It's official! We have now passed the Autumn Equinox and so the hours of darkness outnumber the hours of daylight for observers in the northern hemisphere anyway. Those who reside in the southern hemisphere have it the other way around and have moved into 'Spring'.
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This spectacular image shows the Cocoon Nebula, IC5146, in Cygnus. The blue reflection nebula below the Cocoon is Van den Bergh 147. Also present in the picture is the Dark Nebula Barnard -168.
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This Q&BA videos a bit longer than usual, but what the heck. Its a fun topic!
First: every now again when I have time I do an interactive live video chat on Google+ where people can ask me questions about space and astronomy. I call it Q&BA, and its always fun to hear what questions are on peoples minds.
In this episode of Q&BA, I was asked about Mars meteorites: how do they get to Earth? I talk about their transport mechanism, as well as how they get blasted of the surface of Mars, and how we know they come from the Red Planet at all. Its a pretty common question, and a pretty cool little slice of science.
[Note: I was having software issues when I recorded this on a Google+ Hangout in January 2012, and the aspect ratio is a bit wonky.]
So there you go. Ive seen a few Mars meteorites, and theyre pretty nifty. One of these days Ill have to see about getting one to add to my collection of iron and stony meteorites, too. Its be nice to have a chunk of actual planet thats not Earth sitting on my display shelf.
I have an archive of Q&BA links and videos. Take a look and see if there are other ones that tickle your imagination.
Related Posts:
- Q&BA: Can we build a space habitat? - Q&BA: The Science of Science Fiction - Q&BA: Which moon has the best chance for life? - Q&BA: Why spend money on NASA? - Q&BA: What happens if you are exposed to the vacuum of space?
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Q&BA: How do we know some meteorites come from Mars? | Bad Astronomy
Cosmic Castaways, a planetarium show created and produced at Youngstown State University, was first released in May, but John Feldmeier, an associate professor of physics and astronomy, is already raising money for another film.
On Thursday, Feldmeier and his colleagues will play host to past donors, including faculty; staff; supporters of the YSU College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics; and local amateur astronomers.
The event consists of a reception in Maag Library, followed by speeches and a prescreening of Cosmic Castaways in the Ward Beecher Hall planetarium before the films official release on Friday.
Cosmic Castaways focuses on research by YSU astronomy professors on stars between galaxies; it was a national collaboration between YSU, Case Western Reserve University and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Curtis Spivey and Annie Wilson, who both work in the planetarium, edited and improved the show. Feldmeier said about one-third of the show is new or improved from the original rough draft.
There were some scenes that we just kind of used as a placeholder, Spivey said.
They made the scenes more stunning and internally consistent, and also improved opening and closing scenes.
The fundraiser will be accented by a new lighting system in the YSU planetarium.
All the money raised will be used to fund the next planetarium show Feldmeier and his team hope to create.
The team who worked on Cosmic Castaways is tossing around three ideas for the next show. They are considering producing a show about asteroids, distant galaxies or John Wheeler, a world-renowned physicist who hailed from Youngstown and coined the term black hole.
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CHARLESTON The month of October will feature four consecutive weeks of Astronomy Night Exploration, starting at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 9.
The sessions include about 30 minutes inside the Charleston Carnegie Public Library in Rotary Room B, and the remaining time outdoors, in the parking lot.
The emphasis will be on naked eye and binocular observing. A 30-minute indoor discussion will be followed by outdoor observation, weather permitting.
Equipment will be discussed but none is provided. Bring your own binoculars, flash light and a blanket to lie on. This program will be open to 25 individuals or families, and a family will be counted as one registration. Registration opens Monday by phone or in person. All ages are welcome, but those under 13 must have a parent with them.
Remember to dress for the weather, as the library will be closed for the last portion of the program.
To register or for more information, call the KidSpace at 217-345-1514.
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38131601 story Posted by Soulskill on Friday September 28, @11:35AM from the would-rather-by-half-a-jet-plane dept. derekmead writes "Data from the enormous Green Bank Telescope at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory has been used to test some of Einstein's theories, discover new molecules in space, and find evidence of the building blocks of life and of the origins of galaxies. With 6,600 hours of observation time a year, the GBT produces massive amounts of data on the makeup of space, and any researchers with reason to use the data are welcome to do so. The eleven-year-old GBT stands as one of the crowning achievements of American big science. But with the National Science Foundation strapped for cash like most other science-minded government agencies, the NRAO's funding is threatened. In August of this year, the Astronomy Portfolio Review, a committee appointed by the NSF, recommended that the GBT be defunded over the next five years. Researchers, along with locals and West Virginia congressmen, are fighting the decision, which puts the nearly $100 million telescope at risk. Unless they succeed, America's giant dish will go silent." You may like to read: Post
Drink Canada Dry! You might not succeed, but it *__is* fun trying.
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Astronomy Portfolio Review Recommends Defunding US's Biggest Telescope
Challenge Triathlon Takes On Juvenile Diabetes In Morgantown Challenge Triathlon Takes On Juvenile Diabetes In Morgantown
Updated: Wednesday, September 26 2012 6:54 PM EDT2012-09-26 22:54:02 GMT
At 4:00 Wednesday morning, most of us were still sleeping, but one man was getting ready to plunge into Cheat Lake, all for a good cause.
At 4:00 Wednesday morning, most of us were still sleeping, but one man was getting ready to plunge into Cheat Lake, all for a good cause.
Updated: Wednesday, September 26 2012 6:04 PM EDT2012-09-26 22:04:13 GMT
At its morning meeting Wednesday, the commission heard a proclamation read by Bob Pirner of PACE Enterprises, a group that specializes in finding employment for people with disabilities.
At its morning meeting Wednesday, the commission heard a proclamation read by Bob Pirner of PACE Enterprises, a group that specializes in finding employment for people with disabilities.
Updated: Wednesday, September 26 2012 5:56 PM EDT2012-09-26 21:56:20 GMT
Ten4-H programs throughout Marion County take advantage of the 4-H Camp Mar-Mac in Farmington.
Ten4-H programs throughout Marion County take advantage of the 4-H Camp Mar-Mac in Farmington.
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Central Appalachian Astronomy Club Offering Star Quest X Scholarships
Three days before the autumnal equinox, the Royal Greenwich Observatory announced the winners of the 2012 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. The star of this year's show was the winning image in the Deep Space category. It was taken by Martin Pugh, who also won the 2009 competition.
The Whirlpool It's a bit of an understatement to refer to the winner as a star, because it's actually a whole spiral galaxy known as the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51). More than that, M51 has a small companion galaxy which is also clearly shown in Martin Pugh's magnificent image.
The large galaxy just looked like a fuzzy patch to its discoverer, eighteenth-century comet hunter Charles Messier it's number 51 in his catalog of nebulae. The smaller galaxy was discovered eight years later, a second fuzzy object. Another seventy years passed before there was a telescope large enough to resolve the spiral structure, Lord Rosse's Leviathan. He sketched both galaxies in 1845, but still no one really understood what they were seeing.
Twentieth century astronomers were finally able to determine that M51 was a pair of galaxies, though it wasn't until the second half of the century that there was evidence that the two galaxies are interacting. Pugh's image shows the interaction in the hydrogen gas trail that connects them. A clear night with unusually still air and a special filter to see the hydrogen made possible the exceptional clarity of the image. If you look closely, you can see some galaxies in the background that are even more distant. I could see three, but there may be more. Have a look. The nearby stars look rounded or like points - the galaxies are more elongated.
Earth and Space The Deep Space category always has a selection of breath-taking images, but to me there is something very special about the Earth in Space. These images seem to connect our home to the cosmos. This year's winning picture, by Masahiro Miyasaka, was no exception it is stunning. An icefall 240 meters wide and 50 meters high (800 x 170 ft) is quite dramatic in itself. But the spires of ice seem to reach into the night sky towards Orion, Taurus and the Pleiades in a dark, clear sky.
Michael Rosinksi's highly commended photo is a delight. If you point your camera at the sky and leave the shutter open, as the Earth turns you get star trails. But on a warm Michigan night, Rosinski got his star trails flecked with yellow streaks, which were earthly objects: fireflies.
I was enchanted by Luc Perrot's photo from Reunion Island. The Milky Way seems to be a graceful bridge arched over a lake formed from an ancient crater. The water is so still, you can see the stars in it.
Patience and perseverance At the Greenwich awards presentation, one of the judges said that two keys for getting good astronomy photographs are patience and perseverance. The winning picture in Our Solar System certainly represented both of these qualities.
There have been many pictures published of the June 2012 transit of Venus. Although I saw lots of images, what I saw of the transit itself was clouds as the Sun rose over England. But Chris Warren got this picture not far from Greenwich when there was a small break in the cloud. It was the only frame which captured our sister planet in front of the Sun.
Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year Once again the young photographers have made a strong showing. The Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year is Jacob von Chorus from Canada, with this photograph of the Pleiades. The long exposure has beautifully captured these hot blue stars and the reflection nebulae around them.
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Some people try to capture the beauty and majesty of the starry sky with a camera or on canvas. Others try to capture it with words.
In an evening called The Poets and the Stars, Colorado Mountain College astronomy Professor Jimmy Westlake will present verses about the stars written by some of the world's most beloved poets, mixed with some of his own original poems and rhymes, and illustrated by many of his original astrophotographs. This unique program will leave audience members with a renewed sense of wonder and awe about our amazing universe.
For 14 years Westlake has taught astronomy and physics at Colorado Mountain College's campus in Steamboat Springs. His award-winning astrophotographs have appeared in textbooks, newspapers and websites all over the planet including numerous times as Picture of the Day on NASA's popular Astronomy Picture of the Day website. His image of Halley's Comet has won several awards, including The Weather Channel's Halley's Comet Photo Contest in 1986. See Westlake's astrophotography at http://www.jwestlake.com.
Wednesday's event begins at 5:30 p.m. with a wine reception, followed by Westlake's talk at 6:15 p.m. Admission is $10, and free for members of Women in Philanthropy. Colorado Mountain College's campus in Edwards is at 150 Miller Ranch Road. For more information, call 970-569-2900.
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Photograph courtesy Martin Pugh, APOY/Royal Observatory
This penetrating look at the Whirlpool Galaxy won Australia's Martin Pugh top prize in the 2012 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.
The contest, run by the U.K.'s Royal Observatory Greenwich, drew nearly 850 entries this year from around the world.
Here, a spiral arm of the Whirlpool Galaxy grazes the light of a smaller companion galaxy that's slowly being torn apart by its neighbor's gravity.
The galaxiessome 20 million light-years awayare too faint and distant for the human eye to register their hues. But this long photographic exposure allows us to appreciate their colorful nature, said Marek Kukula, the Royal Observatory's public astronomer and a contest judge. Young stars appear blue, he explained, and hydrogen gas in the spiral arms varies from pink to reddish.
Pugh's picture impressed judges with its depth, clarity, and color.
"It's not just the detail in the spiral arms that's remarkable," said judge Will Gater. "Look closely and you'll see many, very distant galaxies in the background too."
The winning pictures in the competition's four categories are on view at the Royal Observatory through February 2013.
(Also see "Pictures: Best Amateur Astronomy Images Announced [2011].")
Luna Shyr
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Last Friday night marked the beginning of the second annual 2012 New England Fall Astronomy Festival (NEFAF). The festival was held at the UNH Observatory and ran from Friday to Saturday. Events opened up with a talk on dark energy and the acceleration of the universe by the festivals keynote speaker, Alex Filippenko. Filippenko is an astronomer who worked on the two teams that discovered the universe was expanding in 1998.
Why are all these other galaxies moving away from us? Is it because theyre lactose intolerant? Get it? Milky Way, Filippenko joked.
Nearly 300 hundred high-school students, parents, UNH students and professors, amateur astronomers, children and one golden retriever filled the lecture tent for his two-hour talk and Q&A session.
John Gianforte, who said he has been an astronomer since he was seven, teaches astronomy courses at both Granite State College and UNH, and is the head of the organizing committee for NEFAF. Gianforte also helps train the new students working at the UNH Observatory, though he says it is important to remember that the observatory is student-run.
I did the same thing last year and it was pretty successful, except for the rain. They asked me to do it again and I said yes, Gianforte said.
Gianforte is the man who booked Filippenko for his talk Friday evening. After spending a week with him in Hawaii observing the transit of Venus, he contacted Filippenko in the summer to see if he would be free for the event.
Gianforte said he was extremely happy with the turnout and the level of audience participation during the talk. The Q&A session lasted for nearly an hour, with questions ranging from the possible existence of other universes to the science around the Big Crunch theory, which refers to the collapse of the universe.
Im thrilled. Excited. I couldnt sleep last night, it went so well, Gianforte said.
The festival picked up again on Saturday morning, with astronomy-themed carnival games and booths for children while the adults listened to speakers talk about exo-solar planets and the Mars rover.
Ian Cohen, the manager of the UNH Observatory, and a graduate student working on his Ph.D. in physics worked at the festival last year, and said it was very successful.
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STEUBEN The Eagle Hill Institute is offering a two-semester astronomy class that qualifies for continuing education units (CEUs) from the University of Maine.
The institute also is offering a viewing of the Orionid Meteor Shower on Oct. 20 with a 5:30 p.m. lecture followed by dinner.
This shower is made possible from the debris left behind from the famous comet known as Halley, said program director Ralph Ballatine. The Earth moves through this debris in the months of April and October.
He said the Orionid meteor shower will peak the mornings of Oct. 20-21 and the best viewing time is midnight to dawn.
The first part of the astronomy course will be held Saturdays from Oct. 6 through Dec. 15 and will offer instruction on the planets, moons and microbodies of the Milky Way.
The second part, which will run Saturdays from Jan. 12 through March 16, will cover the stars and constellations of the universe.
Ballatine formerly was planetarium director at Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania and a science instructor at the Owens Science Center in Maryland.
He said the class will include lectures and telescope sessions whereby students go online to look through the lenses of telescopes around the globe.
The class is open to amateur astronomers, teachers, college students and high school students.
In addition to CEUs, students may transfer two credits for each class to a college or university.
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Some of this years best images of the heavens include colliding galaxies, open star clusters, and frozen waterfalls beneath a twinkling night sky. All these photos are winners in the Royal Observatory Greenwichs annual Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.
The competition is in its fourth year and growing, with a record 800 entrants submitting their cosmic photography. Winners were announced on Sept. 19 in four main categories Deep Space, Our Solar System, Earth and Space, and Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year and three special awards were also handed out.
The overall number one prize and top spot for the Deep Space category went to Martin Pugh for his amazing shot (above) of the Whirlpool Galaxy, which shows two galaxies colliding. Pugh also won in 2009 for his picture of the Horsehead nebula.
Other incredible images showed auroras, the Milky Way, and, particularly popular this year, the Transit of Venus. Being the last transit for 105 years, the event was highly photographed and the subject for two winners: Chris Warren, who won the Our Solar System category, and Paul Haese, who was ranked "highly commended" in the same group.
Here we take a look at all the winners, runners up, and highly commended images. If youd like to see the photos in person, they will be exhibited for free from now until Feb. 2013 at the Royal Observatory.
The following captions are courtesy of the Royal Observatory Greenwich.
Above:
This beautifully composed image of the Whirlpool Galaxy combines fine detail in the spiral arms with the faint tails of light that show its small companion galaxy being gradually torn apart by the gravity of its giant neighbour. A closer look shows even more distant galaxies visible in the background.
Image: Martin Pugh, winner for Deep Space and overall winner
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According to my software, this blog post you are reading is the 7000th article I have published on the Bad Astronomy Blog.
Wow.
Thats a lot of words. Its also a lot of astronomy, geekery, science, antiscience, web comics, puns, embiggenates, and "Holy Haleakala!"s (61, to be exact, plus this one to make 62).
I am generally not one to wade into maudlin celebrations of arbitrary numbers, so instead Ill celebrate this milestone by showing you something appropriate: the North America Nebula, taken by Mexican astronomer Csar Cant.
[Click to encontinentenate.]
Why is this appropriate? Because the New General Catalog of astronomical objects familiar to and used by astronomers across the planet lists it as entry number 7000.
And it should be obvious why its named as it is.
Of course, I cant leave you with just a pretty picture. This nebula is something of a mystery; we dont know how big it is or how far away it lies. In the sky, its very near the star Deneb which marks the tail of the swan constellation Cygnus and Deneb is a massive, hot, and luminous star. Its possible the gas in the nebula is glowing due to the light from Deneb; if so NGC 7000 is about 1800 light years away and over 100 light years across.
Its the site of furious star formation, too, with stars being born all along the bright sharp region which look like Mexico and Central America. The "Gulf of Mexico" region the darker area with fewer stars is actually the location of thick interstellar dust that blocks the light from the stars behind it. Visible light, that is; the dust glow in the infrared, so if you look at it with a telescope that sees IR like the Spitzer Space Telescope, what is invisible becomes ethereally visible:
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Seeing stars - Astronomy at the Beach returns to Kensington Metropark tonight, Saturday
Those fascinated with the moon and stars have their fingers crossed for clear skies today and Saturday, as the 16th annual Astronomy at the Beach event draws near.
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Seeing stars - Astronomy at the Beach returns to Kensington Metropark tonight, Saturday
Published: Friday, September 21, 2012, 12:01 a.m.
The Everett Astronomical Society will hold free public observing sessions on the lawn at Harborview Park,1700 W. Mukilteo Blvd., from dusk, about 6 p.m., until 11:30 p.m. The event will be canceled if it's overcast or rainy.
It's a chance for people to learn and get their questions answered about the range of telescopes that are available, how different telescopes compare and talk with local expert amateur astronomers.
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Spectacular view of the spiraling galaxies, the last transit of Venus for 105 years, dazzling green lights of the aurora borealis and a host of exceptional photographs capturing the deep space have competed for the Royal Observatory's Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2012.
The competition, now in its fourth year, is organised by the Royal Observatory Greenwich and Sky at Night Magazine.
The categories for the competition included Deep Space, Earth and Space, Our Solar System, Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year, People and Space, Best Newcomer and Robotic Scope Image of the Year.
Australia-based photographer Martin Pugh has won the top prize of 1,500 for the Photographer of the Year Award with his image capturing the incredible details of the famous Whirlpool Galaxy (M51).
It shows the galaxy's spiral arms with the faint tails of light that show M51's small companion galaxy being gradually torn apart by the gravity of its giant neighbour.
Pugh had secured the award for a second time since the beginning of the competition.
"The photographer has made the most of exceptionally good atmospheric conditions to capture an astonishing range of detail in his image of this iconic galaxy; the beautiful spiral structure, dark lanes of dust, and the way the pink clouds of hydrogen really stand out," said competition judge and Royal Observatory Public Astronomer Dr Marek Kukula.
The best photographs, including those of the winners, runners-up and special prize awardees, are being exhibited in the Royal Observatory's Astronomy Centre. The free exhibition is open to the public from 20 September to February 2013.
"Many of the pictures have been taken with equipment that was out of the range of the amateur many years ago. I also like the choice of subjects: photographing people and the night skies is very difficult. The entrants have done very well indeed," said Sir Patrick Moore of The Sky at Night.
Slide through the pictures for the awe-inspiring experience of deep space and to get a glimpse of winning images:
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Astronomy Photographer Awards 2012: Stunning Images Unravels Secrets of Space [SLIDESHOW]
Augusta State University will host Look Up at Night, Augusta, an astronomy program that will give residents the opportunity to view the planets, stars and other space objects. The free event will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday in ASU's D.
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(c) Martin Pugh
This picture of the Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as M51, won top honors in the Deep Space category and the overall competition for 2012 Astronomy Photographer of the Year. The picture was entered by British-Australian photographer Martin Pugh. Here's what the Royal Observatory says: "This beautifully composed image of the Whirlpool Galaxy combines fine detail in the spiral arms with the faint tails of light that show its small companion galaxy being gradually torn apart by the gravity of its giant neighbour. A closer look shows even more distant galaxies visible in the background."
By Alan Boyle
The Whirlpool Galaxy is one of the most photogenic spirals in the known universe, but not all whirlpools are created equal: Australian photographer Martin Pugh's view of the galaxy, also known as M51, was stunning enough to win him the top prize in the Royal Observatory's Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.
"It's a remarkable achievement by an amateur astronomer; one of the best images of M51 that I've seen," Marek Kukula, the Royal Observatory's public astronomer and one of the contest judges, said in a news release. More than 800 entries were submitted, and the observatory announced the winners on Wednesday night.
Pugh said via Flickr that he was "absolutely delighted" by the honor but for him, this isn't exactly a novel experience: He also won top honors in the 2009 competition.
Sir Patrick Moore, who's best-known for his British TV programs on astronomy, was impressed by the level of professionalism that today's amateurs bring to their sky snapshots. "Many of the pictures have been taken with equipment that was out of the range of the amateur many years ago," he said. "I also like the choice of subjects: photographing people and the night skies is very difficult. The entrants have done very well indeed."
Take a look at these winners, and then click your way through all the favorites at the Royal Museums Greenwich website. You can also scan through thousands of archived entries at the APotY Flickr gallery, and see the photo exhibition at the Royal Observatory through February.
(c) Masahiro Miyasaka
Japan's Masahiro Miyasaka won top honors in the Earth and Space category with this shot of Orion, Taurus and the Pleiades shining in the night sky above an icy landscape. The category is for photos that include "Earthly" things along with an astronomical subject. Miyasaka's entry, titled "Star Icefall," included a poem about the view: "The stars fell from the heavens. / The stars transformed themselves into an icicle. / Stars sleep eternally here."
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By Kerry Mcdermott
PUBLISHED: 19:14 EST, 19 September 2012 | UPDATED: 06:39 EST, 20 September 2012
From distant galaxies and constellations of bright blue stars to the eerie glow of the aurora borealis, these beautiful images capture the wonders of our solar system in all its glory.
The images are taken from hundreds of entries in the Royal Observatory's 2012 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, which invited astronomy buffs to enter four categories: Earth and Space, Our Solar System, Deep Space, and Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year.
Judges chose Martin Pugh's 'breathtaking' image of the Whirlpool Galaxy as overall competition winner as well as the best entry in the Deep Space category.
Winning shot: This beautiful image of the Whirlpool Galaxy, taken by Martin Pugh, was chosen as the overall competition winner, as well as the best entry in the Deep Space category
Astronomers have studied the spiral Whirlpool Galaxy - also known as M51 - for centuries in order to understand how galaxies form and evolve.
Panel judge Will Gater, a science writer and astronomy author, described Mr Pugh's entry as 'arguably one of the finest images of M51 ever taken by an amateur photographer'.
He said: 'It's not just the detail in the spiral arms of the galaxy that's remarkable, look closely and you'll see many very distant galaxies in the background too.'
Masahiro Miyasaka's photograph of the Orion, Taurus and Pleiades stars in the frosty skies over Japan was declared the winner of the Earth and Space category.
Excerpt from:
Royal Observatory reveals winning entries in astronomy photography competition