Rosetta: Date fixed for historic comet landing attempt

Philae is about the size of a washing machine.
It will use harpoons and screws to try to hold itself down

  Source BBC News

The date has been fixed for Europe's daring attempt to land on a comet: Wednesday 12 November.

It will see the Rosetta satellite, which is currently orbiting the huge "ice mountain" known as 67P, drop a small robot from a height of 20km.

If all goes well, the lander will free-fall towards the comet, making contact with the surface somewhere in a 1km-wide zone at roughly 15:35 GMT.

The European Space Agency (Esa) says the challenges ahead are immense.

Imagine pushing a washing machine out the back of an airliner at twice cruising altitude and expecting it to hit Regent's Park in London - all while the ground is moving underneath.

Although not really analogous for many reasons, this scenario does give a sense of the difficulties involved.

The chances of failure are high.

• Read more

Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2014 - in pictures

 

Click to enlarge

The Royal Observatory Greenwich has announced the winners of this year’s international astronomy photography competition. The observatory’s annual free exhibition, which opened on Thursday, showcases these dazzling images of the sky, ranging from within our solar system to far into deep space. British photographer James Woodend beat over a thousand amateur and professional photographers to win the top prize.

• Visit and enjoy!

Inkspot - The only Dark Nebula with it's own wine?

Is it Barnard 86 with it's own wine label or Inkspot 2010 Vin Noir with it's own dark nebula?

- Give that man an Inkspot! From Herschel with love!

• Barnard 86, LDN 93, Ink Spot, Herschel's Hole in the Heavens

•  Inkspot 2010 Vin Noir

Space in Images - 2014 - 09 - Philae’s primary landing site

Philae’s primary landing site will target Site J, the centre of which
is indicated by the cross in this OSIRIS narrow-angle image.

Site
J is located on the head of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko and is
close to the candidate site B, the large depression to the right of the
image.

Site J offers the minimum risk to the lander in comparison
to the other candidate sites, and is also scientifically interesting,
with signs of activity nearby. At Site J, the majority of slopes are
less than 30º relative to the local vertical, reducing the chances of
Philae toppling over during touchdown. Site J also appears to have
relatively few boulders and receives sufficient daily illumination to
recharge Philae and continue science operations on the surface beyond
the initial battery-powered phase.



Full story: 'J' marks the spot for Rosetta's lander

Rosetta spacecraft selfie with comet

Here is a Rosetta ‘selfie’ with comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko in
background. It was taken by the CIVA camera – short for Comet Infrared
and Visible Analyser – onboard the Philae Lander. This is the same
camera that will be acquiring images from the surface of the comet
itself, when the Philae lander sets down on the comet in November.


Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko was 50 kilometers / 31 miles away at the time of this image.


Two frames were taken and merged due to the high contrast.




Rosetta isn’t the first otherworldly object to get in on the earthly trend of selfies. NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover caught one, too, earlier this year.



Rosetta spacecraft selfie with comet | Science Wire | EarthSky

Naval Hill Planetarium

The first digital planetarium in sub-Saharan Africa – situated on Naval Hill, right here in Bloemfontein – opened on 1 November 2013! The University of the Free State (UFS) is managing this facility.

Tariffs:
Adults: R50
Learners: R30
Students (with valid student card): R30
Pensioners: R30
Tariffs and dates for group reservations are available on request.

Buy tickets at:

• The Planetarium before shows (but keep in mind that the Planetarium is regularly full);
• Computicket at all Checkers, Shoprite, House and Home and Checkers Hyper shops;
• Computicket’s enquiry centre (08619158000); or
• Online at www.online.computicket.com (look for ‘planetarium’); 
• Online mobi  www.computicket.mobi with mobile devices (look for ‘planetarium’).

Enquiries:
Please direct enquiries via email to Yolandie Loots at FickY@ufs.ac.za  or contact her on 051 401 9751.

C/2013 V5 (Oukaimeden) visible in South Africa

 Click to enlarge

•  C/2013 V5 (Oukaimeden) Pdf Map Created in Skytools 3            
  05:00,  2 day increments, 1 August - 8 September 2014

 Skytools 3 information (18 August 2014)


Telescope: SkyQuest XT10 Dob. It is magnitude 9 with a diameter of 2.7'.

In the following 30 days this object is obvious visually from August 20 on, with the best view coming on September 15. During this period it will brighten rapidly and will reach peak altitude of 34° on September 2.

C/2013 V5 (Oukaimeden) will reach perihelion in late September. Also in late September this comet will pass within 0.6 AU of the earth. It is predicted to reach maximum brightness of magnitude 5 in mid September. The best visibility from Bloemfontein, Boyden, ZA near maximum brightness is predicted to be in mid September when it will be approximately magnitude 5. On September 16 this comet will be moving quickly across the sky at a peak rate of 13.8 "/min. Note that the magnitude and visibility of a comet can be very unpredictable.

Current Status

Earth Distance: 1.3 AU
Sun Distance: 1.0 AU
Elongation:  51°
Tail Position Angle: 259°
Tail Forshortening: 24%
Actual Coma Diameter: 160000 km
DC:  5
Total motion: 1.68 "/min
   RA:  1.30 "/min
   Dec: -1.09 "/min

Rosetta arrives at comet destination

6 August 2014
After a decade-long journey chasing its target, ESA’s Rosetta has today become the first spacecraft to rendezvous with a comet, opening a new chapter in Solar System exploration.
Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko and Rosetta now lie 405 million kilometres from Earth, about half way between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, rushing towards the inner Solar System at nearly 55 000 kilometres per hour.
The comet is in an elliptical 6.5-year orbit that takes it from beyond Jupiter at its furthest point, to between the orbits of Mars and Earth at its closest to the Sun. Rosetta will accompany it for over a year as they swing around the Sun and back out towards Jupiter again.
Comets are considered to be primitive building blocks of the Solar System and may have helped to ‘seed’ Earth with water, perhaps even the ingredients for life. But many fundamental questions about these enigmatic objects remain, and through a comprehensive,in situstudy of the comet, Rosetta aims to unlock the secrets within.

Read more

More images

10 August 2014 - The largest Full Moon for the Year

Image of the Moon taken over Table Mountain, credit: Dr Steve Potter, SAAO.

Source: SAAO

Did you know that the Moon travels around the Earth in an oval shaped or elliptical orbit rather than a circular one? The average distance between the Earth and Moon is 384,400 km. However, because of its elliptical path, the distance to the Moon varies depending on where it is in its orbit around Earth. At its closest point or perigee, the Moon is about 50,000 km closer to Earth than at its most distant point (called apogee).

Full Moons that occur when the Moon is close to or at perigee are called Supermoons and they appear slightly larger and brighter than usual. There is nothing magical about a Supermoon, it is simply a coincidence that full moon has occured when the Moon is near to its closest point to Earth. Just like an aeroplane looks larger the closer it is, so does the Moon.

Read more...

Deep-Sky Hunter Star Atlas

"Deep Sky hunter" is a printable deep sky atlas, designed for serious deep sky observers. It features stars down to 10.2m and DSO down to 14.0m.

This is my second release of a deep sky atlas. It is much more detailed, and covers entire sky with 101 portrait oriented pages. Manual post-editing was performed in order to ensure readable and non-cluttered charts. In addition, the atlas features 8 pages with 21 supplement "zoom" charts of galaxy clusters and densly populated areas, and indications of over 500 best objects (Messier, Caldwell, Herschel 400, SAC's best).
I designed this atlas with A3 page size in mind, however you may find it usable on A4 as well. In terms of scale and amount of detail - "DeepSky Hunter" falls between Sky Atlas 2000 and Uranometria 2000.
- Michael Vlasov

Here you can see a comparison with other atlases.

• Visit the page and download. Yes it is free. No strings attached.

Note
- Print back to back on light 200gram carton (A3).
- It is searchable in Adobe Pdf Reader on your computer.  (Search the constellation or the NGC, etc.)
(Hannes Pieterse)

Rosetta's comet rendezvous

 

On 6 August, after a decade-long journey through space, ESA’s Rosetta will become the first spacecraft in history to rendezvous with a comet. Members of the media are invited to join ESA at its European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, to mark this momentous occasion.

Since its launch from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana on 2 March 2004, Rosetta has travelled more than six billion kilometres, passing by Earth three times and Mars once, and flying past two asteroids.

For the most distant part of the journey, when it travelled out to the orbit of Jupiter, Rosetta was put into deep-space hibernation for 31 months, waking up on 20 January 2014 for the final leg of its epic journey to Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.
Now, with less than 10 000 km to go, Rosetta is preparing to arrive at its destination.
Read more...

• Long journey to a comet nearly complete
• Rosetta and comet to scale

SCOPEX 2014  - 13 SEPT 2014 - 9 am to 9pm

• More Information

 

First Free State Star Party, 27 - 29 June 2014, Gansvlei, Brandfort.

View Galery

Iridium 3 with a spectacular double flair

Click to enlarge

Iridium 3 started out as a -8.2 Magnitude flair but no-one expected the second flair. The first was on time (top) and the second one a bonus. Notice the second satellite in a northern direction in the middle of the image.Still trying to identify it!  Then two bright lines are the pointer stars next to the Crux constellation.

Image info:  192 images were stacked with Starstax; Camera on tripod; Remote control;  ISO 800; 10 sec exposures; f4.5; Moon a big hinderance.

• Iridium Flare Details
• Iridium 3 - Satellite Information

Vrystaat Sterrefees / Free State Star Party

Waarnemingshulp /  Aid for Observers

Vrystaat Sterre Partytjie                         
( English version below)

ASSA Bloemfontein nooi u na twee nagte van waarneming en verwondering van die Winterkonstellasies in die unieke Vrystaatse naghemel.  Daarmee saam gedurende Saterdag 28 Junie, is daar praatjies en besprekings oor onder meer teleskoopkollimasie deur Brett du Preez.

Plek: Gansvlei-gasteplaas tussen Brandfort, Bloemfontein en Winburg. (G.P.S.: Suid 28°47'49.9" en Oos 26°28'23.1"; Elevasie: 1395m).
Tyd: Vanaf 17:00 op 27 Junie tot omtrent 09:00 op 29 Junie 2014, dus twee nagte.
Koste: R80 per persoon per nag, wat insluit 'n bed met paslaken, ablusiegeriewe, volledig toegerusde kombuis en eetgerei, hout en braai geriewe soos roosters en selfs potte.
Benodigdehede: U eie waarnemingstoerusting soos teleskope, vêrkykers, kameras, sterkaarte, stoel/tafel, beligting (beperk tot die flouste rooi liggie wat jy het...!) ens.  U eie kos en drinkgoed - genoeg vir die tydperk wat u daar bly - naaste winkel is omtrent 40km vanaf die plaas.  Warm klere en warm slaapgoed: onthou dis in die middel van die winter en dis in die middel van die Vrystaat...!!!
Bespreking: Indien u belangstel, antwoord asseblief per e-pos na assabfn@gmail.com, en doen dit asseblief nie later as 20 Junie 2014 nie.  Geen voorafbetaling is nodig nie.  Daar is huisvesting vir 40 mense so laat weet asseblief vroegtydig. 

Finale informasie sal per e-pos gekommunikeer word op Maandag 23 Junie aan diegene wat bespreek het teen daardie tyd.

• Waarnemingshulp /  Aid for Observers

Free State Star Party

ASSA Bloemfontein invites you to two nights of wonderful observation of the Winter Constellation in the unique Free State night skies.  Including, during Saturday 28 June, there will be talks and discussion on telescope collimation by Brett du Preez.
Venue: Gansvlei guest farm situated between Bloemfontein, Brandfort and Winburg (G.P.S.: South 28°47'49.9" and East 26°28'23.1"; Elevation: 1395m).
Time and duration: Two nights, from 17:00 on 27 June to about 09:00 on 29 June 2014.
Cost: R80 per person per night, which includes a bed with a fitted sheet, ablution facilities, fully equipped kitchen with cutlery, wood and braai facilities such as braai grids and even pots.
Requirements: Your own observation equipment such as telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star charts, chair and table, lighting (confined to the weakest and reddest light you own...!) etc.  Your own food and drinks for the duration of your stay - the nearest shops are about 40km from the farm.  Warm clothes and bedding: remembers it is mid-winter in the middle of the Free State...!!!
Booking: Please answer by e-mail to assabfn@gmail.com not later than 20 June 2014 if you are interested.  No pre-payment is necessary.  There is accommodation for 40 people so please respond soon.

Final information will be communicated by e-mail on 23 June 2014 to those who have booked by then.

• Waarnemingshulp /  Aid for Observers

Astrofotografie Werkswinkel vir beginners / Basic Astrophotography Workshop

Foto: Hannes Pieterse

ASSA Bloemfontein bied aan:

‘n Basiese Astrofotografie Werkswinkel.

(English version below)

Aanbieder: Brett du Preez, lid van ASSA Bloemfontein en ervare Astrofotograaf.

Plek: Boyden Sterrewag

Tyd: Saterdag 24 Mei 2014, vanaf 15h00.

 Toegang: Gratis vir Klublede en R100-00 per persoon vir nie-lede.

Weens die aard van die Werkswinkel, kan slegs 30 persone geakkomodeer word.

Bespreek asseblief deur per e-pos te stuur aan assabfn@gmail.com

 Program:15h00 vir 15h30 – Ons begin op die Platform: Almal pak hul goed uit en slaan op wat hulle saamgebring het.

15h30 - 16h30 – Gesels oor wat ons gaan doen en begin die Werkswinkel met die afneem van Son (bring hoedens ens saam….).  Brett sal ‘n beperkte hoeveelheid son-filter saambring vir afneem van die son.  Bring ook ‘n skêr of matmes, karton, dubbelkantige kleefband en gewone kleefband of kits-gom vir die maak van sonfilters.

16h30 - 18h00 – In die Ouditorium: stapsgewyse demonstrasie van die omskepping van die son se data na 'n foto. Bring asseblief u eie rekenaars en geheue-stokkie (“flashdisc”) saam. Brett sal sagteware verskaf en ook basiese prosesering demonstreer op 'n foto van die naghemel.

18h30 - 19h30 - 'n Kort praatjie oor astrofotografie. Die plan is om as groep saam te gesels. Brett sal begin met die basiese beginsels asook 'n verduideliking van die konsep oor "noise". Hannes Pieterse verduidelik ook die gebruik van die “barndoor“ montering vir nag-hemel fotografie.

20h00 - 22h00 – Terug op die Platform wys Brett hoe om polêre oplyning (“polar alignment“) te doen met 'n kamera asook watter tipe fotografie mens kan doen met die minste moeite en met ‘n basiese kamera….

Onthou asseblief:

Almal wat fotografiese en ander toerusting saambring, moet weet hoe om dit te gebruik sodat ons nie gedurende die werkswinkel tyd hoef te spandeer om basiese gebruike aan te leer nie.  Toerusting om saam te bring sluit in: kamera, driepoot, genoeg batterye (daar sal kragpunte op die Platform wees), nodige verbindingskabels en afstandsbeheer kabel, tafeltjie om op te werk ens: eerder teveel as te min.  

Daar sal tussendeur geleentheid wees om ietsie te eet: elkeen bring sy eie verversings.  Daar sal kookwater wees vir diegene wat koffie of ‘n soppie will maak. 

ASSA Bloemfontein presents:

A Basic Astrophotography Workshop.

Presenter: Brett du Preez, member of ASSA Bloemfontein and experienced Astrophotographer.

Venue: Boyden Observatory

 Time: Saturday 24 May 2014, at 15h:00.

 Admission: Club members free.  Non-members: R100-00 per person.

Only 30 persons can be accommodated.

Send  e-mail to assabfn@gmail.com to book

Program: 15h00 for 15h30 – We start on the Platform:  unpacking and setting-up of equipment.

15h30 - 16h30 – Discuss the program and start the Workshop by taking a photo of the Sun (remember to bring a hat…).  Brett will demonstrate the making of a solar filter: he has a limited stock of solar film which he will provide.  For this, please also bring along scissors or a carpet knife and carton, double sided tape and normal tape or fast-drying glue.

16h30 - 18h00 – In the auditorium: step-by-step demonstration of the conversion of the Sun data to  a photographic image.  Please bring your own computer and flash disc. Brett will provide the necessary software and also demonstrate the basic processing of a night-sky image.

18h30 - 19h30 – A short discussion on Astrophotography, also involving the audience.  Brett will also explain the importance of the concept of “noise”.  Hannes Pieterse will demonstrate the use of the “barn door” mounting for night-sky photography.

20h00 - 22h00 – Back to the Platform: Brett demonstrates polar alignment using a camera and also demonstrates what type of photography can be performed with the least effort and with a basic camera.

Please remember:

Make sure that you know how to operate all the equipment you bring along: you do not want to figure out how to use your equipment during the workshop, you actually want to use it.  This equipment can include:  camera, tripod, enough batteries (power outlets are available on the Platform), all necessary connecting cables and remote control cable, a small table to work on: rather bring too much than forget something vital…!  

There will be time to eat/drink something in between: please bring your own refreshments.  There will be boiling water for coffee and/or soup.

Sutherland by Night - Milky Way, Melkweg

Sutherland by Night - Milky Way, Melkweg

In this beautiful image by SAAO Astronomer Stephen Potter we see the Milky Way setting behind the 20, 30, 40 inch, MONET and SALT telescopes. Jupiter is the bright star at the top and Venus is setting into the MONET dome. The bright glow on the horizon is from distant city lights.

• What’s Up – March 2014  (The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO))

Key Signature of the Big Bang's Origin Discovered

  South pole telescope detects echoes of Big Bang

UPDATE MARCH 17: All the rumors were true. The story below was written yesterday, before today's announcement that "primordial B-waves" have been found in the cosmic background radiation. These must have arisen from inflation-driven gravitational waves rippling through spacetime in the first 10^–34 second of the Big Bang. 

• Watch Sky & Telescope.com for new material soon!

MARCH 16: Rumors have been racing through the physics and cosmology communities for the last few days that long-sought, Nobel Prize-worthy evidence for cosmic inflation driving the Big Bang will be announced on Monday, March 17th. A press conference for a "major discovery" regarding this topic is scheduled for noon EDT (16:00 UT) at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, just up the street from Sky & Telescope. We'll be there.

Word of what may be announced first broke into wide circulation late Friday night, when The Guardian newspaper in the U.K. published an article online, Gravitational waves: have US scientists heard echoes of the big bang? Here are excerpts:

Watch Sky & Telescope.com for new material soon!

 South pole telescope detects echoes of Big Bang Mail & Guardian

First glimpse of big bang ripples from universe's birth    NewScientist

Swirls of colour reveal primordial gravitational waves   NewScientist

ESA's Gaia Mission Launches to Map the Milky Way

 

“Gaia promises to build on the legacy of ESA’s first star-mapping mission, Hipparcos, launched in 1989, to reveal the history of the galaxy in which we live,” says Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA’s Director General.

 

-          Universe Today

-          Space.com

-          ESA

 

Scientists detect extraterrestrial neutrinos (Down South)

Buried deep in the pristine Antarctic ice lie 5,160 basketball-sized detectors that look for flashes of blue light. 

This radiation signals that a high-energy particle has interacted with an atom of the ice and given off some energy in the process. Scientists built the underground cubic kilometer IceCube detector to find a specific type of particle called a neutrino. This particle has no electric charge, is nearly massless, and interacts extremely weakly with matter. (In fact, billions of them are zooming through you as you read  this story.)

Astronomers have detected neutrinos from the Sun and from Supernova 1987A when a massive star exploded. Now, the IceCube team reports in the November 22 issue of Science that it has found 28 high-energy neutrinos during a two-year all-sky search. The newly discovered particles have energies at least a million times that of the SN 1987A neutrinos.

At most, 11 of the 28 detected signals could result from background events or atmospheric neutrinos — those created as high-energy particles called cosmic rays collide with atoms and molecules in Earth’s atmosphere and create secondary particles. However, the researchers say the neutrinos don’t have the characteristics of atmospheric ones.

They looked in the data for evidence of multiple neutrinos originating from a specific location on the sky or arriving at a similar time but were unable to trace the 28 neutrinos to specific sources. Most of the detected signals correspond to locations on the Southern Hemisphere sky.

Scientists can calculate the energies of the incoming neutrinos from the light the detectors register. The 28 particles discussed in the Science study had energies ranging from 30 trillion electron volts (TeV) to 1,141 TeV; visible light has energy between 1.5 and 3 electron volts. The data also include the two highestenergy neutrinos ever observed. — L. K.

Source:  Astronomy March 2014

Mark Kelly, twin brother enlisted for NASA study

This undated photo provided by NASA, astronauts Mark Kelly, right, STS-124 commander, and Scott Kelly are pictured in the check-out facility at Ellington Field near NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA announced Friday, March 7, 2014, that Mark Kelly and astronaut Scott Kelly will participate in 10 different investigations. Craig Kundrot, deputy chief scientist of NASA's Human Research Program, says in a news release that the brothers provide a unique opportunity to study two people with the same genetics who were in different environments. Officials say Scott Kelly spent a year in space while Mark Kelly was on Earth. NASA says it is hoping the studies can be the basis for future research initiatives. (AP Photo/NASA)

Read more

John Dobson - Sidewalk Astronomy Evangelist (1915–2014)

• Washington Post
• AAVSO
• Wikipedia
• Universe Today
• Sky and Telescope
• The Sidewalk Astronomers
• Astronomy Magazine
• The Globe and Mail
• The Times
• Huff Post
  
• Official facebook Page

Klubbyeenkoms: ASSA Bloemfontein - 1 Februarie 2014

Die Bloemfonteinse Amateur Sterrekunde Vereniging  (ASSA Bloemfontein) hou op Saterdag 1 Februarie sy eerste byeenkoms van die jaar. Voornemende amateur sterrekundiges is welkom om die geleentheid by te woon.

Op die program is onder meer:

• Die gebruik  van 'n teleskoop insluitende die eienskappe van verskillende oogstukke;
• Wat kan gesien word in die nagruim in verskillende ligomstandighede (Limiting Magnitude);
• Ons kyk ook na `n nova wat onlangs uitgebars het en met `n verkyker sigbaar is;
• As die weer saamspeel soek ons die Perdekopneuwel in Orion.

Koste: Gratis vir lede en R50 per persoon vir besoekers. Die bedrag word terugbetaal as jy by die   vereniging aansluit. Ledegeld is R100 per jaar vir `n gesin.

• Stuur e-pos aan assabfn@gmail.com om vir die geleentheid te bespreek.

Datum: 1 Februarie 2014
Tyd: 18:30 (Ons braai, so bring jou eie kosmandjie met vleis, eetgoed, eetgerei en koeldrank. Braaivuur en roosters is beskikbaar.)
Plek: Boyden-sterrewag (Langs Maselspoort)

Naked Eye Nova Centauri 2013 - Astronomy Picture of the Day

Source: Astronomy Picture of the Day 

 Naked Eye Nova Centauri 2013
Image Credit & Copyright: Yuri Beletsky (Las Campanas Observatory, Carnegie Institution)

Explanation: Brightest stellar beacons of the constellation Centaurus, Alpha and Beta Centauri are easy to spot from the southern hemisphere. For now, so is new naked eye Nova Centauri 2013. In this night skyscape recorded near Las Campanas Observatory in the Chilean southern Atacama desert on December 5, the new star joins the old in the expansive constellation, seen at early morning hours through a greenish airglow. Caught by nova hunter John Seach from Australia on December 2 as it approached near naked eye brightness, Nova Cen 2013 has been spectroscopically identified as a classical nova, an interacting binary star system composed of a dense, hot white dwarf and cool, giant companion. Material from the companion star builds up as it falls onto the white dwarf's surface triggering a thermonuclear event. The cataclysmic blast results in a drastic increase in brightness and an expanding shell of debris. The stars are not destroyed, though. Classical novae are thought to recur when the flow of material onto the white dwarf eventually resumes and produces another outburst.

1% Solar Eclipse in Bloemfontein, South Africa

Hybrid Solar Eclipse of 2013 Nov 03 - 1% visible in Bloemfontein - 3:51 - 4:35pm (Sunday - 3 November 2013)

Frans Human, member of the Bloemfontein Center of The Astronomical Society of Southern Africa took this image of the hybrid eclipse on Sunday, 3 November 2013. Some sunspots are also visible.

1% visible in Bloemfontein  3:51 - 4:35pm (Sunday - 3 November 2013)

Official Opening of the Naval Hill Digital Planetarium

Official Opening of the Naval Hill Digital Planetarium in Bloemfontein, South Africa

Live Streaming

Friday 1 November 2013 

10:45 - 13:00

• http://www.ufs.ac.za/ufslivestreaming/

The University of the Free State (UFS) is implementing an innovative and exciting project, namely the establishment of a ‘Centre for Earth and Space’ on Naval Hill in the centre of Bloemfontein. 

The 86-year old Lamont-Hussey Observatory on Naval Hill, also known as the Sterrewag Theatre, is home to the planetarium. The planetarium is the first component of a proposed Centre for Earth and Space.

Earth-sized 'lava world' discovered

Source: BBC Science and Environment

A doomed "lava world" with a similar mass and density to that of Earth has been discovered orbiting a star 400 light-years away.

Observations suggest the planet, named Kepler 78b, is composed mostly of rock and iron, much like our own planet.
But its extremely close proximity to its host star - a hundredth of the distance between the Earth and the Sun - remains something of a puzzle.
Details of the work by two teams of researchers appear in Nature journal.

More...

Priceless to me - Letter from Sir Patrick Moore

Click to enlarge!

Ok, Sir Patrick Moore did not write directly to me! I was dwelling in the Bibliophile in Clarens looking for the big catch. After all Clarens is a quiet little drinking  town with a fishing problem! And if you're not the fishing kind of man, then the place to hang out is the Bibliophile.

That was where I found the second hand book - Brilliant Stars written  by Patrick Moore. And inside, with some newspaper clippings, was this letter, typed on that famous typewriter and signed by that legendary astronomer - Sir Patrick Moore.

A Mister DW Suchterlonie from Clarens wrote to Moore asking about the absolute and apparent  magnitude of Sirius  on page 13. He received the above letter from Moore.

In another book - Stars and Planets of the Southern Hemisphere (Lionel Warner) DW Suchterlonie wrote his name and also Planetarium, 3rd April 1982 in the front cover. Anyone from ASSA Johannesburg recognizing the name?

- Hannes Pieterse

Hybrid Solar Eclipse of 2013 Nov 03 - 1% visible in Bloemfontein

- 1% visible in Bloemfontein  3:51 - 4:35pm (Sunday - 3 November 2013)

- Johannesburg Planetarium

- Map (Pdf - Johannesburg Planetarium)

- NASA Eclipse Web Site

- More NASA information

International Observe the Moon Night - 12 October 2013

 Photo: Pieter Pieterse
(Samsung S3 cellphone through eyepiece + Tiny Touch of Photoshop)

International Observe the Moon Night - 12 October 2013

Boyden Observatory  - Bloemfontein, South Africa

Our club evening was dedicated to old Mister Moon. Do the following names mean anything to you? Not a clue.  Then it is time to grab a moon map, your telescope and some time to observe this nuisance in the sky....

Aristoteles, Valis Alpes, Morites Alpes, Mont Blanc, Cassini, Aristillus, Archimedes, Spurr (not that one), Patricia, Mons Huygens, Pallas, Herschel, Ptolemaeus; Arzachel, Purbach, Stoller and Shomberger to mention a few.

We also watched a video - "Earth without the moon!" 

Thanks for everyone attending!

Vinnige Verklaring Vir Vreemde Vlieënde Voorwerp (VVVVVV) oor Suid-Afrika)

Hier is 'n foto ongeveer 19h00 geneem van agter my huis in Bloemfontein - Herman Bonnett, ASSA Bloemfontein

Willie Koorts se boodskap op Facebook: 

Die vreemde verskynsel wat vanaand (29 Sep. 2013) net na 19:00 wyd waargeneem is oor Suid-Afrika - ook deur Matie Hoffman vanaf Bloemfontein - blyk, volgens baassatellietjagter, Greg Roberts, 'n "fuel dump" te gewees het van die Falcon 9 vuurpyl wat vanmiddag om 18:00 (SA tyd) vanaf Vandenberg in Amerika gelanseer is. 

Die loonvrag is om 18:52 in sy wentelbaan geplaas waarna dit om 19:03 oor Antarktika gevlieg het en 'n paar minute later oor Suid-Afrika. Dit is toe dat die oortollige brandstof uitgespuit is wat die skouspelagtige sirkelvormige wolk veroorsak het wat wyd waargeneem is. 

 Greg en ek het al tevore so iets gesien en ek moet saamstem dat dit nogal iets is om te sien. Dankie vir die foto's en stuur gerus nog!

• SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Cassiope research satellite for the Canadian Space Agency and MDA Corp. http://spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/006/status.html

•  Hier was 'n soortgelyke gebeurtenis 'n paar jaar gelede.
  - Sien http://assa.saao.ac.za/.../2009MNASSA..68..Dec..238.pdf
• Nog een
  http://www.mnassa.org.za/.../2012MNASSA..71..Feb..35.pdf 

M8 - Lagoon Nebula uit Bloemfontein

Foto: Herman Bonnet - ASSA Bloemfontein
Klik op foto om te vergroot

Foto van M8 geneem op 1 Sept 2013

50  "lightframes" van 150 sek elk

50 "dark frames"

50" bias frames"

50 "flat  frames"

"Stacking"-Deepsky stacker

Processing - PS

Teleskoop-120 mm Skywatcher Equinox

Mount- CGE PRO

Kamera- Canon 60 Da

Laser Strike

Published on Apr 4, 2013

Laser strike incidents against aircraft have increased dramatically since 2009 and pose a serious threat to aviation across the U.S. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in association with the LASD Aero Bureau, Homeland Security and the FBI has produced a video about the possible dangers of green laser pointers.

• Laser Safety Pretoria Centre    (All the information for South Africa) 

• LaserPointerSafety

Nova Delphinus 2013 - Brightest in many years

Click to Enlarge

• 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

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

The 10 weirdest physics facts, from relativity to quantum physics

All the matter that makes up the human race could fit in a sugar cube
Atoms are 99.9999999999999 per cent empty space. As Tom Stoppard put it: "Make a fist, and if your fist is as big as the nucleus of an atom, then the atom is as big as St Paul's, and if it happens to be a hydrogen atom, then it has a single electron flitting about like a moth in an empty cathedral, now by the dome, now by the altar."
If you forced all the atoms together, removing the space between them, crushing them down so the all those vast empty cathedrals were compressed into the first-sized nuclei, a single teaspoon or sugar cube of the resulting mass would weigh five billion tons; about ten times the weight of all the humans who are currently alive.
Incidentally, that is exactly what has happened in a neutron star, the super-dense mass left over after a certain kind of supernova.

• Click to see the other!

How To Choose A Beginner Telescope

How To Choose A Beginner Telescope

Welcome to the brand new SAAO Website

Welcome to the brand new South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) Website

This site is the first phase of an exciting revitalisation of our web presence.

Future plans include multilingual content, real-time upload of event happenings, etc.

Please enjoy your visit.

• SAAO Website

KMTnet Site Live View - Sutherland, South Africa

KMTnet Site Live View - Sutherland, South Africa

"Journey into the Universe"

Source: CCTV

"Journey into the Universe" (working title 'Dark Matter') on CCTV

 This is a 30 minute doccie I made for Faces of Africa on Chinese TV earlier this year.

The film follows radio astronomer Nadeem Oozeer and cosmologist Bruce Bassett as they journey to the SKA site in Carnarvon, in order to understand how the Square Kilometre Array telescope will shed light on mysteries of the Universe such as its origins, Dark Matter and Dark Energy.

Asteroid 1998QE2 Fly-by - SAA Observatory

On May 31, 2013, asteroid 1998 QE2 passed by Earth, at a distance no closer than about 5.8 million kilometers, or about 15 times the distance between Earth and the Moon. The asteroid, which was discovered on the 19th August 1998, by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) programme in the US, is thought to be about 2.7 kilometers long. It is not a threat to Earth however, as astronomers are certain that the asteroid will pass by rather uneventfully. Although the asteroid will not be visible with the naked eye as it will be too faint, it will be visible using a small telecope.

For more information visit www.asteroidflyby.saao.ac.za

1998 QE2 Close aproach

And there she goes! Asteroid 1998 QE2 video captured by Jonathan Bradshaw (Astrojunk) complete with meteor and satellite zooming past! Nabbed 31st May during closest approach. -Suzy.

How to Choose Eyepieces - Orion Telescopes and Binocualrs

Fly-by of Asteroid 1998 QE2 with music - YouTube

Fly-by of Asteroid 1998 QE2 with music - YouTube