tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13230363999597735482024-03-05T05:36:55.587+01:00Breaking News for sky aficionados<i>Cosmos4U:</i> Relaunched in 2016 as a site for commentary on astronomy and space communication issues of all kinds - see <a href="http://skyweek.wordpress.com">Skyweek 2.0</a> and my <a href="http://twitter.com/cosmos4u">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://facebook.com/dan.fischer.393">Facebook</a> timelines for news!Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.comBlogger302125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-83026593808132441442019-05-12T14:01:00.002+02:002019-05-14T12:56:42.875+02:00Sunday rant about a Netflix eclipseIn the latest Netflix mystery show 'The Society' - "constructed around the premise of what happens to 200 teenagers who think they’re going on a school field trip, and are instead deposited in a carbon copy version of their small town, except with no adults and no younger children around" as <a href=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/05/the-society-review-netflix-season-1-1202139794/>summarized here</a> - an unexpected annular solar eclipse takes place at the beginning of episode two.<br><br>
To anyone with basic knowledge of astronomy - which includes none of those teenagers, sadly, or the showrunner, obviously - this would immediately raise a number of questions and potentially go a long way to answer what's the main question of the show at this early stage: are they still in the original New England town after all (which is isolated by dense forest on all sides now, though), are they in a copy of it somewhere else on this planet, are they in some parallel Universe (as happens on Netflix all the time) or are they, like, dead?<br><br>
The dates of solar eclipses can be predicted since several millennia and their ground tracks since at least 300 years: nothing would be easier than to check whether on that date there was an annular eclipse in New England (the last one there was exactly 25 years ago, BTW, on 10 May 1994). Or elsewhere on Earth. Or nowhere at all - which would hint at either a parallel or fake reality, Truman Show-style.<br><br>
Alas, the <i>only</i> question the solar eclipse raises on The Society is whether some of the teenagers had 'caused' it with an esoteric ritual they had been performing at the time. Hey, they had been going to <i>school</i>, remember? Wonder what they had learned there about the ways the Universe works ... basic 'sky literacy' was obviously not included. And for the showrunner ... he apparently also lives in a pre-scientific world where eclipses happen at will just for dramatical effect.<br><br>
(Other obvious experiments not performed by the teenagers at this point ten days into the mystery: getting a shortwave radio receiver which at night would catch radio broadcasts from other countries and continents even, in case other humans still existed. Or using a GPS receiver - built into many cell phones as well as car navigation systems - to read out their coordinates ... or detect the disappearance of all GPS satellites. Now <i>that</i> would scare <i>me</i> ...)
<br><br><hr><br>
UPDATE: Near the end of the episode someone <i>does</i> finally find out that the eclipse was not supposed to have happened (referring to the next total one in the U.S. coming in 2024 only, though the one <i>shown</i> had been annular) - and he boldly concludes that they are no longer on Earth and perhaps even in another solar system or parallel universe. That eclipses also happen elsewhere on Earth - who cares ...
<br><br><hr><br>
UPDATE 2 / SPOILER: In Episode 7 (!) the one nerd of the group finally reveals the eclipse anomaly to all, half a year later - and also reports (as apparently nobody else had noted) that there are no artificial satellites in the sky and, most importantly, that while the star pattern is fine for the northern hemisphere, Betelgeuze has shifted a bit. Parallel word hypothesis confirmed, apparently.Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-10491871893776887662017-07-21T16:15:00.001+02:002017-07-21T16:18:51.916+02:00The #mu69occ campaign: Occam's razor wins again ...On July 17 the <a href=https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2017/07/16/allgemeines-live-blog-ab-dem-16-juli-2017/#Jul17>third and final attempt</a> to observe a stellar occultation by the next target of the New Horizons mission in the Kuiper Belt, 2014 MU69, <a href=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-Article.php?page=20170719>succeeded with several telescopes</a> seeing the <a href=https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2017/07/16/allgemeines-live-blog-ab-dem-16-juli-2017/#Jul19>star blink out briefly</a> - in contrast to a similarly effortful <a href=https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2017/06/02/allgemeines-live-blog-ab-dem-2-juni-2017/#Jun03>attempt on June 3</a>. In spite of placing two 'fences' of portable telescopes perpendicular to the expected shadow track, none of them saw anything. When this was finally acknowledged over a month later, the respective press release from <a href=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-mysteries-surround-new-horizons-next-flyby-target>NASA</a> and the <a href=http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-Article.php?page=20170706>JHU APL</a> was full of wild speculations about how MU69's shadow could have slipped somehow through the telescope fences and tried to spin the campaign's negative outcome as a success. Of course it wasn't: you can only claim success when at least one telescope has seen the target star blink out.<br><br>
Furthermore occulation observers know from decades of experience - especially from the past century - that by far the most likely explanation for a total failure is that the shadow track had not been where it had been calculated: this could be due to either bad astrometry of the star or a bad orbit of the occulter. This, however, wasn't even mentioned as a possibility in the official word - and when I asked scientists involved in the campaign about it, I got either no answer at all or a snarky one at best. Apparently the use of unpublished Gaia astrometry of the star and HST astrometry of MU69 to determine its orbit had made it all but impossible in their minds that the June 3 shadow track could have shifted beyond all telescope fences.<br><br>
Alas, <i>this is exactly what had happened</i>, New Horizons' Alan Stern <a href=http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=5368&st=412&start=405>has acknowledged now</a>: "we [...] didn't put telescopes in the right place because back then we didn't have the MU69 orbit prediction well enough in hand. Subsequent HST June-July data helped with that." So there, the - by far - most likely explanation for the June 3 failure was the right one indeed and <a href=https://www.facebook.com/groups/1442958012638876/permalink/1991742611093744/>all the speculations were wrong</a>! Fortunately the negative observations from back then (and whatever <a href=https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2017/07/04/allgemeines-live-blog-ab-dem-4-juli-2017/#Jul10>SOFIA saw or didn't on July 10</a>; that's still kept secret) can now be put in context as the offset of the telescopes from the true shadow track can now be calculated and secondary bodies or debris or even a ring can be excluded at that relative location from 2014 MU69. A happy ending for the campaign and for New Horizons - and a lesson for press release writers trying to make a failed observation look good ...Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-53728635540970471362017-06-11T23:43:00.001+02:002017-06-13T03:04:54.278+02:00German artist triggers solar eclipse detective workA <a href=https://www.ft.com/content/e8df49d2-4c45-11e7-a3f4-c742b9791d43>brief article on an art exhibition</a> in Zurich (a press release <a href=http://www.mai36.com/images/mai36/artists/thr/2017_exh/2017_THR_PR.pdf>here</a> and <a href=https://www.artsy.net/show/mai-36-galerie-thomas-ruff-plus-plus-from-the-press-plus-plus>here</a>) has just sent me on an unusual eclipse chase. The photo artist Thomas Ruff <a href=https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/der-mars-als-fotokunst-tipp-fur-berlin-fahrer>has a weakness for space topics</a>, and one of the objects now depicts a total solar eclipse! Ruff's modus operandi here is to take old press photos and copy the caption from the back side onto the front side as well - which so happens to be readable only in fragments on the image of a solar corona shown in the article (which often hides behind a paywall anyway), though.<br><br>
In particular the year of the eclipse is not evident - but one can read that the image was taken from a KC-135 airplane over the Atlantic near South America. According to <a href=http://permalink.lanl.gov/object/tr?what=info:lanl-repo/lareport/LA-UR-82-5105>this article</a> (page 5) and <a href=https://www.sofia.usra.edu/sites/default/files/97-Whiting_AeroHistory.pdf>this one</a> (page 6) the <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_NC-135#Airborne_astronomy_missions>KC-135 astronomy program</a> covered 6 eclipses from 1965 to 1980 - and <del>the only eclipse fitting geographically</del> [ADDENDUM: no; see below] would be the one in 1973. Which, of course, is the same that was also <a href=https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/the-concorde-and-the-longest-solar-eclipse>observed from a Concorde</a> by other astronomers: the KC-135 observers actually watched the latter pass way above them at an amazing speed.<br><br>
I may add that I actually once met Ruff in a professional context ... in 1991 at the Kunstverein in Bonn, Germany, where he <a href=http://www.bonner-kunstverein.de/about/history/>had an exhibition before becoming a celebrity</a> showing <a href=http://greg.org/archive/2008/04/23/thomas_ruffs_sterne_series.html>the "Sterne" series</a>. Together with a friend we created an astronomy-didactical show in which we tried to convey the <i>depth</i> in these huge prints of ESO sky images that contained stars, galaxies but also occasional satellite tracks. I don't recall much but one detail: I had prepared a square meter of paper with a square millimeter marked on it to demonstrate what a million - being the difference in area - meant. We couldn't come up with a means to demonstrate a billion, though ...<br><br>
ADDENDUM: Airborne eclipse expert Glenn Schneider has pointed out in personal messages that the 1966 TSE is a much better fit <a href=http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?1967ApJ...150..299C>when a KC-135 also observed</a> - several text fragments that can be deciphered match actual information on that flight. "The name of the place is not very legible," says Schneider, but it sure looks like Rio Grande which "is on the coast (not too far away) and is very close to 240 miles from greatest eclipse" - where you logically would fly with a research aircraft. And from what one <i>can</i> read the plane was "240 miles southeast of" said town.<br><br>
Schneider also points out that while the 1973 TSE was visible low from parts of South America, that's a long way "to where the Concord flew across Africa! You are right that in 1973 the guys in the KC-135 watched the Concorde streak by overhead at 55,000 ft - but they were over Africa, not South America or the nearby coastal waters. Finally I will add, the corona in that picture, though not a very good picture, just does not look like the 1973 corona. I did not see the 1966 eclipse as it pre-dated my eclipse chasing started in 1970, so I cannot comment on that directly. But I did see 1973, and that just doesn't look the same..."
Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-43709767131541037982017-05-27T23:31:00.001+02:002017-06-02T18:51:43.180+02:00Another impact flash on Jupiter - and I helped confirm it!This afternoon <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155430778854295>Marc Delcroix</a>, <a href=https://www.facebook.com/peachastro/posts/10155555542150934>Damian Peach</a> and <a href=https://www.facebook.com/ricardo.huesoalonso/posts/1390980630987279>Ricardo Hueso Alonso</a> spread the news that Sauveur Pedranghelu in Corsica had probably recorded another impact flash on Jupiter yesterday - but there was no confirmation from another site, essential to rule out some flash (e.g. from an artificial satellite) close to Earth. I distributed the news and call for observations in various other Facebook groups and also on the <a href=https://www.facebook.com/AbenteuerAstronomie/posts/1805500353099756>Facebook page of Abenteuer Astronomie</a>, a German astronomy magazine I'm with.<br><br>
Within hours in the comments to the latter posting I learned that <b>Andre Fleckstein had indeed filmed the same flash!</b> The time was 19:25:18 UTC on 26 May 2017, i.e. smack in the middle of the time interval given by Pedranghelu, and the duration was about one second. The quality of the video was described as poor, due to bad seeing, but one could see the flash well while it was running. Fleckstein also provided <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1163632807081619>a quick screenshot</a>, upside down w.r.t. Pedranghelu's image - and the flash is clearly there, as confirmed by Peach and Alonso. The Fleckstein video will now be processed further, and scientific analysis will follow.<br><br>
ADDENDA: a <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1163707593740807>stacked version</a> of Fleckstein's data, now in the same orientation as Pedranghelu's image, and a <a href=http://www.astrosurf.com/delcroix/images/j2017-05-26-infrared_flash_afleckstein.png>further processed version</a> together with <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155441319569295>an explanation</a> - and yet <a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=211199>another confirmation</a> of the impact, <a href=https://media.giphy.com/media/3oKIPajsKI7n39dcZ2/giphy.gif>as a video clip</a> and also <a href=http://www.astrosurf.com/delcroix/images/j2017-05-26-color_flash_tomr.png>nicely stacked</a> the same way as the other two videos! Also <a href=http://www.skymania.com/wp/2017/05/amateur-astronomers-film-flash-new-impact-jupiter.html/>a first report</a> on and <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2017/05/new-impact-flash-on-jupiter.html>some more analysis</a> of this <a href=http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk17/j170527r.htm>triple success</a> - and a <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1437977629594521>depiction as space art</a>, by a well-known Jupiter observer. Meanwhile an <a href=http://www.salzgeber.at/astrophotography/planets/jupiter-2017-05-26/>image sequence starting minutes after</a> the impact or <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1531614110206654>this hi-res image</a> a bit later aren't showing any traces, typical for such events. Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-38253888781855985342017-02-11T13:54:00.000+01:002017-02-11T15:04:44.020+01:00Stop. That. Hype.And so it happened again: when last night's penumnbral lunar eclipse coincided with the perigee of a faint comet (i.e. two less-than-stellar events for the public at large) all hell broke loose in the "science" and general media around the globe. The claim went that three "dazzling" (for everything in astronomy "dazzles", right? Except black holes perhaps. Which suck) sky phenomena were visible at the same time: a "snow moon", a lunar eclipse and a "mysterious green" comet. Oh yeah?<UL><LI>That "snow moon" term which suddenly invaded even German 'news' stories is <a href=http://www.almanac.com/content/full-moon-names>of dubious provenance</a> and in any case related to U.S. East coast folklore at best. Adopting it blindly around the globe makes <a href=https://www.wwu.edu/skywise/indianmoons.html>no sense culturally</a>, let alone geographically (Africans and Australians might agree). And why on Earth does each and every Moon need some fancy nickname nowadays?<br><br>
<LI>Talking about three sky events makes no sense either as the lunar eclipse is <i>an effect of</i> said full moon. And regarding its relevance confusion abounded: some mixed it up with total eclipses, others claimed nothing would be seen at all - while in fact from past experience one could predict a quite distinct darkening so close to the umbra. Which <a href=https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2017/02/08/allgemeines-live-blog-ab-dem-8-februar-2017/#Feb11>was the case indeed</a>, obvious - though not dramatic - even under bad conditions.<br><br>
<LI>The worst mistake, however, was throwing the poor comet 45P/HMP into the mix, which has faded (in absolute brightness) since perihelion and <a href=http://www.cometwatch.co.uk/has-comet-45p-lost-its-tail/>lost most of its tail</a> by now. Close to Earth it grew into a fuzzy blob <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1522564097757142>half a degree in diameter</a> but only of 7th magnitude: completely drowned out by the bright sky the full or nearly full moon causes. To advertise it in connection with a a full moon / non-total lunar eclipse was sheer madness.</UL>
Now you might say, so what, any astronomy in the media is good astronomy - but that is dead wrong. As one can read today in social media in reports by amateur astronomers talking to lay people the disappointment runs deep: "the media" or worse "the astronomers" predicted something exciting, and it didn't occur. In these times of - deserved or undeserved - widespread growing distrust in journalism even such small sins should be avoided. So please think first before promising things the sky won't or can't deliver - it'll hurt us all in the end ...Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-53390848778907097782016-12-01T23:55:00.000+01:002016-12-02T00:36:31.225+01:00Emperor Nero's "planetarium" - reality or a myth?A report on Nero exhibitions in Germany this year made me aware of the claim that the octogonal dining room - coenatio principalis - of his palace <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domus_Aurea>Domus Aurea</a> in Rome had either one rotating dome or several nested ones in order to display celestial motions 1),2),3). Or - since there is no archaeological evidence for such mechanisms - that there was a fixed dome with moving lanterns instead 4).<br><br>
The only contemporary source seems to be one line in a text by <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suetonius>Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus</a> - and Ref. 5 says that scholars "have long debated whether this planetarium-like aspect of the room was a marvel of Roman engineering or simply a figment of Suetonius' often whimsical imagination." Is there a consensus by now about what clever astronomy display system was or wasn't installed in the Domus Aurea? And what about an even better 'planetarium' in Domitian's Domus Augustana Ref. 1 mentions?<br><br>
1) Dewdney, <a href=https://is.gd/VDoim5>Acquainted with the night</a><br>
2) von Stuckrad, <a href=https://is.gd/deTel1>Das Ringen um die Astrologie</a><br>
3) Merola, <a href=https://www.hopechannel.com/au/read/romes-domus-aurea>Rome's Domus Aurea</a><br>
4) Goesl, <a href=http://web.mit.edu/comm-forum/mit7/papers/MiT7_BORIS_GOESL_PAPER_amended.pdf>Modern Projection Planetariums as Media of Iterative Reinvention</a><br>
5) VROMA, <a href=http://www.vroma.org/~rsellers/domusaureaphotos.html>Photographs of Domus Aurea</a>Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-10142691599834118372016-11-07T00:00:00.000+01:002016-11-14T12:30:43.870+01:00Why you should embrace the 14 November "supermoon" - and why notOn November 14 a slightly unusual sky event awaits us: a perigee full moon (i.e. a near-coincidence of full moon and the closest point of the Moon in <a href=https://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/moon_ap_per.html>its elliptical orbit</a> around the Earth) which is the closest between 1948 and 2034 - though beating those full moons only by a few hundred kilometers i.e. a fraction of one percent of the distance. Here's what that means and what it doesn't. In a nutshell:<UL>
<LI> The full moon of November 14 is the largest in the sky of the year, and it is possible to notice with the unaided eye that its angular diameter and especially area are larger that at other times, by up to 14 and 30 percent, respectively, relative to full moons at apogee i.e. when farthest from the Earth.<br><br>
<LI> Typically 3 or 4 subsequent full moons each year occur pretty close to perigee (as <a href=http://www.geoastro.de/moon/FullMoon/FullMoonDistance.gif>this diagram</a> clarifies) and thus look indistinguishable to the eye; all of them are colloquially known as 'supermoons' these days, a decidedly non-astronomical term reluctantly picked up in astronomy outreach in recent years.<br><br>
<LI> While the November 2016 full moon holds a proximity record for several decades in both directions, it is <i>totally indistinguishable</i> for the eye from the perigee moons of any other year (and there are many 'close calls' much nearer than the above-mentioned record years: for example next year already).</UL>
So: enjoy the show but be aware that something <i>looking</i> exactly the same happens <i>several times each year</i>. Now for the hard numbers (disclaimer: I'm taking the 1948/2034 claim reported in many places for granted and haven't checked it year by year; also distances and times listed and calculated in different places deviate by tiny amounts) ...<UL>
<LI> On 2016 November 14 full moon occurs at 13:54 UTC, when the distance between the centers of Moon and Earth is 356,520 km.<br><br>
<LI> On 1948 January 26 full moon occured at 7:12 UTC, when said distance was 356,490 km: in 2016 it thus stays only 0.008% farther away.
<LI> On 2034 November 25 full moon occurs at 22:34 UTC, when the distance will be 356,446 km: in 2016 it stays 0.02% farther away, still not a difference 'to write home about.'<br><br>
<LI> In 2015 at the closest full moon (which coincided with a total eclipse) it stayed 0.1% farther away than in 2016 and looked exactly the same when out of eclipse.
<LI> In 2017 at the closest full moon the distance will be 356,605 km or only 0.02% farther away than in 2016 (i.e. by same factor by which 2034 will be closer).<br><br>
<LI> In October 2016 the full moon was only 0.55% farther away than it will be on 14 November 2016.
<LI> In December 2016 the full moon will be 0.82% farther away than on 14 November 2016; even that won't be evident in any way: thus three supermoons in a row.</UL>
In contrast in April 2016 the full moon was 13.9% more distant than it will be in November when it will thus have a 29.7% larger disk area and brightness. Claims vary how evident this is to casual but attentive observers and all too often "experts" just write it off - but those who actually look, including this blogger, can find it quite evident. So don't let the <a href=http://astropixels.com/ephemeris/moon/moonperap2001.html>Moon orbit ellipticity</a> visibility deniers distract you from giving it a try!<br><br>
Finally some more math, inspired by a message received after <a href=https://www.facebook.com/dan.fischer.393/posts/10208608890954638>posting a draft of this analysis</a>: remember that all numbers above refer to the distance between the <i>centers</i> of Earth and Moon – while most observers (minus the residents of ISS and Tiangong-2) reside on the surface of the former which rotates quite rapidly, namely once per day. We are some 6370 km from the center and typically at an angle to the line connecting the centers of both. Which means a lot.<br><br>
Take 14 November 2016: For the center of the Earth the distance to the Moon changes little during the day, beginning at 356,472 km at 0:00 UTC, reaching the minimum (the excitement is all about) at about 11:30 UTC and rising again to 356,788 km at 24:00 UTC – the distance shrinks by ~230 km and rises again by ~280 km during that (UTC) day.<br><br>
But now go to Hawaii, well placed for actually seeing the Moon at perigee: At 0:00 UTC it is 361,133 km away, at local(!) perigee at 10:00 UTC 350,175 km and at 24:00 UTC 361,995 km – the distance first shrinks by 11,000 km, then increases again by 12,000 km! This diurnal effect just <i>dwarfs</i> the tiny differences between the various “supermoons” over the years and centuries where we are talking of a <i>few dozen</i> kilometers.<br><br>
Oh, and at which latitude you sit also makes a difference. For example in Tahiti at 17°S the 14 November Moon culminates (58° high) at 9:35 UTC and is 351,043 km away. In the same longitude it culminates in the zenith at 12°N and 350,141 km distant – but at 50°S it culminates only at 26° and 353,669 km distant, i.e. 3500 km farther away at the same time. Once again a difference two orders of magnitude more than the differences between the various supermoons …<br><br>
So to conclude: <i>forget</i> the “largest full moon in decades” meme – it’s mathematically correct but dwarfed in magnitude by effects of your place on the planet and the time on perihelion day. But <i>embrace</i> the fact that a few full moons each(!) year are significantly closer than the others. They are not exactly “super” but perhaps a bit ‘superior’ to the others and can be a bit more impressive than other full moons. That’s all, folks …<br><br>
Main sources: <a href=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/super-full-moon.html>basic information</a> on ‘supermoons’ (date in 1948 off), <a href=http://www.geoastro.de/moon/FullMoon/>distances of many full moons</a> and many calculations performed on <a href=http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi>JPL’s HORIZONS</a>.
A selection of stories on the 2016 supermoons (often in denial of the visibility of the perigee effect and sometimes with funny astronomical misunderstandings): <a href= https://science.nasa.gov/news-articles/2016-ends-with-three-supermoons>here</a>, <a href=http://www.virtualtelescope.eu/2016/11/01/14-nov-2016-supermoon-largest-full-moon-80-years/>here</a>, <a href=http://sixtysecondssmarter.com/supermoon/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.itv.com/news/2016-11-04/rare-supermoon-to-appear-next-week-will-be-biggest-in-70-years/>here</a>, <a href=http://earthsky.org/tonight/most-super-supermoon>here</a>, <a href=http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/close-and-far-moons-in-2016>here</a>, <a href=http://www.space.com/34515-supermoon-guide.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/if-you-keep-missing-supermoons-next-one-will-be-extra-n677441>here</a>, <a href=http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/02/world/supermoon-november-14-2016/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/supermoon-november-2016-closest-to-earth-since-1948/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.businessinsider.de/a-supermoon-on-november-14-will-be-the-largest-since-1948-2016-11>here</a>, <a href=http://gizmodo.com/get-ready-for-the-supermoon-of-a-lifetime-1788584842>here</a>, <a href=http://mashable.com/2016/11/02/nasa-big-supermoon-november/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.almanac.com/blog/astronomy/astronomy/most-super-supermoon>here</a>, <a href=http://de.euronews.com/2016/11/03/bald-der-beeindruckendste-supermond-seit-1948>here</a> and <a href=http://www.chip.de/news/Groesster-Vollmond-seit-70-Jahren-Einzigartiges-Naturschauspiel-steht-bevor_102816882.html>here</a>.
Stories - by this blogger - on the actual visibility of the perigee effect: <a href=http://cosmos4u.blogspot.de/2011/03/if-you-know-your-full-moon-you-will.html>here</a>, <a href=http://cosmos4u.blogspot.de/2012/05/extra-why-you-should-look-at-tonights.html>here</a>, <a href=http://earthsky.org/space/can-you-discern-supermoons-large-size-with-the-eye-an-observer-says-yes>here</a>, <a href=https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/allgemeines-live-blog-ab-dem-11-juli-2014>here</a> (bottom) and <a href=https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2015/09/25/die-montag-morgen-mofi-seltener-fall-or-nicht>here</a>.Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-13005854376694026582016-08-07T01:48:00.002+02:002016-08-07T03:01:27.114+02:00The Perseids of 2016 ... beyond the hypeIt's one of those years again when we are getting not only the usual bubbly stories about a summer sky full of "shooting stars" (with often highly misleading illustrations in the form of composite images with numerous meteors in one frame or completely made-up artist's views sometimes resembling the end of the world) from mainstream media and certain astronomy website alike but this year, we are told, the Perseids will be super-awesome, much stronger than usual, the best in a decade, unlike any before. Wow ...<p>
Reality check: page 12 of the <a href=http://imo.net/files/data/calendar/cal2016.pdf>2016 Meteor Shower Calendar</a> of the International Meteor Organization. The key sentence there: "Results from Mikhail Maslov and Esko Lyytinen indicate that we will cross a part of the stream which was shifted closer to the Earth’s orbit by Jupiter in 2016. As a consequence, the background ZHR may reach a level of 150–160." Which would be 1/5 to 1/4 more meteors at the peak than an typical year with a ZHR (zenith hourly rate) of 120 or so - this is <i>not</i> a dramatic increase, on a par with some recent years and well below e.g. the 1993 Perseids show which reached a maximum ZHR over 400.<p>
Maslov's current calculation can be found <a href=http://feraj.narod.ru/Radiants/Predictions/Perseids2016eng.html>in more detail here</a>: He sees the - somewhat - higher than usual peak at 12:40 UTC on August 12 which for Europe means that the nights Aug. 11/12 and 12/13 should be comparable. Taking into account the radiant altitude and the bright Moon - which sets only after midnight, meteor party planners beware! - one can hope for <i>actual</i> maxmimum hourly rates under otherwise excellent conditions in the 70s, i.e. <i>on average</i> one meteor per minute: see the first and third diagram at the bottom of <a href=http://werkgroepmeteoren.nl/mogelijk-extra-vallende-sterren-op-12-augustus/>this Dutch website</a>, blue = what you would <i>see</i>.<p>
There is, however, a minority view based on a NASA model <a href=http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20150016528.pdf>mentioned in this presentation</a> from 2015 which sees a somewhat higher maximum ZHR (around 200) half a day earlier (around 0:30 UTC on August 12): should <i>that</i> happen European observers would be in a sweet spot an see twice as many meteors per hour in the wee hours of August 12 (middle diagram on the Dutch page). It is this vague possibility that much of the (extra) hype this year is based upon, but be warned that NASA's model has had a worse track record that what goes into the IMO Calendar.<p>
So far I've seen <a href=http://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2016/08/04/the-awesome-perseid-meteor-shower-is-awfully-overhyped/>only this one article</a> strongly arguing against the PER 2016 hype and pointing out (some of) its problems, though it still uses exaggerated ZHR numbers and doesn't discuss the competing models. Some further information pages and articles of <i>widely</i> varying quality and in several languages about <a href=http://forum.meteoros.de/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=56704>the 2016 Perseids</a> can be found <a href=http://www.popastro.com/meteor/activity/activity.php?id_pag=228>here</a>, <a href=http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-perseid-meteor-shower>here</a>, <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/watchtheskies/perseid-meteor-shower-aug11-12.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/perseid-meteor-shower-will-be-extra-dazzling-this-august-1.3006993>here</a>, <a href=http://mashable.com/2016/08/04/perseid-meteor-shower-outburst-forecast/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.space.com/33648-perseid-meteor-shower-extra-awesome-2016.html>here</a>, <a href=http://europe.newsweek.com/perseids-meteor-shower-why-where-when-how-see-shooting-stars-486407>here</a>, <a href=http://www.seeker.com/look-up-perseid-meteors-could-be-supercharged-1955222209.html>here</a>, <a href=http://alexconu.com/how-to-photograph-the-perseids-meteor-shower/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.astroshop.de/blog/?p=28970>here</a>, <a href=https://himmelslichter.net/die-perseiden-2016-warum-sie-anders-sind-als-sonst-und-wie-man-sie-beobachtet>here</a>, <a href=http://www.fr-online.de/raumfahrt/perseiden-bis-zu-160-sternschnuppen-pro-stunde,1473248,34544722.html>here</a>, <a href=http://derstandard.at/2000042401064/Perseiden-Astronomen-erwarten-heuer-ausserordentlich-starken-Sternschnuppenstrom>here</a>, <a href=http://www.nu.nl/wetenschap/4301678/meer-vallende-sterren-zien-dan-andere-jaren.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.volkskrant.nl/wetenschap/op-12-augustus-komen-de-perseiden-tot-30-vallende-sterren-per-uur~a4350976/>here</a>, <a href=http://falakonline.net/semesta/2016/07/prospek-meteor-perseids-13-ogos-2016/>here</a> and <a href=http://www.infoastronomy.org/2016/07/hujan-meteor-perseid-2016.html>here</a> - but from the preceding paragraphs you now know what to believe and where to be skeptical. And what <i>really</i> happens can <a href=http://imo.net/live/perseids2016/>be followed here</a>, with a few hours delay while visual reports from experienced observers are being ingested.Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-1959964252384871552016-06-20T23:27:00.000+02:002016-06-21T01:08:00.855+02:00When the full moon meets the summer solsticeIt's one of these days when you would want to grab your 'fellow' journalists, shake them and shout: look at the numbers, st*pid! Countless web stories tell us that today (20 June 2016) full moon and summer solstice fall on the same day and that this is super-rare and thus newsworthy. Alas a <i>simple</i> check of the actual <i>times</i> tells you that full moon was at 11:03 UTC and solstice will be at 22:34 UTC - which is already on 21 June in all of Asia and most of Europe. So much for the coinciding dates which are true mostly for the Americas but simply do not exist for the majority of humanity.<p>
So one has to ignore absolute dates and just go after the time difference to figure out - if one so desires - whether the 11 1/2 hours time difference today is a rarity. A <a href=http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/fullmoon.htm>table full moon times</a> and a <a href=http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html>solstice & equinox calculator</a> allow for a quick check: In 1910 there was a 12 1/2 hour difference (June 22/20 vs. 7 UTC), in 1929 a 6 hour difference (June 22/4 vs. 21/22 UTC), in 1948 a 40 <i>minute</i> difference (June 21/12 UTC), in 1967 a 2 1/2 hour difference (June 22/5 vs. 3 UTC), in 1986 an 11 hour difference (June 22/4 vs. 21/16 UTC) and in 1997 a 13 hour difference (June 20/19 vs. 21/8 UTC). Oh, and there was 2005 with a 22 hour difference (June 22/4 vs. 21/6 UTC): In Chicago e.g. solstice was at 1:46 a.m. CDT and full moon at 11:15 p.m. CDT - on the same day, 21 June (though in subsequent nights).<p>
So this year's half-day difference isn't so rare at all: We had comparably close pairs of full moons and equinoxes in 1997 and 1986 and much closer pairs in 1967 and especially 1948. It is particularly obnoxious that the 1997 case - a mere one <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metonic_cycle>Metonic cycle</a> ago - is flatly ignored in the "reporting" today. The reason, though, is obvious and casts a sharp light on how media mechanisms work: since full moon was 5 hours before midnight UTC while solstice was 8 hours after midnight UTC the pair appeared on two different dates <i>also in most of the U.S.</i> and so wasn't "important" (and the scanty 2005 case was overlooked, too). In contrast to the current 'sensation'. Sigh ...Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-62300325076259456962016-06-17T03:53:00.000+02:002016-06-17T04:01:13.362+02:00Professional astronomer lets the crowd fund her scienceA few hours ago a bold <a href=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/608159144/the-most-mysterious-star-in-the-galaxy>astronomical crowd-funding campaign</a> succeeded when over <a href=http://www.popsci.com/alien-megastructure-star-just-met-its-kickstarter-goal>USD 100,000 were pledged</a> to support an <a href=http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=35658>intense photometry campaign</a> for a single star. This raises public involvement in professional science to a new level but it raises some questions, too. Normally a professional astronomer who believes to have found a promising observing project applies for telescope time at a professional observatory which costs nothing - but getting enough time (or time at all) is not guaranteed. Alternatively a dedicated instrument could be built for which funding would be obtained via a grant from a funding organization if the latter deems it a worthy project - or, as it is possible these days, observing time could be <i>bought</i> from a private telescope network. Again the usual approach would be to try to get a grant to obtain the needed cash.<p>
But in this case the astronomer didn't expect to be lucky either way - and instead asked the public at large to fund the telescope time buy. That this worked out so well in the end was due to the enormous hype that had been building (or built deliberately) around the star in question, which is the famous KIC 8462852, of course, with its <a href=https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2015/10/20/statt-alien-blodsinn-den-stern-selber-erforschen>erratic dips in brightness</a> discovered by the Kepler satellite (and citizen scientists looking at its lightcurves). Its behavior is not fully explained, but some comet debris clouds are the likely culprit - and yet this star has been firmly associated the potential 'alien megastructures' in the public mind. Without these wild speculations - not exactly supported by the scientists in question but not actively discouraged either and rehashed in the media again and again - and also an <a href=http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=35666>added layer of drama</a> about historical data and a long-term brightness trend or lack thereof the crowd-funding would have hardly raised a dime.<p>
So there, the pay-per-view <a href=https://lcogt.net>telescope network</a> will soon monitor KIC 8462852 with high cadence and enough photometric precision to catch further dimmings (some of which were so strong that no Kepler would have been needed to detect them) - if any occur in the bought time interval, of course. In the best of all worlds, the dimmings (for which <a href=https://www.aavso.org/lcg/plot?auid=000-BLS-628&starname=KIC%208462852&lastdays=200&start=&stop=2457559.57273&obscode=&obscode_symbol=2&obstotals=yes&calendar=calendar&forcetics=&pointsize=1&width=800&height=450&mag1=&mag2=&mean=&vmean=&grid=on&visual=on&uband=on&bband=on&v=on>amateurs with their own telescopes</a> are on the look-out as well) will return in time and display some property not seen in the Kepler data which will lead to a viable explanation. Equally likely is that nothing happens, the money is gone and a null result remains which wouldn't constrain modelmaking much. KIC 8462852 as 'star of mystery' for the public at large is a unique case in the history of astronomy so far: whether such a let's-all-fund-my-science-pet-project approach could - and should - be applied to other astronomical problems is anything but clear. The outcome and aftermath of the observing run will certainly shape opinions eventually: both amongst astronomers and the public asked to pay.
Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-43449791082579408232016-06-13T23:38:00.002+02:002016-06-14T17:55:00.483+02:00Involuntary data journalism ...This doesn't happen - fortunately! - too often: while preparing a "simple" popular article about a paper making headlines already some real scientific detective work ensued that led to fundamental new insights and a revision of some conclusions of said paper ... The topic were the <a href=https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2016/06/10/npp-suomi-eichung-lichtverschmutzungskarte>new light pollution atlas</a> and the associated claims - pimped further by the media - that most of this planet was so bright by now that no sensible sky observations were possible anymore, esp. for Europeans and Americans.<p>
Obviously nonsense, so what went wrong? In a first step the unfortunate mix of three different measures for the night sky brightness in the paper - absolute full, absolute artificial increment and relative increment - had to be cleared up which was trivial compared to mastering the formulae to convert between the three different absolute methods in use. That done the paper's key contents could be <a href=https://skyweek.lima-city.de/lp-atlas.html>condensed into this master table</a> which was then - crucially - amended with my own SQM measurements in two Dark Sky Places in Germany and on Rhodes in the past two years.<p>
Since I had been <i>present</i> during these measurements I <i>knew</i> what actual sky appearance they <i>meant</i> - and that finally connected the numbers in my table and in the paper's main table and graphics with the real sky. It turned out that the paper's authors had been way too demanding in what a non-light polluted sky had to be like (and they had also been a bit too conservative re. the visibility of the Milky Way). Using my own experience and their - calibrated better than ever - numbers the <a href=http://abenteuer-astronomie.de/neuer-praezisionsatlas-der-lichtverschmutzung/>article could finally be written</a> after several hours of quite exciting "data journalism" and practical math. You're welcome!Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-74814784681307888222016-05-01T04:29:00.001+02:002016-05-01T05:07:33.709+02:00The weasel that wasn'tJust another quick - and sad - notice about the state of science reporting these days. Each and every major science news website in the Anglo-Saxon world is reporting that "a weasel" had attacked an electrical system of the Large Hadron collider, causing a shutdown. But there was no weasel: as everyone can read on page 10 of <a href=http://indico.cern.ch/event/506407/contributions/1184968/attachments/1265776/1873815/LHC_29042016.pdf>the Daily Summary for April 29</a> of the LHC machine status, the culprit was a fouine, and you have just to go to the <a href=https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fouine>respective French Wikipedia page</a> to find out that this refers to one species of carnivore, known - use the sidebar with the 'Autres langues', always a good idea to translate animal names precisely - as the beech marten in English or the Steinmarder in German.<br><br>
It's so simple: martens are the genus Martes while weasels and some close relatives form the genus Mustela. Both belong to the same <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustelinae>subfamily Mustelinae</a> and are thus related (although <a href=http://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1741-7007-6-10>recent genetic research</a> seems to <a href=https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marder#Systematik>remove the Martes and others</a> from <a href=https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustelinae>that subfamily</a>) - but they are neither the same nor is one a subset of the other. (In German confusion might arise as the genus Martes is known as 'Echte Marder' while the <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustelidae>family Mustelidae</a> that includes the martens, weasels and much more is called 'Marder', so Wiesel are Marder but no Echter Marder can be a Wiesel. In English the <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel>term 'weasel'</a> usually refers to one Mustela species while the Mustelidae may be called "weasel family".) A little digging would also unveil that the beech marten is <a href=https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marder#Verh.C3.A4ltnis_zum_Menschen>the <i>only</i> Mustelid known to bite into cables</a> (the reason for which is a <a href=https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steinmarder#Steinmarder_und_Menschen>subject of interesting research</a> all by itself) - weasels don't do that.<br><br>
With one "weasel" article after the other appearing on the web (by one author copying from another without checking the simple facts one may conclude, a chain of errors going back to <a href=http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/29/476154494/weasel-shuts-down-world-s-most-powerful-particle-collider>the early incomplete</a> stories) I got almost angry: how were we to trust these sources on reporting correctly on the LHC's complicated science when they can't even name the critter correctly that bit into it? Eventually my trust in journalism was partly restored, though, by the German Press Agency DPA which <a href=http://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/ausland/id_77710358/marder-legt-teilchenbeschleuniger-cern-in-genf-lahm.html>in its article</a> - widely distributed among German newspapers - named the animal precisely and correctly as a Steinmarder. Still not convinced that this is an important issue? Then check out <a href=http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2011/06/man_bursts_through_door_with_dead_animal_and_declares_its_not_a_weasel_its_a_marten.html>this bizarre article</a> from 2011 ...Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-53461609621954478282016-04-19T23:06:00.000+02:002016-04-19T23:25:31.834+02:00Fermi vs. the Wave: battle of the press releasesIt all began with <a href=http://arxiv.org/abs/1602.03920>this paper</a> that was made public just hours after the <a href=https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2016/02/11/live-blog-zur-gravitationswellen-enthullung>announcement of the first detection of a gravitational wave</a> on Feb. 11: the Fermi satellite had seen "a weak transient source above 50 keV, 0.4 s after the GW event was detected, with a false alarm probability of 0.0022" - which <a href=http://abenteuer-astronomie.de/ein-gamma-signal-zur-gravitationswelle>no one had predicted to accompany</a> a merger of two black holes. A <a href=https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2016/02/12/allgemeines-live-blog-ab-dem-12-februar-2016/>flood of papers followed</a> within days ("Eine Flut von Papers zur ersten Gravitationswelle") trying to make astrophysical sense of the coincident signals. And there was also a <a href=http://arxiv.org/abs/1602.04180>paper on the non-detection of a gamma signal</a> by the Integral spacecraft at the same time which its authors said killed the Fermi observation (in an updated version of their paper the Fermi observers immediately rejected that). So far all this debate had taken place in academic circles and on ArXiv only, though noted by a handful of science writers who actually follow scientific developments first- or close-second-hand.<br><br>
<a href=http://arxiv.org/abs/1602.04735>One of the theory papers</a> trying to explain the allegedly related gamma signal, however, was eventually hailed by the Center for Astrophysics <a href=https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/2016-05>in a Feb. 23 press release</a> which led to several more media reports. But then came a counter strike by the ESA PR department with a <a href=http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Integral_sets_limits_on_gamma_rays_from_merging_black_holes>press release on the Integral non-detection</a> on March 30 once said paper had been accepted by the journal it had been submitted to. Way down in the text (under the 'fold' actually) the release stated that "if this [Fermi-reported] gamma-ray flare had had a cosmic origin, either linked to the LIGO gravitational wave source or to any other astrophysical phenomenon in the Universe, it should have been detected by Integral as well. The absence of any such detection by both instruments on Integral suggests that the measurement from Fermi could be unrelated to the gravitational wave detection." The arguments in the Fermi paper trying to fit the Integral negative as well were not discussed.<br><br>
And now Strike Three in what has become a rare transatlantic battle of press releases: On April 18 NASA suddenly came around with a <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/nasas-fermi-telescope-poised-to-pin-down-gravitational-wave-sources>press release on the Fermi paper</a>, now over two months old and apparently still not accepted by <i>its</i> journal. "Gamma-rays arising from a black hole merger would be a landmark finding," the text read, and the first author is quoted: "This is a tantalizing discovery with a low chance of being a false alarm, but before we can start rewriting the textbooks we’ll need to see more bursts associated with gravitational waves from black hole mergers." The non-detection of the signal by Integral and the - pretty adamant - claims by its observers that the Fermi result cannot be right (emphasized in discussions with this blogger, I may add), are not mentioned at all! And so the I'm-only-reading-press-releases faction of science churnalists is left in utter confusion - while everyone else is waiting for more concurrent LIGO and Fermi / Integral / etc. observations that should eventually settle the issue.Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-41312271814893744572016-04-12T01:59:00.001+02:002016-04-12T02:02:31.368+02:00Communicating RosettaIt may seem odd to 'review' an issue of a magazine, but the March 2016 <a href=http://www.capjournal.org/issues/19/>"Rosetta special"</a> of <a href=http://www.capjournal.org>Communicating Astronomy with the Public</a> forms almost a book with its 48 pages and interconnected points of view of most of the authors. With the sole exception of the very last article, all contributors were either insiders of the outreach machinery of the Rosetta mission or journalists 'embedded' in some way: this provides a unique behind-the-scenes view of a major science communications and public relations effort, and the broad range of ideas brought to fruition during Rosetta's key years from its 'waking up' in January 2014 has never before been presented in such a comprehensive fashion. The Rosetta outreach community really tried everything they or their contractors could think of to get the public at large excited about this risky flagship science mission which space and science nerds had been salivating about anyway, eager for nuts and bolts information and actual results, of course.<br><br>
The most exotic venture discussed has also led to the <a href=http://www.capjournal.org/issues/19/19_21.php>most entertaining article</a> of the Rosetta special in which the ESA-led making of the <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32vlOgN_3QQ>science fiction short "Ambition"</a> is described as a super-secret operation eventually taking almost everyone by surprise. Here, for once, the actual struggle to succeed is coming to life while many of the other contributions to the magazine issue come over rather self-congratulatory, largely ignoring frustrations along the way and controversies erupting, some of which are even public knowledge. Or they are missing irony, e.g. when the <a href=http://www.capjournal.org/issues/19/19_05.php>introductory article</a> talks about bringing a 'real-time' experience of the mission to the world (when the opposite was often the case, in stark contrast to the raw drama of Giotto's two comet encounters; best practice and/or failures from previous missions are missing in general). The same can be said when the 'Ambition' piece makes no mention of the fact that the key message of the movie was that comets brought water to the Earth when soon Rosetta's <a href=http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Rosetta_fuels_debate_on_origin_of_Earth_s_oceans>first major scientific discovery</a> would be that at least this comet clearly didn't.<br><br>
What the contributors - with exception of the <a href=http://www.capjournal.org/issues/19/19_44.php>one truly independent voice</a> at the end - also gloss over is the major controversy over who's got to see which images from Rosetta's cameras when (that even left the ESA DG frustrated) and how it was semi-resolved with a moderately free sharing of NAVCAM imagery. Or how the unique chance was missed to <i>illustrate</i> the Philae (touch-and-go) landing at Agilkia <i>on that very day</i> with the complete ROLIS descent sequence which was available within hours but officially <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJOh9DL6yBQ>published only ten months(!) later</a>. Absent is also Philae's biggest unscripted PR success when a MUPUS scientist suddenly <a href=https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2014/11/14/allgemeines-live-blog-ab-dem-14-november-2014/#Nov15>revealed all the drama on Twitter</a> - for once the space nerd community was served, too. But most sorely missing in the 48 pages are <i>actual metrics</i> beyond social media likes and anecdotes of how the unprecedented broad Rosetta communications effort really shaped the public's view of ESA: how many more in Europe and outside do now know about that space agency's very existence and/or appreciate its science activities? Were such numbers never researched (e.g. by not too complicated phone polling) or ...?Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-57479044277546447632012-09-04T22:19:00.000+02:002012-09-04T22:19:50.598+02:00EXTRA: Astrophotos making the web - the good, the bad and the ugly ...There is an unfathomable universe of wonderful and genuine space images out there on the web (of which this blog is striving to bring you all those related to current sky events) - and yet it's sometimes the heavily manipulated or even completely manufactured pictures that "get viral", labeled as and/or understood to be sensationally good real images by scores of watchers. One such case was covered here three months ago, when a <a href=http://wacameapp.jugem.jp/?eid=16>composited view of the May annular eclipse</a> was distributed <a href=https://mobile.twitter.com/wacamera/status/204779177868660736>as a seemingly real image</a> (see <a href=https://twitter.com/Inoueian_e/status/204990677900206080>the translation</a> of that tweet) and went viral in Japan and then <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150958399815708&set=a.429604015707.225147.637975707&type=1&ref=nf>around the world</a>: even 'prominent' astronomers, including a hard-core space scientist (whom I won't name), initially fell for this fake and tried to explain its optical oddities. Another example, very recent, is <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/vegastarcarpentier/7915363662/in/photostream/>this alleged photo of a sunset</a> with sunspots and a Paris skyline - which a major science organization <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150996385471853&set=a.61619521852.81951.36709031852&type=1>also distributed with a caption implying a real photo</a> ("Taken at sunset September 2, 2012 in Paris ..."). Of course it isn't: The Sun is way too round for one touching the horizon, and its limb is brightened instead of darkened as it is in reality: obviously a montage, and one that anyone familiar with real sunset images can only consider bizarre in its stark unreality. And now read the comments under the Facebook entry: many took the picture for real and celebrated the assumed photography skills at work here.<p>
Now, why care about severely manipulated or completely made-up sky pictures widely assumed to be real? Isn't space art yet another great way to convey the beauty of space? If labeled as such: of course it is! But the issue here is what Australian astronomy popularizer Ian Musgrave has <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.it/2012/08/a-plea-for-sky-literacy.html>termed "sky literacy"</a>: the ability to understand what's happening in the sky (and getting inoculated against severe misinterpretations of celestial happenings that others may shamelessly exploit). Unscientific fake images like the setting round Sun with the bizarrely brightened limb may seem only a small detail here (not recognizing Venus or other normal naked-eye sky phenomena is much more troubling), but we in the astronomy outreach community should behave responsibly on <i>every</i> level, shouldn't we? A 'borderline case' in this regard is a famous solar photographer who gets great H-Alpha images like <a href=http://www.avertedimagination.com/img_pages/sundisk072912.html>this recent one</a> - only to invert the greyscale <a href=http://www.avertedimagination.com/img_pages/hotter_than_july.html>on the disk but not of the prominences</a> every time: a very confusing (and neither helpful nor IMHO aesthetic) process that has confused more than one professional astronomer desparately trying to understand what's going on - and leaves the broader audience in the dark, literally. Explaining narrow-band solar images is hard enough, but here a level of confusion is added without need.<p>
The nonchalance with which many in the astronomy community are ignoring the issue of misleading space pictures on the web - let alone celebrating them - is disturbing, especially given the increasing awareness of image manipulation in real life and news media in particular. Here at least the professionals try to strive for the moral high ground: For example a <a href=http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/a11-5903history.html>manipulated - by NASA!</a> - image from the Apollo 11 mission <a href=http://apple.copydesk.org/2012/08/25/keep-in-mind-as-you-put-together-your-neil-armstrong-packages-tonight/>should be deleted, they say</a>, from all image archives. Photojournalists have given themselves <a href=http://nppa.org/professional_development/business_practices/ethics.html>ethical guidelines</a>, and not so infrequent scandals like <a href=http://derstandard.at/1342948058586/Krone-dramatisiert-Foto-aus-Syrien-Leser-wenden-sich-an-Presserat>a recent one in Austria</a> with a 'spiced-up' photo from Syria underscore their necessity. The only astrophotographical organisation I know that has similar guidelines is <a href=http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/about_us.asp>The World at Night</a> where all compositing is banned; unfortunately their - still developping - rules aren't online yet. Would it be too much to ask for astronomy outreach activists to at least try to stick to a similar standard, clearly labeling artwork as such? And, if available, always use genuine photographs of the sky of which there are so many outstanding ones around anyway.Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-85850400443751260372012-08-11T23:05:00.002+02:002012-08-11T23:12:19.140+02:00Coming two nights best for the Perseids, with only modest lunar interferenceThe <a href=http://www.imo.net/live/perseids2012/>zenithal hourly rate</a> was already in the 50s this morning UTC (video data also show a <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=351964348214990&set=a.351964344881657.78242.253501018061324&type=1&ref=nf >steep rise</a> of activity), and the peak should be reached around noon tomorrow: the nights 11/12 and 12/13 August promise the highest rates, depending on the time zone. Here's a <a href=http://lists.meteorobs.org/pipermail/meteorobs/2012-August/015179.html>visual report</a> from last night, NASA <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/perseids_2012.html>promises some action</a> in the coming night, more previews <a href=http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/10aug_perseids/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/about/pressreleases/Perseid-Meteors-in-Their-Prime-165482256.html>here</a> (<a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/Perseids-at-Their-Prime-165433206.html>more</a>), <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/08/09/dont-miss-the-perseids-the-years-best-meteor-shower/>here</a>, <a href=http://britastro.org/blog/?p=1038>here</a>, <a href=http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/weltall/perseiden-meteorstrom-wetter-zur-sternschnuppen-beobachtung-optimal-a-849492.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.focus.de/wissen/diverses/dank-perseiden-am-wochenende-ein-wunschkonzert-klare-sicht-auf-sternschnuppen-regen-in-deutschland_aid_795917.html>here</a> and <a href=http://www.jurnalcosmic.ro/?p=1034>here</a>. General August previews <a href=http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/jul/29/starwatch-perseids-meteor-astronomy>here</a>, <a href=http://blog.aschnabel.bplaced.net/2012/08/der-sternhimmel-im-monat-august-2012/>here</a>, <a href=http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/22909.html>here</a> and <a href=http://www.thenightskyguy.com/?p=3503>here</a>: occultations of <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.de/2012/08/occultation-of-jupiter-sunday-august-12.html>Jupiter</a> and <a href=http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/planets/0813venus.htm>Venus</a> by the Moon on Aug. 12 and 13, a morning visibility of Mercury in mid-August and the opposition of Neptune on Aug. 24 are noteworthy - as are the continuing planet constellations in the evening and morning skies that are already under way.<p>
<b>Planet & star meetings</b> in <i>the evening</i> involve <a href=http://www.waa.at/hotspots/planeten/mars-saturn-spica-2012-07-09/index.html>Mars, Saturn & Spica</a>: pictures of <a href=https://twitter.com/astrohans/status/234207710432858113/photo/1>Aug. 10</a>, <a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/08/20120809api20.html>Aug. 9</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.de/2012/08/mars-saturn-and-spica-5-august-2012.html>Aug. 5</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/watch-curiosity-land-or-not-on-mars.html>Aug. 3</a> and <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/07/24/auf-der-jagd-nach-dem-kosmischen-trapez>July 24</a> (<a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/07/25/und-noch-ein-trapez-bild>more</a> and <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/0120725-luna-conjuncion-eeuu.php usa>more</a>). • In <i>the morning</i> it's <a href=http://astromarco.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/jupiter-in-3-fach-konjunktion-mit-aldebaran-2012-2013/>Jupiter near Aldebaran</a>, with Venus below: pictures of <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/und-ein-himmlisches-morgen-quartett/>today</a> (<a href=http://twitpic.com/ai6xke>more</a>), <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150951936841853&set=a.61619521852.81951.36709031852&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>Aug. 10</a>, <a href=http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/165863_343333402415774_1291898637_n.jpg>July 24</a>, <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/0120719-jup-ven-eeuu.php>July 18</a> and <a href=http://blogstargazers.blogspot.de/2012/07/moon-venus-aldebaran-jupiter-conjunction.html>July 16</a> (<a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9700>more</a>). And the <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GTXOpwrO04>Venus misunderstood</a> - a severe case of <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.de/2012/08/a-plea-for-sky-literacy.html>sky illiteracy</a> ... • Jupiter <a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/2012q3/010610.html>images</a> of <a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=138851>Aug. 9</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151169091645934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>Aug. 1</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151164478060934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>July 26</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151155190170934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>July 23</a> and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151145870855934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>July 22</a>, plus the <a href=http://www.astrode.de/jupiter2012c.htm>diameters</a> of the Jovian moons.<p>
<b>The Jupiter occultation by the Moon</b> in July was covered quickly <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/das-ware-die-jupiter-bedeckung-durch-den-mond-gewesen>here</a> and <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/das-war-die-jupiter-bedeckung-durch-den-mond>here</a>; more pictures & reports <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/162968686.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.lr-online.de/nachrichten/Tagesthemen-Hobby-Astronomen-erleben-Jupiterbedeckung-im-Elbe-Elster-Kreis;art1065,3872123>here</a> (<a href=http://blog.aschnabel.bplaced.net/2012/07/zur-jupiterbedeckung-beim-8-ats-in-jesnigk/>more</a>), <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/935125>here</a>, <a href=http://www.sternfreunde-steyr.at/aufnahmen/bilderseiten/jupiterbedeckung.htm>here</a>, <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/935799/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.astrode.de/jupiter2012b.htm>here</a>, <a href=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120720.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.420014984700538.84441.100000761207962&type=1>here</a>, <a href=http://maximusphotography.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/ocultarea-planetei-jupiter-de-catre-luna-15-iulie-2012/>here</a>, <a href=http://news.astronomie.info/ai.php/201207055>here</a>, <a href=http://asterythms.net/blog/?p=547>here</a>, <a href=http://www.torasol.se/jupiterockultationen2012.htm>here</a>, <a href=http://astromarco.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/jupiterbedeckung-vom-15-juli-2012-erfolgreich-beobachtet/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=296348257131013&set=a.124250884340752.21546.100002675230414&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>here</a>, <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/0120715-luna-ven-jup-ita.php>here</a>, <a href=http://www.jurnalcosmic.ro/?p=1006
http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=69023>here</a>, <a href=http://akaishi.livejournal.com/26644.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/astroz1/7574709310/in/photostream>here</a>, <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/0120715-jupiter-luna-gre.php>here</a>, <a href=http://www.tbobs.se/Teleskopgruppen/Manen-ockulterade-Jupiter.html>here</a>, <a href=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120720.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.planetenbedeckung.de/jupiterbedeckung_150712.htm#berichte>here</a> and <a href=http://www.universetoday.com/96301/spectacular-views-the-moon-occults-jupiter>here</a>. • More results from the Transit of Venus in June on <a href=http://www.gva-hamburg.de/Sternkieker_Sonderheft_Venustransit.pdf>46 pages</a>, <a href=http://www.orionzeitschrift.ch/images/pdf/40-43_371.pdf>4 pages</a> and <a href=http://legault.perso.sfr.fr/venus_atmosphere.html>here</a>, <a href=http://sites.williams.edu/transitofvenus2012/glenn-schneiders-images/>here</a>, <a href=http://sites.williams.edu/transitofvenus2012/photo-galleries/>here</a>, <a href=http://rasc.ca/transit-2012-results/usa>here</a>, <a href=http://akadem.us/astro/venus/ToV2012_SanJose_report.pdf>here</a>, <a href=http://akadem.us/astro/venus/ToV2012_Batavia_report.pdf>here</a>, <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/A-Great-Transit-Trip-to-Hawaii-160048585.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/06/20120606vtr/20120605gzo00.html>here</a>, <a href=http://atoptics.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/etruscan-vase-during-venus-transit/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/06/20120606vtr/20120606vch05.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.gym-vaterstetten.de/faecher/astro/Venustransit2012/Venustransit2012.htm>here</a>, <a href=http://www.astroshop.de/blog/?p=12552>here</a>, <a href=http://www.scilogs.de/kosmo/blog/uhura-uraniae/erlebnis-astronomie/2012-07-03/venustransit-in-troms>here</a>, <a href=http://www.br.de/themen/wissen/venus-venustransit-venusdurchgang104.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHz6OCj0Dtk>here</a> and <a href=http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/opinion/sbt-20120721sbtmicha-07-03-20120721,0,1029773.story>here</a>; also <a href=http://www.facebook.com/groups/108400462513165/permalink/463975486955659/>the ToV 2004 on RSA TV</a> in 13 parts and <a href=http://www.iiap.res.in/files/VenusTransitRCK2012.pdf>old Indian ToV stuff</a>. • And material from the annular eclipse in May <a href=http://lunarscience.nasa.gov/articles/images-of-the-annular-eclipse-on-may-20-2012/>here</a>, <a href=http://twanight.org/newTWAN/news.asp?newsID=6074>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/krisdelcourte/sets/72157629957404718/with/7516145376/>here</a> and <a href=
https://picasaweb.google.com/113638702638202116204/Eclipses?noredirect=1#slideshow/5765989886504727762>here</a>.<p>
<b>On the Sun</b> a <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News081012-whipprom.html>very long filament</a> (<a href=http://www.universetoday.com/96649/huge-solar-filament-stretches-across-the-sun/>more</a>), also on <a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=07&month=08&year=2012&view=view>Aug. 5</a>. More solar views & news of <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/sonne-schon-wieder-motiv-fur-superzooms/>Aug. 1</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/adma0p>July 30</a>, <a href=http://img.ly/lm1s>July 29</a> (<a href=http://twitpic.com/adgepj>more</a>), <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News073012-M6.2flare.html>July 28</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=12584945&l=aa4e45919b&id=327349956868>more</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi-KkgRDCns>here</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/acto9x>more</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/actiw0>more</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/ad7rx3>more</a>), <a href=http://twitpic.com/ac17sz>July 26</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QLdeNQvyWY>July 23</a>, <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News071912-M7.7flare.html>July 19</a> (<a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FciD033Eaiw>more</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=12502316&l=0abfa72f82&id=327349956868>more</a>, <a href=http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/SSA/SEM943VTP4H_0.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=297138560384445&set=a.139563502808619.26301.139562326142070&type=1>more</a>), <a href=http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/REPROCESSING/Completed/2012/c2/20120717/20120717_1536_c2_1024.jpg>July 17</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=12489127&l=051b1aa266&id=327349956868>more</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=296614197103548&set=a.139563502808619.26301.139562326142070&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>more</a>, <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=559335&l=573432c469&id=139562326142070>more</a>) and <a href=http://www.damianpeach.com/solar12/2012_07_15_0918utc_col.jpg>July 15</a> (<a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/76809324@N07/7574284694/>more</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/ju_cooper/7575073174/ full>more</a>). Also an <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivzy3HEgrPo>older SDO vid</a>, a <a href=http://www.astronomycameras.com/blog/archive/20120720/eruptive-prominence-flare-animation-dmk-21au618as/>July 4 flare</a> movie and <a href=http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/2012/harry-dissects-the-anatomy-of-the-giant-sunspot-group-ar11520>AR 1520 details</a>. Plus <a href=http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22068-antarctic-neutron-detectors-predict-solar-storms.html>predicting solar storms</a> via neutrons (<a href=http://www.weltderphysik.de/gebiet/planeten/news/2012/fruehwarnsystem-fuer-sonnenstuerme-installiert/>more</a>), <a href=http://www.mpg.de/5912646/Konvektion_Sonnenoberflaeche_Helioseismologie>helioseismology</a> surprise, planet missions <a href=http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=50627>and CMEs</a>, the <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/07/21/die-scharfsten-euv-bilder-der-sonnenkorona>Hi-C</a> and <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/missions/dfs.html>DFS</a> rocket flights, riding <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/riding-plasma-waves.html>plasma waves</a> and <a href=http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=50633>Cluster results</a> (<a href=http://www.irf.se/Topical/Press/?dbfile=Thin%20current%20sheets%20in%20space:%20where%20the%20action%20is%20&dbsec=P4>more</a>).<p>
<b>Aurora action</b> in <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/polarlicht-action-in-neuseeland-nordamerika>mid-August</a> in several nights and around the world is also analyzed and discussed <a href=http://www.polarlichter.info/20120715.htm>here</a>, <a href=http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/20jul_tasteofsolarmax/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/taste-solarmax.html>here</a>, <a href=http://blogs.esa.int/concordia/2012/07/18/teardrop-from-heaven-aurora-australis/>here</a>, <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/07/17/aurora-treads-on-cats-feet-tonight-july-16-17/>here</a>, <a href=http://vimeo.com/45999871>here</a>, <a href=http://www.polarlichter.info/120715/2012-07-15.htm>here</a>, <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9690>here</a>, <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News071212-X1.4flare.html>here</a>, <a href=http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/16/12773380-storm-from-space-sparks-greatest-light-show-on-earth>here</a>, <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/07/16/aurora-wrap-up-and-a-tingle-of-winter/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.space.com/16600-northern-lights-pictures-july-solar-storm.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.blipfoto.com/entry/2157724>here</a>, <a href=https://twitter.com/captkirky/status/224771633578131456/photo/1>here</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/images-from-aurora-of-15-and-16-july.html >here</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/more-spectacular-aurora-pictures-from.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150929547401867.408869.190393661866&type=1>here</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=s-Qf0rr0fBs>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasamarshall/7599153892/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.fragileoasis.org/blog/2012/7/southern-lights/>here</a> and <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/07/19/see-the-space-station-experience-an-astronauts-aurora-and-sense-saturns-lightning/>here</a>. • And further airglow sightings & analysis <a href=http://atoptics.wordpress.com/2012/07/19/airglow-when-a-green-aurora-turns-into-an-even-rarer-phenomenon>here</a>, <a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=23&month=07&year=2012&view=view>here</a>, <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9714>here</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wnhKUhPZPY>here</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=425189180865514&set=a.390421261008973.109813.330173740367059&type=1&ref=nf too>here</a>, <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9725>here</a> and <a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/07/20120715mju01.html>here</a>.<p>
<b>An asteroid turned comet</b> is 2012 NJ, covered <a href=http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iau/cbet/003100/CBET003178.txt>here</a>, <a href=http://earn.dlr.de/nea/comet/Comet2012NJ.pdf>here</a>, <a href=http://www.astronomy.ru/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=91474.0;attach=425691;image>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/43846774@N02/7632914764/>here</a>, <a href=http://6888comete.free.fr/fr/imageP2012NJLaSagrafrance.htm>here</a>, <a href=http://www.spaceobs.com/perso/recherche/cometes/2012NJ12/lasagra.xht>here</a>, <a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/27240>here</a>, <a href=http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K12/K12O08.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.itelescope.net/sky-alerts/2012/7/19/alert-asteroid-2012-nj-is-now-comet-p2012-nj-and-has-its-clo.html>here</a>, <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/07/25/tale-of-la-sagra-how-a-common-asteroid-became-an-oddball-comet/>here</a>, <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/07/unusual-minor-planet-2012-nj.html>here</a> and <a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/27211 big one>here</a>. • Comet 96P/Machholz <a href=http://sungrazer.nrl.navy.mil/index.php?p=news/machholz_babies>has split again</a>: reports and pictures <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=492145750798993&set=a.185117281501843.53581.100000107162128&type=1&relevant_count=1>here</a>, <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/07/14/comet-machholz-sizzles-as-we-await-the-aurora/>here</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/comet-machholz-has-babies.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report_delhi-boy-discovers-soho-comet_1726417>here</a>, <a href=http://comet.observations.free.fr/display-obs1.php?Num=6860>here</a>, <a href=http://www.cometpieces.at/images/phocagallery/96p20120809ut1949s11x60v2.jpg>here</a>, <a href=http://www.cometpieces.at/images/phocagallery/96p20120808ut2047s24x30last.jpg>here</a>, <a href=http://www.cometpieces.at/images/phocagallery/96p20120729ut2049last.jpg>here</a>, <a href=http://www.cometpieces.at/images/phocagallery/96p20120727ut2023s25x30_2%20kopie.jpg>here</a> and <a href=http://udalosti.astronomy.cz/?p=1526>here</a>. • Comet Hale-Bopp has been <a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/comets-ml/message/19755>imaged by an amateur <i>now</i>!</a> • Comet PanSTARRS <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/07/24/wenn-komet-panstarrs-durchhalt-wohin-die-reise-in-7-8-monaten-gehen-musste>travel options</a> (<a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/comets-ml/message/19718>more</a>). • Also the McNaughts <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/07/new-comet-p2012-o2-mcnaught.html>P/2012 O2</a> (<a href=http://6888comete.free.fr/fr/imageP2012O2McNaughtfrance.htm>more</a>) and <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.it/2012/07/new-comet-p2012-o3-mcnaught.html>P/2012 O3</a> - and the <a href=http://arxiv.org/abs/1103.6038>crazy Holmes paper</a> has been <a href=http://iopscience.iop.org/1538-3881/144/2/46/>published</a> and covered <a href=http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/342491/title/Crowd_sourcing_comes_to_astronomy>here</a> and <a href=http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2012/07/25/Astronomers-use-Internet-for-comet-study/UPI-82151343244009/>here</a> (missing the joke).<p>
<b>In other news</b> the NEO close approaches of <a href=http://lunarscience.nasa.gov/articles/video-asteroid-2002-am31-close-approach-to-earth/>2002 AM31</a> (<a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/27242>more</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/groups/slooh/doc/405104326213201/>more</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG9YzKlFDbo>more</a> and <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/07/21/watch-asteroid-2002-am31-zip-by-earth-sunday-night-via-live-webcast>more</a>) and <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/07/close-approach-of-pha-asteroid-2012-oq.html>2012 OQ</a> - and why the <a href=http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/press/press-releases/2012/august/bruce-willis-couldn2019t-save-us-from-asteroid-doom neoputt>Bruce Willis method doesn't work</a> in NEO destruction. • Craters in <a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/27282>Canada</a> and <a href=http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/meteorite-craters-in-australia.htm>Australia</a> - and <a href=http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22139>Uranus</a> action. • Nova Sgr 2012 <a href=http://www.aavso.org/aavso-alert-notice-465>#5</a> (<a href=http://space.geocities.jp/yusastar77/supernova/pnvinSgr_120718.htm>more</a>) and <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/07/18/the-suns-forever-blowing-bubbles/>#4</a> and <a href=http://www.sternwarte-zollern-alb.de/mitarbeiterseiten/kowollik/galaxies/M101.htm>SN 2011fe</a> (<a href=http://www.aavso.org/sn-2011fe>more</a>). • An Arabic Ramadan <a href=http://www.facebook.com/odehjas/posts/495852650430142>joke</a> and long <a href=http://twitpic.com/a9uqzi>TV discussion</a>. • An <a href=http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/07aug_meteorsmoke/>NLC meteor dust link</a> claim (<a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/aim/news/meteor-smoke.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qzs9ZOsjF-c>more</a>), an <a href=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/06/pictures/120712-noctilucent-cluds-night-shining-space-science-global-warming>NLC climate link</a> claim and <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9724>July 26/27</a> NLCs. • Finally some mysteries to solve: with the low Sun <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7REFLKaenOs>here</a> and <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxpSyaQejM8>here</a> (<a href=http://grenzwissenschaft-aktuell.blogspot.de/2012/07/astrofotografie-eruption-oder.html>more</a>), after a rocket launch <a href=http://www.twanight.org/newtwan/mystery.asp>here</a> (<a href=http://twanight.org/newTWAN/photos.asp?ID=3003461>more</a> and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=498637443495405&set=a.107949592564194.14409.107943749231445&type=1&ref=nf>more</a>) and re. ball lightning <a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/2012q3/010588.html>here</a>.Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-72738697438591357772012-08-03T23:42:00.000+02:002012-08-04T00:03:15.764+02:00EXTRA: Why there is no "Mount Sharp" on Mars (and why there can't be one)There is one thing that everyone agrees on regarding the landing spot the Mars Science Laboratory "Curiosity" is aiming for: it's inside the big impact crater Gale, <a href=http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/flying-into-the-red-20120801-23dno.html>named after an Australian amateur astronomer</a> - but what is the 5-km-high mound in the middle of the crater called that the Mars rover is supposed to explore in the coming years? Until this spring it didn't have a name at all, but <a href=http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/HotTopics/index.php?/archives/447-Three-New-Names-Approved-for-Features-on-Mars.html>that changed in May</a> when the International Astronomical Union's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature gave it the <a href=http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/15000>name "Aeolis Mons"</a>, in accordance with the established international <a href=http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/Categories>rules for naming features on planets</a> (which are also easily <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_nomenclature>available on Wikipedia</a>). For Mars these clearly state that features which are neither albedo features nor impact craters nor valleys are to get their names from "a nearby named albedo feature on Schiaparelli or Antoniadi maps". With Gale crater lying in the <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeolis_quadrangle>Aeolis quadrangle</a> - the region named already <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Karte_Mars_Schiaparelli_MKL1888.png>by Schiaparelli</a> after a <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Anatolia_Ancient_Regions_base.svg>part of Asia Minor</a> - there was no choice.<p>
In the run-up to Curiosity's arrival, however, the MSL team had begun <a href=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-090>using the term "Mount Sharp" for this mound</a> around March: a decision by "the mission's international Project Science Group" which was in stark conflict with the established naming rules for Martian features explained above, of course. There is no doubt that <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_P._Sharp>Robert P. Sharp</a> deserved to be honored on Mars - alas you can <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_nomenclature#Mars>only name big craters</a> for a <a href=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/14/us/robert-sharp-dies-at-92-linked-study-of-planets.html>deceased Mars researcher</a>. And the IAU this May also did exactly that, giving the name "Robert Sharp" to <a href=http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/15002>a 152 km wide crater</a>, albeit not exactly an obvious one. Case closed? Not to the MSL management which - dare I say stubbornly? - continues to use the term "Mount Sharp" to this day, in press releases, during press conferences and even <a href=http://www.springerlink.com/content/2234421w50090w9u>in a scientific paper</a> - while independent Mars scientists <a href=http://arxiv.org/abs/1207.6726>use "Aeolis Mons"</a>, of course. And as <a href=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2012/08/mount-sharp-on-mars-at-odds-with-official-name/1>this story</a> and <a href=https://mobile.twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/231085974975815680>this tweet</a> document, the MSL management has no intention to adhere to the Martian naming rules and plans to continue to use the "Mount Sharp" term, occasionally qualified as 'informal', while ignoring the mound's official name.<p>
So what does the the <a href=http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/Members>IAU body responsible for naming features</a> on Mars say? The current chair of the Mars Task Group happens to be the well-known U.S. planetary scientist Brad Smith (who was the <a href=http://www.astrobio.net/index.php?option=com_retrospection&id=3296&task=detail>Voyager Imaging Team leader</a> and among the <a href=http://astro.berkeley.edu/~kalas/disksite/pages/bpic.html>first to image the Beta Pic dust disk</a>), who gave the following statement to this blog two hours ago: "It has become pretty much routine for science teams working with Mars landers and rovers to apply informal names to very small (<100 m features observed by their instruments. As a policy, IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN) applies official names to features smaller than 100 m only very rarely, and only when such features are considered to be of special scientific interest. It is unusual for a feature as large as Aeolis Mons to be given an informal name, but this has happened occasionally throughout the history of Mars exploration by spacecraft. As a matter of convenience, informal names are often used during discussions within the science teams. Unfortunately, they may also come up when scientists communicate directly with the media.<p>
"In the past, most of these informal names eventually faded away, but this is the age of the Internet and such names can become permanent even within the professional astrogeological community. I completely agree with your concern over the confusion that such names create, but I must point out that the WGPSN has no control whatsoever over the use of informal names by the various science teams. However, it is also important to note that these unofficial names are never listed in the official IAU database, and they do not appear on the official maps published by the USGS." It may be worth noting that on Wikipedia "Mount Sharp" redirects <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Sharp_(Mars)>to "Aeolis Mons"</a> (though incorrectly calling "Mount Sharp" a "former" name of the mound when it fact it was a faulty proposal that couldn't fly), while <a href=http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMEV8TX55H_index_0.html>even ESA ignores</a> the correct name. A third feature named by the IAU in May was <a href=http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/15001>Aeolis Palus</a>, by the way: the flat area inside Gale <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeolis_Palus>where MSL will touch down</a> and for which NASA hasn't even come up with an 'informal name' ...<p>
So much for the bare facts - but why all the fuzz over a mound on Mars, one may ask? To this blogger it's <a href=http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/History>all about history</a> and not throwing out established solar system naming procedures on a whim and without even knowing what rules exist and why. Current Mars research is "standing on shoulders" reaching back into the 19th century and even further, and over the centuries what was found on the world most similar to ours has been named in clear ways that resonated with the public at large. There <i>are options</i> to honor great planetary scientists on Mars, and Robert Sharp has his crater now. But that doesn't even have to be a end of it: Long ago NASA named the Viking 1 lander on Mars the <a href=http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/1981/EO062i004p00033-08.shtml>Mutch Memorial Station</a> after a key team member had died in a tragic accident; the <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dergrossehund/2394846901/>respective plaque</a> is on display <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/dergrossehund/2395682260/in/photostream/>at the Nat'l Air & Space Museum</a>, with the intent to carry it to the actual lander one day. Now is <i>that</i> a clever idea to honor someone great, or what? And no international rules had to be broken ...Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-77488410529573569922012-07-14T16:28:00.004+02:002012-07-14T18:29:33.618+02:00Is this the night, with the Moon vs. Jupiter, some aurora and NLCs?If Nature conspires the coming night could bring a double or even triple treat to Europe, weather permitting, of course: guaranteed is an occultation of Jupiter by the Moon in the wee hours, but there <i>could</i> also be some mid-latitude aurora following a solar X flare & CME - and the season for noctilucent clouds is also still in full swing, with several good displays recently. The Jupiter occultation early on July 15 has spawned countless previews, e.g. in <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/July-15th-Occultation-of-Jupiter-162345236.html>English</a> (<a href=http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/planets/0715jupiter.htm>more</a>, <a href=http://www.popastro.com/news/newsdetail.php?id_nw=128>more</a>, <a href=http://britastro.org/blog/?p=1030>more</a> and <a href=http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n1207/13jupiterocc/>more</a>), <a href=http://www.dangl.at/2012/occult_m/oc120715g.htm>German</a> (<a href=http://blog.aschnabel.bplaced.net/2012/07/jupiterbedeckung-durch-den-mond-am-15-juli-2012/>more</a>, <a href=http://www.oculum.de/newsletter/astro/100/60/6/166.hi9gs.asp#1>more</a>, <a href=http://news.astronomie.info/ai.php/201207040>more</a>, <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/nach-dem-venus-transit-ist-vor-der-jupiter-bedeckung-durch-den-mond>more</a> and <a href=http://www.sterne-und-weltraum.de/alias/aktuelles-am-himmel/jupiterbedeckung-durch-den-mond/1153579>more</a>) and <a href=http://www.jurnalcosmic.ro/?p=995>Romanian</a>; animated simulation for various places can be <a href=http://www.astronomischesjahr.de/download.aspx>downloaded here</a>. The lead-up to the show was the Venus/Hyades/Jupiter/Pleiades/Moon line-up in the morning sky, as imaged <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=68924>today</a> (<a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=68942>dito</a>) and on <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/0120713-jup-ven-luna-can.php>July 13</a>, <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/0120712-jup-ven-ita.php>July 12</a>, <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/0120711-jup-ven-esp.php>July 11</a>, <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=68740>July 10</a>, <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=68682>July 9</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150888843676853&set=a.61619521852.81951.36709031852&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>July 8</a> (<a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.de/2012/07/venus-and-jupiter-7-8-july-2012.html>dito</a>), <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/0120707-jupiter-venus-fra.php juvehyple>July 7</a> (<a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/07/20120707wvo01.html>dito</a>), <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=68451>July 5</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/venus-and-jupiter-3-july-2012.html>July 3</a> and <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/0120701-ven-jp-eeuu.php>July 1</a>. Regarding Jupiter also an unusual <a href=http://www.aavso.org/aavso-alert-notice-464>call for satellite photometry</a> and the <a href=http://www.skymania.com/wp/2012/07/outbursts-on-jupiter-intrigue-astronomers.html/6455>NEB action</a>.<p>
<b>A CME should hit the Earth in the coming hours</b>, following an <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/07/12/x-flare-genau-in-der-sonnenmitte-das-konnte-leuchtende-folgen-haben>X flare on July 12</a> (<a href=http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-solar-flare-20120712,0,6885961.story>more</a> plus videos <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL5xlWUzJL0>here</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlEVvJhUoZA>here</a> and <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOj12YofoYQ>here</a>) from the big <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/07/12/die-monster-fleckengruppe-11520-ganz-ohne-teleskop-aufgenommen>activity region (1)1520</a> (<a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/Sunspot-1520-Rolls-into-View-161917595.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.scilogs.de/kosmo/blog/go-for-launch/allgemein/2012-07-08/tsch-s-1515-hallo-1519>more</a> and <a href=http://www.universetoday.com/96213/astrophotos-monster-sunspot-evolution/>more</a>): as so often <a href=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/solar-storm-incoming-federal-agencies-provide-inconsistent-confusing-information/2012/07/13/gJQAkm06hW_blog.html>confusion abounds</a> about what's <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=554712&l=246e77b995&id=139562326142070>gonna happen</a> as does the <a href=http://www.space.com/16572-northern-lights-solar-flare-fallout.html>usual hype</a> (also <a href=http://www.welt.de/wissenschaft/article108288181/Heftiger-Sonnensturm-rast-auf-die-Erde-zu.html>in Germany</a>; <a href=http://www.zdf.de/ZDF/zdfportal/web/heute-Nachrichten/4672/23458090/40fd85/Polarlichter-in-Deutschland.html>more</a>). Rather <a href=http://www.facebook.com/ulrich.rieth.9/posts/342703019139552>monitor</a> what the <a href=http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ace/EPAM_24h.html>the ACE satellite feels</a> and follow <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9658&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=67>this discussion thread</a>, in German and full of data. Meanwhile pictures of AR 1520, AR 1515 - which flared a lot - and the full disk from <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150899243386853&set=a.61619521852.81951.36709031852&type=1>today</a> (at <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=68941>sunrise</a>) and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=295310360567265&set=a.139563502808619.26301.139562326142070&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>July 13</a>, <a href=http://ow.ly/i/LqJe>July 12</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=295020377262930&set=a.139563502808619.26301.139562326142070&type=1>more</a> and at <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/0120713-sol-1520.php>sunset</a>), <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=294701470628154&set=a.139563502808619.26301.139562326142070&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>July 11</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150907728750946&set=a.11484435945.30602.697710945&type=1&theater>more</a>, <a href=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120714.html>more</a> and <a href=http://twitpic.com/a6j51q>more</a>), <a href=http://lichtecho.blogspot.de/2012/07/sonne-aktuell-eine-schone-fleckengruppe.html>July 10</a> (<a href=http://twitpic.com/a63al8>more</a>, <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/933472>more</a> and <a href=http://twitpic.com/a618yb>more</a>), <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151117746585934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1>July 9</a> (<a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/07/20120709bwe14.html>more</a> and <a href=http://www.fredda-o-ac.se/KPO/sol20120709.htm>more</a>), <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=68584>July 8</a>, <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=545547&l=2216a56f38&id=139562326142070>July 7</a> (<a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=10&month=07&year=2012&view=view>more</a> and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=364607000278275&set=a.305218946217081.71528.289093534496289&type=1&ref=nf>more</a>, also an <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/07/07/ar-1515-geht-mit-x-flare-neue-gruppe-kommt/>X flare in AR (1)1515</a>, <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News070712-X1.1flare.html>more</a>), <a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=06&month=07&year=2012&view=view 1520>July 6</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/a489t9>July 5</a>, <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News070412-M5.3flare.html>July 4</a>, <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News070312-M5.6flare.html>July 2</a> (also a <a href=http://news.discovery.com/space/solar-flare-ionizes-europe-skies-120702.html>SID</a>) and <a href=http://twitpic.com/a2u98y>June 30</a>. Plus <a href=http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/new-light-shed-on-explosive-solar-activity/>explosive solar activity</a>, the Sun's <a href=http://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2012/07/09/researchers-create-mri-of-the-suns-interior-motions.html>interior motion</a> and the <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/HI-C.html>H-IC</a> and <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/sumi-science.html>Sumi</a> rocket flights.<p>
<b>In other news</b> the 4th nova of the year has broken out in Sagittarius and reached 8th mag.: details <a href=http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iau/cbet/003100/CBET003166.txt>here</a>, <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/07/nova-sagittarii-2012-no-4.html>here</a>, <a href=http://britastro.org/blog/?p=1027>here</a>, <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/Yet-Another-Nova-in-Sagittarius-161716235.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.aavso.org/aavso-special-notice-289>here</a> and <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/resources/proamcollab/astroalert/AstroAlert2012July7-161691655.html>here</a>, also on <a href=http://www.aavso.org/aavso-alert-notice-463>Nova #3</a>. • <a href=http://sungrazer.nrl.navy.mil/index.php?p=news/family_ties>Comet 96P/Machholz</a> is again <a href=href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/07/12/plutos-growing-family-plus-comet-machholz-to-sail-past-sun/>in SOHO's FOV</a> (<a href=http://transientsky.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/comet_machholz/>more</a> and <a href=http://twitpic.com/a74ss6>more</a>), PanSTARRS is <a href=http://astrocometas.blogspot.de/2012/07/analysis-of-light-visual-curve-of-comet.html>doing well</a>, the <a href=http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21528724.800>Siding Spring NEO hunt is in trouble</a> (<a href=http://media.theage.com.au/selections/comet-man-could-lose-his-job-3444636.html>video</a> and <a href=http://www.smh.com.au/national/fears-over-star-mans-work-after-nasa-cuts-20120710-21u02.html>more</a>) and dwarf planet Pluto has <a href=http://www.dearastronomer.com/2012/07/11/fifth-moon-of-pluto-discovered>a fifth moon</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100980026346243&set=p.10100980026346243&type=1&ref=nf>more</a>, <a href=http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2012/32/full/>more</a>, <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/new-pluto-moon.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1212/>more</a>, <a href=http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/13jul_pluto5/>more</a>, <a href=http://physicsworld.com/blog/2012/07/_by_tushna_commissariat_the.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/342193/title/Hubble_spots_fifth_Pluto_moon>more</a>, <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/Plutos-Moons-Five-and-Counting-162062385.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/9394061/Nasa-scientists-discover-fifth-moon-orbiting-Pluto.html>more</a>, <a href=http://news.discovery.com/space/pluto-doesnt-have-to-be-a-planet-to-be-interesting.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.spacetoday.net/Summary/5675>more</a>, <a href=http://www.wissenschaft.de/wissenschaft/news/315784.html>more</a> and <a href=http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/weltall/fuenfter-pluto-mond-durch-hubble-entdeckt-a-843944.html>more</a>). • Amateur astronomers <a href=http://www.aavso.org/sites/default/files/jaavso/ej204.pdf>and exoplanets</a> - and <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/Lowell-Observatorys-Pro-Am-Initiative-161929505.html>supporting Lowell Obs</a>. • <a href=http://www.aalto.fi/en/current//news/view/2012-07-09/>Aurora sound</a> has been <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRZfKqhs6rM>recorded</a> (<a href=http://www.damninteresting.com/the-sound-of-the-aurora/>more</a> - and other links <a href=http://www.acoustics.hut.fi/projects/aurora/>here</a>, <a href=http://home.pacific.net.au/~ddcsk1/aurora1.htm>here</a>, <a href=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1984JRASC..78..145W>here</a> and <a href=http://lib.tkk.fi/Dipl/2005/urn007898.pdf>here</a>), plus <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=68710>South Pole</a> pics. • A sprite <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/07/11/sprites-and-elves-haunt-nighttime-thunderclouds/>imaged from the ISS</a> (<a href=http://news.discovery.com/space/big-pic-space-station-lightning-sprite-120712.html>more</a> and <a href=http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/weltall/roter-kobold-iss-astronauten-fotografieren-seltenes-blitz-phaenomen-a-844287.html>more</a>). • NLCs on <a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=12&month=07&year=2012&view=view>July 11/12</a> (<a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9654>more</a>) and <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9621>July 1/2</a> (<a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/noch-mehr-wolkenstrahlen-und-eine-kurze-aber-heftige-nlc-show/>more</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/a2ueui>more</a> and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4250615994428&set=a.1127089708223.19806.1556600716&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>more</a>) - and <a href=http://www.caha.es/noctilucent-clouds-from-calar-alto.html>from Calar Alto</a> (<a href=http://www.caha.es/noctilucent-clouds-from-calar-alto_de.html>German</a>). • And <a href=http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/358407/20120702/perth-meteor-sunset-photo.htm>another mistaken contrail</a> (<a href=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/meteor-plunges-into-ocean-lighting-up-perth-sky/story-e6freon6-1226414711308>more</a>).Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-899489557489783592012-07-01T18:07:00.001+02:002012-07-01T21:48:04.426+02:00Amazing changes on Jupiter - and its occultation by the Moon for Europe - sky highlights of JulyThis month - which began <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/extra-second.html>one second late</a> because the <a href=http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/leapsec.html>length of day</a> had changed too much (<a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/A-Glitch-in-Time-160824935.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.space.com/16356-leap-second-added-clocks-saturday.html>more</a> and <a href=http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/29/us-science-time-atomic-clocks-idUSBRE85S0LU20120629>more</a>) has <a href=http://blog.aschnabel.bplaced.net/2012/06/der-sternhimmel-im-monat-juli-2012/>little to offer</a> except <a href=http://www.jurnalcosmic.ro/?p=990 >planetwise right at dawn</a>: on the one hand <a href=http://twitpic.com/9zkwc9/full >Venus is still in the Hyades</a> for a good week (a great <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/28062012-ven-jup-sa.php >view of June 28</a>), and <a href=http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/jun/24/starwatch-venus-jupiter-mercury>Jupiter is a bit higher</a>. Where it will be <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/nach-dem-venus-transit-ist-vor-der-jupiter-bedeckung-durch-den-mond/>occulted by the Moon</a> in the wee hours of July 15 for central and southern Europe, ahead of a <a href=http://astromarco.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/jupiter-in-3-fach-konjunktion-mit-aldebaran-2012-2013/>triple conjunction with Aldebaran</a>. (Also recent pictures of <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/27062012-venusyjupiter-amanecer2.php>Jupiter & Venus</a> on <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/27062012-venusyjupiter-amanecer1.php>June 27</a>, <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/18062012-luna-venus-aus2.php>Moon & Venus</a> on June 18, the <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=240362786080635&set=o.108400462513165&type=1&ref=nf>crescent Venus</a> on June 2-4, <a href=http://www.damianpeach.com/saturn12/2012_06_18rgb.jpg>Saturn</a> on June 18 and a <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151081754900934>rotating Mars</a> from March images.) The most interesting news about Jupiter, however, are <a href=http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk12/j120627r.htm>dramatic changes in the NEB</a> (<a href=http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk12/j120612r.htm>earlier</a>), seen best in <a href=http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk12/j120628r.htm>this montage</a> and <a href=http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/Latest/Jupiter.htm >pictures</a> from <a href=http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk12/j120630z.htm>June 30</a> (<a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=137156>more</a>), <a href=http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk12/j120626z.htm>June 26</a>, <a href=http://lists.planeten-liste.de/pipermail/planeten/attachments/20120625/8423490f/attachment.jpg>June 24</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151071197145934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1>June 19</a> (NIR; <a href=http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk12/j120619z.htm>other</a> wavelenghts), <a href=http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk12/j120617z.htm>June 17</a>, <a href=http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk12/j120613z.htm>June 13</a> and <a href=http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/kk12/j120609r.htm>June 4-9</a>.<p>
<b>More pictures, reports & videos about recent rare events</b> that merit being linked to: from the <i>Transit of Venus</i> <a href=http://www.venusdurchgang.com/>here</a>, <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/930446>here</a>, <a href=http://www.herzberger-teleskoptreffen.de/events/vt2012/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.planetarium-berlin.de/Veranstaltungen/Bildergalerie-Venustransit/Bildergalerie-Venustransit-2012-auf-der-WFS%22>here</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.289952081100304.62864.100002565443043&type=1>more</a>), <a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=136423>here</a>, <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=67957>here</a>, <a href=http://astrozwerge.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/venustransit-aus-kindersicht/>here</a>, <a href=http://transitofvenus.nl/wp/2012/06/18/viewing-great-timing-difficult/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/display/28307976>here</a>, <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=67945>here</a>, <a href=http://www.mnassa.org.za/html/Jun2012/2012MNASSA..71..Jun.pdf>here</a> (page 95 = PDF pg. 5), <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKjm6QZRunA>here</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE7nOGgUxl4>here</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.451845931501948&type=1>here</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=449691198375173&set=p.449691198375173&type=1>here</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=240388952744685&set=o.108400462513165&type=1&ref=nf>here</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=240360322747548&set=o.108400462513165&type=1&ref=nf>here</a>, <a href=http://www.celestron.com/portal/articles/cat/news/post/transit-of-venus-2012/>here</a>, <a href=http://365daysofastronomy.org/2012/06/29/june-29th-transit-of-venus-2012-observations/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/sky-watchers-association-of-north-bengal-india/sets/72157630235211366>here</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150960496692378.448836.594207377&type=1>here</a>, <a href=http://siderealmuse.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/venus-transit-retro-blog-transit-day-part-1/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.sussenbach.eu/Venus%20Transit%20Expedition5.pdf>here</a>, <a href=http://vimeo.com/44327941>here</a>, <a href=http://keckobservatory.org/news/video_venus_transit_webcast>here</a>, <a href=http://cs.astronomy.com/asy/b/astronomy/archive/2012/06/19/guest-blog-venus-transit-from-kitt-peak.aspx>here</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3326101035670&set=o.108400462513165&type=1&ref=nf>here</a>, <a href=http://astrocamera.net/2012/0605/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/krisdelcourte/sets/72157630159927372/with/7355599016/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5SFr6TNt9g>here</a> (<a href=http://www.astrode.de/nordkap/vt2012g.htm>more</a>), <a href=http://www.astro4dev.org/index.php/oadprojects/tov2012>here</a> and <a href=http://obsballona.net/wordpress/2012/06/24/the-transit-of-venus/>here</a> - and a <a href=http://vimeo.com/44425454>1-hour talk</a> (2012 results from 0:29; <a href=http://keckobservatory.org/news/video_venus_transits_past_present_future>context</a>). • From the <i>lunar eclipse</i> a <a href=http://astrocamera.net/2012/0604/>timelapse</a>. • And from the <i>solar eclipse</i> pictures from <a href=http://www.4elements-earth.de/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=118&Itemid=58>Texas</a> and <a href=http://astrocamera.net/2012/0520/ >Nevada</a>, videos from <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgPqILdENdQ>Xiamen</a> (with the chromosphere), <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMdSj620NhY>Bryce Canyon</a> and <a href=http://panasonic.net/eclipselive/>Mt. Fuji</a>, a <a href=http://vimeo.com/42812310>professional video</a> from Arizona - and <a href=http://www.autoevolution.com/news/bmw-6-series-gran-coupe-commercial-eclipse-video-45681.html>a commercial</a> using a weird fake eclipse. • Also from the Sun <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=290996170998684&set=a.139563502808619.26301.139562326142070&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf>the disk</a> today, <a href=http://twitpic.com/a27k9a>prominences</a> on June 29, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=286634634768171&set=a.139563502808619.26301.139562326142070&type=1>nothing</a> on June 22, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/ju_cooper/7403946728/>the disk</a> on June 19</a> with <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByCCsQ98B5s>departing AR 1504</a> and <a href=http://www.astrode.de/sonwe60.htm>May pictures</a> (<a href=http://www.dangl.at/2012/sun/sun120519.htm>more</a>). • Plus another <a href=http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21981-astrophile-solar-cyclones-hold-fusion-reactor-clues.html>possible mechanism</a> for corona heating (<a href=http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2012/jun/29/super-tornadoes-spotted-in-the-sun>more</a>, <a href=http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/06/why-is-the-suns-corona-so-hot-two-words-solar-tornadoes/>more</a> and <a href=http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/weltall/nature-berichtet-ueber-magnetische-sonnentornados-a-841198.html>more</a>), Earth <a href=http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/29jun_hiddenportals/>B field FX</a> and a <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/sumi-launch.html>solar science rocket</a> launch.<p>
<b>Elsewhere in the Universe</b> comet <a href=http://6888comete.free.fr/fr/imageC2011L4Panstarrsfrance.htm>PanSTARRS</a> on <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=425473830830133&set=a.306612406049610.77187.100001025597636&type=1&ref=nf>June 26</a>, <a href=http://kometen.fg-vds.de/bildere.htm#archiv>500 pics of 6000 comets</a> (so far), collected <a href=http://www.cometchaser.de/discoverystories/Comet-discoverers.html>amateur discovery</a> stories, TNO <a href=http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2012/06261021-salacia.html>Salacia</a>, a <a href=http://smass.mit.edu/movie-caption.html>movie</a> of NEO 2012 KT42</a> (<a href=http://www.nature.com/news/astronomers-catch-video-of-near-miss-asteroid-1.10873>more</a> and <a href=http://www.space.com/16347-close-asteroid-flyby-2012-kt42.html>more</a>), Arecibo <a href= http://twitpic.com/9z8stt>observations</a> to <a href=http://www.usra.edu/news/pr/2012/asteroid_LZ1/>size NEO 2012 LZ1</a> (<a href=http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/21/12344614-that-big-asteroid-was-even-bigger>more</a> and <a href=http://www.noticel.com/noticia/126000/observatorio-de-arecibo-asteroide-2012-lz1-es-el-doble-de-lo-estimado.html>more</a>), the <a href=http://io9.com/5921392/how-serious-does-an-asteroid-threat-have-to-be-before-we-take-action>AG45 story</a> again and <a href=http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2012/explained-near-miss-asteroids-0629.html>rapid response</a> ideas. • An <a href=http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/articles/oldest-known-impact-crater-found-9091.html >old crater</a> in Greenland (<a href=http://www.geus.dk/cgi-bin/webbasen_nyt_uk.pl?id=1340629662|cgifunction=form>more</a> and <a href=http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21996>more</a>) and <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/skytel/beyondthepage/More--160372935.html>new meteor</a> showers. • Another <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/06/possible-nova-in-sgr-j17522579-2126215.html>Nova in Sgr</a> faded quickly (<a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/Possible-Nova-in-Sagittarius-160551575.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.aavso.org/bright-new-dwarf-nova-or-nova-sgr-pnv-j17522579-2126215>more</a> and <a href=http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/06/28/night-sky-news-discovery-of-new-nova/>more</a>) as did <a href=http://transientsky.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/nova-oph-2012-fades-rapidly/>Nova Oph</a>, one of <a href=http://transientsky.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/novae-update/>many novae</a> around. • Also a <a href=http://www.aavso.org/aavso-alert-notice-462>call for observing</a> an unusual occultation and <a href=http://www.aavso.org/ejaavso202>a paper</a> on amateurs & variable stars.<p>
<b>The noctilucent clouds have been active</b> recently, see both <a href=http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/natur/nlc-leuchtende-nachtwolken-ueber-europa-reichen-nach-spanien-a-841434.html>from the ground</a> and <a href=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=78346>from orbit</a>: a "real-time" <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/index.php?title=nocti&title2=NLC >gallery</a> and selected pictures & reports from the nights <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9599>June 26/27</a> (<a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/auffallige-leuchtende-nachtwolken-uber-dem-kba-land>more</a>, <a href=http://sternwarte-hannover.de/2012/06/leuchtende-nachtwolken/>more</a> and <a href=http://www.high-iso.de/de/blog/leuchtende+nachtwolken+nlc+im+juni>more</a>), <a href=http://cumbriansky.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/more-nlc-2/>June 25/26</a> (<a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/raygil/7446794812/in/photostream>more</a>), <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrianmaricic/7438960612/in/photostream>June 24/25</a> (<a href=http://spaceweather.com/submissions/large_image_popup.php?image_name=Adrian-Maricic-Forth-Bridges-NLC-1200_1340617800.jpg>more</a>, <a href=http://nlcnet.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=nlc2012&action=display&thread=813>more</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/a0e0eo>more</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/a08s6r>more</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/a0dv3r>more</a>, <a href=http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/NLC/animation_IMG_7546.gif>more</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/raygil/7438906970/>more</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/raygil/7438910034/>more</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/79652716@N00/7442474536/>more</a>, <a href=http://cumbriansky.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/nlc-watching-from-kendal-the-agony-of-cumbrian-amateur-astronomy/>more</a> and <a href=http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread854545/pg1>more</a>), <a href=http://cumbriansky.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/nlc-display-finally-seen-from-kendal-june-1920th-2012/>June 19/20</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/donegalskies/7395000796/in/photostream>June 18</a> and <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/aim/multimedia/MarekNikodem-1339978107.html>June 17</a>. • There have also been <a href=http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/18/12285131-aurora-makes-the-sky-sing-the-blues>some aurorae</a> after <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News061412-1504flare.html>a flare</a> while a <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/06/25/why-was-the-aurora-out-last-night/>U.S. show on June 25</a> was <a href=https://mobile.twitter.com/Astronomie/status/217588372896612353>more difficult</a> to explain. Pictures of <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0Hl8Uty5Pk>June 19</a>, <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/18062012-auroras-can.php>June 18</a> (<a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/round-up-of-last-nights-aurora.html>more</a> and <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/still-more-awesome-aurora-pictures.html>more</a>) and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151037545781869.494141.327349956868&type=3&l=e75cd629e3#!/media/set/?set=a.10151037545781869.494141.327349956868&type=3&l=e75cd629e3>June 17</a> (<a href=http://goldpaintphotography.com/2012/06/17/aurora-over-crater-lake/>more</a>); also <a href=https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.330975800281515.71788.100001072936149&type=1&l=eb2787dc6e>from Scandinavia</a> last <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9601>winter</a> and from <a href=http://vimeo.com/44171058>the last 3 years</a>.<p>
<b>And finally</b> a <i>very</i> <a href=https://twitter.com/DrAlexKumar/status/217900219285778432/photo/1>cool night sky picture</a> (at -70°C) taken by <a href=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/18657698>Alex Kumar</a> at <a href=http://www.institut-polaire.fr/ipev/bases_et_navires/station_concordia_dome_c>Dome C</a> in Antarctica</a>. • A neat <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc0WQjfTkMI>solstice demonstration</a> from India and <a href=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthpicturegalleries/9359903/Star-trails-over-the-Australian-Outback-by-photographer-Lincoln-Harrison.html>overly crazy</a> star trails. • The <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/skytel/beyondthepage/The-Herschel-Project-159623915.html>Herschel project</a>. • And the <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=390188437708830 >ISS & Tiangong in one shot</a> (<a href=http://www.space.com/16276-china-shenzhou-9-night-sky-photos.html>more</a>), Tiangong 1 & Shenzhou 9 <a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=19&month=06&year=2012&view=view>transiting the Sun</a>, ~30 satellites <a href=http://sattrackcam.blogspot.nl/2012/06/30-mostly-geostationary-objects-in-one.html>in one image</a> and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=348041068599952&set=a.230927900311270.51513.215283411875719&type=1&ref=nf>things rockets put in the sky</a> ...Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-16860878114367996252012-06-17T18:59:00.001+02:002012-06-24T00:49:01.238+02:00A dip in the vast pool of Transit of Venus results on the webWill there ever be a master list with links to <i>all</i> reports, pictures and videos on the World Wide Web about the Transit of Venus of 2012? After frantically covering all hot material coming in until the end of June 7 in <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/live-blog-zum-venus-transit-2012-rhodos-et-al>this long live-blog</a>, here's (some of) the stuff that was found - or has found me - in following ten days! • The <i>weather</i> in the various observing regions is <a href=http://www.venustransit.de/wetter2012.htm>nicely summarized here</a>. • Some <i>early scientific results</i> include hi-res <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/gallery/58/full/23773.jpg>images of the aureole</a> which <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/tag/rhodostransit>my team obtained</a> in Greece (<a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/926728>more</a> and <a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/06/20120606vtr/20120606wvo04.html>cited here</a>) as well as <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=67133>other photographers</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3774436966930&set=a.3371121284290.149644.1456982812&type=1>more</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/9wr7f6>more</a>, <a href=https://venustex.oca.eu/foswiki/bin/view/Main/FirstImages>more</a>, <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=67607>more</a> and <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=67075>more</a>) - a <a href=http://www.perezmedia.net/beltofvenus/archives/001518.html>series of drawings</a>. A wonderful <a href=http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/TOV2012/TOV2012-parallax.html>demonstration of the parallax</a> over 14,000 km (<a href=http://twitpic.com/9wld20>more</a>). And observations by <a href=http://www.almaobservatory.org/en/announcements-events/429-venus-as-seen-by-one-of-the-alma-antennas-before-the-transit>ALMA</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9tlucqGjA0>Hinode</a> (<a href=http://asubsetofdaves.wordpress.com/2012/06/07/hinodes-iconic-transit-image/>more</a>), <a href=http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMH3Q7X73H_index_0.html>Venus Express</a> and <a href=http://venustransit.nso.edu/live.html>various NSO telescope</a> plus <a href=http://news.discovery.com/space/venus-transit-earth-like-words-120608.html>what was planned</a>.<p>
• <i>Full reports and picture sequences</i> come from <a href=http://www.home.uni-osnabrueck.de/ahaenel/venus/Venustransit.pdf>Peenemünde</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrohardy/sets/72157630088131212/>Fehmarn</a> (<a href=http://astroholl.blogspot.gr/2012/06/venustransit-am-06062012-reif-fur-die.html>more</a>), <a href=http://www.high-iso.de/de/blog/venustransit+2012>Usedom</a>, <a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/2012q2/010464.html>Travemünde</a>, <a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/2012q2/010459.html>Norddeich</a>, <a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/2012q2/010466.html>Lausitz</a>, <a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/2012q2/010463.html>Erzgebirge</a>, <a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/2012q2/010472.html>Unstrut</a>, <a href=http://astronomie.n-t-l.de/galerypages/venus_3.htm>Bavaria</a>, <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/926082>Brandenburg</a>, <a href=http://astroblog-lippspringe.blogspot.de/2012/06/6-juni-venustransit_06.html>Bad Lippspringe</a>, <a href=http://blog.aschnabel.bplaced.net/2012/06/erlebnis-venustransit/>Lichterfeld-Schacksdorf</a>, <a href=http://www.balkonsternwarte.de/Planetenbilder/venustransit-06062012.html>Bielefeld</a> and <a href=http://www.eurastro.de/lifepers/venusweek/venusweek.htm>Munich</a> in Germany, <a href=http://www.dangl.at/2012/venustransit/venustransit.htm>Austria</a> (<a href=http://www.sternfreunde-steyr.at/aufnahmen/bilderseiten/venustransit-2012.htm>more</a>, <a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/06/20120606vtr/20120606tsa04.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/06/20120606vtr/20120606khn03.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/06/20120606vtr/20120606gho04.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/06/20120606vtr/20120606hot04.html>more</a> and <a href=http://www.astronomerswithoutborders.org/community/member-blogs/transit-of-venus-some-impressions-from-austria.html>more</a>), <a href=http://willgater.com/2012/06/10/observing-the-2012-transit-of-venus/>Greece</a> (<a href=http://gruposaros.blogspot.com.es/2012/06/grupo-grecia-dia-4-06062012-transito.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=449691198375173&set=p.449691198375173&type=1>more</a>, <a href=http://lists.planeten-liste.de/pipermail/planeten/2012-June/000478.html>more</a> and <a href=https://picasaweb.google.com/P.Hombach/Venustransit2012?authuser=0&feat=directlink#>more</a>), <a href=http://www.eurastro.de/observ/vddoorn/venusvenezia/venusvenezia.htm>Italy</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.444555248897683&type=1>more</a> and <a href=http://www.danilopivato.com/solar_system/transit/venus/transit_venus.html>more</a>), <a href=http://astromarco.wordpress.com/planeten/venustransit-vom-6-juni-2012/>Denmark</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.462176980461930.111274.100000088962052&type=1>more</a>), <a href=http://twitpic.com/9u4ra5>Norway</a> (<a href=http://www.vardo2012.com/VenusTransit2012.html>more</a>), <a href=http://www.tbobs.se/Specialarrangemang/Succe-for-Venuspassage-pa-TBO.html>Sweden</a> (<a href=http://www.fredda-o-ac.se/KPO/ven20120606.htm>more</a>, <a href=http://torasol.se/venustransit2012e.htm>more</a>, <a href=http://www.eclipse-reisen.de/2012vt/bericht.htm>more</a> and a <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVvCwE2cNnI>slideshow</a>; Venus only at 5:06), <a href=http://linksthroughspace.blogspot.gr/2012/06/transit-of-venus-2012-new-astrophotos.html>Finland</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.321304597951988.74207.100002173510135&type=1>Hungary</a>, <a href=http://www.scilogs.de/kosmo/blog/uhura-uraniae/erlebnis-astronomie/2012-06-11/venustransit-in-krasnojarsk>Russia</a>, <a href=https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150860399721924.398345.691531923&type=1&l=a7903442ab>Abu Dhabi</a>, <a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Astronomy_Activities_2009/message/7615>Chennai</a> (<a href=https://picasaweb.google.com/vijayorion/VenusTransitJune6th2012Event>pics</a>), SPACE <a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Astronomy_Activities_2009/message/7609>activities</a> (<a href=https://picasaweb.google.com/109156850798846600382/VenusTransitInJantarMantar>pics</a> and <a href=https://www.dropbox.com/sh/n803zsk9h1p3e27/7zT18Cn914>more</a>), <a href=http://nehruplanetarium.org/taarewiki/pmwiki.php?n=Site.TransitSkywatch>Delhi</a>, <a href=http://skygazersbhuj.blogspot.in/2012/06/transit-of-venus.html>Kutch</a> and <a href=https://plus.google.com/photos/114036971631921858569/albums/5750847163979831025?banner=pwa&gpsrc=pwrd1#photos/114036971631921858569/albums/5750847163979831025>Bangalore</a> in India, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=414584195252430&set=a.161586080552244.31414.100001025597636&type=1&ref=nf>China</a>, <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/927266>Bali</a> (<a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/2012q2/010479.html>more</a> and <a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=136165>more</a>), <a href=http://joe-cali.com/eclipses/PAST/ToV2012/>Australia</a> (<a href=http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/2012/champagne-transit-at-siding-spring-observatory>more</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.gr/2012/06/images-from-my-transit-of-venus-june-6.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/2012/the-transit-of-venus-from-lord-howe-island/>more</a>, <a href=http://gruposaros.blogspot.com.es/2012/06/grupo-eeuu-imagenes-del-transito.html>more</a> and <a href=http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/2012/transit-of-venus-at-sydney-observatory-a-visitors-perspective>more</a>), <a href=http://www.unawe.org/updates/unawe-update-1240/>Timor Leste</a>, <a href=http://strakul.blogspot.de/2012/06/easter-island-transit-of-venus-23.html>Rapa Nui</a> (<a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/jfaherty/sets/72157630029839847/with/7171297957/>more</a>), <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/halehoku/sets/72157630070573976/>Hawaii</a> (<a href=http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/transits/ToV_2012_Photos.html>more</a>, <a href=http://transitofvenus.nl/wp/2012/06/12/report-from-a-tov-station-among-coyotes-rattlesnakes-wolverines/>Canada</a>) and the states of <a href=http://transitofvenus.nl/wp/2012/06/07/a-most-agreeable-spectacle-on-mount-wilson/>California</a> (<a href=http://www.astroengine.com/2012/06/when-venus-transited-the-sun>more</a>, <a href=http://transitofvenus.nl/wp/2012/06/07/a-most-agreeable-spectacle-on-mount-wilson/>more</a>, <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/features/2012/venus-transit-event.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.EvanZucker.com/eclipse/2012/Transit>more</a>, <a href=http://gruposaros.blogspot.com.es/2012/06/grupo-eeuu-dia-5-05062012-transito-de.html>more</a> and <a href=http://cosmicdiary.org/fmarchis/2012/06/11/june-2012-transit-of-venus-from-san-francisco-to-mars/>more</a>), <a href=http://astrodoxa.doxatheca.com/gallery_toc/june-2012#TOC-Transit-of-Venus>Oregon</a>, <a href=http://www.abe-n-doren.com/private/venus-transit-2012/>Wisconsin</a>, <a href=http://bigadd.blogspot.gr/2012/06/solar-eclipse-moon-eclipse-venus.html>Texas</a>, <a href=http://wiki.nasa.gov/cm/blog/Watch%20the%20Skies/posts/post_1339521846037.html>Alabama</a>, <a href=http://www.universetoday.com/95738/clouds-part-for-transit-of-venus-from-princeton-university/>New Jersey</a> and <a href=http://theskyabove22.wordpress.com/2012/06/10/transit-of-venus-viewing-in-new-york-city/>New York</a> (<a href=http://www.centerforinquiry.net/blogs/entry/stargazing_the_transit_of_venus/>more</a>) of the U.S.<p>
• <i>Picture collections</i> of the transit have also turned up <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9542>here</a> (incl. particularly scenic Baltic sunrises), <a href=http://www.interstellarum.de/sonder20120606venustransit.asp>here</a>, <a href=http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2012/06/the-2012-transit-of-venus/100313/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=136029>here</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.gr/2012/06/other-peoples-transit-of-venus-images.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.eclipse-chasers.com/galleryShow.php?dir=vt2012>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/groups/1953123@N24/pool/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.universetoday.com/95758/transit-of-venus-redux-more-great-images>here</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_108400462513165>here</a>, <a href=http://news.discovery.com/space/ss-transit-venus-readers-photos-120606.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.oneminuteastronomer.com/5907/images-transit-venus/>here</a>, <a href=https://plus.google.com/112336147904981294875/posts/4sGwBPV8egG#112336147904981294875/posts/4sGwBPV8egG>here</a> and <a href=http://www.astro4dev.org/index.php/oadprojects/tov2012>here</a> while interesing • <i>pictures</i> are <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/prakash_subbanna/7160454299/in/photostream>here</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=233855853397995&set=o.108400462513165&type=1&ref=nf>here</a>, <a href=http://www.astronomycameras.com/blog/archive/20120612/venus-black-drop-effect/>here</a>, <a href=http://legault.perso.sfr.fr/transit_tiangong1_120511.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.astronomycameras.com/blog/archive/20120615/pictures-with-the-dmk-21-of-the-venus-transit-2012/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151188477104348&set=a.62114039347.86480.528759347&type=1>here</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/9v9nap>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/atish2k8/7364705628/in/photostream>here</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/9td6vm>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/roberthensley/7343645180/in/pool-1497569@N20/>here</a>, <a href=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120613.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.astronomycameras.com/blog/archive/20120613/venus-transiting-the-sun/>here</a>, <a href=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120608.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/06/20120606vtr/20120606mka00.html>here</a>, <a href=http://strictlyastronomy.tumblr.com/post/24675920883/venus-transit-in-hydrogen-alpha-light-5-june>here</a> and <a href=http://linksthroughspace.blogspot.de/2012/06/transit-of-venus-2012-astrophotos-of.html>here</a>. • <i>Videos</i> showing a <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3-RV3-Za1w>working pinhole camera</a> (good to know for future eclipses), the <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IVRYUooMBU>Mount Wilson webcast</a> (in pt. 5 an interesting aureole interview; <a href=http://www.astronomerswithoutborders.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1196&catid=13&Itemid=541>background</a>) and from <a href=http://blogs.esa.int/venustransit/2012/06/11/transiting-the-midnight-sun/>Svalbard</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bI8aSameS0>Bora Bora</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=0VLTpOz3efE>Amrum</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrXH7YiVm0A>Waikiki</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9EwzlYHFZ4>Hyderabad</a> (43 mins) and <a href=http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/2012/transit-of-venus-video-highlights/>Sydney</a>, plus <a href=http://vimeo.com/channels/ourlasttransitofvenus/>clips from a movie project</a> and a wild <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJiXFXjpCDM>animated cartoon</a> of Le Gentil's problems ... • Stories about the transit are <a href=http://atoptics.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/air-mirage-effects-during-transit-of-venus/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/jun/06/transit-venus-captures-public-imagination>here</a>, <a href=http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2012/06140800-yet-more-planet-transits.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21880>here</a>, <a href=http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/shortcuts/2012/jun/06/transit-venus-what-next>here</a>, <a href=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20120608/COLUMNISTS0404/306080016/Stargazing-Didn-t-catch-Venus-Next-one-tougher>here</a>, <a href=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/9313392/Transit-of-Venus-a-view-from-the-South-Pacific.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-transit-20120609,0,7543381.column>here</a>, <a href=http://burgenland.orf.at/news/stories/2536101/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-transit-of-venus-viewing-20120606,0,4309408.story>here</a>, <a href=http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2012/jun/12/transit-venus>here</a>, <a href=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/article3496321.ece>here</a>, <a href=http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/06/the-transit-of-venus-and-the-distance-to-the-sun/>here</a> and <a href=http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=117100&d=1339233534>here</a> (from someone who <a href=http://www.irishastronomy.org/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=1&id=94294&Itemid=40>just didn't get</a> it). • Finally TV reports from <a href=http://www.salzi.tv/video/venustransit-2012-am-gmundnerberg/dccea50f233d8e1b58bbe52b9f854752>Austria</a>,<a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lIbbFM5frI>Russia</a>, <a href=http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2012/06/06/video-hawaii-visitors-hit-hilo-mauna-loa-for-transit-of-venus-views/>Hawaii</a>, <a href=http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/47705170#47705170>NBC</a> (<a href=http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/47697859#47697859>earlier</a>) and <a href=http://www.zdf.de/ZDFmediathek/#/beitrag/video/1657840/Venus-wandert-an-der-Sonne-vorbei>ZDF</a> - and a long <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd5tZ6GWGcw>Indian preview</a> talk.<p>
<b>Imaging Venus veeery close to the Sun</b> before and after the transit was a popular sport: successes from <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/06/09/die-venus-danach-gestern-am-tage-und-heute-vor-sonnenaufgang/>June 9</a> (<a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=136344>more</a> and <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=67530>more</a>), <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/die-venus-heute-hornerspitzen-immer-noch-weit-ubergreifend-ring-vielleicht-noch-geschlopss>June 8</a> (<a href=http://spaceweather.com/submissions/pics/p/Pavol-Rapavy-Venusa-beforafter_1339165658.jpg>more</a>), <a href=http://www.astropix.com/HTML/SHOW_DIG/Venus_20120607.HTM>June 7</a> (<a href=http://www.astropix.com/wp/2012/06/07/venus-extreme-crescent/>more</a>), <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/gestatten-die-venus-9-stunden-vor-dem-transit/>June 5</a>, <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/noch-mehr-rhodos-venusse-eine-erste-landpartie-und-eine-feurige-herausforderung>June 4</a> (<a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/die-venus-am-rhodesischen-himmel-40-stunden-vor-dem-transit>earlier</a>; <a href=http://strictlyastronomy.tumblr.com/post/24477866270/venus-approaching-the-sun-29-hours-before-the>more</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?%20%20%20fbid=465775310115840&set=a.186492938044080.53918.100000501242446&type=1&ref=nf>more</a>, <a href=http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-venus-transit-approaches-early-photo-001,0,6163718.photo>more</a>, <a href=http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-venus-transit-approaches-early-photo-20120605,0,309838.story>more</a>, <a href=http://www.astrosurf.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/034543.html>more</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/9uyr90>more</a>, <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=66259&PHPSESSID=gt9pisbuaef14j7csfsv6e6ui7>more</a> and <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=66263&PHPSESSID=gt9pisbuaef14j7csfsv6e6ui7>more</a>), <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151034822755934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1&ref=nf dp3.venus>June 3</a> (<a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=66175&PHPSESSID=5hi3li1v8podcq25beo6u0m7h3>more</a>), <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/esa_events/7341368166/in/set-72157629888955980>June 2</a> and <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/01062012-venus-mercurio.php>June 1</a> (with Mercury; <a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=01&month=06&year=2012&view=view>more</a>); more pictures are linked from the various Rhodes pages. • Pictures of the partial lunar eclipse just before the transit are linked from <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/noch-mehr-rhodos-venusse-eine-erste-landpartie-und-eine-feurige-herausforderung>this Rhodes report</a> and can also be found <a href=http://www.mreclipse.com/LEphoto/PLE2012Jun/PLE2012galleryA.html>here</a>, <a href=http://theskyabove22.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/june-4-2012-partial-lunar-eclipse-images-philippines>here</a>, <a href=http://fotoalbum.web.de/ui/external/schoppy/albums/LunarEclipse20120604>here</a>, <a href=http://halfastro.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/partial-lunar-eclipse-photos-2/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/46188678@N05/7339601028>here</a>, <a href=http://www.evanzucker.com/Eclipse/2012/LunarEclipse/>here</a>, <a href=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120606.html>here</a>, <a href=http://eclipsechasers.blogspot.de/2012/06/partial-lunar-eclipse-photos.html>here</a> and <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/andromedaswake/7177830699/>here</a>, with stories <a href=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jun/04/pre-dawn-eclipse-swallows-part-moon>here</a> and <a href=http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/04/12055122-darkness-falls-on-the-moon-in-june>here</a> and many videos <a href=http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL51E97D9BCD6685F6>here</a>. • And yet more images, videos and reports from the May annular eclipse have appeared <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=316993868383312&set=a.119791638103537.28779.117905868292114&type=1&ref=nf>here</a> (just amazing), <a href=http://blog.lytro.com/lytro-in-the-wild/annular-solar-eclipse-in-light-field/>here</a> (Lytro ...), <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajkeGMPr20o>here</a> (weird <a href=http://www.universetoday.com/95743/eclipse-soar-dual-high-altitude-balloons-capture-stunning-annular-eclipse-images>balloon</a> thing</a>), <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nviWPrnNB6E>here</a>, <a href=http://www.rickthurmond.com/Eclipse2012.jpg>here</a>, <a href=http://daemongpf.blogspot.de/2012/05/annular-eclipse-chaco-canyon-may-20.html>here</a>, <a href=http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/ASE_20120520_pg02.html>here</a> and <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/features/2012/annular-eclipse.html>here</a>.<p>
<b>Once more a big sunspot crossed the disk</b>: views of <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=283595681738733&set=a.139563502808619.26301.139562326142070&type=1&ref=nf>June 16</a> (AR 1504 <a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=16&month=06&year=2012&view=view>in detail</a>), <a href=http://twitpic.com/9woc7o>June 15</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=283055375126097&set=a.139563502808619.26301.139562326142070&type=1&ref=nf>more</a>), <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/raygil/7371254834/>June 14</a> (<a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tpecu4lqEIA>movie until June 14</a>, with flares</a>, <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News061412-1504flare.html>more</a>, <a href=http://news.discovery.com/space/incoming-sun-blasts-huge-magnetic-bubble-at-earth-120614.html>more</a> and <a href=http://idealab.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/06/see-hyperactive-solar-region-thats-blasting-earth-up-close.php>more</a>), <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151841817590232&set=a.10150850632730232.749885.638540231&type=1&ref=nf>June 13</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151841801400232&set=a.10150850632730232.749885.638540231&type=1&ref=nf>more</a>), a <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151819098640057>movie til June 12</a> and prominences on <a href=https://twitter.com/RayGil/status/209591020982255616/photo/1>June 4</a>, plus science on <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/corona-loops.html>ultrafine corona loops</a> and <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/jun/HQ12-193_Fermi_Solar_Flare.html>Fermi flare observations</a> (<a href=http://www.space.com/16116-solar-flare-gamma-ray-light-record.html>more</a>). • Amazing fresh Keck IR pictures of <a href=http://twitpic.com/9trxj9>Neptune</a> and <a href=http://twitpic.com/9truvd>Uranus</a>, Saturn on <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151037805625934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1&ref=nf>May 28</a>, Jupiter's <a href=http://www.phas.ubc.ca/~mikea/Press/S2010J1et2.html>smallest moon</a> (<a href=http://www.space.com/16111-jupiter-smallest-moon-discovered.html>more</a>) and the planet <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9576>and the Moon today</a> and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151046762275934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1&ref=nf>Mars on May 25</a>.<p>
<b>The big NEA 2012 LZ1</b> - <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/06/bright-near-earth-asteroid-2012-lz1.html>preview</a> (<a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/06/14/2012-lz1-flyby-tonight-pesky-asteroids-could-get-laser-treatment/>more</a>, <a href=http://earthsky.org/space/watch-online-as-huge-asteroid-hurtles-past-earth-tonight>more</a>, <a href=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/9332701/Massive-asteroid-to-fly-past-Earth.html>more</a> and <a href=http://www.space.com/16131-huge-asteroid-flyby-2012-lz1-webcast.html>more</a>) - came moderately close to Earth: video clips, pictures and reports <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S0cm8iTyVY>here</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3hCQWA3YwE>here</a>, <a href=http://sattrackcam.blogspot.de/2012/06/ot-near-earth-asteroid-2012-lz1-fly-by.html>here</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/9wqu0r>here</a>, <a href=http://b09-backman.blogspot.it/2012/06/2012-lz1.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LAPMIaZzFo>here</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfAynAE8Dx4>here</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.de/2012/06/still-more-neo-2012-lz1.html>here</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/near-earth-asteroid-2012-lz1-14-june.html>here</a>, <a href=http://britastro.org/blog/?p=1016>here</a>, <a href=http://www.itelescope.net/aartscope-t11/2012/6/16/comet-hunter-gets-more-than-he-bargained-for.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.space.com/16154-asteroid-2012-lz1-earth-flyby.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47805799/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/huge-asteroid-zips-past-earth>here</a> and <a href=http://www.universetoday.com/95842/astronomers-view-asteroid-2012-lz1s-bright-flyby>here</a>. Plus studies on <a href=http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news175.html>NEA 2011 AG5</a> (deemed <a href=http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/news/nasa-downplays-threat-of-asteroid-2011-ag5-impact-in-2040>mostly harmless</a>), <a href=http://arxiv.org/abs/1206.3042>2008 TC3 & its meteorites</a> and general <a href=http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/589977/?sc=dwtr&xy=5028369>risk communication</a> - and <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.de/2012/06/farewell-beautiful-comet-c2009-p1.html>comet Garradd</a> on June 9, meteorite <a href=http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Canada+cutting+edge+meteorite+research+soon+rocks/6717343/story.html>science in Canada</a> and <a href=http://www.ia.ucsb.edu/pa/display.aspx?pkey=2748>more Dryas claims</a> (uncritical <a href=http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-comet-impact-20120612,0,5628142.story>report</a> and <a href=http://www.nature.com/news/mammoths-didn-t-go-out-with-a-bang-1.10820>mammoth</a> complications).<p>
<b>Elsewhere in the Universe</b> the <a href=http://www.aavso.org/apass-dr6-press-release-aas-press-conference>APASS is delivering</a> photometry of <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/All-Sky-Survey-Sees-Millions-of-Stars-158868375.html>40+ million bright stars</a>. • Nova Sco 2012 <a href=http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iau/cbet/003100/CBET003136.txt>discovery</a> (<a href=http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=4157>more</a> and <a href=http://www.aavso.org/aavso-alert-notice-461>more</a>) and <a href=http://users.northnet.com.au/~bohlsen/Nova/nova_scorpii_2012.htm>amateur spectroscopy</a>. • Amateur-discovered <a href=http://arxiv.org/abs/1206.2477>planetary nebulae</a> (<a href=http://www.outters.fr/>more</a>). • The <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/06/13/strange-night-shining-clouds-light-up-the-summer-sky/>noctilucent clouds</a> are already <a href=http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=366903660029629&id=199329523453711>going strong</a>: some observations from the nights <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9574&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=21>June 16/17</a>, <a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/2012q2/010493.html>June 14/15</a> (<a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/16062012-nubesnoctilucentes-letonia.php>more</a>), <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9564>June 13/14</a> (<a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/astrohardy/7370461736/in/photostream>more</a> and <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9564>more</a>, also from <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=427302283976832&set=a.106598452713885.3840.100000911932581&type=1&ref=nf>Scandinavia</a> and <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/aim/news/noctilucent-season2012.html>Canada</a>), <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9557>June 10</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/donegalskies/7336066784/>June 4</a> and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=361141200605875&set=a.228519213868075.60314.199329523453711&type=1&ref=nf>June 2</a>. • There has also been some aurora activity, <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/06/17/auroras-out-right-now-sunday-morning-june-17/>this morning</a> (<a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/17062012-auroras-eeuu.php>more</a> and <a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=17&month=06&year=2012>more</a>) and <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/11062012-auroras-eeuu.php>on June 11</a> (<a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/12062012-auroras-can.php>more</a>). • And finally a <a href=http://www.attheeyepiece.com/2012/06/meade-recalls-all-lx800-mounts.html>total recall</a> from Meade ...Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-65201710451427307982012-06-01T22:20:00.000+02:002012-06-01T23:36:22.741+02:00First the annular eclipse, now a partial lunar one - and then the Transit of Venus!We are in a 17-day interval of an unusual massing of rare celestial events, culminating in the rarest of all, the last Transit of Venus until 2117 on <b>June 5/6</b>: numerous links about it can be found in <a href=http://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~dfischer/2012t/>this still growing collection</a>, some <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/venustransit-in-drei-wochen-videos-schon-jetzt>videos here</a> and various <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/keine-woche-mehr-bis-zum-letzten-venus-durchgang>science plans here</a>. It is preceded by a <a href=http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/28may_strawberry/>partial lunar eclipse</a> on <b>June 4</b> that coincides with <a href=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/06/120601-partial-lunar-eclipse-supermoon-sun-earth-space-science>another big Moon</a> (appearing as big as the one in early May; see below) - more details <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.de/2012/06/partial-lunar-eclipse-monday-june-4.html>here</a> and esp. <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3743517833971&set=a.3371121284290.149644.1456982812&type=1>here</a>. And right now on <b>June 1</b> there is a <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/06/01/venus-speed-dates-mercury-en-route-to-transit/>conjunction of Venus and Mercury</a>, obviously - 4 days before the solar transit of the former - <a href=http://zauberdersterne.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/soho-und-ich-haben-venus-im-visier/>very close to the Sun</a> and dangerous to observe, but <a href=http://twitpic.com/9rmdvk>it can be done</a>. And <a href=http://twitpic.com/9rp165>here they are, in the same FOV</a>, a few hours ago (and <a href=http://twitpic.com/9ro29z>a bit earlier</a>), with Venus as a crescent and Mercury fully lit! And both planets <a href=http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/REPROCESSING/Completed/2012/c3/20120601/20120601_0930_c3_1024.jpg>are already</a> in the <a href=http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/c3/512/>LASCO C3 FOV</a> as well. For other lesser June sky events - including a mediocre Mercury evening apparition following the Venus conjunction - see <a href=http://blog.aschnabel.bplaced.net/2012/06/der-sternhimmel-im-monat-juni-2012/>here</a> and <a href=http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/22490.html >here</a>.<p>
<b>Venus as an ultra-thin and huge crescent</b> was <i>the</i> sky show in the <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/05/14/bye-bye-venus-see-you-on-the-other-side>final weeks</a> of May: <a href=http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/Latest/Venus.htm>tons of pictures</a>, the changes <a href=http://www.universetoday.com/95389/amazing-astrophoto-the-phases-of-venus>January to May</a> and selected views of <a href=http://twitpic.com/9r15ha>May 30</a> (also <a href=http://twitpic.com/9r15zx>cusp extensions</a>; <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/923095>more</a> and <a href=http://spaceweather.com/gallery/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=66035&PHPSESSID=d5bb1g8vmjalj6age011g7cmt3>more</a>, an Indian <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2UvYZIckfQ>video</a>, the changes <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/923153>May 26 ... 30</a> and <a href=http://twitpic.com/9r2ved>again</a>), <a href=http://www.damianpeach.com/images/venus/2012/2012_05_29ir.jpg>May 29</a> (<a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=135865>more</a> and <a href=http://twitpic.com/9qon6n>more</a>), <a href=http://www.damianpeach.com/images/venus/2012/2012_05_28ir.jpg>May 28</a> (<a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/922854>more</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/9q9nol>more</a>, <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/922416>more</a> and <a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/2012q2/010431.html>more</a> plus <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/noch-eine-woche-ein-tag-bis-zum-venus-transit>scenic</a>), <a href=http://www.weasner.com/co/Reports/2012/05/28/index.html>May 27</a> (<a href=http://twitpic.com/9q73qb>more</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/9pzsd5>more</a> and <a href=http://zauberdersterne.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/pfingst-venus-in-blau-und-mehr>more</a>), <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151014314895934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1&ref=nf>May 26</a> (<a href=http://twitpic.com/9ph663>more</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=415335685155872&set=a.102950483061062.6463.100000383316071&type=1&ref=nf>more</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/9phwm1>more</a> and <a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/05/20120526api19.html>more</a>), <a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=135656>May 25</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/9osyc3>May 24</a> (also <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/der-abschied-von-der-venus-zieht-sich-hin>with the Moon</a>), <a href=http://twitpic.com/9ogpf2>May 23</a> (<a href=http://twitpic.com/9otpft>more</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/mickhyde/7257710850/>more</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=417838274913984&set=a.336956166335529.80871.153795914651556&type=1&ref=nf>with the Moon</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/9ok922>more</a> and <a href=https://twitter.com/LouisS/status/205480518266007552/photo/1>more</a>), <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/schwierige-venus-mond-konjunktion-erfolgreich-beobachtet-bei-einem-offentlichen-vsbkba-event-in-endenich>May 22</a> (with links; <a href=http://twitpic.com/9ofwio>more</a>, <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/luna-venus-22052012-1.php>more</a> and <a href=bit.ly/KysYeL>more</a>), <a href=http://twitpic.com/9ns0f5>May 21</a> (<a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/76809324@N07/7244302588/>more</a>), <a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=135415>May 20</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=410912865598154&set=a.102950483061062.6463.100000383316071&type=1&ref=nf>May 19</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150801412946853&set=a.61619521852.81951.36709031852&type=1&ref=nf>May 18</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/9m5bpy>May 17</a> (<a href=http://twitpic.com/9mchl8>more</a>), <a href=http://willgater.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/venus_15052012.png>May 15</a> (also <a href=http://willgater.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/dmk0005-120515-215438.jpg>veery long</a> but no ashen light; <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/ju_cooper/7205550442/>more</a>), <a href=http://www.universetoday.com/95270/astrophoto-lovely-crescent-venus-by-john-chumack/>May 14</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/76809324@N07/7184081708/>May 12</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150774218816853&set=a.61619521852.81951.36709031852&type=1&ref=nf>more</a>) and <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/bonner-venus-fahrplan-bis-zum-transit/>May 10</a> with simple means. Also how <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izhuf1BgjpM>not to</a> film Venus, new <a href=http://www.astrode.de/venus12a.htm>amateur Venus cartography</a> at 1 µm. • And Mars on <a href=http://www.damianpeach.com/mars1112/2012_05_13rgb.jpg>May 13</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150998939215934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1&ref=nf>May 6</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150892020495934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1&ref=nf>April 4</a> and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150879820625934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1&ref=nf>April 1</a>, Saturn on <a href=http://www.astronomycameras.com/blog/archive/20120525/saturn-from-hong-kong/>May 23</a> (<a href=http://www.astronomycameras.com/blog/archive/20120531/a-new-photo-of-saturn/>more</a>) and <a href=http://www.damianpeach.com/saturn12/2012_05_13rgb.jpg>May 13</a> and Jupiter & Mercury close to the Sun on <a href=http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=22&month=05&year=2012&view=view>May 22</a> and <a href=http://twitpic.com/9npi74>May 21</a>.<p>
<b>The annular solar eclipse of May 21/20</b> had opened the 'hot' 2 1/2 weeks in the sky: Lots of pictures and links can be found in <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/live-blog-zur-ringformigen-sonnenfinsternis>this live-blog</a> and <a href=http://www.sonnenfinsternis.org/sofi2012a/index.htm#berichte>this page</a>. There are <i>reports</i> from <a href=http://astrotourism.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/eclipse-clouded-out-30-seconds-of-partial-eclipse-7-2/>Hong Kong</a> (<a href=http://astrotourism.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/excitement-at-the-at-the-eclipse-site-4-2/>pictures</a>), <a href=http://www.scilogs.de/kosmo/blog/go-for-launch/allgemein/2012-05-27/sofi_bilder_japan_21_mai_2012>Japan</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.363682333693321.79832.331738150221073&type=1>more</a>), <a href=http://astrobites.com/2012/05/28/in-search-of-the-ring-of-fire/>California</a>, <a href=http://www.trivalleystargazers.org/gert/sofi_120520/sofi_120520.html>Nevada</a> (H-Alpha), <a href=http://cs.astronomy.com/asy/b/astronomy/archive/2012/05/22/guest-blog-2012-annular-eclipse-from-bryce-canyon.aspx>Utah</a> (<a href=http://cs.astronomy.com/asy/b/astronomy/archive/2012/05/22/after-the-annular-eclipse-part-1.aspx>more</a> & <a href=http://cs.astronomy.com/asy/b/astronomy/archive/2012/05/22/after-the-annular-eclipse-part-2.aspx>more</a>), <a href=http://halfastro.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/annular-eclipse-report/>Arizona</a> (<a href=http://www.sternwarte-zollern-alb.de/mitarbeiterseiten/kowollik/USA/index8.htm>more</a>, <a href=http://pixofmyuniverse.blogspot.de/2012/05/moon-sun-and-sunspot.html>more</a> and <a href=http://cs.astronomy.com/asy/b/astronomy/archive/2012/05/21/on-the-road-annular-eclipse-trip-may-20-2012.aspx>more</a>), <a href=http://wind-n-sky.blogspot.de/2012/05/may-2012-annular-eclipse-from.html>New Mexico</a> (<a href=http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/ASE2012/ASE2012galleryA.html>more</a>) and <a href=http://www.matthias-graner.de/de/archiv/beobachtung-der-sonnenfinsternis-am-20-mai-2012-in-texas-usa/>Texas</a> (<a href=http://www.mcglaun.com/eclann12.htm>more</a> and <a href=http://bigadd.blogspot.de/2012/05/solar-eclipse-from-lass-site.html>more</a>) and reports <a href=http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_37604d1a-a2f8-11e1-9704-0019bb2963f4.html>here</a> and <a href=http://www.cbs8.com/story/18576877/webcasts-push-solar-eclipse-to-the-masses>here</a>. Interesting <i>videos</i> comes from an <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omaAk2O3xOw>island off Taiwan</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiN-f_J_0FU>Japan</a>, <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4jvnJkmwC4>California</a> (great Baily's Beads from 4:00! Also <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x2Pr3Nj3Uw>H-Alpha</a> and <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N5u_oDf8j0>nearby</a>), <a href=http://astrocamera.net/2012/0520/ASE-video1.htm>Nevada</a> (timelapse), <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3q174sXl3Q>Arizona</a> (with Beads; <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeoF5qSg-cI>more</a> and a <a href=http://vimeo.com/42812310>partial sunset</a>) and <a href=http://vimeo.com/43007702>New Mexico</a> (Beads at 3rd contact; <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obd03kaHqkg>the same</a>), plus another <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b9ln6XXpnw>partial sunset</a> and a <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTRNLRrsKBA>sunset ring</a>! Further <i>picture & story collections</i> are <a href=http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=21&month=05&year=2012&view=view>here</a>, <a href=http://www.eclipse-chasers.com/tsePast.php?dir=ase2012>here</a>, <a href=http://www.nso.edu/press/2012Eclipse>here</a>, <a href=http://www.americaspace.org/?p=20033>here</a> and <a href=http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=solar-eclipse-ring-of-fire>here</a>.<p>
More selected <i>pictures</i> from <a href=http://www.vardo2012.com/SolarEclipse.html>Norway</a> (yes, they got a shallow partial - at night!), <a href=http://astrophotophils.com/images/120521ase.html>China</a> (with chromosphere & inner corona; <a href=http://spaceweather.com/submissions/large_image_popup.php?image_name=James-Kevin-Ty-120521_060806ase_chromosphere_prom-a-final_data_1337571468.jpg>more</a> and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?%20%20%20fbid=313672632048769&set=a.119791638103537.28779.117905868292114&type=1&ref=nf>another chromosphere</a> from there), <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4027204481150&set=a.1431551511448.2059130.1312697388&type=1&ref=nf>Japan</a> (with Beads), <a href=http://photos.vietjtnguyen.com/Events/2012-Annular-Eclipse/23103464_5Kw8xZ>California</a> (<a href=http://www.hiram.ws/astro/eclipse/solar/2012/2012-05-21_Lake_Almanor_CA.html CA>montage</a>), <a href=http://astrocamera.net/2012/0520/index.htm>Nevada</a> (good Beads; also <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/halehoku/sets/72157629922691260/detail/>clouds</a>), <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3209925696800&set=a.2079295911762.2099170.1525968369&type=1&ref=nf>Monument Valley</a> (<a href=http://www.launchphotography.com/Annular_eclipse_2012.html>more</a>, <a href=http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/album.sfly?startIndex=32&sid=2AYsnDJw3aNXIg&fid=6bf9acceca6f5cb3>more</a> and <a href=http://www.perezmedia.net/beltofvenus/archives/001517.html>more</a>) and <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/krisdelcourte/7297336782/in/photostream/>Arizona</a> (at the edge, more in the stream; <a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/2012q2/010417.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3992309723567.2172439.1155610490&type=3&l=82c0b430a1>more</a>, <a href=http://nicmosis.as.arizona.edu:8000/ECLIPSE_WEB/ASE_2012/ASE2012_WINSLOW_1MIN_MOSAIC_2PANEL.jpg>Beads at the edge</a> and <a href=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120528.html>people</a> in the foreground), also <a href=http://www.evanzucker.com/eclipse/2012/IMG_9184.JPG>low chromosphere</a> (<a href=http://www.evanzucker.com/eclipse/2012/IMG_9188.JPG>more</a>), a <a href=http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=23&month=05&year=2012&view=view tx>Texas sunset</a>, a <a href=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120522.html>setting crescent</a> and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=416328538402031&set=a.416326891735529.101176.331321776902708&type=3>more Beads</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.416326891735529.101176.331321776902708&type=3>more</a>). <i>From space</i> the antumbra as seen <a href=http://www.lroc.asu.edu/news/index.php?/archives/576-In-the-Shadow-of-the-Moon.html#extended>by the LRO</a> (<a href=http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2012/05282104.html>more</a>), <a href=http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/qzss/img/topics_20120521_l.jpg>Michibiki</a>, <a href=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=78024>Terra</a> and <a href=http://wiki.nasa.gov/cm/blog/letters/posts/post_1337638105610.html>the ISS</a> (<a href=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=144197701>video</a>; <a href=http://danielmarin.blogspot.de/2012/05/eclipses-de-sol-desde-el-espacio.html>more</a> space eclipses) - and the view <a href=https://sites.google.com/site/hobbiestoomany/home/nearspace>from a balloon</a>; there was also <a href=http://communications.williams.edu/news/5_20_2012_solareclipse/>radio astronomical</a> interest. Finally the <i>confession</i> on how a famous picture fake <a href=http://wacameapp.jugem.jp/?eid=16>was made</a> - that was distributed <a href=https://twitter.com/wacamera/status/204376283432501249>for real</a> ("I was taken with a lens of three months salary! No proposal ... who cares?"; see also <a href=https://mobile.twitter.com/Inoueian_e/status/204990677900206080>here</a> and <a href=https://mobile.twitter.com/Inoueian_e/status/204991498872307712>here</a>).<p>
<b>The big full moon of early May</b> - see <a href=http://twitpic.com/9iqoa5 >here</a> for angular size comparisions - was also widely observed two weeks earlier, even <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=142877441>from the ISS</a>. Further reports, pictures and collections <a href=http://www.thenightskyguy.com/?p=3303>here</a>, <a href=http://news.discovery.com/space/supermoon-photo-120507.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/n/a/2012/05/04/national/a085906D27.DTL>here</a>, <a href=http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/05/06/152140436/pictures-of-the-supermoon-as-the-whole-world-saw-it?ft=1&f=1026>here</a>, <a href=http://silver-rockets.com/2012/05/supermoon-2012/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47310606/ns/technology_and_science-picture_stories/displaymode/1247/?beginSlide=1>here</a>, <a href=http://www.universetoday.com/95027/your-supermoon-images-from-around-the-world/>here</a>, <a href=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/05/pictures/120507-best-supermoon-pictures-full-moon-biggest-year-space-science>here</a>, <a href=http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2012/05/supermoon_the_perigee_moon_of.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/groups/perigee2012/pool/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17973367>here</a>, <a href=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/05/pictures/120507-best-supermoon-pictures-full-moon-biggest-year-space-science>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/yahooeditorspicks/galleries/72157629625737858/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagonovus/7149175137/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/rahulzota/7005337932/in/photostream>here</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/astro_andre/7000060292/>here</a>, <a href=https://twitter.com/#!/astrocamp_ph/status/199780846096486400/photo/1>here</a>, <a href=http://amandabauer.blogspot.de/2012/05/jervis-bay-supermoon.html>here</a>, <a href=http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/06/11564767-your-views-of-the-supermoon>here</a>, <a href=http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/may/06/supermoon-makes-photographers-crazy>here</a>, <a href=http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/05/us/super-moon/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2012/05/supermoon-2012/100291/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17972782>here</a>, <a href=http://www.news.com.au/technology/sci-tech/supermoon-2012-definitely-not-to-be-associated-with-natural-disasters-in-any-way/story-fn5fsgyc-1226344558966>here</a>, <a href=http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/05/us/super-moon/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/may/06/supermoon-makes-photographers-crazy>here</a>, <a href=http://www.space.com/15562-supermoon-photos-2012-full-moon.html>here</a>, <a href=http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/05/11557176-how-big-is-that-supermoon-anyway>here</a>, <a href=http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2012/05/a_feast_for_your_naked_eyes_su.php>here</a> and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3902225712150&set=a.1251151836960.2040112.1174410245&type=1&theater>here</a> - and here's <a href=http://astromarco.wordpress.com/mond/perigaumsvollmonde/>a list of big full moons</a> over many years. • A <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAlE4M0w8jw>video</a> of a <a href=http://www.astrode.de/4graz25.htm>grazing occultation</a> of a star by the Moon.<p>
<b>A big sunspot group crossed the solar disk</b> in <a href=http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=12&month=05&year=2012&view=view>mid-May</a> as documented in German postings on two German blogs # <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/feiste-fleckengruppe-droht-mit-fetten-flares>one</a>, <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/fetter-sonnenfleck-jetzt-in-der-scheibenmitte>two</a>, <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/groser-sonnenfleck-in-der-mitte-nun-ein-flare>three</a>, <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/der-dicke-sonnenfleck-mit-simpel-kamera-und-elegant-gezeichnet>four</a>, <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/neue-sofi-brille-neues-foto-gluck-und-ein-mysterium>five</a>, <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/heute-abend-viel-sonnen-action-am-refraktorium>six</a> and <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/ein-abschieds-flare-von-fleckengruppe-11476>seven</a>. Also the full disk <a href=http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7079/7304217052_5b08e15325_o.gif>May 21 ... 30</a> animated (<a href=https://mobile.twitter.com/Ju_Cooper/status/207947913727459328>more</a>), an unusual <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=11921054&l=81437fa790&id=327349956868>effect by an M flare</a> (<a href=http://www.eos.unh.edu/news/indiv_news.shtml?NEWS_ID=1312>more</a> and <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/particles-gle.html>more</a>), prominences on <a href=https://twitter.com/#!/LouisS/status/203937014872158209/photo/1>May 19</a>, <a href=http://asterythms.net/blog/?p=506>May 17</a>, <a href=http://www.astrode.de/sonwe59.htm>May 15 & other dates</a> and <a href=http://twitpic.com/9hqfav>May 5</a>, satellite <a href=http://www.apollon.uio.no/english/articles/2012/spaceweather.html>use</a> for serious <a href=http://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/essays-and-commentaries/the-sun-fizzles-in-april>space weather assessment</a> (not <a href=http://www.spzeitung.ru/2012/01/das-observatorium-in-pulkovo-verspricht-ein-jahr-2012-der-sonnensturme>like here</a> ...), tales of <a href=http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/05/1859s-great-auroral-stormthe-week-the-sun-touched-the-earth/>the Carrington Event</a>, <a href=http://www.mpg.de/5788347/suns_crowning_glory?print=yes>corona mysteries</a>, auroral <a href=http://now.uiowa.edu/2012/05/astronomical-illumination>processes studied</a> and a <a href=http://www.eluniversohoy.com/auroras-canada-20052012.php>Canadian aurora</a> on May 20.<p>
<b>The long Garradd comet show is coming to an end</b> after <a href=http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n1205/17garradd/ >many months</a>: pictures of <a href=https://picasaweb.google.com/107386404051271210368/CometeDiRolandoLigustriCASTItalia?noredirect=1#5743188656423358498>May 16</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/comet-c2009-p1-garradd-near-ngc-2683-15.html>May 15</a> and <a href=https://twitter.com/#!/ActiveAstro/status/201431167948423169/photo/1>May 11</a>. • Meanwhile interest is rising in <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/05/28/panstarrs-the-next-bright-comet/>comet PANSTARRS</a>: an <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/05/update-on-comet-c2011-l4-panstarrs.html>update</a> and pictures of <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/comet-c2011-l4-panstarrs.html>May 21</a>, <a href=https://picasaweb.google.com/107386404051271210368/CometeDiRolandoLigustriCASTItalia?noredirect=1#5744601059047979042>May 20</a> and <a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Comet-Images/message/8840>May 18</a> (wide-angle). Also a little <a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/comets-ml/message/19621>Holmes outburst</a> and news about <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/05/new-comet-p2012-k3-gibbs.html>P/2012 K3</a>, <a href=http://schiaparelli204.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/discovery-of-cometary-appearance-of-2011-kp36/>2011 KP36</a>, <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/05/recovery-of-comet-p2005-n3-larson.html>P/2005 N3</a>, <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/05/new-comet-c2012-k5-linear.html>C/2012 K5</a> and <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/06/recovery-of-comet-p1994-x1.html>P/1994 X1</a>.<p>
<b>In other small bodies news</b> a <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/watchtheskies/lyrids_iss.html>Lyrid imaged from the ISS</a> (<a href=http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/watchtheskies/lyrids1.html>more</a> and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=361860970539802&set=a.343861899006376.79661.335587379833828&type=1>more</a> plus a related <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=361895573872473>timelapse</a>), while the imaging balloon <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=352773108118053>was also found</a>. • There is finally a little <a href=http://vimeo.com/42056769>video of the April 22 bolide</a> (<a href=http://www.universetoday.com/95550/video-of-california-daytime-fireball-surfaces>more</a>) while the <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/05/23/meteorite-dropping-fireball-named-after-sutters-mill/>meteorite search</a> continues (<a href=http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10269>more</a>, <a href=http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10246>earlier</a>) - and <a href=http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report_scientists-to-probe-nagpur-meteorite-shower_1694548>meteorites fell in India</a>, too (<a href=http://lunarmeteoritehunters.blogspot.de/2012/05/katol-india-meteorite-fall-22may2012.html>pictures</a>). • A close <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/live-blog-zu-einem-exotischen-asteroiden-besuch/>visit by tiny 2012 KT42</a>, ESA <a href=http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM6YTTWT1H_index_0.html>crowdsources NEAs</a>, a new <a href=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/05/120517-asteroid-close-earth-satellites-danger-space-science>story about 2012DA14</a> is <a href=https://mobile.twitter.com/cosmos4u/status/203592435811614720>fishy</a> (<a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/27020>dito</a>, <a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/27032>dito</a> and the real <a href=http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/2012da14.html>risk</a>), WISE improves the <a href=http://arxiv.org/abs/1205.3568>PHA statistics</a> (<a href=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/may/HQ_12-157_NEOWISE_PHAs.html>more</a>, <a href=http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/16may_pha/>more</a>, <a href=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-138>more</a>, <a href=http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21826>more</a> and <a href=http://thespacewriter.com/wp/2012/05/23/potential-for-danger-from-space>more</a>), the <a href=http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/acm2012/pdf/6470.pdf>Yarkowsky effect was measured</a> in a NEA (<a href=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-145>more</a>, <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/yarkosky-asteroid.html>more</a>, <a href=http://uanews.org/node/47370>more</a> and <a href=http://www.utk.edu/tntoday/2012/05/31/josh-emery-uncovers-asteroid-clues/>more</a>) and there is new <a href=http://luigifoschini.blogspot.de/2012/04/tunguska-event-revisited.html>speculation about the Tunguska impactor</a> (<a href=http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2012/2012GC004054.shtml>more</a>, <a href=http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/05/cosmic-forensics-signs-of-a-tunguska-meteorite/>more</a>, <a href=http://phys.org/news/2012-05-team-evidence-lake-cheko-impact.html>more</a> and <a href=http://diepresse.com/home/science/759013/Tunguska_Doch-AsteroidenEinschlag>more</a>).<p>
<b>In other news</b> the <a href=http://www.aavso.org/aavso-special-notice-283>supernova 2012cg</a> has flattened out <a href=http://zauberdersterne.wordpress.com/2012/05/31/meine-schatzungen-zu-sn-2012cg>at 12 mag.</a>: more reports <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/05/26/new-supernova-in-virgo-bright-enough-for-modest-telescopes/>here</a> and <a href=http://www.balkonsternwarte.de/CCD_Bilder/4424sn2012sg.html>here</a>. • Also a <a href=http://astrobites.com/2012/05/24/the-supernova-early-warning-system>SN early warning</a> system, <a href=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-17827641>problems for Boles</a>, the SN hunter, a <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/05/another-possible-nova-in-oph.html>Nova in Oph</a> (<a href=http://www.itelescope.net/sky-alerts/2012/5/21/alert-possible-nova-in-ophiuchus-supernova-in-ugc-4007.html>more</a>, a <a href=http://users.northnet.com.au/~bohlsen/Nova/novaoph.htm>spectrum</a> and several <a href=http://transientsky.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/3-relatively-bright-novae-in-sagittariusophiuchus/>recent</a> novae) and reviews of <a href=http://www.aavso.org/sites/default/files/jaavso/ej160.pdf>CVs</a> and <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/05/24/the-mysterious-disappearing-act-of-r-coronae-borealis/>R CrB</a>. • A <a href=http://www.heliotown.com/Sprite_May_20_2012_044541UT.html>sprite & a meteor</a>: some <a href=http://lists.meteorobs.org/pipermail/meteorobs/2012-May/014995.html>connection</a>? • The <a href=http://cumbriansky.wordpress.com/2012/05/27/the-2012-noctilucent-cloud-season-has-begun/>NLC season</a> is just <a href=http://cumbriansky.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/kendals-nlc-chasers-succesfully-track-down-their-prey/>beginning</a>, a <a href=http://climate.arm.ac.uk/publications/noct-paper-rev.pdf>paper on the earliest NLC</a> reports and <a href=http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/21/capturing-the-northern-lights>aurora fun</a>. • A <a href=http://vimeo.com/41781867>video</a> with <a href=http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/news.asp?newsID=6071>TWAN winners</a> (<a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/The-Beauty-of-the-Night-Sky-151523585.html>more</a>). • And finally <a href=http://legault.perso.sfr.fr/transit_tiangong1_120511.html>Tiangong vs. the Sun</a>, geostationary satellites <a href=http://bonnstern.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/bonner-satelliten-videos-im-astro-tv-und-hier-in-voller-lange/>in motion</a>, a crazy <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=304699476279418&set=a.119791638103537.28779.117905868292114&type=1&ref=nf>rocket launch trail</a> and an <a href=http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Apr-2012/0331.html>old UFO case</a> finally solved.Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-48491480708148906062012-05-05T14:56:00.000+02:002012-05-05T16:38:22.528+02:00EXTRA: Why you should look at tonight's full moon - and find out for yourself how "super" it really is!Here we go again: When a full moon in the spring of 2011 coincided with perigee it was hyped as a "supermoon" (using a term introduced by an astrologer), connected with natural disasters (absolute nonsense) - and then widely debunked as a total non-event: no normal person would be able to notice that this moon was closer to Earth than others throughout the year. In time <a href=http://cosmos4u.blogspot.de/2011/03/if-you-know-your-full-moon-you-will.html>I pointed out on this blog</a> that this claim <i>was also wrong</i> and a pity because it would discourage people from actually finding out for themselves what's going on in the sky.<br><br>
For this blogger had found out by chance that the ellipticity of the lunar orbit is actually pretty obvious to the naked eye, with perigee full moons easily recognized as such <i>without being told about their closeness</i> beforehand. In the following year I even made a little sport out of guessing the distance of full moons without knowing the numbers, and it worked quite well. To do this properly the Moon has to be reasonably high in the sky and away from distracting foreground objects: the 'moon illusion' must not be allowed to play a role. Just take in the unobstructed sight (and look how much surface detail of the maria one can actually see with the unaided eye, while you're at it).<br><br>
Tonight we are facing another perigee moon - and wouldn't you believe it, the debunkers in their zeal to kill the 'supermoon' idea repeat the claim that the eye can't see anything without a ruler: <a href=http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/02may_supermoon/>NASA does it</a>, also <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/150165245.html>Sky & Telescope</a> does it, many normally reputable astronomy blogs do it. <a href=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AphUtk7PN2I>This AP video</a> tops them all by even completely mixing up the perigee effect and the moon illusion in its first minute - yikes! I can only encourage everyone to have a look tonight: of course you're biased <i>now</i> but try to memorize the appearance of the full moon and recall that when viewing more distant ones later in the year (the one in June will still look exactly the same, so don't despair if it's cloudy tonite)! More stories with varying degrees of flawed-ness (and occasional nice numbers and plots) <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/05/03/watch-out-here-comes-mays-super-duper-full-moon>here</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.de/2012/05/super-moon-of-sunday-may-6-what-can-you.html>here</a>, <a href=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/05/120503-supermoon-saturday-closest-earth-tides-disasters-space-science/>here</a>, <a href=http://www.space.com/15558-supermoon-observing-tips-meteor-shower.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.universetoday.com/94957/supermoon-this-weekend/>here</a>, <a href=http://timelessphotons.blogspot.de/2012/05/super-super-moon.html>here</a>, <a href=http://watch.ctv.ca/news/top-picks/supermoon/#clip672554>here</a>, <a href=http://www.scilogs.de/kosmo/blog/go-for-launch/allgemein/2012-05-03/perigaeum_vollmond_05_06_mai>hier</a> and <a href=http://www.astronews.com/news/artikel/2012/05/1205-006.shtml>hier</a>.Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-63846804048523605802012-04-30T01:35:00.000+02:002012-05-03T03:47:11.340+02:00Solar satellite "filmed" complete Nova Sgr 2012 outburst with high cadence!This could be a first in nova research: When Nova Sagittarii 2012 alias PNV J17452791-2305213 <a href="http://www.aavso.org/aavso-special-notice-277">erupted on April 21</a>, the satellite STEREO B had the field </a><a href="http://cometal-comets.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/stereo-b-sees-nova-sagittarii-2012.html">firmly in its view</a>, and from the inadventend high-cadence photometry <a href="http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/~thompson/nova_sagitarii_2012_mag.gif">an impressive lightcurve</a> has been generated, showing the complete peak! Whether such a record is unprecedented <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/175919765800176/356628604395957/">isn't clear yet</a>. The nova reached 8.8 mag. briefly; since the nova has faded a lot: discovery pictures <a href="http://www.astroalert.su/files/pnv_j17452791-2305213.jpg">here</a> and <a href="http://meineko.sakura.ne.jp/ccd/PNV_J17452791-2305213-120422.jpg">here</a>, early spectra <a href="http://www.astrosurf.com/buil/nova_sgr2012/obs.htm">here</a> and <a href="http://blog-imgs-44-origin.fc2.com/t/n/b/tnblab/pnv_Sgr_20120423.png">here</a> (strong H-Alpha) and reports <a href="http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/04/possible-nova-in-sgr.html">here</a> and <a href="http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/Nova-Erupts-in-Sagittarius-148454005.html">here</a>. • Also blazar OJ 287 <a href="http://www.aavso.org/aavso-special-notice-278">is flaring</a> and in a <a href="http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=4057">high optical state</a>, though not brighter than 13.5 mag.<br /><br>
<b>On the Sun</b> a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX_ofM-3fpM">prominence & CME</a> on April 22, a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3050344297931&set=a.2034143893556.2104718.1242938734&type=1&ref=nf">prominence</a> and <a href="http://www.astronomycameras.com/blog/archive/20120424/solar-imaging-from-germany/">sunspot details</a> on April 21, a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=436988&l=61b6f6bf11&id=139562326142070">prominence</a> on April 17 and a <a href="http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/04/17/spektakulare-protuberanz-am-sonnenrand">famous prominence</a> (<a href="http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/04/19/das-beste-video-der-beruhmten-protuberanz">more</a>) on April 16. • The SDO has been in orbit <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sdo/news/sdo-year2.html">for 2 years</a>, generating <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3TejSf5B7k">lots of pretty pictures</a>. • An <a href="http://www.cntv.at/EGU2012/index.php?modid=18&a=show&pid=195">EGU press conference</a> on space weather forecasting (<a href="http://media.egu2012.eu/documents/thursday/">abstracts</a> links and <a href="http://www.comesep.eu/">COMESEP's home</a>), <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/iswi-global.html>ISWI</a> and <a href="http://www.stfc.ac.uk/News%20and%20Events/38905.aspx">another doom story</a>, picked up <a href="http://www.space.com/15324-solar-storm-earth-surprise-attack.html">here</a> and <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2012/04/18/when-it-comes-to-solar-storms-we-dont-even-know-how-bad-it-might-get/">here</a>. • <a href="http://hinode.nao.ac.jp/news/120419PressRelease/index_e.shtml">Hinode</a> sees a <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hinode/news/pole-asymmetry.html">pole asymmetry</a>. • Camilla <a href="http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/19apr_camilla/">visited the stratosphere</a> (<a href="http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1726/1"><i>not</i></a> 'space'), generating <a href="http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=77787&src=twitter-iotd">publicity</a> for <a href="http://wiki.nasa.gov/cm/blog/NES_Teachers_Corner/posts/post_1334931983771.html">NASA</a> like <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-17793724">here</a>, <a href="http://jeugdjournaal.nl/uitzending/avond/2012-04-20">here</a> (7:10-42), <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/rubber-chicken-set-space-16189491">here</a>, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/apr/23/nasa-mascot-camilla-space">here</a> and even <a href="http://www.improbable.com/2012/04/22/rubber-chicken-in-almost-outer-space/">here</a>.<br /><br>
<b>The aurora was quite active</b> around <a href="http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=24&month=04&year=2012&view=view">April 24</a> as images from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5u-IQkZKdc">Sweden</a>, northern <a href="http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=134348">Germany</a>, northwestern <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/donegalskies/6963325048/in/set-72157628993287031>Ireland</a> (<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/donegalskies/6966762380/">more</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/donegalskies/6966636402/">more</a>, a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKxdZhV59ME">video</a> [<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/donegalskies/7125347409/">alt.</a>]), <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17817085">Northern Ireland</a> and <a href="http://odutrephotography.photoshelter.com/gallery/Aurora-Borealis-24-April-2012/G0000mZNh9wEcxzA/C0000qe3orx6HkMM">Canada</a> (<a href="http://vimeo.com/41065458">video</a>) show; more collections <a href="http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/25/11398073-northern-lights-blaze-again-on-video">here</a> and <a href="http://www.space.com/15411-northern-lights-photos-aurora-april-2012.html">here</a>. • Also a <a href="http://www.openculture.com/2012/04/icelestial_lightsi_spectacular_auroras_move_across_the_scandinavian_skies.html">celebrated aurora timelapse</a> from <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/salomonsen/">Norway</a>, more <a href="http://www.facebook.com/arcticlightphoto">here</a> - and auroral <a href="http://www.space.com/15292-alaska-northern-lights-balloon-launch.html">ballooning</a> (<a href=http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/deep/the-view-from-inside-an-aurora-8334969>more</a>) in <a href="http://www.space.com/15335-alaska-northern-lights-balloon-search.html">Alaska</a> (<a href="http://www.space.com/15289-balloon-explores-alaska-aurora-northern-lights-launch-video.html">video</a>). • Also a <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/BathosProfundo/status/195582767097053184/photo/1">sky mystery</a> that could be a venting satellite, a <a href="http://www.lastwordonnothing.com/2012/04/26/watching-the-watchers/">story on amateur spysat hunters</a>, and the <a href="http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/apr/27/friends-mourn-dentist-astronomer-and-dale/">sad death of Dale Ireland</a> (also <a href=http://www.komonews.com/weather/blogs/scott/Remembering-Dr-Dale-Ireland-149397555.html>here</a> and <a href=http://www.king5.com/news/local/Dentis-astronomer-photographer-Dale-Ireland-149371135.html>here</a>) - whose <a href="http://www.drdale.com/cam/">automatic weather timelapse algorithm</a> keeps running ...<br /><br>
<b>Minor bodies in the news</b>: Comet Garradd on <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107386404051271210368/CometeDiRolandoLigustriCASTItalia#5732811020126389234">April 18</a>, <a href="http://astroblogger.blogspot.de/2012/04/comet-c2009-p1-garradapril-17-2012.html">April 17</a> and <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/107386404051271210368/CometeDiRolandoLigustriCASTItalia#5732811029514670754">April 16</a>, plus <a href="http://news.discovery.com/space/comet-photograph-amateurs-faulkes-telescope-120427.html">Faulkes observations</a> of the Rosetta target. • <a href="http://arxiv.org/abs/1204.4234">Trans-Neptunian star occultations</a> til 2015. • Yet more <a href="http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/04/no-love-for-comet-wipeout.html">evidence against the Dryas impact</a> and the <a href="http://lunarscience.nasa.gov/articles/nlsi-scientists-find-history-of-asteroid-impacts-in-earth-rocks/">impact history</a> of the Earth. • The <a href="http://osiris-rex.lpl.arizona.edu/targetasteroids.html">Target Asteroids! project</a> explained <a href="http://uanews.org/node/46361">here</a>, <a href="http://osiris-rex.lpl.arizona.edu/events/TAFAQ041312.pdf">here</a>, <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/osiris-rex-update.html">here</a> and <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/apr/HQ12-121_OSIRIS-REx_Outreach_NEOs.html">here</a>, plus a <a href="http://kiss.caltech.edu/study/asteroid/asteroid_final_report.pdf">study on capturing</a> a NEO. • A <a href="http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/ein-milli-tunguska-ereignis-uber-den-west-usa">great bolide over the U.S.</a>, dropping <a href="http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/meteorit-vom-kalifornischen-mega-boliden-gefunden">meteorites</a> in old <a href="http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/goldrausch-in-kalifornien-meteoriten-jagd">gold rush country</a>, a <a href="http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/und-noch-ne-schone-feuerkugel-brasilien-20-4">Brazilian bolide</a> and the usual <a href="http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/neumond-mit-meteor-zugabe-lyriden-vor-peak">Lyrids</a>.</b></i><br /><br>
<b>Planets now well placed</b> - a <a href="http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/913460">long-term calculation of altitudes</a> for Germany - are Saturn (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150874067525934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1&ref=nf>April 21</a> [<a href="http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/saturn/2012-04-21_23-42UT_RGB.jpg">dito</a> and <a href="http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=134293">dito</a>], <a href="http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=15&month=04&year=2012&view=view">April 12</a> [<a href="http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/913516">dito</a>] and <a href="http://britastro.org/blog/?p=996">near opposition</a> pictures), Mars (on <a href="http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/2012q2/010356.html">April 19</a>, <a href="http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=134038">April 16</a>, <a href="http://www.astronomycameras.com/blog/archive/20120420/mars-image-from-april-7th-2012/">April 7</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150847497385934&set=a.483374755933.293604.606900933&type=1&ref=nf">March 29/30</a>) and Venus: a <a href="http://portfolio.astrophile.net/p/star_clusters/venusandm45-l_1_5_1">deeep picture</a> in the Pleiades and <a href="http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/04/28/ganz-grose-konjunktion-venus-mond-obama">with the Moon - and Obama</a>. • Being so bright and <a href="http://astroguyz.com/2012/03/25/venus-a-pre-transit-spring-showcase">well-placed</a> - and thus also the <a href="http://astromarco.wordpress.com/monatsubersicht/astronomische-vorschau-fur-mai-2012/">sky highlight</a> of early May - Venus also caused various UFO alerts, notably <a href="http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/wie-die-venus-als-raute-ins-fernsehen-kam">on German TV</a> (covered also <a href="http://ufo-meldestelle.blog.de/2012/04/27/realsatire-pur-ausgerechnet-dpa-ufo-nachricht-gab-weiteren-fixen-pracht-besucher-kosmos-enterprise-new-york-city-13588350/">here</a>, <a href="http://ufo-meldestelle.blog.de/2012/04/28/kosmisch-space-age-theatrics-ausgerechnet-dpa-ufo-nachricht-brachte-wdr-aktuellen-stunde-jimmy-carter-ufo-rheinland-spiel-astro-journalist-daniel-13589754/">here</a>, <a href="http://ufo-meldestelle.blog.de/2012/04/28/enterprise-huckepackflug-new-york-ufo-ard-tagesschau-schon-kommen-sehen-hauch-haltung-deswegen-bewahren-keineswegs-leicht-13590862/">here</a> and <a href=http://ufo-meldestelle.blog.de/2012/04/29/venus-ufo-geknackt-moskauer-chopper-luftparade-kriegsende-ufos-matteson-zurueck-las-vegas-sagenhaften-area-13596228/>here</a>) or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3fB_GHCuo0">here</a>. While Venus <a href="http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/914913">looks like this</a> right now (or <a href="http://www.rkblog.rk.edu.pl/astro/my_astro_images/show/wenus-28042012/">like this</a> in the near IR), it's prone <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0rDD6JPuPE">to video artefacts</a>. • And talking about a misunderstood Venus, its role in a famous aircraft incident in Jan. 2011 is less clear than in all the news coverage e.g. <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/16/us-aircanada-incident-idUSBRE83F10120120416">here</a>, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/17737135">here</a>, <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/canada/120417/air-canada-pilot-mistook-venus-aircraft-diving-hundreds">here</a>, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/canada/9208218/Airline-pilot-forced-jet-into-sudden-dive-by-mistake.html">here</a>, <a href="http://news.discovery.com/human/airplane-ufo-or-venus-120420.html">here</a> or <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/0,1518,828057,00.html">here</a> as reading the <a href="http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/2011/a11f0012/a11f0012.asp">actual investigation report</a> shows. • Finally <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120426.html">Mercury & the Moon</a> on April 19 from Oz.Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-61276559547348940482012-04-15T23:14:00.004+02:002012-04-16T01:02:18.923+02:00Big KBO Quaoar to occult pretty bright star - probably for AfricaIt was the <a href=http://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~dfischer/news/540.html#537>3rd big Kuiper Belt Object discovered</a>, after Varuna and Ixion - and on the morning of April 17 (50,000) Quaoar will <a href=http://www.iota-es.de/quaoar_2012apr17/overview.html>occult an 11-mag. star</a>: Such occultations by outer solar system bodies have often led to new insights. Previous hopes that the track might <a href=http://www.maidenhead-astro.net/astocc/0417(50000)_Occult.jpg>cut through Europe</a> have faded with <a href=http://www.lesia.obspm.fr/perso/braga-ribas/campaigns/2012-04-17_Quaoar.html>recent astrometry</a>: Now it looks like that the zone where occultation by Quaoar as well as its moon Weywot can be observed had slipped south into central Africa. • For the first time <a href=http://www.agu.org/news/press/pr_archives/2012/2012-19.shtml>aurora on Uranus</a> has been imaged <a href=http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/13/11187573-awesome-auroras-spotted-on-uranus-and-on-earth>from great distance</a>, namely <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/04/14/uranus-oddball-auroras-seen-from-earth-for-first-time>with Hubble</a>. • Saturn is in opposition: pictures of <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/911683>April 14</a> and <a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=15&month=04&year=2012>April 12</a> - and for tonight at 1:30 UTC (April 16) a <a href=http://www.slooh.com/pr/slooh-live-feed-saturn-opposition-april-2012.php>webcast is planned</a>. • Meanwhile <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/Outer-Planet-Moons-Found-mdash-and-Lost- 146176195.html>Jupiter has 'lost' several moons</a> that didn't exist in the first place, of course.<br /><br /><b>The apparition of Mars is already fading</b>, with the disk shrinking: images of <a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=133956>April 14</a>, <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/910137>April 8</a>, <a href=http://www.aau.telebus.de/Ver_7/user/Torsten_Hansen/Mars20120401/Mars20120402farbenalpow.jpg>April 1</a> (<a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php? fbid=270950342996984&set=a.109671585791528.19213.100002460623319&type=1&ref=nf>more</a>), <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php? fbid=414059588620746&set=a.186492938044080.53918.100000501242446&type=1&ref=nf>March 30</a>, <a href=http://exosky.net/exosky/?p=1722>March 28</a> (another terminator cloud; also a <a href=http://exosky.net/images/March-20-Animation.gif>better animation</a> of <a href=http://exosky.net/exosky/?p=1700>March 20</a> and <a href=http://www.damianpeach.com/mars1112/2012_03_28rgb.jpg>another</a> and <a href=http://www.astronomycameras.com/blog/archive/20120402/mars-from-genoa-observatory-with-dmk-21au04as/>another</a> March 28 picture), <a href=http://www.aau.telebus.de/Ver_7/user/Torsten_Hansen/Mars20120327/Mars20120327v212223rgbw.jpg>March 27</a> and <a href=http://www.damianpeach.com/mars1112/2012_03_25rgb.jpg>March 25</a>, plus a <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/47655413@N00/7043448951/>February to April</a> montage. It has now turned out that the bright spot in Mare Acidalium mentioned last time was also <a href=http://www.damianpeach.com/mars09/2010_03_06rgbred.jpg>seen in 2010</a> as well as <a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/attachments/20120404/9d33e905/Marsvergleich2008-2012-0001.jpg>2008 & 10</a> - but <a href=http://www.astrode.de/marshstn1.jpg>not in 1995</a>, the last opposition with similar geometry as the current one. • The passage of <a href=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120406.html>Venus near the Pleiades</a> was imaged a lot: collections of <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/venus-in-den-plejaden-wie-es-weiter-ging/>April 2 ... 4</a> and <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/die-venus-in-den-plejaden-so-siehts-aus/>March 31 ... April 3</a> - and a <a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=06&month=04&year=2012&view=view>view from 1972</a>, 5 'grand cycles' earlier. • Meanwhile the separation of <a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/04/20120404wvo20.html>Venus & Jupiter</a> is large again, but there are <a href=http://astromarco.wordpress.com/2012/04/15/venus-jupiter-konjunktionen-2001-2100/>conjunctions about annually</a>, with a particularly close one in August 2016.<br /><br /><b>Near Earth Asteroid 2012 EG5 was observed widely</b> during its April 1 Earth visit: a <a href=http://digidownload.libero.it/A81_Observatory/Images/2012_EG5_LC.PNG>lightcurve</a>, a <a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=01&month=04&year=2012&view=view pic>picture</a> and early <a href=http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=4016>analysis</a> of taxonomy and spin rate - but <a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/26854>no radar detection</a> in spite of a well-determined orbit. • A long story on <a href=http://www.eanweb.com/2012/2011-ag5-a-dangerous-course-correction/>2011 AG5</a> and why it's so hard to nail its orbit. • Comet Garradd <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/comet-c2009-p1-garradd-april-11-2012.html>on April 11</a>: It's now <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/04/12/chance-for-auroras-the-shining-star-of-north-korea-and-comet-garradd/>in the 'paws' of UMa</a> and was also <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/swift/bursts/comet-garradd.html>observed by Swift</a>, while 2011 FR143 has <a href=http://schiaparelli204.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/discovery-of-cometary-nature-of-2011-fr143/>a cometary nature</a> and P/2005 YJ126 (Catalina) <a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/03/recovery-of-comet-p2005-jy126-catalina.html>has been recovered</a>. • More on the <a href=http://www.space.com/14893-meteorite-crash-oslo-norway.html>Norwegian meteorite crash</a>, a <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/und-was-auch-noch-gesagt-werden-musste/>bolide in Texas</a> on April 2 (which was real but the video was not), a <a href=http://sattrackcam.blogspot.de/2012/04/ot-multistaion-filmed-meteor-from-27.html>multistation analysis</a> of a Dutch bolide on March 27 and a <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9345>German bolide</a> on <a href=http://ufo-meldestelle.blog.de/2012/03/19/samstagabend-feuerball-kommen-professionellen-medien-chronisten- job-fall-volksaufklaerung-gauck-meteor-boliden-dresden-gefilmt-wurde-13217732>March 17</a>. • Oh, and <a href=http://thesubversivearchaeologist.blogspot.de/2012/04/marco-lanbroek-guest-comment-yd-impact.html>there was no Younger Dryas impact</a>, period.<br /><br /><b>On the - rather inactive - Sun</b> (the <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBwu8Zljpc0>space wx April 4 ... 10</a>) a fine <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151505838630057>limb eruption on April 15</a> from AR 1442 (<a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYgYd5tUyH8>more</a> views & analysis and <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQMWrxXm2Bg>more</a>), <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php? fbid=246618538769781&set=a.139563502808619.26301.139562326142070&type=1&ref=nf>AR 1459</a> near the limb and another <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TecttMwu3xA>SDO 'tornado'</a> on April 10/11. • From solar science <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/solar-plumes.html>corona cells</a> (<a href=http://www.nrl.navy.mil/media/news-releases/2012/nrl-fesearchers-discover-new-solar-feature>more</a>), solar <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sdo/news/sdo-roll6.html>shape measurement</a> by rolling SDO, joint <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/ibex-twins.html>IBEX/TWINS observations</a> of a solar storm and alleged <a href=http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2012/2012JD017502.shtml>solar cycle weather effects</a>. • The Arctic <a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150792509481869.474802.327349956868&type=3&l=361306add1>aurora season in ending</a> quickly now (<a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=05&month=04&year=2012&view=view>more</a> and <a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=10&month=04&year=2012&view=viewaurora>more</a>): some parting shots from <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/northern_exposures_2009/7076088623/in/photostream/>Scotland</a>, the <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/craigusher/6877650916/>UK</a> and <a href=http://vimeo.com/38639437>Norway</a> (<a href=http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/16/10719593-northern-lights-make-for-must-see-tv>more</a>) - plus a fine <a href=http://www.ndr.de/fernsehen/sendungen/ostsee_report/media/ostseereport239.html>45-min documentary</a> from German TV on aurora hunting in Scandinavia, describing various methods to go after it!<br /> <br /><b>Finally</b> the NASA space observatory data center has been <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/apr/HQ_12-101_Mikulski_Dedication.html>named for Senator B. Mikulski</a> which is well deserved as she fought hard for Hubble and the JWST - but it's merely a joke that <a href=http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2012/17/full/>a supernova was also named</a> for her (as also claimed <a href=http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/220093-sen-mikulski-to-have-supernova-named-after-her>here</a> and <a href=http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/supernova-mikulski-to-be-named-in-honor-of-the-senator-who-long-supported-hubble-telescope/2012/04/05/gIQAvTSqwS_story.html>here</a>). "No, supernovae are not named officially, only designated," the IAU's Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams has assured this blog: "This is evidently just a cute joke..." • And to close a <a href=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120405.html>wide view of the zodiacal light</a> and assorted phenomena, glorious <a href=http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2012/03/jets-clouds-effects-ephemeral-sky-show.html>images of contrails</a> (tons of them) with light effects and turbulence effects - and a <a href=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120411.html>timelapse movie</a> of geostationary satellites ... with the Alps in the foreground!Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1323036399959773548.post-90983406366876226582012-03-31T23:49:00.045+02:002012-04-15T20:05:18.665+02:00Lot of cloud action on Mars thrills observers (with sufficient resolution)A bright, high cloud at the terminator that a few lucky observers caught and that got even professional planetologists excited, a bright splotch on the big dark Mare Acidalium and numerous other clouds have been sighted on Mars in recent weeks - if your equipment's resolution was good enough for seeing detail on the tiny disk. The terminator cloud was observed e.g. several times by <a href=http://exosky.net/exosky/?cat=3>Wayne Jaeschke</a> (see e.g. <a href=http://exosky.net/exosky/?p=1606>this</a>, <a href=http://exosky.net/exosky/?p=1613>this</a> and <a href=http://exosky.net/exosky/?p=1620>this</a> report) and is covered <a href=http://stargazerslounge.com/observing-planetary/182047-mars-alert-off-limb-cloud-projections.html>here</a>, <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/home/Strange-Happenings-on-Mars-143959576.html>here</a>, <a href=http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/30/10945735-mars-mystery-cloud-explained>here</a> (proposed explanation; <a href=http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/23/10831821-mysterious-cloud-spotted-on-mars>earlier</a>), <a href=http://www.astroengine.com/2012/03/mystery-mars-cloud-an-auroral-umbrella>here</a> and <a href=http://news.discovery.com/space/mystery-cloud-appears-on-mars-120326.html>here</a>.<br /><br />The Acidalium spot can be seen on <a href=http://alpo-j.asahikawa-med.ac.jp/Latest/Mars.htm>many images</a>, including some of those from <a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/attachments/20120330/6a797a50/3ma29allok-0001.jpg>March 28</a>, <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/907061>March 25</a> (<a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/906303>more</a>), <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/905728>March 24</a> (<a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=132999>more</a>, <a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=133110>more</a>), <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/905831>March 22</a> (<a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=133026>more</a>), <a href=http://www.ge-sa.net/593c9652-6f05-4593-b11d-e131f82e7871.html?1332834561067>March 21</a> (<a href= http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=133156>more</a>), <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/904819>March 19</a> (<a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=132780>more</a>), <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/904257>March 18</a>, <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/904195>March 16</a> (<a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=132622>more</a>, <a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=132625>more</a>), <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/906511>March 15</a>, <a href=http://www.damianpeach.com/mars1112/2012_03_14-15rgb.jpg>March 14-15</a>, <a href=http://forum.astronomie.de/phpapps/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/903600>March 14</a> and <a href=http://www.damianpeach.com/mars1112/2012_03_11-12rgb.jpg>March 11-12</a>. • The Venus/Jupiter conjunction is over (as a <a href=http://twitpic.com/93ulv2>picture from this evening</a> clearly shows): help yourself to many more pictures of <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/03/29/das-himmlische-abend-trio-wie-es-weiter-ging>March 24 to 28</a> and <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/venus-jupiter-und-mondsichel-jetzt-im-trio>March 13 to 25</a> when they were closer and the Moon nearby, too.<br /><br /><b>In the world of comets</b> the new and unusual <a href=http://sungrazer.nrl.navy.mil/index.php?p=news/SWAN-kreutz>SWAN Kreutz comet</a> didn't survive the solar passage: <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-NkI3kouWQ>STEREO</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/6997307493/in/photostream>SOHO C2</a> (<a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpug6xwY_eo>more</a> and <a href=http://twitpic.com/8wb2zm>more</a>) and <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/6851185226/in/photostream>LASCO C3</a> imagery, coverage <a href=http://cometal-comets.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/new-swan-comet.html>here</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/comet-c2012-e2-swan-dives-into-sun-in.html>here</a> (<a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/comet-swan-enteres-soho-lasco-c3-and.html>earlier</a>), <a href=http://transientsky.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/watch-live-as-a-kreutz-sungrazing-comet-approaches-the-sun/>here</a> and <a href=http://www.universetoday.com/94145/a-new-comets-swan-dive-into-the-sun/>here</a> and a possible <a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/comets-ml/message/19498>ground-based detection</a> on March 10. Plus <a href=http://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/219-news-2012/2110-supersonic-snowballs-in-hell-how-comets-explode-fizzle-out-or-survive-a-flight-through-the-suns-atmosphere>how comets fare</a> near the Sun (<a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry12DOi2Ark>interview</a>; <a href=http://www.universetoday.com/94115/how-did-comet-lovejoy-survive-its-trip-around-the-sun/>earlier</a>). • Comet Garradd's ion tail is coming and going: pictures of <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.de/2012/03/amazing-disappearing-ion-tail-of-c2009.html>March 28</a>, <a href=http://www.astrostudio.at/2_Bright Comets.php?img=images/2_Bright Comets/134_garradd25032012.jpg>March 25</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.de/2012/03/first-pass-of-mosaic-with-c2009-p1.html>March 22</a>, <a href=https://picasaweb.google.com/107386404051271210368/CometeDiRolandoLigustriCASTItalia?noredirect=1#5720837549454221458>March 17</a>, <a href=http://www.astrostudio.at/2_Bright%20Comets.php?img=images/2_Bright%20Comets/130_garradd15032012.jpg>March 15</a> (<a href=https://picasaweb.google.com/107386404051271210368/CometeDiRolandoLigustriCASTItalia#5720787514243257458>more</a>), <a href=http://forum.astrofili.org/download/file.php?id=37300&mode=view>March 13</a> and <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/23148441@N03/6974899085/>March 4</a>. • Comet PanSTARRS is <a href=http://www.space.com/15108-comet-panstarrs-skywatching-countdown-2013.html>on track</a> for a possible nice show in 2013. • Comets <a href=http://schiaparelli204.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/new-comets-comet-p2012-f5-gibbs-c2012-f6-lemmon>Gibbs & Lemmon</a> (<a href=http://remanzacco.blogspot.de/2012/03/new-comet-p2012-f5-gibbs.html>Gibbs</a> again) and <a href=http://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/219-news-2012/2102-comet-wild2-first-evidence-of-space-weathering>space weathering</a> on Wild 2. • How the Halley meteoroid streams <a href=http://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/219-news-2012/2095-jupiter-helps-halleys-comet-give-us-more-spectacular-meteor-displays>evolve under the influence</a> of Jupiter (<a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaMJb8RRUfw&feature=relmfu>interview</a>) and <a href=http://astrobites.com/2012/03/28/simulating-the-unseen-learning-about-jupiters-unknown-impactor-through-simulations>simulating the 2009 impact</a> on Jupiter. • Another close asteroid <a href=http://b09-backman.blogspot.it/2012/03/2012-eg5.html>fly-by by 2012 EG5</a> tomorrow (<a href=http://www.space.com/15121-april-fools-day-asteroid-earth-flyby.html>more</a>) while <a href=http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/SSA/SEMWTUAYLZG_0.html>Earth visitor</a> (in 2013) <a href=http://www.planetary.org/about/press/releases/2012/0315_Asteroid_2012_DA14_Discovery_Enabled_by.html>2012 DA14</a> got <a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/26821>less interesting</a> (related <a href=http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mpml/message/26823>rant</a>).<br /><br /><b>Nice recent aurora images</b> from <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/das-aurora-spektakel-der-kong-harald-vom-20-3>March 20</a> (off Norway), <a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150740693551869.467344.327349956868&type=3>March 18</a> (Canada), <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/polarlicht-jagd-vor-norwegen-die-zweite>March 16</a> (plus 17 plus 20 off Norway), March 15 (<a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/03/16/leaky-holes-make-lovely-auroras/>USA</a>, <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1427372&l=f5c7a46b1d&id=205303086166015>Norway</a>, <a href=http://www.polarlichter.info/20120315.htm>Germany</a> [<a href=http://www.polarlichter.info/120315/2012-03-15.htm>table</a>, <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9333&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=100>pictures</a>, <a href=https://twitter.com/#!/U_Rieth/status/180458809104416768/photo/1>picture</a>], the <a href=http://britastro.org/blog/?p=972>UK</a> [<a href=http://twitpic.com/8wt9nk>more</a>, <a href=http://twitpic.com/8wta9i>more</a>, <a href=https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.186412248137065.34332.180076598770630&type=3&l=7b294cee2c>more</a>] and from <a href=http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/aurora/IMG_8896_1024.jpg>a plane</a> over the UK [<a href=http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/aurora/IMG_8731_1024.jpg>more</a>]), <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/images-from-aurora-of-march-12-and.html>March 12</a> (Australia), <a href=http://www.mpp.mpg.de/~rwagner/album/Hurtigruten/Honningsvag/Polarlicht/>March 11</a> (off Norway; <a href=http://www.meteoros.de/php/viewtopic.php?t=9362>more</a>) and earlier in <a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150620427172358.389384.736362357&type=1>Norway</a> and <a href=http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.375864989101583.87844.114660095222075&type=3&l=0f8e00712f>Alaska</a> and <a href=http://www.taz.de/index.php?id=bildergalerie&tx_gooffotoboek_pi1[srcdir]=Sonnenstrme>here and there</a>. Plus <a href=http://sciencenordic.com/3d-radar-study-northern-lights>aurora science</a>, a <a href=http://swri.org/9what/releases/2012/twins-ibex.htm>2010 storm</a> observed, <a href=http://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/219-news-2012/2103-met-office-to-provide-space-weather-warnings-for-planet-earth-and-forecasts-for-exoplanets>space wx</a> forecasting, <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/saber-solarstorm.html>SABER & storms</a> (<a href=http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/22mar_saber/>more</a>), GIC <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/gic-model.html>modelling</a>, possible <a href=http://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/219-news-2012/2112-solar-climate-change-could-cause-rougher-space-weather>space wx trends</a> and <a href=http://io9.com/5893284/scientific-evidence-that-geomagnetic-storms-are-making-you-sick>weird claims</a> re. health FX. • AR 1429 <a href=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=411788&l=414898d6be&id=139562326142070>is back</a> but largely gone though <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyWxNmKE9M4>something was seen</a> at the edge - during <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=236178729813762&set=a.139563502808619.26301.139562326142070&type=1&ref=nf>the 1st disk transit</a> a lot <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbyJswbX4VA>more was there</a>, including <a href=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/flare-20120313.html>an M flare</a> on March 13. • Also <a href=http://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/219-news-2012/2109-solar-eruptions-cause-sunquakes>sunquakes</a> after flares, the <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82l46fpd-ic>SDO seeing</a> coronal <a href=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46725245>cavities</a>, a <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtnB0CPApXY>SDO movie</a> of a <a href=http://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/219-news-2012/2106-huge-tornadoes-discovered-on-the-sun>"solar tornado"</a> - and the <a href=http://arxiv.org/abs/1203.4898>solar</a> diameter <a href=http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/press-releases/solar_radius/>from</a> a <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/How-Big-is-the-Sun-Really-143659546.html>Mercury transit</a>!<br /><br /><b>Elsewhere in the Universe</b> <a href=http://www.aavso.org/aavso-special-notice-269>SN 2012aw in M 95</a> (<a href=http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/unconf/followups/J10435372+1140177.html>announcement</a>, March <a href=http://www.observatorij.org/vstars/PSN20120317/PSNJ10435372+1140177.jpg>17</a> and <a href=http://www.cortinastelle.it/M95_20120316_202322_20_Luminance_2_Maioni.jpg>16</a> discovery <a href=http://portfolio.astrophile.net/p/sn2012aw/sn2012aw_and_mars20120321-rgb_crop_1_17_1>images</a>, a <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5zo5449wHU>video</a> about the early story and <a href=http://www.dangl.at/2012/deepsky/sn2012aw.htm>mehr</a>, <a href=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/Supernova-in-M95-143981746.html>more</a>, <a href=http://list.naa.net/pipermail/astro/2012q1/010295.html>mehr</a>, <a href=http://britastro.org/blog/?p=988>more</a>, <a href=http://astroblog-lippspringe.blogspot.de/2012/03/21-marz-supernova-sichtbar.html>mehr</a>, <a href=http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=22&month=03&year=2012&view=view>more</a>, <a href=http://astroblogger.blogspot.de/2012/03/my-first-image-of-supernova-2012aw-near.html>more</a>, <a href=http://lichtecho.blogspot.de/2012/03/die-supernova-2012aw-in-m-95.html>mehr</a>, <a href=http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=3991>more</a>, <a href=http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=3994>more</a>, <a href=http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=3996>more</a>, <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/snimages/6998259461/>more</a>, <a href=http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2012/03/a_martian_supernova_for_skywat.php>more</a>, <a href=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151402637080136&set=o.175919765800176&type=1>more</a>, <a href=http://astrobob.areavoices.com/2012/03/18/another-bright-supernova-goes-boom-in-m95-near-mars/>more</a>, <a href=http://timelessphotons.blogspot.de/2012/03/m-95-supernova.html>more</a>, <a href=http://www.space.com/15009-supernova-galaxy-m95-photos.html>more</a>, <a href=http://cs.astronomy.com/asycs/blogs/daves-universe/archive/2012/03/20/hot-news-bright-supernova-discovered-in-m95.aspx>more</a> and <a href=http://www.space.com/15040-photos-supernova-m95-skywatchers.html>more</a>) and <a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/watchingthesky/6983328771>SN 2012au in NGC 4790</a> (<a href=http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=3967>more</a>, <a href=http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=3968>more</a>, <a href=http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=3971>more</a> and <a href=http://www.astrotreff.de/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=132579>more</a>). • NASA <a href=http://skyweek.wordpress.com/2012/03/29/atrex-nasa-macht-ihre-chemtrails-selbst>making 'chemtrails' for science</a> of the thermosphere (<a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ_3Xeqwqcc>timelapse</a> sequence and <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sizlLsrRmRE>another</a> one). • Why <a href=http://www.livescience.com/19149-spring-equinox-early-arrival-2012.html>spring came early</a>. • And <a href=http://astromarco.wordpress.com/monatsubersicht/astronomische-vorschau-fur-april-2012>April won't bring much</a> predictable, except for <a href=http://astromarco.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/venus-in-den-plejaden-2012-2036/>Venus in the Pleiades</a> in the <a href=http://www.space.com/15107-venus-pleiades-april-skywatching-tips.html>early days</a> of the month (a <a href=http://www.waa.at/bericht/2012/03/20120328wvo20.html>March 28</a> view), the opposition of Saturn on April 15 and <a href=http://transientsky.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/in-the-transient-sky-april-2012/>some Lyrid</a> meteors later in the month.Daniel Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06585730984676051351noreply@blogger.com0