What's Up Archives

December 30, 2011December 24, 2015 by VirtualAstro

Night Sky Guide: January 2012

January Sky Northern Hemisphere Credit: Adrian West

[/caption]

January brings us striking views of the night skies! You’ll be able to see well known constellations during the long hours of darkness in the Northern hemisphere, with crisp cold skies. This is an ideal time to get out and look at the wonders of the night sky as there is so much to see for the beginner and seasoned astronomer alike.

You will only need your eyes to see most of the things in this simple guide, but some objects are best seen through binoculars or a small telescope.

So what sights are there in the January night sky and when and where can we see them?

Meteor Showers

612993main_quadrantids2_466 — Quadrantid Meteor Credit: nasa.gov

As soon as the month starts we receive a welcome treat in the form of the Quadrantid meteor shower on the evening of the 3^rd/ morning of the 4^th of January.

The Quadrantids can be quite an impressive shower with rates (ZHR) of up to 120 meteors per hour at the showers peak (under perfect conditions) and can sometimes produce rates of up to 200 meteors per hour. The peak is quite narrow lasting only a few hours, with activity either side of the peak being quite weak.

Due to a waxing gibbous moon, the best time to look is after midnight and through the early hours when the moon sets in time for us to see the peak which is 07:20 UT.

The radiant of the Quadrantids (where the meteors radiate from) is in the constellation of Boötes, however many people are mislead in thinking they need to look at the radiant to see the meteors – this is not true. Meteors will come from the radiant, but will appear anywhere in the whole sky at random. You can trace the shooting stars path back to the radiant to confirm if it is a meteor from the meteor shower.

For more information on how to observe and enjoy the Quadrantid meteor shower, visit meteorwatch.org

Planets

Mercury is low down in the southeast before sunrise in the first week of January.

Venus will be shining brightly in the southwest until May and will pass within 1° of Neptune the furthest planet on the 12^thand 13th of January. You can see this through binoculars or a small telescope. On the 26^th Venus and the Moon can be seen together after sunset.

On the 5^th of January, Earth will be at “Perihelion” its closest point to the Sun.

Mars brightens slightly to -0.5 during January and can be found in the tail of Leo; it can be easily spotted with the naked eye. The red Planet is close to the Moon on the night of the 13^th/ 14^th January.

On January 2^nd Jupiter and the Moon will be very close to each other with a separation of only 5° with Jupiter just below the Moon. Jupiter will continue to be one of the brightest objects in the sky this month.

Saturn now lies in the constellation of Virgo and follows after just after Mars in Leo.

Uranus is just barely visible to the naked eye in the constellation of Pisces and can be easily spotted in binoculars or small telescopes throughout the month. The Moon will pass very close to Uranus on the 27^th and will be just 5.5° to the left of the planet.

Moon phases

First Quarter – 1^st and 31^st January
Full Moon – 9^th January
Last Quarter – 16^th January
New Moon – 23^rd January

Constellations

In January the most dominant and one of the best known constellations proudly sits in the south of the sky – Orion the hunter.

Easily distinguishable as a torso of a man with a belt of three stars, a sword, club and shield, Orion acts as the centre piece of the surrounding winter constellations. Orion is viewed upside down in the Northern sky as seen from the Southern hemisphere.

Orion contains some exciting objects and its most famous are the Great Nebula in Orion(M42), which makes up the sword and is easily seen in binoculars or a telescope and bright Betelgeuse, Orion’s bright alpha star (α Orionis). Betelgeuse is a red supergiant many times larger than our Sun; it would engulf everything in our solar system out to the orbit of Jupiter, if the two stars swapped places. Betelgeuse will eventually end its life in a Supernova explosion and some people believe that it may have already exploded and the light hasn’t reached us yet. It would make for a fantastic sight!

The Great Orion Nebula by Patrick Cullis — The Great Orion Nebula. Image Credit: Patrick Cullis

If you draw an imaginary line through the three belt stars of Orion and keep going up and to the right, you will come to a bright orange coloured star – Aldebaran (α Tauri) in the constellation of Taurus.

800px-Pleiades_large — Pleiades Cluster/ Seven Sisters

Taurus depicts a head of a bull with Aldebaran as its eye with a V shape that creates long horns starting from what we call the Hyades cluster, a V shaped open cluster of stars. If you continue to draw a line through the belt stars of Orion, through Aldebaran and keep going, you will eventually get to one of the gems in Taurus – The Pleiades cluster or Seven Sisters (M45) a stunning cluster of blue and extremely luminous stars and from our vantage point on Earth, the most recognisable cluster with the naked eye. A great object to scan with binoculars. A great object to hunt for with a small telescope is the Crab Nebula (M1) near the end of the lower horn of Taurus.

If you go back to our imaginary line drawn through the belt stars of Orion and draw it in the other direction, to left and below, you will come to the very bright star Sirius (α CMa) – The Dog Star in Canis Major. Sirius is the brightest star in the sky and is only 8.6 light years away, it is the closest star visible to the naked eye after the Sun.

Sirius along with Betelgeuse and Procyon (α CMi) in Canis Minor, form an asterism known as the Winter Triangle.

Directly above Orion and the Winter Triangle are the constellations of Gemini (The Twins), with the two bright stars of Castor and Pollux marking their heads and Auriga the charioteer, with its bright alpha star Capella (α Aur). Auriga is host to M36, M37 and M38 which are globular clusters and easily seen through binoculars or small telescope and Gemini plays host to M35.

Only a few of the objects available to see have been mentioned, so get yourself a good map, Planisphere or star atlas and see what other objects you can track down!

December 22, 2011December 24, 2015 by VirtualAstro

Top Astronomy Events Coming Up in 2012

Stargazing Credit: http://twitter.com/VirtualAstro

[/caption]

As 2011 is drawing to a close, the festive season is here and many of us are winding down and looking forward to the holidays. But this is a great time to look ahead to 2012 and pencil into our calendar and diaries the top astronomical events we don’t want to miss next year.

2012 is going to be a great year for astronomy observing, with some rare and exciting things taking place and a good outlook with some of the regular annual events.

So what top wonders should we expect to see and what will 2012 bring?

Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter

VenusJupiter20041102-2crsm — Venus & Jupiter Conjunction Credit: Anthony Arrigo UtahSkies.org

On March 15^th the Planets Venus and Jupiter will be within 3 degrees and very close to each other in the early evening sky. This will be quite a spectacle as both planets are very bright (Venus being the brightest) and the pair will burn brightly together like a pair of alien eyes watching us after the Sun sets.

This conjunction (where planets group close together as seen from Earth) will be a fantastic visual and photographic opportunity, as it’s not often you get the brightest Planets in our Solar System so close together.

Transit of Venus

For many, the transit of Venus is the year’s most anticipated astronomical event and it takes place on June 5^th – 6^th. The Planet Venus will pass between the Earth and the Sun and you will see Venus (a small black circle) slowly move across, or “transit” the disc of the Sun.

Transits of Venus are very rare and only a few have been witnessed since the dawn of the telescope. Be sure not to miss this very rare event as the next one isn’t visible for over another 100 years from now in 2117 and the next after that is in 2125.

The full transit of Venus in 2012 will be visible in North America, the northwest part of South America, Western Pacific, North East Asia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Other parts of the world will see a partial transit such as observers in the UK, who will only be able to see the last part of the transit as the Sun rises.

First contact will be at 22:09 UT and final contact will be at 04:49 UT

Take note! You have to use the right equipment for viewing the Sun, such as eclipse glasses, solar filters, or projection through a telescope. Never ever look directly at the Sun and never look at it through a normal telescope or binoculars – You will be permanently blinded! The transit of Venus will be a very popular event, so contact your local astronomy group and see if they are holding an event to celebrate this rare occasion.

Meteor Showers

shooting-star_wallpapers_5008_1600x1200 — Don't Miss the Major 2012 Meteor Showers Credit: Shooting Star Wallpapers

2011 was a poor year for meteor showers due to the presence of a largely illuminated Moon on all of the major showers; this prevented all but the brightest meteors being seen.

In contrast 2012 brings a welcome respite from the glare of the Moon as it gives little or no interference with this year’s major showers. The only other issue left to contend with is the weather, but if you have clear skies on the evenings of these celestial fireworks, you are in for a treat.

The Quadrantid Meteor Shower peak is narrow and just before dawn on January 4^th this shower is expected to have a peak rate (ZHR) of around 80 meteors per hour.
The Perseid Meteor Shower peak is fairly broad with activity increasing on the evenings of the August 9^th and 10^th with the showers peak on the morning of the 12^th. Perseids are the most popular meteor shower of the year as it tends to be warm and the shower has very bright meteors and fireballs, with rates of 100+ an hour at its peak.
The Geminid Meteor Shower is probably the best meteor shower of the year with high rates of slow bright meteors. The peak is very broad and rates of 100+ meteors per hour can be seen. The best time to look out for Geminids is on the evenings of the 12^th to 14^th December, but they can be seen much earlier or later than the peak.

If you want to find out more and enjoy the meteor showers of 2012, why not join in with a meteorwatch and visit meteorwatch.org

Jupiter and the Moon

Moon Jupiter occultation 2012 copy — Occultation of Jupiter by the Moon on July 15th as seen from Southern England Credit: Adrian West

European observers are in for a very rare treat as the Moon briefly hides the planet Jupiter on the morning of July 15^th. This “lunar occultation” can be seen from southern England and parts of Europe at approximately 1:50am UT (dependant on location) and the planet re-emerges from the dark lunar limb at approximately 3:10am UT.

This is a great chance to watch this rare and bright event, and it will also be a fantastic imaging opportunity.

Annular Eclipse

Eclipse Anular Kitt Peak — Annular Eclipse Credit: Kitt Peak Observatory

American observers will have treat on May 20^th with an annular eclipse of the Sun. The eclipse will be visible from many western US states and a partial eclipse visible from most of North America.

Because the Moon’s orbit is not a perfect circle and is slightly elliptical, it moves closer and further away from us slightly in its orbit by 13% and on July 15^th it is at its furthest point away from the Earth as it passes in front of the Sun.

Normally the Moon covers the entire disc of the Sun and creates a total solar eclipse, but because the Moon is at its furthest point in its orbit on the 15^th, we get an annular eclipse, where we can still see a ring of bright light around the Sun, but we don’t get totality.

The eclipse starts roughly at 6:20pm local time for the Western US states and lasts for four and a half minutes.

As mentioned earlier; never, ever look at the Sun without proper protection such as eclipse glasses or filters for equipment! This can damage your eyes and permanently blind you. This is the same for cameras; the sensitive chips inside can be damaged.

The World Not Ending

Finally we get to December 21st, in which astronomy-minded folks will celebrate the solstice. But in case you haven’t heard, some have prophesied the end of the world, saying the Mayan calendar ends. This has been the subject of much discussion, comedy and media coverage, and it has even been made into films.

Will the Antichrist press the red button and will there be the Rapture? Will the Earth reverse its magnetic poles, or will we get wiped out by a solar flare, rogue comet or asteroid?

Nope, probably not. You can read our entire series which explains why this whole 2012 end-of-the-world craze is complete hokum.

All I know is 2012 is going to be a great year for astronomy with some very interesting, rare events taking place, with many more regular events to see, as well.

I’m sure it’s not going to end.

June 14, 2011December 24, 2015 by VirtualAstro

Why Can We See Multiple ISS Passes Right Now?

Four ISS passes over the UK last night. Credit: Mark Humpage

[/caption]
Last night in the UK, US and Europe, we were spoiled with multiple and bright ISS passes. Not just one or two, but up to six passes were able to be viewed throughout the evening in some locations.

This is quite rare as normally we get only one or maybe two visible passes in the evening or morning.

So why are we getting as many as four to six passes per night?

The ISS did receive an orbital boost and its altitude increased by around 20 kilometers. The orbital height of the ISS has an effect on how many visible passes there are at present in the Northern hemisphere. Another reason is because of the time of year.

We are only a week or so away from the Summer Solstice, the time of year when the Northern hemisphere receives the most hours of sunlight. Naturally this means we only have a few hours of darkness and the further North you go, the shorter the nights are and in some locations this time of year, it doesn’t ever get truly dark.

So why does this affect the ISS?

Basically the ISS visible passes have increased due to the station being illuminated much more by the Sun as there are more hours of sunlight right now, but the effect will wear off when we pass through Summer solstice and the nights get longer again.

Take advantage of this rare time and go outside and enjoy the ISS as much as you can in this series of visible passes.

Need to know how and when you can see the ISS? NASA has a Skywatch page where you can find your specific city to look for satellite sighting info.

Spaceweather.com, has a Satellite Tracker Tool. Just put in your zip code (good for the US and Canada) to find out what satellites will be flying over your house.

Heaven’s Above also has a city search, but also you can input your exact latitude and longitude for exact sighting information, helpful if you live out in the country.

June 3, 2011December 24, 2015 by VirtualAstro

Supernova Discovered in M51 The Whirlpool Galaxy

A new supernova (exploding star) has been discovered in the famous Whirlpool Galaxy, M51.

M51, The Whirlpool galaxy is a galaxy found in the constellation of Canes Venatici, very near the star Alkaid in the handle of the saucepan asterism of the big dipper. Easily found with binoculars or a small telescope.

The discovery was made on June 2nd by French astronomers and the supernova is reported to be around magnitude 14. More information (In French) can be found here or translated version here.

Image by BBC Sky at Night Presenter Pete Lawrence

The supernova will be quite tricky to spot visually and you may need a good sized dobsonian or similar telescope to spot it, but it will be a easy target for those interested in astro imaging.

The whirlpool galaxy was the first galaxy discovered with a spiral structure and is one of the most recognisable and famous objects in the sky.

May 24, 2011December 24, 2015 by VirtualAstro

Coming Soon – Night Shining Noctilucent Clouds

Noctilucent Cloud Display Credit: Adrian West

[/caption]

Soon you may see an eerie spectacle on clear summer nights if you are located at latitudes between 50° and 70° north and south of the equator: Noctilucent Clouds.

These ghostly apparitions are a delight to see and are quite rare. It is incredibly difficult to predict exactly when they will appear, but we do know they should begin to appear soon.

The season for Noctilucent Clouds (Noctilucent = Latin for “Night Shining”) starts early June and continues into late July. They are seen just after dusk, or before dawn and an apparition can last around an hour.

These mysterious clouds, with their bizarre tenuous wispy shapes reminiscent of ripples in sand or the changing surface of a pool of water, spread like a glowing web across the northern sky. Colours can range from brilliant whites, with tinges of blue, pink and orange.

Formed by tiny ice crystals, they are the highest clouds in the Earth’s atmosphere, located in the mesosphere at altitudes of around 76 to 85 kilometers (47 to 53 miles) almost at the edge of space.

They are normally too faint to be seen, and are visible only when illuminated by sunlight from below the horizon, while the lower layers of the atmosphere are in the Earth’s shadow. Noctilucent clouds are not fully understood and are a recently discovered meteorological phenomenon, only being recorded for about 120 years.

Noctilucent clouds can only form under very restrictive conditions, and their occurrence can be used as a guide to changes in the upper atmosphere. Since their relatively recent classification, the occurrence of noctilucent clouds appears to be increasing in frequency, brightness and extent.

There is evidence that the relatively recent appearance of noctilucent clouds and their gradual increase, may be linked to climate change. Another recent theory is that some of these bright displays come from particulates and water vapour in the atmosphere left over from Space Shuttle launches.

How can you see them? Over the next couple of months look north during dusk and dawn and try and spot this mysterious and elusive phenomenon. They are best seen when the sun is between 6 and 16 degrees below the horizon, and seem to occur more frequently in the Northern hemisphere than the Southern.

Good luck!

Noctilucent clouds over Blair, Nebraska, USA. Credit: Mike Hollingshead

May 2, 2011January 18, 2016 by Nancy Atkinson

What’s Up in the May Nighttime Skies?

Jane Houston Jones from JPL provides a preview of what you can expect to see in the night skies in May, 2011.

April 29, 2011April 26, 2016 by VirtualAstro

Last & Best Chances to See NanoSail-D

Nanosail-D Pass Credit: Vesa Vauhkonen, Spaceweather.com

[/caption]

Over the next few weeks, skywatchers will have excellent viewing opportunities for the NanoSail-D solar sail.

The satellite is coming to the end of its 95-day mission to test the viability of de-orbiting decommissioned satellites or space debris. NanoSail-D is now de-orbiting and slowly losing altitude in the Earths thin upper atmosphere.

As the satellite descends, viewing opportunities will improve.

To see NanoSail-D pass over, you will need to know exactly when it will be visible from your location. To do this, go to Heavens-above.com or Spaceweather.com where star charts with times and pass details will be displayed after you enter your observing site.

Once you know the time and location in the sky of the pass of the satellite, make sure you are able to get a good view of the part of the sky where the satellite due to appear. Give yourself plenty of time, go outside and get ready. I always set a 30 second reminder on my watch or cell phone, so I don’t have to fumble around or guess the time.

To enjoy the NanoSail-D passes:

• Make sure you know the right place in the sky and the time of the pass, by checking on the web.
• Make sure you will be able to get a clear view of it from your viewing location.
• Set an alarm or get ready for the pass as it only lasts a few seconds.
• NASA expects NanoSail-D to stay in orbit through May 2011.
• If you are an astrophotographer, don’t forget, NASA and SpaceWeather.com are having an imaging contest of NanoSail-D. Find out more here.
• Most of all, get your friends and family outside with you to watch NanoSail-D and enjoy!

Artist concept of Nanosail-D in Earth orbit. Credit: NASA

April 26, 2011December 24, 2015 by VirtualAstro

Planets Party In The Morning April 28-May 1

April's Morning Conjunction Credit: Adrian West

[/caption]

Set your alarm clocks for an early treat about a half an hour before sunrise on Thursday April 28 through Sunday, May 1, 2011, as there will be a planetary delight in store! Go out and with either a pair of binoculars, a small telescope, or just use your naked eyes and find an unobscured view of the Eastern horizon to see a conjunction (objects near each other in the sky) of the planets Jupiter, Mars, Venus and Mercury, below and to the left of the thin crescent moon.

Bright Venus will be easy to spot first, then Mercury followed by Jupiter. The real challenge is to find Mars which will be very close to Jupiter. See the above diagram for help on where each object is located.

If you are unlucky on the first morning, try again the following day for a chance to see this rare planetary occurrence.

While observing this close to the Sun take care and never look at the sun directly with your eyes and never through an optical instrument, as this will permanently damage your eyesight or blind you!

Only special purpose made solar telescopes and filters are safe for viewing the sun.

February 11, 2011April 26, 2016 by Nancy Atkinson

Looking for Something to do this Weekend? SpaceUP!

Looking for something spacey to do this weekend? If you live near either Houston, Texas or San Diego, California, you’re in luck, as both cities are hosting a SpaceUp conference – but anyone from anywhere can also attend either event online. SpaceUp is an “unconference,” where participants decide the topics, schedule, and structure of the event. But there will also scheduled events and a chance to talk with commercial spaceflight representatives and even an astronaut.

At unconferences like SpaceUp, everyone who attends is encouraged to participate by giving a talk, moderating a panel, or starting a discussion. It’s like “hallway conversations” turn into full-fledged topics. But there are also events lined up, and the agendas have now been announced for each conference.

Houston’s SpaceUp conference will be held on February 12-13 at the Lunar & Planetary Institute (LPI). Organizers say the conference “will include the rare opportunity to interact with the companies and people creating the future of spaceflight. Commercial spaceflight companies in attendance will include Boeing, United Launch Alliance, ATK, SpaceX, Sierra Nevada, and Orbital Sciences. NASA representatives will also be on hand to demonstrate moon rocks, a NASA Space Exploration Vehicle and astronaut Clay Anderson will discuss using social media to communicate his spaceflight experiences to the world.”

Attendees will have all weekend to interact with scientists, engineers, developers, designers, musicians, and students interested in guiding the future of spaceflight. Children are free with the purchase of an adult ticket and are encouraged to attend. Breakfast and lunch will be free on both days and snacks will also be provided.

The event will be livestreamed on February 12-13 at http://spaceuphouston.org. You can purchase a special online package where you can get some of the “swag” associated with the conference.

For the San Diego event, the San Diego Space Society and the UCSD Astrophysics Club are hosting their event at The Loft at UC San Diego, with a similar format.

Kids have their own activities and are free with a parent registration. The event will be livesteamed at SpaceVidCast.

Learn more about SpaceUp San Diego at this link.

Future SpaceUp events are planned for Washington DC and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

January 31, 2011December 24, 2015 by Jason Rhian

Re-Discovery; Orbiter makes second trip out to the launch pad for STS-133

Discovery, resplendent in her xenon glow, heads to the launch pad for her date with history. Photo Credit: Alan Walters/awaltersphoto.com

[/caption]

CAPE CANAVERAL – Space shuttle Discovery was wheeled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on one of the massive crawler-transporters toward launch complex 39A – and its final mission – STS-133, currently scheduled for launch on February 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST (21:50 GMT). This marks the second trip out to the launch pad for Discovery; the orbiter had to be taken back to the VAB for scans and repairs.

Discovery was first wheeled out to LC 39A on Sept. 20, 2010. The Nov. 5 launch attempt was aborted due to a leaky Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP). When engineers were checking out this problem, they discovered another, a section of popped up foam on the shuttle’s external tank. Foam has been a concern ever since a briefcase-sized piece of foam led to the loss of the shuttle Columbia in 2003.

1174122029_tnzMx-L — In this image, Discovery rolls past the turn basin at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit Alan Walters/awaltersphoto.com

Further inspection showed that the cracks extended all the way down to the aluminum skin of the external tank. As engineers looked further more and more of these cracks were discovered around what is known as the “intertank” region. Engineers did what repairs that they could out at the launch pad. Then the large, orange tank was filled with the super-cooled fuel that powers the shuttle into orbit. When tanking occurs, the tank can shrink by as much as half-an-inch.

Discovery, bathed in xenon lights heads toward her date with history. Photo Credit: Jason Rhian

With the realization that this shrinkage could severely impact the cracks, 89 sensors were placed around this area to monitor the effect of fueling the external tank. To properly check any potential impact the tanking had, scans would need to be conducted and that meant a trip back to the VAB. So Discovery was rolled back to the VAB for X-Rays and other scans.

Once the area was given a thorough inspection, more cracks were found and further repairs were required. But during this time NASA had discovered what was causing these small cracks to occur and Discovery was set to head back out to the launch pad for her date with history.

Reflected in the turn basin, the space shuttle Discovery heads off into the distance. Photo Credit: Jason Rhian

Discovery began its slow methodical trek out to the launch pad at 8 p.m. EDT. The trip takes several hours to reach its destination, as the pondering crawler-transporter that hauls the spacecraft out to the launch pad moves at a blistering one mile an hour.

Discovery’s final mission is a resupply flight to the International Space Station. The orbiter will ferry a modified cargo carrier, the Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module along with much-needed supplies and the first human-like robot to fly into space – Robonaut-2. The crew consists of commander Steve Lindsey, Pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Michael Barratt, Alvin Drew, Nicole Stott and Steve Bowen.

Bowen is a last-minute replacement for Tim Kopra, who broke his hip in a bicycle accident earlier this month.