Here are some beautiful space photos and videos that have been posted on the Internet recently. Enjoy!
The Whirlpool Galaxy (a.k.a. M51, NGC 5194) in the Name A Star Live constellation Canes Venatici. Image Credit: N. Scoville (Caltech), T. Rector (U. Alaska), NOAO) et al., Hubble Heritage Team, NASA
This spectacular spiral galaxy is about 30 million light-years from Earth and is about 60,000 light-years across. You can see this galaxy with a good pair of binoculars.
The star LLOri in the Orion Nebula. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team
This esthetic close-up of cosmic clouds and stellar winds features the star LL Orionis, interacting with the flow of the Orion Nebula, in the Name A Star Live constellation Orion. Adrift in Orion’s stellar nursery and still in its formative years, variable star LL Orionis produces a wind more energetic than the wind from our own middle-aged Sun. As the fast stellar wind runs into slow moving gas a shock front is formed, analogous to the bow wave of a boat moving through water or a plane traveling at supersonic speed. The small, arcing, graceful structure just above and left of center is LL Ori’s cosmic bow shock, measuring about half a light-year across. The slower gas is flowing away from the Orion Nebula‘s hot central star cluster, the Trapezium, located off the upper left corner of the picture. In three dimensions, LL Ori’s wrap-around shock front is shaped like a bowl that appears brightest when viewed along the “bottom” edge. The beautiful picture is part of a large mosaic view of the complex stellar nursery in Orion, filled with a myriad of fluidshapes associated with star formation.
This is a NASA video explaining that meteor that exploded over Russia last month.
Step outside in mid-March 2013 and you may just see a comet that has the astronomical community abuzz! It’s called comet “PanSTARRS,” named after the observatory in Hawaii that discovered the comet in 2011.
Not to worry: The comet won’t hit Earth like that asteroid did in Russia last month! At its closest approach to Earth on March 5, the comet will be about 100 million miles (161 million kilometers) away. At its closest approach to the Sun on March 10 it will be just inside the orbit of Pluto.
But that’s close enough to make for a spectacular site — assuming the comet cooperates! Comets are notoriously unpredictable: As David Levy, the famous comet discoverer, once put it, “Comets are like cats; they have tails, and they do precisely what they want.” At one extreme, the comet could release a nice display of dust resulting in a bright, beautiful tail visible to the naked eye, or at the other extreme it could break apart and fizzle out. As of this writing, most predictions are that the comet will be about as bright as the stars in the Big Dipper.
NASA image showing positions of comet PanSTARRS in March 2013 relative to the western horizon
The comet will be visible to Northern Hemisphere observers shortly after sunset. It will appear low on the western horizon. If I had to bet, I would wager we’ll see the head of the comet with our naked eyes, but will likely need a pair of binoculars to see the comet’s dusty tail.
You may want to start looking for the comet as early as March 10, and check it every evening through late March. After that, the comet will grow significantly fainter. During March the comet will appear in the Name A Star Live constellations Aquarius, Pisces and Andromeda.
There’s quite a lot happening in skies this month: A large asteroid will zip by the Earth, you can easily see the mighty planets Jupiter and Saturn, Mercury and Mars can be found next to each other right after sunset, the constellation Orion and its famous nebula are in a prime position for evening viewing … plus, there’s a comet on the way!
Record Setting Asteroid to fly by Earth
A large asteroid will fly really close by Earth February 15, near the low Earth orbits (LEO) in which our Name A Star Live satellites typically fly. The asteroid — called “2012 DA14” — is about the size of a gymnasium. It will fly approximately 18,000 miles (28,500 kilometers) from Earth’s surface. That’s really close: By comparison, geostationary satellites used to transmit television signals to people’s homes orbit the Earth at about 22,000 miles (38,000 kilometers). However, scientists assure us that there is no chance of the asteroid hitting Earth.
Name A Star Live’s Orbital Archives of star names typically fly in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) — see the white dot just above the Earth image in this diagram. The asteroid (yellow dot) will fly between satellites in LEO and satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), which are approximately 22,236 miles (35,785 kilometers) above the Earth.
The asteroid will fly through the Name A Star Live constellations Virgo, Leo, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.
Because the asteroid will be traveling so fast and so near the Earth, it will be very difficult to view. You would need a telescope in order to see it, but due to the asteroid’s speed it will be difficult to track the asteroid with the typical amateur telescope. In other words, even if you could find the asteroid in your telescope, the odds are it would move very quickly out of your field of view. But assuming you had a telescope with above average tracking ability, then those of you living from Eastern Europe, east, to Australia would have the only significant chance of seeing the asteroid as it will fly past you during your nighttime hours. Those of us in other parts of the world (such as North America, South America and Western Europe) are out of luck as the asteroid will fly by us during daytime hours.
In March, astronomers believe we may very well get to see “Comet PanSTARRS”. Unlike this month’s asteroid, Comet PanSTARRS could be viewable with the naked eye (i.e., no telescope or binoculars required). Warning: It’s difficult to predict how bright a comet will become. But this one stands a good chance of being a standout! We’ll have more to say about this comet in next month’s blog.
Seeing the Planets
Jupiter is in the constellation Taurus throughout February: It’s easy to spot near the V-shaped group of stars in Taurus, marked by the bright, red star Aldebaran. Aldebaran comes from the Arabic, meaning “the follower” as Aldebaran appears to follow the Pleiades star cluster throughout the course of the night.
You can use the Moon to find Jupiter on the night of February 17, depicted in this image. The Moon will be in the constellation Taurus that evening. Look for the bright point of light near the Moon — that’s the planet Jupiter. Take a look at Jupiter through just about any telescope and you’ll likely see up to four of Jupiter’s large moons! Nearby are “The Pleiades” star cluster. Many people mistake this group of stars for the “Little Dipper,” which is actually in another constellation (“Ursa Minor”). You can also get a good view of the nearby constellation Orion.
February is also a good month this year to see the elusive planet Mercury. Mercury never rises very high in the night sky, but you can see it this month shortly after sunset. Be sure to look for Mercury during the first half, or so, of the month as Mercury retreats back into the sun’s glare by the end of the month.
You can use the thin, crescent Moon shortly after sunset February 11 to find the planets Mercury and Mars. All three objects will be above the western horizon.
Finding your star in the night sky
Stars are located within constellations, which are just areas of the night sky. Scorpius, Aries and Taurus are examples of constellations. Your Name A Star Live Star Certificate displays the name of your constellation. You can use our online World Constellation Guide to determine if you can see your constellation during the evening hours (between sunset and midnight). Of course, you’ll need a telescope to see your star. But you can see your constellation without the use of a telescope. You can also find your constellation by using our Virtual Planetarium™ astronomy software. A planisphere is another useful device.
Here are some beautiful space photos and videos that have been posted on the Internet recently. Enjoy!
The Great Manatee Nebula
This is a new view of a 20,000-year old supernova remnant called the “Great Manatee Nebula,” named after the endangered Florida Manatee that this nebula resembles. Also known as “W50,” this is one of the largest supernova remnants ever viewed by the the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA). It is nearly 700 light years across and covers two degrees on the sky – that’s the span of four full Moons! Click here to see a comparison of this nebula with an actual Florida Manatee.
A supernova remnant in the Name A Star Live constellation Cassiopeia. Image Credit: X-ray – NASA, JPL-Caltech, NuSTAR; Optical – Ken Crawford (Rancho Del Sol Obs.)
The aftermath of a cosmic cataclysm, supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A) is a comfortable 11,000 light-years away. Light from the Cas A supernova, the death explosion of a massive star, first reached Earth just 330 years ago. Still expanding, the explosion’s debris cloud spans about 15 light-years near the center of this composite image. The scene combines color data of the starry field and fainter filaments of material at optical energies with image data from the orbiting NuSTAR X-ray telescope. Mapped to false colors, the X-ray data in blue hues trace the fragmented outer boundary of the expanding shock wave, glowing at energies up to 10,000 times the energy of the optical photons.
NASA image of an asteroid flying by Earth
On February 15 an asteroid about half the size of a football field will fly past Earth only 17,200 miles above our planet’s surface. There’s no danger of a collision, but the space rock, designated 2012 DA14, has NASA’s attention.
“This is a record-setting close approach,” says Don Yeomans of NASA’s Near Earth Object Program at JPL. “Since regular sky surveys began in the 1990s, we’ve never seen an object this big get so close to Earth.” Click here to see neat NASA video about this event + read more info.
Landscapes has issued another one of their beautiful videos showing images of landscapes here on Earth and the nighttime sky: Be sure to check this video out!
Here is a touching video made in honor of a young Dutch designer who passed away last year from cancer. The video is entitled “Stardust” and was directed by Mischa Rozema of Amsterdam-based media company PostPanic. The film’s subject is the interstellar probe, Voyager 1. For more information, see PostPanic’s Vimeo page.
The best meteor shower of the year occurs in mid-December when ‘shooting stars’ appear to blast out of the Name A Star Live constellation Gemini. The peak of this year’s Geminid meteor shower occurs over the night of December 13/14 when, under optimal observing conditions (e.g., FAR from city lights), you may be able to see as many as 80 to 120 shooting stars per hour. But most people generally don’t observe under perfect conditions. Still, you should see quite a show!
Also, if you’re busy the evening of December 13/14, not to worry: You can still see plenty of Geminid meteors between December 4 and 17.
This meteor shower is called “The Geminid’s” because meteors appear to shoot out from the constellation Gemini. This year the “radiant” — the central point from which the shooting stars emerge — will be near the bright star “Castor” (at “A” in the diagram above). The bright star “Pollux” is at “B.” Castor and Pollux are the brightest stars in the constellation Gemini, which is outlined in this diagram. Also outlined here is the Name A Star Live constellation “Cancer” (at “C”).
The best way to enjoy a meteor shower is to lie down in a lawn chair — along with friends and family, and maybe even the family dog — and look up. That’s it! No telescopes, binoculars or apps required. If you want to locate Gemini in the night sky, consider getting our planisphere constellation finder or our Virtual Planetarium™ software. But you don’t really have to locate the constellation to enjoy seeing shooting stars: Just lie down on your back and look up. The farther away from city lights you get, the more shooting stars you will see. The best time to see the meteors will be between roughly 10 pm and 2 am. But if you can’t stay out that late Thursday night/Friday morning, there will still be plenty of Geminid meteors to see this coming weekend. Be sure to dress for the weather, and bring along some food and drink. Enjoy!
And here is a perhaps overly-dramatic video about this year’s Geminids: While the Geminid meteor shower is the best of the year, it is easy to overhype. Still, this video is nicely done: Take a look!
Best Time of the Year to See Jupiter
The mighty planet Jupiter dominates the night sky in December. It also reaches “opposition” this month, meaning that this is a point in time when the Earth is directly between the Sun and Jupiter. That in turn means that this is the best time of the year to see Jupiter since it is so bright. Look for the brightest ‘star’ you see over the eastern horizon after sunset: That will be Jupiter! The king of the planets is located in the Name A Star Live constellation Taurus throughout the last month of 2012.
The view facing east in the early evening hours during early December. Jupiter (at “A”) is in the V-shaped group of stars known as the “Hyades,” marked by the bright star Aldebaran (at “B”). You may see the pretty group of stars called the “Pleiades” (at “C”). Many people confuse the Pleiades with the Little Dipper, which is located toward the northern horizon. Depending on your location on Earth, you may see the giant constellation Orion (“D”) rising above the eastern horizon. If you live in the southern hemisphere of Earth (e.g., Australia or New Zealand), these stars will appear ‘upside down’ to you.
The Winter Solstice and the End of the World
There’s been a lot in media this year about how the ancient Maya predicted the world would come to an end around December 21, 2012, or that “Nibiru,” a supposed planet discovered by the ancient Sumerians, is headed toward Earth. These are hoaxes.
This image from NASA features, in the foreground, the famous Aztec calendar, while the background is a satellite image of the outer layers of the Sun. The Aztec calendar incorporates a mythological and calendrical system derived from earlier Mesoamerican cultures, including the Maya. The calendar, which was extremely accurate, was developed by observing the Sun’s motions in the sky over a long period of time.
In fact, we’re so confident that these are hoaxes that, should the world come to an end December 21, 2012, we will gladly issue full refunds to all our Name A Star Live customers on December 22!
But December 21, 2012 does mark the “Winter Solstice” — the point in time when winter begins in the northern hemisphere of Earth. It’s a wonderful time of the year, with snow falling, Christmas carolers singing, New Year’s revelers partying, and football fans cheering. We hope you have a very happy and safe holiday!
Finding your star in the night sky
Stars are located within constellations, which are just areas of the night sky. Scorpius, Aries and Taurus are examples of constellations. Your Name A Star Live Star Certificate displays the name of your constellation. You can use our online World Constellation Guide to determine if you can see your constellation during the evening hours (between sunset and midnight). Of course, you’ll need a telescope to see your star. But you can see your constellation without the use of a telescope. You can also find your constellation by using our Virtual Planetarium™ astronomy software. A planisphere is another useful device.
Name A Star Live’s Virtual Planetarium™ software includes a library of stunning astronomy imagery; information about the sky, the solar system and the latest space events; and space weather reports about sun spots, auroras and more. With an Internet connection hundreds of images can be updated with live satellite data at the click of a button. The software was developed by Rice University and the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and has received a favorable review on the “Top Ten Reviews” website.
Below are some screen shots that will give you a sense of what the software will look like on your computer.
Astronomy module
Virtual Planetarium’s “Astronomy Update” features beautiful photos of stars, galaxies, and other deep space objects. You can learn all about the wonders of the universe with the detailed information that accompanies each photo.
Solar system module
Closer to home are the planets of our solar system. Virtual Planetarium shows you all sorts of info about the planets, their moons, and the latest discoveries by space missions, such as the Mars Curiosity Rover. You can watch awesome movies about our solar neighborhood. A click of the “UPDATE DATA” button downloads the latest NASA discoveries to your computer. And check out the 3-D images using the 3-D glasses we send you with the software!
Sky Tonight module
The “Sky Tonight” module shows you exactly where to look to see the major stars, planets and constellations visible from your home on any night of the year. Toward the lower, left corner of the screen, click on “N,” “S,” “E,” or “W” to see what the night sky will look like when you face North, South, East or West, respectively. Click “Z” to see what the sky will look like overhead (at what’s called the “Zenith”). Since the stars move across the sky over the course of any given night, you can choose to see what the sky looks like at either 5 a.m. or 8 p.m. local time. And you can change the date of the display to any date of the year. While the software will not show the star you named, you can use it in combination with your Name A Star Live Star Chart to find the position of your star in the night sky.
Space Weather module
Believe it or not, there is such a thing as “space weather”! Basically it refers to the effects of solar radiation and storms on the planets, spacecraft and Earth. For example, a solar storm in 1989 caused the Hydro-Quebec (Canada) power grid to go down for over nine hours! On the other hand, the beautiful “Northern Lights” are also caused by space weather. Virtual Planetarium’s Space Weather module explains this fascinating information and keeps you up to date with the latest space weather forecasts!
Tic-Tac-Toe module
The Tic Tac Toe module provides a fun way to learn about space and astronomy — for all ages!
Name A Star Live is a unique name-a-star service in that we launch our customers’ star names into space. When you name a star with us, you are made part of a real space mission!
In fact, there are many star-naming companies. But did you know that a number of science museums and planetariums have “adopt-a-star” programs as well?
Like Name A Star Live, adopt-a-star programs typically provide customers a star certificate displaying the name of the star, as well as a star chart showing the star’s location within its constellation (area of the night sky). Some organizations, such as the DuPont Planetarium at the University of South Carolina, will display the names of its customers on kiosks. Other planetariums even display adopted star names on planetarium ceilings.
Adopt-A-Star programs have been particularly popular in Australia and New Zealand. The Sydney Observatory has a “Name A Star” program that helps fund the observatory’s heritage and collection program. Perth Observatory, the Australian National University’s Mount Stromlo Observatory, and the Stardome Observatory in Auckland, New Zealand have all used adopt-a-star programs to raise funds for their educational facilities.
In fact, shortly before our 2009 Whetū Flight launch from New Zealand, an astronomer with the Stardome Observatory discussed the popularity of star-naming. See his comments in the following New Zealand television report about the Whetū Flight:
The adopt-a-star programs are all certainly worthwhile. But again, Name A Star Live is the only star-naming service that launches your star name into space. After the launch occurs we provide you a Launch Certificate via the Internet. Usually you can watch the launch online. Many of our missions have been flown on rockets carrying student payloads. This unique space experience is enhanced by our Virtual Planetarium™ space and astronomy software, developed by Rice University and the Houston Museum of Natural Science. And our Ultimate Children’s and Stargazers’ gift sets help children and adults develop a lifelong interest in astronomy!
Here are some beautiful space photos and videos that have been posted on the Internet recently. The photos are from NASA’s “Astronomy Picture of the Day.” Enjoy!
The Tadpole Galaxy
In this stunning vista, based on image data from the Hubble Legacy Archive, distant galaxies form a dramatic backdrop for disrupted spiral galaxy Arp 188, the Tadpole Galaxy. The cosmic tadpole is a mere 420 million light-years distant toward the northern constellation Draco. Its eye-catching tail is about 280 thousand light-years long and features massive, bright blue star clusters. One story goes that a more compact intruder galaxy crossed in front of Arp 188 – from right to left in this view – and was slung around behind the Tadpole by their gravitational attraction. During the close encounter, tidal forces drew out the spiral galaxy’s stars, gas, and dust forming the spectacular tail. The intruder galaxy itself, estimated to lie about 300 thousand light-years behind the Tadpole, can be seen through foreground spiral arms at the upper right. Following its terrestrial namesake, the Tadpole Galaxy will likely lose its tail as it grows older, the tail’s star clusters forming smaller satellites of the large spiral galaxy.
The Trapezium — four bright stars within the Orion Nebula
Near the center of this sharp cosmic portrait, at the heart of the Orion Nebula, are four hot, massive stars known as the Trapezium. Gathered within a region about 1.5 light-years in radius, they dominate the core of the dense Orion Nebula Star Cluster. Ultraviolet ionizing radiation from the Trapezium stars, mostly from the brightest star Theta-1 Orionis C powers the complex star forming region’s entire visible glow. About three million years old, the Orion Nebula Cluster was even more compact in its younger years and a recent dynamical study indicates that runaway stellar collisions at an earlier age may have formed a black hole with more than 100 times the mass of the Sun. The presence of a black hole within the cluster could explain the observed high velocities of the Trapezium stars. The Orion Nebula’s distance of some 1500 light-years would make it the closest known black hole to planet Earth. Being able to clearly see the Trapezium is a sign of a good telescope!
On October 12, 2012, Felix Baumgartner — an Austrian parachutist — jumped from the edge of space, and thereby set the world records for the highest ever balloon flight, the highest ever parachute jump, and the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound without using powered flight. His flight occurred over Roswell, New Mexico. See Red Bull Stratos for more information.
NGC 2623
NGC 2623 is really two galaxies that are becoming one. Seen to be in the final stages of a titanic galaxy merger, the pair lies some 300 million light-years distant toward the Name A Star Live constellation Cancer. The violent encounter between two galaxies that may have been similar to the Milky Way has produced widespread star formation near a luminous core and along eye-catching tidal tails. Filled with dust, gas, and young blue star clusters, the opposing tidal tails extend well over 50,000 light-years from the merged nucleus. Likely triggered by the merger, accretion by a supermassive black hole drives activity within the nuclear region. The star formation and its active galactic nucleus make NGC 2623 bright across the spectrum. This sharp cosmic snapshot of NGC 2623 (aka Arp 243) is based on Hubble Legacy Archive image data that also reveals even more distant background galaxies scattered through the field of view.
The night sky puts on some neat shows this month. And for those of you in the Land Down Under, you can look forward to an eclipse of the sun!
Shortly before dawn on November 26, Venus and Saturn appear very close together:
Saturn and Venus appear to kiss shortly before sunrise on November 26. Go out about 45 minutes before sunrise that morning and face East-Southeast to see these two, bright planets. If you’re lucky, you might also see the planet Mercury hugging the horizon. You’ll also see the bright, binary star Spica, located in the Name A Star Live constellation Virgo.
The evening of November 27 also presents a wonderful show:
Look for the Moon and the planet Jupiter toward the East-Northeast the evening of November 27. Both of these solar system objects will be in the Name A Star Live constellation Taurus. Jupiter will be near the V-shaped group of stars (called “The Hyades”), marked by the star Aldebaran. Look above the Moon for the beautiful group of stars known as “The Pleiades,” which are often confused with The Little Dipper, which is a different group of stars altogether.
Those of you in Australia are in for a real treat this month: An eclipse of the sun! The sun will be totally eclipsed by the moon along a narrow path across the Northern Territory and Queensland. But those of you in the rest of Australia will see a partial eclipse (local weather permitting).
Australians will be able to see a solar eclipse the morning of November 14, 2012, weather permitting. A total eclipse of the sun will be visible along the path highlighted in red. A partial eclipse will be visible throughout the remainder of Australia, as well as all of New Zealand.
Stars are located within constellations, which are just areas of the night sky. Scorpius, Aries and Taurus are examples of constellations. Your Name A Star Live Star Certificate displays the name of your constellation. You can use our online World Constellation Guide to determine if you can see your constellation during the evening hours (between sunset and midnight). Of course, you’ll need a telescope to see your star. But you can see your constellation without the use of a telescope. You can also find your constellation by using our Virtual Planetarium™ astronomy software. A planisphere is another useful device.
If you’re an early riser, you’re in astronomical luck in October! While Mars is fading rapidly in the western sky during the early evening hours, Venus and Jupiter dominate the early morning eastern sky. And if you live in mid to northern latitudes on Earth, you’re in for a special treat: the zodical light, or “false dawn.”
False Dawn
The false dawn looks like a faint, triangular-shaped light that stretches from the eastern horizon up into the sky above. It appears during the period of time between about 1 to 2 hours before sunrise at about this time of year. This year, the best time to view this spectacle is between October 13 and 27. To see it, go far from city lights on a clear, moonless night.
This strange celestial display is caused by the reflection of sunlight off of tiny particles of dust in space. The dust orbits the sun in the same way Earth does. So at this particular time of the year — when the days and nights are of roughly equal length — we view this dust when it is aligned vertically in our pre-dawn, eastern sky. A similar thing will happen six months from now, only the triangular shape of light will appear in the western sky, after sunset.
The Planets This Month
Venus is the ‘morning star’ — the bright point of light you’ll see toward the east before sunrise. Look for the giant planet Jupiter — in the consetllaton Taurus — toward the south, near the prominent constellation Orion, shortly before sunset. (If you live in the southern hemisphere of Earth, Jupiter will appear toward the north shortly before sunrise.) Jupiter will also appear as a bright ‘star’ in the night sky.
But fear not, fellow night owls, for you too can feast your eyes on some celestial treats! The planets Neptune and Uranus will be visible through binoculars and small telescopes during the evening hours this month. While you can see both Neptune and Uranus through a telescope, Uranus — strictly speaking — is just barely visible to the naked eye — but just barely! In order to see it, you’d need to go far from city lights and view it on a clear, moonless night. (And you better have good eyesight to boot!) We recommend sticking with your telescope or binocs!
Finding your star in the night sky
Stars are located within constellations, which are just areas of the night sky. Scorpius, Aries and Taurus are examples of constellations. Your Name A Star Live Star Certificate displays the name of your constellation. You can use our online World Constellation Guide to determine if you can see your constellation during the evening hours (between sunset and midnight). Of course, you’ll need a telescope to see your star. But you can see your constellation without the use of a telescope. You can also find your constellation by using our Virtual Planetarium™ astronomy software. A planisphere is another useful device.
