Science Daily: Uranus
- NASA's Hubble, New Horizons team up for a simultaneous look at Uranus October 11, 2024
- Key to rapid planet formation August 1, 2024
Year: 2011
Supermoon? Well, sort of….
I’ve had several people ask me whether I went out to look at the full moon on March 19. Uhm, no, I didn’t. Why not? After all, it made the local (radio) news as “supermoon” since it was going to be closest it has been in nearly 20 years. First, while there are astronomers who …
Spring 2011
It’s been a while since we had an astronomy club at PS102, but we’re back! Most of the sessions are repeats but since the original class that took them is now in 7th grade, that shouldn’t bother you. In fact, you’re getting a better deal since it means the activities are tried, improved, and in …
MESSENGER Orbital Insertion around Mercury
On March 17, MESSENGER will finally settle into orbit around Mercury. While Mercury seems, in most people’s minds, one of the well-known inner planets, this is the first spacecraft sent explicitly to probe the planet. Details, including a link to view a live webcast during the insertion, are available at the MESSENGER web site.
Rockland Astronomy Club Summer Star Party
The annual family camping and summer star party sponsored by the Rockland Astronomy Club and held at Shady Pines campground in Savoy, MA will be held Jul. 29-Aug 7. Details can be found at http://www.rocklandastronomy.com/SSP/index.html.
North East Astronomy Forum
The 20th annual North East Astronomy Forum will be held at Rockland Community College in Suffern, NY. As usual, the two-day event will include well over 100 vendors, an open to the public solar observing session (weather permitting), numerous speakers, and hourly children’s activities. Children under 16 are admitted free with a paying adult. More …
North East Astronomical Imaging Conference
The annual North East Astronomical Imaging Conference will be held again this year at the Crowne Plaza Conference Center in Suffern, NY. Details and reservation information at at http://www.rocklandastronomy.com/NEAIC/.
Mercury at Greatest Elongation
Mercury wil also be visible in the early morning sky before sunrise, reaching it’s greatest (angular) distance today, just a day after Venus did. And no, it doesn’t usually happen in sequence like this. Mercury will be about magnitude -0.3, which makes it brighter than most stars, but nowhere near Venus’ -4.4.
Venus at Greatest Elongation
Venus will be as far west of the sun as it will get this time around (47°) rising well before the sun. If you are up early, have a look in the east before sunrise and you’ll have no trouble finding brilliant Venus
Partial Solar Eclipse (sorry, not in the US!)
Visible in parts of northern Africa and most of Europe. See also NASA’s solar eclipses for 2011-2020.
New England Section Joint AAPT & APS Meeting
To be held at the University of Massachussetts in Amherst. See also: http://www.uml.edu/college/arts_sciences/physics/APS-AAPT/