Category Archives: Astronomy

Astronomy, Space participation

Amateur astronomers see a comet “explode” in brightness

SpaceWeather.com reports that amateur astronomers have observed a “comet explosion”:

Almost 450 million km from Earth, Comet C/2012 X1 (LINEAR) has exploded. Amateur astronomers are reporting a 100-fold increase in the comet’s brightness compared to predictions, and the comet’s atmosphere or “coma” now resembles that of exploding Comet 17P/Holmes in 2007. Using a remotely-controlled 0.5 meter telescope in New Mexico, European observers Ernesto Guido, Martino Nicolini and Nick Howes took this picture of the spherical explosion on Oct 21st:

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Image from Ernesto Guido, Nick Howes and Martino Nicolini

“The predicted magnitude of the comet on Oct. 20th was about +14,” says Guido. “Now it is close to +8.5.” This is below the threshold for naked-eye visibility, but bright enough for backyard telescopes equipped with digital cameras.

The comet may not have literally exploded but instead a vein of water ice or other volatile material may have become exposed and erupted, creating a cloud of material around the object.

Here is a video showing images of the comet:

>http://youtu.be/95wvUxUQqxo

Astronomy, Education, Space films and videos

“Dark Universe” coming to the Hayden Planetarium

On November 2nd, Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City will premier a new space show called Dark Universe narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson:

DARK UNIVERSE, the new Hayden Planetarium Space Show premiering November 2, 2013, at the American Museum of Natural History, is produced by an acclaimed team that includes astrophysicists and data visualization experts.

DARK UNIVERSE celebrates the pivotal discoveries that have led us to greater knowledge of the structure and history of the universe and our place in it—and to new frontiers for exploration. The Space Show is narrated by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.

DARK UNIVERSE was created by the American Museum of Natural History, the Frederick Phineas and Sandra Priest Rose Center for Earth and Space, and the Hayden Planetarium.

Astronomy, General

New astronomy observatory opens in Ethiopia

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The Ethiopian Space Science Society (ESSS) has opened a astronomical observatory in the Entoto mountains near the capital Addis Ababa: Ethiopia sets sights on stars with space programme – AFP/Phys.org.

When visiting Ethiopia with my wife, who is from Addis, I wondered whether the high, dry mountains, especially in the northern area of the country, would be an attractive area to put telescopes the way the mountains of Chile have become a popular site for observatories. Hope this new observatory marks the start of rapid growth in astronomical activity in Ethiopia.

Astronomy, Events

Comet ISON update

Comet ISON (C/2012 S1) could become visible to low power telescopes and binoculars, and maybe even to the naked eye, in the next few weeks. The website The ISON Atlas aims to help people find out “Where to find Comet ISON in the sky”. The post for this month: OCTOBER 2013 | The ISON Atlas

Here’s an image of the comet taken by Adam Block at the Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona:

 

Astronomy, Multiple media, Satellite Watching

Photographing the ISS from the ground

Astrophotographer Ralf Vandebergh posts more amazingly detailed shots  on his website of the International Space Station made with an amateur telescope:

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Find more about tracking and imaging of spacecraft in the HobbySpace Satellite Observing section.