Titan Unveiled by Ralph Lorenz & Jacqueline Mitton

A New Look: Three Faces of Titan.    
   Perhaps no world in the Solar System is as enigmatic as Titan. Until the last decade or so, what was known about this distant moon of Saturn could barely fill out a postcard, let alone a book. Titan Unveiled published by Princeton University Press is the first book solely [...]

Astro Event for July 29th-August 4th, 2008: an Arctic Eclipse.

Path of the August 1st Eclipse.
(Credit: NASA & Fred Espenak)
    Eclipses rarely happen over civilized areas. It seems as the shadow of the moon is extremely shy, avoiding your local suburbia and instead forcing eclipse chasers to risk life and limb, often courting terminal illness and kidnapping to see this elusive spectacle. The total eclipse [...]

The Maine Solar System Model: An Update.

Jupiter. All Photos by Author.
   The Solar System has become a much more complicated place. As reported in this space last year,  The Maine Solar System model (MSSM) in Aroostook County, Maine was constructed starting in 2000 and was renowned as the world largest solar system representation.

Astro-Event of the Week: July 22nd-28th 2008:Spot Pluto!

  
   Now, for the telescopic challenge of a lifetime; a chance to spot the elusive and controversial Pluto. Even experienced amateur astronomers have yet to accomplish this feat, and I’ve only done it once with the 14″ Schmitt-Cassegrain at the Flandreau Observatory.

Are you a Planet? A humble proposal.

UB313/Xena/Gabrielle/Eris/Dysnomia!
(NASA/Artists’ Conception) 
   Here’s a fun proposal. Next time you find yoursef bored, go into the science department of your local university and just casually pose the question “gee, maybe Pluto should/shouldn’t be a planet.” Then stand back and watch the slide rules fly (yes real science geeks still pack slide rules, for when the apocalyspe [...]

Astro-event of the Week: July 15-21st 2008

 
A Dawn Comet. Looking Eastward from mid-northern Latitudes.
(Credit: Stellarium). 
     Comets are the great surprise packages of the solar system. Often appearing out of nowhere, they can brighten up with surprising rapidity, or unexpectedly fizzle, like Kahoutek did in the 1970s. Hence, astronomers are very reluctant to cry “comet of the century” unless they are very certain.

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