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Space and Astronomy Thread
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tiger2000
22-01-2012
From Professor Brian's Cox's twitter a few minutes ago...

Quote:
“There is very heavy geomagnetic activity and it may get stronger as the night goes on - Look out for Auroras.”

StrmChaserSteve
22-01-2012
Some bloke down in cornwall took a photo, claimed a UFO sighting

It was this one:

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/878172-...l-having-a-poo

Then I laughed when Brian suggested that if you really think that is a UFO, you need to switch over to Big Brother... then it was pointed out that Big Brother had not started yet

Several years ago, there was a once in a lifetime chance to view a comet. You could see it real good with just a basic pair of binoculars.
I had to drag my parents away from Eastenders to view it, then they thought it was amazing

Look, eastenders and every other friggin soap is on every night.. complete with repeats at the weekend... now think about the fact, this was your one chance in a lifetime to view this comet

It just baffles me, that people choose to ignore, and keep on watching the telly
Last edited by StrmChaserSteve : 22-01-2012 at 18:33
tvqueen1905
22-01-2012
i would rather watch a one off event rather than eastenders if given opportunity
tvqueen1905
22-01-2012
can anybody help me find the pleides constellation i keep looking out but can't remember where to look for it

have looked near orion but can't seem to find it 7

driving me mad i want to find it
Carlos_dfc
22-01-2012
Hi TVQueen...
First of all, the Pleiades isn't a constellation, it's a star cluster.

to find it, sstart at Orion, locate the row of 3 'belt' stars - then project an imaginary line through them, and extend up and left.....
You'll come to a grouping of stars known as the Hyades - they made a sideways 'V' shape a bit like this: > and contain a bright, reddish star known as Aldebaran.
Then extend the line from Orion, through Hyades, and on about half as far again - and that's where you'll find the Pleiades.

Gimme a few mins and I'll knock up a finder diagram....
Carlos_dfc
22-01-2012
Originally Posted by tvqueen1905:
“i would rather watch a one off event rather than eastenders if given opportunity”

I'd rather watch paint drying, than Eastenders.
Carlos_dfc
22-01-2012
Originally Posted by Carlos_dfc:
“Gimme a few mins and I'll knock up a finder diagram....”

Here we go....
http://i39.tinypic.com/2888r4i.jpg
I've also notated a few of the brighter stars, and the Orion nebula.
Stars are born in clusters, from clouds of dust and gas.
The Orion Nebula is one such star-forming nebula - through binoculars you can see wisps of the gas which is contracting under it's own gravity, to form new stars.
The Pleiades are a cluster of newly-formed stars - over the next few million years, the Orion Nebula will develop into a star cluster much like the Pleiades.

The Hyades are also a star cluster, quite a 'loose' one - older than the Pleiades, the stars of the Hyades are beginning to spread out.
sg_
22-01-2012
Originally Posted by tiger2000:
“From Professor Brian's Cox's twitter a few minutes ago...”

The skies are clear here tonight, so I may dig my camera out in an hour or so to see if I catch anything. Atleast I live in the middle of nowhere with little to no light pollution so heres hoping
tvqueen1905
22-01-2012
Originally Posted by Carlos_dfc:
“Here we go....
http://i39.tinypic.com/2888r4i.jpg
I've also notated a few of the brighter stars, and the Orion nebula.
Stars are born in clusters, from clouds of dust and gas.
The Orion Nebula is one such star-forming nebula - through binoculars you can see wisps of the gas which is contracting under it's own gravity, to form new stars.
The Pleiades are a cluster of newly-formed stars - over the next few million years, the Orion Nebula will develop into a star cluster much like the Pleiades.

The Hyades are also a star cluster, quite a 'loose' one - older than the Pleiades, the stars of the Hyades are beginning to spread out.”

thanks will go try

peole near me have reported aurora but gutted i can't see it
sg_
22-01-2012
Faint green aurora on northern horizon here.. autofocus on my camera is screwed up so the picture came out blurry. Ill see if I can fix it and try again shortly..
NomDePlums
22-01-2012
Originally Posted by sg_:
“Faint green aurora on northern horizon here.. autofocus on my camera is screwed up so the picture came out blurry. Ill see if I can fix it and try again shortly..”

Where are you located - roughly ?

edit: no matter, just noticed sorry.
gkec
22-01-2012
Originally Posted by sg_:
“Faint green aurora on northern horizon here.. autofocus on my camera is screwed up so the picture came out blurry. Ill see if I can fix it and try again shortly..”

Don't use autofocus it won't work -- probably hunts -- manual focus on infinity
Darthchaffinch
22-01-2012
Originally Posted by gkec:
“Don't use autofocus it won't work -- probably hunts -- manual focus on infinity”

..and shoot wide open!

Someone landing here in Gothenburg said they could see it out the plane window! Just need the cloud to b#gger off!!
albertd
23-01-2012
So, rather as expected, that solar flare only produced high latitude aurora.

However, it is reported that there has been another, slightly stronger, flare during the night which could affect the Earth in the next few days so, let us hope this one is more active when it gets here, though it is not likely to be a big one either.
Elissa Richards
23-01-2012
I've just booked June 6th off work to see the 2012 Venus Transit....next one due is 2117 so thought I'd better make the effort to see this one! I can't afford to fly abroad to watch it so fingers crossed the UK weather is ok. I'll be watching the forecast and them driving to clearest place possible. I'm thinking off the coast of Norfolk or maybe North Yorkshire. The end of the transit will be viewable to the UK from approx 4.37am - 4.54am. I'm going to make a solar filter for my scope (£20 Baader Planetarium solar film) and try to capture it photographically.

Anyone else aware and planning to capture it?

In terms of Stargazing I found another 11 Messier objects this weekend I haven't looked for yet, including all the Leo groups of galaxies and observed Io's transit last night.
HenryGarten
23-01-2012
Originally Posted by Elissa Richards:
“I've just booked June 6th off work to see the 2012 Venus Transit....next one due is 2117 so thought I'd better make the effort to see this one! I can't afford to fly abroad to watch it so fingers crossed the UK weather is ok. I'll be watching the forecast and them driving to clearest place possible. I'm thinking off the coast of Norfolk or maybe North Yorkshire. The end of the transit will be viewable to the UK from approx 4.37am - 4.54am. I'm going to make a solar filter for my scope (£20 Baader Planetarium solar film) and try to capture it photographically.

Anyone else aware and planning to capture it?

In terms of Stargazing I found another 11 Messier objects this weekend I haven't looked for yet, including all the Leo groups of galaxies and observed Io's transit last night.”

It is going to be an early start for a very short event. I saw the one on 8th June 2004. That was great. Wall to wall sunshine and the whole event was visible.
Elissa Richards
23-01-2012
Originally Posted by HenryGarten:
“It is going to be an early start for a very short event. I saw the one on 8th June 2004. That was great. Wall to wall sunshine and the whole event was visible.”

I'm kinda thinking rather then get up for it, stay up for it. Find somewhere for the night, do a mini Messier marathon and stay up for the sunrise. Lots of good reports from the 2004 one, seems everyone had great sunshine and clear skies.
Phil Owens
23-01-2012
Sorry if this has already been posted, but the BBC have posted pictures of this weekends aurora http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-16679422
NomDePlums
23-01-2012
I'm thinking of buying a camera that can take decent long exposure photo's of the starry night sky, but my budget is limited to about 300 UKP. Not a lot for a good camera but it's all I can afford.

This isn't for attaching to a telescope, it's just a standalone digi cam I'd like, new or second hand.

Any suggestions welcomed!
darrenh2011
23-01-2012
can someone please put my mind at ease and tell me i should not be worrying about this 2012 solar storm that will hit earth with the force of "100 million hydrogen bombs"
albertd
23-01-2012
Originally Posted by darrenh2011:
“can someone please put my mind at ease and tell me i should not be worrying about this 2012 solar storm that will hit earth with the force of "100 million hydrogen bombs" ”

You should not be worrying. Over the centuries there have been masses before, and the present ones are not that big. You are in far greater danger from dying of old age than from the effects of a solar flare.

That "100 million hydrogen bombs" quote probably referred to the (guessed-at) force of the explosion which took place on the Sun, rather than its force on arriving here, and has been taken out of context.
NomDePlums
23-01-2012
Originally Posted by NomDePlums:
“I'm thinking of buying a camera that can take decent long exposure photo's of the starry night sky, but my budget is limited to about 300 UKP. Not a lot for a good camera but it's all I can afford.

This isn't for attaching to a telescope, it's just a standalone digi cam I'd like, new or second hand.

Any suggestions welcomed!”

OK, I'm thinking ..

"Cannon EOS 1000D" or "Cannon EOS 400D"

Both seem very similar, but can't decide between the two.
Elissa Richards
23-01-2012
Originally Posted by NomDePlums:
“OK, I'm thinking ..

"Cannon EOS 1000D" or "Cannon EOS 400D"

Both seem very similar, but can't decide between the two.”

I'd like to know too....probably better to post a thread in the photography forums.. Will set one up.
NomDePlums
23-01-2012
Originally Posted by Elissa Richards:
“I'd like to know too....probably better to post a thread in the photography forums.. Will set one up.”

Hi Elissa

OK, let me know when you do.

Both camera's are listed as OK here ..

http://www.astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTROP/NIK_CAN.HTM
njp
23-01-2012
Originally Posted by darrenh2011:
“can someone please put my mind at ease and tell me i should not be worrying about this 2012 solar storm that will hit earth with the force of "100 million hydrogen bombs" ”

Originally Posted by albertd:
“You should not be worrying. Over the centuries there have been masses before, and the present ones are not that big. You are in far greater danger from dying of old age than from the effects of a solar flare.

That "100 million hydrogen bombs" quote probably referred to the (guessed-at) force of the explosion which took place on the Sun, rather than its force on arriving here, and has been taken out of context.”

In general, I agree with albertd, though if you like worrying you might want to contemplate the effect a CME the size of the 1859 Carrington Event (or larger) could have on our modern technological infrastructure...

[I should make clear that there is no impending prediction of such an event, and indeed nobody knows how to predict it. But it will happen.]
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