OUTDOOR Forum at canaaninstitute.org

[Mike_L]

ASTEROID FLYBY: Asteroid 2006 VV2 is due to fly past Earth on March 30th and 31st. The 2 km-wide space rock will streak through the constellation Leo only 2 million miles away glowing like a 9th-to-10th magnitude star. Backyard telescopes equipped with CCD cameras should have no trouble filming the asteroid in flight. Visit http://spaceweather.com for ephemerides and more information.

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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

VENUS & THE PLEIADES: Venus and the Pleiades are converging for a close encounter on Wednesday, April 11th. At closest approach, the planet and the star cluster will be about 2 degrees apart, tight enough to fit behind your upturned thumb held at arm's length. They're an odd couple. Venus is extravagantly bright while the Pleiades are faint and delicate, yet together they make a pretty ensemble suitable for photography, binoculars or simple naked-eye viewing. Watch the western sky after sunset in the nights ahead to see them drawing together.

BAFFLING BANDS: Also featured on today's edition of spaceweather.com are photos of dark bands in Venus' atmosphere. These features were first observed in detail by the Mariner 10 spacecraft in the 1970s and they have baffled astronomers ever since. Amateur astronomers with properly-filtered backyard telescopes can monitor the mysterious bands for themselves, and indeed this is a good week to do it.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information, photos and sky maps.


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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

National Dark-Sky Week (NDSW) is an event, usually occurring in April, during which people in the United States are encouraged to turn out their unnecessary outdoor lights in order to temporarily reduce light pollution. National Dark-Sky Week occurs this year on the week of the new moon from April 17-24. See http://www.ndsw.org:80/ This event is aimed at simply bringing attention to our night lighting and its consequences, especially in reducing clarity of sky viewing.

The International Dark Sky Association (IDA) http://www.darksky.org/ was formed largely by astronomers concerned about how light pollution limits their visibility of the night sky, but the movement has caught on in some residential areas, and the concern for environmental impacts of artificial light has been gaining momentum. On the latter, there is a recent summary book: Ecological Consequences of Artificial Night Lighting (Rich and Longcore eds.).

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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

WEEKEND METEORS: Earth is entering the dusty tail of Comet Thatcher, and this will cause a mild meteor shower this weekend. It's called the Lyrid meteor shower because the bits of incandescent comet dust appear to come from the constellation Lyra. The best time to look is during the dark hours before dawn on Sunday, April 22nd, and Monday, April 23rd, when you can expect to see a shooting star overhead every 5 minutes or so.


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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Space Weather News for May 3, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

HALLEY'S METEORS: Earth is entering a stream of dust from Halley's Comet, and this will produce a meteor shower (the "eta Aquarids") peaking on May 6th. Unfortunately, moonlight will interfere with the display, wiping out all but the brightest meteors. People who wake up before dawn on Sunday and look east might nevertheless catch a few specks of Halley's comet disintegrating in Earth's atmosphere.

SPARKLING SUNSPOT: Sunspot 953, which emerged one week ago, has proven to be one of the most photogenic sunspots in years. For one thing, it is crackling with micro solar flares (sometimes called "Ellerman Bombs"); this makes the sunspot appear to sparkle when viewed through the eye piece of a backyard solar telescope. There's also an active magnetic filament winding outward from the sunspot's dark core. So far, no major solar flares have issued from this active region, but it's still a great show. Check http://spaceweather.com for the latest pictures and movies.

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[Mike_L]

Mikiya Sato and J. Watanabe (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan)
forecast possible enhanced activity in the Eta Aquarid meteor shower on May
6, 2007. Their announcement appears on Electronic Telegram 944, issued to
subscribers by the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams.
In general, meteor-shower calendars have downplayed this year's Eta Aquarids
because the shower's peak coincides with a waning gibbous Moon, and its
glare will seriously reduce the numbers of meteors seen. Even under ideal
conditions — a dark, moonless sky — observers in north temperate latitudes
seldom see more than 20 Eta Aquarids per hour. They can be identified by the
fact that their paths, extended backward, intersect at a radiant near Zeta
and Eta Aquarii.

However, Sato and Watanabe find that a certain dust trail left by Halley's
Comet in 836 BC, nearly three millennia ago, could encounter Earth between
13h and 15h Universal Time on May 6th. "This particular trail is so old,"
the circular notes, "that its shape is very complex due to the accumulated
effect of the perturbations." As a result, the peak is not expected to be
very sharp and could extend well before and after these times.

Sato and Watanabe's calculations were inspired by an unexpected outburst
that many observers witnessed in the Orionid meteor shower on October 21,
2006, including some unusually bright fireballs. The Orionids and the Eta
Aquarids are both produced by dust particles from Halley's Comet. Earth
encounters these particles each year around October 21st and again around
May 6th, on opposite sides of its orbit.

Check our meteor pages for general tips on monitoring meteor showers. Both
the American Meteor Society and the International Meteor Organization seek
reports of unusual as well as routine meteor activity; their sites have
online forms for submitting observations.

Please check the online version of this AstroAlert on Sky & Telescope's
website for possible minor updates:


AstroAlert2007May04a

http://skytonight.com/resources/proamcollab/astroalert/AstroAlert2007May04a.html

Any major updates will be announced via subsequent AstroAlert messages. Good
luck, and clear skies!


Roger W. Sinnott
Senior Editor
Sky & Telescope
rsinnott@SkyandTelescope.com
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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Saturday, May 19

Venus pairs up with the crescent Moon for a head-turning spectacle high in the west during twilight, and lower in the west after dark. They'll appear less than 2° apart for viewers throughout North America. Tell family and friends about this one — and use the illustration here to point out Pollux, Castor, and Capella too.

sky map here http://skytonight.com/observing/home/SAAG_070518.html


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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

NASA Science News for May 30, 2007

This Thursday evening, May 31st, the moon over North America will become full for the second time in the month of May. According to folklore, that makes it a blue moon. But will it really be blue? Believe it or not, blue-colored moons are possible. Read today's story for a look at the folklore and physics of blue moons.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/30may_bluemoon.htm?list974149

Find out about the Science@NASA Podcast feed at http://science.nasa.gov/podcast.htm.


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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Space Weather News for May 31, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

BLUE MOON & JUPITER: According to folklore, tonight's full Moon over North America is a "Blue Moon" because it is the second full Moon in a calendar month. If you go outside to look at the Blue Moon, you'll see it has a companion: Jupiter. All night long, the giant planet will be located right beside the Moon. You can see the bright pair with the naked eye, or for a real treat, scan them with a backyard telescope. The moons of Jupiter, lunar mountains and craters, and the Great Red Spot are surprisingly easy to see.

A REAL BLUE MOON! Blue Moons are supposed to be absurd, but on May 21st, the Moon over Hungary really did turn blue. Onlookers describe it as a "unique and unforgettable" experience. Visit http://spaceweather.com to view photos of the display and to learn what caused it.

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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS

2007 June


Time
Date (PST/PDT) Event
--------- ---------- -----------------------------

JUN 2 02:58 Mercury Eastern Elongation
Mercury attains its greatest angular separation from the Sun and is
visible low in the west at dusk.

JUN 5 16:14 Jupiter Opposition
Jupiter is opposite the Sun with respect to Earth and rises at sunset.

JUN 8 04:43 Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon

JUN 9 02:18 Jupiter Dual Shadow Transit
The shadows of Jupiter's moons Io and Ganymede will cross the planet's
disk

JUN 14 20:13 New Moon
Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is invisible. Moon rises
at sunrise and sets at sunset

JUN 16-17 --- Dark Sky Weekend
Best time this month to observe faint objects. Amateur astronomers may
hold observing sessions at dark sites

JUN 19 16:51-18:15 Occultation
The Moon passes in front of the +1.3 magnitude star alpha Leonis. The
star disappears at 16:51:49 and reappears at 18:15:33. Time computed
for downtown Los Angeles and will vary for other locations

JUN 22 06:15 First Quarter Moon
Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight

JUN 28 01:00 Conjunction
The Moon passes 0.5° south of Antares. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location

JUN 30 06:49 Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night
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The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Space Weather News for June 13, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

SPACE STATION FLARES: Yesterday, astronauts unfurled a new set of solar arrays on the International Space Station. The panels, which measure 115 feet long, are actually visible in backyard telescopes. In a related development, people watching ISS flybys during the past 24 hours report seeing a number of "flares"--sudden brightenings of the ISS caused by sunlight glinting from the station's growing number of flat surfaces. This phenomenon adds an element of excitement to ISS watching. Check today's edition of http://spaceweather.com to see some remarkable movies made by amateur astronomers in Europe.


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The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Here's another set of images that puts our world into universal perspective:

http://www.4to40.com/fastforward/index.asp?id=872

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[Mike_L]

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18469684&BRD=1395&PAG=461&dept_id=449278&rfi=6

06/13/2007

Star Light, Star Bright

By Larry Klaes

When you are out enjoying the warm summer nights and all the outdoor
activities the season offers, don't forget to look up. Beyond the fireflies
and the Fourth of July fireworks lies a sky full of twinkling lights and
other heavenly bodies, and summer is a good time to witness some
astronomical events.

Planning Your Sky Gazing

You may want to plan ahead before you go stargazing, even if you are already
camping, or if you can see the stars from your home yard. A little
preparation will make for an enjoyable night with the heavens.

Scout out various places during the day that you think might be good for
viewing the night sky free from artificial lights. Make sure the places are
safe enough so that no one gets hurt tripping over or bumping into objects
in the dark, or you find yourself trespassing on private property without an
invitation.

Among the supplies to consider for your adventure are jackets (summer
evenings can be colder and damper than you might think), blankets, sleeping
bags, or lawn chairs to lie on to relieve the tension on your neck from
constantly looking up, insect repellant, and drinks and snacks. You should
also consider bringing at least one or two flashlights with either red light
bulbs or red cellophane taped over the clear cover of the light bulb. Red
light allows you to see in the dark without ruining your night vision.

Another item to bring is a star map to help you find your way around the
stars and planets. You can find easy-to-use ones in Astronomy and Sky &
Telescope magazines. The Web site Skymaps.com offers a free two-page star
chart for the month you are observing in. Their chart also lists celestial
events that can be seen without the need of binoculars or telescopes.

If you want to see objects and events in space with binoculars and
telescopes, but do not have ready access to them, then make a visit to the
Fuertes Observatory on the North Campus of Cornell University. The Cornell
Astronomical Society (CAS) has a free open house and public sky viewing
every clear Friday night and for special celestial events throughout the
year. CAS also hosts astronomy lectures during the school semesters in
conjunction with their open house nights. For more information, visit the
CAS Web site here: http://www.astro.cornell.edu/CAS/.

Summer Sky Events

Summer officially begins on Thursday, June 21 at 2:07 pm EDT - the longest
day of the year, when the Sun "rises" in the east (thanks to Earth's
rotation about its axis) at 5:24 am, reaches its highest point in the sky of
the year at noon, and does not "set" until 8:30 pm. Even when the Sun has
gone below the horizon for the night, the sky glow from the west will last
for well over an hour.

There will be three full phase Moons during the official summer months, on
June 30, July 30, and August 28. The August full Moon will undergo the
second total lunar eclipse of 2007. Central New Yorkers will be able to
catch the beginning of the eclipse, but the Moon sets by the time our
natural satellite is fully in Earth's space shadow. We will get another
chance to see a complete total lunar eclipse on February 21, 2008.

As it circles Earth once every 28 days, the Moon will be passing near a
number of visible planets from our perspective throughout the summer. The
Moon and the giant gas planet Jupiter will have four close encounters on
June 27, July 26, August 21, and Sept. 18. Jupiter will appear as a bright
white "star" near the Moon on those dates. Binoculars will reveal some or
all of Jupiter's four large Galilean satellites as starlike points of light
near the planet.

Venus, the nearest planet to Earth, will come close to the Moon on the
evening of July 17 and just before dawn on September 9.

The planet Mars will have two close visits with the Moon on August 7 and
Sept. 5. Mars will appear as a fairly faint reddish "star" and the
encounters will take place in the morning sky before dawn.

Two of our Solar System's major worlds will have their own close pass early
in the season. Beginning June 29, Venus and Saturn will be quite near each
other in the western sky for the next four nights. With Venus being brighter
than any star (besides our Sun) and Saturn as a yellowish "star" beside it,
this should be an impressive planetary conjunction. You won't be able to see
Saturn's magnificent rings, however, without a telescope.

Summer Meteor Showers

As Earth zips through space at over 18 miles each second, our planet
encounters a number of particle streams left over from the tails of comets
that have passed through our part of the Solar System. When Earth hits these
grains of ice and dust, the tremendous speeds cause them to burn up high in
our atmosphere, creating brief streaks of light called meteors or,
inaccurately, falling stars.

When our globe comes across a large collection of these particles during its
yearly trip around the Sun, the resulting display of many meteors flashing
across the night sky for an entire evening or more are known as meteor
showers.

The most prominent meteor shower of the summer is the Perseids. Peaking on
August 13, more than 60 meteors each hour should appear to come pouring out
of the constellation Perseus in the northeastern sky all night long. With no
Moon to drown out the event, even faint meteors from this storm should be
visible for your viewing enjoyment.

Though these are highlights of the summer night sky, you can make any clear
evening a part of your outdoor enjoyment.

The stars and other celestial bodies are always a sight to behold, even
after summer "officially" ends on September 23 with the arrival of the
Autumnal Equinox.
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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

NASA Science News for June 27, 2007

For sky watchers in the northern hemisphere, this weekend is the best time of the year to experience the mysterious and beautiful Moon Illusion.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/27jun_moonillusion.htm?list974149
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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Space Weather News for June 29, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

VENUS & SATURN: Saturn and Venus are converging in the sunset sky for a beautiful close encounter this weekend. At closest approach on Saturday, June 30th, the two planets will be a mere 2/3rds of a degree apart. It's a pretty sight for the unaided eye, and a great target for backyard telescopes. Even small 'scopes will reveal the rings of Saturn and the crescent shape of Venus. Check http://spaceweather.com for sky maps and more information.

FIRST LIGHT FOR AIM: NASA's AIM spacecraft is sending back its first pictures of noctilucent clouds from Earth orbit. The clouds photographed by AIM have the same intricate structure and electric-blue glow familiar to sky watchers on Earth, but the panoramic view afforded by the spacecraft's 600 km high orbit is unlike anything we've seen before. Check today's edition of http://spaceweather.com for one of AIM's first light images plus an updated gallery of ground-based sightings.
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The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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