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Old 20-12-2009, 17:22
TelevisionUser
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...here by National Geographic http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...tmosphere.html.

It looks a bit like a boiling water world with high gravity and an inhospitable atmosphere. At best, a world like that might harbour microbial life forms.

Still, it makes a change from the reports of Jupiter-like gas giants being found.
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Old 20-12-2009, 17:28
HenryGarten
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Anyone want to spot Jupiter then tonight is a good night. It is shining brightly to the upper left of the moon.

It should be real near the moon tomorrow night.
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Old 20-12-2009, 17:36
Ricardodaforce
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Anyone want to spot Jupiter then tonight is a good night. It is shining brightly to the upper left of the moon.

It should be real near the moon tomorrow night.
Jupiter was magnificent in the night sky here all summer H. Much higher in the sky than back in the UK. It was very dominating in the sky and stunning to look at.
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Old 21-12-2009, 01:07
HenryGarten
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On this day 41 years ago Apollo VIII blasted off to the moon. I always think this was the bravest of all the missions.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_8
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Old 21-12-2009, 06:37
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On this day 41 years ago Apollo VIII blasted off to the moon. I always think this was the bravest of all the missions.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_8
Without doubt Henry.
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Old 22-12-2009, 12:48
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A quick heads-up that tonight is the peak of the 'Ursids' meteor shower - named because the radiant of the shower is in the constellation Ursa Minor.

The Ursid shower is often overlooked because it's so close to Christmas, has a relatively narrow duration, and the rate (Zhr) is comparatively low compared to the big-name showers.
The Ursid shower however, does have a history of throwing up some spectacular 'fireball' meteors, so it's worth keeping an eye out.

The shower is caused by Earth passing through the trail of debris left by the periodic comet 8P/Tuttle, with the peak coming between 9pm and 10pm (GMT) this year.

The radiant is next to the star 'Kochab' (beta U-minor), which is less than 15° from the pole - so it will be roughly to the North all night long.
Best place to watch for shower meteors - as always - is 30° or more AWAY from the radiant - so keep an eye out to the North-East, or North-west, there's also chances of them streaking southwards as the pass overhead.

Zhr (zenithal hourly rate) is only about 20 - so there won't be many to see, especially if you are in a town or city.
But if you do see a bright 'shooting star' tonight - chances are, it will have been an Ursid.
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Old 22-12-2009, 16:44
HenryGarten
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I think I spotted Venus today at about 4pm. I saw this bright object near the horizon and I thought it was an aeroplane. However it did not move and I came to the conlusion it must be Venus. I have just checked and Venus was in the right place at the right time.

So look out over the coming months for Venus in the evening sky. Not sure if it going to be one of those stunning apparitions but it could be.
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Old 23-12-2009, 09:22
HenryGarten
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I think I spotted Venus today at about 4pm. I saw this bright object near the horizon and I thought it was an aeroplane. However it did not move and I came to the conlusion it must be Venus. I have just checked and Venus was in the right place at the right time.

So look out over the coming months for Venus in the evening sky. Not sure if it going to be one of those stunning apparitions but it could be.

Oh someone missed a big opportunity here. On further consideration this could not have been Venus. I guess it has to be a UFO!
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Old 23-12-2009, 09:49
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This is a lovely picture. See http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap091223.html

and this one has been repeated from 2007. See http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap091220.html
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Old 23-12-2009, 10:10
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When's the ISS next passing over UK?
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Old 23-12-2009, 10:26
HenryGarten
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When's the ISS next passing over UK?
Well the ISS passes over the UK every day in life!

I suspect you mean when can we see it? Well there was a pass at 6.30am this morning.

However you are probably wanting the next evening passes. Well they start on January 7 2010.

You can always go on a virtual ride on the ISS at http://winearth.terc.edu/appISSFlight/index.html

It is currently west of Africa heading toward Cape Town.
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Old 23-12-2009, 10:33
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Well the ISS passes over the UK every day in life!

I suspect you mean when can we see it? Well there was a pass at 6.30am this morning.

However you are probably wanting the next evening passes. Well they start on January 7 2010.

You can always go on a virtual ride on the ISS at http://winearth.terc.edu/appISSFlight/index.html

It is currently west of Africa heading toward Cape Town.
Thanks, yeah I meant the evening passes. I have that page bookmarked already
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Old 23-12-2009, 10:40
HenryGarten
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Thanks, yeah I meant the evening passes. I have that page bookmarked already
You can use "Heavens-Above" to give you the predictions. See http://www.heavens-above.com/

You can select your location from a map or a database and then the predictions will be specific to you.
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Old 27-12-2009, 22:19
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The space probe Hershel is now returning very good, detailed images from its instruments. More on the story here http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n0912/21%20herschel/.
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Old 29-12-2009, 17:54
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Nice illustration of gravity wells

http://xkcd.com/681
http://xkcd.com/681_large/

Neptune is cool ...
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Old 30-12-2009, 13:24
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Partial eclipse of the Moon tomorrow evening.

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/...2009Dec31P.pdf
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Old 31-12-2009, 17:58
HenryGarten
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Anyone looking out for the partial eclipse of the moon due at about 6.50pm?

Anyone got a clear sky?
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Old 31-12-2009, 18:12
Richard46
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Anyone looking out for the partial eclipse of the moon due at about 6.50pm?

Anyone got a clear sky?
Cloudy here in East London Henry, you can tell where the moon is but that is about it.

Happy New Year
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Old 31-12-2009, 18:16
HenryGarten
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Cloudy here in East London Henry, you can tell where the moon is but that is about it.

Happy New Year
HAPPY NEW YEAR to you too Richard.
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Old 31-12-2009, 19:16
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Still no clear sky for anyone?
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Old 31-12-2009, 20:13
d'@ve
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South Coast - lots of stratoculumus with few breaks.

Saw the moon through cloud within a minute of the moment of greatest eclipse, 19:24, when the moon (just) revealed itself. Got a dim and poor photo of it, 1/2 sec exposure handheld was never going to be great.

A once in 91 years occurrence according to spaceweather.com... blue moon and eclipse at the same time!
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Old 31-12-2009, 20:26
HenryGarten
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South Coast - lots of stratoculumus with few breaks.

Saw the moon through cloud within a minute of the moment of greatest eclipse, 19:24, when the moon (just) revealed itself. Got a dim and poor photo of it, 1/2 sec exposure handheld was never going to be great.

A once in 91 years occurrence according to spaceweather.com... blue moon and eclipse at the same time!
Yes my sky cleared out just before the eclipse ended.

The problem with quoting "blue moons" is that this term is a mistake resulting from an error in the Sky and Telescope in 1946.

For discussion see http://www.skyandtelescope.com/obser...tml?page=1&c=y
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Old 31-12-2009, 21:16
d'@ve
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Yes, I knew about that... but it's a nice expression anyway. And it still only occurs only once in 91 years on average, whatever we call it!
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Old 04-01-2010, 14:19
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One good thing about the cold snap has been the crystal clear skies. Has anyone braved the elements to do some observing? I would but with the temperature dipping to -5 I'm too worried about bits freezing!
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Old 04-01-2010, 16:36
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The Kepler mission announced the discovery of 5 new extrasolar planets today at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Washington, DC, each with some very unusual properties. But additionally, the space telescope has spotted some Jupiter-sized objects orbiting stars, and these objects are hotter than the host star.

Full story on Universe Today.
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