Observatory Update: December 30 2013

 Greetings to you my fellow followers and amateur astronomers! I hope you've all had a great holiday season, no matter what holiday you observe. With 2013 now in our rear view mirrors and 2014 quickly approaching, I wanted to take a moment to share with you some updates and what you can expect from Chuckwalla Observatory in the upcoming months.

  The year 2013 has brought us some wonderful astronomical events. Lunar eclipses, meteor showers, a few comets and asteroids...it's been a pretty good year. I suspect 2014 will be no different. In a later post, I will share with you a list of major events you can look forward to in the upcoming year. A lot of astro-happenings means a lot of Youtube videos...and this year I've posted more videos than I ever have before! My goal was to reach 100 videos by the end of 2013, and I'm happy to say I've reached that goal. I want to thank all of my subscribers and casual viewers for taking the time to watch them. Over the past few months I have seen a large increase in the amount of subscribers I've gotten on my channel. Thank you! It's because of you that I continue to make these videos, and it's because of you that I will continue to do so and hopefully hit the 200 mark sometime next year. So stay tuned to the channel. I've got a lot planned for 2014. Astronomical observing videos, equipment reviews and how-to tutorials are all planned for the line up.

 A new year also means a bit of a funding boost for the hardware side of the operation. Some time in February I'm going to be getting some new equipment for my main telescope, hopefully enabling me to use it quite a bit more and adding increased functionality to it. A new guiding set-up, a focal reducer and a Hyperstar system are all in the works. I also have an equatorial wedge that I obtained earlier in the year, which is long overdue for a review. So expect to see some new videos on my Youtube channel shortly that will discuss these items in depth and how they are used.

 This year I am also going to be doing something I've always wanted to do in the past. I'm going to be observing and imaging all 110 Messier objects! That's right, I'm starting Project M-110. The goal is to have this project completed by Christmas 2014. To give myself a better chance of finishing on time I've already started by getting two objects knocked out: M1 the Crab Nebula and M45 the Pleiades cluster. Additionally, each object will get it's own Youtube video that will explain what type of object it is, when it was discovered and some basic information about the object along with my image of it. It is certainly an obtainable goal to have all 110 objects finished by Dec. 25th 2014, but to make it on time I will have to image on average 9-10 objects per month. Stay tuned for updates and videos regarding the M-110 project.

 I wish all of you a Happy New Year! Please enjoy yourselves but remember to be safe. I look forward to bringing you more astronomy related content in 2014 and enjoying the wonders of the cosmos together.

M1 the Crab Nebula:

 

Merry Christmas from Chuckwalla Observatory!

 I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Happy Holidays from Chuckwalla Observatory.

Comet ISON Update: 2nd Death?

 Well my friends, it's not looking good for our dear Comet ISON. The last two days have been revealing as to what Ison's future is likely to be. As you already know, Ison made it's perihelion approach on Thanksgiving Day and was seemingly destroyed by the sun's relentless heat. But a few hours later, it was observed that something had made it through the solar gauntlet intact. 

It was unknown what exactly had made it through, and at this point we still don't know if it was a fragment of the nucleus or a pile of dust and rubble. But what was interesting is the fact that this remnant of Ison began to brighten up and act like a comet...at lest for a while. However, over the past 48 hours, this remnant began to dim and disperse. At this point, it has become rather ethereal in nature and much less bright that it had been. 

 So what's next? No one can say exactly. The remains of Ison is no longer in the field of view of the SOHO LASCO imagers, so it can no longer be tracked that way. Hopefully another observatory can try and catch it in the next few days. My gut feeling tells me it is probably over for Ison, although it wouldn't surprise me if Ison pulled some sort of trick out of it's sleeve. While it is entirely possible the remnant could make an interesting telescopic object if it doesn't disperse completely, I would not expect to see it with the naked eye. 

 My apologies to everyone who was expecting a fabulous naked eye object for December. I know it's very disappointing to have lost this gem of a comet. Some of you may have even bought telescopes to see Ison. We can't control the forces of nature, we have to observe and enjoy the wonders of the universe on it's terms. Ison may not have made it to greatness, but what it did do is give the gift of information. It's uniqueness will give science something to study for many years to come. This is Ison's legacy.

Image from NASA/SOHO:

 http://198.118.248.97/data/realtime/realtime-update.html#top

Comet ISON is DEAD....or perhaps NOT!

 Well, after a year of waiting and watching, the day finally arrived. November 28th, 2013. Just Thanksgiving Day to most. But for a few, a day that meant a little bit more than usual this year. Perihelion Day. The day that Comet C/2012 S1 ISON made it's closest approach to our sun. The day that would make or break our beloved "Comet of the Century".

 We watched the spectacle unfold in almost real time on the internet. Oh, the wonders of today's technology. Ison was too close to the sun to watch with the eye, too much glare and far too dangerous to point a telescope in it's direction. But through space borne solar observatories like SOHO and SDO, we could see the show unfold through their eyes. Yet, with today's technology, we could not predict what was to come next.

Ison looked very healthy in the hours before perihelion, all seemed to be going well. It was very bright, in the negative magnitude range, and seemed to be behaving as a good comet should. Yet, as the comet started to close in on the sun, it started to dim a little bit. Then a little bit more, and a little more, and a little more. It continued to dim until it appeared as but as a ghost of it's former self. The bright coma, the head of the comet, seemed to warp and elongate until it was no longer recognizable. And it faded away even more. And we waited some more, waited to see what would emerge on the other side of the sun. Nothing came. All the excitement and anxiety that built up over the past few months turned into a 100 pound block of disappointment that slugged me in the stomach. I had watched the object that I researched and studied and imaged for the past several months die before my very eyes.

Or did I?

A bit later, when I checked the most recent imagery from the SOHO solar observatory, I noticed something. Right where I had expected Ison to emerge on the other side of the sun, something was emerging. It was faint, but it was there. A spark of hope flickered for a moment. After looking at the image, I concluded that I was seeing the remains of Ison's dusty tail moving along it's would be orbit. I checked again a bit later. The ghostly tail was more pronounced in the next image. And in the next, and in the next. And, it was getting brighter and looking more comet-like. Something made it through! 

This is not typical comet behavior. But of course, Ison is not typical comet. From the very start, Ison has shown erratic behavior. After it's discovery, it seemed like a typical comet with a potential for greatness. It was found to be a comet who's orbit takes it very close to the sun...called a sun grazer. Comets that make this kind of trip tend to get very bright and form a very long tail...if they can survive the trip. Near the sun, Ison would have to endure temperatures of nearly 5000 degrees and powerful gravitational forces. All while making a hairpin turn at over 800,000 mph. Comets that can endure the punishment usually blossom into naked eye spectacles. Thus, Ison aquired it's "Comet of the Century" status. But later in it's orbit, Ison was observed to be exhibiting odd behavior. It was not brightening at the expected rate. In fact it was running 2 magnitudes dimmer than it should have been, As it got closer, it seemed to brighten up...but very slow. It started to vent gas and turned a nice green color, but it wasn't producing as much dust as it should. As it got even closer, it finally started to brighten substantially like it should. And then it dimmed again. Near perihelion, it exploded in brightness and gas/dust production. And then it dimmed again, and seemingly was vaporized in by the solar furnace. And then...it came back.

What is going on? Know one knows for sure, not even the comet experts. Scientists are dumbfounded by this behavior. It is still very much uncertain what came out the other side. All that is known is that it is there, it is getting brighter, and seems to be sporting a tail. It could be a large fragment of Ison's nucleus. It could be a stream of comet pebbles. And it could be days until we know for sure. But now, we will have to watch and wait...again...to see what happens next. Ison, are you still with us?

NASA photo from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/

Nova Alert: Bright Nova Delphini 2013

There has been a new development over the past couple of days. A previously non distinct star near the constellation Delphinus has literally exploded in luminosity very recently.

 The sudden brightening of this star is called a nova, and this one is named Nova Delphini 2013. A nova is the result when a type of star, called a white dwarf, accumulates hydrogen on it's surface. The hydrogen ignites and causes an uncontrolled nuclear chain reaction and explodes in a powerful outburst. White dwarves are stellar remnants. They are the last phase in the stellar life cycle when a star does not have sufficient mass to go supernova and become a neutron star or black hole. Most stars will become a white dwarf, including our own Sun. 

 Most, if not all novae, are though to happen in binary star systems that include a white dwarf and a larger companion star. If the stars are very close, the strong gravitational influence of the dwarf can rip off stellar material from the companion and deposit it on it's surface. This material becomes compressed and heated until it undergoes nuclear fusion. This reaction can become unstable and lead to a massive explosion on the dwarf's surface. This is what causes the star to become much brighter than normal.

 A nova should not be confused with a supernova. A supernova results when the entire star explodes, whereas a nova is just a explosion on the surface. A white dwarf involved with a nova will still be intact and can repeat the process many times. In some cases, a white dwarf can accrete too much stellar material and explode as a type of supernova.

 Currently Nova Delphini 2013 is bright enough to be seen with the naked eye in dark sky areas. It's brightness is between magnitude +4 and +5 and is steadily brightening. For more information about this nova and how to find it in the sky, follow this link:Bright New Nova In Delphinus — You can See it Tonight With Binoculars

 Finally, here is an image of Delphini 2013 that I've recently taken:

 

The Perseids are coming!

  Wow it's been a while since I've put up a new post, been busy with a bunch of stuff over the past few months. I hope to be able to start posting on here a lot more often, we have some cool astronomy happenings coming up later this year. More on that in a later post.

 For now lets focus on what's going on in the near future: the Perseid meteor shower. It's that time of year again for one of the most spectacular meteor shows of the year, perhaps second only to the December Geminids. The Perseids run from mid July to late August, and peak on August 11-13. They originate from the tail remanents of Comet Swift-Tuttle and are notable for producing very bright meteor streaks in the sky. The Perseids appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus, from which they get their name, and the expected hourly rate this year is anywhere from 60 to 100 per hour.

 So when and where to look? Start this weekend on the night of the 11th/morning of the 12th. The young crescent moon will have set before midnight, so begin your search then. The radiant in Perseus will be low in the sky toward the northeast, but the meteors can and will appear from anywhere in the sky. The best times to watch will be in the early morning hours of the 12th and 13th.

 Have fun and get out your cameras. You might be able to get a quick pic of a meteor. Because it is impossible to anticipate when and where a meteor will appear, you will have to take many pictures over a long period and hope to capture one. Use a wide angle lens or set your zoom to it's widest point. Use a tripod or lay your camera on a flat surface pointing up. Set it to take several 10-20 second exposures at a high ISO setting. Afterwards, you can look though your images and hopefully you'll have a nice meteor surprise!

Chuckwalla Observatory is now on Night Skies Network

 As a broadcasting memeber of Night Skies Network, Chuckwalla Observatory will now be broadcasting live views of Solar System objects such as the Monn, Sun and planets.
 For those who don't know what NSN is, it is basically an outlet where people can broadcast live views of astronomical subjects by use of a specialized video imager or webcam. subjects include Solar System objects like planets, the Moon, comets and asteroids, as well as deep space objects like galaxies and nebulae.
 Visit www.nightskiesnetwork.com to watch the live broadcasts. There is a list of available channels at the bottom of the page, and you can either watch as a guest or register for an account.  

Update on Comet C/2011 L4 Pan-STARRS

If you have yet to see Comet L4 Pan-STARRS, you better take a look soon. It wont be long before she zooms out of sight.

Now the comet is still visible, but only with the help of some optical aid. Now at around magnitude +5, it is no longer visible to the naked eye. You will at the very least need some binoculars, but a small to medium powered telescope will afford you the best views. Although it's peak has come and gone and the huge, fan-shaped tail has started to fade, it is still a sight worth seeing.

For those who live in the higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, L4 is now circumpolar...meaning it does not set or rise anymore, but rather appears to rotate around the celestial north pole. This means for you lucky bunch, the comet is visible all night. Further south, the comet is not circumpolar but can still be seen twice in a 12 hour period. It will set in the north/northwest during the evening hours and rise in the north/northeast in the dark hours of early morning. The best time to look will be in those early morning

Update on Comet Panstarrs

 Well the time has come for stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere to check out Comet Panstarrs. Unfortunately the comet has not quite reached the brightness estimates predicted by scientists. Originally forecast to reach magnitude 0 or brighter, it is now hovering in the range of +1.5 and +2. While this is bright enough to make it a naked eye object, it's position in the sky has made this comet rather difficult to find with the unaided eye. Because of it's low altitude and proximity to the Sun, the sky glow at dusk is drowning out most of the details and making it difficult to pick out from the sky. The view should improve as the comet climbs higher in sky each passing day, but it was also slowly dim as it moves away from the Sun.
 If you want to try and take a peek at this long awaited snowball, your best bet is to pick an area with an unobstructed view of the western horizon. Start searching for the comet after sunset, and to improve your chances of finding it try using binoculars. On March 12 you will be able to get some help from a very young Moon...the waxing crescent Luna will be right next to the comet. Find the Moon and then scan to the left of it to spot the comet. Should make for an awesome photographic opportunity if you've got a camera on hand.
 If your not able to find it just yet, your chances will improve greatly by the end of the month. While it probably wont be a naked eye object then, a pair of binoculars or a small telescope will be able to find it easily in the darkened sky.

Major Comet Alert: C/2011 L4 PANSTARRS

 It seems that 2013 is the year of the comet, and indeed the first of two major comets this year is about to make it's presence known to those in the Northern Hemisphere.
 Comet C/2011 L4 PANSTARRS is currently zipping it's way through Southern Hemisphere, recently exiting the constellation Grus and about to enter Piscis Austrinus. L4 PANSTARRS has only been observable from the Southern Hemisphere thus far, but that's about to change in the very near future.
 Starting around the 2nd week of March, L4 will start to be visible low on the western horizon around sunset. Around March 10-11 the comet will pass closest to the Sun, and should appear the brightest during this time and will likely develop a long tail. It will continue the climb a little higher each day but will not seem to stray too far from the horizon.
 Early predictions of L4's apparent magnitude were set at magnitude 0 or brighter, perhaps as bright as -2. But current data suggests that L4 will only brighten as much as magnitude three. This is still well within the limits of naked eye visibility (the stars in the Big Dipper are around 3rd magnitude), however because of L4's proximity to the Sun and low position in the twilight sky the comet may be difficult to see. Binoculars and certainly a small telescope will be able to aid in observing L4 PANSTARRS.
 Keep in mind that comets are notoriously difficult to predict, and L4 may appear brighter or dimmer than predictions state. To add to the uncertainty, this is L4's first trip from the Oort Cloud, and therefore the first time it has been heated by the Sun.
 L4 PANSTARRS was discovered in June 2011 by the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii.

Asteroid Alert: 2012 DA14

 An asteroid is about to have a close encounter with Earth on February 15th.

 At 50 meters (160 ft) in diameter, asteroid 2012 DA14 will be making a close pass on the 15th of February at about 18,000 miles above the Earth's surface. That's below the orbit of geosynchronous satellites! Not to worry though, the asteroid is not a threat to Earth or the satellites orbiting above it. At it's closest approach at 19:25 Universal Time, it will brighten to around magnitude 8 and will be moving north in the sky at about 0.8° a minute.

 The best views of DA14 will be from East Europe to Asia and Australia while the asteroid moves through the constellation Virgo. By the time the sky darkens on the East Coast of North America, DA14 will have already fallen to magnitude 11. On the West Coast at dusk it will have dimmed to 12th magnitude and will be hanging around the constellation Ursa Minor.

It will still be possible to see DA14 from the USA but only with a larger telescope. And picking out a 11-12 magnitude rock from the background stars may be a bit difficult.

 To read more about 2012 DA14 and to learn how to observe it from your location follow this link:
 http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/Asteroid-DA14-to-Zip-Past-Earth-189052161.html

DA14's approximate location from Southern California on the night of Feb. 15, 9:00pm.

Conjunction: Mercury and Mars

  If your looking to spot some planetary action this month, then take a look at the close conjunction of Mercury and Mars on the evenings of Feb. 7th and 8th.

 Look west about half an hour after sunset on the 7th and 8th to spy these two planets hanging out together. On the 7th Mars will be about 3/4 of a degree to the upper left of Mercury, while on the 8th it will be even closer at 1/2 a degree to the lower left. You should be able to spot Mercury relatively easily, weather permitting. However Mars is significantly less bright and may require optical aid. Using a telescope will reveal Mercury is in a gibbous phase and approximately  80% illuminated. Mars will appear round. All planets inward of Earth will show phases just like our moon, whereas planets beyond us will always appear full.

Conjunction and Moon/Jupiter Photos

  Did you get to see the Moon/Jupiter conjunction yesterday evening? It was a pretty good show! The Moon came less than 1° from Jupiter, or less than one finger width apart. If you missed it, here is a image of the event:

As an added bonus, here are a couple of decent shots of the Moon and Jupiter by themselves, also taken last night:

 

 

 

Conjunction: Moon and Jupiter on January 21st

  Remember the Moon/Jupiter conjunction that occurred on Christmas Day? Well it looks like those two will soon be at it again.

 Just like on the 25th of last month, The Moon will once again come close to planet Jupiter on January 21st. This time, they will pass less than a degree from each other for most of North America.

 The Moon will be be in a waxing gibbous phase and should show off a wealth of detail along the terminator. Even though it will not be full, the waxing gibbous Moon will still be quite bright, so you might want to use a neutral density filter.

  Jupiter will be a real treat to observe. From about 6:00 to 7:40 PM PST the Great Red Spot will be visible. In addition, the Jovian moon Europa will transit the giant planet from 5:13 to 7:37 PM PST.

  Observers in most of South America will have a really nice treat: the Moon will occult, or cover up, the planet Jupiter.

Solar Activity Update: Sunspot AR1654

  Sunspot AR1654 is still trucking along the Sun's surface. It has grown stronger, and now harbors energy that can produce X class solar flares. Because the giant sunspot is now facing toward Earth, and explosions that occur in the near future will be directed our way. Now is a great time to observe and image AR1654, as well as the nearby sunspot AR1656. Another sunspot, AR1658 is further south and west, and along with the other two mark the most noticeable features on the solar disk at this time.

 Here is an image of AR1654 that I took a few days ago. I recorded an AVI using a Celestron NexImage 5 and stacked a few frames in Registax to get this final product:

  If you are interested in solar activity, visit the website www.spaceweather.com. Here you can find the latest information on current space weather conditions, aurora maps and a high resolution image of the Sun that is updated daily.
 

Solar Activity Update

   For the past few weeks, the activity on our Sun has been rather quiet. A few small sunspots would occasionally show up and skitter across the solar surface, but that was about it. A rather boring show, considering that the Sun is about to enter solar maximum. Well, the heat just got turned up a bit.
  The Sun's surface now sports a nice speckling of spots (say that five times fast), but the most noticeable is giant sunspot AR1654. This one is big enough to swallow up the Earth a few times over, and it's getting more active every day. AR1654, along with the smaller AR1652 have potential to release M-class solar flares. Looks like that break in solar activity may be coming to an end.
  If you are interested in taking a peak at the Sun, you can do so easily and rather cheaply. You can purchase white light solar filters for a wide range of telescopes at a reasonable price. For an even better bargain, you can buy solar film and make your own homemade filter. Seeing the Sun up close can be a rewarding experience, but it must be done SAFELY!!! 

   

Make sure your scope has a filter to begin with, as trying to look at the Sun without one will surely fry your eyeballs. And make sure it's the right type of filter. Those cheap solar filters that screw into an eyepiece are NOT safe, as the heat buildup from the sunlight can cause them to crack. The filtering must be done at the front of the telescope. Remember to put the filter on the scope, and make sure it is secure. You don't want the wind to blow it off as your looking through the eyepiece. Don't use the finderscope unless it too has a filter. Cap it or remove it from the telescope. And do not under any circumstances leave your telescope unattended. Accidents can happen, and it only takes a brief second to damage eyesight forever. Be safe!

Asteroid Apophis- No Worries

  The possibility of a 2036 impact from asteroid Apophis has been ruled out, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

 Cool. Wait, what?!

 Didn't know there was a possibility of an asteroid impact in the relatively near future? Your probably not the only one.
 99942 Apophis was discovered in 2004, and immediately caught the attention of scientists because initial observations indicated the possibility of an impact in the year 2029. After further observation, the asteroid's probablility of striking Earth was ruled out.
 However, the close approach of Apophis in 2029 will significantly alter the asteroid's trajectory, and scientists were uncertain of what would happen when Apophis returns in 2036. Until yesterday.
 Using data gathered in 2011 and 2012, as well as new data from the asteroid's flyby on January 9th, it has been determined that the risk of impact in 2036 is pretty remote.
 Apophis is around 1000ft in diameter, and an impact from an asteroid this size would release an energy eqivalent to about 500 megatons of TNT. The largest nuclear weapon detonated in human history was 50 megatons. A strike on land would obliterate hundreds of square miles and an impact in the ocean would generate a mega tsunami. Still, Apophis is not big enough to cause an extinction level event.
 When Apophis performs it's Earth flyby in 2029, it will be well within the orbit of the moon when it comes no closer than 20,000 miles from the Earth's surface. It will be visible to the naked eye.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/asteroids/news/asteroid20130110.html

Counting Stars: Globe at Night

  If your an amateur astronomer, then you are familiar with the woes of light pollution. But even if you just take a casual look up into the night sky once in a while, light pollution is affecting what you can and can't see as well. It doesn't take a whole lot of stray light to wash out some of the finer points in the night sky.
  If you'd like to do something about it, and raise awareness on the issue of light pollution, consider contributing to the Globe at Night campaign. It's pretty simple to participate in. Just go out at night at a specific time and look up. Let your eyes adjust, look at a constellation (Orion or Leo for those in the northern hemisphere), and then estimate the visual limting magnitude based on the amount of stars you see. You can compare what you see in the sky to a series of star charts provided by the campaign. After you've made your observation, simply report your findings on the Globe at Night website.

  Visit the Globe at Night website for more information and to participate in the campaign.

      http://www.globeatnight.org/

Quadrantids

  Did you go out this morning for a look at the year's first meteor shower? The Quadrantid meteor shower peaked early this morning, but unfortunately the waning gibbous moon washed out a portion of the meteors and made this year's showing a bit unfavorable. Still, with enough patience, or with a camera shooting on it's own, the Quads made their presence known. This image was taken this morning around 5:00am :

 

Comet Update: C/2012 K5 Linear and Happy New Year

  C/2012 K5 Linear is now nearing the constellation Auriga, and will zoom through that constellation over the next few days. K5 is now starting to reverse it's brightening and grow higher in magnitude. It is currently around mag. 8, and will dim to around mag. 10 by mid-January. Here is the latest image I was able to capture on the night of the 31st of December:

                   
                   Happy New Year!