Proper Pronunciation: Do you say Beetlejuice or Betelguase?

Quaoar- Courtesy of NASA.
The astronomical world has its share of tongue twisting names. Much of this is no doubt due to the hodge-podge system that has been cobbled together over the ages… current convention gives us Roman planets, Greek constellations and Arabic star names.

Taking off: A Tour of the Kennedy Space Center

  
Saturn V Engine Bells. All photos by Author.
 Recently, our travels found us in southern Florida. Our prime goal was to escape the snow bound north, but we also had a much loftier ambition: to tour the Kennedy Space Center. 

April 2008: News & Notes

 
March 19th Gamma Ray Burst. Credit: NASA Swift Team, Stephan Immler.  
   Wacky New England Weather: Its official; the National Weather Service in Caribou, Maine has recorded the most snow ever in the 2007-2008  winter season.

My Exploits with the Personal Solar Telescope

All Photos by Author.
There is nothing like a new toy to refresh my interest in Astronomy. A couple of years back, I had a chance to man a loner scope for a solar “star” party at the re-opening of the Fox Theater in Tucson, Arizona. Five minutes of training by Flandrau Science director Mike Terrenzoni, and I [...]