Hi all,
1. IAA LECTURE Wednesday 4 February , 7.30 p.m. Larmor Lecture Theatre, Physics Building, QUB: : Unfortunately due to circumstances outside our control, the lecture by Dr Ernst de Mooj has had to be rearranged for March 18.
We are extremely grateful to one of our past Presidents, Paul Evans, for stepping in at a day's notice to give us an alternative lecture on the latest on NASA's Artemis Mission to the Moon.
This is very timely, with the first human-crewed mission to the Moon for over 50 years due to launch within the next month or so. This is an updated version of a very popular talk that Paul has already given to various groups. So it promises to be fascinating!
2. JUPITER JUST PAST OPPOSITION .
Giant Jupiter was at a very favourable opposition on Jan 10 in Gemini, at mag -2.7, second only to Venus in brightness, and with an equatorial diameter of 46.5".
An amazing fact is that at close oppositions, the disc of Jupiter is greater in apparent area than the maximum illuminated discs of all the other planets combined! Venus can have a greater apparent diameter, but only when it is a very thin crescent, with most of its disc dark. AFAIK, I'm the only one to have ever mentioned this, but I have double checked it, and it's true!
The satellite shadow transits are much easier to see than the transits of the satellites themselves, as the satellites often blend in to the disc background, so they are very hard to see, except at the very beginning and end of transits.
3. Feb 11 – 22: NI Science Festival. IAA events on 14, 15 & 18 Feb.
14 Feb: Participating with the Astrophysics Research Centre in event in the main Lanyon Building, QUB; morning and afternoon
15 February: Major IAA Event at Ulster Museum, morning & afternoon
18 February: 7.30 p.m. Special Lecture by Prof Tom Ray on the largest telescope in the woeld – the Extremly Large Telescope, nearing completion in Chile –
(More details on all these in next bulletin)
4. CALL FOR IAA VOLUNTEERS
We will be very grateful for any volunteers who can help in any way at our NISF event at the Ulster Museum on 15 February. If you can do so, please let me know ASAP. Many thanks.
5. Skellig DarkSky Festival, Co Kerry, March 20-22
6. Irish Astronomy Week, March 20 – 28
7. COSMOS Star Party, Midlands Astronomy Club. April 11
8. SATURN fading but still visible, but not for long:
The second biggest planet in our system is still just observable but getting low in the West as the sky gets dark..
The Earth has now passed through the ring-plane again, so the rings now 'opening up' slightly, after being edge on to Earth. Given their extreme thinness, they should be almost invisible from Earth except in very large telescopes, but they can be seen in a moderate telescope in good seeing conditions.
9. ZODIACAL LIGHT: The first period in this Spring to look for this very faint cone of light, extending along the ecliptic on either side of the Sun, will be from February 07 to February 18. Look in the west, along the line of the ecliptic, from when the last vestiges of twilight are fading. You'll need a very clear sky, a clear W horizon, and no light pollution!
10. MERCURY The innermost planet will become visible from about the 10th-12th February, low in the SW twilight. Start looking about 30 minutes after sunset, using binoculars at first, but only after sunset!
11. Another comet – maybe naked-eye?
Will comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) be the 'great comet' of 2026?
12. WhatsApp Group for alerts on Observing Nights.
The IAA have set up a WhatsApp Group for updates on Observing Nights. If you would like to be included in this group, please e-mail Mary at callistoboxers@hotmail.com with your full name & mobile telephone number.
No discussions about anything other than Observing Nights will be posted on this group.
13. ISS
The ISS will start a new series of morning passes on 12 February. Details for your location are available on www.heavens-above.com
14: HEADS UP – Advance notice. IFAS Convention, Saturday 12 September 2026.
"From Ancient Stones to Distant Stars". Birr Castle, Co Offaly. This event, being organised by Ronan Newman, chair of IFAS, is the first event of its kind. It will be an all-day event, with a possible optional dinner in the evening, and possibly observing if clear. Top speakers are being invited, and there will also be major contribution from IFAS clubs. Details still being arranged, but mark the date in your diaries.
15: Recurrent Nova T Corona Borealis – Latest predictions- 25 June 2026?:
By extrapolating the empirical fact that the previous T CrB eruption dates were separated by an integer multiple of the orbital period 228 days, the next eruptions should appear at 27 March 2025, 10 November 2025, 25 June 2026 or 8 Feb 2027. No physical hypothesis is made behind this extrapolation. I urge observers to be cautious about it, since an external perturbation could happen, and to continue to monitor the light-curve of the star. (By Jean Schneider, Paris Observatory)
Obviously it didn't explode on 27 March, nor on 10 November, so the next date is 25 June..
(It's almost two years now since the first predictions of an 'imminent' outburst! But, it could explode any time, so, keep an eye on it - comparison charts can be found on the websites of the BAA Variable Star Section, or the AAVSO. The current magnitude is around 10, so you'll need a good telescope to see it now.
(BTW, don't confuse it with the other nearby famous variable star, R CrB, which does the opposite – it stays normally around 6th magnitude, but occasionally dims to as faint as magnitude 14 or 15!)
Anyway, do keep an eye out – T CrB lies just outside the East side of the circle of the 'Crown', about a degree from Epsilon CrB, but you really do need charts to observe it properly. It's visible in the NE in the mornings from about 5 p.m. until dawn..
It's at Declination: 25° 55′ 12.6″; R.A.: 15h 59m 30.2s)
16. EASY TEASER:
Which 1960's song mentions an ideal stargazing opportunity in one of the USA States?
Clue: It's in the Eastern part of the country.
Another clue: Maybe you are in the dark about it?
Another clue: 2 and 7 might help you find the performers
A final clue – the State has a very long name!
(NB, a member has already answered it correctly, but was unaware of the rules that make him ineligible to enter for this one. I'll give him credit next time.
Rule: You are only eligible to enter the Easy Teaser if you have not been a member of an astronomy club or society for more than 10 years, or if you have not already correctly answered one of the difficult ones. This is to give the beginners and young readers a chance!)
17. NEW DIFFICULT TEASER:
What does this figure represent: 56" (56 arcsecs)?
A clue: It makes a difference!
Remember, send answers to me only at my aol address: terrymosel@aol.com.
18. 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:
James Webb Space Telescope watches distant galaxies form farthest cluster ever seen in the ancient universe (image) | Space Astronomers discover a gigantic, wobbling black hole jet that changes the way we think about the galaxy Bright blue flashes from deep space raise new questions about the universeWebb's 255-hour-long observation reveals invisible dark matter in a map area containing nearly 800,000 galaxies - NotebookCheck.net News https://www.notebookcheck.net/Webb-s-255-hour-long-observation-reveals-invisible-dark-matter-in-a-map-area-containing-nearly-800-000-galaxies.1217296.0.htmlNew map reveals the Milky Way's hidden magnetic field - Earth.com https://share.google/uaCc8WqfdEf39W52IDark stars could solve three major mysteries of the early universe | ScienceDaily https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260128075355.htm Powerful Milky Way stellar flares near black hole could refine galaxy center models https://share.google/yTMv8hGiI0vdUsdwK Astronomers watch 1st black hole ever imaged launch a 3,000‑light‑year‑long cosmic jet from its glowing 'shadow' https://share.google/vc3Tx5DaUwrRQxR2CFabulous JWST image of interior of Helix Nebula https://search.app/wPZghJames Webb Space Telescope watches distant galaxies form farthest cluster ever seen in the ancient universe (image) | Space https://share.google/xBDGpgrV21VAOeSfX Massive runaway stars in the Milky Way: Observational study explores origins and ejection process https://share.google/irQ9TLXpt6IB20jRa James Webb Space Telescope reveals new origin story for the universe's 1st supermassive black holes | Space https://www.space.com/astronomy/james-webb-space-telescope/james-webb-space-telescope-data-backs-new-origin-story-for-the-universes-1st-supermassive-black-holes Observing a star's lifetime from birth to death aas_st_202511The loudest gravitational wave ever heard comes from 2025 and tests Hawking's rule with almost absurd precision https://share.google/VVFGLz8HWpcf7dmvsPuzzling slow radio pulses are coming from space. A new study could finally explain them https://share.google/YRBhvWLRvpWQaI2huChinese scientists build first quantum network to hunt for dark matter - CGTN https://share.google/cg3QNC9WPtwGosab8Webb reveals five-galaxy merger just 800 million years after the Big Bang https://share.google/hWQHxhsvhhCNwrhSp Gravitational wave signal tests Einstein's theory of general relativity https://share.google/dKLM6qyHhHvGhfm83Astronomers watch 1st black hole ever imaged launch a 3,000‑light‑year‑long cosmic jet from its glowing 'shadow' | Space https://share.google/8rRU0ZgAZ0IHCvo89Event Horizon Telescope probes source of 3,000-light-year-long black hole jet Studying Massive And Mysterious Young Protostars With The Hubble - Universe Today
COSMOLOGYScientists may be approaching a 'fundamental breakthrough in cosmology and particle physics', if dark matter and 'ghost particles' can interact Curioser and curioser, said Alice…. Groundbreaking theory may transform our understanding of 'white holes'Large Hadron Collider reveals 'primordial soup' of the early universe was surprisingly soupy | Space https://share.google/9vt1Ok6yQPvSqIT5l Supernova whose light will 'reappear' in 60 years could solve the biggest problem in cosmology | Live Science https://share.google/q2FHajRKShlFxFeTA EARTH & MOONCataclysmic crash with neighboring planet may be the reason there's life on Earth today, new studies hint Scientists May Have Found Fragments of the Original EarthHow tree rings help scientists understand disruptive extreme solar storms https://share.google/BXofRj7W1HBv2XKs9Robots descend into lava tubes to prepare for future Moon bases | ScienceDaily https://share.google/lZgdCOHvTdQXsFtO6 EXOLIFECatch a falling star: cosmic dust may reveal how life began, and a Sydney lab is making it from scratcht's Official: Astronomers Detect Complex Sulfur Molecule in Interstellar Space : ScienceAlert https://share.google/shjseITb73leDyNjv Alien worlds may not necessarily need water for life, scientists find: 'We just opened a Pandora's box' Boron Could Be Astrobiology's Unsung Hero - Universe Today https://share.google/IdwCeM6CEsHhWBggk EXOPLANETSStrange discovery offers 'missing link' in planet formation: 'This fundamentally changes how we think about planetary systems'A Cool Earth-sized Planet Candidate Transiting a Tenth Magnitude K-dwarf https://share.google/0IuiBdI0iiodUke6E - Cool? It's a bit colder than 'cool' !Earth-mass exoplanet with year-long orbit https://x.com/i/status/2017365480881730029Long-period Jupiter-like exoplanet discovered with TESS https://share.google/e3ophWIxUbPVVyaOeWhy are Tatooine planets rare? General relativity explains why binary star systems rarely host planets https://share.google/HI0qdguMMDjL56KcW Is a surprisingly massive exomoon orbiting this big exoplanet? PEOPLEKathryn Johnson: amazing NASA mathematician https://x.com/i/status/2018452017518162302 SOLAR SYSTEM Potentially bright 'sungrazing' comet discovered – Astronomy Now Halley wasn't the first to figure out the famous comet. An 11th-century monk did it first, new research suggests Not quite the same as calculating its orbit, and predicting its return. Deflated: Israeli scientists find Jupiter, though huge, is smaller than previously thought | The Times of Israel https://share.google/RX6nuFO1iNqoazwgHNASA's Perseverance Rover Completes First AI-Planned Drive on Mars | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) https://share.google/Cx8KJ2ZwiVtkiwp3CComet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) crumbles apart in stunning new telescope images | Space https://www.space.com/astronomy/comets/comet-c-2025-k1-atlas-crumbles-apart-in-stunning-new-telescope-imagesWater discovered on the largest mountain in the Solar System, Olympus Mons, on Mars. https://search.app/AkJXKSecrets of Vesta https://x.com/i/status/2017037797165826543 Perseverance Rover Discovers an Ancient Martian Beach, Complete with Waves - Universe Today https://share.google/iPzu0Ggifx6ijyNmQ Finding water on Mars Finding Water on Mars - Universe Today SPACE Watch NASA fuel up its Artemis 2 moon rocket today in critical prelaunch test | Space
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes First AI-Planned Drive on Mars | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) https://share.google/Cx8KJ2ZwiVtkiwp3C
Russia Is Building a Plasma Engine to Get Humans to Mars in 30 Days https://share.google/2z56oKeqfl7DguCZp
Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal: Launch Abort System Hatch Closed - NASA https://share.google/VDzR6cHQAfOirjuss
Blue Origin Pauses Space Tourism to Focus on Lunar Missions https://share.google/8lxviT1pFc64oPbqX
Engineers under pressure to find fix after fuel leak delays mega-rocket moon mission
Russian military satellite unexpectedly disintegrates, experts probe cause
Chinese Startup Plans First Crewed Space Tourism Mission by 2028 https://share.google/0u2O8CUcdxAjDIBCO
ESA - First launch of Ariane 6 with four boosters https://share.google/xsZq8GHvU2km6WLFY
What actually happens to a spacecraft during its fiery last moments? Here's why ESA wants to find out | Space https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/what-actually-happens-to-a-spacecraft-during-its-fiery-last-moments-heres-why-esa-wants-to-find-out
SPACE DEBRIS/POLLUTION
Russian 'inspector' satellite appears to break apart in orbit, raising debris concerns | Space https://share.google/wegYX3ZY0TfFe0sqm
SUN
Sun news: Monster sunspot keeps going, releases 14 M flares!
Kissing the sun: Unraveling mysteries of the solar wind https://share.google/aoTcCsH3aKvLd9wHE
TELESCOPES, INSTRUMENTS TECHNIQUES
A Laser Ruler for Sharper Black Hole Images - Universe Today https://share.google/ud5ok1JmGatmnIptj
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes First AI-Planned Drive on Mars - NASA https://share.google/AM3GJ2ZAOFyF91NqK
#FINAL WORD:
"The treasures hidden in the heavens are so rich that the human mind shall never be lacking in fresh nourishment." - Johannes Kepler
19. 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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