We know who we are. ;)
The orionids meteor shower peaks this Saturday between 10 and 11 p.m.! Keep an eye out for shooting stars! :2guns: :wiz:
Bah. They're forecasting clouds all weekend.
Here's hoping conditions improve.
I'll be out in my parka and sleeping bag! Yeah for meteor showers! :D
Just adding today the message I received from Space Weather News:
ORIONID METEOR SHOWER: This weekend, a mild but pretty flurry of meteors will shoot out of the constellation Orion. The source is Halley's Comet. Although the comet itself is far away, ancient clouds of dust from the comet are nearby, and Earth is about to run through them. The best time to look is Saturday morning, Oct. 21st. Dozens of meteors might streak across the sky during the hours before sunrise. Dark skies are recommended!
AURORA WATCH: A solar wind stream is heading toward Earth, and it could spark a display of auroras when it arrives on Oct. 20th or 21st
Oh wow! That is so exciting about the auroras!
The last time I saw them was three or four years ago. I heard the meteorologist on the television mention them and I ran out back to look at the sky.
At first, I saw a red glare. As it intensified I called some nice science-oriented pals of mine who are from Texas and had never seen them. I took the phone out to my back steps just as the show began. Long greenish yellow streaks drifted in, made ribbed patterns with sparkles on the ends and drifted out silently. My friend and I just said "Wow... wow..." to eachother on the phone for about fifteen minutes. It was very cool.
Coincidentally, the same people are supposed to watch for orionids with me tomorrow night. It would blow our minds if we got to see the aurora borealis again!
Hmmm... gotta keep me posted on the aurora watch, 'specially if I'm headed up north for work. I've seen a few in the past, but nothing very spectacular.
Phil Platt
www.badastronomy.com
he is awesome and he has some of the best photo links ever on his blog like this one...
http://ciclops.org/view.php?id=2230&flash=1
hurry over to it and be amazed
Didn't see any aurora last night, but did catch a couple of orionids!
:)
I didn't see any aurora either, and worse yet, I slept through the meteor shower! :'(
Edit: Just received this from Space Weather News:
NORTHERN LIGHTS: As predicted, a solar wind stream hit Earth on Oct. 20th. The impact did not trigger a full-fledged geomagnetic storm. Nevertheless, colorful auroras appeared over Scandinavia and Iceland--and the display is still active almost two days later.
I guess since most of us don't live in Scandinavia or Iceland most of us probably did miss the colorful auroras.
For those of you who do not know about it, here (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html) is a link to NASA's Astronomy Picture Of the Day (APOD). Lots of cool pictures.
Cool picture from APOD...
(http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0610/venusmoon_eder.jpg)
The big arc is the Moon, the little arc is Venus.
That picture is fishtastic! Thank you.
(my kid liked it too!).
:toadfish:
From my e-mail, from spaceweather.com. I thought that this was really cool.
DEATH PLUNGE: Yesterday, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) caught a comet plunging toward the sun. It went in--but not out again. The sungrazing comet disintegrated like an ice cube in an oven. See the movie:
http://spaceweather.com./images2006/04nov06/c3_big.gif
I like looking at stars and stuff but know nothing about it. anyone recommend a good book?
From Science At NASA
Return of the Leonids
Nov. 14 , 2006: On Sunday, Nov. 19th, Earth will pass through a stream of debris from comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. The result: a shower of Leonid meteors.
"We expect an outburst of more than 100 Leonids per hour," says Bill Cooke, the head of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office in Huntsville, AL. This pales in comparison to the Leonid storms of 2001 and 2002, when sky watchers saw thousands of meteors. Even so, a hundred per hour would make the Leonids one of the best showers of 2006.
Forecasters differ on when the outburst will occur. Estimates range from 0445 UT to 0630 UT on Nov. 19th (11:45 p.m. on Nov. 18th to 1:30 am EST on Nov. 19th). The timing favors western Europe, Africa, Brazil and eastern parts of North America.
Extra: Don't believe everything you read. While meteor forecasters have done a splendid job predicting Leonid outbursts in recent years—sometimes "nailing the peak within minutes"—they could be wrong in 2006. The outburst might happen at an unexpected time or it might be better than expected. Cooke urges enthusiasts everywhere to keep an eye out for Leonid meteors the nights of Nov. 17th – 19th. "The best time to look," he says, "is just before local dawn when the constellation Leo is high in the sky."
Oooh! Oooh!
I'll be looking for them. Gotta look up where the constellation Leo is located at this time of year. I'm often up before dawn.
Thanks, Vita!
i am not sure that any timing during november 'favours western europe' when the purpose is to view the night sky. The timing may favour anone in Western Europe who can get above several miles of fog, thick rain clouds and general squalls but for most of us in England the best we can expect to see is the beautiful orange glow of sodium lights on low cloud.
anyone come up with a good introduction to astronomy book suggestion for me yet?
Skyguide: A Field Guide to the Heavens is a good one:
http://www.amazon.com/Night-Sky-Field-Guide-Heavens/dp/0307136671
Also the Astronomical Calendar is a great way to keep current on what's going on up there:
http://www.universalworkshop.com/pages/AC.htm
Speaking of which, we have the Geminids meteor shower going on tomorrow and the next night. The moon is new, so there's a good chance of spotting some, if your sky is clear enough.
Thanks Opsa, I was going to post about the Geminids also.
Science at NASA sent this today:
The 2006 Geminid Meteor Shower
Dec. 12 , 2006: The best meteor shower of the year peaks this week on Dec. 13th and 14th.
"It's the Geminid meteor shower," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office in Huntsville, Alabama. "Start watching on Wednesday evening, Dec. 13th, around 9 p.m. local time," he advises. "The display will start small but grow in intensity as the night wears on. By Thursday morning, Dec. 14th, people in dark, rural areas could see one or two meteors every minute."
Hi Vita! It was rainy this early morning, but now it's clearing up. I'm jumping up and down and waving my tiny fists and saying "eeeeee!" like a little school girl!
Hi all. Although this is not astronomy news, I received an interesting e-mail from Science@NASA re: this upcoming Tuesday's NOVA program, sounds interesting.
NASA Science News for Jan. 4, 2006
Mayan Ruins
For many years, space archeology has been a favorite topic of Science@NASA readers: NASA scientists use Earth-orbiting satellites to find ancient ruins invisible from ground level. Prime real estate for this kind of discovery is Central America. In that part of the world, satellites are not only revealing long-held secrets of the Maya, but also improving the everyday lives of modern Central Americans by helping them monitor and manage their environment.
For an update on this important work, we encourage you to tune in to a new PBS broadcast on Tuesday, Jan. 9th. It features pioneering space archeologist Tom Sever (Marshall Space Flight Center) and colleague Bill Saturno (University of New Hampshire) discussing their latest discoveries.
Channel: Your local PBS station
Program: Nova scienceNow
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 9th at 8 pm EST.
Also in other Astronomy News:
HOT COMET: Comet McNaught (C/2006 P1) is plunging toward the Sun. It won't hit, but at closest approach on Jan. 13th it will be much closer to the Sun than the planet Mercury. The comet will experience fierce heating and it could brighten considerably, emerging from the encounter brighter than a 1st magnitude star.
For the next few mornings, northerners can see Comet McNaught before it disappears into the Sun's glare. It's an easy target for binoculars hanging low in the eastern sky at sunrise. After Jan. 11th, only SOHO (the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) will be able to track the comet as it angles toward the bright Sun.
Thank you, Vita! I will be watching tomorrow morning with binoculars and tomorrow night on PBS.
:-*
Cool! Thanks Vita!
It'd be cool to have an astrological/astonomical calendar on the site. If anyone would like to fill in events let me know and I will put one up.
Quote from: MentalBlock996 on January 09, 2007, 12:59:13 AM
Cool! Thanks Vita!
It'd be cool to have an astrological/astonomical calendar on the site. If anyone would like to fill in events let me know and I will put one up.
Thanks MB, that would be really nice! :)
To see Comet McNaught, a clear view of the horizon is essential. In the morning, go outside and face east. The comet emerges just ahead of the rising sun. In the evening, face the other way--west. The comet pops out of the western twilight as soon as the sun sets. Binoculars reveal a pretty, gaseous tail.
Have a good day :piratetoadfish:
I like these new additions also! Thanks Aggie, Bluenose, MB!
WEH! I had too many clouds in the low eastern sky this morning, but didn't realize we'd have another chance for a peek at sunset tonight. Might we see it tomorrow morning, too?
MB- I'm expecting my 2007 Astronomical Calendar in the mail any day now and will try to help keep up with oncoming heavenly events. How about a general calendar that we can put all kinds of toadfish-interested events into? :toadfishwink:
Edit: Just to add to the woo-woo factor here, as i was typing the last line up there, someone knocked at my door. It was the mail lady with my Astronomical Calendar!
Here are two quite nice Astronomy calendars for this year:
http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy_calendar_2007.html
http://home.att.net/~tangents/tech/astrocal.htm
Maybe that could be of help for a start... :)
I know Opsa, me neither, let's try again this evening, here is the e-mail I received today:
Comet McNaught has continued to brighten as it approaches the sun and it is now the brightest comet in 30 years. For observers in the northern Hemisphere, tonight is probably the best time to see it: Go outside this evening and face the sunset. A clear view of the western horizon is essential, because the comet hangs very low. As the twilight fades to black, it should become visible to the naked eye. Observers say it's a fantastic sight through binoculars.
In the days ahead, Comet McNaught will pass the sun and emerge in good position for southern hemisphere viewing later this month. Meanwhile, solar heating will continue to puff up the comet, causing it to brighten even more. It could become one of the brightest comets in centuries, visible even in daylit skies.
The event calendar (http://toadfishmonastery.com/index.php?option=com_events&Itemid=29) is installed. Any registered user can add an event. Let an admin know if there is a need for another category.
MB
Wicked awesome, MB! I'll go mess around with it.
Vita,
Yesterday we had cloud cover in the PM. Ackkk! Might we be able to see it again this evening at sunset, or is it too much against the sun now?
I didn't see it Opsa either, we also had cloud cover, look again tomorrow, after that too late for us! :'(
When does it become visible in the Southern Hemishere?
I might see if I can get a phot and post it here. Can't wait!
Sibling Bluenose
Hey Bluenose!
This article: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/halleybeating-comet-to-glow-in-the-sunset/2007/01/12/1168105180973.html
suggests you may be able to see it Sunday or Monday.
Looks like we may be too cloudy to see it tonight. :(
Please do send a photo if you can!
It's rumoured to be visible here (college radio), but can't see it from my balcony. Durns... gonna have to try get outside and out of the skyscrapers at dusk.
Local radio suggested it should be visible this morning and the next two or three nights. No one has said what time of day, but I suppose it is would be at sunrise, given it was at sunset for the northern hemisphere before it went behind the sun. It was too hazy with smoke to see anything this morning, I will have a look tonight at sunset.
Dunno how I'll go getting a photo, but I'll give it a try.
Bluenose
Quote from: Vita Curator on January 12, 2007, 01:01:28 AM
I didn't see it Opsa either, we also had cloud cover, look again tomorrow, after that too late for us! :'(
Alas, too late for my area, too. Too much morning and evening cloud cover. The sun burns it off, sometimes, but that's late in the afternoon. *sigh*
I did see some cool pictures of it on Astronomy Pic of the Day (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html)
Still too much smoke over my place to see anything. :censored:
One of the astronomy sites I looked at yesterday suggested that the comet is going to put on quite a show in the southern hemisphere over the next few weeks, so if this is the case I may get a chance to photograph it. Lets hope.
Sibling Bluenose
Thanks Bob, great picture.
Keep trying for us Bluenose, we're countin' on ya buddy!
Quote from: Bluenose on January 15, 2007, 08:38:32 PM
Still too much smoke over my place to see anything. :censored:
One of the astronomy sites I looked at yesterday suggested that the comet is going to put on quite a show in the southern hemisphere over the next few weeks, so if this is the case I may get a chance to photograph it. Lets hope.
Sibling Bluenose
Yes, we are all countin' on those pics! ;D
Well, if its not smoke, now we've got clouds. At least I suppose there's a chance of rain...
Aye, I be shedding quite a few tears that I missed viewing this magnificent comet. Sniff Sniff, :'(
Another e-mail came in today hailing it's magnificence:
Last night at sunset, motorists in South Africa pulled over to watch what seemed to be a bush fire. As the twilight deepened, however, they realized it was something else: the extravagant tail of Comet McNaught. Even experienced astronomers say they've never seen anything quite like it. McNaught's tail materializes at sunset in the southern hemisphere and is visible to the unaided eye as a majestic fan of pale streamers.
The comet itself is visible only from the southern hemisphere, but its tail sweeps all the way back into northern skies. People in California, Colorado and Hawaii have seen it peeking above the western horizon about an hour after sunset. This "northern tail" is faint but pretty, and resembles a pale aurora borealis. (Dark skies are absolutely required.)
I am torn.
We have had about 50mm (2in) of much needed rain in the last few days. Not enough to break the drought, but we'll take it. So on one hand I am very happy.
On the other hand I have simply not been able to see the stars at night for over two weeks, what with the clouds and previously the smoke. I am despondant.
I yearn to see the fire upon the deep.
Sibling Bluenose
Check out the sensational photo about mid-page here:
http://www.spaceweather.com/
Looks like there's sunspots, too. I was getting a lot of interference with my satellit TV yesterday. Could that have been caused by sunspots?
Don't forget, this Saturday, total eclipse of the moon.
TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE: Set aside some time this weekend for sky watching. On Saturday night, March 3rd, there's going to be a total eclipse of the Moon. This means the Moon will glide through the heart of Earth's shadow and turn a beautiful shade of sunset red. Totality can be seen from parts of all seven continents including all of Europe and Africa and the eastern half of North America.
Quote from: Vita Curator on March 01, 2007, 09:06:02 PMthe eastern half of North America.
ah, tartar sauce! :(
AWESOME!!!!
I'm going to a party that night with my skywatching friends.
Looks like it'll be at moonrise, 5:22 around here.
Thanks Vita, m'dear!
Alas, the moonrise was a bust 'round these parts. Too bad.
I was able to se the end (which isn't really impressive) but the actual eclipse was eclipsed by the clouds. :-\
Here, as well. By the time the clouds moved, I could see the last little nibble on the upper right side of the moon. Just a shadow. Foo.
Has anyone heard about the meteorite that "took out" the home computer in IL maybe not being a real one. Might be a chunk of metal hurled from a wood chipper.
here is the link
http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=5264
I heard about that, but didn't know it was being refuted.
I wish they had a photo of it. We once found what looked like a molten rock in our yard and have always wondered if it might be a meteorite.
News for March 20 [ aside from the fact the equinox arrives this evening :toast: ]
GREEN COMET: There's a new comet in the southern hemisphere: Comet Lovejoy (C/2007 E2). Terry Lovejoy of Australia discovered it on March 15th using, remarkably, not a telescope but only an off-the-shelf digital camera. The green comet is too dim to see with the naked eye, but it is a nice target for backyard telescopes. After five days of monitoring, the comet's orbit is now known with some accuracy and it is possible to make predictions about Comet Lovejoy's future movements and brightness. Visit http://spaceweather.com for details.
BONUS--VENUS AND THE MOON: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west. You'll see Venus and the slender crescent Moon beaming together through the glow of sunset. If you miss the pair on March 20th, try again on the 21st. They will be beautifully close together on both nights.
Ooooh ...sexy! that'll be a nice sky decoration for my anniversary tomorrow!
;D
I'm having a current fetish with Nebula.
The attached ( and my new profile photo) is not one- but it is lovely
it's the Hubble center of the Milky Way
I simply think it is amazing ( and spiritual in my way) that we are made of the same stuff as stars, comets, nebula, etc.
Beautiful.
Isn't it almost weird that what's wa-a-a-ay out there can look so much like what's inside us? That could be a microscopic photo of some sort of corpuscular activity, couldn't it?
so true...
I'm always amazed by this living Universe we inhabit.
The oldest known meteor shower -- the Lyrids -- peaks this year on the morning of April 22 just four days after the Full Moon.
Full article here: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast18apr_1m.htm
Unfortunately, They probably won't be very visible in the city (and I can't get out of the city tonight) and because of the very bright moon.
I went out about 4ish, didn't see much. It did give me a connection to the bigger picture though. Something nice about spreading a blanket on the ground and visiting with the sky.
Perseid Meteor Shower Watch this weekend!
A new moon should make for beneficial conditions (barring weather) for viewing some Perseids this weekend. At optimum conditions, as many as 50 per hour may be spotted. According to the 2007 Astronomical Calendar, skywatchers in North, Central and Northern South America have the best chance to see the show.
Look low in the northeast sky after ten p.m. The Perseid radiant will move towards the high eastern sky by dawn. Perseids are active between July 17 and August 24, but peak around August 12-13 this year. They are fast, bright and sometimes leave a persistant trail!
Hey, I was thinking about getting out camping... might be a good call!
I wonder if the dog'll wanna be dragged out for a late-night walk.
Quote from: Alpaca on August 09, 2007, 02:01:57 PM
I wonder if the dog'll wanna be dragged out for a late-night walk.
In my experience cheese will help the dog decide-- usually a YES
Psssttt... my better half and I watched last night between 11 and midnight and we saw over a dozen shooting stars, some with lasting trains... and that wasn't even on peak night- which is tonight!
Pick up extra cheese and go look tonight!
I think that the show may start as early as 10 p.m.
:woot:
10 PM Eastern?
Yes!
Most Perseids I've previously spotted have been in the after 2 a.m. time period, when I'm in danger of dozing off.
The new moon really helps, if you don't have much cloud cover. I'm going to be out looking again tonight.
We saw a number of meteors, some quite large, last night around midnight. Even managed to get out to the edge of the city and walk out in the Provincial Park, so the light pollution wasn't too bad.
As a side note, I was overjoyed to see the Milky Way, as it's been some time since I've seen our galaxy.
I doubt I'll get a clear view tonight, as I'll be stuck downtown.
It will be very difficult to get a clear view tonight - damn "upscale communities" are polluted with pretentious street lamps everywhere.
Lunar eclipse coming up tomorrow for North America... does anyone have details on time/direction?
Cool! Thanks for the heads-up!
According to my Astronomy Nerd Calendar for 2007, it will happen in the middle of the night and set while it is still in eclipse. If I can't sleep, I'll go take a look around 3 a.m. while it's fully eclipsed. Apparently it's an extra long one this time.
More here: http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/lunar.html
Edit: I found a time table. I guess it won't be starting here until almost daybreak. http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/LEmono/TLE2007Aug28/TLE2007Aug28.html
So that's about 4 a.m. here. Hmm... might be worth a look if I remember to set the alarm.
And it's tonight, right? Always need to double-check dates when it's in the early AM...
Technically tomorrow, August 28th, but early in the morning, in what we might call tonight's nighttime hours.
I love lunar eclipses. Eclipsi? I saw one several decades ago that was full at sunset and it was an amazing sight. The sky was soft shell pink and the moon was bright copper. The colors swore at eachother in a most fascinating way. This one could be like that just before dawn.
I'm getting up sometime after 6 Eastern for school. I'll take a peek and see if I can't catch it.
It starts at about 7:30 PM Melbourne time. (In about 3 1/2 hours from now) If it is clear enough and my camera can take a good enough photo (don't have a very long lense, but it is reasonably high pixel count) I wil post a picci up here.
This eclipse is cool! I wish I had a decent camera.
Five minutes ago I was looking at the eclipse and a meteor fell straight down in front of the moon. That was very cool. Did anybody else see it?
Quote from: MentalBlock996 on August 28, 2007, 10:32:17 AM
Five minutes ago I was looking at the eclipse and a meteor fell straight down in front of the moon. That was very cool. Did anybody else see it?
Missed the meteor - I got up too late.
I tried for something new: I took shots of the eclipse at 2-minute intervals. Hopefully they turned out, especially since I couldn't really tell where my camera was aiming in the dark. Assuming I don't just have 30 shots of my neighbor's roof, I'll post something once I've checked them out and fiddled with them.
BTW - does anyone here have the software to make a whole whack of JPEGs into some sort of movie format, maybe slide show style? That might be cool for this.
Missed the meteor. But I did get lucky with the eclipse... woke up with about 2/3 eclipsed, and discovered that I could see it very well from my bed if I opened the blinds. Kind of drifted in and out until total eclipse, then fell asleep.
I got up around 5:41 but it was too cloudy in that part of the sky. I hope someone got photos.
I managed to get two somewhat fuzzy photos, regrettably we had a fair amount of high level cloud.
Unfortunately my camera is overseas at the moment, so I didn't get any pics. It was beautifully clear here, and the light pollution wasn't enough to obscure the moon.
Thanks Bluenose!
Aggie- did you see any red?
Yes, it was a brown/red/orange colour, particularly around the edges.
Nice nightlight to fall back asleep to.... I was going to stand out on the balcony until I realized I could keep my head on the pillow to watch. ;)
Quote from: Sibling Lambicus the Toluous on August 28, 2007, 02:27:50 PM
BTW - does anyone here have the software to make a whole whack of JPEGs into some sort of movie format, maybe slide show style? That might be cool for this.
Yes. Although I'm on a Mac. I'd be happy to glue them together if you sent them to me, though.
I didn't end up seeing it myself. :(
At long last, eclipse photos (http://s134.photobucket.com/albums/q110/lambicus/Eclipse/)!
The order of the photos got a bit messed up - go by the number in the photo, not the order they're in the album. The first two were tests; the photos at 2-minute intervals start with eclipse03.jpg.
Quote from: Alpaca on August 29, 2007, 02:33:38 PM
Yes. Although I'm on a Mac. I'd be happy to glue them together if you sent them to me, though.
Sure... is the photobucket album good enough, or do you want me to send you originals? The whole bunch of 'em come out a little under 25 MB.
Has anybody else heard about the Aurigid meteor shower tonight/tomorrow morning? It's supposed to be short but intense - less than an hour in duration. I might have to get up for this one. It's probably not visible for most of the Siblings here, though.
http://aurigids.seti.org/
Quote from: Sibling Lambicus the Toluous on August 31, 2007, 04:58:44 AM
Sure... is the photobucket album good enough, or do you want me to send you originals? The whole bunch of 'em come out a little under 25 MB.
That's just perfect. I'll have it done either tomorrow or Sunday, depending how events happen.
:P Raining out with 3 hours to go. :P
Drat! Wish I'd seen this. We had clear weather last night. :-\
I think it was a west coast showing only. That was so unfair for us east coasters.
Alrighty! Stiched together Lambicus's photos.
http://burlesondems.org/upload/Eclipse.mov
Do let me know is anyone wants a different format, different size, different framerate, different whatever.
Make it into an animated gif? :oops: ;)
Hey Astronomy Nerds!
It's time again for the Orionids meteor showers. They usually peak on October 21st, but occasionally they put on a preview on October 17th and 18th. Take a peek after ten p.m. if you're in the Northern Hemisphere. They appear to eminate from Orion, which appears in the eastern sky at this time of year.
Orionids tend to be very fast, sometimes bright and leave persistant trains about half the time.
We have a couple of meteor showers coming our way.
Firstly, the Southern and Northern Taurids are upon us right now. The Southern peaks around the 5th and the Northern peaks around the 12th.
The Leonids will be peaking around November 18th. This year the waxing moon may make viewing fairly good, especially for toadfish in Europe, North Africa and the Near East. They come at Earth headlong, and so appear very fast and often bright, and over half leave persistant trains.
Thank you for the heads up! :)
I will be on the countryside dog sitting around the 18/11 so I actually have a chance to see The Leonids (there's too much light pollution where I usually live).
Cool! Tell us if you spot any!
Lunar eclipse coming to the Americas on February 20th and to Western Europe February 21st!
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/LEmono/TLE2008Feb21/TLE2008Feb21.html
Just saw this on Google News.
Here's a diagram for CENTRAL standard time. Diagram from NASA website. For EASTERN, it'd be +1 hour, for MOUNTAIN, it'll be -1 hour and for PACIFIC, it will be -2 hours.
(http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/LEmono/TLE2008Feb21/image/TLE2008Feb21-CST.GIF)
Waugh!!! It's supposed to be cloudy here tomorrow night!
Quote from: Opsanus tau on February 19, 2008, 07:04:14 PM
Waugh!!! It's supposed to be cloudy here tomorrow night!
Same for here, too. *bleah* It was all Sunny on Monday....
Got lucky and saw the space shuttle and the space station pass over this evening. A friend called me up right before they went over and told me they would be visible. Went outside and it was cloudy to the east, but fairly clear to the west where they passed. Two bright dots (about magnitude 0) passing from west to south about 1 minute apart.
Quote from: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on February 20, 2008, 01:47:38 AM
Quote from: Opsanus tau on February 19, 2008, 07:04:14 PM
Waugh!!! It's supposed to be cloudy here tomorrow night!
Same for here, too. *bleah* It was all Sunny on Monday....
Webcast, anyone?
http://www.ucalgary.ca/rao/
Quote from: Agujjim on February 20, 2008, 05:32:23 AM
Webcast, anyone?
http://www.ucalgary.ca/rao/
:tyrose: Thank you. :tyrose: I will also pass that along, to my peeps in OK-- for it looks like a cloudy day today. :censored:
It's supposed to be nice and clear here, so hopefully it'll be a good show. I should be able to see it from my balcony depending on the height of the moon... if not, I might have to go for a walk.
It's cloudy with snow showers here right now, but there's a possibility it will clear by eclipse time! :D
Same here, cloudy specifically at the expected time :(
Too cloudy. I suppose I'll have to console myself with the webcast video.
*bleah*
Not the same AT ALL!
Actually, the cloud cover had holes and I was able to see it (and I was actually able to see the rings of Saturn too!).
:yippee: :YaY:
I took pictures but those didn't work at all (too blurred or too grainy) :-\
Cool, Zone!
It was cloudy here all day until 7:30 when everything cleared up completely, so we got to see it. The Opsalette was jazzed!
here's a link to a time-lapsed of the lunar eclipse of the 2nd
Here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVkkCVh5t0E)
WOW! That's cosmic!
Thanks, Duje!
Does anyone working drawings for one of those sidewalk astronomer homemade telescopes ?
I want to make a big one so I can see Jupiter up close .
The one i saw was made of left over building materials at a cost of $0.00
Here's a plan for a Newtonian type (basically a large front-surface mirror, a smaller front surface mirror and some eye-piece optics. http://www.altair.org/bluenewt.html
The first two are mounted in a frame, than can be anything. Metal is usual. The larger of the two mirrors ideally is parabolic, but spherical works just as well, only not as efficient. You can make both yourself, of course.
The optics are better made from commercial optics-- like camera optics/etc.
Quote from: Bruder Cuzzen on March 26, 2008, 01:40:12 AM
Does anyone working drawings for one of those sidewalk astronomer homemade telescopes ?
I want to make a big one so I can see Jupiter up close .
The one i saw was made of left over building materials at a cost of $0.00
I would google Dobsonian telescopes. It is a Newtonian reflector with a very simple mount. It is designed for direct viewing, but not photography...since you have to keep adjusting the view to keep an object centered. Size is limited pretty much by how large a mirror you can grind (or get your hands on).
Here's a site from the US Naval Observatory:
http://www.usno.navy.mil/8inchdob.shtml
Loved this pic from APOD.
(http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0803/NGC2841cass50_schedler_c800.jpg)
Wow! That's amazing. Makes me think of that old song:
"Wheel in the sky keeps on turning..."
Well, lest we all think Microsoft is completly evil, they go and to this, which is very cool-- and free.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/05/13/MNC510K233.DTL (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/05/13/MNC510K233.DTL)
Quote
Computer users now can fly through the universe, viewing stars, planets and celestial bodies as an astronomer would, with Tuesday's introduction of the Worldwide Telescope by Microsoft.
The virtual service combines images and databases from every major telescope and astronomical organization in the world.
Microsoft says it is providing the resource for free in memory of Jim Gray, the Microsoft researcher who disappeared last year while sailing his boat to the Farallon Islands on a trip to scatter his mother's ashes. The project is an extension of Gray's work.
"I never imagined (the telescope) would be so beautiful," said Alexander Szalay, an astronomy professor at Johns Hopkins University who worked with Gray on astronomy projects for more than a decade.
Apparently, you can download free software that lets you look at telescope images from world-wide telescopes.
Pretty cool, actually.
It doesn't work on Vista though. :mrgreen:
Quote from: MentalBlock996 on May 13, 2008, 08:04:45 PM
It doesn't work on Vista though. :mrgreen:
Yet another reason to say with XP. :devil2:
Quote from: MentalBlock996 on May 13, 2008, 08:04:45 PM
It doesn't work on Vista though. :mrgreen:
NOTHING works on Vista. Vista doesn't work on Vista.
(The City bought Vista heavily when it came out. The City has just reinstalled XP because our water bills are billing out at 6.3 x the gallons used charge, plus some unknown other stuff...the average bill now being $877. Did I TELL the City Manager? Oh, yes, I did...as did numerous others.)
Vista eats data and spits out crap, IF it works at all. And it's not compatible with the Uniform Municipal Water Billing software that most towns under 500,000 in the US use, even though they said it would be.
Oh, anybody wanna pay my water bill? :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL:
Quote from: beagle on May 14, 2008, 07:08:32 AM
Quote from: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on May 13, 2008, 08:14:34 PM
Quote from: MentalBlock996 on May 13, 2008, 08:04:45 PM
It doesn't work on Vista though. :mrgreen:
Yet another reason to say with XP. :devil2:
Works fine for me.
I was just having a little fun at Vista's expense. Should have used this :devil2: so you'd know I was lying.
Ah, right. Haven't had any major Vista problems so far. But I haven't had this quarter's water bill yet.
Am a bit pissed off they didn't put encrypting file system in Home Premium though.
Quote from: beagle on May 14, 2008, 07:08:32 AM
Works fine for me.
Then you are the only person I know fortunate enough to have MeII, I mean, Vista working properly.
I loathe the thing, when (should I say
if?) it works its heavily annoying.
Oh, I almost forget, I installed the MS telescope program and it is very distracting in the good way.
* INSERT GENERIC SWEAR HERE *
Comcast just 'lost' my Internet connection when I clicked "post". Let's try again...
I have steadfastly resisted Vista as it isn't compatible with my Adobe CS package and I can't upgrade that right now, either. So far XP has worked OK, as far as this Mac grrl is concerned.
Then about a month ago RealPlayer displayed a prompt for an upgrade patch. I've never had any problems with those so I OK'd without thinking. Big. Mistake. Now RealPlayer launches itself at random times during a session, whining that it can't find some bizarrely named update file. As if that was my fault. I even tired deleting it entirely with Add/Remove and reinstalling a fresh one from RP. No use. Worst of all from my perspective, I can no longer burn audio or video clips to data cds. GRRRRRRRR.
Do any XP-techie-savvy geek sibs out there have suggestions on repairing this? Thanks in advance.
(I have free version as I don't need or want all the bells and whistles of a subscription.)
Have you tried Googling for the exact error message? I tried a general search but it appears riddled with faults going back years. Would have thought by far your best hope is finding someone who has documented the fix already.
If the problem survives a re-install the odds are it is preserving inaccurate state information in registry keys or files it doesn't clear up on an uninstall. Hunting down and killing them all is a bit high risk unless you're a serious geek though.
If you are seriously geeky then Spy++ (part of Visual Studio and maybe the SDK) can tell you what process created a given window, and process monitor from
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/sysinternals/default.aspx
with a suitable filter can show you what registry keys or files that process is looking at. Then you can see if they survive an uninstall, and contemplate manually zapping them. It's high risk because zapping the wrong thing by mistake will leave you with an ex-operating system.
If your eyes have glazed over, or you don't have a beard, or you change your T shirt more than once a month or don't drink real ale but do have a social life then this route probably isn't for you*.
* Was going to add or you can't name all the Doctor Who actors in order, but I'm pretty sure you could.
If you are adventurous enough there are 2 basic things you can do:
1. Check your start up programs
2. Check active services
You can check both of those with the System Configuration Utility. To run it, click the Start button, Run, then type 'msconfig' and click 'OK'.
The last 2 tabs are 'Services' and 'Startup'. Look on Startup first and uncheck 'realshed' or any other thing that looks like Real. The go to Services, click the checkbox called 'Hide all microsoft services', and look for anything that looks Real Networks, Real One, Real Player related.
Be careful with your services, some are essential to your system and while most are labeled under 'Microsoft Corporation' (which should be hidden if you click on the check box) some may say 'Unknown' but be important to run certain programs.
Reboot your system and check if it behaves better.
Quote from: beagle
* Was going to add or you can't name all the Doctor Who actors in order, but I'm pretty sure you could.
Yes, I'm sorry to say that I can. Of course, only one is *the* Doctor. (http://www.lunaestas.com/doctorwho/smilies/doc_04_grin.gif)
Thanks for the good info. I'll try some of that when I get resettled.
Also, thanks Zono. It occurs to me I have a set of disks with a complete Geek-squad backup & recovery, and there might be something there I can use to replace if I;m still having trouble.
Astronomy Toadfish Nerds- plan your parties now for the annual Perseids Meteor Shower!
"PERSEIDS
Predicted Maximum: August 12, 11:30 UT [= Aug. 12, 4:30am PDT; = Aug. 12, 7:30 am EDT])
Moon: Waxing Gibbous (moderate interference)
(radiant map from IMO)
WHEN TO WATCH: Tuesday morning, August 12, from about 1:00 am until morning twilight gets too bright.
The Perseids are probably the most-watched annual meteor shower. The shower has a very long duration, from about July 15 through August 25. The shower is most interesting around its peak on August 12 or 13. This year, the peak comes on August 12 because of the leap year. The radiant is above the horizon the entire night for observers north of latitude 32N, but it is fairly low at the end of evening twilight. Evening Perseid rates are fairly low, and the bright Moon makes things worse this year. The real meat of the show comes during the predawn hours when the Moon is down and the radiant is high.
Predawn rates for observers with truly dark skies may exceed 100 Perseids per hour (West Coast of North America and/or Eastern Asia may be favored this year), with a nice sprinkling of sporadic and minor shower meteors added to the mix. Adjacent mornings from August 10 through August 13 are well worth watching, although rates will be significantly lower.
Perseids are fast meteors and tend to be fairly bright on average. An occasional fireball is seen. "
Info from http://skytour.homestead.com/met2008.html#anchor_9
ZOMG we will be at a big electronic music festival the weekend of/before... and still up during the dawn hours listening to chill-out sets I'll wager. Cooooosmic, duje....
Indeed!
We're going to a dinner party August 9th at our friends' house which is on a hill out in the country. Their back deck is good for stargazing. Plus, they are Texans and party like Toadfish.
Hope we see some (before we pass out from sheer hospitality)!
MEMO: Keep your eye out for the Perseids meteors this coming week, especially pre-dawn the 12th and 13th!
I was listening this morning to NPR while taking my son to his violin lesson and we heard a note in NPR about an amateur astronomer volunteer (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93456780) who found a 'space ghost'.
She is a member of an online community called Galaxy Zoo (http://www.galaxyzoo.org/) and they are taking volunteers.
(where is the telescope emo? ;))
Isn't that the remains of Krypton?
This thread is confusing. Is Vista anywhere near Jupiter?
Only in size.
Aw heck- anyone can find Space Ghost. I got him right here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2tXroEp6vA&feature=related
BRAK!!
Where's Q??
I dunno, I haven't seen him lately ( and miss him). I also haven't spotted any Perseid meteors yet, but I'm going to look again tonight and tomorrow, if we have clear weather.
Well, we BBQed last night and hung out by the fire, hoping to spot a meteor, but (as usual) a nice flock of clouds flew in right about at nightfall, so no sightings. Still, it was fun to hang outdoors. Might try again tonight.
(I did see whole flocks of them with golden sparkly trails in my dreams last night!)
Happy 100,000th to Hubble!
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2008/31/
Cool! My dad helped on the robot arm on the Hubble. I'll send him a congrats.
Thanks!
Astronomy porn ahead
beautiful and often interactive photos of our amazing universe
Sky Factory (http://www.skyfactory.org/index.htm)
What's that rumble
Oh that's just Space X doing a test
look for the video link to the 3 minute burn test-- shake and bake baby!
Space X burn test (http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/23/spacex-wakes-up-some-texans/)
Now where did I put that darn toolbag anyway
Read and find the link to the short video of the toolbag in orbit-- way cool- it is a streak -- it will be up there for a while.
ISS toolbag in orbit video (http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/23/canadian-fireball-was-not-the-iss-toolbag/)
note there are several links here you want to look for the Universe Today part about the 2nd or 3rd paragraph.
Awesome, ABabe!
Did you see the footage of the meteor in Alberta that was taken from a squad car dashboard cam?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27848645/
I saw that. It was awesome. I heard it was associated with two sonic booms.
That is way cool-- would love to hear the dual sonic boom maybe someone got it and will put it up somewhere.
I am so glad I wasn't that cops dispatcher- that is a SHHTF moment.
Check this out-- I possibly heard about it in September but it didn't make a dent in my brain
It sure should have
Retrograde Trans-neptune object (http://www.cfeps.net/CFEPS/KV42_Press.html)
I think that 2008 KV42 is possibly a toadfish due to it's nonconformity to the 'rules'.
OMG- It goes backwards! They should have named it after me! ;D
Did anyone catch the convergence of Venus, Jupiter and the Moon last night? It was awesome from here!
Photo (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/12/081202-venus-jupiter-photo.html)
Quote from: Opsanus tau on December 02, 2008, 07:54:51 PM
Did anyone catch the convergence of Venus, Jupiter and the Moon last night? It was awesome from here!
Photo (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/12/081202-venus-jupiter-photo.html)
Yep. went outside to see it and there was some light mid level cloud cover,with the moon just visible through it, but a few minutes later the cloud had moved and we could see the "smiley face" clear as a bell. Very bright and spectacular!
Yes and it was very nice.
Once again if you do not subscribe to Phil Plaits blog feed you are missing out.
Link Here (http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/07/voyaging-deep-into-the-universe/) to a picture full of 'stuff' at first it seems to be an ordinary star picture- nice and all with lots and lots of stars
but wait
it's not stars
it is galaxies-- hundreds and hundreds and hundreds
The Anthrobabe be humbled at her tiny self existing in this universe...
Somehow it makes me feel less alone, seeing all those possibilities.
The Geminids meteor shower will be on December 13th, this Saturday. The full moon will block a lot of them from here, but it's still worth a peek.
I need to scribble that on me calender-- and this is the time of year I am changing from one dayminder (aka the BRAIN don't loose it) to another. I need a blackberry or something but just can't afford it for now so it's the good old pen and ink system for me.
I'm with you, Sib. If I had a blackberry I'd probably lose it, anyway.
Biggest full moon of the year tonight (http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20090109/sc_space/saturdaynightspecialbiggestfullmoonof2009)
...and wouldn't ya know it's raining here? :(
This isn't exactly astronomy news, but is related.
Methane plumes have been discovered on Mars. Similar plumes on Earth are often the result of methane formed by bacteria far underground.
So, this is a possible sign of life on Mars.
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2009/01/15/live-blogging-the-mars-methane-mystery-aliens-at-last/
Wow! That is too cool!
"One thing is for certain, there is no stopping them; the ants will soon be here. And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords. I'd like to remind them that as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to...toil in their underground sugar caves."
-Kent Brockman
Can anyone recommend a good basic astronomy field guide (a gift for a friend)?
Something that will serve as a good introduction to constellations, major stars and the planets; doesn't need to be comprehensive. :)
Quote from: Agujjim on January 18, 2009, 09:33:43 PM
Can anyone recommend a good basic astronomy field guide (a gift for a friend)?
Something that will serve as a good introduction to constellations, major stars and the planets; doesn't need to be comprehensive. :)
I have "A Field Guide to the Stars and Planets" by Menzel. I don't think it is still in print, but I think this...
http://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-Stars-Planets/dp/0395934311/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1232334409&sr=1-1
...is an updated version. Also, the "Peterson First Guide to Astronomy" mentioned on the same page is supposed to be good.
Quote from: Agujjim on January 18, 2009, 09:33:43 PM
Can anyone recommend a good basic astronomy field guide (a gift for a friend)?
Something that will serve as a good introduction to constellations, major stars and the planets; doesn't need to be comprehensive. :)
Ok-been waiting to do this-wishing for a reason to do so-- :mrgreen: Guide Linky (http://www.amazon.com/Hitchhikers-Guide-Galaxy-Douglas-Adams/dp/0345391802)
100 Hours of Astronomy
Link (http://www.100hoursofastronomy.org/) -- enjoy!
What happend on April 12th, 1961?
The first human being- Yuri Gagarin- left Earths atmosphere to become the first person in space.
Celebrate --- Yuri's Night (http://yurisnight.net/) ----
Then on April 12th, 1981 (just 20 years later) what happened?
First Space Shuttle Launch-- STS1---- Columbia--
[youtube=425,350]KwLlzUSOW_E[/youtube]
"Columbia, Houston-go throttle up."
"Roger, go throttle up."
Now that's Rock and Roll!
I wasn't here yet when Kennedy was asassinated-- but I remember being at school and my teacher wheeling in a TV and watching this...
OH, yeah, make me feel old. :mrgreen:
I spent that evening helping out friends who owned a restaurant near NASA because they had a private party in their banquet room...the Columbia Houston Team. About 30 of them...or about 100 bottles of champagne worth.
Some of them had been up for 36 straight hours, and just crashed. We had the waiters drive them home and take a cab back to the restaurant. They booked EVERY after-shuttle party there, for years.
How Phil crashes the internet thingie
he give stuff away
post here and you have a chance too!
Phil Plait twofer (http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/04/alien-hunter-bookcd-giveaway/#comment-180718)
but soon he 'draws' on like the 7th or 8th
What fun! I signed up.
LRO images some of that stuff on the Lunar Surface-- like landers, tracks, equipment, etc-- you know the stuff we left behind when we visited.
Now I suppose the moon hoax cretins will say these images are fakes too.
Sigh
LRO Images link via BA (http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/07/17/apollo-landing-sites-imaged-by-lro/)
Of course those are fake, how long would it take to doctor the pictures (and wait 40 years to do so...)? ::)
---
Cool pics. 8)
Quote from: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on July 20, 2009, 01:56:01 AM
Of course those are fake, how long would it take to doctor the pictures (and wait 40 years to do so...)? ::)
---
Cool pics. 8)
snort-- yep already in the conspiracy threads of BAUT forum there are screams of hoax, hoax! (BAUT is the Bad Astronomy and Universe Today forum).
Hey Astronerds!
I'm trying to get info about the solar eclipse on Tuesday or Wednesday in Asia.
I have this: http://www.techdreams.org/general/how-to-watch-july-22-2009-total-solar-eclipse-live-webcast/3007-20090712
And this guy (http://www.examiner.com/x-4865-Christian-Worldview-Examiner~y2009m7d20-4-places-to-watch-theJuly-22nd-full-solar-eclipse-online--The-heavens-declare-the-glory-of-God) gets kinda religionnoying on us, but shows a neat animated graphic of the path.
Oh I know- a full solar eclipse-- way cool.
There was an airliner that was booking for 41,000 feet at the time of the eclipse- sold out naturally- and up to 1,600 us dollars for it. Worth it in my humble opinion.
Some towns in India are full of visitors.
but-- There is some bad mythology in India (Hindu anywhere) about solar eclipses.
In fact it seems that parents will do almost anything to keep their baby from being born the day of an eclipse.
Hindu mythology news story from Yahoo (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090720/sc_afp/scienceastronomyeclipseasiatourismsuperstition)
and more on Rahu and Ketu from Sanskrit dot org (http://www.sanskrit.org/www/Astronomy/Rahu.html)
Ha1 I liked this part at the end:
*************************
Siva Prasad Tata, who runs the Astro Jyoti website, straddles the two worlds.
"There's no need to get too alarmed about the eclipse, they are a natural phenomenon," the astrologer told AFP.
But he added: "During the period of the eclipse, the opposite attracting forces are very, very powerful. From a spiritual point of view, this is a wonderful time to do any type of worship.
"It will bring about good results, much more than on an ordinary day."
**************************
Some people are using it as a time for meditation on the balancing of feminine and masculine: http://www.prweb.com/releases/solar_eclipse/meditation/prweb2661924.htm
I think taking any time of energy in nature- eclipse, storm, seasonal change and putting to 'work ' in ones meditation can be useful.
We are seasonal beings- mainly diurnal bipedal apes- and we have evolved with the seasons over the eons- there is a balance between nature and the body.
Hear, hear! Let's dance-
:badger: :taz: :stars: :pinkelephant: :YaY: :kisshands:
Hey Astronomy Toadfish Nerds:
It's time for the Perseids Meteor Shower (http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/31jul_perseids2009.htm) again!
We were at a patio party way out in the boonies a couple of weeks ago, and spotted a few early ones (or maybe late stragglers from another shower) purely by accident.
They're saying that the moon (full on August 5) may interfere with peak viewing this year (August 11-12 around midnight), but I'll still be gazing, probably before moonrise each night.
Ooh, thanks for the reminder. I was planning to go camping for 'em again this year, but Reggae Fest is that weekend. I'll keep an eye out for any that are big enough to overcome the light pollution.
HUJE lightning storm downtown here late Sunday night - not astronomical but probably the biggest natural spectacle I've had the pleasure to witness. Saw two transformers blow, and some strikes to ground/buildings within 5-10 blocks (LOTS within 5-10 km), plus massive amounts of cloud-to-cloud lightning. I've heard reports of tornadoes and fist-sized hail outside of the city.
Thanks for the reminder. Hugs!
Dunno about the perseids but I was surprised a day ago with the aparent size of Jupiter (@about 120o from the moon). At first I thougt it was venus but my sky map quickly corrected that misperception.
According to this site (http://www.jodrellbank.manchester.ac.uk/astronomy/nightsky/), Jupiter has been passing in front of a star, which may have made it appear brighter than normal.
That site also says that the Perseids may be more visible on August 15th, the last peak day, since the moon will have waned a bit more by then.
Was out staring the sky last night, looking for Perseids. Saw quite a few, some good big ones, with trails visible as well. Excellent. And the most entaining thing? Got paid for it, as we were out to do a bat survey.....
"Oooh, look, Perseids!"
"Andy, pay attention to the bat detector."
"Oooh, look, Peseids!"
"Actually, that is rather cool. There's another one!"
"James, pay attention to the bat detector."
"Smartarse. Just for that, you can walk home..."
Lucky Elephant! It's been cloudy here both the past nights, and will probably be cloudy again, tonight.
FOO!
I've been out in the back yard watching the last couple of nights (better Wedneday night than Tuesday), so I'm a bit sleep deprivvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
I just ran across this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAVjF_7ensg&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eadvrider%2Ecom%2Fforums%2Fshowthread%2Ephp%3Ft%3D496667&feature=player_embedded
If there is anything worth seeing in the sky, it's cloudy that day but clear the day before and after.
If there is a solar eclipse, the clouds will be patchy but move in at strategic moments.
Has been the same for years now. Have yet to see a shooting star for real.
Be on the lookout for the Orionids meteor shower tonight!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20091020/sc_space/getoutorionidmeteorshowerpeaksovernight
I have been up at 3 am and so the show live... great!
And tonight I have seen 3 shooting stars... I feel priviledged!
Indeed you are- I haven't caught one yet!
I read this morning that the Leonids (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33589356/ns/technology_and_science-science/) might be a good meteor show this year! They should be visible the night of Nov 17-18.
This seems the appropriate place for this:
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/12/spaceshiptwo-christened-as-vss-enterprise/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher (http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/12/spaceshiptwo-christened-as-vss-enterprise/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher)
It is indeed the future, Bob! I love the illustrations on the sides- so retro!
By the way- look out for the Geminids (http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/08dec_geminids.htm) meteor shower this Sunday night. We'll be in a new moon, so the show could be a good one!
:update:
Last night when I was driving around 9:15 pm I spotted a Geminid meteor which fell from the top of the sky all the way down to the west-northwest horizon. It was yellow and had no train, but skidded smoothly down the dome of the sky. It was awesome!!
WOLF MOON (http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20100129/sc_space/biggestandbrightestfullmoonof2010tonight) TONIGHT!
Wow - noticed it was bright last night, will have to get out for a stroll tonight.
The sky was very clear here last night, and we had sprinkling of snow, so it was very bright indeed.
Clouded in all night here, although I did get out for a stroll (and a couple of pints ;)).
It was snowing here last night, but I could still see the big moon peering through the clouds.
As Steve Irwin used to say: "Cor- it's a big one!"
Sounds the same as here - fine ice crystals, just a veil to shroud Luna's face.
Women Who Run (http://www.amazon.com/Women-Wolves-Clarissa-Pinkola-Estes/dp/0345409876) with the Wolf Moon
(http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/eq2/images/2/28/Icon_WolfBlueMoonHowl.gif)
Sir Humph would like to say a word on this topic:
In Soothe I knowe not, what may bee thys WOLF MOON, of whych ye speake. Butt in my tyme wee hadde CANDLEMASSE DAY, whych I suppose may bee ye same Thynge. David telleth mee, ye bee of a REBELL COLONIE, which hath growne up across yee SEA in Virginia, and thus it is, thatte ye knowe no better.
I remayne,
Yr Most Humble & Obt Svt,
Humphrey Gryblynge, Bart.
Dear Sir Humphrey,
Some of us have indeed heard of Candlemas, as English settlers brought over some of the traditions from Europe. The "Wolf Moon" is a traditional name for the first full moon of the year, according to some of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. We tend to swing both ways, here, as it were.
Humbly,
Sibling Opsa
Sir Humph says,
I fear, I have misjudg'd you. 'Twas my ignorance, of ye Customs, of yr lande.
I remayne Yr Obt Svt,
Humphrey Gryblynge
It's quite all right, given the circumstances.
:)
Sir H is pestering me for the laptop.
I had Hearde, there were none butt Ignorant SAVIDGES in that COLONIE. But I now am Toald, ye have a Civilysed REPUBLICKE, which signifieth, ye proceede just as we, but change yr KINGE every foure or eighte YEERS and calle hym, by an other NAME. Whch were goode, if ye hadde a Kynge like unto our JAMES. But they saye, yr last was a moast Ignorant SAVIDGE, so not all is chang'd.
I remayne,
Yr True Frende, (as I thynke, I may now Saye in thyss Place)
Humphrey Gryblynge.
Plan your Perseids Parties now! I just found this on the EarthSky website:
"August 12 and 13, 2010 Perseids
And when we say August 12 or 13, we mean the morning hours after midnight ... not that night. These typically fast and bright meteors radiate from a point in the constellation Perseus the Hero. But you don't need to know Perseus to watch the shower. The meteors appear in all parts of the sky. The Perseids are considered by many people to be the year's best shower, and often peak at 50 or more meteors per hour. 2010 is a great year for the Perseids. This year, the slender waxing crescent moon will set at early evening, leaving a dark sky for this year's Perseid show. The Perseids tend to strengthen in number as late night deepens into midnight, and typically produce the most meteors in the wee hours before dawn. These meteors are often bright and frequently leave persistent trains. On the mornings of August 12 and 13, watch the Perseid meteors streak across this short summer night from midnight until dawn. Lie back and watch meteors until dawn's light washes the stars and planets from the sky. The morning of August 11 should be good, too – in fact, this shower tends to rise gradually to a peak for about a week. Then it's known to drop off rapidly after the peak mornings."
It's looking good!
I can already make the weather forecast for Berlin for these days: clouds, clouds clouds (as in the last x years)
We tend to have a lot of haze in the sky here in August, even when it's clear, but some years we luck out, and can enjoy the Perseids. We have friends that have just built a nice deck and we're helping them plan a party around the Perseids to celebrate its completion.
Hopefully will be sitting in a natural hot pool in Idaho for these ones...!
Dang the village street-lights - we have to go to the top of the hill. We generally sit in a field for a while.
I do believe i've heard something about the Southern Aquarids (spelling?) tonight and tomorrow night--- need to check Earth and sky online.
Hey, you were right, A'Babe! The Southern Delta Aquarids (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Delta_Aquariids) peaked last night. We were too cloudy to see them, here, but I'll check for strays tonight.
Thank you!
I think I saw a few strays myself-- but even at night it is simply too humid to be out for the bugs to snack on.
I saw one myself. It was heading west, very fast and short lived, much like my ex-wife...
:ROFL:
Looks like the northern Toadfish may be able to see the Aurora Borealis this week! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/yahooeditorspicks/galleries/72157624653325820/) Lucky ducks. It's too stormy here even to look.
I hope it clears up by the 12th and 13th for the Perseids meteor shower.
It's 3am CST. I'm seeing something I don't recognize in the eastern sky. It's fairly low on the horizon. Looks like a group of stars fading in an out. Looking right at it I don't see much. Out of the corner of my eye they are fairly bright and fuzzy. Looks something like the Seven Sisters. Either it's really clear out or it's new. Any body else see that?
As every year: when shooting stars are announced the weather turns cloudy, guaranteeing that none will be spotted.
Maybe it is the Seven Sisters and my Alzheimers is kicking in....
Maybe it's the seven sisters from another planet, in search of a chew-toy. Hide!
Too rainy here to see any Perseids (again!) but we hung out and made wine charms and had fun, anyway.
LOL!
I saw some meteors this morning!
Didja? Man, I wish the sky was clear enough here to go look.
We saw lots late on Thursday night. The shower was supposed to be at its peak then and we had completely clear skies.
I just worry that aliens will use these showers to cover their invasion.
Quote from: Sibling DavidH on August 15, 2010, 07:36:12 PM
We saw lots late on Thursday night. The shower was supposed to be at its peak then and we had completely clear skies.
I just worry that aliens will use these showers to cover their invasion.
Was Quatermass 2 on TV recently? ;)
See attachments for where I was during the meteor shower.... it were lovely. :)
How gorgeous! Didja swim there?
Yup, parked my bare behind in a pool for about three hours. :)
"Swim" is a strong word, as it's only a couple of feet deep at best, but still lovely. We visited 5 hot springs in a week of holidays, which I'll post pictures of soon.
I guess I should have written "dipped"! I wondered if that was steam I was seeing in the last photo.
I almost assumed it was a mini crater left by a larger shooting star :mrgreen:
Apparently, Jupiter is supposed to be close to Earth tonight. You may be able to catch a good look at it with the naked eye, and see some of its moons with just binoculars.
Some info is here (http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/weather/weather_news/planet-jupiter-is-closest-to-earth-tonight-won%27t-be-this-bright-again-for-12-years).
:update:
It's pretty cool! I hope Zono's taken out the ol' telescope. Through the binoculars I could see four of Jupiter's moons all lined up diagonally on either side of it. Very pretty.
It is easy to see where to point yourself. Just follow the rising moon. Behind it you'll see a bright orb. That's it.
Cloudy+rain...
(http://www.myemoticons.com/images/weather/rainy-cloudy/rainy.gif)
Quote from: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on September 25, 2010, 04:48:50 AM
Cloudy+rain...
(http://www.myemoticons.com/images/weather/rainy-cloudy/rainy.gif)
The former here too and the latter approaching
We gots a few more chances to see meteor showers (http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/earthskys-meteor-shower-guide) coming up- (info lifted from website)
November 5, 2010 South Taurids
The South (and North) Taurids are perhaps best suited to die-hard meteor aficionados. The meteoroid stream that feeds the Taurids is very spread out and dissipated. That means the South Taurids are extremely long lasting (September 17 – November 27), but usually don't offer a whole lot more than about 7 meteors per hour, even on the expected peak date of November 5. Fortunately, the new moon falls on November 6, providing dark skies for this year's South Taurid meteors. Try the night of November 4-5. The greatest number of meteors generally fall around midnight to one in the morning, when the constellation Taurus the Bull rides high in the sky.
November 12, 2010 North Taurids
Like the South Taurids, this shower is long lasting (October 12 – December 2) but modest, and the peak number is forecast at about 7 meteors per hour. Because the South and North Taurids overlap, there's some chance of catching a few extra meteors in the mix. Typically, you see the maximum numbers at around midnight to 1 a.m., when Taurus the Bull flies nearly overhead. This year, the waxing crescent moon will set by mid-evening, making 2010 a favorable year for watching these rather slow-moving but sometimes bright North Taurid meteors. Expect to see the greatest numbers at late night and after midnight on the night November 11-12. A few days before and after may offer good viewing as well.
November 17, 2010 Leonids
Historically, the Leonids have produced some of the greatest meteor storms in history, with rates as high as many thousands of meteors per hour. These storms sometimes recur in cycles of 33 to 34 years. Most years, the Lion whimpers rather than roars, producing a maximum of perhaps 10-15 meteors per hour. Although the waxing gibbous moon shines till after midnight, the Leonids will likely be at their best after the moon sets for the night. Like the October Orionids, the Leonids ordinarily pick up steam after midnight and put out the greatest meteor numbers just before dawn. So here's our suggestion for 2010. Try watching between midnight and dawn on November 17 and November 18. The most Leonids will probably fly in the wee hours before dawn, or after moonset.
December 13-14, 2010 Geminids
This year is favorable for the Geminids, the year's grand finale. As a general rule, it's either the Geminids or the August Perseids that give us the most prolific meteor display of the year. Unlike many meteor showers, you can start watching for the Geminids around 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. – in years when the moon is out of the sky. Unfortunately, the waxing gibbous moon obtrudes on the evening hours this year, and doesn't set till around midnight. However, this shower tends to gain strength after midnight and to climax at roughly 2:00 in the morning. So look for the Geminids to be at their best after moonset. With maximums commonly reaching 50 or more meteors per hour, this is a glorious time of year to sprawl out on your reclining lawn chair and to take in the show. Just be sure to bring along warm clothing, blankets or sleeping bags, and a thermos with a warm beverage. With the waxing gibbous moon setting around mignight, the stage is set for a dark sky and a grand Geminid display. The best viewing of these often bright, medium-speed meteors should be from late night December 13 till dawn December 14.
Just got this off yahoo!News:
"Skywatchers, grab your blankets. December's night sky spectacular will feature the best meteor shower of 2010 as well as the only total lunar eclipse of the year -- sights that should outshine any New Year's Eve fireworks display in terms of sheer wonder.
The massive Geminid meteor shower returns every year, so you'll have more chances if the cold proves too daunting on the night of Dec. 13. But anyone in North America who skips the total lunar eclipse on the night of Dec. 20 will be missing what promises to be the best lunar eclipse show until April 2014.
This year's Geminid meteor shower is expected to be the best display of so-called "shooting stars" of the year and will peak during the overnight hours of Dec. 13 and Dec. 14.
Like most meteor showers, the Geminids will be at their best after midnight (early on the morning of Dec. 14), when the Earth is heading directly into the meteoroid stream. But some will be visible earlier in the night, on the evening of Dec. 13, because the meteors' radiant (where they appear to originate) is nearly circumpolar, so they will stay in view above the horizon all night."
...so keep watching the skies!
I doubt I'll see the sun again this year let alone any stars >:(
Point your head straight up and blow at the sky. You'll either make a hole in the clouds or hyperventilate. Either way you may see stars! ;)
tiny shooting stars indeed
D'oh! Was coming home from work in the early AM this morning - forgot to look up. :P
Might be able to see a few tonight, if they are visible earlier in the evening. I'll be away from light pollution.
Drat! The skies were sunny earlier, but have clouded up. Hope they clear again tonight. I really wanted to look for these Geminids.
:update:
Hey- I got up at 2:55 a.m. and got a good peek at the full lunar eclipse- plus a bonus! While I was looking at the darkened moon, a meteor shot by right beneath it! Yeay! I finally spotted a Geminid (presumably).
The Opsalette and I went outside for a couple of minutes to view the moon. It had only the slightest peachy tone at that point, but it was neat to see it full and dimmed with all the stars clearly visible around it.
I got up again about an hour later, but it still looked about the same. It was still in full eclipse. At 5 am I tried to see it, but it was behind a cloud. I could tell by the bright silver on the cloud's edge that it was shining, again.
I watched it (periodically - it were cold!) as it started, up until it was totally eclipsed, although not uniformly in the penumbra.
The clouds rolled in very shortly after, but it was worth watching.
I actually took pictures but it will have to wait until I get back home to put them. We went with my son at 1:30 and at 3:00, I took some full moon pictures and then some during the eclipse with different ISOs, apertures and exposures(will see if I got at least one decent one).
The moon was supposedly coming out of full eclipse just as it poked its head over the horizon in Melbourne. Unfortunately it was overcast, so I couldn't tell one way or another.
Here are the pics, although not as good as I hoped, the angle was hard and I left it on infinite (perhaps I should've left it in auto) :-\
Before
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l252/anon1mat0/FullBefore.png)
After
(http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l252/anon1mat0/RedWhile.png)
Sadly it looks more like the old pictures of Titan... :(
I'll try posting a few, eventually, but I don't know if they are that good.
It was due to be seen around dawn here, right on the Western horizon. IF I could have got up the hill to our W (all snowed up) and IF the sky had been clearer I might have seen it or it might have been hidden behind the Black Mountains on the Welsh border. So we didn't try. Pity, though.
Zono, those pics are pretty good for a job like that.
The full moon I can take one of these days and I might do a better job, pity the eclipse one :-[. My tele isn't enormous and what I saw on the view finder is already small (the size of the moon is related to the high res of the pictures), to make it more challenging my tripod isn't that big and I broke the screw that makes it taller (cheap plastic), and obviously during the eclipse the viewfinder barely registered the moon. I was hoping that with my new camera* I would be able to do a better job.
*I finally got a DSLR, it's Sony and it was surprisingly cheap for a two lens combo.
So what if they're fuzzy, you got the color, and that's what I didn't get to see here. Looks gorgeous!
I once photographed the International Space Station and got a few pixels which vaguely showed the shape. Afterwards I realised that RAW would probably have done a better job. I'll forget next time, too. ;D
It's being said that the Draconids meteor shower (October 8th) may be a big one this year, but in North America we'll miss most of it, since the peak is at in the afternoon, here. We also have a big ol' moon that night. The weather here is expected to be fabulous that night, so what the heck. I'll grab a drink and go stare at the sky.
I saw some space junk (I think) burn up over Waxahachie yesterday. It came in hot like a meteor, shower of sparks and everything, and then slowed way down like it was light. I could see it glowing orange and still falling. Way cool...
The aliens who had to abandon ship are probably on their way over to your place right now. :mrgreen:
They say the peak of the Draconid shower will be 6 - 7 pm local here. It won't be very dark then, but I'll look out if the sky is clear.
Awesome, MB! Wish I'd seen that.
The Draconids (http://earthsky.org/tonight/legendary-draconids-boom-or-bust) may (or may not!) be up to a thousand per minute, so it's worth a look tonight and tomorrow, if your skies are clear.
Quote from: Sibling DavidH on October 07, 2011, 09:05:04 AM
The aliens who had to abandon ship are probably on their way over to your place right now. :mrgreen:
They're hereeee!
Uh-oh... what if MB goes back with his people? :D
The Thumpalumpacus race are allied to the Whooples of Fooplegloop, an ancient and noble people.
Is the Fooplegloop civilization better than ours, and if so, may we come with you?
So long as you're prepared to sacrifice all in their eternal struggle with the evil Ng. Anyway, it's not me that's going. :mrgreen:
BTW it's an hour to sunset here, and 100% thick cloud cover. No Draconids tonight. :doh!: :fit:
Astronomical events are perfect for weather prediction where I am. If anything of interest happens in the sky, there will inevitably be clouds.
Yup - same here. We didn't get to see a single Draconid, not even a little one. :'(
Noble people but they love a good joke... left me here. :mrgreen:
Good, we need you here more than they do, anyway. :glomp:
No Draconids here, either. The moon was very bright, though. I went in a corn maze with some friends and we didn't even need flashlights. It was fun!
The moon has been great! Big and bright.
That it has. I've smiled at it every night when leaving work, and again at seeing it higher overhead when arriving back home.
"Shine on, shine on Harvest Moon... up in the sky..."
Going to watch the lunar eclipse right now!
Wow- we're jealous!
The moon is so full and bright and beautiful I can hardly complain, but it is likely to outshine most of the Geminid meteor shower (http://earthsky.org/tonight/radiant-point-for-geminid-meteor-shower) that'll be peaking on Monday and Tuesday. I wonder if you'll see any of them during the eclipse! That would be most awesome.
Goddammit, there were too many clouds to see even the brief partial eclipse we should have seen here around 2pm.
I'll look forward to the meteors, thanks for the heads-up.
I did not even notice that an eclipse was announced. But with near 100% reliability any cosmic event will always coincide with cloud cover anyway. With just enough cloudholes to stir vain hopes that this time one is going to see something.
This is indeed one of the fundamental laws of nature, like Sod's Law, The Peter Principle and Pottinger's theorem.
Don't forget that infernal Murphy. Here of course, we had the entire earth in the way of the eclipse.
We're supposed to have clear skies for the next couple of days, so I'll keep an eye out for the Geminids.
:stars:
Hey! Anyone gonna try to see the transit of Venus across the sun (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/2012-venus-transit.html)? Last chance this century!
OK, I know exactly what weather we will have here on that day; even without looking up the forecast.
Apart from that, no chance in the city to see anything.
I don't know if it will be visible from the UK, even if the weather is OK. But I'll dust off the trusty welding mask in case.
Quote from: Sibling DavidH on May 29, 2012, 08:29:31 PM
I don't know if it will be visible from the UK, even if the weather is OK. But I'll dust off the trusty welding mask in case.
I happen to know where I can acquire one of those too. Hmmm, I have a cunning plan.
From yet another Astronomy Toadfish Nerd.
I heard about this from a spiritual friend. In some circles this is known as the Occultation(?) of Venus and is seen as a new beginning for humankind. There will be some pretty Twinkie celebrations going on as well as astronomy nerd activities.
Look for shooting stars tonight!
It's the annual Perseids meteor shower (http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/earthskys-meteor-shower-guide)!
I hope I'll be able to stay up after 11 pm tonight, which is when we should be able to see some of them around these parts.
I'll have to keep an eye out... I might be joining in with a bicycle pub crawl tonight (mostly cruiser bikes, but I think they'll let me tag along on my old beater Norco). ;D
Hmm... perhaps I should get out for a night kayak on Sunday night, and see them from the water.
Dang! 6pm here, and it's clouding over.
Quote from: Aggie... perhaps I should get out for a night kayak on Sunday night...
Ah, if only ...
For the Yurpeens (http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/across-the-universe/2012/aug/10/perseid-meteor-shower-astronomy) - We have low, thin cloud cover here! >:( I suppose this forces me to stay up for another couple of hours? ;D
We couldn't see any. Just that bit too cloudy, as usual.
Although the sky was clear for the most part* I did not consciously spot any. I sat for a bout a quarter of an hour on the balcony but they sky in the city is simply too bright. I could spot stars but it took too much effort to focus on any individual to make out constellations (and with binoculars the field of view is too small and I can't hold them steadily enough anyway). I think I saw one or two satellites passing.
*a novelty. Usually anything astronomical happening guarantees cloud cover
We had a nice barbecue on the back patio last night with the intention of staying up to watch. It was Mr. Ops' last vacation night and he merrily drank too many beers and fell asleep by 9 pm. Th'opsalette and I stayed out and around 9:30 under partly cloudy skies she spotted one to the north. About five minutes later we both saw a small fireball streak from north to northwest with a nice misty train. Great! We watched for about an hour until the sky went overcast. She saw six in all, and I saw three. The little fireball ruled, though.
There's another chance to see them tonight or tomorrow before sunrise.
No night cloud cover for ages, or nothing to worry about, and then it all comes on the few nights I don't want it to. :'(
Glad you saw them, Opsa. We'll try for the third time tonight. :(
Any luck?
Usually we have that old summer dusk haze problem, but this year it just happened to clear out for a short while.
There's almost always meteors available, according to this chart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_meteor_showers), but most are faint or sparse. The next biggie is the Geminids in early December.
Perseids - Warm nights, too overcast.
Gemenids - Freezing cold, clear as crystal.
Murphy has an awful lot to answer for. :(
We got the Draconids this weekend. According to EarthSky:
"October 7, 2012 Draconids
The radiant point for the Draconid meteor shower almost coincides with the head of the constellation Draco the Dragon in the northern sky. That's why the Draconids are best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere. The Draconid shower is a real oddity, in that the radiant point stands highest in the sky as darkness falls. Unlike many meteor showers, the Draconids are more likely to fly in the evening hours than in the morning hours after midnight. This shower is usually a sleeper, producing only a handful of languid meteors per hour in most years. But watch out if the Dragon awakes! In rare instances, fiery Draco has been known to spew forth many hundreds of meteors in a single hour. With no moon to interfere during the evening hours, try watching at nightfall and early evening on October 7 and 8. "
The next ones are the Orionids around Oct 21.
Fingers crossed that Sod's Law of cloud cover gives us a break for once. :mrgreen:
We have the Leonid meteor shower coming up! According to cute calendar (http://www.cute-calendar.com/event/peak-of-leonid-meteor-shower/6113-world.html):
"The maximum of the Leonid activity in 2012 is expected during the night of the 17th November 2012. The Leonids are a prolific meteor shower. It tends to peak around November 17, but some are spread through several days on either side and the specific peak changing every year."
Roar!
Sod's law of cloud cover is sure to apply in November.
^ Sod's Law will not be mocked! ;)
Quote from: pieces o nine on November 03, 2012, 03:17:56 AM
^ Sod's Law will not be mocked! ;)
But Sod's Law will mock us.
Maybe if we perform an elaborate meteor shower dance we can distract Sod and get a peek at these on Saturday night/Sunday morning.
There's still time for the skies to clear this weekend for the Leonids!
Rats, I missed them this weekend, but apparently there's another chance tonight! (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49889774/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.UKqqPIWNshs)
The next ones are the Geminids, December 13.
The weather is predicted lousy here all week.
It was partly cloudy here last night. I looked a little, but didn't catch one.
A few years ago I spotted a spectacular meteor streak around the second weekend of December, probably a Geminid. I was driving home from a show and low on the horizon appeared a long, slow, bright bar of light. At first I thought it was fireworks, but it never exploded. It was fantastic, though.
Any meteors you might see between now and mid December can be either stray Leonids or Geminids.
The Geminids are predicted to peak during a new moon this year, which (if we don't have cloud cover) will help with visibility.
Why is it always cloudy here whenever I want to see anything astronomical? :'(
Maybe it's just the Milky Way?
Quote from: Opsa on December 06, 2012, 01:44:21 AM
Maybe it's just the Milky Way?
Taken as a joke, that would be quite funny. :mrgreen:
Unfortunately, I know the Milky Way when I see it, and that isn't it. It's bona fide cloud cover plus light pollution. :(
If it is only light pollution, it should not weigh you down. ;D
Yark, yark- sorry for the poor joke. I was demonstrating how to answer a post to someone who wants to join. I hope to see her here soon.
Geminids meteor shower is coming up December 13/14. Earthsky (http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/ten-tips-for-watching-the-geminid-meteor-shower) has an excellent page about this year's show. Apparently you can catch them either Dec 13 or 14 an hour or two after midnight, and this year it's a new moon, so there's an excellent chance to see some (unless clouds or Opsa's stinky jokes get in the way!). 50 per hour are possible if you are viewing from a place well away from the light pollution of a city, but even city dwellers may catch a few of the brighter ones.
Mark your calendars. Good luck!
Thanks for the heads-up, Opsa.
Another stinky joke, ha!
Hey, get this: Earthsky says there may be another meteor shower on top of the Geminids, due to another comet's debris. Looky here. (http://earthsky.org/space/new-meteor-shower-might-coincide-with-2012-geminids) A double-whammy meteor shower for Thursday night! Woot!
I saw falling flakes, not stars. ;)
Wish I'd seen either, here. It was clear, and I kept checking, but I didn't stay out for a long enough period, or late enough. I'll look again tonight.
Here (http://earthsky.org/space/comet-panstarrs-possibly-visible-to-eye-in-march-2013) is some information about the comet Panstarrs, which could be visible with the naked eye this month!
It's clear tonight, so I'm, going to see if I can spot it just after sunset in the western horizon a little bit north of where the sun sets.
Comet ISON (http://earthsky.org/space/big-sun-diving-comet-ison-might-be-spectacular-in-2013) may be a very bright one late this year!
I keep forgetting / being too lazy to see Panstarrs...
I forgot to do it, too!
Ah well, they say Panstarrs is just a barely visible smear. Plus, my view of the western horizon is somewhat blocked by trees. That doesn't mean I can't walk up the block. I just don't seem to get there.
I now have a garden in a fairly dark area, and a telescope (140mm reflector). I shall pay more attention to this thread.
Awesome, RB! Let us know if you spot something.
Here's a bunch of upcoming stuff I lifted from seasky.org (http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-current.html):
April 10 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 09:35 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
April 14 - Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter. The Moon will pass about two degrees of the giant planet Jupiter in the evening sky. The crescent moon will be at magnitude -10.6 and Jupiter will be at magnitude -2.1. Look for both objects in the west after sunset. The pair will be visible in the evening sky for about 3 hours after sunset.
April 20 - Astronomy Day Part 1. Astronomy Day is an annual event intended to provide a means of interaction between the general public and various astronomy enthusiasts, groups and professionals. The theme of Astronomy Day is "Bringing Astronomy to the People," and on this day astronomy and stargazing clubs and other organizations around the world will plan special events. You can find out about special local events by contacting your local astronomy club or planetarium. You can also find more about Astronomy Day by checking the Web site for the Astronomical League. (http://www.astroleague.org/al/astroday/astroday.html)
April 21, 22 - Lyrids Meteor Shower. The Lyrids is an average shower, usually producing about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust particles left behind by comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which was discovered in 1861. The shower runs annually from April 16-25. It peaks this year on the night of the night of the 21st and morning of the 22nd. These meteors can sometimes produce bright dust trails that last for several seconds. The nearly full moon will be a problem this year, blocking out all but the brightest meteors. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Lyra, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
April 25 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 19:57 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Pink Moon because it marked the appearance of the moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the first spring flowers. This year, it is also known as the Paschal Full Moon because it is the first full moon of the spring season.
April 25 - Partial Lunar Eclipse. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra, and only a portion of it passes through the darkest shadow, or umbra. During this type of eclipse a part of the Moon will darken as it moves through the Earth's shadow. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)
April 28 - Saturn at Opposition. The ringed planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. This is the best time to view and photograph Saturn and its moons. A medium-sized or larger telescope will allow you to see Saturn's rings and a few of its brightest moons.
May 4, 5 - Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Eta Aquarids is an above average shower, capable of producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. Most of the activity is seen in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, the rate can reach about 30 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust particles left behind by comet Halley, which has known and observed since ancient times. The shower runs annually from April 19 to May 28. It peaks this year on the night of May 4 and the morning of the May 5. The second quarter moon will block out some of the less bright meteors this year but you should still be able to see quite a few good ones if you are patient. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
According to the Tysonism facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/Tysonism) the April 21,22 shower ought to be spectacular.
Unless it's raining (as expected: it's April-- rain is always expected) I will try to watch for it.
Oooooooh.... according to this article (http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-lyrid-meteor-shower), the Lyrids originate from the Comet Thatcher. Since Margaret Thatcher died yesterday, I'll give that a Woowoo factor.
(http://i554.photobucket.com/albums/jj417/Shar_dreamer/Smiley%20Basics/astronomer.gif)
Missed the Lyrids, but am looking forward to the Eta Aquarids on May 4th- my birthday!
Missed them, too. Arrrgh!
Coming up soon: (from seasky)
July 27, 28 - Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Delta Aquarids is an average shower that can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by comets Marsden and Kracht. The shower runs annually from July 12 to August 23. It peaks this year on the night of July 27 and morning of July 28. The second quarter moon will block out most of the faint meteors, but you should still be able to catch quite a few good ones if you are patient. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
August 11, 12 - Perseids Meteor Shower. The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by comet Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862. The Perseids are famous for producing a large number of bright meteors. The shower runs annually from July 17 to August 24. It peaks this year on the night of August 11 and the morning of August 12. The first quarter moon will set shortly after midnight leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Perseus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
The Perseids are here! According to this article (http://earthsky.org/space/perseid-fireballs), some fireballs have all ready been spotted, even though the peak is around August 12.
Cool! I remember seeing some early singles, some quite large, before the main cloud a few years ago.
Wahsome! Speaking of clouds, it was too cloudy to look last night, here. I'll keep an eye for them, this week.
It keeps being cloudy here at night and in the early morning, so I haven't seen any yet. Clouds expected tonight, too. :-[
NASA's APOD has a pic of the Perseids.
(http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1308/perseids_vangaal_960.jpg)
Ah! That's wonderful. I guess we got to see some after all. Thanks, Aphos!
AMAZING show here. We camped out on a beach near a small lake, cooked some dinner and watched the sky. There were thunderstorms all around the horizon, but the sky overhead was totally clear. The crescent moon, turned crimson by the smoke haze in the air, dropped slowly beneath the clouds, while thunderheads lit up like flashbulbs.
The Perseids were one of the best years I've seen; it seemed like there were a far higher proportion of big trail-of-light-across-the-sky meteors than usual. The smaller ones were more often towards the horizon, while the big ones flew overhead (hmm, or perhaps I'm just seeing the horizon-meteors from further away).
Wish I'd been there! I love the fireballs. I did hear that Chincoteague island reserve (my fave nearby beach) was kept open all night for Perseids watchers. It is a national park, and normally closes at sunset. Maybe I can plan a trip for next year or the year after.
The next ones are the Draconids. (http://earthsky.org/tonight/legendary-draconids-boom-or-bust)
"Legendary Draconid meteors best after sunset October 7
Before nightfall, look in the southwest sky to see the waning crescent moon between the planets Venus and Saturn. On October 7, 2013 – and maybe October 8 as well – Draco the Dragon will be spitting out meteors, also known as shooting stars. The Draconid shower is predicted to produce the greatest number of meteors on the night of October 7, but the next night might be good, too. Watch for them first thing at nightfall. Fortunately, the thin waxing crescent moon won't interfere with this year's Draconid meteor display. In fact, the moon and planets set in the southwestern sky around nightfall, serving as a wonderful prelude to tonight's Draconid meteor show. "
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130930.html
Cool video! Thanks, Aphos!
I'm hoping to see some Draconids a week from tonight at nightfall.
Rats! We have Hurricane Karen coming in on Monday, just in time for the Draconids!
NASA's APOD seems to be a victim of the government shut down. Damn Republicans.
G'aaarrrrrggggghhhhhhhh! :(
Your tax dollars at work, people ;)
Saturn with Earth somewhere in the background
http://www.ciclops.org/view/7699/The-Day-the-Earth-Smiled?js=1
Jaw-dropping.
And awesome.
amazing!
We have the Quadrantids meteor shower (http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-quadrantid-meteor-shower) coming up before dawn on January 3, 2014! Hope you catch some!
Some question for our astronomy nerds here:
1) What day of the week was the 18th of July 872 AD?
2) What were the phases of the moon in July 872 AD, in particular on what day was New Moon?
We've just had the New Year in the Hebrew calander if that helps !!
Quote from: Swatopluk on October 04, 2014, 11:44:21 PM
Some question for our astronomy nerds here:
1) What day of the week was the 18th of July 872 AD?
2) What were the phases of the moon in July 872 AD, in particular on what day was New Moon?
Are you talking Julian calender? Which calender matters.
For that year the Gregorian would not be appropriate or would it? :mrgreen:
Those dates are in the Viking age. I need them for some details in my saga.
Julian calendar but in Christian use (BC/AD not ab urbe condita)
And the same for July 925 please. I could also use lunar eclipses for 872, 925 and 926.
Aaargh! The Blood Moon has risen!
It got too cloudy at the best part... :'(
Unlike about every astronomic event in the last decade the sky on this occasion is completely clear here.
It was perfectly clear here, too. Excellent viewing.