Astronomy Anyone?

[marcy]

Hi. I see our astronomers guide to the galaxy is closed so I thought I''d start a new thread. I just scanned some photos today for a digital frame and had to share some of my photos with you.

I don''t have many star gazing tips to give you for this week but here are a few things to look for this week.

Jupiter is about half way up in the sky S to SE at sunset. Early risers on Sunday can see Regulus very near the planet Venus low in the Eastern sky. Regulus will continue to move further away from Venus every morning this week. The moon is near the red star Antares in Scorpius on Wednesday evening the 23rd and near the "teapot" of Sagittarius on both Friday (25th) and Saturday (26th). Happy Star Gazing.

My first photo is of Venus and a crescent moon.

 

[marcy]

This is the moon through my 6" telescope.

 

[marcy]

This was the northern lights north of town maybe 15 years ago.

 

[marcy]

Northern lights from the mountains in 1991.

 

[marcy]

Another one from the same display.

 

[strmrdr]

kewl pics
thanks!

 

[marcy]

Thank you, Karl. It''s fun to dig through old photos.

 

[Cehrabehra]

beautiful!! One of my ''before I die'' things is wanting to see the northern lights... it sounds like it would be so magical - I know it''s beautiful

 

[Lorelei]

Wonderful pics Marcy, especially of the Northern Lights!

 

[marcy]

Sara, watching very active northern lights is magical. They just seem to dance across the sky. The camera records more intense color than the eye sees but you do still see the green and red in them. I live at +42 degrees northern latitude and have seen about a dozen really nice displays over the years and missed about the same due to weather, being asleep or just not knowing they were out. The website I watch is http://spaceweather.com/ - there is a current aurora oval on the left side of the page (scroll down a bit) and you can see where the aurora might be visible. If you click on the image the activity level is listed on the left of the auroral oval and if it is 7 or higher you stand a chance of seeing it in the mid northern latitudes. For unknown reasons fall seems to have more intense auroral activity than any other time.

Thank you, Lorelei. Have you ever been able to see aurora from where you live?

 

[Cehrabehra]

oh man! I live at 45 (portland oregon) and in ireland I was at 52 - am I just not putting out enough effort? lol I remember ONCE them saying there would be auroras but it was very overcast... what a bummer! I have a friend north of 60 in canada and he gets them a lot.

 

[marcy]

Sara, I have seen many gorgeous photos of aurora from Ireland, rats for missing them when you were there. You should be able to see them from Oregon though. I bet your friend in Canada has a grand view from his place.