Updates

Greetings star gazers how are you all?
It has been quite a while since my last post and a lot has happened since then.
First I would like to know how was national astronomy day for you? If you have any pictures please feel free to post any as you wish. I have been extremely fortunate to have been accepted into my planetarium here as a volunteer intern. I have been doin this since last month and I really have been a bit busy with school, my part time job at a library and of course the daily routine. At this internship I have been learning how to use telescopes that are bigger than myself and in the process of it I have made good friends. If it wasn't for writing about these events happening in our skies today I wouldn't of gone for this opportunity or at least i didn't know it existed until I did some research and here I am.
Now as for updates let me tell you the moon has been in its first quarter this past weekend it has been looking gorgeous, and Saturn let me tell you it is looking great right now as well.
How you find it?
That's simple in the constellation of Leo there are three stars one of them being Regulus right next to it is Saturn to make it a bit much simpler find the moon to the left of the moon or the right depending on your direction adjacent to it will be three stars that form a right triangle the brightest looking one that doesn't shimmer is Saturn.
More updates will come as for now I am having a great time and happy to still see that you followers are still with me.

as Mr. Horkheimer always says "keep looking up" and till next time's update.

Events Events Events!

Good Morning Star Gazers have I got a treat for you all!
April and May happened to be approaching and the series of Astronomy events that will be taking place are endless. For starters we have:

Thu, 4/2/2009

100 hours of Astronomy

Taking place in:
Blue Back Square
Memorial Road
West Hartford, New England, CT 06107
United States

Times
7:30 - 9:30 pm

Admission Fees
There is no pre-registration or cost for this event.

What is there to do?
Drop by the plaza between Barnes & Noble and the Noah Webster Public Library in Blue Back Square on the evening of April 2. Join thousands of people around the world as we all look through telescopes as Galileo did 400 years ago.

Want more information? Visit this website:
http://www.thechildrensmuseumct.org/index.asp

Fri, 4/17/2009

Astronomy and Owl Prowl

Location
Roaring Brook Nature Center
70 Gracey Road
Canton, New England, CT 06107
United States

Times
7:30 - 9:30 pm
Admission Fees
$8/person for Nature Center/ TCM Members, $10/ person for non-members.
To register, call 860.231.2830 x44 or e-mail

What is there to do?
Join staff from the Travelers Science Dome at the Gengras Planetarium for a look at the spring sky. Following a brief discussion and astronomy project in the Nature Center auditorium, Nature Center staff will conduct a walk through the woods to open fields where we'll use telescopes to observe the heavens. As an added bonus, you will be looking and listening for owls along the way, as well as discussing the nesting habits of the Barred Owls that often breed in that part of the woods.

Thu, 4/23/2009 - Sun, 4/26/2009

Georgia Sky View - A Stellar Event

Location
Indian Springs State Park - Camp McIntosh
678 Lake Clark Road
Flovilla, GA 30216
United States

Admission Fees
$45.00 per person registration (a little expensive but worth it)

Whats there to do?

The Flint River Astronomy Club will host its fifth annual Star Party on April 23rd, 24th,25th, and 26th - 2009
Camp McIntosh - Indian Springs Park
(near Jackson, GA)

Saturday April 25

Times: 6:00-11:00 Pm

The Dark Sky Festival at Harmony

Location

3500 Harmony Square Drive West
Harmony, FL 34773

Whats there to see?

This is a special event its rather close to me and I will be attending:)
as for whats to see well lets just put it this way this location was featured as a cover story in the National Geographic of November 2008 http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/light-pollution/klinkenborg-text for being one of the least light polluted cities in all of the Unites States. Now I encourage every one in my area to go it will be amazing, from interacting with the pros to viewing all sorts of cosmic images. The crowd is family oriented so bring grandma, grandpa, kids, aunts, uncles its for every generation.




Lastly I would like to mention a reminder to everyone please Note in your calendars that National Astronomy Day is Saturday May 2,2009!

Well that's it for now thanks for following and as I always say
Keep looking up!

Unprepared for Asteroid Attack!

“Plans are being drawn up but we are still years away from technology testing space missions whose goal is to alter trajectories of Earth devastating asteroids.” www.space.com

Are we ready for an asteroid attack? Apparently not,
Yet the International Space station is on watch for any threats headed our way.

It is an imminent threat that asteroids will fall on the Earth's surface at one point or the other.
Whats' worse is how will we overcome its effects?

I for one don’t know much about an asteroid's makeup none the less its effects.
Its obvious that asteroids keep getting closer than we thought they would and I’m extremely worried after having watched this video.

http://www.space.com/common/media/video/player.php?videoRef=SP_090129_asteroid

If there’s anything that is happening now in our skies this is something I'm definitely keeping my eye on.
I think we need to think a little bit more on what we can do to prevent chaos!

Here are my questions to you the followers:

What do you think could possibly be done?
Does the U.S have a plan?
Will we be able to find ways of preparing now just in case something like this happens?
Will you be digging an underground shelter tonight? I know I might.

Let me know.. and feel free to post what’s on your mind on this topic.
And remember keep lookin up!





You might want to check out these videos too.

Venus is whats' to see!

Hello there Stargazers!

Today’s post will be dedicated to a follower of this blog that goes by alias of cheezypoofs182.
He had a question that dealt with what to expect from the western skies within the next week.
After research on various astronomy sites I found out that Venus was under a spotlight!

For those who don’t know much about Venus it is known as the Evening and Morning star.
“Venus, shrouded in cloud, is the
Brightest of the planets in our sky,
But she reveals her secrets reluctantly.”
-Levy

The Facts:
Venus is covered by clouds of water vapor and sulfuric acid so dense that we cannot see its surface without the use of advanced radar systems like the NASA’s Magellan spacecraft.
It also undergoes phases much like the moon because; its orbits are so close to the Sun’s than the Earth’s.
This time of year will be the time where the planet will be at it’s brightest particularly closer towards the western skies showing only a large thin crescent.

Why does this happen?
Because Venus will be closer to Earth.

Now what to look for?

Venus can be seen high in the west after sunset shining at magnitude -4.5 so can hardly be missed! Venus will be seen lower in the sky week by week and by the 20th will start to become hard to spot in the glare of the Sun. It will lie between us and the Sun (called inferior conjunction) on March 27th so will be invisible for some time before reappearing in the pre-dawn sky around the 5th of April.

For more details on where I obtained all of these updates just check out http://www.astronomy.com/ your number one resource on whats happenin in your night sky! Also I discovered this great feature they have called StarDome http://www.astronomy.com/asy/stardome/default.aspx which shows you what to expect near by.

That’s all for now, I do encourage your feedback and additional comments on all the happenings that I may have failed to mention, or if you want to know more about your skies just let me know where you may be by and I will be sure to make a post in your honor!
Thanks once again for your input cheezypoofs and to all my followers may you have a great evening and remember keep looking up!

SATURN SIGHTINGS

SATURN SIGHTINGS at it's brightest

Good evening my fellow stargazers today is a special kind of Sunday!

Saturn is out to make a star studded appearance on our planet Earth and all you would need to do is look towards the western horizon.

This is the best time to observe a planet because:
• It is visible almost all night.
• Its orbit brings it closest to the Earth, making it appear bigger and brighter.

Clearly Saturn will be in it’s opposition a term used in positional astronomy and astrology to indicate when one celestial body is on the opposite side of the sky and once it is viewed from Earth , the planet’s longitude will differ by exactly 180 degrees.

After 15 years, tonight Saturn will be appearing to us, “edge up” meaning its rings will not be visible.

Instead a few faint lines will cross over Saturn allowing us to see its moons much clearer.

For avid stargazers you will be able to use your telescopes to spot the brightest of Saturn’s moons, Titan, which happens to be, 3200 mile wide.

Till next time this is latest in what’s going on in our skies, if you spot Saturn let me know. If you have pictures of your findings even better! Feel free to submit any if possible.

As Mr. Horkheimer always says “keep looking up”.

Telescopes as Promised

Hello my fellow stargazers!

A special good evening to readers who have been waiting to see which telescopes have made it to the top lists rated by both amateur and professional astronomers.

To begin I will say it was difficult to find telescopes that are both high quality and user friendly. But I realized all of them had something in commonly: Their brand.

Orion is the top quality scope with both power and ease that goes beyond their price.

They have a year warranty included, which also makes it a very adjuring and dependable brand. Not to mention they now offer Installment billing so you don’t have to pay for your scope all at once!

I was also considering the cost when approaching these ocular devices. The idea I kept in mind was: What would anyone be able to afford?

When it comes to letting money go in today’s economy, I as a consumer would rather get what I’m looking for at an affordable price and at top quality.

Now On to my List:





For: Beginners
The Orion Space Probe 3 Alt azimuth Reflector Telescope
great for all-around astronomical observing, this is a great beginner's telescope and it is at a great price! $158.
What’s included: adjustable-height equatorial mount, and parabolic optics,
Things you can see: Saturn's rings, Jupiter's moons, and the cratered terrain of the Moon's surface.




For the: Family
The Orion Scope 70 Backpack refract or telescope
This is an excellent starter telescope from one person to a family.
Price: $149.00
What’s included: The eye piece is quite wide so it gives the viewer a wider view of the sky and includes a sturdy tripod to be positioned in all kinds of terrain.
Things you can see: Good for scenic long-distance viewing, and best for seeing beyond the horizon after sunset for some casual nighttime stargazing and Moon-watching.




For the: Professional
The Orion Star blast 4.5 and it is an Equatorial reflector telescope
Price: $199.95
What’s included: The scope's short focal length serves up a generous chunk of sky in the eyepiece, with newly upgraded eyepieces that include two from the Expanse series — 15mm (30x) and 6mm (75x) — which have a 66° apparent field of view.
Things you can see: Everything from the Moon to the Messier objects appear exceptionally sharp and contrasty.

Buying a Telescope?

Good Wednesday to all, As I mention in my last post I promised to bring to you the best of the best telescopes that are tops this year. But, Before I get into that wonderful list I would like to get more into depth with the process of buying a telescope that is right for you.
When purchasing a telescope it is important to keep in mind that you really don’t have to spend all your life savings on the next Hubble. What really should be taken to consideration is to choose a telescope that enhances your leisure time and will eventually make the whole experience worthwhile.

To begin its good to know first what to look for when buying a telescope.
Always know that the objective of your telescope is to increase the angular size of far-off objects as well as make their brightness well focused.

If ya Can't Really dig the idea of buying a telescope…
Get yourself an optical telescope which can be used both in astronomy as well as in non-astronomical instruments some of these are:
spotting scopes
Monoculars
Binoculars
Camera lenses
Spyglasses

How to use them?
Once you know what’s best for you start by finding out which of these are the most user friendly up until what kind of stuff you really want to see through them which can also make a large difference, it sets ya up for a more complicated scope if ya want to see more.

Now for the list of Telescopes that made it the top of the lists you will see next time as I am still researching on which are considered to be the best, so far I am creating categories like best telescopes for beginners, and best used by astronomers themselves.
See you soon and keep looking up…

Planetarium Pictures

Just Thought I would share my pictures from my visit to the Miami Space Transit Planetarium

The Valentines Star

Hello all thanks for stopping by, today I have some great news about something amazing happening this weekend just in time for Valentines. On Friday I visited my local planetarium. After watching their star shows, that keep getting better and better, the first thing I saw was "Star Gazer” a show that happens to be a weekly television series dealing with naked eye astronomy. FYI I highly recommend to watch it! It is available through the PBS channel,and each weekly episode features selected objects for naked eye viewing that will inform viewers on whats to look for in the following week to come.
Now this time’s focus is best seen this Saturday, great just in time for Valentine’s Day, and I must say I'm very excited to meet Betelgeuse! Who’s that?... Betelgeuse happens to mark the shoulder blade of the Orion hunter constellation. In fact just to give you an idea of how big this star is compare Betelgeuse with our own sun, and you get something so humongous you can fit about 160 million Suns inside it!
So if ya happen to be out of ideas this Valentines and want to bring out your hidden passion for astronomy especially this year that happens to be a national celebration share this lovely sight with your sweetie.Hurry on and grab a blanket, some chocolate and maybe a good telescope.
Make sure you look up from 8-9PM towards the southern highest point above the horizon. You really can’t miss it a giant pulsating red shinning star, romantic indeed.
As I promised I will keep y'all on alert, if there are any further happening in our skies you’ll be the first to know, although Id stick around because very soon I will be revealing the ten telescopes best rated by both amateur, professionals, and enthusiasts.

MARS MONDAY

As I have decided , Mondays will be the day of the week in which I only will feed all of you with the most current planetary exploration and findings that have made it to today’s top headlines.

Today it’s all about MARS & Robotic Life in the Martian Arctic.

Who?

NASA and Their Phoenix mission has sent a spacecraft to test Mar’s icy surface.

Why?

To determine if under such conditions exists a possibility of survival.

Conflict?

It all lies in the whether or not Phoenix will survive for any longer under such extreme cold conditions. Nasa is uncertain of the experiments outcome, the only thing they know is that :
it only depends on how the spacecraft's system can really handle low energy supply and the harsh conditions of something that apparently is categorized to be the worst of winter something I like to call the big bad Martian.

One sample Fact includes the following theory:
The colder the temperatures, the more limited sun light eventually will diminish the energy available to the Phoenix robot in order to complete its operations.

Ultimate Goal?

The big question will be what happens when Phoenix emerges on the other side of winter?
Well because this place is so cold I can surely say the poor robot will eventually freeze and the only strand of hope lies in whether:
This such object can live up to its name and come back to life when spring brings back the sun. What do you think?

Welcome

Welcome all to what I like to call my own corner of space, which happens to deal all about outer space and just everything that is happening in our sky.

Why do I choose this space?
well....
The sky is a big deal to me. Tampering with it since I was five has awoken a certain kind of curiosity that only ceases if fed by information.

How it all began?

My father is to blame, he’s the one who allowed me to take a peak at my late grandfather’s telescope, where one summer night I carefully stood behind it , and carefully with one hand covered my left eye and let the other position itself on the side of an instrument,I later thought to be some magical object that allowed me to see things so very close. As always my father played the narrator/space commander , he kept telling me to look in cardinal directions which at that time I didn’t seem to know the difference between east or west, but I did understand that where ever he pointed to was always a new star constellation waiting to be seen. To me this was the best time in fact a time where I got to see the universe at it’s brightest.

The story behind the telescope?

When my grandfather first came to Miami in the late 1960s he decided to go shopping for something that would allow him to feel better while being away from his homeland. His idea was that if he bought a telescope he would see the same sky as he would in Cuba, and because he missed his birthplace so much the only way to feel psychologically close was to magnify the night sky which according to him "No matter where you go, we all share the same sky, something that no matter how far away from home you are it will always feel the same." He always said "I left my home, clothes, and memories but, I took the sky with me where ever I went".

So to sum up: My purpose here is to bring forth all that is happening in our universe today. Exclusively this year marks Galileo’s 400th anniversary of Astronomical discoveries. In unison the world will celebrate his many discoveries and contributions of such an extensive field that allowed for us to see the skies wonders through a steel tube.

Welcome