1. Opening IAA Lecture of new season, Wed 21 September, 7.30 p.m.
We are delighted to be resuming live lectures again, after the break caused by the pandemic, when they were held by Zoom.
"Last Horizons: The Solar System Beyond Pluto", by Dr Steph Merritt, Astrophysics Research Centre, QUB
ABSTRACT In 1930, Clyde Tombaugh's discovery of Pluto seemed to mark the furthermost boundary of our solar system. Here, it was thought, was the mysterious Planet X, the ninth planet responsible for inexplicable irregularities in the orbit of Uranus. The discovery of Pluto's small mass briefly gave Planet X new life: but the discovery that Uranus's orbit was not irregular after all seemed to kill it once more. There were nine planets in the solar system, with Pluto as the last: an idea that held for decades, an idea we were all taught in school. But now, with Pluto demoted to a dwarf planet, and several other Pluto-like objects discovered in the distant frontiers of the system, the Planet X hypothesis has been unexpectedly resurrected. What lies beyond Pluto? Is there yet another planet out there in the coldest, darkest reaches of our solar system? What is the evidence for this new Planet Nine? And if it truly exists, might the upcoming Legacy Space and Time Survey at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory discover it?
NB: The lectures will be held in the LARMOR Lecture Theatre, also in the Physics Building, which is much bigger, and will allow greater distancing between attendees. More details in the next bulletin.
NB: IAA Subscriptions for the year 2022 – 2023 are now due. See section 13 below for details of how to pay.
2. Saturn just past Opposition, 14 August
Saturn has reached opposition and rises in the southeast as the Sun sets in the northwest. This marks the planet's closest approach to Earth this year at a distance of 1.324 billion kilometres. At magnitude +0.3, Saturn is easily visible in eastern Capricorn all night.
Saturn still lies about 15 degrees south of the celestial equator, so northern observers need nights of good seeing to get the best view of the planet and its rings. At opposition, the rings span nearly 44 arc-seconds, with a tilt of about 13 degrees. The disk is about 19 arc-seconds in diameter.
3. OM/Davagh Dark Sky Park monthly 'AstronOMy Club', Friday 26 Agust, 7:30pm.
We'll be chatting about what's in the late summer night sky, recent astronomy news, and our on-going observing programme here at OM. Anyone with their own night sky imagery is welcome to bring it along on a memory stick (or send files to this email in advance of the session).
Book here – AstronOMy Club - OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory
5. Occultation by URANUS
On the 13th of September 2022 the Uranus system will occult the star UCAC4 535-005486. The stellar magnitude in the visible is around 11m9. This is a very big difference compared to the 5m7 of Uranus. However Uranus is significantly dimmer in the near infrared due to the methane
component in its atmosphere.
This is a very special event and VERY hard to observe for all not having
an K-Band camera system and an appropriate telescope. Read more at https://www.iota-es.de/uranus_rings2022.html
If you are interested keep me informed.
Dr. Wolfgang Beisker
International Occultation Timing Association - European Section
Research and Development
www.iota-es.de, www.CasaRosmaninho.pt
This will be a nice challenge for any expert imagers especially those with advanced timing features and filters.
6. 100 Hours of Astronomy, 1- 4 October
1 to 4 October 2022, the IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) will continue the legacy of celebrating 100 Hours of Astronomy. For this year's theme, the programme draws inspiration from the OAO's motto: "Astronomy for Everyone". It aims not only to celebrate OAO's 10th anniversary but also to invite amateurs and professional astronomers, teachers, outreach professionals and astronomy enthusiasts from all over the world to collaborate and come together as a community to help make astronomy more inclusive of all Earth's people.
100 Hours of Astronomy project encourages our global community to host or participate in astronomy outreach events over these 100 hours. The goal is to enable as many people as possible, from children to senior people, to engage with the sky and gain a basic understanding of our astronomical surroundings. There are numerous creative possibilities for activities during these 100 hours, but we especially invite you to either organise a Meet the IAU Astronomers! meet-up or an outreach event as part of NameExoWorlds 2022.
Be safe1, be inclusive and share your event on OAO's IAU Global Outreach Event Calendar!
Win a telescope and other prizes
The 15 events that best connect communities will win a telescope kindly donated by OAO's partners Sterren Schitteren Voor Iedereen (Stars Shine For Everyone - SSVI), Leiden University, and BRESSER in a special edition of the Telescopes for All programme. The first 100 events registered for 100 Hours of Astronomy will receive IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach goodies, including printed versions of Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal. For your event to be eligible, submit it to the IAU Global Outreach Events via this form before 31 September 2022, 23:59 your local time and implement the event during the 100 Hours of Astronomy (1-4 October your local time). More information on the contest can be found here.
When spreading the word about your event on social media, be sure to use #100HoursOfAstronomy and #IAUoutreach so we can help promote your activity too!
Stay tuned to OAO's social media channels (Facebook and Twitter) as we release more information and resources in the upcoming weeks.
Notes
[1] Covid-19 Safety Measures. Please follow the health measures recommended by your country or local area when joining the 100 Hours of Astronomy activities.
Contact: Suzana Filipecki Martins, International Outreach Officer, Tel: +81 905 9477 087
7. World Space Week, 4 – 11 October; more details later
8. Mayo Dark Sky Festival, 4-6 November. More details later.
9. Easy Teaser - Another Clue.
Time is fundamental to many aspects of astronomy. In that context: What comes before and after this sequence. Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten? And it's obviously NOT just Six, and Eleven!
No answers yet, so here's a clue: Think of it in a different language.
Another clue: The Moon is involved in the time aspect.
10. Difficult Teaser Answered.
Congratulations to Peter Millar again – I think he holds the record for the most correct answers!
What's next in this sequence? – 15, 2, 1, 6, 7 (+ 11 as an extra clue) ?
Peter's answer was as follows: The next number is 13. It's the Harvard Classification of stars O B A F G K M, better known as "Oh Be A Fine Girl, Kiss Me". The numbers are the positions of the letters in the alphabet, O is 15th, B is 2nd, A is 1st etc.
(Now, being PC, we say "Oh Be A Fine Girl/Guy, Kiss Me". But many years ago, the classification ran on to 3 more letters, O B A F G K M R N S, giving the mnemonic: "Oh Be A Fine Girl, Kiss Me Right Now, Sweetie". Definitely not PC!)
11. NEW DIFFICULT TEASER
A S Z b R S, & T B D b J S. What's the space connection?
Please send all Teaser answers to me at my aol address terrymosel@aol.com
12. INTERESTING WEBLINKS (Disclaimer - Use of material herein from various sources does not imply approval or otherwise of the opinions, political or otherwise, of those sources). NB: If the title in the weblink does not indicate the subject matter, I give a brief simple intro before the link. I may also comment about the link afterwards.
ASTROPHYSICS:
Sharpest image taken of universe's most massive known star (msn.com) https://www.facebook.com/100045998303732/posts/624201639123107/?sfnsn=scwspmo What Is the Black Hole Information Paradox? A Primer - Scientific American
Bizarre explosion tears through 'Betelgeuse' star leaving scientists confused (msn.com)
Supermassive black hole's 'photon ring' revealed in new image | Space
Black hole 'superradiance' may aid quest for dark matter | Space
China's X-ray observatory detects strongest magnetic field ever recorded (msn.com)
Supermassive black hole pair nearest Earth is locked in a violent cosmic dance (msn.com)
Dwarf Galaxies Found Without Influence From Dark Matter - Universe Today
James Webb Space Telescope catches 'impostor' galaxies red-handed | Space
COSMOLOGY:
Colliding black holes could clock universe's expansion rate (msn.com) https://mindmatters.ai/2022/08/james-webb-space-telescope-shows-big-bang-didnt-happen-wait/ Dwarf Galaxies Found Without Influence From Dark Matter - Universe Today
Giant voids of nothingness may be flinging the universe apart (msn.com) Maybe it's the fault of the writer, but this article does not say how the voids actually exert pressure on the surrounding matter. If you watch bubbles merging in the froth on top of your coffee (or whatever), the total area of froth actually shrinks, not expands.
Merging voids will create bigger individual voids, but the total amount of matter is the same, and that matter's gravity is trying to counter the effects of the original BB explosion, but that doesn't explain why the expansion of the universe is accelerating – if it is!
If you roll two bowling balls in slightly different directions across a hypothetical frictionless surface, as they get further apart, the gravitational attraction between them will decrease, and so that gravity which is slowing down their separation will decrease, and tend towards zero, but without further energy input, the RATE at which they are moving away will not increase.
Scientists' theory about the universe before the big bang may have a fatal flaw (msn.com)
EARTH & MOON
Study links continent creation to 200-million year galactic comet cycle (newatlas.com)
NASA's return to the moon excites lunar science | Space
NASA reveals where it wants the next Americans to land on the moon (msn.com)
NASA reveals their 'return to the moon' with Artemis III | Watch (msn.com)
Earth was hit by another huge asteroid at the same time as the one that wiped out dinosaurs, vast crater suggests (msn.com) Yet another ridiculous illustration! - Asteroids are not on fire, burning away, or ablating while they are out in space! There's nothing there to cause that - it only happens when they enter Earth's atmosphere. It's like showing a car start to break up into pieces BEFORE it collides with something.
Stowaways on NASA's massive Moon rocket promise big science in small packages | Science | AAAS
Meteorites that reach the Earth fall from asteroid butts | Space
This tiny moon rover has a leg up on traditional spacecraft designs | Space
Origin of life breakthrough as 6-year asteroid study unravels mystery of water on Earth (msn.com)
NASA's UFO Study Isn't Really Looking for Space Aliens - Scientific American
South Korea's First Orbital Mission to the Moon is on its Way - Universe Today
Impacts From Interstellar Objects Should Leave Very Distinct Craters - Universe Today
'Meteor' seen in US as boom heard | Watch (msn.com)
"Gigantic jet" lightning blasts record-breaking bolt upwards into space (newatlas.com)
Moon rocks found in Antarctica include tiny amounts of gas that may have come from Earth (msn.com)
Scientists find evidence that continents were formed by giant meteor impacts (msn.com)
EXOLIFE
Will Europa finally answer, 'Are we alone?' - Universe Today
EXOPLANETS
Webb telescope zooms in on planet beyond our solar system (msn.com)
Nasa's Webb telescope makes first ever detection of carbon dioxide on alien world (msn.com) I don't think there are any green houses there, so that should refer to 'greenhouse gas'.
Rare Neptune-size exoplanets may face solar superstorms from parent stars (msn.com)
The Youngest Exoplanet Ever Seen? - Universe Today
IMAGES & Videos
New space telescope shows Jupiter's auroras, tiny moons (msn.com)
Wow! Watch OSIRIS-REx's Complex Orbital Path Around Bennu in This Cool Animation - Universe Today
Watch NASA's Jupiter icy moon explorer come together in a new video (msn.com)
Look at What Happens When Two Galaxies Collide (msn.com)
See the huge solar wings of China's space station in motion above Earth (video) (msn.com)
Starburst galaxy shines in new 'whirlpool of gold' photo | Space
Suspected meteor caught on camera streaking across the sky over Utah (msn.com)
A new Australian supercomputer has already delivered a stunning supernova remnant pic | Space, and
Supernova blast captured in incredible image (aol.co.uk)
SOLAR SYSTEM
Very interesting video and fantastic images! Stunning Pluto Images Show Something Unusual Going On There | Watch (msn.com)
New Mars water map reveals history of Red Planet (msn.com)
James Webb unveils jaw-dropping new images of Jupiter's 'giant storms powerful winds' (msn.com)
What new insights into Venus's sulfurous chemistry say about its hellish climate (msn.com)
Alien life on Venus could be discovered by new probe mission (msn.com)
LUCY discoveres tiny moonlet of Trojan asteroid (3) NASA Solar System on Twitter: "📣 Discovery Alert! Our #LucyMission has discovered a tiny moonlet around the Jupiter Trojan asteroid Polymele, one of the mission's targets of study. Lucy was already set to visit more asteroids than any other space mission. Add one to the roster! https://t.co/6ztAthkV68" / Twitter
Nasa discovers a new moon (msn.com)
Mysterious mineral on Mars was spat out by an explosive eruption 3 billion years ago | Live Science
Europa's icy shell may be made from pure underwater snow | Live Science
Ancient asteroids are covered with popcorning pebbles, new study finds | Live Science
Asteroid Ryugu contains dust older than the solar system (msn.com)
Origin of life breakthrough as 6-year asteroid study unravels mystery of water on Earth (msn.com)
Will Europa finally answer, 'Are we alone?' - Universe Today
This is just amazing! Watch OSIRIS-REx's Complex Orbital Path Around Bennu in This Cool Animation - Universe Today
Impacts From Interstellar Objects Should Leave Very Distinct Craters - Universe Today
NASA might cancel mission to massive 'gold mine asteroid' — here's why it shouldn't (msn.com)
Mysterious mineral on Mars was spat out by an explosive eruption 3 billion years ago | Live Science
NASA's Mars InSight finds little underground water at landing site | Space
Probing the Red Planet: Finding past life at Jezero Crater | Space
SPACE
Return to flight: NASA's Artemis 1 mission to launch using space shuttle-used parts | Space
Watch NASA's Artemis 1 SLS megarocket moon launch in free webcasts | Space
Astronauts to go to the Moon's South Pole for first time in hunt for water (msn.com)
NASA is planning a huge computing upgrade for its next space missions (msn.com)
NASA Artemis 1 megarocket rolls to launch pad for moon mission | Space
Spacesuit issue cuts Russian spacewalk short outside space station | Space
How will Martians get their vegetables? Scientists find clues in a health store favourite (msn.com)
NASA's giant US moon rocket emerges for debut launch | Watch (msn.com)
Stowaways on NASA's massive Moon rocket promise big science in small packages | Science | AAAS
This tiny moon rover has a leg up on traditional spacecraft designs | Space
Inside the inflatable 'Martian House' designed to withstand life on Mars (msn.com)
'Plasma' breakthrough could let humans live on Mars (msn.com)
NASA's massive moon rocket will roll out earlier than planned | Space
With Martian air, Dirt, and Sunshine, It Should be Possible to Make Iron on Mars - Universe Today
A Remote Surgical Robot is Going to the International Space Station - Universe Today
Watch NASA's Artemis 1 moon science and rocket rollout webcasts | Space
Russian space debris that 'endangered' ISS keeps almost crashing into Starlink satellites (msn.com)
NASA astronaut urges human-robot synergy for future moon missions | Space
TELESCOPES, INSTRUMENTS, TECHNIQUES.
China is building a huge ring of telescopes to study eruptions on the sun (msn.com) That looks very interesting.
13. JOINING the IRISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION. This link gives options to join the IAA.
https://irishastro.org/join-the-iaa/ If you are a UK taxpayer, please select the 'gift-aid' box, as that enables us to reclaim the standard rate of tax on your subscription, at no cost to you. You can also make a donation via Paypal if you wish: just click on the 'Donate' button. See also https://irishastro.org/
The Irish Astronomical Association is registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC 105858
DISCLAIMER: Any views expressed herein are mine, and do not necessarily represent those of the IAA.
Clear skies,
Terry Moseley
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