Voyager 1 Leaves Solar System, NASA Confirms

This artist's concept shows the general locations of NASA's two Voyager spacecraft.

Illustration courtesy Caltech/NASA.

Dan Vergano

National Geographic

Published September 12, 2013

It’s official: Voyager 1 has slipped from the solar system.

Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 traveled past Jupiter and Saturn and is now more than 11.66 billion miles (18.67 billion kilometers) from the sun, becoming the first spacecraft to enter interstellar space. Proof of this long-anticipated milestone for the storied spacecraft comes in a study released Thursday by the journal Science and announced at a celebratory NASA headquarters briefing.

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Nova Delphinus 2013 - Brightest in many years

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• A Map to find Nova Del 2013 - Southern Hemisphere
  Top arrow on map = Altair
  Bottom arrow on map = Vega

Some links to learn more about this Nova

• Bright-new-nova-in-delphinus-you-can-see-it-tonight-with-binoculars
• Watch Erupting Star Live
• New Star Explosion: Photos of Nova Delphinus 2013
• AAVSO Alert Notice 489: Nova Delphini 2013 = PNV J20233073+2046041
• Nova Del 2013 makes the top 30

Pale Blue Dot: Distant Spacecraft Photograph Earth (Cassini spacecraft)

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July 23, 2013:  Color and black-and-white images of Earth taken by two NASA interplanetary spacecraft on July 19 show our planet and its moon as bright beacons from millions of miles away in space.

NASA's Cassini spacecraft captured the color images of Earth and the moon from its perch in the Saturn system nearly 900 million miles (1.5 billion kilometers) away. MESSENGER, the first probe to orbit Mercury, took a black-and-white image from a distance of 61 million miles (98 million kilometers) as part of a campaign to search for natural satellites of the planet.

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Komeet ISON en ScopeX

ScopeX - 20 Julie 2013

Keep out the light, the cold and mozzies!

Found this in the latest S&T.

It will keep out stray light, mozzies and other unwanted flying crawlies. (After the flying  part - they crawl).

 The Delux model is fitted with a stereo MP3 player. ;-)

This is DIY 101 for astro geeks.

Fracking Scary!

 

Source: Internet

`n Gedeelte van S&T se redakteursbrief in die jongste uitgawe. Gaan ons oor `n klompie jare dieselfde kommer iewers uitspreek? En Suid-Afrika (Karoo) is baie kleiner as die groot VSA. Alle aanduidings in ons media is dat skaliegasontginning om die draai is.

"ASH members are concerned that light pollution is starting to creep in at this site, which is also home to the Black Forest Star Party in September. The light pollution comes from nearby drilling rigs for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale. Fortunately, the sky was very dark on Saturday night. Cherry Springs State Park operations manager Chip Harrison gave a talk about how the fracking companies frequently cut back on fl aring activity during star parties. He pointed out that these companies receive a lot of negative publicity, so they’re usually happy to generate goodwill by cooperating with star party organizers. The key is to understand their concerns, make reasonable requests, and communicate clearly the desired actions and the reasons for them."

Visit these sites:

• Cloudy Nights - Fracking:  Light Pollution
• Good Gossip

Bloemfontein. Dome of the first digital planetarium in sub-Saharan Africa Unveiled

Astronomy Cast | Take a facts-based journey through the universe.

 

 A lot of very interesting Podcasts - Please download and listen!Publish Post

Astronomy Cast | Take a facts-based journey through the universe.

NASA - Image of the Day Gallery

Targeting Earth Photographs From Orbit

Inside the Cupola, NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, an Expedition 36 flight engineer, uses a 400mm lens on a digital still camera to photograph a target of opportunity on Earth some 250 miles below him and the International Space Station. Cassidy has been aboard the orbital outpost since late March and will continue his stay into September.



Image Credit: NASA

• Visit NASA Image of the Day

SCOPEX 2013 - 20 July 2013 - 9 am to 9pm

Interested in Astronomy, stargazing, astrophotography, buying/building a telescope?

Come visit the astronomy event of the year …

What to expect on the dayCommercial Telescopes and accessories at special show prices
Activities: Telescope making demonstrations, Telescope Auction, Talks, Science Shows, ATM and Astrophotography Competitions

SCOPEX 2013 - 20 July 2013 - 9 am to 9pm
at the Museum of Military History, Johannesburg

• www.scopex.co.za