Where's Saturn? Is that a UFO--or the ISS? What's the name of that
star? Get the answers from mySKY--a
fun new astronomy helper from Meade. .
HANDS ON THE SUN:
The 7th annual HOTS conference for solar
observers and photographers is taking place this year in Irvine,
California, Oct. 4th-6th. This is a great opportunity for novices
to learn the art of solar photography from masters such as Gary
Palmer and Paul
Hyndman. In addition to hands-on training and the ever-popular
Fiesta Under the Stars, the conference features a Mt. Wilson telescope
tour led by comet hunter Dr. David Levy and a keynote
speech ("Sizing Up the Next Solar Cycle") by spaceweather.com's
Dr. Tony Phillips. Join
us if you can!
PERUVIAN METEORITE:
There is much discussion on the Internet
today concerning a reported
meteorite impact in Peru which may have gouged a 10- to 30-meter
wide crater. Bad-smelling fumes from the crater are said to have
sickened
dozens and perhaps hundreds of people in a nearby village. Could
this be true? (continued below)
There is indeed a hole in the ground in Peru, pictured above, and
by all accounts it smells bad, but it is not likely of cosmic origin.
In order to blast a 30-meter crater, a meteorite would have to hit
the ground with about as much energy as 1
kiloton of TNT--akin to a tactical nuclear weapon. This would
leave a clear signal in worldwide seismic and infrasound records,
but so far no such signals are being reported by authorities.
In short, we remain unconvinced. Stay tuned for updates.
TRILOBITES INVADE
THE SUN: Last week in Boulder, Colorado,
scientists converged on the "Living
With A Star" workshop to share the latest research in solar
physics. At one point, nearly 200 participants sat slack-jawed as
they watched a new
movie recorded by Japan's Hinode spacecraft showing a sunspot
emerging from the depths of the sun:
Click to launch the 19 MB movie.
According to some observers, the emerging spot resembled nothing
less than a swimming planet-sized trilobite. The unexpected form
and behavior of the sunspot is both a challenge and delight to researchers
working to understand solar activity. Get the full
story from Science@NASA.
September
2007 Aurora Gallery
[August 2007 Aurora Gallery]
[Aurora Alerts]
|
