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Posts Tagged ‘astronomy’

Planet Parade

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , on June 2, 2024| 1 Comment »

Apologies for the late notice but this is a public service announcement. Please be aware that there will be a parade in your neighborhood about twenty minutes before sunrise, on the morning of June 3rd, and everyone is invited!

Planet Parade 2024: How To See Rare Celestial Event

This rare event, often referred to as a “planet parade,” will occur on June 3, 2024, and feature Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all lining up close together.

Unfortunately, most of the planets won’t be visible to the naked eye, but it’s fun just to know that it’s happening.

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Photo by Chris Andrawes on Unsplash

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Eclipse Ready?

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , , , , , , on April 4, 2024| Leave a Comment »

If you are anywhere near the path of totality for the big event on Monday, April 8th, are you eclipse ready? I will argue that one of the most important parts of such prep is to ensure that you have a plan for safe eclipse viewing. This article may be of help:

Are Your Solar Eclipse Glasses Fake? Here’s How to Check | Scientific American

Legitimate eclipse glasses are at least 1,000 times darker than the darkest sunglasses you can buy….

While lab tests are the best way to determine whether glasses meet the ISO standard, Fienberg says there is a three-part test people can do at home if they’re concerned their eclipse viewers aren’t up to the task.

First, put your glasses on indoors and look around. The only things you should be able to see are very bright lights, such as a halogen bulb or a smartphone flashlight.

Then, if the glasses pass the indoor test, bring them outside—but don’t look at the sun just yet. Look around: it should be too dark to see distant hills, trees or even the ground.

If that second test is passed, keep the glasses on and quickly glance at the sun. You should comfortably see a bright, sharp-edged round disk. If your glasses pass all three tests, they are probably safe to wear. Still, Fienberg points out that it’s best to use them for only a few seconds every minute or so during the eclipse…

Here’s a reference for Suppliers of Safe Solar Viewers & Filters | Solar Eclipse Across America.

Your eyes need eclipse protection, but did you know that your phone/camera does too?

How to photograph the eclipse, according to NASA | Popular Science

Speaking of NASA, NASA needs your smartphone during April’s solar eclipse. Go citizen scientists!

And if you’re already looking forward to upcoming total solar eclipses, here’s a map to help you plan:

Map of total solar eclipses across the Continental US over time
From Scientific American: See Where Future U.S. Eclipses Will be Visible
Credit: Shuyao Xiao; Source: NASA (data)

2106, here we come!

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Photo by Jason Howell on Unsplash

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Eclipse Fever

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 27, 2024| Leave a Comment »

By now you have probably heard that there will be a full eclipse of the Sun on April 8th. (If you haven’t, this is your public service announcement. The world is not ending and the Sun will return to its place in the sky. No wolves, dragons or demons are involved. The gods of sun and light just need to slip out for a quick break.) The next time this will happen in the contiguous US won’t be until 2044.

Millions of people will be able to view the eclipse. Here’s a map of the eclipse path:

NASA Eclipse Explorer

Keep in mind, of course, that even those outside the path of totality will be able to view a partial eclipse. 

When will it happen? Here’s a table, with another map. Because I like maps.

Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024 (Great North American Eclipse )

If you will be able to view this super cool space phenomenon, then you’ll want to get your hands on some eclipse glasses.

How safe are your solar eclipse glasses? Cheap fakes from online marketplaces pose a threat, supply-chain experts say

Of course, we now know that the Sun isn’t really eaten during an eclipse. Instead, it does what it always does: rain ultraviolet rays on everything in its path. That’s why you should never look at a solar eclipse without protective eyewear.

And if you are in charge of kids on April 8th (or adults, we should have sciencey fun too!) consider the ideas in this article:

How Schools Can Turn the Solar Eclipse Into an Unforgettable Science Lesson

If the weather cooperates, science students of all ages could be in for quite a show on April 8. The first sign will be a sudden temperature drop. The sky will darken, and winds will shift. A dark shadow will appear on the horizon. Faint waves of light may waft across the ground. A ring of bright light will shine from the outer edges of the otherwise darkened sun. Then the moon will cover the sun completely and, for a few seconds, a thin red layer may appear around its outer rim.

And just for fun, here’s a little something for your ears, too:

Listen to the Eclipse Song Made by the Sound of Light of an Eclipse

Ok, that’s a little edgy. But still fascinating!

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Photo by Bryan Goff on Unsplash

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Rare Event

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , , , on December 11, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Want to see a rare astronomical event tonight? (And really, why wouldn’t you?)

The extremely rare Betelgeuse occultation by asteroid (319) Leona

For a very short time, we will see the legendary Orion constellation without its famous, orange shoulder, as it will be in the distant future, once Betelgeuse will have exploded as a supernova and faded to black.

Hey, I like Orion! What’s this all about?

Watch an asteroid eclipse the puzzling red giant star Betelgeuse tonight live online

At at 8:17 p.m. EST Monday (Dec. 11) (0117 GMT, Dec. 12), an asteroid will pass in front of the curious red star Betelgeuse, eclipsing it from our vantage point here on Earth and blocking it from view for up to 15 seconds in an event known as an occultation. The asteroid is known as 319 Leona, a main belt object that orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter. Shaped roughly like an egg, 319 Leona measures some 50 by 34 miles (80 x 55 kilometers) in size.

Here’s a link to live coverage of the event.

So Orion’s loss is temporary, and will also help scientists better understand both the asteroid’s shape and the star’s characteristics. No Tim Burton movie required!

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via Microsoft Image Creator: graphic illustration stamp of a star over mountains in winter, with a passing asteroid

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Sound in Space, Alien and Otherwise

Posted in Science!, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , on December 5, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Why isn’t there any sound in space? An astronomer explains why in space no one can hear you scream

In space, no one can hear you scream.

You may have heard this saying. It’s the tagline from the famous 1979 science fiction movie “Alien.” It’s a scary thought, but is it true? The simple answer is yes, no one can hear you scream in space because there is no sound or echo in space.

I’m a professor of astronomy, which means I study space and how it works. Space is silent – for the most part.

University of Arizona Distinguished Professor of Astronomy Chris Impey explains the science behind the Alien tagline, showcases slinkies as sound waves, and discusses why humans can’t speak across space but phenomena like galaxies and black holes can.

Also, a fun fact I did not know: “The word vacuum comes from the Latin word for empty.”

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Photo by Susan Wilkinson on Unsplash

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Nights on Earth

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , , , , on December 1, 2023| Leave a Comment »

What’s happening in the night skies this month? I have no idea, actually, but this calendar does!

Astronomy Calendar for December, 2023 for Ottawa, Canada

Welcome to NightsOnEarth.com, a customizable, free astro-calendar to help you plan your stargazing, created by photographer Phil Mosby.

Click on any day and then on Settings to specify your location.

What’s this? The Pheonicid Meteor Shower will be visible starting tomorrow night and showcases meteors seemingly coming from the Phoenix constellation?

Cool cool cool. And what’s the Phoenix constellation? (Clicks on “learn more” and voila: Pheonicid meteor shower 2023).

Although that particular arrangement of stars isn’t saying phoenix to me so much as… curling stone.

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Photo by Sebastian Knoll on Unsplash

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Turning to Fall

Posted in Holidays, Science!, tagged , , , , , , on September 23, 2023| Leave a Comment »

It’s that time again. If you are in the northern hemisphere on planet Earth, today is the Fall Equinox.

Autumnal Equinox 2023: First Day of Fall | Facts, Folklore & More | The Old Farmer’s Almanac

After the autumnal equinox, days become shorter than nights as the Sun continues to rise later and nightfall arrives earlier. This ends with the winter solstice, after which days start to grow longer once again. 

The word “equinox” comes from Latin aequus, meaning “equal,” and nox, ”night.” On the equinox, day and night are roughly equal in length.

Why just “roughly” equal in length?

Why day and night aren’t equal length on an equinox

Firstly, the sun has a size—it’s not just a point in the sky.… Secondly, the Earth’s atmosphere refracts (bends) sunlight.

What does the ebb and flow of axial luminescence look like from space?

NASA: Seeing Equinoxes and Solstices from Space

For more on the “why” of seasons, check out this explainer:

What Causes the Seasons? | NASA Space Place

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Photo by Alicia Petresc on Unsplash

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Awaiting Discovery

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , , , on September 12, 2023| Leave a Comment »

This week, you have a once-in-a-430 year chance to see a new comet. Comet Nishimura was just discovered last month, and will be gone by the end of the week.

Nishimura green comet: what is it, how to see it and when it will be back – NPR

Scientists determined that this comet takes about 430 years to orbit the sun.

So the last time it was visible from Earth was in the late 1500s — before Galileo Galilei pointed his telescope to the sky.

The last time this comet came through these parts was just a few years before Galileo invented his telescope. The comet was discovered just last month, by an amateur astronomer named Hideo Nishimura.  

There are good images of the comet as well as detailed location information here: The new comet Nishimura is closest to Earth today.

I should have posted this a few days ago, because the comet is now passing us. If you’re interested, the comet is visible this week with binoculars or a telescope, but only with effort and only from the northern hemisphere. Try looking toward the east, low on the horizon, before sunrise, and look for the constellation Leo.

I don’t have good binoculars or a telescope, but that’s fine. It’s enough for me to know that this comet, and so many other fascinating objects, are still out there. 

Waiting to be discovered.

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Photo by Sten Rademaker on Unsplash

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Images > Graphs

Posted in Science!, tagged , , on August 31, 2023| Leave a Comment »

This week, we’ve touched on time lapse videos and astronomy, so let’s just round it out with an exoplanetary time lapse!

Stunning timelapse video captures 17-year journey of exoplanet around its star | Space

Beta Pictoris b’s footage was created by scientists who condensed videos created with real datasets that were collected between 2003 and 2020. 

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Photo by Daniel Olah on Unsplash

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Super Blue

Posted in Science!, tagged , , , , on August 30, 2023| 1 Comment »

If you have clear skies tonight, take a moment to look up. There will be a super blue moon overhead, and if last night’s preview is any indication, it will be glorious.

How Rare Is the ‘Super Blue Moon’ Appearing in Skies Later This Week?

This special event is the coincidence of two uncommon moon traits: A supermoon, which occurs when the moon appears larger than usual, and a blue moon, or the second full moon in a month.

More on what and how!

Blue supermoon: what is it, when it peaks and how to see it – NPR

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NASA / JPL-Caltech

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