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Monday, 8 August 2011

Comet C/2009 P1 Garradd

On the 2nd August at the time of evening, Comet C/2009 P1 Garradd will be just 41’ 56” away from the beautiful Globular Cluster
Messier 15.
On August 14th the comet will be just 27’ away from the 4th Magnitude star γ Delphini.
On August 26th before midnight, the comet will be just 18’ away from the Globular Cluster Messier 71.
On September 2nd and 3rd, the Comet will pass closely from the Coathanger Asterism.
On January 25th before dawn, high in the North East the Comet will be just 12’ 39” from the 4th Magnitude star ρ Hercules.
On February 3rd and 4th the Comet will be within 38’ from a rich Globular Cluster Messier 92.
On March 16th around midnight, the Comet will be just 13’ from the 5th magnitude star 2 Draconis , and 37’ away from the 3.8 magnitude star λ Draconis.
On April 14th in the late evening, the Comet will be within 32’ from the 3rd Magnitude star ι Ursa Majoris.
 
For high resolution charts visit the link below:
 
 
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Good Clear Skies
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Astrocomet
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Colin James Watling
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Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
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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)
 

Tuesday, 2 August 2011

Video: Historic space tracking station closes

 NEWSALERT: Monday, August 1, 2011 @ 1238 GMT
----------------------------------------------
  The latest news from Spaceflight Now

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GEMINI XII ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Gemini XII astronauts Buzz Aldrin and James Lovell, along with over 30
other astronauts and space celebrities, will gather to celebrate the 45th
anniversary their historic mission at a special dinner during the 2011
Astronaut Autograph & Memorabilia Show weekend. Proceeds benefit the
Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Ticket packages are selling out - secure
yours today!

http://www.AstronautScholarship.org/aams
**************************************

VIDEO: HISTORIC SPACE TRACKING STATION CLOSES
-----------------------------------------------------
The Merritt Island Launch Annex tracking station at Kennedy Space Center
-- better known as MILA -- has closed after supporting NASA launches for
45 years.  Watch our NewsBlast video:

http://www.spaceflightnow.com

JUNO SEEKS NEW INSIGHTS INTO ORIGINS OF JUPITER
-----------------------------------------------
NASA's solar-powered Juno spacecraft will go into orbit around Jupiter's
poles to precisely map the planet's gravitational and magnetic fields,
probe its turbulent atmosphere and hidden interior and study the
mechanisms responsible for its powerhouse auroras, the strongest in the
solar system.

MISSION OVERVIEW STORY:
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av029/overview.html

LIVE LAUNCH UPDATES:
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av029/status.html

ENCELADUS FEEDS WATER TO SATURN'S ATMOSPHERE
--------------------------------------------
A 14-year-old mystery has been solved as astronomers discover that plumes
of water gushing from Saturn's moon Enceladus are the source of water in
the planet's upper atmosphere.

http://astronomynow.com/news/n1107/28enceladus/

DYING STAR'S LAST GASPS PROVIDE NEW KEPLER TARGET
-------------------------------------------------
A new planetary nebula, recently discovered thanks to the combined efforts
of amateur and professional astronomers and within sight of the Kepler
spacecraft, could hold the key to understanding how our own Sun's life
will end.

http://astronomynow.com/news/n1107/26planetary/

+++
FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE ASTRONAUT PATCH!
Emblem for STS-135 now available in our store.
http://www.spaceflightnowstore.com/
+++

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Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
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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)
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Information -- More Info -- And More Info

Comet Garradd (2009 P1)

The Comet is now in the same fov as M15 but I would say half as bright-went outside to have a look for it at 22.15 U.T and see it close to the Globular Cluster M15 now-came in again at 23.55 because of cloud coming over from the west but also had a look at the Andromeda Galaxy, M33 and M35 in Perseus-the Comet will be even closer to M15 tomorrow according to the Ephemeris so GCS....

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Good Clear Skies
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Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
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--
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)
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Information -- More Info -- And More Info

Monday, 1 August 2011

Comet/2009 P1 ( Garradd )

Comet Alert
Got to see this Comet early this morning once again-its now up from the Star Enif and closing with M15 Globular Cluster-not sure when the Comet will be at its closest to this Cluster but the Ephemeris say 2nd to the 3rd August (Tuesday into Wednesday Morning-good CCD opportunity etc) and in my opinion it is brightning and has done so since I last Observed this Comet on 25/7 when I first picked this Comet out.

Under good dark clear skies its now reasonably visible with mounted 20x60 Binoculars and I'm sure lower powered Binoculars will finally start showing this Comet up-I would say its roughly around the Brightness of the Crab nebula which is magnitude 8.4 so I would possibly put this Comet at Magnitude 8.5 right now in my opinion-GCS.... Very Happy


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Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
--
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)
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Information -- More Info -- And More Info


Atlas and Delta boosters sail together / Juno a week from launch

NEWSALERT: Friday, July 29, 2011 @ 1752 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
  The latest news from Spaceflight Now

**************************************
Own a piece of Space History with The Space Shuttle Commemorative Coin.
Limited edition coins made with metal flown in space on the very first
Space Shuttle mission: STS-1. History you can hold in your hands. Get
yours today at:

http://www.SpaceShuttleCoin.com
**************************************

ATLAS AND DELTA BOOSTERS SAIL TOGETHER TO CAPE CANAVERAL
--------------------------------------------------------
Continuing its efforts to blend the Atlas and Delta rocket families,
United Launch Alliance this week shipped two vehicles together for the
first time  aboard an ocean-going vessel from the firm's Alabama factory
to the Cape Canaveral spaceport.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1107/29mariner/

JUPITER-BOUND JUNO PROBE MOUNTED ATOP ITS LAUNCHER
--------------------------------------------------
With just a week left until blastoff, Juno has been placed atop the United
Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket that will send the spacecraft on its
journey to Jupiter. LIVE LAUNCH UPDATES:

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av029/status.html

MULTI-PAGE ROCKET ASSEMBLY PHOTO GALLERY:
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av029/firststage/

VIDEO PODCAST: JUNO PROBE PREPARES FOR LAUNCH
---------------------------------------------
NASA's first mission to Jupiter in over two decades took a step closer to
launch as the Juno probe was attached to its Atlas 5 rocket at Cape
Canaveral.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkegUsx_PHg


+++
FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE ASTRONAUT PATCH!
Emblem for STS-135 now available in our store.
http://www.spaceflightnowstore.com/
+++

--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
--
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)
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Information -- More Info -- And More Info


Solar Flare and Geomagnetic Storm on July 30th

Space Weather News for July 30, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

Solar and geomagnetic activity continues to intensify on July 30th.  The day began with an almost-X class solar flare from big sunspot 1261. This was followed by an unrelated geomagnetic storm (magnitude Kp=5) prompted by a fluctuation in the solar wind.  At the time this alert is being issued (July 30th @ 2200 UT) the geomagnetic storm is still underway.  High-latitude sky watchers, especially in the southern hemisphere where skies are winter-dark, should be alert for auroras.  Details and updates at
http://spaceweather.com

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Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
--
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)
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Information -- More Info -- And More Info

[BAA-ebulletin 00594] Historical Section Meeting - Saturday May 5th 2012 - Soho House, Birmingham

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

Historical Section Meeting - Saturday May 5th 2012, Soho House, Birmingham

====================

We are pleased to announce a section meeting for the BAA Historical Section

Date:     Saturday May 5th 2012
Time:     10:00 - 18:00
Venue:   Soho House, Handsworth, Birmingham

Soho House was the home of Matthew Boulton, eighteenth-century industrialist
(he features on the new fifty pound note) and meeting place of the Lunar Society,
whose members included James Watt, Erasmus Darwin and Josiah Wedgewood.

We would like to have a theme of  "Astronomy in the Industrial Age (1700-1900)"
but we'll consider offers of talks on all subjects. Please contact the director if
you would like to be considered.

More details to follow. Hope to see you in May 2012!

============================================================
Historical Section Director: Mike Frost        
frostma@aol.com
Deputy Director: Lee Macdonald                  lt@macdonald42.freeserve.co.uk
============================================================
BAA-ebulletin mailing list visit:
http://lists.britastro.org/mailman/listinfo/baa-ebulletin
(c) 2011 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)
--
--
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)
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Information -- More Info -- And More Info

Wednesday, 27 July 2011

Atlantis Transits the Sun Just Before Landing

Space Weather News for July 21, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

FINAL ACT: Space shuttle Atlantis landed in Florida this morning, bringing an end to NASA's 30-year shuttle program.  Just 21 minutes before the de-orbit burn, a photographer in Germany snapped what may be the last-ever photo of a shuttle in space.  He caught Atlantis transiting the face of the sun, silhouetted against a backdrop of solar fire in conjunction with nearby sunspot AR1254. Visit
http://spaceweather.com
 for images and more information.

AURORA WATCH: A fast stream of solar wind is buffeting Earth's magnetic field on July 21st.   High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras, especially in the southern hemisphere where night skies are winter-dark.  Aurora alerts are available from
http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice) or http://spaceweathertext.com
 (text).

--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
--
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)
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Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra
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More Info:
http://www.localokel.com/event/666/good_clear_skies

Special video look at Atlantis' launch / Hubble's latest discovery

NEWSALERT: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 @ 1710 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
  The latest news from Spaceflight Now


**************************************
Own a piece of Space History with The Space Shuttle Commemorative Coin.
Limited edition coins made with metal flown in space on the very first
Space Shuttle mission: STS-1. History you can hold in your hands. Get
yours today at:

http://www.SpaceShuttleCoin.com
**************************************


AWE-INSPIRING ONBOARD VIDEO VIEWS OF ATLANTIS' LAUNCH
-----------------------------------------------------
Take a ride on the final space shuttle launch with remarkable footage
captured from cameras mounted on the solid rocket boosters, external fuel
tank and even inside Atlantis' cockpit looking back at the astronauts.
Check out these amazing videos of the spacecraft soaring to orbit, which
are presented here for Spaceflight Now+Plus users with launch audio.

http://www.spaceflightnowplus.com/index.php

NOT YET A SUBSCRIBER? LEARN MORE:
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/store/sfnplus/index.html


HUBBLE DISCOVERS PLUTO'S FOURTH MOON
------------------------------------
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope to look for potential rings
around dwarf planet Pluto have instead uncovered a fourth moon orbiting
the distant icy world.

http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n1107/20pluto/


ASTRONAUTS READY ATLANTIS FOR THURSDAY'S LANDING
------------------------------------------------
The crew of the shuttle Atlantis, working through one of the busiest days
of their mission, tested the orbiter's re-entry systems Wednesday and
packed up for landing Thursday to close out NASA's 135th and final shuttle
mission.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/status.html


+++
FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE ASTRONAUT PATCH!
Emblem for STS-135 now available in our store.
http://www.spaceflightnowstore.com/
+++

--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--
--
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)
--
Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra
--
More Info:
http://www.localokel.com/event/666/good_clear_skies

Monday, 25 July 2011

Comet Garradd (2009 P1)

Should hopefully now be visible in good Binoculars or a Telescope at magnitude 7.6 in the constellation of Pegasus...
 
25/7/2011-Finally got to see this Comet around Midnight in the lower Western part of Pegasus-using my 20x100 mounted Binoculars the sky was just clear enough to pick out the faint Coma of the Comet, I wasn't sure of any tail although there may have been one pointing in the direction of Cygnus which was overhead but it wasn't very discernible so I can't be exactly sure, I would say the Comet brightness is Magnitude 7.5 to 8 and is also visible in 20x60 Binoculars as well-great to see this and well pleased-this is now my 23rd Observed Comet since Comet Hyakutake in 1996-good clear skies...
 
 
 
  • 2009 P1 (Garradd) is brightest from September 2011 to March 2012
  • 2010 X1 (Elenin) may be a naked eye or binocular object in 2011 October
  • 2011 L4 (PANSTARRS) may be a naked eye object in 2013 March

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  • Good Clear Skies
    --
    Astrocomet
    --
    Colin James Watling
    --
    Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
    --
    --
    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)
    --
    Information:
    http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra
    --
    More Info:
    http://www.localokel.com/event/666/good_clear_skies