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[...] someone. Fans of this space will remember our epic reviews of astronomy-themed calendars in 2012 & [...]
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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.
Review: Astronomical Calendars for 2012.
Two of the best!
It’s that time of year again; time for a roundup of astronomical calendars for the coming year, the perfect gift for that special space-obsessed someone. Equipped with a good wall calendar, you and yours never need miss that obscure asteroid occultation or opposition ever again. There are plenty are out there, but here is the Astroguyz-approved pick of the litter for 2012;
RASC Calendar: Our favorite of the crop, The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s yearly Observer’s Calendar is an excellent and well-priced product. The latitudes and timings for events are “Canada-centric,” but I can attest that I’ve been using the 2011 edition from Astroguyz HQ here in Florida to great success… and yes, there are time corrections in the back. Another big plus is that all of the photos are taken by Canadian amateur astronomers, from simple star trails and Moon pics to deep sky images that would be the envy of professional instruments. The detail included is exacting, and we’ve managed to catch a few unique events such as Jovian double moon transits and sightings of the Lunar Straight Wall using this calendar!
Vatican Calendar: Did you know that the Vatican has observatories? Did you know that those observatories based in Arizona and Italy also produce a yearly calendar? This calendar has a very clean and finished look, and features a mix of history, anniversaries and the top astronomical events of the year. Like the RASC calendar, the Vatican calendar also features some top-notch astrophotography…this one would hang well in that private observatory or abode of anyone who is curious about the universe.
Each month of the calendar is showcased with star-charts, ephemeris, (ephemera? ephemerides?) and copious amounts of astronomical lore. Our favorite is the companion tables displaying predicted comet apparitions and asteroid, lunar, and planetary occultations worldwide. This calendar is up there in its legendary status among observers, along with Burnham’s Celestial Handbook and Uranometria. You would need (and we frequently do!) to comb several desperate websites to glean all of the information contained all within these vaunted pages… when a digital interactive Kindle edition of this calendar comes out, us astronomy bloggers may be out of a job!
NASA Calendar: Is space travel more your thing? NASA’s 2012 calendar is a sure bet; they’ve been at that space-thing for a long time. Well priced, you don’t have to make the pilgrimage to the Kennedy Space Center to nab one; you can also purchase ‘em from their online store. Interestingly, NASA doesn’t seem to have the apocalypse scheduled for anytime in 2012; that’s re-assuring, as you’d think they’d know…Also, keep an eye out for the free 2012 downloadable calendar for the International Space Station; it’s been offered for several years running, and features 12 months of Low Earth Orbit goodness!
Sky Watchers 2012: This calendar line from Sky Maps comes recommended for lone observers and educators alike. The charts included cover a good swath of the northern hemisphere and relevant latitudes. Hey, it’s a tough minefield to navigate out there for the astronomically unaware; we’ve all received an accidental astrology calendar from that well meaning friend or relative. Sky Watchers 2012 won’t steer you wrong.
A Periodic Table…Calendar? Finally, in our department of the strange and curious, why not decorate that classroom, office, or secret evil lair/laboratory with a periodic table calendar from Educational Innovations. Just think, celebrate fascinating chemical facts, plus an element every month! You’ll wish the year was 103 months long!