Astrophotography

San Francisco Chronicle (blog)Live Stream: Annual Perseid Meteor Showers Light Up The SkiesEtidbits.comThe Perseid meteor shower, which is considered by many astrologists to be the most well-known meteor showers, peaked Friday night and into the early Saturday morning. A live stream, which can be viewed below, was put together by NASA through UStream.tv ...Recommended: Make the most of the meteorsmsnbc.comPerseid Meteor Shower: Shooting Stars After MidnightABC NewsThe Best Time To Watch the...Read Full Story

Yes, this Tuesday (010808) a SOLAR ECLIPSE is swinging it's way upon us.The path of totality will commence in Arctic Canada and travel across Greenland, Russia, Siberia, Mongolia and conclude in China. Totality will be witnessed by many fortunate indigenous people living in it's shadow and many, many travellers from around the globe, who are placing their ambitions in the oh~so random cosmos. Luckily for us Northern Europeans, a partial eclipse of the Sun will be visible, weather permitting...Read Full Story

An international team of astronomers using new Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) in Arizona has found that the Hercules Dwarf Galaxy, a recently discovered tiny companion to our Milky Way at a distance of 430,000 light years, has truly unusual properties. While basically all of its known peers in the realm of these dwarf galaxies are rather round, this galaxy appears highly flattened, either the shape of a disk or of a cigar.The stars in many large galaxies are arranged in a disk-like...Read Full Story

We've known for a while that large astronomical events can spell bad news for life:  supernovae unleash unimaginable levels radiation, asteroids can kick up climate-killing clouds, and black holes can suck things out of existence altogether.  Now it seems that simply wandering too close to big star can evaporate a planet before it even forms.University of Arizona astronomers have surveyed a thousand stars in the Rosette Nebula - that might sound like a song lyric, but we assure you it's real...Read Full Story

Over the last few months, I've been acquiring equipment to foray in to the amateur astrophotography realm. I've always had an interest in astronomy since I was a child. I’m finally in the position where I can afford my adult toys. The problem with being an adult is that your hobbies become way more expensive than when you were a child. I now have three very expensive hobbies; Canyoneering, Astronomy with a focus on Astrophotography and being a Pilot.A few years ago, I picked up a Mead ETX 70...Read Full Story

AFPHerschel Uncovers Elusive Oxygen Molecule Hidden in Orion NebulaInternational Business TimesThe European Space Agency's Herschel telescope found the first evidence of molecular oxygen in Orion Nebula, ending a 230-year mystery as to whether the molecule certainly existed in space. The molecules were detected in the star-forming region of the ...European telescope detects oxygen in spaceAFPHidden Oxygen Found in SpaceChristian PostOxygen finally spotted in spaceBBC NewsTG Daily -io9all 89...Read Full Story

Setting up a Computer Controlled Telescope for AstrophotographyAfter doing immense research into how to do astrophotography, I find that best practices  dictate that you need to have a computer controlled guidance to take wide field images. I already had the Autostar controller for my telescope, but I wanted my laptop to talk to the scope for guided imaging.   Having a Macintosh is sometimes a frustrating experience. In my journey through the learning curve of astrophotography I have found...Read Full Story

The GuardianSpacewatch: the lovely legacy of cometsThe GuardianThe fantastic spectacle of Comet Hale-Bopp above Stonehenge, England, on its last appearance in 1997. Photograph: Alastair Grant/AP It is 25 years since Halley's Comet last visited the inner solar system, reaching its closest point to the Sun between ...'Cosmic litter' from Halley's Comet to light up skymsnbc.comEta Aquarid Meteor Shower: 'Up All Night' With NASA!NASAA Gift from Halley's Comet: Meteor Shower This FridayTIMEMother...Read Full Story

KTNAPerseid meteor showers to occur over the weekendKTNAAn annual meteor shower, the Perseids, may be visible tonight (fri) and Saturday morning if it is clear. KTNA's Stardate Susitna host Kathleen Fleming says the Perseids can be relied upon to produce about 20 bright ...Read Full Story

Dust Sculptures in the Rosette NebulaExplanation: What creates the cosmic dust sculptures in the Rosette Nebula? Noted for the common beauty of its overall shape, parts of the Rosette Nebula, also known as NGC 2244, show beauty even when viewed up close. Visible above are globules of dark dust and gas that are slowly being eroded away by the energetic light and winds by nearby massive stars. Left alone long enough, the molecular-cloud globules would likely form stars and planets. The above...Read Full Story