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[...] above Boston’s on the Beach, an outstanding restaurant complete with one of our astronomical faves, Blue Moon beer. One of our first astronomical exploits occurred when we journeyed down to the beach early Saturday [...]
The Sky is Waiting.
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Pictured is a Delta IV rocket launch from Cape Canaveral on November 21st, 2010. The image is a 20 second exposure taken at dusk, shot from about 100 miles west of the launch site. The launch placed a classified payload in orbit for the United States Air Force.
Difficult but not impossible to catch against the dawn or dusk sky, spotting an extreme crescent moon can be a challenge. The slender crescent pictured was shot 30 minutes before sunrise when the Moon was less than 20 hours away from New. A true feat of visual athletics to catch, a good pair of binoculars or a well aimed wide field telescopic view can help with the hunt.
The Sun is our nearest star, and goes through an 11-year cycle of activity. This image was taken via a properly filtered telescope, and shows the Sun as it appeared during its last maximum peak in 2003. This was during solar cycle #23, a period during which the Sun hurled several large flares Earthward. The next solar cycle is due to peak around 2013-14.
Located in the belt of the constellation Orion, Messier 42, also known as the Orion Nebula is one of the finest deep sky objects in the northern hemisphere sky. Just visible as a faint smudge to the naked eye on a clear dark night, the Orion Nebula is a sure star party favorite, as it shows tendrils of gas contrasted with bright stars. M42 is a large stellar nursery, a star forming region about 1,000 light years distant.
Orbiting the planet in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) every 90 minutes, many people fail to realize that you can see the International Space Station (ISS) from most of the planet on a near-weekly basis. In fact, the ISS has been known to make up to four visible passes over the same location in one night. The image pictured is from the Fourth of July, 2011 and is a 20 second exposure of a bright ISS pass.
Next to the Sun, the two brightest objects in the sky are the Moon and the planet Venus. In fact, when Venus is favorably placed next to the Moon, it might just be possible to spot the two in the daytime. Another intriguing effect known as earthshine or ashen light is also seen in the image on the night side of the Moon; this is caused by sunlight reflected back off of the Earth towards our only satellite.
A mosaic of three images taken during the total lunar eclipse of December 21st, 2010. The eclipse occurred the same day as the winter solstice. The curve and size of the Earth’s shadow is apparent in the image.
AstroEvent: Would the REAL Blue Moon Please Rise?
This week, we here at Astroguyz seek to re-ignite the controversy (or do you say non-troversy?) That swirls in some of the more obsessive astronomical circles; just what is a Blue Moon? Modern vernacular states this as simply the “second Full Moon of a calendar month,” but as researchers first point pointed out in a Sky & Telescope article in the March 1999 edition, the history behind the term is much more convoluted. The “two per month” definition itself arose from a misinterpretation by Sky & Tel in the 1940’s of an obscure almanac. As per ye ole Maine Farmer’s Almanac circa 1937, a Blue Moon is the third Full Moon is a calendar season containing four, (i.e. between a given solstice-to-equinox) span. Such an obscure event occurs with the Full Beaver Moon on Sunday, November 21st at 12:27PM EST. This Full Moon is number three since the autumnal equinox, and number four will squeak in next lunation just before the winter solstice, with a total lunar eclipse to boot! This brand of Blue Moon occurs every three years, with the last on May 2008 and the next on August 2013. What the shade of blue has to do with it is somewhat of a historical mystery. Is it the fact that almanac printers used to denote this extra moon of the season with blue printing ink, or does it just speak to the fact that such an occurrence is indeed rare? Whatever the cause, be sure to raise a glass or three of Blue Moon beer (they have a slammin’ new Winter Abbey Ale) or try out a Blue Moon cocktail… cheers!
This week’s astro-word is Callipic cycle. An obscure event deserves an equally obscure word, right? Like eclipses, calendar month Blue Moons of both confusing varieties repeat roughly every 235 lunations or 19 years. Known as a Metonic cycle, this period over-shoots the matched values by about 30 minutes per one Metonic cycle. In 334 BC, astronomer Callipus of Cyzius introduced what became known as the Callipic cycle, a period of four Metonic cycles or 76 years/ 940 lunations. This has the added benefit of a reduced level of error of only 11 minutes. The Callipic cycle fell out of favor in the Middle Ages as the Golden Number (year+1/19) came into general use to calculate the all important date of Easter… numerologists take note that November 2029 is indeed another 3rd Full Moon of a 4 Moon season!