Dit is elke keer `n wenner!

Source: Universe Today
Wow! Take a look at this image captured by award-winning French astrophotographer Thierry Legault. The visible detail of the shuttle and parts of the International Space Stations is absolutely amazing! If you remember, Legault also took images of space shuttle Atlantis and the Hubble Space Telescope transiting the sun back in May during the HST servicing mission.

Legault is an engineer who lives near Paris. He started his digital imaging in 1994, and currently uses a SBIG STL-11000M CCD camera with AO-L system that is equipped with large and narrow band filters. He also uses a reflex Canon 5D, webcams from Philips as well as Astrovid video cameras.

He has written two books: "The New Atlas of the Moon" with Serge Brunier (Firefly) and "Astrophotographie" (Eyrolles), and is featured in a new book by Robert Gendler, "Capturing the Stars: Astrophotography by the Masters."

Visit Thierry's website for more great images!

Southern Sky News for 2009 August

Augustus is Jupiter se maand. Nie eens Mars wat so "groot" soos die maan gaan word, gaan die ou grootte se donder steel nie. Oops! Nou is almal weer ontsteld. Nee! Nee! Nee! Mars gaan nie so groot soos die maan word nie. Jupiter en sy mane is die hele Augustus-maand van vroeg tot laat sigbaar. Die mane is nou wel net sigbaar met `n kragtige verkyker of klein teleskoop. Op 14 Augustus is die Jupiter in opposisie as die aarde direk tussen hom en die son is. Dit is dan ook op sy helderste.

• Kyk wat is nog gedurende Augustus in die suidelike naghemel te sien. Kliek hier
  
  Besoek Auke Slotegraaf se Sterrekunde webtuiste
  Auke Slotegraaf is die huidige Direkteur van die ASSA* Dieplug waarnemingsafdeling.
  

Gaan loer na die impakkol op Jupiter

Hierdie is `n voorstelling wat met Skytools 3 geskep is soos gesien deur `n 11" duim teleskoop, 29 Julie om 05:14.

Gaan loer gerus deur jou teleskoop hoe die impakkol nou lyk. Ek het hierdie tye op Auke Slotegraaf se blog raak geswerf. Auke Slotegraaf is die huidige Direkteur van die ASSA* Dieplug waarnemingsafdeling. Besoek Auke se Sterrekunde webtuiste

Spotting Jupiter's impact spot

The schedule for observing the impact spot on Jupiter from South Africa is as follows (times in SAST):

Wednesday 29 July, 04:14; Thursday 30 July, 01:59 & 21:56; Saturday 01 August 03:43 & 23:34; Tuesday 04 August 01:12 & 21:03; Thursday 06 August 02:50 & 22:41; Sunday 09 August 9, 00:18; Tuesday 11 August 01:57 & 21:48; Thursday 13 August 23:26; Sunday 16 August 01:04.

The marking transits 2 hours and 6 minutes after the Great Red Spot.

Astro Mini-Kursus

Hier is nou net die ding om jou sterrekunde stokperdjie mee af te skop.

Met hierdie gratis inligting kan jy die grondslag lê vir hierdie interessante tydverdryf. Dit is in Engels, maar wat maak dit saak. Dit is `n vyfdagkursus. Moenie alles in een dag probeer verteer nie. Strek dit uit oor `n paar dae. Kliek en geniet!

You can access all 5 days of the course at the following links:

Day 1: What you can see up there
Day 2: How the sky moves
Day 3: How to read a star chart, and mini-tours of the sky
Day 4: Binoculars and telescopes
Day 5: How to see faint celestial objects; what to do next…

Hubble weer op sy pos: Jupiter se wond

Rejuvenated Hubble spies giant impact scar on Jupiter
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: July 24, 2009

The freshly-upgraded Hubble Space Telescope snapped a dramatic image of a dark blemish on Jupiter Thursday, using the observatory's brand new camera installed by astronauts in May.

• Read more...
  

Bydrae deur Amateur Sterrekundiges...

Goeiedag Vriende

Sterrekunde is een van die min displines in die wetenskap waar amateurs nog belangrike bydraes kan maak - gaan kyk gerus op APOD by http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html na die belangrike ontdekking onlangs gemaak deur 'n amateur sterrekundige in Australië: 'n nuwe impak-letsel op Jupiter.

As jy nie by die link kan uitkom nie, hier is die foto wat geneem is van Jupiter, met die impak-letsel 'n swart merk net onderkant die boonste pool van die planeet.

Moenie die amateurs afskryf nie - word eerder een!!!!

Groete en "clear skies"!!

Thinus.

How do you sneeze in a spacesuit? 'Aim well,' astronaut tells YouTube questioner

By Mike Schneider, The Associated Press

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - When it comes to sneezing in a spacesuit while in the void of space, it is best to aim well.

That's the advice lead spacewalker David Wolf offered Tuesday while answering one of the questions posted on YouTube for the crew of the space shuttle Endeavor.

"I've done it quite a few times, most recently yesterday," said Wolf, who led the mission's second spacewalk Monday and was set to go on a third spacewalk Wednesday. "You learn in training, and I don't know how to say this, aim well. It can mess up your view and there is no way to clear it."

Complete article...

Land on the Moon in Google Earth

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, Google has launched a new feature: the Moon in Google Earth. You can now use Google Earth to explore, fly around and search the Moon. Google was able to get several astronauts to participate in this new feature, and you can get tours of landing sites, narrated by Apollo astronauts, view 3D models of landed spacecraft, zoom into 360-degree photos to see astronauts' footprints and watch rare TV footage of the Apollo missions. The hi-resolution views of the Moon were developed in collaboration with NASA Ames Research and JAXA. It's loads of fun and provides an historic perspective as well as a look to the future of lunar exploration. If you already have Google Earth 5.0 on your computer, just click on the tab on the top toolbar that has a picture of Saturn, and click on Moon. If you click on the Apollo 11 flag, you can zoom in on that location and take a tour of the first landing site on the Moon! What a great way celebrate the 40th anniversary. Enjoy!

Click here to go the the Moon in Google Earth.

Selfdoen: `n Sterwiel vir die fynproewer en die beginner..

Hier is `n selfdoenprojek vir sterkykers. Dit is `n sterwiel (Planisphere) vir die suidelike halfrond wat Auke Slotegraaf ontwerp het. Wat dit so `n uitsonderlike sterwiel maak is dat jy dit kan verander vir minder sterrre (ligbesoedelde gebiede) of meer sterre vir die fynproewer, of net die konstellasies, of die bekende inheemse sterre en sterpatrone eie aan die Suide.

Besoek Auke se blog: www.psychohistorian.org en laai die Pdf-lêer (1.7M) af. Maak vir jou uitdrukke: A3-grootte en op effens dikker pappier. Dit werk ook op A4-grootte. Lamineer die uitdrukke vir beskerming. Die instruksies is ingesluit.

• Auke Slotegraaf is die huidige Direkteur van die ASSA* Dieplug waarnemingsafdeling.
  Besoek die amptelike Dieplugwebtuiste
  

Thanx Auke! Dis `n wenner!

* Astronomical Society of Southern Africa

Endeavour vertrek eindelik!

Source: Spaceflight Now

More launch images...

NASA managers downplay ascent debris strikes
BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: July 15, 2009;
Updated after news conference

Running a month late because of hydrogen leaks and stormy weather, the shuttle Endeavour finally roared to life and blasted off Wednesday on its sixth try, rocketing away through a hazy sky toward a Friday rendezvous with the International Space Station.

Multiple pieces of foam insulation fell from the ship's external tank during the early moments of flight, but it was not immediately clear whether the shuttle's fragile heat shield suffered any significant damage.
Read more...