Sunday, January 28, 2007

For many of us:The Great and Frustrating Comet of 2007

You can read my my frustrations and exhilirations with this comet. At best some of us as I did had a few marvelous days but :we got the short end of the stick" with the even more spectacular Comet McNaught that showed up after it rounded the Sun and could only be seen in the Southern Hemisphere (a few could see the tail from the US).
Read on

The Great and Frustrating Comet of 2007
Northern hemisphere stargazers have never had any shortage of reasons to be jealous of our southern hemisphere cousins.

Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: : E.O.A.S. (Earth, Oceans, Atmosphere and Space) Blog -

See my latest photos of the bright comet McNaught



I have been looking into my latest photos of the bright comet a couple of weeks ago. Taken 1/10/07 near Kansas City, KS.
Here is one of the more photogenic ones.
The comet is between the bright red cloud bank near the horizon and the other darker one on top. Comet with tail is in middle of the photos.
At that time it was probably -1 magnitude about 1/3 the brightness of Venus, the bright "star" you see in the West after sunset.
I was so excited I forgot to zoom in closer.
Also it did not help that my better digital camera conked out in December so I used my kodak digital one instead. (it is not bad after all I did shoot a picture of the eclipse of 2001 that got into Astronomy magazine).
Now I have to work on the video I took of the comet which was not bad either .
Let me know what you think.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Top 15 national geographic earth/oceans and more

Top 15 national geographic earth/oceans and more

interesting check it out

Comet McNaught is one of the horse comets

Comet McNaught is going away from Earth into the outer reaches of the Solar System after a good show in the North Hemisphere and a spectacular better show in the Southern Hemisphere. I saw it for 4 days and photographed it and videotaped it (see days before on this blog).
To view great picture from all around the world look at http://spaceweather.com

Here is some historical perspective on the nature of Comet McNaught which is literally said to be is one of the "horse comets."

interesting saying/ proverb
"When beggars die there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes." -
Shakespeare.

Comet McNaught is one of the horse comets
citations from :
Session 35 - HAD III: From Hamlet to Crop Circles.
Oral session, Wednesday, January 07
Monroe, [35.03] New Numismatic Evidence about the Comets of Mithradates the Great of Pontus (134 and 119 BC).
M. R. Molnar (Rutgers Univ.)

The historian, Justinus, tells us that the life of Mithradates the Great of Pontus (ca. 134 - 63 BC) was marked by two unusually large comets: one at his birth in ca. 134 BC and another at his coronation ca. 119 BC.
Often these comets are cited as proof that sometimes comets heralded great, good events (such as the Star of Bethlehem.) We now have evidence that counters that notion. Mithradates struck some bronze coins that depict a foreboding hippeus (horse) comet. Pliny, the Roman naturalist, tells us that this kind of comet had plumes much like horses manes in very rapid motion and moving in a circle.
The evidence is that the horses mains are synchronic bands. The visibility of these bands indicates that the hippeus comet is a class of comets that had a close encounter with the earth, perhaps on the order of a million kilometers. Hephaistion of Thebes tells us that the hippeus comet foretold the quick fall of kings and tyrants and rapid changes in the affairs of these countries. It is likely that the comet was interpreted as an omen of violent revolution, but Mithradates apparently altered the focus of the portent, namely that the comet signified his struggle to evict the Romans from Asia Minor.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Northern Hemisphere people see comet tail above horizon

Northern Hemisphere people see comet tail above horizon

The comet's head is too far south to see, and only the wispiest fringes of the comet's tail poke over the western horizon after sunset.

Rob Ratkowski of Hawaii at spaceweather.com
(1/21/2007 - if not this day use the archives)
shows the streaks of Comet McNaught's long feathery tail extending above the horizon in Hawaii
(others on the spaceweather show the tail it from Colorado- see more pics at the site)

That is amazing.

The snow and clouds hopefully will go away here in Kansas so we can try to see this sight


Saturday, January 20, 2007

movie of Comet McNaught rounding the Sun photo on apod 1/20

oh wow
Look a the movie of Comet McNaught rounding the Sun photo on apod 1/20
APOD 1/20/2006
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

Also look at http://spaceweather.com
of the pictures of down under and the comet's brilliant tail

and info about seeing the comet in Northern Hemisphere at dusk which we need to try when the snowstorm is over

Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS:

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Comet McNaught amazing photo of it during daytime!!

This surprising comet keeps getting better and better.
I can't see it now or even try as it is cloudy here in Kansas but other can. The links below will show some of the latest photos.

Space Weather News for Jan. 13, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

Comet McNaught is now visible in broad daylight!
The comet is very close to the sun, so it is tricky to find.
Directions to try (but be careful) here's how to do it:

Go outside and stand in the shadow of a building so that the glare of the sun is blocked out. Make a fist and hold it at arm's length.
The comet is about one fist-width east of the sun.

Closest approach to the sun is this weekend.
Solar heat causes the comet to vaporize rapidly and brighten to daytime visibility.
McNaught is now the brightest comet in more than 40 years, and it may become the brightest in centuries.

amazing photo of Comet McNaught in daytime by others!!
Space Weather News for Jan. 13, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

Astronomy Picture of the Day
Nice picture of the comet after sunset
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
1/13/2007 (if not that date look in archives)

more about the Comet McNaught since its discovery at
http://cometography.com/lcomets/2006p1.html

See the coronograph pics of the comet near the Sun
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMMCRSVYVE_index_0.html
and
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/home.html

Latest SOHO image of the comet swinging by the Sun
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/c3/512/

http://space.com/
comet gallery 2
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/igviewer.php?imgid=4559&gid=326&index=0

***

Visit http://spaceweather.com for photos and updates.

I videotaped Comet McNaught


It has been very exciting seeing this great surprise visitor Comet McNaught during these last 4 days. The bright light gold coma (brighter then magnitude -1) and the feathery tail extending for more then a degree made a superb sight in binoculars after sunset. However on 1/11/2006 I captured several videotaped minutes of the comet as it peaked in an out of the clouds near the horizon. This was the first of 40 comets that I have experienced, that I was able to videotape!
Sat 1/13/2007, I will post more of my pictures , videoclips and websites with photographs taken of the comet by others as well as links to see the comet as it heads around the Sun for the next couple of days.

Monday, January 8, 2007

Brilliant splendid Comet McNaught 1/8 and1/9 after sunset

Doug Zubenel and I saw the comet again on the 8th in Shawnee Mission, KS ( West of Kansas City) USA. Seemed even brighter with the gold-white coma, the fan light -yellow tail then night before. It seemed brighter tonight with the filmy hood around the coma more distinct. I took this shot with my digital kodak 290, 2 sec at 100 asa looking through Doug's 6 inch telescope as the comet was going toward the trees. (The red dot is a tower light in the trees and Upside down because of telescope)

Another highlight was the spectacular look through binoculars on the 9th. Tonight the coma was brighter, tail was longer stretching at least 1 degree or more angling to Northwest.
What a splendid sight!! Here is a photo I took that wasn't a close up but the horizon is pretty and you can see the tail right of the airplane graphic I inserted.

You have until the 12th to catch .
Then it will be too close to the Sun.
Take some binoculars look at the sky charts at Sky and Telescope or Spaceweather or Astronomy.
Don't miss one of the brightest and nicest comets seen in the last 20-30 years!! Once you have an idea where it is in the West it is easier to catch.
? let me know

Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: Member #2572 IMCA (International Meteorite Collectors Association) : E.O.A.S. (Earth, Oceans, Atmosphere and Space) Blog -:State of Kansas Solar System Ambassador: Comet Observers Coordinator- Astronomy League/ Astronomical Society of Kansas, KC, MO-Louisburg,KS: http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/comet/comet.htm: CometObserversAwardALsubscribe@yahoogroups.com - Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS: State of Kansas Solar System Ambassador:Eric's Black Sun Eclipse newsletter
: Subscribe to (send your email to)<>:Website- http://members.aol.com/kcstarguy/blacksun/eclipse.htm: Satori Astronomy Website- http://members.aol.com/kcstarguy/satoriastronomy/satoriastronomy.htm

Sunday, January 7, 2007

surprisingly bright Comet McNaught appears in evening and morning!

The surprisingly bright Comet McNaught appears in evening as well as morning! It is bright but so close to the Sun it is difficult to see.

YES . It appears near the Sun and can be seen either in morning or after sunset as I have now seen and heard.
After sunset it is in between Venus and 1st magnitude Altair (in Aquila higher in the sky more the WEST)
I am still examining the pics I took. I looked in Olathe to the East and think I caught it but I don't have good binoculars.

More pics and detail at
http://www.spaceweather.com/
photo gallery of other pics
http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/gallery_mcnaught.htm

another nice pic at
omet McNaught Heads for the Sun
Credit & Copyright: Michael Jager and Gerald Rhemann
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070105.html

There is not much time as it is getting closer to the Sun and by next week will only be visible with the orbiting scopes. Who knows if it will survive entry near the Sun. But by then only Southern observers will be able to see it . So catch it while you can before close approach to Sun on 13th.

Good luck

Dr. Eric Flescher (kcstarguy@aol.com), Olathe, KS

Saturday, January 6, 2007

Bright comet in dawn sky now near horizon

Sometimes we wait for a long time for a comet like Halley's in 1986 to come by and give us a show. But Halley's at it's best was only 3rd magnitude and was a disappointment. Our luck it comes by every 76 years but it decided to comet by this time too far away from Earth ( the worst pass I researched in 1000 years).

But sometimes one comes from out of the blue, literally, and puts on a great and even better show.Comet McNaught (C/2006 P1) is here to watch while you can and before it leaves.


It first was discovered in August but now as this comet gets close to the Sun and Mercury it is really growing bright and putting on a show. The only problem, it is difficult to to spot as it is getting closer and closer to the sun.

It is very bright comet in the dawn sky now near the horizon. The trick is you have to have to find it.Now it is about 2nd magnitude which is as bright as most of the stars in the Big Dipper. But the brightness is spread around so they are more difficult to see then a star. But seeing the tail may help.

I tried this morning but could not see it. I will try again.

use spaceweather.com to see the latest photo, print and see a sky map where it is to catch a glimp

Comet McNaught (C/2006 P1) at its closest approach on Jan. 13th will be only 0.17 AU away--much closer than Mercury (0.38 AU). It will then appear about 1 degree near Mercury.
We hope that it does not completely burn up or fall apart as some comet do when they come close to the Sun.

Meteorite came from asteroid originally

It is amazing that this little piece of metal hit the house. While small it still packed a punch to go through the roof and finally lodge in the wall. The local scientists have determined it came from a asteroid originally but it will be interesting to hear even more specifics. Did meteorite come from Vesta or another asteroid?

"The team has determined the meteorite is very metal-rich, and possibly represents the deep interior of an asteroid. Its coloration, markings, density and magnetic properties are characteristic of an iron meteorite," Brightman said.

More info at link above

Friday, January 5, 2007

News about December tornadoes

There were a rash of tornadoes in what is usually a very quite December. More appeared in Louisian on Jan 4 and information on these will be posted later
More below

http://www.weather.com/blog/weather/8_11497.html?from=wxcenter_news

vote for which is the best Cassini photo image

Many brilliant and interesting pictures. Which one do you think is the best? Make your choice and then wait for the results in the near future
Cassini Photo Contest
Join us as we approach the second anniversary of the Huygens Probe descent, and help us decide which of the Cassini spacecraft's many spectacular views from the last year and a half stands out the most.

Thursday, January 4, 2007

Mysterious Metallic Object Crashes Into Home

I was trying to find a local news report for this news about a possible meteorite. Finally found a source close to the source.
Looks like a meteorite but time will tell with an analysis.

Mysterious Metallic Object Crashes Into Home
By CHRIS NEWMARKER, AP

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Jan. 4) - Authorities were trying to identify a mysterious metallic object that crashed through the roof of a house in eastern New Jersey.

http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070103/NEWS/70103006

Monday, January 1, 2007

Extremophile Creatures -organisms like no other on Earth but possibly in Space?

I have been interested in extremophile organisms ever since I watched the first video of various extremophile creatures on the bottom of deep sea vents in the Pacific Ocean in the 1990s. These curious organisms are found in the steaming pools in Yellowstone National Park as well as places around the earth. The unique characteristics give us possible clues to organisms which have or still live on Mars and our solar systems moons (Europa of Jupiter) , Mars and possible life forms on extrasolar planets.
More information is being uncovered all the time. Here is the latest.


Date: December 22, 2006


Nanoorganisms: Probe Of Acid Mine Drainage Turns Up Unsuspected Virus-sized Archaea

Science Daily — For 11 years, Jill Banfield at the University of California, Berkeley, has collected and studied the microbes that slime the floors of mines and convert iron to acid, a common source of stream pollution around the world.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061222092509.htm

more about these organisms

- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Although the terms archaea and extremophile are occasionally used ... There are many different classes of extremophiles, each corresponding to the way its ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremophile
Life in Extreme Environments | The Astrobiology Web | Your Online ...
Links to information about thermophiles, halophiles, and other extremophiles both inside and outside of the domain Archaea.
www.astrobiology.com/extreme.htm