What's Up? The Space Place

Hey Space Placers! In Rostock, Germany and saw Berlin yesterday....what a city. I'll be posting about Tyco Brahe's Observatory later. Here is the latest on the so called Alien Signal  that was in the press. Sky Guy in Germany

Hey Space Placers! I am still thinking of Proxima b - see yesterday's blog. But OUR solar system keeps busy too. ESA's Rosetta spacecraft, which will be finishing its historic mission to Comet 67P next month, captured an outburst in February this year and released this GIF today. CREDIT: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA Read more about it here . I am headed for Azamara Quest for a 2 week voyage. I hope to keep in touch. Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! UPDATE: Read about possible conditions and characteristics of Proxima b This is a day in the history of humanity that will be remembered because of something discovered in the field of astronomy. Competing with the headlines of a major earthquake with death and destruction in Italy, a severe tornado in Indianapolis, the torrid U.S. Presidential campaign, shameful skyrocketing of a lifesaving drug in the name of money only and not true costs, and terrorist attacks, we now have clear evidence for the closest exoplanet to Earth. Known as Proxima b, this exoplanet - a planet beyond those in our solar system -  is in an 11.2 day orbit around its parent Red Dwarf star, Proxima. Red Dwarfs are far more numerous than more massive stars, including our Sun by a very wide margin. Proxima is also part of a triple star system in the Southern Hemisphere and is located just 4.37 light years from Earth. Proxima is the closest star to Earth after our Sun. This imag...

Hey Space Placers! Tonight look to the South after sunset to see Saturn, Mars and Antares lined up in an almost straight line. Now imagine how they actually line up in space with Mars, Saturn and then the star Antares being progressively farther away. Also look to the West after sunset, using binoculars, to find Jupiter and Venus low on the horizon. You will need a clear horizon free of obstructions and a clear atmosphere to see them. Once you have spotted them make sure you watch them draw closer and closer together on subsequent nights. On the 27th the two brightest planets will be very close to one another and quite a sight for those who can see them. Get additional details here  . I am headed to sea again so I will try to stay in touch. Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! One year from today, August 21, 2017,  the continental United States will witness a solar eclipse. Many cities and states lie in the path of totality, or where the Sun is completely eclipsed by the New Moon. My first and only total solar eclipse was in February 1998 onboard Holland America's Staatendam as a member of the Sky and Telescope staff. It was memorable and I look forward to being in the Moon's shadow again/ The time to start making plans for the eclipse is now. Fortunately there are a lot of resources to help. Use this link to determine where you are in relation to the eclipse.   You can determine if you want to see the eclipse from where you live or travel to where totality will take place nearest you. Here is a link that provides the best places to see the solar eclipse. You will also need to buy pairs of solar eclipse glasses, one pair of each person in your observing party. THIS IS A MUST AS YOU WILL INJURE YOUR EYES IF YOU IMPROPERLY...

Hey Space Placers! I have to put off my OSIRIS-Rex blog for a few days as I am getting ready for a cruise. In the meantime enjoy this latest on Mars Rover Curiosity . Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! Just finished up with NASA's pre-launch briefing on the OSIRIS-Rex mission. I have to go through notes and will have more on this amazing asteroid sample return mission tomorrow. In the meantime, read about plans for the 1st COMMERCIAL Asteroid mission . Sky Guy in VA