Category: Meteors

Br Guy Consolmagno SJ Vatican Astronomer visits Bray Co Wicklow - COSMOS 2013 Irelands leading Star Party April 12th - 14th

3/25/2013

Turn Left at Orion signed for the school library

St Cronans National School Bray had a very special visitor on Wednesday March 20. None other than the Vatican Astronomer Br Guy Consolmagno SJ. Originally I had invited him to drop in and shake hands with St Cronans Stargazers our astronomy club, but he very generously offered to give a talk for the whole school. 500 boys and their teachers were treated to a wonderfully pitched talk about the Vatican Observatory, the pope’s interest in the subject, the wonders of astronomy and all things that give joy in the vast universe in which we live.

The boys asked very intelligent questions, Br Guy gave them a listening ear, his answers inspired and intrigued the entire audience. Br Guy Consolmagno SJ is an American research astronomer and planetary scientist at the Vatican Observatory. He presented Principal Maeve Tierney with a signed copy of his famous book Turn Left at Orion for the school library.

Br Guy was delighted to visit Bray, after lunch in the Martello and a walk on the prom he dipped his hands in the Irish Sea, a rare moment for him in his busy global speaking schedule.

I first met Br Guy back in 2005 at the Whirlpool Star Party, at the time I had no clue who he was but we had a warm conversation about binoculars and observing. I was invited to this premier event to give a talk about Enceladus ( one of Saturn’s ice moons) and found out next day that Guy was there to deliver a talk about Turn Left at Orion.

We met up again during International Year of Astronomy 2009. Br Guy was on a speaking tour in Ireland. The first of his talks was at the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies and Dunsink Observatory, followed by Gonzaga College. We then continued on to COSMOS (Now - Irelands leading Star Party) in Tullamore and then to Blackrock Castle Observatory in Cork. If my memory serves me right, Guy delivered six different talks in five days to varying audiences everyone of them a polished gem in communicating the science and wonder of astronomy.

More information on the Vatican and Br Guy Consolmagno click here.

COSMOS 2013 April 12th - 14th Details here

Slide show from Br Guy Consolmagno's visit to Bray below
- School visit images by Bernard Kelleghan

COSMOS 2013 see ye there !

The Sky by Eye a drawing from Durrus Co Cork - What's Up for August 2011 Windy worlds plus Juno to Jupiter

8/2/2011

Naked eye drawing n Persei - a Cyg Durrus Co Cork

August 17th /18th 2010
Time : 23:45 UT - 00:45 UT

August 2010 I was staying in a cute house close to the village of Durrus in Co Cork. This little place is the gateway to exploring the outstanding Sheeps Head peninsula. The night sky down there was seriously beautiful to the eye; one did not need a telescope to enjoy it. Earlier in the evening I had a look into Sagittarius before it got too low, then as the night followed on I was inspired to do a naked eye drawing of the sky above my head.

To give me the best option for a sketch I retreated to the back garden, away from the car park lights. I turned off the lights in the house; the village light pollution was minimal. Dark adaption came to me in about 25 minutes, and death would come to anybody who turned on a light.

Bliss greeted my eyes as the wonders of the summer sky opened up for me and the seeing was good.

We had brought along comfy canvas beach chairs, one of these was fine to sink into and observe. My tools for the drawing were a sheet of black paper, a clip board, a white gel pen, finely grated white pastel, blending stick ,cotton wool, and a red head light.

My working area was the star n Persei and from that visualy along the galaxy to a Cyg. I carefully added the stars in each visible constellation . Larger brighter dots according to magnitude and so on and so forth till I had a star map on my paper which mirrored the sky above my head and toward the North East. The Double Cluster and Andromeda were crystal clear naked eye objects, not usual from my home garden at all. The placement of these objects was very helpful in lining up significant stars like alpha Cyg ie Deneb in the constellation Cygnus and all the stars that made paths in the sky to each other.

A small wad of cotton wool loaded carefully with finely grated white pastel was how I added the magnificent Milky Way and all its visible star laden tendrils. When my drawing was almost finished a long trailing Perseid shot from n Persei, went flying past Cassiopeia and ended its journey just short of delta Cep . At its leading end for a nano second I noticed a sickle shaped flick of white. This meteor and its unusual flick was added into my drawing . It was a few weeks before I could look this up and discover that some Perseids produce visible bow shocks in front of themselves as they enter our atmosphere. However so far I have only come across records of Perseids bow shocks that were caught on film, so would love to know if anyone has seen one by eye while observing. skysketcher@gmail.com

What's Up for August 2011 Jane Houston Jones - Windy Worlds and Juno to Jupiter
Wonderful Mission!!! Go Go Juno

Total Lunar Eclipse revisited - Eclipse Poem - Saturn and Cassini on Ice - What's Up for January 2011 - Partial Solar Eclipse January 4th

12/30/2010

Here is a photo of me sketching the full moon in the early hours (00:20) of December 21st 2010. It was minus 7 in Bray Co Wicklow. My feet were on six inches of snow. I felt lucky to get a gap in the weather.

The silence of the snow was broken only by the occasional squealing of car tyres trying to get up the icy hill in the town.

At 07:55 I observed the almost eclipsed moon directly over Kathy Gallaghers Hill from outside St Cronans School in Bray. Before long the whole view was swallowed by snow.
I was inspired to write a small poem

Solstice Total Lunar Eclipse
In the silence of the solstice snow
Earth's shadow
Drags its dust stained gauze over the moon
Deep red tan across Tycho
Sinking totality lost in the dawn

You will have to wait a while to see what I sketched that night / morning as it is for a special project . However as they say in cooking , here is one I made earlier ( 2007) so you can get an idea what a Total Lunar Eclipse looks like in a telescope.

Total Lunar Eclipse March 2007
sketched from Bray Co Wicklow
3/3/07
200mm/25mm/2XBarlow/97X
Lunation 14.23 Days
Illumination 100%
Soft Pastels, 300gm paper, pencils.
Seeing 1
Danjon Scale L 4
Rotated 180 degrees

I was delayed setting up for XYand Z reasons. In an ideal world I would have had the entire lunar disc sketched in with detail before the earthly shadow entered this drama.
The delay, actioned my sketching in defence of the advancing darkness .

When I began to sketch at 21:40UT the ominous dark shadow was descending on the Tycho area.
I decided quickly to sketch from the bottom up (south is up for me)
I realised that my usual method with a wooden toothpick was going to be too slow for this sketch and decided on pencil over pastel for speed.

Firstly I detailed the Maria as much as I could giving prominent bright craters like Proculus, Plinius and Kepler some white attention. I suspected they might be still visible under the shadowy blanket, despite what ever colour developed
I put a lot of detail into Plato as it was outstanding in shape and contrast.

21:50UT the shadow was heading to gobble up my Copernicus before I could sketch it.
22:24UT Proculus was in grave danger of being swallowed whole.

B y 22:34UT a fabulous blue leading wave developed and swept up the curve of the moon to merge with the increasing raspberry tones developing toward the south.

At 22:34UT when the colour began to appear, I had to run inside for red pastels
Earlier that day I was thinking how would I do this colour overlay? I laid down some grey and tried out brushing it over with some red tones but this was not so good.

Fingers were the only thing for it and I worked quickly in red tones until I saw to both my delight and surprise a blue wave appearing across the entire width of the lunar disc.
Fingers red, big wipe, fingers blue.

In my haste and excitement of blueing the moon I wiped out Plato as my blue fingers joined the shadow and began moving north with it, oh god !! stop or there will be no moon left. I observed that the blue edges wrapped the moon in a curve to both sides, like a gas flame burning up my surface detail.

Meanwhile a yellow orange glow developed at the South East limb, big wipe, yellow fingers. Ended up with just Goldschmidt, Barrow, and I think Philolaus left at the Northern end of the moon, just about untouched at that moment. A criss cross ray ejecta feature was visible also.
The star 59 Leonis was also sketched in off the SE limb

Christmas Ice Drawing

Just for fun and while we still had snow I did a drawing of Saturn and Cassini in the ice in my back garden You can follow the adventures of Cassini here

What's Up for January 2011 from Jane Houston Jones

Learn some more interesting facts about The Quadrantids click here

Partial Solar Eclipse

The partial solar eclipse will be already in progress as the sun rises on January 4th 2011 at 08:42 and ends at 09:26 .
The solar disc will be obscured by 38% as the moon slides across it during this time. So in order to get a clear view ( weather permitting ) we need a practical viewing vantage point.
The South Beach in Greystones seems a good place to view from so weather permitting I will be at the South Beach from about 08 :20 with some eclipse glasses.
NOBODY SHOULD EVER EVER EVER LOOK AT THE SUN WITHOUT SPECIAL EQUIPMENT EVER.

These observations are from August 1st 2008 when the solar disc was 20% obscured by the lunar disc, viewed from my garden in Bray Co Wicklow.

The Perseids Meteor Shower Update 2010

8/12/2010

Perseid Meteor Shower 2010– viewed from my home, one aspect of my sky view.

Cassiopeia ( top right) - Perseus (Middle) - Capella ( lower left ) in Auriga and as many stars as I could see in between.

53.2000°N, 6.1000°W Bray Co Wicklow Ireland   Bortle Dark Scale 4

A composite sketch created between July 28th and August 10th in mixed conditions from my garden. One observation from Sligo, similar conditions.

My town street lights are partly screened by tall trees , the view to the N / NE and over head was dark. The Double Cluster was visible naked eye and M 31 visible with averted gaze. The Milky Way had visible knotted areas overhead on August 9th and 10th , unusual for Bray.

Some stars are sketched brighter than they appear to stand out for the photograph of the sketch
which was too big to scan. I was sitting in my garden looking up over my pergola. On part cloudy
evenings , I put several chairs around the garden and moved to view different areas of the sky
the clear sections appeared. Each hour on the hour I took a break for tea , kept the lights off in
the house to try to keep my dark adaption.

‎

The meteors are as close to what I saw in length and colour as is possible.

There is a lot to learn about meteor observing click here for more information

Sketch is done using , Pastel ,Conte and a White Gel Pen on Black Mounting Board
Here is a key to the sketch

1.       July 28th –   00:00 UT   White                Mag 1 Mostly Cloudy few clear patches

2.       July 29th -    23:05 UT Red                    Mag 2 Part Cloud

3.       July 29th -    23 :15 UT Red                     Mag 2 Part Cloud

4.       July 29th -    23 :25 UT Red                     Mag 2 Part Cloud

5.       August 1st   23:20 UT   Blue                     Mag 1 Part Cloud Sligo 54.267 -8.483

6.       August 9th 21:50 UT   White                   Mag 2 Clear

7.       August 9thth 23:31 UT White                   Mag 2 Clear

8.       August 9thth 23:10 UT White                  Mag 1 Clear

9.       August 9thth 23:15 UT White                   Mag 1 Clear

10.   August 9th   23:40 UT White                    Mag 2 Clear

11.   August 9th 23:35 UT   Yellow                    Mag 2 Clear

12.   August 10th 00 :30 UT Yellow                  Mag 1 Clear

13.   August 10th 01:00 UT White                    Mag 2 Clear

14.   August 10th 01:24 UT White                    Mag 1 Clear

15.   August 10th 21:50 UT White                     Mag 3 Clear

16.   August 10th 21: 53 UT White                   Mag 3 Clear

17.   August 10th 22:10 UT White                   Mag 0 Clear

18.   August 10th 22:40 UT White                   Mag 1 Clear

19.   August 10th 23:04 UT White                   Mag 1 Clear

20.   August 10th 23:55 UT White                   Mag 1 Clear

Update

August 11th 53.2000°N, 6.1000°W 23:25 UT - 00:25:UT Perseids 11

August 10th 21:45 UT - 00:00 UT Perseids 15, Satellites 10,
Iridium Flare 1 @ Mag -3 WSW , Double Cluster, 8 Moths, 4 Birds, naked eye. :-)

August 9th/10th between 21:45 UT - 01:25 UT I observed 22 Perseids 3 sporadics , 14
satelites, I galaxy,Double Cluster,1 Chinese Lantern ,1 bird, naked eye :-)

So stop watching TV ,go out and look up this weekend
If you are a Twitter person you can see a bigger version of the sketch here

Get comfy The Perseids are Coming - What\'s Up for August 2010 The Perseids - Introducing Meteorwatch 2010

8/4/2010

About 24 years ago we had a holiday in a remote location in the west of Ireland. The house was high on a grassy ridge on Bolus Head looking over St Finian’s Bay in Co Kerry. From this vantage point the 350 million year old Skellig Rocks rose like stegosaurus plates from the Atlantic Ocean. They were 16 kilometres out to sea but their jagged presence dominated the view to the South.

Image Skellig Michael by Bernard Kelleghan

It was early August and when darkness fell the predicable blinking of a distant lighthouse was the only manmade object discernable at sea level in the blackness.

One moonless evening, the sky was crystal clear, the summer triangle was dramatically intersected by our galaxies river of stars, so much more touchable than the suburban view. I lay on the sun -dried grass looking for Perseids, one, two, three, four, five, six, plus several in the corner of my eye within a few minutes.

Time to take action, I went into the house and dragged out several mattresses, and encouraged (made) my family and our guests come outside, lie down and look up. I have a vague memory of sofa cushions being shoved through windows at one point to help the nest building.

As usual they thought I was mad, but soon they were seeing one of the year’s wonders in perhaps the darkest place on our island. We watched for satellites and my mattress guests (two families, four adults, four children) had never seen them either, so in between meteors we looked at these metal objects orbiting about 200 miles up.

A perfect viewing spot, we watched on a slight incline toward Perseus in North East, but the meteors came from what seemed like every direction. We watched many many meteors sizzling into our atmosphere in dots and dashes with long gaps and differing lengths. The Perseids are the result of tiny cast - off particles from Comet Swift Tuttle, shed as it passed through our solar system on its 130 year orbit of our sun. Once a year the Earth’s journey round our sun brings our atmosphere and these remnants into contact with each other .These particles hit the atmosphere at huge speeds and burn up thereby offering the observer natural fireworks. Ancient elements revealed by their colours as they vaporise in front of our eyes.

I will never forget the perfection of the viewing, the WOW’s, the laughter, the joy of my family seeing this shower for the first time ever.

Over the years since I have watched the Perseids from a deck chair in my garden, some escape the eye under hazy lights in suburbia. It is always the most exciting shower of the year and rarely disappoints. If you are lucky to have clear skies between now and mid August, no equipment is needed, just you and your eyeballs. If you want to fill out an observing sheet to record, the colour, length, duration, direction, location, hourly rate of your Perseids then they are easy to find and fill.

Post midnight is the best time to view. The Earth has left the Belt of Venus long behind and has rolled toward the night were other suns populate the soft deep cloak of space. The Perseids bring nano seconds, and multi seconds of wispy joy to all who take the time to look up from mattresses or other comfy viewing places. My apologies to holiday homes everywhere.

What's Up for August 2010 The Perseids - Jane Houston Jones

Meteorwatch - Get involved , click here, a little science , a little fun .

The Perseids in association with The British Astronomical Association , lots of good informaton on observing, imaging , and you can contribute your own observations and enjoy The Perseids even more . You can follow Meteorwatch on Twitter via @VirtualAstro you can follow the BAA on Twitter via @BritAstro
Hope it is clear and you all have a lovely time lookng up.

Br Guy Consolmagno SJ Vatican Astronomer visits Bray Co Wicklow - COSMOS 2013 Irelands leading Star Party April 12th - 14th

COSMOS 2013 see ye there !

The Sky by Eye a drawing from Durrus Co Cork - What's Up for August 2011 Windy worlds plus Juno to Jupiter

Naked eye drawing n Persei - a Cyg Durrus Co Cork

What's Up for August 2011 Jane Houston Jones - Windy Worlds and Juno to Jupiter
Wonderful Mission!!! Go Go Juno

Total Lunar Eclipse revisited - Eclipse Poem - Saturn and Cassini on Ice - What's Up for January 2011 - Partial Solar Eclipse January 4th

The Perseids Meteor Shower Update 2010

Get comfy The Perseids are Coming - What\'s Up for August 2010 The Perseids - Introducing Meteorwatch 2010

What's Up for August 2010 The Perseids - Jane Houston Jones

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Br Guy Consolmagno SJ Vatican Astronomer visits Bray Co Wicklow - COSMOS 2013 Irelands leading Star Party April 12th - 14th

COSMOS 2013 see ye there !

The Sky by Eye a drawing from Durrus Co Cork - What's Up for August 2011 Windy worlds plus Juno to Jupiter

Naked eye drawing n Persei - a Cyg Durrus Co Cork

What's Up for August 2011 Jane Houston Jones - Windy Worlds and Juno to Jupiter Wonderful Mission!!! Go Go Juno

Total Lunar Eclipse revisited - Eclipse Poem - Saturn and Cassini on Ice - What's Up for January 2011 - Partial Solar Eclipse January 4th

The Perseids Meteor Shower Update 2010

Get comfy The Perseids are Coming - What\'s Up for August 2010 The Perseids - Introducing Meteorwatch 2010

What's Up for August 2010 The Perseids - Jane Houston Jones

Author

Categories

Archives

What's Up for August 2011 Jane Houston Jones - Windy Worlds and Juno to Jupiter
Wonderful Mission!!! Go Go Juno