Thursday 6 August 2009

Teleskoopbou: Klein en draagbaar




Die tydskrif Sky & Telescope het `n kompetisie vir klein en draagbare teleskope gehad. Hier is die wenner. Gaan swerf gerus op sy webtuiste ronde en kry idees. Die artikel is in die September 2009 uitgawe van die tydskrif.



A new bright spot on Venus

An intense bright spot has appeared in the clouds of Venus. Could it be associated with volcanic activity on the surface?

The Solar System is breaking out in spots. First Jupiter took a smack from a passing asteroid or comet, manifesting as a dark scar in the Jovian atmosphere, and now Venus is sporting a brilliant white spot in its southern polar region.

In an alert to fellow amateur astronomers, Venus observer Frank Melillo reports on his images captured on 19 July: "I have seen bright spots before but this one is an exceptional bright and quite intense area."

Complete article...

Source: Astronomy Now Online

Comeroid? Half Comet-Half Asteroid a Fluke? Nope

(Sal ons dit `n Comeroid noem - HP)

Back in 1996, astronomers discovered a strange object in the asteroid belt. They decided it was either a "lost" comet or an icy asteroid, as it ejected dust like a comet but had an orbit like an asteroid. No one had ever seen anything like the object, called 133P. Ever since it was found, astronomers have wondered if it was just an oddity — one of a kind. We now know it is not, and the discovery of more of these half asteroids/half comets means there is a new class of objects in our solar system.

Complete article...

Source: Universe Today

Wednesday 5 August 2009

Vanoggend se gedeeltelike maansverduistering


Dit was maar `n eina verduistering met die maan wat net effens donker geword het.
Voorstelling met Skytools 3 gedoen. Klik op foto om te vergroot.


Events for Bloemfontein, South Africa

2009 Aug 6 01:02 Lunar Eclipse,
Enter Penumbra, Sep=+01°27'28", Alt=73°

2009 Aug 6 02:41 Lunar Eclipse,
Mid-eclipse, Sep=+01°14'32", Alt=54°

2009 Aug 6 04:18 Lunar Eclipse,
Exit Penumbra, Sep=+01°27'03", Alt=33°

Monday 3 August 2009

Jupiter en sy "5" mane?

(Kliek op foto om te vergroot)

So het Jupiter Sondagaand net na 23:00 gelyk. Links onder is 45 Cap in Capricornus wat gesorg het dat daar nog `n "maan" sigbaar was.

Tot die 5de Auguatus gaan hierdie formasie weer sigbaar wees.

(Die voorstelling is met Skytools 3 voorberei.)

Meer hieroor op Auke Slotegraaf se blog.

Vyf gewilde voorwerpe sigbaar met `n klein teleskoop

Moenie jou kleiner teleskoop onderskat nie. Daar is `n paar mooi voorwerpe sigbaar wat jou baie plesier kan verskaf. Gaan bekyk bietjie jou sterkaarte en werk uit wanneer hulle in die Suide gaan sigbaar wees.

Lees meer op Universe Today se webblad

Groete

Hannes Pieterse

Sunday 2 August 2009

Heidemarie se gereedskapsak word `n vuurbal!

ISS TOOLBAG TO DECAY: The ISS Toolbag is about to become a fireball. Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper dropped the backpack-sized kit on Nov. 18, 2008, while she was working outside the International Space Station. Eight months later, the toolbag is reentering Earth's atmosphere. Best estimates suggest a fireball over the south Pacific Ocean (35.7° S, 216.4° E) at around 1300 UT on August 3rd.

It is visible through binoculars and small telescopes.