Innehållsförteckning för June 2019 från BBC Sky at Night

SPITZER SPACE TELESCOPE, 25 APRIL 2019 This is galaxy M87, home of the supermassive black hole that became one of the biggest stories of the year when it was imaged by astronomers using the Event Horizon Telescope. One clue that there is a supermassive black hole at the galaxy’s centre can be seen in this image: jets of material shooting outwards from the core. As the jets hit interstellar material they generate a huge shockwave, one of which appears here as D››QJHU›OLNH›REMHFW›HPDQDWLQJ›WR›WKH›ULJKW›RI›WKH› bright centre. A fainter shockwave can also be seen shooting out to the left. This may go against the view of black holes as cosmic vacuum cleaners, but supermassive black holes are surrounded by a disc of spinning matter and, if the black hole consumes this matter rapidly,…

$IWHU WZR years of processing, the Event Horizon Telescope KDV››QDOO\›UHOHDVHG›WKH››UVW› ever image of a black hole on 10 April. “We are giving humanity its ›UVW›YLHZ›RI›D›EODFN›KROH›S›D› one-way door out of our Universe,” says project director, Sheperd Doeleman from the University of Harvard. “This is a landmark in astronomy; an XQSUHFHGHQWHG›VFLHQWL›F›IHDW› accomplished by a team of more than 200 researchers.” The image was taken in April 2017, when eight radio telescopes across the globe joined together, effectively creating an instrument with a dish the size of the planet. This gave it enough resolution to pick out the shadow of a supermassive black hole at the heart of galaxy M87. eventhorizontelescope.org 7R›› ›RXW›PRUH›DERXW›WKH› QG image and how it was taken, turn to page 26.…

There’s no methane on Mars, but there is lots of water (at least by Martian VWDQGDUGV››DFFRUGLQJ›WR›WKH››UVW›UHVXOWV› from ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), which were announced in April. 7KH››QGLQJV›FRXOG›KDYH›VHULRXV› LPSOLFDWLRQV›IRU›WKH›FKDQFHV›RI››QGLQJ› life on the Red Planet. s:H›DUH›GHOLJKWHG›ZLWK›WKH››UVW›UHVXOWV› from the Trace Gas Orbiter,” says Håkan 6YHGKHP››7*2sV›SURMHFW›VFLHQWLVW››s2XU› LQVWUXPHQWV›DUH›SHUIRUPLQJ›ZHOO›DQG››HYHQ› ZLWKLQ›WKH››UVW›IHZ›PRQWKV›RI›REVHUYDWLRQ›› DUH›SURYLGLQJ›H[TXLVLWH›GDWD›WR›D›PXFK› KLJKHU›OHYHO›WKDQ›SUHYLRXVO\›DFKLHYHG›Š $PRQJ›WKH››QGLQJV›UHOHDVHG›ZDV›WKH› PRVW›FRPSUHKHQVLYH›PDS›HYHU›SURGXFHG› of water held within Martian soil. It was constructed using data from the FREND instrument, which is able to track water-ice and hydrated minerals within the top metre of Mars’s surface. “[There] is for sure, a lot of water in the subsurface of Mars. Mars is rich in water,” VD\V›,JRU›0LWURIDQRY››IURP›WKH›5XVVLDQ› Academy of Sciences and FREND’s SULQFLSDO›LQYHVWLJDWRU› The map is in its early stages, but the preliminary measurements show that the polar top soil is up to 30 per cent water.…

We looked in last month’s Cutting Edge at the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST), a NASA space observatory currently under development. Part of the primary mission for which this scope has been designed is to search for large numbers of extrasolar planets using microlensing. This involves watching distant bright stars and measuring as they become distorted by the gravitational lens effect of a planetary system passing in between (as predicted by Einstein’s general theory of relativity). Unlike other planet-hunting techniques, microlensing is sensitive to planets orbiting both near to and far from their star, including low mass worlds, so it will help astronomers build up a census of planetary families in our galaxy. WFIRST will also use observations of gravitational lensing events and distant supernovae to shed light on…

Why go to so much trouble to image a black hole in a galaxy 55 million lightyears away when there’s a supermassive one right here in the Milky Way, in our own cosmic backyard? Indeed, Sagittarius A*, as the black hole at the centre of our galaxy is officially known, is just 26,000 lightyears away. But it’s also much skinnier, weighing in at a ‘mere’ 4 million solar masses, compared to 6.5 billion solar masses for the black hole in M87. In fact, during the 2017 Event Horizon Telescope observing campaign, both black holes were observed and it wasn’t immediately clear which one would yield the best results. Although the size of Sagittarius A*’s event horizon and photon ring should appear a bit larger (it may be some 1,500 times…

If you’re looking for a planetary imaging project that isn’t adversely affected by the low altitude of your target then why not try capturing a planet’s apparent motion against a dark, star-filled sky over the course of a few days or weeks. Jupiter, Saturn and Mars are perhaps the best targets for this as they move across the sky much more quickly than distant Uranus and Neptune. Essentially what you need to do is record an image each night showing the planet – obviously – but crucially all the shots need to be centred on the same patch of starry sky every night. This is because later you’re going to composite together all the shots you get so that the only thing that ‘moves’ between them should be the planet.…

7KH›VWDU›'HQHE››$OSKD››a) &\JQL››LV›WKH›IDLQWHVW›PHPEHU› of the asterism known as the 6XPPHU›7ULDQJOH››,WsV›DOVR›WKH› northernmost star in the 1RUWKHUQ›&URVV›DVWHULVP››SDUW› RI›WKH›FRQVWHOODWLRQ›RI›&\JQXV›› WKH›6ZDQ››'HVSLWH›WKH›IDFW›WKDW› ERWK›$OWDLU›DQG›9HJD›DSSHDU› to outshine it in the Summer 7ULDQJOH››LQ›UHDOLW\›'HQHE›LV›WKH› EULJKWHU›VWDU››,WV›GLPQHVV›LV›GXH› WR›GLVWDQFH››:KLOH›9HJD›LV›››› OLJKW\HDUV›DZD\›DQG›$OWDLU›LV› ›››››OLJKW\HDUV››'HQHE›LV› WKRXJKW›WR›EH›››››››OLJKW\HDUV› $›EOXH›ZKLWH›VXSHUJLDQW›VWDU›› 'HQHE›KDV›D›VSHFWUDO› FODVVL›FDWLRQ›RI›$››,D››'HVSLWH› UDQNLQJ›DV›WKH›››WK›EULJKWHVW› VWDU››LWV›JUHDW›GLVWDQFH›PHDQV› WKDW›LQ›UHDOLW\›LWsV›RQH›RI›WKH› PRVW›OXPLQRXV›VWDUV››SRVVLEO\› ››››››››WLPHV›PRUH›VR›WKDQ›WKH› 6XQ››'HQHE›V›VL]H›LV›HVWLPDWHG› WR›EH›VOLJKWO\›JUHDWHU›WKDQ››››› VRODU›GLDPHWHUV››ZLWK›D›PDVV›LQ› the range of 20 times greater WKDQ›WKH›6XQ››,WV›PDJQLWXGH› YDULHV›IURP›››››››WR››››››› :LWK›D›GHFOLQDWLRQ›RI›››O› ›››PLQXWHV››'HQHE›DSSHDUV› FLUFXPSRODU›IURP›WKH›8.››MXVW› PDQDJLQJ›WR›SDVV›DERYH›WKH› QRUWKHUQ›KRUL]RQ›ZKHQ›LWsV›DW› LWV›ORZHVW›SRLQW››GXH›QRUWK››'XH› WR›D[LDO›SUHFHVVLRQ››WKH›QRUWK› FHOHVWLDO›SROH››ZKLFK›FXUUHQWO\› OLHV›FORVH›WR›3RODULV››$OSKD››a) 8UVDH›0LQRULV››ZLOO›VLW›DERXW› ›O›IURP›'HQHE›LQ›WKH›SHULRG› DURXQG››››››$'›› 'HQHE›ULGHV›KLJK›DFURVV›WKH› VN\›LQ›VXPPHU››LWV›SURPLQHQFH› HQKDQFHG›E\›EHLQJ›D›NH\›SRLQW› LQ›WZR›SURPLQHQW›DVWHULVPV›› 'HQHE›PHDQV›WDLO›DQG›WKLV›LV› WKH›SDUW›RI›&\JQXV›WKH›VWDU› LV›VXSSRVHG›WR›UHSUHVHQW›…

1 M25 The Teapot is an asterism in Sagittarius that resembles its namesake. Its lid is formed by the stars Kaus Meridionalis (Delta (ð) Sagittarii), Phi (q) Sagittarii and Kaus Borealis (Lambda (h) Sagittarii), the latter marking the lid’s pointed top. To locate the naked eye open cluster M25, extend a line from Delta through Lambda for the same distance again. From the point you arrive at move northwest E\››››O››7KURXJK›VPDOO› instruments around 50 stars can be seen scattered over an area half a degree across. A brighter collection sits in the centre of the cluster, with the brightest member being the Cepheid variable U Sagittarii. This varies in magnitude between +6.4 to +7.0 over 6.745 days. Increasing aperture to 250mm will bring another 30 cluster stars into range. › SEEN…

Though there are lists of asteroids considered a risk, so far none have been discovered with a score of more that zero on the Torino Scale within the next 100 years. The biggest risk in this window is asteroid 2010RF12, which risks impacting Earth in 2095. However, even if it did impact Earth (which is unlikely) it’s only 9m in diameter. The next big concern is the much larger Asteroid 1979XB which is 900m across. Its highest impact risks are in 2056 and 2113, but even these are so low as to be considered nil. There are only three large asteroids that have been discovered which might be of concern past this 100-year mark: Asteroid 29075 1950DA will approach our planet in 2032, but when it returns in 2880 there…

The Heart and Soul Nebulae Keith Bramley, Lancashire, 14–22 February 2019 Keith says: “I have always wanted to image this area of the sky and my current ZLGH››HOG›VHWXS›KDV›D›SHUIHFW› ›HOG›RI›YLHZ›IRU›VXFK›D›ODUJH› target. I began collecting the data on Valentine’s Day, so the Heart Nebula VHHPHG›DSSURSULDWH››,W›GLG›WDNH›VHYHUDO› nights, however: over a week to gather all the image data due to the challenging conditions and intermittent cloud. The images at the end of the week were LPSDFWHG›E\›WKH›IXOO›0RRQ›VR›,›IRXQG›WKHP› becoming slightly washed out, even with QDUURZEDQG››OWHUV›› Equipment: Atik 383L+ mono camera, 6DP\DQJ››››PP›I›››WHOHSKRWR›OHQV›› Sky-Watcher EQ6 Pro mount. Exposure: 36x300” each Ha, SII, OIII Software: $UWHPLV›&DSWXUH››3+'››› 'HHS6N\6WDFNHU››3KRWRVKRS Keith’s top tips: s)RU›GHHS›VN\›LPDJLQJ›WKH› PRVW›LPSRUWDQW›SDUW›RI›\RXU›VHWXS›LV›\RXU› PRXQW››6SHQG›WLPH›WXQLQJ›RXW›DQ\›VORS›LQ› the tracking and reduce any differential ›H[XUH›EHWZHHQ›WKH›PDLQ›VFRSH›DQG›WKH› JXLGHVFRSH››7KLV›ZLOO›KHOS›NHHS›WKH›VWDUV›QLFH› DQG›URXQG›RYHU›ORQJHU›JXLGHG›H[SRVXUHV›› +RZHYHU››D›VOLJKW›GULIW›RYHU›D›ORQJHU›SHULRG› FDQ›EH›EHQH›FLDO›DV›LW›DOORZV›\RX›WR›XVH› DGYDQFHG›VWDFNLQJ›URXWLQHV›VXFK›DV›.DSSD› 6LJPD›FOLSSLQJ››UHPRYLQJ›XQZDQWHG›SL[HOV›› without having to ‘dither’. This removes the need for dark frames and allows…

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The InSight ODQGHU›GHWHFWHG›WKH››UVW›HYHU›0DUWLDQ› seismic event, known as a marsquake, on 6 April 2019. s7KLV›LV›ZKDW›ZH›ZHUH›DOO›ZDLWLQJ›IRU››WKH››UVW› quivering of the planet picked up by our sensors,” says Tom Pike from Imperial College London, who led the UK involvement with InSight’s Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS), the instrument which made the discovery. SEIS was deployed onto the Martian surface in December 2018 before being covered by a wind and thermal shield to reduce the background noise which masks the subtle vibrations of the planet. “The signals are smaller than anything we would detect on Earth because there is much less background noise on Mars – no oceans, trees or people – and the seismicity of Mars is much lower than on Earth because we do not have plate tectonics on Mars,” says Anna…

New results from the Hubble 6SDFH›7HOHVFRSH›KDYH›RQO\› FDVW›PRUH›FRQIXVLRQ›RYHU›RQH› of the most fundamental REVHUYDWLRQV›RI›WKH›FRVPRV› S›KRZ›IDVW›WKH›8QLYHUVH›LV› expanding. The rate obtained IURP›+XEEOHsV›REVHUYDWLRQV›RI› YDULDEOH›VWDUV›LQ›WKH›/DUJH› 0DJHOODQLF›&ORXG›LV›QLQH›SHU› FHQW›IDVWHU›WKDQ›SUHYLRXV› YDOXHV›FDOFXODWHG›XVLQJ›WKH› cosmic background radiation. The mismatch in results between these two methods is one of the biggest mysteries of FRVPRORJ\››s7KLV›LV›QRW›MXVW›WZR› experiments disagreeing,” says Adam Riess from the Johns +RSNLQV›8QLYHUVLW\››ZKR›OHG›WKH› Hubble study. “The other is a prediction based on the physics RI›WKH›HDUO\›8QLYHUVH›DQG›RQ› measurements of how fast it ought to be expanding. If these YDOXHV›GRQsW›DJUHH››WKHUH› becomes a strong likelihood that we’re missing something in the cosmological model that connects the two eras.”…

Our Solar System began from chaos. The Sun collapsed out of a cloud of gas, drawing in a disc of dust and debris around it – the protoplanetary disc. As it cooled, heavy elements began to condense and clump together. Over time, these stuck together, growing into boulders, then to asteroids before eventually forming the eight major planets of our Solar System. Over the following 4.5 billion years, the planets have been bombarded by space rocks, gone through enormous changes in climate and been resurfaced by volcanism. In his new BBC Two series, Brian Cox will explore not just the history of our Solar System, but how we’ve come to understand it now that humans have sent spacecraft to every planet and completed an ‘initial survey’. Here, we take a…

Planetary astrophotography needn’t always be about large apertures and high-frame-rate cameras grabbing thousands of video frames. In fact long-exposure imaging, using the kind of equipment ordinarily used for wide-field, deep-sky work can be a wonderful way to show the worlds of our Solar System in the setting of their celestial surroundings on the sky. While images like these won’t show detail on our celestial neighbours, they do capture something of the immense scale of the cosmos, with shining beacons of planetary light set against a multitude of stars. Jupiter and Saturn are currently located in parts of the sky that will provide a superb, sparkling backdrop for captivating wide-field images; during darkness this summer, Jupiter will sit in front of Milky Way dust lanes and dense star fields in Ophiuchus,…

1 The Summer Beehive (10x50) 10x 50 The Summer Beehive (IC 4665), looking like a smaller version of Praesepe (the Beehive Cluster), welcomes you to the summer skies: look for the curved chain of white stars which forms part of the letter ‘H’ of the inverted word ‘HI’. This large young (40 million years old) cluster is delightful in binoculars of any size. You should be able to resolve a dozen stars with a pair of 10x50s. › SEEN IT 2 Poniatowski’s Bull (10x50) 10x 50 We’ll continue with another easy object; one that is better in wide-field binoculars than any other instrument. Poniatowski’s Bull (Melotte 186) is a 4° diameter open cluster that includes the V-shape formed by 66, 67, 68, 70 and 73 Ophiuchi. These 4th and 5th…

Many people look to combine camping holidays with astronomical pursuits. But how do you get the most out of the experience? There are lots of dark sky places across the UK and Ireland that actively promote stargazing. Many are in National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so you’ll have SOHQW\›RI›VFRSH›WR››QG›D›VXLWDEOH›FDPSVLWH››$›YLVLW›WR› darkskydiscovery.org.uk is a good place to start to ›QG›PRUH›LQIRUPDWLRQ› The nature of camping means many of these sites are located in ideal places that are situated well away from built-up, well-lit areas. You need a lack of street lamps and lights on the campsite, and a good view of the heavens with no (or at least limited) obstruction from buildings and trees. Talk with the management to make sure you are situated away from people who may get…

Noctilucent clouds (NLCs) are a summer phenomenon, typically seen from ODWLWXGH›]RQHV›››S›› ››LQ›ERWK›WKH› Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The northern displays appear from ODWH›0D\›DQG›PD\›EH›YLVLEOH›DW› XQSUHGLFWDEOH›WLPHV›WKURXJKRXW›-XQH››-XO\›DQG›HDUO\› $XJXVW››7KHUH›DUH›QR›JXDUDQWHHV›D›GLVSOD\›ZLOO›KDSSHQ› DW›DOO›RYHU›WKLV›SHULRG››EXW›LW›ZRXOG›EH›XQXVXDO›WR›JHW› QRWKLQJ››6RPH›\HDUV›SURGXFH›ZHDN›1/&V››ZKLOH› RWKHUV›DUH›VWURQJ››$›UXQ›RI›ZHDN›\HDUV›PD\›SURGXFH› LQGLIIHUHQFH›LQ›1/&›KXQWLQJ›EXW›D›VWURQJ›UHVXUJHQFH›› VXFK›DV›ODVW›\HDU››FDQ›UH›HQHUJLVH›D›GHVLUH›WR›VHH›WKHP› 1/&V›DUH›KLJK›DOWLWXGH›FORXGV›IRUPHG›LQ›WKH› PHVRVSKHUH››D›WKLQ›OD\HU›ORFDWHG›DURXQG›››NP›XS›› DSSUR[LPDWHO\›VHYHQ›WLPHV›KLJKHU›WKDQ›SQRUPDOs›FORXGV›› 7KH\›DUH›VWLOO›EDWKHG›LQ›WKH›6XQsV›OLJKW›HYHQ›WKRXJK›› IURP›WKH›JURXQG››WKH›6XQ›LV›EHORZ›WKH›KRUL]RQ››:KDW› \RX›VHH›LV›D›UH›HFWLRQ›RI›VXQOLJKW›IURP›WKH›1/&›OD\HU› 7KH\›FDQ›EH›PHVPHULVLQJ››RIWHQ›DSSHDULQJ›ZLWK›DQ› LQWULFDWH›VWUXFWXUH›JORZLQJ›ZLWK›DQ›HOHFWULF›EOXH›FRORXU›› 7KH›IDFW›WKDW›WKH\›DSSHDU›WR›VKLQH›DJDLQVW›WKH›GDUN›RI› QLJKW››RU›DW›OHDVW›D›GHHS›EOXH›WZLOLJKW››JLYHV›WKHP›WKHLU› QDPH›SQRFWLOXFHQWs›PHDQLQJ›SQLJKW›VKLQLQJs›› 3KRWRJUDSKLQJ›1/&V›LV›VWUDLJKWIRUZDUG›DQG›FDQ›EH› GRQH›ZLWK›D›ZLGH›YDULHW\›RI›HTXLSPHQW››LQFOXGLQJ› FDPHUD›SKRQHV››7KH›VNLOO›LV›DVVHVVLQJ›KRZ›EULJKW›WKH› VFHQH›LV›DQG›KRZ›WR›VHW›\RXU›FDPHUD›DFFRUGLQJO\››,I› WKH›VFHQH›DQG›1/&V›DSSHDU›UHODWLYHO\›GDUN››D›KLJKHU› ,62›PD\›ZRUN›ZHOO››EXW›LW›PD\›SURGXFH›D›QRLV\›LPDJH› ZLWK›XQZDQWHG›DUWHIDFWV››0RXQWLQJ›WKH›FDPHUD›RQ›D› WULSRG›RU›D››[HG›SODWIRUP›ZLOO›DOORZ›\RX›WR›NHHS›WKH› ,62›ORZ›DQG›FRPSHQVDWH›E\›WDNLQJ›ORQJHU›H[SRVXUHV›› 1/&V››OLNH›UHJXODU›FORXGV››GR›DSSHDU›WR›PRYH›› QRUPDOO\›TXLWH›VORZO\›EXW›WKH\›FDQ›SLFN›XS›WKH›SDFH›› 7RR›ORQJ›DQ›H[SRVXUH›FRXOG›OHDG›WR›1/&›PRWLRQ›EOXU› 7KHQ›WKHUHsV›WKH›EDFNJURXQG›VN\››,I›YLVLEOH››1/&V› QRUPDOO\›PDNH›DQ›DSSHDUDQFH›ZKHQ›WKH›EDFNJURXQG› VN\›KDV›GLPPHG›VXI›FLHQWO\›WR›DOORZ›WKHLU›GHOLFDWH› JORZ›WR›VKLQH›WKURXJK››7KLV›KDSSHQV›EHWZHHQ›››S›››› PLQXWHV›DIWHU›VXQVHW›DQG›D›VLPLODU›WLPH›EHIRUH›VXQULVH›› 7KH›HYHQLQJ›SHULRG›KDV›WKH›6XQ›ORFDWHG›EHORZ›WKH› QRUWKZHVW›KRUL]RQ››VR›WKLV›LV›ZKHUH›WKH›1/&V›FDQ›EH› VHHQ›LI›SUHVHQW››6LPLODUO\››WKH›PRUQLQJ›SHULRG›KDV›WKH› 6XQ›ORFDWHG›EHORZ›WKH›QRUWKHDVW›KRUL]RQ›DQG›WKLV›LV› ZKHUH›WKH›PRUQLQJ›GLVSOD\›LV›OLNHO\›WR›EH›VHHQ›› ,WsV›QRW›D›KDUG›DQG›IDVW›UXOH›WKRXJK››DQG›H[FHSWLRQV› RFFXU››$›EULJKW›GLVSOD\›PD\›DSSHDU››UVW›LQ›WKH› QRUWKZHVW››WUDFNLQJ›WKURXJK›QRUWK›DV›WKH›6XQ›FUHHSV› LWV›ZD\›EHORZ›WKH›QRUWKHUQ›KRUL]RQ››WR››QLVK›LQ›WKH› QRUWKHDVW›DV›GHVFULEHG››6RPHWLPHV›1/&V›DUH›H[WHQVLYH› HQRXJK›WR›DSSHDU›RXWVLGH›WKHLU›QRUPDO›GLVSOD\›DUHDV› $V›DQ›1/&›SKRWRJUDSKHU›\RX›QHHG›WR›KDYH›\RXU›HTXLSPHQW›FKDUJHG›DQG›DW›WKH›UHDG\››/RFDWH›DQ›DUHD› ZKLFK›LV›ERWK›GDUN›DW›QLJKW›DQG›SUHVHQWV›D›ORZ› KRUL]RQ›LQ›WKH›GLUHFWLRQ›\RX›QHHG››QRUWKZHVW›LQ›WKH› HYHQLQJ›DQG›QRUWKHDVW›LQ›WKH›PRUQLQJ››1/&V›FDQ› KDYH›D›ORZ›DOWLWXGH›DQG›DUH›ORVW›EHKLQG›EXLOGLQJV› $›ZLGH›DQJOH›FDPHUD›FDQ›SURGXFH›VRPH›DPD]LQJ› LPDJHV››EXW›PDJQL›HG›WHOHSKRWR›YLHZV›RU›HYHQ› WHOHVFRSH›VHWXSV›FDQ›JLYH›LQWHUHVWLQJ›UHVXOWV››ZKHUH› \RX›FDQ›KRPH›LQ›RQ›RQH›DUHD›RI›1/&›DFWLYLW\› Recommended equipment: Digital camera, support device – ideally a tripod, remote shutter control › Send your images to: gallery@skyatnightmagazine.com STEP 1 NLCs can appear bright enough for many modern devices to pick up, including smartphones like the image above. Pre-focus a mid or wide-angle lens at infinity, set the camera ISO between low…

Whether you’re a seasoned astrophotographer or a beginner, we’d love to see your images. Email them to contactus@skyatnightmagazine. com. Ts&Cs: www.immediate.co.uk/ terms-and-conditions We’ve teamed up with Altair Astro UK to offer the winner of next month’s Gallery an Altair Astro Planet-Killer 685nm Premium IR Pass Filter with AR coating, designed to deliver sharper lunar and planetary images with mono CCD or CMOS cameras. For more info visit: www.altairastro.com • 01263 731505…

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The results of an experiment using identical twins WR›LQYHVWLJDWH›WKH› long-term effects RI›PLFURJUDYLW\›RQ› WKH›ERG\›KDYH› EHHQ›UHYHDOHG› In March 2015, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly began a one-year stay on the International Space Station, while his twin brother, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, remained on Earth. Both were H[DPLQHG›H[WHQVLYHO\›E\›GRFWRUV›EHIRUH››GXULQJ› and after the mission to assess how Scott’s long stay off the planet effected his health, ZKLOH›0DUN›DFWHG›DV›D›FRQWURO›VXEMHFW›KLV› brother could be compared to. Scott experienced VHYHUDO›KHDOWK›LVVXHV› during his trip – such as weight loss, UHGXFHG›FRJQLWLYH› abilities, DNA damage and gene expression changes. +RZHYHU››ZLWKLQ›D›IHZ› PRQWKV›RI›DUULYLQJ› back on Earth he had UHFRYHUHG›IURP›DOPRVW› all of these. The study shows the human body is resilient to the HIIHFWV›RI›ORQJ›KDXO›VSDFH›LJKW››PHDQLQJ› DVWURQDXWV›FRXOG›VXUYLYH›WKH›WZR›\HDU›URXQG› trip to Mars with few persistent side effects. www.nasa.gov…

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I have found a simple and quick method of locating the Sun through my 70mm refractor and wonder if other readers would be interested trying it out. First, to make my 70mm telescope VDIH›IRU›YLHZLQJ›WKH›6XQ››,›PDGH›D›VRODU››OWHU›IRU› LWV›REMHFWLYH›OHQV›IURP›FDUGERDUG›DQG›VRODU››OP›› Then I cut a stiff piece of cardboard to about 20x30cm. Next I cut a narrow slot down the FHQWUH›DQG›JOXHG›D›VWULS›RI›WKH›VRODU››OP›XVHG› to construct the cap over the slot. It’s then possible to align the view on the Sun by looking along the top edge of the eyepiece and lining the Sun up in the slot. By marking a spot on the FDUGERDUG›QH[W›WR›WKH››OP›ZKHQ›WKH›6XQ›KDV› been found, I can now locate the Sun in the eyepiece in about 5 seconds or less. Mr C Horrox, Sale An ingenious way of aligning on the Sun, Mr Horrox, and a great…

Seeing is believing, they say. And although few astronomers doubted WKH›H[LVWHQFH›RI›EODFN›KROHV››WKH››UVW› ever image of one of these gluttonous FRVPLF›PRQVWHUV››QDOO\›FRQVWLWXWHV› WKH›ORQJ›DZDLWHG›GH›QLWLYH›SURRI›WKDW› WKH\sUH›UHDO››0LQXWHV›DIWHU›EHLQJ›SUHVHQWHG›DW›VL[› VLPXOWDQHRXV›SUHVV›FRQIHUHQFHV›DURXQG›WKH›JOREH›RQ› ›››$SULO››WKH›LPDJH›ZHQW›YLUDO›RQ›WKH›LQWHUQHW››:LWKLQ› D›GD\››LW›KDG›IRXQG›LWV›ZD\›RQ›WR›WKH›IURQW›SDJH› RI›DOPRVW›HYHU\›QHZVSDSHU››$QG›IRU›JRRG›UHDVRQ›› according to Nobel laureate Brian Schmidt of the Australian National University: “This image heralds a new era in astronomy.” Just over a century after Albert Einstein’s theory RI›JHQHUDO›UHODWLYLW\›SUHGLFWHG›WKH›H[LVWHQFH›RI› EODFN›KROHV››ZH›KDYH››QDOO\›FDSWXUHG›RQH›RQ› FDPHUD››WKDQNV›WR›WKH›GHGLFDWLRQ››SHUVHYHUDQFH› and collaboration of scientists all over the world. $FFRUGLQJ›WR›6KHS›'RHOHPDQ›RI›WKH›+DUYDUG› 6PLWKVRQLDQ›&HQWHU›IRU›$VWURSK\VLFV›LQ›&DPEULGJH›› 0DVVDFKXVHWWV››s:HsYH›VHHQ›ZKDW›ZH›WKRXJKW›ZDV› XQVHHDEOH›Š›(XURSHDQ›8QLRQ›UHVHDUFK›FRPPLVVLRQHU› Carlos Moedas calls it “a huge breakthrough for KXPDQLW\Š››$QG›+HLQR›)DOFNH›RI›5DGERXG›8QLYHUVLW\› in the Netherlands likens it to “…looking at the gates RI›KHOO›DQG›VHHLQJ›WKH›HQG›RI›VSDFH›DQG›WLPHŠ› 7KH›HHULH›LPDJH›SRUWUD\V›WKH›VXSHUPDVVLYH›EODFN› KROH›DW›WKH›FHQWUH›RI›WKH›HOOLSWLFDO›JDOD[\›0›››› 55 million lightyears away in the constellation of 9LUJR››&DSWXUHG›DW›D›VKRUW›UDGLR›ZDYHOHQJWK›RI›DERXW› one millimetre, it reveals a luminous ring of light surrounding an almost circular black blob. But this is not the actual black hole surrounded by its accretion disc of infalling gas. Instead,…

When a planet is low in the sky the undulating effects of poor seeing conditions – as the steadiness of the skies are known – can often be exacerbated. This, in turn, makes it more tricky to capture fine details at the high magnifications that are produced by typical high-resolution planetary imaging setups. These employ long focal-length, large aperture scopes and, often, a Barlow lens. A way to get around this is to not use a Barlow lens, or similar magnifier, when imaging with a high frame-rate camera and this kind of equipment. This will mean you get a wider view of the planet, with its disc appearing smaller in the frame, but the benefit is that the effects of poor seeing will be less obvious. Any unsatisfactory seeing conditions…

All Month June and July are the best months for spotting noctilucent cloud displays. See pages 46 and 76 for more information. Saturday 1 Early risers may catch a glimpse of mag. –3.8 Venus ›O›IURP›D›VOHQGHU››››OLW› waning crescent Moon. You’ll need to be quick though as they are only up 30 minutes before sunrise. Look low WRZDUGV›WKH›HDVW›QRUWKHDVW› Monday 3 This evening Jupiter appears to have a new moon as the planet passes near to the mag. +9.3 star HIP 84543. Tuesday 4 Look low in the QRUWKZHVW›››››››› minutes after sunset IRU›0HUFXU\›››››O›QRUWK› of a waxing crescent Moon. A double transit and shadow transit take place on Jupiter from 00:30 BST (23:30 UT), involving Io and Ganymede. Wednesday 5 Mag. +1.8 Mars LV›MXVW››O›IURP› WKLV›HYHQLQJsV››››OLW› waxing crescent Moon. Saturday 8 A telescopic view of…

Jupiter Best time to see: 10 June, 01:00 BST (00:00 UT) Altitude:›››››O Location: Ophiuchus Direction: South Features: Complex banded atmosphere, Galilean moons Recommended equipment: 75mm scope or larger Jupiter reaches opposition on 10 June but its low southerly aspect means that, from the UK, we don’t get a good look at it. From the centre of the country it only has an DOWLWXGH›RI›››O› maximum when due south. Any view we get is likely to be compromised by the poor seeing conditions at a low altitude. Despite this, it’s always worth having a look, just in case you get lucky and conditions are still. Jupiter is currently quite bright at mag. –2.5, and therefore does KDYH›WKH›YLUWXH›RI›EHLQJ›HDV\›WR››QG› The planet is currently located in the southern regions of Ophiuchus and can be seen…

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To spot Pluto visually, it’s important to become familiar with the star field, so take time your It wasn’t that long ago that observing Pluto was considered one of the harder challenges in amateur astronomy. However, modern camera sensors and larger affordable telescopes have helped progress things to the point where capturing an image of Pluto, at least, is now a relatively straightforward pastime. Pluto is a Kuiper Belt object, orbiting mostly outside the orbit of Neptune. It has a diameter of 2,376km and thanks to the VSHFWDFXODU›1HZ›+RUL]RQV››\E\›PLVVLRQ› we now know a whole lot more about this enigmatic, distant world. From Earth, amateur telescopes will show it as nothing more than a faint speck of light around 14th magnitude. Just to add a little extra challenge into the mix, Pluto…

The sky often looks ideal for stargazing, but looks can be deceiving. Amateur observers describe viewing conditions using terms such as ‘transparency’ and ‘seeing’. Transparency is straightforward: observing a sky with poor transparency is like trying to look through a dirty window, but in this case the dirt is high, in thin clouds, atmospheric dust or moisture, or even aircraft contrails. Seeing describes how steady or turbulent the atmosphere is and it can be estimated by observing brighter stars with the naked eye. When the seeing is poor, stars appear to twinkle more. Weather forecasts for astronomers can be helpful for anticipating observing conditions (try en.sat24.com or www. clearoutside.com) – if good conditions coincide with a dark new Moon period, the view should be outstanding. Ambient temperature also plays a…

Step 1 Download the astrolabe generator program (astrolabeproject. com.) Input your location (the format is ddmmssN, dddmmssW where d = degrees, m = minutes, s = seconds) and print the dials and rulers required. Use a copy as a template for cutting out. Step 2 Print off the downloadable plans and template. Check the measurements against your printed dials and mark out the MDF parts (the generator can produce different file types and sizes vary). The upper throne layer can be formed from the ring. Step 3 Use your saw to cut out the parts. Drill a 4mm hole in the centre of the mater back and rete discs and join with temporary screws. Clamp the upper ring to the mater back and file and sand any high spots until…

Knowing about an asteroid in advance is one thing, but what would happen if searches uncovered an asteroid that was about to impact Earth? To answer this question, a team of experts at the 2019 Planetary Defence Conference ran a five-day exercise back in May, simulating what would happen in the wake of the discovery of an (entirely fictional) asteroid heading towards Earth. When the asteroid was first ‘discovered’, early observations predicted it had a 1 in 100 chance of Earth impact on 29 April 2027. But as the space rock was studied in more detail, they realised it was heading for Denver, Colorado and would hit with the force 30 times greater than the bomb that dropped on Hiroshima. They now had a choice: deflect the asteroid, or evacuate…

Recently, in the April issue, we showed how to prepare images by calibrating them with Bias, Dark and Flat frames to remove unwanted artefacts. With your image data calibrated you can move to the next stage of image processing, to align and stack multiple images into a single image using PixInsight. Stacking your images increases the signal to noise ratio, releasing otherwise hidden detail and producing an overall smoother image with an optimised dynamic range. If you have dithered your images – by creating the illusion of colour depth with a limited colour palette – at capture time, then choosing the correct stacking algorithm within PixInsight will also remove any remaining hot pixels. Hot pixels are the unwanted individual pixels that appear brighter than they should. The more images that…