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Astronomy Newsletter
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May 2, 2008 |
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Astronomy: Roen Kelly
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Will meteors from Halley’s comet surge?
Be on the lookout for a rush of meteors before dawn Monday morning. That’s when the annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower reaches maximum activity. Seeing the shower with no interference from the Moon is nice, but there’s a possible bonus. Astronomers think the Eta Aquarids could produce more than twice the usual number of meteors … Read more.
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MPE/HST
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Black hole expelled from its
parent galaxy
By an enormous burst of gravitational waves that accompanies the merger of two black holes, a newly formed black hole was ejected from its galaxy. This extreme ejection event, which had been predicted by theorists, has now been observed in nature for the first time … Read more.
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Credit: NASA, ESA, P. van Dokkum (Yale University), et al.
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Small galaxies pack a big punch
Imagine receiving an announcement touting the birth of a baby 20 inches long and weighing 180 pounds. After reading this puzzling message, you would immediately think the baby’s weight was a misprint … Read more.
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NASA/CXC/Northwestern Univ. /J.Fregau
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Globular clusters still developing
Some of the oldest objects in the universe may still have a long way to go, according to a new study using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. These new results indicate that globular clusters might be surprisingly less mature in their development than previously thought … Read more.
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Air Force Weather Agency
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Polarized aurora
An international team of scientists has detected that some of the glow of Earth’s aurora is polarized, an unexpected state for such emissions. Measurements of this newfound polarization in the Northern Lights may provide scientists with fresh insights into the composition of Earth’s upper atmosphere, the configuration of its magnetic field, and the energies of particles from the Sun … Read more.
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NOAA
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Astronomy magazine podcast:
Storm-chaser Warren Faidley
Warren Faidley previews his article in the upcoming Extreme Weather, a special issue from the publishers of Astronomy.
Listen here. |
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With Solar System you’ll get a closer look at our planetary system. Perfect for the novice or advanced astronomer, this is an invaluable guide if you’re looking for details on the Sun, Moon, planets, and more.
This special issue includes:
Interesting articles
Stunning images
Colorful illustrations
And more!
Reserve your copy now to SAVE $1 and get FREE shipping!
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W. Garrett Grainger
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W. Garrett Grainger imaged globular cluster M5 from New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
Click here to view.
Miguel Claro captured the Sun from Almada, Portugal.
Click here to view.
Fabio Carvalho photographed Jupiter from in Brotas, Brazil.
Click here to view.
Jyoti S. Mahindru imaged a solar prominence from Oakleigh South, Australia.
Click here to view.
If you have images you’d like to share with other newsletter readers, attach them to an e-mail sent to jmcgovern@astronomy.com. Make sure you include in your e-mail the date, location, equipment, and methods used in taking and processing each image. Submitted images may be used elsewhere on Astronomy.com. |
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The innermost planet in May
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Astronomy: Roen Kelly
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Mercury looks about as good as it ever does, with the view made picturesque in early May by its location just 2° south of the Pleiades star cluster (M45). The innermost planet shines at magnitude -0.9, a stunning sight above the west-northwestern horizon.
The best views come through binoculars just as twilight falls. Try shooting some images with pretty foreground objects – trees, a water tower, or a windmill, for instance – to enhance the scene. They form great silhouettes and add to an image’s impact. A 2-day-old crescent Moon joins the scene May 6, when it lies less than 3° to Mercury’s upper right.
A telescope easily reveals Mercury’s phase, which shrinks to half-lit by May 8. It then stands 8° north of Aldebaran, a 1st-magnitude star that nevertheless shines a full magnitude fainter than Mercury.
Mercury reaches its greatest elongation May 13-14, when it lies 22° east of the Sun and sets 2 hours after our star. Still located in Taurus, Mercury then reveals a 37-percent-illuminated disk through a telescope, while its tiny disk measures 8″ across.
Mercury grows fainter all month. By the 18th, it equals Aldebaran in brightness, and it appears only half that bright by the 22nd. Its angular distance from the Sun declines as well, making the planet harder to see after this date. |
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David J. Eicher
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Russia: Siberian Total Solar Eclipse and Grand Waterways of the Czars,
July 18-August 2, 2008
The Astronomy Siberian eclipse tour begins with a journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow in comfort and style aboard the river vessel Viking Kirov. Next, the group will fly to Novosibirsk, Siberia, for the total solar eclipse. The tour also will stop in forested villages and quaint towns. Plus, we’ll see grand monuments, opera houses, opulent palaces, fortified monasteries, and beautiful cathedrals along the waterways.
Listen to Astronomy Editor Dave Eicher and MWT Associates’ Melita Thorpe talk about the trip’s highlights.
Learn more.
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MWT Associates
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China: Total Solar Eclipse and Grand Yangtze River Cruise, July 13-26, 2009
On July 22, 2009, totality will cross China and throw eclipse chasers into shadows along the Yangtze River. Astronomy magazine and MWT Associates invite you to join us as we celebrate more than 5 minutes of totality, and the ebb and flow of Chinese life in the 21st century.
Watch a video preview.
Learn more.
Book soon, this tour is filling fast!
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The magazine’s staff shares stories, views, reviews, and cool items from the news.
Stephen Hawking and the Big Brain fallacy
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Yesterday on the Daily Galaxy blog, I read something about renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking that reminded me of the bewitching power of scientific expertise. Just check this out:
At an event marking the 50th anniversary of NASA on Monday, Stephen Hawking, Newton’s heir as the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, answered the question, “Are we alone?” His answer is short and simple: probably not …
Click here to read the rest of this post and others. |
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