Archives for January 2016

A Ninth Planet Discovered?

January 21, 2016 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Science, Solar System

Artist's conception of the hypothetical "Planet 9" in the distant regions of the solar system. Credit: Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC) — Artist’s conception of the hypothetical “Planet 9” in the distant regions of the solar system. Credit: Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC)

It’s been 170 years since the eighth (and so far last) major planet, Neptune, was discovered in our solar system. Pluto, of course, was discovered in 1930, heralded as the ninth planet, but then demoted by consensus of the astronomical community, largely at the behest of the Caltech astronomer Mike Brown who reasoned that Pluto was not large enough to gravitationally clear its path of other bodies, one of the three criteria for a major planet. In the ten years since Pluto’s demotion, Brown has been asked if there are any other planets in our solar system. His answer: “Nope, that’s it.” [Read more…] about A Ninth Planet Discovered?

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Five Bright Planets Visible in the Morning Sky

January 21, 2016 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Solar System

The five bright planets of the solar system are visible in the pre-dawn sky from late January to early Febuary 2016. — The five bright planets of the solar system are visible in the pre-dawn sky from late January to early February 2016 in a diagonal line rising from the southeastern horizon towards the southwest.

There’s a ‘planet fest’ in the eastern sky before sunrise in late January and early February 2016 as the five brightest planets– Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter– make an appearance in a long incline from the eastern horizon, well past the meridian, and on towards the southwest. If you’re up early in the next two weeks, 45-60 minutes before sunrise, this is an opportune time to look to the slowly brightening sky to see this alluring array of bright planets [Read more…] about Five Bright Planets Visible in the Morning Sky

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The Jellyfish Nebula

January 19, 2016 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Astronomy Images and Video

The Jellyfish Nebula, also called IC 443, is the sprawling remnant of a massive star that exploded as a supernova some 3,000 to 30,000 years ago in a gas-strewn patch of the Milky Way in the constellation Gemini. As you can see in the above image by Jeff Johnson, the shock wave from the explosion produced the particularly intricate lacework of nebulosity that makes up the Jellyfish. The nebula, which is about 5,000 light years away, is adjacent to a rich region of star formation called Sharpless 249. [Read more…] about The Jellyfish Nebula

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The Hyades Star Cluster – The “Raining Stars”

January 13, 2016 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Deep Sky

Orion's Belt points the way to the V-shaped Hyades star cluster as seen from the southern hemisphere. The bright star at one tip of the Hyades is Aldebaran, which is not a part of the cluster. (Credit: Luis Argerich from Flickr.com) — Orion’s Belt points the way to the V-shaped Hyades star cluster as seen from the southern hemisphere. The bright star at one tip of the Hyades is Aldebaran, which is not a part of the cluster. The bright object below the Hyades is Jupiter, which was in this part of the sky when the image was taken. (Credit: Luis Argerich from Flickr.com)

The famed V-shaped head of the constellation Taurus is dominated by a lovely collection of blue and orange stars of the Hyades star cluster. Often overshadowed by the smaller and more famous Pleiades, the Hyades are visible high in the northern sky this time of year. They’re visible from the southern hemisphere, too, perhaps 20° above the northern horizon just after sunset in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Hyades have been known since antiquity. The cluster’s name comes from the Greek legend of the seven Hyads, the daughters of the titan Atlas and Aethra. Atlas was busy because he had seven more daughters by another wife, Pleione. These daughters were called the Pleiades. So by legend, the Pleiades and the Hyades are half-sisters. Unlike the Pleiades star cluster, the stars of the Hyades are not named after the sisters. And the Hyades contains some 20 stars visible to the naked eye; the Pleiades have just six [Read more…] about The Hyades Star Cluster – The “Raining Stars”

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The Moon Occults Aldebaran on January 19-20

January 13, 2016 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Celestial Events

The visibility of the lunar occultation of the bright star Aldebaran on Jan. 19-20, 2016. Credit: Lunar-Occultations.com

The waxing gibbous Moon will pass in front of the bright star Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation Taurus, during the evening of January 19-20, 2016. The event will be visible for all of Canada and the continental U.S. as well as northwestern Europe (see map above). During this occultation, Aldebaran will dramatically disappear behind the darkened edge of the Moon. Then it will suddenly reappear nearly an hour later from behind the lit edge. Exact timing is highly dependent on location, but the event begins between 2h and 3h Universal Time on Jan. 20. You can look up the more precise timing for your location at the Lunar-Occultations.com website. The event is easily visible without optical aid, but a pair of binoculars or a small telescope give you a better view [Read more…] about The Moon Occults Aldebaran on January 19-20

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