Review: Naming Pluto.

Naming Pluto by Ginita Jimenez (Credit:Father Films).
We here at Astroguyz are always on the lookout for an unheard of astronomical tale. Naming Pluto, a short documentary film by Ginita Jimenez of Father Films tells the intriguing story of how the ever-controversial planet Pluto was first named. It is a very human drama, and one that [...]

AstroEvent of the Week: 25.05.09: Castor: a Sextuplet Star!

Luke’s view if Tatooine orbited Castor…(Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd; additional Suns added in Paint).

This week’s astro-challenge is a unique multiple star system…Castor, also known as Alpha Geminorum, rides high in the west of the northern hemisphere sky on clear late May evenings. Shining at a brightness of magnitude +1.6, it forms one half [...]

TopStars and the Hubble Space Telescope Heritage.

Top Stars banner. (Credit:NASA/The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies).
Now that the final servicing mission to the Hubble is winding down, it’s an excellent chance to reflect on the heritage of the Space Telescope, as well as announce an exciting program connected to the Hubble starting this year.
I first heard about the Hubble Top Stars program [...]

Astro-Event of the Week: 05.18.09: Spot a Hubble Classic!

A close up shot of one of the pillars. (Credit: APOD/NASA/Hubble Hertitage Team/STS.I/AURA). 
As all eyes are now in orbit following the intrepid crew of the shuttle Atlantis as they carry out the final repairs to the Hubble Space Telescope, now is a good time to track down one of its classic targets. One of Hubble’s [...]

Viewing the STS-125 launch and a Servicing Mission 4 Update.

Blast-off! (Photo by Author).
On Monday, May 11th, 2009 at 2:01PM EDT local the Shuttle Atlantis blasted off on a historic mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope(HST) one last time. The day was blistering hot at the Kennedy Space Center(KSC), but the launch went off without a hitch. I’d like to share our notes on [...]

Astro-Event of the Week: 05.11.09: See STS-125 dock with Hubble!

The pic says it all…(Credit: NASA).
First; the good news. This week’s potential launch of Atlantis on STS-125 for it’s much delayed servicing mission (the 4th and final) to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) will provide spectacular views, both of the initial launch along the Space Coast of Florida and the dawn and dusk skies as [...]

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