Ecuador satellite hits Soviet-era space junk

Ecuador satellite hits Soviet-era space junk

Volksblad : Seldsame verskynsel in hemelruim te sien

23 Mei 2013 18:00 - Westelike horison - Jupiter bo, Venus en Merkurius onder

Volksblad : Seldsame verskynsel in hemelruim te sien

KAAPSTAD. – Venus, Jupiter en Mercurius gaan binnekort ’n dans in die lugruim uitvoer om uiteindelik ’n driehoek te vorm.
Dié planete sal van 22 Mei af saans sowat ’n halfuur tot ’n uur ná sonsondergang mooi begin wys.
Maar moenie 26 Mei misloop nie, want dán sal die drie op hul mooiste wees.
Die vorige keer wat die drie plante só ’n driehoek gevorm het, was in Mei 2011.
Ná vandeesmaand sal dit eers weer in Oktober 2015 sigbaar wees, volgens dr. Tony Phillips van Nasa.
Willie Koorts van die Suider-Afrikaanse Sterrewag (Saao) sê ’n mens moet laag op die horison kyk en eers soek na Venus, die helderste van die drie.
Die driehoek sal mooi sigbaar wees, selfs sonder ’n teleskoop, maar dit sal mooier deur ’n verkyker wees.
– Elsabé Brits

ALERT! NEO Asteroid 1998 QE2 Close Approach - Sky Alerts - Remote Internet Telescopes Network - Online Imaging & Telescope Hosting Service

• A Chart for Bloemontein - South-Africa    (31 May 2013)

ALERT! NEO Asteroid 1998 QE2 Close Approach - Sky Alerts - Remote Internet Telescopes Network - Online Imaging & Telescope Hosting Service

Bright Explosion on the Moon - NASA Science

Bright Explosion on the Moon - NASA Science

UFS101’s Annual Astronomy Fair - 27 April 2013

(Click to enlarge image)

Members of ASSA Bloemfontein  assisting with the UFS101 where First Year students learn more about Science. Students are looking at the moon through telescopes.

It is that time again for UFS101’s Annual Astronomy Fair on University of the Free State Campus. This will be held on Bloemfontein Campus in the Callie Human on 27 April 2013 from 9:30 -13:00.

You are invited to:

• Observe the sun through a specially equipped telescope;
• Witness the launching of Demo Rockets;
• Attend a presentation inside of an inflatable planetarium (limited space)
• Hear the latest news about SKA-South Africa and astronomy developments in Bloemfontein
• Take a 552m walk on campus to see a Scale Model of our Solar System
• Explore the latest astronomy applications for your iPhone/ iPad
• and much more…

The entrance is free and you are welcome to bring the whole family. No booking is necessary. There will be tuckshop facilities available as well as products from exhibitors to be bought.

PROGRAMME FOR 27 April 2013 (Bloemfontein)

Time Activity Venue - Badminton Hall (Next to Callie Human Centre)
09:45 -10:15
Presentation: ‘The Universe: The 5% we know of and the "missing" 95%’ by Prof. Matie Hoffman

 Astrofair in Callie Human Centre
10:00 - 13:00 Expo,
12:45  Launching of Rockets

Rosette Nebula in Moneceros and Carina Nebula in Carina

Click to Enlarge
Photographer: Herman Bonnet, ASSA Bloemfontein

NGC 2237 in Moneceros 
Rosette Nebula

Kamera -Canon 400D.

Mount -CGE PRO

Teleskoop-Skywatcher equinox 120 mm refraktor

Guiding-Nexguide kamera

11 x 2 min exposures

10 flats

10 darks

10 bias

Click to Enlarge

Photographer: Herman Bonnet, ASSA Bloemfontein

NGC 3372 in Carina
Carina Nebula

Kamera -Canon 400D.

Mount -CGE PRO

Teleskoop-Skywatcher equinox 120 mm refraktor

Guiding-Nexguide kamera

12 X 4MIN exposures

20 flats

20 darks

20 bias

LIVE streaming video and commentary begins now for today's Antares test flight http://www.spaceflightnow.com/antares/demo/status.html

LIVE streaming video and commentary begins now for today's Antares test flight http://www.spaceflightnow.com/antares/demo/status.html

Spaceflight Now - live streaming video powered by Livestream

Spaceflight Now - live streaming video powered by Livestream

The Blue Marble - The most viewed image in history

The Blue Marble is a famous photograph of the Earth, taken on December 7, 1972, by the crew of the Apollo 17 spacecraft, at a distance of about 45,000 kilometres (28,000 mi).

Read more...

Chelyabinsk Meteor Flash

Chelyabinsk Meteor Flash
Image Credit & Copyright: Marat Ahmetvaleev  

• More stunning images

  Explanation: A meteoroid fell to Earth on February 15, streaking some 20 to 30 kilometers above the city of Chelyabinsk, Russia at 9:20am local time. Initially traveling at about 20 kilometers per second, its explosive deceleration after impact with the lower atmosphere created a flash brighter than the Sun. This picture of the brilliant bolide (and others of its persistent trail) was captured by photographer Marat Ametvaleev, surprised during his morning sunrise session creating panoramic images of the nearby frosty landscape. An estimated 500 kilotons of energy was released by the explosion of the 17 meter wide space rock with a mass of 7,000 to 10,000 tons. Actually expected to occur on average once every 100 years, the magnitude of the Chelyabinsk event is the largest known since the Tunguska impact in 1908.