Transit of Venus - 5/6 June 2012

 

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•  Visit the Website
• Local transit times (No! Bloemfontein is not in the deal! )
  

  What is a transit of Venus?

When Venus passes directly between earth and the sun, we see the distant planet as a small dot gliding slowly across the face of the sun.  Historically, this rare alignment is how we measured the size of our solar system.
   
When is it?

The next transit of Venus occurs June 5 or 6, 2012, depending on your location.  Observers in North America see it the evening of June 5. This will be the last transit of Venus to occur in your lifetime.
   
What should I do?

Mark your calendar.  Plan your observing location and eye safety.  Tell friends.  Download and support the ToV phone app. Enjoy the rare sight!    

Venus Transformed

VENUS TRANSFORMED: Something special is happening to Venus in the evening sky. The second planet is diving toward the sun for a much-anticipated transit on June 5-6. As Venus turns its night side toward Earth, the planet is transforming into a beautifully slender and colorful crescent:

John Chumack of Dayton, Ohio, took the picture on May 14th using a 10-inch telescope. "I was blown away by the sight of Venus," he says. "The planet was 14% illuminated, 47 arcseconds in diameter, and blazing at -4.43 magnitude."

The crescent shape of Venus is easy to see in good binoculars or small telescopes. No special observing experience is required. Just find Venus in the western sky after sunset (you can't miss it), point and look. A good tripod to hold the optics steady is recommended.

As the evening wears on and Venus sinks toward the horizon, the refractive effect of Earth's atmosphere splits the crescent into the colors of the rainbow. Kevin R. Witman of Cochranville, Pennsylvania, observed the phenomenon on May 11th: "Earth's atmospheric refraction of Venus's ample light made a beautiful image through my 10-inch telescope."

More images: from Mark Marquette of Boones Creek, Tennessee; from Philippe Vanden Doorn of Rixensart, Belgium; from Luis Argerich of Buenos Aires, Argentina; from Tomasz Gołombek of Tczew, Poland; from Francesc Pruneda of Palamós, Catalonia (Spain); from Sadegh Ghomizadeh of Tehran, Iran;

Sourc: Spaceweather

First announcement: ASSA Symposium 2012

South African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town

ASSA is pleased to announce this year's symposium, which will be held from 12 to 14 October 2012 at the South African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town.

The theme of the symposium, "Looking back, looking forward", reflects the significance of 2012. On the one hand, organised amateur astronomy turns 100 this year, which will be duly celebrated at the symposium. On the other hand, hopefully by October a decision on the Square Kilometre Array will have been made. So the symposium focusses on past and future of astronomy alike.

Participants of the symposium will have the opportunity to engage in some outreach activities on 12 October. The symposium itself will start officially with a welcome evening on that day. Talks and workshops will take place throughout 13 and 14 October. In the evening of 13 October there will be a special Open Night commemorating 100 years of amateur astronomy in Southern Africa.

Online registration will be possible from 1 June, but you may submit abstracts for proposed talks before that by sending an email to symposium2012@assa.saao.ac.za. Both amateur and professional astronomers are invited to give talks. And because of the theme of the symposium, talks concerning the history of astronomy, the SKA project and science with the Southern African Large Telescope are encouraged. The submission of topics for the workshops is also very welcome.

The symposium website is at http://assa.saao.ac.za/symposium2012, and any queries about the symposium should be addressed to symposium2012@assa.saao.ac.za.

The organisers of the ASSA Symposium 2012 are looking forward to welcoming you in Cape Town!

ISS Transits Supermoon, 6 May 2012

Super Moon!

Two unidentified street lights keeping a close watch on the moon so close to earth!

Stars & Planets – Sandveld Nature Reserve

Programme: Stars & Planets – Sandveld Nature Reserve Saturday 21 April 2012:

15.30: Arrive at hall/lapa in  the Sandveld Nature Reserve – the admission at entrance gate will be free of charge for the Stars & Planets guests – please remember to pack your own picnic basket with something to eat, drink and the necessary utensils!

16.00: Everybody will gather for the talk on the rich birdlife of the Sandveld – Speaker to be confirmed

No bar facilities available here – please pack your own drinks and glasses please.

17.00: Welcoming by Me Hettienne von Abo-Moolman from AHI Tourism Desk Free State and introduction of the other speakers

17.15: Me Laetitia van Rensburg – Acting Deputy Director General: Environmental Affairs, Detea FS

17.30: Dr Lindsay Magnus from SKA SA and meerKAT project

18.30: Everybody can unpack their picnic basket and enjoy the contents.

19.00: PowerPoint presentation by Hennie Maas - RSG & Prof Matie Hoffman from Boyden Observatory.

20.00 -21.30: Everybody can go outside to look at the Moon and mars through the telescopes.

The price is R150 per person, R75 pp for pensioners & school learners and free for kids under 6 and includes the following:

·       Free entrance at  Sandveld

·       Bird watching/ game drives

·       4 Presentations

·       Knee blanket

·       Stargazing through the telescopes

Remember! No restaurant or bar facilities available! – pack your own picnic basket with snacks, food, drinks, water and your plates, knives& forks, glasses etc.

Please book at Rina Greyling – 056 515 3549 or 083 487 5724

Fax: 086 545 8022 of e-mail: louvre@act.co.za

Please finalize booking with payment before Thursday 19/04/2012 at FNB Bothaville

Branch code: 230-136

Acc No: 6219 258 2461

Acc Name: Sakekamer Restourasieprojek

Ref: S&P and your Surname

Please fax proof of payment to:  086 545 8022

Only camping facilities available at Sandveld – alternatively Guest Lodges/ B&B’s in  Bloemhof

Sterrekunde Werkswinkel vir beginners

Vir almal wat meer van Sterrekunde wil leer.

Datum: Saterdag, 14 April 2012

Tyd: 17:00

Plek: Boyden-sterrewag

Koste: R120 (volwassene) R80 (kinders)

Plek vir 50 deelnemers 

Kontak ons om te bespreek: assabfn@gmail.com

 Aangebied deur Bloemfontein Sterrekundevereniging. 

Bring saam:  Jou eie piekniekmandjie (aandete);
Verkyker as jy een het;
Klein flitsie (ons sal `n rooi filter verskaf).
Warm klere

DVD met sterrekunde sagteware en baie inligting word verskaf
Sterkaarte word verskaf
Daar is: Koffie en tee; 

Program

16:15 – 17:00 Registrasie en rooi filters (45min)

17:00 Verwelkoming – Matie Hoffman  (10min)

17:10 – 17:45  Zoemreis (30 min)

17:50  Beginnerlesing – Ouditorium (40 min)

18:30 – 18:55  Ete op ouditorium se dak (Rooi filters)

19:00 Praktiese observasie van konstellasies, sterre en ander voorwerpe op die ouditorium se dak. (60 min)

20:00 Waarnemings met teleskope vanaf die noordelike platform  (Tot laat…)

What to do for observing Sirius

 This diagram shows the 50-year-long orbit of Sirius B around Sirius (called Sirius A). The scale is in "arc seconds". One arc second is equal to 1/1800 the diameter of the full moon. Credit: FrancesoA

•  Astro Bob

 What to do for observing Sirius
- Wayne Mitchell (Star Gazer's Deep Space Atlas )

Someone there hopefully a 12 or larger scope? The one I use is a 12 Dobsonian FL=1500 F4.9. So focus is very sensitive. I think a 12 Cassegrain would probably be better because of a longer FL and more play with focus.

Wait until just has just set. Sirius must be the first star visible. DO NOT wait until dark, you will not see Sirius B when dark because glare of parent star too bright (well I haven't been able to). 

At present, Sirius is overhead at this time of year which is important because you look through less atmosphere.

IMPORTANT; there must be some thin cloud, favorably uniformly spread. This acts as a good glare filter for the parent star, but is not enough to dim the light from Sirius B too much. In saying this I wonder if you will have any this cloud there at all?

Then, at least 200X magnification will work. I only use 200X because do not have eyepiece for higher power, but it works.

Advance the scope slightly ahead of the star so that when you view the star the telescope is steady and allow the star to drift through the field of view of your eyepiece. Slight vibration will inhibit your view of Sirius B.

With these conditions, you still need stable air. While looking into the eyepiece, stare slightly into the glare of the parent star. Sirius B may momentarily pop out of the glare and disappear again. It is extremely tiny!

It is still a challenge, but these conditions aid significantly.

Try this for a few minutes, dont give up too quickly.

If you still do not see Sirius B, rotate the base of your telescope by 45 degrees. By doing this, you may be moving Sirius B out of the bright diffraction spike caused by the parent star. If Sirius B is aligned with a diffraction spike you wont see it.

Try again.

Hope this helps

Regards

Wayne

Die Melkweg

Wayne Mitchell stuur vir ons hierdie een op Idees vol Vrees se facebook-blad

Besoek gerus Wayne se  webblad - Star Gazer's Deep Space Atlas

2012 Karoo Starparty

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Karoo Starparty, 21 - 25 Maart 2012

The ASSA Pretoria Centre is continuing the annual National Karoo Starparty which was started in 2009 at the Kambro Padstal, about 20 km north of Britstown in the Karoo, next to the N12 NationalRoad.

This event is intended to be a get-together for friends that want to enjoy the beautiful Karoo sky and there are no scheduled events, talks or workshops – we go there simply to enjoy the company of fellow stargazers and the legendary Karoo sky. The date for the 2012 Starparty is scheduled for the week-end of 21 March 2012. That is Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 March 2012.

Wednesday 21 March is a National Holiday. Please book early to avoid dissappointment!

• See Kambro Accommodation or phone Wilma Strauss at 0833056668 for details of the site and to make a booking.
  
  
• There is also accommodation available in Britstown at the Karoo Country Inn.

Information about the Karoo Starparty. GPS Co-ordinates: S30°-25-00.3    E23°-33-56.1 Complete Darkness 21 March Dark from 19:50 - 05:10 22 March Dark from 19:54 - 05:11 23 March Dark from 19:53 - 05:12 24 March Dark from 19:51 - 05:13 Deepsky Observing Lists (Karoo Star Party) 23 March 2012, Pdf format, Created with Skytools 3 Sorted by Constellations SA: Sky Atlas 2000 Chart UR.2: Uranometria 2nd Edition Chart PSA: Pocket Sky Atlas (Sky and Telescope) - ASSA Top 100 (telescope) - Concards (Constellation Cards) - Bennett - Herschel 400  - Messier - UHC-filter objects - OIII-filter objects - Binocular objects - How to find the South Celestial Pole (SCP) almost accurately. - Weather    Southern hemisphere Jetstream    Britstown, Northern Cape  Accuweather    Britstown, Northern Cape Yr.No

More Starparty links

• Pretoria Centre of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa - Karoo Starparty 2012
  
• Kambro Starparty
  
• History of the Karoo Star Party
  Star Party Karoo April 2009 - Photos on Flickr
  
• Karoo National Star Party, Britstown, 2010 August 06-09  By Richard Ford

• 2010 Karoo Star Party - photos
  
• 2011 Karoo Star Party
  
  
• 2011 - Karoo Starparty photos