Skywatchers' Journal (Southern Hemisphere)

[Michaelangelica]

Milky Way: Bigger than we thought

 

By ABC Science Online's Stephen Pincock

 

Posted Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:47pm AEDT

 

The Milky Way is 12,000 light years thick when seen edge-on (file photo). (Reuters: NASA)

 

* Audio: Milky Way bigger than first thought: scientists (The World Today)

 

The Milky Way - our home galaxy - is twice as thick as we thought it was, Australian astrophysicists say.

 

Professor Bryan Gaensler from the University of Sydney and his team have found that the enormous spiral-shaped collection of gas and stars is 12,000 light years thick when seen edge-on, not 6,000 as scientists previously thought.

 

"This was quite a stunning result," Professor Gaensler said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/20/2167853.htm

[Michaelangelica]

G'Day All

 

Solar activity is still low, although the Sun has a few Sunspots. But the coming week has some excitement.

 

Comert Boatini is brightening faster than predicted, so that means it should be visible to the unaided eye under dark skies fairly soon. The major limitation is the Noon, whose brightess will wash out the faint comet for a while. By May 21 the Moon rises sufficiently late that it is worthwhile hunting for the comet again. The comet will never be more than a fuzzy dot, but it should be an fuzzy dot that is fairly easy to see. A spotters map showing the general direction to look is here

http://home.mira.net/%7Ereynella/skywatch/gifs/may_boa.gif

And a printable PDF map suitable for binoculars, from May 21-29 is here

http://home.mira.net/%7Ereynella/skywatch/Comet_Boattini_Chart_21-05-08.pdf

 

With the Moon waning, another sight is visible that is quite beautiful. From May 21- May 25 Mars is within binocular distance of the lovely Beehive cluster. On May 23, Mars is in the heart of the Beehive cluster. To see this properly you need to have dark skies, but even suburban folks can enjoy this with binoculars. Mars is the very obvious modestly bright reddish object above the north-western horizon. The beehive is a faint dusting of stars all crowded together closer by. You will need to observe before 9:00 pm for the best views.

 

Cheers! Ian

 

To unsubscribe from aurora alert, send an email to [email protected] with "unsubscribe aurora alert" as the subject.

 

======================================================

Ian Musgrave Peta O'Donohue, Jack Francis and Michael James Musgrave

[email protected] http://werple.mira.net.au/~reynella/

Southern Sky Watch In Space: our gateway to the stars - ABC Science Online

 

======================================================

Ian Musgrave Peta O'Donohue, Jack Francis, Michael James and Andrew Thomas Musgrave

[email protected] Peta, Ian, Jack and Mike do the Web Thang

Southern Sky Watch In Space: our gateway to the stars - ABC Science Online (scroll down right hand menu)

AstroBlogg Astroblog

Contributing Editor, Sky & Space SKY & SPACE - Home

[Michaelangelica]

G'Day All

Southern hemisphere Comet C/2008 Q3 Garrad is in outburst, it should be invisible to all but powerful telescopes, but currently it can be seen as a fuzzy dot in 7x50 and 10x50 binoculars before moon rise (best under dark skies of course). Location maps and viewing information are here:

Astroblog: Comet C/2008 Q3 Garrad in Binoculars

 

Cheers! Ian

 

 

 

======================================================

Ian Musgrave Peta O'Donohue, Jack Francis and Michael James Musgrave

[email protected] http://werple.mira.net.au/~reynella/

Southern Sky Watch In Space: our gateway to the stars - ABC Science Online

 

======================================================

Ian Musgrave Peta O'Donohue, Jack Francis, Michael James and Andrew Thomas Musgrave

[email protected] Peta, Ian, Jack and Mike do the Web Thang

Southern Sky Watch In Space: our gateway to the stars - ABC Science Online (scroll down right hand menu)

AstroBlogg Astroblog

Contributing Editor, Sky & Space SKY & SPACE - Home

[Michaelangelica]

G'Day All

Southern hemisphere Comet C/2008 Q3 Garrad is in outburst, it should be invisible to all but powerful telescopes, but currently it can be seen as a fuzzy dot in 7x50 and 10x50 binoculars before moon rise (best under dark skies of course). Location maps and viewing information are here:

Astroblog: Comet C/2008 Q3 Garrad in Binoculars

 

Cheers! Ian

 

 

 

======================================================

Ian Musgrave Peta O'Donohue, Jack Francis and Michael James Musgrave

[email protected] http://werple.mira.net.au/~reynella/

Southern Sky Watch In Space: our gateway to the stars - ABC Science Online

 

======================================================

Ian Musgrave Peta O'Donohue, Jack Francis, Michael James and Andrew Thomas Musgrave

[email protected] Peta, Ian, Jack and Mike do the Web Thang

Southern Sky Watch In Space: our gateway to the stars - ABC Science Online (scroll down right hand menu)

AstroBlogg Astroblog

Contributing Editor, Sky & Space SKY & SPACE - Home

[Michaelangelica]

G'Day All

Southern hemisphere Comet C/2008 Q3 Garrad is in outburst, it should be invisible to all but powerful telescopes, but currently it can be seen as a fuzzy dot in 7x50 and 10x50 binoculars before moon rise (best under dark skies of course). Location maps and viewing information are here:

Astroblog: Comet C/2008 Q3 Garrad in Binoculars

 

Cheers! Ian

 

 

 

======================================================

Ian Musgrave Peta O'Donohue, Jack Francis and Michael James Musgrave

[email protected] http://werple.mira.net.au/~reynella/

Southern Sky Watch In Space: our gateway to the stars - ABC Science Online

 

======================================================

Ian Musgrave Peta O'Donohue, Jack Francis, Michael James and Andrew Thomas Musgrave

[email protected] Peta, Ian, Jack and Mike do the Web Thang

Southern Sky Watch In Space: our gateway to the stars - ABC Science Online (scroll down right hand menu)

AstroBlogg Astroblog

Contributing Editor, Sky & Space SKY & SPACE - Home

[Jay-qu]

I should try and have a look but the weather doesnt look to good for tonight - nor has it been for the past week :smilingsun:

[Michaelangelica]

G'Day All

 

The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite will swing by the Moon and transmit live images during its closest approach. The broadcast can be seen through this link <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/lunarswingby/>NASA - LCROSS Lunar Swingby Streaming Video

Broadcasting will begin tonight Tuesday 22:20 Australian Eastern Standard Time, 21:50 ACST and 20:20 AWST. For updates see <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LCROSS/lunarswingby/>here or <http://spaceweather.com/>SpaceWeather.

Cheers! Ian

 

To unsubscribe from aurora alert, send an email to [email protected] with "unsubscribe aurora alert" as the subject.

 

======================================================

Ian Musgrave Peta O'Donohue, Jack Francis and Michael James Musgrave

[email protected] http://werple.mira.net.au/~reynella/

Southern Sky Watch In Space: our gateway to the stars - ABC Science Online

[Pyrotex]

You guys get to LIVE under the Southern skies.

I am sooooooooooooooo jealous!

It's not fair!

You get to have BOTH Magellenic Clouds in your skies all the time,

and I've never seen either of them, except in stupid ol' pictures.

 

It's just not fair!

I'm gonna sit in the garden and eat grubworms.

 

:hyper:

[Boerseun]

you guys get to live under the southern skies.

I am sooooooooooooooo jealous! :(

It's not fair!

You get to have both magellenic clouds in your skies all the time,

and i've never seen either of them, except in stupid ol' pictures.

 

It's just not fair!

I'm gonna sit in the garden and eat grubworms.

 

;)

mwhuahahahahahahaaaa...

[Michaelangelica]

It's just not fair!

I'm gonna sit in the garden and eat grubworms.

Silly person!

Just swim down-it's downhill all the way, so not a great effort.

[Jay-qu]

beautiful clear sky tonight, jupiter is up shining bright in the east :)