Thursday 29 June 2023

Tides talk, ISS returns, Asteroid Day, NLCs, AOP Tours, Astrophoto comp, Mayo DS Events, STEM @ BMF, SEAC Teasers, more


Hi all,

1.Newport Astronomy Club Lecture, Thurs 29th June - 8pm.

From Ged Dowling of NAC:

Terry Moseley - one of Ireland's most knowledgeable astronomers, is kindly giving us a club talk on the

The Attraction of the Moon and the Sun: The astronomy of the tides: their Ins and Outs and Ups and Downs

We all know that the tides are primarily caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon, and most know that the Sun also plays a role. But it's not just as simple as that - not by a long way! In this talk Terry will describe the importance of the tides, and all the various astronomical and other factors which influence the timing and the magnitude of the tides. He'll also talk about the importance of tides in other aspects of astronomy.

This event is FREE to members but will be €5 to non-members (via Eventbrite).

We hope you're able to join us!

Thursday, 29 June 2023 20:00

Terry Moseley Astronomer: "The Attraction of the Moon and the Sun"

Register

 

2.  ISS. The International Space Station will start a new series of morning passes on 29 June. Details on www.heavens-above.com

 

3. Asteroid Day, 30 June.

https://mail.aol.com/webmail-std/en-gb/DisplayMessage?ws_popup=true&ws_suite=true

 

4. Aphelion, July 6. Earth will be farthest from the Sun in its elliptical orbit on July 06 at 20.05 UT, at a distance of 1.0167008 AU, or 152,096,275 km. Usually it's on July 4 or 5, but it shifts with the Leap Year cycle, so next year, a Leap Year, it will be back to July 4.

 

5. VENUS

The Evening Star is still putting on a good show, but it's gradually sinking into the Western twilight each evening. It's now mag -4.2, much brighter than any other night-time object except the Moon. It's currently just below half phase, and this will gradually decrease as it nears conjunction. It's slowly approaching much fainter Mars (mag 1.6). but never quite catches up with it

 

6. NLCs.

There have been a few sightings of faint displays of these ethereal silvery 'night-shining' clouds recently. They can be seen occasionally into mid – to late July, around local midnight. Look low in the North when the sky has got dark: quite often they will be seen in the region of Capella. They are caused by the Sun shining on very high altitude particles resulting from meteoric dust in the upper atmosphere. They are visible when the Sun is too far below the horizon to shine on ordinary 'tropospheric clouds'. Any smartphone should capture nice images of them, but obviously proper photographic equipment is even better.

 

7. AOP Telescope Tours: Looking for a tour that is simply 'out of this world?'  Our Legendary Telescopes Tour is available 12:30pm & 2:30pm
Dates: 8th July & 22nd July. Pre-booking recommended

 

Purchase Tickets

 

 

8. DIAS Astronomy & Astrophysics Astrophoto Competition (@DIASAstronomy) tweeted Vote now for your favourite image!! https://t.co/si6Nl3xy5L ðŸ”­ðŸ“·
(
https://twitter.com/DIASAstronomy/status/1668943721939738628?t=3qoXyr3Gynsg8qIe9wXOAA&s=03

9. Heritage Week 12-20th August, at Mayo Dark Sky Park
Wild Nephin National Park events - a selection of events including a night walk in Mayo Dark Sky Park on 13th August, keep an eye on www.wildnephinnationalpark.ie
Launch of Mayo Dark Sky Festival Programme - news to follow, but keep the festival dates marked in your calendar: 3rd to 5th November!

 

10. STEM at Belfast Maritime Festival. The IAA will be contributing some astronomy themed events at this Festival, on 9-10 September. More details later.]

 

11. First Announcement: European Society for Astronomy in Culture Conference, 6-9 September
The 30th conference of the European Society for Astronomy in Culture (SEAC) will take place from 6-9 September 2023, in Warsaw, Poland. The theme of this SEAC conference is: Between ancient and modern astronomy. Throughout this conference, the organisers hope to commemorate two significant anniversaries related to Nicolas Copernicus: the 550th anniversary of his birth and the 480th anniversary of his death. For more information about how to contribute to this conference, see this page.

 

12.  Next McCrea Lecture, RIA, Dublin, November 14.

More details later

 

13. The UK Space Conference 2023 will be hosted in Belfast at the ICC/Waterfront 21-23rd November. See  https://brayleino.swoogo.com/ukspaceconference2023

 

14. NEW EASY TEASER

What well-known large solar system object is almost exactly twice the diameter of another well-known large solar system object? (the difference between A and 2xB is only 2.03%). (Large = at least 1,000km diameter). No answers yet, so here's a clue: One of them is a planet.

  There has been one correct answer, but from someone who is not eligible to enter for the easy ones: A reminder: Rules for Easy Teasers: you're barred from entering if you (A) have already submitted a correct answer to any of the previous teasers, and/or (B) if you've been a member of any astronomy clubs or societies for 15 years or more.

 

15: New Difficult Teaser:

Apart from having a captured rotation, and one dark and one bright side, in what other respect is Iapetus an almost precise twin of our Moon?

A few wrong answers, so here's an additional clue: it's nothing to do with their names, or history; it's an actual physical parameter.

 Please send all Teaser answers to me at my aol address terrymosel@aol.com

 

16. INTERESTING WEBLINKS (Disclaimer – leading its nameUse 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:

Music of the spheres: astronomers detect 'cosmic bass note' of gravitational waves (msn.com)

Scientists baffled as planet mysteriously avoids being engulfed by host star (msn.com)

Listen to the eerie sounds of distant galaxies in NASA video | Space

Bizarre gamma ray burst hints at unseen "stellar demolition derby" (newatlas.com)

X-ray echoes reveal recent bright flash from Milky Way's black hole (newatlas.com)

Webb makes first detection of crucial carbon molecule (spacedaily.com)

Monster black hole at galaxy's centre not as dormant as previously thought, study finds (msn.com)

Astronomers discover a totally new way that stars can die (msn.com)

Bizarre object hotter than the sun is orbiting a distant star at breakneck speed (msn.com)

The loneliest monster black holes may also be the hungriest (msn.com)

Fast-spinning white dwarf pulsar, the 2nd we've ever discovered, sheds light on how stars evolve (msn.com)

James Webb: astronomers snap image of quasar as the telescope proves galaxies transformed the early universe (msn.com)

 

COSMOLOGY

Scientists have solved a great mystery at the dawn of time itself (msn.com)

The expansion of the universe could be a mirage, new theoretical study suggests | Live Science But if the universe is not expanding, it must be contracting under its own gravity and there's no evidence of that. Further if there was a Big Bang, it had to expand initially, otherwise how did it get to its present size (whatever that is)? And if there was no Big Bang, how did it get to be as it is today? So are we left with an 'Oscillating Universe', as described by Ernst Opik of Armagh Observatory in the 1950s? - An initial expansion, followed by a contraction as gravity exerts its influence, followed by another Big Bang, repeating. So if it's neither expanding nor contracting at the moment, it must be at or very near the stationary point in between.

Cosmic hum: Scientists discover that universe is awash in gravitational waves | Watch (msn.com)

 

EARTH & MOON

New Earth Space Sustainability Initiative: The Royal Astronomical Society welcomes the launch of the Earth Space Sustainability Initiative (ESSI), announced in London today at the Global Leaders on Space Sustainability Symposium.

SOLAR MAX IS BOOSTING AIRGLOW: A dramatic display of green lights over Colorado last week tricked observers into thinking they were witnessing auroras. In fact, it was something completely different. The approach of Solar Maximum is boosting a phenomenon called "airglow" that can appear anywhere on Earth at any time. Full story @ Spaceweather.com.

'It's absolutely guaranteed': the best and worst case scenarios for sea level rise (msn.com) b

Why did the last ice age end? | Live Science

NASA preparing for 'internet apocalypse' as probe delivers new intelligence (msn.com)

Humans are pumping out so much groundwater that it's changing Earth's tilt | Space

Protecting the scientific resource heritage on the Moon: https://www.facebook.com/551070831/posts/10161646652610832/?sfnsn=scwspmo

 

EXOLIFE

Webb makes first detection of crucial carbon molecule (spacedaily.com)

Scientists have come up with a new meaning of life – and it's pretty mind-blowing (msn.com)

 

IMAGES, Film, Video

Perseverance rover spots donut-shaped rock on Mars (photo) | Space That's an old Martian grindstone! 😉
Astronomy Photographer of the Year offers vibrant look at universe (msn.com)
 
SETI
Aliens might be using a nearby supernova to get our attention, new study suggests (msn.com) That is a very 'terracentric' view; it assumes that they would be sending signals specifically in our direction. But why would they do that? - They would have no evidence that we are here, as the first signs of intelligent life, or indeed any advanced life, on Earth would not have reached M101 yet! The first pre-hominids were only starting to walk upright about that time! All they would know, if they could detect the existence of Earth at all, would be that it had water, an atmosphere, and was in the potentially habitable zone of the Sun. But there would be many such planets within their own galaxy, and tens of thousands more in other nearby (to them) galaxies, so why would they target us?
 
SOLAR SYSTEM 
Strange Uranus-size alien planet could be trapped in the edge of Solar System (msn.com) and
A 'captured' alien planet may be hiding at the edge of our solar system — and it's not 'Planet X | Live Science 
NASA detects life's rarest building block in water ice of Saturn's moon (newatlas.com)

European probe captures stunning up-close views of planet Mercury during brief flyby (video, photos) (msn.com)

 

SPACE

Meet the crew of Virgin Galactic 1st commercial spaceflight | Space

Virgin Galactic prepares for first flight, is there a difference between Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin? (msn.com)

What happens to the human body during space travel? (msn.com)

SpaceX fires up Starship spacecraft ahead of 2nd test flight (video) | Space

Private space tug spins out of control after recent SpaceX launch | Space

NASA converts pee to drinkable water on International Space Station (newatlas.com) and

NASA just recycled 98% of all astronaut pee and sweat on the ISS (engineers are thrilled) | Space

https://www.space.com/chapea-yearlong-mars-analog-mission-begins?utm_source=notification

 

SUN

NASA footage reveals 4 types of solar eruptions and 'holes' that could affect Earth as the sun grows more active (msn.com)

Solar maximum could hit us harder and sooner than we thought. How dangerous will the sun's chaotic peak be? | Live Science

NASA preparing for 'internet apocalypse' as probe delivers new intelligence (msn.com)

 

TELESCOPES, EQUIPMENT, TECHNIQUES Etc.

Scientists hope Euclid telescope will reveal mysteries of dark matter (msn.com)

 

17. 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


 

Monday 12 June 2023

Midsummer BBQ, AGM, Venus, NLCs, Sunrise & Solstice, Amazing Sun Pics, Eyepieces, Dark skies, IPS Centenary, ISS, Asteroid Day, more

Hi all,

(Sorry that there haven't been any bulletins for a while, as I've had a huge amount of catching up to do, both on the PC and in garden etc, since my very successful 3-week+ trip to Australia to see the total solar eclipse. And of course doing some touring, and stargazing from the outback too!)

1.  IAA Summer BBQ, OM/Davagh Dark Sky Park & Observatory, 24 June

   This is the first Dark Sky Park and public observatory in N. Ireland. It's set in a hollow in the foothills of the Sperrin Mountains, just inside Davagh Forest Park.

 *  Because of our association with them and help in designing the observatory, we're getting a special price for the visit and tour. This will be only £4 per person, and at that rate we can't offer any further concession discounts. That will also include the BBQ facilities, but you BYO food etc!

 * At this stage we only want an indication of how many will be attending, but later we'll be looking for payment by Paypal.

 * Partners & friends are also always welcome, and non-members too,

 * Provisional timetable: Arrive about 2 p.m. with the first tour starting at 2.30: because of space restrictions, the numbers are limited to about 15-18, so there will be a second tour at about 3.30 for the rest.

  * They would also run a general public show at 5.00, and anyone who missed the earlier ones could attend that.

 * BBQ: There are several purpose built BBQ areas at the far end of the car park. But there may not be enough seating for everyone, so if you have folding camping chairs or stools, and folding tables for your items, bring them.

 * We will provide at least enough BBQ cooking area for most people, but if you have a portable BBQ, you can bring it to be safe, even if you don't need to use it.

 * NB: All guests must bring their own consumables (food, drink, sauces etc), cutlery, plates, plastic cups/glasses etc.

  * Timing: with the staggered tour times, we will stagger the cooking and eating around the tour times to suit.

  * Solar observing: OM/Davagh have at least one Coronado solar scope, but we will also have our own solar observing equipment, and you're welcome to bring your own if you wish, if the weather is suitable.

  * The other local attraction is the nearby Beaghmore Stone Circle complex, which may have an astronomical alignment. There's a proper walkway from the Observatory/VC to Beaghmore, with a scale model of the SS along the way. That takes about 40 minutes to walk each way, and it takes about 30 mts to see the site, so there would hardly be time for most people to walk there and back.

  * So the if there is interest, we can arrange an optional trip there by cars after we have finished at OM. I can do a guided tour there, as I have done at their request about half a dozen times at the solstice. That would be on the way home for most people, so it would make sense to tyravel there from OM in your own transport.

  * Weather: Obviously unpredictable at this stage but there's some shelter from the trees at the BBQ site if there's a shower. The VC has a snack area with tea, coffee, soft drinks confectionary etc, but no hot food. There's limited indoor seating for consuming those, and they would turn a blind eye if we ate our own sandwiches there, as long as we bought a drink and, say, a snack bar, from them as well.

  * You may wish to bring insect repellent, in case the midges are active!

  * Getting there: allow about 90 minutes from Belfast going via M1, Dungannon and Cookstown. For anyone on the N side of Belfast, the best route is via the M2 to the Castledawson Roundabout, then Tobermore and Draperstown; or Castledawson Rbt, Magherafelt, Desertmartin and Draperstown. It's signposted from Draperstown onwards.

  * For those coming from elsewhere, you can approach it from either Cookstown or Omagh or Magherafelt. Once you're off the main roads, it's twisty hilly mountain roads, so allow about 20 minutes from each of those towns. It's well signposted (brown tourist signs) in the area.

  * The car park is at: N 54.71977, W -6.91674

The point at which all the access roads converge is: N 54.71902, W -6.94807, so that's where you have to aim for.

The Beaghmore Stone Circles are at N 54. 70147, W – 6.93672

 

SO, PLEASE LET ME KNOW BY RETURN IF YOU INTEND TO GO, AND THE NUMBER IN YOUR PARTY! Not a final commitment at this stage, but we do need to have an idea of likely numbers for planning.

 

2. IAA  AGM, Report

The main results from the AGM were as follows:

Paul Evans was elected President, succeeding Andy McCrea

VPs: John McClintock & Andy McCrea

Memb Sec: Mary Kirwan-Mackey

Hon Sec: Paul Bates

Hon Treas: Pat O'Neill

PR & Meetings Organiser: Terry Moseley

Members: Danny Collins, Simon Hearne, Tony Kempston, + new member Paula Wallace

Junior Vice Presidents: Ms Eve Kempston, & (New) Ms Poppy Hearne.

 

3. VENUS

The Evening Star is still putting on a good show, but it's gradually sinking into the Western twilight each evening. It's now mag -4.3, much brighter than any other night-time object except the Moon. It's currently just below half phase, and this will gradually decrease as it nears conjunction. It's slowly approaching much fainter Mars (mag 1.6). but never quite catches up with it. It will pass through the N edge of M44, the Beehive Cluster (aka Praesepe) on the evening of June 13, but it will be quite hard to see the very much fainter cluster stars with the combination of twilight, low altitude, and the brilliance of Venus.

 

4. NLCs.

There have been a few sightings of faint displays of these ethereal silvery 'night-shining' clouds recently. They can be seen occasionally into mid – to late - July, around local midnight. Look low in the North when the sky has got dark: quite often they will be seen in the region of Capella. They are caused by the Sun shining on very high altitude particles resulting from meteoric dust in the upper atmosphere. They are visible when the Sun is too far below the horizon to shine on ordinary 'tropospheric clouds'. Any smartphone should capture nice images of them, but obviously proper photographic equipment is even better.

 

5. Earliest Sunrise, Belfast

The earliest sunrise of the year at the latitude of Belfast occurs on 18 June. At Belfast, that occurs at 04h 46m 21s, BST.

 

6. Summer SOLSTICE: The Sun will reach its most northerly point on the ecliptic on June 21 at 15.58 UT, making that the longest day of the year.

 

7. Alan Fitzsimmons captures amazing Sun atmospheric pics!

Ethereal 'halo' and light arcs around the sun captured in photos of ultra-rare phenomena (msn.com) Nice work, Alan! And you're not even a solar astronomer!

 

8. EYEPIECES: This may be useful. Best eyepieces for telescopes 2023 | Space

 

9. IAU DARK & QUIET SKIES – Latest,

Dark and Quiet Skies: Wrap-up. As Dark and Quiet Skies month comes to a close, the three OAO-AWB Smartphone Astrophotography Workshops we held during the first two weeks of May are freely available to the public at the following links:

Eden Orion (English); Sten Odenwald (English)

Each workshop covers the same content, but is presented in different ways. We encourage you to investigate them all to find the one that works best for you. A resource guide will be publicly released in early June.
  We are still looking for people to participate in our Global Light Pollution Initiatives Survey. Please let us know how your country is combating light pollution, in addition to the movements led by non-profit organisations or community activists. 
  We would also like to invite everyone to sign up and make a commitment to combat light pollution in your community. With your participation, we will send you an email template to start a conversation about dark sky preservation with your local lawmaker or community leader, in addition to a certificate designating you a Dark and Quiet Skies Protector.

AND: Participate in IAU Symposium 386: Dark Sky and Astronomical Heritage in Boosting Astro-Tourism Around the Globe
Participants in the IAU386 symposium will present research findings and share experiences that enhance the preservation and utilisation of the dark sky. Join in discussions on mechanisms to boost astro-tourism around the world and strategies for utilising and investing in untapped dark-sky resources around the world.
For more information about this Symposium, review their website.

 

10.  Centennial of the Planetarium IPS Celebrations
In 1923, the first planetarium projector was constructed in Jena, Germany. Two years later, in 1925, the first planetarium opened its doors to the public. Between 2023 and 2025, the International Planetarium Society (IPS) will be leading a series of celebrations in planetariums around the world. For example, everyone is welcome to participate in a poster art competition in celebration of the centennial.
Find out more about the IPS poster contest here.
Click here for more information on the centennial celebrations taking place worldwide and how you can get involved.

 

11. ISS. The International Space Station will start a new series of morning passes on 29 June. Details on www.heavens-above.com

 

12. Asteroid Day, 30 June.

https://mail.aol.com/webmail-std/en-gb/DisplayMessage?ws_popup=true&ws_suite=true

 

13. First Announcement: European Society for Astronomy in Culture Conference, 6-9 September
The 30th conference of the European Society for Astronomy in Culture (SEAC) will take place from 6-9 September 2023, in Warsaw, Poland. The theme of this SEAC conference is: Between ancient and modern astronomy. Throughout this conference, the organisers hope to commemorate two significant anniversaries related to Nicolas Copernicus: the 550th anniversary of his birth and the 480th anniversary of his death. For more information about how to contribute to this conference, see this page.

 

14. NEW EASY TEASER

What well-known large solar system object is almost exactly twice the diameter of another well-known large solar system object? (the difference between A and 2xB is only 2.03%). (Large = at least 1,000km diameter). No answers yet, so here's a clue: One of them is a planet.

 

15. DIFFICULT TEASER – ANSWERED!:

Apart from being the world's largest telescope on an equatorial mounting, what OTHER world record does the 5m Hale telescope on Mt Palomar still hold?

Just one guess so far, which was that it's the largest monolithic mirror in the world, but the Russian 6-metre BTA-6 is larger.

Another clue – this is shaping up to be one of the best ones yet.

  An answer – but not the one I'm looking for! Colin Clements offered 4 possible answers, and one may well be correct: "The mirror spent 11.5 years in the workshop". I don't know if that's a record or not, and I haven't time to check re every telescope mirror that was ever made, but it very possibly is a record, so I'll give that to Colin: Well done!

   However, it's not the answer I'm looking for, so the teaser is still open.

FINAL CLUE: If you get it, you can reward yourself with an ice-cream cone.

At Last! Patricia Carroll has done it again. The answer: the 5m Hale is the largest optical telescope in the world with a parabolic primary mirror. (The 8m central mirror of the GMT will be parabolic, although of the Gregorian design, but it's not operational yet)

   All larger telescopes use the RC, or the 3-mirror anastigmat design, with a hyperbolic primary mirror. That includes the 6m Russian BTA.

  (The clues: 'shaping' is obvious. 'ice cream cone' – all telescope mirrors (except flats) have curves of

 one of the conic sections: what you get by slicing a cone at various angles – a circle (= a spherical mirror), ellipse, parabola (the most common) or hyperbola.)

Well done Patricia – not sure what your tally is so far, but you must be one of the top 'winners'.

 

16. NEW DIFFICULT TEASER

What does the figure 428.34117 seconds represent?

 Please send all Teaser answers to me at my aol address terrymosel@aol.com

 

17. INTERESTING WEBLINKS (Disclaimer – leading its nameUse 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:

Galaxies go on a deep dive and leave fiery tail behind (spacedaily.com) 
Brightest gamma-ray burst ever seen, the largest known explosion since Big Bang, has a unique jet structure unlike any other (msn.com) and
The brightest explosion ever seen in the universe has finally been explained (msn.com) 
Dark matter atoms may form shadowy galaxies with rapid star formation (msn.com) 
Strange star holds 'holy grail' clues about unique supernova explosions in the early universe (msn.com) 
Gravitational waves may come from 'cocoons' of debris around dying stars (video) (msn.com) 
James Webb Space Telescope finds the faintest galaxy ever detected at the dawn of the universe (msn.com)
James Webb Space Telescope peers behind bars to reveal a cosmic 'treasure trove' (video) (msn.com)
James Webb Space Telescope spies earliest complex organic molecules in the universe (msn.com)
This is the loneliest galaxy in the known Universe - Big Think 
What are mysterious 'structures' found in the Milky Way? Astronomers 'stunned' by pattern found in space (msn.com) 
https://www.universetoday.com/161751/betelgeuse-is-almost-50-brighter-than-normal-whats-going-on/ and

Odd supergiant star Betelgeuse is brightening up. Is it about to go supernova? (msn.com)

James Webb Space Telescope finds water in super-hot exoplanet's atmosphere (msn.com)

Most powerful space telescope ever built identifies ancient star-studded galaxy (msn.com)

UK astrophysicist identifies star that exploded 21 million light-years away (msn.com)

New supernova thrills astronomers and skywatchers around the world | Space

'It's new territory': why is Betelgeuse is glowing so brightly and behaving so strangely? (msn.com)

Hubble Space Telescope reveals rare black hole lurking in our backyard | Space

Galaxy clusters yield new evidence for standard model of cosmology (spacedaily.com) 
Astronomers may have spotted never-before-seen mysterious star made of dark matter (msn.com)
This Star Might be Orbiting a Strange "Boson Star" - Universe Today
100 black hole jets aimed at Earth unleash controversial physics theory | Space 
Two Supermassive Black Holes will collide within 3 years!
https://www.facebook.com/114828684936371/posts/126726587079914/?sfnsn=scwspmo

What happened to the missing stars at the heart of the Milky Way? | Space

Cosmic monsters found lurking in ancient star clusters by JWST | Space

The Milky Way galaxy may be a different shape than we thought | Space

Radiation belt seen beyond our solar system for the 1st time | Space

James Webb Space Telescope discovers oldest black hole in the universe — a cosmic monster 10 million times heavier than the sun | Live Science

A messy black hole may have just triggered the largest explosion in the universe (msn.com)

Astronomers find 'objects that no one has ever seen before' in incredible new space observations (msn.com)

Scientists discover mystery behind 'runaway supermassive black hole' (msn.com)

Mysterious dark energy is spread evenly across the cosmos | Space

Young star shoots out jet like a garden sprinkler in Orion Nebula (photo) (msn.com)

Bizarre object 10 million times brighter than the sun defies physics, NASA says (msn.com)

NASA's WEBB Telescope Reveals Evidence of Massive Collision Around Nearby Star | Watch (msn.com)

Enormous M87 galaxy looks like giant potato in 1st-ever 3D map (image) (msn.com)

Dust cloud discovered around one of sky's brightest stars (msn.com)

JWST's Newfound Galaxies Are the Oldest Ever Seen - Scientific American

Birth of a planet spotted by astronomers for only the third time ever (msn.com)

Scientists find tiny but very bright galaxy using James Webb Space Telescope (msn.com)

Stunning mosaic of baby star clusters created from 1 million telescope shots (msn.com)

Intensity of stars is related to the planet-creating dust they produce (newatlas.com)

Bizarre object 10 million times brighter than the sun defies physics, NASA says | Live Science

https://www.livescience.com/space/black-holes/nasa-discovers-ultra-rare-double-quasar-about-to-collide-into-an-unbelievably-massive-black-hole 

Twinkling stars fuel interstellar dust (spacedaily.com)

Webb telescope spots mysterious "Green Monster" in supernova image (newatlas.com)

https://www.livescience.com/physics-mathematics/particle-physics/scientists-create-slits-in-time-in-mind-bending-physics-experiment   

 

CITIZEN SCIENCE

Astronomers Want Your Help to Identify Risky Asteroids (universetoday.com)

 

COSMOLOGY

Asymmetry in laws of physics could shed light on our existence (spacedaily.com) And how does this simulation relate to the real universe?

Mysterious dark energy is spread evenly across the cosmos | Space

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/technology/if-dark-matter-is-invisible-how-do-we-know-it-exists/ar-AA1aKGpw?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid

'Hubble trouble' could deepen with new measurement of universe's expansion | Space

 

EARTH & MOON

The biggest asteroid to hit Earth in recorded history vanished without a trace: How? | Live Science

Meteorites and volcanoes may have helped jump-start life on Earth | Space

Nasa finds 'wreckage' of lander that could have been first private spacecraft on the moon (msn.com)

Meteor burns through skies creating a sonic boom (msn.com)

As Bezos wins NASA contract to race Musk to put man on the Moon, the dark side of their 20-year feud (msn.com)

Astronomers Prepare for the Next Thousand Years of Hazardous Asteroid Impacts - Universe Today and

Study tracking asteroids for next 1,000 years finds rock with 'greatest chance of collision' with Earth (msn.com)

Solar 'superflares' millions of times stronger than anything today may have sparked life on Earth | Live Science 

Rock that crashed through New Jersey home may be 5 billion-year-old chunk of Halley's Comet (msn.com)

The mystery of how Mars meteorites reach Earth may finally be solved (msn.com)

We Can Now See Into the Permanently Shadowed Craters on the Moon - Universe Today

The Mystery of the Glass Substance in the Chang'e-5 Lunar Soil (spacedaily.com)

For the 1st time, scientists confirm the moon has a solid iron 'heart' just like Earth | Live Science

Artemis 2 will beam high-speed video from the moon using lasers | Space

China holds first conference to discuss Moon base building plans (msn.com)

New Nasa director swears oath on Carl Sagan's 'Pale Blue Dot' instead of Bible (msn.com)

Students set to land first US rover on the moon — before NASA | Live Science (Good for them, and good luck. But 'wheels the size of bottle caps'? – Those are some bottles!

 

EXOLIFE

New findings suggest hundreds of millions of planets may harbor life (newatlas.com)

Intelligent alien life could intercept human transmission into space sooner than we thought, scientists say (msn.com)

 

EXOPLANETS

There may be hundreds of millions of habitable planets in the Milky Way, new study suggests (msn.com)

NASA's Kepler telescope discovered 2 mini-Neptune exoplanets just before dying (msn.com)

New Earth-sized planet discovered, and it may be able to support life (newatlas.com)

JWST images protoplanetary discs https://www.facebook.com/1315303067/posts/10230209125794834/

Sent from AOL on Android

Volcanoes may carpet surface of newfound Earth-size exoplanet | Space

James Webb Space Telescope snaps amazing photo of alien asteroid belt (msn.com)

New Planet-Hunting Technique Finds Worlds We Can See Directly - Scientific American

Birth of a planet spotted by astronomers for only the third time ever (msn.com)

 

IMAGES, Film, Video

Astronauts Capture OUT OF THIS WORLD Object - Space Junk or UFO?" | The Proof Is Out There | #Shorts - YouTube
Super shot of the prominences at last month's TSE. https://m.facebook.com/groups/SolarEclipseChasers/permalink/6321164861239067/?sfnsn=scwspmo&ref=share
See the spectacular winning pictures from the Milky Way Photographer Of The Year award (msn.com)
1st-ever black hole image gets a sharp new AI makeover | Space
The ULTIMATE Mars map! 5.7-terapixel global map of Mars zooms right down to crater-scale (newatlas.com)
Slip and Pivot: Sol 3797 (marsdaily.com) 
International Space Station at 20: A Photo Tour | Space
Explore Mars for yourself with NASA's new 3D interactive map (msn.com) 
 
IRISH ASTRONOMY:
Astronomers on the island of Ireland find common ground under the stars (msn.com)
 
LIGHT POLLUTION
Stars could be invisible within 20 years as light pollution brightens night skies (msn.com) 
 
SETI
Repeated signals from the center of the Milky Way could be aliens saying hello, new study claims (msn.com) 
University professor claims that 'aliens 100 per cent live among us' (msn.com) Even university professors can have weird theories. Some deny climate change; some were Covid deniers and/or anti-vaxxers, There may even be a Flat-Earther among their ranks. As always: show us the evidence!
Repeated signals from the center of the Milky Way could be aliens saying hello, new study claims (msn.com) 
 
SOLAR SYSTEM 
Rotorcraft stuns Nasa to continue flying over Mars long after it should have failed (msn.com)
Academics prepare for mission to Mars in bid to prove water theory (msn.com) 
Mars helicopter Ingenuity went silent for 'agonizing' 6 days in April (msn.com) 
UAE announces mission to asteroid belt to seek clues to life's origins (msn.com)
The mysterious origins of Martian meteorites (spacedaily.com)
Ancient northern ocean on Mars evidenced by in situ observations of marine sedimentary rocks (spacedaily.com)
James Webb telescope discovers gargantuan geyser on Saturn's moon, blasting water hundreds of miles into space | Live Science
Research 'solves' mystery of Jupiter's stunning colour changes (spacedaily.com)
New map catalogues more than 85,000 volcanoes on Venus (msn.com)
See Jupiter's volcanic moon Io glow red-hot in incredible images | Space 
Four of Uranus' Moons Might Have Liquid Oceans, Too - Universe Today
Perseverance Finds an Ancient, Fast Flowing River - Universe Today 
Life Probably Didn't Have a Hand in Creating Organic Deposits on the Surface of Mars - Universe Today
Astronomers Want Your Help to Identify Risky Asteroids (universetoday.com)
What Cassini's "Grand Finale" Taught Us About Saturn's Interior - Universe Today 
Webb confirms water in weird comet, but something else is missing (newatlas.com)
Don't mess with Mars. It has a crust made of 'heavy armor,' scientists say | Space
James Webb Space Telescope discovers water around a mysterious comet | Space
Ancient meteorites provide 'ground-breaking insight' on formation of Jupiter (msn.com)
UK researchers shine fresh light on the evolution of Mars' atmosphere (msn.com)
Europe's JUICE Jupiter probe fixes antenna glitch in deep space | Space
This snake robot could hunt life on moons like Saturn's Enceladus | Space
Saturn reclaims 'moon king' title from Jupiter with 62 newfound satellites | Space
NASA's autonomous robot snake in search of life on an icy Saturn moon (newatlas.com)
Rock that crashed through New Jersey home may be 5 billion-year-old chunk of Halley's Comet (msn.com)
The mystery of how Mars meteorites reach Earth may finally be solved (msn.com) 
Scientists discover secret 'symmetries' that protect Earth from the chaos of space (msn.com)
Strange winds blow on Saturn's moon Titan. New clues could solve this decades-old mystery (msn.com) 
ESA Can't Deploy JUICE's Radar Antenna. It Needs It to Scan Under the Ice at Callisto, Europa, and Ganymede - Universe Today

Saturn now has 100+ Moons! Subject: {MPML} Over 100 moons of Saturn on the wall

  The MPC is currently in the process of announcing new moons of Saturn since May 3. With the publication of S/2004 S 43 in MPEC 2023-J45, Saturn has officially claimed the record for having over 100 confirmed moons in total!
   All of these new moons (diameters 2-5 km; apparent mag 25-27) were discovered and followed up by Edward Ashton and his collaborators during their 2019-2021 survey with the CFHT, so massive congratulations to them for getting their discoveries confirmed! They describe details of their survey in their 2021 paper "Evidence for a Recent Collision in Saturn's Irregular Moon Population" published in Planetary Science Journal. They list about 80 new Saturnian moon candidates in this paper--as of writing this, a little over 20 of these new Saturnian moons have been announced. So I expect a lot more coming up over the next few days.

Europe's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer is unlikely to find life | Space

https://www.livescience.com/two-new-minerals-found-inside-meteorite 

Explore Mars for yourself with NASA's new 3D interactive map (msn.com)

 

SPACE

Starship Mission to Mars | Watch (msn.com) Easy peasy, eh? 😉
Astronauts Capture OUT OF THIS WORLD Object - Space Junk or UFO?" | The Proof Is Out There | #Shorts - YouTube

Boeing delays debut crewed Starliner spaceflight over new issues (msn.com)

China launches new crew for space station, with eye to putting astronauts on moon before 2030 (msn.com)

Chinese mission with first civilian reaches space station (spacedaily.com)

China plans to land astronauts on moon before 2030 as new space race accelerates (msn.com)

High-speed orbital data link drags space communications out of the '60s (newatlas.com)

Hibernation artificially triggered in potential space travel breakthrough (msn.com)

Meet Virgin Galactic's test pilots in this new video | Space

Rocket Lab scoops up Virgin Orbit Long Beach California assets (spacedaily.com)

Wouldn't it be nice …. Building a Satellite out of Wood? Use Magnolia - Universe Today

NASA Shuts Down the Lunar Flashlight Mission After it Fails to Go into Orbit - Universe Today

SpaceX hires former NASA human spaceflight chief Kathy Lueders: report | Space

NASA's new Artemis moon lander will be built by Blue Origin | Space

Russia ends NASA collaboration, set to leave the ISS by 2024 (msn.com)

Japanese space agency to launch from Shetland in major boost to Britain (msn.com)

Britain leaves European rivals trailing in the space race (despite Virgin Orbit crashing back to earth) (msn.com)

Space junk cleanup mission to launch in 2026 aboard Arianespace rocket | Space

Vast Space to launch 1st commercial station on SpaceX rocket in 2025 | Space

UAE's ambitious asteroid mission will tour 7 space rocks | Space

Russian cosmonauts unfurl vital radiator during 5-hour spacewalk | Space

European search for water on Jupiter's moons jeopardised by key equipment fault (msn.com)

Vast Space to launch 1st private station on SpaceX rocket in 2025 (msn.com)

A start-up teams with SpaceX to be first to orbit a commercial space station (msn.com)

Virgin Galactic Ready For Final Test Flight Before Suborbital Tourism Debut | Watch (msn.com) and

Virgin Galactic is just weeks away from next astronaut test flight, eyes space tourist flights soon (msn.com)

NASA: Up to 4 of Uranus' moons could have water (spacedaily.com)

Artemis 2 will beam high-speed video from the moon using lasers | Space

Russia reverses threat to walk away from International Space Station by 2024 (msn.com)

Space debris problem spurs a bold change in US government regulations | Space

International Space Station at 20: A Photo Tour | Space

China holds first conference to discuss Moon base building plans (msn.com)

 

SUN:

NASA's Solar Probe Uncovers Origin of Violent Solar Winds | Watch (msn.com)

The Inouye telescope shows amazing new photos of the Sun never seen before (msn.com) and

See amazing new sun photos from the world's largest solar telescope | Space 
https://m.facebook.com/groups/SolarEclipseChasers/permalink/6321164861239067/?sfnsn=scwspmo&ref=share

Solar 'superflares' millions of times stronger than anything today may have sparked life on Earth | Live Science

Current solar cycle could peak early, and be twice as strong as last one SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids

 

TELESCOPES, EQUIPMENT, TECHNIQUES Etc.

The Euclid spacecraft will transform how we view the 'dark universe' | Space  "Euclid alone has looked on Beauty bare"

NASA is Getting Serious About Building and Assembling Future Missions... in Space - Universe Today

Astronomers Want to Build the Next Generation Arecibo Telescope - Universe Today

Private servicing mission may visit NASA's Chandra space telescope | Space

Bold proposal aims to revive NASA's deep-space Spitzer telescope | Space

New Hubble Space Telescope rescue proposal also targets space junk | Space

Best eyepieces for telescopes 2023 | Space

How the Nancy Grace Roman telescope will 'rewind' the universe | Space

'Membrane mirrors' could pave way for more powerful space telescopes | Space

 

UFOs / UAPs

NASA reveal preliminary findings in UFO investigations | Watch (msn.com)

 

18. 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