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Space and Astronomy Thread
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TelevisionUser
20-12-2009
...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.
HenryGarten
20-12-2009
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.
Ricardodaforce
20-12-2009
Originally Posted by HenryGarten:
“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.
HenryGarten
21-12-2009
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
Ricardodaforce
21-12-2009
Originally Posted by HenryGarten:
“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.
Carlos_dfc
22-12-2009
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.
HenryGarten
22-12-2009
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.
HenryGarten
23-12-2009
Originally Posted by HenryGarten:
“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!
HenryGarten
23-12-2009
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
FluffyEgg
23-12-2009
When's the ISS next passing over UK?
HenryGarten
23-12-2009
Originally Posted by FluffyEgg:
“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.
FluffyEgg
23-12-2009
Originally Posted by HenryGarten:
“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
HenryGarten
23-12-2009
Originally Posted by FluffyEgg:
“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.
TelevisionUser
27-12-2009
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/.
KJ44
29-12-2009
Nice illustration of gravity wells

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

Neptune is cool ...
BeethovensPiano
30-12-2009
Partial eclipse of the Moon tomorrow evening.

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

Anyone got a clear sky?
Richard46
31-12-2009
Originally Posted by HenryGarten:
“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
HenryGarten
31-12-2009
Originally Posted by Richard46:
“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.
HenryGarten
31-12-2009
Still no clear sky for anyone?
d'@ve
31-12-2009
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!
HenryGarten
31-12-2009
Originally Posted by d'@ve:
“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
d'@ve
31-12-2009
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!
Assa2
04-01-2010
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!
Skysurfer2000
04-01-2010
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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