Thanet Astronomy Group Astronomy for Everyone in Plain English

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Thanet Astronomy Group Astronomy for Everyone in Plain English What to See, February 2014 Keeping our eye on Orion. Stars ( Bellatrix, Meissa, Saiph) Constellation (Orion), Nebula (M42) This guide is for 7pm 24th February 2014. Last month I featured the star Sirius, the constellation Orion and 5 of its main stars. This month three more stars and a nebula. I'm hoping you all found Jupiter and Orion last month and have been looking at them since. At 7pm 24th Feb 2014 - look due south. Star Bellatrix About 45 degrees above the horizon you will see the star Bellatrix. It is just a little to the right (11 degrees) of Betelgeuse and forms the top right corner of Orion. It is about 243 light years away. Star Meissa Between and above Betelgeuse and Bellatrix you will see the star Meissa. This forms a triangle with the stars Betelgeuse and Bellatrix and marks Orion's jaw. This star is over 1055 light years away. Star Saiph At the bottom left corner of Orion, to the left of the bright star Rigal you will see the star Saiph. This forms the bottom left corner of Orion. Saiph is about 720 light years away, and believed to be 20 times bigger than our Sun. Orion Without constellation lines Nebula M42 By George Ward Feb 2014 Celestron 925 Nebula M42 One of Orion's most striking features is in its sword. This is a chain of faint stars which curve down and left from the left most star in Orion's belt (Alnitak). The Nebula is near the bottom of the sword and looks like a cloudy patch. It's unsurprising that the word “Nebula” is Latin for cloud. M42 is the result of a huge star exploding (Supernova). Contact us if you need help or information. Web www.ThanetAstronomyGroup.com Email [email protected] West Bay Cafe Saturday's 1-4 pm..

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Thanet Astronomy Group Astronomy for Everyone in Plain English
Thanet Astronomy Group Astronomy for Everyone in Plain English What to see December 29th Constellation (Orion) Stars (Betelguese, Bellatrix, Alnitak, Alnilam, Mintaka, Rigel, Saiph,) Asterism (The Winter Triangle) Stars (Betelguese, Sirius, Procyon) November to March the constellation Orion the Hunter is at its best. There are some 20 prominent stars in this constellation. The brightest and more easily observed stars are the 8 in the main body. The other stars form Orion's right arm with club, and a slain animal in his left hand. These stars are dimmer and difficult to see due to light pollution. At 8:00pm Looking South East at 119° up to 30° you see the star Betelguese, the top left corner of Orion, a red super giant, more than 1½ billion kms in diameter. Look at 127° up to 33° you see the star Bellatrix, the top right corner of Orion, at 8½ million kms in diameter. Look at 128° down to 24° you see Alnitak, the first of three stars side by side, forming Orion's belt. Alnitak, Alnilam (at 128° 25°) and Mintaka (at 129° 26°). Probably one of the more easily recognised groups of stars in this area of sky. Look at 137° down to 21° you see the star Rigel, the bottom right corner of Orion. A blue/white super giant, 108 million kms in diameter. Look at 130° down to 16° you see the star Saiph the bottom left corner of Orion, nearly 31 million kms in diameter. Orion Stars Orion the Hunter In August I wrote about The Summer Triangle.
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Winter Constellations
Winter Constellations *Orion *Canis Major *Monoceros *Canis Minor *Gemini *Auriga *Taurus *Eradinus *Lepus *Monoceros *Cancer *Lynx *Ursa Major *Ursa Minor *Draco *Camelopardalis *Cassiopeia *Cepheus *Andromeda *Perseus *Lacerta *Pegasus *Triangulum *Aries *Pisces *Cetus *Leo (rising) *Hydra (rising) *Canes Venatici (rising) Orion--Myth: Orion, the great hunter. In one myth, Orion boasted he would kill all the wild animals on the earth. But, the earth goddess Gaia, who was the protector of all animals, produced a gigantic scorpion, whose body was so heavily encased that Orion was unable to pierce through the armour, and was himself stung to death. His companion Artemis was greatly saddened and arranged for Orion to be immortalised among the stars. Scorpius, the scorpion, was placed on the opposite side of the sky so that Orion would never be hurt by it again. To this day, Orion is never seen in the sky at the same time as Scorpius. DSO’s ● ***M42 “Orion Nebula” (Neb) with Trapezium A stellar nursery where new stars are being born, perhaps a thousand stars. These are immense clouds of interstellar gas and dust collapse inward to form stars, mainly of ionized hydrogen which gives off the red glow so dominant, and also ionized greenish oxygen gas. The youngest stars may be less than 300,000 years old, even as young as 10,000 years old (compared to the Sun, 4.6 billion years old). 1300 ly. 1 ● *M43--(Neb) “De Marin’s Nebula” The star-forming “comma-shaped” region connected to the Orion Nebula. ● *M78--(Neb) Hard to see. A star-forming region connected to the Orion Nebula.
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TAAS Monthly Observing Challenge December 2015 Deep Sky Object
TAAS Monthly Observing Challenge December 2015 Deep Sky Object NGC 772 (GX) Aries ra: 01h 59m 20.1s dec: +19° 00’ 26” Magnitude (visual) = 10.3 Size = 7.2’ x 4.3’ Position angle = 130° Description: NGC 772 (also known as Arp 78) is an unbarred spiral galaxy approximately 130 million light-years away in the constellation Aries. Around 200,000 light years in diameter, NGC 772 is twice the size of the Milky Way Galaxy, and is surrounded by several satellite galaxies – including the dwarf elliptical, NGC 770 – whose tidal forces on the larger galaxy have likely caused the emergence of a single elongated outer spiral arm that is much more developed than the others arms. Halton Arp includes NGC 772 in his Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies as Arp 78, where it is described as a "Spiral galaxy with a small high-surface brightness companion". Two supernovae (SN 2003 hl & SN 2003 iq) have been observed in NGC 772. Source: https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_772 AL: Herschel 400 Challenge Object NGC 2371 / 2372 (PN) Gemini ra: 07h 25m 34.8s dec: +29° 29’ 22” Magnitude (visual) = 11.2 Size = 62” Description: NGC 2371-2 is a dual lobed planetary nebula located in the constellation Gemini. Visually, it appears like it could be two separate objects; therefore, two entries were given to the planetary nebula by William Herschel in the "New General Catalogue", so it may be referred to as NGC 2371, NGC 2372, or variations on this name. Source: https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_2371-2 AL: Herschel 400, Planetary Nebula Binocular Object NGC 1807 (OC) Taurus ra: 05h 10m 46.0s dec: +16° 31’ 00” Magnitude (visual) = 7.0 Size = 12’ Description: NGC 1807 is an open cluster at the border of the constellations Taurus and Orion near the open cluster NGC 1817.
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Educator's Guide: Orion
Legends of the Night Sky Orion Educator’s Guide Grades K - 8 Written By: Dr. Phil Wymer, Ph.D. & Art Klinger Legends of the Night Sky: Orion Educator’s Guide Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………....3 Constellations; General Overview……………………………………..4 Orion…………………………………………………………………………..22 Scorpius……………………………………………………………………….36 Canis Major…………………………………………………………………..45 Canis Minor…………………………………………………………………..52 Lesson Plans………………………………………………………………….56 Coloring Book…………………………………………………………………….….57 Hand Angles……………………………………………………………………….…64 Constellation Research..…………………………………………………….……71 When and Where to View Orion…………………………………….……..…77 Angles For Locating Orion..…………………………………………...……….78 Overhead Projector Punch Out of Orion……………………………………82 Where on Earth is: Thrace, Lemnos, and Crete?.............................83 Appendix………………………………………………………………………86 Copyright©2003, Audio Visual Imagineering, Inc. 2 Legends of the Night Sky: Orion Educator’s Guide Introduction It is our belief that “Legends of the Night sky: Orion” is the best multi-grade (K – 8), multi-disciplinary education package on the market today. It consists of a humorous 24-minute show and educator’s package. The Orion Educator’s Guide is designed for Planetarians, Teachers, and parents. The information is researched, organized, and laid out so that the educator need not spend hours coming up with lesson plans or labs. This has already been accomplished by certified educators. The guide is written to alleviate the fear of space and the night sky (that many elementary and middle school teachers have) when it comes to that section of the science lesson plan. It is an excellent tool that allows the parents to be a part of the learning experience. The guide is devised in such a way that there are plenty of visuals to assist the educator and student in finding the Winter constellations.
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List of Easy Double Stars for Winter and Spring  = Easy  = Not Too Difficult  = Difficult but Possible
List of Easy Double Stars for Winter and Spring = easy = not too difficult = difficult but possible 1. Sigma Cassiopeiae (STF 3049). 23 hr 59.0 min +55 deg 45 min This system is tight but very beautiful. Use a high magnification (150x or more). Primary: 5.2, yellow or white Seconary: 7.2 (3.0″), blue 2. Eta Cassiopeiae (Achird, STF 60). 00 hr 49.1 min +57 deg 49 min This is a multiple system with many stars, but I will restrict myself to the brightest one here. Primary: 3.5, yellow. Secondary: 7.4 (13.2″), purple or brown 3. 65 Piscium (STF 61). 00 hr 49.9 min +27 deg 43 min Primary: 6.3, yellow Secondary: 6.3 (4.1″), yellow 4. Psi-1 Piscium (STF 88). 01 hr 05.7 min +21 deg 28 min This double forms a T-shaped asterism with Psi-2, Psi-3 and Chi Piscium. Psi-1 is the uppermost of the four. Primary: 5.3, yellow or white Secondary: 5.5 (29.7), yellow or white 5. Zeta Piscium (STF 100). 01 hr 13.7 min +07 deg 35 min Primary: 5.2, white or yellow Secondary: 6.3, white or lilac (or blue) 6. Gamma Arietis (Mesarthim, STF 180). 01 hr 53.5 min +19 deg 18 min “The Ram’s Eyes” Primary: 4.5, white Secondary: 4.6 (7.5″), white 7. Lambda Arietis (H 5 12). 01 hr 57.9 min +23 deg 36 min Primary: 4.8, white or yellow Secondary: 6.7 (37.1″), silver-white or blue 8.
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Ioptron CEM40 Center-Balanced Equatorial Mount
iOptron®CEM40 Center-Balanced Equatorial Mount Instruction Manual Product CEM40 (#7400A series) and CEM40EC (#7400ECA series, as shown) Please read the included CEM40 Quick Setup Guide (QSG) BEFORE taking the mount out of the case! This product is a precision instrument. Please read the included QSG before assembling the mount. Please read the entire Instruction Manual before operating the mount. You must hold the mount firmly when disengaging the gear switches. Otherwise personal injury and/or equipment damage may occur. Any worm system damage due to improper operation will not be covered by iOptron’s limited warranty. If you have any questions please contact us at [email protected] WARNING! NEVER USE A TELESCOPE TO LOOK AT THE SUN WITHOUT A PROPER FILTER! Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye. Children should always have adult supervision while using a telescope. 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................ 3 1. CEM40 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 5 2. CEM40 Overview ................................................................................................................................... 6 2.1. Parts List .........................................................................................................................................
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Photoionized Winds of Cool Stars
Photoionized winds of cool stars Jonathan Mackey Argelander-Institut für Astronomie (aifa), Uni. Bonn Collaborators: ! Shazrene Mohamed !(SAAO, Cape Town)! Vasilii Gvaramadze !(Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia)! Norbert Langer !(aifa, Bonn)! Rubina Kotak!!(Queen’s University Belfast) ! Dominique Meyer !(aifa, Bonn) ! Takashi Moriya!!(aifa, Bonn)! Hilding Neilson !!(East Tennessee State University, USA) 22 October 2014, MPIfR/AIfA Lunch Colloquium Outline • Photoionized red supergiant (RSG) winds: • observational motivation: Betelgeuse, IRC-10414, W26 • Formation of photoionization-conﬁned shells • Shell properties for different progenitors • Estimates of supernova interaction with shells Jonathan Mackey!AIfA, 22.10.2014 All of the bright stars in Orion are evolved Giants or Supergiants, with masses 8-30 M⊙, and all are closer to us than M42 or the Horsehead Nebula. Rigel Bellatrix Mintaka M42 Meissa Alnilam Alnitak Saiph Betelgeuse Galactic plane Horsehead nebula Introduction to Betelgeuse • H-alpha map of Orion (right). • D=200 pc, closest RSG to the sun (Harper +,2008). (or 2nd closest, after Antares?). • Proper motion and bow shock implies V=28-73 km/s (Ueta+,2008), moving to Northeast. • Mass ~11-20 M⊙. Teff ~3300K. (e.g. Neilson+,2011). • Has mid-IR bow-shock and “bar” upstream from bow shock (Noriega- Crespo+,1997). • Circumstellar structures are similar in size to the full moon. H-alpha map of the Constellation Orion. Herschel’s view of Betelgeuse • Far infrared emission shows dust emission from re-radiated starlight. • The “bar” may be circumstellar (Mackey+,2012) or interstellar (Decin+,2012) in origin. • The bow shock marks the interaction of the RSG wind with the surrounding medium (Mohamed+,2012).
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The Blue Planet Report from Stellafane Perspective on Apollo How to Gain and Retain New Members
Published by the Astronomical League Vol. 71, No. 4 September 2019 THE BLUE PLANET REPORT FROM STELLAFANE 7.20.69 5 PERSPECTIVE ON APOLLO YEARS APOLLO 11 HOW TO GAIN AND RETAIN NEW MEMBERS mic Hunter h Cos h 4 er’s 5 t h Win 6 7h +30° AURIG A +30° Fast Facts TAURUS Orion +20° χ1 χ2 +20° GE MIN I ated winter nights are domin ο1 Mid ξ ν 2 ORIO N ο tion Orion. This +10° by the constella 1 a π Meiss λ 2 μ π +10° 2 φ1 attended by his φ 3 unter, α γ π cosmic h Bellatrix 4 Betelgeuse π d ω Canis Major an ψ ρ π5 hunting dogs, π6 0° intaka aurus the M78 δ M , follows T 0° ε and Minor Alnitak Alnilam What’s Your Pleasure? ζ h σ η vens eac EROS ross the hea MONOC M43 M42 Bull ac θ τ ι υ ess pursuit. β –10° night in endl Saiph Rigel –10° κ The showpiece of the ANI S C LEPU S ERIDANU S ion MAJOR constellation is the Or ORION (Constellation) –20° wn here), –20° Nebula (M42,sho ion 5 hr; Location: Right Ascens a region of nebulosity ° north 4h Declination 5 5h 6h 7h 2 square degrees th just 1,300 a: 594 and starbir Are 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 0 -2 -1 he Hunter 2 Symbol: T 0 t-years away that is M42 (Orion Nebula); C ligh Notable Objects: a la); NG C 2024 laked eye as a tary nebu e M78 (plane visible to the n n la) d.
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3-D Constellations Activity F7 Grade Level: 4–12
Star Finding and Constellations • F7 3-D Constellations Activity F7 Grade Level: 4–12 Source: Adapted with permission from the activity “Building Three-Dimensional Models of the Constellations” in Project STAR: The Universe in Your Hands, © 1993, 2001 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College, published by Kendall/Hunt Publishing, Dubuque, IA. Adapted by Anna Hurst for the Astronomy from the Ground Up project at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Updated 2010 by Andrew Fraknoi. This version was produced in 2010 by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.http:// www.astrosociety.org What’s This Activity About? Tips and Suggestions Because the stars in the best known star patterns, such • The table in this activity already calculates the conver- as the constellation figure of Orion the hunter, and the sion of the distances in light years to the length of the asterism of the Big Dipper, look (after much association string needed (in centimeters and inches). Older stu- in our minds) like they belong together, many students dents who need math practice can do this conversion actually believe that the stars in these sky figures are as- on their own. sociated. Yet most stars in a bright constellation pattern • Note that some of the stars in the Big Dipper turn out are at quite different distances from us and only happen to be at about the same distance from us, since they to lie in the same part of our sky. This activity helps stu- are part of a moving group of stars that were probably dents realize that the sky is a three-dimensional place born together.
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GTO Keypad Manual, V5.001
ASTRO-PHYSICS GTO KEYPAD Version v5.xxx Please read the manual even if you are familiar with previous keypad versions Flash RAM Updates Keypad Java updates can be accomplished through the Internet. Check our web site www.astro-physics.com/software-updates/ November 11, 2020 ASTRO-PHYSICS KEYPAD MANUAL FOR MACH2GTO Version 5.xxx November 11, 2020 ABOUT THIS MANUAL 4 REQUIREMENTS 5 What Mount Control Box Do I Need? 5 Can I Upgrade My Present Keypad? 5 GTO KEYPAD 6 Layout and Buttons of the Keypad 6 Vacuum Fluorescent Display 6 N-S-E-W Directional Buttons 6 STOP Button 6 <PREV and NEXT> Buttons 7 Number Buttons 7 GOTO Button 7 ± Button 7 MENU / ESC Button 7 RECAL and NEXT> Buttons Pressed Simultaneously 7 ENT Button 7 Retractable Hanger 7 Keypad Protector 8 Keypad Care and Warranty 8 Warranty 8 Keypad Battery for 512K Memory Boards 8 Cleaning Red Keypad Display 8 Temperature Ratings 8 Environmental Recommendation 8 GETTING STARTED – DO THIS AT HOME, IF POSSIBLE 9 Set Up your Mount and Cable Connections 9 Gather Basic Information 9 Enter Your Location, Time and Date 9 Set Up Your Mount in the Field 10 Polar Alignment 10 Mach2GTO Daytime Alignment Routine 10 KEYPAD START UP SEQUENCE FOR NEW SETUPS OR SETUP IN NEW LOCATION 11 Assemble Your Mount 11 Startup Sequence 11 Location 11 Select Existing Location 11 Set Up New Location 11 Date and Time 12 Additional Information 12 KEYPAD START UP SEQUENCE FOR MOUNTS USED AT THE SAME LOCATION WITHOUT A COMPUTER 13 KEYPAD START UP SEQUENCE FOR COMPUTER CONTROLLED MOUNTS 14 1 OBJECTS MENU – HAVE SOME FUN!
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Supernova Star Maps
Supernova Star Maps Which Stars in the Night Sky Will Go Su pernova? About the Activity Allow visitors to experience finding stars in the night sky that will eventually go supernova. Topics Covered Observation of stars that will one day go supernova Materials Needed • Copies of this month's Star Map for your visitors- print the Supernova Information Sheet on the back. • (Optional) Telescopes A S A Participants N t i d Activities are appropriate for families Cre with children over the age of 9, the general public, and school groups ages 9 and up. Any number of visitors may participate. Location and Timing This activity is perfect for a star party outdoors and can take a few minutes, up to 20 minutes, depending on the Included in This Packet Page length of the discussion about the Detailed Activity Description 2 questions on the Supernova Helpful Hints 5 Information Sheet. Discussion can start Supernova Information Sheet 6 while it is still light. Star Maps handouts 7 Background Information There is an Excel spreadsheet on the Supernova Star Maps Resource Page that lists all these stars with all their particulars. Search for Supernova Star Maps here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/download-search.cfm © 2008 Astronomical Society of the Pacific www.astrosociety.org Copies for educational purposes are permitted. Additional astronomy activities can be found here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov Star Maps: Stars likely to go Supernova! Leader’s Role Participants’ Role (Anticipated) Materials: Star Map with Supernova Information sheet on back Objective: Allow visitors to experience finding stars in the night sky that will eventually go supernova.
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Why Do the Stars in Orion Look So Different from Each Other? Or a Comparative View of the Stars in Orion
WHY DO THE STARS IN ORION LOOK SO DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER? OR A COMPARATIVE VIEW OF THE STARS IN ORION RONALD E. MICKLE Denver, Colorado 80211 ©2000 Ronald E. Mickle ABSTRACT This paper will help explain why the stars in the Orion constellation look so different from one other by comparing nine stars. The nine stars discussed in this paper were chosen primarily for their brightness, with Chi2 Ori being the exception (see Table 1). It was chosen for both its distance from earth and luminosity. The Orion constellation measures 594 square degrees of the sky and is located on the celestial equator, close to the Milky Way, between 4 hours st right ascension (R.A.) and 6 hours R.A. Five stars are 1 magnitude (mv) th or brighter, with 15 brighter than 4 mv [Facts on File Dictionary of Astronomy, The 1994]. Table 1. Nine Stars in Orion 2 Name mv Temperature Spectral Diameter Luminosity Distance (K)2 Class1 (Solar (suns)2 (ly)2 radii)2 Betelgeuse, 0.43 3448 M2 Iab 1515 305089 429 α Ori Rigel, 0.12 9076 B8 Iae 99 59548 777 β Ori Bellatrix, 1.63 19245 B2 III 4.2 2161 243 γ Ori Mintaka, 2.25 15278 O9 17 14301 919 δ Ori Alnilam, 1.68 15903 B0 31 54514 1359 ε Ori Alnitak, 1.71 17038 O9 17 20673 826 ζ Ori Algiebba, 3.34 20918 B1 6.2 6604 906 η Ori Meissa, 3.37 14320 O8 13 6597 1069 λ Ori Chi2 Ori 4.62 7686 B2 779 1897869 32616 1 Space Explorer II Astronomy Software, V 2.1, 1997, Meade Instruments, Corp.
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