Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Weekend SkyWatcher’s Forecast – April 3-5, 2009

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! “100 Hours of Astronomy” is now underway – and doesn’t it just figure that most of us are enjoying clouds and rain? Apparently Murphy’s Law (with it’s many variations of names) works everywhere on Earth! But, keep up the good spirits. My own bags are packed and I’m ready to head towards the observatory for the next 3 days of non-stop astronomy programming and here’s some features coming up this weekend I thought you might enjoy sharing as well. Are you ready? Then come on along and let’s have a great time…

Friday, April 3, 2009 – This date marks the 40th anniversary of the launch of the first lunar orbiter, Luna 10. That makes another good reason to view the Moon tonight! Follow the southward descent of large crater rings Ptolemaeus, Alphonsus, and Arzachel to a smaller, bright one southwest named Thebit. We’re going to have a look at Hell.

hell

Just west of Thebit and its prominent Acrater to the northwest, you will see the Rupes Recta (Straight Wall) appearing as a thin, white line. Continue south until you see large, eroded crater Deslandres. On its western shore is a bright ring that marks the boundary of Hell. Although this might seem like an unusual name for a crater, it was named for an astronomer—and clergyman!

While you’re out tonight, be on watch for the Kappa Serpentid meteor shower. Its radiant will be near the ‘‘Northern Crown’’—the constellation known as Corona Borealis. The fall rate is small with an average of 4 or 5 per hour, but this is a great time to just enjoy a Spring evening and share your knowlege with others!

Saturday, April 4, 2009 – Today we celebrate the 1809 birth on this date of astronomer Benjamin Peirce. Peirce was a professor of astronomy and mathematics for nearly 40 years and contributed greatly to the discovery of Neptune.

On the lunar surface, crater Copernicus becomes visible to even the most modest of optical aids. Small binoculars will see Copernicus as a bright ring about mid-way along the lunar dividing line of light and dark called the terminator. Telescopes will reveal its 97-kilometer (60-mile) expanse and 120-meter (395-foot) central peak to perfection. Copernicus holds a special appeal; it’s the aftermath of a huge meteoric impact! At 3,800 meters deep, its walls are 22 kilometers thick. Over the next few days, the impact ray system extending from this tremendous crater will become wonderfully apparent.

Tonight use Copernicus as a guide and look north-northwest to survey the Carpathian Mountains . The Carpathians ring the southern edge of Mare Imbrium, beginning well east of the terminator. But let’s look on the dark side. Extending some 40 kilometers beyond into the Moon’s own shadow, you can continue to see bright peaks, some reaching 2,000 meters high! Tomorrow, when this area is fully revealed, you will see the Carpathians begin to disappear into the lava flow forming them.

copernicus

Continuing onward to Plato—on the northern shore of Mare Imbrium—and look for the singular peak of Pico. Between Plato and Mons Pico, you will find the many scattered peaks of the Teneriffe Mountains. It is possible that these are the remnants of much taller summits of a once precipitous range. Now the peaks rise less than 2,000 meters above the surface. Time to power up!West of the Teneriffes, and very near the terminator, you will see a narrow line of mountains, very similar in size to the Alpine Valley. Known as the Straight Range, some of its peaks reach as high as 2,000 meters. Although this doesn’t sound particularly impressive, that’s over twice as tall as the Vosges Mountains in west-central Europe and comparable to the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States!

viviani“Sun” Day, April 5, 2009 – Today let’s take a look at Vincenzo Viviani. Born on this date in 1622, Viviani was a mathematician. At age 17, he became the student, secretary, and assistant to Galileo, serving him until the Master died in 1642. Viviani published his own books on mathematical and scientific subjects and edited the first edition of Galileo’s collected works. He was an ardent supporter of Galileo and worked tirelessly to reinstate his mentor’s good name. What a great addition to talk about during the International Year of Astronomy!

Tonight let’s continue our lunar mountain-climbing expedition and revisit the ‘‘big picture’’ on the lunar surface. All of Mare Imbrium is bathed in sunlight tonight, and we can see its complete shape. Appearing as a featureless ellipse bordered by mountain ranges, let’s identify them all.

iridum

Starting at Plato and moving east to south to west you will find the Alps, the Caucasus, the Apennine, and the Carpathian Mountains. Look at the form closely. Doesn’t it look like it’s possible that an enormous impact created the entire area? Compare it to the younger Sinus Iridum, which is ringed by the Juras Mountains. The latter region may have also been formed by a much later and very similar massive impact event.

Are you in the mood for a double star? Then let’s head west and away from the Moon. Begin your search right after skydark with El Nath. From Beta Aurigae, shift about two finger-widths eastnortheast to identify very dim 26 Aurigae . At low power, look for an 8th magnitude companion due west of the 5.5 magnitude primary. The brighter star should give a warm yellow appearance, while the fainter will appear slightly bluer. This pair shares space with a third member (magnitude 11.5), some three times further out than the closer, brighter secondary. Thanks to lunacy, small instruments will have difficulty distinguishing the C star in such bright skies.

For now? I hope you have clear skies to enjoy the “100 Hours of Astronomy” weekend… and remember to ask for the Moon – but keep on reaching for the stars!

This week’s awesome images – in order of appearance – are credited to these wonderful friends and photographers: Craters Deslandres, Hell and Walter (credit—Alan Chu), Crater Copernicus (credit—Greg Konkel), Vincenzo Viviani (historical image) and Lunar image (credit—Greg Konkel). We thank you so much!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

100 Hours of Astronomy Begins on April 2


Have you heard the word? In celebration of the International Year of Astronomy, there’s a worldwide event happening that will begin on April 2 and last through April 5, 2009. Public outreach activities, live science centers, research observatory webcasts and sidewalk astronomy events are only a small part of what you’ll discover when the “100 Hours of Astronomy Cornerstone Project” gets underway. Want to find out more about what’s happening? Then step inside…

What’s it all about? One of the goals of “100 Hours of Astronomy” is to get as many people as possible to look through a telescope – just as Galileo did 400 years ago. This four-day event will encompass astronomy clubs, groups, individuals, observatories, science centers and more around the world as they reach out to the public to achieve this common goal. During the opening ceremonies on April 2, Franklin Institute in Philadelphia will feature one of Galileo’s telescopes and the Director of the Institute and Museum of the History of Science in Florence, Italy, (home of the two remaining Galileo telescopes) will give a talk on the importance of Galileo’s telescopes and his discoveries. Also on April 2, select science centers will begin a live webcast featuring discussions on current topics in astronomy and remote telescope viewing. On April 3 another 24-hour webcast will begin when astronomers at professional research observatories around the world will take viewers inside their telescope domes and control rooms via camera.

One of the features of “100 Hours of Astronomy” will be a 24-hour Global Star Party on April 5, when telescopes – both solar and celestial) will be open for public viewing by astronomy clubs and observing groups around the world at no charge. And, beginning a dawn on April 5, we’ll celebrate “Sun Day” with more solar viewing! Just like our own IYA Live Telescope many observatories around the world are also offering access to their telescopes as well, where you can sign up for an opportunity to control a telescope in real time and take pictures, or have someone assist you.

poster_100hours_lWhere do you find a program near you? One of the best places to start is at the official website and the “100 Hours of Astronomy – Find An Event” page. Check your local newspapers, astronomy websites, radio broadcasts and libraries. If you can’t find anything nearby – then use what you have right in front of you! Thanks to Internet Magic “Around the World in 80 Telescopes” will begin at 9:00 UT on April 3 and last until 9:00 UT on April 4. Don’t miss you chance to take off to some of the most advanced ground- and space-based observatories around the world and off the planet!

One of the highlights of this project will be an opportunity to peek into ESA’s XMM-Newton and Integral satellite control rooms in Spain. Viewers will get an insight into two space observatories, XMM-Newton and Integral, an opportunity to meet astronomers working on these missions, a sneak preview at a pretty new XMM-Newton image of Messier 82, and a chance to participate in a student competition using data from the Integral satellite. This live 24-hour video webcast is organized by the European Organization for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO) and was initiated by the International Astronomical Union and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Don’t miss this spectacular opportunity!

How can you participate? If you, or your astronomy group haven’t registered a program yet – do it! Even just a few hours of setting up a telescope is a great way to participate in this monumental global event celebrating the International Year of Astronomy. Drop a line to your local newspaper or phone your local radio station and ask them to promote your project. Even if you just set your telescope up on the sidewalk for a few hours and treat your neighbors to a view of the Moon or Saturn, you’ll be honoring Galileo and all that he stands for.

What are you waiting for? Go ahead and list your “100 Hours of Astronomy” event here, too!

Wishing you clear skies….

The “100 Hours of Astronomy” Banner is courtesy of 100 Hours of Astronomy and the “80 Telescopes Logo” is courtesy of ESA IYA 2009. We thank you!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

SkyWatcher’s Forecast – Messier Marathon Special Edition Continues…

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Are you ready to round up the last of the Messier objects as our less frenzied look at the seasonal race continues? While the Moon is back in the early evening skies, what we’re about to hunt down requires getting up early instead of staying up late. I’ll make the coffee and see you in the backyard…

m57Friday, March 27, 2009 – Are you tired of running the Messier Marathon yet? Don’t be. Up before dawn isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time, but those who enjoy astronomy will enjoy seeing the promise of summer in the stars. For the next several days, we’ll enjoy the finest and most easily located objects as we continue. Start with Lyra and its southernmost two bright stars Beta and Gamma. M57 (RA 18 53 35.08 Dec +33 01 45.0), the Ring Nebula, is about halfway between – the donut with your morning coffee! M56 (RA 19 16 35.50 Dec +30 11 04.2) resides about midway between Gamma Lyrae and Beta Cygni. Two degrees south of Gamma Cygni is open cluster M29 (RA 20 23 56.00 Dec +38 31 23.0), and M39 (RA 21 31 48.00 Dec +48 27 00.0) is less than a fistwidth northeast of Deneb. Hop north of Gamma Sagittae to find M27 (RA 19 59 36.34 Dec +22 43 16.1), and the loose globular M71 (RA 19 53 46.11 Dec +18 46 42.3) is southwest of Gamma.

Now to early morning skies, and into our galactic halo, as we track down globular clusters. Ophiuchus’ many stars can be hard to identify, so start with Beta Scorpii (Graffias) and head about 10 degrees northeast. That’s Zeta: it’s the marker you’ll need for M107 (RA 16 32 31.91 Dec -13 03 13.1). About one quarter the way back toward Graffias, you will see a line of three stars in the finder. Aim at the center one, and you’ll see globular M10 (RA 16 57 08.99 Dec -04 05 57.6) in the same field, and M12 (RA 16 47 14.52 Dec -01 56 52.2) is 3 degrees northeast. M14 (RA 17 37 36.15 Dec -03 14 45.3) is approximately 16 degrees south and due east of M10.

pierceEnjoy your day and think about the importance of the birth of John Pierce in 1910. Pierce undertook the visionary work of communications satellites. Although people scoffed at his ideas, in 1960 he convinced a U.S. agency called NASA to convert a balloon-borne experiment called ‘‘Echo’’ into a radio wave reflector. Thanks to his brilliant work, the next step was the development of Telstar, a satellite that ushered in the modern age of television! Of course, you could always just skip TV tonight and do the marathon all at once…

Saturday, March 28, 2009 – In just a few short days, you’ve conquered 80 objects from a prestigious observing list! The time before dawn is a very quiet and beautiful part of the day. Now head for bright Eta Ophiuchi directly between Scorpius and Sagittarius. Globular M9 (RA 17 19 11.78 Dec -18 30 58.5) is 3.5 degrees southeast. Now head for Antares. The diffuse, giant globular cluster M4 (RA 16 23 35.41 Dec -26 31 31.9) is about a degree west. Four degrees northwest of Antares is compact, bright globular M80 (RA 16 17 02.51 Dec -22 58 30.4). Seven degrees due east of Antares is globular M19 (RA 17 02 37.69 Dec -26 16 04.6)! The last globular cluster this morning is M62 (RA 17 01 12.60 Dec -30 06 44.5), located another 5 degrees south of M19.

Hey, you’re doing terrific! Some of these are tough to find unless you’ve had practice. But now we’re up to a total of 85, and about to add a few more…

The lower curve of Scorpius is quite distinctive and the unaided eye pair you see at the ‘‘stinger’’ is beautiful double Lambda and its slightly less bright neighbor Upsilon. Just northeast is beautiful M6 (RA 17 40 18.00 Dec -32 12 00.0), the Butterfly Cluster. Slightly southeast is an unaided hazy patch. Aim there, and you’ll find spectacular open cluster M7 (RA 17 53 48.00 Dec -34 47 -0.0), or Ptolemy’s Cluster. Identify Lambda Aquilae, look west, and you’ll find M11 (RA 18 51 00.00 Dec -06 16 00.0), the Wild Duck open cluster. About the same distance to the south/southwest is open cluster M26 (RA 18 45 18.66 Dec -09 23 01.0).

m16These are all great binocular targets, but it will take an exceptionally dark, clear sky to see the Eagle Nebula associated with M16 (RA 18 18 48.00 Dec -13 49 00.0) – an easy open cluster about a fist-width southwest of M26. If you’re lost, try counting the stars down the Eagle’s back from bright Altair until you reach Gamma Scuti and look about 2 degrees northwest. What you seek is worth the time it takes, because cluster M16 is a star-forming region located on the edge of one of the Milky Way’s own spiral arms about 7,000 light-years away. Perhaps Messier was the first to notice the Eagle Nebula (IC 4703), because his notes include the description: ‘‘enmeshed in a faint glow.’’ Large telescopes can see the dark dust lanes containing the Pillars of Creation, but it isn’t always easy. The entire nebula eluded the Herschels!

Don’t forget to shut ’em down tonight from 8:30 to 9:30 pm for Earth Hour. Make your voice heard!

Sunday, March 29, 2009 – Get up before dawn, and let’s take a less frenzied look at the beauty around us. Begin by identifying Lambda, the northernmost star in the teapot asterism of Sagittarius. Its name is Kaus Borealis – the “northern” star – so grab your binoculars, for north is the direction we’re heading…

m18The bright “Nike Swoosh” of M17 is located a fist-width north of Lambda. Many of you know this as the Omega or Swan Nebula. Slide south for a very small collection of stars known as M18 (RA 18 19 58.49 Dec -17 06 07.1). Move further south to call up a huge cloud of stars labeled M24 (RA 18 18 24.00 Dec -18 26 -0.0). This patch of Milky Way “stuff” will also show a wonderful open cluster – NGC 6603 – to average telescopes, and some great Barnard darks to larger ones. Shift southeast for open cluster M25 (RA 18 31 46.77 Dec -19 06 53.9), and head due west a fist-width for open cluster M23 (RA 17 57 00.00 Dec -18 59 -0.0). From there, drop south again, and M21 (RA 18 04 12.00 Dec -22 29 -0.0) will be your reward. M20 (RA 18 02 23.00 Dec -23 01 48.0) – the Trifid Nebula – is southwest. M8 (RA 18 03 37.00 Dec -24 23 12.0) – the Lagoon Nebula – is further south again, and very easy to see. This particular star hop is great fun. If you have children, point out the primary stars, and show them how they look like a dot-to-dot “tea kettle.” From the kettle’s “spout” pours the “steam: of the Milky Way. If you start there, all you will need to do is follow the ‘‘steam’’ trail up the sky and you will see the majority of these with ease. Our Messier temperature has now risen to 98…

On this date in 1974, NASA’s Mariner 10 went into history by returning the first close-up pictures of the planet Mercury. Mariner also became the first craft to use solar wind to navigate when its panels were reconfigured into makeshift solar sails! Take time to honor the 1890 birth of Spencer Jones on this date, the first to prove Earth had a slightly irregular rotation, and to triangulate the Sun’s position using an asteroid. Oddly enough, Vesta was also discovered on this date! If you’d like to take a look at this Arizona-sized world for yourself, be sure to look tomorrow night, as it appears less than a fist-width (8 degrees) south of the crescent Moon!

groombridgeMonday, March 30, 2009 – Wake up, sleepyhead… You must get up before dawn to finish our Messier studies! While the coffee is brewing, think about the year 239 BC, when the Chinese first recorded a perihelion passage of Halley’s Comet. Now, step outside and look at the starry skies as you pay a moment’s silent tribute to the English astronomer Stephen Groombridge, who passed away on this day in 1832. At age 51, he began cataloging 4,243 circumpolar stars within 50 degrees of Polaris. Although the catalog wasn’t published until 6 years after his death, Groombridge never stopped working on it, even after he founded the Astronomical Society!

m69OK, now It’s crunch time, and the first few on this list will be fairly easy to see around 5.00 am, but you won’t have long before the dawn steals them from the sky. Remember Kaus Borealis? Good.

We’re starting at the top of the tea kettle with Lambda, our marker for the small M28 (RA 18 24 32.89 Dec -24 52 11.4) globular cluster. It is just a breath north-northwest. Larger, brighter, and quite wonderful globular cluster M22 (RA 18 36 24.21 Dec -23 54 12.2) is to Lambda’s northeast. The southeastern corner of the tea kettle is Zeta. Slide southwest to capture globular cluster M54 (RA 18 55 03.28 Dec -30 28 42.6). Head another 3 degrees southwest for the faint, fuzzy ball of M70 (RA 18 43 12.64 Dec -32 17 30.8). Two degrees further west is another globular: say good morning to M69 (RA 18 31 23.23 Dec -32 20 52.7)!

You’ve done a fantastic job over the last 10 days, and you can certainly understand by now that even with this slower pace, the Messier Marathon is a challenge not everyone can appreciate. Now, try to get some rest because the last objects on the list are coming up…

m75Tuesday, March 31, 2009 – Be warned! It’s really going to get tough to finish our Messier list, but you can do it! Start an hour before sunrise, but don’t procrastinate. Small globular M55 is about a fist-width east-southeast of Zeta Sagittarii, and the dawn is coming. Even more difficult is equally small globular M75 (RA 20 06 04.75 Dec -21 55 16.2). Look for a “V” pattern of stars in the finder a fist-width south of Beta Capricorni, and aim at the northeastern star of this trio. Without the “square” of Pegasus to guide us, look low to the east and identify Enif by its reddish color. The power-punch globular M15 (RA 21 29 58.38 Dec +12 10 00.6) is northwest, and you should be able to see the star on its border in the finderscope. Be thankful M2 (RA 21 33 27.00 Dec -00 49 24.0) is such a fine – and large – globular cluster just a little less than a fist-width due west of Alpha Aquarii.

Head a fist-width southwest of Beta Aquarii to snag what will now be two extremely dim ones – globular M72 (RA 20 53 27.91 Dec -12 32 13.4) and open cluster M73 (RA 20 59 00.00 Dec -12 38 -0.0) open just west of Nu. We will be just ahead of the light of dawn for our last object. Hang on, Delta Capricorni, and show us the way south-southwest to star 41! If you can find that? Hey… you’ve found the dim globular cluster M30 (RA 21 40 22.03 Dec -23 10 44.6) in the same field northwest.

Congratulations! You’ve done the entire Messier catalog in less than 2 weeks!

Is this a perfect list with perfect instructions? No way. Just like the weather, things aren’t always perfect. These are just general guidelines to help you find the Messiers for yourself. Unless you’re using a computer-guided scope, it takes a lot of practice to find them all, so don’t be discouraged if they don’t just fall from the sky. You might find all of them in 1 year – or you just might find all of them in one good night. Regardless of how long it takes you, or how long it takes the skies to cooperate, the beauty, joy, and reward is the peace and pleasure it brings.

Now, stop and salute the 1966 launch of Luna 10, the first spacecraft to orbit the Moon!

Until next week? Ask for the Moon… But keep on reaching for the stars!

This week’s awesome images in order of appearance are: M57 (credit – Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), John Pierce (historical image), M16 and the Eagle Nebula (credit- Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), M18 (credit – Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), Stephen Groombridge (historical image), M69 and M75 (credit – Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech). We thank you so much!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Meteor Shower Alert on March 22! Camelopardalids and March Geminids Arrive…


On Sunday, March 22, two meteor showers will grace the dark evening sky – the Camelopardalids and March Geminids. Would you like to learn more about what makes them special and why? Then let’s head out into the dark…

We’ll start first with the Camelopardalids. These have no definite peak, and a screaming fall rate of only one per hour. They do have a claim to fame however – these are the slowest meteors known – arriving at a speed of only 7 kilometers per second and activity has been historically recorded on this date. Any bright streaks you might see belonging to the Camelopardalids will appear to emanate from the north. While this might seem rather boring, any member of the Camelopardalids you might spot are anything but boring. “A search for parent bodies for 22 short-period meteoroid streams with an account of long-period planetary perturbations was carried out. Five minor body complexes are found among short-period comets, Earth-crossing asteroids and meteoroid streams.” say Y.V. Obrubov, “There are ten members in the major complex : two comets, P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 and P/Pons-Winnecke ; four asteroids, 1984 KD (3671), 4788 PL, 1987 SJ3, 1987 PA…” So where does the stream for the Camelopardalids fit in? Try possibly asteroid Amor (1221) and/or asteroid Selevk (3288) as part of Complex 5.

1221 Amor is the namesake of the Amor asteroids – a group of near-Earth asteroids whose orbits range between those of Earth and Mars. Amor-types often cross Mars orbital path, but not Earth’s. However, on March 12, 1932, Belgian astronomer Eugene Delporte photographed Amor as it approached Earth to within 16 million kilometers (about 40 times the distance from Earth to the Moon). This was the first time an asteroid was witnessed so close to Earth and became our virtual wake-up call to potential hazards. Not surpising, 3288 Selevk is also a planet crossing asteroid, too. According to Obrubov’s research there are 22 meteoroid swarms from bodies with orbital period of less than six years that could account for up to 104 meteor showers – 72 of which have been confirmed either photographically or by radar. “The Camelopardalids has a twin – the Gamma Aurigids.” says Obrubov, “We may therefore assume that the remnants of the parent bodies have been found for two more meteor showers. The existence of complexes of minor bodies again raises the question of the possibility of the simultaneous existence of active comets and products of disintegration – meteoroid swarms and possibly asteroids of the Apollo, Amor and Aten groups…”

So, now we have meteors possibly coming from an asteroid, but what about the other meteor shower that occurs tonight? That’s right… the March Geminids. These were first discovered and recorded in 1973, then confirmed in 1975. With a much improved fall rate of up to 40 per hour, these slightly faster meteors will greatly increase your chance of spotting a shooting star. Like the Camelopardalids, the March Geminds are slower than average – but what causes them? Let’s turn to the work of Miroslav Plavec for an answer:

“In 1947, Whipple published new elements of the Geminid meteor shower, obtained photographically. An extremely short period, 1.65 years, moderate inclination and considerable eccentricity together make the orbit of this shower an extraordinary one both in comparison with comets and with minor planets. But, according to Hoffmeister, the existence of similar meteor showers seems to be indicated. Such a short-period meteor shower as the Geminids presents new aspects in meteor astronomy. Planetary perturbations are likely to play a great part in its nature. The study of secular perturbations is especially important, both in investigating the connection with comets, and also from the observer’s point of view; for example, Adams’ classical work on the Leonids.”

So, when do you start watching? Just as soon as the sky is good and dark at your local time. Use your own best judgement on where to loosely face based on the position of both Camelopardalis and Gemini at the time of your observation. (For most northern hemisphere locations, I would simply suggest facing roughly north and focusing your attention overhead.) Grab a friend, a blanket, a thermos… take your notes and a timepiece, too.

You can make an important contribution by observing when possible. Since the shower wasn’t reported until 1973 and confirmed by a high rate of activity 2 years later, scientists aren’t really sure if the Earth had passed through that particular particle stream until that time. By observing and reporting, even to sources like Universe Today, you are providing an invaluable Internet record to help determine if the stream is genuine. It the March Geminids truly are a viable annual shower, this trail might lead to an undiscovered comet.

If you wish to report your findings elsewhere, please visit the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) and locate the meteor observing tab. In these pages you will also find links to information from the North American Meteor Network (NAMN), and other things to assist you like charts to understand the meteor’s magnitude, the limiting magnitude of your location, and details for recording what you see and how to fill out an observation report. While it’s certainly true you may see absolutely nothing during an hour of observing, negative observations are also important. This helps to establish if the March Geminids should be considered an annual shower or not. You may also just happen to step outside at the right time and see a flurry of activity as well. Just remember…

When opportunity knocks, you’ve got to be there to open the door!

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

ISS Now 2nd Brightest Object in Night Sky with Final Solar Arrays Deployed

Screen shot from NASA TV during the solar array deployment. Credit: NASA TV

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The International Space Station should now be the second brightest object in the night sky, following Friday’s successful deploy of the S6 solar wings. Astronauts on board the ISS and space shuttle Discovery unfurled the arrays, successfully carrying out the main objective of the STS-119 mission. “Today was a great day,” said ISS commander Mike Fincke to mission control Friday afternoon. “Today is the day the station went to full power.” The length of the arrays unfurled Friday measures 73 meters (240 feet), tip to tip, with the S6 truss in between. The S6 solar array pair adds 2,926 892 square meters (9,600 square feet) to the station solar arrays, bringing the total surface area to nearly an acre. The station’s arrays now will generate as much as 120 kilowatts of usable electricity, enough to power about 42 854 260 square meter (2800-square-foot) homes.

The station should now be the second brightest object in the night sky –even brighter than Venus, and second only to the Moon.

The S6 blanket box before deploy (behind the arrays unfurled during a previous mission). Credit: NASA TV
The S6 blanket box before deploy (behind the arrays unfurled during a previous mission). Credit: NASA TV

The deployment proceeded without any problems, as the astronauts unfurled the arrays in a gradual process, deploying the arrays half way, then letting the sun warm the arrays to decrease the probability of the “stiction” problem, where the solar array blanket slats stick together due to a protective sticky film on the slats. The solar arrays have been in storage for several years, all folded up. The areas of “ripple” flattened out naturally and the crew and Mission Control reported the array extended to its full length of 35 meters (115 feet) on each side. The new arrays add enough power-generating capacity to double the electricity available for space station science operations, from 15 to 30 kilowatts.

This is great time to take the opportunity to view the station as it passes over North America and Europe. For more information on how to see the ISS, see our previous article on viewing the station.

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

SkyWatcher’s Forecast: March 20-26, 2009 – A Messier Marathon Special Edition!

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! That’s right… It’s that time again. Equinox and upcoming New Moon means that many of us are going to try and kill ourselves to capture all 110 Messier Catalog objects in just one night. When I was a much younger lass, I used to think that was fun. Now that I’m considerably older and have to pay a physical price for staying outside all night in the cold? Well… It’s not quite as appealing as it used to be. But, I ain’t ready for the dirt nap just yet. If you think you’ve still got what it takes, then follow me…

Friday, March 20, 2009 – Since the beginning of the year, the Sun has been traveling low in the sky, moving higher each day until reaching northern hemisphere vernal equinox. Today the Sun will rise exactly in the east and set exactly in the west – precisely 12 hours later – making it possible for most observers to see all 110 Messier objects in a single night. The Messier Marathon isn’t easy. This year,why not try your own style of marathoning, as we take a less frenzied pace over the next 11 days, enjoying these splendid objects ‘‘ten at a time.’’

m74When the sky darkens enough to find guidestar Delta Ceti, the M77 (RA 02 42 40.83 Dec -00 00 48.4) spiral galaxy will be your first and the M74 (RA 01 36 41.84 Dec +15 46 59.6) spiral galaxy east of Eta Pisces will be your second mark. Both are telescopic only, and an extreme challenge due to low position. Next is M33, west of Alpha Triangulum. With ideal skies, the Pinwheel Galaxy can be seen in binoculars, but sky glow makes this huge, low-surface brightness spiral difficult for even telescopes at low power. M31 (RA 00 42 44.31 Dec +41 16 09.4), the Andromeda Galaxy, is a delightful capture for both binoculars and scopes just west of Nu Andromedae. For the telescope, two more on the list are companions to M31: elliptical M32 (RA 00 42 41.87 Dec +40 51 57.2) on its southeastern edge, and M110 (RA 00 40 22.00 Dec +41 41 07.0), to the northwest.

m34Head northwest for two open clusters visible to both telescopes and binoculars. You’ll find M52 (RA 23 24 48.00 Dec +61 35 -0.0) easiest by identifying Alpha and Beta Cassiopeiae, drawing a mental line between them, and extending it the same distance northwest of Beta. Next, hop north of Delta Cassiopeiae to pick up our eighth object—open cluster M103 (RA 01 33 24.00 Dec +60 39 00.0). Head south toward Perseus to telescopically locate the M76 (RA 01 42 19.95 Dec +51 34 31.1) planetary nebula just north of Phi. Binoculars are all that’s needed to see M34, an open cluster located roughly halfway between Algol and the lovely double Almach. As you can see, such a quick journey takes away some of the beauty of learning the history and science behind the objects… But the race is on!

arpSaturday, March 21, 2009 – Today, note the 1927 birth on this date of Halton Christian Arp, one of the most noted minds of our time regarding the origin and evolution of galaxies. Through his incredible study of peculiar galaxies and quasars, we are no longer able to assume that redshift is a uniform indicator of distance, or that the two are unrelated.

Tonight our marathon will be more relaxed because the fastest-setting objects are already completed. Take a moment to enjoy M45 (RA 03 47 24.00 Dec +24 07 00.0), the Pleiades. The ‘‘Seven Sisters’’ are easily visible high in the west, and their cool, blue beauty is incomparable in binoculars or telescopes. Head for Lepus and identify Beta and Epsilon. Triangulating south with this pair is 5th-magnitude star ADS3954, and the small globular M79 (RA 05 24 10.59 Dec -24 31 27.3) to its northeast. M42 (RA 05 35 17.30 Dec -05 23 28.0) , the Orion Nebula, is next. M43 (RA 05 35 31.00 Dec -05 16 12.0) is part of M42 to the north northeast. The next two objects are M78 (RA 05 46 46.70 Dec +00 00 50.0), northeast of Zeta Orionis and M1 (RA 05 34 31.97 Dec +22 00 52.1), the Crab Nebula, northwest of Zeta Tauri.

m38Now take a few minutes to relax. The remaining objects on tonight’s list are all very easy, well positioned, and observable with binoculars. Are you ready? Then let’s go! Open cluster M35 (RA 06 09 06.00 Dec +24 21 00.0) is northwest of the toe of Gemini – Eta. The next stop is Auriga, directly between Theta and southern Beta. Slightly to the east you’ll find open cluster M37 (RA 05 52 19.00 Dec +32 33 12.0). Now use Theta and western Iota. Roughly halfway between them and in the center of Auriga you will find open cluster M38 (RA 05 28 43.00 Dec +35 51 18.0). Hop southeast to capture M36 (RA 05 36 12.00 Dec +34 08 24.0).

Although this pace may seem rather scandalous, take stock of what you’ve accomplished! You’ve visited 20 Messier objects in just two nights. . .with time to spare. Return to your favorite objects and enjoy them. As Halton Arp once said:

“Sometimes I think that Astronomy is not so much a science as a series of scandals.”

Sunday, March 22, 2009 – Born on this date in 1394 was Ulugh Beg, builder of the first observatory. Beg’s chart listed 994 stars and was the first produced since Hipparchus! In 1799, Friedrich Wilhelm August Argelander, who cataloged the positions and magnitudes of 324,188 variable stars, was born!

Now get Sirius, go south, and start our list for tonight with open cluster M41. Return to Sirius and head a fist-width east/northeast for M47 (RA 07 36 36.00 Dec -14 29 -0.0). Dimmer, more compressed M46 (RA 07 41 42.00 Dec -14 49 00.0) is east. Drop slowly south about three fingerwidths and encounter lively M93 (RA 07 44 36.00 Dec -23 52 00.0)! Incredibly colorful open cluster M50 (RA 07 02 40.47 Dec -08 21 50.5) is roughly one-third the distance between Sirius and Procyon. Drop south-southeast of Zeta Monocerotis for dim open cluster M48 (RA 08 13 42.00 Dec -05 45 00.0). The ‘‘Beehive’’ – M44 (RA 08 40 24.00 Dec +19 41 -0.0) – is just north-northwest of Delta Cancri. Continue south to Alpha, and then west for M67 (RA 08 51 18.00 Dec +11 48 00.0). It will appear as a fine haze to binoculars, but telescopes see a spectacular cloud of similar magnitude resolvable stars.

m96Telescopes, head a fist-width east Regulus for finderscope stars 52 and 53, and head between them. Just about 1.5 degrees south of 52 is elliptical galaxy M105 (RA 10 47 49.60 Dec +12 34 53.9). Larger scopes see two additional faint galaxies, NGC 3384 and NGC 3389, to M105’s west. Continue another degree south toward star 53 for the silver-gray beauty of M96 (RA 10 46 45.78 Dec +11 49 10.2). Enjoy its bright nucleus and wispy arms!

Now relax and enjoy a spring evening with two meteor showers. The northern hemisphere Camelopardalids have no definite peak, and a fall rate of only 1 per hour. They’re the slowest recorded meteors, entering our atmosphere at speeds of only 7 kilometers per second! Far more interesting for both hemispheres is tonight’s peak of the March Geminids. These slower than normal meteors will be fun to watch! When you see a bright streak, trace it back to its point of origin: which did you see, a Camelopardalid, or a March Geminid?

Monday, March 23, 2009 – In 2001 on this date the Mir space station ended 15 years in orbit with a fiery return. This date is also the 1837 birth of Richard Anthony Proctor who showed the stars’ motion, distribution, and relation to nebulae. In 1829, Norman Pogson, creator of the magnitude scale still used today, was born. The year 1749 saw the birth of Pierre-Simon Laplace, who theorized that the Solar System formed from a nebula, formulated mathematical probability, and helped create the metric system!

Return to Leo tonight. Identify 52 Leonis and drop south past M105 for M95 (RA 10 43 57.70 Dec +11 42 13.7), which isn’t as bright or large as neighboring M96 (RA 10 46 45.78 Dec +11 49 10.2). Small scopes see central brightening, and large ones begin resolution of this awesome barred spiral. Look to the southwestern star of the three marking Leo’s hips – Theta Leonis. South is faint star 73, and a degree east-southeast is the pairing of M65 and M66. Western M65 (RA 11 18 55.78 Dec +13 05 32.3) and eastern M66 (RA 11 20 15.07 Dec +12 59 21.6) are both beautiful spirals worthy of far more time and attention. Head north for another same-field pair – M81 and M82 – in Ursa Major. Draw a mental line between Gamma and Alpha. Extend the line beyond Alpha the same distance. Begin an eyepiece sweep to locate them. The southernmost is stunning, bright-cored M81 (RA 09 55 33.17 Dec +69 03 55.1). North is the broken, spindle-shaped peculiar galaxy M82 (RA 09 55 52.19 Dec +69 40 48.8). Southeast of Beta Ursae Majoris (UM) is the edge-on galaxy M108 (RA 11 11 31.29 Dec +55 40 31.0).

m106Continue another half degree southeast for the Jupiter-sized planetary M97 (RA 11 14 47.73 Dec +55 01 08.5). Continue south to Gamma UM for same-field M109 (RA 11 57 35.90 Dec +53 22 35.0). The last in Ursa Major is an error on Messier’s part. M40 (RA 12 22 24.00 Dec +58 05 -0.0) is actually double star WNC4, located northeast of 70 Ursae Majoris. Now to Canes Venatici and our last object tonight: Alpha and northern Beta are easily recognizable to the east of the last star in the handle of the Big Dipper (Eta). You’ll find the soft-spoken spiral galaxy M106 (RA 12 18 57.54 Dec +47 18 14.3) almost directly midway between Beta CVn and Gamma UM less than 2 degrees south of star 3. Add as much aperture as you can to this gorgeous study!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009 – On this date in 1835 Josef Stefan was born, a physicist whose word was ‘‘law’’ to radiation! In 1941 on this date, Joseph Taylor, Jr, the radio astronomer who jointly discovered the first binary pulsar, was born. Last, let’s celebrate the 1893 birth of Walter Baade, who studied the Andromeda Galaxy’s core with the 100’’ Hooker telescope, resolving it (and two different Cepheids) for the first time.

Tonight, identify Canes Venatici’s two brightest stars, Alpha and Beta. Galaxy M94 (RA 12 50 52.63 Dec +41 07 09.3) forms a triangle with Alpha and Beta CnV, the apex toward Eta Ursae Majoris (UM). M63 (RA 13 15 49.28 Dec +42 01 46.5) is one-third the distance between Beta CnV and Eta UM. M51 (RA 13 29 52.37 Dec +47 11 40.8) resides near visual star 24 CnV. You’ll find M101 (RA 14 03 12.51 Dec +54 20 53.1) to the other side of Alkaid. The accepted designation for M102 (RA 14 03 12.59 Dec +54 20 56.7) is lenticular galaxy NGC 5866, located southeast of Iota Draconis. You’ll find small globular cluster M53 (RA 13 12 55.30 Dec +18 10 09.0) northeast of Alpha Comae. M64 (RA 12 56 43.88 Dec +21 41 00.1) is about one-third the distance from Alpha Comae to Eta UM. M3 (RA 13 42 11.23 Dec +28 22 31.6) is one-third the distance between Arcturus and Cor Caroli.

m99Now for the incredibly rich galaxy fields near Coma Berenices and Virgo. Identify the easternmost star in Leo – Denebola – and head a fist-width due east. M98 (RA 12 13 48.29 Dec +14 54 01.2) is west of star 6 Comae. Return to 6 Comae and drop 1 degree southeast for M99 (RA 12 18 49.52 Dec +14 25 00.4).

Congratulations! In just 5 days you have logged 50 of the brightest and most beautiful members of the deep sky!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 – Today celebrates the 1786 birth of Giovanni Amici, inventor of the achromatic lens, and in 1923, the birth of Kenneth Linn Franklin, radio astronomer. Tonight continue our marathon around midnight. It’s time to dance…

Leo’s easternmost bright star Denebola points to 6 Comae, about three finger-widths east. Two degrees northeast of 6 you’ll pass two 5th-magnitude stars leading to M100 (RA 12 22 54.95 Dec +15 49 19.5), the largest-appearing galaxy in the Coma-Virgo cluster. Continue 2 degrees north for bright yellow 11 Comae. One degree northeast is 9th magnitude, round M85 (RA 12 25 24.23 Dec +18 11 26.9). Try a “trick of the trade” to locate two more. Return to 6 Comae, relocate M99, turn off your drive, and take a break for 14 minutes. When you return, the elongated form and near-stellar nucleus of M88 (RA 12 31 59.34 Dec +14 25 13.4) will have ‘‘drifted’’ into view. Wait another 2–3 minutes, and the faint, barred spiral M91 (RA 12 35 26.58 Dec +14 29 45.1) will join the show in a 1-degree field of view.

m87Now locate bright Vindemiatrix (Epsilon Virginis), a handspan due east of Denebola. Hop 4.5 degrees west and a shade north to locate the largest elliptical galaxy presently known, M60 (RA 12 43 40.19 Dec +11 33 08.9). This magnitude 9 galaxy can be spotted with binoculars, but a telescope will reveal faint NGC4647, which only appears to be interacting with M60. In the field west is our next Messier: bright-cored elliptical M59 (RA 12 42 02.39 Dec +11 38 45.1). (Yes, there’s more, but not tonight. Let’s keep our studies to only the Messiers!) Move a degree west for fainter M58 (RA 12 37 43.48 Dec +11 49 04.4). About a degree north will locate face-on spiral M89 (RA 12 35 39.81 Dec +12 33 22.8). One half degree northeast is delightful 9.5 magnitude M90 (RA 12 36 50.08 Dec +13 09 45.7), whose dark dust lanes show in larger scopes. Continue 1.5 degrees southwest for M87 (RA 12 30 49.42 Dec +12 23 28.0), the first radio source galaxy discovered. M87 contains a black hole, and more than 4,000 globular clusters surround its elliptical form.

Now take a break… Things are about to get a lot hotter!

Thursday, March 26, 2009 – Starting at midnight now. Dawn is only a few hours away and the beginning of a new day. It is also a New Moon and the perfect time to try all 110 Messier objects in just one night! What’s that? You want to keep on going ten at a time? Then let’s do just that…

m61Slightly more than a degree northwest of M87 is the same-field pair, western M84 (RA 12 25 03.74 Dec +12 53 13.1) and eastern M86 (RA 12 26 12.20 Dec +12 56 44.5). Head to 31 Virginis and identify splendid variable R a degree west. Two degrees northwest is galaxy M49 (RA 12 29 46.76 Dec +07 59 59.9). Shift 3 degrees southwest for the handsome yellow double 17 Virginis. A half degree south is large face-on spiral M61. Now go for Spica, and 11 degrees due west. M104 (RA 12 39 59.43 Dec -11 37 23.0), the Sombrero Galaxy, will be your reward for a job well done. Congratulations! You’ve just seen 15 of the finest galaxies in the Coma–Virgo region in just hours, and our “Marathon” continues.

Five degrees south-southeast of Beta Corvi is your marker star, the double A8612, for the same field globular M68 (RA 12 39 28.01 Dec -26 44 34.9), and the Southern Pinwheel, M83 (RA 13 37 00.78 Dec -29 51 58.6) is 10 degrees southeast of Gamma Hydrae. Now make a wide move and head southeast of Arcturus for Alpha Serpentis. Eight degrees southwest is outstanding globular cluster M5 (RA 15 18 33.75 Dec +02 04 57.7) sharing the field with 5 Serpens. Now locate the ‘‘keystone’’ shape of Hercules, and identify Eta in its northwest corner. One-third the way between it and southern Zeta is the fantastic M13 (RA 16 41 41.44 Dec +36 27 36.9), the “Great Hercules Globular Cluster.” More difficult is M92 (RA 17 17 07.27 Dec +43 08 11.5), because there are no stars to guide you. Try this trick: using the two northernmost stars in the “keystone” asterism and form an equilateral triangle in your mind, with its apex to the north. Point your scope there. Way to go, astronomer! You have now passed the most difficult part of the “mini-thon,” and just think of the rewards! In less than a week, you have conquered over half of the Messier catalog.

While you spend a sleepy day, think about a French amateur astronomer who was watching a round black spot transit the Sun today in 1859. His name was Lescarbault, and he was sure he’d witnessed a new planet, which he christened “Vulcan.” Nathaniel Bowditch was also born this date in 1773. He also devised the “Bowditch Curve,” which applies in both physics and astronomy.

Be sure to join us next Friday as we conclude our Messier Marathon special! Until then? Dreams really do come true when you keep on reaching for the stars….

This week’s awesome images are (in order): M74 and M34 (credit – Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), Halton Arp (historical image), M38, M96, M106, M99, M87 and M61 (credit – Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech). Thank you so much!!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

The Basketball Player In The Moon – Catch It Tonight!

The Basketball Player In The Moon - Ed Murray

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You’ve heard about the Man In the Moon and the Lady in the Moon… If you’re into lunar observing then you know about the Cow Jumping Over the Moon and the Rabbit in the Moon, too. But have you ever heard about the Basketball Player In The Moon? Well, step inside and find out more…

First discovered by Ed Murray and published in ALPO’s monthly “The Lunar Observer” and in NASA’s Dr Tony Phillips November 13, 2008 issue of Spaceweather.com, the “basketball player” is a compilation of lunar features that resemble… well… a basketball player! How did it’s discovery come about? Just ask Ed.

“Like many amateur astronomers, I guess I’ve always daydreamed just a little bit about possibly discovering a faint fuzzy that turns out to be a bright comet, but very quickly, I have to come down to Earth because living in suburban Philadelphia, with our weather and horrid light pollution, the chance of that happening are slim to none. So, I’ve had to be content with the memories of being able to see the solar eclipse from Hawaii, where I happened to see the Milky Way in all it’s glory from the 9,000 ft level visitors center, the annular eclipse of 1994 in New York… seeing the shadow bands … not on a white sheet but freshly cut green grass, numerous Aurorae and everything else…. until one night….”

Natl Geo Moon - Murray
Natl Geo Moon - Murray
Yes! Yes. That one grand night when one plus one makes two. And two suddenly makes sense! “Like many, I did have that National Geographic Map of The Moon but after numerous moves across the country and two college dorms, it, like many things, lay in tatters and eventually found it’s way to the great map room in the sky. So, you might understand how happy I was to find out that National Geographic had re-issued it and I could purchase another copy and so it remained opposite my bed for a few years… Until one night last year… When I looked at it and saw the basketball player, and promptly forgot it. Saw it a second time and forgot it. Saw it a third time, early on May 12. 2008 and realized that maybe this is something I should check out.”

Nice Catch!
Nice Catch!
And check it out he did. As a Dark Sky Advocate and once President of the Bucks-Mont. Astronomical Association, Ed double checked what he could see from his maps with what he could see against the sky and came to the same conclusion. It looks like a basketball player. Like all good observers, he turned in his findings to as many organizations and observing clubs as he could. Of course, Fritz Zwicky would have sure understood the response he got from the “professionals”, but the rest of the world will be happy to know that the Basketball Player has been added to the roles of the Unofficial Lunar Nomenclature site and acclaimed by SpaceWeather.

When can you see the Basketball Player In The Moon? When it rises tonight would be a great time to start. This is when the lunar east limb will appear to make the “player” be upright and easiest to spot. Later in the evening, as the Moon progresses across the sky, the view will appear to turn sideways. Still there… Just oriented a little differently! If you’re clouded out tonight, try again tomorrow – or whenever the Moon nears Full.

In the meantime? Why not wish Ed a big round of congratulations for an observing job – and discovery – well done!

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Weekend SkyWatcher’s Forecast – March 6-8, 2009

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Ah, yes… the Moon is back in force and that will make for a rather quiet astronomy weekend – or will it? Why let a little reflected sunlight spoil the fun when we can take a look at just how important that studying sunlight really is, or just who drew the line at its studies?! How about taking a look for some very cool lunar craters and some very hot stars? More? Then waltz around the rings of Saturn and challenge yourself to a new star grouping. When ever you’re ready, I’ll see you in the back yard…

Joseph FraunhoferFriday, March 6, 2009 – If you see sunshine today, then celebrate the 1787 birth on this date of Joseph Fraunhofer—a trailblazer in modern astronomy. His field? Spectroscopy. Fraunhofer developed scientific instruments and specialized in the area of applied optics. While designing the achromatic objective lens for a telescope, he saw the spectrum of sunlight as it passed through a thin slit and the dark emission lines. Fraunhofer recognized that they could be used as wavelength standards, so he began measuring, labeling the most prominent with the letters still used today. His skill in optics, mathematics, and physics led Fraunhofer to design and build the very first diffraction grating.

You’ve probably seen these little rainbows hundreds of times in your life without even realizing what they are. Would you like to create your own grating? Take a piece of ordinary clear cellophane (a bit of clean food wrapping is fine) and scratch it lightly a few times in one direction only with a piece of sandpaper. Hold it adjacent to a bright light source and tilt it until you see hundreds of hair-fine lines of color. Yes, it’s crude. . . but it works! Did Fraunhofer’s telescope designs also succeed? Of course! His achromatic objective lens is still used in modern telescopes.

rupesrecta

Tonight the lunar crater for named for Fraunhofer is visible, but so overlighted it will be difficult to see. Honor the man of lines by looking for another ‘‘line’’ on the Moon. If conditions are right, you’ll notice a thin black line cutting across the scenery not too far
from Arzachel. Crater Thebit and bright Thebit A will guide you. The line is the shadow of an impressive lunar fault called Rupes Recta, or the ‘‘Straight Wall.’’ During lunar sunrise, we can only see the shadow on the floor of Mare Nubium, but during third quarter, the escarpment is lit in brilliant white!

regulusWhen you’re done, let’s take a look at Alpha Leonis, one of the closest bright stars to the ecliptic and known as far back as medieval times. Some cultures referred to it as the ‘‘fallen angel,’’ ‘‘the heart of the lion,’’ and the ‘‘yellow emperor.’’ We know it more commonly by its Latin name—Regulus. It’s not terribly massive, only about 3.5 times larger than our own Sun and just a few hundred million years old. But unlike Sol, 77.5-light-year-distant Regulus rotates to the extreme, revolving on its axis in less than 16 hours. Because of this rapid spin, its photosphere stretches, giving the star an oblate profile. As a victim of gravity darkening, Regulus’ poles are far hotter than its equator and 500% brighter. If it rotated any faster, centripetal force would pull it apart! But the ‘‘Little King’’ isn’t alone in space; it has two other members in its local court – a gravitationally bound 0.006-light-year-distant binary system. The brighter of the binary companions can be spotted in binoculars, but it will require a telescope to see the fainter third star another 15 billion kilometers away. The pair happily live out their lives orbiting each other about every 2 millennia, and around Regulus itself every 130,000 years.

jherschelSaturday, March 7, 2009 – Today we celebrate two notable births. The year 1837 is Henry Draper’s, first to photograph the stellar spectrum; and 1792 is the year Sir William Herschel’s only child—John—was born. John Herschel began his astronomical career in 1816 when he built his first telescope. His path led him to eventual British knighthood for furthering his father’s work, and to South Africa to complete his father’s survey by cataloging the stars, nebulae, and other objects of the southern skies. In his own words;

‘‘He that on such quest would go must know not fear or failing.’’

John returned to England in 1838, published his work, fathered 12 children, named the moons of Saturn and Uranus, and expanded the field of photography. He was a prodigious author, and you’ll even find examples of his handiwork in the Encyclopedia Britannica!

craterherschel

Tonight honor the great J. Herschel by identifying the lunar crater named for him in the lunar northern hemisphere. Once you have located J. Herschel, power up. Caught on this oblique crater’s edge is the deep pit of Horrebow—and a nice double strike. Compare the 156-kilometer diameter interior of J. Herschel to the smoothness of bordering Mare Frigoris. The difference in textures is astonishing! If the view holds steady, look for the larger C crater inside the walls, and a very distinct, drifted look to the crater rims. If John Herschel were alive tonight to share the eyepiece with you on his birthday, he would have said:

‘‘In circumstances where the uninformed and unenquiring eye perceives neither novelty nor beauty, the scientist and natural philosopher walks in the midst of wonder.’’

With such bright sky, it’s going to be difficult to practice much astronomy—or is it? There are always some very cool things to do if you just know where to look! Let’s head for the eighth brightest star in the sky—Procyon.

procyonstarOften called ‘‘the one who proceeds the Dog,’’ Procyon also represents a dog, the beloved pet of Helen of Troy. If you haven’t noticed, Alpha Canis Minoris is also the eastern member of what is sometimes called the ‘‘Winter Triangle,’’ appearing above the horizon before the Dog Star, Alpha Canis Majoris. At 0 magnitude, it’s in fair competition with the other trio members: dazzling Sirius and mighty Betelgeuse. At a little more than 11 light-years away, it is also one of the closest stars to our Solar System.

Now just stop and look at this beautiful star. Arabic tales describe Procyon and Sirius as two sisters, who along with their brother—Canopus—tried to cross the sky when they came to the Great Sky River. When they both entered the Milky Way and tried to swim across, only Sirius was strong enough to make it and now stands on the southern bank of that river of stars. Left alone to the north as her siblings moved on, Procyon is often referred to in mythology as ‘‘she who weeps.’’ Not surprisingly, astrology also associates Procyon with watery catastrophes!

Sunday, March 8, 2009 – On this date in 1618, Johann Kepler formulated his Third Law of Planetary Motion. Too bad he couldn’t stick around until 1804 to meet Alvan Clark, the ‘‘father’’ of the refractor who was born on this day. Clark refracting telescopes and optics graced the great observatories of the world.

Tonight we’ll turn our own telescopes toward Saturn. For a small telescope at low power, a first glimpse of Saturn is far from the grand image often portrayed of the ringed planet. Instead of beautiful, Hubble-like images, the viewer is greeted with something that looks more like a sesame seed on a black saucer than a fascinating distant world. But don’t give up! No matter what telescope size you use, the image is more dependent on seeing conditions (such as the steadiness of the atmosphere and transparency) rather than aperture.

Saturn

Even at low power, watching Saturn’s moons orbit over a period of days is very rewarding. And even a very small telescope will reveal Saturn’s ring structure. As optic size increases, so do details on successive nights. Look for such wonders as the wide dark band known as the Cassini division and the dark shadow of the planet’s orb against the rings. Sharp-eyed observers often spy the ‘‘Encke gap’’—the thin, minor ring around the outside. Subtle shadings and the ring shadows on Saturn’s yellowish globe await! Try sketching while observing, even if you throw it away later. When sketching, the eye and the mind coordinate to pick up on finer details than seen by just observing alone. Be sure to take plenty of time! When the one pure moment of seeing and stability combine, even the smallest of telescopes will reward you with a view you’ll never forget.

chydraegroupWhen you’re done, return to last night’s study star, Procyon, for another treat – a very pleasing little group of stars about a fist-width southeast (RA 08 25 39 Dec 02 54 23). The primary star’s name is C Hydrae, and although the group isn’t truly gravitationally bound, they’re a real delight to binoculars and telescopes of all sizes with their mixed magnitude similar spectral types!

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

This week’s awesome images are: Joseph Fraunhofer (historical image), Area of Rupes Recta (credit—Roger Warner), Regulus – (Credit: Peter Wienerroither, PWs fotografisches Doppelstern Projekt / PWs Photographic Doublestar Project), John Herschel (historical image), Crater J. Herschel (Credit—Wes Higgins), Procyon (credit – UC Berkeley Department of Astronomy), Saturn (credit—Wes Higgins) and C Hydrae (credit—Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech). Thank you so much!

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

A Supernova Story

SN 2009ab as seen by the AlbaNova Telescope in Stockholm, Sweden. Credit: Magnus Persson, Robert Cumming and Genoveva Micheva/Stockholm University

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SN 2009ab as seen by the AlbaNova Telescope in Stockholm, Sweden. Credit: Magnus Persson, Robert Cumming and Genoveva Micheva/Stockholm University

Have you ever discovered a supernova? Well, I haven’t, but I can only imagine finding a star that has blown itself to smithereens must be pretty exciting. At least that’s what I thought, anyway….

Seemingly, a fair amount of folks must be out there who have found supernovae. In 2008 alone, 278 supernovae were found, one by a 14-year old girl. But 2008 was a really slow year in the supernova department. In 2007, 584 were discovered – a record number – and in 2006, 557 supernovae were spied by astronomers, both professional and amateur. 40 have been found so far in 2009. But even with those fairly big numbers, I still gotta believe that finding a supernova must be absolutely incredible. So when someone I knew, Robert Cumming from Stockholm University in Sweden, recently played a part in finding a supernova, I emailed him my congratulations. Imagine my surprise when he replied, “It’s no big deal, really.”

But Robert, it’s a SUPERNOVA!

I had heard of Scandinavian stoicism, but this was off the charts! Besides that, I knew Robert is not originally from Sweden.

So, I begged him to tell me all about it.

“Well, since you ask,” he said with a smile. Okay, maybe, just maybe he was more excited than he was letting on.

Robert Cumming.
Robert Cumming.

Here’s the story of how Supernova 2009ab was discovered:

“I’ve observed a few supernovae before and I’ve had my name on the odd IAU circular, but this is the first time I’ve been one of the first to actually confirm one,” said Robert, with just a hint of excitement in his voice.

On February 8, the Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope (KAIT), a 30-inch fully robotic telescope at the Lick Observatory on Mt. Hamilton in California discovered a bright spot not seen before in the outskirts of the spiral galaxy UGC 2998, 150 million light years away. Astronomers from KAIT wanted to make a second observation to verify, but bad weather made it impossible for them to confirm that the new object was not an asteroid or instrumental error. So, the KAIT astronomers requested observations from other telescopes around the world.

Magnus Persson, also from the Stockholm University was getting ready to do some observations using the University’s AlbaNova Telescope, when Robert received an email from KAIT about needing confirmation observations.

AlbaNova Telescope. Credit: Teresa Riehm/Stockholm University.
AlbaNova Telescope. Credit: Teresa Riehm/Stockholm University.

“I knew Magnus was going to be observing – he was planning to take some pictures of the Crab nebula for a colleague,” said Robert. “And I had this mail from the KAIT in California.”

So, the two set to work in an effort to locate the possible supernova.

Robert and Persson used different filters and took a few images of galaxy UGC 2998. “The supernova was right there on our first 45-second exposure – we were kind of amazed!” he said.

The two astronomers from Sweden were able to establish that the new light source showed all the signs of being a supernova. The supernova shines in a blue color, in contrast to the stars in the galaxy which are generally old and red, and the other stars in the image which lie in our galaxy. Shortly after the explosion, such a supernova emits as much energy as the entire host galaxy.

“We did the observations properly, and then I picked the best data to make very rough photometry, got comparison magnitudes from Gregor Dusczanowicz, Sweden’s amateur supernova discoverer, talked to a colleague to check we hadn’t forgotten anything important, and mailed off the measurements to the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams.”

Other telescopes have now observed SN 2009ab, but the AlbaNova telescope was the first to successfully take images and confirm it as a new supernova. The following day, astronomers on the Canary Islands took a spectrum using the considerably bigger Telescopio Nationale Galileo and were able to determine the supernova was of type Ia, that is a white dwarf star which had exploded in a binary system. As Magnus’ and Robert’s confirmation was published in an astronomical telegram, the new supernova was named SN 2009ab, this year’s 28th supernova.

So, SN 2009ab is a story of the cooperative camaraderie that exists between astronomers, working together to verify and cross-check their findings. Here’s a list of everyone who contributed in the discovery of this supernova.

It’s also the story of a new telescope in an unlikely location being used to make new and exciting — yes exciting –discoveries. The Stockholm University Department of Astronomy uses the AlbaNova telescope, a 1-meter reflector, mainly for education and instrumental development. Robert said the plan is to use the telescope to do environmental monitoring, using LIDAR to monitor ozone and particle pollution in the city.

But Robert said the discovery of the supernova shows it is also possible to do scientifically interesting astronomical observations with the telescope, despite the limitations from Stockholm’s bad weather and light pollution.

The AlbaNova Observatory in Stockholm. Credit: Magnus Näslund/Stockholm University
The AlbaNova Observatory in Stockholm. Credit: Magnus Näslund/Stockholm University

“Our site is right in the city, so our sky brightness is scary. So far we haven’t measured just how bad it is, so it was a really nice surprise to get something out of it,” he said.

“The telescope is still pretty new, and with the Stockholm weather lately the experience of observing at all is pretty exciting,” Robert said. “And it is exciting that the telescope is now in full use. If we can do observations like these, we can do much more.”

So finally, I got Robert to admit he was excited. But the Scandinavian modesty and stoicism quickly returned.

“But the supernova itself is no big deal really, and our picture isn’t that good,” he said. “Many amateurs take pictures better than ours.”

Well, Robert, I’m excited for you! Congratulations!

Learn more about the AlbaNova Telescope.

Listen to Robert Cumming on the March 2 “365 Days of Astronomy” podcast, “Astrosvenska for Anyone: Space Swedish in Ten Ridiculously Short Lessons” (you’ll enjoy hearing his “Swedish” accent).

Robert Cumming also writes for a Swedish astronomy website, Populär Astronomi

Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Weekend SkyWatcher’s Forecast: February 27 – March 1, 2009

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! Are you ready for the weekend? Then let’s tackle both fun and serious studies as we take on a bright open star cluster, Herschel 400 objects, lunar subjects, planets, comets and even a galaxy cluster. If you’re ready to learn more about the history behind the observing and have some fun under the stars, then just follow me…

lyotFriday, February 27, 2009 – Today let’s celebrate the 1897 birth on this date of Bernard Lyot, master of optics. He invented the polariscope, and produced the first solar coronagraph. He also made the first motion pictures of solar prominences. Lyot was an astute observer, and realized that the lunar surface had similar properties to volcanic dust. He didn’t see canals on Mars but observed sandstorms there, as well as atmospheric conditions on other planets. The Lyot filter is well known, and so is his micrometer, a device used to make precise distance measurements, especially those between close double stars. By all accounts a wonderful and generous man, Lyot sadly died of a heart attack while returning from seeing an eclipse.

1m47

Honor Lyot’s work by studying two open clusters, found about a fist-width north of Xi Puppis. The brighter of the two – M47 (RA 07 36 36 Dec -14 29 00) – is 1,600 light-years away and a glorious object for binoculars. Filled with mixed-magnitude stars that resolve fully to aperture, M47 features the matched-magnitude double star Struve 1211 near its center. For all its bright beauty, this stellar swarm has the most ironic of histories. Probably discovered first by Hodierna but kept secret, it was independently recovered by Charles Messier, but its position was logged incorrectly. Later, it was cataloged by both William and Caroline Herschel. . .and yet again by John Herschel, who said: ‘‘This cluster has not since been observed. It is probably very loose and poor one.’’ Even Dreyer had a hard time nailing it down! Funny, considering it has only been there for 78 million years…

ngc2423While M47 is a Herschel object, look just slightly north (about a field of view) to pick up another cluster that borders it, NGC 2423 (RA 07 40 45 Dec -9 09 00). This compressed cluster contains more than two dozen faint stars with a lovely golden binary at its center. By comparing the two clusters telescopically, you are also expanding your own studies by viewing two different types of stellar evolution: M47 is very similar to the Pleiades, while NGC 2423 more closely resembles the Hyades.

Saturday, February 28, 2009 – If you didn’t notice the beautiful visage of the tender young Moon and Venus last night at sunset, try again tonight. The pair will be even closer! For most observers, Venus will be only slightly more than a degree away from the Moon’s limb. Have you checked Venus’s phase in the telescope lately? Just like our own Moon, the inner planets (Mercury and Venus) have phases. Because they’re inside Earth’s orbital path, we only see a thin crescent when they first emerge from the Sun’s glare, and they become gibbous as they are about to pass behind the Sun from our point of view. That’s also the reason why we only see these two planets either after sunset or before sunrise!

vendelinus

Take a closer look at the slender crescent Moon. It, too, has only just emerged from the Sun’s glare, and now is the time to get a great look at two craters – Langrenus and Vendelinus. If you remember Mare Fecunditatis, you won’t have any trouble spotting Langrenus on its south shore about mid-way along the Moon’s visible limb. It’s a very old crater with an approximate diameter of 132 kilometers, and appears to binoculars as a shallow, bright ring; featuring a central peak. Further south is equally old Vendelinus. Slightly larger and spanning 147 kilometers, it will appear even more shallow – because it is. It lacks a central peak, but telescopes at high power can resolve its few minor interior craters.

ngc2506Keep your binoculars or telescopes out for a while after the Moon sets, and let’s head a little less than a fist-width east-southeast of Alpha Monocerotis (RA 08 00 01 Dec -10 46 12) to check out NGC 2506. On a dark night, this nearly 7th magnitude object is one of the most impressive of the Monoceros open star clusters. Caught in a chain of stars, it displays a rich concentration, almost appearing like a globular cluster. NGC 2506 has been used to study old, metal-poor galactic clusters. Evolution has enriched its iron content, and – despite its extreme age – it is still a beauty. Be sure to mark your Hershel ‘‘400’’ notes!

Sunday, March 1, 2009 – In 1966, Venera 3 became the first craft to touch another planet when it impacted Venus on this date. Although communications failed before it could transmit data, it was still a milestone achievement. If you’re out at sunset, be sure to have a look at Venus and say “Spaseba!”

cleomides

Once you’ve viewed Venus, let’s turn our observations toward tonight’s Moon and begin by identifying some prominent lunar craters around Mare Crisium that can be spotted easily with a small telescope. North you’ll spy Cleomides and at the western edge, Proclus. Near the terminator northwest is Macrobius, and southwest is Taruntius. Power up and identify the small wells of Peirce, Picard, and Lick inside the smooth sands of Crisium. Lather, rinse and repeat… The more often you repeat crater names to yourself (and aloud) the greater the chances are that you’ll retain these names in your memory. Now, let the Moon wester and we’ll go again…

omearaIn 2003, another Deep-Sky Companion book by notable observer and author Stephen O’Meara premiered. Known for his high-quality sketches of Solar System objects and uncanny observing skills, O’Meara was the first to sight Comet Halley in 1985, and sketch the dark spokes in Saturn’s rings (before Voyager had imaged them). Still part of the editorial staff at Sky & Telescope, and a treasured lecturer, let’s take just a moment to congratulate Steve on a lifetime of achievement! (folks? you will never meet a more genuinely kind person and one who treats fellow amateur astronomers with such huge respect. i have met a great many of my astronomy “heroes” over the years and steve-o is most definitely the kind of star i’d like to be some day.)

Are you ready to practice Steve’s powers of observation? Then begin with Comet Lulin – now speeding in the eastern edge of the dim constellation of Cancer. If you have difficulty finding it, look for the large, backwards question mark of the prominent asterism of Leo. The bright star you see that’s the “period” of the question mark is Regulus – and Comet Lulin is a couple of binocular fields west. Once you’ve spied it, try comparing details to what you may have observed of Lulin’s previous behavior and appearance. Is the comet moving faster than when you first began observing it? It the tail longer? Brighter? What direction does it point in? Has the coma become more diffuse or larger? Does the comet display a nucleus? Is the anti-tail still visible? Asking yourself simple questions like these will help you become a far better observer!

saturnNow wait until Saturn has cleared the horizon murk and let’s take a close look at this fascinating planet. Look for details such as ring shadows on the planet and planet shadows on the rings. Can you see the Casinni Division? How about Saturn’s satellites? Tonight you’ll find Titan leading the way well outside to the west. To the western ring edge, you’ll see Tethys… And clustered together on the eastern ring edge are Rhea, Dione and Enceladus. You won’t need the Hubble Space Telescope to see these kinds of details – just a steady sky and around a 4″ telescope. Take your time and enjoy your studies!

abell_george_a1Ready for some serious studies? Then let’s talk about George Abell, who was born this day in 1927. Abell was responsible for cataloging 2,712 clusters of galaxies from the Palomar sky survey, a task he completed in 1958. Using these plates, Abell proposed that the grouping of such clusters delineated the arrangement of matter in the universe. He developed the luminosity function, which shows the relationship between brightness and the number of members in each cluster, allowing you to infer the cluster’s distance. Abell also discovered planetary nebulae, and developed the theory (along with Peter Goldreich) of their evolution.

abell1367For seasoned observers, wait until the Moon has set and honor Abell by viewing one of his galaxy clusters – Abell 1367, located about a degree southwest of 93 Leonis (RA 11 44 44 Dec +19 41 59). It’s an area of challenging intrigue for a large scope – spanning a degree of sky and containing as many as two dozen small galaxies – a gemstone for the galaxy collector!

Until next week? Ask for the Moon… But keep on reaching for the stars!

This week’s awesome images are: Bernard Lyot (public image), M47 and NGC 2423 (Credit: Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), Langrenus and Vendelinus (Credit: Dave Nash), NGC 2506 (credit – Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech), Crisium area (Credit: Greg Konkel), Stephen James O’Meara (Credit: Sky & Telescope), Saturn & Moons (Credit: NASA), George Abell (Credit: American Institute of Physics), Abell 1367 (Credit: Palomar Observatory, courtesy of Caltech). We thank you so much for sharing the history and mystery with us!