Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Weekend SkyWatcher’s Forecast: September 4-6, 2009

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Ah, yes… Full Moon. Are you ready to howl? If you didn’t get a chance to watch the galiean moons do their dance last weekend, then be sure to catch the awesome video you’ll find inside! In the meantime, keep your ears alert for the rise of tonight’s “Full Corn Moon” and check out the Omicron gems. As the skies get darker, the Herschel challenges warm up – so dust off your optics and I’ll see you in the backyard…

Friday, September 4, 2009 – It’s a Full Moon tonight. Many cultures refer to this one in particular as the ‘‘Corn Moon,’’ because at this time of year most corn crops are ready for harvest. Tonight let’s harvest some bright lunar features as we trace the ray system of Tycho in the lunar south. Look for the bright points of Kepler and Aristarchus in the northwest quadrant. In the east, dazzling crater Proclus will light up the western shore of Mare Crisium. Just north of central, look for the two bright rings of Manlius and Menelaus.

nasafullmoon

Although the Moon will dominate tonight’s sky, we can still take a very unusual and beautiful journey to a bright and very colorful pair of stars known as Omicron 1 Cygni. Easily located about halfway between Alpha (Deneb) and Delta on the western side (RA 20 13 28 Dec +46 46 40), this is a pure delight in binoculars or any size telescope.

omicron1cygThe striking gold color of 3.7-magnitude Omi 1 A is easily highlighted against the blue of its same-field companion, 5th magnitude Omi 1 B. Although this wide pairing is only an optical one, the K-type giant (A) is indeed a double star—an eclipsing variable about 150 times larger than or own Sun—and is surrounded by a gaseous corona more than double the size of the star itself. If you are using a scope, you can easily spot its blue tinted, 7th magnitude companion star about one-third the distance between the two giants. Although our true pair is some 2 billion kilometers apart, they are oriented nearly edge-on from our point of view, allowing the smaller star to be totally eclipsed during each revolution. This total eclipse lasts for 63 days and happens about every 10.4 years, but don’t stay up too late. . . We still have years to wait!

Saturday, September 5, 2009 – Tonight before the Moon commands the sky, let’s start with the brightest star in Vulpecula—Alpha. Although it is not a true binary star, it is quite attractive in the telescope, and an easy split for binoculars. Alpha itself is a 4.4-magnitude red giant, which makes a nice color contrast with the unrelated yellow field star that is 2 magnitudes dimmer.

Now head around a half degree northwest of Alpha (RA 20 19 29 Dec –70 51 36) for open cluster NGC 6800. Also known as Herschel VIII.21, this cluster is suitable for even smaller scopes but requires aperture to resolve completely. Discovered by Sir William in this month (10th) in 1784, you’ll like this ring-like arrangement of stars!

ngc6800

ngc6793Now drop 2.7 degrees southwest of Alpha (RA 19 23 12 Dec +22 08 00) for yet another open cluster, NGC 6793. Discovered by Herschel in 1789 and logged as catalog object VIII.81, you’ll find a few more bright stars here. The challenge in this cluster is not so much being able to see it in a smaller telescope—but being able to discern a cluster from a star field! Try using the photo to help you distinguish it from the rest…

Sunday, September 6, 2009 – Today we celebrate many births. In 1891, it’s Yrjo Vaisala who produced telescope optics and discovered asteroids. In 1830, John Henry Dallmeyer, who was a master at making telescopes and eyepieces, was born. Last, in 1811, was James Melville Gilliss who founded the United States Naval Observatory.

Tonight we’ll return again to Vulpecula, but with a different goal in mind. What we’re after requires dark skies yet can be seen in either binoculars or a small telescope. Once you’ve found Alpha, begin about two finger-widths southeast, and right on the galactic equator you’ll find NGC 6823 (RA 19 43 10 Dec +23 17 54.). The first thing you will note is a fairly large, somewhat concentrated magnitude 7 open cluster.

Resolved in larger telescopes, the viewer may note these stars are the hot, blue-white variety. For good reason. NGC 6823 only formed about 2 billion years ago. Although it is some 6,000 light-years away and occupies around 50 light-years of space, it’s sharing the field with something more—a very large emission/reflection nebula, NGC 6820 (RA 19 42 27 Dec +23 05 14).

ngc6820

In the outer reaches of star cluster NGC 6823, new stars are being formed in masses of gas and dust as hot radiation is shed from the brightest of the stellar members of this pair. Fueled by emission, NGC 6820 isn’t always an easy visual object; it is faint and covers almost four times as much area as NGC 6823. But trace the edges very carefully, since the borders are much more illuminated than the central cluster region. Take the time to really observe this one! The processes going on here are very much like those in the ‘‘Trapezium’’ area of the Orion nebula. Be sure to mark your siting in your observing notes. NGC 6823 is Herschel VII.18 and NGC 6820 is also known as Marth 401!

Did you catch last week’s awesome Jupiter events? If not – then enjoy this great footage taken by the one and only Joe Brimacombe. (Not only is Dr. Joe cool… but he’s also one of the best observers I know!)

Perhaps you need another little nudge to get you out and observing, huh? Then here’s a list of Jupiter activities over the weekend:

Friday

  • 00:58 UT, Io begins transit of Jupiter.
  • 01:28 UT, Io’s shadow begins to cross Jupiter.
  • 03:16 UT, Io ends transit of Jupiter.
  • 03:48 UT, Io’s shadow leaves Jupiter’s disk.
  • 22:10 UT, Io enters occultation behind Jupiter.

Saturday

  • 01:00 UT, Io exits eclipse by Jupiter’s shadow.
  • 02:36 UT, Europa exits eclipse by Jupiter’s shadow.
  • 19:24 UT, Io begins transit of Jupiter.
  • 19:58 UT, Io’s shadow begins to cross Jupiter.
  • 21:42 UT, Io ends transit of Jupiter.

Sunday

  • 16:36 UT, Io enters occultation behind Jupiter.
  • 17:06 UT, Europa begins transit of Jupiter.
  • 18:14 UT, Europa’s shadow begins to cross Jupiter.
  • 18:20 UT, Ganymede enters occultation behind Jupiter.
  • 19:28 UT, Io exits eclipse by Jupiter’s shadow.

Now get out there and observe!!

This week’s awesome images are (in order of appearance): Full Moon (credit—NASA), Omicron 1 Cygni, NGC 6800, NGC 6793, NGCs 6823 (central) and 6820 (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech) and Jupiter footage courtesy of Joe Brimacombe. We thank you so much!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

What Planets Are Visible Tonight?


Are you interested in knowing what planets are visible tonight? Almost every night of the year, some planet in our solar system can be spotted using either just your eyes, a pair of binoculars or a small telescope. Finding the planets is easy – but you just have to know how! Here’s a few simple lessons and some great links to helping you locate what planets you can see from your location on any given night…

Finding The Ecliptic Plane

eclipticJust as the Earth orbits the Sun, our Moon orbits the Earth in a clockwork fashion, along an imaginary path called the ecliptic plane. Why is knowing the sky position of the Moon and Sun important? Because the planets also orbit the Sun like clockwork on the same path – the ecliptic plane. Picture our solar system from above. In the center is our Sun and around it the planets move along their own race tracks. The planets close to the Sun orbit faster and their track is smaller, while outer planets move slower and their track is longer – this is Kepler’s law in action!

orreryVenus and Mercury speed past Earth’s position several times a year, passing in front of or behind the Sun. Earth is running with them, but on a longer track. On the outside tracks are Mars, the asteroid belt, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and planetoid Pluto – all on the same flat plane. There are times when the Sun is positioned between Earth and the outer planets. They are still holding their position on their tracks, but we simply cannot see them. When the inner planets pass the Earth, or the Earth passes the outer planets, something very extraordinary happens – retrograde motion. How does it work? Picture yourself in a moving car coming up on another vehicle. As you approach, the other car seems to slow down, stand still and then move backwards. It’s a rather simple explanation, but it’s how retrograde motion works!

Observing the Planets

mercury_and_venusThe two inner planets – Mercury and Venus – are closer to the Sun than Earth. This means we will always see them just before the Sun rises, or just after the Sun sets. The ring of the inner planet’s orbit is much smaller than Earth’s, and they will only appear a short distance above the horizon. At times, when Mercury reaches its greatest elongation, it is bright enough to be seen easily with just your eyes, but it helps to use binoculars. And we all know that Venus outshines every star in the sky! Mercury apparitions usually happen in the evening sky three times a year and three times in the morning. Usually, the best time to see Mercury is just after sunset near the vernal equinox. Since it orbits the Sun in just 88 days, it moves fast, so don’t delay your observations! If you observe Mercury through a telescope, you’ll see it enter a slim crescent phase as it passes between us and the Sun – just like our Moon! Another planet that goes through phases is inner Venus. Orbiting the Sun more slowly along its longer track every 244 days, we see Venus for months at a time instead of just days. It will appear in the evening for about six weeks as it comes out from behind the Sun, growing higher and brighter each night until it reaches a point between the Earth and Sun. This is when you’ll see a crescent phase in the telescope! Venus will then disappear and a week or two later it will return just before the Sun rises. It will stay in the morning sky for about 9 months until it once again switches its course back to the evening.

MarsViewing_Dec11-12As we move outward along the ecliptic plane, we pass Earth and move on to Mars. Since its orbital track around the Sun is slightly longer than ours, there will be extended periods of time when Mars is visible. Do you remember retrograde motion? When the Earth catches up with Mars it will appear to slow down on its path across the sky as we approach it, stand still as we come alongside, and move the other way as we pass it. A Mars’ viewing year will begin when it first makes its appearance in the morning on the opposite side of our solar system. There it will stay until Earth’s orbit begins to catch up with it and it rises 6 minutes earlier each day. As the cycle continues, it won’t be long until Mars reaches opposition, meaning it (or any outer planet) rises precisely the same time as the Sun sets. As we pass, it becomes brighter and larger – but never the same size as our Moon.

Jupiter_Saturn_dennismammana2Next up is Jupiter – orbiting the Sun once every twelve years. Jupiter is visible most of the year, beginning in the morning until sidereal time carries it to the early evening hours. With a much slower orbit of 30 years, graceful old Saturn will be viewable much of the year as well – waltzing slowly along the ecliptic plane. Far away Uranus and Neptune and planetoid Pluto can viewed whenever their respective constellations are visible. Retrograde motion also happens with the outer planets, but the process is much slower. Just remember… the planets all follow the same rule – the ecliptic plane. Do you remember what else also follows that same rule? That’s right… the constellations of the zodiac. You will always see the planets in relationship with those twelve constellations!

What Planets Are Visible Tonight?

724We can observe the planets with our eyes, binoculars, or a telescope and many planets are viewable during many different times of the year. There are many on-line resources that can tell you when and where they will appear, as well as many periodicals which chart the planets’ paths. Would you like some resources to help you along your planetary discovery path? Then here are a few of my favorites:

See The Planets Tonight!

free_2776077It is very easy, even from light polluted areas, to follow Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn with just your eyes alone. When they are visible, they shine brightly enough to follow their movements without any special equipment. The outer planets are naturally dimmer because they are much further away. With a pair of binoculars as an aid, it’s also easy to see Uranus and Neptune, but they aren’t very big or very bright. Planetoid Pluto is so incredibly small and distant that it takes at least a medium-sized telescope and careful work over many nights with a star chart to identify properly. Now… Get out there and get started! Once you have gained confidence in the position of the ecliptic, it won’t be difficult to watch the action of the planets from night to night. They are easy to recognize and it won’t be long before you’ll be identifying them – not by luck – but as an amateur astronomer!

“Planetary Line-Up” photo courtesy of Dennis Mammana (APOD).

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Bareket Observatory Celebrates International Year Of Astronomy


The Bareket Observatory in Israel just did something really remarkable – they celebrated the International Year of Astronomy with a live webcast for the entire world! During the event one could listen to live explanations by a U.S. astronomer and enjoying a special musical representation to those who are blind. I had very much been enjoying my conversations with Ido Bareket and had every intention of reminding our readers when the date was going to happen so you could join in… Then the storms hit Ohio.

Ido had invited me to help along with the live broadcast by being the US speaker and I’m glad he had the Internet “smarts” to know that satellite connections can easily be disrupted – because disrupted I became. Not only disrupted – but pretty much blown off the entire circuit. (Can you say open fields and lightning?) Anyhow, we’re back on board again here and although it’s past the date, you really need to take a look at how hard these folks are working towards global public outreach.

Bareket OutreachThe Bareket Observatory’s Remote Internet Telescope stays at work doing imaging. During their event the scope took in such sights such as nebulae, star clusters, planets, and asteroids – all captured in real-time and integrated into a static image. Like our own IYA scope, they keep records of their images and you can visit with all their past work by just clicking around on the site.

Bareket OutreachOne of the most awesome things I’ve ever seen done is their way of translating astronomical images for the vision impaired. Mr. Marty Quinn , at Design Rhythmics Sonification Research Lab has applied image sonification parameters to the images in the IYA 2009 Bareket Observatory Deep Space Images Webcast so those who are without sight were able to perceive the images as music. How did they do it? The image color was translated into a scale of 9 instruments using Bareket’s recent standard developed in the “Walk on the Sun” science exhibit. In general, since the images are in black and white, the main instrument that expresses the image color in this case is the piano – although many were used. Isn’t that an awesome way to reach everyone?!

Bareket OutreachOnce again, please take the time to visit Bareket Observatory’s Educational Pages and enjoy all the things they have to offer. The entire session is now available online as a V.O.D movie and this version for European viewers. It’s a great opportunity to all those who missed it, or would like to enjoy it again. Drop them a line and tell them how very much everything they do is appreciated!! It’s all about bonding our world together through astronomy.

Reach out to your brothers and sisters among the stars… They’re waiting for you!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Weekend SkyWatcher’s Forecast: August 28-30, 2009

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Are you ready for a little lunacy this weekend? Yes, it’s back – but there is no other distant world whose features we can study quite so clearly and as well as the Earth’s companion – the Moon. If it’s been awhile since you turned a telescope or binoculars its way, why not spend an evening or two enjoying some of its features before it becomes overwhelmingly bright? There are other bright objects we often take for granted as well, too… Such as colorful and challenging double stars. If that’s not enough for you – then keep your eyes wide open – because some very cool things are about to happen with Jupiter’s moons! Time to dust off your optics and I’ll see you in the backyard…

Friday, August 28, 2009 – When we begin our observations tonight, we’ll start by having a look at another great binocular or telescope study crater, Archimedes. You’ll find it located in the Imbrium plain north of the Apennine Mountains and west of Autolycus.

archimedes

Under this lighting, the bright ring of this Class V walled plain extends 83 kilometers in diameter. Even though it looks to be quite shallow, it still has impressive 2,150-meter-high walls. To its south is a feature not often recognized, the Montes Archimedes. Although this relatively short range is heavily eroded, it still shows across 140 km of lunar topography. Look for a shallow rima that extends southeast across Palus Putredinus toward the Apennines. Mark your challenge notes!

beta_cygniKeep those binoculars handy, as we look toward the Northern Cross, otherwise known as Cygnus the Swan. Start at the Swan’s beak—Albireo—and hold the binoculars very steady. Can you make out two stars where you thought there was one? If so, then you are seeing 3.2-magnitude Albireo’s distant companion. But don’t stop with binoculars; bring out the scope and have another look at Beta Cygni (RA 19 30 45 Dec +27 57 55). Albireo’s brighter star is a warm golden yellow and the fainter is a pristine aqua blue. Many astronomers agree this is the premier pair of colors in the heavens!

Saturday, August 29, 2009 – If you stayed out late, or decided to get up early, this morning is a scenic opportunity for binoculars. Just before dawn, look for Mars well risen along the ecliptic plane and aim your optics its way and see what you discover. That’s right! Messier 35 will be about a degree away…

As you start observing this evening, keep an eye on your time for 6:42 UT and watch Jupiter if you live in North America. Believe it or not, Io will partially occult Europa and the two will seem to meld together like a snowman for 13 minutes. And check back later! For at 7:38 UT, its shadow will take a very small bite out of it for approximately 8 minutes!

Our lunar mission for tonight is to move south, past the crater rings of Ptolemaeus, Alphonsus, Arzachel, and Purbach, until we end up at the spectacular crater Walter.

albategnius

Named for Dutch astronomer Bernhard Walter, this 132- by 140-kilometer-wide lunar feature offers up amazing details at high power. It is worthwhile to take the time to study the differing levels, which drop to a maximum of 4,130 meters below the surface. Multiple interior strikes abound, but the most fascinating of all is the wall crater Nonius. Spanning 70 kilometers, Nonius would also appear to have a double strike of its own—one that’s 2,990 meters deep!

eta_sgrAlthough it will be tough to locate with the unaided eye thanks to the Moon near Lambda, let’s take a closer look at one of the most unsung stars in this region of sky—Eta Sagittarii (RA 18 17 37 Dec -36 45 42). This M-class giant star will display a wonderful color contrast in binoculars or scopes, showing up as slightly more orange than stars in the surrounding field. Located 149 light-years away, this irregular variable is a source of infrared radiation and is a little larger than our own Sun, yet is 585 times brighter. At around 3 billion years old, Eta has either expended its helium core or just began to fuse carbon and oxygen, creating an unstable star capable of changing its luminosity by about 4%. But have a closer look, for Eta is also a binary system with an 8th magnitude companion!

Sunday, August 30, 2009 – For observers in eastern North America, keep an eye on the time again tonight and watch Jupiter. At 5:44 UT, Io will graze Ganymede for 7 minutes and at 7:47 UT, its shadow will make a stately 22 minute pass, covering about 1/3 of the small moon in shadow!

Tonight let’s do a little Moon-shadowing of our own as we head to the western shore of Mare Cognitum and look along the terminator for the Montes Riphaeus—the ‘‘Mountains in the Middle of Nowhere.’’ But are they really mountains? Let’s take a look…

montes_rip

At its widest, this unusual range spans about 38 kilometers and runs for a distance of about 177 kilometers. Less impressive than most lunar mountain ranges, some peaks reach up to 1,250 meters high, making these summits about the same height as our Earthly volcanoes Mounts St. Augustine and Kilauea. While we are considering volcanic activity, consider that these peaks are the only things left of Mare Cognitum’s walls after the lava filled them in. At one time, this area may have included some of the tallest lunar features!

altairTonight let’s have a look at the second brightest star of the Summer Triangle—Altair (RA 19 50 47 Dec +08 52 06). Like Vega, 16-light-year-distant Alpha Aquilae is a Sirius-type star, which is several times the size and mass of our Sun. Such stars burn hotter at the surface (approaching 10,000 Kelvin) and appear much whiter to the eye as a result. An unusual feature of Altair is its exceedingly high speed of rotation, requiring just 6 hours to complete an ‘‘Altairian day’’ at the equator. Because of this, its girth is significantly greater than its height, and gases on the equator move along at the surprising rate of 150 kilometers per second! As you observe Altair telescopically, look for a 10th magnitude companion roughly 3′ to the northwest.

planetsStill more? Then while you’re out this weekend, have a go at the outer planets. While it takes several observations to be sure you’ve capture tiny Pluto by Gamma Cap, more northeastern Neptune is fairly easy and so is Uranus in Pisces. This rough finderchart will help you along the way – although most of these stars won’t be visible thanks to the bright influence of the Moon. So how do you find them? Use primary stars that do show – like Alpha Peg – to begin your search. For Uranus? Try about a handspan southeast, just as Neptune will be roughly two finger widths northeast of Gamma Cap.

This week’s awesome photos are (in order of appearance): Archimedes (credit—Wes Higgins), Beta Cygni (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), Albategnius to Walter (credit—Alan Chu), Eta Sagittarii (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), Montes Riphaeus (credit—Greg Konkel) and Alpha Aquilae: Altair (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech). We thank you so much!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

IYA Live Telescope Today: NGC 247, the Burbidge Galaxy Chain and the Running Man Nebula

Did you get a chance to watch the IYA “Live” Telescope today? We were on! And now we’ve got some exciting news for you… You can watch via your iPhone on TVU! That’s right… We’re now broadcasting on Channel 79924 as Northern and Southern Galactic TV. You can watch Galactic TV via your iPhone by installing TVUPlayer from the App Store! Now… Are you ready for today’s video? Then hang on tight as we take you a walk to NGC 247, the Burbidge Galaxy Chain and the Running Man Nebula! It’s time to rock….

Skies were clear and dark in Central Victoria and it was time to fire up the IYA Live Telescope and get the party started. We’re testing out a new system that will allow more viewers an opportunity to see through the virtual eyepiece and we’re ready to get the scope set on a something really far out. Our first object? NGC 247 and the Burbidge Galaxy Chain in the constellation of Cetus…

This interesting chain of four MCG galaxies lies only 18 arc minutes NNE of NGC 247, a giant member of the nearby Sculptor Group. (NGC 247 itself is 9th-magnitude but of very low surface brightness, which can make it tough to spot in a smaller scope.) In itself, NGC 247 is an Intermediate spiral galaxy located over 12 million light years away. Talk about a long distance phone call!

The northernmost and southernmost members of the chain are relatively easy to pick up in a 17.5″ scope. That’s aperture – not tube length! Bwahahahahaaaaa….

Last object for the night? Lace up your Nikes, cuz’ we’re heading for NGC 1977, the “Running Man Nebula” in Orion…

NGC 1973/5/7 is a reflection nebula 1/2 degree northeast of the Orion Nebula. The three NGC objects are divided by darker regions.

It was discovered on January 18, 1784 by Sir William Herschel, seasoned sky veterans know this area by its nickname ‘‘the Running Man’’. Consisting of three separate areas of emission and reflection nebulae that seem to be visually connected, 1,500-light-year-distant NGC 1977/1975/1973 complex would be spectacular on its own if weren’t so close to M42! The conjoining nebula is whispery soft, its dark lanes created by interstellar dust and fine needle-like shards of carbon. Illuminating the gases is its fueling source, the multiple star 42 Orionis—a prized double on many lists. Through a telescope, this lovely triangle of bright nebulae and its several enshrouded stars make a wonderful region for exploration. Can you see the Running Man within?

As of the time of this posting, the scope was still up and running… along with the nebula! We’re making every effort when the sky is clear to keep the view coming at you, dear reader. So keep checking back often and enjoy the new iPhone application! If things keep working the way they should, you should be able to enjoy a video loop of many of our best objects at all times… We hope!

Fingers crossed…

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Weekend SkyWatcher’s Forecast – August 21-23, 2009

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Are you ready for the weekend? Then let’s enjoy the nights ahead as we fly along the Milky Way on the wings of the Swan and hunt down some very different star clusters in the night with the Fox. Do you need a smile? Then you’ll find one with with a delightful asterism called the “Coat Hanger”! How about a Herschel challenge? We’ve got that, too. In the mood to just stargaze? Then stick around – because the Perseid Meteor Shower hasn’t ended just yet. (We’ve got something very special inside here to show you!) Time to get out your telescopes and binoculars and I’ll see you outside…

Friday, August 21, 2009 – On this date in 1993, the Mars Observer was lost. . . But you can’t miss Mars at its peak just before dawn!

Tonight it’s time for us to fly with the ‘‘Swan’’ as the graceful arch of the Milky Way turns overhead. We’ll start by taking a look at a bright star cluster that’s equally great in either binoculars or telescope, M39.


Located about a fist-width northeast of Deneb (Alpha Cygni), you will easily see a couple of dozen stars in a triangular pattern. M39 (RA 21 31 48 Dec +48 27 00) is particularly beautiful because it will seem almost three-dimensional against its backdrop of fainter stars. Younger than the Coma Berenices cluster, and older than the Pleiades, the estimated age of M39 is at least 230 million years. This loose, bright, galactic cluster is around 800 light-years away. Its members are all main sequence stars, and the brightest of them are beginning to evolve into giants.

ngc7082For more of a challenge, try dropping about a degree south-southwest (RA 21 29 00 Dec +47 08 00) for NGC 7082, also known as H VII.52. Although it is a less rich, less bright, and far less studied open cluster, at magnitude 7.5 NGC 7082 is within range of binoculars and is on many open cluster observing lists. With only a handful of bright stars to NGC 7082’s credit, larger telescopes are needed to resolve out many of the fainter members. Be sure to mark your notes for both objects!

Saturday, August 22, 2009 – Born this date in 1833 was Samuel Pierpont Langley, who investigated the relationship between solar phenomena and meteorology. Is that why we always have clouds when solar activity is at its best?

Tonight we’ll hunt with the ‘‘Fox’’ as we head to Vulpecula to try two more open star cluster studies. The first can be done easily with large binoculars or a low power scope. It’s a rich beauty in the constellation of Vulpecula but is more easily found by moving around 3 degrees southeast of Beta Cygni (RA 19 35 48 Dec +25 13 00).

stock1

Known as Stock 1, this stellar swarm contains 50 or so members of varying magnitudes, which you will return to often. With a visual magnitude of near 5, loose associations of stars—like Stock clusters—are the subject of recent research. The latest information indicates that the members of this cluster are truly associated with one another.

ngc6815A little more than a degree to the northeast is NGC 6815 (RA 19 40 44 Dec +26 45 32). Although NGC 6815 is a slightly more compressed open cluster, it has no real status among deep-sky objects, but it is another one to add to your collection of things to do and see!

Sunday, August 23, 2009 – On this date in 1609, Galileo demonstrated the telescope for the first time. Tonight we’ll aim our own optics at an asterism known as the ‘‘Coat Hanger,’’ which is also known as Brocchi’s Cluster, or Collinder 399. Let the colorful double star Beta Cygni—Albireo—be your guide as you move about 4 degrees to its south-southwest (RA 19 25 24 Dec +20 11 00). You will know this cluster when you see it, because it really does look like a coat hanger!

collinder399

Enjoy its red stars! Discovered by Al Sufi in 964 AD, this 3.5 magnitude collection of stars was again recorded by Hodierna. Thanks to its extended size of more than 60′ it escaped the catalogs of both Messier and Herschel. Only around a half dozen stars share the same proper motion, which may make it a cluster much like the Pleiades, but studies suggest it is merely an asterism—but one with two binary stars at its heart.

ngc6802And for larger scopes? Fade east to the last prominent star in the cluster (RA 19 30 36 Dec +20 16 00) and power up. NGC 6802 awaits you! At near magnitude 9, Herschel VI.14 is a well-compressed open cluster of faint members. The subject of ongoing research in stellar evolution, this 100,000-year old cluster is on many observing challenge lists!

Over the weekend, be sure to keep an eye out for stray Perseid meteors, because the show hasn’t ended yet! Although activity has slowed considerably, your chances are above average of catching a bright streak while you’re out enjoying the stars. It was a wonderful year for the Perseids and even if you were clouded out, we’ve still managed to catch the action for you…

Many thanks to John Chumack of Chumack Observatory (Dayton, Ohio) for all of his hard work in capturing and editing the footage from his All Sky Camera from the nights of August 11-14th. He’s trimmed the video to 5 frames per second and within this less than one minute clip, you’ll see over 200 meteors and the Moon rise three times! Were the Perseids a success? You bet. Just as John how he finished his film… “I ended it with the brightest…” said John, “A -8 magnitude fireball!”

Keep looking up! You’ll never know when it might be your lucky night…

This week’s awesome images are (in order of appearance): M39, NGC 7082, Stock 1, NGC 6815 (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), Collinder 399 (credit—Gil Estel), NGC 6802 (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech) and Perseid Meteor Storm Video courtesy of John Chumack. We thank you so much!!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

The IYA “Almost Live” Telescope – M45 and M42

Well, as luck would have it – it’s cloudy in Central Victoria again. For those manning the IYA “Almost Live” Telescope, we had a feeling that just might happen, so when we had a clear night? Hey… We took advantage of it and did as many objects as possible. Although you might have caught the action as it happened about 24 hours ago, it ain’t happenin’ now – so why not kick back and enjoy a few seconds at the eyepiece courtesy of a video capture? We always think of you. Step right this way. Your virtual eyepiece is waiting….

In astronomy, the Pleiades, or seven sisters, (Messier object 45) are an open star cluster in the constellation of Taurus. It is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky. Pleiades has several meanings in different cultures and traditions.

The cluster is dominated by hot blue stars that have formed within the last 100 million years. Dust that forms a faint reflection nebulosity around the brightest stars was thought at first to be left over from the formation of the cluster (hence the alternate name Maia Nebula after the star Maia), but is now known to be an unrelated dust cloud in the interstellar medium that the stars are currently passing through. Astronomers estimate that the cluster will survive for about another 250 million years, after which it will disperse due to gravitational interactions with its galactic neighborhood.

And our last target for the night? Oh… You got it…

The Orion Nebula (also known as Messier 42, M42, or NGC 1976) is a diffuse nebula situated south of Orion’s Belt. It is one of the brightest nebulae, and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky. M42 is located at a distance of 1,344±20 light years and is the closest region of massive star formation to Earth. The M42 nebula is estimated to be 24 light years across. Older texts frequently referred to the Orion Nebula as the Great Nebula in Orion or the Great Orion Nebula. Yet older, astrological texts refer to it as Ensis (Latin for “sword”), which was also the name given to the star Eta Orionis, which can be seen close to the nebula from Earth.

The Orion Nebula is one of the most scrutinized and photographed objects in the night sky, and is among the most intensely studied celestial features. The nebula has revealed much about the process of how stars and planetary systems are formed from collapsing clouds of gas and dust. Astronomers have directly observed protoplanetary disks, brown dwarfs, intense and turbulent motions of the gas, and the photo-ionizing effects of massive nearby stars in the nebula. There are also supersonic “bullets” of gas piercing the dense hydrogen clouds of the Orion Nebula. Each bullet is ten times the diameter of Pluto’s orbit and tipped with iron atoms glowing bright blue. They were probably formed one thousand years ago from an unknown violent event.

As always, keep checking! We’ll have the scope up and running whenever there is an opportunity and keep an eye out for something very new and exciting we’re about to add!

Factual Information courtesy of Wikipedia

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Weekend SkyWatcher’s Forecast – August 14-16, 2009

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Have you had a wonderful week chasing the Perseid Meteor shower? Well, the show isn’t over yet. Enjoy this weekend’s darker skies and keep watching! While you’re out, why not take a pair of binoculars with you and do a little cluster hunting? If you’re feeling energetic – take out the telescope and resolve them. Who knows what you might learn if you listen to what’s out there… Things like where to find chemically peculiar stars – or a runaway black hole! It’s all waiting for you in the night….

Friday, August 14, 2009 – If you were up well before dawn this morning watching the Perseids, did you notice the Pleiades brushing by the Moon? What a lovely sight! I wonder if it was an occultation event somewhere?

Tonight let’s venture about three finger-widths northeast of Lambda Sagittarii to visit a well known but little visited galactic cluster—M25 (RA 18 31 42 Dec -19 07 00). Discovered by Cheseaux and then cataloged by Messier, it was observed and recorded by William Herschel, Johann Elert Bode, Admiral Smythe, and T.W.Webb but never added to the NGC catalog of John Herschel! Thanks to J.L.E. Dreyer, it did make the second Index Catalog as IC 4725.

m25

M25 is seen even with the slightest optical aid, and this 5th magnitude cluster contains two G-type giants as well as a Delta Cephei-type variable with the designation of U, which changes about 1 magnitude in a period of less than a week. It’s very old for an open cluster, perhaps near 90 million years, and the light you see tonight left the cluster over 2,000 years ago. Although binoculars will see about a double handful of bright stars overlying fainter members, telescopes will reveal more and more as aperture increases. At one time it was believed to have only about 30 members, but this was later revised to 86. But recent studies by Archinal and Hynes indicate it may have as many as 601 member stars!

voyager1Saturday, August 15, 2009 – On this date in 2006, Voyager 1, the most distant manmade object, reached 100 astronomical units (AUs) from the Sun—meaning 100 times more distant from the Sun than Earth—about 15,000 million kilometers (9,300 million miles). Voyager 1 continues traveling at a rate of about a million miles per day and could cross into interstellar space within 10 years. What fanastic sights do you think it is seeing?

Tonight we’ll head toward the riches of Scorpius to have a look at three pristine open clusters. Begin your starhop at the colorful southern Zeta pair and head north less than 1 degree for NGC 6231 (RA 16 54 08 Dec -41 49 36).

ngc6231

Wonderfully bright in binoculars and well resolved in the telescope, this tight-open cluster was discovered by Hodierna before 1654. De Cheseaux cataloged it as object 9, Lacaille as II.13, Dunlop as 499, Melotte as 153, and Collinder as 315. No matter what catalog number you choose to put in your notes, you’ll find the 3.2-million-year young cluster shining as the ‘‘Northern Jewelbox!’’ For high power fans, look for the brightest star in this group, called van den Bos 1833, a
splendid binary.

About another degree north is the loose open cluster Collinder 316, with its stars scattered widely across the sky. Caught on its eastern edge is another cluster known as Trumpler 24, a site where new variables might be found. This entire region is encased in a faint emission nebula called IC 4628, making this low-power journey through southern Scorpius a red-hot summer treat!

Sunday, August 16, 2009 – Before dawn, look for the close pair of Mars and the Moon celebrating the 1744 birth on this date of Pierre Mechain! We know Mechain as Charles Messier’s assistant, but Mechain was himself a fine astronomer and mathematical prodigy. He discovered 11 comets, and provided 26 entries to Messier’s catalog. If he were alive today, Pierre would be eager to join us tonight for our studies.

Begin about a degree and a half south of twin Nu Scorpii for NGC 6242 (RA 16 55 36 Dec -39 28 00).

ngc6242

Discovered by Lacaille and cataloged as I.4, this object is also known as Dunlop 520, Melotte 155, and Collinder 317. At roughly magnitude 6, this open cluster is within binocular range but truly needs a telescope to appreciate its fainter stars. Although NGC 6242 might seem like nothing more than a pretty little cluster with a bright double star, it contains an X-ray binary that is a ‘‘runaway’’ black hole, surmised to have formed near the galactic center and vaulted into an eccentric orbit when the progenitor star exploded. Its kinetic energy is much like that of a neutron star or a millisecond pulsar, and it was the first black hole confirmed to be in motion.

ngc6268Now head a little more than a degree east-southeast for NGC 6268 (RA 17 02 40 Dec -39 44 18).

At a rough magnitude of 9, this small open cluster can be easily observed in smaller scopes and resolved in larger ones. NGC 6268 itself is somewhat lopsided, with more of its members clustered near its western border. Although it, too, might not seem particularly interesting, this young cluster is highly evolved and contains some magnetic, chemically peculiar stars; it has some Be-class, or metal weak, members as well.

Until next week? Keep on yelling when the Perseids fly over! I’m sure St. Lawrence would approve…

This week’s awesome images are (in order of appearance): M25 (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), Voyager 1 (credit—NASA), NGC 6231, NGC 6242 and NGC 6268 (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech). We thank you so much!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

IYA Live Telescope Today: Delta Gruis and the “Tarantula Nebula”

Hey, folks! What a treat. The skies were clear and dark in central Victoria earlier and the beautiful double star – Delta Gruis – came out to play. Afterwards we homed in on the incredibly bright Tarantula Nebula. While you’re at it, you might want to update your bookmarks to this IYA Live Telescope link. Now… Go and look at our new video! Once in awhile you can even see other portions the Magellanic Cloud in there, too!

The stars that form Grus were originally considered part of Piscis Austrinus (the southern fish), and the Arabic names of many of its stars reflect this classification.

The stars were first defined as a separate constellation by Petrus Plancius, who created twelve new constellations based on the observations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman. Grus first appeared on a 35-cm diameter celestial globe published in 1597 (or 1598) in Amsterdam by Plancius with Jodocus Hondius. Its first depiction in a celestial atlas was in Johann Bayer’s Uranometria of 1603. Plancius chose the crane because that bird was considered to symbolise watchfulness. An alternative name for the constellation, Phoenicopterus (Latin for flamingo), was used briefly in England during the 17th century.

Now that it’s good and dark and we’ve got a bit before the Moon, let’s take a look at something even more fantastic… the Tarantula Nebula!

The Tarantula Nebula (also known as 30 Doradus, or NGC 2070) is an H II region in the Large Magellanic Cloud. It was originally thought to be a star, but in 1751 Nicolas Louis de Lacaille recognized its nebular nature.

The Tarantula Nebula has an apparent magnitude of 8. Considering its distance of about 180,000 light years, this is an extremely luminous non-stellar object. Its luminosity is so great that if it were as close to Earth as the Orion Nebula, the Tarantula Nebula would cast shadows. In fact, it is the most active starburst region known in the Local Group of galaxies. It is also the largest and most active such region in the Local Group with an estimated diameter of 200 pc.

The nebula resides on the leading edge of the LMC, where ram pressure stripping, and the compression of the interstellar medium
likely resulting from this, is at a maximum. At its core lies the extremely compact cluster of stars (~2.5 pc diameter) – R136a – that produces most of the energy that makes the nebula visible. The estimated mass of the cluster is 450,000 solar masses, suggesting it will likely become a globular cluster in future.

In addition to R136, the Tarantula Nebula also contains an older star cluster—catalogued as Hodge 301—with an age of 20–25 million years. The most massive stars of this cluster have already exploded in supernovae. The closest supernova since the invention of the telescope, Supernova 1987A, occurred in the outskirts of the Tarantula Nebula.

As always, check back periodically on the IYA “Live” telescope. It can’t be cloudy forever!

Factual Information Source: Wikipedia

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Perseid Radio Astronomy from the Fourth Plinth With Chris Lintott

Perseid Radio Fireball by Andy Smith

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Within hours, the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower will begin. If you’re worried you’ll be clouded out, then let’s take a look at a different way that you can observe the activity… without your eyes!

Did you know that you can “listen” to meteor showers? If you’re a ham radio operator, then you prize the ionized trails that meteors leave in our atmosphere to allow further signals to “bounce” to more distant receivers. However, you don’t really need complicated equipment to listen to a meteor shower – just an FM receiver and an external antenna. Even your car radio will work!

Place your radio setting on the lowest frequency that doesn’t receive a clear signal and simply listen to the static. When a meteor passes overhead you’ll hear snatches of radio signals from distant stations, pops, buzzes, pings, shrieks, howls, and simple changes in the white noise. Sometimes it’s subtle – and sometimes it’s striking. One thing is for sure, the noises you hear are definitely out of this world! Your equipment can run the gambit from connecting a genuine outdoor FM antenna to an indoor receiver and recording with a tape deck for later playback, to a portable radio. I’ve even used an old television set connected to an outdoor television antenna tuned to channel 3. It’s all fun – and the results are amazing. Here are the dates for the 2009 Perseids.

chrislintottTo open the public’s eyes to just how easy radio meteor listening can be, astrophysicist Chris Lintott will be doing a presentation live in Trafalgar Square on August 14th, 19-20h BST. Chris is a co-presenter of the BBC’s “The Sky at Night” astronomy programme, and is a lecturer at University College London and the project he’s about to take part in is very unique… The Fourth Plinth.

This summer, sculptor Antony Gormley has invited the world to help create an astonishing living monument. He is asking the people of the UK to occupy the empty Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square in London, a space normally reserved for statues of Kings and Generals. They will become an image of themselves, and a representation of the whole of humanity. Every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 days without a break, a different person will make the Plinth their own.

Because of the appalling levels of light pollution in London, Lintott remembered a radio-meteor demonstration given by Andy Smith of G7IZU Radio Reflection Detection and his friend David Entwistle for “The Sky at Night” a couple of years ago, and wanted to do something along those lines. Since no power or wiring are allowed on the Plinth, Chris will be utilizing a recording done by Andy beginning tonight… a talent he’s quite good at! For every hour from midnight on, G7IZU Radio Reflection Detection will be recording the Perseid event and sending Chris the most active hours as MP3 files. He’ll then play these
to the masses over an amplified speaker while holding up photos of how it all works.

If you’re interested in the live radio-meteor/astronomy demonstration, you can access a live video of the Fourth Plinth – and be sure to join them on August 14th, 19-20h BST for Chris Lintott’s presentation!