Archive for the ‘Daytime Astronomy’ Category

AFM’s Virtual #SDOisGO Tweetup!

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

WHAT: AFM’s Virtual #SDOisGO Tweetup

WHEN: February 10, 2010 (subject to change, in accordance with SDO launch)

WHERE: Astronomy.FM

WHO: Everyone who wants to attend!

Did you know that NASA is launching a new solar observatory next month, and that you can participate from anywhere in the world?  Or maybe you already are an SDO fan, but aren’t able to make it to the launch, either of  NASA’s two #SDOisGO tweetups, or any of the simultaneous launch events.

In the spirit of NASA’s #SDOisGO tweetup and encouraging greater learning everywhere, Astronomy.FM is hosting the first-ever, simultaneous, virtual launch tweetup to celebrate the launch of NASA’s latest solar observatory!  Events and features will include live on-the-scene radio updates and interviews, solar-themed music and programs, embedded video players to watch the launch as it happens, Do You Know SDO? quiz opportunities for NASA prizes, virtual learning booths, and more!

This will be a 24-hour event, from midnight EST February 10 (0500 UTC) through midnight EST February 11 (0500 UTC), to encourage international participation.  While NASA is a USA space agency, the worlds they explore, the science they investigate, and the knowledge they gain, belong to all of us.  The more you know about NASA, the more you’ll learn about the world we live in and the greater horizons beyond.

Be sure to stop by Astronomy.FM on February 10 to learn more about the SDO mission and our Sun, to watch the launch, and for your opportunity to win some NASA swag!

Look Ma, It’s the Moon!

Monday, October 26th, 2009

moonwatchThe much-anticipated Twitter #MoonWatch is finally here!  Are you looking up, and are you sharing what you see?

Spearheaded by Newbury Astronomical Society’s Adrian West (@NewburyAS), the Twitter #Moonwatch encourages people all across the world to take special notice of our one and only natural satellite, the Moon.  The forty-eight hour event, which kicks-off October 26 at 19:00 UTC, will include regular observation reports, on-air updates, webcasts, local images, and resource-sharing.  All of this will be communicated via Twitter, by events organizers, as well as casual observers; so if you haven’t yet tried that popular networking tool, now’s the time to do it!

While the Twitter #MoonWatch is part of the IYA2009’s UK Autumn Moonwatch, it is an international event and everyone is encouraged to join in.  For those wishing to share their own observations, you need only include the text, #moonwatch, in your moon-related tweets.  If you’d like to keep track of all the tweet action, you can follow along, here.  You can also see the images, as they are posted from around the world, here; and you can tune in to live AFM*Radio updates from Newbury Astronomy’s Adrian West and Nic Fleet, here.

This exciting event is especially well-timed.  Not only is this week’s Moon visible during daylight hours, it will be positioned very near Jupiter over the next two nights.  So, when we look up to share our views of the Moon with others, we’ll be treated to a little extra sparkle!

September Sky 2009

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

This is the first edition of a new monthly feature which hopes to provide our readers with a monthly sky-at-a-glance calendar for the northern hemisphere.  You’ll find each month’s events chronologically listed within sub-categories of Early Evening, Late Night, and Early Morning.  Many of the events include a click-on sky graphic with local dates/times noted, and all of the events include icons indicating unaided eye asfos_eye, binoculars asfos_binocs, or telescope asfos_scope.

Through the coming months, we will evolve this feature to meet the needs of our readers, so all comments and suggestions are encouraged!

You can also download a printable and portable version in PDF format here.

asfos_orn1

earlyevening

Early Evening Highlights:
01 thru 08 – Mercury on your West horizon at sunset.  Saturn will be there as well, but will likely be lost in the Sun’s glare.  Use caution when trying to view either of these planets this week and never look directly at the Sun without a proper solar filter. asfos_eye Sky View

01 and 02 – Waxing gibbous Moon with Jupiter on your South horizon after sunset. asfos_eye

05 – Waning Full Moon less than 1 degree from the planet Uranus on your E horizon after sunset. asfos_binocs asfos_scope SkyView

07 – Waning Full Moon occults Eta Piscium (constellation Pisces’ brightest star) on your ENE horizon after sunset. asfos_eye asfos_binocs asfos_scope SkyView

20 and 21 – Waxing crescent Moon (6% and 12% illuminated) on your West horizon at sunset. asfos_eye

24 -  0600 UT – Star Antares 0.8 degree south of Moon; occultation: Eastern portion of China, Taiwan, Japan, southeastern portion of Russia, western portion of the Pacific Ocean. asfos_eye asfos_binocs asfos_scope

29 – Waxing gibbous Moon with Jupiter on your South horizon after sunset. asfos_eye

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