2017 Sky Guide - Africa South

The Sky Guide is the astronomical handbook for southern Africa, and is an invaluable practical resource for anyone who has even a passing interest in the night skies of southern Africa.

Read more...  (Exclusive 2017 Sky Guide competition!)

The Sky Guide is also available from bookshops or on-line bookshops such as Loot.co.za, Exclus1ves.co.za or Takealot.

2017 Astronomy Wall Calendar

Click to enlarge image

 Order now!

A 12-page wall calendar with a mix of astrophotos and rarely-seen South African historical images, for 2017. In support of the Centre for Astronomical Heritage NPC. Just in time for the holidays!

The 2017 wall calendar is in support of a newly-formed non-profit organization, the Centre for Astronomical Heritage. The Centre's mission is to protect South Africa's astronomical heritage, something which most of us are interested in and concerned about.

The calendars are A3 sized, glossy, full-colour and gorgeous, and showcase a mix of the latest South African astrophotos and rarely seen historical images. 

The friendly Johan Brink (Director: Finances) of the Centre has kindly offered to manage the orders, packaging, and shipment of the 2017 astro-calendars.

A calendar costs only R 120, to which you add whatever postage method you'd prefer (e.g. Poskantoor, PostNet, courier...). Like in previous years, bulk orders are possible (to reduce postage). Please discuss the options with Johan.

Only 150 have been produced, so please place your order soonest.

Send e-mail to johan@cfah.org.za for more information

World Light pollution Map

Click on image  to enlarge - Bloemfontein area

Click to open World wide light Pollution Map

November Supermoon 2016: Best Photos From Across the Globe

Marseille, France- Last night's supermoon was the biggest we'll see until 2034. Appearing 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual, the stunning spectacle was a sight to behold in many countries across the globe. According to NASA, the full moon of November 14 was not only the closest of 2016, but the closest moon to date in the 21st century. The New York Times reports that on an average day, the moon is about 238,900 miles away from Earth, and on Sunday and Monday, it was about 221,524 miles away. Read more...
 Source : Heavy

 21 of the best photos of the supermoon from around the world
(www.sciencealert.com)

'Supermoon' Photos: The Closest Full Moon Until 2034 in Pictures
(Space.com)

28 Incredible Views Of The Supermoon From Around The World
(BuzzFeedNews)

On our doorstep! Nova confirmed! TCP J18102829-2729590

 Image created with Skytools 3 Click on image to enlarge

Source: Jazzistentialism 

Nova confirmed ! TCP J18102829-2729590

 Visit page
 A confirmation spectrum of TCP J18102829-2729590, a galactic nova in Sagittarius. The target, setting rapidly in the west, was imaged using the Alpy 600 under challenging conditions, providing confirmation as a classical nova in the optically thick stage. The resulting ATel (kindly prepared by Steve Shore, University of Pisa) can be found here. Additional spectra at both high and low resolution have been acquired and made available via the ARAS spectral database.

 ____________________________

In Bloemfontein South Africa it was clearly visible with a 20 X 80 Celestron Skymaster binocular in the Western sky. Guesstimate magnitude when compared to stars close by, about magnitude 8.   

 Sky Quality meter reading:  18.94 (26°C)  (Brightness of the night sky in magnitudes per square arcsecond)

 (Hannes Pieterse - ASSA Bloemfontein)

• Download Skytools 3 map to help you find it

ScopeX 2016 - Photo Gallery

 Photos: Hannes Pieterse, ASSA Bloemfontein

ScopeX 2016
Annual Telescope and Astronomy Expo
Johannesburg
15 October 2016

• View Gallery

Naval Hill Planetarium - New Horizons: Painting a portrait of Pluto

New Horizons: Painting a portrait of Pluto

Public talk by leading NASA engineer

Place / Plek: Naval Hill Planetarium

Date / Datum: Monday / Maandag 3/10/2016

Time / Tyd: 18:15 for 18:30

Free - No booking required / Gratis - Geen bespreking is nodig nie

Launched in 2006, the New Horizons spacecraft was sent on a decade-long trek to gather data from Pluto, one of the most endeared and debated bodies in our Solar System. After swinging past Jupiter for a gravity boost, the tiny spacecraft gained enough speed to make its closest approach of Pluto on 14 July 2015, and conducted a six-month-long reconnaissance flyby study of the (now) exoplanet and its moons. Because of the distance from Pluto to Earth (five billion kilometres), the massive amount of data collected from the fly-by continues to stream back, offering new insights into Pluto and the space environment at the Solar System’s outermost regions. So what have scientists learned about the enigmatic Pluto? And what does the future hold for the tiny spacecraft? Join NASA Deputy Chief Technologist (Retired), Jim Adams, to find out.

Jim Adams

NASA Deputy Chief Technologist, Retired

  

Jim Adams retired as NASA’s Deputy Chief Technologist in September 2016 to focus on the development of young and emerging innovators and entrepreneurs by encouraging creative processes and innovative thinking. He served in NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC from 2012, where he was responsible for the management of the technology strategy and innovation initiative across the entire agency.

Jim’s more than 25-year career at NASA saw him work on over 30 successful space missions. He was also the recipient of three NASA medals recognising exceptional service, including NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Medal.

 
Mr Adams’ travel is provided by SKA Africa in support of 2016 World Space Week, 4-10 October 2016.

Jim holds a BSc in Physics from Westminster College and a MSc in Electrical Engineering from Villanova University.

Apparently, he bakes a mean apple pie, but this is yet to be confirmed by a reputable judge in South Africa. 

Partial eclipse of the Sun in South Africa - Thursday, 1 September 2016

Today, sky watchers in more than 50 African countries witnessed a solar eclipse. On Thursday, 1 |September 2016, the new Moon passed in front of the sun, covering as much as 97% of the solar disk. This is how the sun looked from Bloemfontein, Free state, South Africa at almost maximum partial eclipse.

Visible sunspots are 2581 (left) 2585 (right).

Photographer: Hannes Pieterse
A single image trough an Celestron 11GPS telescope and F/6.3 reducer with Astro solar filter (ND 3.8)
Camera: Canon 40D
Exposure Time: 1/2000
ISO: 400
Date Taken: 2016:09:01 10:55:34
Conditions: Mild Cloud cover.

 Links to the Solar Eclipse (1 September 2016)

• Spaceweather Gallery 
• Animations of the 2016 1 Sep pan-African eclipse, showing where and when the shadow of the Moon passes over the Earth.

Eclipse of the Sun visible in South Africa

 

What will I see?

A solar eclipse is a rare opportunity to see the solar system in action.

For a short time, the Moon will pass between us and the Sun, and instead of seeing the Sun as a round disc, it will have a “bite” out of it. This “bite” is the Moon, and the size of the “bite” changes as the Moon slowly moves along. 

• Visit  the the ASSA website for detailed information

1.5.3 Measuring the field of view (Plan your Observing)

Click on image  to Enlarge (Source: NASA - Chandra X-Ray Observatory )

The simplest method of measuring the field of view relies on the use of a star chart.

Knowing north and east in the sky, you can easily turn your star chart so that the image in the eyepiece corresponds to the chart. Look for two stars that just fit in your field of view, and locate these stars on the star chart. You can now measure this distance on the map and compare it with the scale on the margin of the map to convert your linear measurement to degrees or arc minutes.

Remember that 1 degree (°) = 60 arc minutes (60′) = 3600 arc seconds (3600″). Binoculars typically have fields larger than 4degrees , and telescopes normally give a view smaller than 2degrees.

It is essential to be able to judge angular distances in the sky. The following table lists some angular estimates:

Solar / lunar diameter: ½°
Width of index nail at arms length: 1°
Orion’s Belt: 3°
Short arm of Crux: 4½°
Long arm of Crux: 6°
Width of clenched fist at arm’s length: 10°
Long arm of Diamond Cross: 10°

   Everyday objects can also serve as angular gauges. To determine the apparent angular size of anything in degrees, divide its linear width by its distance from your eye, then multiply by 57. For example, a 30cm ruler held one metre from your eye measures 30 ÷ 100 x 57 = 17°.
  
   A more accurate method to determine the diameter of your field of view involves measuring the time it takes for a star to drift across your field along the east-west line.
  
   This method is only useful for telescopes, since a star will take ages to cross the large field offered by binoculars. Choose any bright star, preferably far from the south pole – a star in Orion’s belt would be a good choice.
  
   Centre the star in your field of view, turn off the drive, and place the star just outside the eastern edge of the field. As the star drifts into view, start your stop-watch. When the star dis appears at the western edge, stop the watch and note down the elapsed time. Repeat this measurement several times and take the average.
  
   If this average time, T, is measured in minutes, then: field of view in arc minutes = 15 x T x cosine( D ), where D is the declination of the star (taken from a star catalogue, or estimated from a starmap).
  
   For example, suppose you measure several transits of Canopus and calculate the average time to be 3.5 minutes. Canopus’ declination is roughly –52.7°. The field of view is then 15 x 3.5 x cos(–52.7) = 15 x 3.5 x 0.6 = 31.5 arc minutes. Thus the field of view is roughly half a degree across.
  
   Make a note of the size of each eyepiece in your logbook, since a given eyepiece used on a specific telescope has a fixed field of view.

Source
- Download - Deepsky Observer's Companion (Pdf)
Deepsky Observer’s Companion (P 13)
Auke Slotegraaf
Director: Deepsky Observing Section,
Astronomical Society of Southern Africa