Astronomy Talk

ori_dragon3 · Post by **ori_dragon3** » November 28th, 2008, 11:09 am

Well, since Astronomy is my best subject, I decided to start a Post on it.

First thing, something that everyone has, Eyes. on the 1st of December, inbetween 3:00 and 4:00 PM, Venus Will be Occulted by the Moon. To see it, all you need are your eyes.

where it will happen:

in the South- West sky, From England Southward, there should be two Bright points of light in the Evening. These are Jupiter & Venus, the 3rd & 4th Brightest objects in the sky. Venus is the Brighter one. About 1&1/2 Hours Later, Venus Will reappear, inbetween 5:00 PM& 6:00 PM. Hope you See them!

Glossary

Occultion: When A Celestial body passes infront of another from Earth. A Solar Eclipse is one, with the Moon Passing infront of the Sun.

ori_dragon3 · Post by **ori_dragon3** » December 15th, 2008, 5:31 pm

Well, I Got a new Avatar. It's by Cassini When Saturn Eclipsed the sun. I think It's Breathtaking. to see A better Image Follow This Link.

Speaking of Saturn, Right now it is in Leo, The Lion. It Appears to be a Star, and is near to Sigma Leonis, Shown Here As the Star in the Lower Hind Leg.

Also, Mercury Will Appear Near to Jupiter as It Hurtles Along It's Orbit. it Will Appear At the End Of the Month, While Venus Leaves Upward and Jupiter Sinks.

P.S: I'm Getting a Telescope For Christmas! =D

(PP.S The Saturn Picture Shows The Rings BEAUTIFULLY)

Post by **origami_8** » December 15th, 2008, 7:09 pm

That reminds me that we (my friend and I) actually have seen the occultion of the Venus by the moon together with Jupiter that was so near by. It was breathtaking beautiful and the sky was crystal clear so we could see it excellently. Thank you for the hint.

ori_dragon3 · Post by **ori_dragon3** » December 16th, 2008, 5:06 pm

Thank you! Unfortunately, I missed It Because of Cloudy Skies.. Just Like the Solar Eclipse in August

... That Was SO annoying... well, I hope you can Learn A bit about Astronomy from this!

ooh, Just checked that New Horizons, the Spacecraft Heading To Pluto, is At Saturn's Orbit!

Post on here what you Want me To talk About on here Next!

Mars · Post by **Mars** » December 18th, 2008, 6:13 pm

Oh yeah, I forgot about New Horizons. I like Astronomy too, and when it is supposed to land? 2010? 2015? Thanks!

ori_dragon3 · Post by **ori_dragon3** » December 18th, 2008, 6:33 pm

New Horizons Will Orbit (I think) Around Pluto, When it gets There in 2015.

I think I will talk About Exo Planets Next...

Edit

Rarely Known Fact: Pluto Actually Has 3 Moons, Called Charon, Nix and Hydra.

oh, New Horizons is a Fly-By.

ori_dragon3 · Post by **ori_dragon3** » December 19th, 2008, 7:21 pm

Exoplanets

Exoplanets are Planets that are Outside the Solar System. The first found was found in the 1990's and Is Orbiting the Star 51 Pegasi, And named 51 Pegasi b. It is, Suprisingly, Larger than Jupiter, But very Close in to the Star. For a While, Planets like 51 Pegasi's were Pooping up Everywhere, until people started Looking for Smaller planets. Then we started finding smaller worlds, until we Found Planets about the Size of Neptune. Then, in 2007, there Was A Breakthrough. Scientists had Found a Rocky Planet in a Star's Habitable zone! The Star system was Called Gliese 581, and Contained three Planets: b, A Scorching Jupiter sized Neptune, c, the Super- Earth and also d, Much Further out and Slightly larger than c.
Then, in the Past few Months ( Moonths) Something astonishing has happened, Exoplanets have been Imaged!

the first to Mention is [url=http://www.rodiehr.de/c_12_vorg_formalh ... oesser.jpg] Formalhaut's[url] Planet, (not Shown) Pictured by Hubble over a span of 3 Years.
The Second to Mention is a Trio of Gas Giants orbiting Star HR 8799 ( no Picture)
The third is Orbiting Beta Pictoris ( no Picture) at a Distance of around Saturn's Orbit. there is aslo another Planet Orbiting,c, Which is Many times Larger and at a Immense amount Further than b.
( info link: http://home.xtra.co.nz/hosts/Wingmakers ... toris.html )

... Links again...

OrigamiGianluca · December 19th, 2008, 11:14 pm

Me too I'm really fascinated by astronomy

Often I find myself looking up in the deep sky.
A couple of year ago, after having bought my DSLR, I found on the web some infos on how to cheaply convert an MTO mirror lens in a telescope.
Here some pics of the the tool and its results.

Moon

Saturn

and my converted lens (MTO 1000mm + 2x teleconverter):

ori_dragon3 · Post by **ori_dragon3** » December 20th, 2008, 10:29 am

Wow, those Pictures are Amazing! especially the Moon Pictures! If you want better zoom Photo's, I suggest that you Buy a small Telescope And also buy a Camera- Holder ( I forgot the proper name) and Fix it on.

OrigamiGianluca · Post by **OrigamiGianluca** » December 20th, 2008, 4:34 pm

The correct name is T-Mount (for reflex camera).

Every Christmass I take a look on telescopes... but every time I have to realize not to have enough time to dedicate to it

If I use my tele-lens-scope just for viewing, I have a lot of fun without so much effort (I've been able to see Jupiter together with three of its moons), but taking good photo is something competely different...
A correct positioning, a goog seeing, the cold of winter nights, and my available time, are all thing that work against the little astronomer that live inside me

ori_dragon3 · Post by **ori_dragon3** » December 21st, 2008, 5:32 pm

Actually, you don't need alot of time for astronomy. I mostly read and Stargaze. The total amount of time i spend ( roughly) on Astronomy per week is about 1/2 an Hour. If anyone cares, I'll make a list of all the Constellations I have Seen.

oh, and the Telescope I am getting costs £30 =O

OrigamiGianluca · Post by **OrigamiGianluca** » December 24th, 2008, 1:44 am

I'll check this purchase another time

I'm interested in Constellation.
From my backyard I can see:
North:
Ursa Marior (very well, in some clear nights, with the technique of the side view I can see alcor the binary of mizar)
Polaris (but not always Ursa minor)
Casiopea very well
Andromeda (with some difficulties because it is quite wide and not so shiny)
Swan, very well

South:
Orion, very well with Betelgeuse, its famous belt, and M42 and M43
Canis maior very well.

Zodiac:
I'm able to recognize:
Leo (Lion)
Gemini (Twins)
Taurus (Bull)
Pisces (Fishes)
For the other ones I need skymaps.

ori_dragon3 · Post by **ori_dragon3** » December 27th, 2008, 4:18 pm

I've Recognized:

Ursa Major ( Well, just the plough)
Orion
Sirius( Canis Major)
The Pleiads ( Beautiful)( Viewed through New Telescope!)
Aldebaran/ Hyades
Cygnus
Lyra
Aquila
Cassiopeia
Leo ( in morning)
(Jupiter
Saturn
Venus: Planets)
...
Capricornus ( Kinda)
and for some reason, I haven't seen Gemini

Mercury rising...

OrigamiGianluca · Post by **OrigamiGianluca** » December 28th, 2008, 1:46 am

Pleiads are really beautifull!!!
I have taken some photos of that open cluster, but none of them satisfied me.
Maybe itìs time to try again, since they are looking in my windows in these nights.

With your telescope are you able to see also M31 (the galaxy of Andromeda)?

OrigamiGianluca · Post by **OrigamiGianluca** » December 28th, 2008, 2:03 am

If there is someone interested in discovering constellations, but has no idea of waht looking for, here there are the two planetarium softwares I use.
They are quite simple, but very full of information, and expandable with different databases (stars, space telescope pictures, etc)

Cartes du Ciel
http://www.ap-i.net/skychart/en/screenshot/start

Hallo northern sky
http://www.hnsky.org/software.htm

enjoy