Category Archives: Astronomy

Artists impression of WASP-189b, an exoplanet orbiting the star HD 133112 which is one of the hottest stars known to have a planetary system.

Among the infinite mysteries of the cosmic world, one of the most intriguing aspects is the possibility of alien life. And the first step towards understanding such probability is to hunt for faraway worlds that resemble Earth-like conditions to host life as we know it.

Recently, astronomers have revealed some exciting details about the atmosphere of WASP-189ba scorching exoplanet located about 322 light-years from Earth. The exotic worlds located beyond the realms of our solar system are called exoplanets, and we have detected more than 4,000 such planets so far. But these new findings show that WASP-189b is absolutely unique!

Interestingly, this hot, Jupiter-like planet might consist of distinct atmospheric layersjust like planet Earth.

Earths atmosphere has five major layers: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. Each of these layers has a role to play, like the stratosphere hosts the ozone layer, while the troposphere hosts life-sustaining oxygen.

Earlier, astronomers believed that exoplanets usually host only uniform layers, but this study suggests otherwise. This is for the first time that scientists have been able to detect the presence of distinct layers in the atmosphere of such a hostile exoplanet.

Astronomers from the Universities of Lund, Bern, and Geneva peered into the atmosphere of this exoplanet using the CHEOPS space telescope. Moreover, they also carried out detailed investigations using the HARPS spectrograph at the La Silla Observatory in Chile, which allowed them to get insights into the exoplanets atmosphere.

They found fingerprints of gases like iron, chromium, vanadium, magnesium, and manganese during the investigation. According to the statement, they found that the fingerprints of the different gases were slightly altered than expected. Further extensive observations revealed hints of layers on the hot exoplanet.

The team hypothesised that the alterations could result from strong winds and other processes. And this could possibly indicate the presence of different atmospheric layers.

Surprisingly, the team also detected the presence of titanium oxide that may act as an ozone layer to this exoplanet.

Titanium oxide absorbs shortwave radiation, such as ultraviolet radiation. Its detection could therefore indicate a layer in the atmosphere of WASP-189b that interacts with the stellar irradiation similarly to how the Ozone layer does on Earth, said Kevin Heng, study co-author from the University of Bern and a member of the NCCR PlanetS.

Observations conducted using the space-based telescope revealed several other details about the scorching WASP-189b. The exoplanet is 20 times closer to its host star than Earth is to the Sun, while the blistering daytime temperature shoots up to 3200C at WASP-189b.

The study results can further our understanding of the atmospheres of other bizarre exoplanets, including Earth-like planets. We never know; scientists might even detect worlds just like the planet Earth sooner than expected.

The results have been published in the journal Nature Astronomy and can be accessed here.

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Astronomers Detect Hints of Earth's Atmospheric Characteristics in Scorching Exoplanet WASP-189b | The Weather Channel - Articles from The Weather...

Hebridean Dark Skies Festival

A packed programme of astronomy talks, stargazing, films, music, visual art and theatre combines to create the Dark Skies Festival on the Isle of Lewis, which runs from 11-25 February. The Dark Skies exhibition will feature newly commissioned works by a group of Hebridean artists, stargazing events will be held indoors at the Cosmos Planetarium and outside with Highland Astronomy, and the festival will kick off with a night of comedy and astronomy. Stay at the Royal, a harbourside hotel, with a restaurant specialising in local meat and fish (doubles from 131, B&B, royalstornoway.co.uk). More information at lanntair.com

The festival in Exmoor happens in autumn, but if you cant wait that long there are regular Dark Skies events in the school holidays (a Night Sky Stargazing & Bushcraft Adventure evening is taking place on 21 February), while the Dark Sky Discovery Trail is a two-mile route across open moorland that takes in some of the best places to see the stars (exmoorwalks.org/darksky). Stay at the Exmoor White Horse Inn, a 16th-century inn (doubles from 119, B&B, exmoor-whitehorse.co.uk). exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk

Learn about the night sky while hiking across open moorland, soaking in a hot tub, paddling a canoe or listening to expert astronomers all on offer across the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Park. The festival runs from 18 February to 6 March and includes a rocket-making workshop and planet pizza-making evening. Stay at the 16th-century White Hart Inn (doubles from 120, B&B; whiteharthawes.co.uk).yorkshiredales.org.uk

One of the least-populated regions of the UK, this is an excellent stargazing spot with little light pollution. Its festival runs from 12-28 February, with events including aurora hunting at the Battlesteads Observatory, astronomy workshops, moon walks and stargazing experiences on Hadrians Wall. Stay at the Battlesteads Hotel, just across the road from the observatory, with a buzzy dining room and stylish bedrooms (doubles from 115, B&B, battlesteads.com). northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk

The South Downs is holding its festival in February, with star- and moongazing events at Queen Elizabeth Country Park in Hampshire, Seven Sisters Country Park in East Sussex, and Brighton seafront. Local astronomy groups along the coast will hold talks, with tours of the planets at the South Downs Planetarium in Chichester. Stay at the White Horse Inn in Sutton, a coaching inn with a well-loved restaurant (doubles from 133, B&B, whitehorseinn-sutton.co.uk). southdowns.gov.uk

Three spots across the park have been designated Dark Sky sites, offering the chance to see some spectacular starlit skies. The car parks at Parsley Hay, near Hartington, Surprise View near Hathersage and Minninglow at Pikehall have astronomy panels to help visitors explore the constellations, and private Stargazing Experiences in Hathersage can be arranged through Dark Sky Telescope Hire (darkskytelescopehire.co.uk). Stay at the George, a historic inn (doubles from 150, B&B, thegeorgehathersage.com).peakdistrict.gov.uk

Keen stargazers should put 23-25 September in their diaries for the second annual Beacons Dark Skies Festival, with events for astrophotographers, families and keen astronomers. Alongside practical workshops, there are talks on the history and folklore that surrounds the constellations and the nocturnal wildlife that depends on them. New for this year is a mobile, inflatable planetarium that will be set up in locations across the Park. Stay at Gliffaes, a country house hotel just outside Crickhowell (doubles from 155, B&B, gliffaeshotel.com). beacons-npa.gov.uk

Art workshops, wood-whittling courses and guided night-time swims are on offer at the Cumbria Dark Skies Festival (12-26 February), along with woodside walks beneath starry skies, moon watching and listening to nocturnal wildlife. Stay at the Wordsworth Hotel & Spa in Grasmere a short drive from the Dark Sky Discovery Centre at Allan Bank (doubles from 118, B&B, thewordsworthhotel.co.uk).visitlakedistrict.com

The Forests Dark Skies festival takes place over half-term (12-20 February), and although the live events are fully booked, you can join some online. The skies above the forest are spectacular at any time, however, and its easy to stargaze independently, with public Dark Sky Discovery Sites around the Forest at Beacon Fell Country Park, Gisburn Forest Hub, Slaidburn Village Car Park and Crook o Lune picnic site. Stay at the Inn at Whitewell, an elegant 17th-century hotel (doubles from 140, B&B, innatwhitewell.com). forestofbowland.com

The most northerly Dark Sky Park in the world, the Cairngorms is ablaze with stars and theres a chance of seeing the Northern Lights. The skies are so dark its possible to see nebula just using binoculars, with the snow roads between Braemar and the Spittal of Glenshee and Glen Muick being two of the best places to stargaze. Stay at Culdearn House, a classic Victorian country house hotel (doubles from 220, B&B, culdearn.com). cairngorms.co.uk.

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Heavens above: top 10 UK Dark Skies festivals and stargazing destinations - The Guardian

The Chinese New Year or the Lunar New Year falls on Tuesday with over a billion people in China and millions of others around the world celebrating the beginning of the Year of the Tiger.

The beginning of the 15-day festival on February 1 and the end of the Year of the Ox, also marks the date of the new moon in Asia. The celebrations are considered to be a time to honor ancestors and deities as well as spending time with family.

Though China follows the Gregorian calendara solar dating system introduced Pope Gregory XIII in 1582in everyday life, the Chinese calendar is used to mark traditional holidays like the New Year.

This calendar is lunisolar in nature, which means that it is based on the cycles of both the moon and the sun. The Lunar New Year begins each year with the first new moon of the lunar calendar.

According to the Farmer's Almanac, the new moon is essentially the opposite of the full moon. Rather than seeing the side of the moon illuminated by the sun as we do during a full moon with the effect of making it appear as a bright full disc, during the new moon, we see the moon's non-illuminated side making it appear mostly dark blending in with the night sky.

This happens because the new moon marks the time during the lunar cycle at which the moon is almost perfectly aligned with Earth on one side and the sun on the other. Because the moon takes 29.5 days to orbit the Earth and complete a lunar cycle this usually occurs once a month.

In the Chinese calendar, a month lasts a lunar cycle, with its first day marked by the new moon. There are usually 12 months in a Chinese calendar year, but in order to catch up with the Gregorian calendar an extra month is added every two or three years.

All of this means that the Lunar New Year falls on a different day each year though it always falls between January 20 and February 21 on the Gregorian calendar. The first new moon in Asia this year occurred at 1:46 pm Beijing time on February 1, or 12:46 am ET on the same day.

The end of the 15-day New Year celebration is also marked by a significant event in the lunar cycle, the full moon following the year's first new moon.

The end of New Year celebrations in Asian countries including China, North and South Korea, Singapore, Mongolia, Tibet, and Vietnam falls on February 15 this year. This is timed each year to coincide with the full moon following the first new moon of the year and will be marked by The Lantern Festival. This may not always be the first full moon of the year according to the Gregorian calendar.

The Year of the Tiger, which occurs once every 12 years with the last one in 2010, will last until the first new moon of next year which falls on January 22, 2023. This marks the beginning of the Year of the Water Rabbit.

The rest is here:

Lunar New Year: The Astronomy of Chinese New Year Explained - Newsweek

Its always fun to find the things that define your birthday. Whether its your zodiac sign, the top song on the Billboard charts, or the #1 movie, its always interesting to see how things were the day you were born.

Now you can add a NASA astronomy picture of the day (APOD) to your list.

A new trend on TikTok has people sharing the picture the Hubble Space Telescope took on their birthday.

RELATED:NASA Plans To Redirect Asteroid By Hitting It Really Hard With Spacecraft In Armageddon-Like Move

The Hubble, which launched in 1990 and has been roaming in space ever since, explores the universe 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, taking photos every day on its journey, according to NASA.

Beginning in 1995, NASA has chosen a daily photo taken from the Hubble Space Telescope as their Astronomy Picture of the Day. Each image is archived on NASAs website along with a description of the image written by an astronomer.

And in 2021, they launched a website that allows anyone to search for the APOD selected on their birthday (or any other day you find significant).

To find your NASA picture of the day for your birthday or if you were born before , you simply go to the NASA APOD calendar archive. There are a few ways you can get there.

1. Do a Google search for "NASA calendar."

2. Click on the search result that takes you to the Astronomy Picture of the Day Calendar.

3. Find your birth year in the table and click on the month your birthday falls in.

4. Count the days to find your birthday and click on the image to see it and read all about it.

1. Simply go directly to the tool NASA developed to make finding the picture they took on your birthday.

2. Select the month and day of your birthday and click on "submit."

3. This tool does not allow you to specify your year of birth, so you will be shown the image of the day for your birthday on a random year the system selects for you.

RELATED:President Biden Pledges Huge Increases In Science Funding (& The World Will Benefit For Generations)

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Unfortunately, as mentioned above, photos have only archived since June 16, 1995.

So if youre any older than about 26, youll have to settle for looking at pictures taken on your birthday and not your actual date of birth.

Of course, its also fun to look up your kids and friends birthdays, anniversaries, and other special dates.

Have fun!

RELATED:96 Space Quotes & Inspirational Quotes About The Universe

Micki Spollen is an editor, writer, and traveler. Follow her on Instagram and keep up with her travels on her website.

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How To Find The Picture NASA Took On Your Birthday - YourTango

Newswise The formation of massive stars and planets. The deaths of stars and galaxies. The extreme and violent behaviors of black hole jets and quasars. An up-close and personal radar view of the Moon. These mysteries and more were unraveled in 2021 by radio astronomers leveraging the scientific and technological power of National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) facilities: the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, the Very Long Baseline Array, and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Arrayan international collaboration with the European Southern Observatory and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. Narrated by Phil Plait, NRAOs top 2021 science highlights explore the awe-provoking wonders of the Universe.

Massive Planet Formation

Astronomers have used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array to study how planets form around young stars. It turns out that large planets form thanks to a bit of chaos.

Writing and narration provided by Phil Plait @SYFY

Discover more about how planets can form from the original press release:

Study of Young Chaotic Star System Reveals Planet Formation Secrets

Massive Star Formation

How do some stars get so massive? The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) tried to find out by studying an active star-forming region. It turns out the process of large star formation is messier than we thought.

Writing and narration provided by Phil Plait @SYFY

Discover more about how massive stars are born from the original press release:

ALMA Shows Massive Young Stars Forming in “Chaotic Mess”

Star-Forming in the Milky Way

Where do stars form in the Milky Way? More places than you might think. Recently a project called the Global View on Star Formation in the Milky Way (GLOSTAR) found previously undiscovered regions in our galaxy where large stars are being born.

Writing and narration provided by Phil Plait @SYFY

Discover more about where stars form in the Milky Way from the original press release:

New Study Reveals Previously Unseen Star Formation in Milky Way

Galaxies Running Out Of Gas

Some galaxies stop producing stars when they are still young. It turns out they run out of available gas early on. Now astronomers are using a survey called VERTICO The Virgo Environment Traced in Carbon Monoxide Survey to find out why.

Writing and narration provided by Phil Plait @SYFY

Discover more about how galaxies run out of gas from the original press release:

ALMA Scientists Uncover the Mystery of Early Massive Galaxies Running on Empty

Compact Object Creates a Supernova

When a star eats a black hole, it can create a massive explosion. Astronomers using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) have studied radio light from a supernova, which shows it may have been triggered by the last meal of a massive star.

Writing and narration provided by Phil Plait @SYFY

Discover more about what can cause a supernova from the original press release:

Stellar Collision Triggers Supernova Explosion

Quasar Distance Record

Quasars are brilliant objects powered by supermassive black holes. They are often seen at the edge of the observable universe. Early this year the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) discovered the most distant quasar ever, powered by a black hole 1.6 billion times more massive than the Sun.

Writing and narration provided by Phil Plait @SYFY

Discover more about this distant quasar from the original press release:

Quasar Discovery Sets New Distance Record

Helical Jet of M87

When black holes consume matter, they can create powerful jets of ionized material that stream away from the black hole at nearly the speed of light. Using NRAOs Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), astronomers have captured images of one such jet coming from the supermassive black hole in the galaxy M87, revealing a complex helical structure.

Writing and narration provided by Phil Plait @SYFY

Discover more about the jets of M87 from the original press release:

VLA Reveals Double-Helix Structure in Massive Galaxy’s Jet

Planetary Radar

Astronomers study the Universe by capturing light from stars, planets, and galaxies. But they can also study nearby objects by shining radio light on them. Its a process known as astronomical radar, and its revealing fascinating details about our planetary neighbors.

Writing and narration provided by Phil Plait @SYFY

Discover more about astronomical radar from the original press release:

IMAGE RELEASE: Moon’s Tycho Crater Revealed in Intricate Detail

Originally posted here:

2021 Science Highlights: Looking Back on a Turbulent Year in Radio Astronomy - Newswise

Astronomers have discovered a mysterious object emitting a radio wave beam that pulsed every 20 minutes.

The team behind the discovery believe the object could be a new class of slowly rotating neutron star with an ultra-powerful magnetic field. The repeating signals were detected during the first three months of 2018, but then disappeared, suggesting they were linked to a dramatic, one-off event, such as a starquake.

It was kind of spooky for an astronomer because theres nothing known in the sky that does that, said Dr Natasha Hurley-Walker, from the Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, who led the team that made the discovery.

Despite the unusual nature of the signal, the team believe the source is likely to be a spinning object rather than a technologically advanced civilisation reaching out across the cosmos.

Its definitely not aliens, said Hurley-Walker. The team briefly considered this possibility, but ruled it out after determining that the signal one of the brightest radio sources in the sky was detectable across a broad spectrum of frequencies, meaning that an immense amount of energy would have been required to produce it.

The object, believed to be about 4,000 light years away in the plane of the Milky Way, also matches a predicted astronomical object called an ultra-long period magnetar, a class of neutron star with the most powerful magnetic field of any known object in the universe.

Its a type of slowly spinning neutron star that has been predicted to exist, theoretically, said Hurley-Walker. But nobody expected to directly detect one like this because we didnt expect them to be so bright.

A neutron star is the dark, dense remnant left behind after a supermassive star casts off its outer material in a supernova and undergoes gravitational collapse. Reduced to the size of a small city, neutron stars initially spin incredibly quickly just as a figure skater accelerates in a spin as they pull their arms in to be more compact.

Fast-spinning neutron stars are detectable as pulsars that flash on and off within milliseconds or seconds.

Over time, the neutron star would lose energy and slow down. But as they slow down youd expect them to fade away, said Prof Andrew Norton, an astrophysicist at Open University. Once they drop below a theoretical calculation known as the death line, you shouldnt be able to see them.

Astronomers are perplexed as to why the newly found object if it is a magnetar was still emitting enough energy to be detectable when it was observed between January and March 2018. Somehow its converting magnetic energy to radio waves much more effectively than anything weve seen before, said Hurley-Walker.

Another question is why the signal then vanished. One possibility is that the signals are linked to a transient event such as a starquake, in which the neutron stars incredibly dense crust undergoes a sudden adjustment releasing a large blast of energy into space and, potentially, repeated pulses of radio waves after the event.

The findings are published in the journal Nature.

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Astronomers discover mysterious pulsing object that may be new class of star - The Guardian

The temperature of a planets atmosphere decreases with increasing altitude, unless a shortwave absorber that causes a temperature inversion exists. Ozone plays this role in the Earths atmosphere. In the atmospheres of highly irradiated exoplanets, the shortwave absorbers are predicted to be titanium oxide and vanadium oxide. Using high-resolution transmission spectroscopy, astronomers have now detected titanium oxide in the atmosphere of the ultrahot Jupiter WASP-189b. Moreover, they have detected metals, including neutral and singly ionized iron and titanium, as well as chromium, magnesium, vanadium and manganese.

An artists impression of an ultrahot Jupiter. Image credit: Sci-News.com.

WASP-189 is a 730-million-year-old A-type star located 322 light-years away in the constellation of Libra.

Also known as HD 133112, the star is larger and more than 2,000 degrees Celsius hotter than the Sun, and so appears to glow blue.

Discovered in 2018, WASP-189b is a transiting gas giant about 1.6 times the radius of Jupiter

It sits around 20 times closer to the star than Earth does to the Sun, and completes a full orbit in just 2.7 days.

WASP-189b has a high equilibrium temperature of 2,368 degrees Celsius due to its close proximity to its hot A-type host star, said Lund University astronomer Bibiana Prinoth and colleagues.

It is one of the brightest transiting planet systems currently known, making it very amenable for spectroscopic studies of its atmosphere.

The system is well characterized, thanks to extensive photometric observations with CHEOPS, including a precise measurement of the orbital parameters.

The astronomers observed the spectrum of WASP-189 during three transit events with the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) spectrograph at ESOs 3.6-m telescope in La Silla Observatory, Chile.

We measured the light coming from the planets host star and passing through the planets atmosphere,

The gases in its atmosphere absorb some of the starlight, similar to ozone absorbing some of the sunlight in Earths atmosphere, and thereby leave their characteristic fingerprint.

With the help of HARPS, we were able to identify the corresponding substances.

The gases that left their fingerprints in the atmosphere of WASP-189b included iron, chromium, vanadium, magnesium and manganese.

The researchers were also able to detect titanium oxide in the atmosphere of WASP-189b.

Titanium oxide absorbs short wave radiation, such as ultraviolet radiation, said University of Berns Professor Kevin Heng.

Its detection could therefore indicate a layer in the atmosphere of WASP-189b that interacts with the stellar irradiation similarly to how the ozone layer does on Earth.

In our analysis, we saw that the fingerprints of the different gases were slightly altered compared to our expectation, Prinoth said.

We believe that strong winds and other processes could generate these alterations.

And because the fingerprints of different gases were altered in different ways, we think that this indicates that they exist in different layers similarly to how the fingerprints of water vapor and ozone on Earth would appear differently altered from a distance, because they mostly occur in different atmospheric layers.

The results were published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

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B. Prinoth et al. Titanium oxide and chemical inhomogeneity in the atmosphere of the exoplanet WASP-189b. Nat Astron, published online January 27, 2022; doi: 10.1038/s41550-021-01581-z

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Astronomers Detect Titanium Oxide and Several Metals in Atmosphere of WASP-189b - Sci-News.com

The Peterborough Astronomical Association (PAA) meets via Zoom Friday, beginning at 6 p.m., and community members are invited to tune in. The format includes novice astronomy classes, a main presentation, and a question-and-answer period.

This month, the novice astronomy classes start anew with Lesson 1, An Introduction to Astronomy. Find out how we fit in the universe. This session looks at our position in space and the Universe, our cosmic address. It will also explore the myriad of objects visible in the night sky as well as a sampling of more exotic phenomena such as black holes, dark energy, and dark matter.

The novice astronomy class begins at 6 p.m. and runs for approximately 45 minutes prior to the main meeting. These classes focus on the practical aspects of learning about astronomy, introducing astronomy related subjects at a very basic level, in a logical sequence. Participants in these classes are welcome to stay for the meeting that follows, but there is no obligation to do so.

The main presentation, beginning after a short meeting at 7 p.m., is Amateur Radio and Amateur Astronomy. Because many amateur astronomers are also amateur radio operators, including PAA president Mark Coady, amateur radio operator VE3LJQ (Mark) will show how the two hobbies are intertwined.

The Sky This Month, a regular meeting feature, will be posted on the club website for all to access. For viewing visit peterboroughastronomy.com.

There will also be an opportunity during the meeting to have any questions you may have answered.

To participate in the meeting, open a free Zoom account on the device you wish to use. Then register in advance by visiting peterboroughastronomy.com/zoom_register.php. You will be provided with the Zoom password and link to the presentation.

There is no cost and the meeting is open to all ages and anyone interested in seeing what the PAA is all about. For further information visit peterboroughastronomy.com. The PAA can also be followed on Twitter (@PtbAstronomical) and Facebook (@Peterborough Astronomical Association).

Activity Haven

Activity Haven is reopening. Drop-in programs begin Jan. 31 and instructional programs start the week of Feb. 7. You must preregister for all programs by calling the office.

Entrance and screening will take place at the back door. Masks are required and you must show proof of the enhanced COVID-19 vaccination certificate with QR code prior to entry each time.

Instructional programs offered include strength training, beginner bone building, line dancing (beginner and level 3). Several different yoga classes are available including stretch, gentle/hatha, chair yoga, yin and hatha yoga.

You must be a member to participate in instructional or drop-in in programs. Membership is open to those 50 years and up and costs just $30 per year. For further information call the office at 705-876-1670. Activity Haven is located at 180 Barnardo Ave.

Food and gender

The Seasoned Spoon presents, Consuming Gender, a virtual roundtable discussion on the intersection of food and gender Wednesday, Feb. 16 from 5:30 until 7 p.m.

The event will feature industry professionals Prof. Lucy Godoy (a chef), cellarman Aaron King, marketing and communications manager Kyra Dietsch and food systems researcher Dr. Mary Anne Martin who will speak on their experiences of how gender is constructed within their male-dominated fields of academia, culinary arts and brewing.

The Seasoned Spoon is a non-profit, vegetarian, co-operative caf located in Champlain College at Trent University. The caf is committed to serving locally, and whenever possible, organically sourced food at affordable prices.

The roundtable event is free, but registration is required. Register at eventbrite.ca/e/consuming-gender-tickets-257213310937. The Zoom link will be provided ahead of the event.

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Opinion | Northcrest Ward: Astronomy club explores connection between space and amateur radio - ThePeterboroughExaminer.com

Pete Williamson is one of the UKs leading freelance astronomers

As it settled on Mars seven months later, and began its explorations of the Red Planet, the name of Whittington was buried deep in one of its microchips. The villages name is still there now as Perseverance scuttles around, drills into rocks, gets blasted by tornadoes of dust and continues to seek Martian life.

The man responsible for Whittingtons presence 30 million miles from Earth is Pete Williamson, who has lived in Shropshire for the past 32 years. Pete responded to NASAs open invitation to personalise the Mars probe with reminders of home, adding the name of his north-west Shropshire village as a way of getting fellow residents energised by his passion for space.

I was sitting at home, and I thought, Im sitting here doing what Im doing but nobody round here really knows what I do, Pete says.

"I thought Id get the village involved. I put a post up [on the Nextdoor social network] that the village had gone to Mars and away it went. The village is interested now, and I like to see the fact that were on Mars.

When Pete, aged 65, is doing what hes doing, he is one of the UKs leading freelance astronomers, regularly in contact with major space agencies across the world. He works mostly for Cardiff University, accessing data sent from Perseverance to NASAs labs and processing spectacular images captured by the probe.

His photographic posts on Nextdoor, which he titles 'Whittington on Mars' or 'Whittington in Space', are greeted with reliable awe from a dedicated following. Some photos depict breathtaking rock formations and craters; dramatic and barren landscapes. Others show dazzling nightscapes and incredible nebulae captured above familiar landmarks in Shropshire or North Wales.

One Nextdoor commenter wrote: I might not have got to be an astronaut but you have made me a very happy earthbound person.

Its all in a days work for Pete, who is both a researcher and an educator on everything related to space, and a talented photographer.

Before Covid intervened, he used to give more than 200 talks a year to schools and associations, either introducing the world of astronomy to young students, or relaying the latest developments to captivated crowds. He presents a programme about astronomy on BBC Radio Shropshire, manages an astronomy-themed radio station from his home and organises, with his daughter Sarah, the Solarsphere Astronomical & Music Festival, in Builth Wells.

He has remote access to telescopes located across the globe South Africa, Australia, Hawaii with which he can peer across our galaxy and beyond. He is a true space explorer, without ever leaving the Whittington home that he shares with his wife Sybil.

Its a very surreal job, he says. One minute I am working with data live from the surface of Mars, the next wandering round an ancient castle for a break. Or at night you log on and you're looking on Mars. You can see the surface. Then you step outside, look up, and see that little dot and think I've been working on there.

Pete first fell in love with astronomy as a 12-year-old and built himself his first crude telescope a year later. Although a career in music meant he could pursue astronomy only as a hobby for much of his adult life he was in several successful bands an injury to tendons in his left arm meant he could no longer play bass guitar. Musics loss became astronomys gain.

By that point, he had moved to Whittington and founded what became the Shropshire Astronomical Society, with help from Sir Patrick Moore. He had also created an early astronomy bulletin board, with Queens Brian May among the first subscribers. Pete is still in touch with May, who is a keen astronomer, but its not Petes only brush with celebrity. He also became friends with Neil Armstrong, a hero to all stargazers.

I was 13 when they landed on the moon, Pete says. We look at the pictures now and theyre hazy and blurred and you can hardly see anything. But at the time it was Wow! Thats the moon! Hes on the moon!

Pete says the wow factor is crucial to get young people involved in science, and space offers hundreds of fantastic facts and staggering stats. He demonstrates one on the table in the Whittington Castle tea room, where we meet. Placing one finger next to another, he says: If I put the Earth there and Pluto there where would the nearest star be apart from the sun? I tell him I dont know.

New York.That's the scale we're talking.

He says he loves watching young people discover space for the first time.

When I first go into schools, or if I've got kids at a telescope, I show them the moon, Pete says.

You can't miss it. But to see it through a telescope they look at it and they see craters and mountains.They realise its real, it's here. And then maybe Saturn with its rings around it.

Like many astronomers, Pete is tormented more than anything these days by light pollution and talks with dismay about the proliferation of residential security lights, plus intrusive street lighting, whose ambient glow makes stargazing much more difficult.

When we first moved here 30-odd years ago, it was very rural, he says.

Youd go and stand in the garden and youd never see a light. But now you just step in the garden and its like living in the middle of a city.

He has campaigned to the council to install lights from which there is less leakage, but says he hasnt gained much traction. He also points out that its not just astronomers whose lives are adversely affected by the lights.

If youve got something lit up all the time, the wildlife doesnt know if its night or day and tends to stay away, Pete says.

It affects the ecology. Those animals move out of the area and other animals will move in. It changes things.

Pete is officially retiring this year but shows few signs of giving up any of his numerous roles. After an enforced two-year break, tickets are selling fast for the 2022 Solarsphere Festival, while Pete is lining up more guests for the radio and arranging new talks and lectures for recent space converts.

And Pete himself remains as fascinated by everything as ever.

Its Harry Potter stuff, he says. To be able to operate all this stuff remotely, as far as Mars, or going round Jupiter. When I was a kid, did I ever imagine Id be able to do that? No. We hadnt even been into space.

"Its a surreal experience. I never undervalue what Im doing.

Learn the night sky - where and when different constellations are up

Decide whether you need a telescope. Pete recommends binoculars to start with.

Join an astronomy club and test their telescopes

Decide what you want to look at and learn which telescope is best

Assess your surroundings and tailor your stargazing to your rural or city setting

Dark Sky Discovery Sites, Carding Mill

Alwyn Reservoir, Corwen, North Wales

Horseshoe Pass, outside Llangollen

Originally posted here:

Meet the astronomer who sent a little bit of Shropshire to Mars - expressandstar.com

Dean Regas| Special to Cincinnati Enquirer

The Grand Canyon is indescribable, visitors to the iconic national park often say after they see it.Then, one month later, they are possessed to write long articles, essays and books trying (and failing) to accurately describe it.This is my pitiful attempt.

From Nov. 16-Dec. 8, I served as the Astronomer in Residence at the Grand Canyon in Arizona for the National Park Service.This meant that, for 22 days and nights, I lived, worked, taughtand stargazed from one of the best, darkest and most pristine locations in the United States.

During my month as Astronomer in Residence, I gave 11 public programs to hundreds of people from around the world, hiked to the bottom of the canyon, observed a lunar eclipse, planets, sunrises and sunsets, and shared my passion for astronomy. It was truly a life-changing experience.

Walking up to the edge of the Grand Canyon fills one with a variety of emotions.Wow! No way? What? Oh my gosh … Is this real? Gulp.

One feels awe, wonder, fear, disbelief and appreciation all at the same time. Something so large, so deep, so vast.Its scary and wonderful and terrible at the same time. It is not just a hole in the ground. Its a spectacular hole in the ground.

The Astronomer in Residence program was the brainchild of National Park Service Ranger, Rader Lane.Lanes idea was modeled after the parks Artist in Residency program where they welcome artists to get inspired by the parks and create art in all media.Before Lane finished telling me his idea, and Im thinking it would be so cool if we could get astronomers to live … I said, Im in!

The Astronomer in Residency program began in June 2021 with astronomer and artist Dr. Tyler Nordgren serving as the first resident.I applied for the fall stint and was accepted to the program.Lane hopes that 3-4 Astronomers in Residence will serve per year and that the program expands to other parks.

The highlight of my residency was giving astronomy programs at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, at Phantom Ranch, a small community about 10 miles from the South Rim and the destination for adventurers. But first, I had to get there.

The task was daunting: hike the South Kaibab trail, 7.5 miles and 4,780 feet down. I was all too pleased to have Ranger Lane go with me.He and other rangers take turns for weeklong assignments at Phantom Ranch delivering programs and responding to any emergencies (and there are always emergencies).

The first descent is a series of switchbacks that resemble an M.C. Escher drawing.Then the trail straightens out as you hike the spine of a ridge with sweeping vistas.I stopped at Ooh Ahh Point, the appropriately named picture spot, and marveled at the horizontal lines of color, the layers of rock that I was now inside of.We continued to Cedar Ridge, had a snack, then down to Skeleton Point.After hiking for hours, this was where I first saw the Colorado River, the fast-flowing body of water that helped carve this massive canyon.But I was still only halfway down.

The next stop was the Tip Off, the spot most day hikers should turn around. Its a dangerous idea hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back up in one day.We passed several hikers who were attempting to do so, some of which needed assistance later in the day as they slowly, painfully trudged back up in the pitch dark.

Past the Tip Off, the end was in sight. I had continuous views of the verdant valley surrounding Phantom Ranch.The curve of the green river and the roar of the rapids echoing off the canyon walls took my mind off my increasingly sore legs.We passed through a section of bright red rocks and soil that reminded me of the pictures from a Martian rover.I was entering an alien world.

Down more switchbacks and more switchbacks and finally, we came to river level.With a deep breath, we entered a small tunnel that opened onto the Black Bridge, one of two suspension foot bridges that span the Colorado River.We stopped at the middle of the bridge to take in the scene: river rushing beneath us, red canyon walls to the left and the green oasis of cottonwood trees and scrub brush at the delta of the Bright Angel Creek to the right.It looked like a Garden of Eden amidst the desert I just descended.

That was my home for the next four nights.I hiked by day, exploring the Colorado River valley and the nearby cliffs.At night, I gave star and constellation talks in their little outdoor amphitheater.It was so dark that we could see the Andromeda Galaxy clearly with the naked eye.The canyon walls obscured a portion of the night sky, but they acted as mere frames to the real star show twinkling above.We even had a telescope to share views of planets, star clusters and galaxies.

The visitors to Phantom Ranch formed an informal community a bond of adventure. Each person had gone through a lot to get there, whether hiking, riding a muleor rafting through the rapids.After an arduous journey, it was a privilege to be there.I wanted to appreciate every single second.

My four days at Phantom Ranch went all too quickly.Then I had to hike back up.For the return route, I trekked the Bright Angel Trail, 9.5 miles and 4,380 feet up.From my cabin, I crossed the Silver Bridge and turned right to walk along the Colorado River.Before the last bend, I turned to take one last look at this magical place at the bottom of the world.With a heavy sigh, I turned back to the trail and started up.

I made it to the top of the Grand Canyon without incident.The hike was more waking dream than reality.I traversed the steep and stark landscapes, the mini oasis of cottonwood trees at Havasupai Gardenand then the brutal final 3,000 feet up.

Over the next week, I set up telescopes for passersby.I shared views of Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and its ringsand several star clusters.

Several people told me that seeing so many stars and viewing through a telescope was, the highlight of my trip. Even amidst the most breathtaking earthly scenery of the Grand Canyon, the night sky stole the show.

The vast majority of people in the United States cannot see the Milky Way where they live.Seeing a truly dark sky full of stars is just as much of an attraction as the Grand Canyon itself.The parks new slogan is Half of the park is after dark.

The parks are striving to reduce light pollution, create darker skies and expand evening programming.My residency was just one small part of a huge effort.When you plan your next vacation, seek out dark places and make time to soak in a real night sky.

Dean Regas is the astronomer for the Cincinnati Observatory, and author of the books "100 Things to See in the Night Sky" and "Facts from Space!" He can be reached at dean@cincinnatiobservatory.org

What:Dean Regas chronicles his journey to the Grand Canyon and his month-long residency at this incredible location.Hell share his tales from the road, driving the 2,000 miles there (and back) as well as what it was like to explore the canyon and the night sky.

When: Available until Feb. 14.

Tickets: $10 per household.

Website: cincinnatiobservatory.org.

Information: After you sign up, youll get a link to watch the recorded presentation at your convenience.All proceeds benefit the Cincinnati Observatory.

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Soooo ... I got to be 'Astronomer in Residence' at the Grand Canyon. Here's how THAT went - The Cincinnati Enquirer