Lovejoy - The OTHER Comet

Hey Space Placers!

Although Comet ISON was getting all of the attention - I will have another Comet ISON post tomorrow - Comet Lovejoy has been putting on a fine show in the pre-dawn sky.

This photograph was taken on the 3rd with the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii and shows incredible detail in the tail:

You can download the pic and zoom in to really see the streamers in the tail here as well as learn more:
http://www.naoj.org/Topics/2013/12/05/index.html

Sky Guy in VA

Sky Guy Viewing ALERT 12-5-13 Venus-Moon

Hey Space Placers!

Get out at sunset on the 5th to see the brilliant planet Venus and the crescent Moon in the western sky. Venus is  at its greatest brilliance and height in the sky for the season and if you have a dark sky site you can see shadows cast by Venus on freshly fallen snow. I was able to see shadows cast by Venus on the ship in the dark Atlantic.

The crescent Moon will be a treat as it will have earthshine present - the illumination of the dark side of the Moon caused by the reflection of sunlight off of our planet's oceans and clouds. Binoculars and a telescope can enhance the view of the earthshine greatly - even to the point where lunar features are easily visible.

Try your hand at taking a picture of these two in the sky. Mount your digital camera on a tripod or steady surface and try taking a 1 second exposure at ISO 200. Adjust accordingly to get that perfect shot.

Enjoy this pretty sky sight as we head into the holiday season.

Sky Guy in VA

Tune In To Cassini At Saturn 12-4-13 3:30 p.m. EST

Hey Space Placers!

NASA is hosting a Google+ hangout dedicated to the Cassini spacecraft at Saturn at 3:30 p.m. EST 12-4-13. Check out this impressive photo of Titan taken by Cassini rising:

It's important to support Cassini as NASA has had to put forth discussions of cutting Cassini for budgetary reasons… insane to shut down a perfectly performing spacecraft that cost $$ to get to Saturn. But the unrealistic budgetary squeeze the inept and dysfunctional Congress has put NASA in is causing this to happen.
Read More About the Cassini budget mess:
http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs/van-kane/20131112_Cassini_extended_mission.html

Read More About the Google+ Hangout
http://www.nasa.gov/press/2013/december/nasa-holds-google-hangout-on-cassinis-findings-at-saturn/#.Up8fTKWz7wI

Sky Guy in VA

OK, One More Comet ISON Post UPDATED

Hey Space Placers!

Missing your almost daily feed of Comet ISON from me?

Well, here's ONE MORE story dated 12/2/13 from NASA that is worth a read and look as it is THE latest on the now pretty much gone comet with great graphics:

http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/nasa-investigating-the-life-of-comet-ison/#.Up0RS6Wz7wI

And you have to read the "obituary" for Comet ISON here:

http://www.isoncampaign.org/karl/in-memoriam

I'll have more posts as information filters in, especially the Hubble Space Telescope observations planned for later in the month - IF there is anything left to observe.

Sky Guy in VA

India's Mars Orbiter Mission and China's Lunar Rover

Hey Space Placers!

Here are two great articles on India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) and China's lunar rover mission:

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/pslv/c25/131130departure/#.Upx8KxYbSlI

and

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/china/change3/131201launch/#.Upx1zxYbSlI

It is quite an accomplishment for both of these nations to have such missions and let us hope for their success as they will add to our knowledge of the Red Planet and the Moon.

Of course I can hardly wait to see the pictures and science returned from the Moon. Hopefully China will share its data with the world as previous missions to the Moon were difficult to find updates and information on them.

Sky Guy in VA

Last Comet ISON Update 12-1-13

Hey Space Placers!

As it stands now Comet ISON will NOT be a sight for all to see in the morning sky. The latest updates show that the comet is fading and in essentially nothing but a dust debris cloud.

It has been described as a "challenge" for astrophotographers to image Comet ISON and "very little or nothing is likely to be visible from Earth" http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/193909261.html

What a marvelous run this has been for all of us. I can only hope that a comet will be in our future for the northern hemisphere that will be an sight to see.

If there is any significant change or development I will pass it along.

Thanks to all of the astronomers and observers who kept us informed during the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Sky Guy in VA

UPDATED China's Lunar Probe On Its Way To the Moon

Hey Space Placers!

UPDATED

China's lunar rover has been successfully launched and is on its way to the Moon. Solar panels and the rover's legs have successfully deployed.

Chang'e3 is expected to reach the Moon on December 6 and land in Sinus Iridum on the 14th.

See https://twitter.com/planet4589 for more details

More details to follow but check out the following https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ChangE3&src=hash

Sky Guy in VA