjoying the beauty of the Universe with friends. You will forget all the problems here on Earth, because you realize that we are only a little funny thing on this ball we call Earth, flying through our galaxy we call Milky Way. There is more out there that wants to be discovered. Sit back and take a journey through our real home and through space and time.” And remember Daniel Marquardt…

It is with deepest sadness that I report the passing of Daniel Marquardt on November 23, 2009. I got the news as soon as I arrived on-line and I felt the tug on my heart-strings hard and heavy. I have reviewed a lot of Daniel’s work and not a week before had made plans to work with him on an in-depth article for AstroPhoto Insight Magazine. I looked at his images and had plans of doing illustrated soft-science articles here on Universe Today.

And I thought there was time…

It’s funny how our time passes so quickly – and how quickly we can regret not seizing a moment. Daniel lived in Zurich, Switzerland and did his imaging remotely through his Takahashi FSQ106N refractor located in his robotic observatory in Southern France. Too distant for Ohio gal? Not hardly. The internet has made us all much closer and Daniel was a co-member of a group of astrophotographers I love. His star was burning brightly… But I didn’t see it clearly until too late.

Said Daniel, “My goal is to share the beauty of our Universe with everyone. Why am I doing astrophotography? In normal photography you are imaging objects you see through your viewfinder. That’s quite simple. Looking at the object and pressing the release. In less than a second you will find your final image on the memory card and you’ll look at it once. It’s a big difference in astrophotography: The most fascinating point here is that you are not seeing the object with your eyes! It gets only visible if you have a large optical mirror or lens (or both) in front of your camera, that collects many photons. The second difference is that you are not exposing less than a second – you are probably opening the shutter for many hours! Why? Your eye is “updating” the image you see very often. But you can control the opening of your shutter in the camera: The longer the shutter is open, the more photons of an object can crash into the sensitive electronic eye. That’s the magic behind astrophotography.”

And Daniel’s work was truly magic. His images caught the eyes and hearts of astrophotography fans everywhere, like this superb rendition of the “Heart and Soul” nebula which appeared as a NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day on February 14, 2009.

Daniel’s heart and soul was in his astrophotography and in sharing the Universe with us, he captured far more than just collected photons – he captured distant visions for us to feast our eager eyes upon.

If there is a memory card in our minds, don’t just look through the viewfinder of life and look once. That second is all too brief – like the shining star that was Daniel Marquardt. Take his life’s lessons, dedication and courage in the face of illness and turn it into brilliant moment… And remember a very talented young man. Godspeed, Daniel… Godspeed…

“I am like a slip of comet,
Scarce worth discovery, in some corner seen
Bridging the slender difference of two stars,
Come out of space, or suddenly engender’d
By heady elements, for no man knows;
But when she sights the sun she grows and sizes
And spins her skirts out, while her central star
Shakes its cocooning mists; and so she comes
To fields of light; millions of travelling rays
Pierce her; she hangs upon the flame-cased sun,
And sucks the light as full as Gideons’s fleece:
But then her tether calls her; she falls off,
And as she dwindles shreds her smock of gold
Between the sistering planets, till she comes
To single Saturn, last and solitary;
And then she goes out into the cavernous dark.
So I go out: my little sweet is done:
I have drawn heat from this contagious sun:
To not ungentle death now forth I run.”

— Gerard Manley Hopkins

All images here are the work of Daniel Marquardt. Please take the time to visit Sky Image CCD Astronomy.

November 20, 2009December 24, 2015 by Tammy Plotner

Weekend SkyWatcher’s Forecast – November 20 -22, 2009

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Yep. The Moon is back, but this weekend can still present some great opportunities for enjoying astronomy. If you’re up early or out late? Well, hey… The Leonid meteor shower is still producing activity! Why not take a few minutes to learn about a great variable star you can follow without optical aid or study a new lunar feature? There’s plenty to do for binoculars and small telescopes – and perhaps even a clever new study you haven’t looked at yet! Whenever you’re ready, I’ll see you in the dark…

Friday, November 20, 2009 – Today celebrates the birth of a significant astronomer, Edwin Hubble. Born on this date in 1889, Hubble became the first American astronomer to identify Cepheid variables in M31, which in turn established the extragalactic nature of the spiral nebulae. Continuing with the work of Carl Wirtz, and using Vesto Slipher’s redshifts, Hubble could then calculate the velocity–distance relation for galaxies. This has become known as Hubble’s Law and demonstrates the expansion of our universe.

Tonight we’ll pass the Moon and head just a little more than a fist-width west of the westernmost bright star in Cassiopeia, to have a look at Delta Cephei (RA 22 29 10 Dec +58 24 54). This is the most famous of all variable stars and the granddaddy of all Cepheids. Discovered in 1784 by John Goodricke, its changes in magnitude are not due to a revolving companion but rather the pulsations of the star itself.

Ranging over almost a full magnitude in 5 days, 8 hours, and 48 minutes precisely, Delta’s changes can easily be followed by comparing it to nearby Zeta and Epsilon. Upon reaching its dimmest point, it will brighten rapidly in a period of about 36 hours yet take 4 days to slowly dim again. Take time out of your busy night to watch Delta change and change again. It’s only 1,000 light-years away and doesn’t even require a telescope! (But even binoculars will show its optical companion.)

Saturday, November 21, 2009 – Tonight let’s go to the southern lunar cusp to identify two small but very nice craters. Using previous study Fabricus, continue south and look for the pair connected side-to-side rather than end-to-end.

This is crater Watt, with Steinheil intruding on it. Remember the distance traveled south from Fabricus to this pair and extend that distance even further south. Seen on the limb is crater Biela. If conditions are stable, you might pick up a tiny black point in Beila’s west wall, Biela C.

Before we retire to the shadows tonight, let’s study the small, open cluster NGC 225, located a finger-width northwest of Gamma Cassiopeiae (RA 00 43 42 Dec +61 47 00). This 7th magnitude collection has been described by some as looking like a sailboat. A fascinating name might be the ‘‘Metamorphosis Cluster,’’ since the southwestern region of the cluster looks like a butterfly asterism and, to the northeast is the caterpillar-like asterism. Although just barely detectable as an unresolved patch through binoculars on a dark night, tonight’s Moon means that magnification is needed just to make out its half-dozen brighter 9th magnitude members. Modest scopes should reveal two dozen stars to magnitude 12.

Sunday, November 22, 2009 – On the lunar surface tonight, the three rings of Theophilus, Cyrillus, and Catharina will emerge, but tonight let’s power up on Theophilus and see what we can find! The area just northeast of Theophilus—where Mare Tranquillitatis and Mare Nectaris join—is called Sinus Asperitatis.

Toward its center, you will see the remains of a once grand (nameless) crater holding the younger, sharper Torricelli in its center. Dropping back to Theophilus, just outside of its east wall, you will also find a young crater, Madler. As you head east across the northern shore of Mare Nectaris, look carefully for two partial rings. The northernmost is so eroded that it never received a name, while a slight, faint horseshoe marks all that remains of Daguerre.

Tonight let’s test our starhopping and observing talents by starting first with a beautiful double – Gamma Arietis. Now look about a fist-width east-southeast for dim little Pi. When you have Pi centered, move about half a degree southwest for an alternative catalog study—DoDz 1.

Although you might find this sparkling double handful of stars of little interest, think twice before you hop on. Although DoDz studies are far more scattered and less populous than most galactic clusters, it doesn’t make them less interesting. What you are looking at are basically the fossils of once active and more concentrated regions of stars. As the cluster has matured, the lower mass members have been stripped away and joined the general population. Known as a ‘‘dissolving cluster,’’ DoDz 1 is all that’s left of a far grander collection. Very ancient. . .yet still very beautiful!

Enjoy your celestial adventures!

This week’s awesome images are (in order of appearance): Edwin Hubble (widely used public image), Delta Cephei (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), Steinheil and Watt at limb (credit—Alan Chu), NGC 225 (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), Theophilus, Cyrillus, and Catharina (credit—Alan Chu) and Dolidze-Dzimselejsvili 1 (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech). We thank you so much!

November 17, 2009December 24, 2015 by Tammy Plotner

Kid’s Astronomy: Celestial Birds Migrate West?

Hello, Cosmic Kids! As the seasons change, not only do the Earthly birds migrate, but so do the celestial ones. In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s not unusual to see large flocks of our feathered friends moving on to warmer climes, but did you know that there are bird constellations that are migrating, too? Instead of flying south for the Winter, these ancient avians are headed west…

Over the next few days just after sunset, the slender crescent Moon will glide silently between two constellations that represent birds and help you to locate them with ease. While you’re out, listen to the voices on the wind… “Look to the southwest for Aquila the Eagle. Perhaps you recognize it as is one of the three constellations from which we learned the stars of the Summer Triangle? Aquila was known to the Romans as Vultur volans the ‘Flying Vulture’. Now instead of flying high in the sky, it is headed west. Look for a straight line of three stars almost level with the horizon. The center and brightest of these three stars is Altair and they represent the Eagle’s wings. The head of the Eagle – Lambda – is a much dimmer star which stretches off to the southwest to stars from Altair. Its proper name is Al Thalimain, which means the two ostriches! But there’s still more… If you look again at Altair, whose Arabic name means ‘the bird’, you’ll see another fairly bright star to the south. That’s Beta, or better known as Alshain. In Arabic, it means falcon!”

“To the ancient Greeks, Aquila was thought of as the feathered servant of Zeus. It was the Eagle who was in charge of holding the god’s thunderbolts and doing his chores. Aquila was also considered by some cultures to be the great eagle who ate Prometheus’ liver for giving fire to humans! To the Indians, the line of three stars which includes Altair is thought to be the footprints of the god Vishnu. Some Asian traditions see the bright star Vega as the Weaving-Princess who married Altair, the shepherd. In the Chinese love story of Qi Xi, Niu Lang (Altair) and his two children (Beta and Gamma Aquilae) are separated forever from their wife and mother Zhi Nu (Vega) who is on the far side of the river, the Milky Way.”

“If your skies are dark early enough and you have an open western horizon, you can use your binoculars to look for a flight of ‘Wild Ducks’ headed west, too. You will find it just a little north and west of the head of the Eagle, Lambda. This compact, open star cluster is also known as Messier Object 11 or NGC 6705. While you may only see a few stars in this 220 million years old gathering of suns, the cluster proper contains almost 2900 stars. Full of yellow and red giant stars these ‘ducks’ aren’t just migrating, they’re speeding away from us at 22 kilometers per second!”

Now, let’s go a bit higher and take a look at big bird – Cygnus the Swan. Sometimes folks refer to this constellation as the Northern Cross because of its shape. Do you recognize it as also being a member of the Summer Triangle? The tail of the Swan is bright star Deneb, Arabic for ‘tail’. Deneb is a very young, bright blue supergiant star and you’ll see three stars in a row below it – Gamma in the center, Delta to the north and Epsilon to the south. Two stars west of Gamma is Beta – Albireo – the beak of the Swan. If you have a telescope or higher power binoculars, take a look! Albireo is really two stars. This is what is known as a binary star, and you’ll find the pair has a very noticeable orange and blue color contrast.”

“Is that all the birds in Cygnus? Not hardly. Although it is very hard to see optically, there is another feathered friend very close to Deneb… the Pelican Nebula! This neon night bird is filled with stars being born and clouds of gas evolving. The young stars inside the cloud are very active and their energy is turning the cold gas into hot gas, causing it to glow and spread outward. The ridge of cold gas being pushed away from the 2,000 light-year year distant warm gas cloud is called an ionization front. Dark dust clouds are what shapes Pelican’s eye and long bill, while the ionization front make up the curved shape of the head and neck.”

“So where did the Swan come from? There are many legends. To the ancient Greeks, Cygnus is Zeus in disguise, flying his way across the sky to win the heart of Leda, the mother of Helen of Troy and the Gemini twins. Perhaps Cygnus is Orpheus, who was placed in the sky along with his harp (Lyra) after he was murdered. In one myth, Cygnus is a friend of Phaethon, the son of Sun god Apollo, who crashed the sky chariot while driving along the Milky Way. It is said that Zeus turned Cygnus into a swan for his heroic attempts to save Phaethon from the starry river. Perhaps Cygnus is the son of Neptune – saved by his father who turned him into a swan before he was defeated by Achilles. But according to Chinese mythology, Cygnus is the magpie bridge. And you know what magpies are, don’t you? That’s right… Birds!”

If you don’t find the Aquila constellation and Cygnus tonight, keep trying. Over the next few days you’ll find the crescent Moon will help guide the way! And keep looking up…

Many thanks to these image resources: Mythical Figures (Credit: Uranometria Archives), Constellation Maps (Credit: Windows to the Universe, UCAR), Aquila and Cygnus Illustrations (Credit: SEDS and Stellarium), Wild Duck Cluster (Credit: NASA image gallery) and Pelican Nebula (Credit: Digitized Sky Survey/Charles Shahar).

November 16, 2009December 24, 2015 by Tammy Plotner

Leonids Light Up The Night – 2009 Leonid Meteor Shower Information

The annual Leonid Meteor Shower is about to light up the night… And the time to start watching is now. The year 2009 will not see a Leonid storm, but an outburst for sure. There are still some uncertainties regarding the time of maximum of the 1466 trail. For those of you seeking a definitive date and time, it isn’t always possible, but we can learn a whole lot about when and where to look.

The Leonid Meteor Shower belongs to the debris shed by comet 55/P Tempel-Tuttle as it passes our Sun in its 33.2 year orbit. Although it was once assumed it would simply be about 33 years between the heaviest “showers,” we later came to realize the debris formed a cloud which lagged behind the comet and dispersed irregularly. With each successive pass of Tempel-Tuttle, new filaments of debris are left in space along with the old ones, creating different “streams” the orbiting Earth passes through at varying times, which makes blanket predictions unreliable at best. Each year during November, we pass through the filaments of its debris – both old and new ones – and the chances of impacting a particular stream from any one particular year of Tempel-Tuttle’s orbit becomes a matter of mathematical estimates. We know when it passed… We know where it passed… But will we encounter it and to what degree? Traditional dates for the peak of the Leonid meteor shower occur as early as the morning of November 17 and as late as November 19.

So what can we expect this year? According to NASA’s 2009 predictions a significant shower is expected this year when Earth crosses the 1466-dust and 1533-dust ejecta of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. According to J. Vaubaillon, the narrow (about 1-hr) shower is expected to peak on November 17, 2009, at 21:43 (1466) and 21:50 (1533) UT, perhaps 0.5 to 1.0 hour later based on a mis-match in 2008, with rates peaking at about ZHR = 115 + 80 = 195/hr (scaled to rates observed in 2008). E. Lyytinen, M. Maslov, D. Moser, and M. Sato all predict similar activity from both trails, combining to about ZHR = 150 – 300 /hr. P. Jenniskens notes that if the calculated trail pattern is slightly shifted in the same manner as observed before, then the 1533-dust trail would move in Earth’s path and its rates would be higher (the 1466-dust trail would move away). However, the 1533-dust trail is distorted in the models, and because of that it is not clear how much higher that would be. This remains a rare opportunity to study old dust trails from comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. In such old trails, the model of Lyytinen and Nissinen predicts wide trails, which can be tested by measuring the width of the outburst profile.

Let’s take a closer look at the at how the two centuries old trails will affect our observing, beginning with the one created in the year 1466. The exact same trail will be encountered again this year with its maximum rate of up to 115 meteors per hour occurring at 21:43 UT (may be 0.5-1hr later). “The trail will be much closer to the Earth, explaining why we expect a quite high zenith hourly rate.” say J. Vaubaillon (et al), “However the discrepancy between the expected time of maximum remains, as well as a general higher expected ZHR. Among the possible explanations are: sensitivity to initial conditions (given that the trail is 16 Rev. old) or change of cometary activity (impossible to verify unfortunately).”

But don’t count on only this single trail, because the year 1533 trail will encounter the Earth at almost the same time as the 1466 trail. Its maximum time of arrival is expected to be at 21:50 UT on the 17th of November, with a zenith hourly rate of 80 – for a combined rate of perhaps 200 meteors per hour. “The total level of the shower (ZHR~200/hr) was callibrated using the 2008 observations of the 1466 trail, but nothing is known from the 1533 trail. As a consequence, it will be very interesting to check.” comments Vaubaillon, “In particular there might be a difference of up to 1 hour between the 1466 and 1533 trail, or they might even be late together, giving us some insight about how well/poorly we know comet 55P’s orbit.”

Let’s take a closer look with 3D-view of the two trails may have evolved between 1466 and 2009…

Dr. Vaubaillon’s colleagues from MSFC (D. Moser and B. Cooke) pointed out that the best location to view the outburst caused by the 1466 and 1533 trails will be centered around India and includes: Nepal, Thailand, Western China, Tadjikistan, Afghanistan, Eastern Iran, South Central Russia, etc. Dr. P. Atreya (IMCCE), citizen of Nepal, is currently organizing an international Leonid observation campaign in his home country. This campaign will involve many amateurs and researchers from Nepal and other countries. The climate conditions in Nepal at this time of the year makes it an excellent spot.

We may never know precisely where and when the Leonids might strike, but we do know that a good time to look for this activity is well before dawn on November 17, 18 and 19. Where do you look? For most of us, the best position will be to face east and look overhead. With the Moon out of the picture, even if you don’t see a huge amount of meteoric activity, chances are that even a few minutes of your time will bring a bright and happy reward!

Many thanks to John Chumack for sharing his early 2009 Leonid image and to NASA, Dr. Vaubaillon and colleagues for the illustrations and 3D animation!

November 13, 2009December 24, 2015 by Tammy Plotner

Weekend SkyWatcher’s Forecast – November 13-15, 2009

Planetary scientists Carolyn Porco. Via NASA/JPL.

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! It’s a dark sky weekend and for many of us, the weather scene is improving greatly. Are you ready to enjoy some astronomy? Then take the chance to get out in the early morning and admire the alluring dance of the “Old Moon in the New Moon’s Arms” as it silently changes planetary partners over the next few days and catch some bright and early Leonid meteors. You won’t need gigantic optics to enjoy this weekend’s studies as we have a look at some very impressive double stars, galaxies and open clusters. Dust off those optics! And meet me in the backyard….

Friday, November 13, 2009 – Start your day the astronomy way! Get up early and take a look at the pleasing pairing of Saturn and the Moon. On this date in 1990, Carolyn Porco was appointed leader of the imaging team for the Cassini mission to Saturn. Porco’s career as a planetary scientist is unsurpassed, and she is an expert on planetary ring systems. For all of you who look at Saturn’s rings with wonder, be sure to send your best to Porco; her undying love of astronomy began with observations just like yours!

Today is also the birthdate of James Clerk Maxwell. Born in 1831, Maxwell was a leading English theoretician on electromagnetism and the nature of light. Tonight let’s take a journey of 150 light-years as we honor Maxwell’s theories of electricity and magnetism and take a look at a star that is in nuclear decay—Alpha Ceti (RA 03 02 19 Dec +04 14 10). Its name is Menkar, and this 2nd magnitude orange giant is slowly using up its nuclear fuel and gaining mass. According to Maxwell’s theories of the electromagnetic and weak nuclear forces, W bosons must be produced in such circumstances, an extremely advanced line of thinking for the time. Without getting deep into the physics, simply enjoy reddish Alpha for the beauty that it is. Even small telescopes will reveal its 5th magnitude optical partner 93 Ceti to the north. It’s only another 350 light-years further away! You’ll be glad you took the time to look this one up, because the wide separation and color contrast of the pair make this tribute to Maxwell well worth your time!

Saturday, November 14, 2009 – This morning before dawn, look for the Moon as it nears beautiful, blue-white Spica. This date in history marks the discovery of what we now refer to as a ‘‘Trans-Neptunian Object’’—Sedna. In 2003 Brown, Trujillo, and Rabinowitz went into the history books for having observed the most distant natural Solar System body to date. The rethinking of what it means to be a planet that this discovery inspired would eventually spell the end to Pluto’s reign as our ninth planet! Also on this date in 1971, Mariner 9 became the first space probe to orbit Mars. Can you still spot the faint westering Mars at sunrise?

Tonight let’s have a look at one of the most elusive Messiers’ of all, as we head about two fingerwidths northeast of Eta Piscium in search of M74 (RA 01 36 42 Dec +15 47 00).

Discovered at the end of September in 1780 by Mechain, M74 is a real challenge to smaller backyard telescopes, even at magnitude 9. This near perfect presentation of a face-on spiral galaxy has low surface brightness, and it takes really optimal conditions to spot much more than its central region. Located 30–40 million light-years away, M74 is roughly the size of the Milky Way yet contains no central bar. Its tightly wound spiral arms contain clusters of young blue stars and traces of nebulous star-forming regions that can be seen in photos. Yet little more than vague concentrations in structure are all that can be seen, even in a large scope. But if the sky conditions are great, even a small telescope can see details! Add the slightest bit of light pollution and even the biggest scopes will have problems locating it. Don’t be disappointed if all you see is a bright nucleus surrounded by a small hazy glow. Just try again another time. Who knows what might happen? A supernova was discovered in 2002 by a returning amateur, and again in 2003 from the Southern Hemisphere. When it comes to M74, this is the very best time of year to try with a smaller scope!

Sunday, November 15, 2009 – Up early? Then check out the Moon as it slides its way along the ecliptic toward the Sun and passes Venus! It’s celebrating this day, for in 1738 on this date William Herschel was born. Among this British astronomer’s and musician’s many accomplishments, Herschel was credited with the discovery of the planet Uranus in 1781; detecting the motion of the Sun in the Milky Way in 1785; finding Castor’s binary companion in 1804; and he was the first to record infrared radiation. Herschel was well known as the discoverer of many clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. This came through his countless nights studying the sky and creating catalogs whose information we still use today. Just look at how many we’ve logged this year! For the next few days, let’s look toward Cassiopeia as we remember this great astronomer. . .

Herschel discovered many of the famous ‘‘400’’ objects in Cassiopeia just 2 days after his birthday in 1787. Begin by familiarizing yourself with the area between Delta and Epsilon Cassiopeia as we have a look at NGC 654. At magnitude 6.5, NGC 654 (RA 01 44 00 Dec +61 53 00) is achievable with binoculars but shows as nothing more than a hazy spot bordered by the resolvable star HD 10494. Yet, set a telescope its way and watch this diminutive beauty resolve. It is a very young open cluster, which has been extensively studied spectroscopically. Oddly enough, it did not cease the production of low-mass stars after the heavier ones formed and shows distinct polarization. Enclosed in a shell of interstellar matter, almost all of NGC 654’s stars have reached main sequence, and two have been identified as detached binaries.

Until next week, keep your eyes open as early Leonid meteors are beginning to streak across the morning skies! Wishing you clear and steady…

This week’s awesome images are (in order of appearance); Carolyn Porco (credit—NASA), Alpha Ceti (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), M74 (credit—R. Jay GaBany), Sir William Herschel (widely used public image) and NGC 654 (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech). We thank you so much!