Posted on by Tammy Plotner

World’s Strangest Telescope – The IceCube

IceCube: Icetop Tank by Dan Hubert

Since the 1950s and the beginning of the “space race” scientists have wanted to practice astronomy and particle physics using high-energy neutrinos. So what’s stopping them? The challenge of building the kilometer-sized observatory they predict is needed to do the science. Enter IceCube, a revolutionary new design in neutrino detecting telescopes. Deep in the frozen wastelands at the South Pole, the world’s most extreme telescope will search for neutrinos from our Universe’s most violent astrophysical sources.

Those impossibly tiny particles known as neutrinos are produced by the decay of radioactive elements and elementary particles such as pions. Unlike photons or charged particles, neutrinos originate from deep within exploding stars, gamma ray bursts, and cataclysmic phenomena involving black holes and neutron stars and make their way throughout our Universe, eluding capture and study. Nothing stops a neutrino… Unless it crashes into an atom in ice.

When the rare neutrino collides with an atom in the ultra-transparent ice, it produces a muon that in turn radiates blue light. By observing this fluorescence, scientist can then detect the path of the muon and in turn the path of the neutrino. But, this kind of work really requires seeing in the dark – total dark. By using the Earth as a type of telescope optical tube assembly, neutrinos can enter into the North Pole just as photons enter into a primary objective lens. When they interact with the pure, uncontaminated ice at Earth’s South Pole it’s a whole lot like reaching a telescope’s secondary optic. The Earth itself, like an optical tube, keeps stray photons aways and the fluorescence produced with the muon can then be collected and studied.

So what’s all the fuss about neutrinos? Say Project IceCube: “The basic motivation is to understand our Universe, specifically what powers the most energetic engines in the cosmos and fuels the bombardment of cosmic rays to the Earth. We also want to understand the nature of Dark Matter. At the end, the stuff from which we are made is only 4% of the Universe’s inventory, whereas Dark Matter is 23%. These are motivations dominantly driven by curiosity, by the dream of mankind to understand our origins, our place in the cosmos, and a far future much beyond our human horizons.”

In short, IceCube is one cool telescope!

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. OPP-9980474 (AMANDA) and OPP-0236449 (IceCube), University of Wisconsin-Madison. Photo by Daan Hubert/NSF

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Closer to the Heart – 47 Tucanae

47 Tucanae by Don Goldman

Those huge, gravitationally bound balls of stars know as globular clusters aren’t without a heart. Containing a thick concentration of 10,000 to more than a million stars in a region spanning just 10 to 30 light-years, globular clusters are more akin to seething masses of suns where the lightweights head for the outer edges while the giants collect in the core. What causes this process? Do globular clusters really have a way of getting some stars closer to the heart?

What you see here is 47 Tucanae, the second largest globular cluster in the Milky Way’s busy galactic halo. As its name “47 Tucanae” implies, its core was first cataloged as a star and numbered the 47th in Tucana the Toucan – but not for long. On September 14, 1751 a French astronomer named Nicholas Louis de Lacaille was the first to discover its true nature with a half inch diameter spy glass and cataloged it as nebulous object. Next to observe and catalog it were James Dunlop in 1826, and John Herschel in 1834 when it became New General Catalog (NGC) 104.

At home some 13,400 to 16,000 light years away from our Earth, this inconceivably dense concentration of at least a million stars spans 120 light years at the outside, yet at its heart is more than 15,000 individual stars that are packed so densely that you couldn’t fit our solar system between them. Believed to have all been born about the same time from the same cloud of gas, globular clusters like 47 Tucanae are a wonderful study of how stars evolve and interact.

With such busy conditions, it only stands to reason that stellar collisions have occurred at one time or another and 47 Tucanae is no exception. In the core, 23 unusually hot and bright stars called blue stragglers have been identified – the double massive result of two stars bumping into one another. Due to the associated gravitational pull, heavier stars slow down and sink to the cluster’s core, while lighter stars pick up speed and head for the outer edges. The more often collisions happen the more dramatic the results – pushing the smaller stars ever faster towards the periphery and creating exotic objects.

What no earthly photo can ever show is that 47 Tucanae contains at least twenty millisecond pulsars – better known as neutron stars. Can you imagine a sun that rotates on its axis a few hundreds to one thousand times a second? Just imagine the power. According to scientists, such peculiar objects are generally thought to have a companion from which they receive matter. Close interacting binaries and bright cataclysmic binaries… dwarf novae and nova-like variable candidates…. They all make their home here closer to the heart.

This incredible image of 47 Tucanae was done by Don Goldman of Macedon Ranges Obervatory

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Weekend SkyWatcher’s Forecast – May 16-18, 2008

Sinus Iridum by Wes Higgins

“Everybody dancing in the moonlight… Dancing in the moonlight… Everybody feeling warm and bright… It’s such a fine and natural sight… Everybody dancing in the moonlight.” Oh! Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Pardon me while I celebrate the return of Spring and enjoy viewing the Moon. This weekend will be a terrific time for you to dance, too. Talk a waltz around the “Bay of Rainbows” as you view Sinus Iridum and enjoy the cool blues with Spica. You’ll be seeing double before the weekend is out. Time to dust off the optics and turn and eye to the sky, because… Here’s what’s up!

Friday, May 16, 2008 – Tonight would be a wonderful opportunity for Moongazers to return to the surface and have a look at the peaceful Sinus Iridum area. If you’ve been clouded out before, be sure to have a look for the telescopic Lunar Club challenges Promontoriums Heraclides and LaPlace. What other craters can you discover in the area?

Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech
If you’re up for a bit more of a challenge, then let’s head about 59 light-years away for star 70, in Virgo. You’ll find it located about six degrees northeast of Eta (RA 13 28 25 Dec +13 46 43) and right in the corner of the Coma-Boötes-Virgo border. So what’s so special about this G-type, very normal-looking, 5th magnitude star?

It’s a star that has a planet.

Long believed to be a spectroscopic binary because of its 117 day shift in color, closer inspection has revealed that 70 Virginis actually has a companion planet. Roughly seven times larger than Jupiter and orbiting no further away than Mercury from its cooler-than-Sol parent star, 70 Virginis B just might well be a planet cool enough to support water in its liquid form. How “cool” is that? Try about 85 degrees Celsius…

Saturday, May 17, 2008 – Today in 1835, J. Norman Lockyer was born. While that name might not stand out, Lockyer was the first to note previously unknown absorption lines while making visual spectroscopic studies of the Sun in 1868. Little did he know at the time, he had correctly identified the second most abundant element in our universe – helium – an element not discovered on Earth until 1891! Also known as the “Father of Archeoastronomy,” Sir Lockyer was one of the first to make the astronomical connection with ancient structures such as Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. (As a curious note, 14 years after Lockyer’s notation of helium, a Sun-grazing comet made its appearance in photographs of the solar corona taken during a total eclipse in 1882… It hasn’t been seen since.)

Spica by John ChumackIf you would like to see a helium-rich star, look no further tonight than Alpha Virginis – Spica. You can’t miss it because it’s so near the Moon! As the sixteenth brightest star in the sky, this brilliant blue-white “youngster” appears to be about 275 light-years away and is about 2300 times brighter than our own Sun. Although we cannot see it visually, Spica is a double star. Its spectroscopic companion is roughly half its size and is also rich in helium.

Crater Copernicus by Wes HigginsSunday, May 18, 2008 – On this day in 1910, Comet Halley transited the Sun, but could not be detected visually. Since the beginning of astronomical observation, transits, eclipses and occultations have provided science with some very accurate determinations of size. Since Halley could not be spotted against the solar surface, we knew almost a century ago that the nucleus had to be smaller than about 100 kilometers. To get a rough idea of this size, take a look at crater Copernicus about midway along the western hemisphere of the Moon. What’s its diameter? Oh, about the same size as a certain comet!

Now let’s have a look at a very bright and changeable lunar feature which is often overlooked. Starting with the great grey oval of Grimaldi, let your eyes slide along the terminator toward the south until you encounter the bright crater Byrgius. Named for Joost Bürgi, who made a sextant for Tycho Brahe, this “seen on the curve” crater is really quite large with a diameter of 87 kilometers. Perhaps its most interesting feature is the high-albedo Byrgius A, which sits along its eastern wall line and produces a wonderfully bright ray system. While it’s noted as a Lunar Club II challenge, it’s also a great crater to help add to your knowledge of selenography!

It’s time to add to our double star list as we hunt down Zeta Boötes located about seven degrees southeast of Arcturus (RA 14 41 08 Dec +13 43 42). This is a delightful multiple star system for even small telescopes – but not an easy one. The Zeta pairing has an extremely elliptical orbit: the distance between the stars varies from as little as the Earth-Sun distance to as much as 1.5 times the radius of Pluto’s orbit!

Another great target for a bright night is Delta Corvi (RA 12 29 51 Dec -16 30 55). 125 light-years away, it displays a yellowish-colored primary and a slightly blue secondary that’s an easily split pair in any telescope, and a nice visual double with Eta in binoculars. Use low power and see if you can frame this bright grouping of stars in the same eyepiece field.

Wising you good luck, clear skies and a wonderful weekend! 😉

This week’s awesome photos are of Sinus Iridum and Copernicus by the one and only Wes Higgins, 70 Virginis – Credit: Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech and Alpha Virginis: Spica, by none other than the incredibly talented John Chumack. Spectacular!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Comet C/2005 L3 McNaught Brighter Than Expected

C/2005 L3 McNaught - Joe Brimacombe

According to the estimations made by the IAU (International Astronomical Union) and ICQ (International Comet Quarterly) information, Comet C/2005 L3 McNaught wasn’t supposed to be any brighter than magnitude 15 this month and in a slow decline in brightness. However, thanks to observations done by Joseph Brimacombe at Macedon Ranges Observatory, the “tale of the tape” shows a different story…

Currently located in Hercules (RA 16 16.65 Dec +20 12.8), recent observation estimates of around magnitude 13 have been confirmed thanks to Mr. Brimacombe’s photographic artistry. The ICQ reports have shown Comet C/2005 L3 McNaught slowly brightening since mid-March. Discovered on June 3, 2005 by R. H. McNaught of Siding Spring, the then 17.7 magnitude comet has slowly climbed the brightness ladder over the last 3 years. Reaching perihelion this year on January 16, L3 McNaught has surprised many astronomers – including observers.

Click On Image for Comet Movie – Courtesy of Macedon Ranges Observatory

Says Brimacombe – who was remotely controlling the telescope from his location in Abu Dhabi: “I took a few shots for fun and was surprised at how bright it was compared with barely visible Comet 110P Hartley (mag. 15.5). McNaught was supposed to be mag 15 and it’s easy to see the tail.”

Will Comet C/2005 L3 McNaught brighten as dramatically as Comet Holmes did? Chances are slim, but comets are mysterious creatures that seldom do what we expect them to. According to all the reports, L3 McNaught has great high surface brightness properties right now which will make it easier than most faint comets to spot with backyard equipment. Who knows what tomorrow might bring?

AVI and Still Photo Information:

  • Photographer: Joe Brimacombe – Macedon Ranges Observatory
  • Taken with 20″ RCOS and STL1001E
  • UT 0453 to 0615 14 May
  • 2 min sub exposures, some gaps from cloud
  • Video covers 80 min
  • Stacked image has undergone digital development to bring out tail.

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Imminent Discovery of Life On Mars?

Life on Mars?

Do you think there is life on Mars? Do you think Phoenix will find evidence of it? Now there’s a blog that’s trying to collect a snapshot of the opinions of scientists, amateurs, and everyday people. “Imminent Discovery” thinks Phoenix may find simple life. Finding this evidence will definitely become headlines… If it happens. Is it possible it might have originated from earth? Perhaps from space, like the famous Antarctica meteorite which was believed to contain evidence of life transported here from Mars?

According to Richard Trentman, a Minor Planet Coordinator at Powell Observatory, “The idea of life in some form on other planets, I believe is highly probable. I have studied about the extreme places on this planet where life has been found and many are far more extreme than may be found on Mars and other planets or moons in our solar system. I believe that anyone that thinks life cannot be “out there” has their eyes closed and blinders on.”

Over time, many astronomers have spent a lifetime dreaming of life and formations on Mars like the misguided Slipher: “Some form of vegetation exists. …The evidence is in the blue-green areas and the changes in their appearance. Vegetation would present exactly the appearance shown, and nothing we know of but vegetation could. The season change that sweeps over them is metabolic…” And yet others take more pragmatic views like astronaut Pete Conrad who commented on bacteria surviving on retrieved Surveyor III remains: “The most significant thing we ever found on the whole Moon was that little bacteria who came back and lived an nobody ever said (anything) about it.”

What’s your opinion? Help to update the book “Imminent Discovery, NASA’s Phoenix and the Secret of Life on Mars” in a post-discovery edition with some of these inputs. Please feel free to Post Your Thoughts On The Imminent Discovery of Life On Mars. Responses may be anonymous or you may use initials if you prefer. To make it more interesting, there is a random drawing of all individuals who enter comments to give away one copy of the classic 1962 book by Earl Slipher “Mars, the Photographic Story”, and a competition between astronomy clubs. Have fun!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Revealing The Undiscovered – Van Den Bergh 149/50 and Lynds Dark Nebula 1235 by Tom Davis

Van Den Bergh 149/50 and Lynds Dark Nebula 1235 by Tom Davis

Over the past few weeks we’ve taken a look at some pretty incredible regions of space through astrophotography – Wolf Rayet stars, Thackeray’s Globules, tidal interactions and even giant dust clouds bursting with star birth. This time, let’s take a look at something so obscure that it might even be the first time that it’s been photographed…

What you’re looking at van den Bergh 149 (RA 22 09 08.5 Dec +72 53 05), van den Bergh 150 (RA 22 09 40.1 Dec +73 23 27) , and dark nebula LDN1235; Cepheus. According to image author, Tom Davis: “These two reflection nebulae are rarely imaged and this image may well be a premiere for amateur astroimaging. vdB 149 is the blue reflection nebula on the center left; vdB150 the center right. The darker nebula just “above” vdB150 is Lynds Dark Nebula 1235. It is likely an Extended Red Emission nebula (ERE). These ERE are galactic dark nebulae at high latitudes that become visible through illumination by the interstellar radiation field. ERE is a dust-luminescence process, which appears in a broad band extending in wavelength across the R-band (Schedler). This image is a composite-hybrid between two images taken with telescopes of different focal lengths. These nebulae have very low surface brightness and pose a significant challenge in imaging them. There are even fainter wisps of dust that make up the sky background. These small clouds are yet uncataloged as far as I can find through research. ”

In 1966, Sidney Van Den Bergh produced his own catalog of bright nebula with embedded stars. It contains information for “all BD and CD stars north of -33 deg which are surrounded by reflection nebulosity visible on both the blue and red prints of the Palomar Sky Survey. The nearer reflection nebulae lie predominantly along Gould’s Belt, whereas the more distant ones are concentrated to the galactic plane. The data outline 13 associations of reflection nebulae, some of which coincide with known OB or T associations. Attention is drawn to the fact that most reflection nebulae are illuminated by the integrated light of the Milky Way. The integrated radiation will be more intense above and below the galactic plane then in the galactic plane where the nuclear bulge of the Galaxy and most of the disk are obscured by interstellar absorption.”

Ninth magnitude vdB 149 first appeared in scientific literature around 1957 during a search for cepheids in galactic clusters done by Sidney Van Den Berg. Later, in 1960, it was also picked up by Halton Arp and more formally in 1966 when Van Den Berg did his “Study of Reflection Nebulae” utilizing the Palomar Sky Survey plates. It is also the 159th reflection nebula corresponding to HD 224403 (GLON=116.6, GLAT=-00.22) is introduced by R. Racine in his study of stars in Reflection Nebulae in 1968 where photometric and spectroscopic observations were done for fifteen distinct regions.

However, 8.4 magnitude vdB 150 holds a much more colorful history, having been noted in 1918 by Annie Jump Cannon and Edward Pickering. Annie picked it up again in 1925 during the extended Henry Draper Catalog Study and again in 1949 in a commemorative work done with Walton Mayall. From there, it laid dormant until 1991 and 1995 when revisited again by the Astrographic Catalogue for spectral type, proper motion and position. It holds its place in basic data as HD 210806 — Star in Nebula.

Like the Van Den Bergh catalogs of bright nebula where curtains of gas and dust conjoin with stars, the Lynds Dark Nebula catalog was developed in much the same way – compiled from studies of the red and blue prints from the Palomar Sky Survey. “The range in declination is from +90 to -33 degrees. A cloud had to be visible on both the red and the blue photographs in order to be recorded. It is therefore very probable that the more tenuous clouds which may be transparent in the red are not included herein. Lynds states that it was often difficult to detect a cloud that absorbed less than 0.75 magnitudes. Many of the small dark nebulae termed `Bok Globules‘ are not included in this catalog because they are apparent as dark objects projected against the bright background of an emission nebulosity: only objects which, on the basis of stellar density fluctuations, indicated the presence of absorption are contained here.”

Do these regions meet and produce new anomalies which need further study? I’d say that’s affirmative. It’s a well known fact LDN 1235 contains a variable star and that Lynd’s dark nebulae have differing turbulent velocities. There are areas where the opacity is weak and may very well have reached excitation temperatures – the density decreases and the temperature increases along the outward edges. Although it’s only conjecture on my part, I’d say that photographic studies like those done by Tom Davis are extremely important in the long term. They provide photographic record of changes not captured by professional observatories and will eventually become a source of future reference.

One that both amateur and professionals can study and enjoy…

This week’s awesome image is done by MRO member, Tom Davis. They were taken with an Astro Systeme Austria N12 f/3.5 Astrograph (LUM) and Takahashi FSQ-106 f/5 Astrograph (RGB) KAI-11000M – Total Exposure 10.6+ hours; LRGB 260:120:120:120 minutes, unbinned – April-May 2008; Inkom, ID, USA.

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Celestron SkyScout Scope 90 Review

When I first saw the Celestron SkyScout Scope 90 appear, I knew that some day, some how I was going to have to get my hands on one of these refractor telescopes. I am fascinated with my Celestron SkyScout Personal Planetarium and the thought of adding an easy-to-use telescope to it as as system was simply irresistible. My only thought was would this be the Celestron quality I’ve always known and loved… or would it be a disappointment?

The day the big box from Celestron arrived, my hands itched to take out the telescope and mount inside and see what it could do. Of course, the “astronomer’s curse” was in full force at the time and we all know that anyone who gets a new telescope has to endure at least a few days of clouds and rain before they’re allowed to use it. I was no exception. I kept watching the box and watching the skies; one of these nights, the SkyScout Scope 90 would be mine.

The moment the first sunny day arrived, the box was on the table and I was ready with a fresh, open mind; ready to see just how intuitive assembly would be and how the scope felt to my hands. With the neatly packed interior displayed, by some odd coincidence my hands chose to open the section that contained the mount and tripod first. Inwardly, I cringed. I’ve had a tremendous amount of experience with inexpensive telescopes and one of the major flaws with all of them is the mount and tripod. Please don’t tell me this is the same.

Please.

I needn’t have worried. The moment the Celestron altazimuth mount was freed from its styrofoam and plastic, I knew that my faith in Celestron was well placed. What I was holding in my hands might be lightweight – but it was in no respect cheap. Smooth, 1.5″ polished stainless steel legs were ended with well-attached feet. A critical link, the mechanism that tightens the tripod legs when extended, was rock solid and not prone to stripping out like competitor mounts. What’s more, the Celestron-quality altazimuth mount was already attached – fully assembled. While most of us (including me) are perfectly capable of assembling a mount and/or attaching it to the tripod, this extra Celestron feature scored heavily in their favor.

Why? The answer is simple.

For any of us who dis-assemble and re-assemble a scope frequently, you know the more often it is done, the harder it becomes on the parts. It’s also very wearing on some types of mounts and tripods to transport them fully assembled as well – one wrong move can mean stripped fittings and a forever “loose” scope. Not so in the case of the Celestron SkyScout Scope 90. This is one that is meant to be transported assembled and its anodized aluminum machinations are solid quality. You aren’t going to strip this Celestron mount out just by using it.

Next up? Scope rings. Here again we have a critical assembly part. Easily attached and Celestron quality. While the scope rings might seem like a minor thing, have you ever tried holding your optical tube steady with one hand while closing the scope rings and tightening them down with the other? Yeah. You get the picture. No one wants to take a chance at dropping their optical tube assembly and Celestron has thought about that. The tube rings have grips! In my estimation, this isn’t a minor point. This is a major convenience. By adding a “grip” feature on the tube rings, Celestron has made it easy for one person to set up the SkyScout Scope 90 – a person of any age and capability.

And now, the optical tube assembly itself. When the plastic came off, I discovered plastic underneath. Yes, it was a shock to discover the optical tube was plastic, but, this scope is under $300. Having faith in Celestron design, and also remembering how shocked I was that my first big dobsonian was cardboard, I hooked it up to the rings and was pleasantly surprised to find the dew shield is integrated. Well, hey! There’s another nice and thoughtful feature. The SkyScout Scope 90 is going to save you some money (and headaches) in the long run by already having a dew shield built right in!

Next up? Time to add the 6X30 finderscope to the quick release bracket. Here again is another very well thought out features by Celestron. For those not familiar with telescope terminology, a quick release dovetail is a type of slide that allows you to put on and take off the finderscope without messing up its alignment. A definite plus for those who transport their telescope and perfectly compatible with other types of finders – such as a red dot or green laser finder. I was also very pleased with the 6X30 image correct finder. It delivers upright images that are less confusing to the beginning astronomer and perfect for the daylight wildlife observer. To me, this is perfect aperture – capable of revealing fainter marker stars – but not so many as to be confusing with average star charts. The Celestron 6X30 finder was also very easily aligned and very secure in its housing. Both the quick release bracket and finderscope are high quality and should never need replacing. Score more points for the Celestron SkyScout Scope 90!

Now for the SkyScout Scope bracket. Viola. Again, the bracket attaches easily and securely and the Celestron SkyScout fits in it like a glove. Secure pegs match perfectly with the base of the SkyScout and an easy grip knob is provided should you wish to lock the personal planetarium down. Again, a perfect fit and easy alignment means no hassle on the user’s part and another big point in favor of this scope.

So how did it feel with all the bells and whistles attached? I went in prepared to be skeptical of having balance issues and within seconds was grinning like a fool. The pan handle control works like a charm and the clutch insures smooth and easy operation without feeling like the assembly is overloaded. On the contrary! The whole Celestron SkyScout Scope 90 balanced like a charm and there was no position that I put the scope in that felt unstable. I like confident equipment.

Are you ready for an optics test? I am. While I wasn’t too impressed with the included diagonal and 10mm eyepiece, the Celestron 40mm is the same quality that has graced my eyepiece case for two decades. Don’t get me wrong, for the diagonal and 10mm are perfectly acceptable, but I guarantee you’ll be using the included 40mm eyepiece in more than just the SkyScout Scope 90! The 40mm eyepiece is outstanding quality with good eye relief and field of view. While newcomers are terribly tempted to have that “high magnification” factor, Celestron has done you a favor in the eyepieces they choose to include. For the 90mm aperture Celestron SkyScout 90 at f/7, this particular eyepiece will give you bright, low power images that amaze you with richness of field. For lunar or planetary work, the included 10mm is right down at the limit of usable magnification. Trust Celestron, they honestly knew the two best eyepieces to pick for this telescope – not just ones to include

Terrestrial viewing? Superb. Very little color fringing and tack sharp images. Astronomical viewing? Outstanding. My first target was Saturn at low power. Crisp, clean, and well focused. (Although I haven’t mentioned it yet, the Celestron rack and pinion focuser on the SkyScout Scope 90 is also high quality. It’s very capable of fine adjustments and feels like it will last a lifetime. No slop!) What a delight to listen to the SkyScout Personal Planetarium tell me all about it while I was viewing! Oddly enough, others wanted to listen as well, so it was no problem to put a small, powered speaker right on the sturdy accessory tray. Next up? Mizar and Alcor – then Cor Caroli. Far from a tough split in either case, but the color correction is superb. How about deep sky? In the 40mm eyepiece both M81 and M82 were easily framed against their starry background and bright enough to be seen without aversion. What a pleasure! Other galaxies like M65 and M66 were easy. Even M51 and M104 were beginning to show structure and globular clusters like M3 and M5 some resolution. No vignetting… Just crisp, clean images. The plastic OTA? Guess what… Not only does it make the whole assembly lighter, but also promotes quicker cool down times.

Over the days – and away from the public eye – I continued to put the SkyScout Scope 90 to the test. These were the little things that only a backyard astronomer could appreciate – like knowing which star was Alpha Cancri so I could easily starhop to M67, or purposefully choosing difficult doubles like Porrima or Epsilon Bootes. Again and again, the Celestron SkyScout Scope 90 surprised me. Not only is it capable of the Messier objects, but a handsome portion of the NGC catalog as well. It performs well on the planets, and beyond the call of duty on the Moon.

All in all, you cannot go wrong with the Celestron SkyScout Scope 90. It’s extremely easy to assemble and its durability shines right through. Even if you never couple it with a Celestron SkyScout, the 90 will make an awesome beginner’s scope that won’t (unlike competitor’s similarly priced brands) fall apart in the user’s hands. No wonder Celestron guarantees it for two years! At only 18 lbs. it makes a great travel companion and for a great many users will provide a lifetime of fascination. I know I don’t want to let mine go.

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

The Weekend SkyWatcher’s Forecast: May 9-11, 2008

Atlas Map

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Are you ready for a very incredible weekend? The action begins on Friday as we take you on a guided tour of the lunar surface. On Saturday, celebrate Astronomy Day with a very special unaided eye sky event and a return to the Moon. No rest for the wicked on Sunday… Because you’ll be seeing double! Time to get out your binoculars and telescopes and turn an eye to the sky, because…. Here’s what’s up!

Friday, May 9 – Today in 1962, the first Earth-based laser was aimed at crater Albategnius. Although it isn’t visible tonight, let’s take a look at what is visible just 1.5 light-seconds away! First is a Lunar Club challenge which won’t prove difficult because you’ll be working with a map. Relax! This will be much easier than you think. Starting at Mare Crisium, move along the terminator to the north following the chain of craters until you identify a featureless oval which looks similar to Plato seen on a curve. This is Endymion…and if you can’t spot it, don’t worry. Let’s take a look at some features which will point you to it!

Most prominent of all will be two craters to the north named Atlas and Hercules. The easternmost Atlas was named for the mythical figure who bore the weight of the world on his shoulders, and the crater spans 87 kilometers and contains a vivid Y-shaped rima in the interior basin. Western Hercules is considerably smaller at 69 kilometers in diameter, and shows a deep interior crater called G. Power up and look for the tiny E crater which marks the southern crater rim. North of both is another unusual feature which many observers miss. It is a much more eroded and far older crater which only shows a basic outline and is only known as Atlas E.

Since we’re here, let’s take a crater walk and see how many features we can identify… Good luck, and clear skies!

Atlas Map

(1) Mare Humboldtianum, (2) Endymion, (3) Atlas, (4) Hercules, (5) Chevalier, (6) Shuckburgh, (7) Hooke, (8) Cepheus, (9) Franklin, (10) Berzelius, (11) Maury, (12) Lacus Somniorum, (13) Daniel, (14) Grove, (15) Williams, (16) Mason, (17) Plana, (18) Burg, (19) Lacus Mortis, (20) Baily, (21) Atlas E, (22) Keldysh, (23) Mare Frigoris, (24) Democritus, (25) Gartner, (26) Schwabe, (27) Thales, (28) Strabo, (29) de la Rue, (30) Hayn.

Saturday, May 10 – Today is Astronomy Day and something wonderful is happening in the sky! Somewhere out there, the Moon is silently occulting Mars, and the Red Planet will be hauntingly close to the limb as the skies darken… For observers through India and Europe, you have the chance to watch the occultation, so visit IOTA for specific times in your location!

Fabricius

Tonight let’s journey to the Moon as we look at a beautiful series of craters – Fabricius, Metius and Rheita. Bordered on the south by shallow Jannsen, Lunar Club challenge Fabricius is a 78 kilometer diameter crater highlighted by two small interior mountain ranges. To its northeast is Metius, which is slightly larger with a diameter of 88 kilometers. Look carefully at the two. Metius has much steeper walls, while Fabricius shows differing levels and heights. Metius’ smooth floor also contains a very prominent B crater on the inside of its southeast crater wall. Further northeast is the lovely Rheita Valley which stretches almost 500 kilometers and appears more like a series of confluent craters than a fault line. 70 kilometer diameter crater Rheita is far younger than this formation because it intrudes upon it. Look for a bright point inside the crater which is its central peak.

Since tonight will be our last chance to galaxy hunt for a while when the Moon has westered, let’s take a look at one of the brightest members of the Virgo Cluster – M49. Located about eight degrees northwest of Delta Virginis almost directly between a pair of 6th magnitude stars (RA 12 29 46 Dec +07 59 59), the giant elliptical M49 holds the distinction of being the first galaxy in the Virgo cluster to be discovered – and only the second beyond our local group. At magnitude 8.5, this type E4 galaxy will appear as an evenly illuminated egg shape in almost all scopes, and as a faint patch in binoculars. While a possible supernova event occurred in 1969, don’t confuse the foreground star noted by Herschel with something new!

Although most telescopes won’t be able to pick this region apart – especially with the Moon so near – there are also many fainter companions near M49, including NGC 4470. But a sharp-eyed observer named Halton Arp noticed them and listed them as Peculiar Galaxy 134 – one with “fragments!”

Sunday, May 11 – Tonight no two lunar features in the north will be more prominent than Aristoteles and Eudoxus. Viewable even in small binoculars, let’s take a closer look at larger Aristoteles to the north.

Aristoteles

As a Class I crater, this ancient old beauty has some of the most massive walls of any lunar feature. Named for the great philosopher, it stretches across 87 kilometers of lunar landscape and drops below the average surface level to a depth of 366 meters – a distance which is similar to Earth’s tallest waterfall, the Silver Cord Cascade. While it has a few scattered interior peaks, the crater floor remains almost unscarred. As a telescopic Lunar Club challenge, be sure to look for a much older crater sitting on Aristoteles’ eastern edge. Tiny Mitchell is extremely shallow by comparison and only spans 30 kilometers. Look carefully at this formation, for although Aristoteles overlaps Mitchell, the smaller crater is actually part of the vast system of ridges which supports the larger one.

PorrimaWhen you’re done, let’s have a look at another delightful pair that’s joined together – Gamma Virginis…

Better known as Porrima, this is one cool binary; whose members are nearly equal in spectral type and brightness. Discovered by Bradley and Pound in 1718, John Herschel was the first to predict this pair’s orbit in 1833 and state that one day they would become inseparable to all but the very largest of telescopes – and he was right. In 1920 the A and B stars had reached their maximum separation, but during 2007 they were as close together as they will ever be in our lifetimes. Observed as a single star in 1836 by William Herschel, its 171 year periastron now puts Porrima almost the same position as it was when Sir William saw it!

Have a great weekend… 😉

This week’s awesome images: Atlas Crater Map Image: Greg Konkel Annotations: Tammy Plotner – Fabricius, Metius and Rheita – Credit: Alan Chu – Aristoteles – Credit: Wes Higgins – Gamma Virginis: Porrima – Credit: Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech. Thank you!!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Astronomy Day – May 10, 2008

Are you ready for Astronomy Day? Astronomy Day is a grass roots movement designed to share the joy of astronomy with the general population – “Bringing Astronomy to the People.” During this year’s Astronomy Day on May 10, thousands of people who have never looked through a telescope will have an opportunity to see first hand what has so many amateur and professional astronomers all excited!

Astronomy clubs, science museums, observatories, universities, planetariums, laboratories, libraries, and nature centers host special events and activities to acquaint their population with local astronomical resources and facilities. Many of these events are located at non-astronomical sites; shopping malls, parks, urban centers – truly Bringing Astronomy to the People. If you’re interested in attending such an event, take a look at where current Astronomy Day events being held. This list only encompasses those groups who choose to advertise on the Astronomical League website, so please be sure to check your local news media for other events.

If you, your facility, group or astronomy club is interested in planning astronomy day activities, perhaps you’d like some help! By following the link to the Sky and Telescope Astronomy Day Handbook you can get some great pointers and ideas by downloading the free handbook written by David Levy. While on the page, be sure to visit other great links such as Let’s Go Stargazing and downloadable handouts like the Good Neighbor Outdoor Lighting flyer. The Astronomical League also offers Graphics For Astronomy Day Events and you can even enter your activities in the annual Sky and Telescope Astronomy Award Program!

Need more fun things to do for Astronomy Day that you can reach with just a mouse click? Then know the Abrams Sky Calendar is available for Astronomy Day activities. Anyone celebrating the event is welcome to distribute any number of copies of the Sky Calendar or Sample Sky Map with no restrictions, other than we ask that material not be deleted. How about kid’s activities? Let’s start with coloring pages for Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. You can even make your own Solar System Mobile!

Astronomy Day is an astronomical public relations event that helps highlight ways the general public can get involved with astronomy – or at least get some of their questions about astronomy answered. This important event – Astronomy Day – is co-sponsored by 14 astronomical and astronomy education organizations. They are: The Astronomical League, The Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, the American Astronomical Society, the Astronomical Association of Northern California, the Western Amateur Astronomers, the American Association of Physics Teachers, the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, the American Meteor Society, the American Association of Variable Star Observers, the Planetary Society, the National Space Society, the International Planetarium Society, the Association of Astronomy Educators, and the International Astronomical Union.

As the Executive Secretary of the Astronomical League, I’m here to answer any Astronomy Day questions you might have – or point you in the right direction. Spend a few minutes coloring with a child, set up your telescope for a neighbor, take binoculars to work, make copies of the Sky Calendar and Maps and post in your local library. No matter what the size or your event, or level of involvement, it’s all about sharing what you love to do with others. Celebrate Astronomy Day!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Spock’s Astronomy Quiz

Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock. Credit: CBS Television

Have you ever wanted to test your astronomy knowledge against the best? Then take the warp speed jump to Spock’s Astro Quiz. It’s more than just astronomy trivia, it’s a great way to test your astronomy knowledge, learn more about astronomy related topics and interact via live chat with others interested in astronomy…

Welcome to Spock’s Astro Quiz, a great place to see just how much you know about astronomy and to enjoy the company of astronomy minded individuals. No special knowledge, secret passwords, or fancy hoops to jump through to enjoy the fun… All you have to do is click Log In and get started!

While you’re there, this interactive site will not only allow to test your astronomy skill against Spock’s, but to chat live with astronomy-minded visitors and play against each other as well. Just a word of caution though… Spock plays a clean astronomy game. Use a swear word and you’ll be warned once. Do it again and you’re permanently beamed out. The astronomy quiz and astronomy chat board is continually monitored and safe for players of all ages. Solicitors of any type will be immediately banned.

Test your astronomy skill… Enjoy the company of other astronomy friends during cloudy nights… And live long and prosper!

Brought to you by Macedon Ranges Observatory.