SETI bioastro: Fw: Astronomy.com Newsletter 04/15/2005

From: LARRY KLAES (ljk4_at_msn.com)
Date: Fri Apr 15 2005 - 04:25:44 PDT

  • Next message: LARRY KLAES: "SETI bioastro: FW: [environment] Earth from Space: Image of the week"

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    From: AstronomyNewsletter<mailto:AstronomyNewsletter_at_maillist.astronomymail.com>
    To: ljk4_at_msn.com<mailto:ljk4_at_msn.com>
    Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 3:01 AM
    Subject: Astronomy.com Newsletter 04/15/2005

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Welcome to the Astronomy.com Newsletter, brought to you by Astronomy
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    April 15, 2005

    *****************************************************************
    NEWS AND FEATURES
    *****************************************************************

    ANDROMEDA'S VAST STARRY DISK
    M31 is a lot larger than it looks.
    Click here to read this story:
    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.1.278623>

    PLANETARY BILLIARDS
    Researchers say the eccentric orbits of Upsilon Andromidae's planets
    got that way by interacting with a wayward world.
    Click here to read this story:
    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.2.278623>

    ECLIPSE SUCCESS AT SEA
    For 36 seconds, the Moon covered the Sun in the South Pacific.
    Click here to read this story:
    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.3.278623>

    STRUCTURE SCALES
    Weighing distant galaxy clusters may be easier than astronomers thought.
    Click here to read this story:
    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.4.278623>

    APRIL ASTRO BYTES
    Ethanol splashdown, Arecibo's management, and the rovers that keep
    on going and going and going
    Click here to read this story:
    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.5.278623>

    *****************************************************************
    READER GALLERY
    *****************************************************************

    George Lilley captured M8, the Lagoon Nebula, from his K9 observatory.
    Click here to view:
    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.6.278623>

    Nicole Lathrop imaged the April 8 solar eclipse from Port Mayaca, Florida.
    Click here to view:
    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.7.278623>

    Mike Reynolds shot the solar eclipse from the Astronomy magazine
    South Pacific cruise aboard the M/S Paul Gauguin.
    Click here to view:
    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.8.278623>

    Michel Hersen imaged the Moon and the Pleiades from Portland, Oregon.
    Click here to view:
    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.9.278623>

    If you have images you'd like to share with other
    newsletter readers, attach them to an e-mail sent to
    mailto:
    jmcgovern_at_astronomy.com<mailto:jmcgovern_at_astronomy.com>. Make sure you include
    the date, location, equipment, and methods used in
    taking and processing each image in your e-mail.

    *****************************************************************
    Receive a FREE GUIDE TO THE MOON
    *****************************************************************

    Receive Your guide to the Moon absolutely FREE when you subscribe
    to or renew Astronomy magazine.

    This great, new 16-page atlas of the Moon will take you and your
    telescope through the entire lunar cycle, showing you wonderful
    sights - right from your backyard.

    Click here to subscribe:
    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.10.278623>

    Offer good while supplies last.

    *****************************************************************
    THE SKY THIS MONTH
    *****************************************************************

    GALAXIES GALORE

    Novice observers are justifiably a little scared of diving into Virgo.
    Without the proper techniques and approach, panic can set in. To remain
    calm, first learn how your telescope shows the sky. How much sky will
    you see at low power? At 60x, depending on the eyepiece design, you'll
    be looking at a field diameter of close to 1°, or approximately twice
    the apparent size of the Full Moon. Lower power makes it easier to get
    around. Next, you need to match what you see to the stars shown on the
    chart at right.

    The last bit of confusion to conquer occurs when you point your scope
    at an object that does not lie due south. In this case, north and south
    on the sky do not lie straight up and down, but appear at an angle.
    Slowly turn the chart in your hands until its north points back to Polaris
    (for Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes and refractors with a star diagonal),
    or until the chart's south points to Polaris (for Newtonian and Dob owners).
    Practice this skill, and you won't get lost again.

    For your first foray into the galaxy realm, anchor yourself to the star 6
    Comae Berenices. Then, shift one Moon-width west to hit M98, and slide back.
    Using the star pattern on the chart, step along the stars to the east and a
    bit north to the circular glow of the spiral galaxy M100. Next, plunge north
    past a field star to reach 11 Comae, which lies some 2°, or 4 Moon-widths, away.

    Now you're ready for the deep end of the Virgo cluster. Draw the field size of
    your telescope/eyepiece combination on the chart. Begin again at 6 Comae, but
    this time, head southeast (down in the early evening sky) 1.5 Moon-widths to
    find M99. With firm resolve, keep going in the same direction another 4 Moon-
    widths to land on M84 and M86, both roundish, fuzzy clouds. This pair marks
    the primary signpost of the Virgo cluster.

    If you get lost, don't get frustrated - simply reset your scope on 6 Comae and
    head back to M84 and M86. The biggest mental shift you face is that from here,
    you need to galaxy-hop instead of star-hop. Swim south and east to M87, and back
    again. Then, head northeast to locate M88 and M91 before returning to the
    M84/M86 pair.

    With short out-and-back forays like this, you can remain calm enough to enjoy
    the experience. The first few times you're in this area, tour only at low power to
    solidify your telescope skills. Then, go back for a longer look at higher power.

    *****************************************************************
    READER POLLS
    *****************************************************************

    >>This week's poll: Astronomy instruments

    Although your arsenal may be large, what is your weapon of choice
    for observing?

    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.11.278623>

    >>Last week's poll: Earthlike planets

    What is the likelihood that astronomers will find an earthlike planet
    outside our solar system within the next ten years?

    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.12.278623>

    *****************************************************************
    ASTRONOMY DAY
    *****************************************************************

    Astronomy joins forces with Meade Instruments Corporation and 28
    planetaria and science museums throughout the country to celebrate
    National Astronomy Day 2005 Saturday, April 16.

    >From Miami to New York, Salt Lake City to Hilo, Hawaii, this nationwide
    collaboration invites kids and adults to take part in a family field trip
    to their local planetarium or science museum.

    Experts at the 28 venues will inspire and engage visitors with an array
    of hands-on activities, demonstrations, presentations, telescope observing,
    and more. These activities will showcase the visually stunning and mind-boggling
    events of deep space.

    Each participating organization will be giving away free material from Astronomy
    magazine and each will hold a drawing for a Meade 4-inch ETX-90AT telescope. In
    addition, all the names from each drawing will be collected and entered into a
    drawing for the grand prize: a Meade 10-inch LX200GPS SmartMount Telescope.

    A special episode of PBS's Jack Horkheimer: Star Gazer was recorded exclusively
    for this National Astronomy Day project. View this 5-minute program here:
    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.13.278623>

    For more information, please visit Astronomy.com:
    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.13.278623>

    To find an Astronomy Day event in your area, click here:
    http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.159.14.278623>

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    Copyright 2005 Kalmbach Publishing Co.


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