Hi all,
(NB, all times are summer time when in force, for convenience)
1. IAA Lecture, Wed 10 November, 19.30. Dr Donnacha O'Driscoll, UCD: "The Moon: Earth's Constant Companion"
This will be a general presentation on Earth's constant celestial companion, the Moon. Its formation, physical attributes, movements, effects on the Earth and how to observe it. It will be a fun, entertaining and hopefully informative talk that will have something in it for all ages with no prior knowledge required.
Biog.
It will be presented by IAS member Dr. Donnacha O'Driscoll who is a scientist by profession. He is the General Manager of the Science Foundation Ireland research centre 'Insight' in UCD. Although professionally he has worked in the biotechnology and data analytical sectors, his passion is in astronomy and in particular Lunar astronomy. He has been an active observer of the Moon for over 40 years and has presented many talks on the subject in that time. He established and runs the website www.themoon.ie which is an outreach project, acting as a source of information and teaching aids on all things Lunar to individuals young and old and to various groups and schools.
DETAILS
Time: Nov 10, 2021 07:15 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86346334772?pwd=L3AvZE9KZjZPMHZBT25BbkNkUUhHZz09
Meeting ID: 863 4633 4772
Passcode: 859645
2. STFC events
16 November, 19:00
Galaxies: past and present.
Online. Age recommendation for audience 12+. Click here to book.
22 November, 19:00
Missions to Near Earth Asteroids.
Online. Click here to book.
23 November, 18:00
Talking Science: The Science of Dr Who by Karl Byrne.
Online. Age recommendation for audience 12+. Click here to book.
3. AOP Free Show in November
FREE TICKETS
(We would appreciate a donation to our PhD Programme)
Tue 9 - Fri 12 Nov at 3pm
Come to Armagh and see that show written and produced by AOP Director Prof. Michael Burton with soundtrack developed by the SRC Music Department. This show is being screened at COP26 in Glasgow!
Recommended for those over the age of 6.
Your ticket includes entry to the exhibition area.
This is a free dome show but a donation to our PhD programme would be most appreciated.
Written and Directed by AOP Director Prof. Michael Burton, "Our Place in the Cosmos" is a planetarium show about the special, fragile place of the Earth in our Galaxy, the only habitat we yet know able to sustain life.
Show lasts approx. 25 mins
Please note:
Pre-Booking only via www.armagh.space
We have reduced capacity in our dome theatre
Please arrive at least 15-20mins before your scheduled start time as shows start promptly
4. Join Globe at Night (GaN) for the Last Campaigns in 2021!
Globe at Night is an international citizen-science campaign to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by inviting citizen-scientists to measure night-sky brightness and submit their observations. The last dates for the 2021 campaign are November 25–December 4, 2021.
Read more: https://www.globeatnight.org/6-steps.php
5. Mercury is still visible low in the East in the morning twilight. Start looking about 45 minutes before local sunrise. It will brighten over the next few days, but will also be moving in closer to the Sun.
On the morning of Nov 10, Mercury (mag -0.9) will lie just 1 degree above left of Mars (mag 1.6)
Never use binoculars to search for Mercury when the Sun is above the horizon, or even just about to rise, just in case you get it in their field of view.
6. Catch Saturn and Jupiter while you can.
SATURN: is still fairly close and bright, but it's very low from our latitude, so viewing conditions are not great. It's now mag 0.2, in Capricorn, with an apparent diameter of 18.2".
The angle of the ring system to Earth has been steadily decreasing recently, so the rings no longer extend beyond the poles. Aesthetically, I think this angle, and down to an angle of about 10 degrees, is the most beautiful.
Of the satellites, Titan is visible in any telescope, and Rhea is not too difficult. With the low altitude, it may be harder to see fainter Dione and Tethys, especially as they are closer to the planet. Big telescopes and good seeing are required for Enceladus and Mimas.
I've seen them all, using the 10-inch refractor at Armagh Observatory, and my own 37cm Newtonian, but when Saturn was a lot higher up, and in much less light-polluted skies!
Jupiter is also still readily visible from UK & Ireland, after its Opposition on August 20. It's in Capricorn, mag -2.6, some 20 degrees E of Saturn, and with an apparent diameter of 48". It's a bit higher up than Saturn, and that will gradually increase over the next few years.
The four big Galilean moons are visible in even a modest telescope. This year, the Sun and Earth are almost exactly in the plane of Jupiter's equator, so the moons pass backwards and forwards almost exactly in the same plane. This means that sometimes they are so close together that they will appear as one, unless you use high magnification.
7. Northern Taurid Meteors, maximum, Nov 12. Not a major shower, and rather spoiled by a FQ Moon, but worth a look, especially after the Moon sets.
8. Next Space and Astronomy Webinar, with your truly and Nick Howes. Spacestore.co. Wed 16 November, 7.30 p.m.
9. Leonid Meteors maximum, 17/18 November. No great activity expected this year, and the Moon is almost Full, so don't expect to see much.
10. Large Partial Lunar Eclipse, 19 November.
A very large Partial Lunar Eclipse (mag 0.978) will occur on Nov 19, but maximum occurs after local moonset, so only part of the partial phase will be visible, as the Moon sets. The following details, for Belfast and Galway, show that the further West you are, the deeper the Moon will be into the eclipse before it sets.
Moon enters Penumbra 06h 00m 01s. Altitude at Belfast = 14.9º Altitude at Galway = 16.5º
Moon enters Umbra 07h 18m 03s Altitude at Belfast = 04.8º Altitude at Galway = 05.9º
Maximum eclipse 09h 02m 34s Altitude at Belfast = -7.0º Altitude at Galway = - 6.7º
For the very far west of the Island, the Moon will be almost halfway through the eclipse as it sets.
Also, remember that as the Moon is getting very low in the NW, the Sun will be about to rise in the SE, so the sky will become increasingly brighter. Not easy to see, and a challenge to image the deeper umbral phases.
11. ISS: The ISS will start a new series of evening passes on 21 November. Full details for your location on www.heavens-above.com 7
12. For Sale: Pulsar Observatory
Due to the unfortunate death of an IAA member, there is a rare chance to purchase a second hand 2.2m Pulsar Observatory. The observatory is absolutely brand new (only delivered earlier in the year), and it has automated shutter and dome rotation kits complete. It is expected that the price will be around £3999. Delivery can be arranged. Anyone interested, contact Andy McCrea, who is acting on behalf of the widow: Email s.mccrea980@btinternet.com
13. 'Easy' Teaser.
In a telescope without a drive, which First Magnitude star would move quickest through the field of view of any eyepiece?
A CLUE – no suggestions for this one yet, so here's a clue. Think about this - Conversely, which bright star (about 2nd mag), would move most slowly in the field of view of a telescope without a drive? if you know that, apply the opposite parameters, and then use a star atlas to find the answer.
(This one has been answered, but by someone who's not eligible for the 'Easy' category) so I'll leave it here for a while longer
14. NEW DIFFICULT TEASER + a hint
ZZUB.
Yes, folks – that's it!
HINT: No-one has come even close yet, so here's a hint. - Part of the clue is in the nature of a joke.
Please send all answers to me at my aol address terrymosel@aol.com
15. Davagh Dark Sky Park and Observatory now open, with pre-booking, and some restrictions.
See https://www.midulstercouncil.org/visitor/things-to-do/star-gazing/davagh-dark-sky-observatory , and https://www.facebook.com/omdarksky/ I'll post any updates here. Or phone 03000 132 132 for changing Covid-19 advice.
16. PAYMENT OF IAA ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: PAYPAL IS WORKING AGAIN ! Subscriptions were due on September 1. We're glad to be able to keep the amount unchanged for yet another year: £20 for individual membership, £25 for family membership (only one copy of STARDUST per family).
Anyone wishing to pay by bank transfer should contact the Treasurer, Pat O'Neill (pb.oneill@ntlworld.com, or treasurer@irishastro.org) for our bank details.
17. 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
Neutron star collisions are 'goldmine' of heavy elements, study finds: Mergers between two neutron stars have produced more heavy elements in last 2.5 billion years than mergers between neutron stars and black holes. -- ScienceDaily
Black hole thermodynamics: A history from Penrose to Hawking -- ScienceDaily
94% of the universe's galaxies are permanently unreachable - Big Think
Astronomers discover massive galaxy 'shipyard' in the distant universe -- ScienceDaily
'Balding' black holes prove Einstein right again on general relativity | Space
New study proposes expansion of the universe directly impacts black hole growth -- ScienceDaily So BHs extract energy directly from the expansion of space-time? How? If they do, how would that affect the accelerated expansion of the universe, attributed to Dark Energy? As there are more BHs now than there were, say 5 billion years ago, they would be extracting more energy from the expansion now, so that would slow it down – the opposite of what we seem to see. Curioser and curioser, said Alice….
Gravitational 'kick' may explain the strange shape at the center of Andromeda -- ScienceDaily
Astronomers make most distant detection yet of fluorine in star-forming galaxy -- ScienceDaily
Spacetime shimmers in bumper crop of new gravitational wave detections (newatlas.com)
What's Snuffing Out Galaxies Before Their Time? - Universe Today
COSMOLOGY
94% of the universe's galaxies are permanently unreachable - Big Think Well worth reading, and enjoy the video fly-through of the HUDF!
BICEP3 tightens the bounds on cosmic inflation -- ScienceDaily Why do we need Inflation to explain isotropy, i.e. that the universe is (almost) the same in all directions? Why can't it just be an inherent result of the Big Bang? Why assume that the universe would not be isotropic without it?
Spooky action at a distance: a haunted quantum world - Big Think
Is the Universe Fine-Tuned for Life? - Universe Today
EARTH & MOON
China's fresh moon rocks are younger than the Apollo samples and no one knows why | Space
Europe announces new satellite constellation to track human-made greenhouse gas emissions | Space
Space solar power's time may finally be coming (msn.com)
Terraforming: why the Moon is a better target than Mars - Big Think There's another factor favouring the Moon – the 8-month journey to get to Mars will result in much greater danger to astronauts than the 3 days it takes to get to the Moon. But there are also downsides – the region that has the water, at the Moon's N Pole, does not seem to have any lava tubes. Further, it gets much less sunlight than the Moon's low latitude regions, as the Sun just barely scrapes above the horizon there.
Massive comet exploding over Chile 12,000 years ago may have created strange glassy rocks | Space and
Mysterious glass in the Atacama Desert may be from an ancient exploding comet | Live Science
'Cannibal' sun eruption gives departing astronauts their best aurora | Space
Powerful Landsat 9 satellite beams home 1st photos of Earth | Space
EXOLIFE
NASA is Getting Serious About the Search for Life in the Universe - Universe Today
EXOPLANETS
Astronomers may have discovered a planet outside of our galaxy -- ScienceDaily
ExoMoons could host life https://www.facebook.com/100024704893495/posts/1080385612794925/?sfnsn=scwspmo
SETI.
SETI: Why extraterrestrial intelligence is more likely to be artificial than biological | Space
SOLAR SYSTEM
NASA's Juno spacecraft flew above Jupiter's Great Red Spot and discovered that the vortex churns up to 310 miles deep (msn.com)
Perseverance rover snaps stunning images of Mars after communications blackout | Live Science
Juno peers deep into Jupiter's colorful belts and zones -- ScienceDaily
NASA's Juno probe reveals secrets of Jupiter's atmosphere in 3D | Space
Likely home of Martian meteorites pinpointed -- ScienceDaily
NASA says a glitchy strap could be behind Lucy asteroid probe's solar array troubles | Space
Watch NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity take its 14th flight in this full video | Space
A Mission to Explore the Methane Lakes on Titan - Universe Today
Moons are Planets too - Universe Today
SPACE
China launches 40th orbital rocket mission of 2021, a new record: report | Space
China launches military satellite that will take aim at space junk | Space
Making Martian rocket biofuel on Mars: New study outlines biotechnology process to produce rocket fuel on red planet -- ScienceDaily
Carbon nanotubes could help electronics withstand outer space's harsh conditions -- ScienceDaily
Amazon to launch 1st prototype internet satellites for Kuiper constellation in 2022 | Space
Microbes could be used to make rocket fuel on Mars (newatlas.com)
Engineers develop better method for cleaning up orbiting space junk -- ScienceDaily
Blue Origin's 'Mannequin Skywalker' goes on display at Space Camp | Space
Space solar power's time may finally be coming (msn.com)
Terraforming: why the Moon is a better target than Mars - Big Think There's another factor favouring the Moon – the 8 month journey to get to Mars will result in much greater danger to astronauts than the 3 days it takes to get to the Moon. But there are also downsides – the region that has the water – at the Moon's N Pole – does not seem to have any lava tubes. Further, it gets much less sunlight than the Moon's low latitude regions, as the Sun just barely scrapes above the horizon there.
https://www.space.com/china-long-march-6-rocket-launches-sdgsat-1
China's Shenzhou 13 crew takes its first spacewalk, the country's 1st by a female astronaut | Space
New Idea: Use the Starship HLS to Create a Lunar Base! - Universe Today
Bacteria Could Make Rocket Fuel on Mars - Universe Today
More satellite space pollution? https://www.facebook.com/543617930/posts/10159321736077931/?sfnsn=scwspmo
SUN
Watch the sun fire off solar flares in this mesmerizing NASA video | Space
Sun outburst goes 'cannibal' as fast new blob overtakes a slower one | Space
'Cannibal CME' sun storm marks rise of new solar cycle in space weather | Space
Telescopes, Instruments, Techniques.
There are over 300 ways that the new James Webb Space Telescope could fail, NASA says | Space I have often wondered why they didn't design it so that as much of the deployment as possible would be done while it is still in LEO, so that any defects can be fixed by spacewalking astronauts, before sending the deployed array out to the L2 point.
Astronomers target habitable exoplanets, black holes and inclusivity as top priorities for next decade | Space And a new Space Telescope too!
Hunt for Alien Life Tops Next-Gen Wish List for U.S. Astronomy - Scientific American
Hubble Science Instruments are Malfunctioning, Putting the Telescope in Safe Mode - Universe Today
18. JOINING the IRISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION. This link downloads a Word document to join the IAA. http://documents.irishastro.org.uk/iaamembership.doc
If you are a UK taxpayer, please tick 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
No comments:
Post a Comment