Mars Methane

Received this one from Matt,

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090116/ap_on_sc/sci_mars_methane

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

Ice Halos & Hours of Venus

Space Weather News for Jan. 14, 2009
http://spaceweather.com

FANTASTIC ICE HALOS: Researchers in Finland have discovered a new way to create luminous ice halos in the night sky. Their tools are as simple as a bright lamp and icy, blowing air. Some of the arcs they routinely photograph were previously seen only in remote parts of Antarctica. Sample photos and must-see movies are featured in today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

HOURS OF VENUS: Today and for the rest of the week, Venus is at maximum elongation (greatest apparent distance) from the sun. This means the silvery planet is "up" for more than three hours after sunset. Go outside after dark, face south, and take a long look. Venus is so bright it outshines city lights and even pierces thin clouds. The view through a backyard telescope may surprise you. Check http://spaceweather.com for images and more information.

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

PAS UPcoming Events to 2009: File updated

Good afternoon,

I've been updating the files on line with the changes that match the online calendar and I wanted to let everyone know that the Upcoming events file, among others, has been updated and is ready for download.

Please visit this link: PAS UPCOMING EVENTS TO 2009 in the downloads section or use the link i have provided here, and print a new copy of what events PAS will be doing. Several new ones have been added. Some mistakes were fixed and some other events were removed. It should now match the calendar on line.

Remember also, in the Downloads section, if you do not see what you are looking for, go to the bottom of the page of items and see if there is a 2nd or 3rd page of items. We are on page 2 in the Fliers & Info category. Do not just assume the file you are seeking isn't there. You can also search the PASAZ.org data base using the link at the top of your page in the blue bar, putting in key words and most of the time, the document or event you are seeking can be found that way. And if you have to ask for help, there are many members in PAS who will assist you in finding the right links to the info you are seeking.

Have a super day!

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

NEW IYA2009 Songs

Hello, my name is Allen Williams and I'm a music writer and producer.

Recently, I completed a song for IYA2009 called "Discover The Universe". The song is featured on a CD called "The NASA Songs (IYA2009 Special Edition)". It's an up tempo youth dance song that hopefully will bring more attention to the IYA2009. You can listen to the song at the following link. Also on this link is a song called "Earth's Song". "Earth's Song" is a beautiful instrumental that hopefully can be used to help bring about peace in the world. The CD also contains a song called "NASA", which is a classical-adventure song designed to inspire others to be filled with the imagination of space exploration. "NASA" from my understanding, is the first song to be written with the agency's name as a title song. Please note: The song "Discover The Universe" is only available on the "The NASA Songs" (IYA2009) CD's with the IYA2009 logo on the front covers. Please feel free to forward the links and this email to whomever you think might have an interest in the IYA2009 and NASA, be it friends, family, club members, or national and local radio stations. It would probably make a nice Star Party CD to have since so many youth enjoy watching the stars. Also available are some unique (Diner-mate) IYA2009 / NASA gift item on the links to Diner-Mate and Space Junk Cafe'.

Thanks and happy IYA2009!
Allen

Homepage: http://www.diner-mate.com.

Gift Items: http://www.spacejunkcafe.com

Songs link: http://www.musicsubmit.com/DINER-MATEMUSIC2

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

Black Canyon City Star Party 1/17 Saturday - CANCELED

The Park at BCC for which we had a star party planned for this weekend is rented out to another group. It will be a wild night and they are staying late into the night with lights everywhere. Rod was just informed of this situation and has opted to CANCEL the star party this Saturday in that location. Please make a note of this and have a super day. We will see you at a future star party or PAS Event.

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

Approaching Comet Lulin, New Sunspots, Full Moon Alert

Space Weather News for Jan. 9, 2009
http://spaceweather.com

APPROACHING COMET: Comet Lulin (C/2007 N3), discovered in 2007 by a collaborative team of Taiwanese and Chinese astronomers, is swinging around the sun and approaching Earth. The photogenic comet has a bright tail and an "anti-tail" visible in mid-sized backyard telescopes. At closest approach in February, Comet Lulin is expected to brighten to naked-eye visibility. Visit http://Spaceweather.com for sky maps, pictures and more information.

NEW SUNSPOTS: For the second time this week, a sunspot is coalescing on the surface of the sun. The spot's high latitude and magnetic polarity identify it as a member of new Solar Cycle 24; its appearance continues a recent trend of gradually intensifying new-cycle solar activity. The spot is growing rapidly and may soon provide a nice target for backyard solar telescopes.

FULL MOON ALERT! This weekend's full Moon is the biggest and brightest of 2009. It's a "perigee Moon" as much as 50,000 km closer to Earth than other full Moons we'll see later this year. Perigee moonlight shining through icy winter air can produce beautiful halos, coronas, moondogs and other atmospheric optics phenomena. Sample photos are featured on today's edition of Spaceweather.com.

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

New Comet visible naked eye

This info comes to us through Dennis Young, Serius Observers of Sedona

A new comet(Comet C/2007 N3 Lulin), is heading our way rounding the sun this Jan 10th..(perihelion-1.2 AU),and coming closest to earth on Feb 24th (at .41AU) (1-AU is 93million miles). - At its closest the comet moves over 5degs of the sky every day!! That is easy movement to be seen in low power scope or even binoculars!. Estimates put this comet at 5mag in brightness at its peak in late feb.

First hand visual --using 90mm scope, high power binoculars, and even in a standard 7x35 binos I was able to pick up this comet easily this morning around 5am. Current mag is around 7.5mag. I saw no tail at any magnification but a bright diffuse nucleus just off the tip of scopius arm. Twilight kicks in around 630am..So any viewing before 6am and you should not have troubles spotting this comet at present. Check out sky&tel website for current location.<> Also a short brief history of Comet is attach below.

As this comet swing very fast across the sky to be seen during evening hours(late feb) I think we as a club could have a public star Comet Party showing this to the general public IF it puts on a great display.-(maybe at Sedona Library.)-just after our meeting on Feb 18(wed) or following sunday feb22nd(new moon is Feb25).

On feb 23 it is about 2deg south of Saturn.(a photo opportunity)...also note Saturn is getting very thin rings..

History of Comet Lulin ..(in part below)....

According to the museum, it took 28.5 million years for Comet Lulin to revolve round the Sun on its own axis.
In other words, museum astronomers said, the last time Comet Lulin came to the inner part of the solar system, the ice caps of the North and South Poles had just formed, the globe's highest mountain range, the Himalayas, had just appeared upon a ground breaking orogenic movement, and Taiwan was still deep in the sea.
Comet Lulin was initially described as an asteroidal object when found by Ye Quanzhi at the Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China.
Three images were obtained by Lin Chi-sheng of the Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University at Zhongli in Taiwan on July 11, 2007.
Lin had acquired the images using the 41-cm camera at the university's Lulin Observatory in Nantou, central Taiwan.
The discovery of Comet Lulin (C/2227 N3) was part of the major.....

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

January Issue is available on line tonight

Please help yourself to the January issue of PAStimes
at this link http://www.pasaz.org/index.php?pageid=newsletter
on the PASaz.org website. Enjoy!

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

Dec 3 Star Party at PV Park is Cancelled!!!

Due to cloud cover and a storm coming in for Sunday,
we are canceling this star party!!!
Please have a super evening!

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

First Meteors of 2009 & Space Weather Radio

Space Weather News for Jan. 2, 2009
http://spaceweather.com

FIRST METEORS OF 2009: The annual Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on Jan. 3rd when Earth enters a stream of debris from shattered comet 2003 EH1. The timing of the encounter favors observers in western North America and across the Pacific Ocean who could see dozens to hundreds of meteors during the dark hours before sunrise this Saturday morning. Visit http://spaceweather.com for a sky map and more information.

SOMETHING NEW: For the new year, Spaceweather.com is pleased to announce a new service: Space Weather Radio, broadcasting live "sounds from space" around the clock. Today you can listen to the Air Force Space Surveillance Radar in Texas. When a meteor passes over the facility--ping!--there is an audible echo. (Activity should be high during the Quadrantid meteor shower this weekend.) In the near future we'll be adding broadcasts of solar radio bursts and VLF signals from the ionosphere. The streams are punctuated by Daily Space Weather Updates from Dr. Tony Phillips. Click here to begin listening: http://SpaceweatherRadio.com

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