Astronomy a Go Go! (Eclipse)

Sun, 26 August 2007

This star chart will show you what is around the Moon at the time of totality. Neptune and Uranus are near by and would make for interesting targets while the Moon is dimmed.

Eclipse information from: NASA Eclipse Homepage, Eclipses Online (HM Nautical Almanac Office, UK in coordination with the U.S. Naval Observatory)

What to see

The entire 'winter' hexagon will rise just before dawn with Sirius just before and to the S of Venus just as the 'summer' triangle sets.

Red Mars pairs up with red Aldeberon in Taurus. Mars it brighter and to the NE of the red eye of the bull.

When the moon is eclipsed it will be directly between Neptune and Uranus

Next total eclipse for those in N.America will be Feb 21, 2008 for future date check the bottom of the NASA Eclipse Website!

Planets

Mercury- deep in the glow of sunset. Better viewing in September and October -0.9 mag (1st) to -1.4 mag (21st)

Venus- is emerging from the glow of the sun, just beginning its tour as the Morning Star for the next half-year. Look for it above the eastern horizon 60 to 40 minutes before sunrise. It's getting a little higher every day.

Mars- In Taurus and the red planet will be near the dimmer, giant red Aldeberon.

Jupiter- In Ophiucus north of the bright red Antares. -2.5 mag (1st) to -2.4 mag (21st)

Saturn- lost in the glare of the sun

Uranus-In Aquarius magnitude 5.7, is passing within 1/4° of the yellow-orange star Phi Aquarii, magnitude 4.2.

Neptune-Will camp out in Capricorn all year long 7.9 mag (1st) to 7.8 mag (21st)

4 Vesta -Categorized as a minor planet (Vesta family Main Belt) not far from Jupiter this month and at a magnitude of 5.4 - 6.0 will be a good naked eye object for August.

Astronomical Highlights for 2007

Earth's major motions for 2007

Perihelion
Jan 3 20h(UT)

First Cross Quarter Day
Feb 2-6

Equinox
Mar 21 00:07(UT)

Second Cross Quarter Day
May 4-7

Solstice
June 21 18:06(UT)

Aphelion
July 4 00h (UT)

Third Cross Quarter Day
Aug 5-8

Equinox
Sept 23 19:51(UT)

Fourth Cross Quarter Day
Nov 5-8

Solstice
Dec 22 06:08(UT)

Planet Positions for 2007

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Venus Sgr Aqr Psc Ari Tau Gem Leo Sex Cnc Leo Leo Vir

Mars Oph Sgr Cap Cap Aqr Psc Ari Tau Tau Gem Gem Gem

Jupiter Oph Oph Oph Oph Oph Oph Oph Oph Oph Oph Oph Oph

Saturn Leo Leo Leo Leo Leo Leo Leo Leo Leo Leo Leo Leo

Uranus Aqu Aqu Aqu Aqu Aqu Aqu Aqu Aqu Aqu Aqu Aqu Aqu

Neptune Cap Cap Cap Cap Cap Cap Cap Cap Cap Cap Cap Cap

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Direct download: AAGG_eclipse_special.mp3
Category:Eclipse -- posted at: 8:19 AM

Tue, 28 March 2006

AAGG Quickie: Show Notes - Eclipse Special

Astronomy a Go Go! Eclipse Special

Many thanks to Kristine Washburn for spending time with us to talk about eclipses! Here are some of the links we mentioned to in the show.

WARNING!

Permanent eye damage can result from looking at the disk of the Sun directly, or through a camera viewfinder, or with binoculars or a telescope even when only a thin crescent of the Sun or Baily's Beads remain. The 1 percent of the Sun's surface still visible is about 10,000 times brighter than the full moon. Staring at the Sun under such circumstances is like using a magnifying glass to focus sunlight onto tinder. The retina is delicate and irreplaceable. There is little or nothing a retinal surgeon will be able to do to help you. Never look at the Sun outside of the total phase of an eclipse unless you have adequate protection.

One safe way of enjoying the Sun during a partial eclipse--or anytime--is a "pinhole camera," which allows you to view a projected image of the Sun. There are fancy pinhole cameras you can make out of cardboard boxes, but a perfectly adequate (and portable) version can be made out of two thin but stiff pieces of white cardboard. Punch a small clean pinhole in one piece of cardboard and let the sunlight fall through that hole onto the second piece of cardboard, which serves as a screen, held below it. An inverted image of the Sun is formed. To make the image larger, move the screen farther from the pinhole. To make the image brighter, move the screen closer to the pinhole. Do not make the pinhole wide or you will only have a shaft of sunlight rather than an image of the crescent Sun. Remember, this instrument is used with your back to the Sun. The sunlight passes over your shoulder, through the pinhole, and forms an image on the cardboard screen beneath it. Do not look through the pinhole at the Sun.

NASA S2N2: NASA Space Science Network Northwest
NASA Education Resource Center
Washington Space Grant Consortium: Info on professional development workshops, education resource center, e-newsletter, and much more!

Today and tomorrow the NASA home page will have info on the eclipse feed from Turkey

The Exploratorium's website for the live eclipse webcast

The NASA Sun-Earth Day homepage

Following are the times for the March 29th solar eclipse and NASA
eclipse webcast. 

EVENT         UT            EST         PST         Turkey
Webcast       10-11:15am    5-6:15am    2-3:15am    1-2:15pm
Telescope     9:30-12:30pm  4-7:30am    1:30-4:30am 12:30-3:30pm
Totality      10:55-10:59   5:55-5:59   2:55-2:59am 1:55-1:59pm

1st Contact   9:38am        4:38am      1:38am      12:38pm
2nd Contact   10:55am       5:55am      2:55am      1:55pm
3rd Contact   10:59am       5:59am      2:59am      1:59pm
4th Contact   12:13am       7:13am      4:13am      3:13pm


Sun-Earth Day 2006 is this week- March 29th.  The following is a 
schedule of the web cast:

   5:00 a.m. Welcome
   5:02 a.m. What is an eclipse?
   5:05 a.m. How are we seeing it?
   5:09 a.m. Where we are and why
   5:12 a.m. What is the sun?
   5:24 a.m. Crowd reactions
   5:27 a.m. What will we see looking down?
   5:33 a.m. What will it be like for us?
   5:39 a.m. Crowd reactions
   5:41 a.m. What will we see looking up?
   5:47 a.m. What we learn from eclipses (past/present)
   5:54 a.m. Prepare for totality
   5:54:59 a.m. Totality begins
   5:58:44 a.m. Totality ends
   6:00 a.m. Crowd reactions
   6:06 a.m. Commentary and replay of eclipse and sky darkening
   6:12 a.m. Thank you and sign off

NASA TV will carry the web cast live beginning at 4:30 am EST with
ground based telescope images.  The actual web cast will begin at
5:00am EST ending at 6:15 am EST.

Category:Eclipse -- posted at: 7:51 PM

Tue, 28 March 2006

AAGG Quickie: Eclipse Special

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Direct download: Eclipse.mp3
Category:Eclipse -- posted at: 7:47 PM

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What to see

Planets

Astronomical Highlights for 2007