Sunday, June 4, 2023

HOW DOES THE UNIVERSE END?

 Hey, Space Placers!

Ever wonder if the Universe has an end? 

Our Sun dies in 5 billion years as does our Milky Way Galaxy around the same time when it collides with the Andromeda Galaxy.

Watch this educational video to see what the latest research and theories tell us.

Sky Guy in VA 

Saturday, June 3, 2023

FULL STRAWBERRY MOON TONIGHT & JUNE SKY SIGHTS

 Hey, Space Placers!

Image

ALMOST Full Strawberry Moon (6/2/23 Unistellar  eVscope 2 Image)

Greg Redfern

Check out the Full Strawberry Moon tonight! Enjoy the view of how everything looks under the wonderful moonlight of a Full Moon......

Also, check out the sky sights of June via NASA

Sky Guy in VA

Friday, June 2, 2023

JUNE 2, 2023: SEE THE BEEHIVE & MARS - VENUS TO FOLLOW LATER THIS MONTH

Hey Space Placers,

Positions of Venus and Mars in June along a green ecliptic line with three dots stars and a star cluster nearby.

In June, Venus, the brightest planet, will continue to dominate the western sky after sunset and move away from the Twin Stars of GeminiPollux and Castor. Venus will reach greatest elongation – 45 degrees – from the sun on June 4th. Mars, nearby, continues to fade in brightness as we race away from it in our orbit around the sun. Don’t miss Mars buzzing through the Beehive star cluster on June 1 and 2, 2023. Then, Venus buzzes by the Beehive on the evenings of June 12 and 13. Later in the month, the moon will sweep past these 2 inner planets on June 21 and 22. The white arrow shows Venus’ position along the ecliptic – or path of the sun, moon and planets (shown as a green line on our chart) – for the month of June, with the red arrow showing Mars’ path. Note how Venus and Mars get closer together over the month. On June 1st, the planets appear 10 degrees apart, and by month’s end they appear less than 4 degrees apart. Both planets are moving toward Regulus in Leo the Lion. Venus and Mars will set around midnight (your local time) at the beginning of June and around 11 p.m. at month’s end. Check out our video about Venus and Mars. Chart via John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.

Neat doings in the sky tonight. 

Binoculars and a telescope will provide a nifty view. You can also use your camera to try for an image.

I'm hoping to see and image this event tonight. I'll be using my Unistellar telescope

You'll need a good, clear view to the West - good luck!

Sky Guy in VA

Thursday, June 1, 2023

BIG NASA NEWS: UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA (UAP) AND BOEING CST-1OO STARLINER UPDATES

 Hey Space Placers!

BIG NEWS out of NASA HQ:

 UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA (UAP) 5/31/23 TELECONFERENCE

The upshot of the four-hour event:

“I want to emphasize this loud and proud: There is absolutely no convincing evidence for extraterrestrial life associated with” unidentified objects, NASA’s Dan Evans said after the meeting.

More info here.

The 16-person committee is expected to publish a final report in July. 


BOEING CST-1OO STARLINER WILL NOT FLY IN JULY 2023. TWO MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES DISCOVERED

NASA and Boeing announced today, June 1, 2023, that Boeing's crewed CST-100 Starliner will not fly as scheduled due to safety concerns over flammable tape in the spacecraft and an issue with the parachutes. 

No launch date was given but hopes are for a flight this year.

Sky Guy in VA

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

MY 2023 SPACE & NASA PRESENTATION SCHEDULE

 Hey, Space Placers!

                                                                CREDIT: GREG REDFERN

Today I start my 2023 astronomy & NASA presentation schedule at Peaks Of Otter.

I will also be at Shenandoah National Park, including August's Night Sky Festival and SNPA Astrophotography Seminar.

Finally, join me at Capon Springs Resort & Farms.

Each of these venues offers a wonderful outdoor experience for the whole family too.

C U hopefully at one of these fun and informative session.!

Sky Guy in VA

Sunday, May 28, 2023

YES, YOU CAN TAKE ASTROPICS AT SEA

 Hey, Space Placers!



Going on a cruise any time soon?

Here is a nifty article that gives you some pointers on how to take astropics at sea.

At sea the horizon is all around you and the sky should be free of light pollution.

The range of sky objects you can image with smartphone and/or camera/tablet is, well, astronomical!

If you need more detail and tips my book, referenced in the article, will provide a boatload of info :-)

Sky Guy in VA

Friday, May 26, 2023

SUPERNOVA 2023ixf UPDATE & VIDEO

 Hey Space Placers!

This video by EarthSky.org is a nice compendium of pics - including one from yours truly.

The supernova is VERY BRIGHT as you can see in these two 1/2 second(!) exposures taken with my Unistellar eVscope 2. It may seem brighter due to less smoke in the sky from Canadian wildfires BUT I do believe the exploded star has been reported to have brightened over the past couple days.



Here is an interesting article about the SAFE DISTANCE we need to be from a supernova explosion. If there were planets - and there probably were - orbiting that exploded star, they were possibly destroyed.

Sky Guy in VA