ACAC News

Daily Astronomy Blurb: Enceladus in Infrared

One of our Solar System's most tantalizing worlds, icy Saturnian moon Enceladus appears in these detailed hemisphere views from the Cassini spacecraft. In false color, the five panels present 13 years of infrared image data from Cassini's Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer and Imaging Science Subsystem. Fresh ice is colored red, and the most dramatic features look like long gashes in the 500 kilometer diameter moon's south polar region. They correspond to the location of tiger stripes, surface fractures that likely connect to an ocean beneath the Enceladus ice shell. The fractures are the source of the moon's icy plumes that continuously spew into space. The plumes were discovered by by Cassini in 2005. Now, reddish hues in the northern half of the leading hemisphere view also indicate a recent resurfacing of other regions of the geologically active moon, a world that may hold conditions suitable for life. Experts Debate: How will humanity first discover extraterrestrial life?
© apod.nasa.gov

3 days ago

Bubo Observatory

A unexpected clear night allowed some viewing and imaging.
Planets were on parade; Jupiter, Pluto, Saturn, Uranus, Mars, and Neptune. Unfortunately clouds rolled in before Venus came up, and Mercury wasn't in a viewable position.
The Eagle and Crescent nebulae were imaged, Triangulum and Andromeda galaxies given a good look for future considerations.
Then, of course, clouds rolled in. (Images below.)

4 days ago

Bubo Observatory

Even with the smoke and a looming hurricane, the Eagle nebula, and constituent Pillars of Creation, are still making an appearance.

6 days ago

Mount Wilson Observatory

Firefighters from LA County and other agencies view the 100" Hooker telescope at Mt. Wilson Observatory. They were impressed with our fire-fighting infrastructure, but we hope this also gave them a sense of what they are protecting. Again, thank you to these brave men and women who put themselves in peril on our behalf.

1 week ago

Mount Wilson Observatory

As if this fire wasn't already enough to handle....

1 week ago

The Sunday Night Astronomy Show

If this isn't allowed please let me know and I'll remove it...

The Sunday Night Astronomy Show is live now on Facebook and Youtube... please Like/Share/Follow or Thumbs Up/Subscribe!

On tonight's episode: Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) - New Brunswick Centre members Mike Powell will show you how to listen to the Sun with his IBRT.. the itty bitty radio telescope. Paul Owen will be continuing his mini workshop on how to shoot the night sky, all designed for beginners.
Chris Curwin will have the contest draws for the latest "Shoot the Moon and the Planets Too" contest, What's Up in Space News, your wonderful photo submissions, and a look ahead at next week's night sky.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKd1_n3412U

https://www.facebook.com/astrobythebay/videos/345254439952602/

Listening to the Sun and More to Learn about Taking Photos

2 weeks ago

Sky & Telescope

Jupiter and Saturn, shining in the south, now turn horizontal before the end of twilight. Every evening they get this way a few minutes earlier. The pair tilts to the right as evening advances. On Saturday, the Moon and Mars rise close together in the east about a half hour after the end of twilight. For skywatchers in North America they'll be only about 1° apart or less.
https://buff.ly/3hY2jjS

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Daily Astronomy Blurb: Enceladus in Infrared