Wednesday, December 31, 2014

My Top Space Story for 2014 Is........

Hey Space Placers!

Last year I started a New Year’s Eve tradition of picking the “Top Space Story” for the year. In 2013 it was “The Chelyabinsk Airburst Event”. Hillary Howard, Dimitri Sotis and I discussed on air some of the triumphs and tragedies of space in 2014 which hinted at what I consider to be tops in space this year.

I gave great consideration to naming NASA’s successful launch and recovery of the Orion spacecraft earlier this month as the winner but it lacked one thing that the winner had - empathy. 

Sky Guy Greg Redfern’s Top Space Story for 2014 is: The European Space Agency (ESA) Rosetta Mission

Rosetta was a bold mission to a distant comet that took 10 years and billions of miles of precise solar system travel to rendezvous with Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (Comet 67/P) in August 2014. One of the mission objectives was to attempt humanity’s first ever landing on a comet via a dishwasher size probe named Philae.

It took several months of reconnaissance of the comet to identify and finally select a suitable landing site for Philae. In the meantime Rosetta returned stunning photographs of Comet 67/P. 

The Twitterverse, mainstream media and the ‘net in general were absolutely spellbound (myself included) for a few hours on November 12th as Philae detached from the comet orbitng mother ship and began the drop to the surface. This was a completely autonomous landing with no intervention from Earth or Rosetta and it was do or die, literally, for Philae. A million things could go wrong and some did, but Philae made it.

Tweets, news stories and live feeds about Philae’s fate captivated many and the lander took on a human like persona that endeared it to all. Tweets stating “I did it!”, “I’m feeling a bit tired” created a folowing for @Philae2014 that numbers 386,000 followers and will surely grow. 

The little lander that could sent a last Tweet dated November 14th telling all that it was going “zzzzz” - which meant that the onboard batteries were exhausted and hibernation was starting. The Tweets from Philae really struck a chord with all who read them, I know they did with me.

It is hoped that Philae will awake later in 2015 as Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko gets closer to the Sun and sunlight hits the craft’s solar panels. This will possibly recharge Philae’s batteries and the data from the surface of a comet can flow once again.

Philae’s parent spacecraft, Rosetta is in good health and will orbit Comet 67/P in the upcoming year. The spacecraft has returned one of the most stunning solar system pictures I have ever seen and beats ANYTHING I saw in the comet disaster movies Armageddon and Deep Impact.

We will learn much about comets with the Rosetta mission in 2015. I will be sending a “Happy New Year” Tweet to Philae tonight. Why don’t you do the same?

Sky Guy in VA

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Distant Light

Hey Space Placers!

I wanted to share this astropic I took last night as it shows the first confirmed gravitational lens - a consequence predicted by Einstein's theory of relativity in which a foreground massive object bends spacetime so that objects in the distance can become multiple images in space from our point of view.



The light from this double image of a quasar (the center of a galaxy that has an active supermassive black hole and is incredibly bright as a result) traveled 8.7 billion light years to be collected by a 20-inch telescope and fall upon the CCD detector. 

This is the most distant object I have ever photographed and it has me in awe of our Universe AND our ability to comprehend it.

Happy New Year to you all…….tomorrow I will post my "Top SPace Story of 2014".

Awed Sky Guy in VA

Monday, December 29, 2014

UPDATED Sky Guy Viewing ALERT Comet Lovejoy

Hey Space Placers!

UPDATE:

Here is the latest info and sky chart for finding Comet Lovejoy which has continued to brighten and is reported to be at naked eye visibility from dark sky sites. Tonight, 1/4/15. the comet is near Rigel in Orion.

Here is what it looks like in the sky - it is the bright green object near the center of the camera. This was taken in strong moonlight which interferes with seeing the comet until 1/7/15. Using binoculars will really help with the view, even in moonlight and urban settings.







Now is the time to try and see Comet Lovejoy as it has been reported as being visible to the unaided eye from dark sky sites. I have seen the comet in 10x56 binoculars and I have photographed it with a telescope several times, including last night as it passed by the M-79 Globular Cluster:



Read this article and use the finder chart to try and see this beautiful visitor from the beginning of our solar system; Try and find a site that is free of lights and has a good view of the SE and S horizons. Binoculars will be a BIG help and once you zero in on Comet Lovejoy try and see if you can see it with just your eyes.

I'll post more pics and info as we continue to monitor the comet.

Sky Guy in VA



Sunday, December 28, 2014

Zeroing in on a Black Hole

Hey Space Placers!

Been busy spending time with my family and taking pictures with the Slooh telescopes (more about that later.

Astronomers are zeroing in on trying to actually capture images of a black hole.  I hope they are successful in zeroing in on the 4 million solar mass black hole that resides at the center of our Milky Way Galaxy.

This indeed would be the image of the century and FINALLY prove the existence of black holes beyond a doubt.

Sky Guy in VA

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Got A New Telescope?

Hey Space Placers!

If Santa brought you a new telescope for Christmas - lucky you - here's a good article on what you can do with it.

By New Year's you will be able to add the planets Venus and Mercury to your observing list as well as a new comet. Saturn will be nicely placed in the early morning sky by mid January.

Make sure you follow all of my "Sky Guy Viewing Alerts" here and on Twitter @SkyGuyInVA.

ENJOY and let me know how it goes.

My latest with Slooh - NGC 4565, a spiral galaxy that shows what our Milky Way looks like in space:


Sky Guy in VA

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas & Happy Holiday Season Everyone

ey Space Placers!

Enjoy this picture I took of the Horsehead Nebula with a 20-inch Slooh telescope.


May this holiday season be safe, joyous and merry for you and yours.

Sky Guy in VA

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Welcome Our New Galactic Neighbor

Hey Space Placers!

Our Milky Way Galaxy (MWG) and the Local Group - the 50+ galaxies that form our galactic cluster of which the MWG is part of - got a new neighbor.

Just discovered, the small, isolated dwarf galaxy Kks3 lies 7 million light years away. Discovery of dwarf galaxies like these help us to understand galaxies overall and how they begin and evolve.

Happy Holidays to all of you around the world and thanks for dropping in.

Sky Guy in VA

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

The Towering Cliffs of Comet 67/P

Hey Space Placers!

You owe it to yourself to see this picture.

Stunning is not even close to describe what we are seeing. These cliffs are a kilometer tall and are located on a COMET! The detail in this picture is amazing as we can see texture in the cliffs, boulders on the surface, smooth areas……I could go on and on.

I am so looking forward to seeing how this comet will change as it gets closer to the Sun and begins to sublimate its material out into space.

The Rosetta spacecraft will swoop down to within just 4 miles (!) of the comet in February.  If this is done successfully the pictures we see will be capable of showing detail that is INCHES across - wow.

I'm hoping the weather clears so I can get some pics of Comet Lovejoy which continues to brighten and may grace our skies in early January.

Sky Guy in VA


Monday, December 22, 2014

See Our Sun Like You Haven't Before

Hey Space Placers!

Check out this view of our Sun in high energy X-rays.

A NASA spacecraft used to study energetic objects in the Universe turned its instruments towards andy Sun and showed our star to be quite the show.

Sky Guy in VA


Sunday, December 21, 2014

Happy Winter 2014!

Hey Space Placers!

6:03 P.M. EST today (Dec. 21) marks the Winter Solstice - the 1st day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. This is also the day of least sunshine but we start towards spring tomorrow! For those down under in the Southern Hemisphere it is the 1st day of summer,

Bundle up and get out to enjoy the skies of winter.

 Sky Guy in VA

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Watch Orion Re-Enter Earth's Atmosphere

Hey Space Placers!

Check out this incredible video of NASA's Orion spacecraft re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. The view is what an astronaut aboard the spacecraft would see so you get a perspective that is rare.

Also check out the picture of the spacecraft - make sure you click on the image to get the enlarged view.

Sky Guy in VA

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Christmas Ideas for Stargazers 2014

Hey Space Placers!

Ho, Ho, Ho! Happy Holidays! Welcome to the  “What’s Up? The Space Place” holiday edition to get some great gift ideas for that stargazer of yours.

OK, you have 6 shopping days left but don’t panic. Internet shopping and quick shipping will get that star minded someone, including possibly yourself, their gift in plenty of time.

MONTHLY MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION
As a first step for someone new to astronomy I recommend getting them a magazine subscription to either (or both) Astronomy or Sky and Telescope. An added bonus is that when the magazine arrives each month it will be a reminder of you to that special stargazer. Astronomy and S&T also provides a digital version as part of the magazine subscription which comes in handy. 

These monthly magazines and their respective excellent websites are chock full of observing advice, astronomical equipment, pictures, book reviews, astronomy related ads, news AND monthly observing guides/star charts. I will admit I am an S&T subscriber and have been my whole life; I have also done major feature articles for them and been a total solar eclipse cruise staff member. 

ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR
This is a nifty gift idea that provides your stargazer astronomical information on a daily basis accompanied by a beautiful and informative astronomical image. These can be used at work or at home. You can find these at the online stores for Astronomy and Sky and Telescope 

BOOKS
There is a literary universe of astronomy and space related books out there. You can browse Amazon and Barnes and Noble to find a title that fits your buying fancy. If you know what tweeks your stargazer’s interest you can try and buy a book. But I recommend giving them a gift card that they can use to buy a book of their choice. You may want to browse these websites in advance to make sure the gift card has a sufficient value to cover these usually expensive books. This has been a tried and true present to me from family for decades.

METEORITE
For a truly out of this world gift you can buy an actual space rock or more realistically, a piece of one, from the asteroid belt, Moon and even Mars. I have been a meteorite (space rock) collector for many years and have 208 in my collection. Truth be told your avid stargazer is probably frustrated at times with our cloudy weather. Nothing cures this frustration better than holding a piece of the solar system and contemplating where it came from and how it got to Earth.

You need to know your dealer in buying these amazing rocks that are 4.5 billion years old. New England Meteoritical Services has what I consider to be the best and most reasonably priced presentation sets for purchase which you can see when you scroll down their webpage. I have personally dealt with them and I highly recommend them. 

MOVIES
A great sock stuffer is a space themed movie. The Star Trek movies (new and old), ’‘Gravity’, ‘Europa Report’, ‘Cosmos the Series’ (original and new versions), any of the National Geographic, Science Channel, Discovery Channel, History Channel space themed segments are excellent.

BINOCULARS
If you have a budding stargazer that wants to see more of the sky than what their eyes alone can provide, quality binoculars are the ticket. A whole new view of the sky becomes possible and as an added bonus they can be used in daytime for bird watching and sporting events.

A good pair of binoculars will show impressive detail on the Moon, a few galaxies, star clusters and nebulae (you need to know where to look) and if you hold them steady enough, the four main moons of Jupiter. Star colors are richer in binoculars and very pretty to look at.

I recommend “7x50” binoculars - the 7 is the magnification while the 50 is the size of each objective lens in millimeters. This is a good compromise between magnification, light gathering ability and field of view. Less magnification means less detail but a wider field of view while more magnification reduces field of view while giving more detail. I would not go higher than 8 in magnification or lower than 50 in objective size for a beginner. There are large astro-binoculars out there but they are for advanced users.

You can buy binoculars at sporting goods stores and all of the major chains like Costco, Walmart and Amazon. A good online store that I have used for many years is Orion Telescopes. They have an excellent assortment, stand by their products and great customer service. They also have extensive descriptions and background information on types of binoculars and how to choose a pair.

TELESCOPE
This is the penultimate, and most risky, gift idea on my list. There is nothing quite like getting that first telescope and experiencing “first light” - the first view of the sky through it. It is risky because telescopes are an investment in terms of money and longevity. There is nothing worse than buying a ‘scope that never gets used because it is too complicated, too heavy or of poor quality - they collect dust from never being used.

With the right purchase there is no reason why a quality telescope will not last a person’s entire lifetime, or at least a good portion of it. Many nights of enjoyment and discovery at the eyepiece of a good telescope are pure joy to your stargazer.

There are many telescopes out there and to pick just the right one for your stargazer is a real shot in the dark, so to speak, unless you have “insider information”. If your astronomer has spent time studying telescopes and selecting a “final one” and letting you know it - go for it. BUT, make sure there is a return policy that allows you to get your money back if things don’t work out.

My recommendation for “first telescopes” is this. Put together a gift package or card that says that you will bankroll the purchase of a new telescope (I recommend setting a price limit as telescopes can cost thousands of dollars) after a selection process has determined the best telescope to buy. 

If this is a family member or significant other you can do this together. Astronomy, Sky and Telescope and Orion have sections on how to select a telescope and there are books on the subject as well. Going to a local astronomy club and attending a star party provides an opportunity to “test drive” different types of telescopes and look through them at a wide variety of astronomical objects. This will help immensely in the selection of a telescope.

I hope this has helped you on your out of this world holiday shopping. Drop me a Tweet or email if you have any questions.

Happy Holidays and clear skies.

Sky Guy in VA

Sky Guy Viewing ALERT 12-19-14 Waning crescent Moon & Saturn

Hey Space Placers!

Tomorrow morning before dawn the waning crescent Moon will join Saturn in the southeastern sky.


Moon 12-18-14 G. Redfern
Earthshine is caused by our planet's oceans and clouds reflecting sunlight which illuminates the Moon's unlit surface.

Enjoy the view!

Sky Guy in VA

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Name A Crater On Mercury

Hey Space Placers!

Learn how you can name a crater on the planet Mercury

5 craters are up for naming and the competition to submit names runs from 12/15/14 to 1/15/15.

Good luck!

Sky Guy in VA

Friday, December 12, 2014

UPDATED Sky Guy Viewing ALERT - The Geminid Meteor Shower

Hey Space Placers!

UPDATE:

On Dec. 13, Bill Cooke, head of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office and a team of astronomers from Marshall Space Flight Center will host an overnight NASA web chat from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. CST, answering questions about the Geminid meteor shower.  To join the webchat on Dec. 13, log into the chat page at:http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/geminids_2014.html

This weekend, especially on Saturday and Sunday nights, we will enjoy the peak time for what I think is the best meteor shower of the year, the Geminids. I say best because it reliably produces a large number of meteors per hour (100-120) and many of them are bright. Plus the Geminids is the only major meteor shower where you can see a good number of meteors during the early evening hours instead of the hours just before dawn.

The predicted peak of the 2014 Geminid Meteor Shower are the nights of December 13 and 14 but you can see Geminids from the 12th to the 16th. Each year at this time our planet encounters a debris stream of rock particles made by Asteroid 3200 Phaethon. The Geminids is the only meteor shower caused by an asteroid or what astronomers call a rock comet - all others are due to cometary debris. 

As Earth moves in its orbit around the Sun it collides with this rocky debris stream and the particles hit our atmosphere at 22 miles per second (79,000 miles per hour) to become “shooting or falling stars”. It is thought that the Geminds are brighter than other meteor showers because they involve larger and heavier debris than normal cometary dust and penetrate deeper into the atmosphere.

The best place to see the Geminids is a location that is away from lights and obstructions such as trees and buildings. If you are a city dweller you still may see the brightest Geminids as long as you are not staring into a street light or nestled in amongst tall buildings. The view of the Geminids is worth it from the suburbs as long as lights and obstructions are minimized as best you can. Out in the country or along the beach is the best place to be.

You do not need any equipment or know how to enjoy the show - just find a place where you can put a lounge chair or blanket to see the sky. Starting at 9 p.m. look in the east for the constellation Gemini for which this meteor shower is named. Brilliant Jupiter is just below the constellation making it really easy to find and both will rise higher as the night progresses. A meteor that is part of the shower can be traced back to Gemini. Sporadic meteors that are not part of the shower can be seen during the night as well.

The shower will continue all night and be best an hour before dawn - about 4 a.m. The Last Quarter Moon will obscure the dimmer meteors but there should be a bright shooting star every couple of minutes from a dark sky site. The key to watching the shower is being comfortable, in other words WARM. The Geminids can appear anywhere in the sky but looking straight up gives you the widest viewing area - this is where the lounge chair or blanket come in handy. 

Enjoy the shower with family, friends or your significant other. Some music, food and beverages are an added plus. 

The weather may cloud us out in the WTOP viewing area for the Geminid Meteor Shower. Our best bet is to check the sky to see if it is clear when you want to go out to look for Geminids. 

If it is cloudy you can still observe the Geminid Meteor Shower by a very novel and cool means.

As I write this I am listening to meteor radar - yes radar that scans for incoming meteors as well as satellites and space debris. It is a fascinating way - just heard one!! - to monitor a meteor shower like the Geminids. Essentially the louder a ping is, the brighter the meteor would be in the sky.

You can listen during the day and night. 

Good hunting, clear skies or not!


Follow me on Twitter @SkyGuyinVA and my daily blog 

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Enjoy These @ Sea Pics

Hey Space Placers!

Enjoy these pics….comms have been down at sea.

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Be back to regular entries tomorrow.

Sky Guy Heading to Florida.