Stellarium 0.10.5 released!

The Stellarium team is very proud to announce the release of stable version 0.10.5. This is an important bug fix release closing more than 30 bugs in the main application and in the plugins. It also brings small GUI usability improvements, as well as a much reduced starting time.

A huge thanks to all community bug reporters who helped us a lot finding bugs!

• www.stellarium.org  
  
• Wiki with more information: quickstart; FAQ; user's guide; scripts

Star Party at Mountain Sanctuary Park, Magaliesberg, from 6-8 August 2010

The West Rand Astronomy Club will be hosting a Star Party at Mountain Sanctuary Park, Magaliesberg, from 6-8 August 2010.

All are welcome, and we would like to invite members of ASSA Bloemfontein.

See attached Invite for more information and bookings. Also attached are maps and details for Mountain Sanctuary Park.

The West Rand Astronomy Club will be hosting a Weekend Away Star Party at the Mountain Sanctuary Park from 6th to 8th August 2010.

The Mountain Sanctuary Park is a private nature reserve in the Magaliesberg Mountains, about 120km north-west of Johannesburg and 90km west of Pretoria.

The night sky is beautiful from this site and if conditions are favourable, the Coal Sack in the Southern Cross and the Small Magellanic Cloud can be seen.

Accommodation options are chalets, log cabins or camping.

Those bringing telescopes stay free, if camping. 10 large campsites have been reserved for those with telescopes. These campsites border a central field where the telescopes will be set up. Please join us for a weekend of star gazing under dark skies.

Bookings
Please contact Elizabeth at Mountain Sanctuary Park by 30 June 2010.
Tel: (014) 534-0114 (08H00 - 17H00, 7 Days a week)
eMail: owen@mountain-sanctuary.co.za
Website: www.mountain-sanctuary.co.za

Be sure to mention you are booking for the WRAC Star Party and whether you are bringing a telescope.

For more information contact
Kenny Nevill on 082 335 1983, email: kenny@wrac.org.za.

If bringing a telescope, please email Doryn Jolly, doryn@wrac.org.za to let
her know you are bringing a telescope and the type of telescope.

Terms and conditions apply.
_____________________________________________________________________

FW: Sumbandila Missing Blog

SunSpace was established in 2000 as a spin-off from Stellenbosch University following the successful launch of SUNSAT by NASA with a Delta-II launch vehicle. During the past decade SunSpace has developed and delivered numerous satellite components, subsystems and two flight model satellite, now operational in space. This blog documents the mission of Sumbandila (funded by the DST), launched on a Soyuz-2.1b on 17 September 2009. SunSpace places a high premium on a strong partnership with the South African Government for supplying the ongoing satellite needs of our government.

• Visit Blog

Hubble Catches Stars On The Move

Source: SpaceDaily by Staff Writers, Heidelberg, Germany (SPX) Jun 03, 2010

By exploiting the exquisite image quality of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and comparing two observations made ten years apart astronomers have, for the first time, managed to measure the tiny motions of several hundred young stars within the central cluster of the star-forming region NGC 3603.

The team was surprised to find that the stars are moving in ways that are at odds with the current understanding of how such clusters evolve. The stars in the cluster have not "settled down" as expected.

Read more

Vuurbal tref Jupiter! Kyk die video

Herman Bonnet van ASSABFN stuur hierdie nuuswenk op Spaceweather.com. Loer gerus die videos.

Photo credit: Anthony Wesley, Broken Hill Australia

JUPITER IMPACT! Amateur astronomers Anthony Wesley of Australia and Christopher Go of the Philippines have independently observed an impact event on Jupiter. The strike occurred at 20:31 UT on June 3rd and produced a bright flash of light in the giant planet's cloudtops:

"I still can't believe that I caught a live impact on Jupiter," says Go, who has made a must-see video of the event.

"There were no visible remains at the impact point for the next half hour or so, until sunrise put an end to the imaging," says Wesley.

The nature of the impactor is presently unknown. It might have been an asteroid or a comet. In either case, a dark and cindery debris field is expected to develop around the impact point; that's what has happened in the aftermath of previous Jupiter impacts. Astronomers are encouraged to monitor Jupiter, and stay tuned for updates.

Update #3: A full day has elapsed since the flash, and many observatories have imaged the impact site. So far, a prominent debris cloud has not emerged. Was this impactor too small to produce much debris? Observations will continue...

Update #2: Wesley has posted a 46 MB video of the impact on his web page.

Update #1: Anthony Wesley has pinpointed the impact site at Jovian latitude minus 16.1^o, and central meridian longitudes CM1: 300^o, CM2: 33.8^o and CM3: 210.4^o.

Komeet 81P/Wild

Hier is `n komeet in Virgo met `n magnitude van so 10 wat `n lekker uitdaqing bied vir die donker aande wat voorlê.

 Click on image to enlarge

On this night 81P/Wild is best visible between 18:30 and 01:06, with the optimum view at 21:27. Look for it in Virgo, high in the sky in complete darkness. It is easy visually in the Orion SkyQuest XT8 Dob. Use the Ultima 42mm for optimum visual detection. It is magnitude 10.5 with a diameter of 1.5'.

In the following 30 days this object is easy visually on June 6-17, with the best view coming on June 6. During this period it will fade by about 1.2 magnitudes and will reach minimum altitude of 11° on June 21.

81P/Wild will next reach perihelion in late July 2016. It is predicted to reach maximum brightness of magnitude 11.3 in mid July. The best visibility from Bloemfontein, South Africa near maximum brightness is predicted to be in mid July when it will be approximately magnitude 11.3. At that time it will be in Leo, low in the northwestern sky during evening twilight and will be detectable in the Orion SkyQuest XT8 Dob. The previous perihelion was late February 2010. Note that the magnitude and visibility of a comet can be very unpredictable.

Visit Comet Chasing in June

Source: Skytools 3

Opening special: "Star Gazer’s Deep Space Atlas, Outdoor Viewing"

Hier is `n aanbod wat jy nie kan laat verbygaan nie. Jou vroeë kersgeskenk is nou nog meer bekostigbaar.

Sean Mitchell het laat weet hulle het `n spesiale openingsaanbod op Wayne se nuwe verbeterde: "Star Gazer’s Deep Space Atlas, Outdoor Viewing"

Die openingsaanbod is R299 + R65 (geregistreerde posaflewering).
Totale koste is R364.

Blaai af op die blog en lees meer oor die atlas.  

Web: www.deepspaceatlas.com

Bortle Dark-Sky Scale

 Het jy geweet van hierdie duistere skaal? Hier is `n inliging op `n Wiki daaroor. Klik op die skakel en word wyser....

• Klik hier 

Hier is net so `n lusmaker:

The Bortle Dark-Sky Scale is a nine-level numeric scale that measures the night sky's and stars' brightness (naked-eye and stellar limiting magnitude) of a particular location. It quantifies the astronomical observability of celestial objects and the interference caused by light pollution and skyglow. John E. Bortle created the scale and published it in the February 2001 edition of Sky & Telescope magazine to help amateur astronomers compare the darkness of observing sites. The scale ranges from Class 1, the darkest skies available on Earth, through Class 9, inner-city skies.[1]

Greg Roberts doen dit weer - Spoor geheime tuig op

Greg Roberts satellietjagter in die Kaap

•     Kaapse man gewaar geheime ruimtetuig - Die Burger (Elsabé Brits).
  
  
• Secret X-37B Space Plane Spotted by Amateur Skywatchers
  By Leonard David
  SPACE.com's Space Insider Columnist
  

In die jongste Popular Mechanics is `n artikel oor

die geheimsinnige onbemande ruimtetuig.

Nuwe verbeterde : "Star Gazer’s Deep Space Atlas, Outdoor Viewing"

Op 1 Junie 2009 het ek die eerste keer oor die "Star Gazer’s Deep Space Atlas, Outdoor Viewing" geskryf. Nou is die die nuwe verbeterde weergawe hier. (Amper hier). Dit is middel-Junie beskikbaar. Ek is weereens opgewonde en het klaar myne bestel.

Hoekom die opgewondnheid.

• Dit is vir die Suidelike halfrond saamgestel. 
• Dit is gemaak om buite by jou teleskoop of verkyker gebruik te word
• Blaaie is doubestand. Wonderlik vir die vroegoggende buite.
• Bladsyagtergrond is swart met wit teks en voorwerpe daarop.
• Konstellasies in die naghemel word maklik opgespoor.
• So ook die voorwerpe in die naghemel.
• Daar is `n “Sky Tour” om jou te help om die boek te gebruik.
• Kwaliteit drukwerk 
• Lees weer 1 Junie se blog in die argief.
• Baie ekstra inligting oor sterrekunde berskikbaar.
•  Daar is geen sokkerstatistiek in nie. Niks van FIFA nie.
  
  Meer inligting en voorbeeldbladsye is hier beskikbaar:
  
  1& 3 is dieselfde. Bestelinligting is by 1 beskikbaar.
  2 & 3 is dieselfde voorbeeldbladsye
  

1. Voorbeeldbladsye en kontakinligting in Powerpoint. Klik hier (2M)
   
2. Voorbeeldbladsye en kontakinligting in PDF-formaat . Klik hier  (2M)
   
3. Inligting op webblad. Klik hier
   
4. Opsommende inligting en hoe om die atlas te bestel:  Klik hier

Web: www.deepspaceatlas.com
To order a copy, please contact:

orders@deepspaceatlas.com

For more info contact Wayne:

info@deepspaceatlas.com

Title: Star Gazers Deep Space Atlas, Outdoor viewing.

Author: Wayne Mitchell.

ISBN: 978-0-620-41105-9.

Edition: Second.  Published: April 2010.

Size: A5 (210x150 mm)

Pages: 270. Laminated covers and varnished inner pages.

Cost: R399. Registered postage (including tracking number) R65.      

Groete

Hannes Pieterse
ASSABFN

Atlas release date: Mid June 2010

Atlas release date: Mid June 2010

Venus en die Maan se wals

Herman Bonnet van ASSABFN het hierdie pragfoto Sondag uit sy agterplaas in Bloemfotnein vasgevang. Die aardskynsel (Earth shine) kan duidelik op die maan se verduisterde deel gesien word. Loer gerus vanaand met skemr weer. Hoewel die twee bietjie verder van mekaar gaan wees.

:MeerKAT, South Africa's new radio telescope takes its first picture

Click to enlarge image

South Africa is building an 80-dish radio telescope - "MeerKAT" - in the Karoo, as part of a global effort to develop the technologies required for the planned Square Kilometre Array.  MeerKAT should be complete around 2013, but the first four dishes have already been connected - for more, visit www.ska.ac.za

• Click to read more about first image

Regards

Claire Flanagan

Jhb Planetarium

011-717-1390

www.planetarium.co.za

Don't miss this one: Venus below the crescent Moon on Sunday evening.

See if you can find Venus in daylight!

The very young crescent Moon will be just above Venus (the very bright "evening star") as the Sun sets on Sunday 16th May.  For a few minutes we'll see the pair of them shining brightly in the darkening sky above the colours of sunset.

Start looking for Venus and the Moon as the Sun sets (while the sky is still light).  As the sky darkens, the two will appear to brighten, and then for about ten minutes they'll be high enough above the horizon to be very bright.  As time passes, they'll move downwards, fade away and set.  If you watch this, you're watching the Earth spin - if you're looking towards sunset, you're moving backwards at 1,500 km/hr (one thousand five hundred km/hr).  We don't feel this movement because it's so smooth.

Venus will change colour a bit and "twinkle" as it gets lower - this is because light from objects out in space low in our sky passes through a lot of atmosphere to get to us, and the air in our atmosphere is moving.

Look also for "Earthshine" on the dark part of the Moon - this is sunlight reflecting off the Earth below the horizon in front of you (the part of the Earth that is still having day), back to the Moon.

And while you're out, take a last look at Orion, over to the left of Venus and the Moon.  By the end of the month, our planet will have moved on around the Sun a bit, and we won't see Orion (it will be on the other side of the Sun from us).  Venus however is now catching up with the Earth, and will be our "evening star" for the next few months.

By Monday evening, the Moon will have moved on a bit.  Moon-observing charts for intermediate phase learners can be downloaded from www.planetarium.co.za

Starcharts are available at www.planetarium.co.za under "In the Sky".

Regards

Claire Flanagan

Jhb Planetarium

011-717-1390

www.planetarium.co.za

S&T in Bloemfontein

Vir kennisname

Ek sien die Sky and Telescope-tydskrif is nou by die Mimosa Mall se Exclusive Books in Bloemfontein beskikbaar,

`n Maand laat en teen `n hele R99.00 per eksemplaar.

Steeds goedkoper om in te teken.

Astronomy (USA) is darem al lankal beskikbaar.

As jy dit gereeld wil kry kan jy vir die toonbankpersoneel vra om maandeliks een vir jou te bêre. 

Groete

Hannes Pieterse

Maak jou waarnemings maklik met dié sagteware

Sagteware wat jou waarnemings baie maklik kan maak. Gaan loer gerus.

Ongelukkig is dit nie gratis nie.

Meer inligting oor Skytools 3

(Nee, ek kry nie iets as vergoeding nie.)

Groete

Hannes Pieterse

Op die waarnemingsplatform

• Hier is `n klompie riglyne vir sulke byeenkomste. Lyk of die arme Amerikaners `n rowwe klomp is by hulle dieplugbyeenkomste.
  Tog kan ons maar kennis neem van hoe dit gedoen word. Veral die wit ligte wat ons nie op die platform wil hê nie. Dit neem tot 30 minute vir jou oë om by die donkerte an te pas. Net een wit lig wat in jou oë skyn en nog 20 -30 minute is daarmee heen om weer aan te pas.
  Pasop vir daardie kopliggies wat so maklik `n ander ou kan verblind.
  
  - Hier is `n paar skakels na artikels oor etiket by Dieplugbyeenkomste. Ook hulp vir waarnemings en jou teleskoop.
  
  Kliek op die skakels:
  
  - Astro Tom se Star Party etiquette
  - Star Party Etiquette
  - ABC of Observing
  - Adjusting Your Eyes To The Dark
  - How to see in the dark (Vat jou kat saam)
  - At night, why does it take my eyes several minutes to get used to darkness? (Vit A is die antwoord)
  - Your first telescope
  - Advice for First Time Telescope Buyers

Groete
Hannes Pieterse

Wikisky

Hier is `n wiki waar jy vir ure kan rondspeel. Gaan ontdek self.

• Wikisky.  (http://wikisky.org)
  

- Op die glyskaal links bo vergroot jy die kaart.
- Kliek op die muisikon heel links om na die Beta Skybrowser te gaan. Kliek dan op die afpyltjie (Sien foto hier onder en kies dan van die verskillende opsies wat gebied word.
- Ek weet nie hoe hierdie met Telkom se koperdraad gaan werk nie. Dalk nie! Laat weet asb.
- Kliek op die foto's om te vergroot.

• Wikisky.  (http://wikisky.org)

Groete
Hannes Pieterse

Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)

• Klik hier vir die foto's en videos

The Sky at Night - Sir Patrick Moore

Vir die ouens wat DSTV het: Gaan loer `n bietjie op BBC World News. Sir Patrick Moore se programme The Sky at Night kan interesasante kykstof wees. Dit lyk of dit elke Sondag uitgesaai word.

 

The Sky at Night life. The Sky at Night returns to BBC World News. First of two episodes debating the question of life in the universe...

 

Sunday:25 April

15:30: The Sky At Night (r)   21: 30: The Sky At Night (r)

Iceland's disruptive volcano

Foto's van die vulkaan:

• Klik hier

Iridium 55 , Dondardagaand om 18:50

Kliek op die foto om te vergroot.

Die afgelope twee aande was daar lekker helder Iridum flitse oor Bloemfontein. Hierdie een was volgens Heavens Above so -5 Magnitude. Omtrent soos `n ontploffing gelyk. Woensdagaand (sonder my kamera) was -8 magnitude. Die voorspelling vir vanaand (Vrydagaand) se flitsende Iridium-satelliet is net -1. Wees op die uitkyk.  

Let op die ligbesoedeling van die stad onder op die foto. Die Suiderkruis (onder)  is ook duidelik sigbaar op die foto.  

Groete

Hannes Pieterse

SCOPEX 2010 - 17 April

Click to visit website

 The Event Schedule

Interested in Astronomy, sky-gazing, astro-photography, buying/building a telescope? Visit the astronomy event of the year...

When: 17 April 2010
Time: 9am to 9pm (Star Party from 5 pm)
Where: Johannesburg - National Military History Museum (aka War Museum, next to the Zoo)
Museum Entrance Fee: R22 adults, R11 senior citizens and children up to 18

What to expect on the day

* Large variety of quality telescopes, accessories & books
* Exhibitions of self-made telescope, AstroPhotos
* Telescope making demonstrations
* Science Shows
* Telescope auction
* Rocket displays and engine run
* Camera obscura
* Presentations & lectures
* Star Party from 5 pm: tour the night sky through a telescope - Bring a picnic and join us!

• The Event Schedule which will be periodically updated with details of scheduled activities, including lectures, science shows

`n Webblad vir die Suide - Uit Aussieland

Hier is `n lekker webblad uit Ausieland.
Natuurlik in die Suidelike Halfrond. 

Besoek gerus: Kliek hier!

Hoe ver is dit?

As jy gewonder het.

1 Light Year = 9460730472580.8 Kilometers

Besoek die webtuiste en doen die omskakelings aanlyn by CalcXYZ.com

Groete

Hannes Pieterse

Magda Streicher vertel wat in die Verkleurmannetjie (Chamaeleon) te sien is.

• Deep-sky delights - Kliek om af te laai (Pdf)

So onder ons neuse ontdek `n skoolseun van Welkom `n asteroïde

Die berig het vroeër die week in Volksblad verksyn. As julle in die argief van ASSA Bloemfontein gaan rondwaal sal julle sy naam raaklees. Hy het al by die klub `n lesing gegee.

• Besoek Volksblad op die web
  
• Sterre en Planete: Luister na die jongste potgooi op RSG. Hennie Maas gesels met Ernie en ook met Prof Matie Hoffman van die Universiteit van die Vrystaat oor die soektog na miniplanete.
  - Klik hier
  

ONTDEKKING:’n Welkomse matriekseun het die eerste leerling in Afrika geword wat ’n nuwe asteroïed (miniplaneet) ontdek het en het daardeur vir homself ’n benoeming as Beste Jong Wetenskaplike in Afrika vir 2010 verseker. Ernie Halberg (17) het die miniplaneet wat Asteroïed 2010 DC2 genoem word, op 18 Februarie ontdek.
Foto: Tom de Wet (Volksblad - Welkom)

2010-03-02 02:12
Welkomse skoolseun ontdek planeet
Tom de Wet

WELKOM. – ’n Welkomse matriekseun het die eerste leerling in Afrika geword wat ’n nuwe asteroïed (miniplaneet) ontdek het en het daardeur vir homself ’n benoeming as Beste Jong Wetenskaplike in Afrika vir 2010 verseker.

Ernie Halberg (17) van die Goudveld-Hoërskool, lid van die Sterrekunde-vereniging van Suid-Afrika en die Afrika-ruimteskool, het die miniplaneet wat Asteroïed 2010?DC2 genoem word, op 18 Februarie ontdek terwyl hy via die internet ’n klein gehuurde G4-teleskoop, wat in Nieu Mexico gesetel is, gebruik het.

Ernie se soektog het behels dat hy ure aaneen teen die agtergrond van sterre vir onbekende bewegende voorwerpe soek.

Mnr. Andrew Lowe van Kanada, Ernie ?se ?oefenmeester ?en veteraan-planeetjagter, ?sê ?Ernie het die spesifieke soekwyse maande lank gebruik totdat hy die aand ’n helder en onbekende voorwerp opgemerk het. Hy het die koördinate op drie verskillende tye gemeet en vir Lowe ge-epos.

Lowe het dit nagegaan en bevestig dat dit wel ’n voorheen onbekende voorwerp in die ruimte was.

Die weer het saamgespeel en Ernie het dit die volgende nag weer afgeneem. Die proses is ’n derde nag herhaal en daar is toe vasgestel dat die planeet in ’n baie tipiese wentelbaan in die middel van die Asteroïdegordel beweeg.

Die inligting is deur Lowe na die Miniplaneetsentrum in Cambridge gestuur. Daar is die data verwerk en herbevestig dat dit nuut is. Die miniplaneet is toe 2010 DC2 genoem. Dit is sowat 2 km in deursnee en vat 4,23 jaar om rondom die son te wentel.

Lowe sê 2010 DC2 se wentelbaan veroorsaak dat dit nou die duidelikste sigbaar is die afgelope 13 jaar. Vroeër was sy sigbaarheid vaag en in die noordelike of suidelike lugruim waar professionele opmeters nie gesoek het nie.

Lowe sê hy prys Ernie vir die ontdekking omdat dit baie ure se werk in die ?nag ?verg, terwyl ?hy ook baie ?skool- en ander verpligtinge het.

Ernie se prestasie is reeds aan die departement van onderwys, wetenskap en tegnologie oorgedra.

Lowe sê hy is seker dat Ernie verskeie eerbewyse vir dié prestasie sal kry.

Ernie, kitaarspeler van die Goudveldse Christen-metalgroep Shadowed by Serpents, is die seun van dr. Ernie en mev. Melani Halberg van Welkom.

- Volksblad

*Watch the Moon "Eclipse" the Seven Sisters

 

(Voorstelling op TheSky6 voorberei)

*Watch the Moon "Eclipse" the Seven Sisters - Sunday Feb 21st*
On 21st Feb at about 8:45pm, South Africa will see some of the Pleiades 
stars disappear behind the Moon .  It's pretty rare, and will best be 
viewed through binoculars.  The Pleiades are also known as the Seven 
Sisters or isiLimela.

Technically this is called an occultation - in fact an eclipse of the 
Sun is technically an occultation (one body passing in front of 
another).  For all occultations, the timing depends on where you are on 
the planet.  A list of times for a selection of South African towns, and 
a map of the Pleiades, is at www.planetarium.co.za


Regards
Claire Flanagan
Jhb Planetarium
www.planetarium.co.za
011-717-1390

Asteroïde Vesta (Mag 6.2) met verkyker sigbaar in Leo

 (Kliek op grafika om te vergroot)

Die kaart wat met Skytools 3 geskep is wys die paajie wat Vesta vir die volgende klompie dae gaan volg.  is vir 13 Februarie voorberei. Vesta gaan nog tot in Mei maklik gevolg kan word. 

Die Helder ster is Algieba in Leo met `n magnitude van 2. Links binne die wit sirkel (42mm oogstuksirkel) is die ster HD 89930  (magnitide 7).Regs bo in wit sirekl is die veranderlike ster Leo 40 (Mag 4.8). Op 15 Februarie is Vesta ook naby `n ster. Met behulp van die sterre kan jy nou maklik vir Vesta opspoor.


Hier is inligting wat ook met Skytools 3 geskep is:

(4) Vesta
Minor Planet
Main Belt Object class
R.A.: 55.64174, Dec.: 19.2129 (2000) in Leo
Galactic lon: 217.937, Galactic lat: 55.016
Magnitude: 6.16

Orbit Data
Orbit Period: 3.6 years
Perihelion Distance: 2.2 AU
Aphelion Distance: 2.6 AU
Inclination: 7°
e: 0.09
Diameter: 530 km
Epoch of orbital elements 2010.12

Current Status
Earth Distance: 1.4 AU
Sun Distance: 2.4 AU
Elongation: 170°
Total motion: 40.4 "/hr
RA: -36.49 "/hr
Dec: 21.1 "/hr

Visual Observing Synopsis for 2010 Feb 13
On this night (4) Vesta is best visible between 22:36 and 03:30, with the optimum view at 01:03. Look for it in Leo, high in the sky in complete darkness. It is obvious visually in the Orion SkyQuest XT10 Dob. Use the Plössl 4mm for optimum visual detection. It is magnitude 6.2.
In the following 30 days this object is obvious visually from February 13 on, with the best view coming on February 18. During this period it will reach peak brightness of magnitude 6 on February 19 and will reach minimum altitude of 22° on March 4.

Karoo "Starparty" 2010

 

Dit het klein begin in 2009. 

Skud jou reg vir Suid Afrika se eie Karoo "starparty" in 2010.
Naas ScopeX gaan hierdie die geleentheid wees om elke jaar by te woon.
Kom pluk `n ster in die Karoo!

Plek: Kambro Padstal by Britstown   GPS S30°-25-00.3 E23°-33-56.1

Datum: 6 - 9 Augustus 2010

Hoe ver: Klik hier   N1 en N10 = 413km    of R64     N12   = 428km
(Bloefontein tot by Britstown)

• 2009 se "Starparty"
  
• Meer inligting oor die 2010 Karoo "Starparty"

Volmaan die grootste (Perigee) hierdie jaar!

 Image credit and copyright: Anthony Ayiomamitis: details

Gaan loer gerus na die Astronomy Picture of the day (25 Oktober 2007)

• Klik hier 

Hoe om met sterrekunde as stokperdjie te begin

In die nuwe Canopus (Kliek hier om uit te vind wat is Canopus) is `n paar wenke wat uit "Sky and Telescope gemelk is, oor hoe om jou sterrekunde stokperdjie van die grond af te kry.

Vertaal uit Canopus:

1. Leer die naghemel met die blote oog te ken.

2. Lees! Lees! Lees! Biblioteek en Internet

3. Dink en beplan om jou erste teleskoop aan te skaf, maar begin met `n verkyker.

4. Kyk na sterkaarte en ander konstelasiegidse.

5. Begin om `n sterrekunde dagboek te hou. Dit is pret.

6. Gesels met ander amateurs en sluit by `n sterrekundevereniging aan.

7. Jy sal weet as die tyd reg is vir `n teleskoop. Koop die grootste wat jy kan bekostig.

8. Begrawe jou ego en vrae "dom" vrae.

9 . Ontspan en geniet dit. 

• Kliek hier vir die artikel in S&T
  
  
• Laai pdf af vir Suidelike Afrika
  

Besoek aan Carnarvon meerKAT/SKA

Gaan loer hoe lyk die meerkatte (SKA) by Carnavon. Auke Slotegraaf was saam met `n groep daar.

• SKA besoek (Foto's)
  

Sky Guide nou by ASSA Bloemfontein beskikbaar

Die Sky Guide (Africa South) neem jou dag vir dag op `n reis deur die uitspansel en hou jou op hoogte hou van al die gebeure daarbo - soos vanaf die aarde gesien.

Koste: R60 

Waar: By Pat van Heerden
E-pos: vanheerdenhj@ufs.ac.za

Ook op opedae by Boyden-sterrewag beskikbaar.

Gedeeltelike sonverduistering oor Bloemfontein (15 Januarie 2010)

Partial Solar Eclipse: Bloemfontein, South Africa - 15 January 2009

Sunspot 1040 clearly visible. It is a member of new Solar Cycle 24

Camera: Canon 30D

Exposure: 100 ISO; 1/1000 @ F25

Filter: Baader Solar Photo filter

Lens: 300mm X 1.6 (480mm) (Canon 70 - 300mm Zoom)

Time: 15/01/2009 (07:30)

Software: Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop CS4

Location: Bloemfontein, South Africa

Weather conditions: Good, Sunny,  no clouds during exposure
Photographer: Hannes Pieterse

• More pictures at Spaceweather flash (Change Number of tacks to 200 and sellect catagory)

Gedeeltelike sonverduistering Vrydag, 15 Januarie.

Net so `n katspoegie van `n verduistering. Die enigste vir 2010 hier in die Suide. Op die voorstelling wat met TheSky 6 gemaak is kan mens sien hoe die gedeeltelike verduistering Vrydag om 07:30 gaan lyk. Dit begin om 06:58, bereik sy maksimum om 07:30 en eindig om 07:59. Venus is regs bo in die prentjie.

2010 ASSA Symposium

The Pretoria branch of ASSA is proud to announce the dates for the Southern African Eighth biennial Symposium of the ASSA.  The symposium will take place at the Silverton campus of the Council for Geoscience on Thursday 7 October 2010 and Friday 8 October 2010.  The preliminary program for Saturday includes a morning visit to HartRAU and a guided tour through the Tswaing meteorite impact crater during the afternoon.

The symposium will focus on light/spectrum pollution and people interested in delivering papers are invited to send a short synopsis to Andrie van der Linde at andrie@eridanusoptics.com.  You can also make a preliminary booking if you plan to attend.

Details on registration fees and suggestions for accommodation, etc will be available soon.

Regards

Andrie van der Linde

Is die seisoen vir Sonvlekke hier? Het die gety gedraai?

Sunspot 1040 is busy growing again. In only 24 hours, it has expanded from a barely visible "sun-speck" to a planet-sized active region with 15 dark cores and a tangled magnetic field. Steve Riegel sends this picture from his backyard observatory in Santa Maria, California.

More info: spaceweather.com

Moenie oor Vrystaat se koue kla nie!

 So het die Britse Eilande op 7 Januarie op `n hoogte van 420 myl gelyk.

Kliek hier vir meer inligting