Sharing the Sky Web Log 5: A Tale of Two Countries.
Monday, 23 November 2009 16:33 | 
Author: David Levy | 
In my attempt this fall to spread my passion for astronomy, I traveled to Canada’s province of Quebec, where I was born and in which I lived for most of the first 30 years of my life. This is the only portion of North America where the native language is French, not English or Spanish. Quebec is a unique place, a wonderful place, and it contains some of the most active and committed amateur astronomers in any language. In addition to the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, which offers two centers in Quebec City and Montreal, there is the Federation des Astronomes Amateurs de Quebec (FAAQ), consisting of many francophone astronomy clubs throughout the province.
Sharing the Sky Web Log 4: Inspiring Observers through meteor observing.
Friday, 30 October 2009 14:21 | Author: David Levy |
On the morning of October 21, 2009, the Earth forced its way through a cloud of dust that Halley’s comet left behind several thousand years ago. With the Moon within a few hours of new, and me under a dark sky, all seemed set for a brilliant display of meteors. It turned out I was right. For Sharing the Sky, a good meteor shower takes us way back to the original reason why we started looking at the sky in the first place. For Explore Scientific, whose CEO Scott Roberts has been incredibly supportive of us, meteors are a vital first step in an observing career that can and should include the fine telescopes he provides.
Do You FETTU?
Friday, 04 September 2009 15:01 | Author: Greg Piepol |
From the Earth to the Universe - IYA2009
“From the Earth to the Universe” (FETTU) is one of the 12 cornerstone projects for the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009). Its overarching concept is to present astronomical images in the broad context of science, art, and culture. FETTU aims to expose new audiences to the wonders of the cosmos.
Dave Jurasevich's Cygnus Bubble Monday, 03 August 2009 00:57 | Author: Administrator |
 Amateur astronomer and superintendent of the Mount Wilson Observatory Dave Jurasevich, has received official recognition for his discovery of the "Cygnus Bubble" planetary nebula named PN G75.5+1.7. See http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_12938
Total Eclipse: Aftermath and Reflection Sunday, 26 July 2009 22:51 | Author: Dr. Mike Reynolds |
Debbie’s photos with the 16 mm lens look dramatic to me; they reinforced my “inky black” impressions of the shadow and the colors around the horizon. That evening, after a day of simply lounging around (sleep is overrated…), we observed the thin 26 hour old crescent Moon along with a spectacular sunset. What a treat! I had to stand there and contemplate where the Moon’s orbit had placed our nearest celestial neighbor just a scant 26 hours prior to this; the beauty of the spectacle along with the understanding of our place in this dynamic universe can be overwhelming – at least for me. Saturday, July 25, 2009 That evening we were privileged to see another beautiful sunset. No green flash, though. A nice crescent Moon also was part of the show, as well as southern hemisphere delights like Centaurus, the Southern Cross, and Omega Centauri, which was awesome through a pair of binoculars. I did a little star trail photography, with some images of palm trees in the foreground. We also had an enjoyable dinner and conversation. The hotel's master chef came over and spent some time with us; that was fun, too. One of the things about an eclipse experience is the comradre and relationships it usually builds between people; it is hard to describe unless you've "been there and done that." Jeff was asking me how I reflected on the eclipse itself; to me it also touches my soul, reaffirms my personal beliefs, and is one of the most-awesome displays in the Universe. I can fully understand how ancient peoples would have been scared to death of a total solar eclipse! Sunday, July 26, 2009
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