Fwd: Electric Blue Clouds over Antarctica

Space Weather News for Nov. 29, 2014
http://spaceweather.com

NASA's AIM spacecraft has spotted electric-blue clouds forming over
Antarctica. These are noctilucent clouds (NLCs) and their apparition
marks the beginning of the 2014-2015 season for southern NLCs. By the
second week of December, Antarctica could be blanketed in electric
blue. Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information and updates.

--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and
also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and
Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland
Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/
--
Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)

Charts-info Astrosite Groningen (November 22, 2014)

We have prepared the following new chart for our homepage:

C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy):

- a 6x8 degrees chart for the period 23 November - 10 December 2014


This new chart is now available in the charts section of our
mainpage at: http://www.shopplaza.nl/astro

Reinder Bouma/Edwin van Dijk
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and
also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and
Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland
Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/
--
Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)

Charts-info Astrosite Groningen (November 23, 2013)

Dear comet observers,

We have prepared the following new chart for our homepage:

C/2012 K1 (PANSTARRS):

- a 6x8 degrees chart for the period 25 November - 4 December 2014


This new chart is now available in the charts section of our
mainpage at: http://www.shopplaza.nl/astro

Reinder Bouma/Edwin van Dijk
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and
also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and
Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland
Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/
--
Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)

[BAA-ebulletin 00825] Computing section asteroid and comet charts

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin
======================================================================

I'd just like to let you know that the Asteroid and Comet ephemerides and

charts have been updated, and available for viewing on the Computing Section

website:

http://britastro.org/computing/charts_asteroid.html

http://britastro.org/computing/charts_comet.html

Charts are available as either an interactive chart (whereby hovering the

mouse over an object will provide more details), or as a red on black

non-interactive version that would be suitable for retaining night vision.

Asteroids chosen are based upon those of a brighter nature (not greater than


12.0 magnitude) as they reach opposition.

The Comets chosen are compiled from a list provided by the Comet Section

website (http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds/)

To all members, I would encourage you to have a wander around the Computing

section website, as there a quite a few very useful programs to assist with

your observations, not to mention data and links to useful third party
websites.

Enjoy

Steve Harvey

baa[at]steveharvey[dot]co[dot]uk

Computing Section



2014 11 17
======================================================================
BAA-ebulletin mailing list visit:
http://lists.britastro.org/mailman/listinfo/baa-ebulletin
(c) 2014 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================


--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and
also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and
Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland
Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/
--
Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)

[BAA-ebulletin 00824] Reminder about the Christmas Lecture - closing date is 25th November.

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin
======================================================================

I would like to remind you the closing date to pre book your place for the
Christmas Lecture is fast approaching.

So if you would like to come and hear Lord Rees, the Astronomer Royal, give
the BAA Christmas Lecture in University College London, Christopher Ingold
Building, 20 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AJ on 13th December please book
now.

To book a place please use the form on the BAA website on webpage
www.britastro.org/xmaslecture and email or post to the BAA office
office@britastro.org.

If you sent your form to 'meetings@gmail.com' please can you resend to
office@britastro.org please.

Doors open at 14:00. Meeting starts at 14:30 in the lecture theatre and
will be finished by 18:00. Tea & Coffee will be served at 15:45 in the
Ramsey Room.

If you would like to attend please book a place before 25th November using
the attached booking form. Alternatively you can ring the BAA office, or
you can find the form on our webpage at www.britastro.org/xmaslecture.

It will be free to all BAA members and affiliated society members if booked
in advance and for non-members the cost will be £5.00. If you turn up on
the day having not pre-booked the charge will be £5.00 to all.

If you book and then find you cannot come please do let us know soonest as
there may be a waiting list and we can give your seat to someone else.

Looking forward to seeing you there
Hazel

Hazel Collett
Meetings Secretary
======================================================================
BAA-ebulletin mailing list visit:
http://lists.britastro.org/mailman/listinfo/baa-ebulletin
(c) 2014 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================


--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and
also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and
Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland
Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/
--
Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)

Resurgent old sunspot crackles with flares

Space Weather News for Nov. 16, 2014
http://spaceweather.com

Back for a second trip across the face of the Sun, old sunspot AR2192
is growing again and crackling with M-class solar flares. The active
region has an unstable magnetic field that harbors energy for even
stronger X-flares. Future eruptions could affect Earth as the sunspot
turns toward our planet in the days ahead. Check
http://spaceweather.com for updates.

DON'T MISS THE NEXT FLARE: Real-time X-flare alerts are available from
http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com
(voice).


--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and
also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and
Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland
Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/
--
Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)

Philae

Credit: ESA.

 

Description

Rosetta will deploy the Philae lander to the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko for in situ analysis with its 10 instruments:

• APXS: Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer (studying the chemical composition of the landing site and its potential alteration during the comet's approach to the Sun)
• CIVA: Comet Nucleus Infrared and Visible Analyser (six cameras to take panoramic pictures of the comet surface)
• CONSERT: COmet Nucleus Sounding Experiment by Radiowave Transmission (studying the internal structure of the comet nucleus with Rosetta orbiter)
• COSAC: The COmetary SAmpling and Composition experiment (detecting and identifying complex organic molecules)
• PTOLEMY: Using MODULUS protocol (Methods Of Determining and Understanding Light elements from Unequivocal Stable isotope compositions) to understand the geochemistry of light elements, such as hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen.
• MUPUS: MUlti-PUrpose Sensors for Surface and Sub-Surface Science (studying the properties of the comet surface and immediate sub-surface)
• ROLIS: Rosetta Lander Imaging System (providing the first close-up images of the landing site)
• ROMAP: Rosetta Lander Magnetometer and Plasma Monitor (studying the magnetic field and plasma environment of the comet)
• SD2: Sampling, drilling and distribution subsystem (drilling up to 23 cm depth and delivering material to onboard instruments for analysis)
• SESAME: Surface Electric Sounding and Acoustic Monitoring Experiment (probing the mechanical and electrical parameters of the comet)

 

--

Good Clear Skies

--

Astrocomet

--

Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)

--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera

--

Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)

--

Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/

--

Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)

Tune In....

http://rosetta.esa.int/

--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and
also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and
Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland
Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/
--
Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)

[BAA-ebulletin 00823] Rosetta mission update

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin
======================================================================
As many members will be aware, the European Space Agency's Rosetta
spacecraft will attempt the first ever landing on the surface of a
comet today-Wednesday Nov 12.

BAA Council member Nick James is also the Lead Engineer for the
project at BAE Systems in Chelmsford. Last night he gave me an update
on the sequence of events we can expect over the next few days, and
you can hear what he had to say in a video released this morning on
the BAA website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3jXMELkccQ

The key moments on Wednesday will be:

06:00 - Rosetta delivery manoeuvre
07:35 - Final Go/No go
09:03 - Philae separates from Rosetta
09:43 - Loss of Rosetta signal during post-delivery manoeuvre
10:53 - Regain signal from Rosetta
11:59 - First descent data
16:02 - Predicted landing time
17:35 - Expected receipt of first 360 deg panorama

All times are UTC (GMT), Earth received time. Events at the spacecraft
happen 28 minutes earlier.

We have our fingers crossed that all goes well, and will, of course,
publish updates on the BAA website as soon as we hear news!

Dominic Ford, BAA Website Manager
======================================================================
BAA-ebulletin mailing list visit:
http://lists.britastro.org/mailman/listinfo/baa-ebulletin
(c) 2014 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================


--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and
also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and
Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland
Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/
--
Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)

X-flare and Martian Meteor Shower

Space Weather News for Nov. 7, 2014
http://spaceweather.com

MARTIAN METEOR SHOWER: NASA and European spacecraft have detected
evidence of a "spectacular" meteor shower on Mars caused by the close
approach of Comet Siding Spring last month. If a human had been
standing on the Red Planet at the time, they might have seen thousands
of meteors per hour followed by a widespread yellow afterglow that
lasted for days. Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information.

X-FLARE! Active sunspot AR2205 produced a potent X1-class solar flare
on Nov. 7th, causing a strong HF radio blackout on the dayside of our
planet. More X-flares are in the offing as the sunspot turns toward
Earth this weekend. Visit http://spaceweather.com for updates.

DID YOU MISS THE FLARE? Next time get a phone call. Real-time solar
activity alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text)
and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).


--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and
also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and
Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland
Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/
--
Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)

Charts-info Astrosite Groningen (November 6, 2014)

Dear comet observers,

We have prepared the following new charts for our homepage:

C/2012 K1 (PANSTARRS):

- a 9x12 degrees chart for the period 8 - 14 November 2014
- two 6x8 degrees charts for the period 14 - 25 November 2014

These new charts are now available in the charts section of our
mainpage at: http://www.shopplaza.nl/astro

Reinder Bouma/Edwin van Dijk
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and
also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and
Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland
Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/
--
Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)

Actve Sunspot AR2205

Space Weather News for Nov. 4, 2014
http://spaceweather.com

Crackling with M-class solar flares, an active sunspot is emerging
over the sun's northeastern limb. The new region, numbered AR2205,
has produced multiple CMEs in the past 48 hours. So far Earth is
outside the line of fire, and the solar storm clouds are sailing wide
of our planet. This could change, however, as the sunspot turns toward
Earth in the days ahead. Visit http://spaceweather.com for more
information and updates.

DID YOU MISS THE FLARES? Next time get a phone call. Real-time solar
activity alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text)
and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).


--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and
also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and
Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland
Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/
--
Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)

[BAA-ebulletin 00822] Result of the ballot for the BAA Council

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin
======================================================================

Result of the ballot for the BAA Council



The result of the Ballot for next year's Council of the BAA was
announced at the Annual General Meeting last Wednesday. The number of
votes given for each candidate was as follows:



President H. McGee 399

Vice-President W. Leatherbarrow (ex officio)

Treasurer A. Lorrain 392

Secretary (Business) W. Tarver 353

Secretary (Meetings) H. Collett 377

Secretary (Papers) J. Shears 372



Other elected Members of Council:

N. Hewitt 357

N. James 353

A. Davies 347

P. Abel 338

D. Boyd 337

D. Arditti 318

S. Moore 316

L. Crook 302

R. Johnson 300

J. Chuter 242



The remaining candidates received insufficient votes and were not
elected. As the elected Council member receiving the most votes, Dr N.
Hewitt becomes the second Vice-President for the coming session.



465 ballot papers were received of which 51 were invalid.



Bill Tarver, Business Secretary

2014 November 2
======================================================================
BAA-ebulletin mailing list visit:
http://lists.britastro.org/mailman/listinfo/baa-ebulletin
(c) 2014 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================


--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and
also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and
Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland
Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/
--
Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)

[BAA-ebulletin 00821] Novae and Supernovae

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin
======================================================================
It would seem there is a lot of excitement in some quarters at the
moment about 2 possible supernovae and a possible nova.

The latter, PNV J03093063+2638031, was discovered by Seiji Ueda
(Hokkaido, Japan) on 2014 Oct. 29.630 UT, at mag 11.0 in Aries on an
unfiltered CCD image.. It's position is R.A. 03h09m29.86s Decl.
+26°38'04.49" (J2000.0). The discovery image can be found at
http://meineko.sakura.ne.jp/ccd/PNV_J03093063+2638031.jpg.

It is well placed for observation in the later evening. However, the
latest spectroscopic observations show that it is probably not a nova
but a WZ Sge type star (a cataclysmic variable). Nonetheless,
observations would still be appreciated by the variable star section.

Now the possible supernovae. The first, PSN J12215757+0428185, was
discovered by Koichi Itagaki, Yamagata, Japan on 2014 Oct. 29.8376 UT,
at mag 13.6 again using an unfiltered CCD in M61. It's position is
R.A. 12h21m57.57s Decl. +04°28'18.5" (J2000.0). The discovery image
is at http://www.k-itagaki.jp/images/4303.jpg

The last object is MASTER OT J120451.50+265946.6 in NGC 4080 (see ATel
#6634): http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=6634, a possible 13.9
mag supernova discovered on 2014-10-28.87454 UT. Its position is 12h
04m 51.50s +26d 59m 46.6s.

So, unfortunately, these two objects are almost impossible to observe
from the UK, rising just before dawn. However, for those with access
to remote telescopes (iTelescope, etc) you may stand a better chance.
However, once again, the VSS will be delighted to recieve your
observations.

Roger Pickard, VSS Director
roger.pickard@sky.com
======================================================================
BAA-ebulletin mailing list visit:
http://lists.britastro.org/mailman/listinfo/baa-ebulletin
(c) 2014 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================


--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and
also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and
Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland
Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/
--
Info: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/lowestoft/lowestoft_and_great_yarmouth_regional_astronomers_(lyra)