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Telescope Upgrade Produces Stunningly Clear Views of Space

Wednesday, July 18th 2018 12:19 PM

Twinkle, twinkle, little star" is a twisted sort of lullaby for astronomers, because the effect that enchants the casual stargazer blurs images taken by even the most powerful telescopes. Sometimes known as "astronomical seeing," the twinkling or blurring is caused by turbulence in Earth's atmosphere, which muddies a telescope's view. Astronomical seeing is why astronomers flock to mountains...

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PanSTARRS Comet, Rocked by Outburst, Goes Green

Tuesday, July 17th 2018 09:38 AM

You gotta love comets. OK, except when they fizzle. But outside of that, they can be tremendous fun to watch. That's so true of Comet PanSTARRS (C/2017 S3), which is now undergoing a second outburst just two weeks after its first. This latest explosion has pumped enough life into the vagabond to see it in a pair of binoculars. No kidding. I spotted with ease in my 10×50s on Ju...

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Observers Anxious for Dust to Settle as Mars Opposition Approaches

Friday, July 13th 2018 09:33 AM

Mars and its serene reflection off Lake Superior on July 9 belie the turmoil astir in its atmosphere.Bob King Mars rises brilliant and inviting these July nights, but the view through a telescope reveals little more than a blurry, orange ball devoid of surface features. Many of us knew in advance we'd have to put up with poor seeing because of the planet's southerly declination. We also...

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Jupiter’s Moons: 10 More Found, 79 Known

Wednesday, July 18th 2018 12:20 PM

After the discovery of Jupiter's four Galilean satellites in 1610, astronomers struggled to find 10 more in the 3½ centuries that followed. Today the IAU's Minor Planet Center announced that a search team led by Scott Sheppard (Carnegie Institution for Science) has identified 10 new moons of Jupiter, bringing the known total to 79 — the most of any planet in our solar system. Of those...

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Titan Occultation May Give Astronomers Clues About Saturn's Biggest Moon

Tuesday, July 17th 2018 09:54 AM

Astronomers in Australia are eager for a special celestial alignment this week that could tell them more about one of the most intriguing candidates for hosting life beyond Earth. That's because for a brief 4 minutes late Wednesday night (July 18) local time, Saturn's moon Titan will slip directly between Earth and a bright star. The rare alignment, formally called an occultation...

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Lunar Eclipse 2018 Guide: When, Where & How to See the Blood Moon

Saturday, July 14th 2018 02:03 PM

2018 features two lunar eclipses, one in January and the other in July. On Jan. 31, there was a spectactular Super Blue Blood Moon eclipse. The July 27 Blood Moon will be the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century. Both will be total lunar eclipses, when the full moon passes through Earth's shadow. Lunar eclipses are visible from anywhere on Earth where it is n...

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