Astronomy.com blog

NASA creates an astro-buzz

2008-05-09T16:50:00Z

Have NASA astronomers discovered the black hole in the Milky Way’s center where lost socks turn into X rays? Tune in next week to find out. Ute Kraus (Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik)

NASA has found something amazing in our galaxy. Unfortunately, it’s not saying just what it has found — until next week, when it collects enough reporters for a press conference.

Or, if you want it from the horse’s mouth, here is the exciting, taunting first paragraph of a pithy press release from our friends in the national space business:

WASHINGTON — NASA has scheduled a media teleconference Wednesday, May 14, at 1 P.M. EDT, to announce the discovery of an object in our galaxy astronomers have been hunting for more than 50 years. This finding was made by combining data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory with ground-based observations.”

That means I have to wait 5 days before NASA reveals yet another Secret of the Universe. And it better be good. It better be the astronomical equivalent of an X-Box release or a taped conversation between a ranking U.S. Senator and his mistress.

What, oh what, could it be?

My first thought was, “They finally took a picture of the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy.” That made sense, especially since Chandra is involved. We commonly see lots of X rays beaming from black holes as gas and other junk spirals in and approaches the speed of light.

But how to know for sure? I did what any professional busy-body in the media would do: I e-mailed unnamed, shadowy sources in the astronomical community to see if they knew what NASA is up to and — more important — if they would be willing to rat out NASA (off the record, of course). I received this response:

Chandra does suggest something energetic, but we already know there is a supermassive black hole at the Galactic Center. I just polled a couple of my X-ray colleagues about what it could be given the clues at hand, but no one had any great idea about what we might have been searching for over the last 50 years. Hard to disentangle the usual press-release hype.

Well, no easy answers, it seems. All I can do is use my imagination. If NASA were to find something hidden somewhere in the galaxy, what would it have to be to justify a week of media build-up hype?

The exoplanet where all of my lost socks go? Perhaps there is a wormhole connecting the lint trap in my dryer to the planet. That would be pretty cool.

Or maybe Jimmy Hoffa? Oh, in case you were born in the 1970s or later, and have no idea what I’m talking about, click THIS LINK.

Oh, I know: They found the black hole that the Mafia threw Jimmy Hoffa into.

All I can say, NASA, is this better be good.

The Lake County Astronomical Society recognizes Shutan

2008-05-08T16:11:00Z

Marlon Cowart (right) presents Bob Shutan with the the LakeSky Star Award. LCAS

The Lake County Astronomical Society (LCAS) is based in northeastern Illinois, just across the border from Astronomy’s home state of Wisconsin. The group’s outreach efforts have helped reveal the mysteries of the universe to the general public in both states.

Through its LakeSky Star Award, the LCAS recognizes “individuals and/or organizations that make a distinctive contribution to the promotion of astronomy.” Recently, the group honored Bob Shutan and his company, Shutan Camera. The LCAS provided this release describing Bob’s contributions.

Shutan Camera has been the gateway for many astronomers in the area, including many LCAS members. Bob and his staff have patiently educated newcomers on the aspects of astronomy. They present information on the benefits, costs and choices for high quality optics that provide the best views of celestial objects. Shutan Camera also has an unparalleled reputation for service after the sale to help members find the tools they need to find their niche in astronomy. Bob's showroom of astronomy equipment is the only consumer-friendly retail location in the area where people can get hands-on access to telescopes and accessories.

Aside from his retail services, Bob has been a strong, reliable promoter and sponsor of LCAS events. He has donated telescopes as door prizes for LCAS Astronomy Days, he has provided gift certificates for meeting awards and for astrophotography contests, and he has presented programs about astronomy equipment to LCAS meetings.

Congratulations to Bob, and to the LCAS for its work.

There’s a recession?

2008-04-26T16:00:00Z

Astrodon Filters supplies precision imaging filters to astrophotographers worldwide. Here, founder Don Goldman explains a new product to a NEAF attendee. Michael E. Bakich

Today is Saturday, the first day of the 2008 Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF). I’ve been looking forward to seeing the many manufacturers registered for this year’s NEAF. Here, at the largest annual astronomy expo, you can expect some surprises, and this year was no exception.

The organizers hold the meeting at Rockland Community College, in Suffern, New York. Unlike the imaging conference held 2 days prior to this event, NEAF is open to the public. That aspect gives the expo a “going to the mall” feel, only this mall is packed with hundreds of astronomy-only shops.

Tele Vue Optics has always been a big part of NEAF because the Rockland Astronomy Club, NEAF’s host, is the home astronomy club of Tele Vue’s founder, Al Nagler. At the 2008 meeting, Tele Vue revealed a brand-new eyepiece — the 8mm Ethos. About a year ago, Tele Vue introduced the 13mm Ethos, the first eyepiece to offer a 100° apparent field of view. You can read more about the 13mm Ethos in the May issue of Astronomy.

But Tele Vue wasn’t the only company unveiling new products. Solar observing was hot this year, and two companies — Lunt Solar Systems and DayStar — introduced new telescopes. And for educators or amateur astronomers who want to take sunlight (or starlight) and break it into its components, Shelyak Instruments had two products at NEAF that attendees were raving about.

Many CCD imagers who attended the earlier conference stayed the 2 extra days to attend NEAF. I talked to many of them about the new cameras introduced by Finger Lakes Instruments, Apogee Instruments, and Santa Barbara Instruments Group. Even this group of high-level astrophotographers seemed excited by the new products, and several told me they might upgrade their current systems.

My last NEAF was in 2005, and, since then, the expo has expanded dramatically. I estimated it was 50 percent larger with easily a third more dealers. Conference organizers beamed when they told me public attendance also was up. So, as I walked around NEAF chatting with vendors, imagers, and the public who stopped by Astronomy’s booth, I wondered to myself, “Where’s the recession?” And that’s a question you won’t hear a lot of other industries asking.

All in all, NEAF was valuable and fun. Sign me up for next year!

Education at NEAIC

2008-04-25T16:00:00Z

Today is Friday, the second day of the 2008 Northeast Astro Imaging Conference (NEAIC) at Rockland Community College, in Suffern, New York. Because the college’s classes are still in session, NEAIC annually asks one of the participants to lecture to one or two classes about an astronomical subject.

This year, conference organizers asked Astronomy Contributing Editor Mike D. Reynolds to give one of the lectures. And what a great choice it was! In the past, invited speakers have lectured about their passion — imaging. In some cases, however, such talks tended to be technical and above the level of non-astronomy college students. Not Mike’s.

He chose “Return to the Moon” as his topic. For more than half an hour, Mike regaled the class with tales of spacecraft old and new, and what they had taught scientists about the Moon. Although Mike spoke at a basic level, he conveyed an incredible amount of information the students found fascinating. Afterward, lots of questions convinced me that Mike had spoken at just the right level about a subject at least one college class now finds “cool.”

Rumor has it that tomorrow’s speaker won’t arrive at the airport until the time scheduled for his talk. NEAIC organizers already approached Mike about doing another talk, and he’s agreed. I may sit in on that one, too. He’ll be giving his meteorite talk. That’s a good one, as I recall. Mike is a long-time meteorite collector and hunter. He’s traveled to some pretty exotic locations to search for meteorites. The stories should be good ones.

Day 2 was fun and valuable. Tomorrow, NEAF proper starts, and I’ll interact with all the vendors. I expect to see lots of great, new equipment. Look for a report here soon.

Carter W. Roberts (1946-2008)

2008-04-25T15:45:00Z

We received sad news last night that Carter Roberts passed away about a long battle with colon cancer.

Roberts was one of the true heavyweights of West Coast astronomy. He served on the board of Oakland’s Chabot Space and Science Center since 1994 and as president of the Eastbay Astronomical Society since 1988. He was also instrumental in coordinating events like the Riverside Telescope Makers Conference and Astronomy Day in Northern California.

In 2007, the Western Astronomical Association named Roberts winner of the G. Bruce Blair Award — the highest honor the WAA bestows on an individual — for his dedication to the hobby. Notably, he was instrumental in Chabot’s relocation and the restoration of the observatory’s original instruments.

Although we are saddened that Roberts is no longer with us, we can find comfort in his dedication to bringing the curious into our hobby. Those people, who in turn share their love of the night sky with future generations, are Roberts’ lasting legacy.

Stephen Hawking and the Big Brain fallacy

2008-04-25T14:48:00Z

Yesterday on the Daily Galaxy blog, I read something about renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking that reminded me of the bewitching power of scientific expertise. Just check this out:

At an event marking the 50th anniversary of NASA on Monday, Stephen Hawking, Newton's heir as the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, answered the question, “Are we alone?” His answer is short and simple: probably not!

Next question: How does Hawking know that and why should I care what he thinks about it?

Last time I checked, Hawking is a physicist who has made important contributions to the understanding of black holes. He is not an expert in astrobiology.

But he does have one important asset: a big brain. Having a big brain must mean he knows, well, everything.

Albert Einstein, upon whose tall shoulders Hawking’s career rests, was put in a similar position by the press early in the 20th century. Being unable to fathom what Einstein’s scientific papers meant, reporters simply asked for his opinion on things — world peace, for example. This isn’t a bad thing, because celebrity’s can use their notoriety to do good in the world.

But in Hawking’s case, I’m a little dubious. Astrobiology is highly developed, with a rich body of literature by organic chemists and REAL experts on DNA who could have provided a much more authoritative opinion on whether we are alone in the universe.

Here is where the lack of expertise, despite the big brain, may be showing a little:

Alien abductions, in Hawking’s view, are nothing more than claims made by “weirdos,” but we should be careful if we ever happen upon an alien. Because alien life may not have DNA like ours, Hawking warns "Watch out if you would meet an alien. You could be infected with a disease with which you have no resistance."

I’m no expert in DNA either, but I do wonder how shaking hands with an alien could give you a bad case of the astro-flu. Pathogens and parasites evolve to be compatible with their hosts. The odds seem astronomically low that an alien would just happen to harbor a pathogen that could survive in the human body.

But I’m not saying that’s the case, because what do I know about diseases and evolution? If I were a theoretical physicist, I would still know as little as I do now about diseases and evolution.

No disrespect to Hawking, but I would be much more interested in his views on astrophysics than astrobiology.

Imaging with an attitude

2008-04-24T20:55:00Z

Today, I’m blogging from Suffern, New York, site of the 2008 Northeast Astro Imaging Conference (NEAIC). More than 100 of the world’s best astrophotographers have gathered here to renew old friendships, share techniques, and see the latest hardware.

NEAIC is an outgrowth of the Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF), which will begin on Saturday. I’m happy to be here because I’ve already run into several long-time image contributors to Astronomy I’d never met in person. It’s nice to put faces to the names on some of the fantastic pictures I receive as the magazine’s photo editor.

This morning, I sat in on a talk about solar imaging techniques given by French astroimager Thierry Legault. Planetary and solar astroimagers have revered him as one of the best planetary photographers for more than a decade. I can attest that he is one of the top solar imagers, too.

Thierry began his talk asking all of us why we were inside on such a beautiful day. He then encouraged us to go out an image the Sun. Well, soon, if not today.

Thierry illustrated his talk with some of the highest-resolution solar photography I’d even seen, and included some video clips. He identified poor seeing as the number one reason for low-quality images, and compared images taken under both good and poor conditions. I marveled at the photos he took under good visibility, but I also thought of the many solar imagers I know who would proudly claim what he called “poor seeing” images as their best work.

As I roamed the vendor area, I saw lots of new products that Astronomy will feature in upcoming issues. All the manufacturer representatives were friendly and helpful. They were happy to chat with an Astronomy editor, and they answered all of my questions.

Day 1 has been a success. More as it happens …

Tracking the giant

2008-04-22T15:47:00Z

One of the real celestial treats through any size telescope is the giant planet Jupiter. Even a 2-inch scope will let you view its main markings and four largest moons. By watching the moons change their positions night after night, you can experience “real-time” astronomy.

That would be a good start. If, however, you want to go deeper into Jupiter observations, I recommend Jupiter and How to Observe It by John W. McAnally (Springer, 2008).

Even before I started reading the chapters, I knew this book would be good because of the astroimagers McAnally lists in his acknowledgements. Most have contributed to Astronomy for many years, and, as photo editor, I’m well aware of the high quality of their work.

This book is the eleventh of Springer’s Astronomers’ Observing Guides. This series gathers and presents a wealth of information about specific astronomical subjects. As with the other ten books, Jupiter and How to Observe It divides into two parts.

Part 1 (chapters 1-6) presents an up-to-date detailed physical and astrophysical description for amateur astronomers who want to know all about what it is they’re observing. Part 2 (chapters 7-9) details observing and imaging techniques for practical astronomers working with a range of different instruments.

The images and illustrations throughout the book will really add to your understanding of the jovian processes you can observe. I was glad to see lengthy, explanatory captions. Combined with the pictures, they tell a story that parallels the text.

As for the text, it’s succinct and informative. If you’re new to Jupiter-watching, be sure to spend some time with Chapter 2, “Jupiter’s Place in the Solar System.” Here, you’ll learn the difference between a belt and a band, a region and a zone, and a nodule and an oval — all complete with sketches.

As a planetary sketcher myself, I appreciated the dozen pages devoted to sketching Jupiter in Chapter 9, “Making a Record.” Sketching is the great equalizer. It allows you to record faint details without the additional expense of cameras, computers, and software. It also makes you a better observer because you have to focus on small details, commit them to memory (albeit briefly), and transfer them to your note pad.

Jupiter and How to Observe It makes a great beginner’s reference and also functions as a refresher course for more seasoned planetary observers.

Child's play

2008-04-17T13:27:00Z

People love to jump on NASA when things aren’t going so hot for the space agency. Do you remember the reaction of some when the Hubble Space Telescope had its early hiccups? This is the same crowd that ignores NASA’s amazing successes, such as the twin rovers on Mars, Stardust catching a comet, Cassini revealing the saturnian system, and years of amazing images from Hubble.

Recently, the media picked up a story about a 13-year-old German student who identified a miscalculation in NASA’s estimates on the asteroid Apophis and its potential collision with Earth. The student’s research was part of his science fair project. (What? No vinegar-and-baking-soda volcano?)

The hate-NASA crowd had its latest “Gotcha!” Brainiacs were bested by a teen.

Well, as it happens, NASA won’t have to get out the erasers just yet. The agency released this statement concerning the student’s calculations:

The Near-Earth Object Program Office at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, has not changed its current estimates for the very low probability (1 in 45,000) of an Earth impact by the asteroid Apophis in 2036.

Contrary to recent press reports, NASA offices involved in near-Earth object research were not contacted and have had no correspondence with a young German student, who claims the Apophis impact probability is far higher than the current estimate.

This student's conclusion reportedly is based on the possibility of a collision with an artificial satellite during the asteroid’s close approach in April 2029. However, the asteroid will not pass near the main belt of geosynchronous satellites in 2029, and the chance of a collision with a satellite is exceedingly remote.

Therefore, consideration of this satellite collision scenario does not affect the current impact probability estimate for Apophis, which remains at 1 in 45,000.

See a star die

2008-04-15T14:05:00Z

Today, I wrote a web-news story about a “new star” in the constellation Cygnus the Swan. In a bit of cross-promotion, I’d like to share the information as a blog.

Late at night on Thursday, April 10, Japanese amateur astronomers Koichi Nishiyama and Fujio Kabashima discovered a possible nova in the Swan. Astronomers initially catalog such events as variable stars. This one received the label V2491 Cygni. Follow-up observations by other astronomers confirmed the object was a nova. Recent estimates place its brightness at magnitude 7.6.

If you’re new to observational astronomy, the magnitude scale provides a way to compare the brightnesses of celestial objects. The brightest stars have magnitudes of 0 and 1, and the faintest stars visible to the unaided eye from a dark site typically have a magnitude around 6.5. The nova, therefore, lies just below the naked-eye visibility limit. This means you can spot V2491 Cygni easily through binoculars.

To spot the nova, use the finder chart at the bottom. Cygnus rises in the northeast and is fully visible just after 11 P.M. local time. It continues to climb higher in the sky until dawn. Tonight, the Moon is a few days after First Quarter. It sits across the sky in the constellation Leo the Lion. Moonset occurs around 3:30 A.M. local time. The nova shines brightly enough that moonlight will not interfere with the view.

If your sky is clear over the next week or so, you may want to sketch or photograph this region each night. Such images will show how the star brightens or fades, and are important in the study of novae. If you’re happy with the images you get, you can submit them to the American Association of Variable Star Observers at www.aavso.org.

A nova is an explosion resulting when hydrogen from one star of a binary system falls onto the surface of the second star, which is a white dwarf. White dwarfs represent the last stage in the lives of Sun-like stars. In such cases, the star shines like the Sun from a few billion to about 20 billion years. Energy production exhausts the nuclear fuel in its core, and the core shrinks. This heats up the core, causing the star’s outer layers to expand. As the core cools, it shrinks to form a white dwarf star.

Nishiyama, 70, is from Kurume, Fukuoka-Ken, and Kabashima, 68, from Miyaki-cho, Saga-ken. Both are well-known supernova hunters. Nishiyama takes images with the duo’s 16-inch (0.4 meter) reflector using a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera in their Miyaki Argenteus Observatory. Kabashima then analyzes the images with a personal computer.