Phoenix Astronomical Society Blog

4 cool astronomy links

2012-01-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

Here's an amazing IMAX-quality film of Saturn, assembled from Cassini images. This was created by a single individual, working from his home, and is still a work-in-progress. You may have seen this when it went viral last year, but the filmmaker recently released an updated version:
http://vimeo.com/33933151

New footage (Earth & Moon):
http://vimeo.com/34001144

More info:
http://www.outsideinthemovie.com

There's a great interview with the filmmaker on the latest episode of Planetary Radio (starting at 7m25s), which is how I heard about it:
http://planetary.org/radio/show/00000480/

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Solar Flare headed our way

2012-01-19T15:55:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Jan. 19, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

EARTH-DIRECTED FLARE: Active sunspot 1401 erupted today, Jan. 19th, for more than an hour around 16:00 UT. The long-duration blast produced an M3-class solar flare and a CME that appears to be heading toward Earth. Forecasters say strong geomagnetic storms are possible when the cloud arrives during the late hours of Jan. 21st. High-latitude (and possibly middle-latitude) sky watchers should be alert for auroras this weekend. Check http://spaceweather.com for movies and updates.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Meteor Shower Wednesday

2012-01-03T13:09:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Jan. 3, 2012
http://spaceweather.com

FIRST METEOR SHOWER OF 2012: The annual Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on Wednesday morning, Jan. 4th, when Earth passes through a narrow stream of debris from a comet thought to have broken apart some 500 years ago. The shower is expected to be strong (as many as 100 meteors per hour), but elusive, with a peak that lasts no longer than a couple of hours. The shower's radiant near Polaris favors observers in the northern hemisphere. Images, live audio from a meteor radar, and more information are available on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Cool Astronomy links

2011-12-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

Surface of Pluto May Contain Organic Molecules
http://news.yahoo.com/surface-pluto-may-contain-organic-molecules-151008586.html

Twin probes to circle moon to study gravity field
http://news.yahoo.com/twin-probes-circle-moon-study-gravity-field-151047672.html

Upcoming Space Missions for 2012
http://news.yahoo.com/upcoming-space-missions-2012-212600401.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Sundiving Comet

2011-12-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

Space Weather News for Dec. 15, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

SUNDIVING COMET: Comet Lovejoy is plunging toward the sun, and its ~200-meter wide core is vaporizing furiously as it approaches the hot star. So far the comet's brightness seems to be exceeding expectations. Indeed, there is a slim chance that the sundiver will brighten enough to be seen with the naked eye in broad daylight on Dec. 15th. Check http://spaceweather.com for further discussion and the latest movies from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

December Newsletter ready for download

2011-11-27T00:29:00.002-07:00

Happy Sunday morning to everyone,

The December PAStimes Newsletter is ready
for download. Please enjoy!

http://www.pasaz.org/PAStimes/2011-2012/2011-12.pdf

Terri

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Cool astronomy links with info

2011-11-22T13:26:00.001-07:00

More links from Matt:

Is the Milky Way a galaxy killer?
http://theweek.com/article/index/220656/is-the-milky-way-a-galaxy-killer

Cleaning up the trash in space
http://theweek.com/article/index/220249/cleaning-up-the-trash-in-space

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Monster Storm photographed

2011-11-21T14:10:00.001-07:00

Received this link from Matt:
http://news.yahoo.com/spectacular-photos-monster-saturn-storm-snapped-nasa-spacecraft-165401481.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Strange Lights over AZ

2011-11-21T12:43:00.001-07:00

http://www.azfamily.com/news/Phoenix-Lights--134132643.html

Received this link from Rod.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Event Canceled due to weather

2011-11-18T15:19:00.001-07:00

Due to weather, PAS has CANCELED the event tomorrow night, Saturday 11/19 at PV Park from 6pm to 10pm. Please visit the PAS Calendar for more upcoming astronomy events: http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Hi Res Images of Moon

2011-11-18T12:07:00.001-07:00

Received this link from Matt:

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/nasa-creates-first-ever-high-resolution-moon-map-013424746.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Earth from 240 miles up

2011-11-14T23:04:00.001-07:00

Received this link from Matt;

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/planet-call-home-seen-240-miles-145006199.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Mars Flyby

2011-11-11T17:25:00.001-07:00

Received this link from Matt:

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/mars-volcano-1320955000-slideshow/

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Asteroid Flyby Nov 8

2011-11-07T09:58:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Nov. 7, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

ASTEROID FLYBY: NASA radars are monitoring 2005 YU55, an asteroid the size of an aircraft carrier, as it heads for a Nov. 8th flyby of the Earth-Moon system. There is no danger to our planet. At closest approach on Tuesday at 3:28 pm PST (23:28 UT), the space rock will be 324,600 kilometers away. Nevertheless, professional astronomers are eagerly anticipating the flyby as the asteroid presents an exceptionally strong radar target. Even amateur astronomers might be able to photograph it during the hours around closest approach. Check http://spaceweather.com for observing tips and more information.

OWN YOUR OWN SPACE ROCK: They came from outer space--and you can have one. Genuine meteorites are now on sale in the Space Weather Store: http://www.shopspaceweather.com/ownameteorite.aspx

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Orionids Meteor Shower public star party Oct 22

2011-10-21T11:08:00.002-07:00

Space Weather News for Oct. 21, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

WEEKEND METEOR SHOWER: Today Earth is entering a stream of debris from Halley's comet, source of the annual Orionid meteor shower. Forecasters expect the shower to peak on Saturday morning, Oct. 22nd, with more than 15 meteors per hour. Check http://spaceweather.com for links to a live meteor radar, sky maps and observing tips.

MASSIVE SATELLITE NEARS RE-ENTRY: The massive ROSAT X-ray space telescope is making its final spiralling orbits around Earth. Most experts agree that re-entry will occur during the early hours of Oct. 23rd over a still-unknown region of our planet. Sky watchers report that the descending satellite can be as bright as a first magnitude star and it occasionally "flares" to even greater intensity. For last-chance sightings of ROSAT in your area, please check SpaceWeather's online satellite tracker (http://spaceweather.com/flybys) or turhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifn your smartphone into a ROSAT tracker: http://simpleflybys.com .

---

For the Orionid Meteor Shower, PAS is hosting a public star party / meteor shower viewing, at a member's home in Carefree. RSVP is with Mike if you wish to attend. RSVP by tonight 480-488-3031 for map and directions, and if you are joining us for Pizza Party at $1 / slice, email Terri Events@pasaz.org with head count and slice count. The pizza order goes in noon Saturday. More details can be found at this link: http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=701&day=2011-10-22&c=1

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Massive comet

2011-10-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

Received post from Matt:

http://news.yahoo.com/did-massive-comet-almost-wipe-humans-1883-112600864.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Titanium

2011-10-14T15:00:00.001-07:00

Link set to me by Matt:

http://news.yahoo.com/titanium-treasure-found-moon-135109582.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Saturn

2011-10-14T13:40:00.001-07:00

Link sent to me by Matt:

http://news.yahoo.com/map-saturn-moon-titan-reveals-surprisingly-earth-features-155802921.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Giant Asteroid mountain

2011-10-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

Link sent to me by Matt:

http://news.yahoo.com/giant-asteroid-mountain-taller-mt-everest-photographed-201403254.htmlhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Incredible Mars Video

2011-10-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

Link sent to me by Matt:

http://theweek.com/article/index/220281/the-incredible-mars-video-a-three-year-journey-in-3-minutes

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Meteor Shower & Public Star Party in Carefree AZ

2011-10-07T12:32:00.001-07:00

This meteor shower will coincide with the PAS Moon Marathon, International Observe the moon night and the public star party we are having at Mike's home in Carefree. To attend, RSVP is required. See this link for more details!

http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=678&day=2011-10-8&c=1

Space Weather News for Oct. 7, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

DRACONID METEOR SHOWER: On Saturday, October 8th, Earth will pass through a network of dusty filaments shed by Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. Forecasters expect the encounter to produce anywhere from a few dozen to a thousand meteors per hour visible mainly over Europe, northern Africa and the Middle East. The meteors will stream from the northern constellation Draco--hence their name, the "Draconids." Check http://spaceweather.com for full coverage of the event including observing times and a live audio stream from a meteor radar.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

October 2011 Upcoming PUBLIC PAS Events

2011-10-04T10:29:00.005-07:00

Happy Tuesday to you all!

Hopefully you had a great weekend. We start out this month with a bunch of exciting astronomy activities that are open to the public and FREE! For more events, visit the PAS Calendar www.pasaz.org.

The October Newsletter is ready for download. Please help yourself to a copy. You can find the Newsletter by going to the PAS Website www.pasaz.org, then on the left side is the navigation bar. Click on the word Newsletter. That takes you to the current 2011-2012 PAS Season of Newsletters. A PAS Season runs from September to May, just like school does. Help yourself to the October issue, and if you haven't checked out the September issue, feel free to. If you are looking for past issues, a little further down on the right is the word Archive. That's where you find past issue of the PAStimes Newsletter. Normally, you can check, monthly, the Sunday prior to the next PAS meeting, for the next issue of the newsletter. Thus, that would have been this past Sunday. And yes, it was there for your enjoyment.

Let's talk about this weeks' events.

This Thursday 10/6 is the Oct PAS Meeting. Our guest speaker will be talking about Meteorites. We'd love to see you there. Bring a snack to share. PAS will provide the water. And Bring a Friend! We meet in the Library at PVCC Main Campus around 7pm for set up. 7:30 we will open the meeting with few brief announcements and then Sam will give us a mini report on the Dark Skies of Portal. Dolores, the Guest Speaker will take over about 7:45. The meeting will end & we must be out of the Library by 9:30. Please remember to use your Library voices while in the Library, before and after the meeting, when socializing. We do not want to be asked to hold our meetings in another location. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Saturday 10/8 we have the International Observe the Moon Night being held at Mike's home in Carefree. For map and directions, call Mike 480-488-3031 or drop him an email primefactory@q.com. We are also doing the MOON MARATHON, so if you want to be part of that, please sign up with me, today!!! I need to know how many participants will be at the Marathon. RSVP is REQUIRED with me to compete in the marathon. Attendees for the Marathon must have a scope to use, one scope per marathoner, no sharing scopes.
The schedule for this night - weather permitting... will be:
4pm Potluck - Bring a main dish to share, Bring a drink to share
6pm Moon Marathon begins for those competing
If you are not competing but want to start the public Star Party / Observe the Moon Night... feel free to be there at 6pm. Those in the Marathon will be set up away from those showing the night sky, so the public does not disturb those competing.
8pm General Viewing of the Moon + More.
Everyone is welcome!
Here's what's visible that night, aside from the bright, almost full moon:
Sunset is 6:05pm
Moon is visible from 6pm on
Jupiter rises at 7:25, so best viewing of Jupiter will be after 8:30.
Dark is 7pm.
You HAVE TO RSVP with Me to do the Marathon. I need to know who is attending, how many are attending. And if the weather lets us hold this event, this will be the event you will win the MOON MARATHON PLAQUE that Jerry Belcher designed. Very nice Plaque!
So, when you RSVP, please let me know your arrival time. And if you are not staying later into the evening, please park so that your headlights are away from the viewing area, meaning park so the front of your car is facing away from Mikes' house and towards the road. This way you can leave and not disturb the viewing.

Sunday 10/9
We have the Bookmans FREE Telescope Workshop. Due to a scheduling issue at Bookmans PAS was asked to hold our event 2 hours earlier than usual. Therefore we are starting at 1:30pm and going to 3:30pm. We can use your help. Watch the forums for updates on the number of Public RSVP's. Spend a couple hours with Don, William and I as we help the public learn to use their telescope. When there is no public in the room, we discuss club events, and other interesting stuff.
If you need help with your Telescope, RSVP your attendance with me, right now. When you RSVP, please tell me what type of scope we are helping you with so we can match you up with the teacher than can best assist you.

We hope to see you at these three public events! Everyone is welcome, bring a friend! Bring your family! Let's have a great Astronomy Week!

For the rest of the Month of October, here are some more Public events for you to enjoy!

Thursday Oct 13 we have another FREE Telescope Workshop. This one is held at PVCC Main Campus by the Telescope Dome and in G-147 from 7:30 to 10pm. RSVP is required, and again, when you RSVP, please tell me what type of scope you have so we may match you up to a Telescope Teacher who can assist you. Along with the Telescope Workshop, we also provide a Star Party. You may attend either, or both parts of this night's event. But for the Telescope Workshop, RSVP is required with me.

Thursday Oct 20: Indoor / Outdoor Astronomy Event. This event is named such because we have indoor activities, in G-147 on the PVCC Main Campus, as well as a star party outdoors. This event is from 7:30 to 9:30. RSVP is Requested only so we have enough handouts for the number of attendees. We'd love to have you attend. Indoors will have Mike - Meteorite Man, as well as several demos and handouts. The list of demos will be announced in the forums. Everyone is welcome - bring the whole family!

Saturday Oct 22: Orionids Meteor shower & Star Party at Mike's home in Carefree. We have made this a public viewing event. Along with the Meteor Shower, we will be doing a star party. This event is COLD. Bring a jacket, Bring your own chairs to watch the Meteors, bring your own snacks and drinks for the viewing part of this event.
Here's the viewing lineup & schedule:
6pm potluck
7:30pm public viewing
Sunset is at 5:30pm
Jupiter rises at 6:20, best viewed after 7:30pm
Dark is 6:50pm
Orion rises at 10:10pm
Mars rises at 1:20am
Moon rises at 3:10am - there will be no moon in the way of this event!
RSVP is required with Mike to attend 480-488-3031 or primefactory@q.com to get map, directions, and be approved to attend, as parking is limited. Everyone is welcome! Bring the family!
If you are attending the potluck, bring a main dish to share, big enough to feed 4+ people, plus bring a drink to share (a 6 pack of pop, or a 2 liter bottle or other drinks. Since kids will be present, please no alcohol).
Please be sure to park so your headlights are not facing Mike's home, if you plan to leave prior to midnight.

Thursday Oct 27: This is NOT a PAS event, but PAS attends to help out. ASU West Open House & Star Party is a public event. RSVP is with Paul. The "ASU West" link provided takes you to the info you need to RSVP with Paul. Paul is the teacher running this event. The event is from 7pm to 9pm on the ASU West Campus which his at 47th Ave and Thunderbird Road in Phoenix. This event is usually a large turnout of telescopes and we have some great viewing! Bring your entire family and all your friends. Awesome event! This event is held in the Fall and Spring Semesters, so if you miss this event, watch for an announcement of the next one in the Spring.

Please note: Each event above has a link to the Calendar and Forum info within the PAS Website. Please use that link to make sure an event is happening. Should weather cancel an event and you did not RSVP as requested, you could be driving to that location for an event we are not doing. So, Please RSVP where requested and check the calendar before you go there, to be sure the event hasn't been canceled. Cancelled events are posted by 4pm the day of the event. And Always read the forum thread to be sure you know what to expect. Changes to these events will be posted in the forums.
If you are doing an RSVP with me, you can reply to this email, but please let me know which event you are RSVP'ing for. Don't just reply with "RSVP for public star party." As you can see, these are all public star parties in this list, and that would mean you haven't told me the info I need to know about which event you wish to attend. Be specific and include the requested data. Thank you so much.

We hope to see you at these awesome events. Remember, all events that are outdoors are Weather Permitting. And all events I have listed in this email are Public events. I heard there was a storm coming within this week, so if you are looking at the sky, prior to going to an event, and you are not sure the event will happen due to the cloud cover, please first check the calendar and forums for updates, and if that doesn't answer your question, you can call me to be sure we are having the event 602-561-5398. Leave a message and I will call you back as soon as I can with the info. Or, drop me an email up to 4pm the day of the event.

WHAT IS A MOON MARATHON?
That is where you race to identify features on the moon. Prizes will be awarded for 1st - 10th place. RSVP is required with Terri, today.

Have a super day!
Terri, Event Coordinator for PAS

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Astronauts wanted

2011-10-04T10:27:00.001-07:00

Received this link from Matt
http://www.space.com/13169-nasa-astronauts-wanted-deep-space-travelers.html

Do you have a cool astronomy link you'd like to share with the readers of this blog? Send it my way Events@pasaz.org.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Earth's minerals

2011-09-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

Received this link from Matt:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=meteorites-delivered-earths-mineabl-11-09-08

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Frankenstein & Meeting of the Minds

2011-09-28T13:36:00.001-07:00

THE meeting of the Minds is canceled for 9/29.
Have a great Thursday evening to yourself.

Got this link from Matt:
http://news.yahoo.com/scientist-sky-confirms-shining-moon-behind-frankenstein-224125429.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Space Program Embarrassing

2011-09-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

Received this link from Matt:

http://news.yahoo.com/neil-armstrong-calls-us-space-program-embarrassing-171150898.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

View a comet in evening hours

2011-09-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/128836743.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Satellite to re-enter Earth's Atmosphere

2011-09-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

Space Weather News for Sept. 20, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

UARS, a NASA satellite the size of a small bus, will re-enter Earth's atmosphere later this week producing a brilliant fireball somewhere over our planet. Best estimates place the re-entry time during the late hours of Sept. 23rd over a still-unknown region of Earth. Observers of the rapidly-decaying satellite say it is tumbling and flashing, sometimes almost as brightly as Venus. Video images featured on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com show how the doomed satellite looks through a backyard telescope.

Readers who would like to catch a last glimpse of UARS streaking across the night sky should check SpaceWeather's Satellite Tracker for flyby times: http://spaceweather.com/flybys . You can also turn your smartphone into a UARS tracker by downloading our Simple Flybys app: http://simpleflybys.com

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Fireball Theory

2011-09-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

Received this link from Matt:

http://www.space.com/12893-dead-nasa-satellite-falling-space-junk.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Sun Diving Comet

2011-09-13T14:12:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Sept. 13, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

SUNDIVING COMET: A comet is diving into the sun today. Just discovered by comet hunters Michal Kusiak of Poland and Sergei Schmalz of Germany in data from SOHO, the icy visitor from the outer solar system is expected to brighten to first magnitude before it disintegrates on Sept. 14th. Visit http://spaceweather.com today and tomorrow to follow the comet's death plunge.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Legos go to Jupiter

2011-09-09T15:51:00.000-07:00

Received this link from William:
http://idle.slashdot.org/story/11/08/04/1420201/NASA-Sends-Lego-Figures-to-Jupiter

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

A bunch of cool links to enjoy!

2011-09-07T12:26:00.004-07:00

Received this link from Matt:
Cosmic Anomaly: The Star That Shouldn't Exist
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2092027,00.html

Received this link from my friend Dewell:
How to see a super nova from your back yard this weekend
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/09/how-to-spot-a-supernova/

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Got these next three articles from my friend Matt:

Jaw-droppingly gorgeous video captures the Milky Way as Earth spins
http://nehttp://http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifwww.blogger.com/img/blank.gifws.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/jaw-droppingly-gorgeous-video-captures-milky-way-earth-2346192http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif11.html

NASA says we might all be aliens
http://www.tecca.com/news/2011/08/10/nasa-meteorite-dna-life/

NASA spots chilled-out stars cooler than the human body
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/nasa-spots-chilled-stars-cooler-human-body-004551421.html

STRONG SOLAR ACTIVITY

2011-09-07T11:09:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Sept. 7, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

STRONG SOLAR ACTIVITY: On Sept. 6th, active sunspot 1283 produced two major eruptions including an impulsive X2-class solar flare. The blasts hurled a pair of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) toward Earth, which could spark geomagnetic activity when they arrive on Sept. 8-10. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras in the nights ahead. Check http://spaceweather.com for images and updates.

DON'T MISS THE STORM: Would you like a call when geomagnetic storms are in progress? Storm alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Planet made of diamond

2011-08-29T13:21:00.000-07:00

Received this link from a friend.
Enjoy!

http://news.yahoo.com/astronomers-discover-planet-made-diamond-180427124.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Beautiful Milky Way

2011-08-29T10:29:00.001-07:00

Got this link from a good friend. Enjoy!

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/jaw-droppingly-gorgeous-video-captures-milky-way-earth-234619211.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Aliens may come to destroy us

2011-08-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

http://news.yahoo.com/scientists-warn-aliens-may-come-destroy-us-160003672.html

Link received from my friend Matt.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Did Earth have 2 moons?

2011-08-12T16:53:00.001-07:00

Received this link from my friend Matt.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Perseids Meteor Shower & ISS viewing this weekend

2011-08-12T11:21:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Aug. 12, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

METEOR SHOWER: The Perseid meteor shower is underway. International observers are now reporting more than 20 meteors per hour as Earth passes through a stream of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle. Forecasters expect the shower to peak on the night of Aug. 12-13. The best time to look is during the hours before dawn on Saturday morning, August 13th, when the glaring Moon is relatively low and meteor rates are highest. Visit http://spaceweather.com for full coverage.

WATCH OUT FOR THE SPACE STATION, TOO: Consider it a cosmic coincidence. During the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, the International Space Station will fly over many US towns and cities. The behemoth spacecraft is easy to see if you know when to look. Check SpaceWeather.com's Simple Satellite Tracker for flyby times: http://spaceweather.com/flybys/

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Trogen Asteroid

2011-08-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/28/science/la-sci-trojan-asteroid-20110728

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Near Earth Astreroid visiting Earth this Monday

2011-06-24T13:46:00.002-07:00

Please enjoy this link and have a super weekend!

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/124430479.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Mercury, Moon & Mars

2011-06-21T10:49:00.001-07:00

Received these two articles from Matt:

Mercury's quirks revealed by NASA spacecraft
Mercury's crust contains far more sulphur than the crust of the Earth or the moon, and its magnetic field is lopsided toward the north, a NASA spacecraft has discovered.
"What we are finding is that in many cases, a lot of the original ideas about Mercury are just plain wrong," said Larry Nittler, one of four scientists affiliated with the Messenger who spoke at a NASA news conference Thursday.
The researchers presented some of the new images and scientific results gathered by Messenger since it became the first spacecraft to enter orbit around the closest planet to the sun on March 17.
Mercury is the only rocky planet in our solar system besides Earth that has a magnetic field, and one of Messenger's surprising findings so far is that Mercury's magnetic field is not a miniature version of Earth's, said Sean Solomon, principal investigator for the mission at the Carnegie Institution of Washington.
"The magnetic field in the northern hemisphere is stronger and different from that in the southern hemisphere," he added.
Mercury's magnetic equator is north of the planet's geographic equator by roughly a fifth of the planet's radius. That means its south pole is far more exposed to charged particles than its north pole, and may help explain the presence of the planet's exosphere – a tail of elements such as sodium that are kicked off the surface by charged particles from space.
Messenger has also found that Mercury's crust contains less aluminum and more silicon than the Earth, and 10 times as much sulphur than either the Earth or the moon.
"Mercury most likely formed from building blocks that were fundamentally chemically different from those that formed the Earth and moon originally," Nittler said.
He added that Mercury's high sulphur content could help illuminate the nature of volcanic activity on Mercury, since explosive volcanoes are closely linked to sulphur-containing gases on Earth.
One of Messenger's goals is to test a hypothesis proposed 20 years ago about why there appears to be water ice on a planet so close to the sun. Scientists first proposed 20 years ago that bright spots on Mercury's poles, seen by radar telescopes on Earth, might be water ice trapped in craters that kept them permanently in shadow, beyond the sun's reach.
Solomon reported that Messenger has now mapped the topography of much of Mercury's surface. The mapping shows that the parts of some craters in permanent shadow coincide with the location of the deposits that are thought to be water ice.
"The first scientific test of that hypothesis using Messenger data from orbit has passed with flying colours," Solomon said.

----------------------------------------------

Forget the moon and Mars: Pentagon spending $1 million for ideas about how to fly to a star
The research agency in the U.S. Defence Department that helped foster the Internet wants someone to dream up a way to send people to a star.
The winner will get half a million dollars for the idea. This month 150 competitors answered the federal government's initial call for private sector cosmic ideas. Officials say some big names are among those interested. The plan is to make interstellar travel possible in about a century.
The Defence Department is known for big spending and big ideas. It devised a space-based missile defence system in the 1980s known as "Star Wars." Its new trademarked 100-year Starship Study concept comes from the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency. The agency is spending a total of $1 million on the project. After presentations are made at a conference in Orlando, Florida, DARPA will decide in November who gets the money.
The grant would be "seed money" to help someone start thinking about the idea and then get it off the ground in the private sector, David Neyland, director of DARPA's tactical technology office, said in a Thursday teleconference.
This is not about going to a nearby planet, like Mars. And it is not about using robotic probes, which does not interest the Defence Department, Neyland said.
But even the nearest star beyond our sun is 25 trillion miles (40 trillion kilometres) away. The fastest rocket man has built would take more than 4,000 years to get there. This is not just about thinking about new rocket methods, Neyland said. It is also about coping with extended life in space, raising issues of medicine, agriculture, ethics and self-reliance, he said.
Among those who showed an interest in the project earlier this year is millionaire scientist Craig Venter, one of those who mapped the human genome and is now working on artificial life and alternative fuels.
"We want to capture the imagination of folks," Neyland said.
Not everyone agrees with spending money this way. Steve Ellis, vice-president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, said, "When you look at the universe — pun intended — of things we have to spend money on, this has to be pretty down on the priority list."

DARPA's 100-year Starship Study: www.100yss.org

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Summer Solstice Flare

2011-06-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

Space Weather News for June 21, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

SOLSTICE SOLAR FLARE: The first day of northern summer began with a solar flare. Magnetic fields above sunspot complex 1236 erupted during the early hours of June 21st, hurling a coronal mass ejection (CME) almost directly toward Earth. The incoming CME does not appear to be particularly potent; nevertheless, the cloud could trigger polar geomagnetic storms when it reaches Earth on or about June 23rd. Check http://spaceweather.com for movies and updates.

HANG AN EXPLOSION ON YOUR WALL: The solar super-explosion of June 7, 2011, is now available from the Space Weather Store as a unique metallic wall hanging. Take a look: http://www.shopspaceweather.com/A-Blast-on-the-Sun.aspx

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Space Beer

2011-06-20T13:01:00.002-07:00

Space Beer
Link Received from William

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/space-beer/17ea0be7d4ecf5320d6017ea0be7d4ecf5320d60-636602025055?cpkey=851bf8ac-b8fd-4eb1-8740-c8962908d496|Space%20Barley%20space%20beer||&q=Space%20Barley%20space%20beer&form=hphot4

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Photos of an eclipsed midnight sun

2011-06-02T10:39:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for June 2, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

ECLIPSE OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN: A solar eclipse at midnight? It's not only possible, it actually happened last night. On June 1st, the new Moon passed in front of the midnight sun above the Arctic circle, producing a partial eclipse of exquisite beauty. Images of the event are featured on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com .

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Solar Sail

2011-05-27T15:21:00.000-07:00

Space Weather News for May 27, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR SAIL FLASHES: NASA's Nanosail-D, the first solar sail to orbit Earth, is flashing as it glides through the night sky. Observers in Europe report luminous peaks as bright as a 1st magnitude star. The irregular period of the flashes suggests that the sail might be tumbling, although no one is certain at this moment what is causing the phenomenon. Sky watchers are encouraged to check the Simple Satellite Tracker for local flyby times and watch this unique spacecraft strobe overhead: http://spaceweather.com/flybys

DON'T FORGET THE SPACE SHUTTLE: Meanwhile, space shuttle Endeavour and the ISS are putting on a show of their own. The docked spacecraft are making a series of brilliant dawn flybys over North America and Europe, providing early risers with a chance to see Endeavour one last time before it returns to Earth for retirement. Tracking them is easy; just use your cell phone: http://simpleflybys.com.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Comet Fireball & Meteorites

2011-05-25T10:47:00.002-07:00

Space Weather News for May 24, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

COMET FIREBALL: Bright fireballs appear somewhere on Earth every day. Most are caused by rocky asteroids. On Friday, May 20th, however, a less common object struck. Sky watchers in the southeastern USA watched a big but fragile piece of comet break apart in Earth's atmosphere. The resulting fireball was the brightest meteor observed in nearly 3 years by NASA's all-sky network of meteor cameras. Videos and more information are featured on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com

HOLD A METEORITE IN YOUR HAND: Certified authentic meteorites are now available in the Space Weather Store. Details at http://www.shopspaceweather.com/meteorite-sets.aspx

--------------------------

Along the lines of holding a meteorite in your hand, you can do that at any of our events that PAS"s own Meteorite Man is attending. He has many different types of meteorites for you to hold, touch, feel, compare, and he has info to tell you about each one. He is worth checking out.. Mike is our Meteorite Man. Come to a PAS event and experience METEORITES! The experience is free, but the memories will last a lifetime!

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Photos of Mercury

2011-05-24T15:28:00.001-07:00

Received this link from Matt

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20110329/sc_space/nasaspacecraftsnaps1stphotoofmercuryfromorbit

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

many many images

2011-05-23T17:56:00.001-07:00

Received this link from Matt.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_night_sky

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Interesting links & articles about our favorite topic - Space

2011-05-19T12:36:00.002-07:00

Lonely Rogue Worlds Surprisingly Outnumber Planets with Suns
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20110518/sc_space/lonelyrogueworldssurprisinglyoutnumberplanetswithsuns

Space Fest
http://www.spacefest.info/III/autog.html?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=PPC&utm_content=Facebook2Spacefest&utm_campaign=AdGroup&Network=Content&SiteTarget=facebook

Monster Storm Rearranges Saturn Before Our Eyes
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20110519/sc_space/monsterstormrearrangessaturnbeforeoureyes

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Why some planets spin backwards

2011-05-16T14:18:00.000-07:00

Received this article from Matt:

Why some planets spin backward

Fri, May 13 08:55 AM EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some planets are just flipping backward.

Of the more than 500 planets detected around stars besides our Sun, the vast majority appear to spin the same way the star does, scientists reported on Wednesday in the journal Nature.

But some of these extrasolar planets spin in the opposite direction of the stars they orbit, astronomers found. These strange, backward-spinning planets are usually gassy giants called hot Jupiters, not rocky orbs like Earth.

Besides their backwards twirling, which the astronomers call flipped orbits, these big planets huddle close to their stars, unlike Jupiter, which is about 483 million miles (778 million km) from the Sun, more than five times as distant from the Sun as Earth.

"That's really weird, and it's even weirder because the planet is so close to the star," Frederic Rasio of Northwestern University said in a statement.

"How can one be spinning one way and the other orbiting exactly the other way? It's crazy. It so obviously violates our most basic picture of planet and star formation."

Astronomers have long theorized that big gas planets form further away from their stars, while Earth-like rocks are born closer in.

But just because a Jupiter-like planet forms in the planetary boondocks doesn't mean it stays there, Rasio and his colleagues reported.

When planetary systems contain more than one planet, in addition to a star, each planet has its own gravitational force, causing the planets to interact and eventually pulling the gas giants close to the star and even reversing its orbit, the scientists found.

This process is known as gravitational perturbation, or an exchange of angular momentum.

Astronomers have been detecting extrasolar planets since 1995, but have seen only a handful. The others are inferred by the gravitational pull they exert on the stars they orbit, creating a starry wobble that indicates one or more planets present but unseen in the planetary system.

The National Science Foundation supported this research.

(Editing by Todd Eastham)

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Sun Storms and more

2011-04-30T18:15:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for April 30, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

GEOMAGNETIC STORM: A solar wind stream hit Earth's magnetic field during the early hours of April 30th, sparking a G1-class geomagnetic storm. Northern Lights descended as far south as Michigan in the United States. High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras (http://spaceweatherphone.com) tonight as the solar wind continues to blow. Photos of the April 30th display are highlighted on today's edition of http://SpaceWeather.com.

TRACK THE SPACE SHUTTLE: Space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center on Monday, May 2nd, on a two-week mission to the International Space Station. The shuttle and station will make many visible passes over Europe and North America during the mission--the trick is knowing when to look. You can turn your cell phone into a field tested shuttle tracker by downloading our Simple Flybys app. Details at http://simpleflybys.com

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Solar Radio Storm

2011-03-28T10:06:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for March 28, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR RADIO STORM: A profusion of emerging sunspots has kicked off a days-long radio storm on the sun. VHF receivers on Earth are picking up loud bursts that sound like waves crashing on a beach. This ongoing event continues a recent trend of increasing activity as Solar Cycle 24 heats up. Check http://spaceweather.com for audio and images of the instigating sunspots.

OUT-OF-THE-BOX SOLAR TELESCOPE: Spaceweather.com is pleased to offer an affordable solar telescope that allows you to safely observe sunspots with minimal setup or previous experience. Unlike other solar telescopes, this one works at night, too! Visit the Space Weather Store for details:
http://www.shopspaceweather.com/explore-scientific-white-light-solar-observer-system.aspx

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Auroras in the USA

2011-03-11T12:46:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for March 11, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

AURORAS IN THE USA: A coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field on March 10th. The impact set off a G1-class geomagnetic storm and sent Northern Lights rippling over the US-Canadian border into states such as Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. Sky watchers who hadn't seen auroras in years captured beautiful photos of green and purple streamers. This is another sign that Solar Cycle 24 is heating up. Check http://spaceweather.com for photos and updates.

GEOMAGNETIC STORM ALERTS: Would you like a call when geomagnetic storms erupt? Sign up for Space Weather PHONE (http://spaceweatherphone.com) or Space Weather TEXT (http://spaceweathertext.com) and never miss another aurora surprise.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

March Upcoming Events + Links

2011-03-03T12:50:00.002-07:00

This is your email issue of TICKET TO THE STARS,
provided to you by the Phoenix Astronomical Society

MARCH 2011 UPCOMING PAS EVENTS

March has a nice spread out line up of events for PAS Members & Guests to enjoy.

Mar 3: PAS Meeting in G-147. Guest Speaker is Dennis Young. Topic is Astro-Scenic-Photography & more. 7pm to 10pm. Special Show & Tell by Pete Morrisey & Night Sky Network Awards Ceremony. Bring a Friend!
Mar 4 & 5: Messier Marathon at 2 Trees site N. of Sedona. For more info & to attend, contact Dennis Young dennis-young@hotmail.com
Mar 5: Cuttin' Edge Observatory Star Party in Mayer. RSVP is with Chris webmaster@pasaz.org. PAS Members only. Please arrive prior to sundown at 6:15pm.
Mar 6: PAS FREE Telescope Workshop at Bookman's, in back room. RSVP is required with Terri Events@pasaz.org. Time is from 3:30pm to 5:30pm. Bring scope, learn how to use it. Open to all ages.
Mar 8: Cancer Treatment Center Star Party. PAS Members only. 7:30pm to 9:30pm, RSVP is with Joe jcollins79@cox.net by day before. This is a Paid event. Be sure you are on the PAStimes Star Tours Team so you get paid for this event. PAS Volunteers welcome.
Mar 10: Indoor / Outdoor Astronomy Event & Star Party at PVCC by Telescope Dome & G-147. Come enjoy hands on activities & handouts in G-147, while a star party takes place outside. Weather Permitting. RSVP is requested with Terri Events@pasaz.org.
Mar 11: Astrophoto Meeting in G-147 at PVCC 7pm.
Mar 19: 1st Annual PAS Moon Marathon. Read about this event in the Newsletter (link provided below) on page 4. Everyone Welcome. RSVP is REQUIRED.
Mar 22: Cancer Treatment Center Star Party Back Up Date. PAS Members only. 7:30pm to 9:30pm, RSVP is with Joe jcollins79@cox.net by day before. This is a Paid event. PAS Volunteers welcome.
Mar 24: PVCC Telescope Workshop 7pm - 10pm. Meet in G-147 to learn to use your telescope by daylight, then move outdoors, and learn to use it at night. When you RSVP with Terri Events@pasaz.org, please provide the number in your party, and what scope you will bringing that night so we have a teacher available to assist you with your scope. Handouts & Meteorite Man will most likely be provided as well. This is also a PAS STAR PARTY. PAS Telescope Volunteers needed.
Mar 26: Virtual Star Party at Chris's home in Goodyear. RSVP is required with Chris Webmaster@pasaz.org. Time frame for this night's session will be 7pm to 1am. Bring a snack & Drink to share. PAS Members only.
Mar 26: Desert Botanical Garden PAID Star Party 7pm to 9pm. PAStimes Star Tours members are invited to sign up to assist at this event by day before. Sam is RSVP Insanas@aol.com.
Apr 7: PAS Meeting in PVCC Library. Guest Speaker is Richard Hill. Topic is TBA. 7pm to 10pm. Bring a Friend! ***

The March PAStimes Newsletter is ready for download and can be found at this link:
http://www.pasaz.org/PAStimes/2010-2011/2011-03.pdf

PAS Speaker Line up for rest of Spring 2011

Apr 7: Richard Hill - Topic: TBA
May 5 in G-147: Dolores Hill + Pizza Party + Elections + Moon Marathon Awards Ceremony - Topic: "Meteorites: Keys to Understanding the Solar System"
May 19 in G-147: Robert Piccioni + Party + Messier Marathon Awards Ceremony - Topic: "Einstein for Everyone"

Here are some links of interest for your enjoyment....

New Record! Telescope Finds 19 Asteroids in One Night
Received this link from Matt.
http://www.space.com/10962-asteroids-discovery-record-hawaii-telescope.html

space shuttle launch viewed from airplane
Received this link from Leah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE_USPTmYXM

Have a super day!
See you at tonight's meeting!

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Earth dodges spectacular blast

2011-02-24T12:22:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Feb. 24, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

SPECTACULAR BLAST: A massive cloud of plasma exploded over the eastern limb of the sun this morning (Feb. 24th around 0730 UT), heralding the approach of a new active region. The spectacular blast, which produced strong radio emissions, a coronal mass ejection, and an M3-class solar flare, was not Earth-directed. Future eruptions could be, however, as the sun's rotation turns the blast site toward our planet in the days ahead. Check http://spaceweather.com for images and movies.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Discovery's final flight scheduled for Thursday

2011-02-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

Received this info from Matt:

Discovery's final flight scheduled for Thursday

Weather and conditions permitting, space shuttle Discovery will lift off Thursday on its final flight, NASA announced Friday.

The six-member crew will deliver a storage module, a science rig and spare parts to the international space station during its 11-day mission.

Originally scheduled for November, Discovery's launch was delayed because of repairs to the external tank's support beams.

NASA, which is winding down the shuttle program, announced the February 24 launch a few weeks ago, but confirmed it after a meeting briefing Friday. This will be Discovery's 39th voyage.

The launch is scheduled for 4:50 p.m. at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Astronaut Steve Bowen was assigned to take the place of Tim Kopra, who was injured in a bicycle accident, NASA said.

The last scheduled launch of space shuttle Endeavour is currently on for April 19 and shuttle Atlantis is tentatively scheduled to launch during the summer.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

3 links of interest

2011-02-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

Received these three cool links from Matt. Enjoy!

Scientists Building Largest Antimatter Trap Ever
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20110219/sc_livescience/scientistsbuildinglargestantimattertrapever

Thunderstorms on Earth Hurl Antimatter Into Space
http://www.space.com/10602-antimatter-beams-thunderstorms-nasa.html

How Much Dark Matter Do Some Galaxies Need? 300 Billion Suns
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20110220/sc_space/howmuchdarkmatterdosomegalaxiesneed300billionsuns

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

2 links plus March upcoming events

2011-02-15T14:05:00.003-07:00

Happy & Wonderful Tuesday to our fellow Star Gazers!

I have 2 interesting links to share with you.

This link is very interesting. 3D images of outer space.
http://www.pbase.com/geokolb/stereo_images

Did someone say we have a 9th Planet again? Check out this link for more info. Matt sent it my way.
http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/02/15/a-nine-planet-solar-system-once-more-nasa-telescope-may-reveal-new-planet-tyche/?xid=rss-nation-yahoo

Upcoming Events of interest in March 2011

Mar 3: PAS Meeting at PVCC inG-147 with Dennis Young. Topic: Astro-Scenic-Photography. Plus NSN Awards & a mini Show n Tell by Pete. 7pm to 10pm - Everyone welcome. More info: http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=200&day=2011-3-3&c=1

Mar 6: Bookman's Backroom - FREE Telescope Workshop 3:30pm to 5:30pm, RSVP required with Terri Events@pasaz.org by day before, please. Bring your scope & accessories & learn how to use it. More info: http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=549&day=2011-3-6&c=1

Mar 10: Indoor / Outdoor Astronomy Event at PVCC in G-147 7:30 to 9:30 with Star Party. Everyone welcome, bring a friend. RSVP is requested with Terri Events@pasaz.org by day before, please. More info:
http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=577&day=2011-3-10

Mar 19: PAS 1st Annual Moon Marathon at Mike's Home in Carefree. Directions & map to Mike's home will be provided after RSVP is received. Everyone is welcome to compete. Prizes awarded for first completion. If enough prizes have been received from donating companies, everyone may win a prize if they complete the marathon. RSVP is required by Mar 15th to participate. RSVP with Terri Events@pasaz.org. Event starts at 4pm for potluck. Marathon begins at 7pm and ends 11pm. Judges will be available to confirm you identified Feature on Moon. To enter marathon, you must have your own scope to use for marathon, no sharing will be allowed. Open to the public for marathon participants only (and their immediate family), no additional viewers. More Details: http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=568&day=2011-3-19&c=1

Mar 24: Open to the public - FREE Telescope Workshop & Star Party at PVCC by G-147 and Telescope Dome 7pm to 10pm. RSVP is required with Terri Events@pasaz.org. More details: http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=576&day=2011-3-24

We hope to see you at our events. Please RSVP when requested. Some events are canceled if no Public RSVP's are received.

Have a super Tuesday!

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

EXPLORING MARS

2011-01-12T12:08:00.001-07:00

Got this link from my friend Matt,

http://mesaartscenter.com/index.php/performances/natlgeographic/ExploringMars

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Monday morning thoughts

2011-01-10T13:11:00.001-07:00

This was posted on line. Thought is was humorous enough to share today.
Enjoy!

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/8238401/

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Meteor Shower & Solar Eclipse on Jan 4

2011-01-03T13:18:00.002-07:00

Space Weather News for Jan. 3, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

QUADRANTID METEOR SHOWER: Sky watchers in the northern hemisphere should be alert for meteors before sunrise on Tuesday, Jan. 4th. Earth is about to pass through a narrow stream of debris from shattered comet 2003 EH1, the parent of the annual Quadrantid meteor shower. Forecasters say the encounter could produce a fast flurry of 100 meteors per hour during the early hours of Jan. 4th. Details and observing tips may be found at http://spaceweather.com .

GOT CLOUDS? No problem. You can stay inside and listen to the Quadrantids. Tune into SpaceWeather Radio for live meteor echoes from the US Air Force Space Surveillance Radar in Texas: http://spaceweatherradio.com .

PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE: After the meteor shower, observers in Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia can witness a partial eclipse of the sun. In western Europe, as much as 86% of the solar disk will be covered by the Moon at dawn, producing a fantastic crescent sunrise on Jan. 4th. Check http://spaceweather.com for details, animated maps and live webcasts.

Please note, this eclipse is NOT visible in Phoenix AZ.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Storms on Saturn

2010-12-28T12:22:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Dec. 28, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

BIG STORM ON SATURN: Got a telescope for Christmas? Point it at Saturn. A giant storm even brighter than Saturn's rings is raging through the planet's cloudtops. Amateur images and sky maps are featured on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

GEOMAGNETIC STORM IN PROGRESS: At the time this alert is being written (mid-day UT on Dec. 28), a polar geomagnetic storm is in progress (Kindex=5). Observers report electric currents in the ground and intensifying Northern Lights over Scandinavia. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras: http://spaceweathertext.com .

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Voyager has out distanced the Solar Wind

2010-12-15T12:50:00.001-07:00

http://www.universetoday.com/81662/voyager-1-has-outdistanced-the-solar-wind/

Received this link from a friend, Matt.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Earth like Alien planets

2010-11-24T00:54:00.002-07:00

Got this link from Matt. Enjoy!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20101116/sc_space/lookingforearthlikealienplanetsfocusontheblueones

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Trips to Mars

2010-11-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

received this info via email from our friend Matt:

Scientists propose one-way trips to Mars
By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS, Associated Press

Invoking the spirit of "Star Trek" in a scholarly article entitled "To Boldly Go," two scientists contend human travel to Mars could happen much more quickly and cheaply if the missions are made one-way. They argue that it would be little different from early settlers to North America, who left Europe with little expectation of return.

"The main point is to get Mars exploration moving," said Dirk Schulze-Makuch of Washington State University, who wrote the article in the latest "Journal of Cosmology" with Paul Davies of Arizona State University. The colleagues state — in one of 55 articles in the issue devoted to exploring Mars — that humans must begin colonizing another planet as a hedge against a catastrophe on Earth.

Mars is a six-month flight away, possesses surface gravity, an atmosphere, abundant water, carbon dioxide and essential minerals. They propose the missions start by sending two two-person teams, in separate ships, to Mars. More colonists and regular supply ships would follow.

The technology already exists, or is within easy reach, they wrote.

An official for NASA said the space agency envisions manned missions to Mars in the next few decades, but that the planning decidedly involves round trips.

President Obama informed NASA last April that he "'believed by the mid-2030s that we could send humans to orbit Mars and safely return them to Earth. And that a landing would soon follow,'" said agency spokesman Michael Braukus.

No where did Obama suggest the astronauts be left behind.

"We want our people back," Braukus said.

Retired Apollo 14 astronaut Ed Mitchell, who walked on the Moon, was also critical of the one-way idea.

"This is premature," Mitchell wrote in an e-mail. "We aren't ready for this yet."

Davies and Schulze-Makuch say it's important to realize they're not proposing a "suicide mission."

"The astronauts would go to Mars with the intention of staying for the rest of their lives, as trailblazers of a permanent human Mars colony," they wrote, while acknowledging the proposal is a tough sell for NASA, with its intense focus on safety.

They think the private sector might be a better place to try their plan.

"What we would need is an eccentric billionaire," Schulze-Makuch said. "There are people who have the money to put this into reality."

Indeed, British tycoon Richard Branson, PayPal founder Elon Musk and Amazon.com Inc. CEO Jeff Bezos are among the rich who are involved in private space ventures.

Isolated humans in space have long been a staple of science fiction movies, from "Robinson Crusoe on Mars" to "2001: A Space Odyssey" to a flurry of recent movies such as "Solaris" and "Moon." In many of the plots, the lonely astronauts fall victim to computers, madness or aliens.

Psychological profiling and training of the astronauts, plus constant communication with Earth, will reduce debilitating mental strains, the two scientists said.

"They would in fact feel more connected to home than the early Antarctic explorers," according to the article.

But the mental health of humans who spent time in space has been extensively studied. Depression can set in, people become irritated with each other, and sleep can be disrupted, the studies have found. The knowledge that there is no quick return to Earth would likely make that worse.

Davies is a physicist whose research focuses on cosmology, quantum field theory, and astrobiology. He was an early proponent of the theory that life on Earth may have come from Mars in rocks ejected by asteroid and comet impacts.

Schulze-Makuch works in the Earth Sciences department at WSU and is the author of two books about life on other planets. His focus is eco-hydrogeology, which includes the study of water on planets and moons of our solar system and how those could serve as a potential habitat for microbial life.

The peer-reviewed Journal of Cosmology covers astronomy, astrobiology, Earth sciences and life.

Schulze-Makuch and Davies contend that Mars has abundant resources to help the colonists become self-sufficient over time. The colony should be next to a large ice cave, to provide shelter from radiation, plus water and oxygen, they wrote.

They believe the one-way trips could start in two decades.

"You would send a little bit older folks, around 60 or something like that," Schulze-Makuch said, bringing to mind the aging heroes who save the day in "Space Cowboys."

That's because the mission would undoubtedly reduce a person's lifespan, from a lack of medical care and exposure to radiation. That radiation would also damage human reproductive organs, so sending people of childbearing age is not a good idea, he said.

There have been seniors in space, including John Glenn, who was 77 when he flew on the space shuttle in 1998.

Still, Schulze-Makuch believes many people would be willing to make the sacrifice.

The Mars base would offer humanity a "lifeboat" in the event Earth becomes uninhabitable, they said.

"We are on a vulnerable planet," Schulze-Makuch said. "Asteroid impact can threaten us, or a supernova explosion. If we want to survive as a species, we have to expand into the solar system and likely beyond."
-----------

Online:

http://journalofcosmology.com/Mars108.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Jupiter's Stripe

2010-11-11T12:13:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Nov. 11, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

JUPITER'S MISSING STRIPE, RETURNING? Earlier this year when Jupiter's great South Equatorial Belt (SEB) vanished, researchers urged amateur astronomers to be alert for its eventual return. The SEB had come and gone before, they noted, and the revival was something to behold. Alert: It might be happening now. An energetic white plume is rising above Jupiter's cloudtops, possibly heralding the return of the giant planet's missing stripe. Visit http://spaceweather.com for images and updates.

SPACE STATION FLYBY ALERT: The International Space Station is about to begin a series of bright evening flybys over North America. It's easy to see. Let your cell phone tell you when to look using our Simple Flybys app for Android and iPhone: http://simpleflybys.com/

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

PAS is at the Desert Botanical Gardens 11/5 and 11/6

2010-11-05T14:25:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon and happy Friday to you.

The Phoenix Astronomical Society will be at the Desert Botanical Gardens on

Friday Nov 5 from 7pm to 9pm for an Adult Event
and
Sat Nov 6 from 6pm to 8pm for a Kids Event.

The Desert Botanical Gardent address is:
1201 N. Galvin Parkway Phoenix, AZ 85008 ...

Fo

And here is what's visible for both nights.
Sun set is 5:20
Mercury is visible at 5:30 and sets 5:50.
Mars is visible 5:30 and sets 6:30.
Jupiter is visible 5:30 and then throughout the night.
Dark is 6:50.

We hope to see you there!
For more fun Astronomy related events, be sure to visit the PAS Website Calendar
where you will find the event listed, on the date it is happening, and a forum link
to give you more details about the events. Some events require RSVP prior to attending,
while others, like the DBG events mentioned above are Public events hosted by the
location we are doing the event at, and so no RSVP is required for attendance.

The link directly to the PAS website calendar is:
http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php

HAVE A SUPER FRIDAY!!!

Terri, Event Coordinator

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Phoenix Art Museum "Space Odyssey" Nov 5, 2010 6pm to 10pm

2010-11-05T12:49:00.000-07:00

TONIGHT - Join us!!!

The Phoenix Art Museum is putting on SPACE ODYSSEY.
From 6pm to 10pm, tonight Nov 5, 2010, you can enjoy many of these activities & more:

* Making Foil Helmets and get your photo taken while wearing yours.
* Kids will launch air rockets and play with glow sticks
* Airbrush space tattoo-ist available

Plus the PHOENIX ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
will be there, out front to show you the night sky.

Please note, we are near the Museum building to our East, so
objects rising in the East, such as Jupiter may do earlier in the evening,
may not be visible until later in the evening. But this is what we hope to
show tonight through 3 telescopes. Come visit us there!!!

Sun set is 5:20
Mercury is visible to the West at 5:30 and sets 5:50. We hope to have some scopes
set up prior to Mercury setting for the night.
Mars is visible to the West at 5:30 and sets 6:30.
Jupiter is visible 5:30 and then throughout the night, the building might
be in the way earlier in the evening. It will be at the Zenith at 9:14pm. I predict we will
be able to see Jupiter come over the Museum building by about 7:30.
Dark is 6:50.

Address of the Phoenix Art Museum is:
1625 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004

More details can be found in the PAS public forums at this link:
http://www.pasaz.org/forums/showthread.php?t=479

We would love to see you there, tonight!!!

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

2010-10-28T12:02:00.001-07:00

UPCOMING NOVEMBER PAS EVENTS

For the links to these events, download the Upcoming Events file from this link & use the links within the document to quickly get to these events within the online PAS Calendar: http://www.pasaz.org/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=49

Nov 2: Cancer Treatment Center (CTCA) Star Party. RSVP is with Joe. This is a paid star party & Only PAS Members are to attend. Dinner may be provided. Contact Joe for details. Official time of event is 8pm to 10pm.

Nov 4: PAS Meeting – PVCC Library. Mike Marron is guest speaker with a topic that will knock your socks off! Meeting is from 7pm to 9:30pm. Everyone Welcome. Bring the whole family!

Nov 5: Desert Botanical Gardens (DBG) Star Party. Private event, PAS Members only. Sign up with Sam to help out. This is a paid star party. Event is from 7pm to 9pm.

Nov 6: Cuttin' Edge Observatory (CEO) Star Party. PAS Members only. RSVP is with Chris webmaster@pasaz.org. This event is held in Mayer, Az. All PAS Members welcome. Serious observers only.

Nov 12: Back up date for Nov 5: DBG star party.

Nov 14: PAS FREE Telescope Workshop at Bookmans - 19th Ave & Northern – 3:30pm to 5:30pm. RSVP is with Terri Events@pasaz.org for this event. Bring your scope & accessories & learn how to use your telescope.

Nov 16: Back up date for Nov 2 CTCA star party.

Nov 17: Park Ridge Elementary School Star Party – Event is from 6pm to 8:30pm. RSVP is with Terri Events@pasaz.org for this event. We need telescopes at this event.

Nov 17: Aerospace Star Party – Paid event at the Biltmore. Event is from 10pm to midnight. Paid workers have already signed up.

Nov 18: PAS Meeting of the Minds (MOMs). This is the PAS Business meeting where we Party & discuss topics. The MOMs Agenda can be found at this link: http://www.pasaz.org/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=60 If there aren't enough topics to hold a minimum of a 1 hour meeting, the meeting is canceled, & the topics move to the next month's meeting. Everyone is welcome at this meeting. Check with Terri Events@pasaz.org as to if the meeting is on or off. No RSVP is required.

Nov 27: Virtual Star Party (VSP) at Chris's in Goodyear. Bring your laptop & come image the night sky. RSVP is with Chris Webmaster@pasaz.org. PAS Members only. This event begins at 6:30. Try to arrive ½ hour prior to allow time for set up.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Meeting of the Minds for Oct 28 has been CANCELED

2010-10-28T11:54:00.003-07:00

Please enjoy your evening.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Sun Twister & Asteroid Flyby

2010-10-28T11:54:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Oct. 28, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

SUN TWISTER: Earlier today, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) recorded a spectacular eruption on the sun's northeastern limb. An unstable magnetic filament hundreds of thousands of kilometers long pirouetted and launched a fragment of itself into space. Earth was not in the line of fire, but the SDO movie is worth seeing anyway. Visit http://spaceweather.com for cinema.

ASTEROID FLYBY: Asteroid 2003 UV11 will fly past Earth on Oct. 29th and 30th at a distance of only 1.2 million miles. Experienced amateur astronomers should have little trouble photographing the 600-meter wide space rock as it glides through the constellation Pegasus on Friday night, glowing about as brightly as a 12th magnitude star. Observers in North America and Europe are favored. Check http://spaceweather.com for ephemerides and more information.

SPACE WEATHER ALERTS: Would you like a call when geomagnetic storms erupt at your latitude? Sign up for Space Weather Phone: http://spaceweatherphone.com

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Orionids Meteor Shower

2010-10-21T00:30:00.001-07:00

Sent to me by Joe, who got it from AOL's site

Here is a short article from AOL news on the Orionids to share....
A spectacular stream of meteors believed to be leftovers from Halley's Comet is expected to streak across the skies this week, but a full harvest moon will compete for attention and may obstruct some of the show.

The meteors, a junior version of the famous Perseid meteor shower, are called the Orionids because they appear to shoot from the second-brightest star in the Orion constellation, or from the hunter's elbow. Up to 30 meteors -- fast, bright streaks like shooting stars -- could be visible each hour in the night sky, starting tonight, Space.com reports.

"The Orionids are fast meteors and also have fireballs. The radiant of the shower will be observed north of Betelgeuse, the brightest star in the constellation Orion, the Mighty Hunter," Graciano Yumul, an officer at the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, told GMA News.

The shower's radiant point is near the celestial equator, meaning that it'll be visible in both the northern and southern hemispheres, according to iSurf News.

Sponsored Links The annual show usually happens from Oct. 17 to Oct. 25, and this year it'll peak before dawn on Thursday. But that's also when a full moon will appear over North America, in most places on Saturday, perhaps dimming the light of the meteors. So the best viewing times are believed to be earlier in the week, when the moon isn't as bright. The best places from which to view the meteor shower are in rural spots that don't have other light pollution.

The Orionids are thought be caused by Halley's Comet, which was named for astronomer Edmond Halley and passes through the inner solar system once every 76 years. The last time was in 1986.

But every time Halley's Comet zooms past the sun, bits of ice and rock are evaporated off the comet and go flying into space. The debris hangs there in space and create the annual Orionid display.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

SUNDIVING COMET & ORIONID METEOR SHOWE

2010-10-21T00:29:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Oct. 20, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

SUNDIVING COMET: A newly-discovered comet is plunging toward the sun for a close encounter it probably will not survive. The comet is too deep in the sun's glare for human eyes to pick out, but it is showing up nicely in coronagraph images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. Visit http://spaceweather.com for latest movies.

ORIONID METEOR SHOWER: Earth is passing through a stream of debris from Halley's Comet, and this is causing the annual Orionid meteor shower. Bright moonlight is reducing the number of visible meteors; nevertheless, sky watchers are reporting some bright Orionids. The best time to look is during the hours before local dawn on Thursday, Oct. 21st, and again on Friday, Oct. 22nd. Check http://spaceweather.com for a sky map and more information.

SPACE WEATHER ALERTS: With the arrival of northern autumn, aurora season is underway. Would you like a call when geomagnetic storms erupt at your latitude? Sign up for Space Weather Phone: http://spaceweatherphone.com

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Approaching Comet

2010-10-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

Space Weather News for Oct. 1, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

APPROACHING COMET: Green comet 103P/Hartley 2 is approaching Earth for a close encounter on Oct. 20th. At that time, the comet will be only 11 million miles (0.12 AU) from our planet and should be dimly visible to the naked eye from dark sky sites. It already looks great through backyard telescopes, as shown by images featured on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com. NASA's Deep Impact/EPOXI spacecraft is en route to this comet for close-up studies and a daring flyby on Nov. 4th.

UPSIDE-DOWN LIGHTNING OVER THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER: An amateur photographer has photographed rare lightning-like discharges called "gigantic jets" shooting up from storm clouds near NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Visit http://spaceweather.com for a movie and more information about the phenomenon.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Fireball seen 9/21/10 & more

2010-09-22T13:22:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Sept. 22, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

GLOBAL ERUPTION ON THE SUN: This morning between 0230 UT and 0600 UT, the northern hemisphere of the sun erupted in a tumult of activity. There was a solar flare, a coronal mass ejection, and at least two dark magnetic filaments lifting off the stellar surface. The event appears to be a smaller-scale version of the global blast in early August that sparked auroras over some US states. As before, NASA spacecraft recorded the action in detail. Visit http://spaceweather.com for movies and updates.

SOUTHWESTERN FIREBALL RIVALS THE HARVEST MOON: Last night, sky watchers in the southwestern United States witnessed a brilliant fireball. It was almost as bright as the full Harvest Moon and caused a loud sonic boom over parts of New Mexico. A movie of the event is highlighted on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Close Encounter with Jupiter

2010-09-20T10:19:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Sept. 20, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

JUPITER AT ITS BEST: Tonight, Sept. 20-21, Earth and Jupiter converge for their closest encounter in decades. The giant planet will soar across the sky at midnight, outshining everything except the Moon itself. Although big, bright Jupiter will remain close to Earth for weeks to come, tonight is the closest of all. Check http://spaceweather.com for images and more information.

SPACE STATION RADAR ECHO: Over the weekend, the International Space Station flew through the radar beam of the US Air Force Space Surveillance System in Texas. The echo was strong enough to be heard by amateur radio operators across the southern USA. A sample echo is highlighted on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com .

SPACE WEATHER ALERTS: With the coming of northern autumn, aurora season is underway. Would you like a call when geomagnetic storms erupt at your latitude? Sign up for Space Weather Phone: http://spaceweatherphone.com

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

INTERNATIONAL OBSERVE THE MOON NIGHT

2010-09-17T17:05:00.001-07:00

Good afternoon,

PAS is hosting a super Star Party at PV Park tomorrow.
RSVP is requested to be sure I bring enough handouts for everyone.
Drop me an email at Events@pasaz.org by noon tomorrow,
or if it is after noon but before 4:30pm, you can call my cell to let me know
you will be attending 602-561-5398. When you call, leave just your first name
and number of attendees coming with you.

You can find out all the info you need to know about this event at:
http://www.pasaz.org/forums/showthread.php?t=434

In brief, we are:

Observing the Moon
Observing anything else that is available in the night sky.

Sunset 6:15pm
Venus visible 6:15pm - sets 7:45pm
Moon visible all day into the night
Saturn visible 6:20 - sets 6:50pm
Mars visible 6:20 - sets 7:45pm
Jupiter rises at 6:45pm
Dark 7:20pm

We will be setting up about 5:30pm, to begin at 6pm, however
for those early bird arrivals, we hope to catch a planet or two.
From 6pm to dark we will show what we can of the planets
that are available first, then move our attention to the moon
and fainter objects.

PAS was awarded a Moon rock to share and have on display.
Come check it out. You can hold a piece of the Moon in your hand.

And Wendy from ASU will be providing posters for viewing,
and handouts about the moon. Thank you Wendy.

Mike will be there with his collection of Meteorites. Hold a real
meteorite in your hand. Mike loves and has a lot of meteorites to share.

At the moment, we have 3 scopes lined up to attend, but more may make it
before the end of the night.

Come have some fun with us. Your RSVP is requested.
Bring your own Chairs, snacks and drinks.
Bathrooms are available, but are not always the cleanest.

We'd love to have you join us.
Weather should be awesome.
You don't have to arrive on time, but you should let me konw you
are attending. Bring the whole family!!!

Terri, Event Coordinator

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Spectacular Eruption

2010-09-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

Space Weather News for Sept. 9, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

SPECTACULAR ERUPTION: Just as sunspot 1105 was turning away from Earth on Sept 8th, the active region unleashed a spectacular eruption of plasma and extreme ultraviolet radiation. Earth was not in the line of fire--this time. Must-see movies from the Solar Dynamics Observatory and other spacecraft are highlighted on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

SPACECRAFT FLYBY ALERT: This is a good week for satellite watchers in the USA and Canada. Both the International Space Station and the US Air Force X-37B space plane are making a series of favorable passes over North American towns and cities. The spacecraft are easy to find using our Simple Satellite Tracker--an app for iPhones and Android. Visit http://simpleflybys.com for downloads and more information.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Sept 2010 Newsletter is Ready for download

2010-08-25T11:52:00.003-07:00

Please help yourself to a copy of the September PAStimes Newsletter,
ready for download at this link: http://www.pasaz.org/index.php?pageid=newsletter
Enjoy!

Have a super Wednesday!
Terri, Event Coordinator

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Fireball on Jupiter

2010-08-22T22:21:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for Aug. 22, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

FIREBALL ON JUPITER: An amateur astronomer in Japan has video-recorded a fireball on Jupiter. This marks the third time in only 13 months that amateur astronomers have detected signs of something hitting the giant planet. Will the latest impact leave behind a visible cloud of debris? Visit http://spaceweather.com for images and updates.

SPACE STATION and SPACE PLANE FLYBYS: This is a good week for satellite watchers in the USA and Canada. Both the International Space Station and the US Air Force X-37B space plane are making a series of favorable passes over North American towns and cities. The spacecraft are easy to find using our Simple Satellite Tracker--an app for iPhones and Android. Visit http://simpleflybys.com for downloads and more information.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Cool time lapsed photography sites

2010-08-20T15:26:00.000-07:00

A friend sent me these links, Enjoy!

He writes;

I came across this site today. Very nice wide field still and time-lapse photography.

http://vimeo.com/14173983

http://photography.evosia.com/

http://photography.evosia.com/2010/08/13/under-the-milky-way-in-joshua-tree-national-park/

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Perseids Meteor Shower

2010-08-12T11:20:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for August 12, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

PERSEID METEOR SHOWER: The annual Perseid meteor shower is underway. Earth is passing through a wide stream of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, and each time a fleck of comet dust hits Earth's atmosphere--flash!--there is a meteor. Forecasters say the shower will peak on Thursday, August 12th, and Friday, August 13th. You can see Perseids flitting across the sky at any time between about 10 pm on Thursday evening and sunrise on Friday morning. Observers who get away from city lights can expect to count dozens of meteors per hour, especially during the dark hours before dawn.

Tune into http://spaceweather.com for full coverage of the shower, including a live meteor radar, a "fireball cam," updated meteor counts and pictures from around the world.

BONUS: If you go outside a little early on Thursday evening, around sunset, you'll see a beautiful gathering of planets in the sunset sky--Venus, Mars, Saturn and the crescent Moon. It's a nice way to start a meteor watch. Sky maps may be found at http://spaceweather.com.

LOOKING FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION? Your cell phone can lead you right to it. Check out our field-tested satellite tracker for the iPhone and Android at http://simpleflybys.com.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Mankind must abandon earth or face extinction: Hawking

2010-08-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

Article sent to me by Matt.

Mankind must abandon earth or face extinction: Hawking

Mankind's only chance of long-term survival lies in colonising space, as humans drain Earth of resources and face a terrifying array of new threats, warned British scientist Stephen Hawking on Monday.

"The human race shouldn't have all its eggs in one basket, or on one planet," the renowned astrophysicist told the website Big Think, a forum which airs ideas on many subjects from experts.

"Our only chance of long-term survival is not to remain inward looking on planet Earth, but to spread out into space," he added.

He warned that the human race was likely to face an increased number of events that threaten its very existence, as the Cuban missile crisis did in 1962.

The Cold War showdown saw the United States and Soviet Union in a confrontation over Soviet missiles deployed in Cuba, near US shores, and brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

"We are entering an increasingly dangerous period of our history," said Hawking.

"Our population and our use of the finite resources of planet Earth are growing exponentially, along with our technical ability to change the environment for good or ill."

If we want to survive beyond the next century, "our future is in space," added the scientist.

"That is why I'm in favour of manned, or should I say 'personed', space flight."

His comments came after he warned in a recent television series that mankind should avoid contact with aliens at all costs, as the consequences could be devastating.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Aug 21 & Aug 22 PAS Website will be down for maintainance

2010-08-06T14:46:00.001-07:00

Please make a note that on Aug 21 and Aug 22 the PAS Website will be
down for scheduled maintenance. Do not send an email to Chris about this.
Instead, post it on your calendar so you know that you can not access the site
during those two days. Collect all info you need from the site
prior to the 21st of August. Thank you for your patience in this matter.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

A solar sunami

2010-08-06T13:57:00.001-07:00

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/100117994.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Perseids Meteor Shower

2010-08-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/99304684.html

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Meteor Shower

2010-07-28T15:48:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for July 28, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR ACTIVITY PICKS UP: Earlier today, magnetic fields looping over the sun's southeastern limb became unstable and erupted. The blast produced a bright, towering prominence that attracted the attention of amateur astronomers around the world. Meanwhile, on the sun's northeastern limb, a big new sunspot is emerging and it is crackling with C-class solar flares. Visit http://spaceweather.com for images and movies.

METEOR SHOWER: The University of Western Ontario meteor radar is picking up strong returns from the Southern Delta Aquarid meteor shower, which peaks on July 28th. Sky watchers (particularly in the southern hemisphere) should be alert for meteors between about 10 pm and dawn. "Visual rates could be as high as 20 per hour," notes Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, "although glare from the nearly full Moon will make many of the fainter meteors difficult to see."

SPACE WEATHER ALERTS: Did you miss the last big solar flare or geomagnetic storm? Don't let that happen again. Turn your cell phone into a full-featured space weather alert system: http://spaceweatherphone.com

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Sky brightening over Kitt Peak

2010-07-28T12:50:00.000-07:00

Sky brightening over Kitt Peak
Research done

Received link from astronomy friend
http://arxiv.org/abs/1007.4597

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Sunday July 25, 2010 Bokman's Telescope Workshop

2010-07-20T11:46:00.002-07:00

This Sunday 3:30 to 5:30 is a Bookman's Telescope Workshop.
Free & Open to the PUBLIC.
Bring the whole family.

This event is weather permitting.
We will cancel event if:
1) Falling rain at 3pm
2) Winds above 15mph

PAS Calendar: RSVP here if you can attend, please:
http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=348&day=2010-7-25&c=1

Forum discussion has been started here, about this event.
http://www.pasaz.org/forums/showthread.php?p=997#post997

We hope to see you there!

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Solar Activity

2010-07-10T13:18:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for July 10, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

A LIVELY SOLAR ECLIPSE: Fast-growing sunspot 1087 is crackling with C-class solar flares. A spectacular eruption recorded by the Solar Dynamics Observatory is featured on today's edition of Spaceweather.com. This surge in activity comes on the eve of a total eclipse of the sun over the South Pacific. Will eclipse chasers see material blasting away from the sun when the Moon hides the blinding stellar surface? It's a possibility. Stay tuned to http://spaceweather.com for updates and pictures from the path of totality.

SUNSET CONJUNCTION: Look west at sunset. Venus is passing by 1st magnitude star Regulus. They're only a little more than a degree apart. Bright Venus catches the eye first. As the glow of sunset fades, Regulus pops out of the twilight a little below Venus. The view through binoculars is superb.

Orion SkyQuest XT6 for Sale $200

2010-07-08T15:31:00.000-07:00

For Sale: Like new Orion SkyQuest XT6 Dobsonian Telescope with base. Originally purchased 12/12/2000 for $470.80. Comes with Telrad Reflex Light Sight - New $48.00, Star Light Flashlite, Moon Filter, 25mm eyepiece, 9mm eyepiece, Instruction Manual & "Where the Stars Are" - Astronomy software for windows. Asking price $200. Email Carol at CarolRuesch@yahoo.com or phone 602-863-6399

Ozone

2010-07-06T13:01:00.001-07:00

Ozone is both good and bad. It’s good when it’s high in the stratosphere, where it protects us from harmful ultraviolet radiation. But at the top of the troposphere, ozone is a greenhouse gas. Mid-troposphere, ozone mops up pollutants. At the surface, though, ozone harms plants and causes health problems for animals—and us. The new “Ozone Trap-n-Zap” game on The Space Place gives you the opportunity to set things right. Ozone molecules fly in at all levels, and your job is to trap them where they will help and zap them where they won't. It’s fun and fast-moving, and you'll never be blasé about ozone again. Go to http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/tes/ozone.

Best wishes,

The Space Place Team

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Monty Python Song with Nasa photos

2010-07-01T12:09:00.001-07:00

Got this from my good friend, Leah.
Enjoy!

Just click once on the link below or paste it.

Speakers on. Photos by NASA. Enjoy Your Journey!

http://dingo.care-mail.com/cards/flash/5409/galaxy.swf

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Many ISS sightings coming this weekend

2010-06-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

Space Weather News for June 25, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

SPACE STATION IN CONSTANT SUNLIGHT: For the next few days, the International Space Station (ISS) will be orbiting Earth in constant sunlight. This sets the stage for a remarkable sky show. Because the ISS is constantly illuminated, it shines brightly in the night sky every single time it passes overhead. Some observers can see the space station 3, 4, even 5 times a night. More information and flybys predictions may be found at http://spaceweather.com

ANDROID FLYBYS: Spaceweather's "Simple Flybys" app is now available for Android phones as well as the iPhone and iPad. Details at http://simpleflybys.com

WEEKEND LUNAR ECLIPSE: On Saturday, June 26th, the Moon will pass through Earth's shadow, producing a 54% partial lunar eclipse. The event is visible from most of the Americas, Australia, Japan, east Asia and all of the Pacific Ocean. For readers in the USA, the best time to look is just before sunrise on Saturday morning. Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Journey to the Stars

2010-06-11T08:19:00.001-07:00

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/07jun_journeytothestars/

Received this awesome link from my good friend, Leah.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Life on Titan?

2010-06-11T08:17:00.001-07:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20100607/sc_space/strangediscoveryontitanleadstospeculationofalienlife

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

New Comet McNaught

2010-06-10T17:19:00.000-07:00

Space Weather News for June 8, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

NEW COMET McNAUGHT: A fresh comet is swinging through the inner solar system, and it is brightening rapidly as it approaches Earth for a 100 million mile close encounter in mid-June. Comet McNaught (C/2009 R1) has a vivid green head and a long wispy tail that look great through small telescopes. By the end of the month it could be visible to the naked eye perhaps as bright as the stars of the Big Dipper. Because this is the comet's first visit to the inner solar system, predictions of future brightness are necessarily uncertain; amateur astronomers should be alert for the unexpected. Visit http://spaceweather.com for sky maps, photos and more information.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

X-37B Sighting and Aurora

2010-05-25T12:14:00.001-07:00

Space Weather News for May 25, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

X-37B SIGHTINGS: Amateur satellite watchers have spotted a US Air Force space plane similar in appearance to NASA's space shuttle circling Earth in a heretofore secret orbit. Known as the "X-37B," it can be seen in the night sky shining about as brightly as the stars of the Big Dipper. Flyby predictions and more information may be found at http://spaceweather.com .

Would you like to turn your iPhone into an X-37B tracker? There's an app for that: http://simpleflybys.com .

AURORA WATCH: A magnetic filament on the sun erupted yesterday (May 24th), and the blast hurled a coronal mass ejection in the general direction of Earth. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras around May 27th when the advancing cloud is likely to deal a glancing blow to our planet's magnetic field.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Jupiter is missing a belt

2010-05-15T12:27:00.001-07:00

Received this from William:

Jupiter Is Missing a Belt

http://science.slashdot.org/story/10/05/12/1352222/Jupiter-Is-Missing-a-Belt

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Final Voyage of Space Shuttle Atlantis

2010-05-15T11:16:00.002-07:00

Received this from my friend Matt,

----------------------------------

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Space shuttle Atlantis thundered away on its final voyage to orbit Friday, hoisting an experienced crew of six and a full shipment of space station gear.

Atlantis sped through a perfectly clear afternoon sky, blazing a trail over the Atlantic before huge crowds eager to catch one of the few remaining shuttle launches. More than 40,000 guests — the biggest launch-day crowd in years — packed the Kennedy Space Center.

The shuttle's destination is the International Space Station, which was soaring over the South Pacific at the time of liftoff. The shuttle should catch up with the orbiting complex and its six residents Sunday morning.

A piece of orbiting junk, however, was threatening to come too close to the space station. If necessary, Mission Control will order up a maneuver so the station can dodge the debris the night before Atlantis' arrival. The docking will not be delayed, even if the station has to move out of the way of the unidentified piece, NASA officials said.

"Good luck, godspeed and have a little fun up there," launch director Mike Leinbach told the astronauts just before liftoff. He said he was speaking on behalf of all those who have worked on Atlantis since construction began in 1980.

"Like you said, there are thousands of folks out there who have taken care of this bird for a long time," replied commander Kenneth Ham. "We're going to take her on her 32nd flight, and if you don't mind, we'll take her out of the barn and make a few more laps around the planet."

The astronauts — all repeat space fliers and all men — couldn't resist a little humor before they got down to business. They showed up for their steak and cheeseburger breakfast wearing blue and black smoking jackets, white shirts and black bow ties.

This 12-day mission is the last one planned for Atlantis, the fourth in NASA's line of space shuttles. Only two flights remain after this one, by Discovery and Endeavour. NASA plans to end the 30-year program by the end of this year.

Atlantis — which rocketed into orbit for the first time in 1985 — is loaded with fresh batteries and a Russian-built compartment for the space station. The 20-foot-long module is crammed with food, laptop computers and other U.S. supplies.

Ham and his men will install the compartment on the space station, and carry out three spacewalks to replace six old batteries and hook up an antenna and other spare parts.

Alexey Krasnov, chief of the Russian Space Agency's piloted program, said it was a miracle that Atlantis took off without any delays.

"It looks like that Atlantis is telling us, `Please use me again. I am capable,' " he said, smiling. "Maybe two-thirds of the launches were postponed by the weather or hardware ... and today it worked exactly as planned."

Only a few small bits of insulating foam were seen coming off the fuel tank during liftoff, nothing significant, officials said.

Launch spectators included Defense Secretary Robert Gates and late-night TV host David Letterman, as well as dozens of Russians. About 150 Twittering guests watched from Kennedy's media complex.

Matt Balan, 29, of Alexandria, Va., lost his network connection right at liftoff as he was trying to tweet. He finally got this message out a few minutes after the fact: "That was spectacular!!!!"

Even off-duty astronauts marveled at the sight of Atlantis rising one last time, snapping pictures with their cell phones. "That was an incredible launch," said Rick Mastracchio, who flew last month on Discovery. Some Apollo astronauts also showed up.

President Barack Obama wants NASA to focus on getting astronauts to an asteroid by 2025 and into orbit around Mars by 2035. He canceled the previous administration's plan to return to the moon.

Friday's launch was NASA's fourth shuttle liftoff in six months. Now the pace will slow a bit. Discovery isn't due to fly until September, followed by Endeavour in November — at the earliest.

There's a chance that Atlantis could fly again after it returns to Earth on May 26. The shuttle will be prepped in case a rescue mission is needed for the last flight, by Endeavour. Assuming there's no emergency, Atlantis could be used for another supply run if the White House approves it, and that would close the shuttle program for good. Then the shuttles would head off to museums.

Immediately after watching liftoff, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., told The Associated Press that he's encouraging one more flight for Atlantis and noted: "There's a good chance the president will approve it." He flew Columbia into orbit in 1986.

NASA's space operations chief, Bill Gerstenmaier, said he'd be glad to fly Atlantis in June 2011 with a minimal crew of four, if money is forthcoming. He estimates it would cost between $600 million and $1 billion to keep the shuttle program going beyond January.

Under the Obama plan, NASA astronauts will hitch rides to the space station on Russian Soyuz rockets for the near future.

NASA expects to keep the space station running through 2020.

Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society