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Post by auntym on Oct 17, 2018 19:14:32 GMT -6
www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/nasa-s-fermi-mission-energizes-the-sky-with-gamma-ray-constellationsFermi Space Telescope Oct. 17, 2018
NASA’s Fermi Mission Energizes the Sky With Gamma-ray ConstellationsLong ago, sky watchers linked the brightest stars into patterns reflecting animals, heroes, monsters and even scientific instruments into what is now an official collection of 88 constellations. Now scientists with NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have devised a set of modern constellations constructed from sources in the gamma-ray sky to celebrate the mission’s 10th year of operations. The new constellations include a few characters from modern myths. Among them are the Little Prince, the time-warping TARDIS from “Doctor Who,” Godzilla and his heat ray, the antimatter-powered U.S.S. Enterprise from “Star Trek: The Original Series” and the Hulk, the product of a gamma-ray experiment gone awry. “Developing these unofficial constellations was a fun way to highlight a decade of Fermi’s accomplishments,” said Julie McEnery, the Fermi project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “One way or another, all of the gamma-ray constellations have a tie-in to Fermi science.” New, unofficial constellations appear in this image of the sky mapped by NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Fermi scientists devised the constellations to highlight the mission’s 10th year of operations. Fermi has mapped about 3,000 gamma-ray sources — 10 times the number known before its launch and comparable to the number of bright stars in the traditional constellations. Credits: NASA Download additional multimedia from NASA Goddard's Scientific Visualization StudioSince July 2008, Fermi’s Large Area Telescope (LAT) has been scanning the entire sky each day, mapping and measuring sources of gamma rays, the highest-energy light in the universe. The emission may come from pulsars, nova outbursts, the debris of supernova explosions and giant gamma-ray bubbles located in our own galaxy, or supermassive black holes and gamma-ray bursts — the most powerful explosions in the cosmos — in others. “By 2015, the number of different sources mapped by Fermi’s LAT had expanded to about 3,000 — 10 times the number known before the mission,” said Goddard’s Elizabeth Ferrara, who led the constellation project. “For the first time ever, the number of known gamma-ray sources was comparable to the number of bright stars, so we thought a new set of constellations was a great way to illustrate the point.” The 21 gamma-ray constellations include famous landmarks — such as Sweden’s recovered warship, Vasa, the Washington Monument and Mount Fuji in Japan — in countries contributing to Fermi science. Others represent scientific ideas or tools, from Schrödinger’s Cat — both alive and dead, thanks to quantum physics — to Albert Einstein, Radio Telescope and Black Widow Spider, the namesake of a class of pulsars that evaporate their unfortunate companion stars. Ferrara and Daniel Kocevski, an astrophysicist now at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, developed a web-based interactive to showcase the constellations, with artwork from Aurore Simonnet, an illustrator at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, California, and a map of the whole gamma-ray sky from Fermi. Clicking on a constellation turns on its artwork and name, which includes a link to a page with more information. Other controls switch on the visible sky and selected traditional constellations. “Fermi is still going strong, and we are now preparing a new all-sky LAT catalog,” said Jean Ballet, a Fermi team member at the French Atomic Energy Commission in Saclay. “This will add about 2,000 sources, many varying greatly in brightness, further enriching these constellations and enlivening the high-energy sky!” NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is an astrophysics and particle physics partnership, developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and with important contributions from academic institutions and partners in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden and the United States. To explore Fermi’s Gamma-ray Constellations, visit: fermi.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/constellations/For more about NASA’s Fermi mission, visit: www.nasa.gov/fermiBy Francis Reddy NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Last Updated: Oct. 17, 2018 Editor: Rob Garner www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/nasa-s-fermi-mission-energizes-the-sky-with-gamma-ray-constellations
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Post by auntym on Dec 6, 2018 15:32:25 GMT -6
Astronomy Magazine Verified account @astronomymag 45m45 minutes ago
Beg, borrow, or steal binoculars and seek out Mars and Neptune tonight! The ice giant sits less than 0.4° east-northeast of the Red Planet, and the two planets won’t pass this close to each other under a dark sky again until October 19, 2210.www.astronomy.com/news/2018/12/mars-tonight
Mars and Neptune sit closer together tonight than they will for another 200 yearsBy Richard Talcott / www.astronomy.com/authors/richard-talcott Thursday, December 6, 2018 Though Mars is visible with the naked eye, to spot the distant planet Neptune, you'll need binoculars or a telescope. This view, which spans about one-tenth of a degree, was created using Stellarium. Image by Jake Parks using StellariumMars continues to put on a nice show these December evenings. The Red Planet appears nearly halfway to the zenith in the southern sky as twilight fades to darkness. The ruddy world shines at magnitude 0.1, as bright as any other early evening object, against the faint backdrop of Aquarius the Water-bearer. As you gaze at Mars with your naked eye, you might assume it’s the only object of interest in the area. But target the planet through binoculars or a telescope and you’ll also see the much fainter glow of Neptune. The magnitude 7.9 ice giant lies 23' east-northeast of Mars this evening. The two switch positions tomorrow night, with Neptune 16' southwest of Mars. (The magnitude 6.1 star 81 Aquarii then stands 12' north of Mars.) The actual conjunction between the two planets occurs at 9:08 a.m. EST on the 7th, when Mars passes 2.2' north of Neptune, but both objects then lie below the horizon from North America. When viewed through a telescope, Mars appears 9" across while Neptune spans 2.3". The two planets won’t pass closer to each other under a dark sky until October 19, 2210. For more quick and easy observing tips, make sure to check out The sky this week for November 30 to December 9. www.astronomy.com/news/2018/12/mars-tonight
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Post by auntym on Dec 6, 2018 16:15:26 GMT -6
mysteriousuniverse.org/2018/12/eye-on-the-sky-what-stargazers-can-expect-in-december/ Eye On The Sky: What Stargazers Can Expect in Decemberby Jocelyne LeBlanc / mysteriousuniverse.org/author/jleblanc/December 5, 2018 For stargazers looking to experience breathtaking events in our sky, the entire month of December has a lot of exciting sky shows to offer. We can expect so much during this entire month, including two meteor showers, several moon pairings, comet sightings, and an incredible solstice night. Watch For Comets In Early DecemberThree amateur astronomers discovered a brightening comet on November 7th that is now named C/2018 V1 Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto. The comet that is discharging dust and gas from the Oort cloud, which is a shell of icy debris that’s located at the outer edge of our solar system, is heading towards our sun. It is believed that the comet will continue to get brighter and perhaps even get to a brightness of magnitude 5 during the first week of December. And yes, a comet with a magnitude 5 can be easily seen with binoculars. Unfortunately, the comet will set shortly after the sun in the western horizon, so finding it may not be so easy. A second comet, called 46P/Wirtanen, will also make an appearance this month as it will make its closest approach to the sun on December 12th. This comet makes its way through our inner solar system every six years, so this is a rare, but excellent opportunity to get out and see the huge ball of ice and rock. It has also been predicted that it should be bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. Moon Meets SaturnWith the moon meeting Venus and the star Spica during the early morning hours of December 2-4 creating a breathtaking celestial triangle in the southeast sky, it will also meet up with Saturn not long after. On December 8th, around 30 minutes after sunset, take your binoculars out and look very low in the sky towards the western horizon and you will see the waxing crescent moon next to the star-like Saturn. Geminid Meteor ShowerThe Geminid meteor shower will peak on December 13th. If you’re up very late at night into the predawn hours, and if you look towards the northeast, you will witness the peak of this incredible meteor shower. And since the waxing crescent moon will set long before the peak of the meteor shower, it is predicted that 30 to 60 shooting stars will be seen every hour during that late night. Moon Meets MarsOn December 14th, the moon will be close to Mars and they will both set together in the western sky before local midnight. Winter/Summer SolsticeOn December 21st at precisely 5:23 p.m. Eastern Time, the sun will be situated at its lowest point in the sky for the entire year of 2018, meaning that it’s also the shortest day of the year. This happens for people who live north of the Equator – the winter solstice. For those who live south of the Equator, the sun will be at its highest point in the sky for the whole year, meaning that it’s also the longest day of the year – the summer solstice.
Ursid Meteor ShowerThe Ursid Meteor Shower will peak on December 22nd during predawn hours. The shootings stars will be visible slightly above the bowl of the Little Dipper. The Ursids normally produce around 10 to 15 shooting stars each hour, however, very rarely up to 30 or even more shooting stars can be seen during its peak. Moon Hangs Around The BeehiveOn Christmas Eve, December 24th, the nearly full moon will be next to the Beehive open star cluster in the Cancer constellation. This cluster, which has over a thousand stars and is approximately 577 light-years away from us, will be easily seen with binoculars. Moon Glides Through VirgoOn December 30th and 31st, the moon will glide through the Virgo constellation in the southern sky. It will also sail right past the star Spica which shines a blue-white color. It is the brightest star in the Virgo constellation, which is also the largest constellation in the sky. So, take a break from wrapping gifts and enjoy the early Christmas presents that our skies are giving us throughout the last month of 2018. mysteriousuniverse.org/2018/12/eye-on-the-sky-what-stargazers-can-expect-in-december/
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Post by auntym on Feb 19, 2019 14:15:24 GMT -6
www.space.com/32286-space-calendar.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dlvr.it Space Calendar 2019: Launches, Sky Events & MoreBy Hanneke Weitering / www.space.com/author/hanneke-weitering2-19-2019 LAST UPDATED Feb. 19: These dates are subject to change, and will be updated throughout the year as firmer dates arise. Please DO NOT schedule travel based on a date you see here. Launch dates collected from NASA, ESA, Roscosmos, Spaceflight Now and others. Watch NASA webcasts and other live launch coverage on our Watch Live page, and see our night sky webcasts here. (You can also watch NASA TV live via nasa.gov or YouTube.) Find out what's up in the night sky this month with our visible planets guide and skywatching forecast. Spot the International Space Station, Hubble Space Telescope and other satellites in the sky above with this satellite tracker. FebruaryFeb. 19: Supermoon. The full moon of February, known as the "Full Snow Moon," will appear slightly bigger than usual in the night sky because of the moon's close proximity to Earth in it orbit. Feb. 21: A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch the EgyptSat-A Earth observation satellite for Egypt's National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences. It will lift off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 11:47 a.m. EST (1647 GMT). Feb. 21: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch SpaceIL's lunar lander — the first Israeli moon mission — and Indonesia's PSN 6 communications satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 8:45 p.m. EST (0145 GMT on Feb. 22). [Watch Live] Feb. 22: An Arianespace Soyuz rocket will launch 10 broadband communications satellites for OneWeb. It will lift off from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana at 4:37 p.m. EST (2137 GMT). Feb. 26: Mercury at greatest eastern elongation. Now is a great time to see the innermost planet! Look for it in the evening sky close to the western horizon. Feb. 27: Conjunction of the moon and Jupiter. See the biggest planet of the solar system get close to the moon in the dawn sky. Also launching in February (from Spaceflight Now): A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch the Radio Frequency Risk Reduction Deployment Demonstration spacecraft, also known as R3D2, for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). It will lift off from the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand. CONTINUE READING & MORE VIDEOS: www.space.com/32286-space-calendar.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dlvr.it
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Post by auntym on May 5, 2019 17:29:30 GMT -6
What's Up: May 2019 Skywatching from NASA
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Published on May 2, 2019
What's up in the May sky? A meteor shower produced by debris from Halley's Comet, asteroids named after dinosaurs and a "blue moon" on May 18th.
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Post by auntym on Jan 11, 2020 13:39:23 GMT -6
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Post by auntym on Mar 3, 2020 12:59:24 GMT -6
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Post by auntym on Jun 2, 2020 14:48:46 GMT -6
www.space.com/36992-june-full-moon.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dlvr.it June full moon 2020: The 'Strawberry Moon' brings a penumbral lunar eclipseBy Jesse Emspak / www.space.com/author/jesse-emspakJune 2, 2020 The full moon of June, also called the Strawberry Moon, will occur the morning of Friday, June 5, at 3:12 p.m. EDT (1912 GMT), just a few minutes before entering a penumbral lunar eclipse, according to NASA's SkyCal. Observers in New York City will see the full moon set at about 5:17 a.m. local time on June 5, according to timeanddate.com, and it will rise that day at 8:29 p.m. local time. The lunar eclipse starts at 1:47 p.m. and ends at 5:05 p.m., so the moon will be below the horizon in North America and much of South America. That said, this subtle lunar eclipse will be entirely visible for observers in eastern Africa, the Middle East, southern Asia and Australia. It will start at moonrise for those on the eastern coast of South America, western Africa and Europe, and at moonset for sky watchers in Japan and New Zealand. The eclipse begins at 1:45 p.m. EDT (1745) and lasts until 5:04 p.m. EDT (2104 GMT), or about three hours and 18 minutes. A penumbral eclipse occurs when the moon enters the outer portion of the Earth's shadow, known as the penumbra. The moon doesn't get dark in the way it does during a total lunar eclipse, also known as a "blood moon," where it enters the umbra, the inner part of the shadow. Instead, the moon appears just slightly darker; some people say it looks a little more "brown" than usual. In this case the moon will be partially covered by the penumbra, so the darkening may not be that noticeable as the brightness of the uncovered portion of the moon washes it out. At the western end of the zone where it is visible, for example in Sao Paolo, Brazil, the moon rises at 5:31 p.m. local time and the eclipse is already underway, ending at 6:04 p.m. As one moves east more of the eclipse is visible; in Rome the moon rises at 8:30 p.m. and maximum eclipse is at 9:24 p.m. The moon will be close to the horizon still, only about 7 degrees in altitude. The eclipse ends at 11:04 p.m. local time. This sky map shows the penumbral lunar eclipse of June 5, 2020, over Sao Paolo, Brazil, at 6:30 p.m. local time. The moon will be in the constellation Ophiuchus, to the left of the Scorpius constellation. At this time, the Earth's penumbral shadow will be moving off of the moon's upper limb. (Image credit: SkySafari app) More southerly observers will see the moon get higher; in Cape Town, the moon rises June 5 at 5:38 p.m. and the eclipse starts at 7:45 p.m., with maximum eclipse occurring at 9:24 p.m., the same time as in Rome. But the moon will be much higher in the sky by that point, a full 43.5 degrees above the horizon. The eclipse ends at 11:04 p.m. local time. CONTINUE READING: www.space.com/36992-june-full-moon.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dlvr.it
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Post by auntym on Jun 20, 2020 12:32:01 GMT -6
solarsystem.nasa.gov/whats-up-skywatching-tips-from-nasa/ What's Up: June 2020 Skywatching Tips from NASA•Jun 8, 2020 Watch this month's video for skywatching highlights in June 2020. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech What to Look For Summer Skies! Look for the Summer Triangle rising in the east after sundown, keep tabs on the morning planets, and June 20 brings the June solstice. More about the Summer Triangle You might never have noticed the Summer Triangle before, but once you do, it will become a regular sight you'll seek out in the summertime sky, much like many of us look forward to seeing Orion each winter. It's made up of three very bright stars: Vega, Deneb and Altair. This asterism — a star pattern that's not one of the 88 official constellations — covers a wide area of the sky. Holding out your outstretched hand at arm's length, Vega and Deneb are about as far apart as your thumb and little finger, while the separation between Vega and Altair is about as wide as two outstretched hands with thumbs overlapping. Vega is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, the harp. It's 40 times more luminous than our Sun. In fact, it's one of the brightest nearby stars — it's the fifth-brightest star in the sky, and for the Northern Hemisphere, only Sirius is brighter. Vega is a fairly young, rapidly rotating star, and astronomers have observed a disk of debris surrounding it that could contain as-yet-undiscovered planets. Vega also used to be the North Star, a distinction currently held by Polaris. That baton is handed off between several different stars over thousands of years as Earth's tilt slowly wobbles. In about 12,000 years, Vega will once again reclaim the title. Altair is 11 times more luminous than the Sun. It's the brightest star in the constellation Aquila, the eagle. Like Vega it also rotates rapidly. Deneb is a real beast of a star. It's between 100,000 and 200,000 times more luminous than the Sun, making it the brightest of the three Summer Triangle stars by a very wide margin — just not in our sky. The reason this extremely bright star is not as bright as the other two is because it's much farther away in space. Deneb is around 2,600 light years from our solar system. (That's a tenth of the way across the galaxy!) It's one of the brightest stars known, and so massive that it's likely a future supernova candidate. Deneb is the brightest star in the constellation Cygnus, the swan. CONTINUE READING: solarsystem.nasa.gov/whats-up-skywatching-tips-from-nasa/
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Post by auntym on Jul 3, 2020 15:01:57 GMT -6
WHATS UP FOR JULY 2020What are some skywatching highlights you can see in July 2020? Enjoy the giant planets Jupiter and Saturn with their moons, stay up late to spot Mars rising. Plus: what would you see stargazing on the Red Planet? solarsystem.nasa.gov/whats-up-skywatching-tips-from-nasa/
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Post by auntym on Nov 26, 2020 1:21:24 GMT -6
astronomy.com/news/observing/2020/10/is-it-better-to-use-a-telescope-or-binoculars-to-observe-space?utm_source=asytwitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=asytwitterIs it better to use a telescope or binoculars to observe space?There's really no reason you can't use binoculars to look into space – and in fact astronomers have been working on doing so for a long time.By Silas Laycock, The Conversation | astronomy.com/authors/silas-laycock-the-conversation Friday, October 30, 2020 Both telescope and binoculars can do a good job helping you stargaze. Go outside right now. What’s the farthest thing you can see? A tree? A bird? What about the Moon? It’s 250,000 miles away. The Sun is 400 times farther than that, at nearly 100 million miles (but don’t look right at it). But why stop there? Once it gets dark, you can look for the planets in our solar system. The brightest one is usually Jupiter, whose distance from Earth can be six times as far as the Sun. The farthest planet visible to the naked eye is Saturn, which can be twice as far again. Not bad for the eyes you were born with. Stars are even farther away. Most of the constellations you can see are several hundred light-years away. astronomy.com/observing/astro-for-kids/2008/03/learn-the-constellationsIf it’s really dark and you know where to look, the Andromeda galaxy is probably the limit for your naked eyes, at 2 million light-years away. Despite that distance, it still appears very big – about the size of your hand at arm’s length. But why is it so hard to see? Because it is so faint. This is a job for binoculars or a telescope. Telescopes aren’t the only way to see into spaceTwo eyes are usually better than one. Your eyes are spaced a few inches apart, so they provide slightly different viewpoints. Thanks to the way the human brain combines the streams of images coming in through two eyes, most people perceive the world with depth in three dimensions, not like a flat picture. Binoculars are designed to amplify this effect. That’s why wildlife watchers love to use binoculars. Distant birds and animals pop in spectacular 3D, making you feel as though you could reach out and touch them. This special quality of binoculars works best at distances that aren’t too big compared to how far apart the binoculars’ lenses are. That means it’s not easy to make it work when you’re looking at a star so far away. As a result, astronomers mostly make do with one image. It’s much cheaper and simpler to control one telescope instead of two. Telescopes have some downsides for beginners, though. Most people looking through an astronomical telescope for the first time are baffled by their astronomer friend’s enthusiastic chatter. Why? Because they see nothing! They’re not used to looking with only one eye – which is pretty tricky to do. Plus, the view at high magnification is totally unfamiliar: There are no landmarks, no sense of scale or proportion. Only a tiny piece of the sky is visible, often flipped upside down and backwards. Binoculars – which are basically just two telescopes bolted together – fix all these problems. You can still see what you saw with your own eyes, but in vastly more detail. Everything is brighter. The unfamiliar new things are seen by both eyes, so your brain more easily accepts them as real. Your eyesight has been powered up, rather than replaced. CONTINUE READING: astronomy.com/news/observing/2020/10/is-it-better-to-use-a-telescope-or-binoculars-to-observe-space?utm_source=asytwitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=asytwitter
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Post by auntym on Mar 20, 2021 22:08:21 GMT -6
biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/event/virtual-introduction-astronomy-1A Virtual Introduction to AstronomyWe start out the evening determining what we can see with the naked eye from brightest to dimmest. We then move onto what we can see this month. From there we talk about constellations, how to find North and South using them. Different types of telescopes are introduced, including the pioneering discovery (by Canadians) that allowed scientist to get the first ever image of black hole. The evening wraps up with a planetarium tour of the night sky. Run time is 1 hour 15 minutes. The presenter, Dave Chisholm, is an amateur astronomer and Vice President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Ottawa Centre. He is also a Scouter and the Group Commissioner of the 123rd Ottawa. He has done more 60 in-person and virtual presentations to Scouts, Guides, Adults and Seniors. Language EnglishEvent Details Wednesday Mar 24, 2021 at 7:00pm
Online via Zoom Adult Adults 50-plus
REGISTER: biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/event/virtual-introduction-astronomy-1
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Post by auntym on May 1, 2021 20:54:52 GMT -6
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Post by auntym on Oct 31, 2021 8:04:01 GMT -6
www.space.com/42289-halloween-night-sky-guide.html?utm_campaign=socialflowHalloween night sky 2021: See Jupiter, Saturn, Venus and maybe some spooky fireballsBy Joe Rao / www.space.com/author/joe-raoDon't miss these celestial treats this Halloween! tar trails swirl over three smiling jack-o'-lanterns in this night-sky photo by amateur astronomer Gowrishankar L. (Image credit: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gowrishankar83">Gowrishankar L.</a>) Based on the latest national forecast, the night sky will be mainly clear on Sunday evening (Oct. 31) across a large part of the contiguous United States, as costumed kids arrive at the door looking for candy or some other Halloween treat. If they look up, they could see some bright planets and maybe a fireball. The only weather exceptions for the Halloween night sky might be across New England and adjacent New York state, where considerable cloudiness and some showers could fall, and over the Central High Plains where chilly and unsettled conditions may prevail. But most everywhere else in the nation should have generally fair or clear skies. Most places will see evening temperatures in the 50s and 60s (degrees Fahrenheit), although across a large swath of the Upper Midwest, Great Plains and Intermountain States it will be quite a bit colder: 40s, 30s, and dare we say even some 20s. So, bundle up! If you plan to accompany children around your neighborhood, you might want to enlighten them by pointing out some of the objects that will be visible in the sky. Better yet, if you have a telescope, give your visitors a treat of a different kind: A close-up view of some celestial sights such as three bright planets — Jupiter, Saturn and Venus. CONTINUE READING: www.space.com/42289-halloween-night-sky-guide.html?utm_campaign=socialflow
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Post by auntym on Nov 2, 2021 17:39:42 GMT -6
solarsystem.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/What's Up: Skywatching Tips for November 2021 from NASASkywatching Tips from NASA
What's Up for November? Sunset planets, a partial lunar eclipse, and the return of the winter stars.
From November 6th through the 11th, watch the Moon glide past Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter after sunset in the south/southwest. In particular, if you step outside for a look on November 7th, you'll find the four-day-old crescent Moon just about 2 degrees away from Venus. Should be really pretty, so don't miss it.Sky chart for November 7 following sunset, showing Venus only 2 degrees apart from the crescent Moon in the southwest. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech And from now through early December, you'll find Jupiter and Saturn drawing a little closer to Venus each night. A partial lunar eclipse is on the way, taking place overnight on November 18th and 19th, when the Moon slips into Earth's shadow for a couple of hours. Weather permitting, the eclipse will be visible from any location where the Moon appears above the horizon during the eclipse. Depending on your time zone, it'll occur earlier or later in the evening for you. CONTINUE READING: solarsystem.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/
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Post by auntym on Apr 12, 2022 0:28:54 GMT -6
April 2022: 5 Planets Have Aligned With A Comet And An Asteroid
Mar 26, 2022
The Secrets of the Universe
Five planets - Jupiter, Neptune, Venus, Saturn, and Mars are going to align with an asteroid and a comet in the pre-dawn skies of April and May 2022. This alignment of planets will lead to some spectacular shown and close planetary conjunctions. In this video, all the important dates and planetary configurations have been discussed in detail.
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Post by auntym on Sept 10, 2022 14:30:49 GMT -6
www.space.com/full-moon-harvest-moon-jupiter-neptune-2022?utm_campaign=socialflowHarvest Moon tonight! See the full moon rise near Jupiter and Neptune (Sept. 10)By Brett Tingley / The full moon will be joined by a few guests when it rises.An illustration of the night sky on Saturday (Sept. 10) showing Jupiter and Neptune close to the full moon. (Image credit: Starry Night Software) The full moon will be joined in the night sky by Jupiter and Neptune on Saturday (Sept. 10). The full moon will be visible at 5:58 a.m. EDT (0958 GMT) on Saturday (Sept. 10). The moon is visible for most of the night at this time of the month, rising close to dusk and setting just before dawn. The moon officially becomes a full moon when it appears in the sky fully opposite (180 degrees from) the sun. September's full moon is also called the Harvest Moon in the Northern Hemisphere, as this full moon falls near the autumnal equinox, which traditionally marks the beginning of the harvest season. The full moon this month will also appear in the sky close to two of its celestial companions in our solar system, Jupiter and Neptune. CONTINUE READING: www.space.com/full-moon-harvest-moon-jupiter-neptune-2022?utm_campaign=socialflow
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Post by auntym on Dec 1, 2022 14:44:20 GMT -6
What's Up: December 2022 Skywatching Tips from NASA
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Dec 1, 2022
What are some skywatching highlights in December 2022? The Moon sweeps past Jupiter twice this month, and actually covers Mars completely, in an event called an occultation, on Dec. 7. The event is visible across the U.S., except for the Southeast and East Coast, where the Moon will graze closely past Mars. And throughout the month, you can find Pegasus, the winged stallion, high overhead in the south.
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Post by auntym on Dec 28, 2022 11:25:45 GMT -6
www.space.com/solar-system-planets-visible-grand-tour-livestream?utm_content=space.com&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflowEvery planet in the solar system will be visible on Wednesday (Dec. 28). Here's how to see themBy Brett Tingley / www.space.com/author/brett-tingley12-28-2022 Such events occur roughly every one to two years, on average.Update: Today's livestream of the solar system planets will now begin at 12:30 p.m. EST (1730 GMT). Take a grand tour of the solar system tonight (Dec. 28) as each of the planets in the solar system will be visible at the same time. www.virtualtelescope.eu/2022/12/18/grand-tour-of-the-solar-system-all-the-planets-at-a-glance-online-observation-28-dec-2022/As 2022 comes to an end, skywatchers can take in the rare sight of all of the planets in our solar system (aside from Earth) together in the sky. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are all currently visible simultaneously with the naked eye. The two outermost planets, Uranus and Neptune, can meanwhile be observed with binoculars or a telescope. To celebrate this excellent skywatching opportunity, the Virtual Telescope Project is hosting a free "grand tour of the solar system(opens in new tab)" www.youtube.com/@gianmasivirtualtelescope livestream starting at 12:30 p.m. EST (1730 GMT) on Wednesday (Dec. 28). You can watch the live webcast courtesy of the project's website linked to above, or on their YouTube channel(opens in new tab). The five planets visible with the naked eye — Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, in that order — will line up in the sky starting from the southwestern horizon. Mercury, the smallest planet in the solar system, will be difficult to see with the eye, but it's possible if dark sky conditions are right. An illustration of the night sky on Dec. 28 showing the relative positions of Venus and Mercury. (Image credit: Starry Night Education) Gianluca Masi, an astronomer with the Virtual Telescope Project, says while the occurrence of all other planets being visible isn't particularly rare, it does make for an impressive skywatching opportunity. "It happens from time to time, but it is always a spectacular sight," Masi told Newsweek(opens in new tab). Such "grand tours" happen roughly every one to two years, on average. In June 2022, skywatchers were treated to five planets — Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn — arranged in a rare alignment the likes of which hadn't occurred since 1864. If you want to take a look at the planets of the solar system and don't have all the gear you need, be sure not to miss our guides for the best binoculars and the best telescopes to view the planets or anything else in the sky. For capturing the best skywatching images you can, we have recommendations for the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography. CONTINUE READING: www.space.com/solar-system-planets-visible-grand-tour-livestream?utm_content=space.com&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow
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Post by auntym on Dec 30, 2022 21:42:58 GMT -6
What's Up: January 2023 Skywatching Tips from NASA Dec 29, 2022 What are some skywatching highlights in January 2023?
Some lovely groupings this month include the Moon with Mars, and later with Jupiter, and a close conjunction of Venus and Saturn. The brilliant stars of the Northern Hemisphere's winter sky are a dazzling sight all month long. And a comet discovered last March makes its closest approach to Earth in January, gracing pre-dawn skies. solarsystem.nasa.gov/skywatching/home/
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Post by auntym on Mar 21, 2023 12:31:50 GMT -6
www.space.com/jupiter-mercury-march-2023?utm_content=space.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_source=twitter.comWatch Jupiter meet the moon and Mercury this week before leaving the night skyBy Joe Rao / www.space.com/author/joe-rao3-21-2023 The solar system's largest planet will meet up with its smallest planet in the night sky.Image credit: m-gucci/Getty Images) Jupiter has put on an admirable show this month of March, in spite of the fact that it is now rapidly relinquishing its many months of dominance in the evening sky. It teamed with Venus at the start of the month, making for a stunning sight in the western evening twilight. But the giant of the solar system still has two more appointments on its docket to keep during the time frame running from March 22 to 27. Jupiter will be lost in the sun's afterglow by month's end, but on the 22 it still will be setting roughly 70 minutes after the sun. And on that evening, it will be visible to the lower right of a delicately thin waxing crescent moon. Five days later, the moon will be long gone, but now the smallest planet, Mercury, burning much brighter than usual, will appear next to the giant of the solar system. Both, however, will be tucked deep in the bright twilight, making for a very challenging observation. March 22: Jupiter sides with a "young" moon "New moon," as used by astronomers, means the instant when the moon is at the same ecliptic longitude as the sun. This instant marks the starting point of a new lunar cycle, averaging 29.53 days; a lunation or synodic month. The word is derived from the Greek synodikos meaning "meeting" (for at new moon, the moon "meets the sun"). But in popular parlance "new moon" tends to mean the moon as it becomes narrowly visible on the next few evenings. For distinctions some call this the "young" moon; and, by analogy, the moon is deemed "old" when it is seen on the last few mornings of the cycle, just before the moon dies and is reborn at its "New" moment. The "age" of the moon is the time measured from the instant of new moon (as if that is the "birth" of the moon). Many cultures have calendars that are based on the movement of the moon. For instance, Ramadan, the 9th month of the Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting, begins with the first appearance of the moon on Wednesday evening, March 22. A half hour after local sunset, search low above the western horizon to catch a glimpse of this hairline crescent that will hang a little over one degree to the upper left of Jupiter. The sliver of the moon will be only 2 percent illuminated and depending on what part of the country you're located, only 30 to 33 hours from its new phase. At this particular moment we can hardly call this a crescent moon. Rather, it will appear more like an exceedingly thin filament of light, encompassing less than a 180-degree arc, and only somewhat perceptible against the backdrop of the bright twilight sky. Jupiter, appearing as a sharp, bright dot might be easier to see. Binoculars will be most beneficial in your capturing a view of this rendezvous. An illustration of the night sky on March 22 showing Jupiter beside a sliver of the moon. (Image credit: Starry Night Education) March 27: The biggest planet rendezvous with the smallest On Monday evening (March 27), step outside about 20 minutes after sunset and look due west. Make sure that you have a clear and unobstructed horizon with no tall trees or buildings to block your view. If the weather is very clear that evening, what you will see is a meeting between the smallest and biggest planets in our solar system: Mercury and Jupiter. As I just alluded to, both of these worlds will be way down low ... troublesomely low, only about 5 degrees above the horizon in a bright twilight sky. That's roughly the equivalent of the width of half of your clenched fist held at arm's length. And although they both will be shining brilliantly — Mercury at magnitude -1.4 and Jupiter at magnitude -2.1 — both may be very difficult to see through the bright evening twilight. Your best chance to pick them up is initially to sweep low along the western horizon with good binoculars; then seek them out with your naked eye. Mercury will be to the right of brighter Jupiter. On this particular evening they will be separated by just 1.3 degrees; they'll appear separated by just over one-finger width at arm's length. In reality, nowhere near each other But looks are deceiving.
The two planets will merely happen to be along our same line of sight. Mercury on March 27 is 114.6 million miles (184.4 million km) from Earth, or put another way, 10.3 light-minutes away, while Jupiter is nearly 5-times farther: 550.9 million miles (886.5 million km) from Earth, or 49 light minutes away. There are other contrasts as well. Jupiter shines with a silvery glow, while Mercury tends to appear slightly orange-red in coloration. Of course, the biggest contrast is size. Jupiter is the solar system's largest planet with a diameter of 88,846 miles (142,984 km) compared to puny Mercury at 3,031 miles (4,878 km). And indeed, even though Mercury is nearly five times closer to us than Jupiter, in a telescope Jupiter's disk appears almost six times larger. Twinkle twinkle little planet In fact, because of its much smaller apparent size and closeness to the horizon, Mercury might even appear to twinkle a bit compared to Jupiter. Twinkling is an effect caused by the slight heat waves that are constantly rippling through Earth's atmosphere, chiefly just a few miles from your eyes. Stars are mere pinpoints of light and are subject to this twinkling effect all the time. Planets appear larger than a pinpoint and so they average out to a steady glow. Still, Mercury's small size plus its proximity to the horizon where the atmosphere is always quite unstable may impart a bit of twinkling to it. Going in opposite directions To this get together of two contrasting worlds, perhaps we can paraphrase that famous idiom of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Jupiter is heading in the direction of the sun; within a few days it will be rendered invisible by the solar glare. Mercury on the other hand, has been out of sight all through March having been too near the sun to be seen. But now it is emerging into view in the evening sky. But this week they are: "Two planets that pass in the twilight." Good luck and clear skies! www.space.com/jupiter-mercury-march-2023?utm_content=space.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_source=twitter.com
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Post by auntym on Mar 23, 2023 3:39:26 GMT -6
www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/5-planets-will-be-visible-in-florida-s-night-sky-at-the-same-time-this-month-here-s-how-you-can-best-see-them/ar-AA18WYCH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=72ddb5ea2e0542a4d9debb5eac80dff4&ei=155 Planets Will Be Visible in Florida's Night Sky at the Same Time This Month. Here's How You Can Best See ThemStory by Matt Stefanski and Monica Galarza 3-22-2023 If you love all things astronomy, you'll most certainly want to pay close attention to Florida's night sky next week.For one night, on Tuesday, March 28, five planets - Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus and Mars - will gather within a 50-degree sky sector - in what will be a rare astronomical phenomenon, according to the website Starwalk. Here's how you can best see them: What is the best time to see the planets? For anyone interested in the stellar astronomic event, you're encouraged to start your observations shortly after sunset. Two bright planets - Jupiter and Mercury - will be visible near the horizon, in the constellation Pisces. They won't be as easy to see as Venus, the brightest of all five planets. It will brightly shine with a magnitude of -4.0 in the constellation Aries, according to the website. Uranus, which likely won't be too far from Venus, will probably be the hardest to locate. You might even need a pair of binoculars to catch a glimpse of it. The fifth and final planet, Mars, will be higher in the sky, near the first quarter Moon in the constellation Gemini. What day will the planets be seen most clearly? March 28 will undoubtedly be the best day to see the planets in alignment, though they will be visible together in the days prior and those following. When was the last time this phenomenon occured? While planetary alignments themselves are rare, it has been less than a year since five other planets simultaneously dazzled stargazers. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were visible to most of the world in late June 2022. Even more recently, an alignment of two planets - Venus and Jupiter - occurred in recent weeks. www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/5-planets-will-be-visible-in-florida-s-night-sky-at-the-same-time-this-month-here-s-how-you-can-best-see-them/ar-AA18WYCH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=72ddb5ea2e0542a4d9debb5eac80dff4&ei=15
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Post by auntym on Mar 23, 2023 15:24:14 GMT -6
www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/when-where-and-how-to-see-the-rare-alignment-of-5-planets-in-the-night-sky-this-month/ar-AA18RSyt?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=cec982f4773e43d3a10750512a47c057&ei=55When, where, and how to see the rare alignment of 5 planets in the night sky this month
Story by ggoodwin@businessinsider.com 3-23-2023 Top to bottom: Mars, Uranus, Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury will align like this in late March. This image is not to scale. Images of the planets have been overlaid on the sky to show their order. Stellarium/NASA/Insider © Stellarium/NASA/Insider In a rare cosmic event, five planets will be visible in the sky after sunset from March 25th to 30th.Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, and Mars will align with the moon in a great arc across the sky. Venus will be easy to see, but Uranus may require binoculars. Time it just right to spot every planet. A projection of the view looking west just after sunset, at 7:57 p.m. local time on March 25, 2023, to see Jupiter and Mercury just above the horizon. Stellarium © Stellarium Don't miss the planet parade taking place at the end of March.Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus, and Mars are set to align in an arc formation on the nights of March 25 through 30, alongside the moon. Jupiter may sink into the sunset and get lost in sunlight after the 28th, though, so aim to see this relatively rare cosmic event by then. If you want to spot all five planets in one night, timing, dark skies, and a clear view of the horizon are key. How to set yourself up for the planetary parade CONTINUE READING: www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/when-where-and-how-to-see-the-rare-alignment-of-5-planets-in-the-night-sky-this-month/ar-AA18RSyt?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=cec982f4773e43d3a10750512a47c057&ei=55
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Post by auntym on Jun 2, 2023 11:14:35 GMT -6
solarsystem.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/What's Up: Skywatching Tips from NASAJUNE 2023NASA/JPL-Caltech
Mars and Venus, Summer Stars, and the June Solstice! The planets of war and love draw nearer each night, as the bright stars of Northern Hemisphere summer rise. And note the June solstice on the 21st.
Monthly Highlights
June 1-2 – Mars is in the Beehive Cluster (M44). Look for the Red Planet in the west after dark, where binoculars or a small telescope will reveal a backdrop of glittering stars in this open star cluster. June 3 – Full moon June 18 – New moon June 21 – The crescent Moon makes a lovely grouping with Venus and Mars tonight. Find them in the west following sunset. June 21 – June Solstice. For the north, it's the longest day of the year, as the Sun traces its highest, longest path across the sky. The situation is reversed in the Southern Hemisphere, where it's the shortest day of the year, during the cool months of winter. All month – Mars and Venus draw nearer each evening in the western sky following sunset. The pair will appear a bit lower in the sky each night. All month – Saturn leads Jupiter into the new day. The Ringed Planet rises around midnight, with Jupiter trailing behind a couple of hours later.
All month – The two bright stars high overhead in the first few hours after dark are Spica and Arcturus (for Northern Hemisphere skywatchers). Southern Hemisphere observers will find bright stars Alpha Centauri and Hadar, along with the stars of constellation Crux, in their south-facing view. All month – Notice the stars of the Summer Triangle – Vega, Deneb, and Altair – rising in the east in the couple of hours after dark. They rise earlier each month throughout the summer.CONTINUE READING: solarsystem.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/
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Post by auntym on Jul 4, 2023 0:13:11 GMT -6
What's Up: July 2023 Skywatching Tips from NASA
Jun 29, 2023
What are some skywatching highlights in July 2023?
Mars and Venus start the month close together, but part ways and head lower as July goes on. Mars appears very near Regulus in Leo on the 9th and 10th. Saturn and Jupiter rule the night, along with bright star Fomalhaut. And July is prime time for viewing the Milky Way core from dark sky locations.
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Post by auntym on Sept 1, 2023 20:40:25 GMT -6
solarsystem.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/?linkId=232725206What's Up for This Month? September 2023What's Up for September? Venus returns to the morning sky, the Harvest Moon, and in search of zodiacal light…After brightening our evening skies for most of this year, Venus has now switched over to being a morning sky object. Look for the superheated, cloud-covered planet as a bright beacon in the eastern sky before sunrise throughout the month. It will appear fairly high in the sky from the Northern Hemisphere – reaching 30 to 40 degrees above the horizon by month's end, depending on your latitude.CONTINUE READING: solarsystem.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/?linkId=232725206
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Post by auntym on Jan 2, 2024 20:39:16 GMT -6
What's Up: January 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASANASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jan 2, 2024
What are some skywatching highlights in January 2024? The year kicks off with the Quadrantid meteors, and some great Moon-planet pairings. Plus, did you know the stars shift in the sky by four minutes each day?Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What's Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at science.nasa.gov/skywatching/.... — Additional Resources — Find events & clubs: NASA's Night Sky Network: science.nasa.gov/skywatching/... Skywatching resources from NASA: science.nasa.gov/skywatching
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Post by auntym on Apr 3, 2024 13:11:14 GMT -6
What's Up: April 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASANASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Apr 1, 2024
What are some skywatching highlights in April 2024?
Catch Mars and Saturn rising, and Jupiter hangs out with Comet 12P. Plus NASA has you covered for the total eclipse whether you're headed to totality or watching from afar.
Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What's Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at science.nasa.gov/skywatching/....
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