How Beginners Can Safely Observe Solar Prominences, Filaments & Flares
Two things set the Sun apart from all other stars in the Universe: it does not belong to any constellation, and it is close enough to Earth to be observed and studied in exquisite detail with nothing more than modest amateur equipment, which equipment includes smart phones.
Stargazing Calendar for April 2023
Hello fellow stargazers! This month the big event will be a rare hybrid solar eclipse, but unfortunately it will be visible to only a few small areas of the world. For the rest of us, we have two large objects at opposition: dwarf planet Haumea as well as large asteroid Iris. There will also be two meteor showers as well as many conjunctions.
A Good Time to Observe Dwarf Planet Makemake
On March 29, we have a great opportunity to observe the dwarf planet Makemake. It will be at opposition, which means it will reach the highest point in the sky at around midnight and be opposite to the Sun. At around the same time Makemake will also reach its closest point to the Earth (perigee) at a distance of 51.77 AU. Its peak brightness will be an apparent magnitude of 17.1, which makes it the brightest trans-Neptunian object after Pluto.
A Good Time to Observe Dwarf Planet Ceres
On March 21, we have a great opportunity to observe the dwarf planet Ceres. It will be at opposition, which means it will reach the highest point in the sky at around midnight and opposite to the Sun. At the same time Ceres will be closest to the Earth (perigee) at a distance of 1.59 AU. At this time it will be the brightest, with an apparent magnitude of 6.9. Look in the constellation of Coma Berenices with binoculars or a telescope.
Stargazing Calendar for March 2023
Hello fellow stargazers! This month we only have one small meteor shower, but instead we can look forward to a comet visiting the inner solar system (just barely) and more interestingly two dwarf planets at opposition - Ceres and Makemake.
Parallel Universe: We Might Be Living in an Alternate Reality!
With past years our understanding of science and the universe has expanded exponentially giving us a complete new outlook towards it and opening up a very controversial idea, yet an intriguing one: do parallel universes exist?
Mimas and Iapetus, Two Odd Moons of Saturn
Saturn has a lot of moons. Two of them are really odd, and bear a striking resemblance to the Death Star from the Star Wars movies. Mimas has a crater of approximately the same scale as the one on the Death Star. Iapetus also has large craters, but the resemblance lies in its equatorial ridge.
Did You Know? The Space Shuttle Ran On Only One Megabyte Of RAM!
It's true! NASA's space shuttle was controlled by a computer running on only one megabyte of RAM. How was this possible? Since the space shuttle and all its hardware was over 30 years old during its last flight in 2011, so was its computer.
What’s the Difference Between LEO, MEO and GEO Satellites?
As of the beginning of 2023, nearly 15,000 satellites are orbiting our planet. With so many orbiting bodies circling the Earth, it's a miracle they don't crash into each other, right? It might seem like magic, but in reality, it's because they aren't all orbiting at the same height. Let's take a closer look at what LEO, MEO and GEO satellites are, and why more companies are investing in LEO and MEO satellites to support space exploration.
Stargazing Calendar for February 2023
This month of February 2023 we will be able to witness two comets visiting us in the inner solar system, a meteor shower, as well as various conjunctions and close approaches of celestial bodies.
