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Build a safe solar pinhole viewer

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

OK, you want to view the Sun, but you don’t have an approved solar filter for your telescope. Maybe you don’t even have a telescope. No problem. I’ll bet you have a cardboard box. That and a few common supplies will let you build a pinhole viewer that you can observe the Sun with. And while I admit that the image you’ll see won’t rival that through a properly filtered telescope, it will be the Sun, and you can watch it as long as you want without any safety concerns...

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Make plans for the 2017 eclipse with this great map

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

You want to make plans to see the total solar eclipse that will cross the United States on August 21, 2017, but you don’t know where the best locations will be. Or even how to find out. No problem! French eclipse-chaser and mapmaker Xavier M. Jubier has done the work for you using Google Maps, and he’s allowed us to reproduce his work. Just click here. When you access the map, you’ll be able to zoom in and out (use the bar at the left edge) or move back and forth (click, hold...

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Antarctic microbes have astrobiologists looking to Europa

Posted 9 years ago by Eric Betz

There’s life half a mile beneath the icy surface of Antarctica. And that has astrobiologists talking about the possibilities for life on other planets. In a study published last week in the journal Nature, researchers say they’ve found what might be the first hints of a massive microbial ecosystem buried beneath as much as 5 million square miles (13 million square kilometers) of ice sheet.Scientists analyzed samples collected from the subglacial Lake Whillans and found a diverse comm...

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Prepping for 2017 with an eclipse workshop

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

On Thursday, August 21, I attended the first day of the second American Astronomical Society U.S. Solar Eclipse workshop. The first workshop took place at the American Center for Physics in College Park, Maryland, April 14 and 15, 2012. This one took place at the University of Missouri in Columbia. About 50 attendees listened to a number of presentations, including one that I gave, all related to the total solar eclipse that will sweep from Oregon to South Carolina on August 21, 2017. Some prog...

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8 reasons to view aurorae in Norway with Astronomy magazine

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

In association with TravelQuest International, Astronomy magazine is taking a group of up to 40 people to view the magnificent northern lights October 5–15, 2015. Here are eight reasons you should come along. 1. Location is everything The continental United States rarely experiences truly great aurorae. Norway often does. From such a location, the motion of the northern lights is more apparent, the duration is greater, and the colors are brighter and more varied. 2. You’re in the ...

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15 movies that feature eclipses

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

Not every blog you're going to read on this site is pure science. Some, like this one, are just for fun. It was a dark and stormy night. My wife, Holley, and I were watching a movie. All of a sudden, a total solar eclipse appeared. I asked her, “Can you think of any other movies that have eclipses in them?” She came up with a few, and I came up with a few, and in the couple of weeks that followed I fleshed out the following list of 15 flicks by chatting with a few movie-loving frien...

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A solar eclipse glossary

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

Here at Astronomy magazine, we definitely want you to be prepared for the total solar eclipse that will sweep across the United States on August 21, 2017. So that we’re all speaking the same language, we’ve prepared a brief glossary, which includes a few illustrations from past issues. altitude — the angular height of a point or celestial object above the horizon measured from 0° (on the horizon) to 90° (at the zenith). angular diameter — the apparent si...

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Science Channel highlights a new space race in "Man vs. the Universe"

Posted 9 years ago by Karri Ferron

Space is the new final frontier, and with its latest three-part series, Science Channel drives that point. Premiering tonight at 10 p.m. EDT/PDT, Man vs. the Universe highlights the latest steps to claim neighboring solar system objects for exploration, resources, and survival. “For the first time ever, we’re taking proactive steps to protect ourselves from [space’s] perils and use its vast resources to ensure our survival,” Rita Mullin, general manager at Science Channe...

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Two dozen tips for the August 21, 2017, total solar eclipse

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

You know, I’ve served as a tour guide to 10 total solar eclipses. During my conversations and lectures, I’ve given people lots of advice. So, I thought why not repeat some of it here? I therefore present my top 25 tips related to the United States’ 2017 eclipse. 1. Take eclipse day off — now! You may think three years is a bit of a long lead time, and, unless you work for a magazine called Astronomy, it may be. The point I’m making is that August 21, 2017, may tur...

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25 facts you should know about the August 21, 2017, total solar eclipse

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

When I first wrote this blog, the event was more than three years away. Not anymore! Each day now seems to bring a new announcement of a talk, a workshop, or an event related to the eclipse. With tens of millions of people headed for the zone of totality, it’s going to be the biggest science event in history. In this blog I list 25 of the eclipse's important details for our readership, the general public, and the media. Read them, and learn about the event. But for sure plan to experience ...

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Science is everywhere (even Comic-Con)

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

Name a place you’d never expect to find a reference to science. (Note: I won’t accept “cable news” because that answer is too easy!) How about in stories written by the iconic author H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937)? I’d have given you an A+ for that response. However, at 8 p.m. Saturday night at Comic-Con, I attended a panel called “Science in the Stories of H. P. Lovecraft.” And as fantastic, mythological, and bleak as his tales were, they did contain some ...

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7 misconceptions Comic-Con attendees have about Astronomy magazine

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

Here’s my thing. I’m at the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con with 160,000 crazed people. So, when I get into line, to start a bit of conversation I say, “Hi. I’m trying to meet everyone at this year’s Comic-Con. I have only 159,900 people to go. Where are you from?” After a few chuckles, I’ve had some great conversations with people from Oregon, England, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, California, and more. And when they find out what I do, the comments s...

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NASA's a hit at Comic-Con

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

Who knew that our government space agency was so beloved in the ranks of geekdom? Well, now lots of people do. On Thursday, July 24, NASA presented its first panel ever at San Diego Comic-Con. Dr. Jim Green, the agency’s division director for planetary science, astronaut Mike Fincke, and the “Mohawk Guy,” Bobak Ferdowski (who actually works on projects like the Curiosity and Europa missions) appeared in a panel called “NASA’s Next Giant Leap,” where they disc...

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10 reasons I'm looking forward to Comic-Con

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

Once again, the world’s greatest pop-culture convention is happening. San Diego Comic-Con International 2014 officially starts Thursday, July 24, and runs through Sunday the 27th, with a preview night Wednesday, July 23, for professionals, exhibitors, and press. And for the second time, I’ll be attending as press to blog about what I see. Comic-Con started in 1970 as a three-day gathering called the Golden State Comic-Con. The event drew 300 people. Last year, the attendance swelled...

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Guest blog: Seagrave Memorial Observatory centennial (1914-2014)

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

Recently, David A. Huestis, Historian of Skyscrapers, Inc., sent in a blog about a century-old observatory. It’s a fascinating story we want to share with you. Skyscrapers, Inc., the Amateur Astronomical Society of Rhode Island, is proud to announce the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Seagrave Memorial Observatory on Peeptoad Road in North Scituate during our annual AstroAssembly convention, September 26 and 27. The former observatory of Frank Evans Seagrave (1860–1934), a f...

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Lincoln and the cosmos

Posted 9 years ago by Rich Talcott

Guest blog provided by Kirk R. Benson, a retired Naval Officer who works for the U.S. Navy as the Precise Time and Astrometry Program Manager. Every American owes a debt of gratitude to Abraham Lincoln, the man who rose from the humblest of beginnings to the presidency of a country whose soul was being tested, tortured, and redefined. By the summer of 1863, recurring casualty lists were a ghastly reality, and the fate of untold generations of Americans hung in the balance. Lincoln’s burde...

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Guest blog: The case for planet Pluto

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

This guest blog comes from Laurel Kornfeld, a freelance writer and enthusiastic amateur astronomer from Highland Park, New Jersey. The discovery that our solar system does not end with Pluto does not mandate that we accept the controversial IAU planet definition and artificially keep the number of solar system planets small. It is time to recognize a new paradigm, one in which planets are abundant and include spherical moons of gas giants and dwarf planets. Astronomers and educators should take...

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10 reasons Missouri should make August 21, 2017, a state holiday

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

A while back, I had what I thought was a radical idea. But as I began to write about it, I realized that it makes perfect sense for a number of reasons — well, at least 10. Three years from now, on August 21, 2017, the United States will experience the biggest astronomical event in its history — a total eclipse of the Sun. You think I’m kidding about that “biggest” proclamation? Then tell me something that topped it. Halley’s Comet? Not even close. In fact, i...

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10 awesome pieces of astronomy-inspired music

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

I almost titled this blog “The 10 most awesome …” but I realized — as capable as our Web server is — it probably couldn’t handle the stupendous number of comments, criticisms, and rants that I’d get. That said, I’m looking forward to hearing from you regarding which songs I should have included in this list and why. C’mon. Make your case. #10: Barenaked Ladies, “The History of Everything” from Hits from Yesterday and the Day Bef...

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The 10 lamest deep-sky object names

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

All deep-sky objects (any celestial object outside the solar system) are cool. Either they’re colorful, detailed, or just plain huge — astronomically huge. But, oh, man, some of the names that people have come up with to describe them! Let’s just say it might have been better to keep referring to them by their numbers in whatever sky catalog they’re in, notable or obscure. So, here’s my list of the 10 lamest monikers for awe-inspiring objects. And I’m pretty ...

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Get to know the night sky with Astronomy magazine's new app!

Posted 9 years ago by Karri Ferron

Our universe is filled with countless wonders: planets, double stars, nebulae, galaxies, and much more. And as a hobby, astronomy provides so much to explore. But a dark sky with seemingly countless stars can appear overwhelming to many just getting into astronomy (I know it was for me). Just where does a newbie begin?With that question in mind, our staff has created a new tablet app to guide novice observers: Discover Astronomy. For decades, the insightful editors of Astronomy magazine have bee...

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The amazing Camelopardalids

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

Did you see them? On Friday night/Saturday morning May 23/24, some astronomers were cautiously predicting that we’d experience a new meteor shower. Earth might cross several intersecting streams of particles left by Comet 209P/LINEAR. How many shooting stars would observers see? Conservative astronomers guessed a possible rate between 100 and 400 per hour at the peak, which arrived from 2 to 4 a.m. EDT. But some researchers who noted the “crossing of the streams” said the show...

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Uwingu offers an out-of-this-world Father's Day gift

Posted 9 years ago by Karri Ferron

Posted on behalf of the Uwingu team; Astronomy magazine is a proud partner of this effort to raise funding for space science. As a part of Uwingu’s “Dad’s Rock Mars” Father’s Day project, gift givers visiting Uwingu’s website at www.uwingu.com have the first-ever opportunity to honor Dads for Father’s Day by naming a crater for him on Uwingu’s crowdsourced Mars map. The map will be carried to the surface of Mars on an upcoming space miss...

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25 cool things about the StarLight Festival

Posted 9 years ago by Michael Bakich

During the Memorial Day weekend, I attended the first StarLight Festival hosted by the Astronomy Outreach Network. It took place in the Village of Big Bear Lake, California. I thought it rocked, and here are 25 reasons why (in no particular order). 1) The location. Big Bear Lake sits 6,772 feet (2,064 meters) above sea level. It’s beautiful. 2) The weekend’s weather: temperatures in the 70s and clear throughout. 3) This event was for the general public. That means families and k...

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AAS Wednesday: The multiverse, inflation, and a giant telescope

Posted 9 years ago by Liz Kruesi

Today was the last day of press events at the American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting in Boston. The morning’s press conference actually overlapped with a science session about the multiverse — which I felt compelled to attend. I’m glad I did, because in the last decade, the idea of a multiverse has appeared to go from crazy to plausible … although I haven’t really understood why. During today’s session, two brilliant cosmologists provided a packed room ...

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AAS Tuesday: Galaxies, the Kepler2 (K2) mission, and the Sun

Posted 9 years ago by Liz Kruesi

Tuesday was another busy day at the 224th meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), held in Boston. In addition to a press conference about the Sun’s current weak sunspot cycle, I attended one about galaxy discoveries. This opened with an announcement about a newly observed structure heating gas in the galaxy cluster MACS J0717.5+3745 (MACSJ0717 for short). A typical cluster of galaxies holds hundreds to thousands of galaxies and a huge amount of multi-million-degree gas (so muc...

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AAS Monday: The Sun, and planets around other stars

Posted 9 years ago by Liz Kruesi

The 224th meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) officially began this morning, with a welcome address from the current president, David Helfand. Shortly afterward was the first press conference of the meeting, and it focused on the nearest star to Earth — the Sun. (The Solar Physics Division of the AAS is also meeting this week in Boston, so there are a number of Sun-related presentations and posters.) Our star is a complex beast. AAS Press Secretary Rick Feinberg said i...

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NASA wants you to select photo for Moon mission's anniversary

Posted 9 years ago by Liz Kruesi

June 18 will mark the 5-year anniversary of NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission to survey the Moon. And to celebrate, NASA will release a special image collection called “The Moon as Art.” The space agency wants you to pick the cover image from five candidate pictures. Voting has begun, and it closes June 6. So what are you waiting for? Vote for your favorite image now. NASA will announce the winning cover photo June 18, when it releases the full collection....

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Call to action: Remind Congress that science research funding is important

Posted 9 years ago by Liz Kruesi

It’s no secret that the current state of science funding is in a pretty sad state. NASA’s fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget was the lowest, in terms of the percent of federal budget — 0.47 percent — that it has ever been in the space agency’s 55-year existence. And the presidential administration’s proposed FY 2015 budget drops it even lower, to 0.46 percent of the federal budget. That budget proposal came out in March. The United States House Appropriations Subcom...

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Celebrating an astronomical career with stars and art

Posted 9 years ago by Liz Kruesi

I just got back from spending a couple days in Ames, Iowa — home of the Cyclones — to celebrate the distinguished career of Lee Anne Mordy Willson. She has been an astronomy professor at Iowa State University for 41 years; I overlapped with her for just one of those years. During her astronomy career, Lee Anne served as vice president of the American Astronomical Society, president of the American Association of Variable Star Observers, authored or co-authored some 150 research artic...

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