Tuesday, 21 September 2010

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Click on image to enlarge

Opposite the Sun
Image Credit & Copyright: Babak Tafreshi (TWAN)
Explanation: Chances are the brightest star you've seen lately is actually planet Jupiter. Jupiter rules the sky in this labeled view of a starry September night from the Alborz mountains in Iran, complete with the trail of a red flashlight illuminating the mountain road. On September 21st (Universal Time) Jupiter will be at opposition, the point opposite the Sun along its orbit, rising just as the Sun sets. For this opposition, Jupiter will be slightly brighter and closer to planet Earth than in any year since 1963. Much fainter and also approaching its own opposition on September 21st, is the distant planet Uranus. Very near Jupiter on the sky, the fainter planet is easy to spot in binoculars (similar to the inset view), well above and right of brilliant Jupiter and about as bright as one of Jupiter's own Galilean moons. Remarkably close to the opposition of both planets, the point on the sky exactly opposite the Sun on September 23rd is marked the Vernal Equinox. On that date, a Full Moon will join the celestial scene. Of course, any Full Moon is also at opposition.

Monday, 20 September 2010

Nog Astrofoto's uit Bloemfontein deur Herman Bonnet

My poging met M27 in Vulpecia .My" tracking" was uit,die wind het gewaai ,maar ek kon 25 min kry.
Die eerste keer 'n EOS CLS light pollution filter gebruik .Die verskil is dramaties.Ek het geen" flats" ,"darks" of "bias frames" gebruik nie.Het te laat by die huis gekom en dit sou te lank neem.Kamera :Canon 400d met eos cls clip filter,Skywatcher equinox 120mm refraktor,skywatcher eq 6 pro
Foto: Herman Bonnet
ASSA Bloemfontein

Horsehead nebula, Barnard 33, IC434, NGC2023 in Orion
Geneem op 19/12/2009
Canon 400D
Skywatcher eq6 pro
William Optics Zenithstar 80mm refractor
40 min exposure
Foto: Herman Bonnet
ASSA Bloemfontein

Helix Nebula,NGC7293 in Aquarius
Geneem 07/09//2010
Skywatcher equinox 120 mmrefractor
Skywatcher eq6 pro
Astronomik cls light pollution filter
Canon 400D
60 min exposure
darks ,flats,bias frames
Foto: Herman Bonnet
ASSA Bloemfontein

Closest Encounter with Jupiter until 2022

Sept. 20/21 2010: Been outside at midnight lately? There's something you really need to see. Jupiter is approaching Earth for the closest encounter between the two planets in more than a decade--and it is dazzling.

The night of closest approach is Sept. 20-21st. This is also called "the night of opposition" because Jupiter will be opposite the sun, rising at sunset and soaring overhead at midnight. Among all denizens of the midnight sky, only the Moon itself will be brighter.

Source: NASA Science

More info

Sunday, 19 September 2010

Opeaand by Boyden-sterrewag, Bloemfontein - RSG opname vir Sterre en Planete

Klik op die foto's om te vergroot

Foto bo: Daar's hy. Die Hubble ruimte teleskoop sorg altyd vir groot opgewondenheid tydens ope-aande by Boyden-sterrewag.

Foto middel: Thinus van der Merwe, Prof Matie Hoffman en Hennie Maas aan die gesels tydens `n opname van die gewilde Sterre en Planete-program wat Donderdagaande om 20:30 op die lug is.

Foto onder: Die gehoor luister aandagtig terwyl die opname gemaak word.

Foto's: Hannes Pieterse

Telescope Dealers in South Africa

Techno Pro

Tel: +27-11-792-6034 Facsimile: +27-11-792-6755
E-Mail: astro@technopro.co.za
Online Shop: shop.technopro.co.za
Internet: http://www.technopro.co.za/

PhotoWeb SA

Contact Dennis du Plooy
Tel: (011) 888-8858
E-Mail: contact@photowebsa.co.za
Internet: http://www.photowebsa.co.za/

Foton Optoelectronics

Tel: +27 11 787-4375 Or call Oleg : 082-680-4700

E-Mail : sales@foton.co.za

Internet: http://www.foton.co.za/

Eridanus Optics CC

Contact Andrie van der Linde

Tel: 083 632 4898

E-Mail : andrie@eridanusoptics.com

Internet: http://eridanusoptics.com/store/

Telescope SA

Paul 082 823 7384 (Cape Town)
Dave 083 625 7833 (Gauteng)

http://www.telescopesa.za.org

25 September, Smithfield: Die moontlikheid van lewe binne ons eie sonnestelsel

RePost

Plek: Pigout Restaurant

Adres: Smithfield
Datum: 25 September 2010

Tyd: 19H00

Koste: R75 vir volwassenes en R50 vir kinders

Program: Sterre kyk voor die maan opkom en praatjie.

Tema: Die moontlikheid van lewe binne ons eie sonnestelsel

Ingeluit by die toegang: Lekker sop en ciabatta en wyn en koeldrank

130 km van Bloemfontein. Hier is gastehuise waar mense kan oorslaap as hulle wil.

Bring ook julle teleskope saam. Die sterre is baie mooi hier.

Werk wat by die sentrum gedoen word: Radiowaarnemings. Navorsing op die son en Jupiter. Die belangrikste werk is navorsing in die 1.4GHz waterstoflyn waar vir enige tekens van ET gesoek word.

Bespreek vooraf

Kontakinligting:
Henk Swanepoel
UFO Research Centre
Smithfield
Tel: (051) 683-0498
E-pos: uforesearch@smithfield.co.za

Saturday, 18 September 2010

Visit the Royal Observatory

Add to your To Do List in the UK

Astronomy Photographer of the Year

M31, The Andromeda Galaxy

This is a single 20 minute exposure with a William Optics 80mm refractor and Canon XSi. I used Photoshop to increase the exposure 2X and levels to darken the sky. I lost some of the detail in the core, but discovered detail in the arms.