astrobob.areavoices.comAstro Bob – Celestial Happenings You Can See From Your Own Backyard

Skip to content -- -- -- -- -- -- How To See Five Planets In February Posted on February 2, 2020 February 2, 2020 / astrobob / Hobbies & Interests Venus occupies center stage in the evening sky but soon gets some company. Mercury enters the scene this week and next, poking a tentative head above the southwestern horizon two-and-a-half fists to the lower right of Venus. The planet will be quite bright at magnitude –1.0 — a near twin to Sirius — but low… Read More Share this: Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) More Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Click to Press This! (Opens in new window) Click to print (Opens in new window) Breathtaking New Views Of The Sun’s Boiling Surface Posted on February 1, 2020 February 1, 2020 / astrobob / Hobbies & Interests Highest Video Resolution of the sun yet. Made with the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope Nothing short of amazing. Check out this news video created from images taken by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, located on the summit of Mt. Haleakala on the island of Maui in Hawaii. The images, just released, are the… Read More Share this: Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) More Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Click to Press This! (Opens in new window) Click to print (Opens in new window) Parker Solar Probe Shatters Speed Record In Its Race To The Sun Posted on January 30, 2020 January 30, 2020 / astrobob / Hobbies & Interests How fast can you go? Intentionally, I mean. Not effortlessly as in getting whisked around the sun at 66,600 mph (107,200 kph) by the orbiting Earth without lifting a finger. If you’ve traveled by air you’ve sped across the sky in a metal tube at around 550 mph (885 kph). The International Space Station zips… Read More Share this: Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) More Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Click to Press This! (Opens in new window) Click to print (Opens in new window) Starlink Launch A Success, 60 More Satellites In Orbit Posted on January 29, 2020 January 29, 2020 / astrobob / Hobbies & Interests Starlink satellite train After a successful Falcon-9 rocket launch, 60 new SpaceX Starlink satellites made it to orbit this morning. You can watch a replay here by clicking the Starlink mission link. Their initial altitude is set at 180 miles (290 km), but each satellite has krypton thrusters that will propel it to an operational altitude… Read More Share this: Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) More Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Click to Press This! (Opens in new window) Click to print (Opens in new window) Comet PanSTARRS Just Getting Warmed Up / Next Starlink Launch Jan. 29 Posted on January 28, 2020 January 29, 2020 / astrobob / Comets There’s a comet in the northern evening sky. Comet PanSTARRS (C/2017 T2) isn’t especially bright yet, but it’s getting there. PanSTARRS was discovered nearly 3 years ago in May 2017 by the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (PanSTARRS) operated by the Institute for Astronomy at the University of Hawaii. Since its inception in 2006… Read More Share this: Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) More Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Click to Press This! (Opens in new window) Click to print (Opens in new window) 1 2 3 … 828 Next › ABOUT Recent Comments astrobob Commented On Jan 22, 2020 Hi Peter, Thanks! That star is amazing. I estimated magnitude 1.8 two nights ago. Peter K Commented On Jan 21, 2020 Hey Bob, On Betelgeuse and Bellatrix, you were only off by a couple weeks. :) http://ww... astrobob Commented On Dec 29, 2019 Bob, Now wouldn't that be nice! bkellysky Commented On Dec 29, 2019 Sorry about the snowstorm. Thanks for the heads up about this view! In the meantime... 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