https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3 daily 0.75 2026-03-01 https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-march2026-nz3nmf-s54tl monthly 0.5 2026-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - ASTRA Meeting - March 13 at 7 PM For the March meeting at the planetarium, we will meet in the meeting room at 7 PM. Jim Webster will present on Constellation Mythology: Orion and the Seven Sisters. Rosemarie Spedaliere will present a report on her trip to Tucson in January with the Vatican Observatory Foundation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772307165174-W174K3YTV23USV22WJC5/unsplash-image-HOxKiWH-2dI.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Our star party for February was canceled due to the weather. Annie Nyle - Stock image on SquareSpace https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e4559161-bdba-46f3-bcf3-a29af931e01d/FS-Placeholder-1%402x-1024x576+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - For our February meeting, we had Rob Lorenz, S.J., from the Vatican Observatory, who spoke to us about the Observatory’s history. Rob Lorenz’s presentation on the history and contributions of the Vatican Observatory was well received by the ASTRA membership. We appreciate the time he spent with us. The linked YouTube video has more on the 400 year history of the Vatican Observatory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772311152254-B1BBLACHC9NAVUJGVWQG/20260213_191820.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772311150845-2CGBOY7PV6SOC9M6MGCC/20260213_191755.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772311150801-ZQ367DWGVIMU3TW1S73T/20260213_191807.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772311152418-7M0PPG6K6S9OZ72IDI9T/20260213_192119.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772311153846-A6Y5KQGML3DD5MMW40A0/20260213_192623.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772311154125-FBDQEABRDJ9T3ONK6MIS/20260213_193847.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772311156425-JIKD9OF0ZT3LLUNF0FAR/20260213_194341.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772312836472-2LK4JAXZTSSJNOM86QDT/IMG_20260228_160322.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772312837580-BRQ0NNZN2PIBPHQIVXTI/IMG_20260228_160358.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772312837595-Q1E0YCGOCVUSIVWEE8SF/IMG_20260228_160352.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772312836470-ZDV5GDME2887R0OIE3FO/IMG_20260228_160333.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5179d3e9-6aba-4992-9ada-cdb9ca450bb2/LBI+Science+and+Arts.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - The second presentation for the month on February 21 was with the Long Beach Island Science and Arts Foundation. Where art, community, and environment come together to inspire creativity, learning, and connection while celebrating the cultural and natural heritage of Long Beach Island. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/82360307-ca13-4034-8f85-e5e3eb9dd0a9/ChatGPT+Image+Feb+21%2C+2026%2C+02_50_02+PM.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - In a Zoom session, Jim Webster presented the newly revised The Moon: Our Nearest Neighbor. Originally, the presentation, which was an hour and a half, is now under an hour. This was our third presentation for LBIF. The LBIF host received feedback that the presentation was well-received by the 20 participants. Citizen Science, Globe-At-Night, and DarkSky were also discussed with the upcoming 2.5 Million Acts of Science for April and the International Dark Sky Week on April 13 to April 20. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5b384ee6-131f-4723-ab2a-19484feaf6b4/Gemini_Generated_Image_jepalajepalajepa.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - The Messier Marathon - By Vinny Illuzzi (This article was created with material and input from Gemini, ChatGPT, and Copilot AI.) Every spring, amateur astronomers across the Northern Hemisphere take on one of the most popular challenges in observational astronomy: the Messier Marathon. It’s an all-night sprint through the night sky, a test of skill, endurance, and celestial navigation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d23c7ddb-5c64-4a38-90d9-245c9af5778b/Charles_Messier.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Who was Charles Messier? Charles Messier (1730–1817) was a French astronomer best known for creating the Messier Catalog, a list of 110 nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies that amateur astronomers still use today. Messier wasn’t originally trying to map deep-sky objects; he was obsessed with discovering comets. He kept running into fuzzy objects that looked like comets but didn’t move. To avoid wasting time, he began cataloging these “nuisances” so he could ignore them during comet hunts. Over time, this list became one of the most important deep sky catalogs in astronomy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5f77e385-a265-4052-b2b6-f7f9a274d89f/Vinny+Messier+image+1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/124507e3-6277-4d78-877b-31e103c5f29b/Sam+Telescope.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - AstroMag February 2026 A free online publication for Amateur Astrophotographers. www.amateurastrophotography.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772317013681-7XO8NN4HP4DMDQSYIEG4/gif-collision-forming-mountains.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772317021769-O9XA7LNDH3KOFXKL5XH6/7else7.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3885997a-6f87-4926-82e4-378b0024e303/Montes_Apenninus_%28LRO%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Montes Apenninus Montes Apenninus is the most spectacular and prominent mountain range on the Moon's near side, forming the rugged southeastern border of the Mare Imbrium basin. NASA has historically prioritized this region for exploration, most notably during the Apollo 15 mission in 1971. Created roughly 3.8 to 3.9 billion years ago during the massive impact that excavated the Imbrium basin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3e8a853e-3332-43fa-93d6-9b0c63178f71/640424997_940971888281862_6315876214598451715_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5fe68875-72ef-4584-875b-db5d4cd291dd/615712197_910688571310194_7286356555181012098_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d383adfc-7b6d-4f44-9027-22027af7783d/activity-sheet-with-oreos.en.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - NASA Science For our young ASTRA members, NASA has online webpages for kids, an educational resource for fun learning, and arts & crafts. Make Oreo Cookie Phases of the Moon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Latest News: DarkSky New Jersey Ordinance is being updated and will be circulated again for review with the New Jersey legislature in 2026. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772320582187-OYIYEAO8GVFIJMDJ4V4U/633456341_901946755577262_819704987535086931_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1772320606347-04E0353WCGT8POR66Q78/622840759_10163778463048810_687010848789105502_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/76e4ba77-9251-4b14-898f-45225a5da64e/Feb2026_NSN.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Gemini Gemini, the Twins. This constellation can be seen in the winter sky, along with neighboring constellations Orion and Taurus. Best seen in January to March. Tracing from Mintaka in Orion's Belt to Betelgeuse, a massive red supergiant marking the left shoulder. Go beyond Betelgeuse will take you through Gimini until you reach the twins Castor and Pollux. Image from Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1870ddac-b8d3-488c-b805-c7f97c38bfb1/infographicsuploadsinfographicsfull10884.width-1320.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Make it stand out Image Source: NASA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c7bbbcca-1a9f-4b04-b38a-fe73f4b14390/Winter-Hexagon-632x474-1.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Pollux and the Winter Hexagon Pollux is part of the Winter Hexagon. The Winter Hexagon (or Winter Circle) is a prominent, large asterism visible in the evening sky from January to March in the Northern Hemisphere. Formed by connecting six bright stars—Rigel, Aldebaran, Capella, Pollux, Procyon, and Sirius—this pattern spans a large area of the southern sky, providing a useful guide for identifying major winter constellations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Let’s Explore Space The Latest News on Astronomy and Sky Watching — By StarWalk Astronomy App - Sky Tonight https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2026 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-february2026-nz3nmf monthly 0.5 2026-02-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/112334a7-5929-4c95-8e7c-d3cc8c58a1c2/ASTRA+Meeting+January+9%5EJ+2026.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Make it stand out Note: Anyone who has something to present for 2026 will be after the posted presenter, time permitting. We will start looking at filling 2027 spots during the summer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - ASTRA Meeting - February 13 at 7 PM For our February meeting at the planetarium, we will meet in the meeting room at 7 PM. We will have a guest speaker from the Vatican Observatory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767379902535-X52CED8NSYKVRSNFDOUK/unsplash-image-LEIO0vhF6cU.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - No star parties were scheduled for January. Nathan Anderson - Stock image on SquareSpace https://unsplash.com/@nathananderson https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fbf8af88-e6e1-49b0-b785-b96b4352c606/Epic+Journey.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Embark on a breathtaking voyage beyond our solar system in this 2025 space documentary that explores the stars nearest to Earth. From the blazing brilliance of Alpha Centauri to the mysterious glow of Proxima Centauri, we dive deep into the science, wonder, and possibilities of interstellar travel. For those members who missed it, go to YouTube. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/19ecd5c1-5fd0-4e5b-a630-4b54768ae954/Star+Party+Guide.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Shared at the meeting was a reminder of the Star Party Guideline. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5d457bf0-620c-439d-876b-b7a4ae299cfa/ChatGPT.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1769884523133-VF4KS70EGERZX97Z14ZK/ChatGPT+Image+Jan+31%2C+2026%2C+01_29_46+PM.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - ChatGPT is an advanced AI chatbot developed by OpenAI that can understand and generate human-like text, code, and images based on user prompts. It utilizes a "Generative Pre-trained Transformer" (GPT) model to simulate conversation, assist with research, summarize information, and create content. It is a versatile tool used for tasks ranging from drafting emails to answering complex questions. ChatGPT is not perfect, so a close review of the created content is required. I have found that telescopes and constellations AI-generated samples need further work. With time, I can see that ChatGPT can be a useful outreach resource for events and education. If anyone has some ideas on what to try, let me know. Some of us already know, I am a bit addicted to ChatGPT and have many more images. Some are related to DarkSky New Jersey and Scistarter outreach. Scistarter is collecting what I have created for the ambassadors program. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/124507e3-6277-4d78-877b-31e103c5f29b/Sam+Telescope.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - AstroMag January 2026 A free online publication for Amateur Astrophotographers. www.amateurastrophotography.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0f0fa588-ec1c-42c7-83b9-84c8f94bf5c0/images.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Key details regarding the 2025 PN7 quasi-moon include: Discovery & Nature: The asteroid was detected by the Pan-STARRS observatory on August 29, 2025. While often called a "second moon," it is technically a quasi-satellite, meaning it is not gravitationally bound to Earth, but shares a similar orbital path around the Sun. Duration: The asteroid has been in an orbital relationship with Earth for about 60 years and is expected to remain for another 60 years. Origin: It is believed to originate from the Arjuna asteroid belt, a group of near-Earth objects. Size: It is roughly 62 feet ( 1919 19 meters) in diameter. Visibility: Due to its high magnitude of 26, it is not visible to the naked eye or through standard backyard telescopes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/408854d1-ded5-42d2-8e16-ff4dcc8cc093/572953479_122191122368544439_3882492015189198057_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - The Arjuna Astroid Belt or asteroid group. The Arjuna asteroids are not located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Instead, the Arjunas are a group of near-Earth asteroids that populate a "secondary asteroid belt" in the region where the Earth-Moon system orbits the Sun. They have orbits very similar to Earth's, with low eccentricity and inclination. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f8b01753-add1-4af7-8e3e-04fadf1f3d54/613011998_906359341743117_2183902081865683928_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c0e8ba82-d0f0-49ba-a857-f8c86dbec8bd/612587353_906359338409784_118219717610031337_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1769904472792-ETM3B4W1L8O7CNGZZKUH/unsplash-image-nZF0xFE0Z8o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - NASA Science For our young ASTRA members, NASA has online webpages for kids, an educational resource for fun learning, and arts & crafts. What is an asteroid? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Latest News: DarkSky New Jersey Ordinance is being updated and will be circulated again for review with the New Jersey legislature in 2026. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1769904793413-R8D7F7HB8YGFT4PCRDYU/615065087_10163706576638810_1796062530333961953_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1769905253389-RYUS4R4V7GVPGXDIDL4S/68d92192a2726.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ed5b2174-0513-4aa6-b6cc-21ac53cc1a5f/download.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - The Winter Triangle The Winter Triangle is a prominent seasonal asterism (a pattern of stars, not a formal constellation) visible in the Northern Hemisphere's night sky from roughly December through March. It is a near-equilateral triangle formed by three of the brightest stars: Sirius (in Canis Major), Procyon (in Canis Minor), and Betelgeuse (in Orion). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c7bbbcca-1a9f-4b04-b38a-fe73f4b14390/Winter-Hexagon-632x474-1.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - The Winter Hexagon The Winter Hexagon (or Winter Circle) is a prominent, large asterism visible in the evening sky from January to March in the Northern Hemisphere. Formed by connecting six bright stars—Rigel, Aldebaran, Capella, Pollux, Procyon, and Sirius—this pattern spans a large area of the southern sky, providing a useful guide for identifying major winter constellations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/df8dfa44-ae06-4c07-a5e3-b6fd32691efa/WinterCircleCover_mid.original.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - This asterism is a "time machine" in the sky; for instance, the light from Sirius takes roughly 8 years to reach Earth, while the light from the more distant Rigel takes about 800 years. The soft glow of the Milky Way galaxy can be seen running through the center of the hexagon on clear, dark nights. Deep Sky Objects: The Winter Triangle and Winter Hexagon serve as celestial maps for some of the most spectacular deep-sky objects (DSOs) in the Northern Hemisphere's winter sky. Because the band of the Milky Way runs directly through both asterisms, they are rich with nebulae and star clusters. This image is the Winter Hexagon and Milky Way as seen on Sky Safari. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/11b9daae-7adf-4211-85f4-3ba8a8b23322/ChatGPT+Image+Feb+1%2C+2026%2C+10_57_52+AM.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - There are several comets for 2026. Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS), discovered in September 2025, is a long-period comet from the Oort cloud expected to make a close approach to the Sun and Earth in late April 2026. It could reach a magnitude of 2.5, making it a "great comet" candidate visible to the naked eye. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1769963295348-MPFI9M3CC908C34XFAB7/unsplash-image-Uo9loCOrfmg.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Closest Approach (Perihelion): The comet will pass closest to the Sun on April 20, 2026, traveling between the orbits of Mercury and Venus. Closest Approach to Earth: It will make its closest pass to Earth on April 27, 2026, at a distance of about 70 million km. Visibility: Best viewing is predicted for the predawn sky in the Northern Hemisphere in late April. However, it may be too close to the Sun's glare, making post-sunset viewing in early May a possibility. Brightness Forecast: Predictions range from magnitude 8 (needing binoculars) to a potentially bright magnitude 2.5 (visible to the naked eye). Location: As it moves, it will pass from the constellation Pisces into Cetus. NOTE: Comet brightness is notoriously unpredictable, so while C/2025 R3 has high potential, its actual display may vary. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Let’s Explore Space The Latest News on Astronomy and Sky Watching — By StarWalk Astronomy App - Sky Tonight https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2026 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-january2026-nz3nm-e24wy-camcl-884kc-tgd64 monthly 0.5 2026-01-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767377584439-7CKZJZIKX99G17Y511YP/Celebrating+2026+in+outer+space+%281%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Wishing all our members, family, and friends of ASTRA a Happy New Year. Hoping we have a better star party season this year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/127b2f0f-e160-43a8-8347-8a4bd631c20e/ASTRA+Meeting+Presentations+2026.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Make it stand out Note: We may have one more additional guest speaker. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - ASTRA Meeting - January 9 at 7 PM For our December meeting at the planetarium, we will meet in the meeting room at 7 PM. This will be our January Movie night. We will also review the Park Rules and star parties. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767379902535-X52CED8NSYKVRSNFDOUK/unsplash-image-LEIO0vhF6cU.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - No star parties were scheduled for December. Nathan Anderson - Stock image on SquareSpace https://unsplash.com/@nathananderson https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767381946280-XRGRHUCRKE0DD98RBXKP/Slide14.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767381946468-F8I42PC66TQMJYWET7TP/Slide16.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767388604829-W7I5M4BHKJAJI3DDNASB/Slide21.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767388604846-VK6ESTRO8AEEQRMQTPK5/Slide27.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767388606732-RAPKRAGY59UKRKJ794X2/Slide40.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767388605949-UC98178TGLVZU01V7L2E/Slide33.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767388605820-V1UH9GAPRPKT7S17MYXU/Slide31.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767396957694-B1DBCQIVL3NSGS2YBHEW/ChatGPT+Image+Jan+2%2C+2026%2C+06_34_54+PM.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Norman Rockwell - Jim Webster While this isn’t really an astronomy-related topic, I experimented with images using AI. Followed by an article on Astronomy and AI. To the left is a fabricated ASTRA Star Party that was AI-generated with some provided information. I’ve always had a fascination with old photos and Norman Rockwell depictions of earlier times in our history. I recently came across the app ChatGPT that can change any photo to your desired interest. ChatGPT can also create others from scratch. The New Year’s 2026, earlier in the APO, is one that was AI-generated. Below is what I was able to do with Novins Planetarium photos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767395835222-MYEE4BMI1XPAIRIDGZFN/robert-j-novins-planetarium+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767395887724-935LB4G7TEYGVSV3Z46F/Twilight+visit+to+the+planetarium.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767395815076-9NUKNLY0MXEQ408WE56V/635758396122087377-plnt0823i.webp Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767395887741-XDG1MA9GIIFKXF7MYMX8/ChatGPT+Image+Dec+31%2C+2025%2C+01_00_35+PM.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767396673419-8L63W1PNAY11SZ15X4KK/2024-11-19.webp Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767396653507-260GPBK9NSBJOOT3MLEY/ChatGPT+Image+Dec+31%2C+2025%2C+01_32_19+PM.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/18b33f38-76f3-4282-a04f-6070b6182649/xrbvwmkbGrDSa4X36gmrDD.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Does AI have a place in astronomy? Yes, AI has a massive and growing place in astronomy, revolutionizing how scientists analyze vast datasets, find new objects, classify celestial bodies, clean noisy images, and even discover unexpected phenomena, helping to handle the data deluge from modern telescopes and accelerating discoveries in everything from exoplanets to dark matter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767452929162-VXXYH5HBIN9PHGY425YV/unsplash-image-LvisS8DAWWk.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Does AI have a negative impact? AI doesn't necessarily hurt astronomy but presents challenges, primarily around maintaining authenticity, avoiding over-reliance, and potential loss of human creativity, while simultaneously offering huge benefits like faster data processing, noise reduction, and discovering new celestial objects, making it a powerful tool when used thoughtfully alongside traditional methods, not as a replacement for human curiosity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6a34dd3e-6226-4a9a-b22e-2231c2184d1b/1_uqsat52c1UmxskhcXvd_cA.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - NASA and AI NASA has integrated artificial intelligence (AI) into its missions since the 1980s. Today, AI is critical for navigating extraterrestrial terrain, analyzing massive datasets, and designing spacecraft. Hurricane responses and astrobiology have also been enhanced by AI, and more uses are being utilized. More on NASA and AI. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767456018939-M50ERW4VF1FYVYXC47DY/unsplash-image-FHgWFzDDAOs.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Acting as a powerful partner, not a replacement, for humans, the balance involves leveraging AI's speed for pattern detection while retaining human expertise for interpretation, addressing challenges like algorithmic bias, and fostering collaboration between AI tools and human creativity to ensure meaningful scientific progress and prevent over-reliance on potentially flawed systems. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/124507e3-6277-4d78-877b-31e103c5f29b/Sam+Telescope.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - AstroMag December 2025 A free online publication for Amateur Astrophotographers. www.amateurastrophotography.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/62590f9c-d6ba-4554-ab81-82ad4b2e1fa5/logo--rocket.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Artemis II: The Next Crewed Lunar Mission What: A 10-day mission sending astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen around the Moon. When: Launch window opens as early as February 6, 2026, potentially launching no later than April 2026. Goal: Test Orion spacecraft, life support, and deep-space communication, paving the way for Artemis III. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4d01161b-b77d-41ba-98dc-e6861be3d942/L8exumuVUaJatGHCPDRuQm.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - The linked video shows the assembly of the massive Moon rocket for the Artemis II mission, found on Spaceflight Now and Spaceflight Now article. NASA.Gov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ab90fc8-07c6-4879-ae7e-49bb4515285b/595414042_884081570637561_1577873151924453653_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/689b49b7-9fde-482c-ab9a-3d61e166ed8e/588407888_873871638325221_8220672071496292738_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7157d0a2-f49d-46aa-9485-759005943a0f/482013681_676184071427313_2729938508442650597_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cc61d509-8fb7-4b2c-94a9-4b8cbf401cd3/art001e000679%7Elarge.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - NASA Science With Artemis II preparing to go to the moon, just how are away it it? For our young ASTRA members, NASA has online webpages for kids. An educational resource for fun learning and arts & crafts. Just how far away is the moon? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Latest News: DarkSky New Jersey Sample Ordnance for New Jersey towns has been approved and released. DarkSky New Jersey is still reviewing the impact of street-lights on safety. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/87fc3f6a-56af-42bc-b7ad-f59e9722ac54/20251128_113457.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Light Pollution Exhibit Work on the light pollution exhibit at Jake’s Branch County Park has begun. Light fixtures were removed, and the selected area has been painted black. Looking forward to what comes next after the holidays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767456234337-4991IESB74E7HSM5GVAB/602347446_850791964432610_2985744456356803184_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1767456258105-YNSU9CKLGY0BOEWQM3VM/607732715_25991565500448219_2563230516423960333_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/51110cf7-fcc8-4937-893f-40e8332123ad/jpegPIA08656.width-1600.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Make it stand out Caption: This image from NASA’s Spitzer missions shows Orion in a different light – quite literally! Note the small outline of the Orion Nebula region in the visible light image on the left, versus the massive amount of activity shown in the infrared image of the same region on the right. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/IRAS /H. McCallon. From bit.ly/SpitzerOrion https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0c909d23-923b-4e2b-98f5-94a84fa004c8/472725549_10162275484436192_6022117661993409321_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Smart Telescopes & the Orion Nebula Smart telescopes are well-suited for observing and photographing the Orion Nebula (M42), a bright, expansive deep-sky object that is a popular target for beginners. The best smart telescopes for this purpose feature a wide field of view, automated tracking and image stacking, and often include light pollution filters. While Smart Telescopes will never replace the traditional astrophotography setup, … yet. It does provide us with some great images of the Orion Nebula. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/705b892f-d920-4e69-851c-30fe0117b08b/qk4C2j.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - SpaceX is making an orbitable path change for some of it’s StarLink Satellite. Visit spacenews.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Let’s Explore Space The Latest News on Astronomy and Sky Watching — By StarWalk Astronomy App - Sky Tonight https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2026 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-december2025-nz3nm-e24wy-camcl-884kc monthly 0.5 2026-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9f67b1c2-aa02-4990-84af-e6d6c57023f2/A+YearInReview2024+%282%29.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Wishing all our members, family, and friends of ASTRA a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e1265ac3-b5d6-4f01-8a26-96182f829aa0/20251114_211421.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Brochure changes to QR Code Card. We have made a change to the public information for ASTRA. We retired the old trifold brochures, replacing them with a QR Code business card. It represents a cost savings from printing the old trifold brochure. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f3c4a6c3-35d4-4fbc-a923-fdf213033935/20251122_142642.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - The QR Code will take them to the ASTRA webpage and provide the same information as the old brochures. We can now make updates without printing new brochures. DarkSky NJ has implemented this change. It was recently shared at the New Jersey League of Municipalities this past November in Atlantic City with the help of Save Barnegat Bay. An added benefit is that members can keep one in their wallets to share the code with anyone interested in ASTRA. Jim Webster will be reaching out to the planetarium about leaving the ASTRA QR Code Card in place of the old trifold brochures once we run out of them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - ASTRA Meeting - December 12 at 7 PM For our December meeting at the planetarium, we will meet in the meeting room at 7 PM. ASTRA member, Sharad Shroff, will be presenting this night on the Northern Lights in Yellowknife, Canada. We will also have our end-of-year video wrap-up. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/afac7573-40cc-49c2-a269-913aba141f1c/676d6d521e3861175fe508d66ef751ca.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Shockingly, for November, the weather was good to us. We were able to hold two events: one for the Girl Scouts and the other at Jake’s Branch County Park, which also included additional Girl Scout participation. Braving the cold, they had a good time exploring and learning the night sky with our telescopes and working on badge requirements. For both events, Rosemarie Spedaliere and Jim Webster, along with help from Gloria Webster, had some red lights and poster cards for them to take home. The red lights were a good way of teaching them about night vision and the impact of light pollution. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1764530375052-I4VOHIWO53OEEH7MEOY2/20251114_204540+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1764530396971-YJBD3UXGP1ZMXIXRO624/20251114_210713.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1764530414231-COPQW6HVXM1W2W2EHQV3/20251114_190543.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1764530422935-1GAZS1AWAR5Z8IFENNXT/20251114_211747.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ec304a1c-c1de-46c4-a527-06203cbb6324/pngegg.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Besides the Girl Scouts, we also had an event for the Cub Scouts on November 19. Jim and Gloria Webster, and Kevin Eak provided a general astronomy presentation for the Cub Scout Pack in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. With the scouts’ parents and siblings, this event had 80 +/- as we didn’t get an exact headcount. This was an indoor event, so there was no observing. The selected area would not have worked. We told the troop leader they should bring them to a future star party at Jake’s Branch, as this would work out better for them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5acf9d5e-9d76-472b-b751-5d006e36f840/Pleiades+-+Vic.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Make it stand out Pleiades Image – Manfred Konrad via Getty Images https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7a6ee9aa-0317-4548-8699-f185001b8d23/Pleiades-finder-Orion-1-e1635054281321.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - More on the Pleiades In Greek mythology, Orion chases the Seven Sisters because he is captivated by their beauty and pursues them relentlessly. To save them from his advances, the god Zeus transformed the sisters into stars, forming the Pleiades cluster, but then placed Orion in the sky as a constellation, ensuring his eternal pursuit. This celestial chase is reflected in the apparent movement of the constellations across the night sky. For more on the Pleiades, visit the November 11, 202,5, article at EarthSky.org. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/124507e3-6277-4d78-877b-31e103c5f29b/Sam+Telescope.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - AstroMag November 2025 A free online publication for Amateur Astrophotographers. www.amateurastrophotography.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4b215e3f-2b88-44a7-8291-3bf791b7bc45/MontesAlpesBosman1024.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Make it stand out NASA APOD Image Credit: Richard Bosman https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bd558400-949a-4abc-b461-c31536b9262a/580132706_864131049299280_2556124179613678835_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/252165d4-6916-4df5-b3b9-7df2fb0648b7/579864542_864131052632613_3423776042858348246_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/10255d25-4963-48b3-9659-1a9f2e17c00e/583941044_870127828699602_1335505508011754617_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6644213a-e9b9-4a8f-967c-8981edfabc4c/giphy.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - NASA Science - Space Place - Science & Technology For our young ASTRA members, NASA has online webpages for kids. An educational resource for fun learning and arts & crafts. How Does NASA Communicate With Spacecraft? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Latest News: DarkSky New Jersey Sample Ordnance for New Jersey towns has been approved and released. DarkSky New Jersey is still reviewing the impact of street-lights on safety. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/87fc3f6a-56af-42bc-b7ad-f59e9722ac54/20251128_113457.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Light Pollution Exhibit Work on the light pollution exhibit at Jake’s Branch County Park has begun. Light fixtures were removed, and the selected area has been painted black. Looking forward to what comes next after the holidays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cd93508b-f5cd-4def-889b-47df4012d8de/FB_IMG_1763289750134.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Did you know … The vintage Christmas color wheel is a classic mid-century holiday decoration used to light up aluminum Christmas trees. The device, which sits on the floor, features a spotlight shining through a slowly rotating, segmented plastic wheel with four colors—typically red, green, blue, and amber (or yellow). Stringing electric lights on a metal tree posed a significant fire hazard; the reflective aluminum branches would capture and sparkle with the ever-changing projected colors from the stand-alone color wheel, creating a safe, unique, iconic visual effect. Color wheels can still be found in vintage and new models today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1764626521801-QOLVQKS671E9F46BDQZS/unsplash-image-v3S_K653kag.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - NASA has confirmed over 6,000 exoplanets with thousands more awaiting confirmation. Each new discovery helps scientists understand how planets form, how common Earth-like worlds might be, and where to look for signs of life. With upcoming missions like the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and the Habitable Worlds Observatory, we are closer to answering the most haunting question of all: Are we truly alone in the universe? To learn more, visit Universe - NASA Science https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1764626771232-BKJZ0K4KR9LPXI3ML2L0/unsplash-image-DBW9zK4QUKQ.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Searching for exomoons - moons the orbit around another planet - was one of the most exciting capabilities expected of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) when it launched in late 2021. So, after four years of operation, why hasn’t it found one yet? Turns out it’s really, really hard to find a moon around a planet light-years away. A new paper available in pre-print on arXiv from David Kipping of Columbia University (and Cool Worlds YouTube Channel fame) shows why. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0072836e-5079-40e0-be2c-ba7303a51331/Daylight+savings+time+meme.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - January 2024 Reposting … by Kat Toche Some parts of the country feel as if the winter will never end. Massive snows, polar vortexes, arctic winds...it’s almost enough to make you forget that a spring thaw will eventually arrive! One thing guaranteed to warm an astronomer's heart on these cold winter nights: the beautiful, sparkling skies! For more, visit NASA Night Sky Network https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Let’s Explore Space The Latest News on Astronomy and Sky Watching — By StarWalk Astronomy App - Sky Tonight https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2025 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-november2025-nz3nm-e24wy-camcl monthly 0.5 2025-11-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - ASTRA Meeting - November 14 at 7 PM For our November meeting at the planetarium, we will meet in the meeting room at 7 PM. We will have a guest speaker, Marc Rogoff from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Presenting Meteors and Meteorites. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730560842815-Z4OSTXCESTKZ6B75WD1G/unsplash-image-oMpAz-DN-9I.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - For October, we were again at the mercy of the weather, and the Jakes Branch event had to be canceled. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1761862987307-CXU3WL7BPKD9TB4G22GE/20251010_194246.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1761862987184-72KPEGOMLCAHYFFJ3H8S/20251010_194817.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1761862988402-9EJJDT1YKUNEOKGAG44U/20251010_195025.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1761863610454-F0USJZYAK8IC6EIEVMMG/ASTRA+Meeting+Oct+10+2025_Phill1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1761863609375-TUZV59OFL5CACWWHF670/ASTRA+Meeting+Oct+10+2025_Phil2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1761863609350-0SAPAC4WPFLYCMB8JZTK/ASTRA+Meeting+Oct+10+2025_Phil3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1761862988810-ZJJLF8N4BL8VGYRKTFWC/20251010_200855.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1761862989610-40703AO8C8NQRA88WZG2/20251010_200917.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1761862990280-3HC5HK7E3UDVHX4Q1BE1/20251010_203945.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1761863610453-F6CHVPBLMR7OK1QQKPZP/ASTRA+Meeting+Oct+10+2025_Rich1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1761863611537-MQTC0IWB4ZWVOFT2KSPA/ASTRA+Meeting+Oct+10+2025_Rich2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1761863611540-2JRZSD6V2BZN0ACVG1QT/ASTRA+Meeting+Oct+10+2025_Rich3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bd87c549-aaab-43ce-a3ad-bf59dcffdf39/wolfman-wolf.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Wilson Observatory movie mention. The character Larry Talbot from the 1941 movie The Wolf Man stated he worked at the Mount Wilson Observatory. Mentioned at the beginning of the movie, Talbot was working on the family estate's attic telescope. The Wilson Observatory is in the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles, known for its historical importance and large telescopes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3edabe0f-de79-47a5-b06c-026a689c72e0/20251102_173722.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - ASTRA in the news. A local astronomy article that includes ASTRA in the Jersey Shore Magazine, pages 12 and 13. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/96a117f1-8441-4816-b929-4625d3887bd6/20251102_180803.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - ASTRA Member time-lapse ASTRA Member and Treasurer, Rosemarie Spedaliere, flower opening time-lapse has made it into a Dwarflab advertisement splash. Congrats to Rosemarie. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a5c344f3-e4fa-4e83-bbc7-1557372f3031/20251023_180844.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Congratulations to Phil Zollner Phil was recently honored at Novins Planetarium for 47 years of service. Planetarium colleagues, college staff, and members of ASTRA were on hand to celebrate this occasion with him. Congrats! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1762226737292-78JZB6TIOTKS6BQTJ84Y/20251023_180854.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1762226738720-GLYMQ0T9V2IKQGGM5SX0/20251023_181429.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1762226929071-0NS6XPXJFBOLLSK1L38R/20251023_181038.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/124507e3-6277-4d78-877b-31e103c5f29b/Sam+Telescope.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - AstroMag October 2025 A free online publication for Amateur Astrophotographers. www.amateurastrophotography.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c3fc8401-a3ef-4323-93fb-f7b3c87a56e9/Montes_Apenninus_%28LRO%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Montes Apenninus is a prominent lunar mountain range that forms the southeastern border of the Mare Imbrium. The range is approximately 600 kilometers long and formed about 3.9 billion years ago when the crust was uplifted during the creation of the Imbrium basin by a massive impact. The range contains some of the Moon's tallest peaks, including Mons Huygens, and is a popular feature for astrophotographers. This image is a mosaic of photos by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, made with the Wide Angle Camera. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/db20655e-263c-444d-abbd-80df89af17a6/558540624_840544038324648_6556212938734732537_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b9de17cc-342b-4c3c-998f-0da19bfbf2da/554537593_826890033023382_5923281900965680656_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b4ccd6d5-f701-405f-9ba8-95f29869e59f/559017059_840544078324644_5648241366833073225_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1761865847226-CWH3VVG5YMAQX8QZ2HMY/unsplash-image-2uJ0i4WV6Tc.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - NASA Science - Space Place - Science & Technology For our young ASTRA members, NASA has online webpages for kids. An educational resource for fun learning and arts & crafts. Meteor, Meteorites, and more. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Dark Sky New Jersey is now in discussion with Middlesex Borough and the environmental commission for another DarkSky exhibit board. This will make three locations: Great Swamp, which is active, and two locations in the works: Middlesex and Jake’s Branch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/05838058-b65c-41dc-a31d-5d3d1314d85b/563422910_10239979303565324_2778798262322555337_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - As we get closer to the winter constellations, so do the images of the Orion, Horsehead, and Flame Nebula, and the Pleiades. Note: The use of Laser Pointers should only be used by someone who fully understands the impact of using it incorrectly and the problems it may cause. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8d8da209-25e5-4df7-adc9-4a6b8e932e6c/ChangingSeasons_NH_01.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Make it stand out Image from NOAA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0072836e-5079-40e0-be2c-ba7303a51331/Daylight+savings+time+meme.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - The Astronomical Seasons People have used observable periodic natural phenomena to mark time for thousands of years. The natural rotation of Earth around the sun forms the basis for the astronomical calendar, in which we define seasons with two solstices and two equinoxes. Earth’s tilt and the sun’s alignment over the equator determine both the solstices and equinoxes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1762128383443-PHI5LHCN5NWHKCMF9GO2/unsplash-image-3ZZVQjpdCQQ.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Winter is often considered the best astronomical season due to colder air, which is drier and can lead to clearer skies. Additionally, winter nights are longer, providing more viewing time, and the lack of summer haze and pollutants can improve visibility. However, spring is often called "Galaxy Season" because Earth's position in its orbit offers the best views of distant galaxies and galactic clusters. Why winter is ideal Longer nights: Winter's longer nights mean more time for stargazing before it gets too late, which is especially helpful for those who don't want to stay up all night. Clearer air: Colder air holds less moisture, which can scatter light and cause haze, resulting in sharper views of celestial objects. Less humidity: Dry winter air can improve seeing conditions compared to humid summer air, which can have a more turbulent effect on light from distant objects. No biting bugs https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3f62ec3c-ea7a-46e1-85ec-c7f09247255c/574247756_10214871142010274_7696110820782084659_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Comet Lemmon C/2025 A6 It is a non-periodic comet, discovered by the Mount Lemmon Survey in images obtained on 3 January 2025. It made its closest approach to Earth on 21 October 2025. As of October 31, it’s still an easy target in New Jersey to observe with a telescope, including smart telescopes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/be439220-76b3-4f49-a8ca-e9880a932a51/Animation_of_C%EF%BC%8F2025_A6_around_Sun_-_close_approach.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Between 15 September and 12 October 2025, observations from the Teide Observatory reveal two large spiral jets emanating from the comet, which were likely producing its dust tail as it continues to approach perihelion The comet has an inbound orbital period of about 1,350 years, indicating a previous perihelion in the second half of the 7th century. On 8 November 2025 occurs the perihelion of the comet when it will be 0.53 AU (79 million km; 49 million mi) from the Sun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Let’s Explore Space The Latest News on Astronomy and Sky Watching — By StarWalk Astronomy App - Sky Tonight https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2025 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-october2025-nz3nm-e24wy monthly 0.5 2025-10-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - ASTRA Meeting - October 10 at 7 PM For our October meeting at the planetarium, we will meet in the meeting room at 7 PM. We will have Rich Brady presenting to the membership for our main event. We will also have a short review from Phil Zollner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730560842815-Z4OSTXCESTKZ6B75WD1G/unsplash-image-oMpAz-DN-9I.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - This past September was a mixed bag for us. Jake’s Branch was canceled due to bad weather on September 27. Earlier in the month, on September 13, the Seaside Park Environmental event at Island Beach State Park had some scheduling issues, and gates were locked until it was almost time to start. Once inside, we were able to provide some viewings until the weather changed. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to take any photos for this event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1759348455130-M2WBESBAA6RGJAO93KYK/IMG_4463.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1759348455615-AD49CPO7BTNIG920UMBX/20250912_210133.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1759348457262-A8Z1XHNXI36IBCVOLSPM/20250912_195320.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1759348457444-FZ4A8TQPAGY716P0ASVW/20250912_200247.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1759348458620-OYJE7TCIEOWG1WA5PN6H/20250912_195720.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e243e1a4-6b3f-4c6a-8b3f-e7cf42dc9097/American+Eclispse.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - American Eclipse by David Baron Summarized by Vic Palmieri Earlier this past Summer, I received a call from Barnes & Noble informing me that a book I had ordered was in and that I could pick it up anytime during store hours. Later that day, I found myself at the bookstore with my new purchase in hand. As is my wont, I usually spend a few minutes checking out the tables and racks for something I could consider reading at some future date. It was during my wandering that I came across American Eclipse by David Baron. The cover’s graphics caught my attention as they had the look we associate with the 19th Century. This genre of illustration was used throughout the book. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/124507e3-6277-4d78-877b-31e103c5f29b/Sam+Telescope.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - AstroMag September 2025 A free online publication for Amateur Astrophotographers. This month has the Dwarf 3 review, part 2. www.amateurastrophotography.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2231a031-9e6e-469b-8753-99876565c7e7/PIA14005.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Rupes Recta, or the "Straight Wall," is a famous 110 km long lunar fault on the Moon that appears as a prominent straight line due to an oblique angle of sunlight, though it is not actually a vertical cliff. It is a site of geological interest, known for its distinctive shadow and appearance as a straight escarpment, with NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) providing high-resolution images of the feature. To locate Rupes Recta, find the large, dark lunar mare known as Mare Nubium in the southeastern part of the Moon's near side, at approximately 22.1°S, 7.8°W. It appears as either a dark, straight line or a bright streak, depending on the phase of the Moon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ad750b9a-d61d-43b8-8bf8-fec85d959b89/548320971_818098017235917_6618441783734079953_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1325d866-de07-48e4-a6bb-a3c3778477ab/548888564_818098013902584_7795975439618251566_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/476a9fa0-b5ce-4c07-9201-4e7fcd46af02/548130196_818819810497071_7598198602410488466_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8ed14da4-e305-4821-9f4d-5d9b35688248/Matt_M_Comet.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - NASA Science - Space Place - Science & Technology For our young ASTRA members, NASA has online webpages for kids. An educational resource for fun learning and arts & crafts. What is a comet? Image by: Matt Michota. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Dark Sky New Jersey is now in discussion with Middlesex Borough and the environmental commission for another DarkSky exhibit board. This will make three locations: Great Swamp, which is active, and two locations in the works: Middlesex and Jake’s Branch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cfd88ee0-37bc-4377-aa0f-81b75a020746/548898734_25743266471940158_9117580706871168191_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Gary Larson, an American cartoonist, created The Far Side, a single-panel cartoon series that was syndicated internationally to more than 1,900 newspapers for fifteen years. The series ended on January 1, 1995. Since 2020, Larson has published additional comics online. Wikipedia Note: The use of Laser Pointers should only be used by someone who fully understands the impact of using it incorrectly and the problems it may cause. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bf7bd706-1556-41dc-a1e7-54ab65fb89e3/gallery-1481300544-nasagif10.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Make it stand out The collision of two black holes 1.3 billion years ago (as shown in this animation) produced gravitational waves that were detected for the first time by researchers at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) on September 14, 2015. Credit: Caltech https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c23e1515-97c7-4573-8ddc-e72836a4910a/Gravitational+Wave_NASA+SVS.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Make it stand out Two black holes orbit around each other and generate space-time ripples called gravitational waves in this image. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ff6eca8c-7839-4532-86b0-76a6cdbc80a9/LIGO+Example.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Make it stand out Still images of how LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) detects gravitational waves using a laser, mirrors, and a detector. Image Credit: NASA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1639098009155-2BM95V1FBF8AWD4ZG4RX/Matt_M_Comet.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Comet 3I/ATLAS & More Comet 3I/ATLAS is the third known object from outside our solar system to be discovered passing through our celestial neighborhood. Astronomers have categorized this object as interstellar because of the hyperbolic shape of its orbital path. (It does not follow a closed orbital path about the Sun.) When the orbit of 3I/ATLAS is traced into the past, the comet clearly originates from outside our solar system. For more, visit: science.nasa.gov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Let’s Explore Space The Latest News on Astronomy and Sky Watching — By StarWalk Astronomy App - Sky Tonight https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2025 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-september2025-nz3nm-e24wy-bzws9-gpzz5-yxjg4-9j73c monthly 0.5 2025-10-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - ASTRA Meeting - Sept 12 at 7 PM For our September meeting, returning to the planetarium after the summer, we will meet in the meeting room at 7 PM. We will have Sam Granovsky presenting to the membership. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730560842815-Z4OSTXCESTKZ6B75WD1G/unsplash-image-oMpAz-DN-9I.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - I am happy to report that we finally had our first star party this past August 16 at Jake’s Branch. We had a good turnout from the membership, which is greatly appreciated. The public turnout was well-received, as we were a bit rusty from all the bad weather that kept us away for the prior months, starting from the beginning of the year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1756751034620-WCV2FYX7I9QZVBDODZRV/20250816_201202.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1756751034580-X0WH7M4EPO4N2L2C3MDP/20250816_201211.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1756751036141-JXDE6982BPSLL0INTFJ0/20250816_201220.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1756751036244-10H2FLIFOX1DD396T4L9/20250816_201224.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1756751037764-XE4YWTX9AOYM9TPYYKDI/20250816_201238.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1756751037953-9AFLX60OGLRH8V9BGL8R/20250816_201252.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1756751039461-LV1HJF6F8EW39UTCUDB4/20250816_201307.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1756751039923-KPDJK1TVUB8APE80R6XI/20250816_201315.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1756751041003-NXF9QQG6Z7WQTRA15LR6/20250816_201325.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c82c7bfa-01af-43a1-a5f1-f068692af3ab/472134952_10170631312080184_3671938132375878770_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/124507e3-6277-4d78-877b-31e103c5f29b/Sam+Telescope.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - AstroMag August 2025 A free online publication for Amateur Astrophotographers. www.amateurastrophotography.com Note: For our members with Dwarf 3, there is an article on testing the Dwarf 3, part 1. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cf27ace8-b50f-41f4-b49c-94440f0fd763/FunnelPhotos_896.original.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - Make it stand out Sun Funnels in action! Starting clockwise from the bottom left, a standalone Sun Funnel; attached to a small refractor to observe the transit of Mercury in 2019; attached to a large telescope in preparation for evening lunar observing; projection of the Moon on a funnel from a medium-size scope (5 inches). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3bbe2912-23cd-4309-ae27-5adaac178716/Screen_Shot_2021-02-04_at_8.43.20_AM.original.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - Make it stand out Moon Stories: A Human Tradition - There are as many stories about the patterns on the face of the Moon as there are cultures that have observed them. Have you ever seen the Man in the Moon? Discover a variety of characters seen by cultures around the world, and create your own. This article was posted on the Night Sky Network on March 28, 2019. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/36c5a9e2-9040-4481-9fd3-8d0cd319b189/532257701_792631906449195_7648437950921667603_n+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/49fd8bf0-f496-421b-a0b5-7600b50fb1fc/531600506_792631913115861_2832599135362346153_n+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d94f1b4d-9f36-4ee2-a715-9322d21db350/giphy.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - NASA Science - Space Place - Science & Technology For our young ASTRA members, NASA has online webpages for kids. An educational resource for fun learning and arts & crafts. Science and Technology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - Dark Sky New Jersey is now in discussion with Middlesex Borough and the environmental commission for another DarkSky exhibit board. This will make three locations: Great Swamp, which is active, and two locations in the works: Middlesex and Jake’s Branch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/50dc5232-4109-4f93-9dd0-4193432f0a8f/530538372_790860819959637_9006841793455923162_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - Make it stand out Note: The use of Laser Pointers should only be used by someone who fully understands the impact of using it incorrectly and the problems it may cause. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d6f0eb7d-7810-42b1-bca8-c72bff3cc079/The_Moon_and_the_Sun_-_Two_Views.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - The most common targets for Sidewalk astronomy, but not limited to, are the sun and the moon. The moon tends to have a bigger public impact. There is a dedicated group for sidewalk astronomy that can be found online. Additional information: Wikipedia Award-winning: To Scale: A New View of the Moon Shop Local: Sidewalk Astronomy on YouTube BronxNet: Jupiter Joe Image: NASA/SDO/LRO/GSFC https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751412846645-FGZARDH8HOAAQDJ4UA1I/unsplash-image-C74Egy7es14.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - Learn The Sky - Aquila How to Find Aquila The Eagle Constellation I recommend visiting Learn The Sky. A great astronomy learning website with a catalog of YouTube videos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - By StarWalk Astronomy App - Sky Tonight Please let me know if this is preferred instead of posting on individual constellations and deep sky objects. This will cover what was being posted in the past. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2025 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-august2025-nz3nm-e24wy-bzws9-gpzz5-yxjg4 monthly 0.5 2025-09-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - ASTRA Meeting at IBSP August 8 from 8 PM to 11 PM. This will be an observing meeting at Area A15 at Island Beach State Park. Come enjoy a members-only observing event. You can come with or without a telescope. You must be a registered member, as the park attendants will have your name on the ASTRA member list. All park rules will apply, and you are welcome to stay as late as you want. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730560842815-Z4OSTXCESTKZ6B75WD1G/unsplash-image-oMpAz-DN-9I.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Adding July to the “was not good for Star Parties”. The weather has just been awful. Hopefully, this pattern breaks soon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c82c7bfa-01af-43a1-a5f1-f068692af3ab/472134952_10170631312080184_3671938132375878770_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/124507e3-6277-4d78-877b-31e103c5f29b/Sam+Telescope.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - AstroMag July 2025 A free online publication for Amateur Astrophotographers. www.amateurastrophotography.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/043b0791-243a-4832-bd65-a0179a9e3c54/imagesasteroid201501262004BL86-640.width-640.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Highlight of a past flyby of Earth and Moon. The GIF here is related to a January 2015 event that was recorded of Asteroid 2004 BL6. What makes this one so special is that it has its own Moon. For the full NASA article, visit jpl.nasa.gov. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/74b4deba-4d3b-47e2-9774-347b6c4fd5a2/518461860_766532199059166_4459263903634919925_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6c87897a-c09b-49bf-ac2c-f347b5abab0a/518017263_766532229059163_7364268688631306602_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a57a6bac-153e-4ecf-b326-969d1e0228e8/Meteor_falling_courtesy_NASA.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - NASA Science - Space Place - Asteroid or Meteor? For our young ASTRA members, NASA has online webpages for kids. An educational resource for fun learning and arts & crafts. Asteroid or Meteor? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Dark Sky New Jersey is now in discussion with Middlesex Borough and the environmental commission for another DarkSky exhibit board. This will make three locations: Great Swamp, which is active, and two locations in the works: Middlesex and Jake’s Branch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/445b1801-5e8d-4fc7-9c31-911ce5b2d041/516756038_23916767231278063_498406801680121408_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4946ea83-8b55-4cbc-b770-587dc27eb496/Vera+Rubin+Observatory.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Make it stand out The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, located at Cerro Pachón, Chile, under the Milky Way. The bright halo of gas and stars on the left side of the image highlights the very center of the Milky Way galaxy. The dark path that cuts through this center is known as the Great Rift, because it gives the appearance that the Milky Way has been split in half. Image Credit: RubinObs/NOIRLab/SLAC/NSF/DOE/AURA/B. Quint https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/92948334-4cee-458a-951d-e213be268099/Milky+Way_North+America.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Make it stand out In the activity, "Our Place In Our Galaxy", if the Milky Way were shrunk down to the size of North America, our solar system would be about the size of a quarter. At that scale, Polaris - which is about 433 light years distant from us - would be 11 miles away. Image Credit: Astronomical Society of the Pacific https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751412846645-FGZARDH8HOAAQDJ4UA1I/unsplash-image-C74Egy7es14.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Learn The Sky - Lyra How to Find Lyra The Harp Constellation Vega: The Brightest Star in Lyra Learn The Sky I recommend visiting. A great astronomy learning website with a catalog of YouTube videos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - By StarWalk Astronomy App - Sky Tonight Please let me know if this is preferred instead of posting on individual constellations and deep sky objects. This will cover what was being posted in the past. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2025 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-july2025-nz3nm-e24wy-bzws9-gpzz5 monthly 0.5 2025-07-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - ASTRA Meeting at IBSP July 11 from 8 PM to 11 PM. This will be an observing meeting at Area A15 at Island Beach State Park. Come enjoy a members-only observing event. You can come with or without a telescope. You must be a registered member, as the park attendants will have your name on the ASTRA member list. All park rules will apply, and you are welcome to stay as late as you want. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730560842815-Z4OSTXCESTKZ6B75WD1G/unsplash-image-oMpAz-DN-9I.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Adding June to the “was not good for Star Parties”. The weather has just been awful. Hopefully, the second half of 2025 will be better. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751405841309-JWKDZD6WVEX128LFL6QF/20250613_192334.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751405841452-3Z6RG16CHNOOG8UUE7P8/20250613_192507.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751405810007-3WD9LZGK1G82681KGGSW/20250613_201456.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751405809689-P0MFO0DAL1JIT1HSUKNV/20250613_201748.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751405811195-TVY7UL3JFC60S4H3R7BA/20250613_202422.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751405811862-86ABULAEGW43R29LLUR1/20250613_210428.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751405813536-2IJ4BSXAUEFTFVKTZ4HY/20250613_211219.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/124507e3-6277-4d78-877b-31e103c5f29b/Sam+Telescope.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - AstroMag June 2025 A free online publication for Amateur Astrophotographers. www.amateurastrophotography.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e0981d41-3252-460f-b206-e280eb58bbb2/Titan+transits+-+2025.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Make it stand out This image is light boxed for an expanded view when you click on it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4a9efbe6-3166-4337-815b-a02c479f62f6/512603221_754198420292544_3062859924102578806_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751407653165-WGQBP6O4V02SGGY3W0A1/unsplash-image-gFbYrYPbjlE.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Light Pollution ASTRA Member Bobby Dee shared a CNN video article on light pollution to share with the members. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751413241092-3JE7KXGLKW9BQMT8RP4V/unsplash-image-LaH88AkvsWc.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Popular ASTRONOMY Back in May and lost in my email until now, ASTRA Member Vic Palmieri shared this link to a 1906 archived publication: Popular Astronomy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/306ed54f-e729-4e22-b56b-aa3288b87d68/491998922_705867425125644_2799886381643219807_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5621cc61-6219-4f33-aa73-77ff4e9bb8e6/506612142_748114337567619_1404343270310855488_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7daec2e7-fe30-4996-8ac8-31e80ef99e08/506641748_748114344234285_6472913793808829958_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/44932c82-e84b-49bf-a235-288e75aa39d4/504962415_741502158228837_2575856581133201499_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751411291200-NYHHB9J6EQQ3A8HUM9BL/unsplash-image-2W-QWAC0mzI.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - NASA Science - Space Place - Saturn For our young ASTRA members, NASA has online webpages for kids. Great education resource for fun learning and arts & crafts. Saturn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Dark Sky New Jersey is now in discussion with Middlesex Borough and the environmental commission for another DarkSky exhibit board. This will make three locations: Great Swamp, which is active, and two locations in the works: Middlesex and Jake’s Branch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/870c3d8d-e95c-44ca-96cc-5aba6a6e534b/503878364_122176075664341068_138325551538983974_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6677ccf1-cf01-4eee-82fb-fb1e8fc5f94c/Scorpius+Constellation.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Make it stand out The star map of the Scorpius constellation highlights the star Antares and several notable deep-sky objects like the Rho Ophiuchi Complex, Messier 4, the Cat’s Paw Nebula, and Caldwell 76, the Baby Scorpion Cluster. Credit: Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751411963256-MQYRET5F2VZUPB5WAK4E/JWST_Rho+Ophiuchi.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Rhio Ophiuchi_JWST Rhio Ophiuchi_JWST https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751411962002-A1X48DDIH2OSKT133NF3/Rho+Ophiuchi_Stellarium.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1751412846645-FGZARDH8HOAAQDJ4UA1I/unsplash-image-C74Egy7es14.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Learn The Sky - Scorpius How to Find Scorpius the Scorpion - Constellation of the Zodiac Antares: Bright Binary Pair in Scorpius the Scorpion https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - By StarWalk Astronomy App - Sky Tonight Please let me know if this is preferred instead of posting on individual constellations and deep sky objects. This will cover what was being posted in the past. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2025 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-june2025-nz3nm-e24wy-bzws9 monthly 0.5 2025-07-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - ASTRA Meeting - June 13 at 7 PM We will have a double-header of ASTRA member presentations at our May meeting, at 7:00 PM in the planetarium meeting room. Robert Scerbo will share with us the “Evolution of Stars.” John Endreson will provide a review on "Setting up Computerized Go-to Telescopes." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730560842815-Z4OSTXCESTKZ6B75WD1G/unsplash-image-oMpAz-DN-9I.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - May was not good for Star Parties. We tried on May 17 at Patriots Park. The clouds teased of a possible clearing, then rolled in with some sprinkles of rain. May 30 at Jake's Branch was also canceled due to the unstable weather. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748802863287-PUGYDXYX7LCLB8DXHEPT/LOGO_FINAL_J_600_7npWgt2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748802839443-427ZB43H736ZJM51EWBI/20250509_193157.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748802838404-E7YSSNASR209LOV8GFA1/20250509_193201.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748802840096-PT022C5CECTMBOLKLCY5/20250509_193051.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748803459060-BT78A25KC6I17IKZ8RW9/20250503_120612.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748810353344-RQ1GXPZQFQCT1QNIMVLF/20250503_132135.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748803460999-A37VLKN3W5V6YNY23NOH/20250503_142904.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748803461085-NWW4UCPJ0P50H6HCL481/20250503_124041.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748803463135-H6Q4HA6YXVCGLT7KZQ9E/20250503_121201.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/87d446dc-24dc-4623-be6f-85410092b420/Beginner+Astronomy+The+Moon+BRICK+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Brick Library - May 15 The Moon, Our Nearest Neighbor We had a Moon presentation at the Brick Township Library. A total of ten guests, the event was well received. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748804215608-I0ZNRJKNCK0F0QHZIAPF/20250517_112558.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748813062926-26FBZZOOP89ZUP99E9OJ/20250517_120718.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748804215499-F1JPS80OJLADP3CQVDIS/20250517_130938.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748804217403-7H2RLLN3GPDDHOPZPQA0/20250517_131259.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748804219200-I7Q3WEVK2WYGP6LAK6TJ/20250517_113603.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1748813094816-EIINIGIYER15WMPTAF0F/20250517_123706.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/eaa52a42-98bf-4392-88b6-7795f656a0f4/0097eadc-8010-4d2c-81dc-88aba5af0aef.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Manchester Township Green Fair - May 28 This was mostly a DarkSky event, but we did make it known that we are from ASTRA-NJ. This was a small event, but it went well. On the plus side, we did hear they are working on township light pollution ordinances. Photo Credits go to Alec Boss of Save Barnegat Bay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/124507e3-6277-4d78-877b-31e103c5f29b/Sam+Telescope.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - AstroMag May 2025 A free online publication for Amateur Astrophotographers. www.amateurastrophotography.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/306ed54f-e729-4e22-b56b-aa3288b87d68/491998922_705867425125644_2799886381643219807_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6afc8063-5e10-4a07-bf8e-64faebbcaafe/499270034_726981083014278_897469935201131465_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4a17288b-7532-4370-a1de-4a03ab1f8d06/498603874_726980993014287_1004288674139978208_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3ba38296-fdce-4227-97d0-144a08d39ee8/Aurora.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - NASA Science - Space Place - Aurora Borealis For our young ASTRA members, NASA has online webpages for kids. Great education resource for fun learning and arts & crafts. What is an Aurora? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Dark Sky New Jersey is now in discussion with Middlesex Borough and the environmental commission for another DarkSky exhibit board. This will make three locations: Great Swamp, which is active, and two locations in the works: Middlesex and Jake’s Branch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/407fb14a-6a44-48f5-b8bf-185dfe831377/495241564_1169658274959276_1776290046671159479_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/63e9d1f0-6b7c-4208-9407-d7ea2b6eca93/Uranus+Seasons.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Make it stand out Uranus rolls on its side with an 84-year orbit and a tilt just 8° off its orbital plane. Its odd tilt may be from a lost moon or giant impacts. Each pole gets 42 years of sunlight or darkness. Voyager 2 saw the south pole lit; now Hubble sees the north pole facing the Sun. Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, Amy Simon (NASA-GSFC), Michael Wong (UC Berkeley); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4f9d972a-3d3f-464f-8866-802da6b35a3d/Mars+Seasons.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Make it stand out An artist's rendition of Mars’ orbit around the Sun, and its seasons. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/29b553f7-c92c-402b-a6c3-66f18911b824/Neptune+Spring.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Make it stand out NASA Hubble Space Telescope observations in August 2002 show that Neptune's brightness has increased significantly since 1996. The rise is due to an increase in the amount of clouds observed in the planet's southern hemisphere. Credit: NASA, L. Sromovsky, and P. Fry (University of Wisconsin-Madison) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4d2d3d3b-6145-4584-9af3-0ec7ff246b35/giphy.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - The Oldest Galaxy Ever Seen, so far … Video review of the latest discovery and distance breaker, from the James Webb Space Telescope. NASA Space News https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - By StarWalk Astronomy App - Sky Tonight Please let me know if this is preferred instead of posting on individual constellations and deep sky objects. This will cover what was being posted in the past. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2025 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-may2025-nz3nm-e24wy monthly 0.5 2025-06-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - ASTRA Meeting - May 9 at 7 PM We will have a guest speaker at our May meeting, which will be held at 7 PM in the planetarium meeting room. Christina Andrade from the University of Minnesota, Research Professional | MN Institute for Astrophysics. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730560842815-Z4OSTXCESTKZ6B75WD1G/unsplash-image-oMpAz-DN-9I.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - The April 5 star party at Jake's Branch was canceled due to the weather. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954296597-A3QZFQ8YL7C5NGTAFYTQ/PXL_20250412_000830522.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954297246-Y2FA246BEX0B850KD1SO/PXL_20250412_000857992.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954298910-UQB7SJ5I2DIP58S8461Y/PXL_20250412_000901221.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954299546-QKY087R5N8SI8CM1W4W4/PXL_20250412_000922457.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954646742-GTOPZWOZI2DYKABZ64AH/20250405_131741.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954671127-S9VES8RGQZSO9KXFU33Z/4c84a51b-5c1b-41f9-9986-b98e65d5dc12.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954701462-J2K51KV5YW7GO6NOZ8AO/2f09353d-4deb-4402-83a9-2a6d63d440e2.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954702226-J8JYHJZ5KY51J1ABOO3L/5cb4685d-4ba3-4563-9a01-d92e5f99bf60.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954703007-NV60YRVBVLNUMRRG1GVP/3722a7f9-b2c7-459f-a626-d4b624de2858.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954747271-FO8ZGQ2DZ7GYESH7QWSL/489042899_9370403249748922_7738116718540733006_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954703026-THJ1O1SRSWMJTK5DKSL1/7180c9bd-9ffe-4780-91c7-962dfad0cb33.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954747276-F8RU0AXA0A8MK3B759OA/489051530_9370402666415647_2540990348254511467_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954748064-8SA6HSY2V7RF4MNUKQY6/489425376_9360497300739517_3590226785191363501_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954748266-ZHYX4QXQQJBX5LBB7W0P/489436176_9370403049748942_7976474175297602032_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745954748868-7OY3BB7IVXHMP73P6ATU/489592920_10212916633628608_2224182353448079889_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bf421543-1df5-4232-a0c0-87faaba59b0c/20250426_101355.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0f10a804-fba5-4051-b53b-0aaee1f3cb79/488015380_9346095718846342_7688104036253888431_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Toms River Green Fair - April 3 We had a table set up for the Toms River Green Fair at Toms River High School North. The photo was taken before the public arrived. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/12dce85f-ac83-4c9c-b826-7925a7148824/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Upcoming Planetarium Events Novins Planetarium will be hosting Astronomy Day on May 3. Run time is from 12 PM to 6 PM. I’ve agreed to participate, representing ASTRA, DarkSky New Jersey, and SciStarter. If anyone else is interested in helping, please let me know. For those with solar telescopes and who are available, it would be good if we could have some member participation in front of the Planetarium, weather permitting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f3e53ab8-3a07-49ca-b3dc-32da74cc76e4/20250426_110426.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Constellation Activity The image is for a constellation activity used at several events, including NEAF. The idea is to have several constellation blocks for someone to pick and try to find the constellation on the planisphere. The planisphere is locked down to keep it from spinning, making it easier to find the correct constellation with the associated block. The feedback from the NEAF representative running the children's activities was positive. At the Cattus Island Nature Festival, there was a kid of maybe six who knew the constellations. I plan on having it available for the Novins Planetarium Astronomy Day on May 3. If anyone has any other ideas, we should discuss them at an upcoming meeting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/124507e3-6277-4d78-877b-31e103c5f29b/Sam+Telescope.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - AstroMag April 2025 A free online publication for Amateur Astrophotographers. www.amateurastrophotography.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/86aeea08-9d9f-4442-a520-48fd0c4df231/Beginner+Astronomy+The+Moon+BRICK+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - The Moon and a new citizen science project. There will be a public presentation at the Brick Township Library on May 15 at 6:30 PM. Beginner Astronomy – The Moon: Our Nearest Neighbor. – 1 Hour Description: Getting started in Astronomy, usually the first thing we observe is the Moon. We will take a closer look at our nearest neighbor, the Moon. We will also explore some citizen science projects we can do. Many of the citizen science projects have come and gone. There is a new one being planned. Have you ever noticed that when the Moon is bigger closer to the horizon? The Moon can appear to be much larger than at other times. Help provide data for a research project studying the “Moon Illusion”! The Big Moon Project. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1745960172984-7R395DNUDXWUZUZG9II4/unsplash-image-pd4lo70LdbI.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Sidewalk Astronomy Sidewalk astronomy has come to be associated with public education about astronomy, with free public viewing for anyone who wishes to look through the telescope. One of the easiest objects to present is the Moon. Organizations such as the San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers, founded by John Dobson, are organized around the idea of educating people about the universe they live in by having them look through telescopes. "Sidewalk Telescope", more commonly referred to as the Dobsonian telescope. John Dobson - " Come, see the Moon! " Have You Ever Really Seen the Moon? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fcaf4405-0deb-4a40-8be1-45925a6cb82e/491591833_705867445125642_4252122307370915941_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a9cd72cf-0ace-452f-9694-7620a3fdb2ce/491799750_705867398458980_6635688237835993045_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1b3847b9-6a28-4682-b36c-92792ef59d6a/536bb9e918ba06880309377c6d9e9584.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - NASA Science - Space Place - Our Sun For our young ASTRA members, NASA has online webpages for kids. Great education resource for fun learning and arts & crafts. NASA Space Place - Sun https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Dark Sky New Jersey is now in discussion with Middlesex Borough and the environmental commission for another DarkSky exhibit board. This will make three locations: Great Swamp, which is active, and two locations in the works: Middlesex and Jake’s Branch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c7a46f51-bd3b-4045-85d2-a6d19c9758d2/486354810_10162435862693810_6588974248023280212_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Make it stand out This one kind of works for the canceled April Star Party with NEAF happening on the same day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/aa700562-c5cf-43d7-985b-05cce53f82f5/Hubble_HR8799_20250417_193140.original.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Make it stand out This is an image of the star HR 8799 taken by Hubble's Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) in 1998. Sophisticated software processing of the NICMOS data removes most of the scattered starlight to reveal three planets orbiting HR 8799. Astronomers used this decade-old image to calculate the orbits of the planets. An illustration of the HR 8799 exoplanet system based on the reanalysis of Hubble NICMOS data and ground-based observations. Credit: NASA, ESA, and R. Soummer (STScI) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/11bfeb66-ec66-4fa8-b6db-34aef9ac9851/qg8UqSO+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Make it stand out A planet passing in front of its parent star creates a drop in the star’s apparent brightness, called a transit. Exoplanet Watch participants can look for transits in data from ground-based telescopes, helping scientists refine measurements of the length of a planet's orbit around its star. Credit: NASA’s Ames Research Center https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f54c82a6-fa23-4130-80df-c281e464d3a5/i5bACuO.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Make it stand out As a planet orbits a star, the star wobbles. This causes a change in the appearance of the star’s spectrum called the Doppler shift. Because the change in wavelength is directly related to relative speed, astronomers can use Doppler shift to calculate exactly how fast an object is moving toward or away from us. Astronomers can also track the Doppler shift of a star over time to estimate the mass of the planet orbiting it. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Leah Hustak (STScI) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c85a8125-36f0-4cdc-850f-1652e1a0a988/7p9O9QC.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 Image taken by the James Webb Space Telescope of four exoplanets orbiting HR 8799. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Laurent Pueyo (STScI), William Balmer (JHU), Marshall Perrin (STScI) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0010a90d-9a53-496b-92e0-327fd675fa94/SciStarter+Logo+PNG.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Make it stand out From SciStarter: Space Science presentation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9f05740e-d30a-4283-b7b3-a7e6ca35eff9/SciStarter+Exoplanet1.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4187ef6b-bce2-4ece-a406-38c3118169a2/SciStarter+Exoplanet2.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Make it stand out Scistarter.org https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - By StarWalk Astronomy App - Sky Tonight Please let me know if this is preferred instead of posting on individual constellations and deep sky objects. This will cover what was being posted in the past. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/169a2728-4707-4ce2-8dd4-d4a9e11293b7/tumblr_inline_pcsmzt0V5X1tzhl5u_540.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Physics Article: Combing Through the Sun’s Corona for Dark Matter April 28, 2025 - Researchers have turned NASA’s Parker Solar Probe into a dark-matter detector, taking advantage of its close encounters with the Sun to search for dark-photon signals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2025 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-april2025-nz3nm-e24wy-rsn8r-59g3n-hd9k4 monthly 0.5 2025-04-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/48e81971-2a76-4e3b-9bf1-fc9d9359bb5a/NEAF2025.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - ASTRA Meeting - April 11 at 7 PM In our April meeting, is our annual telescope workshop. We will meet at 7 PM in the planetarium meeting room. Hoping for a good turnout of the public and members for this event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730560842815-Z4OSTXCESTKZ6B75WD1G/unsplash-image-oMpAz-DN-9I.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - The March star party was shortened due to the weather. We did have a good member turnout with some of the public chancing the weather. Once the raindrops started we packed it in. Then later after our traditional visit to The Office, it was all clear. Jim Webster was able to get a Smart Telescope image of the Orion Nebula. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1743441884972-GUPK2MPUMVRB2KHT1QIE/20250322_194241.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1743441885105-6B6JWIWQJWL27XK51JOO/Odyssey-20250323-002106%7E2.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1743441886366-03MP85C1JOBP0C6525EZ/20250322_194223.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1743442586709-FZWUKCM7DKZ90XZ18AS0/20250314_203056.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1743442586587-3U2NT4HN2L4FLSU0MPYJ/20250314_190126.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1743442587853-3J7AX99GIIAEUGLAR7YO/20250314_203141.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761973026-2M2E18PZKSL7A9ZCJZFT/20240427_100616.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761974020-HG0LKYV4ZBFI2V7J7P6U/IMG_5129.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761973161-YRBDIHO8S69H8W0G17G7/20240427_094407.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/12dce85f-ac83-4c9c-b826-7925a7148824/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Upcoming Planetarium Events I’ve been informed that the Planetarium is looking to host some events in April and May. For myself, I’ve agreed to participate, representing ASTRA, DarkSky New Jersey, and SciStarter. If anyone else is interested, please let me know. Maybe some solar observing in front of the planetarium. … More details to follow. April 19 - Earth Day, May 3 - Astronomy Day May 22 - Thursday evening event for Girl Scouts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/124507e3-6277-4d78-877b-31e103c5f29b/Sam+Telescope.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - AstroMag March 2025 A free online publication for Amateur Astrophotographers. The Dwarflab Dwarf 3 is in this edition. www.amateurastrophotography.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6417cf99-9393-4324-a1c0-d5e763591a51/68658857_2237704726352179_7672435895747739648_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - The ten largest craters on the moon. Journey across the Moon and explore the ten most gigantic craters. From Tycho to Clavius, each crater holds secrets of the lunar past. Discover the stories behind their names and the fascinating geological features that make them stand out as wonders of our nearest celestial neighbor. MoonCraterTycho - YouTube https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/31854238-d615-4f12-9ae9-33e1f240879b/67919858_2237704843018834_4076639986491850752_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Moon Views - NASA Eye’s A simulated view of the moon presented by NASA Eyes. NASA's Eyes is a suite of 3D visualization applications that allows everyone to explore and understand real NASA data and imagery in a fun and interactive way. WorldCams on YouTube https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d2879513-6e8f-422c-8e48-a3ab60a4d3ed/484720260_680643160981404_669175942851469897_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2f00b698-664a-4b5f-ba55-440e91b46135/484906503_680643124314741_8719865127993131494_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Dark Sky New Jersey's presentation on December 10 was well received on the impact of light pollution in and around New Jersey for the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions. We had over 50 people in attendance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/79be29bb-1ce6-47f6-98d5-4a3ef0b76cf4/484996599_10237851538655441_1458742758249865545_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Make it stand out Considering all the bad weather we’ve encountered for observing, at least we can get a chuckle out of this one. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1d1c59c0-789b-4e55-a3c6-ace25c0f11fc/FlameNeb_small.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Make it stand out This collage of images from the Flame Nebula shows a near-infrared light view from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope on the left, while the two insets at the right show the near-infrared view taken by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Much of the dark, dense gas and dust, as well as the surrounding white clouds within the Hubble image, have been cleared in the Webb images, giving us a view into a more translucent cloud pierced by the infrared-producing objects within that are young stars and brown dwarfs. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Michael Meyer (University of Michigan), Matthew De Furio (UT Austin), Massimo Robberto (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/64ed9ee3-8eb2-42c6-8956-019ac0b67936/Telescopes+Across+the+Spectrum.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Make it stand out This illustration shows the wavelength sensitivity of a number of current and future space- and ground-based observatories, along with their position relative to the ground and to Earth’s atmosphere. The wavelength bands are arranged from shortest (gamma rays) to longest (radio waves). The vertical color bars show the relative penetration of each band of light through Earth’s atmosphere. Credit: NASA, STScI https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/88ed1fe6-0385-45ca-b8eb-d593fb8aa5fc/Hubble+JWST+Pillars.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 NASA’s Hubble Telescope captured the Pillars of Creation in 1995 and revisited them in 2014 with a sharper view. Webb’s infrared image reveals more stars by penetrating dust. Hubble highlights thick dust layers, while Webb shows hydrogen atoms and emerging stars. You can find this and other parts of the Eagle Nebula in the Serpens constellation. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Hubble Heritage Project (STScI, AURA) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a648dfaa-dba1-457b-8f38-c1049a0c1f61/Composite+Crab+Nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Make it stand out The Crab Nebula, located in the Taurus constellation, is the result of a bright supernova explosion in the year 1054, 6,500 light-years from Earth. Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/STScI; Infrared: NASA/JPL/Caltech; Radio: NSF/NRAO/VLA; Ultraviolet: ESA/XMM-Newton https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - By StarWalk Astronomy App - Sky Tonight Please let me know if this is preferred instead of posting on individual constellations and deep sky objects. This will cover what was being posted in the past. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/86dd9628-b9d9-478f-a897-d8495ca6144b/x-ray.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - NASA Article: Finding Clues in Ruins of Ancient Dead Star With NASA’s Chandra Mining data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers studied relics that a system called GRO J1655-40 left behind after it exploded. This “supernova archaeology” uncovered important clues about a self-destructing star, probably more than a million years ago. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2025 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available, via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-march2025-nz3nm-e24wy-rsn8r-59g3n monthly 0.5 2025-03-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/48e81971-2a76-4e3b-9bf1-fc9d9359bb5a/NEAF2025.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - ASTRA Meeting - March 14 at 7 PM In our March meeting, John Enderson will present "Setting up and using a go-to telescope." We will meet at 7 PM in the planetarium meeting room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730560842815-Z4OSTXCESTKZ6B75WD1G/unsplash-image-oMpAz-DN-9I.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - The February star party was canceled due to the weather. Between the clouds and controlled burns, it wasn’t in the stars for us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1740611416845-BBUF1K9Q9DK6V01IXGB5/20250214_194517.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1740611416809-KG84SCHXBME2J68TT6TW/20250214_195007.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1740611449469-RXFZONBMGR6ULDXB8TKE/20250214_205332.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1740611448870-NIP3NFF9FG630FIHVIXU/20250214_205406.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761973026-2M2E18PZKSL7A9ZCJZFT/20240427_100616.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761974020-HG0LKYV4ZBFI2V7J7P6U/IMG_5129.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761973161-YRBDIHO8S69H8W0G17G7/20240427_094407.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d795a0be-5f70-42a1-80fa-6cf1b3c63204/kod78gx31be7wd6otd8xae46r1ny.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Still Time for Joy with Sandra Levine When was the last time you explored the night sky firsthand and looked at the moon and the stars? Watch this episode of Still Time for Joy with Sandra Levine, with beautiful images of the moon, the Milky Way, and more, to be inspired to get outside and look up. Astronomy Club at the NJ Shore spreads passion for Telescopes and Exploring the Universe. This twenty-minute video podcast was an interview with ASTRA’s Jim Webster. Still Time for Joy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/687006aa-9c2c-4d0e-9f85-d0dc0c1b6780/Shioli_crater_M1378641884LC.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Moonscapes Dr. Noah Petro, the project scientist of NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, takes viewers on a tour of several interesting sights on the lunar surface, revealing both the scientific value and visual beauty of the terrain. NASA Goddard https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6cd34ac2-045d-40c3-ba2f-50e681c2947b/476610997_1049575440544781_2086782577219173610_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - NASA Space Tech: Hopper Developed with funding from the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Tipping Point opportunity, Intuitive Machines' Micro Nova Hopper robot will enable high-resolution surveying of the lunar surface. For more on Hopper go to YouTube. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/13533ec7-5c5c-4407-a707-a94163b5bf26/479923130_660203843025336_8213889959025388819_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0288c8aa-20c8-4319-b1d2-a8d8bcd85805/480281352_660203826358671_6761704272424351216_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Dark Sky New Jersey's presentation on December 10 was well received on the impact of light pollution in and around New Jersey for the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions. We had over 50 people in attendance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/73bd1b74-1a32-47e5-a0e0-621052785894/448760693_7478754475506721_4404817671710494945_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/286d7867-0b36-4e34-9eaa-9e9921824c48/M66.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Make it stand out Showing a large portion of M66, this Hubble photo is a composite of images obtained at visible and infrared wavelengths. The images have been combined to represent the real colors of the galaxy. Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration; Acknowledgment: Davide De Martin and Robert Gendler https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/91ceea7d-40f1-4764-8c8a-b2fec7267796/M44+and+Leo+Triplet.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 M44 in Cancer and M65 and 66 in Leo can be seen high in the evening sky 60 minutes after sunset. Credit: Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/419c05c7-325c-4536-a072-a66a8c3ff6f8/M3+and+M87.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Make it stand out Locate M3 and M87 rising in the east after midnight. Credit: Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fb0a4586-8a82-411c-9eb6-23f2fada28dc/M76+and+M31.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Make it stand out Locate M76 and M31 setting in the west, 60 minutes after sunset. Credit: Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Sticking with Taurus for March - Taurus (Latin, 'Bull') is one of the constellations of the zodiac and is located in the northern celestial hemisphere. Taurus is a large and prominent constellation in the Northern Hemisphere's winter sky. It is one of the oldest constellations, dating back to the Early Bronze Age at least when it marked the location of the Sun during the spring equinox. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9c79d1f3-a462-4685-880b-a336885a7b7c/HindsVariable_goldman800.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - The Constellation Taurus contains the Hind’s Variable Nebula (NGC 1555) sometimes known as Hind's Variable Nebula, Sh2-238 or HH 155, is a variable nebula 4 light-years across, illuminated by the star T Tauri, located in the constellation Taurus. It is 400 light years away from Earth and has a magnitude (B) of 9.98. T Tauri and Hind's Variable Nebula NASA APOD https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap071213.html https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/aecc67c5-9f88-43f1-845f-6089cb6ba9c6/NGC1555_VariableNebula.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Variable nebulae are reflection nebulae that change in brightness because of changes in their star. In the Taurus molecular cloud, both star and nebula are seen to vary significantly in brightness but not necessarily at the same time. T Tauri stars are now generally recognized as young (less than a few million years old), sun-like stars still in the early stages of formation. This timelapse gif of NGC1555 variable nebula activity over approximately 6 months from Oct 2022 to March 2023, using data from contributors of the Big Amateur Telescope. https://bigamateurtelescope.com/ constellation-guide.com Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/10bee63f-3d98-4a69-8d97-f6232a1039d2/ngc1555+location+copy.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Make it stand out Hind’s Variable Nebula is a popular target for amateur astronomers and astrophotographers. It is best observed in large instruments at high magnification, with a nebula filter. Hind’s Nebula and other deep sky objects in the constellation Taurus can be observed from September to February. Still visible going into March, but can be a neck strainer at this time of year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2025 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available, via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-february2025-nz3nm-e24wy-rsn8r monthly 0.5 2025-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/48e81971-2a76-4e3b-9bf1-fc9d9359bb5a/NEAF2025.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - ASTRA Meeting - February 14 at 7 PM In our February meeting, Phil Zollner will present details on his visit to the Lowell Observatory and Rosemarie Spedaliere - to be announced. We will meet at 7 PM in the planetarium meeting room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730560842815-Z4OSTXCESTKZ6B75WD1G/unsplash-image-oMpAz-DN-9I.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - No star parties were planned for January. We will resume star parties in February 2025. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1738512051858-3A4QGWHGQS2WDBUQDWC0/20250110_200939.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1738512067101-DS2ULHB2P4KOI7FQOZID/20250110_194424.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1738512077367-7K4G4WRO93XFC9N0HCCM/20250110_194705.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ff61330c-6116-4041-80e4-9efdccce6ad0/PXL_20250121_044115491.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761973026-2M2E18PZKSL7A9ZCJZFT/20240427_100616.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761974020-HG0LKYV4ZBFI2V7J7P6U/IMG_5129.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761973161-YRBDIHO8S69H8W0G17G7/20240427_094407.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1738513860886-KPUU79B9OY4S9R4NTPDX/unsplash-image-HHqPVtmTY28.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Happy Valentines Day Want a Cosmic Valentine for Valentine’s Day? Visit blog posting on Slate.com. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1738517053679-FT9IIDZMJYAECXEINFIU/unsplash-image-3hPLDj_OUJM.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - NASA’s Asteroid Bennu Sample Update: In research papers published Wednesday in the journals Nature and Nature Astronomy, scientists from NASA and other institutions shared results of the first in-depth analyses of the minerals and molecules in the Bennu samples, which OSIRIS-REx delivered to Earth in 2023. For more visit NASA.gov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/687006aa-9c2c-4d0e-9f85-d0dc0c1b6780/Shioli_crater_M1378641884LC.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - The Shioli Crater Shioli is a small lunar impact crater that is located within the much larger Cyrillus crater on the near side of the Moon. It is a young crater with a prominent ray system. The crater's name, after the Japanese female given name, was approved by the IAU on 12 August 2019. A point to the northwest of the crater was the landing site for the Japanese SLIM lander. Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/791b039d-13be-4eca-a650-723ff459896a/SLIM_half_scale_model_%28close_cropped%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - SLIM - Smart Lander for Investigating Moon SLIM also known as Moon Sniper unceremoniously landed upside-down on the moon on January 19, 2024. The main purpose was to demonstrate a precision lunar landing. For more SLIM and its American counterpart landing upright challenges on YouTube. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c982ed7e-39fc-4ca6-8691-43c7c705876f/472613694_632093789169675_3986999641867293261_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e5572f5f-cbb3-4eb2-a2ec-c6b51444ec55/472328285_632093792503008_6156721008642985646_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Dark Sky New Jersey's presentation on December 10 was well received on the impact of light pollution in and around New Jersey for the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions. We had over 50 people in attendance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/faa3dc0d-b977-498b-82a3-b2b23c45065e/263951396_315681307224623_4094006031343317446_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Make it stand out Red and Rover - by Brian Bassett https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cd002068-2383-4d8e-948d-5d367807b23e/SideBySide_LAB6thStBridge896.original.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Make it stand out Before and after pictures of replacement lighting at the 6th Street Bridge over the Los Angeles River. The second picture shows improvements in some aspects of light pollution, as light is not directed to the sides and upwards from the upgraded fixtures, reducing skyglow. However, it also shows the use of brighter, whiter LEDs, which is not generally ideal, along with increased light bounce back from the road. Image Credit: The City of Los Angeles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7fe548ff-6829-4e1d-9e7f-e7986e556ac2/Milan+From+Space.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 Light pollution has been visible from space for a long time, but new LED lights are bright enough that they stand out from older streetlights, even from orbit. Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti took the above photo from the ISS cupola in 2015. The newly installed white LED lights in the center of the city of Milan are noticeably brighter than the lights in the surrounding neighborhoods. Image Credit: NASA/ESA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Taurus (Latin, 'Bull') is one of the constellations of the zodiac and is located in the northern celestial hemisphere. Taurus is a large and prominent constellation in the Northern Hemisphere's winter sky. It is one of the oldest constellations, dating back to the Early Bronze Age at least when it marked the location of the Sun during the spring equinox. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6ab95166-9696-42c6-a81b-64e024ab0bd3/TAU.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Taurus contains two Messier objects – Messier 1 (M1, NGC 1952, Crab Nebula) and Messier 45 (the Pleiades) – and has five stars that may have planets in their orbits. The brightest star in the constellation is Aldebaran, Alpha Tauri, with an apparent magnitude of 0.85. Aldebaran is also the 13th brightest star in the sky. constellation-guide.com Earthsky.org https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2025 - Tonight’s Sky: No longer posting October 2024 was the last updated posting of Tonight’s Sky. It is still available, via YouTube. Linked is the twelve-month playlist on YouTube. Any suggested replacements, let me know. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-january2025-nz3nm-e24wy-rsn8r-ye623 monthly 0.5 2025-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2869a397-3482-45dd-8b4c-08ef01607a0d/images.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - ASTRA Meeting - January 10 at 7 PM Our January meeting will be movie night. We will meet at 7 PM in the planetarium meeting room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730560842815-Z4OSTXCESTKZ6B75WD1G/unsplash-image-oMpAz-DN-9I.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - No star parties were planned for December. We will resume star parties in February 2025. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761015203-DNBCJASJ8D3BHZX8PAB6/July+001+%286%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761044643-ON1Y2N3Y45WDTQIRZFXI/466046207_10212963096990341_5768337333783778224_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761157146-OXDUKT703HYYDSWZJTB6/12099_origin_intelligent_home_observatory_ota-facing-front-right.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761973026-2M2E18PZKSL7A9ZCJZFT/20240427_100616.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761974020-HG0LKYV4ZBFI2V7J7P6U/IMG_5129.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1735761973161-YRBDIHO8S69H8W0G17G7/20240427_094407.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/85845a0c-3ef7-42a6-ae69-028506f9a5d7/Luna_25_Impact_Site_animation.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - New Craters ??? NASA’s LRO – the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter – spacecraft imaged a new crater on the Moon’s surface that is likely the impact site of Russia’s Luna 25 mission. NASA’s LRO – the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter – spacecraft imaged a new crater on the Moon’s surface that is likely the impact site of Russia’s Luna 25 mission. During its descent, Luna 25 experienced an anomaly that caused it to impact the surface of the Moon on Aug. 19, 2023. This GIF alternates between LRO views from June 27, 2020, and Aug. 24, 2023 – before and after the appearance of a new impact crater likely from Russia’s Luna 25 mission. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2e27825-987c-42ed-b13e-fb1c55d0848a/469665386_613236731055381_8666384434466909455_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5d11b246-255c-4948-ad01-e1a1ae5acba3/469822171_613236751055379_3830801872726716147_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Dark Sky New Jersey's presentation on December 10 was well received on the impact of light pollution in and around New Jersey for the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions. We had over 50 people in attendance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d57fc556-c9cc-4a12-9325-6e7740bda4e2/126143654_10158168749458863_7258679211856624443_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3cd5e1d9-ed93-4d29-8ec0-994be3c82c8e/pia26344-700_20241218_111655.original.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Make it stand out NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover took this selfie, made up of 62 individual images, on July 23. A rock nicknamed “Cheyava Falls,” which has features that may bear on the question of whether the Red Planet was long ago home to microscopic life, is to the left of the rover near the center of the image. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d6381acc-e446-4325-aef4-516e616a3a9b/DhzFTHX.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 This mid-January chart shows the path of Mars from September 2024 to June 2025 as it enters and then exits in retrograde motion. Mars appears to change its direction of motion in the sky because Earth is passing the slower-moving Mars in its orbit. Credit: Stellarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/de485408-acff-4ff2-8f99-435e65dc36c4/AhEqml2.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Make it stand out A simulated view of the Moon as Mars begins its occultation on January 13, 2025. Credit: Stellarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1ece6712-39ea-4f54-a1d4-8c725abe089e/etQylO6.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Make it stand out A mosaic of the Valles Marineris hemisphere of Mars projected into point perspective, a view similar to that which one would see from a spacecraft. The mosaic is composed of 102 Viking Orbiter images of Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b5e8ae46-b98b-45fc-ba83-1c773a103082/Optical_Constellations.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Winter is here! And with the passing seasons, brings new constellations into our evening night skies. During the winter months, it is the mighty hunter Orion who takes the center stage as the prominent constellation this time of year. The constellation and surrounding areas are rich in deep sky objects to observe. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f5ba80cd-304e-4d60-87ca-82673b56cc00/Ori_Orion_Star_Chart.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Orion is a prominent constellation that's one of the brightest and most familiar sights in the night sky. Straddling the celestial equator it can be seen from all locations on Earth. Named after a great hunter in Greek mythology, it contains two first magnitude stars, many other bright stars, a famous belt, spectacular nebulae, some impressive multiple stars and fine open clusters. Its most famous inhabitant, the Orion Nebula, is one of the most spectacular deep sky objects in the sky. Best seen in December, January and February. For more go to freecharts.com and Wyoming Stargazing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5ee53d9f-7fe3-4b5c-abca-b41f26804e90/Tonights+Sky+January+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2025 - Tonight’s Sky: January In January, the northern hemisphere features beautiful views of Capella, a pair of giant yellow stars; Aldebaran, a red giant star; and two-star clusters—the Hyades and the Pleiades. Keep watching for the awe-inspiring space-based views of the Crab Nebula, the remains of a star that exploded as a supernova. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-december2024-nz3nm-e24wy-rsn8r monthly 0.5 2025-01-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2ddf269b-5b7f-417c-b686-84f52a7224b9/EL_9l9XWsAYsVDs.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - ASTRA Meeting - December 13 at 7 PM Jim Webster will present a review on Smart Telescopes for our December meeting. We will meet at 7 PM in the planetarium meeting room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730560842815-Z4OSTXCESTKZ6B75WD1G/unsplash-image-oMpAz-DN-9I.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Jakes Branch November 9. We had a good public turnout with a projected headcount of 100. From the event report on Slack submitted by Rosemarie Spedaliere. - Thank you to everyone who came out last night to help at the star party. We had so many people it was hard to estimate how many there were. As always members of Astra stepped up and showed them a good time. I always know I can count on all of you thank you. Now we have a few months off until next time clear-skies to you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a282af0a-8dc8-4162-9bf4-a19dcd0261a5/464901286_866035812385841_8264784711385526977_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Cape May Dark Skies Jim and Gloria Webster had a table set up for the Cape May Dark Skies event on November 8 at the Cape May Convention Center. The focus was on Dark Skies and light pollution and the SciStarter project Globe At Night. We also provided information on ASTRA as well. Cape May Adubon, South Jersey, and West Jersey Astronomy clubs were also in attendance. The Cape May environmental committee stopped counting at 400+ guests with many unknowns that went straight to the telescopes. The Cape May environmental committee chair mentioned they would like to hold additional events with more presenters moving into the main hall. We were also informed that Cape May is working on updating their light pollution ordinances. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1a3909e5-7c62-45db-b764-a0db1ef7736d/465915034_8517157051740217_7591995486511412811_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1733071734671-B0GVC0VQ647BXY8KI46C/unsplash-image-qHvN4VJav0s.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Christmas Full Moon December full moon is referred to as the Cold Moon and for 2024 will occur on December 15 at 4:02 AM. But when was the last full moon on Christmas Day? The last time was in December of 2015 before that was in 1977. This rare event will not occur again until 2034. Image by: Unsplash For more check out NASA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8765d8a4-996c-48be-bd30-76af1f0fe9ea/220px-Apollo_8_Crewmembers_-_GPN-2000-001125.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Apollo 8 Back in 1968, NASA had an Apollo mission to the moon during Christmas time. Apollo 8 mission started on December 21 and lasted until December 27. On this flight were Astronauts Frank Borman, James Lvell Jr, and William Anders. There were several notable occurrences for this mission. It was the second manned Apollo mission, it was the first time man left Earth’s gravitational influence, and the first manned flight to the moon. They orbited the Moon ten times before returning to Earth. While orbiting the Moon on Christmas Eve the astronauts provided a Christmas Eve message on a live television broadcast. NASA: Apollo 8 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a68416da-cdf2-47da-bf65-44330a0c0293/467180980_598342549211466_7547683284180515382_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f88c8232-7f30-4858-8727-04bb26007081/467326385_598304699215251_936853875067263225_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Dark Sky New Jersey will be presenting a review on the impact of light pollution in and around New Jersey for the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions on the evening of December 10 at 7 PM. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/40e609f2-5a75-4a7d-a81d-755355d622a3/36965657_219501705357993_4353189202649677824_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6c0068a0-f043-4e07-a74f-622929ac94ef/Jupiter-Kevin-M-Gill-1280.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Make it stand out NASA’s Juno mission captured this look at the southern hemisphere of Jupiter on Feb. 17, 2020, during one of the spacecraft’s close approaches to the giant planet. This high-resolution view is a composite of four images captured by the JunoCam imager and assembled by citizen scientist Kevin M. Gill. Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, SwRI, MSSS | Image processing by Kevin M. Gill, © CC BY https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/079caca4-b72a-477d-bd15-55733d236b91/Dec24_Jupiter+Map.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 Look for Jupiter near the Eye of the Bull, Aldebaran, in the Taurus constellation on the evening of December 15, 2024. Binoculars may help you spot Jupiter’s moons as small bright star-like objects on either side of the planet. A small telescope will show them easily, along with Jupiter’s famed cloud bands. How many can you count? Credit: Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/34c82b14-2963-43f5-85c5-9c736882f823/467158869_598326165879771_8623047040140636342_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4193984f-17fe-4978-8d0d-397826705170/M33-HaLRGB-RayLiao.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - The Triangulum Galaxy is a spiral galaxy 2.73 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Triangulum. It is catalogued as Messier 33 or NGC 598. Wikipedia Stars: 40 billion Distance to Earth: 2.723 million light-years Discoverer: William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse Coordinates: RA 1h 33m 50s | Dec +30° 39′ 37″ Apparent mass: ~50 billion M☉ Constellation: Triangulum Magnitude: 5.72 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c808a179-ec19-485c-bb1e-88b3004f606a/M33_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9c26d7a3-1a37-40bd-a30d-480514b0394f/Tonights+Sky+December.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2024 - Tonight’s Sky: December Step outside on a cold December night when the stars shine bright to find the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, and Cepheus. They will help you locate a binary star system, a fan-shaped open star cluster, and a variable star. Stay tuned for space-based views of a ragged spiral galaxy, an open star cluster, and an edge-on galaxy. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-november2024-nz3nm-e24wy monthly 0.5 2024-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - ASTRA Meeting - November 8 at 7 PM For our November meeting, Rosemarie Spedaliere will present The Anatomy of a Comet. We will meet at 7 PM in the planetarium meeting room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730560842815-Z4OSTXCESTKZ6B75WD1G/unsplash-image-oMpAz-DN-9I.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Jakes Branch October 5. We had a good public turnout with a projected headcount of 75. From the event report to NSN. A wonderful night under the stars. Families brought their aspiring astronomers to gaze at the wonders of the universe and discuss light pollution and it's effects. Images below are provided by Rosemarie Spedaliere. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730561616131-MU7BBHRL00CCRFIG51TG/Messenger_creation_D2B7FF34-4B38-4689-826A-38DA1A18C360.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730561616121-PCDEJ5AR82SEZCN3TUWU/Messenger_creation_2E8C9F4D-DB97-46B6-BAA6-EF807DA42EED.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730561616764-OB7JEXEG0FD8JNWHJZF9/Messenger_creation_5D59D8AF-192F-41EE-95A7-28E6D855D66C.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730561616884-DMFZ3RW29L7PSRFU46L5/Messenger_creation_88C018A5-7256-4C33-BFF1-9B3EE101BFD5.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730561617556-FJW5DG0EKA7KRGLHM3XJ/Messenger_creation_BA00DAAA-B6CC-480D-914F-24D78530C47B.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730561617647-OLCB0KV2B4ZW10I8DVAU/Messenger_creation_74F74D6E-27F0-4E80-A054-E81B48FBEAF6.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730582821673-LP9F51YFOONDYRWKWR43/IMG_3193.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730582821703-3PWQ2P3I4LTZS4XZLYEO/IMG_3191.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730582822491-IV8YG2XY5FH6LT98OYAJ/IMG_3184.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730582822556-3IIAH1123N5IYW0FJHHM/IMG_3188.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730564575187-J496DT5IRY1R16KMJY4I/462622073_8335434456579145_8339245243819978969_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730564593629-8O1VHHI8LK1NIABODHLP/463416478_8360579850731272_2145908524297899774_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1730563814106-MY0QPG60UC47E83CSLE9/stacked_20241015194916595.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/752f1b06-2eb2-4bac-a17d-9d9d8b1fd593/20241011_185508.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f99d5dbd-65e1-4f8e-aeb2-a8ddb89bf76c/463548031_2897653980382973_547082584387368753_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Tyco Crater October 24 is the reported anniversary of the death, in Prague of the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. Full name Tyge Ottensen Brahe, he was an eminent astronomer who played a vital role in the development of astronomical instruments and is perhaps best known for his precise and thorough astronomical and planetary observations, which were to influence future discoveries. The 85 km diameter crater Tycho, located in the lunar southern highlands, is named in his honor. A relatively young crater, it is estimated to be 108 million years old. The above brief article and images were from Brian Jones a self-employed Astronomy Writer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6408dc36-4742-416a-b48d-abb3a99f2dc1/464197901_2897654007049637_763645847730420332_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 Tycho seen by Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (rotate display if you see a crater illusion due to the atypical position of the light source). NASA Coordinates43.31°S 11.36°W Diameter85 km (53.4 miles) Depth4.7 km (2.9 mi) Colongitude12° at sunrise EponymTycho Brahe Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ce59bd16-e418-4cb6-8bc6-7e50850ce223/463144369_575979478114440_2020220204049110835_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cd79f1d1-0975-4920-bc04-4cc70a1177d6/462210393_569890998723288_3083198299348218335_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/97d0a0f5-62c7-47ab-9ca9-4b60632b17eb/463027995_575979474781107_2580946982692418474_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Dark Sky New Jersey is a joint venture of Dark Sky International Advocates and Delegates from New Jersey and the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club Dark Sky team. If there is an interest in helping, please let Jim Webster know. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5829de2c-1db1-4bc2-8d30-469c05cfdc10/463727772_554639877067237_456050913287555731_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a577d15b-c16d-408d-bea8-002ab861c944/Comet-McNaught-2007.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Make it stand out Comet McNaught over the Pacific Ocean. Image taken from Paranal Observatory in January 2007. Credits: ESO/Sebastian Deiries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/abf20cec-0e5b-4132-a5b5-cf2123ddd7ec/perseids-2023-preston-dyches.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 A view of the 2023 Perseid meteor shower from the southernmost part of Sequoia National Forest, near Piute Peak. Debris from comet Swift-Tuttle creates the Perseids. Credit: NASA/Preston Dyches https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9cf52a5b-1012-4bb9-92d4-f9c8d3a1d4e8/NGC7293_Helix_Nebula_NASA.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - NGC 7293 - Helix Nebula The Helix Nebula is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Aquarius. Discovered by Karl Ludwig Harding, most likely before 1824, this object is one of the closest of all the bright planetary nebulae to Earth. The distance, measured by the Gaia mission, is 655±13 light-years. Wikipedia Radius: 2.87 light years Coordinates: RA 22h 29m 39s | Dec -20° 50′ 14″ Magnitude: 7.6 Distance to Earth: 694.7 light-years Age: 10,610 years Number: NGC 7293 Apparent dimensions (V): 25′ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5728dc9f-e949-4dc7-983d-d3e4d1fe93b7/NGC7293_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/daf5aa58-7d99-4535-8193-7e4bac27a49e/AQR-NGC7293.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b1ebf6b9-130a-47cb-9c6e-91c849938739/465664224_18171183235309170_5488263456723467756_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - More on the Helix Nebula This image was recently taken by Jim Webster and the Unistellar Odyssey Telescope. The linked audio clip is from science.nasa.gov. It is the sonification of the Helix Nebula which sounds like something you would expect of a horror movie and Halloween. The sonification, scans from left to right, red light is assigned lower pitches, and blue light is assigned higher pitches. Just as the frequencies of light increase from red to blue, frequencies of sound increase from low to high pitches. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/df7c9c3e-aff0-4260-974a-6ef9fd062abd/Tonights+Sky+November.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2024 - Tonight’s Sky: November In November, hunt for the fainter constellations of fall, including Pisces, Aries, and Triangulum. They will guide you to find several galaxies and a pair of white stars. Stay tuned for space-based views of spiral galaxy M74 and the Triangulum Galaxy, which are shown in visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-october2024-nz3nm-e24wy-xbd64-w9bc4 monthly 0.5 2024-10-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - ASTRA Meeting - October 11 6:30 PM this month For our October meeting, we will spend time in the dome at Novins Planetarium. Planetarium staff will provide a presentation of the Clipper Mission. Meeting time in the meeting room will be at 6:30 PM representing a 30-minute early start time. This is because the planetarium dome will close its doors for a 7 PM start time. So don’t be late. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727639040706-84FTQ9PP8FDV0HCW4OEI/20240921_165653.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727639061518-2VO8XB2ORDH6YVWE2VIX/20240921_141121.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727639061556-JCDMP21EM9SJF62FLMWI/20240921_143957.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727639086718-KGM9YO6ED31AQ4YF11SO/IMG_2618.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727639063305-HEJRVAS8SZX1NYR9EXS4/20240921_162342.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727639063891-3DQJ9CAKZN1DNCQXYZLL/20240921_165139.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727639669526-ECGQK2NOIBXJTU6WWSDE/unsplash-image-tRihV5SbqkI.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Unfortunately, our star parties for September were both canceled due to the weather. Hoping our last two official public star parties for 2024 will have clear skies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727640128276-W6ZKT81G83868ON3AY22/20240913_195516.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727640128212-NUSYXNSB3N4XA4P9AX6O/20240913_195525.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727640129133-2AQ1I872M0WSOAM95NOT/20240913_202314.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727640129563-6IO1YZT7AZ2GRB38GSBL/20240913_202931.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727641880371-2EFNS8BVHIC7MNCSTN8C/unsplash-image-I_pt50BBDx4.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Record-breaking Milky Way map showcases 1.5 billion objects: 'We have changed the view of our galaxy forever' Shared by Elizabeth Ford Schultz The 200,000 images were collected by the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) at the Paranal Observatory in Chile over the course of over 13 years, from 2010 to 2023, as part of the VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) survey and its companion project, the VVV Extended Survey (VVVX). The images were combined to form the record-breaking map, which covers an area of the sky equivalent to 8,600 full moons (as seen from Earth). For context, it contains ten times more objects than a similar 2012 map released by the same team of scientists. For more go to Space.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727643073133-OG2KV1DZ7GKM6JDMMRXU/unsplash-image-HDPbafemBI4.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - NASA invites the public to design Artemis moon mission navigation tech called the Lunar Navigation Challenge. NASA is seeking the public's help with innovative solutions to help Artemis astronauts navigate in and around the lunar south pole. For more go to Space.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1727644267939-S5Q9UVYDWO59S10ATZWP/unsplash-image-U2uKrI4lci8.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Let’s test this in the sandbox… the Moon sandbox! Scientists & engineers tested the Goddard-built LEMS (Lunar Environment Monitoring Station) instrument suite in a “sandbox” of simulated Moon regolith earlier in September. LEMS is being developed to fly to the Moon with Artemis III astronauts in late 2026 and will carry two University of Arizona-built seismometers to perform long-term monitoring for moonquakes and meteorite impacts. For more visit science.nasa.gov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8f3d62d7-fa65-4695-8c53-b2b527a30241/459907208_554071960305192_5587383056309737110_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3b06759b-e722-4c87-b7a5-045149e06019/459146018_552183727160682_2661482668302441939_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Dark Sky New Jersey is a joint venture of Dark Sky International Advocates and Delegates from New Jersey and the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club Dark Sky team. If there is an interest in helping, please let Jim Webster know. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/45b1c114-1e6e-49be-be77-434750264171/CometA3_Korona_1080.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Make it stand out The new comet has passed its closest to the Sun and is now moving closer to the Earth. C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) is currently moving out from inside the orbit of Venus and on track to pass its nearest to the Earth in about two weeks. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, pronounced "Choo-cheen-shah At-less", is near naked-eye visibility but easily picked up by long-exposure cameras. The comet can also now be found by observers in Earth's northern hemisphere as well as the south. The featured image was captured just a few days ago above Zacatecas, Mexico. Because clouds were obscuring much of the pre-dawn sky, the astrophotographer released a drone to take pictures from higher up, several of which were later merged to enhance the comet's visibility. Although the future brightness of comets is hard to predict, there is increasing hope that Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will further brighten as it enters the early evening sky. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0e679a80-89c6-481e-a730-4d6ce9570e51/461528681_10211922003443475_4577082624160429462_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ba2e0f72-bbfe-4b8f-b8b9-8d00eb0b72b1/Oct24_Stellarium+Map.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Make it stand out Spot the Andromeda Galaxy! M31’s more common name comes from its parent constellation, which becomes prominent as autumn arrives in the Northern Hemisphere. Surprising amounts of detail can be observed with unaided eyes when seen from dark sky sites. Hints of it can even be made out from light-polluted areas. Use the Great Square of Pegasus or the Cassiopeia constellation as guides to find it. Credit: Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/18e77212-8a20-44cd-957c-154635cdf7be/Oct24_Stellarium+Andromeda.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 Generated version of the Andromeda Galaxy and its companion galaxies M32 and M110. Credit: Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5311756b-25a5-48ef-8360-11cf983ae275/Oct24_Andromeda+Halo.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Make it stand out While M31’s disc appears larger than you might expect (about 3 Moon widths wide), its “galactic halo” of scattered stars and gas is much, much larger – as you can see here. In fact, it is suspected that its halo is so huge that it may already mingle with our Milky Way’s own halo, which makes sense since our galaxies are expected to merge sometime in the next few billion years! The dots are quasars, objects located behind the halo, which are the very energetic cores of distant galaxies powered by black holes at their center. The Hubble team studied the composition of M31’s halo by measuring how the quasars’ light was absorbed by the halo’s material. Credits: NASA, ESA, and E. Wheatley (STScI) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719775721189-LBL4DO6BXQJ3UMVUWZC3/astronomy_tools_fov.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Make it stand out Field of view for Dwarflab - Dwarf 2 and newly released Dwarf 3, ZWO Seestar S50, and the Unistellar Odyssey. The Celestron Origins, which is now available, field of few is similar to the Unistellar. Only the Dwarflabs can fit in all of Andromeda. ZWO is working on mosaic mode for the Seestar. On Cloudy Nights the discussion is that it is in Beta mode now. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9cf52a5b-1012-4bb9-92d4-f9c8d3a1d4e8/NGC7293_Helix_Nebula_NASA.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - NGC 7293 - Helix Nebula The Helix Nebula is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Aquarius. Discovered by Karl Ludwig Harding, most likely before 1824, this object is one of the closest of all the bright planetary nebulae to Earth. The distance, measured by the Gaia mission, is 655±13 light-years. Wikipedia Radius: 2.87 light years Coordinates: RA 22h 29m 39s | Dec -20° 50′ 14″ Magnitude: 7.6 Distance to Earth: 694.7 light-years Age: 10,610 years Number: NGC 7293 Apparent dimensions (V): 25′ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5728dc9f-e949-4dc7-983d-d3e4d1fe93b7/NGC7293_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/36e4ab53-7637-42d4-bf1e-30a92ca4a0e9/Tonights+Sky+October.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2024 - Tonight’s Sky: October Crisp, clear October nights are full of celestial showpieces. Find Pegasus, the flying horse of Greek myth, to pinpoint dense globular star clusters and galaxies, and keep watching for space-based views of M15, NGC 7331, and the Andromeda Galaxy. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-september2024-nz3nm-e24wy-xbd64 monthly 0.5 2024-09-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e60d779b-b67d-4f66-a299-f171410e746e/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - September ASTRA Meeting - Sept 13 Our September meeting will be back at Novins Planetarium. ASTRA member Rich Brady will present “Women in Math and Science” at our post-summer return to the planetarium. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1725221780427-3YHZQ5GIFJAKGIWTQZGB/20240810_195348.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1725221780999-U7CHAVSKWTCSQNFOW92I/20240810_201212.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1725221782031-AYXNY2VWUJ6MIO9XRUF3/20240810_201226.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1725221782569-4JDOOZU0YY1AV53LLLCT/20240810_201700.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/73c12fe3-fd2c-44a6-946a-b20d79d861b1/AWB_Telescope_Poster_v6_no_background_5-8-13_copy_540x.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Protecting ASTRA Astronomers Without Boarders Telescope Reaching out to the members to look for or come up with ideas to protect the club loaner Astronomers Without Boarders Telescope. Ideally, a case that is not too heavy can protect it in the closed position or something else. Email Jim Webster or we can discuss at the September meeting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d6172d49-dea5-45c8-bc74-58bded7890e1/457663481_2837540536394318_103312581516445156_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - September 1 1693, is the anniversary of the death, at Chaudon (some sources state 31 Aug), of the French Catholic priest and instrument maker Laurent Cassegrain. Although this image may be a likeness of Laurent Cassegrain, no verifiable portrait of him is known to exist. Born at Chartres in around 1629, he is best known to astronomers as being the probable inventor of a type of reflecting telescope which uses a combination of a primary concave mirror and a secondary convex mirror. Now known as the Cassegrain reflector, Cassegrain’s design first appeared in the 25 Apr 1672 issue (pictured) of Le Journal des Sçavans (established by French writer Denis de Sallo in 1665 and the earliest academic journal published in Europe). Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a4633a5c-baad-4f72-924d-888b3a382e88/Cassegrain_sattelite_craters_map.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - The 55 km diameter lunar impact crater Cassegrain, is located to the southeast of the larger crater Lebedev on the far side of the Moon and seen here immediately to the lower right of the image center, is named in his honor. The interior of this crater has a relatively dark-hued floor, a feature it has in common with other craters to the west and northwest that form part of the Mare Australe. Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/32c2d927-848c-4cdd-9d6f-e59099bd6bbf/456034419_536727065373015_6198453506522459938_n+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/622f4832-28fc-412c-b8ba-d6cdc559768c/456144575_536727082039680_1843958004526814228_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/97ef89d7-fe80-400d-a81d-d2052162f84e/455304520_534794708899584_5630400561529433912_n+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/dc843176-def7-4254-ae49-abdc0f8bc4b1/457401817_543808274664894_3263597342331406934_n+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/af9695b2-0971-41ce-9d41-df1981a4570d/media.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Adirondack Sky Center Astrophotography Conference This four-day workshop event is at Little Wolf Pond, Tupper Lake New York. It’s a six to seven-hour drive from Toms River. The price Is very reasonable and if lodging is needed check out cabins at Curtigay Cove. It is a two-minute drive from the Sky Center. Adirondack SkyCenter Curtigay Cove cabin rental, speak with Jim Webster. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Dark Sky New Jersey is a joint venture of Dark Sky International Advocates and Delegates from New Jersey and the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club Dark Sky team. If there is an interest in helping, please let Jim Webster know. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/08a6de6e-ad95-4154-aa97-13b3a3d59682/52ac479a327eb5950289815f60302e9e.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b229c8c6-491c-4e55-bff4-ebcca1bb7f3d/Saturn+and+moons.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Make it stand out The Saturnian system along with various moons around the planet Saturn: Iapetus, Titan, Enceladus, Rhea, Tethys, and Dione. Credit: Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8af7f369-c1cf-4073-a953-003afcb9e354/Enceladus_Cassini.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Saturn’s moon Enceladus was also explored by the Cassini mission, revealing plumes of ice that erupt from below the surface, adding to the brilliance of Saturn’s rings. Much like our own Moon, Enceladus remains tidally locked with Saturn, presenting the same side towards its host planet at all times. This mosaic of Saturn's moon Enceladus was created with images captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on Oct. 9, 2008, after the spacecraft came within about 16 miles (25 kilometers) of the surface of Enceladus. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9005f986-3718-4d69-831b-0cf0a2b8ba24/Galilean_Satellites.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1a73afba-9fa8-43db-a62e-c578c16372b8/Jupiter+and+moons.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Make it stand out The Jovian system: Europa, Io, Ganymede, and Callisto. Credit: Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/187afc0c-f8c8-49d0-9869-044d422d4d43/800px-VST_snaps_a_very_detailed_view_of_the_Triangulum_Galaxy.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - M33 - Triangulum Galaxy The Triangulum Galaxy is a spiral galaxy 2.73 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Triangulum. It is catalogued as Messier 33 or NGC 598. Wikipedia Distance to Earth: 2.723 million light-years Discoverers: William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, Giovanni Battista Hodierna Discovered: 1654 Stars: 40 billion Coordinates: RA 1h 33m 50s | Dec +30° 39′ 37″ Magnitude: 5.72 Radius: 30,000 light-years https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c0c240a5-a52d-43fb-932a-f7907ebe0b1d/M33_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ff9443b0-85d1-4079-904c-41735608953f/Tonights+Sky+September.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2024 - Tonight’s Sky: September In September, Pegasus becomes increasingly prominent in the southeastern sky, allowing stargazers to locate globular star clusters and a nearby double star, Alpha Capricorni. Keep watching for space-based views of densely packed, spherical collections of ancient stars in visible and X-ray light. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-august2024-nz3nm-e24wy monthly 0.5 2024-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/30310a31-c304-4a9f-a914-0703fe432a2d/912A9756.8x12x300+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - July ASTRA Meeting - August 9 Our meeting for August will be an observing meeting at Island Beach State Park, Area #2. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1722381490024-H3URBML0YYL5N0KQ3MGN/20240706_203959.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1722381490673-FU3B1OH0PV6TWDUQ58N4/20240706_202843.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1722381491532-L9OI5XF76U4KJG0E6N57/20240706_210118.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a0051d32-a8ab-457d-b3f1-6a3429e3a483/2637C9CB-7943-41B8-B39E-3BDC7318A5B3.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Night Vision - Go for the Green Want to give your telescope some protection from being bumped into and still maintain your night vision? The article and resources supplied are from ASTRA member Gary Kester. Concerning the preservation of scotopic (night) vision; The intensity (brightness) of the light used to read charts is more important than the color. Inexpensive polychromatic green LEDs, which closely match the spectral response of the human eye, are now widely available. In combination with the popularity of LED astrolights, the deep sky observer now has the opportunity to drastically cut their visual recovery time and improve their perception of faint objects. Pictured here is Gary’s telescope with Green Fluorescent Tape. Batteries are not required. The main article can be found at ASTROMAX. The Green Fluorescent Tape can be found at technoglowproducts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1722382366448-8YQAB78VZE5VJNMWP00P/1BA91D31-41E7-4B9F-B4D2-AD3F75064C28.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1722382366724-3EX9KHFJILKSEFTY1WIQ/0BA10ED4-FFB8-4330-A166-26A3F747E965.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/31b6135f-547b-451c-afdd-2bc1bae3066e/cave-opening-lunar-lava-tube-Mare-Tranquillitatis-LRO-October-5-2017.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - We are revisiting Lunar Caves again, as they have made an appearance in the news recently. It is now being explored as a possible shelter for man for long stays on the moon. At the region where Apollo 11 landed, a vast cave system was discovered, that could potentially host future lunar bases. Shielded from cosmic rays and with stable temperatures, these caves are more than just shelters; they're stepping stones to sustained life on the Moon. Lunar caves and lava tubes are lava tubes on the Moon formed during the eruption of basaltic lava flows. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bab754f8-6b0a-482e-a39a-cb2421838a0f/451751692_516577064054682_6878132089929980519_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2d2beef1-8cba-438c-807b-bca303306890/451483540_516577107388011_1815717309797578182_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4f97a724-823d-4c8d-a640-3863855efc77/452369815_520814276964294_9127473859619688889_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/af9695b2-0971-41ce-9d41-df1981a4570d/media.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Adirondack Sky Center Astrophotography Conference This four-day workshop event is at Little Wolf Pond, Tupper Lake New York. It’s a six to seven-hour drive from Toms River. The price Is very reasonable and if lodging is needed check out cabins at Curtigay Cove. It is a two-minute drive from the Sky Center. Adirondack SkyCenter Curtigay Cove cabin rental, speak with Jim Webster. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b7c0d6c7-a9ba-4b1c-842b-1acafc27e094/12099_origin_intelligent_home_observatory_ota-facing-front-right.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - The latest of the smart telescopes to jump into the mix is from Celestron. This particular one will be the largest and is tuned to those wanting better astro images then the ones that are already on the market. Stargazing and Astroimaging Redefined: Celestron Origin is an intelligent, all-in-one home observatory that captures stunning views of faint, deep-sky celestial objects and delivers them to your phone or tablet. The images you capture in seconds look better than what you’d see in the eyepiece of a much larger telescope under much darker skies. For more visit Celestron.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/81372e98-19a4-4c67-90cd-e817de87d5f7/perseids-640x350.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - The Perseids are back August's Perseid meteor shower is expected to put on a great show this year! The best meteor-watching hour is 1 a.m. PDT (4 a.m. EDT) on the morning of August 13, when up to 100 meteors per hour may be visible from a dark sky. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Dark Sky New Jersey is a joint venture of Dark Sky International Advocates and Delegates from New Jersey and the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club Dark Sky team. If there is an interest in helping, please let Jim Webster know. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b700ec3f-1d3b-4bfc-8ca5-84cb8a646c54/20240712_174325.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ada813a2-ea3a-4149-aefc-7e7b7d511ab2/452065776_1701905253976288_4244798976255194068_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3556348a-fedb-4d99-8dbe-1560228f26a7/Aug24NSN_DblStars.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Make it stand out Mid-August night sky constellations with the following multiple star systems highlighted: the Double Double in Lyra, Albireo in Cygnus, Polaris in Ursa Minor, Mizar and Alcor in Ursa Major. Credit: Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3ecb220f-d67f-49fe-a997-36df95b34500/Sextuple_System-1.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Make it stand out This schematic shows the configuration of the sextuple star system TYC 7037-89-1. The inner quadruple is composed of two binaries, A and C, which orbit each other every four years or so. An outer binary, B, orbits the quadruple roughly every 2,000 years. All three pairs are eclipsing binaries. The orbits shown are not to scale. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/18fb0f61-27b8-40da-8497-afdb8c21fc85/images.jfif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - M20 - Trifid Nebula Coordinates: RA 18h 2m 23s | Dec -23° 1′ 48″ Distance to Earth: 5,200 light years Magnitude: 6.3 Radius: 21 light years Age: 300,200 years Types: Emission and Reflection Nebula Apparent dimensions (V): 28 arcmins https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/92d3b889-6ae5-46b3-b028-f37f0df8a427/M20_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6c4107f8-a296-40a9-b1aa-bc64ea7f0025/Tonights+Sky+August+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2024 - Tonight’s Sky: August In August, a flock of star-studded figures soars overhead. Look for the Vega and Lyra constellations, which point to Epsilon Lyrae and the Ring Nebula. You can also spot three bright summer stars: Vega, Deneb, and Altair, which form the Summer Triangle. Keep watching for space-based views of these and other stars and nebulas. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-july2024-nz3nm-e24wy-lh29s-kphk6-a6wzw monthly 0.5 2024-07-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/30310a31-c304-4a9f-a914-0703fe432a2d/912A9756.8x12x300+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - July ASTRA Meeting - July 12 Our meeting for July will be an observing meeting at Island Beach State Park, Area #2. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719780951035-VUOVB52TOF8PGNZ7YS86/20240601_202656.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719780952876-ZYW43PO2KCGPDA42V6Z3/20240601_205743.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719780952107-9XL6I3EE7RBQNZ9NF16I/20240601_205911.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6073e69a-ed14-45ec-b263-c9a5847ba162/20240608_205720.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719785450208-XXBXMVYVHF3YC8AI6A8E/20240615_200521.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719785450605-OBHTLCAR2LU25FTFI7FT/20240615_202259.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719785451678-YPJEW07B89AHX7W4MYN9/20240615_202252.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719785452031-RTSR6AMDV8FKTQS3PWSB/20240615_202308.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719785452690-KO0T773PWU48TVWSLWM3/20240615_202305.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719785902708-3BCHC5LNPHSEFVT6HXKB/20240628_202438.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719785900715-OC4IUUMLDXMA6FOI9TNW/20240628_202935.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719785901324-XREI6UEHNRVIV31WI8T5/20240628_202454.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719785902223-7CHA7SS7R90C24CF2R2S/20240628_202434.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1719785903348-W3BETQFY5N6Q0ET5G9T6/20240628_202630.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/af63756b-d5c5-40b0-9bff-aae30e97f7b7/Beginner+Astronomy+Smart+Telescopes_summarypage.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5221f467-d7c1-4879-aecc-a4a693c8ec47/29SEM4inchmovie.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Researchers are studying data from a recent suborbital flight test to better understand lunar regolith, or Moon dust, and potentially damaging effects as NASA prepares to send astronauts back to the lunar surface under the Artemis campaign. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/09d68877-ca44-4278-8483-787c0228ce9a/zKJV1q.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - The “lunar hay fever”, as NASA astronaut Harrison Schmitt described it during the Apollo 17 mission created symptoms in all 12 people who have stepped on the Moon. From sneezing to nasal congestion, in some cases, it took days for the reactions to fade. Inside the spacecraft, the dust smelt like burnt gunpowder. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/18194c35-a4c0-4419-a15c-8775ebefc8e5/449058041_502041988841523_7292016762820038249_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/206befef-281c-4c4e-8c29-3b1b67cd2eff/448909219_502041982174857_3046182559561071364_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bf317e2f-0ae9-4ddb-b66d-d91bc5783a9c/447301849_491226046589784_8611148074952636367_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/af9695b2-0971-41ce-9d41-df1981a4570d/media.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Adirondack Sky Center Astrophotography Conference This four-day workshop event is at Little Wolf Pond, Tupper Lake New York. It’s a six to seven-hour drive from Toms River. The price Is very reasonable and if lodging is needed check out cabins at Curtigay Cove. It is a two-minute drive from the Sky Center. Adirondack SkyCenter Curtigay Cove cabin rental, speak with Jim Webster. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7f848c92-70a3-47cd-b9ec-47defc3f6949/13P_Olbers_2024_06_24_215434PDT_DEBartlett1024.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Last seen in 1956, Comet 13P/Olbers is returning to the inner Solar System after 68 years. The periodic, Halley-type comet will reach its next perihelion or closest approach to the Sun on June 30 and has become a target for binocular viewing low in planet Earth's northern hemisphere night skies. But this sharp telescopic image of 13P is composed of stacked exposures made on the night of June 25. APOD: Dan Bartlett https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ee7ebef8-5e67-433a-8220-c9e38f8c70fe/1140x641.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Make it stand out Comet 13P/Olbers has been with us for a short time and there is still plenty of time to try observing it. Starwalk.space https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bbdcea30-c08b-4cd4-b576-58b016addceb/HighPointScientific.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - High Point Scientific a local astronomy equipment distributor has a series of articles online for astronomers of all levels. Linked below is something for beginners. Top 25 Tips For Beginner Astronomers https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Dark Sky New Jersey is a joint venture of Dark Sky International Advocates and Delegates from New Jersey and the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club Dark Sky team. If there is an interest in helping, please let Jim Webster know. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/99946347-cebd-4e63-bf62-7c1175ca271f/64753468_380868445887984_938342112410206208_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5dd3b5de-7498-4a70-baf9-0f600f59907d/Jul24_Hercules_TCrB.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Make it stand out Look up after sunset during the summer months to find Hercules! Scan between Vega and Arcturus, near the distinct pattern of Corona Borealis. Once you find its stars, use binoculars or a telescope to hunt down the globular clusters M13 (and a smaller globular cluster M92). If you enjoy your views of these globular clusters, you’re in luck - look for another great globular, M3, in the nearby constellation of Boötes. Image created with assistance from Stellarium: stellarium.org https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c53451a4-491a-46ac-b0a2-8b40642fe69c/M13_Hubble+ESA.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Make it stand out M13 Hubble ESA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/569afadc-d2d9-42ce-b59a-f886964f987b/NovaCygni_ArtistConcept_watermarked_16x9.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Make it stand out A red giant star and white dwarf orbit each other in this animation of a nova similar to T Coronae Borealis. The red giant is a large sphere in shades of red, orange, and white, with the side facing the white dwarf the lightest shades. The white dwarf is hidden in a bright glow of white and yellows, which represent an accretion disk around the star. A stream of material, shown as a diffuse cloud of red, flows from the red giant to the white dwarf. When the red giant moves behind the white dwarf, a nova explosion on the white dwarf ignites, creating a ball of ejected nova material shown in pale orange. After the fog of material clears, a small white spot remains, indicating that the white dwarf has survived the explosion. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6723db32-c841-479c-b4f0-6952e523f279/images.jfif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Corona Borealis Stars: Alpha Coronae Borealis, Beta Coronae Borealis · View more Name: The Northern Crown Hemisphere: the Northern Hemisphere britannica.com Abbreviation: CrB Area: 179 sq. deg. (73rd) Bayer/Flamsteed stars: 24 Bordering constellations: Hercules; Boötes; Serpens Caput https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e51230c1-4668-46cf-87e6-9d3a51735fc1/T_Coronoe+Borealis.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Make it stand out Stellarium view: Jim Webster https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fc3acfd6-4e47-48e5-96fc-d2f51798facf/Tonights+Sky+July.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2024 - Tonight’s Sky: July In July, find the Scorpius constellation to identify the reddish supergiant Antares, which will lead you to discover a trio of globular star clusters. Keep watching for space-based views of these densely packed, spherical collections of ancient stars, as well as three nebulas: the Swan Nebula, the Lagoon Nebula, and the Trifid Nebula. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-june2024-nz3nm-e24wy-lh29s-kphk6 monthly 0.5 2024-06-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1f003c0f-3ffa-41d7-8e18-84d4076a8c8d/200w.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - June ASTRA Meeting - June 12 Now's the Time to clean out all of those unwanted astronomy items. Our meeting for June will be a swap meet for members to present and sell. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1716943535340-J8T64QRTMSYZPW44NEJD/rich+%285%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1716943547970-ASZASYM4TFFQ3BOQTOE5/DH_ASPB2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1716943874921-HVY1QFYN495ICCZVQ3I2/20240510_191954.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1716943875154-R87N8GXNQ0WVOF2MOR0P/20240510_192209.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1716943875998-UL8T6GABO16OBSFNWVWT/20240510_195454.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1716943876475-3W8JZI7INLH0NPIE8J4V/20240510_195509.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1716943877354-NUYDOOIQ5JW7J5YM14TO/20240510_202941.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1716943877636-NGABHDWCZ66THK5JY9LA/20240510_203256.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1716943878855-VSB4F20ZE5VAYXAHKRXX/20240510_203804.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1716945135546-D6B04G0S42IC43S1ICSG/20240518_100929+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1716945169429-Y2M48PMBZSVW5VOJ5A0E/20240518_100940.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a5880d6c-001e-4ca0-b224-eff54d1af1fc/444928962_7454648747991058_7259156976985884690_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - A new experience for Jim Webster. My daughter volunteered me to work the Earth Day event at the school she teaches, West Vincent Elementary in PA. Presented circumpolar constellations in a mobile planetarium. There were sixteen 20-minute sessions for 320 students. The highlight of the day was a third-grade girl who came up after one of the afternoon sessions, she said: “When I was little I wanted to be an astronomer. Now that I saw your presentation, it makes me want to be an astronomer even more.” It made the trip to PA well worth it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/71d9312d-70d8-4ea4-a572-58a768bbd8f9/Slide1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Anyone who attended a recent ASTRA Star Party at Jake’s Branch County Park may have seen my classic 3” f/15 Edmund Scientific achromatic refractor set up for an evening of observing. Those who took the opportunity to observe the Moon through this instrument may have been impressed by the quality of the images seen in the eyepiece. Chromatic aberration is minimal and totally absent on most objects. I purchased this telescope new years ago. Sometime in 1973 or 1974. The first nebula I ever observed was the Ring Nebula which I observed through this refractor. My backyard skies were very dark back then. The first photo displays the refractor on a Vixen GP mount with a home-built tripod. I still have the original mount but unfortunately, this 60” hardwood tripod has been lost in time. Edmund mounts were not fancy but functional without frills. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8288059e-a51e-48ac-8693-45615e9e994a/Slide2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - While the optics are absolutely world-class, and the optical tube itself is a beautiful black paint with orange letters, and a classic Celestron color scheme, the main drawback was its focuser. As a rather dated single speed, rack and pinion design, and only able to accept 1.25” accessories, an upgrade was essential in “modernizing” the instrument. Unfortunately the back focus requirement made upgrading difficult.. finding a suitable replacement that allowed proper In-focus travel for 2” eyepieces proved to be quite a challenge.. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bc1925d7-bbdc-444f-9e1d-84bbc88fedf6/Slide3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/567acc2b-cad8-4414-90fe-df09db75ef9f/Slide4.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - It's a portal to the wonders of our night sky, a testament to enduring quality, and a reminder of the simple joy of visual astronomical exploration. It is and will continue to be, one of my most cherished telescopes, and it always brings me joy to share the experience with others. All images by: Matthew Michota https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8fb8c40e-b4fe-4917-8f5e-7b5195fded22/hrPMR2jCgpisBiiXj6t95Z-1200-80.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - The Oceans of Storms on the Moon (Oceanus Procellarum) is the only lunar maria or seas to be called an ocean. That’s because it’s the largest maria, stretching more than 1,600 miles (2,500 km) across. Early theories about this part of the moon suggested it was the site of an ancient asteroid impact. Now scientists studying data from the Grail mission – which orbited the moon in 2011 and 2012 – believe they have found evidence that this region formed not in an asteroid impact, but through processes going on beneath the moon’s surface. These scientists suggest that a rift valley on the moon lies beneath the dark lava of the Ocean of Storms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6952ab3b-7081-4533-9c8c-6900e40bfb6d/441966465_478971627815226_2417130411931257851_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fa3921c8-e5c6-4c72-b0ff-5fa2d05e9177/436306192_478971661148556_7506022940144318773_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/71d30b62-a8f6-411b-89bb-d91b4cd56c39/441910477_478971671148555_4489444060511531086_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/af9695b2-0971-41ce-9d41-df1981a4570d/media.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Adirondack Sky Center Astrophotography Conference This four-day workshop event is at Little Wolf Pond, Tupper Lake New York. It’s a six to seven-hour drive from Toms River. The price Is very reasonable and if lodging is needed check out cabins at Curtigay Cove. It is a two-minute drive from the Sky Center. Adirondack SkyCenter Curtigay Cove cabin rental, speak with Jim Webster. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d9a5edc3-15f4-443f-a15a-acad5a1a5864/xflare_anim_strip_opt.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Space Weather Update The most famous sunspot in decades just had its name changed. AR3664, which caused the great May 10th superstorm, has been re-numbered AR3697 following a 2-week trip around the farside of the sun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0a58d8c8-63b6-4474-966c-7de8fc4c80bb/441873659_975298647931698_8165469092565488102_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Planetary Alignment on June 3 Don’t get overly excited about the planetary alignment for June 3 also known as the Parade of Planets. While this is an eventful thing to be aware of, the timing of it will disappoint if you expect to see it. You may be able to see Saturn and Mars, along with the crescent Moon, with the naked eye, but you will need a telescope to see Neptune. The rest will be washed out in the pre-dawn sky as the sun rises. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/91806d8c-82c3-4676-b6bd-66a5536b7469/Planetary+Alignment+June+3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Make it stand out Jim Webster: Starry Night Pro 8 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Dark Sky New Jersey is a joint venture of Dark Sky International Advocates and Delegates from New Jersey and the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club Dark Sky team. If there is an interest in helping, please let Jim Webster know. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f64dea4a-6574-44dd-98a6-3f9a9ae67c21/20240518_161200.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b6d5a861-dfb0-4a87-aa25-4834374cf7ff/443698615_10161128656586071_5237207064059251900_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2afa2725-9fe0-46f4-b138-6c96917c568d/June24_Stellarium.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Make it stand out From left to right: Ursa Major, Draco, and Cepheus. Credit: Stellarium Web. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/571b251a-3e5b-4490-8f20-27faabc68c1e/Jun24_CatsEye.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Make it stand out This composite of data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope gives astronomers a new look for NGC 6543, better known as the Cat's Eye nebula. This planetary nebula represents a phase of stellar evolution that our sun may well experience several billion years from now. Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/STScI https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/45d93793-9aa6-40a8-abfc-01dd5294c906/Jun24_M81.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Bode’s Galaxy and the Cigar Galaxy: Using the arrow on the star map, look diagonal from the star Dubhe in Ursa Major. There you will find Bode’s Galaxy (Messier 81) and the Cigar Galaxy (Messier 82). Sometimes referred to as Bode’s Nebula, these two galaxies can be spotted with a small to medium-sized telescope. M81 Bode’s Galaxy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0f86146e-dcb7-48b8-9581-b7f1a4c3436d/Jun24_M82.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Bode’s Galaxy is a classic spiral shape, similar to our own Milky Way galaxy and our neighbor, Andromeda. The Cigar Galaxy, however, is known as a starburst galaxy type, known to have a high star formation rate and incredible shapes. This image composite from 2006 combines the power of three great observatories: the Hubble Space Telescope imaged hydrogen in orange, and visible light in yellow green; Chandra X-Ray Observatory portrayed X-ray in blue; Spitzer Space Telescope captured infrared light in red. M82 The Cigar Galaxy. Credit: NASA, ESA, CXC, and JPL-Caltech https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/295030a2-4ad1-4177-a932-c9d28eab67b4/M51.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - M51 - Whirlpool Galaxy Distance to Earth: 31 million light-years Constellation: Canes Venatici Age: 400.3 million years Coordinates: RA 13h 29m 53s | Dec +47° 11′ 43″ Radius: 30,000 light-years Stars: 100 billion Apparent mass: ~160 billion M☉ Image credit: Earl Lautenschlager https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/89d909f4-d045-45d5-87ba-4a0a436f154b/M51_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Make it stand out freecharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/718d4fed-b947-485f-b817-d825b4e8053e/Tonights+Sky+June.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2024 - Tonight’s Sky: June Though the nights are shorter in June, they are filled with fine sights. Look for the Hercules constellation, which will lead you to a globular star cluster with hundreds of thousands of densely packed stars. You can also spot Draco the dragon, which will point you to the Cat’s Eye Nebula. Keep watching for space-based views of globular star clusters and the nebula. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-may2024-nz3nm-e24wy-lh29s monthly 0.5 2024-05-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cb2c2e53-ebf2-4855-9c25-21a2d3b2a25c/rich+%285%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - May ASTRA Meeting - May 10 ASTRA May meeting, Diana Hannikaninen will be our virtual guest speaker from Sky and Telescope. The topic will be the "History and Development of Radio Astronomy" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714599345435-XYRT4KBHJ6LJY2V9NDMD/20240413_194000.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714599345689-OVDA3D1KEH0BCZYWYWF5/20240413_192931.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714599346793-2VESL08AWUBD8U19K7VB/20240413_194025.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714599347146-JLULP94450R8LJJ9G5K1/20240413_192935.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714599348209-UJO6Z8CEV4INNQH7F5BH/20240413_193847.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714599348736-DZER9OAQB1VW7VU3DCGL/20240413_194210.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714599937779-8MDKHMKRQK15K30R4S4P/20240412_193554.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714599937462-F29YIZ24X2VJUJQBBG07/20240412_200441.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714599938695-XV2U5H4J8VWCY953CW50/20240412_195507.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714599939039-J4PGYCCPNL0MIOULJGM5/20240412_201456.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714599939823-SJE0E13L2FROZ77JNOHS/20240412_202640.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714599940150-C8FZI416AA3U2L9F5BRV/20240412_194539.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714606878743-TM1FAC0JONKLSUHUW7UA/20240425_161125.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714606879621-O3935BGMPQUGSVFKTIDN/20240417_143141.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714606969530-4FNLWLOITGVA9B9XJIF2/IMG_5129.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714606970842-Q0VOQJ2W058CGJI1G6U0/20240427_110952.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714606971264-P92ZCAAN6AP5KDRPUX21/20240427_100616.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714606972577-FRV28D57M9POY2QOBAZA/20240427_110941.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714606973316-95RZGAC4BBG32BZ4GW0N/20240427_094407.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f6a2d083-2129-4dcb-95e6-e39f831e8874/PXL_20240413_234531470.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Anyone who attended a recent ASTRA Star Party at Jake’s Branch County Park may have seen my classic 3” f/15 Edmund Scientific achromatic refractor set up for an evening of observing. Those who took the opportunity to observe the Moon through this instrument may have been impressed by the quality of the images seen in the eyepiece. Chromatic aberration is minimal and totally absent on most objects. I purchased this telescope new years ago. Sometime in 1973 or 1974. The first nebula I ever observed was the Ring Nebula which I observed through this refractor. My backyard skies were very dark back then. The first photo displays the refractor on a Vixen GP mount with a home-built tripod. I still have the original mount but unfortunately, this 60” hardwood tripod has been lost in time. Edmund mounts were not fancy but functional without frills. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/baab673f-7fc6-4415-ad37-2b37a510b4f7/PXL_20240501_195402855.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Over the years I have made some modifications including some paint touchup. Initially, the scope was attached to the original mount by two bolts. I closed the bolt holes with plastic plugs and installed tube rings and a carry handle. This works very well with the Vixen GP mount. Additionally, I replaced the existing finder scope. The original finder was supported by two brackets which I removed. Fortunately, the bolt-hole spacing for attaching the existing brackets to the telescope tube matched precisely the hole spacing of the new dovetail shoe so no drilling was required. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/763bdde2-ce50-4f66-acaf-ce5687acbf48/PXL_20240501_193512844.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - A serious issue was the original focuser. It was not perfectly collimated and there was no provision for collimation. Images were still good but I knew they could be much better. About ten years ago there was a gentleman who made telescope parts in his metalworking shop. This shop was Crawford Machine. Sadly, I don’t believe he is in business anymore. He made a Crayford focuser for the mighty Edmund. It is well crafted and focusing is smooth. It can be rotated and collimated. This classic Edmund refractor now holds its own against the night sky! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9166b3c2-0cfd-45a6-8e51-d8a1aabd8db5/G2010-102_ShrinkingMoon_ipod_lg00500_print.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - The Moon is getting smaller Although its exterior today is cold and solid, the Moon's interior is still cooling down, causing it to contract. This contraction affects the entire Moon, causing its surface area to decrease and its solid crust to wrinkle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a289a3cb-2903-45e2-ae16-67a39e208e34/438225154_466479732397749_7378222696139856179_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f86fbc50-42fd-4c22-a15f-4e067bebf0b5/438240720_466479575731098_6854124254053969781_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5943b2bf-fb3b-45f8-9565-d26393d2f78b/438242987_466479525731103_2227755924473700160_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714684997376-8CH6L1XIBS2G0BIWP846/image-asset.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - How sound is providing new clues about the Universe By Patchen Barss, BBC Features correspondent Astronomy is often considered a visual science that produces stunning images of the cosmos. But it's possible to hear it as well. BBC Article https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/af9695b2-0971-41ce-9d41-df1981a4570d/media.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Adirondack Sky Center Astrophotography Conference This four-day workshop event is at Little Wolf Pond, Tupper Lake New York. It’s a six to seven-hour drive from Toms River. The price Is very reasonable and if lodging is needed check out cabins at Curtigay Cove. It is a two-minute drive from the Sky Center. Adirondack SkyCenter Curtigay Cove cabin rental, speak with Jim Webster. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714685517357-ZY4BM423NBR4WFY2LZOY/435571036_10233996268196089_6541064472246469217_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714685517316-Z5WZ3T2AN7Y3FMSL05TO/436425686_10234035804544473_8365820688044620944_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714685517874-KSRU6K3IIOGMXUOOOJ4U/436803807_10234006039120356_994166666526987942_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714685817087-VEB68L5AJI22J87C3630/SunContinuum_2024-04-16T18-17-50.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714685817399-UWNNCPDHU7N67CXZ4MR2/SunContinuum_2024-04-16T18-17-50_C.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714685826058-R2SKXFTVEWYWFHR21UK8/2024-04-24-1438_8-U-L-Sun_f0762+%281%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714686083056-59IZA9YY4DOH8ZMI5BYB/diamond+with+flareup+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714686082349-4O18E6A9HX88LV60RATE/diamond2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714686082350-A4JTIABJTHP80I1I9JZR/Totality1+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714686202460-T923BQQBDKMMNGOO8GEX/M66.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714686202510-5S7JVBJP99858EILNGK8/M100.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5db4620f-2f93-44c2-a3c9-4d0007756c7a/IMG_1381.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Vinny Illuzzi Starlink train over Mt. Mordor in New Zealand, from Lord of the Rings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/85731210-3056-4b49-a1a1-98bc1b50a1d4/PXL_20240408_192656408+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Vic Palmieri A patriotic eclipse. This is a favorite of your APO Editor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Dark Sky New Jersey is a joint venture of Dark Sky International Advocates and Delegates from New Jersey and the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club Dark Sky team. If there is an interest in helping, please let Jim Webster know. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0d5c33f3-c3f9-4a23-b52b-aefa66727d4d/20240414_122624.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Great Swamp Light Pollution exhibit at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. This is the second one for New Jersey with other locations asking about them. It was a nice addition to see the exhibit assembled before Jim Webster's presentation “Audubon Dark Sky” In a post-presentation email, the presentation met with positive results and they are looking to get more engaged in light pollution awareness. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714835663967-J9UA9RRCPL2VY9N8WQ90/20240419_161237.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714835546617-4HRCXW4975KEY27BLXLX/20240420_081446.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1714835548072-Q5UGK04K22A1J38ZHSK4/NEAF+1633a+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1970515b-970d-4e9f-8b55-9739741696b3/436954481_1157802199008193_7346122753827064038_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/15315965-c686-4124-879a-0d1aac85ce89/Bortle-Scale_Credit_International-Dark-Sky-Association.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Make it stand out The Bortle scale helps amateur astronomers and stargazers to know how much light pollution is in the sky where they observe. Credit: International Dark Sky Association https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e1df044f-ded9-4b27-a78f-4873d7d5565c/May24_SkyMap.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Make it stand out A full view of the northern hemisphere night sky in mid-May. Credit: Stellarium Web. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/26a51bea-c5b9-48f9-b226-41dabc950057/438239367_885840360245825_4889521772063676906_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - M100 Stars: 400 billion Radius: 53,500 light years Coordinates: RA 12h 22m 55s | Dec +15° 49′ 21″ Constellation: Coma Berenices Magnitude: 9.3 Apparent mass: ~200 billion M☉ Absolute magnitude: -22.84 Image credit: NASA APOD https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8aa0a802-8ea8-49e3-80ce-633b689d4256/M100_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Make it stand out freecharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6d2feba6-3450-497c-84bd-132f439a4e67/Tonights+Sky+May.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2024 - Tonight’s Sky: May In May, we are looking away from the crowded, dusty plane of our own galaxy toward a region where the sky is brimming with distant galaxies. Locate Virgo to find a concentration of roughly 2,000 galaxies and search for Coma Berenices to identify many more. Keep watching for space-based views of galaxies like the Sombrero Galaxy, M87, and M64. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-april2024-nz3nm-e24wy monthly 0.5 2024-05-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d1296206-145e-481e-a700-6c6ca9f6f5b9/blog_image_4171_8439_Peanuts_By_Charles_Schulz_July_16__1963_201708081556.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/66a5face-7446-4d6f-a7f6-6c85592f909d/total-solar-eclipse-map-apr-8-2024_NorthAmerica-Great-American-Eclipse-scaled-e1678889233630.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Total Solar Eclipse - April 8 The Total Solar Eclipse is only a few days away. No matter where you are for this event, safe travels and safe viewing. We are looking forward to hearing all about it. There are 224 solar eclipses within the 21st century. Of these, 68 are total solar eclipses, 73 are annular solar eclipses, 7 are hybrids of total and annular solar eclipses, and 77 are partial solar eclipses. The next Solar Eclipse in the US will not be until August 12, 2045. For more visit greatamericaneclipse.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3e7f0fd9-65a7-46e5-b6f9-6bc6e0d0c4db/Planetarium.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - For ASTRA members who will not be traveling for the eclipse, Novins Planetarium is hosting a viewing event on April 8, between 2 PM and 5 PM. The eclipse for Toms River will be at 90%. In addition to distributing free safe viewing supplies, there will also be music, food to purchase, science activities for the family, and more. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and sunscreen. If you're willing to help, let Jim Webster know and we will contact Cara. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b17bc6a5-a726-4603-8bd0-0a3edb9d8fbc/200w.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - April ASTRA Meeting - April 12 Solar Eclipse Recap For the ASTRA April meeting, we are having a membership-wide review of member experiences from the April 8 Eclipse. Anyone who wants to add anything to the Slide Deck please let Jim Webster know. Submitting to the slide desk is not required, you can use your own flash drive. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/74dcbf73-fcee-4175-9e55-0fc17066378e/22b5b581203278b7ca8b2e882f165cf4.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - March Star Party Our first 2024 star party was on March 16. Member and guest turnout was good. We also had two digital telescope setups, with John Enderson's version being homegrown. We should have a future meeting to review the growing interest in digital telescopes. Unfortunately we have no photos. Maybe next time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1711406691805-1NA16VK4HA56LU3ND5GN/20240308_193504.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1711406692367-JE77MV7IYNWR4V9R73NT/20240308_202007.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1711406693477-AK7X1UHXGRQ7W12VTE3G/20240308_202027.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/561af891-195f-4323-b488-9e9e2a7447df/20240316_182548.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Berkeley Historic Society and Jakes Branch On March 14 we had a presentation for the Berkeley Historic Society, then on March 16, we had one for Jakes Branch County Park. Both were Beginner Astronomy: What to see in the night sky with a telescope. The headcount for the Historic Society was thirty and Jakes Branch was ten. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5bc49a99-c84c-457e-afed-67d6a60b2bd4/_MG_3240_Moon_LRedit-3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - The Moon is Earth’s constant companion, the first skywatching target pointed out to us as children. We watch its face change as the month progresses, and see patterns and pictures in its geological features. It’s the object in the night sky that humanity knows best ― and the one that’s easiest to study. Whether your tools are a telescope, a pair of binoculars, or just your eyes, you can find plenty of features on the Moon. For more go to science.nasa.gov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e38d3f59-b5a8-4d20-9551-3ea6aa19329c/432780441_449253924120330_1124611900016024089_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4294cc9b-f8f0-43c8-9201-629d086c321f/432994328_449424444103278_2287883136016917795_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/33fb8d44-81c3-4961-8216-6bf58f036a36/428603186_431888625856860_5041088630065132914_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/48e2b024-f4e0-448e-adf6-3686a65f4b1b/sitelogo.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Free Astronomy Textbook 2023 Version Astronomy for Mere Mortals: a complete introductory 484-page textbook, available free, updated annually. You may print it, or if you would like a printed copy, please contact the author, Aaron Clevenson, at aaron@clevenson.org Link to the book at astroleague.org https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1f07822e-872a-49a3-80ce-c6459307c9d0/sit.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - A Brief History of the Astronomers Chair From the mundane to the iconic, the physical to the symbolic, the striking presence of chairs in the history of science begs to be acknowledged and understood. The MIT Press Reader https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1711410070447-UW6LL7FY80KOITTH38EG/fb_img_1710896841207_720.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1711410070594-FD8YNRCL5HDHKCJF1OWE/LowersA.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1711410071034-B0GKICNC37DV0CKC3F13/na_a_720.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1711536627651-FNOW1F57VY17FJ5TSB60/432772970_10233910703737031_1108118265455844714_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1711536627611-6SA3Q2A4G074W20HFRNM/433677804_10233902850660709_7018567569723198537_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1711536628238-4P7TYPRGIPP1FZOO88WP/434094045_10233931292171729_2184425722239841706_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1711410217350-TT2FA7RMQGYAGNSRIA5Q/tastethesuntm_720.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1711410217243-RKZZXKA4UQTP3NYNC16L/2024-03-24-1837_0-u-l-sun_lapl4_ap491_drizzle15_sharp5_copy_720.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1711410217927-K5FKLBW41YT5Y6AGEF99/untitled-2_720.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Dark Sky New Jersey is a joint venture of Dark Sky International Advocates and Delegates from New Jersey and the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club Dark Sky team. If there is an interest in helping, please let Jim Webster know. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/91e5843b-c6f0-40e5-ab14-bca3100b1ce2/CALVINHOBBES-eclipse.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Make it stand out by Bill Watterson (Universal Uclick/Andrews McMeel) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/963ce6b8-072e-45df-9c79-45458cf79004/blog_image_4171_8429_Peanuts_By_Charles_Schulz_July_20__1963_201708081551.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Make it stand out July 20, 1963 - Charles M. Schultz https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5d95cdcc-80d8-4912-b363-6613d49411c5/Eclipse_Soundscapes_Logo.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Make it stand out Eclipse Soundscapes, ARISA Lab / NASA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b49a36d1-6402-4f0c-be1e-fd408796773c/HamSCI.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Make it stand out HamSCI, The University of Scranton / NASA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bed6e587-21c9-4f3f-ae51-d6c63d6a65b1/SunSketcher.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - SunSketcher If you’re traveling to totality, help the SunSketcher team measure the oblateness, or shape, of the Sun during the eclipse by timing the flashes of Baily’s Beads. You will need a smartphone with a working camera for this, along with something to hold the phone in place - don’t forget a spare battery! NOTE: The app will need to run from five minutes before the eclipse starts until the end of the eclipse. Any additional phone use will result in Sun Sketcher data loss. Learn more at: sunsketcher.org/ SunSketcher, Western Kentucky University / NASA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b08478d0-ed0b-4a52-a3dd-64689c2b0c70/Globe+Observer+Eclipse.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Make it stand out The above was shared at our March ASTRA meeting. Jim Webster will be working the Adirondack Sky Center-sponsored eclipse event. He will be providing an overview and support of the Globe Observer Eclipse app and SciStarter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5e9f52a0-957e-4d14-a253-36dac278908e/Million+Acts.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - One Million Acts Of Science SciStarter April is Citizen Science Month and it would be great for anyone interested to register for One Million Acts of Science. This is perfect timing for the Solar Eclipse on April 8. Check it out at SciStarter.org https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4de228fc-8398-4fa0-a6bf-1a701e752c8b/_12P_Pons_Brooks_2023_12_04_184135PST_DEBartlett1024.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks On December 4, periodic Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks shared this telescopic field of view with Vega, alpha star of the northern constellation Lyra. Image credit: NASA APOD https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ae27741e-3194-47a7-926a-ecd2d1679943/426723168_809374104562037_5563588618376806836_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Make it stand out So should you look for this comet during the April 2024 eclipse? Even with the sun’s light mostly blotted out by the moon during the eclipse, you’ll likely still need optical aid to see the comet. Then … there’s the risk of blindness. Scanning with optical aid near the sun – even during an eclipse, when the sun is only momentarily darkened – is a pursuit best left to experienced astrophotographers to capture an image of the comet near the eclipsed sun on April 8, 2024. — EarthSky https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0983a8a9-b032-4a1d-af04-a28b999414d3/Tonights+Sky+April.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2024 - Tonight’s Sky: April April nights are filled with starry creatures. Near the Big Dipper, you will find several interesting binary stars. You can also spot galaxies like the Pinwheel Galaxy, M82, and M96—the last of which is an asymmetric galaxy that may have been gravitationally disrupted by encounters with its neighbors. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-march2024-nz3nm-e24wy-bnlaf-7zs4n monthly 0.5 2024-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f09394e1-678e-4980-983f-344479ce073e/20230113_193059.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - March ASTRA Meeting - March 8 Telescope Workshop We are hoping for a good showing of our ASTRA members for the March Meeting. This will be the telescope workshop and we tend to get some of the public on hand looking for assistance with their scopes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1708890217801-WLBUQZFR4W4KAILF4CX1/jweb+telescope.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1708890232621-DJJZVE5L34GI06F2MKC7/20240209_193915.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1708890243259-L8A2W54XWM2WROK0S2RO/20240209_193804.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5032152b-c72c-448f-83dc-ea9c33d1f58f/428709994_778611200967832_9128156742545870088_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Before the James Webb Space Telescope, other space observatories looked out into the universe with their infrared vision. The successes of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite and Spitzer Space Telescope, as well as Webb, have given us infrared views of the cosmos for 40 years: JPL.NASA.GOV https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cdb07c0d-4145-4d8d-be06-66cfcadced61/lbif+A+and+S.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - LBIF Arts and Science On February 10, Jim Webster Presented to the Long Beach Island Foundation of Arts & Science a presentation of Beginner Astronomy: What to see in the night sky. This event also included some related citizen science projects. This was a Zoom event of 35 participants. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1708891185188-YOPH20QAJ5Q2L6RJ0YVR/20240215_142612.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1708891203792-UB88LE4O5ON85CE7CHJ8/20240215_130839.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/270fd3f3-e29f-4acf-948e-d31c82fcb50d/425369391_842278604602001_3272562487533973649_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Intuitive Machines' robotic lander Odysseus has accomplished the first U.S. landing on the Moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Launched on a SpaceX rocket on February 15, the phone booth-sized lander reached lunar orbit on the 21st and successfully touched down on the lunar surface at 6:23 pm Eastern time on February 22nd. Its target landing region is about 300 kilometers north of the Moon's south pole. Before landing Odysseus’ navigation camera captured this image as it passed over the Moon’s northern equatorial highlands. At the upper right is the 50-kilometer diameter impact crater designated Bel’kovich K. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2e92d83d-bc77-41d5-89a4-3569914a2364/hq720.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 The good news, Odysseus has landed, near the south pole of the Moon. The bad news it has fallen over during touchdown. Then back to the good news … It is still sending data. - - - Universe Today https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d008c026-5328-4c86-af8c-522ca5de8945/428617699_433369022375487_5948305507565131575_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e73f7ff2-1914-4b89-ac7f-13125f49083a/409046729_433210315724691_4821367644747070058_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f5faecb1-b666-4284-8fef-99a0578b92d6/409050452_433210165724706_3886861869563005441_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f42f0981-d39b-4304-bd01-079086c855a9/GG-iS5nXEAAFKOP.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Make it stand out The Sun has been very active this last two weeks in February. - Check out the NASA blog on recent activity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a9603c70-406c-4b82-9700-9c2ab2020c68/unnamed.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Make it stand out Giant sunspot region AR3590 is making history this week. It was the producer of the biggest X flare of Solar Cycle 25 so far, an X6.4. Plus it produced 3 X flares in less than 24 hours. And over the past day ... 6 M flares! Image via Helioviewer. - EarthSky.org https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/33fb8d44-81c3-4961-8216-6bf58f036a36/428603186_431888625856860_5041088630065132914_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fd3ef1d9-b30a-4e77-8466-e422955721bd/22279463_116072192481590_4997387687771526563_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Remote Telescope Data Imaging Ralf Rohner is a FaceBook friend of Jim Webster. He is a Pilot, Airlines Captain, and Landscape Photographer from Zurich, Switzerland. He is also an astrophotographer. His postings and images appear here in Astral Projections Online with his permission. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e5c83228-fab6-46fc-bab8-fa2d4f675d55/408890523_948948523905026_8968506118469424966_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709390277759-1N6KW4OHHAW09KL0EM5V/429989426_949357743864104_6824435435300690305_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709390289303-8STQMC0F8CZZ8BS4MJAO/429956537_949357770530768_7868965932237122949_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709390321618-XEKH63Q20QOZSWD65OKL/429913101_949357803864098_5408311495435547151_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709390351689-BJMSH253MK4QPCA7AHGY/429898165_949357857197426_662011442323264831_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504161392-8DQT6A18S1DXW9OHP4ME/double+cluster+finished.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504162019-4YHHXW71AO3C30VZ7604/m33+finished+new.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504162083-ZXF87UHI9MYO1N4KCFHK/m42+finished+.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504163056-NUAXALXU0W4MQ2HUNHV1/Rossette+nebula++false+533mc.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504295406-PXCPQ1ZALIYL9XGW04ZA/Horsehead.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504306875-TBPV34HZ10ETG3IBKK93/IC_1805_Heart_Nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504314224-6S13M94SVQ00TFIB7F7O/M33.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504327496-2IC9R14DVD12DD7WJ6NT/M45.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504341767-CKRHUV6BCRN8L4BA3LBX/MonkeyHead.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504365674-OBZYFVFSJNH6MEZNCNI5/NGC+2359.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504391479-LDO2HE1UEQQEASEH13HX/NGC+2244.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504400472-SGRQ5TAJYR3NWDSRG3D4/NGC2244.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504480214-SYGT2E9F25LJY154R18M/FB_IMG_1703278767569.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504489675-DQIG6Q2M25QDDW10GGH8/FB_IMG_1704324857058.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504498672-ZGN0QZ8FXRJB0L04A5HR/FB_IMG_1707431959845.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504510511-PS3K6LNXXV79IOV2WKJ1/FB_IMG_1707766933106.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504525346-S21KC8GGGGZKI3AQV5SN/IC410.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504537469-AMAEJ6PYJSITY3YN8VIP/IC434_010424pa.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504554234-H1U9G4I690I0L20VWNNJ/Merlotte15A.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1709504562694-5JAVDFS9HK8Z9079D7QE/RosetteNebulaA.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02a79d12-9c1d-44b6-af49-5d3170fd6ebc/DarkSky+New+Jersey+Primary+Logo+%28White%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Dark Sky New Jersey is now official. It is a joint venture of Dark Sky New Jersey members and the Sierra Club. If there is an interest in helping, please let Jim Webster know. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/45cc3d6b-cc47-466d-a4c8-df891d0cf503/425817384_10159614079846455_8965092978709035957_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c8d7eea4-75c1-483d-a75e-8312e7b487c5/ItO5P4h.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Make it stand out In the appearance of left to right: constellations Perseus, Camelopardalis, and Lynx in the night sky. Also featured: Cassiopeia as a guide constellation, and Capella as a guide star. - - - Credit: Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/846411a2-9883-4dd4-ab4d-03a930c2e8f6/kemblescascade_macdonald.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Kemble’s Cascade: This asterism located in Camelopardalis, has over 20 stars, ranging in visible magnitude (brightness) and temperature. The stars give the appearance of flowing in a straight line leading to the Jolly Roger Cluster (NGC 1502). On the opposite side of this constellation, you find the asterism Kemble’s Kite. All three objects can be spotted with a pair of binoculars or a telescope and require moderate dark skies. Image Source: NASA APOD https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/13a018b1-80ac-46d5-9573-aee51d9c4f84/image+2.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Make it stand out A ground-based image from the Digitized Sky Survey (DSS) in the upper left shows Caldwell 14, the Double Cluster in Perseus, with an outline of the region imaged by Hubble’s Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2). Ground-based image: Digitized Sky Survey (DSS); Hubble image: NASA, ESA, and S. Casertano (Space Telescope Science Institute); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cd1e4900-fd58-4fdf-97b9-aa296531b7ba/doubleCluster2sav2_HDR2-Edit_Moon_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4de228fc-8398-4fa0-a6bf-1a701e752c8b/_12P_Pons_Brooks_2023_12_04_184135PST_DEBartlett1024.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks On December 4, periodic Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks shared this telescopic field of view with Vega, alpha star of the northern constellation Lyra. Image credit: NASA APOD https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ae27741e-3194-47a7-926a-ecd2d1679943/426723168_809374104562037_5563588618376806836_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Make it stand out So should you look for this comet during the April 2024 eclipse? It depends on how experienced you are at observing the sun. Even with the sun’s light mostly blotted out by the moon during the eclipse, you’ll likely still need optical aid to see the comet. Then … there’s the risk of blindness. Scanning with optical aid near the sun – even during an eclipse, when the sun is only momentarily darkened – is a pursuit best left to experienced observers. Just be aware the comet is up there. But you might just want to leave it to the astrophotography experts to capture an image of the comet near the eclipsed sun on April 8, 2024. —- EarthSky https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b05ee5a4-f777-412a-b389-236bc87808cf/Tonights+Sky+March.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2024 - Tonight’s Sky: March In March, the stars of spring lie eastward: Look for the constellations Gemini and Cancer to spot interesting celestial features like star clusters M35 and the Beehive Cluster, and NGC 3923, an oblong elliptical galaxy with an interesting ripple pattern. Keep watching for space-based views of the galaxies. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-february2024-nz3nm-e24wy-bnlaf monthly 0.5 2024-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1706664297711-IAE0V31PZWOBCTIKHO47/20240112_194830.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1706664327915-ACRQ33XDTGBGH4DIMY0B/20240112_201554.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8ae52f1b-6815-4d3e-9f58-806d5cfcd82f/305303431_766057911171554_79895908121268494_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Cape May Audubon Nature Center On January 18, Jim Webster Presented to the Cape May Nature Center a second showing of Audubon Dark Skies presentation on the impact of light pollution with a primary focus on birds. Cape May is working on its dark sky footprint and hopes to get more of the word out to the community. It was also mentioned the benefits Cape May would get from some astro-tourism with MilkyWay photographers. We had a showing of 25 people at this event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1706665069756-Z21S3MNUL617ULKGA541/20240122_195453.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1706665084327-A9CDP72GFN4WG274CPU4/20240122_185924.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1706665098525-SV716K6XO3HJ6FHYQHBK/20240122_193238.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2bfad124-db86-43c2-8a02-cab31488e9df/132_lro_orientale_1200.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - A lunar maria are large, dark, basaltic plains on Earth's Moon, formed by lava flowing into ancient impact basins. Mare Orientale is a lunar mare. It is located on the western border of the near side and far side of the Moon and is difficult to see from an Earthbound perspective. Images from spacecraft have revealed it to be one of the most striking large-scale lunar features, resembling a target ring bullseye. Compared with most other lunar basins, Mare Orientale is less flooded by mare basalts, so that much of the basin structure is visible. Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University Published: October 20, 2017 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f4a569f6-cb6f-440f-8275-f5294c08e645/415096541_406160978429625_4828242309374578507_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/662293bd-5517-48a8-8000-dd0172120378/421509931_416168820762174_6406842772428363642_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c60b20d2-826c-4454-9d6e-491806b117c1/421474962_416168780762178_858170361466692240_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f14f665b-fb13-48b5-9014-96d96ac75182/Northern_Lights_02-1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - The Northern Lights Might Be Visible From New Jersey This Year The Northern Lights are often considered one of the most majestic sights on the entire planet Earth, and countless people are willing to make a pilgrimage up north to see them in person. But will it be possible to see them in New Jersey in 2024? This article from onlyinyourstate.com will review this. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f0810449-b152-4a7b-9c29-04ab16f4a433/423161075_25063222676596340_234855756733609428_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Sky’s Up Magazine Discover the latest issue of Sky's Up Global Astronomy Magazine, a collaborative effort by contributors worldwide, catering to a diverse global audience. Proudly presented as the official magazine of the Explore Alliance, this publication is made possible by Explore Scientific. Secure your copy of the latest Sky's Up Global Astronomy Magazine from Explore Scientific at www.explorescientific.com/skysup and embark on a journey through the cosmos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b8ce9eb0-ccd8-48e5-ad2b-bacb9b15ae44/Slide+1+%2813%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Dark Sky Advocacy Getting Noticed ASTRA Member Jim Webster and Dark Sky Advocate had a Zoom meeting on January 30th with Dark Sky International. An announcement for the DarkSky New Jersey chapter will be coming out shortly. Hoping we can time this with Jake’s Branch Exhibit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b8a618d1-23b8-477a-b1ff-db05a6d3e3ae/Great+Swamp+Dark+Sky+Exhibit+Boards1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/51471f71-0384-4f65-9a05-e14e92c38a68/417460059_24953074017624530_7014062438943796515_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bbe1b236-4e2e-4886-82a8-333b9c5301e0/37doqpQ.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Winter in the northern hemisphere offers crisp, clear (and cold!) nights to stargazers, along with better views of several circumpolar constellations. What does circumpolar mean when referring to constellations? This word refers to constellations that surround the north and south celestial poles without ever falling below the horizon. Depending on your latitude, you will be able to see up to nine circumpolar constellations in the northern hemisphere. Today, we’ll focus on three that have gems within Auriga, Cassiopeia, and Ursa Minor. These objects can all be spotted with a pair of binoculars or a small to medium-sized telescope. by Kat Troche of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/db864038-3993-4503-8b7b-28f4bf0bea27/MDYZX6n.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Make it stand out The counterclockwise circumpolar constellations Auriga, Cassiopeia, and Ursa Minor, with four objects circled in yellow labeled: Pinwheel Cluster, Starfish Cluster, Owl Cluster, and Polaris. - Credit: Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ca602851-649d-4f4e-8fe6-a0b2f9643c32/syReki2.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Make it stand out A black and white image from the Hubble Telescope of the Polaris star system, showing three stars: Polaris A, Ab, and Polaris B. - Credit: NASA, ESA, N. Evans (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA), and H. Bond (STScI) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/989fe4c9-1fbf-43db-83aa-867e4c8e05c1/77526794-543F-4DC6-8969-3A69018AE486.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - The Owl Cluster - NGC 457 NGC 457 is an open star cluster in the constellation Cassiopeia. Wikipedia Radius: 15 light-years Distance to Earth: 7,922 light-years Declination: +58° 17′ 27″ Apparent magnitude (V): 6.4 Age: 21 million years Apparent dimensions (V): 13.0′ Other designations: Owl Cluster, E.T. Cluster, Caldwell 13, Cr 12, Mel 7, OCL 321, Lund 43, H VII-42, h 97, GC 256 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ef3fbf4a-51dd-4e25-beef-fa0420d4a50f/C13_NGC457_Finder_Chart.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Make it stand out https://freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f9a8053a-5eab-4392-aee3-43f58a1082d5/Tonights+Sky+February.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2024 - Tonight’s Sky: February In February, the Winter Triangle is your guide to the night sky: The northern hemisphere is treated to views of the stars Procyon, Sirius, and Betelgeuse. Keep watching for the awe-inspiring space-based views of the Orion Nebula, which is sculpted by the stellar winds of central bright stars. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-january2024-nz3nm-e24wy-7kcs8-n8bz3 monthly 0.5 2024-01-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if some content would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2869a397-3482-45dd-8b4c-08ef01607a0d/images.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Wishing all ASTRA Members, your families, and everyone a Happy and Safe New Year. Looking forward to some clear skies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1703640071983-4XN2IY3LGWIKX2UUWF74/20231208_200522.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1703640072230-T4WUFYTEUOEGDQV14TKL/20231208_201157.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1703640073647-L8KBPIM2GCXQAQGYRKEJ/20231208_201212.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1703640344825-2ID5LGVCEEY1AACFQ4DW/s-l1600.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1703640073775-TSH6AU9YX71C158R6OEP/20231208_201656.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1703640075066-YCFRDQMVZOTXJ89LLB76/20231208_202320.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ecb99a6e-fb19-4874-a0fd-4dcab9b10e7f/Aldo_Ferruggia_-_Montes_Appenninus+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Yes, there are mountains on the moon. The most well-known lunar mountain range is the Montes Apenninus or the Apennine Mountain Range, which is located near the lunar equator. It begins just to the west of the prominent crater Eratosthenes, which abuts the southern face of the range and northeast of the Archimedes Crater. This range forms the southeastern border of the large Mare Imbrium lunar mare and the northwestern border of the Terra Nivium highland region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2e032eea-05d2-4339-af46-16241f39d438/2606f34e-bbed-4547-8071-821e0d83534b_1098x770.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - The Lunar Apennines (Montes Apenninus) may not be the very highest mountains on the Moon, but they are certainly the most spectacular. The range was named by Johannes Hevelius after the Apennines in Italy. Easily visible with binoculars, this lunar mountain range is home to many mountain peaks including Mons Huygens, the tallest mountain on the moon. The best time to view this area is right after the first quarter when the shadows highlight this mountain range. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/96431d26-bf2a-4ebe-9136-4a7d4cd452ba/ApennineMountains.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Make it stand out https://cs.astronomy.com/asy/m/sunandmoon/491690.aspx https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6a0cce0c-3768-48a8-bcad-21e7a684aa84/412365697_397632835949106_8753175493709238576_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1bb5b8e6-8a61-44ef-b895-db2230dcb3d6/413957176_397632799282443_9048661636186105339_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/baba73f5-2439-4546-9e0d-41b903b7ba79/HighPointScientific%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - 2024 Astronomy Calendar - Astronomical & Celestial Events The listed events have been compiled for North American observers. Go to High Point Scientific to view this year’s events and get a PDF copy for yourself, at the end of the article. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/33e6c77b-00de-4bbe-b274-b7d338b12676/62P+Comet.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Make it stand out theskylive.com/planetarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a73be765-b321-4047-bd26-2f3098d8ac76/imagescomethalley-544-399.width-640.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - As reported in Space.com, in early December 2023, Halley’s Comet started its 38-year return trip. Halley's Comet will again arrive at perihelion on July 28, 2061. While we can provide a pretty good assessment of what Halley's Comet will do on its next appointed visit, to predict what the state of our night skies will be by then, is anybody's guess. image: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1703850188170-ILRIONVW6SQ65ZUGND3E/414361744_2651157615032612_2373960280785260472_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1703850197684-DV18OGAHFFA79GZKOSON/414354239_2651157648365942_4142639300863308228_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c51de15a-ea15-4236-aaf2-f6f4b07092aa/Jim_Webster_Header.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Dark Sky Advocacy Getting Noticed ASTRA Member Jim Webster was recently featured in an article from SciStarter blog post, a citizen science project hub that has ties to Dark Sky International in efforts to try to protect dark skies, along with other SciStarter projects. This article appeared in The Sciences section of Discover Magazine, posted on December 15, 2023. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c92e2432-0dac-4007-8add-1edf723ac4c3/8453square__44014.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/177f1df6-484e-4af8-81c8-21fa2197f7f1/Winter+Circle.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Make it stand out Stars that make up the Winter Circle, as seen on January 1, 2024 — Sky Safari https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d254d771-2af0-41ad-82c2-d1607ca6a129/Hyades+Star+Cluster.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Make it stand out This image shows the region around the Hyades star cluster, the nearest open cluster to us. The Hyades cluster is very well-studied due to its location, but previous searches for planets have produced only one. A new study led by Jay Farihi of the University of Cambridge, UK, has now found the atmospheres of two burnt-out stars in this cluster — known as white dwarfs — to be “polluted” by rocky debris circling the star. Inset, the locations of these white dwarf stars are indicated — stars known as WD 0421+162, and WD 0431+126. NASA, ESA, STScI, and Z. Levay (STScI) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8c35d2d5-d1cc-405a-8226-2f910f989d9f/Winter+Triangle.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Make it stand out The Winter Triangle - Slide from Beginner Astronomy: Seasonal Constellations - Jim Webster https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1d9362d6-9f3e-420d-a11f-f3d001968e92/Crab_Nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Crab Nebula - M1 A supernova remnant and pulsar wind nebula in the constellation of Taurus. The common name comes from a drawing that somewhat resembled a crab with arms produced by William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, in 1842 or 1843 using a 36-inch telescope. Wikipedia Radius: 5.5 light-years Magnitude: 8.4 Distance to Earth: 6,523 light-years Age: 1,001 years Coordinates: RA 5h 34m 32s | Dec +22° 0′ 52″ Constellation: Taurus Date: 1054 AD hubblesite.org https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1753609b-7f3b-4a18-9ba2-f201a67efce7/M1_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Make it stand out https://freestarcharts.com/messier-1 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c9533ebd-b446-44b9-a06f-6496f81fd350/Tonights+Sky+January+large+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2024 - Tonight’s Sky: January In January, the northern hemisphere features beautiful views of Capella, a pair of giant yellow stars; Aldebaran, a red giant star; and two star clusters—the Hyades and the Pleiades. Keep watching for the awe-inspiring space-based views of the Crab Nebula, the remains of a star that exploded as a supernova. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-december2023-nz3nm-e24wy-7kcs8 monthly 0.5 2023-12-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/03963eca-68b7-4cab-99f0-b44b7c3f8ef7/44bcf52e70813422f257b54601db8f60.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Wishing all ASTRA Members, your families, and everyone that has supported us this year, a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1666804565379-6WR2XYKQG8EAQEFIRYZC/20221015_205635.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 November 18 Jake Branch Star Party - No images from this event. Observing report from Rosemarie Spedaliere … I'd like to thank all of the members who came out to help at Jake's Branch last night we had quite a crowd I bet it was close to 100 people. It was nice to see so many families come out. Of course, the usual highlights of the night were Saturn Jupiter, and the Moon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1701137558095-1725V69BJO7M3TZC4U50/20231110_193858.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1701137586180-PIRAWMJ6XV1HVJYB5301/20231110_194546.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1701137921955-GDAX6P89IBA2982MND98/ASTRA+Meeting+November+10%2C+2023_Image5.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1701137938868-6SUOHOTAPAVL41R3523K/ASTRA+Meeting+November+10%2C+2023_Image3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1701137951297-HFBED4WVPC5I1MY5659U/ASTRA+Meeting+November+10%2C+2023_Image4.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1701137959146-IIYO9MT9AFULXORB8ZGX/ASTRA+Meeting+November+10%2C+2023_Image1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e3f48863-d3eb-4073-9cf6-8983573e752d/20231116_172411.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Make it stand out Image prior to event start. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5946fdc9-90ca-438d-a495-7b19a82bd20b/c-1280.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) began circling the moon in 2009. A laser-ranging instrument aboard the spacecraft mapped the moon’s topography in high definition, revealing the location of more than 5,000 craters over 12 miles in diameter, and countless others smaller in size. Researchers found the distribution of large and small craters varies, with more big craters covering the moon’s bright highlands, and more small craters dotting the dark lowlands. The results suggest two distinct populations of impactors pummeled the moon over the past 4.5 billion years. Watch the video to see a color-coded map of lunar craters created from LRO data. A census of the moon’s craters is helping scientists decipher its history. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/48cb4b52-7a7b-491f-a7b0-9ffd05eff660/content_speyerer_fi_blink.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - With NAC, over 200 impact craters that formed during the LRO mission were identified. These new craters range from several meters up to 43 meters in diameter. By analyzing the number of new craters and their size, and the time between each temporal pair, we estimated the contemporary cratering rate on the Moon. Knowing the number of craters that form each year is important when estimating the absolute ages of the youngest regions. Animation of NAC temporal pair of the new 12 m impact crater (Before NAC image: M1105837846R, After NAC image: M1121160416R) [NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University]. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4cefc617-fdef-41b9-8019-d68b22c77d54/405595203_382051634173893_7283008375713149117_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/76d5a08c-f902-44e5-9029-8fb500fa33ed/404290343_382051844173872_5425417109613377920_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d1aa71b2-6d45-4bf1-b8f3-ab06c857e20c/404319024_382051607507229_1342783492317072059_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4a099b56-7667-4fd0-9bd7-c9a95d0041f7/scrooge.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - A Cosmos Carol An interesting Astronomy find for this time of year. An article by Paul Trittenbach was found on the Tuscon Amateur Astronomy Association website. This time of year always seems to carry with it a certain atmosphere. The holidays bring a dramatic change in people — both good and bad — along with the change in the weather. As a child, I remember this time of the year for all the holiday festivities and the specials that ran on television. One of my first experiences with a holiday story was the black and white movie version of Charles Dickens’, A Christmas Carol, starring Alastair Sim. … To see more go to TAAA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f31b131c-8939-442b-87e0-4a480428ac74/download.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - NORAD Tracking Santa Every day of the year, the North American Aerospace Defense Command defends North America using an all-domain and globally integrated approach to track everything that flies in and around Canada and the United States. On Dec. 24 each year, NORAD adds a special mission: tracking Santa. For more: NORAD.MIL & the Phone App https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d6d6c79f-1229-4067-bd18-581e3c1cd882/wpred131225.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/224e4b89-7335-4952-b663-ce6da99ba3d3/406854593_10228223532047239_7489946285515074228_n+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/15a24ea9-0df3-4398-a6fd-4eb7520def86/Orion1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Make it stand out Credit: Stellarium Web https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f336caeb-bea4-4ab3-bbe1-510559f77b3d/Orion2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Make it stand out ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb), PDRs4ALL ERS Team https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1fa16d7d-bf53-4bdd-b082-96d97f704768/Orion-Deep-Sky-Objects.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - More on the Orion Constellation astronomytrek.com - Image Credit & Copyright: Rogelio Bernal Andreo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/02780604-7594-46ef-951f-c249dc973081/Orion.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Make it stand out Image: Freecharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1701145032903-7ES5ONMQ4F9PWMTJHSCC/orion-guide.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1701145067583-H7VRR5XAT9TU9MWAFGVO/800px-Orion-guide_dark.svg.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1701145633078-CXUV53QI04YKHO85UU0T/Astronomy-900x518.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/df064be1-a22a-4ac3-b841-1971dfe48207/Tonights+Sky+December.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2023 - Tonight’s Sky: December Step outside on a cold December night when the stars shine bright to find the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, and Cepheus. They will help you locate a binary star system, a fan-shaped open star cluster, and a variable star. Stay tuned for space-based views of a ragged spiral galaxy, an open star cluster, and an edge-on galaxy. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-november2023-nz3nm-e24wy monthly 0.5 2023-11-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ce755681-65db-46a5-a519-a4d72b0216ac/385905037_704228445069775_6911304660844703162_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Make it stand out Registration with Cattus Island County Park is required. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/39c50f62-f963-4263-a6f7-6bdd3d899345/download.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 October 14 Jake Branch Partial Solar Eclipse - Canceled due to weather. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/87980c81-dd9e-4f23-9ff5-243727427877/TrailerThumbnail.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 October 21 International Observe the Moon Night at Jake's Branch The weather was playing with us again, but in the end, it cleared and we were able to get out and do some observing. Sorry, no photos were available. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1698794129157-C7FA0EJ0L6L11UBUFALI/20231013_201151.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1698794159324-TMIWBRC1P99PS5Q87H6T/20231013_194643.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1698794159573-2HRRL2I1ZUHXZ85IUSDS/20231013_195044.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1698794394794-GQ37WQ9DI4XS07GM2T42/Lou1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1698794160501-EMY49598Q7I8PLP9V8MR/20231013_195626.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1698794394770-SCGX64OHTGDQQ1R9LJG9/Lou2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1698794395518-OYBQPJH2ZATAOME4Y5YG/Lou3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1698794395548-AKZCPGZHCUOZMKEAHHOK/Lou4.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1698801867046-IZBUXUBZOA1ETO2YPOUZ/20231007_113934.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1698801897459-O5W0BKWC1CM0VMPQFRTQ/20231026_160227.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1698801910226-QO6FP6AXKZYW2X4KU5S6/20231028_101851.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bc28bd33-bfc5-4529-8357-2dc4559b2e84/download+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - The longevity of the experiment can be attributed to its simplicity and does not require power. Four telescopes at observatories in New Mexico, France, Italy, and Germany fire lasers at them, measuring the time that it takes for a laser pulse to bounce off the reflectors and return to Earth. This allows the distance to be measured to within a fraction of an inch (a few millimeters), and scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory analyze the results. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d02887c7-8c24-4bbb-ad90-65b6ed0c6de4/nasa-moon-landing-apollo-11-laser-experiment-reflector-space-1969-mission-space-news-1957643.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - The Laser-ranging measurements have deepened our understanding of the dance between the Moon and Earth. The Moon orbits Earth at an average distance of 239,000 miles (385,000 kilometers), but the lunar laser ranging has also accurately shown that the distance between the two increases by 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) a year. With renewed interest in the exploration of the Moon, NASA has approved a new generation of reflectors to be placed on the lunar surface within the next decade. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bbc1a279-0159-4670-89dd-1bfc9a1a4320/395276783_366176052428118_8572266728537245521_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/92d2061e-b622-475f-9ee2-9165d8f07ec0/394619838_366175849094805_8509323519087586888_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c4cf0b36-41e3-4627-bc44-d4d734932339/394635664_366175875761469_8406808166577448243_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/937aec1c-8bd4-4886-b81e-5e52a9ea5bcb/midi512_blank_2003_labeled.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - 20 YEARS LATER, THE HALLOWEEN STORMS Imagine waking up to this headline: "Half of Earth’s Satellites Lost!" Impossible? It actually happened during the Great Halloween Storms of 2003. Turn back the clock, 20 years. Solar Cycle 23 was winding down, and space weather forecasters were talking about how quiet things would soon become. Suddenly, the sun unleashed two of the strongest solar flares of the Space Age--an X17 flare on Oct. 28 followed by an X10 on Oct 29, 2003. Both hurled fast CMEs directly toward Earth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/30a18e4f-5acc-4421-8c3b-eb1b00974726/010nRpXj_210818095551lola.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4a62c2d9-f6db-45c9-b507-307a6e77dad6/Bell_Labs_Horn_Antenna_Crawford_Hill_NJ.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Make it stand out The Horn - Holmdel, New Jersey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c565ad00-8720-47a2-903a-858adae6ca3e/STScI-01GWQD7A9PKX6A8M932DSQT6G5.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Make it stand out This zoomed-in image of Uranus, captured by Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on Feb. 6, 2023, reveals stunning views of the planet’s rings. The planet displays a blue hue in this representative-color image, made by combining data from two filters (F140M, F300M) at 1.4 and 3.0 microns, which are shown here as blue and orange, respectively. -Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI. Image processing: J. DePasquale (STScI) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/075bfadc-b4ff-431f-b416-ab3f8268ded0/KnHIvI5.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Make it stand out Sky map picturing M45, Uranus and Jupiter, Stellarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/511f96b2-f8f5-4c7d-87c5-5ff952b55a24/zZGFgSj.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Make it stand out Sky map picturing M45 and Uranus, Stellarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bdff12f6-43c7-495c-b7d0-9fb9c0b3caa7/M92_Hubble_WikiSky.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - M92 Star Cluster Messier 92 is a globular cluster of stars in the northern constellation of Hercules. Wikipedia Distance to Earth: 26,740 light-years Apparent magnitude (V): 6.4 Declination: +43° 08′ 09.4″ Distance: 26.7×10^3 ly (8.2 kpc) Metallicity: = –2.32 dex Apparent dimensions (V): 14' arc minutes Other designations: M92, NGC 6341, GCl 59 NASA Hubble Space Telescope image https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/59b84736-59c0-4b97-99e5-e758b7bfaa03/M92_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Make it stand out Image: Freecharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/73e27d23-8323-424a-93a9-ed6df96f9c29/Tonights+Sky+November.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2023 - Tonight’s Sky: November In November, hunt for the fainter constellations of fall, including Pisces, Aries, and Triangulum. They will guide you to find several galaxies and a pair of white stars. Stay tuned for space-based views of spiral galaxy M74 and the Triangulum Galaxy, which are shown in visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-october2023-nz3nm monthly 0.5 2023-10-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5441580f-1aaf-4f46-ae8c-fb0ce17fc077/385905037_704228445069775_6911304660844703162_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Make it stand out These are presentations. Registration with Cattus Island County Park is required. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695925452016-3QMRLCWOOF33M51PP7CM/20230916_191818.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695925452649-LNYMLRWC9UK08BW5CDTD/20230916_191825.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695925453452-KGVYPFGJB82PWCVES56J/20230916_191838.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695925453819-RXCPOQZFH0WKPVXV5JYI/20230916_191839.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695925455081-CB0DKLFGSPA66DCBIT27/20230916_191855.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695925455594-7N8VVEV0A14PN68QZHI6/20230916_191901.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695926091476-CROMK5CPYSBKKQBSWHQ7/ASTRA+Meeting+September+8%2C+2023_Slide1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695926101603-J876H10HL1W91QLKY618/20230908_190623.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695926115508-U90G1QJDEMNUXRE3VCRL/20230908_193949.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695926122523-NJXMI9DTWDQONBWZXFUM/ASTRA+Meeting+September+8%2C+2023_Slide2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695926132557-HDLKDZL5UF42P86E079O/20230908_194633.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695926145935-VB4ZHJDRFX3R0CDVAWON/20230908_195810.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695926156963-VAJEN8VBB7IMXHICZV57/ASTRA+Meeting+September+8%2C+2023_Slide3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695926156962-1DYG4K85VG9AVC517LVP/ASTRA+Meeting+September+8%2C+2023_Slide4.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695926180697-XHPA6VC532N4SLLUVFH0/20230908_203941.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0a9a0a8f-5a89-4174-9a60-b3301dfcf6ec/_MG_3240_Moon_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Some Moon Facts for Kids International Observe the Moon Night will be on October 21 at Jake’s Branch County Park. Below you will find some moon facts linked and shared from National Geographics for Kids. As the date gets closer we can review something special we can do for that night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3f8039da-65ab-4542-98b5-14604538d8e4/meteoritemoonwater.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - What it does have is Micrometeoroids, and sometimes larger space objects, pelt the lunar surface. This dry shower of debris shuffles the materials in the Moon’s exterior layers, exposing fresh material in the process known as impact gardening. For more on this see How is the Moon Changing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a266b760-d23a-4142-8375-ab53ffdcbb88/381015944_349551717423885_7641809521538746996_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ebf73861-9253-40d1-9b38-7f005821fdd9/381008247_349551727423884_5870713978479190819_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2c564c7-057f-4a01-8f74-1fd48bd0b4f0/382470903_349551707423886_1416931191868531002_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/62f4a3fb-0f3d-4512-97e6-f6adb2f69377/Arecibo_radio_telescope_SJU_06_2019_6144.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - The end is here … As reported by Universetoday.com on September 27, the Arecibo Radio Dish Telescope, which collapsed in 2020 will not be rebuilt. In fact, they are moving away from Astronomy at the location in favor of more earth-bound science. The National Science Foundation announced they are transitioning the site to STEM educational outreach with a focus on biology, a biomedical laboratory, and computer science. Further impact to the site is the remaining 12-meter radio telescope that was recently upgraded will no longer be funded by the NSF. For more on this, go to the original article. More can be found at Nature.com. APO Editor: I have to ask why this departure from astronomy research as it is a science. I can’t help but think there is more to this story. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fcc8789c-33ac-4f47-96cf-5b5df38552da/download.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - On September 24, After years of anticipation and hard work by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer) team, a capsule of rocks and dust collected from asteroid Bennu finally is on Earth. It landed at 8:52 a.m. MDT (10:52 a.m. EDT) on Sunday, in a targeted area of the Department of Defense’s Utah. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f308d26b-6633-4e4f-9409-bfafe75ec2a4/CPhVEJz5KCEHFgcixL5BhD-970-80.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - OSIRIS-REx's asteroid-sample canister just creaked open for the first time in more than seven years. Scientists at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston lifted the canister's outer lid on Tuesday (Sept. 26), two days after OSIRIS-REx's return capsule landed in the desert of northern Utah. "Scientists gasped as the lid was lifted," NASA's Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) division, which is based at JSC, wrote Tuesday in a post on X (formerly Twitter). The operation revealed "dark powder and sand-sized particles on the inside of the lid and base," they added. OSIRIS-REx’s asteroid sample canister, with its outer lid, lifted, at a new curation facility at Johnson Space Center in Houston. (Image credit: NASA) For more go to Space.com. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fd602ca3-4828-435c-a4a6-780aa1f9a406/380701392_789441669647607_7927234992620521016_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1695932527471-NHEGQ92LL50OVQOWTGKZ/382727901_10228422232274257_4226352959047752529_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2301b2ea-c050-4c5c-8677-34fdcbebdc95/204_PIA19048.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Make it stand out As autumn begins, if you’re up late, you may notice a bright point of light rising in the east. Look a bit closer, with a pair of binoculars, and you’ll notice it’s not a star at all. While stars look point-like no matter how big your backyard telescope, this light appears as a circle under closer examination. Even more curious, you will likely see a line of smaller dots on one or both sides. Congratulations! You’ve rediscovered the king of the planets - majestic Jupiter - and its four largest moons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/eb3c3b56-d9cf-4d49-b720-9fa51536e3e7/Medicean_Stars.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Galileo famously chronicled the four moving dots near Jupiter and surmised that they were orbiting the distant world. While Jupiter has well over 80 discovered moons as of September 2023, the brightest four are called the “Galilean Moons” - Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. (Great mnemonics exist to remember these in order of distance from Jupiter, such as “I Eat Green Caterpillars”) You can follow these like Galileo did, using stargazing apps or the handy image below. A favorite beginning observing challenge is to track the movement of the Galilean Moons over the course of many nights. Even within a few hours, you will notice them moving in relation to Jupiter, just as Galileo did. Galileo's drawings of Jupiter and its Medicean Stars from Sidereus Nuncius. Image courtesy of the History of Science Collections, University of Oklahoma Libraries. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7556e186-1a36-49a2-b04d-b0deabbaf189/IEGC_Jupiter.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Fast forward 414 years and NASA will be sending a robotic mission to investigate the surface of one of these distant worlds. The Europa Clipper Mission is launching to the cold, icy moon in 2024, to begin orbiting in 2030. With its salty oceans covered by ice, Europa was chosen as an excellent location to continue the search for life outside of Earth. Clipper will be the largest spacecraft ever sent to another planet, designed to withstand Jupiter’s punishing radiation. Once it arrives at Jupiter in 2030, NASA plans to do about 50 flybys of Europa, mapping almost the entire surface of this watery world. The position of the Galilean Moons of Jupiter in October 2023: https://in-the-sky.org/jupiter.php https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a17c3fef-93e3-4dd0-b5b8-81f21a185300/WB+Witch.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - It’s that Halloween time of year. Orion is making its appearance in the early morning hours, slowly making its way to Halloween, it will be fully visible after midnight on October 31. So what better object to review for such an occasion than the Witch Head Nebula? The Witch Head Nebula got its name because it looks like the profile of a witch. Thankfully the actual nebula bears no resemblance to the Looney Tunes Character, Witch Hazel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/82898c3c-3385-4bb9-ae8b-ff8b1a6d024e/284895main_witchhead_nebula_full.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Witch Head Nebula IC 2118 / NGC 1909 is an extremely faint reflection nebula believed to be an ancient supernova remnant or gas cloud illuminated by nearby supergiant star Rigel in the constellation of Orion. The nebula lies in the Eridanus Constellation, about 900 light-years from Earth. Wikipedia Magnitude: 13 Distance to Earth: 1,000 light-years Coordinates: RA 5h 2m 0s | Dec -7° 54′ 0″ Constellation: Eridanus Apparent magnitude (V): 13 Types: faint reflection nebula astrobackyard.com Distance: 1,000 ly Image: NASA/STScI Digitized Sky Survey/Noel Carboni https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/925a95a0-34f8-4b71-b203-cde912d43199/144e1a5f-1a7f-4aad-98d6-e971d7647446.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - The Witch Head Nebula is facing the bright blue supergiant star, Rigel. The nebula is so faint at magnitude 13, that you will not be able to observe it in most telescopes, so this is more for the astrophotographers to find. Formally known as IC 2118 in the constellation Orion, the Witch Head Nebula glows primarily by light reflected from the star. The color of this very blue nebula is caused not only by the blue color of its star but also because the dust grains reflect blue light more efficiently than red. A similar physical process causes Earth's daytime sky to appear blue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/742ccb46-20e3-4571-94a2-9e3fa26d5fd5/Tonights+Sky+October.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2023 - Tonight’s Sky: October October nights are full of celestial showpieces. Find Pegasus, the flying horse of Greek myth, to pinpoint dense globular star clusters and galaxies, and keep watching for space-based views of M15, NGC 7331, and the Andromeda Galaxy. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-september2023-nz3nm-pmgt3-66saj-nmljj monthly 0.5 2023-09-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a8a7e579-44c2-4443-b2c1-7bbcc3f84231/ASTRA+Picnic+2023.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321906026-DCCNIOGDSZTZ2ALLOCL7/20230819_195314.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321837319-GLI5AQY3ES2I01F38QB9/20230819_193825.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321837617-MJR0YT0BNEPFI2Y1TNXM/20230819_193830.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321898954-88L4JQBWIAGCAI76D3ZR/20230819_193933.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321839172-X4CNEMDYC2UX4299YLDX/20230819_193848.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321899412-9V5IK571939YUE83BCZR/20230819_193923.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321900539-C3Y9KQSE5IVY0FOZTAKA/20230819_193856.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321900792-3RKXLHOJOC5PUBRPPWO6/20230819_193853.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321901965-MZ31Q0H4DQYK9V2AB3NW/20230819_193839.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321902603-3FL182Q7CSCKPJR0KMRO/20230819_195044.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321905365-8021YJWNECWHLNSOK2Y2/20230819_195037.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321903387-WYLLOEKJU11FLBUUAG43/20230819_194005.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321904499-3W1MJUK9090NE03L0XC0/20230819_194022.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321906944-54O9JUFBBWG4ZPIEIMCG/20230819_195054.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693321907428-EHX00TF9DSCSZS9FOGSL/20230819_193945.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693323464924-R6JU3LGFHHP34GS33LPE/20230819_203404.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0a9a0a8f-5a89-4174-9a60-b3301dfcf6ec/_MG_3240_Moon_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Some Moon Facts for Kids International Observe the Moon Night will be on October 21 at Jake’s Branch County Park. Below you will find some moon facts linked and shared from National Geographics for Kids. As the date gets closer we can review something special we can do for that night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2de262cf-713a-44ec-9acb-7ab09065f10d/Lunarpit-NASA-GSFC-Arizona-State-University-e1658941173456.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - The temperatures in the shaded area of this pit in the Mare Tranquillitatis region hold steady at around 63 degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius). Scientists said the pit likely leads to a similarly temperate lava cave. Moon caves could be an option for future habitation for human explorers. Image via NASA/ GSFC/ Arizona State University/ UCLA. Scientific Visualization Studio. Source: NASA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ec5c39e9-6a8b-4364-8369-bc1883525355/369940489_333557575689966_7728824620322981730_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d3e4f6f8-db17-4695-b549-47ac52559cdc/369914890_333557725689951_2126451196348616728_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fd3c310c-fc2c-4561-956d-e88afd9db985/what_is_a_planisphere.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - HOW TO READ A STAR CHART In astronomy, a planisphere (/ˈpleɪ.nɪˌsfɪər, ˈplæn.ɪ-/) is a star chart analog computing instrument in the form of two adjustable disks that rotate on a common pivot. It can be adjusted to display the visible stars at any time and date. It is an instrument to assist in learning how to recognize stars and constellations. Highpoint Scientific provides an article on how to read this and more on one of its many how-to resources. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/69aa576d-b195-49bf-90ad-ac7077c6e68c/290px-Philips_Planisphere.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Did you know … Did you know that you can still find some old astronomy tools from many years ago? An example is the Philip’s Planisphere from the early 1900’s. It can be found at abebooks.com for several hundred dollars. It’s an item at that price that would be something for collectors. Currently, there are two at abobooks.com, one from 1880-1890 and the other from 1925. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1693356419731-5LCPANBF0E3MXA8HXCVZ/175155999_10218975985419335_6984662091710217908_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b4d4e978-2629-48af-b940-23dca15a5648/prelaunch_with_full_moon_ksc-20220614-ph-csh01_0068.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Are you aware that Artemis, Apollo's twin sister, is NASA's name for the manned lunar program? Interestingly, along with this mission NASA, along with other countries with space capabilities, crafted the Artemis Accords to provide guidance and agreements for lunar and other space activities. For more on this go to Forbes.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4349019d-0bb3-45ad-b248-5d9b5c9453d8/DSLR+Astrophotography+Light+Pollution.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Linked below is an article that was recently shared with Jim Webster our Dark Sky Advocate for New Jersey, by Rosemarie Spedaliere and Vic Palmieri. The CT Insider What you may not know is we are also working towards this here in New Jersey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c08f4c23-f51a-4477-b810-0161dc80b815/WebbDeepField.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has produced the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant universe to date. Known as Webb’s First Deep Field, this image of galaxy cluster SMACS 0723 is overflowing with detail. This slice of the vast universe is approximately the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length by someone on the ground. (Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI) https://bit.ly/webbdeep https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/98c14c99-cb74-463b-aee5-9f22fd34d415/CosmicMicrowaveBackground.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Earthshine as seen from the International Space Station with the sun just set - Astronaut Photograph ISS028-E-20073 was taken on July 31, 2011, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center The oldest light in the universe, called the cosmic microwave background, as observed by the Planck space telescope is shown in the oval sky map. An artist's concept of Planck is next to the map. The cosmic microwave background was imprinted on the sky when the universe was just 380,000 years old. It shows tiny temperature fluctuations that correspond to regions of slightly different densities, representing the seeds of all future structure: the stars and galaxies of today. (Image credit: ESA and the Planck Collaboration - D. Ducros) https://go.nasa.gov/3qC4G5q https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/94b1b6b1-eeab-4ce2-8b09-c4b3c8b8e29a/384667main_ero_stephan_quintet_full_full.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Stephan’s Quintet Pegasus is returning and that means the jewels of the night are also back, Stephan’s Quintet. A clash among members of a famous galaxy quintet reveals an assortment of stars across a wide color range, from young, blue stars to aging, red stars. This portrait of Stephan’s Quintet, also known as Hickson Compact Group 92, was taken by the new Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) aboard NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Stephan’s Quintet, as the name implies, is a group of five galaxies. The name, however, is a bit of a misnomer. Studies have shown that group member NGC 7320, at upper left, is actually a foreground galaxy about seven times closer to Earth than the rest of the group. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0459c9eb-f06f-453a-8fbb-47837a866f9a/SQ_Mapped.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Three of the galaxies have distorted shapes, elongated spiral arms, and long, gaseous tidal tails containing myriad star clusters, proof of their close encounters. These interactions have sparked a frenzy of star birth in the central pair of galaxies. This drama is being played out against a rich backdrop of faraway galaxies. For more visit NASA.Gov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/03faa78a-dbd4-4aa1-9c32-93fc9984957d/alma-and-jwst-reveal-g-1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Make it stand out Stephan’s Quintet is a group of five galaxies—NGC 7317, NGC 7318a, NGC 7318b, NGC 7319, and NGC 7320—generally located about 270 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Pegasus. Credit: IAU/Sky & Telescope. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2b74e1a2-75a4-49bb-a782-2c0ff5426e5e/Tonights+Sky+September.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2023 - Tonight’s Sky: September In September, Pegasus becomes increasingly prominent in the southeastern sky, allowing stargazers to locate globular star clusters and a nearby double star, Alpha Capricorni. Keep watching for space-based views of densely packed, spherical collections of ancient stars in visible and X-ray light. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-august2023-nz3nm-pmgt3-66saj monthly 0.5 2023-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690765894168-N8QF4GL1O0MXOTADNEKF/20230721_203245.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690765894628-G4B6AW6OBLDLGZ0YA1D7/20230721_203300.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690765895548-RCK5JNUHRVNVD66V91PX/20230721_203308.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690765896136-1JC6RSFIM5QED6P8SGX9/20230721_203317.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690766061710-VM4W2X81IOKYN1FK3EMH/20230722_195220.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690766062055-X2B2NN8OQO7CIVC2XO9B/20230722_195232.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690766067038-UQHYT88PXY445B7ITA73/20230722_202720.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690766067857-KZO6HNLHOIXLEVOWZY59/20230722_202749.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690766068446-YVHAE7GR1GQC3VS76AYM/20230722_202753.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690766069340-4V9LZG4FR9VTTTCP7BTD/20230722_203854.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690766333100-1R66YN9QZ2990YINHCHC/20230728_193939.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690766363764-DSC1UV9EUWWHQCXOSDQG/20230728_205629.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c47ab38e-2eb7-4b6a-a009-6255a4561938/20230714_194302+-+Copy+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690767718112-61TW6GEX28NFDOZWIFBI/20230714_194229.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690767718303-I6H416V7NKC7C5AN1YQW/20230714_194302.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690767719645-0XIHQX3NP9TRM9LTGCV1/20230714_194433.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690767720129-LEQEKZVWRJ6EFLM0UYQH/20230714_194656.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690767721250-E3NJB2ACFU10KYTBAX24/20230714_194700.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690767722995-0F45AJLWQG0WJP0JFQMP/20230714_194834.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690767727034-KZTL0ED7WPG3IUUOL2V4/20230714_194837.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690767728536-ICPSL102BPE852TOD89W/20230714_195422.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690767728738-V933BPMTI05R2GVLUD0Q/20230714_195425.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690767729859-RZLRK0NUPRWNHEQ49B0Q/20230714_195640.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690767730303-BTG86C0UYDPBFYX5O5XP/20230714_200019.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690767733242-W2CWLWCMYFYP4U75WLUN/20230714_201441.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d7763563-fdb5-47e6-a5d0-1831b7dba42e/https___airandspace.si.edu_webimages_previews_GPN-2001-000013p.jpg.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Apollo The success of the Saturn Rocket Program also lead to the eventual success of the Apollo missions that landed men on the moon. Without those earlier achievements, Apollo would not have been possible. Apollo 11 was the American spaceflight that first landed humans on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969, at 20:17 with Michael Collins remaining in the command module orbiting the moon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/db2be92a-e1e8-4b85-8c4b-d554712e506f/apollo_sites_2k.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Make it stand out Scientific Visualization Studio. Source: NASA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/970a5853-c953-44e6-b626-40ced9c973fe/as-fig3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Did You Know? Aerospace Engineer Judith Love Cohen created a computer program for the Abort-Guidance System in the Lunar Excursion Module. She also helped save the Apollo 13 Astronauts by solving problems related to the accident. She called her boss from the hospital before giving birth to her son of Hollywood fame, Jack Black. For more on Judith Love Cohen … The Vintage News https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6de477e6-6dd9-4426-9e98-bf0214e12b09/363367974_658401102991394_8845714321494242580_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8c4360f6-30fc-4276-97ca-c0928687592a/364118196_659662762865228_8642407520157589571_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f7d73485-cfa7-451e-84d5-e6e95d149982/_MG_5233_JPW_LRedit_adj2_Publication.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690769820328-OY2ZNCKJFCR30TO5TQH6/348572003_1237972206851307_7167335902957305961_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1690769835477-2HGP7ZKF3UKI8UO817JM/363818709_171287602629916_1499374584881264617_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d73c2976-a0f0-4273-a32b-b69eb411b752/960x0.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Make it stand out For more on this go to Forbes.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/291b32b4-e857-4d95-83e8-244e0acc4b15/MoonBallDaytime.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - A supermoon appears larger than average because it is closer in its slightly elliptical orbit. The difference in apparent size between the smallest and largest full Moon is about the size difference between a quarter and a nickel. Even at its largest, you can always cover the whole Moon with your pinky extended at arm's length. Image of a waning crescent Moon shown next to a ball on a stick that is lit by the Sun on the same side as the Moon, with trees and a blue sky in the background. Try this with an egg or any round object when you see the Moon during the day! Credit: Vivian White https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b2c211fa-9e43-43c5-bdf5-739ca8dde2d7/Moon+for+Article.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Earthshine as seen from the International Space Station with the sun just set - Astronaut Photograph ISS028-E-20073 was taken on July 31, 2011, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e5a99bb0-83d3-4951-8a46-0345cf488f9b/coathanger-star-cluster-e1562178054418.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Brocchi’s Cluster (Collinder 399) A favorite summertime object for ASTRA members to see, Brocchi's Cluster. Brocchi’s Cluster is an asterism of 10 stars. Six of the stars appear in a row, across 1.3° of the night sky. The cluster is in the south of the constellation Vulpecula, near the constellation Sagitta. Its nickname is the Coathanger. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3c4bf3ba-4d77-4b3e-98b0-0238dee5abb4/summer-triangle-Dr-Ski-Valencia-Philippines-8-19-2019-e1566386851365.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Make it stand out Dr Ski in Valencia, Philippines, captured the Summer Triangle on August 19, 2019, and wrote: “The line between Vega and Altair is broken so as not to obscure the Coathanger Cluster.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c4045a0b-4486-43fd-9051-901aad4ceb6f/Coathanger-cluster-how-to-find-e1626373809105.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Albireo to Alpha Vulpeculae to the Coathanger Got Albireo? Now for some specifics on finding the Coathanger. With binoculars, look for the brightest star in the vicinity of Albireo. That star is called Alpha Vulpeculae, which appears as a double star through binoculars (though the two stars are not gravitationally bound). Draw an imaginary line from Albireo through Alpha Vulpeculae to locate the Coathanger. In most binoculars, Alpha Vulpeculae and the Coathanger fit within the same binocular field of view, though just barely. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/41c4e172-8fc0-42bd-af6a-8cec96b1c626/Tonights+Sky+August+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2023 - Tonight’s Sky: August In August, a flock of star-studded figures soars overhead. Look for the Vega and Lyra constellations, which point to Epsilon Lyrae and the Ring Nebula. You can also spot three bright summer stars: Vega, Deneb, and Altair, which form the Summer Triangle. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-july2023-nz3nm-pmgt3 monthly 0.5 2023-07-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ecf6f5f6-de4f-4c47-a4fe-d7316f1c88c4/292263956_5086516478137642_3472567751718253831_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Make it stand out Observing meeting July 14 at 7 PM - Island Beach State Park - Parking Lot 13. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1687794465423-03U3K2Y5OZNKD77W79QR/20230610_204935.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1687794473579-UMW8RHUS5MEXXBSHUVS1/20230610_204748.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1687794481231-PHFP9Z4HMCFRJ7B89JQE/20230610_204823.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1687794492717-5LAYZ9CFP6KJUZZTL20B/20230610_211655.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f55a26cf-b43d-4afe-a08b-4b9f4cb3a0a9/spectrum.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1687796525454-0PEEG5U6RXSEWFBU1G8V/20230609_193352.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1687796539348-1G458TD5QG9BSQLKWWO9/20230609_195943.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1687796556106-0R1S1H0RG96BO0YE0O77/20230609_195950.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1687796566473-39NIXIX3OBSQMAUV4TQS/20230609_195015.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1687796573729-5MJEMVGB8HAQ6TZTTDUK/20230609_194232.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f4fa908c-02f7-4d65-ae32-1b1f97e87944/1_-fOBcb99GMsE_9eNxKzwPw.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Make it stand out Permashadow regions on the moon’s south pole as seen by NASA’s LRO. Source: NASA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f99f77cd-61df-44e6-9bd1-6f235f4040b3/sofia_water_map_moon_031523.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Harvesting this water is a critical component of future human deep space exploration, which is why our golf cart-sized VIPER, or the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, will be traveling to the Moon’s South Pole to search for ice and other potential resources to determine where they came from. Explore more about this first-of-its-kind rover: https://www.nasa.gov/viper https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5bd970cb-51c4-4141-a72d-73aa563448a8/356404685_302721262106931_8692239097397636237_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5bf5428a-dc6e-42d8-a1ff-37630ce1c8da/355862620_302721252106932_8127905877101291534_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8fee59c2-6264-4ebf-90a8-ae1535086461/355725597_302721392106918_7259314461612100310_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/854f4020-3ec1-4133-955b-9244e15d8626/18774-power-tank_01.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Batteries Many telescope setups for observing and defiantly for astrophotography will need a battery for power if house power is not an option. Linked is some information from Celestron. Article from Trevor Jones of Astrobackyard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/38ad1b29-56c8-460f-9c24-e4623b8f27a3/330825548_888661612443197_6613475217162273629_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Make it stand out Red and Rover https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a0a96b92-f96d-427f-a329-652de0d73ac4/339647582_630477225562994_1447869784244722387_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Make it stand out Red and Rover https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3cb05d9a-96c5-4415-a539-0d6789c5ca63/hubble_m55_insetok2_0.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Make it stand out The large image shows just the central portion of M55 taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Above Earth’s atmosphere, this magnificent view resolves many individual stars in this cluster. How many can you count through binoculars or a backyard telescope? Original Image and Credits: NASA, ESA, A. Sarajedini (Florida Atlantic University), and M. Libralato (STScI, ESA, JWST); Smaller image: Digital Sky Survey; Image Processing: Gladys Kober https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/90616df1-a87e-4c4c-8c7d-881ff725832e/M55+Sagittarius+Sky+July2023.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Make it stand out Look to the south in July and August to see the teapot asterism of Sagittarius. Below the handle, you’ll see a faint smudge of M55 through binoculars. More “faint fuzzies” can be found in the steam of the Milky Way, appearing to rise up from the kettle. Image created with assistance from Stellarium: stellarium.org https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ddf077cb-e9d5-44f5-b5e7-189b972d6a2f/M22_NASA_AURA_STScI.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Sagittarius Cluster - M22 Messier 22 or M22, also known as NGC 6656, is an elliptical globular cluster of stars in the constellation Sagittarius, near the Galactic bulge region. It is one of the brightest globulars visible in the night sky. M22 was one of the first globulars to be discovered, in 1665[a] by Abraham Ihle[3] and it was included in Charles Messier's catalog of comet-like objects in 1764. Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f55b2168-59a4-4fb3-b482-6c5155a0f650/M22_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Radius: 50 light-years Distance to Earth: 9,785 lightyears Apparent magnitude (V): 5.1 Constellation: Sagittarius Other designations: NGC 6656, GCl 99 Number of Stars: 80,000+ Freestarchart.com Eyes On the Sky M8, M22 and M8 Messier-objects.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1adccdb0-5778-4fc6-aed7-26c7ee7c0250/M16_M17_M18_M23_M24_M25_Finder_Chart.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Make it stand out M22 is just one of many deep-sky objects that can be seen in the summer months in the Milkyway region. https://freestarcharts.com/images/Articles/Messier/M16_M17_M18_M23_M24_M25_Finder_Chart.pdf https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/006293ed-864d-49ed-86da-4f829cca8882/Tonights+Sky+July+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2023 - Tonight’s Sky: July Find the Scorpius constellation to identify the reddish supergiant Antares, which will lead you to discover a trio of globular star clusters, as well as three nebulas: the Swan Nebula, the Lagoon Nebula, and the Trifid Nebula. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-june2023-nz3nm-pmgt3-8xckb-tdhka monthly 0.5 2023-06-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1685203975409-297VVCIZEHKBFZR4ZKX3/spectrum.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Spectroscopic Categorization https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1685203991444-G4R05ILJBUQMH82M6HOH/Saturn+Launch.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Saturn Rockets https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1685202805774-226UAZJRD36WIKDQSO6X/20230518_191021.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Milkyway Photography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1685202824705-NEU9CKC0OLZLFUUCWFZM/20230520_110503+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Ocean Fun Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/232d7f27-d34d-47f4-aae7-935c73d4f507/Comet_and_tail_animation.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - For our May ASTRA meeting, we had a strong showing from the membership and a presentation on Comets, presented by Ally Nudo and Matthew Michota. This was their first presentation and they made it through okay. Looking forward to more presentations from them in the future. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1685293915957-NTLMPZRIE6MCVI62OE1I/comet+intro.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1685293926417-JUG0EO8D4E3HTVMF9MMA/20230512_194903.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1685294165438-XYPF1AQF74FR3CJLQWN2/comet+structure.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1685294178446-CX8LGJSVDWB29QS6KMIB/20230512_195435.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1685294198601-RAW72Q92YGWUS3LEFZKZ/comet+history.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b764706a-77b0-4007-a350-8337ad5bc5cb/full_strawberry_moon.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Full moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. Those tribes of a few hundred years ago kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred and could differ between tribes. Colonial Americans adopted some of the Native American full Moon names and applied them to their own calendar system (primarily Julian, and later, Gregorian). … Eastern Trail https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5e42eb68-054d-45df-92f1-710ec327475f/OCFZFRF3LVAXHONPOWASQRAEGA.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2f80610d-0338-42a4-be17-524e782bf77b/348960792_260742766494083_5377172064453521903_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a487cc7f-00b1-4a36-9081-43382da9a2e3/348871681_635851394712013_3907152061096096368_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d73986c0-38b5-4882-8223-153d85d1a5dd/348699332_1267278594163779_3350266680505422877_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7b887728-d6ee-47aa-8893-e3e60a4d1f07/EyepiecesGD_m.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Eye Pieces Eye Pieces can really make a big difference in your observations and star parties. They can also become a major obsession. Linked is Space.com article on 2023 best eyepieces. Also a 2006 article from Sky & Telescope. Last up is a recent video from Ed Ting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/79793d6e-66aa-4619-ac1e-a30c26813bab/11201825_1093098470702096_538782782401765898_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0ef94754-dfe9-4e12-8c78-0bae850021b3/astrospheric+app.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - What’s Up: otSky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/82a9394d-0542-4cd1-b04e-73248871b530/CygnusInTriangleWeb.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Make it stand out Look up after sunset during summer months to find Cygnus! Along the swan’s neck find the band of our Milky Way Galaxy. Use a telescope to resolve the colorful stars of Albireo or search out the open cluster of stars in Messier 29. Image created with assistance from Stellarium: stellarium.org https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1ad3fa0f-7f02-47a8-852a-dff5df64876c/604631main_cygnusx1_665.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Make it stand out While the black hole Cygnus x-1 is invisible with even the most powerful Optical telescope, in X-ray, it shines brightly. On the left is the optical view of that region with the location of Cygnus x-1 shown in the red box as taken by the Digitized Sky Survey. On the right is an artist’s conception of the black hole pulling material from its massive blue companion star. (Credit: NASA/CXC chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2011/cygx1/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cdd5c22a-67a6-4724-98c5-575fe8801f6f/m101.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Pinwheel Galaxy - M101 The Pinwheel Galaxy is a face-on spiral galaxy 21 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781 and was communicated that year to Charles Messier, who verified its position for inclusion in the Messier Catalogue as one of its final entries. Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/129e8c4c-8644-4360-927d-482a26ddb0df/M40_M97_M108_M109_Finder_Chart.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Radius: 85,000 light-years Apparent mass: ~1,000 billion M☉ Magnitude: 7.9 Distance to Earth: 20.87 million light-years Constellation: Ursa Major Coordinates: RA 14h 3m 13s | Dec +54° 20′ 57″ Stars: 1 trillion Freestarchart.com Classroom Aid - M101 Pinwheel Galaxy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3e181bb7-27b1-4790-a708-dcb95c40df82/M101Sn_Stocks_after_960.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Make it stand out A nearby star has exploded and humanity's telescopes are turning to monitor it. The supernova, dubbed SN 2023ixf, was discovered by Japanese astronomer Koichi Itagaki and subsequently located on automated images from the Zwicky Transient Facility. SN 2023ixf occurred in the photogenic Pinwheel Galaxy M101, which, being only about 21 million light-years away, makes it the closest supernova seen in the past five years, the second closest in the past 10 years, and the second supernova found in M101 in the past 15 years. Rapid follow-up observations already indicate that SN 2023ixf is a Type II supernova, an explosion that occurs after a massive star runs out of nuclear fuel and collapses. The featured image shows the home spiral galaxy with the supernova highlighted, while the roll-over image shows the same galaxy a month before. SN 2023ixf will likely brighten and remain visible to telescopes for months. Studying such a close and young Type II supernova may yield new clues about massive stars and how they explode. Image Credit & Copyright: Craig Stocks / Source: science.nasa.gov / Published: May 23, 2023 Earthsky - New Supernova! Closest in a decade. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/10f5c42a-dd12-47e5-8a51-b71d941c8b39/Tonights+Sky+June.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2023 - Tonight’s Sky: June Look for the Hercules constellation, which will lead you to a globular star cluster with hundreds of thousands of densely packed stars. You can also spot Draco the dragon, which will point you to the Cat’s Eye Nebula. Keep watching for space-based views of globular star clusters and the nebula. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-may2023-nz3nm-pmgt3-8xckb monthly 0.5 2023-05-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1ca9c443-8450-4a15-811f-71c6b8a9fc1c/c2021a1_30nov2021_2.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Upcoming May ASTRA Meeting For our May meeting, there will be a presentation on Comets. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1682428631137-BZLCADS8F5DRAJ8BKIEV/20230419_140713.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Educators Roundtable (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1682428643169-96QV9LIDKLD42XK7DZ5J/20230420_161608.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Green Fair (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3746d4b5-b523-46ea-9070-9016dafcc124/277774773_4827957003993592_1653692636928353675_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Make it stand out Telescope Workshop https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1682430786885-XC7JRS9E8Z8ZR7NLIE8O/20230414_200532.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1682430800834-H1LGKI2O114L1ZEVAVYD/20230414_200548+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1682430809919-3EDIKO83J0LLHWJIR2RN/20230414_200739.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1682430816849-0UK9SCRWB6ASOKIA20HP/20230414_200418.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1682430825686-R7NZ2GBRRNEYYN6BCPF4/20230414_201755.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1682430837801-CM0S3PDHH8P9ODZ1WV3G/20230414_202455.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1682430848156-YH1HBICAH9W3CXLNITF0/20230414_202626.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3030e826-9870-40f3-bf6d-8ba4a94d9360/Montes_Apenninus_%28LRO%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 Montes Apenninus is a rugged mountain range on the northern part of the Moon's near side. They are named after the Apennine Mountains in Italy. With their formation dating back about 3.9 billion years, Montes Apenninus are fairly old. This NASA image is a mosaic of photos by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, made with Wide Angle Camera. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fe4f0fa2-40ab-4804-baba-dc61c11e23e4/Aldo_Ferruggia_-_Montes_Appenninus.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - From Eratosthenes, the mountains form an arcing chain that gradually bends from east to northeast, ending at Promontorium Fresnel at about latitude 29.5° N. Here is another gap where the Mare Imbrium to the west joins the Mare Serenitatis to the east. At the north end of this gap lie the Montes Caucasus.[1] Catena Abulfeda, crater chain, is the best-known feature of its type on the Moon. It consists of a linear string of 20 impact craters ranging in size from 1 to 3 km in diameter. The largest, Almanon C, is positioned near the middle of the chain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c80808f9-60f1-4ecf-8c36-70415ae6e559/343924021_280402934313766_294574456783519527_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Trevor Bartone of SciStarter flew in from Ohio and wrote the following on the SciStarter Facebook page: It may have been rainy outside at Cattus Island County Park today, but inside the sun was shining as Jim Webster, a SciStarter Ambassador, gave an amazing presentation on solar astronomy. Interested in learning more? Check out these great citizen science projects geared toward observing the sun: https://scistarter.org/finder?phrase=Sun&active=true https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2aa60611-2cdd-4d97-89ae-304ce35209bc/342976201_243286441509140_2530174148147827385_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/81c1aa8f-9b89-44e8-8d7b-a64cc1d2ad3c/342966794_1244646582805472_205517297586830459_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/97ee438e-b350-4991-949a-a8eba937427e/342989691_102909486122880_5453710669594865515_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4cf1a749-ace9-4103-ba2e-ed2fcd0b26c5/Observations_Of_Lunar_Debris_Reveal_More.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Hidden Water The moon is strewn with minuscule beads of glass that have formed over billions of years as soil ejected during asteroid impacts cools and falls back to the lunar surface. An analysis of lunar samples delivered to Earth by China's Chang'e-5 probe has now revealed that those beads contain a substantial amount of water. For more go to: Space.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9eb57b51-8508-4ca9-9c56-6e1a82b59d8f/rartime.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e7b9fc49-a003-4e94-94f9-3ea45e969cad/rardogholes.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - What’s Up: otSky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a3708ab8-a165-480d-9394-0ae5aa2da27c/ComaCluster.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Make it stand out The Coma Star Cluster, a collection of stars that are visible to the naked eye in the constellation Coma Berenices, is visible in this view photographed by astronaut Donald R. Pettit, Expedition Six NASA ISS science officer, on board the International Space Station (ISS). The Coma Cluster is visible as a faint fuzzy patch between the constellations Leo and Virgo. The naked eye cannot resolve the individual stars, but collectively, they merge into a fuzzy flow in this part of the sky. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1323e16f-4f21-4692-ad5d-bb1b4e3a6a4c/ComaStarCluster.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Make it stand out Try to spot the Coma Star Cluster! Image created with assistance from Stellarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/82772a24-c624-428a-ae5c-b6879c329a29/M67_Greg_Noel800.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - King Cobra Cluster - M67 Messier 67 and sometimes called the King Cobra cluster or the Golden Eye cluster is an open cluster in the southern, equatorial half of Cancer. It was discovered by Johann Gottfried Koehler in 1779. Estimates of its age range between 3.2 and 5 billion years. Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e04aeb83-c852-40f9-a5db-b2b27cfab8e6/M104_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Apparent magnitude (V): 6.1 Declination: +11° 49′ Right ascension: 08h 51.3m Distance: ~2.61–2.93 kly (800–900 pc) Age: between 3.2 and 5 billion years Radius: 10 ly Constellation: Cancer Freestarchart.com M67, Our View from Earth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/56eaca4f-79dd-4d96-baf1-74849dfba45b/Tonights+Sky+May.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2023 - Tonight’s Sky: May In May, we are looking away from the crowded, dusty plane of our own galaxy toward a region where the sky is brimming with distant galaxies. Locate Virgo to find a concentration of roughly 2,000 galaxies and search for Coma Berenices to identify many more. Keep watching for space-based views of galaxies like the Sombrero Galaxy, M87, and M64. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-april2023-nz3nm monthly 0.5 2023-04-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/36159b4e-eb24-49f6-babb-a96acb40a64b/20220408_205135.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - April ASTRA Meeting We will have a telescope workshop for our April meeting. We will be outside assisting members and the public with telescopes, as long as the weather cooperates with us. While inside having a discussion on telescopes and accessories. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0129a8a1-84ba-4bb6-973b-170c1ce4aba8/150px-EdwardEmersonBarnard.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - March 23, 2023 - ASTRA members were invited to attend remotely a presentation about Edward Emerson Barnard, hosted by the Ford Astronomy Club from Dearborn, MI. Our participation was low, I believe from the short notice we had and as one member put it, Thursdays are for “robot fightin'.” But we did have members attending via Webex. Edwin Emerson Barnard was an American astronomer that was recognized as a gifted observational astronomer. Best known for his discovery of the proper motion of Barnard’s Star in 1916, which was named for him. For more on Edward Emerson Barnard: Wikipedia, Sonoma State University, 25-page PDF from Nasaonline.org https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9c6c7817-2383-451a-a713-3aac4842f3ae/ASTRA+Meeting+March+10%2C+2023+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1679772395174-S474E4KK85SHVGTWPHDD/20230310_194053.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1679772409895-8ZG7N8XLSKJRHXDMUCXX/20230310_193822.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/89895524-d740-4e5b-95d8-0a557659b4a1/20230310_200922.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Irish Astronomers Our March presentation followed our expected Irish presentation as we’ve had in previous March meetings. ASTRA member Bob Salvatore presented Irish Astronomers and as expected was informative and entertaining. We had a good showing for this meeting and I think everyone totally enjoyed it. It was also nice to see Leviathan making another appearance at one of our meetings again. Always enjoy seeing this one as it is a favorite of your APO Editor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1d72b6cf-f227-45f8-bcc6-f8d25d5d16b3/Moon+hit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - A Japanese astronomer captured the telltale flash of a meteorite impacting the moon, causing a brief flash on our celestial neighbor's nightside. Japanese astronomer Daichi Fujii captured this shot of a meteorite impacting the moon (bright flash at the bottom left) on Feb. 23, 2023. (Image credit: Daichi Fujii (Hiratsuka City Museum)) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4717bbee-0155-4218-b88e-a8c2324e06ea/Abulfeda_crater_4089_h2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 Crater Abulfeda is named after the Syrian prince, geographer, astronomer, and historian, Ismail Abul-Fida (1273-1331). Note: Astronomy.com Moon cards have him listed as a Syrian prince, but other resources have him as Kurdish. A lunar impact crater located in the central highlands of the Moon. To the northeast is the crater Descartes, and to the south-southeast is Almanon. To the north is the crater Dollond. A chain of craters named the Catena Abulfeda runs between the southern rim of Abulfeda and the north rim of Almanon, then continues for a length of 210 kilometers across the Rupes Altai. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f0ed46ba-862d-4c7e-8a5c-66af3c31a36e/Catena_Abulfeda.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Make it stand out Catena Abulfeda, crater chain, is the best-known feature of its type on the Moon. It consists of a linear string of 20 impact craters ranging in size from 1 to 3 km in diameter. The largest, Almanon C, is positioned near the middle of the chain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d405ab4a-afa1-4a4c-9099-48a2c463071d/324419751_1560597691032126_2593416914813596918_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - The time is near for the Cattus Island Nature Festival at the end of April on April 29. We will be presenting our interest in astronomy as well as the problems with light pollution. If the weather is good we’ll have some solar observations. We are looking good for volunteers, If anyone else wishes to join us please let Jim Webster know. All of it is not just manning our display, everyone gets time to participate in other events if they wish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/68717f78-ae53-4958-9e4b-a0dd32b94474/globe.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Scistarter a citizen science hub of over 3,000 programs will be joining us with a table of their own, that will have a Scistarter representative and some Verizon employees working the event. Jim Webster will also be providing two presentations at the Cooper Nature Center this year during the Nature Festival. Solar Astronomy and Scistarter Earth Science. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5c8b153d-f31b-4f1f-8f8a-de3ea3d5f94b/337236570_1414076402736891_7717425793124171121_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c269802e-d61f-40fc-888d-45b6f723fed8/337398974_237213345361410_1580913742610341280_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/70672656-8610-496b-8b50-f12d6442099c/337385226_1262861194437372_6173641805630168267_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5096d1c5-5dc9-4939-8014-c1112e929d49/Cat+Eye.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - The Cat’s Eye Nebula Facts about the Cat's Eye Nebula and how to observe and photograph it from Earth. Sky At Night Magazine https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1679862138700-3G1UKBPP4Z0C88K0FG9B/334829789_720230749799439_3998929079719608577_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1679932751948-T9QH7FLDK361H781NH8E/337990072_1142754223791742_1907330705192538227_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1680457220977-BB4HMSC8KQL5PG60MA10/Presentation1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1680458203248-3FRF9BRBT69AW2N691ET/Cape%25252BMay%25252BAududon%25252BNature%25252BCenter%25252BMarch%25252B30%25252B2023%25252B%252525282%25252529.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1680457179708-Y622OR1H5AT6W5NVY06S/Cape%2BMay%2BRadio%2BShow%2BMarch%2B31%2B2023%2B%25282%2529.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e4559468-a996-4103-8a25-4adec73a30e1/AnnularTotalSolarEclipse-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Make it stand out Photos of an annular total solar eclipse (left) and a total solar eclipse (right). Note that the annular eclipse is shown with a dark background, as it is only safe to view with protection – you can see how a small portion of the Sun is still visible as the ring around the Moon. On the right, you can see the Sun’s wispy corona, visible only during totality itself, when the Moon completely – or totally - hides the Sun from view. A total solar eclipse is only safe to view without protection during totality itself; it is absolutely necessary to protect your eyes throughout the rest of the eclipse! Credits: Left, Annular Eclipse: Stefan Seip (Oct 3, 2005). Right, Total Eclipse, NASA/Aubrey Gemignani (August 21, 2017) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0396830a-657e-4de5-a6e3-66ea90e022e8/NASA_Eclipse_Map-2023-2024-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Make it stand out This detailed solar eclipse map shows the paths of where and when the Moon’s shadow will cross the USA for the upcoming 2023 annular solar eclipse and 2024 total solar eclipse, made using data compiled from multiple NASA missions. Where will you be? This map is very detailed, so if you would like to download a larger copy of the image, you can do so and find out more about its features at: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5073 Credits: NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio/Michala Garrison; eclipse calculations by Ernie Wright, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1f5d4e31-ed79-4836-ab73-e5e3ed262ea6/sdosept10x8171335.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Sun activity: Even quieter sun At the time this APO was being put together the Sun has since quieted down. We recently had a big CME hit that created auroras all the way down to New Mexico. A massive eruption of solar material, known as a coronal mass ejection or CME, was detected escaping from the sun at 11:36 p.m. EDT on March 12, 2023. Check out EarthSky and PHYS.ORG for more. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/572c0dcd-9064-4710-b426-36ef318aebfc/sombrero-galaxy.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Sombrero Galaxy - M104 The Sombrero Galaxy is a peculiar galaxy of unclear classification in the constellation borders of Virgo and Corvus, being about 9.55 megaparsecs from the Milky Way galaxy. It is a member of the Virgo II Group, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the southern edge of the Virgo Supercluster. Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e04aeb83-c852-40f9-a5db-b2b27cfab8e6/M104_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Radius: 25,000 light-years Apparent mass: ~0.0000008 billion M☉ Distance to Earth: 29.35 million light-years Age: 13.25 billion years Magnitude: 8 Stars: 100 billion Coordinates: RA 12h 39m 59s | Dec -11° 37′ 23″ Freestarchart.com Zoom into the Sombrero Galaxy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b7dac22e-23ba-4ad4-b07e-dd6d91087d16/Tonights+Sky+April.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2023 - Tonight’s Sky: April Near the Big Dipper, you will find several interesting binary stars. You can also spot galaxies like the Pinwheel Galaxy, M82, and M96—the last of which is an asymmetric galaxy that may have been gravitationally disrupted by encounters with its neighbors. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-march2023-nz3nm-98778 monthly 0.5 2023-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d7cb0a2d-3e25-4b29-80d0-26724e2b183e/hubblemessiercatalogcollage_0.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - March ASTRA Meeting We will have a two-part meeting in March. First, will there be a discussion on our upcoming Messier Marathon at Island Beach State Park on March 18. The Messier Maraton was first introduced in the 1970s as an attempt to find all 110 Messier objects in a single night. We will discuss the best possible ways of getting through the list. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/563227cd-b7cd-44a2-887e-d6b1ab05f553/ce0YGLI.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Those ASTRA members that are planning to participate must let the board members know by the March meeting. You will also need to make sure you have your ASTRA ID updated for 2023 for IBSP access. Next up, in the tradition of our March meetings, will be an Irish Astronomy event. ASTRA member Bob Salvatore's presentation on Irish Astronomers. I’ve always found these March events quite interesting and looking forward to it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/31253a71-3ca1-46d6-abc3-3bc6be697d98/20230210_191348.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Good Night OPPY Our February presentation was a presentation from our guest presenter, Doctor Eileen Meyer, an observational astrophysicist and associate professor of physics at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Doctor Dr. Meyer's presentation for the members was on black holes and super-massive black holes and the plasma jets they sometimes produce. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/00d2e5e5-f05a-4248-ab53-0882c43a6638/Mount+Everest+is+NOT+The+Tallest+Mountain+in+The+World.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - We also had some members from South Jersey Astronomy Club and STAR join us for this meeting. They were invited for some inter-club relationship building. Next up ASTRA member Vic Palmieri provided a surprise presentation for us. Revealing the secrets of the Marinara Trench and why Mount Everest isn’t the highest peak. Along with other facts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8ca8d13b-5012-460b-a9f2-49e10b38198d/mobius+%281%29.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - We moved on to a discussion of the Mobius Strip and its impact on both earth and space sciences and yes the relationship to time travel. By definition, it is a surface with one continuous side formed by joining the ends of a rectangular strip after twisting one end through 180°. We had some members come up to assist with a demonstration of the Mobius strip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cc48dd63-5be5-4a31-bb09-83b1bbde5f18/the-first-men-in-the-moon-illustration-31.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Did you know author H.G. Wells has a crater named after him? H.G. Wells (1866-1946) writer of many stories including two of APO's editor favorites. War of the Worlds published in 1898 and immortalized by Orson Welles's radio program terrorized American listens on Halloween evening in 1938. The other story was First Man in the Moon published in 1901. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/14346d6d-c3fb-473d-9daf-2d46e0f1f883/H_G_Wells_crater_5163_med.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - H. G. Wells is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon, behind the northeastern limb. This large formation is most notable for the extremely battered state of its outer rim. Little or nothing remains of the original rim, so completely has it been eroded and incised by smaller craters. As a result, the crater floor is now surrounded by a ring of irregular peaks and worn crater valleys. These rugged surroundings intrude only part way into the interior, while the remaining floor is relatively level and in some places gently rolling. The interior is marked only by a multitude of tiny craterlets. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d405ab4a-afa1-4a4c-9099-48a2c463071d/324419751_1560597691032126_2593416914813596918_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - As many are aware the Cattus Island Nature Festival is going to be on April 29 this year. We had a great turnout and support for our ASTRA and IDA table and the weather was great for our Solar Telescopes. Cattus Island staff was extremely happy with us and asked us to return this year. Hoping we can repeat the support this year and maybe other members come to join us for this day. All of it is not just manning our display, everyone gets time to participate in other events if they wish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2f3c1fc8-811f-46a5-a9e0-2650b2fdd0fc/Picture3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Having member participation in these kinds of events that we only do a few of, helps get the word out about ASTRA and maybe increase the membership. Over the past two years we’ve been getting more exposure with the parks and hopefully this helps. We’ve helped support the IDA and now Scistarter a citizen science hub of over 3,000 programs was interested in joining us with a table of their own, that will have a Scistarter representative and some Verizon employees working the event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6a25390c-12cc-4c98-99bf-0fa349c4e109/332192850_602134457944950_372641730953944366_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e8e53f5f-20f0-4813-b083-2d231dbeb4bb/332255080_628545219107352_4647904598387810397_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a21c7ccf-7ff9-4cf9-b2cc-d5f2aef4450e/333063914_582255177137144_4044239084627980804_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/01b6fc9b-39f8-43a1-a9e0-7270192f7847/16687977870618121837.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Exoplanet Watch It’s been making its rounds the last week, a recent Night Sky Network presentation in February was on the search for Exoplanets. If you missed this presentation click on the image and it will take you to a replay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/44f60960-bdd2-496c-a929-a0dc7314f2d6/Exoplanet+Watch.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Make it stand out PowerPoint Slide from Jim Webster's new presentation “SciStarter Space Science.” One of several citizen science projects featured in this presentation was made for the county parks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1677551771137-0I7PYENENFOS3QXRUT8X/151385849_10159626839757125_6144326790123732826_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1677551922378-M1WCZVTTAF869F3HCTBS/271700172_1243839446102360_8362653481225441315_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/17fe2847-2ea9-4dd4-8432-e1afd0b4a6c4/Venus_Mariner_10-Modern-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Make it stand out The top layers of Venus’s cloud pop in this contrast-enhanced image, reprocessed with modern techniques from Mariner 10 data. Credit & Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e27398a0-cd3f-4390-b3a9-81a781b36a47/VenusJupiterMarch12023-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Make it stand out Venus and Jupiter continue to move closer together in the evening sky this month. Jupiter will continue its descent towards the horizon while Venus will continue to climb and will be visible in the evenings through mid-summer of 2023. It’s a great year for Venus fans! … Image created with assistance from Stellarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9d707e20-9508-485f-93fe-d85b4e384127/imagesvenus20191211venus20191211-16.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus appears in Earth's sky never far from the Sun, either as a morning star or an evening star. Wikipedia Orbital period: 225 days Distance from Sun: 67.24 million mi Length of day: 243d 0h 0m Radius: 3,760.4 mi Mass: 4.867 × 10^24 kg (0.815 M⊕) Surface area: 177.7 million mi² https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ffe3ab33-85de-43a4-b9a8-b5cec4e75212/black-eye-galaxy-print+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Black Eyed Galaxy - M64 The Black Eye Galaxy is a relatively isolated spiral galaxy 17 million light-years away in the mildly northern constellation of Coma Berenices. It was discovered by Edward Pigott in March 1779, and independently by Johann Elert Bode in April of the same year, as well as by Charles Messier the next year. Wikipedia Age: 13.28 billion years Radius: 26,481 lightyears Apparent mass: ~0.4 billion Distance to Earth: 24.01 million lightyears Stars: 100 billion Coordinates: RA 12h 56m 44s | Dec +21° 40′ 58″ Constellation: Coma Berenices https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f113c370-7b79-43cf-b89c-6d3ca57ee26e/M_Virgo_Finder_Chart.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/db3f30c8-23a2-4ae5-acff-eb72007ba6a1/Tonights+Sky+February+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2023 - Tonight’s Sky: March In March, the stars of spring lie eastward: Look for the constellations Gemini and Cancer to spot interesting celestial features like star clusters M35 and the Beehive Cluster, and NGC 3923, an oblong elliptical galaxy with an interesting ripple pattern. Keep watching for space-based views of the galaxies. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-february2023-nz3nm-98778 monthly 0.5 2023-02-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1b15dbd0-c3bd-4ab7-8273-9da5cd976a61/Dr+Meyer+Intro+Slide.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - February ASTRA Meeting We have been able to reschedule Doctor Meyer's presentation for February. She’ll start off the evening with ASTRA member Vic Palmieri wrapping up the evening for our February ASTRA meeting. We’ll have some guests as well from South Jersey Astronomy Group and STAR. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/41832249-04d7-4c16-9ef2-80f19429f353/81F8qgqMOVL._RI_.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Good Night OPPY Our January presentation was a viewing of Amazon Orignal, Good Night OPPY. a 2022 American documentary film directed by Ryan White and narrated by Angela Bassett. It had its world premiere at the 2022 Telluride Film Festival on September 3, 2022. It was released in a limited release on November 4, 2022, by Amazon Studios, prior to streaming on Prime Video on November 23, 2022. The film tells the story of Opportunity, nicknamed Oppy, a Mars rover launched in 2003 that originally was expected to operate for only 90 sols but explored Mars for nearly 15 years. The film features archival and interview footage with scientists and engineers and re-creations of the rover's treks over the Martian landscape in search of water. Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d55ab6a9-1c5e-4ebf-abbf-b1bb88ff7072/20230113_205948.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - We had a good turnout for our January meeting and appears that everyone enjoyed the documentary on the Mars rovers. It was a bit longer than expected, but it all turned out well. If we do this again, we try for a shorter film. As for future films, it won’t be for a while, presentations come first and we already have a good lineup of presentations for 2023. We still need something for the last three months of the year, so if there is an interest, please let us know. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/558834ac-2abe-4577-bbb2-48a606262026/20230113_201444.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - I want to thank both Vinny Illuzzi and Matthew Michota for taking the time to step out of the movie and assisting a potential new member who needed some help with her recently purchased telescope. It was a Celestron StarSense Explorer LT Reflector and performed collimation on it. Vinny and Matthew then provided some observing information tips. We were a sight to see for the planetarium guest that was at a star show, so maybe it will get some more members coming our way. We can dream … https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4000a9f0-dc69-46e0-b0b7-66c411035574/Lunar+Impact+Monitoring.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Your APO Editor has been working on some new public presentations and came across this interesting Citizen Science program from SciStarter. The goal of this is for public support in observing the moon for meteor impacts that will occur on the moon. The chances of this increase during meteor showers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/70fb083b-4f8b-406d-9ff3-47bd80dd3fc3/735590main_grailA20130319.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - From SciStarter: NASA needs your help to monitor the rates and sizes of large meteoroids striking the moon’s dark side. By monitoring the moon for impacts, NASA can define the meteoroid environment and identify the risks that meteors pose to future lunar exploration. This data will help engineers design lunar spacecraft, habitats, vehicles, and extra-vehicular activity suits to protect human explorers from the stresses of the lunar environment. For more go to Scistarter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/28d3a099-b104-4b50-a7f0-45ff8a654b49/279370590_5231244026932127_4133091206955709812_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - As many are aware the Cattus Island Nature Festival is going to be on April 29 this year. We had a great turnout and support for our ASTRA and IDA table and the weather was great for our Solar Telescopes. Cattus Island staff was extremely happy with us and asked us to return this year. Hoping we can repeat the support this year and maybe other members come to join us for this day. All of it is not just manning our display, everyone gets time to participate in other events if they wish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/48bd6e9a-4bf2-4605-9d02-3af2730ee3ce/ASTRA+Meeting+May+13%2C+2022_.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c31fb68f-8258-44be-a6a2-2fc6de5d87b8/324419751_1560597691032126_2593416914813596918_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Having member participation in these kinds of events that we only do a few of, helps get the word out about ASTRA and maybe increase the membership. Over the past two years we’ve been getting more exposure with the parks and hopefully this helps. We’ve helped support the IDA and now Scistarter a citizen science hub of over 3,000 programs was interested in joining us with a table of their own, that will have a Scistarter representative and some Verizon employees working the event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/76089b0f-be79-47e4-a7d1-45bfe367108e/327109100_580619526834451_8065805130509236046_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/082b9554-3ec0-4f41-a77b-f6d4bf16e25c/326812912_582025236658871_1005694424775099324_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1675029298762-1EKL8QDW5PSLB16STVVD/326318626_579665514005614_5600571842257918804_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1675029323152-K6I9LEJPS18TSTKMJEOF/9966e8f9f3036ac3be86eab015aefeb5.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2ba700e-a45b-45b0-ba15-2c886bfa8739/JupiterVista_JunoGill_3688-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Make it stand out This stunning image of Jupiter’s cloud tops was taken by NASA’s Juno mission and processed by Kevin M. Gill. You too can create amazing images like this, all with publicly available data from Juno. Go to missionjuno.swri.edu/junocam to begin your image procession journey – and get creative! Full Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS; Processing: Kevin M. Gill, license: CC BY 2.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ Source: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201123.html https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c65f2313-0c82-4c6f-b58e-61038f22c51d/VenusJupiterFeb222023-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Make it stand out Look for Jupiter as it forms one of the points of a celestial triangle, along with Venus and a very thin crescent Moon, on the evening of February 22, 2023. This trio consists of the brightest objects in the sky – until the Sun rises! Binoculars may help you spot Jupiter’s moons as small bright star-like objects on either side of the planet. A small telescope will show them easily, along with Jupiter’s famed cloud bands. How many can you count? Keep watching Jupiter and Venus as the two planets will continue to get closer together each night until they form a close conjunction the night of March 1. Image created with assistance from Stellarium. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a541976d-8815-451f-ac32-a660704aa1cd/IMG_4604.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Jupiter Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined while being slightly less than one-thousandth the mass of the Sun. Wikipedia Distance from Sun: 483.8 million mi Orbital period: 12 years Radius: 43,441 mi Mass: 1.898 × 10^27 kg (317.8 M⊕) Surface area: 23.71 billion mi² Coordinates: RA 0h 22m 8s | Dec +1° 6′ 34″ Image: Sam Granovsky https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f10cc106-ee7c-44c8-a446-6ca0bc4ed45d/B33LRGB_fb.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Make it stand out APOD: December 29, 2022 Image by: J Close https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4b34f020-7a08-48f4-b8c9-022ddec58806/Horsehead_CFHT_960.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Horsehead Nebula Radius: 3.5 light-years Magnitude: 6.8 Discovered: 1888 Distance to Earth: 1,500 light-years Coordinates: RA 5h 40m 59s | Dec -2° 27′ 30″ Discoverer: Williamina Fleming Apparent magnitude (V): 6.8 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c4b0cb68-efcc-4489-a80b-522582402295/hubble_ngc2024_flame1_wfc3_ir_inset_display.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Flame Nebula Magnitude: 2 Radius: 6 light-years Distance to Earth: 1,354 light-years Declination: −01° 51′ 0.0″ Right ascension: 05h 41m 54s Location: Constellation Orion kopernik.org Apparent magnitude (V): 2 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/034b1c90-34ff-4178-80ef-2520ab6886f2/Ori_Orion_Star_Chart.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/db3f30c8-23a2-4ae5-acff-eb72007ba6a1/Tonights+Sky+February+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2023 - Tonight’s Sky: February The Winter Triangle in February is your guide to the night sky: The northern hemisphere is treated to views of the stars Procyon, Sirius, and Betelgeuse. Keep watching for the awe-inspiring space-based views of the Orion Nebula, which is sculpted by the stellar winds of central bright stars. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-january2023-nz3nm-98778-ywewx-y3wbs monthly 0.5 2023-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9bb2643b-c142-4b80-bf5c-e93496a82e86/qTYrrS2XU4fh.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Make it stand out To all our ASTRA members, families, and friends … Wishing everyone a Happy New Year https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e80f8608-9d54-4434-a931-4cc2d632f126/ASTRA+Meeting+December+09%2C+2022_Vic+Intro.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Achromats, Mars & Color Filters By Vic Palmieri Our December presentation was a last-minute entry by ASTRA member Vic Palmieri. It was on Achromatic telescopes and filters. An interesting subject that also consisted of some excellent visual aids. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1672357969309-TT06TXL0MH203UYLE1UI/20221209_200845+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1672357862778-UE5EUH77PLH16X7DGOG8/ASTRA+Meeting+December+09%2C+2022_AC+Chart.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1672357874806-832JMW0MLZ4BWTMWD284/ASTRA+Meeting+December+09%2C+2022_filter+chart.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/dbbcd19d-cbfb-48d2-a662-c3e3255fdaec/20221209_195110.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - For this presentation, Vic's craftsmanship came in handy when he created a visual aid for displaying color filters, and color separation associated with chromatic aberration. It is something to hold onto for an Astronomy day event and could be crafted into a Night Sky Network presentation. If Vic is willing maybe this could be made into a club production that can be presented to the Night Sky Network. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/135d6dd7-14fd-44ce-9f8e-ab9ce22129c5/1080px-Apollo_17-insignia.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Apollo 17 was the final mission of NASA's Apollo program, the most recent time humans have set foot on the Moon or traveled beyond low Earth orbit. Commander Gene Cernan and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt walked on the Moon, while Command Module Pilot Ronald Evans orbited above. Little over twelve days the last mission ran from December 7 to December 19, 1972. Gene Carnan has the distinction of being the last man to stand on the moon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a4ec6fc3-6916-4383-bf0a-8318880205c4/apollo_17_landing_site_1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Taurus–Littrow is a lunar valley located on the near side at the coordinates 20.0°N 31.0°E. It served as the landing site for the Apollo 17 mission. The valley is located on the southeastern edge of Mare Serenitatis along a ring of mountains formed between 3.8 and 3.9 billion years ago when a large object impacted the Moon, forming the Serenitatis basin and pushing rock outward and upward. Taurus–Littrow is located in the Taurus mountain range and south of the Littrow crater, features from which the valley received its name. The valley's name, coined by the Apollo 17 crew, was approved by the International Astronomical Union in 1973. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/25b59cb9-c5fd-46cc-a04b-713e661d531d/moon+station+6.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Geology Station 6 - Rock and Roll In this LROC NAC image of the North Massif wall, a long track shows where a boulder rolled down the hill and broke into the cluster of boulders at the base of the North Massif at station 6 of the Apollo 17 traverse. Cosmic-ray exposure ages of the boulder cluster are about 20 million years—we are looking at a ~20-million-year-old boulder tract! Astronauts Cernan and Schmitt explored the site. Several smaller boulders and their tracks as well as small impact craters are also visible. Sun is shining from the left. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1db0bc7c-9520-4320-95b2-5aa456ef3689/1280px-Apollo_17%2C_station_6.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/faae112e-fed1-40f4-bc82-63d49b646c61/Boy+Scout+Slide.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/36ea703f-6392-4489-ba58-1648a53b42cc/320926509_523280546230474_2337314184220868668_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a5a86625-3588-43a2-b4ae-889a3a700650/320981353_678473977260906_5779996841668690794_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1672365731905-OMB9TASQF7K7CHAJ00A2/321443655_1154100128563405_7489765233281728192_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1672365768254-501CO9N15LHYQ2F9JWL3/320367360_1536052606909184_6653679816681247725_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c81a65d3-5d10-4eed-8674-131cea6dd436/Mercury-Jan302023-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Make it stand out Mercury reaches maximum western elongation on the morning of January 30, which means that your best chance to spot it is right before sunrise that day! Look for Mercury towards the southeast and find the clearest horizon you can. Observers located in more southern latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere have an advantage when observing Mercury as it will be a bit higher in the sky from their location, but it’s worth a try no matter where you live. Binoculars will help pick out Mercury’s elusive light from the pre-dawn glow of the Sun. Image created with assistance from Stellarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/31eaf85b-0f82-4b63-b571-d8451388d1db/LaurieA-MErcuryTRansit2019-NotFINAL-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Make it stand out On rare occasion, Earthbound observers can observe Mercury, like Venus, transiting the Sun. Mercury frequently travels between Earth and the Sun, but only rarely does the geometry of all three bodies line up to allow observers from Earth to view Mercury’s tiny shadow as it crosses our star’s massive disc. You can see one such event in this photo taken by Laurie Ansorge of the Westminster Astronomical Society on November 11, 2019. If you missed it, set a reminder for Mercury’s next transit: November 13, 2032. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/89a3cf44-b3c2-4017-9623-4f41cddfb684/True_Mercury-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Make it stand out Mercury is hot, small, and heavily cratered across its gray surface, as seen in this image from NASA MESSENGER. Mercury is the most heavily cratered planet in our solar system, since it lacks either a substantial atmosphere or geologic activity to erode surface features like craters - similar in certain aspects to the surface of our own Moon. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Source: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/439/mercurys-subtle-colors/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/71bba539-ef84-4cff-96b3-a153f7a35f28/IC342Feller1024.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - IC 342 IC 342 is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Camelopardalis, located relatively close to the Milky Way. Wikipedia Radius: 35,000 light-years Magnitude: 9.1 Absolute magnitude: -21.95 Distance to Earth: 10.76 million light-years Stars: 100 billion https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/65210778-f682-42a1-8022-820f5ffafdab/IC342_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Make it stand out freecharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/459d69e0-103a-42ce-a4d3-2c0c9c7ad893/Tonights+Sky+January+large+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2023 - Tonight’s Sky: January In January, the northern hemisphere features beautiful views of Capella, a pair of giant yellow stars; Aldebaran, a red giant star; and two-star clusters—the Hyades and the Pleiades. Keep watching for the awe-inspiring space-based views of the Crab Nebula, the remains of a star that exploded as a supernova. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-december2022-nz3nm-98778-ywewx monthly 0.5 2022-12-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/dcbdc2cb-6994-4a92-86b7-c5e9af557675/44bcf52e70813422f257b54601db8f60.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Make it stand out To all our ASTRA members, families, and friends … Happy Holidays, and Merry Christmas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1669779109271-FV0BG7G7QX380RU5T0OS/20221110_203805.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1669755242575-Q9XPEH9E82L0OUN9J467/20221110_203719+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1669755258568-6CCJMQDBO8JWTVVLKE9R/20221110_203935.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1669755268988-SJWBIED4DS65VDY7L7YM/20221110_203917.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1669755279854-E07PCT9C4LYOF6KLW0SN/20221110_194644.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1669755288703-616OXLBASGHUG80U98BX/20221110_195002.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1669755310234-CT6URYL7TFSC5KND3HGQ/20221110_194821.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f46b7aaa-5d6c-4651-ae47-edf380f4bad5/20221111_202714.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - The presentation was canceled, but all was not lost. Our November presentation was with guest speaker Doctor Meyer. Her son and herself came down with the FLU and were not able to attend. We hope they are well at this point and that we can reschedule sometime in the future. We also had to deal with some severe weather this night and I am guessing kept some members away that night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0da43424-7aac-491e-8548-f6aaec4f9299/20221111_202704.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Our meeting consisted of an extended observer meeting on what to see for the month of November with input from all who attended. ASTRA member Phil Zollner provided a presentation on the new Guy Ottewel’s Astronomical calendar for 2023. A great review of the publication, which had several members going to AMAZON to order it, including your APO editor. The discussion had some interesting highlights and we had some fun with some of the illustrations as well. I am grateful for Phil’s sharing of this publication which will be handy for the 2023 observing season. - Thanks, Phil! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2e10daf3-7d81-46c8-a44f-af5aefec67e3/20221111_203413.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Guy Ottewell Guy Ottewell is an author of books principally on astronomy, but he also worked in libraries, cataloging books in Middle Eastern languages for the libraries of Manchester University and the University of California, Los Angeles. You can find articles from Guy Ottewell at EarthSky.com and on his own webpage at Universalworkshop.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c1406cba-4d00-4cdb-8317-55e052ec4a92/art001e000672-1024x768.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Artemis/Orion was finally able to launch after many delays, but well worth the wait to ensure all was okay. Each step of the mission can be found in NASA blog postings at NASA.GOV. On Saturday, Nov. 26, the Orion spacecraft broke the record for the farthest distance traveled by a spacecraft designed to carry humans to deep space and safely return them to Earth. This distance record was held by the Apollo 13 spacecraft. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/22353727-c64f-4d61-96c1-36d201968bed/317082733_478209464452783_2906038082321227134_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - In the linked video, Apollo astronauts and flight directors give their insights into the Apollo program, the nation’s reaction then, and how the Artemis program will benefit the nation today. As we go back to the Moon, Artemis will prepare us to travel even deeper into space. Apollo to Artemis: NASA returns to the Moon The Earth/Moon image was taken on November 28, 2022, by the Orion spacecraft. Only 24 humans have ever gotten to go see the Moon and Earth this way in space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4c940ed5-f043-4769-ac73-57a3e91e5d0d/316935081_219597023752689_2380015070950038297_n+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cc47da95-fee8-4310-a0ce-56fd90b18cd2/316811556_219596993752692_1374370923394625809_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8812fcd7-ca74-422b-af99-1ae7f440c12b/The+Winter+NIght+Sky.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7d6daa9c-379b-43a3-bf76-904bf8cffe0b/Sky%26Telescope_Red_Large.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Sky & Telescope Article An old 2016 article found online about Winter Asterisms. Sky & Telescope https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/19b7052e-8644-40d8-acb0-f66a7f27e7b3/_Comet+C2022E3+ZTF.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) Naked eye in the New Year? Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is meant to become just about bright enough to be seen with the naked eye in the new year. It is currently at about 12th magnitude in the southern part of the constellation of Corona Borealis, low down in the early morning eastern sky. Over the next month, it heads northwards, slowly picking up speed and brightening. At the start of the new year, it is located just north of Corona Borealis. For more… star-gazing.co.uk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1669772195715-Y7GDC6K1Q17FBQVXN3RX/316523140_10158765850291822_2261739592497368018_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1669777104578-21JVNPDMY0J2XGTNV3DJ/images.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1de7b3ff-7e0f-4fa8-89fd-9b2459a4b525/129611721_10221509144631750_367130143652265734_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/660cc8ec-95fb-42ba-aca4-6a04205b7182/ES+AR127.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - ASTRA Telescopes for Sale The Explorer Scientific ES127-D still remains for sale and will be posted. If there is any interest please let one of the board members know. We’re looking to give club members a first come first serve, last chance, at a reduced price but we will be going external. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c661c53b-1c66-47e2-8c63-a92151ff7919/Binos-topview-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Make it stand out The two most popular types of binocular designs are shown here: roof-prism binoculars (left) and Porro-prism binoculars (right). Roof prisms tend to be more compact, lighter, and a bit more portable, while Porro-prisms tend to be heavier but often offer wider views and greater magnification. What should you choose? Many birders and frequent fliers often choose roof-prism models for their portability. Many observers who prefer to observe fainter deep-sky objects or who use a tripod with their observing choose larger Porro-prism designs. There is no right answer, so if you can, try out both designs and see which works better for you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/78ec5331-a3f5-42d9-b081-5fb11b84652f/BinoFOV_web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Make it stand out A pair of good binoculars can show craters on the Moon around 6 miles (10 km) across and larger. How large is that? It would take you about two hours to hike across a similar-sized crater on Earth. The “Can You See the Flag On the Moon?” handout showcases the levels of detail that different instruments can typically observe on the Moon, available at bit.ly/flagmoon. Moon image courtesy Jay Tanner https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3b0e31a0-adf5-4963-bf0e-ada7a82fe5ca/doubleCluster2sav2_HDR2-Edit_Moon_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Double Star Cluster NGC 869 & 884 Age: 12.81 million years Distance to Earth: 7,502 lightyears Coordinates: RA 2h 20m 0s | Dec +57° 8′ 0″ Constellation: Perseus Distance: 7,460 and 7,640ly (2,290 and 2340pc) Apparent magnitude (V): 3.7 and 3.8 Apparent dimensions (V): 60′ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ea20966a-800c-4c5e-8d95-e70da0976659/Double+Cluster.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Make it stand out Presentation page extract from Beginner Astronomy: Buying Your First Telescope and Astronomy with Binoculars by Jim Webster. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e558914c-b823-41a3-8b7a-d454151c43a2/Double_Cluster_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Make it stand out freecharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9bf5d7de-2a29-4492-bb42-68886d269a4c/Tonights+Sky+December.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2022 - Tonight’s Sky: December Step outside on a cold December night when the stars shine bright to find the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, and Cepheus. They will help you locate a binary star system, a fan-shaped open star cluster, and a variable star. Stay tuned for space-based views of a ragged spiral galaxy, an open star cluster, and an edge-on galaxy. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-november2022-nz3nm-98778 monthly 0.5 2022-11-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1666804565379-6WR2XYKQG8EAQEFIRYZC/20221015_205635.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1666804586302-P5ROWHNY154C645EA8VA/20221015_201054.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1666804594164-RS9QVNJ3FCZWQ02UF32V/20221015_205649.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1666804603611-YX11K1BF2IWBLMCXM1Q3/20221015_214030.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/06a6433a-17ba-44a8-8eb6-52089f511dad/20221014_193745.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - The History Of Telescopes By Bob Salvatore Our October presentation was by ASTRA member Bob Salvatore. A chronological look at historical telescopes that in their time claimed to be the biggest telescope. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/70a5d114-80cc-4381-85cb-20d3185ff962/20221014_193645.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - The history of telescopes can be traced to before the invention of the earliest known telescope which appeared in 1608. Bob took us on a time trip back then all the way to where we are today with the James Web Space Telescope. He provided a review of each telescope type and those individuals that were important to the astronomy community. A very interesting review and as always Bob held our attention throughout the entire presentation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1667176216957-ROGAAOMUT2LGRYKU3RGB/download.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Galileo Telescope, Early 1600's https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1667177290882-53G73XTOZMSVM71F7SAF/webb-illustration-1041.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - James Webb Space Telescope, Today https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cccd7998-83d0-4f77-acf3-9a4cb18431e5/Clavius_Crater.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Clavius is one of the older formations on the lunar surface and was likely formed during the Nectarian period about four billion years ago. Despite its age, the crater is relatively well-preserved. The Nectarian Period is from 3920 to 3850 million years ago. It is during this time period that the major basins were formed. It is one of the largest crater formations on the Moon and the second-largest crater on the visible side of the moon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/dd9d3072-9954-4c6b-bdb1-2580beb2036e/2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Named after Jesuit priest Christopher Clavius, Clavius' location is south of Tycho toward the southern limb of the Moon causing it to appear oblong due to foreshortening. Its great size makes it visible to the unaided eye as a prominent notch in the terminator about one to two days after the Moon reaches the first quarter. It is popular for both observing and imaging. Movie history: Clavius was the location of Clavius Base in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ea104002-1d19-40f1-8fcc-030b36637787/ASYLO0421_01.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/485527e4-aeb1-42b7-a560-f4ae32444023/Planetarium+Request.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/dddb8330-17f6-4974-a389-68b7feb7078e/311432401_213596157686109_6679170558023352903_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/dfced722-e853-4b52-bc07-58708fffa12c/312916297_213596147686110_3729744934245014553_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/92eaea2c-b88e-4ac0-8510-c304333b3a1a/images+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - James Webb Space Telescope Images of the Pillars of Creation from the James Webb Space Telescope have been amazing. If you haven’t seen them yet check out the link that will WOW you. James Webb Space Telescope https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/68c7a9d2-715b-4141-8211-59a3b92a0646/1-PIA25583-HiRISE_Views_A_Mars_Impact_Crater_.width-1320.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - NASA’s InSight Lander Detects Meteoroid Impact on Mars Linked is a news update from NASA on a meteoroid impact on Mars from December 2021. The linked article includes both audio and video. For more check NASA.gov. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1667179983679-4WMZ1DDVVQIKNF5WW2B4/159559554_4029536793758458_1185633193533260736_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1667180003193-YVTKT0QOD28EGAWTLO9Q/274218902_5118857564826370_6733350575832979978_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1667172592964-789HYWA5FIAQWDEDSKVB/Meade+8+lx90.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - LX90 $700 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1667172604178-PNIXKN3IH4KL8JR7NWK3/ES+AR127.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - ES127D $500 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1f4a117a-69f9-42ec-8679-82669adcab52/CepheusNov152022Web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Make it stand out The stars of Cepheus are visible all year round for many in the Northern Hemisphere, but fall months offer some of the best views of this circumpolar constellation to warmly-dressed observers. Just look northwards! Image created with assistance from Stellarium: stellarium.org. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e2b89176-301f-4540-9bee-c00ec88180a3/HSLeavitt-graph1912Fig2-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Make it stand out This historical diagram from Henrietta Leavitt’s revolutionary publication shows the luminosity of a selection of Cepheid Variables on the vertical axis, and the log of their periods on the horizontal axis. The line drawn through these points shows how tight that relationship is between all the stars in the series. From Henrietta Leavitt and Edward Pickering’s 1912 paper, “Periods of 25 Variable Stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud,” a copy of which can be found at: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1912HarCi.173....1L/abstract https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3c9772f5-152c-45da-987e-b5605b6851ad/potw2101a.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - NGC 6946 Sometimes referred to as the Fireworks Galaxy, is a face-on intermediate spiral galaxy with a small bright nucleus, whose location in the sky straddles the boundary between the northern constellations of Cepheus and Cygnus. Radius: 20,000 light-years Magnitude: 9.6 Distance to Earth: 22.5 million light-years Right ascension: 20h 34m 52.3s Galaxy type: face-on spiral galaxy nasa.gov Apparent magnitude (V): 9.6 Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5c02844e-4d7e-4ba4-ac32-9699f260b2eb/NGC6946_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Make it stand out freecharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fd85d93d-9602-4f90-9115-cfb04d59ed28/NGC7023_ruiz.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - NGC 7023 The Iris Nebula is a bright reflection nebula in the constellation Cepheus. Magnitude: 6.8 Radius: 2.9998 light-years Distance to Earth: 1,300 light-years Apparent magnitude (V): 6.8 Apparent dimensions (V): 18' x 18' Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d19c3005-3162-4f48-a311-1569947c0971/NGC7023_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Make it stand out freecharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/94a4a014-5739-4b9d-bed7-9e9ef6eb1fe5/Tonights+Sky+November.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2022 - Tonight’s Sky: November Hunt for the fainter constellations of fall, including Pisces, Aries, and Triangulum. They will guide you to find several galaxies and a pair of white stars. Stay tuned for space-based views of spiral galaxy M74 and the Triangulum Galaxy, which are shown in visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-october2022-nz3nm monthly 0.5 2022-10-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8c65534d-88a4-437f-86ae-a43f457e58ed/IMG_2879.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Make it stand out Setting up before the Yacht Club members arrived. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/492d487b-e207-42a3-b802-aa158150db3b/00100dPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20220823103025023_COVER.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - How I Made Tripods Our September presentation was by ASTRA member Vic Palmieri on how he made several tripods from scratch. If you’ve seen his telescope setup, they are all handmade and very solid. Vic is an excellent craftsman in my opinion. Doesn’t matter if it is wood or metal, he can do it. For the tripods, Vic uses red oak and each piece is hand-picked. Vic went through each of the tools and materials used. He had some tripods on hand and explained each one’s history. For me the highlight of the presentation was the perfect balance a single tripod leg would have, by itself, staying up and not falling over. Below are some images from our September meeting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1664738366620-LMF5L9YDQ37UYI0WFNI1/IMG_20220823_103621.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1664738375478-34KJWRE2QO2QN27H2SCC/IMG_20220823_105824.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1664738409248-PNGMEO6PG97HV9M0A4T4/20220909_195236.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1664738430739-BGX9V9F33WOK0I6VBVXQ/20220909_201150.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1664738470744-P6HGDRGBDXJ21BC1QE2Z/IMG_20210814_145943.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/af53dccb-b166-4bcb-b83a-c1bee7fa9f35/AristotlesWheel.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1664739181714-4SDZYEYJ0G62YFFU6FRQ/20220909_205638.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1664739203139-ZB1KG1IP2T8HKLF506F7/20220909_214041.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1664739469079-AISBJHIZDVWEAF626LRB/IMG_3077.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1664739592513-MHKTBB8079B1K1W9LDX4/IMG_3083.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/74009181-d518-4cfe-a09e-8085ed8aab80/mars.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Make it stand out NASA/HUBBLE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/03fbdc04-5a29-4eb3-a397-a144a13b8f6f/69210939_2241332409322744_8254299034009731072_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - While we were not able to participate at Jake’s Branch for the International Observing the Moon night due to what remains of Hurricane Ian, observing the moon will always be available to us. NASA has a great article on ten different ways of observing the moon. moon.nasa.gov article https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e376cbb3-9623-4232-a43e-e232c4b17884/20220930_114808.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Telescope Loaner Program Update The Telescope Loaner Program has been updated to include with the club 15x70 Celestron Binoculars the following items: Orion Paragon Tripod with Pan-head Mount and bracket assembly. Orion Telescope Bag. A small compact setup that is good for both beginners to try out and seasoned observers. Both Orion items were donated by ASTRA members Jim and Gloria Webster. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2ac009ec-71b4-4c6a-9379-170a9f33b55b/308457449_5504007356355378_8209485015813031440_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1e53bb42-663b-4d46-a4f5-4815f96bb7f2/308616636_5504007426355371_258065476891143406_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f77a22de-ccf1-48fe-acc7-de9515c88679/Club+Meeting+Show+and+Tell+June+12+2020_Vinny1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - How to get the most from a night of observing or astrophotography. The linked video just a few minutes shy of one hour was a presentation at the 2022 Black Forest Star Party, held in Cherry Springs each year. This year's presenter was David Farina of Cosmos Safari. … YouTube Video Presentation www.cosmossafari.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/77cdbd26-40b4-467e-9368-91ce4f023fcb/UaZ9.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - BEST TELESCOPES 2022 With the holidays now approaching some of us may be interested in what telescopes are out there. Then there are others like Captain Jack that want to go bigger. Either way, Space.com has an article on the best telescopes for 2022. - space.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5810b21b-21d0-4880-9bad-1efc211b3a4e/pia25239-1041b.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - DART Mission Recently completed the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, a NASA space mission aimed at testing a method of planetary defense against near-Earth objects. They now need to analyze the data to see how successful this mission was. For more check NASA.gov. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a80e3637-b7e7-44a8-82a8-753d33e6f6c3/Sam+Andromeda.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Andromeda - M31 Distance to Earth: 2.537 million light-years Radius: 110,000 light-years Magnitude: 3.44 Coordinates: RA 0h 42m 44s | Dec +41° 16′ 9″ Stars: 1 trillion Constellation: Andromeda Apparent dimension: 60′–190′ Image by: Sam Granovsky https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/48ae12fa-d823-405c-8f2f-e47498165f59/M31_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Make it stand out freecharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f412c24f-bdea-46df-92c5-425ddd14513a/m31.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Make it stand out nasa.gov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1664495044802-NIUBRR0JXJIO7OU975EH/120199651_3675661619110772_8306998051318391191_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1664495070830-ZZPIR7PM3EB9ON9B9EAP/307994481_567468601844916_5401442593942668033_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/35603e1c-8c21-4b13-a554-0186026a812a/Fomalhaut-Oct152022-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Make it stand out Sky map of the southern facing sky for mid-latitude Northern Hemisphere observers. With Fomalhaut lying so low for many observers, its fellow member stars in the constellation Piscis Australis won’t be easily visible for many without aid due to a combination of light pollution and atmospheric extinction (thick air dimming the light from the stars). Fomalhaut is by far the brightest star in its constellation, and is one of the brightest stars in the night sky. While the dim constellations of Aquarius and Capricorn may also not be visible to many without aid, they are outlined here. While known as the “Loneliest Star,” you can see that Fomalhaut has two relatively close and bright visitors this year: Jupiter and Saturn! Illustration created with assistance from Stellarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/09bf9c65-d540-4432-9cc9-e812b2f637a5/FOMALHAUT_DUST_OBJECT-STSCI-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Make it stand out The magnificent and complex dust disc of the Fomalhaut system (left) with the path and dissolution of former planetary candidate Fomalhaut b displayed in detail (right). Image credits: NASA, ESA, and A. Gáspár and G. Rieke (University of Arizona) Source: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/exoplanet-apparently-disappears-in-latest-hubble-observations https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/27842b9e-263b-41c2-a324-e42b821483a1/Tonights+Sky+October.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2022 - Tonight’s Sky: September Clear crisp October nights are full of celestial showpieces. Find Pegasus, the flying horse of Greek myth, to pinpoint dense globular star clusters and galaxies, and keep watching for space-based views of M15, NGC 7331, and the Andromeda Galaxy. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-september2022-nz3nm-fr7f4-6sr62 monthly 0.5 2022-09-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3210c3cc-ffac-4605-a81e-9aef23ef548f/299492201_5201107393345216_6949786449779509156_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8ff7e328-77eb-4278-bb4a-79dbf4b057ec/Moon1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Make it stand out Fig 1: Destination Moon – George Pal Production https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e1ccb4d3-f447-4f97-a5b8-8db7650be398/Moon2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - As you can see from the location map, figure 2, the crater Harpalus is located in the higher latitudes of the Moon’s northern hemisphere. To make orbital mechanics less complicated the early Apollo missions landed within the equatorial region of the Moon. There is no doubt that the technical experts advising on the film knew this but the wishes of the director, producer, scriptwriters, and others desired to have the distant Earth low in the lunar sky just above the lunar mountains for several scenes. To accurately accomplish this the Luna had to land at high latitude. The crater Harpalus was selected. Figure 2: Location Map. Celestron https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c54b4c6e-2954-47fd-9d9c-6cd0adccfea6/Moon3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Make it stand out Fig 3: Destination Moon – Panorama https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6456f1a9-f95b-4901-bc1f-4eea834b015f/Moon4.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Make it stand out Fig 4: Panorama – Orange Soil https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9b0786e9-c25e-499a-b02a-d082c9b6edf4/Moon5.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - When and how to observe the Crater Harpulus? It lies in Mare Frigoris (The Sea of Cold) and is a 39 Km diameter ray crater 2.9 Km deep with terraced walls and is one of only a few large craters in the mare. Once you locate Sinus Iridum (Bay of Rainbows) follow the curve of the Jura Mountains until you see the crater Bianchini then find the crater Foucault and in that line you will see Harpalus. Figure 5. Best time to observe Harpulus is three or four days past 1st Quarter. Fig 5: Rukl Location Map https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/708f75b6-1092-4514-b0e9-6e71d34f5d3c/Moon6.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Make it stand out Fig 6: Luna Crew on EVA – Destination Moon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/841438c9-9729-4211-838b-e7498b31e651/301426029_5422625487826899_2349538090625653457_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/83d6aa7f-ddc0-43cd-8474-dbee3486309c/301118653_5422624781160303_1209497545451986076_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7df2630e-e308-4f29-a746-a243065ece0c/1708_Parker-Solar-Probe_ObservingSun_1280.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - The NASA NSN held a webinar on the Parker Solar Probe. Night Sky Network members joined Dr. Kelly Korreck on Monday, August 22, 2022, when she discussed the latest updates. … NSN YouTube An artist's concept of NASA's Parker Solar Probe observing the Sun. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d1a00dfb-509a-46a2-859b-ea61fc1c737a/1-voyager-illustration-updated.width-1320.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Make it stand out Engineers have solved Voyager-1 data glitch. For more, go to the linked jpl.nasa.gov article. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b85ac477-c5a5-47cc-9c1e-feba741fc5ec/m27.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Dumbell Nebula - M27 The Dumbbell Nebula is a planetary nebula in the constellation Vulpecula, at a distance of about 1360 light-years. It was the first such nebula to be discovered, by Charles Messier in 1764. Wikipedia Age: 9,807 years Magnitude: 7.5 Distance to Earth: 1,360 light-years Coordinates: RA 19h 59m 35s | Dec +22° 43′ 16″ Constellation: Vulpecula Distance: 417+49; −65 pc; 376.3±6.2 pc Radius: 1.44+0.21; −0.16 ly https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/135f26ad-bbda-4933-a230-eaad57aa16a5/M27_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Make it stand out freecharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1661306196715-T0VQGDEMZDAUXLZSMUFS/296163156_10162092531298782_1149558752890031209_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1661306212411-OE35274WR7LL3QGT799J/295106989_736098647799944_2384630205960405100_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/29bae343-7d5b-4723-b386-7c0254f0c7ed/Summer+Triangle+Treasures-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Search around the Summer Triangle to spot some of its hidden treasures! To improve readability, the lines for the constellations of Aquilla, Lyra, and Cygnus have been removed, but you can find a map which includes them in our previous article, Spot the Stars of the Summer Triangle, from August 2019. These aren’t the only wonderful celestial sights found around its borders; since the Milky Way passes through this region, it’s littered with many incredible deep-sky objects for those using binoculars or a telescope to scan the heavens. Image created with assistance from Stellarium: stellarium.org Follow along as Artemis 1 journeys to the Moon and back! A larger version of this infographic is available from NASA at: nasa.gov/image-feature/artemis-i-map https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2af4a83d-bdaa-49de-b0c9-48de257728f8/m71-nasa-hubble-esa-potw1018a-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - M71 as seen by Hubble. Your own views very likely won’t be as sharp or close as this. However, this photo does show the cluster’s lack of a bright, concentrated core, which led astronomers until fairly recently to classify this unusual cluster as an “open cluster” rather than as a “globular cluster.” Studies in the 1970s proved it to be a globular cluster after all – though an unusually young and small one! Credit ESA/Hubble and NASA. Source: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/messier-71 Composite image of the dense starry core of M92 imaged in multiple wavelengths. While your own views of these globular clusters won’t be nearly as crisp and detailed, you might be able to count some of its member stars. How far into their dense cores can you count individual stars? Credits & Source: ESA/Hubble & NASA; Acknowledgment: Gilles Chapdelaine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5f68a990-f1b6-4af7-8f0f-3e2388dcfb6b/Tonights+Sky+September.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2022 - Tonight’s Sky: September Pegasus becomes increasingly prominent in the southeastern sky, allowing stargazers to locate globular star clusters and a nearby double star, Alpha Capricorni. Keep watching for space-based views of densely packed, spherical collections of ancient stars in visible and X-ray light. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-august2022-nz3nm-fr7f4 monthly 0.5 2022-08-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658971105259-B7HY6O70Z1JF2OE8NPCO/20220708_201044.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658970814767-BKD438MAJGOESE5D11D8/20220708_201249.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658970837699-GGGI9QB5XQG1U5L6N228/20220708_200203.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658970849906-SYJO5I2824R5PX8DKO3L/20220708_200258.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658970873006-EN1FU17B98EFE6IW2LC4/20220708_202048.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658970886903-V7EP0XBEFWRJU6DEQUCW/20220708_202235.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658970959352-3PUTC5MGP75347YMWCB4/20220708_203633.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658970989270-N2KPGAVZ69W6LTOQ7UIG/20220708_205050.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ddcbd2ec-9f9d-49df-acae-54d26abb5dd7/IBSP+Card.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - We discussed some changes with Island Beach Star Park access requirements. We will be using ASTRA Membership ID cards along with the usual permit document. Both will be required to have on hand if the gate asks for them. If there are any difficulties at the park gate please do not argue with the attendant. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658970189255-16Q17U4AL29R6QGWZAHR/ASTRA+Display.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658970204818-EM2AIOF61PXDX8ONN6TR/Display+QR+Card.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7b0505f1-d13a-446c-9cc8-65ceadd2257b/296078057_2194039877440085_4312964202659981809_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658972247422-N646KO7LP6ADB09JK6LN/20220723_203304+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658972256437-CGHMYU9X2TNGH5CMJH44/20220723_203310.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658972264713-7J53ENIN4ZJWEYE2LFAI/20220723_203807.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658972276335-7YA6O4PVTU2Q6N16GDMF/20220723_203321.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658972284402-1FH5R4HTJZO693UE68EF/20220723_203335.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658972291813-MGEEFVNU402RFF0UCUEW/20220723_203349.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658972303837-ZXCA1HREAOTMQ5642V7P/20220723_203402.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e4077d12-034c-4226-8745-a0cda736dea6/Apollo15.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a9b97b88-38a2-469f-9f6d-286eb5dd409f/Apollo15_2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - When I did my research for this article I discovered that Phil Harrington, a contributor to Astronomy magazine and author of “Starware”, also made the landing site of Apollo 15 one of his observing challenges. If it is good enough for Mr. Harrington it must be the perfect challenge! When to see the Apollo 15 landing site when first illuminated by the sun: Eight days after New Moon. I would even try the ninth day after New Moon. Use at least 100x. Apollo 15 Crew: David R. Scott, Commander James B. Irwin, Lunar Module Pilot Alfred M. Worden, Command Module Pilot Liftoff from Pad 39A on July 26, 1971 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658973809131-XON73AF581QRDFAV4YIZ/Apollo15_landingsite.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658973852017-0ZWA3JIG4MCCJ39L3TP8/Apollo15_landingsite_zoomed.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b103d6b7-2ea0-4b7b-8fb1-2cc6c1458800/296037349_5341148555974593_6383663517729483006_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b73dfa99-fad3-41d7-9e36-17b768396d6c/295968890_5341148412641274_766490542157950818_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9c3a15c1-6df4-41f2-bdb0-5be482926c3a/Ring+Nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - Ring Nebula - M57 A planetary nebula in the mildly northern constellation of Lyra. Such a nebula is formed when a star, during the last stages of its evolution before becoming a white dwarf, expels a vast luminous envelope of ionized gas into the surrounding interstellar space. Wikipedia Radius: 1.3 light-years Magnitude: 8.8 Age: 7,005 years Distance to Earth: 2,283 light-years Coordinates: RA 18h 53m 35s | Dec +33° 1′ 45″ Constellation: Lyra Angular size: 1.2 arc minutes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/47f54695-f00c-41ce-a5c0-f94e68533121/M57_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - Make it stand out freecharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658976186851-IF83I5ZTHQEZ2U4RNCWT/293772170_5371664209593733_5844419623768955270_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1658976195405-O851CKC5Z3ZG9GOTLVQE/294279966_5564956233549832_8571442130524128919_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9c2ae1ea-c569-4592-9fea-9812ba7f635a/artemis_1_map_october_2021-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - Make it stand out Follow along as Artemis 1 journeys to the Moon and back! A larger version of this infographic is available from NASA at: nasa.gov/image-feature/artemis-i-map https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fbaa1851-5e06-49a7-8a28-3a6bccb929d8/ARTEMIS_1_Launchpad_Moon-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - Artemis 1 will serve not only as a test of the SLS and the Orion hardware, but also as a test of the integration of ground systems and support personnel that will ensure the success of this and future Artemis missions. While uncrewed, Artemis-1 will still have passengers of a sort: two human torso models designed to test radiation levels during the mission, and “Commander Moonikin Campos,” a mannequin named by the public. The specialized mannequin will also monitor radiation levels, along with vibration and acceleration data from inside its mission uniform: the Orion Crew Survival Suit, the spacesuit that future Artemis astronauts will wear. The “Moonikin” is named after Arturo Campos, a NASA electrical engineer who played an essential role in bringing Apollo 13’s crew back to Earth after a near-fatal disaster in space. Composite image of the dense starry core of M92 imaged in multiple wavelengths. While your own views of these globular clusters won’t be nearly as crisp and detailed, you might be able to count some of its member stars. How far into their dense cores can you count individual stars? Credits & Source: ESA/Hubble & NASA; Acknowledgment: Gilles Chapdelaine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7a26451a-1730-46ff-9b13-e30e528ba050/Tonights+Sky+August+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2022 - Tonight’s Sky: August Look for the Vega and Lyra constellations, which point to Epsilon Lyrae and the Ring Nebula. You can also spot three bright summer stars: Vega, Deneb, and Altair, which form the Summer Triangle. Keep watching for space-based views of these and other stars and nebulas. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-july2022-nz3nm monthly 0.5 2022-07-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1056e157-34f6-4c6b-838a-470707e7a86e/skytonight.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - In our ASTRA meeting, this June we had a brief review of a webpage that could be a useful tool for planning for an observing session. on upcoming events and asked if there were any interest in doing some solar observing. We then moved on to the recent news about the James Web Space Telescope https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ce7b36f2-5d56-459e-9cc0-9fe10786df83/jwsp_micrometeoroid.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Between May 23 and 25, NASA’s JWST sustained an impact to one of its primary mirror segments. After initial assessments, the project team found the telescope is still performing at a level that exceeds all mission requirements despite a marginally detectable effect in the data. The May micrometeoroid strike was not the result of a meteor shower but an "unavoidable chance event." A micrometeoroid is a particle smaller than a grain of sand. Every day, Earth's atmosphere is struck by millions of meteoroids and micrometeoroids. Most never reach Earth's surface because they are vaporized by the intense heat generated by the friction of passing through the atmosphere. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1656270856693-86QE9YS14FIJLALZVV8S/20220610_201310.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1656270862972-YBOYPBKUY505TZ0AMUGX/20220610_200303.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1656270872063-25XBSTAZ0J46KDLBG835/20220610_201256.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1656271007702-W9WOSZP1MPRN1BS63Y6W/dd3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1656271074228-5Q7IHJLRJX44ZK920IQ9/DD1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1656271115222-OWEMO2HSLUC0DYBBN1Y5/dd2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1656274447072-YCHQBFPFGM6R6M7TARD5/K2%2BPath.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Position of Comet C/2017 K2 on July 14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1656274481551-0EQFJT2QAI8QT5IB96R7/K2%2Band%2BM10.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Comet C/2017 K2 close pass to M10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/005b45a0-79c9-45fa-99fb-d8fd2e0ffa8f/287706761_136901145663824_1031718033125736474_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Make it stand out NASA News Release https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/72cf8461-2e23-4922-ab3e-e06326a84733/h_2018-04-24-0030_0-TH-L_lapl4_ap3360.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - The Alpine Valley is within a blocky region of the Alps Mountains extending 166 Km from Mare Imbrium trending northeasterly to Mare Frigoris. It is a narrow valley with a flat lava-flooded floor in the center of which runs a narrow shallow rill. On a night of excellent seeing this rill may be seen in a good 130mm refractor. I have observed a portion of it in an 8” f6 reflector. The rill is longer than the valley at 196.65 Km +/- 10.98 Km and has a width of 0.58 Km +/- 0.98 Km and a depth of 77.69 meters +/- 28.07 meters (Wikipedia). Showing the Alpine Valley in context Image Source: Pear Tree Observatory https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/63b4a14f-b1eb-4fc5-8ae5-b903c82a4fe5/Vallis_Alpes_5102_med.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - One side of the Alpine Valley is straighter than the other which bows outward near the middle. The valley is also narrow at both ends. The southern end narrows down in the blocky region and then opens up in a way reminiscent of a thermometer. The Alpine Valley is more likely than not a geological feature known as a Graben. A Graben is an elongated block of crust between faults that get displaced downward relative to the blocks on either side and then later flooded by lava from both Mare Imbrium and Mare Frigoris. Another possibility is that the Alpine Valley was formed by stress fractures due to expansion of the mantle or contraction of the regolith after cooling and solidification. Looking down the length of the Alpine Valley Image Source: NASA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8c1a2962-53ab-4ec0-a3c7-5f0e078b629c/IMG_20220622_134241.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Make it stand out Position pointed out to Vallis Alps from Vic’s own book. You’ll notice further down where Apollo 15 landed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bfb2b041-419f-4315-a11a-528bea1ef228/290601603_5256403851115731_8516122177151301215_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a295dade-a695-40ef-8740-16aec5cf79b0/290517902_5256403331115783_198420923942194578_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/af675ae9-0c32-4a99-bb3d-31447399226d/290663811_5256404437782339_3257122567271966819_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/10bd683b-26a7-4524-8ca7-3385cddb6315/1200px-Eagle_Nebula_from_ESO.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Eagle Nebula - M16 The Eagle Nebula is a young open cluster of stars in the constellation Serpens, discovered by Jean-Philippe de Cheseaux in 1745–46. Wikipedia Distance to Earth: 7,000 light-years Age: 5.504 million years Magnitude: 6 Coordinates: RA 18h 18m 48s | Dec -13° 49′ 0″ Radius: 70×55 (cluster 15) ly Constellation: Serpens Types: diffuse emission nebula https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7524b6a6-1e50-4665-adfb-65d159f8ac77/M16_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Make it stand out freecharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/85dba49b-b53f-4150-a742-51fa64fcb9f0/July+Skies_Nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Make it stand out Produced using Star Safari Pro8 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1656635091610-TB7RMSPM05UJM4JYEKZC/1200px-Eagle_Nebula_from_ESO.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - M16 Eagle Nebula https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1656635213287-XDQUGTUNKDXG3XIUKADZ/VST_image_of_the_spectacular_star-forming_region_Messier_17_%28Omega_Nebula%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - M17 Omega Nebula https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1656634618599-27FUR6GT3W0RBP6X55FE/Trifid_Nebula_aka_M20.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - M20 Trifid Nebula https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1656634631089-03QPDHP8C1FYP411CUOE/300px-VST_images_the_Lagoon_Nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - M8 Lagoon Nebula https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e857a69c-25e8-46e6-a96c-1a16b1fddac3/64753468_380868445887984_938342112410206208_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Is usually updated anywhere from the first day of the month to the fifth day of the month. Check back to this linked image if it hasn’t been updated yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e7b40d82-42d3-4130-9237-3bece3a81a02/FindHercules-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Make it stand out Look up after sunset during the summer months to find Hercules! Scan between Vega and Arcturus, near the distinct pattern of Corona Borealis. Once you find its stars, use binoculars or a telescope to hunt down the globular clusters M13 and M92. If you enjoy your views of these globular clusters, you’re in luck - look for another great globular, M3, in the nearby constellation of Boötes. Image created with assistance from Stellarium: stellarium.org https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/26dcecdd-e1e0-4614-b034-4a62099ba25d/M92_Hubble-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Make it stand out Composite image of the dense starry core of M92 imaged in multiple wavelengths. While your own views of these globular clusters won’t be nearly as crisp and detailed, you might be able to count some of its member stars. How far into their dense cores can you count individual stars? Credits & Source: ESA/Hubble & NASA; Acknowledgment: Gilles Chapdelaine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3e3c47a0-92d0-41a5-add8-bb48082baf9f/M13_FA12STXL11002_LRGB_2021-05_1024.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Make it stand out Image Source: science.nasa.gov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c3ee6207-1a08-4167-bc2f-0a72724ab40a/M13-Lukas-Kalista_S-768x485.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Make it stand out This photo of M13 nicely shows the chains of stars that dangle from the central region of the cluster along with IC 4617 and NGC 6207. Lukáš Kalista https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ab14ac67-d017-46f2-816d-6449678c9a6b/Tonights+Sky+July.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2022 - Tonight’s Sky: July Find constellation Scorpius to identify the reddish supergiant Antares, which will lead you to discover a trio of globular star clusters. Keep watching for space-based views of these densely packed, spherical collections of ancient stars, as well as three nebulas: the Swan Nebula, the Lagoon Nebula, and the Trifid Nebula. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-june2022-nz3nm-cl7t9 monthly 0.5 2022-06-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8b17cf60-2527-4932-a400-66228c32b663/IMG_1976_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Our ASTRA meeting this month was back at the planetarium. We discussed upcoming events and asked if there were any interest in doing some solar observing. Rosemarie Spedaliere provided an overview this month on Astronomical events for the summer. We started off with the Lunar Eclipse on May 15 followed by a review of each planet that will be making an appearance during May. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8cb4fdea-6263-4e12-b761-0259e2826a92/20220517_173932.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - We had a presentation on DSLR Milkyway Photography at Catus Island on May 17. Headcount was small being that it was truly a nice day out so couldn’t blame anyone for not wanting to be inside. This presentation is being broken down into smaller segments with the deep sky widefield imaging being moved to a separate presentation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/098e0beb-8688-42ac-a5bb-61da15c98fbb/20220521_201713.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - We were able to have our first presentation on Astronomy with Binoculars on May 21 at Cloverdale Farm County Park. Attendance was good and with some adjustments, the presentation will go smoother in my assessment the next time around. All in all, it was well-received, including the Light Pollution presentation. The park staff was happy with how it turned out and having the star party after seems to have worked out well having both on the same day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1653432393173-J0KYQHNJHZ5FY3IM6U1D/282042513_334926738746707_4852413429051069212_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1653432410388-IAB1UER6VP0KTB7VKKU1/282044341_1046003386296577_6008027010416370327_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1653432429198-WUP3MG32SL3VQ64QEDP0/281714140_3156059137983503_3800062091710873260_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1653432453751-1P3KI9VOHWW1KSMVAZ68/281889772_1108414166551180_2311642913855279800_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1653432459954-34LVM71Y4HW5ROKMTD37/282053533_771089444267932_7058595691027371285_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1653432478371-5C5CK4DRT1TY6LQMKBWF/281954341_1051022892504445_4162031605507710827_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1653432492006-B2G0M4WKCYZ0OUENHG9K/282186850_1523868418008671_616289557554600373_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1653432652904-LF46QI000EOZRKV4F1SO/281524563_560022319029126_8664421335192712137_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a1c26b2b-a642-4d90-a046-ade9dfbbc3d2/Celestron+Logo+narrow.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - An article from Celestron on cleaning your telescope and accessories. Celestron https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/98d5a86b-8eaf-43f1-8de6-16986933eb3f/Sky%26Telescope_Dark.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Make it stand out https://skyandtelescope.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3e13c301-1ea3-4893-b52d-e5cd5bec262e/JohnD+Article_S%26T.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Make it stand out July S&T Article https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b8988944-39cb-47d8-9cd6-7440c33c24ae/IMG_20220509_161015.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Plato is considered a pivotal figure in Western philosophy. He created the Academy which was the first known institution of higher learning. He was also known for written dialogues as a way to discuss moral and philosophical issues between two or more persons. T he crater, or walled plain, Plato will from hereon be referenced as Plato. Plato is a circular crater 109 Km in diameter and has been estimated to be 3.8 billion years old. It is located in a blocky region between Mare Frigoris, Sea of Cold, and Mare Imbrium, Sea of Rains. On account of its northerly location foreshortening makes the appearance of Plato like an ellipse. The floor of Plato is dark and is made of two basalts of a slightly different shading. These separate eruptions filled the excavated crater about 2.8 billion years ago forming the smooth floor we see today. Image Source: VJP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5f32c758-bb53-4f29-a326-69a1978aa425/440px-Plato_%28LRO%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Adjacent to the slump block but outside the crater rim there is a 5.7 Km wide and approximately 830-meter deep volcanic vent. From this vent, a rill flows southerly toward Mare Imbrium. I plan to see if it is possible to view this vent and rill under the next favorable conditions. There are four craterlets within Plato each about 2 km in diameter. Two lie close to each other. Under very good seeing conditions they are a test of your telescope optics. I have seen three with a 4” refractor. Sunrise 0.5 days after First Quarter, sunset 0.5 days after Last Quarter. Image Source: Wikiwand https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/08d7fdd3-5e1a-4bd7-9b2c-a4286ad4500e/Moon+Shadows.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - The rim of Plato does cast very jagged appearing shadows across the floor of the walled plain. I did note an interesting shadow pattern that reached halfway across Plato’s floor. My notes indicated 1.5 days after First Quarter. I plan to obtain better data next time but for anyone desiring to see this shadow play try one day before First Quarter (shadows from the eastern rim) and one day after the Last Quarter (shadows from the western rim). Please let me know how you made out! Image Source: Sky At Night Magazine Video Link to Tour the Crator Plato: YouTube https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ce17ecc4-c804-4b5f-817b-ed6d4ad27550/284185093_5169240493165401_4166265146893913685_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/751ec568-f02a-4d4a-ad1d-e0e268ba3719/284319310_5169239219832195_4991342722745039733_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/acfd7a87-8e40-4183-82d5-12d6ad18e840/M6_NOAO_AURA_NSF.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Butterfly Cluster M6 The Butterfly Cluster is an open cluster of stars in the southern constellation of Scorpius. Its name derives from the vague resemblance of its shape to a butterfly. The Trumpler classification of II 3 r encodes it is rich in stars, ranks II out of IV for disparateness, and greatly mixes bright with faint components. Wikipedia Distance to Earth: 1,601 light years Distance: 1.59 kly (0.487 kpc) Constellation: Scorpius Declination: −32° 13′ Apparent dimensions (V): 25′ Other designations: Messier 6, NGC 6405, Cr 341, Mel 178, Lund 769, OCL 1030, ESO 455-SC030 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d5ec101d-913a-4599-8ec2-23da65ca482c/M6_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5842f74c-d83a-4e88-89c8-fe91bd02f198/278878428_5291478627564262_3191092098777472770_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - What’s Up: June 2022 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/af21dfcd-c9dd-43b4-8709-f31424a97b8f/solstice_comparison-NASADSCOVR-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Make it stand out These images from NASA’s DSCOVR mission show the Sun-facing side of Earth during the December 2018 solstice (left) and June 2019 solstice (right). Notice how much of each hemisphere is visible in each photo; December’s solstice heavily favors the Southern Hemisphere and shows all of South America and much of Antarctica and the South Pole, but only some of North America. June’s solstice, in contrast, heavily favors the Northern Hemisphere and shows the North Pole and the entirety of North America, but only some of South America. Credit: NASA/DSCOVR EPIC https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8e0239cd-bb27-4997-b873-f4e8e47f158c/NoShadowDay-SanAntonioAstronomyClubPRJuanVelazquez-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Make it stand out A presenter from the San Antonio Astronomy Club in Puerto Rico demonstrating some Earth-Sun geometry to a group during a “Zero Shadow Day” event. As Puerto Rico lies a few degrees south of the Tropic of Cancer, their two zero shadow days arrive just a few weeks before and after the June solstice. Globes are a handy and practical way to help visualize solstices and equinoxes for large outdoor groups, especially outdoors during sunny days! Credit & Source: Juan Velázquez / San Antonio Astronomy Club https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1e636b5f-733c-4554-a99e-1d736ab0b330/Learn+The+Sky.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - For more on the Summer Solstice check out the linked video from Learn the Sky. Learn the Sky - Summer Solstice https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7cbba75a-773d-482c-93c2-bc91afa40267/Tonights+Sky+June.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2022 - Tonight’s Sky: June Though the nights are shorter in June, they are filled with fine sights. Look for the Hercules constellation, which will lead you to a globular star cluster with hundreds of thousands of densely packed stars. You can also spot Draco the dragon, which will point you to the Cat’s Eye Nebula. Keep watching for space-based views of globular star clusters and the nebula. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-may2022-nz3nm monthly 0.5 2022-05-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/896dfecd-46a2-4fe1-9a4c-566ab2495500/IMG_7885.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - Our April meeting was held in the college conference room. It has been renovated since we were last in there several years ago and was very impressive. We had a brief review and snacks before we broke off for the rest of the evening for the telescope workshop. We had some good participation with several scopes on hand. Since we didn’t have much of an overview, below are some photos from that night. Thanks, Alexandra. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1651019509908-A3S1OI30YL81LOXC0KCU/IMG_7887.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1651019545545-SQ5FTYAYSX2HVNJVC2IB/IMG_7890.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1651019569515-HJZTUCZFNKWZWKS1DCGZ/IMG_7891.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1651109660443-L4S9L053Z90310CFO5NX/20220412_172722.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1651109568220-MQ7P0DU4C7F38OBSOXTE/IMG952035.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1651438210904-CN5RRC3EU4SFH79RAVSR/20220427_142134%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1651438223673-DJJNV7WQ0UKWQGOZI9N7/20220427_141254+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1651437064132-0AZUBA7VT9W4ODBGE547/20220430_094036.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1651437198508-VO44F0WIV0KX40EG4HMD/20220430_140251.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1651437083472-KTGXXT5FL0DIRSLU7ES9/279281721_546594353755244_8757629928223609350_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1651437097105-DSOX2BGXEHDIZVCCGO72/279160761_1404957346579196_7715736729793523429_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1651440479450-PQHS3G1UWRMH4HI8PCQZ/279427766_540389574240066_1645654957809856275_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1651437124780-CDCAX0VI1AYL1FO2N79C/279344190_678549216806096_5901700442086360355_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/75a2e4b2-1a3f-4f6b-8a46-7fdd89e6d4da/Michael+Martin.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - I have recently been in contact with Michael Martin of Late Night Astronomy. He has both a webpage and a YouTube channel. I have found that he has some easy-to-understand and useful astronomy observations and equipment overviews. I reached out to him to gain his permission to post his links to our club webpage. He has agreed and was grateful that we reached out to him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/db6f4040-12fb-4150-ab21-e939e53d29ab/StraightWall.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - The Straight Wall is a type of normal fault called a Scarp (Rupes). A Scarp is an offset of ground elevation when one portion of a surface moves vertically with respect to adjacent surfaces. The origin of the Great Wall rises from the Lunar East at a very flat shallow gradient toward the Lunar West with an increase in gradient as it nears and terminates at the crest of the scarp. The scarp face, or fault, is not vertical like a wall as was once thought but is a slope having a moderate gradient of about 1:9 (7%+/-). There are indications that the surface of Mare Nubium may dip at the scarp’s toe. Fault length is 110 Km; height between 250 and 300 meters and perhaps up to 400 meters at a few locations; width about 2.5 Km. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/90ba146a-3ddd-4390-a7af-095af2f1a96a/StraightWall_Location.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - The best time to observe the Straight Wall is less than a day after First Quarter where it casts a dark shadow and shortly after Last Quarter when the scarp face is brightly illuminated by the setting sun. At a star party this past April 9th the illumination was perfect for observing the Straight Wall’s shadow. I have never seen it better. This small rill is Rima Birt. Very good seeing conditions are necessary to observe it and under such conditions, I have observed it with a 4” refractor. This rill is about 50 Km long. A small crater marks each end of the rill. One cannot help but postulate that the formation of the Great Wall and the rill with its ends terminating as craters are all a result of what happened in Mare Nubium that created what we see. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/50425a66-23d1-4ddb-85cd-cbfed1d6c053/279188901_5077155239040594_4058041352904119093_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b6ed4bc1-5df2-4634-8497-9d412ac14437/278959790_5077155115707273_4650410306770025129_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/06862db1-9f40-48fb-b018-93eda8762b01/Sombrero-A-1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - Sombrero Galaxy A spiral galaxy in the constellation borders of Virgo and Corvus, being about 9.55 megaparsecs from our galaxy, within the local supercluster. It has a diameter of approximately 15 kiloparsecs, three-tenths the size of the Milky Way. Distance to Earth: 29.35 million light-years Radius: 25,000 light-years Apparent mass: ~1 billion M☉ Age: 13.25 billion years Magnitude: 8.98 Stars: 100 billion Coordinates: RA 12h 39m 59s | Dec -11° 37′ 23” Wikipedia … Image by Ron Bernknopf https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3c8c2720-b258-4d8a-a957-e7e14bc1a783/M104_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7703eb96-9a50-4c94-97d8-531c5eff727d/redandrover.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - Make it stand out Red & Rover by Brian Basset https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - What’s Up: May 2022 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6357d06a-2e21-40d6-b62b-da9997cbccd9/Aurora_shapes-Shnuffel-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - Make it stand out A sampling of some of the various patterns created by aurora, as seen from Iceland in 2014. The top row photos were barely visible to the unaided eye and were exposed for 20-30 seconds; in contrast, the bottom row photos were exposed for just 4 seconds- and were clearly visible to the photographer, Wikimedia contributor Shnuffel2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9ebd4ed5-db02-4781-afc0-5d5d13c1c644/Comet_Neowise_and_noctilucent_clouds-Brwynog-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - Have you ever seen wispy clouds glowing an eclectic blue after sunset, possibly towards your west or northwest? That wasn’t your imagination; those luminescent clouds are noctilucent clouds (also called Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMC)). Scenes of Earth from orbit from season to season, as viewed by EUMETSAT. Notice how the terminator - the line between day and night - touches both the North and South Poles in the equinox images. See how the shadow is lopsided for each solstice, too: sunlight pours over the Northern Hemisphere for the June solstice, while the sunlight dramatically favors the Southern Hemisphere for the December solstice. Source: bit.ly/earthequinox Images: NASA/Robert Simmon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8d8c53df-b1ac-4db7-abd9-8f2ece8a996b/PIA24432-ZodiacalLight-NASA-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - They are thought to form when water vapor condenses around ‘seeds’ of dust from vaporized meteorites - along with other sources that include rocket launches and volcanic eruptions - around 50 miles high in the mesosphere. Their glow is caused by the Sun, whose light still shines at that altitude after sunset from the perspective of ground-based observers. Noctilucent clouds are increasing both in frequency and in how far south they are observed, a development that may be related to climate change. Keeping in mind that observers closer in latitude to the poles have a better chance of spotting them, your best opportunity to spot noctilucent clouds occurs from about half an hour to two hours after sunset during the summer months. NASA’s AIM mission studies these clouds from its orbit high above the North Pole: go.nasa.gov/3uV3Yj1 The zodiacal light extends into the Pleiades, as seen on the evening of March 1, 2021, above Skull Valley. Utah. The Pleiades star cluster (M45) is visible near the top. Credit and source:: NASA/Bill Dunford . https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/926fc75c-e120-4c3b-9550-ffa8d20a7da6/Tonights+Sky+May.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - Tonight’s Sky: March In May, locate Virgo to find a concentration of roughly 2,000 galaxies and search for Coma Berenices to identify many more. Keep watching for space-based views of galaxies like the Sombrero Galaxy, M87, and M64. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e4b8bcac-ac4b-4665-9a46-ce3877f92277/OPT_Blue_-_with_Telescope_Authority_2x_3974ba73-ba71-4350-a541-78120e46dbe6_410x.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2022 - How to set the Correct Back Focus for Your Telescope OPT, a popular astronomy distributor has a short article on Back Focus. Good information for both the beginner and seasoned observers. A supplier of astronomy products. Article from OPT. Facebook Webpage https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-april2022-nz3nm-meet3 monthly 0.5 2022-04-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0eca11c9-6297-4658-bdc5-37c66a5cf2aa/Which+End+%283%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - April ASTRA Meeting Presents … April will be our telescope workshop. With telescope presentation and members will assist anyone with their new telescope. Weather permitting we may also go outside. We will also discuss the upcoming Cattus Island Festival on April 30. The April 2022 meeting will be Friday, April 8, 2022, at 7 PM EST. This will be an in-person meeting at the Planetarium and virtual for those that would prefer to remain remote. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9bf85cf4-94ec-4eb0-8332-07666ce87254/IDA+Poster+Board.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Make it stand out One of the display boards made for April 30, Cattus Island Nature Festival. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/97a4cfec-1207-4527-a4b8-7898e3d74d91/20220311_190339.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - We held our second in-person meeting at the NOVINS Planetarium with another good turnout. We worked out some of the bugs we had that we discovered from our first dual in-person/virtual meeting. The issues we had on the virtual side seem to have been worked out. For now, we will continue to maintain our ZOOM presence for those that would prefer to attend online due to COVID concerns. We would welcome some feedback on the meeting set up in continuing virtual side as it does take some extra effort to do both. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/330c1f05-38d7-41c0-ac98-1b0a2ff43fe5/ce0YGLI.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - How The Irish Conquered Space ASTRA member Ryan Knipple provided a presentation on Irish Astronomers. How the Irish Conquered Space, Famous Planetary Scientist from the Emerald Isle. Ryan is of Irish heritage and his name means “Little King” Ryan is also the “King of Presentations” as he never fails to deliver something interesting and is greatly appreciated. Image: Constellation O’Ryan only viewable March 17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1648407750204-RFOIEW0EKMJQYUCVFVIU/20220311_200305.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1648407760998-P0HTJWX6VN55CF25I8P2/20220311_203956.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1648407771872-21OOI39P4R17CH07JD2L/20220311_204045.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1648408190603-22WGX6IJW0MSN1F92BC2/How+The+Irish+Conquered+Space_1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1648408201825-YXX7F5RH7GGCW9NDTBR2/How+The+Irish+Conquered+Space_2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1648408233855-SOVEIZZJBZDVQ9NVH6P9/How+The+Irish+Conquered+Space_3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1648408504248-MZ6Z24N6J5786UDGDF2W/How+The+Irish+Conquered+Space_5.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1648408245761-JIZ5S2FID2SXN2XT7TFX/How+The+Irish+Conquered+Space_4.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/dd342047-3ded-45e4-919a-c79aaccdbbf5/telescope.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Birr Castle is a large castle in the town of Birr in County Offaly in Ireland. William Parsons, the third Earl of Rosse was responsible for the construction of the Six-Foot Great Telescope of Birr. The Leviathan of Parsonstown is a historic reflecting telescope of 72 inches (1.83 m) aperture, which was the largest telescope in the world from 1845 until the construction of the 100-inch (2.5 m) Hooker Telescope in California in 1917. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3d95f2a8-e61c-4cb8-bffe-671cd9b5711b/20220326_184847.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - What’s Happening at the Novins Planetarium? The Projector is getting an upgrade. The bulbs currently used are no longer being made. With this upgrade, the digital projector and command station will also be updated. I know I am looking forward to seeing the improvements. Maybe when completed the members of ASTRA can make a night of it as a club. Did you know the original projector of some twenty-seven years, was donated in 2008 to a California museum and featured in La La Land’s planetarium scene and several television programs? ASTRA Member and Planetarium presenter Phil Zollner and Cara Muscio Director were on hand on March 26, when a few of us attended Wonders of The Seasonal Sky, Spring Season. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0cb32111-1846-408f-a902-be1f317bf250/catalina_image.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Catalina Outer Solar System Survey Discover new worlds orbiting beyond Neptune. Classify online images searching the skies for new distant, icy worlds... Out beyond Neptune, there are numerous dwarf planets and other objects orbiting the cold, distant reaches of our solar system. You probably already know Pluto, but astronomers have discovered a number of new dwarf planets in recent years, including Eris, Makemake, and Haumea. There are surely many more to find. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a84c7d92-bcc3-49bd-9a6b-f12d1559a246/telescope_alignment_evaluation_image_labeled.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - The JWST as reported on March 16 has reached its alignment milestone on March 11, 2022. All optics are working successfully. The purpose of this image was to focus on the bright star at the center for alignment evaluation. The optics and NIRCam are so sensitive that the galaxies and stars seen in the background show up. This image of the star, 2MASS J17554042+6551277, uses a red filter to optimize visual contrast. Credits: NASA/STScI Nasa Press Release https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c0e04b2c-8213-4630-8bf0-dffee1b6128b/Tycho_LRO.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - The Tycho Crater - Named after Tyge Ottesen Brahe (1546-1601) was a Danish astronomer who was one of the greatest observers of his day. - Astronomy Magazine. Center latitude: 43 degrees South Center longitude: 11 degrees West Diameter: 53 miles Depth: 2.98 miles Age: 108 million years Image: Tycho as seen by Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7a68f5d0-6151-421d-a035-ba7297b22e18/2264_Tycho_Crater_labeled_843_christmas2015fullmoon.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - The Tycho Crater is one of the easiest objects to see on the moon. It appears as a bright spot in the southern highlands with rays of bright material stretching across much of the nearside. A relatively young crater of 108 million years old. Its beautiful rays are material ejected during impact, are still visible as bright streaks. All craters start out looking like this after they form. Their rays gradually fade away as they are exposed to the space environment which over time darkens them until they fade into the background. Source: NASA/Goddard/Arizona State University Published: January 30, 2019 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f1e0aa01-c1d1-4e1f-abc0-ff96e7f72532/67893330_2241332419322743_2163839239945453568_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - NASA Solar System Exploration Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Image by Jim Webster, August of 2019. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ae19a045-80f4-4fef-af8b-eb168b663b47/LRO_Tycho_Central_Peak_0.25.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Make it stand out Central peak complex of crater Tycho, taken at sunrise by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2011. - NASA / GSFC / Arizona State University https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ff7a2ed8-0acc-4284-895f-4a016b9257aa/275793570_10166407625720551_1901065127340047196_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - The following is from Richard Sanderson … A few weeks ago a Facebook friend Richard Sanderson who is retired Curator of Physical Science at Springfield Museum shared an old collectible astronomy book, Guide to Starry Heavens by Duncan McEwan a member of the British Astronomical Association who lived in Glasgow, Scotland. It came with a star map umbrella dating back to 1910. While reading a section of the book devoted to history, I was surprised to discover that the author endorses an old astronomy-related myth. While discussing a tunnel that extends into the Great Pyramid in Egypt, McEwan writes, “Looking up through such an elongated aperture and surrounded with darkness on every side, any star coming into its field of view would be seen even in daylight.” Perhaps McEwan owned a copy of Sir Robert Ball’s 1899 book, “Star-Land,” in which the Astronomer Royal of Ireland goes so far as to include an illustration of a man viewing the stars during daytime by gazing upward through a tall chimney. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/24143152-e4b7-4020-a5f9-ec30b558ee30/277007813_4809244489198177_6009622246516713095_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - The Planetary and Stellar Worlds: A Popular Exposition. Great Discoveries and Theories of Modern Astronomy in a Series of Ten Lectures, By O. M. Mitchel of the Cincinnati Observatory, first edition dated 1848. Book Description: Octavo. . From the library of collector George Brinley (1817-1875) with his bookplate. A series of ten lectures.336pp., 17 full-page plates of which three are folding. These lectures were used by the author as his way of obtaining subscribers to help build his telescope which he believed was needed in the US as there were non. He worked 6 years before the cornerstone of his observatory was laid in 1843 by President John Quincy Adams with appropriate ceremonies. On this occasion, Mr. Adams made his last great oration. The Cincinnati Observatory was the first great observatory erected in the United States. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b8629002-c6a8-4c64-92a4-881ec4b506a8/220px-Ormsby_Mitchel.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel Born August 28, 1810, Union County KY, Died October 30, 1862. He is buried at The Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York. Mitchel was an American astronomer and major general in the American Civil War. A multi-talented man, he was also an attorney, surveyor, professor, and publisher. He is notable for publishing the first magazine in the United States devoted to astronomy. In 1834, he accepted a position at Cincinnati College as a professor of mathematics, natural philosophy, and astronomy. In this position, he played a leading role in establishing an observatory for the college. Completed in 1845, the observatory was one of the most advanced in the United States at that time. Following the observatory's completion, Mitchel resigned his professorship, but he continued to serve as the chief operating officer of the observatory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e712e35b-abb0-4a7f-bf2e-96da039023e4/277499643_5229244997120959_5775627606809308371_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4a00da3d-661a-4f1e-b2c3-6ec1209d7986/277525631_5229245873787538_2186601519758868875_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f338bf35-b7f6-4abe-b114-d14bbb69b08d/M81salvatore1024.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Bodes Galaxy Messier 81 is a grand design spiral galaxy about 12 million light-years away, with a diameter of 90,000 light-years, in the constellation Ursa Major. Distance to Earth: 11.74 million light-years Age: 13.31 billion years Coordinates: RA 9h 55m 33s | Dec +69° 3′ 55″ Apparent magnitude (V): 6.94 Redshift: −0.000113 Angular size: 21x10 arc-minutes… Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c4fdc579-621f-4c39-ac9c-ebc9096ddd04/M81_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/38031b06-9b81-4a2a-a1c7-5a5970d3f2f0/cg6143522398c8f.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Make it stand out Frank and Ernest by Bob & Tom Thaves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1648457471772-6WZZCNKOSCJYAWSLCUDM/268100347_10216362603338002_4257410906231118517_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1648429878715-H9R494ZJ4NTC19VQ3VTF/269918096_10216385193422740_6098678022520994791_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1f317f02-d38b-4ea0-a396-e78bba66dd4d/Ron_Whirlpool.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Whirlpool Galaxy - M51 By Ron Bernknoph - March 4 A favorite spring target. Messier 51, "The Whirlpool Galaxy", 21 million light-years away in the constellation Canis Venatici (near the end of the handle of the Big Dipper). This was shot with my 6" Reflector. 27x 5-minute exposures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8f0363e1-f31b-4189-8e9a-3d2a55d4a59b/Ron_NGC2419.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Globular Cluster NGC2419 By Ron Bernknoph - March 16 NGC2419, a Globular Cluster in the constellation Lynx. This is one of the furthest Globular Cluster in our Milky Way Galaxy at around 300 thousand Light Years away. Nicknamed "The Intergalactic Wanderer" because at one time, due to its' distance, Astronomers thought it was outside of our Galaxy's influence I shot this with my 8" SCT Telescope. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/89fe50f4-7192-4009-aff6-95764510bba6/Ron+Moon.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - The Moon By Ron Bernknopf - March 16 I took the image Moon with my DSLR and 75 - 250mm zoom lens. This is 19x 1/250 seconds @ ISO 800. Stacked in Registax and processed "slightly" and cropped in Gimp. I then superimposed the moon over a starfield. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5bffba14-2c93-4a8b-9bd5-8a386db1272e/Ro+Moon.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Scenic Moon By Rosemarie Spedaliere - March 21 3 a.m. this morning on March 21, I couldn't resist this photo as a matter of fact I took quite a few. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8b01b9b8-714a-4da5-bd07-b06298246319/Matt1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Witch Head Nebula - IC 2118 By Matthew Michota - March 23 Trying out new Samyang 135. An extremely faint reflection nebula believed to be an ancient supernova remnant or gas cloud illuminated by nearby supergiant star Rigel in the constellation of Orion. An apparent magnitude of 14 this one is a seriously difficult target. 1.5 hours at f2.8 under /light-polluted skies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/930cd191-1804-4573-a675-81f4b0b99f30/Matt2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Rosette Nebula - NGC 2244 By Matthew Michota - March 23 Trying out new Samyang 135. Did a quick wide field composition, in just an hour. The Rosette Nebula is an H II region located near one end of a giant molecular cloud in the Monoceros region of the Milky Way Galaxy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d0bcf5e0-ddeb-4f45-8e6f-6c99cdfa19b8/Ro_SunDog.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Sun Dog By Rosemarie Spedaliere - March 26 Sundogs are colored spots of light that develop due to the refraction of light through ice crystals. They are located approximately 22 degrees either left, right, or both, from the sun, depending on where the ice crystals are present. The colors usually go from red closest to the sun, out to blue on the outside of the sundog. Sundogs are also known as mock suns or parhelia, which means "with the sun". weather.gov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2e311031-9a52-4af2-b303-5ece2f6af76d/Matt_Star+Cluster.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Globular Cluster - M 13 By Matthew Michota - March 27 Messier 13 or M13, also designated NGC 6205 and sometimes called the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules or the Hercules Globular Cluster, is a globular cluster of several hundred thousand stars in the constellation of Hercules. This object is visible in the smallest telescopes and looks stunning in larger ones. This was shot with my asi2600 and 130mm APO. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/41533acd-886f-492d-a89a-0aa2ba60af5b/Matt+Pinwheel.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Whirlpool Galaxy - M51 By Matthew Michota - March 27 The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51a, M51a, and NGC 5194, isAn an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with a Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus. It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici and was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy. Its distance is 31 million light-years away from Earth. This was a little tough from my skies last night, shot with my asi2600 and 130mm APO refractor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/61fc1bd5-a099-465e-a89d-86eb7e08a028/matt_Galaxies.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/72457677-a9de-4451-88f3-9997750c62f4/Markarian-Chain-locator.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Took a shot at Markarians Chain from my light-polluted front yard... I'm going to try again from darker skies soon. This image contains dozens of galaxies, the closest ones that make up the sweeping "chain" lay about 50 million lightyears away, they make up part of the Virgo Supercluster, of which our own galaxy is also a member. Visually, in my larger telescopes, the area is rich in fuzzy blobs, from dark skies it's really incredible.. It's crazy to think, each of those little smudges of light contains billions of Suns, most hosting planets of their own.. Charles Messier first discovered two of the galaxies, M84 and M86, in 1781. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/164b55ee-6660-42a8-962b-9da0b491381b/visit_bg1912x700.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/95304e1a-5c32-4b77-9814-7f7c7d5aebca/ff5618d815498a97335baa0d7f695f18x.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Birthplace of American Astronomy The Cincinnati Observatory is located in Cincinnati, Ohio (United States) on top of Mount Lookout. A historically registered location and the first observatory built in the United States. It consists of two observatory buildings housing an 11-inch (28 cm) and 16 inch (41 cm) aperture refracting telescope. It is the oldest professional observatory in the United States. It was a key facility for astronomical research and education at the University of Cincinnati and currently operates as a 19th-century observatory. There are regular viewings through both historical telescopes as well as tours and additional programs. The observatory also has an extensive outreach program, providing astronomical education for the region. Cincinnati Observatory was built by Ormsby M. Mitchel and more info can be found on him in this APO issue of Show and Tell. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/210c9b66-a361-477c-9cc6-b7243aeb4a09/Refractor_Cincinnati_observatory.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - The cornerstone was laid on November 9, 1843, and presiding over the occasion was former President John Quincy Adams, with an introduction by Judge Jacob Burnet. At 77 years old, it was to be his last public speech, and Mount Ida was renamed to Mount Adams in his honor. In 1871, the Observatory came under the control of the University of Cincinnati and in 1873 it was transferred from Mt. Adams to Mt. Lookout in order to escape the smoke and dirt of the city, where it remains today. The 1845 Merz und Mahler 11 inch refractor is housed in the "Mitchel Building". It may be the oldest continually used telescope in the world. It is currently used for public education programs. The 1904 Alvan Clark & Sons 16 inch refractor is housed in the "Herget Building". It is used in public education programs and graduate research. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627394262267-PE47WCHHETPGNQ5YAKAF/astronomy+radio.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Astronomy & Space Theme Music “Jewel in the Night” Jewel in the Night has the distinction of being the first song ever recorded in space. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield made history when he laid down this folksy tune whilst orbiting the Earth on the International Space Station. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1ec6ad56-6396-4058-b5d8-20a7caac1eab/bgt+celestron+cpc+800+gps+xlt+image3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/179b555d-66cc-4fbe-bfe5-ed90de0d1141/Cochranes_telescope.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - From March: Star Trek: First Contact, 1996 The Borg traveled back in time intent on preventing Earth's first contact with an alien species. Captain Picard and his crew pursue them to ensure that Zefram Cochrane makes his maiden flight reaching warp speed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - What’s Up: April 2022 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/95adf68b-917e-4ea0-b3a2-9a92a1315b02/LeoMinorAndLynx-April-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Make it stand out Map of the sky around Lynx and Leo Minor. Notice the prevalence of animal-themed constellations in this area, making it a sort of celestial menagerie. If you are having difficulty locating the fainter stars of Leo Minor and Lynx, don’t fret; they are indeed a challenge. Hevelius even named the constellation as a reference to the quality of eyesight one needs in order to discern these faint stars since supposedly one would need eyes as sharp as a Lynx to see it! Darker skies will indeed make your search easier; light pollution, even a relatively bright Moon, will overwhelm the faint stars for both of these celestial wildcats. While you will be able to see NGC 2419 with a backyard telescope, Hanny’s Voorwerp is far too faint, but its location is still marked. A few fainter constellation labels and diagrams in this region have been omitted for clarity. Image created with assistance from Stellarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/64c6e4de-2501-454a-9a00-34173b90afe6/HannysVoorwep-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Lynx, named for the species of wild cat, is seen as a faint zigzag pattern found between Ursa Major, Gemini, and Auriga. Grab a telescope and try to spot the remote starry orb of globular cluster NGC 2419. As it is so distant compared to other globular clusters - 300,000 light years from both our solar system and the center of the Milky Way - it was thought that this cluster may be the remnants of a dwarf galaxy consumed by our own. Additional studies have muddied the waters concerning its possible origins, revealing two distinct populations of stars residing in NGC 2419, which is unusual for normally-homogenous globular clusters and marks it as a fascinating object for further research. Scenes of Earth from orbit from season to season, as viewed by EUMETSAT. Notice how the terminator - the line between day and night - touches both the North and South Poles in the equinox images. See how the shadow is lopsided for each solstice, too: sunlight pours over the Northern Hemisphere for the June solstice, while the sunlight dramatically favors the Southern Hemisphere for the December solstice. Source: bit.ly/earthequinox Images: NASA/Robert Simmon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/de93b2ab-163d-4050-9a25-692ad55dcb9e/Caldwell_25.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - NGC 2419 or Caldwell 25 NGC 2419 is a globular cluster in the constellation Lynx. It was discovered by William Herschel on December 31, 1788. NGC 2419 is at a distance of about 300,000 light-years from the Solar System and at the same distance from the galactic center. Distance to Earth: 274,600 light-years Radius: 260 ly Distance: 275 kly (from the Sun); 300 kly (from the GC) (84.2 kpc (Sun); 91.5 kpc (GC)) Declination: +38° 52′ 54.9″ Right ascension: 07h 38m 08.51s Constellation: Lynx Apparent magnitude (V): 9.06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d111b977-b2b7-497d-b173-74ccf4e368d9/120px-NGC_2419.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Although visually small and faint what makes it special is its distance, at 275,000 light-years it's one of the furthest known Milky Way globulars. In fact, twentieth century American astronomer Harlow Shapley nicknamed it "The Intergalactic Tramp", believing it to have broken possibly away from the Milky Way and headed off into deep intergalactic space. However, recent observations indicate Shapley hypothesis was incorrect and NGC 2419 is still gravitationally bound to the Milky Way, just moving in a highly eccentric orbit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ed3b781b-1423-4917-887f-88b62cb5a564/NGC2419_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f24e6df9-ab80-4d78-a5d8-101e8e7194bd/hanny2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Make it stand out Universetoday.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8c3433a6-87f9-4681-8ae5-ad6981d7cd82/Tonights+Sky+April.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Tonight’s Sky: March Clear April nights are filled with starry creatures. Near the Big Dipper, you will find several interesting binary stars. You can also spot galaxies like the Pinwheel Galaxy, M82, and M96—the last of which is an asymmetric galaxy that may have been gravitationally disrupted by encounters with its neighbors. Keep watching for space-based views of these celestial objects. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1c1ad9c6-31da-4253-8b24-65743ba81f0f/download+%281%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2022 - Polar Alignment Using the Drift Method Explore Scientific, a popular astronomy distributor has a short article on polar alignment using the drift method. Has any ASTRA member used the drift method? Let us know. Good information for both the beginner and seasoned observers. A supplier of astronomy products. Article from Explorer Scientific. Facebook Webpage https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-march2022-nz3nm monthly 0.5 2022-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4027d2ae-8897-42fb-8e28-aff71e86d9ca/Irish+Astronomer.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - March ASTRA Meeting Presents … March is the month that hosts Saint Patricks Day. ASTRA Member Ryan Knipple will be providing a presentation on Irish Astronomy & Astronomers. The March 2022 meeting will be Friday, March 11, 2022, at 7 PM EST. This will be an in-person meeting at the Planetarium and virtual for those that would prefer to remain remote. This will be our second duel in-person and virtual format meeting. Issues that were identified in February will be hopefully worked out for March. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1645409438580-EHS46EVDV8KTMPCVCUQ0/20220211_195754.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1645409453777-SB2MV2RWH25LWATA7MPS/20220211_195721.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1645409477284-U1YGI5DHQTGIR19A9XVU/20220211_195757.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e8371e18-f399-457a-9d2d-e92fc57bcb6e/20220211_194119.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Vic Palmieri was our first ASTRA member that presented to the membership on our return. His presentation on the Moon was detailed and provided much information that you wouldn’t see in lunar presentations or videos. We were quite fortunate that Vic has the knowledge that he does and was willing to share it with us. The image here is Vic during his presentation. You’ll notice the latop that was used to monitor the virtual side of our evening. A second laptop was also used to link the presentation material to the Zoom session. Some may have notice a pause in the slide deck advancing and the laptop used will be getting a memory expansion from 8 Gig to 64 Gig. This should help with future events. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d45964f1-fbbe-4c21-8325-f0a440615922/Vic+Moon+Presentation+Slide+22.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Vic provided us a view of one of the best books on the Moon and it was made even better seeing his own handwritten notes on his observations. We’ll have a link to this document on Amazon below. Below are crater notes from his presentation. Crater rays are bright because of the contrast with surrounding terrain which has been darkened by particles of solar winds. Rays are made of deep material excavated during meteor/asteroid impacts. Mountains, Rilles, and other surface features usually share the name of the adjacent lunar crater. Smaller craters adjacent to or within the area of a named crater share the name of the named crater followed by a capital letter. For example Godin A, Godin B, etc. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fcd5741c-6c42-4273-9f5c-6bbf41077767/ron+moon.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Close up view of the Moon Videos of the of the moon, close up. YouTube: The Moon in close up color YouTube: NASA-Tour of the Moon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ac05dfd8-a7d8-443e-a197-a919f8ba0e39/417Q26BDVQL._SX334_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - ATLAS OF THE MOON ATLAS OF THE MOON publication from 1992. by Antonin Rukl (Author), Thomas W. Rackham (Author) Revised edition from 2007 by Antonin Rukl (Author), Gary Seronik (Editor) You can find very few of them available on Amazon and maybe eBay. Interesting Note: In 1834 Johann Heinrich von Mädler published the first large cartography (map) of the Moon, comprising 4 sheets in size, and he subsequently published The Universal Selenography. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c7d61c34-5f77-4787-ae1d-b099d9444d1c/lunar-impact-monitoring-nas.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - NASA needs your help to monitor the rates and sizes of large meteoroids striking the moon’s dark side. By monitoring the moon for impacts, NASA can define the meteoroid environment and identify the risks that meteors pose to future lunar exploration. This data will help engineers design lunar spacecraft, habitats, vehicles, and extra-vehicular activity suits to protect human explorers from the stresses of the lunar environment. Scistarter.org/Lunar-Impact-Monitoring https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4f7feafe-a5b5-4649-870a-2aeb888fa017/apt-a-lpset1-hero_1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Another review on filters. This one is from the blog posting: The Blog Formerly Known as McWiki. It’s a very easy-to-read overview on filters without graphs and science data. Image extracted from Starry Night Pro 8 for July 14, 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f8a25008-4df6-4c17-817d-751718ffed4a/OPT_Blue_-_with_Telescope_Authority_2x_3974ba73-ba71-4350-a541-78120e46dbe6_410x.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Women in Astronomy OPT is proud to present this special presentation of women in astronomy! A video presentation about women in the space industry like NASA engineers, OPTeam astrophotographers, and many more! For more go to OPT - The Telescope Authority. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ee9c465b-4f58-47f0-bd33-4a68a08efc97/Webb_alignment_image-array_annotated-768x768.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - The JWST team is currently taking test images to align and focus its eighteen primary mirror segments. When completed the planned hexagonal formation is expected to provide us with some great images, further than we have ever viewed before. This image shows the result of the 18 randomly positioned copies of the same star, which served as the starting point for the alignment process. To complete the first stage of alignment, the team moved the primary mirror segments to arrange the dots of starlight into a hexagonal image array. Each dot of starlight is labeled with the corresponding mirror segment that captured it. Credits: NASA/STScI/J. DePasquale For more on this topic go to JWST NASA Blog. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/767f544f-79b4-4b41-86fa-414865dd0c9a/SegmentAlignment.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - The alignment process for its eighteen mirrors is expected to take up to three months from the time of when JWST arrived at its L2 Lagrange point. Part of the alignment process is also the Image Stacking process that is currently in sets of six mirrors. The JWST team has a way to go but they are currently pleased with the progress they have made. This gif shows the “before” and “after” images from Segment Alignment, when the team corrected large positioning errors of its primary mirror segments and updated the alignment of the secondary mirror. Credit: NASA/STScI https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1645812161428-FO7Y2G7TLT0BFHBGWECF/PostGlobalAlignment-1024x1024.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1645812175705-HAE2YKF7GJH4UD3FBPJJ/PostImageStacking-1024x1024.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c2a108f3-b5bc-45df-a6ce-ec72f1d639a6/moonfacts-ie-lunarsurface3jpg_resize_md.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Make it stand out Let’s explore some interesting features, facts, or myths about our nearest neighbor, the Moon. Without it, life on Earth would be totally different, if not at all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/398e867d-4a5e-4cfb-9aef-ccdced45daf3/Tardigrades.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Is there now life on the Moon? Tardigrades can live in the harshest climates and are virtually everywhere on Earth. On April 11, 2019, the Beresheets Israeli moon mission crashed on the moon. They were part of an experiment that may have been scattered on the lunar surface from the crash. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/63a9cb09-e67e-40aa-beb4-f8f06369f5d6/Matt+M+painting.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7d7287b5-dec4-4d4a-8864-eb435cefc23a/274345129_4909651405790979_5471082359787980613_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5f2c1477-1aa2-4ddd-ae20-24f9393a15a5/274348881_4909651432457643_4971635566754558034_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/88ed98c9-49c9-4fcb-a768-ecaec7178be4/M1_NASA_ESA.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Crab Nebula The Crab Nebula is a supernova remnant and pulsar wind nebula in the constellation of Taurus. The common name comes from William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, who observed the object in 1842 using a 36-inch telescope and produced a drawing that looked somewhat like a crab. Distance to Earth: 6,523 light-years Radius: 5.5 light years Age: 1,001 years Magnitude: 8.4 Coordinates: RA 5h 34m 32s | Dec +22° 0′ 52″ Constellation: Taurus Length: about 10 light-years … Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7e2b7188-1c33-4452-b5a8-b1c492466c18/M1_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/267ab613-cec9-4613-b5de-e937473c11aa/223493620_220775320048556_6637000891260542661_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Make it stand out Red and Rover by Brian Basset https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1645572111262-SI07ZQL883FI6K0II5NX/247860926_10227432382865305_3915004326474477334_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1645572866398-LONEVAJTJYKOTK3NKIC3/187088655_10208674065046976_5430524786229094456_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/280b0415-4b12-4ca0-8de2-c14d6a57740c/MatthewM_M101.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Pinwheel Galaxy - M101 By Matthew Michota - Feb 7 The Pinwheel Galaxy is a face-on spiral galaxy 21 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. Managed to get some data on M101 Saturday night.. I had some issues with files not being read on stacking software.. I'm not sure what happened.. 24x5mins. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e5b8c00d-d4ee-4b05-87b1-04f5e0404c23/Ron_Uranus.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Uranus By Ron Bernknoph - Feb 10 I had my 8" SCT on my AVX for a week checking out the capabilities for Astrophotography. On February 10th, I took this image of Uranus before the clouds came in. This was a 10x 3-minute exposure using my DSLR. This is the 1st time I imaged Uranus in 2 years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f54f0075-068b-496f-89d3-b4d4b51c51da/20220211_161426.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - The Moon By John Zimmerman Feb 12 John was able to get out recently and took some images of the Moon. Here is one that is being shared. The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. At about one-quarter the diameter of Earth, it is the largest natural satellite in the Solar System relative to the size of a major planet, the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System overall, and larger than any known dwarf planet. Earth's moon, the longest known of all, was given the name "Selene" by the Greeks and "Luna" by the Romans, each a goddess. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f7291576-993a-4624-b163-9889753f4f81/MatthewM_HeartNebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Heart Nebula - IC 1805 By Matthew Michota Feb 14 Had to do it, it's Valentine's Day. The Heart Nebula in Cassiopeia. This is a huge target, and together with the Soul Nebula form the Heart and Soul a beautiful object that looks great in images. This is about 2 hours using a ZWO asi533 camera and the Redcat 51 taken back in September or so at IBSP. I also want to say happy Valentine's Day to my beautiful girlfriend Ally, I love you https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/278cc2da-d250-4711-a07a-78fdbe6c8b79/Ron_MedusaNebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Medusa Nebula - Abell 21 By Ron Bernknoph - Feb 18 This is Abell 21, also called the "Medusa Nebula". It is located in the constellation Gemini. It is an older Nebula located 1500 Light years away and only discovered in 1955 by University of California, Los Angeles astronomer, George Abell. I used the 6" Newtonian/AVX mount to do this. This is 28x 300-second images. Unmodified Canon T6 DSLR and L eNhance Filter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0f266920-2951-4d63-bcfb-c8ef46b5fabb/Ron_StarClusters.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Double Cluster - NGC 869 & 884 By Ron Bernknoph - Feb 19 I image a lot of Globular Star Clusters but not many Open Star Clusters. This is the "Double Cluster" NGC 869 and NGC 884. This is 34 x 5-minute exposures. Stacked in DSS and Processed in Gimp and PS. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f8ff887a-a5eb-44bb-8ba3-8d1f65d71112/Ron_SeagullNebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Seagull Nebula - IC 2177 By Ron Bernknoph - Feb 20 In the constellation Monoceros, near Canis Major is the Seagull Nebula (IC2177). I didn't know how BIG this Nebula was until tonight. I was able to capture the head and part of the neck with my 6" Reflector. 37x 5-minute images. Stacked in DSS and processed in Gimp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e93044d2-92b9-4be1-8910-c15676063f0e/MatthewM_M78.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Reflection Nebule - M78, NGC 2068 By Matthew Michota Feb 28 M78 is a reflection nebule in the constellation Orion. This wide-field image took two hours and was a bit noisy. Astrotech 4" Apochromatic refractor ZWO asi2600mc cooled camera @-10° GEM45 mount https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/55b71d28-3c12-4200-9f8b-b356e3d5defb/MatthewM_BernardsLopp.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Bernard’s Loop - Sh 2-276 By Matthew Michota Feb 28 Bernard’s Loop is an emission nebula in the constellation of Orion. This wide-field image took two hours, a bit noisy and stars are all wonky in Orion. Was experimenting with an Astro-modified DSLR. Canon T6s Astro-modified Canon 50mm @f/2.8 Skyguider Pro star tracker https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/eaaea2a2-d0e3-491e-86d5-707929b31e93/download.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - The William Miller Sperry Observatory, also known simply as the Sperry Observatory, is an astronomical observatory owned by Union County College and operated by Amateur Astronomers, Incorporated. The observatory is located on the property of Union County College on their Cranford, New Jersey campus. … Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627394262267-PE47WCHHETPGNQ5YAKAF/astronomy+radio.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Astronomy & Space Theme Music “Countdown” Countdown by Canadian rock band RUSH. It was on their ninth album Signals, which was recorded and released in 1982. It was inspired by the April 12, 1981 launch of the Columbia Space Shuttle, the first reusable manned spacecraft. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d4f87ee6-eea9-431d-b655-cfc5b1fe3640/Cochranes_telescope.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/53bce2e3-564a-4967-afb3-2a51b29f7dac/UFO+Eposide+9+telescope.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - From February: The telescope was a central piece of the story plot. One hint Stephanie Beacham was in it. UFO: A 1970 British sci-fi television series about the ongoing covert efforts of a government defense organization to prevent an alien invasion of Earth. Created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson was a single series of 26 episodes (including the pilot). You can find free videos for this show on YouTube. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a78d27fc-ed0b-48ca-bad9-dcf68cc1bf4a/Portrait_of_Galileo_Galilei%2C_1636.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Galileo Galilei Born: Feb 15, 1564, Died: January 8, 1642 Galileo is one of the most important astronomers in history and science, and he made many contributions to it, such as discovering Jupiter’s four largest moons, and discovering that every object falls at the same speed. Happy birthday, Galileo! Galileo also worked in applied science and technology. His contributions to observational astronomy include the telescopic confirmation of the phases of Venus, observation of the four largest satellites of Jupiter, observation of Saturn's rings, and analysis of lunar craters and sunspots. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/27c6893d-406d-4384-8d8a-62adfd60f2a0/Nikolaus_Kopernikus.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Nicholaus Copernicus Born: February 19, 1473, Died: May 24, 1543 Nicholaus Copernicus', the man who is credited for creating the heliocentric model of our solar system, the model that we use today. Copernicus' model of the solar system shows the sun at the center of the solar system, and the earth (as well as the other planets) revolving around the sun. Other astronomers like Tycho Brahe created models of the solar system that showed the Earth at the center of the solar system, the sun revolved around the Earth, and the other planets revolved around the sun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - What’s Up: March 2022 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/de6e9ac1-dd18-4765-9c1c-cc66ee3bcd1c/NASA-Equinox-Wideview-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Make it stand out This (not to scale) image shows how our planet receives equal amounts of sunlight during equinoxes. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Genna Duberstein https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3bfba883-a00d-402d-878f-69063e1d2db7/NASAEarthObserver-SolsticesAndEquinoxes-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Make it stand out Scenes of Earth from orbit from season to season, as viewed by EUMETSAT. Notice how the terminator - the line between day and night - touches both the North and South Poles in the equinox images. See how the shadow is lopsided for each solstice, too: sunlight pours over the Northern Hemisphere for the June solstice, while the sunlight dramatically favors the Southern Hemisphere for the December solstice. Source: bit.ly/earthequinox Images: NASA/Robert Simmon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4f0868c3-5110-401f-87b1-717dbaf7ba23/vg1_p21259.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - The Rings of … Jupiter? The following is posted with permission from Sandra Macika. Voyager 1 images gave the first indication of a faint ring around Jupiter. The location of the ring is indicated by the white line. The thickness of the ring is estimated to be 30 km or less. Jupiter is about 142,000 km in diameter. The ring has a diameter of about 250,000 km. North is at 11:00 (Voyager 1, P-21259) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/799230fc-d087-47ce-8d89-0fd591905e6d/274235911_1912595115612704_4265461067208514104_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - 1979-07-11 Frist photo of Jupiter's Ring - Voyager 2 image https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d17d743c-bdfb-425b-93d7-b3495ad0a9fb/274051707_1912595338946015_7089186098045946621_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Messier 35 (M35) is a large open star cluster located in the northern constellation Gemini. The cluster consists of several hundred stars, of which 120 are brighter than magnitude 13. The central region has a density of 6.21 stars per cubic parsec. The cluster has an apparent magnitude of 5.3 and lies at an approximate distance of 2,800 light-years from Earth. It has the designation NGC 2168 in the New General Catalogue and is the only Messier object in Gemini. 1996-10-05 Jovian Rings with an explanatory scheme, mosaic of five images - Galileo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6eab082e-c97b-49a4-8ac3-208b511b60d2/274165804_1912595292279353_131078354037876754_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Make it stand out 1996-11-08 False color image of Halo ring in forward-scattered light, a mosaic of four images - Galileo. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the Galileo mission home page at: http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at: http:/ /www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4126885c-0420-44fc-a2ff-3d9707ce5691/274173972_1912595412279341_4839459799999943542_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - 1996-11-09 Gossamer rings in forward-scattered light – Galileo Jupiter's ring system is composed of three parts: a flat main ring, a toroidal halo interior to the main ring, and the gossamer ring, which lies exterior to the main ring. The gossamer ring is the extremely diffuse and uniform band that stretches across the center of this mosaic, starting from the main ring and halo on the right-hand side. The gossamer ring had been seen previously only in the single Voyager image in which it was discovered at a very low brightness level; there its brightness appeared to drop from https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1645669747048-0KZSSYSQXLP4AAFD4556/274111544_1912595435612672_6092859620515576953_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 1996-11-09 Gossamer rings in forward-scattered light – Galileo image https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1645669762398-KYPZLZZPG5DRLRWN4OZG/274003202_1912595492279333_6913300037525804608_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 1996-11-09 Jupiter's rings, the Enhanced top image shows a halo of ring particles suspended by Jupiter's powerful electromagnetic field - Galileo image https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/21e59f80-2e98-4a67-af1d-debf6240003b/274453852_1912595545612661_8283745115661746808_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - 1996-11-09 Main ring in forward-scattered light with Metis notch clearly visible - Galileo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0145667e-a013-41f7-a78c-120da3728d3f/274114093_1912595568945992_1194814341720179985_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - 1996-11-09 mosaic of Jupiter’s Ring System - Galileo This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the Galileo mission home page at http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/galileo/. This mosaic of Jupiter's ring system was acquired when the Sun was behind the planet, and the spacecraft was in Jupiter's shadow peering back toward the Sun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/06429b55-d8b7-44bf-afec-777819473cf5/274085346_1912595348946014_6551734727903589345_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - 2006-09 Composite of six images of the possible Himalia ring, double exposure of Himalia is circled, arrow points to Jupiter - New Horizons Jupiter may have a new ring that was created by a smash between moons. The possible ring appears as a faint streak near Jupiter’s moon Himalia. “We were taking an image of Himalia to test the instrument. It was completely unexpected that something else was there,” says Andy Cheng, chief scientist for the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI), which took the pictures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/40c29a15-6568-4dda-835f-9b25981ae3f6/274050237_1912595708945978_2207433252386627494_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - 2007-02-27 Metis orbiting at the edge of Jupiter's main ring - New Horizons The New Horizons spacecraft took the best images of Jupiter's charcoal-black rings as it approached and then looked back at Jupiter. This picture from the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) shows the well-defined lanes of gravel- to boulder-sized material composing the bulk of the rings; labels point out how these narrow rings are confined in their orbits by small "shepherding" moons (Metis and Adrastea). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/17275727-d4e8-4531-9afc-7a5a45c3df5c/274224820_1912595422279340_1409750870704490632_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Make it stand out 2007-02-28 Jovian Main Ring - New Horizons https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2b79a969-170d-4b83-b3ad-2dbc58dd930a/274344890_1912595615612654_508475551799923201_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - 2016-08-27 Rings as observed from the inside - Juno More information about Juno is online at http://www.nasa.gov/juno and http://missionjuno.swri.edu. As NASA's Juno spacecraft flew through the narrow gap between Jupiter's radiation belts and the planet during its first science flyby, Perijove 1, the Stellar Reference Unit (SRU-1) star camera collected the first image of Jupiter's ring taken from the inside looking out. The bright bands in the center of the image are the main ring of Jupiter's ring system. While taking the ring image, the SRU was viewing the constellation Orion. The bright star above the main ring is Betelgeuse, and Orion's belt can be seen in the lower right. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c6c70a29-bb05-4dc7-8a0d-445222e73a22/Tonights+Sky+March.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - Tonight’s Sky: March The stars of spring lie eastward: Look for the constellations Gemini and Cancer to spot interesting celestial features like star clusters M35 and the Beehive Cluster, and NGC 3923, an oblong elliptical galaxy with an interesting ripple pattern. Keep watching for space-based views of the galaxies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d5e69b8e-70fe-434f-bb02-a05aa329281e/HighPointScientific%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2022 - How to View The Moon Through A Telescope High Point Scientific, a local astronomy distributor from New Jersey has a short article on viewing our nearest neighbor the moon with a telescope. Good information for both the beginner and seasoned observers. A supplier of astronomy products. Article from High Point Scientific. Facebook Webpage https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-february2022-nz3nm-5nmyp-cgk2m monthly 0.5 2022-02-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ed87d0fd-3a74-4164-9245-d2e686b52df0/ASTRA+ZOOM+MEETING_Sept+11+2020_Moon+Photo.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - February ASTRA Meeting Presents … ASTRA Member Vic Palmieri will be providing a presentation on the moon. There are a lot of features about the moon that you may not be aware of and Vic will share his knowledge of our closest neighbor. The February 2022 meeting will be Friday, February 11, 2022, at 7 PM EST. This will be an in-person meeting at the Planetarium and virtual for those that would prefer to remain remote. Please be aware this will be our first attempt at casting the meeting remotely in this duel in-person and virtual format. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ccc533ba-cf99-40f8-a941-5dd5d5b4ff7d/January+Meeting+Vinny+Pre.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Vinny Illuzzi provided a presentation on a recent webinar from the Nasa Night Sky Network. It was for a citizen science Globe project related to cloud research. GLOBE is the Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment program and all of it can be done from your cell phone. This is one of many citizen science programs that are available. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/58c0d0f6-2906-49a5-83f8-117fdb7fb56c/January+Meeting+Vinny+Pre2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - The links displayed here can be found on the ASTRA website. There are many programs available and many can be done from home. Anyone interested in viewing the webinar on this subject can be found on NSN YouTube. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1643466226233-1HSHWEXSLUKDUAOC5BEX/20220125_174025.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1643466242320-1RKM7V2Z0465BO7BB6Y1/20220125_174030.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/cb455cea-81c9-4e11-9033-b90f76974af5/C2017_K2_July.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Make it stand out Image extracted from Starry Night Pro 8 for July 14, 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/214ac082-60a7-4aba-ad1b-dfbe3bf12a8c/C2017_K2_August.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Make it stand out Image extracted from Starry Night Pro 8 for August 13, 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b6cc06d7-aec0-45b4-ad70-126108089b9e/0955d8b8153b875c17ac62159a2bb075.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - The JWST has reached its Lagrange Point, L2. The James Webb Space Telescope is now in orbit around L2! But there's nothing there, so how can it orbit when there's nothing there? We'll show how JWST maintains its orbit around the second Lagrangian Point of the Sun and Earth. From Launch Pad Astronomy YouTube review: How does JWST Orbit “Nothing” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f51f5f1f-7183-47bd-bf18-5f6d89db2600/Picture2.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - As the world awaits the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope, what will the first year of observation look like? It will still take up to 3 months for the telescope to return its first image. This is due to a series of calibrations and equipment alignment that still needs to be done. However, once it is fully deployed, the James Webb Space Telescope will be the most powerful telescope at work. Linked here is a YouTube video from The Secrets of the Universe. Check it out … SOU JWST is still being tracked and available to the public. You can view it from the link from NASA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7b87b1f1-52a3-4688-b6ab-d8276aec5de3/main-qimg-1fb30616d3644bc31a1d767ccb59b809.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3a352104-d1a7-4d6e-99ec-2d3f15a49069/272999086_4821413577894065_4185353574666043908_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Make it stand out APOD: A Solar Prominence from SOHO (2022 Jan 30) Image Credit: NASA, ESA, SOHO-EIT Consortium https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220130.html https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/63a9cb09-e67e-40aa-beb4-f8f06369f5d6/Matt+M+painting.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/82ded994-f212-4b13-90fe-eea0fbc882da/272678507_4812260795530041_7639242146495384262_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ef0186e0-2a65-4906-8b5b-c6f0f5e3c0fa/272627126_4812260752196712_8083077354228249148_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3ad455a5-1bed-49b7-b51e-64dcf0bfa7ec/272496578_4812260985530022_7395468915576638707_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/07b90fd0-325d-49c9-a534-dea0f2d2f673/284895main_witchhead_nebula_full.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Witch Head Nebula IC 2118 is an extremely faint reflection nebula believed to be an ancient supernova remnant or gas cloud illuminated by nearby supergiant star Rigel in the constellation of Orion. It lies in the Orion constellation, about 900 light-years from Earth. Distance to Earth: 1,000 light-years Magnitude: 13 Constellation: Orion Coordinates: RA 5h 2m 0s | Dec -7° 54′ 0″ Distance: 1,000 ly Apparent magnitude (V): 13 Apparent dimensions (V): 3 × 1 ° Credits: Wikipedia Image: NASA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/602de4ff-4261-4eb9-99fc-827319aad286/Witch+Head+Nebula+Location.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1642883672751-I8YUWN91OXL4JUE7DC3L/262443026_10158714203463727_209542696949711922_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1642883693442-20K2KDRVKOK6NSQNQXAJ/267349510_10224109966389491_5942596390218135333_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1643465599652-4GC1YJLJKB2ZX4PEBL3R/10801881_895428127136198_5606011959624111815_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1643465614441-A1W2TGXRLOL038WS04NQ/272429100_5214534525276474_4880454721643626770_n+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0457218e-baac-43aa-8d9d-a41188c3077b/RonB_ToadPole_Jan8.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Tadpole Nebula - IC 410 By Ron Bernknoph - Jan 8 A star-forming nebula is 12,000 light-years away in the constellation Auriga. It is a pretty young nebula only around 4 million years old. This is 3 hours of exposure. I usually only add Darks and Flat reference frames to my pictures, but this is the first time I added Bias Frames. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/5c4cda8e-9e1e-49ed-bd8e-2b44fd94b139/Matt+M_FlameStarNebula_Jan10.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Flame Star Nebula - IC 405 By Matthew Michota - Jan 10 An emission and reflection nebula in the constellation Auriga north of the celestial equator, surrounding the bluish star AE Aurigae. It shines at a magnitude of +6.0. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/84bcb31c-33e7-4438-8928-40e7f2156286/RonB_Pacman_Jan10.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Pac Man Nebula - NGC 281 By Ron Bernknoph - Jan 10 The Pacman Nebula is a bright emission nebula and part of an H II region in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia and is part of the Milky Way's Perseus Spiral Arm. It is 9200 light-years away. This is 63x 3 minute stacked exposures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/436439fd-6faf-45bc-aa79-e32fb94c5bd7/RonB_Bodes_Cigar_Jan11.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Bodes & Cigar Galaxy By Ron Bernknoph - Jan 11 Here are two semi-near Galaxies. The one in the Center is the "Bodes" Galaxy (M81) about 12 million light-years away and the "Cigar" Galaxy (M82) in the upper left, about 12.4 million light-years away. They are located in the constellation Ursa Major (Big Dipper). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7af19f97-510b-4f0c-90a2-08cfa1505036/RonB_Rossette_Jan14.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Rosette Nebula - NGC 2244 By Ron Bernknoph - Jan 14 The Rosette Nebula an open cluster is located 5000 light-years away in the constellation Monoceros (the Unicorn). It is a star-forming region. Ultraviolet light from the large central stars illuminates the surrounding gas cloud. The age of this cluster has been estimated to be less than 5 million years. This is 28 x 5-minute exposures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1a1a0dc2-4a31-47b8-a5ba-2386406b2c01/thors+hammer_RonB_Jan26.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Thor’s Helmet - NGC 2359 By Ron Bernknoph - Jan 26 NGC 2359 (also known as Thor's Helmet) is an emission nebula in the constellation Canis Major. The nebula is approximately 12 thousand light-years away and 30 light-years in size. The central star is the Wolf-Rayet star WR7, an extremely hot star thought to be in a brief pre-supernova stage of evolution. This is 33x 5-minute exposures stacked using Deep Sky Stacker and processed in Gimp. APO Editor Note Congrats again to ASTRA Member Ron Bernknoph. His image of Thor’s Helmet was awarded "Astrophotography Photo of the Day" by theskysearchers. com website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/21270a07-7961-4c15-88f6-9181ec49350a/John+Glenn.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - The John Glenn Astronomy Park is dedicated to sparking an interest in science, learning, and exploration by sharing with visitors the wonders of the sky, both day and night. Throughout most of history, humans have been inspired by the wondrous sight of a night sky filled with stars. Located in Hocking Hills State Park of Logan, Ohio. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/be26226e-2499-49ce-b1fc-281719e7164d/John+Glenn2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Hocking Hills is one of the few areas left in Ohio where the night sky can be seen in its near-pristine state. The observatory provides a venue for visitors to experience the night sky through a large telescope and with their eyes. Hocking Hills offer breathtaking views of the Milky Way. Take a "solar system walk" in the park during the day to get a sense of the solar system's size, or view the sun through telescopes with specialized lenses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627394262267-PE47WCHHETPGNQ5YAKAF/astronomy+radio.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Astronomy & Space Theme Music “Symphony of Science - Secret of the Stars” The Symphony of Science is a music project created by Washington-based electronic musician John D. Boswell. The project seeks to "spread scientific knowledge and philosophy through musical remixes." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/53bce2e3-564a-4967-afb3-2a51b29f7dac/UFO+Eposide+9+telescope.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/204a744d-5afd-4e3d-9967-ac6d7125ead2/1994-PC1-orbit.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Classified as a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid of the Apollo group. It was discovered on 9 August 1994, by astronomer Robert McNaught at the Siding Spring Observatory in Coonabarabran, Australia. The orbit of large asteroid 1994 PC1, via Tomruen/ Wikimedia Commons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/de661276-6195-4577-93b6-2abce03ed17e/John+D.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Saturnalie Nebula in Domus. Taken painstakingly over eight years, through my Tasco 60 with a Canon Snapshot and cellophane filters, cooled by a duct-taped cube combination of klondike bars, tracking by potato clock. It’s 96 hours of processing with Fortran on an Atari 5600 powered by 19 D cell batteries and a lemon. Unfortunately, Elon’s pet project dashed across the upper quadrant. Still, the colors came through nicely. This was my 23rd attempt at this object. Currently selling my rig to upgrade to a Takahashi FCT-200, all offers considered. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - What’s Up: February 2022 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9f4684ed-af09-4c6c-8ee3-d138414c27a2/Gemini-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Make it stand out Castor and Pollux are Gemini’s most prominent stars, and often referred to as the “heads” of the eponymous twins from Greek myth. In Chinese astronomy, these stars make up two separate patterns: the Vermillion Bird of the South and the White Tiger of the North. What do you see? The Night Sky Network’s “Legends in the Sky” activity includes downloadable “Create Your Own Constellation” handouts so you can draw your own star stories: bit.ly/legendsinthesky Image created with assistance from Stellarium. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a5f2ccdd-fbec-4a6d-a2e1-ff0d30a1cf46/NOIRlab_gemini_north_south_montage-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Montage of Gemini North, located on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, and Gemini South, located on Cerro Pachón in Chile. These “twin” telescopes work together as the Gemini Observatory to observe the entire sky. Image Credit: NOIRLab Source: https://www.gemini.edu/gallery/media/gemini-northsouth-montage https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b6dd1f4e-da00-4319-946c-71410a70d20d/Messier-35.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Messier 35 (M35) is a large open star cluster located in the northern constellation Gemini. The cluster consists of several hundred stars, of which 120 are brighter than magnitude 13. The central region has a density of 6.21 stars per cubic parsec. The cluster has an apparent magnitude of 5.3 and lies at an approximate distance of 2,800 light-years from Earth. It has the designation NGC 2168 in the New General Catalogue and is the only Messier object in Gemini. ref: messier-objects.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a8f4c12d-746b-439c-85e9-8de76f09f392/NGC2158_-_SDSS_DR14_%28panorama%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - NGC 2158 is an open cluster in Gemini and is in angle, immediately southwest of the open cluster Messier 35, and is believed to be about 2 billion years old. The two clusters are unrelated, as the subject is around 9,000 light-years further away. The contrasting shapes and densities of M35 and NGC 2158 when viewed from Earth make them great pair to photograph. NGC 2158, once thought to be a globular cluster, is now known to be an intermediate-age, metal-poor open cluster that is a member of the old thin disk population. ref: Wikipedia & skyatnightmagazine.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ed163434-58e2-4941-8cde-98100b9b7b58/c39-2b.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - NGC 2392 The Eskimo Nebula, is also known as the Clown-faced Nebula, Lion Nebula, or Caldwell 39, is a bipolar double-shell planetary nebula. As of August 1, 2020, NASA no longer refers to NGC 2392 as the “Eskimo Nebula.” It was discovered by astronomer William Herschel in 1787. This composite image contains X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory in purple, showing the location of million-degree gas near the center of the planetary nebula. Data from the Hubble Space Telescope — colored red, green, and blue — show the intricate pattern of the outer layers of gas that have been ejected from the star. Ref: NASA.gov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e10f52ac-250f-46af-b05d-3a469ae5c649/Tonights+Sky+February+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Tonight’s Sky: February The Winter Triangle is your guide to the night sky: The northern hemisphere is treated to views of the stars Procyon, Sirius, and Betelgeuse. Keep watching for the awe-inspiring space-based views of the Orion Nebula, which is sculpted by the stellar winds of central bright stars. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8817c46c-0178-46da-909a-3d78bdcbe924/download+%281%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2022 - Sky’s Up Global Astronomy Magazine Explore Scientific Magzine series going back to 2015. Good information for both the beginner and seasoned observers. A supplier of astronomy products. Explore Scientific Facebook Webpage https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-january2022-nz3nm-5nmyp monthly 0.5 2022-01-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1508f9d0-f2dc-4264-81ed-61a4f686b577/December+2021+Events.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Jim Webster provided a presentation of some events for December to close out the year. We opened with a discussion on the Comet Leonard and where it would be in the night sky. We’ve already had some member images for this and you can find them here in APO in the Members Photo section. C/2021 A1 (Leonard) is a long-period comet discovered by Greg Leonard at the Mount Lemmon Observatory on 3 January 2021. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/aef90f17-4cc6-40d0-a49b-899bdc645855/Picture1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Always a favorite among the annual meteor showers the Geminids Meteor Shower had some clear skies on the night of Monday, December 13 into Tuesday, December 14. The Geminids are a reliable shower for those who watch around 2 a.m. local time from a dark sky location. Some of our members posting on Facebook reported that some were observed and did not disappoint. The waxing gibbous moon was not a problem. The comet called 3200 Phaethon is the parent body of the Geminids meteor shower. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0d890005-55a7-4932-b7a4-7b93277d58eb/Picture2.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - The James Webb Space telescope (JWST) launch has now been rescheduled for December 22, 2021. JWST project started in 1996, it is currently the largest and most powerful space science telescope ever built. It is the successor to both the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes. It was built to complement and further the discoveries of both and other NASA missions. It is the successor to both the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes. It was built to complement and further the discoveries of both and other NASA missions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2bbb84c9-8996-475f-a9f4-10172dc9cbae/Picture3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - The primary mirror of the JWST, the Optical Telescope Element (OTE), consists of 18 hexagonal mirror segments made of gold-plated beryllium which combine to create a 6.6 m (21 ft) diameter mirror—considerably larger than Hubble's 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) mirror. The metal Beryllium was chosen for a number of reasons including weight, but also for its low-temperature coefficient of thermal expansion compared to glass. Unlike the Hubble telescope, which observes in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared (0.1 to 1 μm) spectra, the JWST will observe in a lower frequency range, from long-wavelength visible light through mid-infrared (0.6 to 28.3-μm), which will allow it to observe high redshift objects that are too old and too distant for Hubble to observe. There will be a follow-up article on the James Webb launch in this edition of APO. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/afb86d2d-5c70-4fc8-a447-f5e3e2a7cecc/269917773_10220004822567716_4008115166517405873_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6fca1a75-94da-4405-9d0b-6505a49f8ad6/saw0122Gsci31_d.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out Article from Scientific American “What is a Lagrange Point?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/0eaecba0-5c18-48bf-a92f-1d54d2eb9b4b/qTYrrS2XU4fh.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fc506432-885b-433c-afa2-cb1d41f80ed5/265219434_4702311259789311_3962825892594142455_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/fdf47410-e81c-4338-8bea-842b773431c6/Telescope-Setup.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/37592f98-7f55-426e-afb5-9a26b1fa1c2e/270099573_4700295650059890_4860758314833491476_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7edc6864-9d26-48ec-9748-a1d8bdaa0eeb/269824339_4700295706726551_175307967103442534_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e78d2b9d-da88-4467-b765-53404da76817/266340636_4862339017144894_3987448731061657638_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b7dbd550-a542-451b-a435-bba43270575d/269912644_4913330882045707_5478255137373914083_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/124af6b8-d385-4f3b-863b-b3ecbc35d0c0/BarnardLoopHunterWilson.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Barnard’s Loop Catalog designation Sh 2-276, is an emission nebula in the constellation of Orion. It is part of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex which also contains the dark Horsehead and bright Orion nebulae M42. The loop takes the form of a large arc centered approximately on the Orion Nebula. The stars within the Orion Nebula are believed to be responsible for ionizing the loop. It was named after the pioneering astrophotographer E. E. Barnard who photographed it and published a description in 1894. Magnitude: 5 Age: 3.002 million years Distance: either 518 or 1434 ly Coordinates: RA 5h 27m 30s | Dec -3° 58′ 0″ Constellation: Orion Apparent magnitude (V): 5 Apparent dimensions (V): 10° Credits: Wikipedia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9acb98e1-9400-4fb3-8d67-6e4fff8d467a/Orion212_Volskiy_960_annotated.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out Credit and additional information: APOD https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a1d00dfb-7bec-439f-aec6-c646900583e3/M42_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/007ab23f-67c2-4665-9fa8-b530befb0859/263951396_315681307224623_4094006031343317446_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/dd7fd231-c03d-49e1-848a-e112a9d1503e/205846187_4338110432901091_7738502351492720128_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a01fade3-8427-409c-ab34-6573935b1eba/Ron+north+american+nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - North America Nebula - NGC 7000 By Ron Bernknoph - Nov 29 This is "most" of the very large North America Nebula. It's in the constellation Cygnus that is located almost 2600 light-years away. I'm not sure what the line is going through the image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bf4660f8-67c7-4d4d-858a-a0364ca3fabd/Matt_M_Rosette.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Rosette Nebula - Caldwell 49 By Matthew Michota - Nov 30 The Rosette Nebula sits about 5000 light-years away in the constellation Monoceros and is about 130 light-years across. Got this from the park near my house. Fun Fact: it's the state astronomical object of Oklahoma because that's a thing. Astrotech 4" Apochromat, Asi2600mc pro Ioptron GEM45 mount L-Enhance dual narrowband filter 40x180s lights w/ calibration frames https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8ed14da4-e305-4821-9f4d-5d9b35688248/Matt_M_Comet.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Comet Leonard and M3 By Matthew Michota - Dec 4 Comet Leonard passing M3 star cluster made for a great imaging opportunity, images like this are rare. Congrats go to Matthew for its capture. Astrotech 102mm APOA, si2600mc pro GEM45 mount, 20x120s & Darks bias https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/851f3a94-8453-4a7c-8266-008a8ffc7a68/Matt_M.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - M81 Bode’s and M82 Cigar Galaxies By Matthew Michota - Dec 4 A pair of galaxies in the constellation Ursa Major. With the above Comet Leonard with M3 image, it made for a very late night. Astrotech 102mm APO, Asi2600mc pro Gem45 mount 90x120s lights, Darks and bias frames https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/73c4a3d3-3e6d-41f2-aa17-018af1b551b3/Ron+Comet.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Comet Leonard By Ron Bernknoph - Dec 7 Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard). This fast-moving comet won't be seen again and has taken over 35,000 years to get here. I took 40 images and it just about moved off-screen while doing the shots. I woke up at 4:15 am to capture this in the eastern sky. The captured image was 10x 90 seconds. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e03f1744-5cd0-4c22-b668-91392e04436b/Ron+Crab.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out I do this one a few times a year. This is Messier 1 (The Crab Nebula) in the constellation Taurus. This is a remnant of a massive supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054 AD. This is 2 hours of data. Nice detail in this one even with the 1/2 full Moon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/6592f694-ccf8-4f5c-a3c7-2b6aa5bcf0e1/Ron+Orion.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Orion Nebula By Ron Bernknoph - Dec 13 My 1st attempt on the Orion Nebula this year. I merged the center with a less bright image to bring out more detail in the heart of the nebula because it is so bright it is very hard to shoot the trapezium and have it show in images. (I usually shoot at ISO 1600. The center was shot at ISO 100 then merged). This is located as the center "star" of Orion's knife off the belt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7ff67a12-c51e-4ae6-b869-90ffe362076e/ron+moon.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - The Moon By Ron Bernknoph - Dec 14 I haven't imaged the Moon in a long time. Tonight, I took out my ETX-90EC and had a go at it. I think it came out nice. This is 64 stacked images using Registax software. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a7bd38f3-270c-40f1-9086-df5d148666d2/Ron+Horsehead.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Horsehead and Flame Nebula By Ron Bernknoph - Dec 27 Located in Orion close to Alnitak (the left most of the 3 stars in Orion's belt). These 2 Nebulae are about 1500 light-years away. This is a 30x 5 minutes image. Celestron AVX / 6" Newtonian combo. Canon T6 DSLR w/ L eNhance Filter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3493f652-a0e3-4b1d-a11a-7c38b9261052/Matt_M_Orion.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Orion and Running Man Nebula By Matthew Michota - Dec 27 Messier 42, The Great Orion Nebula, and SH2-279 the Running man nebula. Astrophotographers see it all the time, but for others, it's a big emission nebula and stellar nursery in the "sword" of Orion, just under Orion's Belt. It's about 1344 light-years away and about 24 light-years or 140 trillion miles across, it is visible to the naked eye and even small telescopes and binoculars reveal detail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b88620c9-8185-4884-90ad-d11324c7e22a/Schanck_Observatory%2C_Rutgers_University%2C_east_view.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - The Daniel S. Schanck Observatory is a historical astronomical observatory on the Queens Campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and is tied for the seventh oldest observatory in the US alongside the Vassar College Observatory. The two-story observatory was designed by architect Willard Smith. The cornerstone of the Observatory was placed in 1865 and construction was completed in 1866. It was named after New York City businessman Daniel S. Schanck, who donated a large portion of the funds to construct and equip the observatory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/61fe1d3c-0e90-43f8-b03f-ef2ff5fcbb00/download.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - The centerpiece of the observatory, a 150-mm (6-inch) equatorial refractor telescope manufactured by Georges Prin of Paris and donated to Rutgers College by John Wyckoff Mettler in 1929. Restored to operation during 2016-2018 through the efforts of Rutgers alumni, friends of the university, and Rutgers' Department of Physics and Astronomy. Since the completion of the renovation, alumni and volunteers have hosted daytime guided tours of the historic observatory and vintage telescope on special occasions, such as Rutgers Day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1639886896449-BWL4A9EYPF4S91YPLQ0W/Ron+Holiday.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Ron Bernknoph https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1639886853209-9FGNLOK43XTRVI9ULWIK/John+1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - John Endreson https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1639886873981-EA0969FU869ZBK0S2E4R/John+2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - John Endreson https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1640564781702-E75U6782BW6HO8NX2OFE/270125609_4517519311704031_4483484476743839322_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627394262267-PE47WCHHETPGNQ5YAKAF/astronomy+radio.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Astronomy & Space Theme Music “Paul Weller - Andromeda” Paul Weller explained: "It's about someone leaving a dying planet. I love the image of the last verse: 'My mood gets lifted with the gravity's pull/Looks like I'm smiling but I'm dying too.' It's just about us mirroring our surroundings." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8b77304c-bf90-4094-a9db-7d95ef1f4786/C2021A1_Leonard_28oct2021-678x381.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Comet Leonard C/2021 A1 By Jim Webster While all the focus comet wise has been with 67P these last few weeks, the next one will be taking over the interest of many of us very soon for a short time. It is anticipated that Comet C/2021 A1 will be brightening enough to be viewable to the naked eye, worst case by binoculars. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d64bf7f7-15c7-4b88-b199-0bae1f8ab158/Comet+C2021+A1_Dec6_2021.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bef46705-fa55-4577-aa3b-d235c924decf/86164cc4-73f3-4ca2-99db-27dbd3bc96fe_1.fcbc3e09c52b87baa8328dcec9b58c4f.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - The amount of magnification is one more than the distance between the Barlow lens and the eyepiece lens when the distance is measured in units of the focal length of the Barlow lens. A standard Barlow lens is housed in a tube that is one Barlow focal-length long so that a focusing lens inserted into the end of the tube will be separated from the Barlow lens at the other end by one Barlow focal-length, and hence produce a 2x magnification over and above what the eyepiece would have produced alone. Celestron video on Barlow Lens. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - What’s Up: January 2022 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/629d7c2b-44c2-4531-b511-b7316bd29ada/Orion-Full-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 Northern Hemisphere observers can find Orion during January evenings in the east/southeast skies. Can you spot the Orion nebula with your naked eye, in Orion’s sword? How does it look via binoculars or a telescope? What other details can you discern? Please note that some deep sky objects aren’t listed here for clarity’s sake. For example, M43, a nebula located directly above M42 and separated by a dark dust lane, is not shown. Orion’s Belt and Sword are crowded, since they star-forming regions! You can read more in our November 2019 article Orion: Window Into a Stellar Nursery, at bit.ly/orionlight . Image created with assistance from Stellarium. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/57867798-6f9f-4205-8fac-e6ad133763ee/ZTF-FirstLight-Orion-Inset-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out The inset image is the “first light” photo from the Zwicky Transient Facility, a large survey telescope designed to detect changes in the entire night sky by detecting “transient objects” like comets, supernovae, gamma ray bursts, and asteroids. For many astronomers, amateur and pro alike, Orion is often the “first light” constellation of choice for new equipment! Image Credit: Caltech Optical Observatories https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632398881074-Z3QMKSCFKPSMBVNAM8FG/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Make it stand out More from Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1639885936990-NOVT6AP5YK1N7Q27ZDLX/ps04_4x6.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Hubble The Hubble Space Telescope travels through space with Earth in the background in this picture, taken after the fourth servicing mission in 2002. Credits: NASA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1639885972240-ETKUAXW6V5SK1EZB2KMI/hd_spitzer_side_visible.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Spitzer NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope has concluded after more than 16 years of exploring the universe in infrared light. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e03af4d8-35d6-4498-8226-40bc72e9e1d4/Tonights+Sky+January+large+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - Tonight’s Sky: January Northern hemisphere features beautiful views of Capella, a pair of giant yellow stars; Aldebaran, a red giant star; and two-star clusters—the Hyades and the Pleiades. Keep watching for the awe-inspiring space-based views of the Crab Nebula, the remains of a star that exploded as a supernova. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/698c5556-ffef-4ef9-a476-2033106aafdd/download+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online January 2022 - A Guide to Barlow Lenses for Astronomy Agena Astro Products guide to Barlow Lenses. Good information for both the beginner and seasoned observers. Agena Tutorial Facebook Webpage https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-december2021-nz3nm monthly 0.5 2021-12-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/7f9522ce-60b6-4c4c-ab23-a6473e5827ec/scistarter-logo-hi-res.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Jim Webster provided a brief overview of Scistarter which is a citizen science program that he has been involved with. Mostly for night sky light pollution study. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/af9066da-7005-425a-a54a-d562d0ff3e19/255734390_4356610414461589_4066487207633475658_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Make it stand out November 9 - Jim Webster provided a presentation on Beginners Astronomy at Cattus Island County Park. Turnout was only ten participants but this was due to COVID headcount restrictions. The included image was the completed setup prior to showtime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d03115ad-9f3c-4de4-aa25-2bbe99ae0e46/257918031_10161177697239008_6698240471033349600_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - November 20 - ASTRA Outreach Novins Planetarium With the James Webb telescope pending launch, the Novins Planetarium had a telescope day this past November 20, 2021. We were present for four of the five planned shows that day. Luci Street came out to assist and the days’ events were successful. We are hoping to participate in future events at the planetarium. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/e3dbcc52-5839-48b7-9f2e-3a9d9201cf68/Christmas+Tree+Cone+Nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Make it stand out The Christmas Tree Cluster ;) … image from Dean Salman via Astronomy.com NGC 2264 is the designation number of the New General Catalogue that identifies two astronomical objects as a single object: the Cone Nebula, and the Christmas Tree Cluster. Two other objects are within this designation but not officially included the Snowflake Cluster and the Fox Fur Nebula. Wikipedia Apparent magnitude (V): 3.9 Distance: 2350 ± 52 ly (719 ± 16 pc) Constellation: Monoceros Right ascension: 6h 41m Apparent dimensions (V): 20′ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d5fd8cad-d3f9-4d41-8dda-a800a05a81db/119968057_4324916547550519_1492642120193584153_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Make it stand out Design courtesy of my good friend David Rankin. Thanks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d74f8779-e59a-4e1d-b197-6477a266e888/16422541_1352441094798094_3500445648441630707_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - From Wikipedia: Loren C. Ball (born 1948) is an American amateur astronomer, who has discovered more than 100 asteroids while working at his Emerald Lane Observatory, built on the roof of his house on Emerald Lane, Decatur, Alabama. As of 2018, he has credit for 107 numbered designations with the Minor Planet Center at Harvard for the period between 2000 and 2004. None of them were co-discoveries. He is under contract with NASA through the University of Alabama in Huntsville to do outreach to school groups and organizations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8048d456-218a-4843-84b0-a9c32ff8fe22/257849726_4536970939671665_3282135678989296181_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - APOD: Light Pillar over Volcanic Etna (2021 Nov 15) Image Credit & Copyright: Giancarlo Tinè https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211115.html What is happening above that volcano? Something very unusual, a volcanic light pillar. More typically, light pillars are caused by sunlight and so appear as a bright column that extends upward above a rising or setting Sun. Alternatively, other light pillars, some quite colorful, have been recorded above street and house lights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1637598702090-52UNYXOSQWEUQ7H3NGR3/John%27s+ball+scope.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1637598714791-Y2GV0LSXZWPDO3O3AW5N/Skyball+2.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/aee273cb-c486-4c2d-973a-5c34151df37a/261844968_4823812114330918_9032576294221848014_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/baacb62f-1e3c-4313-b0c6-80b09042102d/262108621_4836911799687616_4880402536613827417_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/36b3a466-6dfa-4838-8cb7-76986c16b07d/M33_PS1_CROP_INSIGHT1024.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Messier 33 - Triangulum Galaxy Distance to Earth: 2.723 million light-years Radius: 30,000 light-years Magnitude: 5.72 Apparent mass: ~50 billion M☉ Stars: 40 billion Coordinates: RA 1h 33m 50s | Dec +30° 39′ 37″ Constellation: Triangulum Credits: APOD Nov 12, 2021 Bernard Miller https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a6cc98a0-ea95-44ec-ae94-896ffeec1235/M33-finder-chart-freestarcharts-e1635854586651.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/9831938a-3d56-4742-9621-781b52240c13/triangulum-m33-how-to-find-e1636622267669.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 earthsky.org https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a5e65b71-d9c6-4357-aa44-90e02545d1c4/44bcf52e70813422f257b54601db8f60.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Make it stand out To all our ASTRA members, families, and friends … Happy Holidays, and Merry Christmas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1638148027602-LNG4AZVSRWJG8K4RTOV3/256072898_10158163785425880_462969853303745256_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1638149006733-HRKZS7N5N6TUOXQN85CR/132407544_3813138828731590_1059455782189457449_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1f7f454e-2c8a-424f-aa1c-003fc3674640/132723437_3817677488277724_6589701202539209587_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Make it stand out Apollo 8 Christmas Eve message December 24, 1968 … YouTube. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a0c60030-c6c3-4ee9-abcb-222f575a6374/Ron_M33.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - M33 - Triangulum Galaxy By Ron Bernknoph - Nov 2 M33 is located in the triangle-shaped constellation Triangulum, earning it the nickname the Triangulum galaxy. About half the size of our Milky Way galaxy, M33 is the third-largest member of our Local Group of galaxies following the Andromeda galaxy (M31) and the Milky Way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8e1a3de4-9d2b-4f48-8462-e70e415915e2/Ron_Orion.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Orion Constellation By Rosemarie Spedaliere - Nov 5 Good Morning Orion! Cell Phone image. Orion is a prominent constellation located on the celestial equator and visible throughout the world. It is one of the most conspicuous and recognizable constellations in the night sky. It is named after Orion, a hunter in Greek mythology. Its brightest stars are blue-white Rigel and red Betelgeuse. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/75bba061-166a-41ed-a3df-5f7843c22752/Ron_Skull+Nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Skull Nebula - NGC 246 By Ron Bernknoph - Nov 5 It is a few days past Halloween but this is NGC 246, otherwise known as "The Skull Nebula" in the constellation of Cetus. It is a planetary nebula of a star that is now the center white dwarf. This is about 1600 light-years away from us. This was a stacked image of 49x 3-minute exposures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/702d1f42-14c0-4163-9611-e14765491cd8/Ron_Veil+Nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Eastern Veil Nebula - NGC 6992 By Ron Bernknoph - Nov 5 The wispy filaments of the Eastern Veil Nebula are a part of a larger overall network of nebulae in the area of the sky, called the Cygnus Loop. 49x 180-second exposures. I enjoy shooting this one as it is so colorful and really interesting looking. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b130ef73-4b7a-4308-b8f4-d1a8c1302679/Ron_Dumbell+Nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Dumbell Nebula - M27 By Ron Bernknoph - Nov 8 M27 resides more than 1,200 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. These types of nebulae are formed when evolved giant stars eject their outer envelopes, exposing the hot core of the star, ionizing the surrounding cloud of expelled material with ultraviolet light. The clouds keep expanding until they dissipate into the surrounding space. 47x 180 seconds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f575cf5c-2913-4d4c-b673-133871a9645b/Matt+Horsehead.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Horsehead Nebula - Barnard 33 By Matthew Michota - Nov 8 The Horsehead Nebula is a small dark nebula in the constellation Orion. The nebula is located just to the south of Alnitak, the easternmost star of Orion's Belt, and is part of the much larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/f0121286-6e41-43b0-aef0-f795ba7b7acf/Matt+Comet+67P.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Comet 67P By Matthew Michota - Nov 8 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko is a Jupiter-family comet, originally from the Kuiper belt, with a current orbital period of 6.45 years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/892e1ef3-792d-48c5-93fb-47820206932f/Ron+Ring+Nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Ring Nebula - M57 By Ron Bernknoph - Nov 12 The Ring Nebula (M57) is a planetary nebula in the constellation of Lyra. 34x 3 minutes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/42936100-276b-44b4-83f8-a670b2554f83/Matt+Horsehead2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Horsehead Nebula - Barnard 33 By Matthew Michota - Nov 8 Reprocessed by Ally Nudo - Nov 15 APO Editor: I would like to welcome Ally to the league of Astro imagers. Great image processing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/25424a24-59e2-4b99-9d77-a887b64cf827/Matt+Cignus+Wall.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Cygnus Wall - NGC 7000 - Nov 15 By Matthew Michota & Ally Nudo The Cygnus Wall, a portion of the North American Nebula (NGC 7000) in the constellation Cygnus. Astrotech 102edl APO w/ .8 reducer ZWO asi2600mc pro / Ioptron GEM 45 Optolong L Enhance Bortle 5, Gillie park in Lacey, First Quarter Moon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627394262267-PE47WCHHETPGNQ5YAKAF/astronomy+radio.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Astronomy & Space Theme Music “Gustav Holst - The Planets” For our December issue of APO, we’ll feature the full concert of The Planets at the Proms 2016, as performed by Edward Gardner and the National Youth Orchestra. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/b60c8e1b-b167-43bd-ae1d-404e2a0740fa/Gustav-Holst-1921.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Gustav Holst Gustav Theodore Holst, born September 21, 1874, in Cheltenham in the UK was an English composer, arranger, and teacher. Best known for his orchestral suite The Planets, he composed many other works across a range of genres, although none achieved comparable success. Holst died in London on May 25, 1934. For more Wikipedia & Britannica. Edward Gardner leads the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the CBSO Youth Chorus in a performance of Gustav Holst's The Planets with Colin Matthews' supplementary piece "Pluto, The Renewer." Recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall on August 6th, 2016 as part of Prom 29. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8b77304c-bf90-4094-a9db-7d95ef1f4786/C2021A1_Leonard_28oct2021-678x381.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Comet Leonard C/2021 A1 By Jim Webster While all the focus comet wise has been with 67P these last few weeks, the next one will be taking over the interest of many of us very soon for a short time. It is anticipated that Comet C/2021 A1 will be brightening enough to be viewable to the naked eye, worst case by binoculars. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d64bf7f7-15c7-4b88-b199-0bae1f8ab158/Comet+C2021+A1_Dec6_2021.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1638360458182-6239MGRYHT3QIBBU2UBW/712jz3J9BsL._AC_SL1500_.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1638360473954-GKNZIDGBSYHBT6UZP4NY/1636544807_IMG_1639770.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - What’s Up: December 2021 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ac8c7cac-6947-4d88-a588-6e2f7de03340/EMChart-HubbleWebbSpitzer-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Make it stand out Webb will observe a wide band of the infrared spectrum, including parts observed by the Hubble - which also observes in a bit of ultraviolet light as well as visible - and the recently retired Spitzer Space Telescope. Webb will even observe parts of the infrared spectrum not seen by either of these missions! Credits: NASA and J. Olmstead (STScI) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/89e193c6-8e78-43b6-b3d3-88adc731e8d6/WebbHubbleComparison-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Make it stand out Webb will follow up on many of Hubble’s observations and continue its mission to study the most distant galaxies and stars it can - and as you can see in this comparison, its mirror and orbit are both huge in comparison, in order to continue these studies in an even deeper fashion! Credits: NASA, J. Olmsted (STScI) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632398881074-Z3QMKSCFKPSMBVNAM8FG/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Make it stand out More from Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c606e35a-dcf1-4cd0-ae1a-c86965dab245/Orion_WheelPhoto_896.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Make it stand out The Dark Sky Wheel, showing the constellation Orion at six different limiting magnitudes (right), and a photo of Orion (left). What is the limiting magnitude of the photo? For most observing locations, the Orion side works best on evenings from January-March, and the Scorpius side from June-August. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/d956bcaa-ed73-4832-b3eb-73abbd1d6b4a/Tonights+Sky+December.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - Tonight’s Sky: December Step outside on a cold December night when the stars shine bright to find the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, and Cepheus. They will help you locate a binary star system, a fan-shaped open star cluster, and a variable star. Stay tuned for space-based views of a ragged spiral galaxy, an open star cluster, and an edge-on galaxy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ebcd2a4c-e237-4ac9-9677-54a7a89fc979/Celestron.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online December 2021 - How to Buy Your First Telescope Just in time for the holidays. Celestron free PDF guide to buying your first telescope. Good information for both the beginner and seasoned observers. Celestron Facebook Webpage https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-november2021 monthly 0.5 2021-11-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635272902865-JDTJEO3A1ZWN5GHU8T6V/TheGreatTurkeyNebula1024.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Make it stand out The Great Turkey Nebula ;) … APOD 2020 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634854302487-TRBDPNF33J8DXEPV6NOC/244749114_1701927953332556_153839667225080300_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634858225764-YEDLQNLH9HGX111YZSJ1/Something%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bwing%2Bagain.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634854405901-VXM4FW45VIPKJ3DDIFXR/245225411_6245740788801567_3727736331906459978_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634854440657-GNXI54632ZC2495NYA51/245780377_2186461144826986_870232619323390462_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Make it stand out APO Editor: This one is my favorite. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634859264609-22BO35FOGBPX30YB2IFK/meteor-bc-20211011-1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - For this Canadian woman recently a meteorite decided to pay her a visit. The linked article from Space.com highlights her scary experience. Space.Com More can be found at the Vancouver Sun. A meteorite rests on Ruth Hamilton's bed after it crashed through her ceiling while she slept on Oct. 4. PHOTO BY RUTH HAMILTON /THE CANADIAN PRESS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635443572643-PUS6XQICX19FSHQ16ZNO/20211028_134310.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635443561410-I60VHNB987TW675TGIVL/20211028_134321.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635265146208-AJQ1U1NYZUCULR8MT20A/248757480_4716927435019387_1827893053703343093_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ae1a9617-4149-4d33-99a3-720e1e4f46c6/251990620_4739823482729782_2203177851580436101_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634866923983-E44K7O076PZ29KLVM062/The+Pleiades+Sam_11_9_18.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Messier 45 - Pleiades Star Cluster Distance to Earth: 444.2 light years Radius: 17.5 light-years Constellation: Taurus Coordinates: RA 3h 47m 24s | Dec +24° 7′ 0″ Apparent magnitude (V): 1.6 Length: 444 light-years skyandtelescope.org Other designations: Seven Sisters, M45, Cr 42, Mel 22 Credits: Sam Granovsky ASTRA - Nov 9, 2018 Explore Scientific Ed102 FCD100 Modified Sony Nex-5N Celestron CGEM II 10x90sec @ ISO 800 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634867320322-MN4DEJ15LSX3PQNSZOOU/M45_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634867707652-D6YQ5KQQD5Z7PNOB9A7X/IMG_5268Kelly_KICK_LRedit-2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 Widefield image from Jim Webster in October of 2018. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634857850515-VTMQKT75YKJB20NBFGVM/246418702_6283625248346454_3281008926801588251_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634857932355-45KXCM0IGBKTWK0C4W7C/facebook_1632922981170_6848975391614029460.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634858112976-DF6VON4DRS5R1TF9QFOH/175155999_10218975985419335_6984662091710217908_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634853321773-V167UBSYHD7YH1O1VWK3/Ron+M13.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Globular Cluster M13 By Ron Bernknoph - Oct 11 I started my Astrophotography season with Globular Cluster Messier 13 (M13). This is also known as the "Great Hercules Cluster". This is over 100,000 old stars tightly packed. 11x 5-minute exposures using Celestron 6" Reflector / AVX Mount Combo and Canon T6 DSLR. Stacked in DSS and processed in Gimp. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634853589607-HU33YCVN5981PKIQHRXF/Ron+Western+Vail+Nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - The Western Veil Nebula By Ron Bernknoph - Oct 17 For October and in time for Halloween, this is also called "The Witch's Broom" Nebula. This is the second time I imaged this. 22x 300secs. Stacked in DSS and Processed using Gimp software. 6" reflector and AVX mount. Canon T6 w/ L EnHance Filter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635196227602-EKOWIS108AMZED4DA4HO/Ron+Bubble.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Bubble Nebula - NGC 7635 By Ron Bernknoph - Oct 21 The "Bubble Nebula" The bubble, caused by the stellar wind of a super hot central star. Lots of nebulosity in the area. This is 20x 5 minutes using my 6" reflector/ AVX combo. The camera is a Canon T6 DSLR. The "Harvest Moon" made processing this really tough. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635446199327-BAV7UK37J9ERF42FTMEP/_MG_0199_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635446208679-057TIIT9KB6IP9K9JUX0/_MG_0200_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635446217840-HUJ6RZZPP4JJO8AIGFTS/_MG_0203_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635446224216-5SHIYGVVYCHR016T0J5V/_MG_0223_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635446232605-2UWSLIFJ2UITXYM2ZQYG/_MG_0349_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635446242198-3TLV7LNKVEZYV3892GH9/_MG_0365_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627394262267-PE47WCHHETPGNQ5YAKAF/astronomy+radio.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Astronomy & Space Theme Music “Mars” For our November issue of APO, we’ll review something new. First played in 2019 on the Chain of Thorns album a fairly new band Liliac released an original song MARS. Note: The video starts with a solo and the song Mars will start at 2:35. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635197781501-JLQ967SEBRTFY3T04XG0/ida+handout.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - The International Dark Sky Association also has a question and answer article: darksky.org https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635888355848-0UA92XA5F5JD7T519ENR/SkyShedPod.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635888319865-CVRPVHOHI0V9SZ5449H9/20210923_161314.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635888322036-Y384Y8840HDX0O5LITG0/20210923_161250.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - What’s Up: November 2021 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/234689bd-c1f3-492f-80d2-ce5563919172/HandyDegreesweb.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Make it stand out APO Editor: Image updated Nov 6, 2021 from NSN resubmission. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634857405023-ZBGF8CYUKRQLHHM0C505/UrsaMajorDegrees-Web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - The entire asterism stretches 25 degrees from Dubhe to Alkaid - roughly the space between your outstretched thumb and pinky. On the other end of the scale, can you split Mizar and Alcor? They are separated by 12 arc minutes - about 1/5 the width of your pinky. Keep practicing to build advanced star-hopping skills. How far away is Polaris from the pointer stars of the Big Dipper? Between Spica and Arcturus? Missions like Gaia and Hipparcos measure tiny differences in the angular distance between stars, at an extremely fine level. Precise measurement of the heavens is known as astrometry. Discover more about how we measure the universe and the missions that do so, at nasa.gov. Image created with assistance from Stellarium. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634857709047-VJRWLJA04SQUWYFWIK6W/245902592_4682681255110672_2070049826746041417_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632398881074-Z3QMKSCFKPSMBVNAM8FG/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Make it stand out More from Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634865607083-12QH3SBOROZNP7O5SSVR/Gminids_896_AsimPatel.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Make it stand out photo courtesy Asim Patel/Wikimedia Commons https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634863051684-YZ64MPOTJ13RY8VJRE2C/Staring_at_the_Milkyway_galaxy_in_TrysilNorway_8961.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Make it stand out Staring at the Milky Way in Trysil, Norway-a family wrapped up for a very cold winter! photo courtesy Wikipedia user Timothy Boocock https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634863182731-PCYJUXWU3HSXZLQV5FX1/XIIamjd.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Make it stand out Karim Agabi bundled up for some observing in Antartica https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634864251941-M99RAYWBXCPUD7SVCI5E/images+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1634864257824-C2DCAPUO2BMMUUMDWYI4/images+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635193773612-V7G9SMXKNE580QXD9Q1X/Tonights+Sky+November.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Tonight’s Sky: November In November, hunt for the fainter constellations of fall, including Pisces, Aries, and Triangulum. They will guide you to find several galaxies and a pair of white stars. Stay tuned for space-based views of spiral galaxy M74 and the Triangulum Galaxy, which are shown in visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1635265238962-HJ4FS7HGT8B6AN1RH98I/HighPointScientific%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online November 2021 - Fall & Winter Comets 2021 A free guide to observing the Fall and Winter Comets, that may be interesting for you to explore. HighPoint Scientific Facebook Webpage https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-october2021 monthly 0.5 2021-10-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631826251070-3L98TAIJYZRE7PMAX1MU/20210903_194834.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631826266115-6KARP0LK2SYTSJF0DU6L/20210903_195512.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631826778325-QU6GNX21AY87LUMDU2C8/20210910_191908.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631826781000-L4R70HIO5QIUD73R76UU/20210910_192105.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631826783412-39LOF7TV6NF9F9636WOF/20210910_192102.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631569905827-E8MWRKS2MW14R5L84HM8/68104_394296490654079_1720010724_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Red and Rover by Brian Basset Follow the adventures of 10-year-old Red, a boy who dreams of one day going into space with his dog. Facebook https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631570506058-QDMPI86OGYMU3S02R03Q/101331942_3014338305316538_708842141266214912_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631570541434-OM1LDMX678N9JF8MZ3TT/240902348_256820179777403_9039855735622259790_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Make it stand out Red and Rover started May 7, 2020 Red and Rover on nasa.gov last updated 2011. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631830286948-ESM1YFJV75JQ9NQU84MA/242283153_10160207727270832_6029972930464202577_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - According to those engaged in the effort, humankind stands at a precipice from which there will be no return. “A Great 21st Century Space Rush is now underway by commercial enterprises and the military, fomented and enabled in the U.S. by the FCC [Federal Communications Commission] and other U.S. government agencies to grab, deploy, transform, and own the Heavens for private gain, defense, and weaponization.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631830678987-O922JK2DJ0J4O7MDYYDW/starlink-n-350x240.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Not a distant threat The SAS Foundation, together with the “Appeal by Astronomers” supports the Società Astronomica Italiana petition initiative against the night-sky light pollution. Starlink satellites are visible in a mosaic of an astronomical image. Courtesy of NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory/NSF/AURA/CTIO/DELVE) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631830853939-ADD5UD3PFVAHUP00AM41/leonard_david_fl2010c-241x300.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - About the Author - David Leonard Leonard David is a space journalist, reporting on space activities for over 50 years. Leonard is the author of the new book, Moon Rush: The New Space Race, published by National Geographic in May 2019. Mr. David is also the author of Mars – Our Future on the Red Planet published by National Geographic in October 2016. The book is the companion volume to Mars – a National Geographic Channel television series in its second season from executive producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. Leonard is co-author with Apollo 11’s Buzz Aldrin of Mission to Mars – My Vision for Space Exploration released in May 2013 and published by the National Geographic Society. A soft cover edition of the book with a new essay was released in May 2015. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631829913759-YDP7PNAQCZPM8E4I7VY5/20210910_192009+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - An Oldie but Goodie By Gary Moshier This issue of APO ASTRA Member Gary Moshier showcased his home-built six-inch reflector telescope. When I was 13 years old I was sick in bed with the flu, or whatever kids got in those days. My dad felt sorry for me so he bought me a magazine called Mechanix Illustrated and this particular issue of MI contained an article titled "How to Build a Six-Inch Reflector Telescope." My dad and I had always talked about building a telescope together, and so this article became our instruction manual. The first thing we did was send away to Edmund Scientific in Barrington, New Jersey, to order a 6" Mirror Grinding Kit. Gary at September 10, 2021, ASTRA Meeting & Star Party at Island Beach State Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631829985205-LS2EFJYQEHLXHXKO7A7V/20210910_192036.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Edmund began business as a war surplus house that sold lots of military optics, but soon became a great source of products for the Amateur Telescope Maker or ATMs as they were called. In addition to telescope parts and materials, they also manufactured a line of both reflecting and refracting telescopes that were fairly good quality but also a little on the pricey side. A 6" reflector with an equatorial mount sold for about $250, which in 1957 was a lot of money. That's why most amateur astronomers in those days built their own. Edmund also sold a variety of booklets to help ATMs build different types and sizes of telescopes. These publications were developed by one of their designers named Sam Brown. His designs were excellent and simple to build and his drawings and instructions were easy to follow and extremely informative. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632255703548-LXREBROMT7KYYSDVSTPH/GARY+POLISHING+MIRROR.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - The Mirror Grinding Kit included all the parts necessary to grind and polish the primary mirror including a 6" diameter x 1" thick Pyrex mirror blank, a plate glass "tool" blank, about 8 assorted abrasives in various sizes from coarse to fine, polishing rouge, and a pound of pitch to make the pitch lap for polishing. The kit cost $12, which even at that time seemed like a good price. We picked up an old grease barrel from a gas station down the block, filled it with sand, added a plywood top, and that became the mirror grinding stand. My job was to grind and polish the mirror. It took about 40 hours walking around that barrel, grinding and polishing to complete the mirror and then we sent it away to have it aluminized. We bought most of the other parts that made up the optical tube assembly from Edmund Scientific. We made the original alti-azimuth mount and tripod ourselves from 1-1/4" pipe fittings and maple for the legs (a year later my parents surprised me at Christmas with an Edmund Equatorial Mount). Gary Polishing Mirror https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632256240800-K4PQ5CKEC17IQDEMSJNF/6_+SCOPE+W_ORIGINAL+MOUNT.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Make it stand out Gary’s Telescope with its original mount. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632255810208-S3IOMIMOLB4Q5GL35N9D/GOLDEN+HAMMER+AWARD.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - About four or five months later I was in the magazine store across the street from our house perusing the latest issue of MI and was flabbergasted to see a picture of my telescope on page 128. We had won the Golden Hammer Award! A few weeks later the actual hammer arrived in the mail along with a really nice certificate. I treasure that hammer to this day because it was such a great father-and-son project. Golden Hammer Award https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632255996140-CVAHJ9JUIJL7I7BI9UPE/6_+SCOPE+TODAY.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - And so, about five years ago, I reacquired the telescope and gave it another upgrade. I installed its third set of optics (GSO primary and secondary mirrors), replaced my old Ramsden and Kellner eyepieces with Orion Plossls and installed a 9x50mm right-angle finder telescope. This was around the time Suzie and I joined ASTRA and the telescope never worked better. Most people that look through it are impressed by its clear, sharp images and the quickness in setting it up (which only takes about 5 minutes). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632915096331-5RD9LWK52LJGNVKQW07M/242598585_4391301117626013_6814242623943321800_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632915136184-YCBQAXS5IWTL3HFHUSXG/242405492_4391301067626018_1067302554219927842_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631586100822-MRGWVKLDM6UK8DPVI2PH/globular-star-cluster-M15-apod.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Messier 15 - Dense Globular Cluster Distance to Earth: 32,620 light-years Age: 12.01 billion years Radius: 88 light-years Coordinates: RA 21h 29m 58s | Dec +12° 10′ 1″ Apparent magnitude (V): 6.2 Constellation: Pegasus Credits: apod.nasa.gov - Oct 17 2018 Bernhard Hubl (CEDIC) Central European Deepsky Imaging Conference https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631586472454-1S5KNQHHPKO5WFUQWUCX/M15_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631586818826-0TTBYD1FSOGGL237C5DV/m15_0.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Approaching naked eye visibility under excellent conditions, M15 is easily seen with binoculars appearing as a mag. +6.2 "fuzzy star". A 100mm (4-inch) telescope at low power (40x) reveals a uniformly lit disk, while high powers (>100x) hint at a resolution of some of the outer stars. When viewed through a larger 200mm (8-inch) scope, M15 looks like a large bright diffuse ball of light with a dense compact center. Many stars are resolved in the outer halo, the brightest of which shines at mag. +12.6. Larger instruments do even better. Image Source: Stellarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631587647177-N7X464W239KCF7O84J7F/Pease+1_m15wide1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631587665293-AA06Y2CLBJ0R5B68B0F0/Pease+1_m15hst_finder5.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631587671605-T77BHN5VTVPWUGIYMVPS/m15ps1_hst01.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631828242667-AYMOB932BV1N8WDG0XMH/39976713_10216507558339596_6767282507462213632_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631828145188-BMY4YKFDOCUTFUC6ZJ69/181231568_10208873234543756_2642759760531893423_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631878584497-YCFNEL2H7OJ4I5H98ATX/241748441_10224394796830666_1554700083795116777_n+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632259794646-958P4G2V24DK8NBRURR5/241970106_4711984965500588_6107794647052654554_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Elephant Trunk - IC1396a By Matthew Michota - Sept 14 The Elephant's Trunk Nebula is a concentration of interstellar gas and dust within the much larger ionized gas region IC 1396 located in the constellation Cepheus about 2,400 light-years away from Earth. Wikipedia Ioptron GEM45, Ioptron Skyguider Pro, Astrotech 102mm APO, William Optics Redcat51, Baader Neodymium Moon and skyglow, Optolong l Enhance. Each image is around 1-2 hours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632259811406-85R2Z1KDO1TDBMNSRRAK/241998920_4711987248833693_8402546212873503172_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Heart Nebula - IC 1895 By Matthew Michota - Sept 14 The Heart Nebula, IC 1805, Sharpless 2-190, is some 7500 light-years away from Earth and is located in the Perseus Arm of the Galaxy in the constellation Cassiopeia. It was discovered by William Herschel on 3 November 1787. It is an emission nebula showing glowing ionized hydrogen gas and darker dust lanes. Wikipedia Ioptron GEM45, Ioptron Skyguider Pro, Astrotech 102mm APO, William Optics Redcat51, Baader Neodymium Moon and skyglow, Optolong l Enhance. Each image is around 1-2 hours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632261059161-0HR9AHB55SXGLZ4DOG7O/242010265_4711987162167035_2934235190096902125_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Bubble Nebula - NGC 7635 By Matthew Michota - Sept 14 NGC 7635, also known as the Bubble Nebula, Sharpless 162, or Caldwell 11, is an H II region emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia. It lies close to the direction of the open cluster Messier 52. The "bubble" is created by the stellar wind from a massive hot, 8.7 magnitude young central star, SAO 20575. Wikipedia Ioptron GEM45, Ioptron Skyguider Pro, Astrotech 102mm APO, William Optics Redcat51, Baader Neodymium Moon and skyglow, Optolong l Enhance. Each image is around 1-2 hours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627394262267-PE47WCHHETPGNQ5YAKAF/astronomy+radio.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Astronomy & Space Theme Music “Space Oddity” In 1972 David Bowie wrote Space Oddity after seeing the 1968 movie A Space Odyssey. The song tells the story of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut who cuts off communication with Earth and floats into space. For more go to songfacts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631732054243-J56UDSAOAE189P4K2DNE/716397main_iss034e009787_full.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Chris Hadfield - Astronaut, Singer Chris Austin Hadfield is a retired Canadian astronaut, engineer, science communicator, singer, and former fighter pilot. The first Canadian to walk in space, Hadfield has flown two Space Shuttle missions and served as commander of the International Space Station. The image is linked to his version of David Bowie's song Space Oddity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632254394788-EVZ7IY4VWF8Z7B9IVRFA/IMG_20210921_095450.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Make it stand out Figure 1 shows the layout for lunar maps. Detailed drawings on the right and brief discussion of the feature and a short biography of the person to whom the feature is named on the left. "The Atlas Of The Moon" is well worth seeking out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632254539455-TVOOTQXX3AUXFLY5UFQS/IMG_20210921_095559.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Figure 2 is a closeup of the map area in Figure 1. Figure 2 indicates the Apollo 15 landing site and the rill. Rima Hadley. I have seen the rill as a silvery thread on nights of excellent seeing at the proper illumination with a 4" f10 refractor at 143x. I hope everyone gives the Moon a chance. It is better than watching TV. And, please consider getting the "Atlas Of The Moon.” — Vic Palmieri https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - What’s Up: October 2021 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631832228374-3S9P7SC9YU3W4Y3HMP24/FunnelPhotos-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - There are more ways to observe the Moon than you might expect, just using common household materials. Put on a pair of sunglasses, especially polarized sunglasses! You may think this is a joke, but the point of polarized sunglasses is to dramatically reduce glare, and so they allow your eyes to pick out some lunar details! Surprisingly, wearing sunglasses even helps during daytime observations of the Moon. Sun Funnels in action! Starting clockwise from the bottom left, a standalone Sun Funnel; attached to a small refractor to observe the transit of Mercury in 2019; attached to a large telescope in preparation for evening lunar observing; projection of the Moon on a funnel from a medium-size scope (5 inches). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1631832407063-VJNPW2YAFFIUYMRZHC9U/Moon_Map_2021_Northern_Page_5-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Make it stand out You can download and print NASA’s observer’s map of the Moon for International Observe the Moon Night! This map shows the view from the Northern Hemisphere on October 16 with the seas labeled, but you can download both this map and one of for Southern Hemisphere observers, at: bit.ly/moonmap2021 The maps contain multiple pages of observing tips, not just this one! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632257387469-4T2WSTN908P02CXEV77W/_MG_7298+Cropped.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Image 1 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632257403983-KAQ17YDSOHZAWJOD91NS/_MG_7300+Cropped.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Image 2 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632257421530-87OZG1PRW09T2G47F33Q/_MG_7307+Cropped+Square.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Image 3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632258051082-O63UM6AJWHU5NJIPL5NS/67629188_2231974916925160_8648964923163934720_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Make it stand out Williams Optics Z61 scope with the Canon Rebel T6s / ISO 200 / 1/160sec https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632258253790-B56ZEZCC2BASA6W43R7K/67770188_2237705536352098_9057690976172113920_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632258285188-HEIKBU0UZCXIBN9CNNNY/68658857_2237704726352179_7672435895747739648_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632259143609-ZS3T7UPTIEB3RQAOA5UL/20190709_202553.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Image 1 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632259182326-6MNWLEM9N63HERQYQLQA/51206396_1906006652855323_2047041637305024512_n+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Image 2 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632259195144-3ZUTUBDO7LFKV9CBDO38/51092639_1906006542855334_7458888193350303744_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Image 3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632259231578-U5VYTAL13HVIS97J0LH0/50560853_1906006319522023_4503514565543198720_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Image 4 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632398881074-Z3QMKSCFKPSMBVNAM8FG/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Make it stand out This video was distributed on Youtube by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632399301903-B1KO8ZIFGOXH8NEEJYMI/dart-poster3_.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Mission Several months ago we had a presentation on Astroids and we touched on the DART mission related to hazardous asteroid defense and the steps being taken for it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632914352746-C03V9F83I1QL098XKOSF/Tonights+Sky+October.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Tonight’s Sky: October Crisp, clear October nights are full of celestial showpieces. Find Pegasus, the flying horse of Greek myth, to pinpoint dense globular star clusters and galaxies, and keep watching for space-based views of M15, NGC 7331, and the Andromeda Galaxy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1632262289127-GN8DC81WVTMB8F40KZHK/Celestron.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online October 2021 - Observing the Fall Sky A free guide to observing the Fall Sky in the Northern Hemisphere, that may be interesting for you to explore. Celestron.com Facebook Webpage https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-september2021 monthly 0.5 2021-09-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629234120748-KGAMG22UHZYCPB9Q1UME/20210813_201854.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629233829112-7S7SY19JKNOJ56PAC9SC/20210813_201815.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629234025289-AT9KJTS5BVUGTR0KWGEG/J1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629233128592-BD69BVOB36RMV9N1BXVP/1ZvR.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Both August 7, Jake’s Branch, and the August 10, Lavallette Yacht Club star parties were called due to bad weather. With luck, we will get back into Jake’s Branch soon. At the Yacht Club, we waited for as long as we could hoping it would clear. We were able to provide an overview for them and give the kids a constellation cutout to display at home with flashlights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629234552729-Y5LHXA3IWN5XAYSUC3LX/230738558_10209072410565612_4061501143921211570_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629234558344-SGZKC4QVAK69XQTOHVOE/232824783_10209072410965622_8107090125045811176_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202453586-TGG186EAB68UO29TZUY3/Group+photo+1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202589145-506JQ9R5Z9C45XTDOQOL/1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202589222-YAQ49HN2FTPZJCUC38PP/2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202589917-UBNO7H3ANAX2UZX0SNZN/3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202590293-KM5725247JKAOV4F5JUO/4.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202590537-62GJUVSO6NEHX32JNV3R/5.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202591058-6KO9DBFSR1SXA28RL66F/6.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202591269-U5IOI06CM19D119FFYAL/7.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202591644-X82WQ9TYAOE4BJLUZTGV/8.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202592406-ZIFAC73NW48ZIC6CK6P1/9.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202592243-FPP0127IB6ZZNMRHOD15/10.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202592800-0ZJ7OCP2ROZHS9K7W6VV/11.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202593084-Y2GUEJP40J5G3CPM4X0X/12.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202593450-QY9I6M018WAMW2ZSVIRE/13.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202703821-F4QPKV2FJNITBVFJWUWO/IMG_3429_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202593646-PZFN9BBEWNJG4BE4FF4E/14.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202707110-2GBU3YAZ3OXQJH7DPXPB/IMG_3437_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202594088-OS8KNEBI3994PVWGHLF9/15.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202710591-030OCL12OJI24CNA5E6T/IMG_3453_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202781238-5GEZR2H2VZUZDGIVG0K3/IMG_3460_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202594366-X7JNEAK9W8VAAM6T9BBB/16.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202713673-UQVJ1GSF363Y14N0X0QZ/IMG_3456_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202785133-K3U4NC8AL6IK12E8X6BV/IMG_3461_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202594688-H9CE1YZBGL5F9UP2OI18/17.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202716598-6GCUQG5P4HSJSL7D5M32/IMG_3457_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202797921-ZGX86CLK4TERI5I7QR83/IMG_3463_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202595247-KU6KIMNQLNC1C57E53N4/18.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202792333-QP3BOJGOMBCJIVHBIMDQ/IMG_3470_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202595344-TL2VZFQVXOFYEL26N4X0/19.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202798062-B9KBP6S3QC7LMJUVVV8U/IMG_3471_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202596291-SUCPOXOWNMOA95HG2TIX/20.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202872415-FQGKTU21TH15LAAPUWBF/IMG_3487_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202945765-0T90QP5IJP7C97YBXO9B/IMG_3497_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202596080-84W5I2M5C5HUYW95LPUD/21.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202808033-SQM199OQJUGTB62RWW2L/IMG_3475_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202955407-ISOFEFAQIBRVY4NO60QU/IMG_3498_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202596684-T8BVT9QR1GJZCL3KSDAS/22.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202811687-CUFGF45NKW57TJ92SE87/IMG_3480_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202815018-H1YUWEKBEXZX9UHC0CKJ/IMG_3489_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202967123-IR32VD52Z36MZG2WWIP7/IMG_3499_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202597194-48BV2BOTYDZSYZRHQZEQ/24.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629202596865-Q3JNO1RS6Q6EQ0PKLBYX/23.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629203016592-A02CKL1M0BPGKO6GYT23/IMG_3512_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629203027265-0DUQZVSIX7MUHIX2OAID/IMG_3513_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629203063599-AI3Z2W6576GBSRVAK2SC/IMG_3514_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629203067692-T147RW85TM8KC5X1HIEJ/IMG_3517_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629203072076-D4PYGXHVA9IH4EC37MDM/IMG_3518_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629203075769-NZMOGBGF3GSQHV5V3TV4/IMG_3519_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629203006666-D0IJVSQIINHF62IZWKYK/IMG_3503_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629203849773-2AQTK48YN8G94RVFCLCC/IMG_3505_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Thank You to our wonderful host. We would like to thank both Jackie and Geoff for hosting our picnic at their home. We had a great time due to their incredible effort. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629227313830-KN5E7DEF8B28HK9Q4RPZ/Perseid_Meteor_Shower__8_11_15_JoshuaTree_896.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Image of a Perseid meteor streaking over Joshua Tree National Park Image Credit: Brad Sutton/National Park Service Were you ready for the Perseids? Their peak was expected to be on the night of August 11 through the morning of the 12th, with good viewing to be had the nights before and after. Sadly for our area, we only had one good night on August 12 and it was awesome. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629228439316-R09EVPIH3TRW5EW39HMV/236244966_10209073362389407_5378072715290767423_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Sadly August 11, 2021 viewing was not to be for ASTRA. Heavy cloud cover prevented us from any possible chance of seeing even one. Image by Rosemarie Lahosky Spedaliere. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629228875518-1QJ904K0FFQ3UM0T8O6N/IMG_2912_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - August 12 2021 had proven to be a much better day for all members that were with us at Island Beach State Park. The sky was good to us and we had some heavy meteor activity early in the evening then regular intervals were seen along with some telescope activity. Yes, some of us did bring our telescopes out. It’s easy to understand why as we’ve had minimal opportunities this summer to use them. Image by Jim Webster https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629231891476-TAZ5VOGEEOLC3WNKZEOS/Marzena_Rogozinska_Poland.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Make it stand out apod.nasa.gov, August 14, 2021 - Island Universe, Cosmic Sand Image Credit & Copyright: Marzena Rogozinska Astronomy Picture of the Day - From the early hours after midnight on August 13, the 30-second exposure image, of the night sky over Busko-Zdroj, Poland records the colorful and bright trail of a Perseid meteor. Seen near the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower it flashes from lower left to upper right. To the right of center, is M31 or the Andromeda Galaxy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629236575987-263CZVL3Q6H1RJM5X2H0/IMG_2912_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629236579307-1CL0FKA6FXA07BPO9IJ5/IMG_2929_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629236582804-F25B3QUQAAKUZ3D4AR0Y/IMG_2955_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629236586084-VU7REWS84EYTCGZ5WD3C/IMG_2988_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629236589796-SXASCOE8BQ0LAI33NZQG/IMG_2993_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629236595335-3ZBO1FI14XNSQ6EF0PXZ/IMG_3118_JPW_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629665454570-GADH2RKF5SMVFN8LEZFR/5619954.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Images from Canon D80 / 14mm Rokinon Lens. Region of space, identification was established using Astrometry.net. For the Perseid Meteor Shower Jim Webster had his Canon D80 with the 14mm Rokinon Lens was pointed up to the region as identified above. Identification was established from Astrometry.net. Center (RA, Dec):(306.837, 31.653) Center (RA, hms):20h 27m 20.812s Center (Dec, dms):+31° 39' 11.492" Size:87.7 x 58.5 degRadius:52.707 degPixel scale:52.6 arcsec/pixelOrientation:Up is 65.6 degrees E of N https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629230358676-8WIGABCLLQVQAO01S0Q8/260px-Animation_of_109P%EF%BC%8FSwift%E2%80%93Tuttle_orbit.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Comet Swift-Tuttle Comet Swift-Tuttle, the source of the Perseids Meteor Shower, is a large comet that requires watching and has been registered as a NEO (Near-Earth Object) APO Editor Note: For more on NEO’s please refer back to APO from July 2021. Animation of 109P/Swift–Tuttle orbit from 1850 to 2150. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629231333350-LPA4BG6T1FXF8OZIUXY8/260px-Animation_of_Comet_Swift%E2%80%93Tuttle_in_2126.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Comet Swift-Tuttle has a nucleus that is 16 miles (26 kilometers) across. (That is more than twice the size of the object hypothesized to have led to the demise of the dinosaurs.) Animation of 109P/Swift–Tuttle's close approach to Earth in 2126. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629142856962-NCWHJJRMC36UDPGWG5B2/The+Astronomer+Maple+Films.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - The Astronomer - Sci-Fi Film Late one night while working in an observatory, an astronomer and his assistant discover that several stars have disappeared from the night sky. YouTube https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629167036271-K756T94NR8ELQRNF8FPF/J1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - This issue of APO ASTRA Member and Club President John Endreson showcased the 13.1 inches truss tube Dobsonian telescope “Gene Machine.” The “Gene Machine” was a member-built Dobsonian telescope by Gene Russo. Sadly Gene passed away on December 7th, 2010. The “Gene Machine” is a Do-It-Yourself telescope build and it has some great optics. Dobsonian telescopes are popular with amateur telescope makers for their ease of design and construction, portability, and use of large optical mirrors. Pioneered by John Dobson in the 1960s, the instrument combines a Newtonian reflector telescope with a unique two-axis movable base. It uses a primary mirror to capture and reflect light, a secondary mirror to direct light into an eyepiece, and a focuser to make fine adjustments for viewing. The telescope’s size is classified by the size of its mirror. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629167088008-1AWQHHL62CRQIYFT816W/j2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629167103661-BPPU792R59QJU3L3J6AC/j3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629167125275-XE3D6BQB519GJN846LVI/20210813_195124.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629167150958-2I89YEE53EXNW2XBFYK3/20210813_194833.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629167321871-WXGKRHO4R9Y3BH577A6C/j6.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629167360671-CRY3VBVZ0PRK8T1C09TC/Gene+Russo+small.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629168440960-H2E4W5UN8OHB27O6W15D/Screen-Shot-2015-08-24-at-9.53.33-AM.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Similar telescope is the Obsession 12.5 f/5. Sky & Telescope had this to say: "Portability is definitely one of the 12.5-inch Obsession's biggest assets. The instrument is remarkably rigid. The optics in the Obsession really delivered. The views were remarkably crisp and bright. Star test showed the primary mirror (made by Optical Mechanic Inc.) to be first-rate. The scope has curved-vane secondary mirror support which means that bright stars are free of diffraction spikes, something I find quite appealing. The bottom line is that the 12.5-inch Obsession is a ruggedly built, portable scope that should deliver first-rate views for a lifetime." Obsession Telescopes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629817542071-DLZPW4PRIJHSIRHOHWQQ/239374034_4298967130192746_4736098535744764784_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629817579756-7EQ8GI1W2MFY90GAVH9A/239216843_4298967033526089_4916293712137127097_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629160538688-WA5KP2V7J6XLO5UEIR64/APOD_2003_m11_cfht.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Messier 11 - The Wild Duck Cluster CONSTELLATION: Scutum DISTANCE: 6120 light-years MAGNITUDE: 5.8 - 6.3 (depending on the source) RADIUS: 12.5 light-years AGE: Estimated 220 Million years Credits: apod.nasa.gov Jean-Charles Cuillandre (CFHT) Hawaiian Starlight https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629160603253-UZGC33ENFX3E3BPLK3MW/M11_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629160650589-V94CBLRDUKQT2CR688GC/messier_11.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - An open star cluster is a group of stars that formed from the same giant cloud of mostly molecular hydrogen. These massive clouds, often called stellar nurseries, are so dense that gravitational forces form compact conglomerations of molecular hydrogen that continue to contract until fusion reactions in the stars’ centers ignite the birth of new stars. Initially, the young stars are loosely bound together by gravity but they will eventually disperse over time. The lifespans of open clusters are also relatively short compared to those of globular ones; stars in open clusters are spread further apart and are thus not as strongly bound to each other by gravity, causing them to be more easily and quickly drawn away by stronger gravitational forces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629160766635-3B83VL3U6E1TRQTPOS41/232245307_4458819664163500_236668227526985558_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629161106769-KA2QKLNLIG4WYWBA1FNT/67581508_10218932708569888_4852598194418221056_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629240559694-HYOGFLJFXOENOAYB3FNH/IMG_2135.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Milkyway at Seaside Park By Elizabeth Schultz Elizabeth took this image just outside of Island Beach State Park. An excellent location that your APO Editor has to try to image from. Elizabeth has an excellent eye and command of foreground imaging with the Milkway. Canon EOS 7D Mark II Tokina AT-X 11-20mm f/2.8 PRO DX Lens at 11mm ISO – 3200 Aperture – f/3.2 Shutter – 15 seconds Edited in Snapseed with HDR filter. Location 24th Avenue beach access, Seaside Park, NJ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627394262267-PE47WCHHETPGNQ5YAKAF/astronomy+radio.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Astronomy & Space Theme Music “Rocket Man” In his own interpretation of Elton John’s iconic hit, Iranian filmmaker and refugee Majid Adin reimagine “Rocket Man” to tell a new story of adventure, loneliness, and hope. This rendition was posted on YouTube on May 22, 2017. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - What’s Up: September 2021 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629577022196-W7U0TRZD0AD9UV517SPA/FindAndromedaGalaxy-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Make it stand out Spot the Andromeda Galaxy! M31’s more common name comes from its parent constellation, which becomes prominent as autumn arrives in the Northern Hemisphere. Surprising amounts of detail can be observed with unaided eyes from dark sky sites. Hints of it can even be made out from light-polluted areas. Image created with assistance from Stellarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629577127865-E2MKFJHBNDN5HL95RZW0/AndromedaGalaxy-Halo-HubbleQuasarStudy-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Make it stand out While M31’s disc appears larger than you might expect (about 3 Moon widths wide), its “galactic halo” is much, much larger – as you can see here. In fact, it is suspected that its halo is so huge that it may already mingle with our Milky Way’s own halo, which makes sense since our galaxies are expected to merge sometime in the next few billion years! The dots are quasars, objects located behind the halo, which are the very energetic cores of distant galaxies powered by black holes at their center. The Hubble team studied the composition of M31’s halo by measuring how the quasars’ light was absorbed by the halo’s material. Credits: NASA, ESA, and E. Wheatley (STScI) Source: https://bit.ly/m31halo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1630013013928-APEP3C9N520DOWPKTQ8Z/Casiopeia-Double+Cluster+11-2016+%282%29.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Make it stand out Canon DSLR piggybacks on 4” William Optics APO. Chester VA, November 2018. 18 to 200mm zoom set at 24mm; 3 min exposure; f/3.5; ISO 800. Losmandy GM-8 GEM mount (digital drive, but not go-to). Phil likes this image since it puts M31 in a nice size, brightness, and location relationship with Cassiopeia and the Perseus Double Cluster. APO Editor Note: I have to agree with Phil. I have a liking for wide-field deep-sky photos. There is that special something about the vastness of space in relation to the many objects you can get in them. Well done, Phil. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1630013069913-NKBE98IDKS4NAT8ZF5QM/M-31++3-min.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - By Phil Zollner - November 2015 Canon DSLR at the prime focus of 4” William Optics APO. f/7, ISO 800; Chester VA, November 2015; 4 min. exposure, manually guided. Losmandy GM-8 GEM mount (digital drive, but not go-to) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629580292302-NNQM4PH14WP0BJ3AMR5U/Sam+The+Andromeda+Galaxy+11_9_18.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Make it stand out The Crown Jewel of ASTRA member photos … By Sam Granovsky - November 9, 2018 Telescope: Explore Scientific Ed102 FCD 100 Mount: Celestron CGEMII Camera: Modified Sony Nex-5N Reducer/flattener: Stellarvue 0.8x reducer/flattener 15 x 3-minute exposures, ISO 800 Stacked in DeepSkyStacker, image processing in Photoshop, Gradient Xterminator + Astronomy Tools Action Set https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629579118228-7HCM7N1UBNY8NDW11I10/AndromedaTest3_Moon_LRedit_Adjusted.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - By Jim Webster - August 2021 M31 Andromeda Galaxy, M110 faintly above M31. A wide-field image is a stack of 20 and cropped. Canon 80D, not modified Canon 28-105mm lens at 105mm, f:5.6, ISO 3200, 90 seconds on an iOptron Skyguider Pro mount. Adjusted in Lightroom and Photoshop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629581347778-X62W4900NYEFGA6WGJ9B/D80.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - By Jim Webster - October 19, 2019 Imaged Andromeda at IBSP. Not as good as the August 2019 photo. Was dealing with some wind, mount, and tripod issues. Canon D80, not modified Samyang 135mm SkyguilderPro Stack of 12 images https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629725269986-G8RV5QTV7PUYS45WFIWA/Tonights+Sky+September.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Tonight’s Sky: September In September, Pegasus becomes increasingly prominent in the southeastern sky, allowing stargazers to locate globular star clusters and a nearby double star, Alpha Capricorni. Keep watching for space-based views of densely packed, spherical collections of ancient stars in visible and X-ray light. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629394369704-ZAUA9FVUEHZWJJFEDC1F/AmateurAstrophotography+Logo+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online September 2021 - Amateur Astrophotography A free current issue of Amateur Astrophotography magazine every month, that may be interesting for you to explore. Amateurastrophotography.com. Also available via their Facebook. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-august2021 monthly 0.5 2021-08-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621811861558-V0G847XU8HWWBNBH5WY9/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Robert J. Novins Planetarium Announcement The Novins Planetarium is pleased to announce that they will begin a phased reopening of in-person events beginning this June. To show our appreciation for their support of ASTRA please visit the planetarium website and purchase some show tickets. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627067588281-9H8BAPQTA9W08KNXF3H2/217963443_10208994513538235_7951441078070111893_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Make it stand out On July 16, 2021, some of our ASTRA members were having a Night Out Among the Stars at Island Beach State Park, too bad the wispy clouds rolled in. We were there in support of IBSP After Dark the park runs during the summer. This event will be wrapping up shortly with only three remaining. August 6, 13, and 20 as long as the weather holds. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627174592913-2MY1FRQJYHLIBI4SQUQ1/224686557_4019303788192255_5460864399010971467_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Fox visitors Fox visitors https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627174611146-HP6V4IBR922RR94B7VCY/20210723_202600.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Group Photo Group Photo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627174680203-9BDOVOI8ZTSGCZEOY8YM/20210723_202608.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Helping find the full moon. Helping find the full moon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627828783573-P4EYHMQR73N0XEM89GV9/AG1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627828783710-OE5ZL7WI05J5AHMM1H60/AG2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627828783962-2OKVJFR4UC6WGKF8H02Y/AG3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627069349940-DAG989F8HEJZ6VLNTT38/John+Zimmerman_Pegasus1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Make it stand out Image from Learn the Sky. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627074993001-KLOX8JBKCIP22CY8FQBK/pegusus_chart_300.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Our July club presentation was by our newest ASTRA member John Zimmerman on the constellation Pegasus. Pegasus is best seen in October and November, but can also be observed in September. To observe Pegasus it is best to see it from 8 PM to midnight from September to November while facing northeast. Like the Big Dipper, the Great Square of Pegasus isn’t a constellation. Instead, it’s an asterism or noticeable pattern on our sky’s dome. The Great Square is used much like the Big Dipper to help you find other sky treasures, the most notable being the Andromeda Galaxy. Our May virtual club meeting on May 14 had a low turnout as it was competing with a great weekend for getting out and enjoying the weather along with the easing of some of the COVID restrictions. We had a show & tell event for the membership this month along with a discussion of the upcoming Solar Eclipse and the club’s Island Beach State Park Permit. We also highlighted some upcoming county park presentations for the fall. Hopefully, by then all COVID restrictions will be removed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627069204003-K6ONT3BV7N17U6FBEC1Y/201650557_555250946009861_5234843416659328850_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - There are four bright stars that make up the great square of Pegasus, Markab, Scheat, Alpheratz, and Algenib. Markab is 130 Light Years away from Earth. Scheat is 200 Light Years away. Alpheratz is 97 Light Years away and is also part of the constellation Andromeda. Algenib is 390 Light Years away and connects the head to the rest of the visible body of Pegasus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627076996307-SKLG993QHH53BS6L989C/202226733_239404144255378_3250866239845340646_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - In Urban areas, you can’t really see much, but far away from city lights, you can see many stars within the constellation. With a telescope, there are plenty of deep-sky objects in the constellation of Pegasus as well, such as the spiral galaxy NGC 7331, the Seyfert galaxy NGC 7742, Einstein's Cross – a quasar, or Stephan's Quintet – a cluster of galaxies, among others. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627076928674-81014XTN650Q3XM858TO/66707294_1825890614180495_1241484494754545664_n.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Another famous imaging of Pegasus was associated with The Steve Miller Band album Book of Dreams. John’s favorite song on the album is Wish Apon a Star. Full YouTube Album link for Book of Dreams. YouTube song link Wish Apon A Star John Zimmerman's full presentation on Pegasus can be found on our club YouTube in the first eighteen minutes of the July Presentation here. APO Editor Note: This month’s Night Sky Network article in this issue of APO is also associated with the constellation Pegasus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627228222066-D2YB44LOU62AH7RSN2WN/DSLR+Astrophotography+Intro+Page.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627228228795-XSU8XQWRCNL8ZXI2M356/DSLR+Astrophotography+Deepsky.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627228240403-TBAGFE8GBZH1RMSBRV2N/DSLR+Astrophotography+Light+Pollution.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627223467589-4HVSKTC61D0KVG84MCHV/Learn+The+Sky.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Learn the Sky - How to Find Pegasus Pegasus is a seasonal constellation that is best seen in the autumn months in the northern hemisphere. The asterism known as the Great Square of Pegasus is the easiest pattern to spot in the constellation and in the autumn sky. Explore the stories behind this star pattern and discover the easiest ways to find this constellation. How to Find Pegasus Learn the Sky YouTube Series Learn the Sky Webpage https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627224596261-CJOB49ABNUATLZ3MG79M/_Einsteins+Cross_APOD.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Einstein Cross The Einstein Cross can be found in Pegasus at 22h 40m 30.3s, +3° 21′ 31″. This system was discovered by John Huchra and coworkers in 1985. Amateur astronomers are able to see some of the cross using telescopes; however, it requires extremely dark skies and telescope mirrors with diameters of 18 inches (46 cm) or greater.[7] Image: NASA APOD - December 17, 2017 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627298940034-0RU2NI1B39CIPUFLITF2/ama1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - American Meteor Society Web Link Facebook link YouTube https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627170426503-U3ZCY61R14WJNVX912G3/20210617_203217.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - This issue of APO ASTRA Member Vic Palmieri shared some details with us on his telescope that many of us are familiar with. From personal experience in viewing objects, this is a very fine setup surpassing some viewed objects when compared to Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes. The telescope is a 4" f9.8 achromatic refractor purchased with the equatorial mount in 1999. Several years later the RA drive motor and hand controller were purchased. The telescope, mount, RA motor, and hand controller are Vixen Optics products. The finderscope is an 8 x 50 GSO model from Agena Astro. The 1.25" focuser adapter and 1.25" prism diagonal are from Baader Planetarium. The oak tripod was homemade. Vic is an excellent craftsman and if you haven’t seen this setup you're missing an excellent treat. Next time we have a public star party take the time to see it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627170495197-CHW0X33FHMVQIZC2AD6W/20210617_204238.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Homemade controller stand. Homemade controller stand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627170496554-X3D7O54HTQ4DVBO4VA0B/20210617_204303.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Homemade tripod tray. Homemade tripod tray. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627170498837-KXHKUYVAO9IPJJY9ZDYU/20210716_200505.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Mastercraftsman at work on his tripod. Mastercraftsman at work on his tripod. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627389922216-6418I1I3SNQLP7W1I2SJ/221966220_4207912079298252_8847719216376408730_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627389957654-ER41LFENFXDQ1I3F5QCH/223433452_4207911979298262_7825217663894589707_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629160038189-K1I8L8OLSSL0HBZZVR0C/m020_rooisand_cdk_3500x2500.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Messier 20 - Trifid Nebula CONSTELLATION: Sagittarius DISTANCE: 5200 light-years MAGNITUDE: 6.3 RADIUS: 21 light-years AGE: Estimated 300,200 years Credits: apod.nasa.gov Franz Hofmann, Wolfgang Paech https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629160298314-UXA3MOA0MD5Z1PHIO8TU/M20_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627180131978-LC1DSLUVORO97X4U5QG2/Which+End+%283%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627390118480-OQC22A0JU88AX83W3ANE/182325278_3994610680630024_2195611638733432692_n+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627186499826-2SJREGOVL72D1D3YVBE6/Matthew+Michota_image2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Messier 8 - Lagoon Nebula By Matthew Michota - July 18 Matthew took this image of the Lagoon Nebula with an Ioptron GEM 45, Astrotech AT102EDL, ASI533mc pro, ASI120mm for guiding, ASIair Pro. Optolong L- enhance. 30x 120s / 20x darks / 20x bias / no flats The Lagoon Nebula is a giant interstellar cloud in the constellation Sagittarius. Classified as an emission nebula and as an H II region. Discovered by Giovanni Hodierna before 1654 and is one of only two star-forming nebulae faintly visible to the eye from mid-northern latitudes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627186541682-75XIYVJF2TDLQ973PT6N/Matthew+Michota_image3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Messier 16 - Eagle Nebula By Matthew Michota - July 18 Matthew took this image of the Eagle Nebula with an Ioptron GEM 45, Astrotech AT102EDL, ASI533mc pro, ASI120mm for guiding, ASIair Pro. Optolong L- enhance. 40x180s / 20x darks / 20x bias / no flats The Eagle Nebula, is an emission nebula, a young open cluster of stars in the constellation Serpens, discovered by Jean-Philippe de Cheseaux in 1745–46. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627186626974-66OBTMDBWLZ0SV0QJXSJ/Matthew+Michota_Trifid.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Messier 20 - Trifid Nebula By Matthew Michota - July 18 Matthew took this image of the Trifid Nebula with an Ioptron GEM 45, Astrotech AT102EDL, ASI533mc pro, ASI120mm for guiding, ASIair Pro. Optolong L- enhance IR cut. 30x60s / 20x darks / 20x bias / no flats The Trifid Nebula is an H II region in the northwest of Sagittarius in a star-forming region in the Milky Way's Scutum-Centaurus Arm. It was discovered by Charles Messier on June 5, 1764. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627394262267-PE47WCHHETPGNQ5YAKAF/astronomy+radio.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Astronomy & Space Theme Music “Under the Milky Way” By Australian alternative rock band The Church, released “Under the Milky Way” on February 15, 1988, appearing on their fifth studio album Starfish. Written by bass guitarist and lead vocalist Steve Kilbey and his then-girlfriend Karin Jansson of Curious (Yellow). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - What’s Up: July 2021 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627222628128-XUEUIIQ69AYNZB4A1NLJ/Great+Square+of+Pegasus+-+Aug+2021-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Make it stand out While the stars of the Great Square of Pegasus are not as bright as those of the Summer Triangle, they still stand out compared to their neighbors and make a great foundation for exploring this area of the night sky. Note that the brightness of the stars near the horizon is exaggerated in this picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627222960112-TISP47YLA2QYZ5L2QOL3/NASA_StephanQuintet-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Make it stand out Stephan’s Quintet is one of the most famous deep-sky objects in Pegasus. First discovered in 1877, it contains the first galaxy group discovered (which includes 4 of the 5 galaxies making up the Quintet) – and has been studied extensively ever since. One day this group will merge into one super galaxy! While famous, these galaxies are hard to spot in all but the largest backyard telescopes – but are a favorite target of astrophotographers. Take a virtual flyby of these galaxies with a tour created from Hubble data at: bit.ly/quintetflyby Credit: NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon, J. DePasquale, F. Summers, and Z. Levay (STScI) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627080310670-PKRIXXCUN4GK3FNWA2LU/Tonights+Sky+August+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Tonight’s Sky: August In August, a flock of star-studded figures soars overhead. Look for the Vega and Lyra constellations, which point to Epsilon Lyrae and the Ring Nebula. You can also spot three bright summer stars: Vega, Deneb, and Altair, which form the Summer Triangle. Keep watching for space-based views of these and other stars and nebulas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1627239714170-EVKWJOL2CFSO99YLC9OY/Kennedy-Space-Center-Visitor-Complex-Astronomy-Magazine-logo.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online August 2021 - Astronomy Magazine Has free downloads that may be interesting for you to explore. Go to Astronomy.com. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-july2021 monthly 0.5 2021-08-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621811861558-V0G847XU8HWWBNBH5WY9/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Robert J. Novins Planetarium Announcement The Novins Planetarium is pleased to announce that they will begin a phased reopening of in-person events beginning this June. To show our appreciation for their support of ASTRA please visit the planetarium website and purchase some show tickets. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624321206938-X1XBY1MTHXUMIYM2JTS7/ASTRA+and+NOVINS+Planetarium+Staff.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Make it stand out On June 10 2021, some of our ASTRA members and staff of the Novins Planetarium met at Seaside Park for our first event since COVID for the solar eclipse. We all had a great time getting together again doing what we love. It is safe to say we are all looking forward to getting out there as the shackles of COVID are loosen up further. Many photos were already posted to the club’s Facebook page. Some solar eclipse images will be posted in APO Astrophotography section. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624322359053-TWMXQDIJATRSKSGSL22G/Asteroids_June_11_2021.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Our June club presentation was by ASTRA member Jim Webster on Asteroids. In the 1960s and ’70s as a kid learning about our solar system, I was taught that asteroids were nothing more than broken up rocks in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. In Jim’s research for this presentation, it has proven to be so much more. Below are some highlights from our June presentation. Our May virtual club meeting on May 14 had a low turnout as it was competing with a great weekend for getting out and enjoying the weather along with the easing of some of the COVID restrictions. We had a show & tell event for the membership this month along with a discussion of the upcoming Solar Eclipse and the club’s Island Beach State Park Permit. We also highlighted some upcoming county park presentations for the fall. Hopefully, by then all COVID restrictions will be removed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624323081033-N9NHX89OEG44JY505A98/trojan+asteroids.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Trojans: These asteroids share an orbit with a larger planet, but do not collide with it because they gather around two special places in the orbit (called the L4 and L5 Lagrangian points). There, the gravitational pull from the sun and the planet are balanced by a trojan's tendency to otherwise fly out of orbit. The Jupiter trojans form the most significant population of trojan asteroids. It is thought that they are as numerous as the asteroids in the asteroid belt. There are Mars and Neptune trojans, and NASA announced the discovery of an Earth trojan in 2011. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624323373598-9FZX7RAK8RO4O2ATZ89T/lucy.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Lucy will be the first space mission to study the Trojans. The mission takes its name from the fossilized human ancestor (called “Lucy” by her discoverers) whose skeleton provided unique insight into humanity's evolution. Lucy will launch in October 2021 and, with boosts from Earth's gravity, will complete a 12-year journey to eight different asteroids. No other space mission in history has been launched to as many different destinations in independent orbits around our sun. Lucy will be the first. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624323791557-P3TN0Z50BKEHJSGAZBTO/neo.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Near-Earth Asteroids Near-Earth Asteroids, NEA are also referred to as NEO or Near-Earth Objects. Are asteroids that have orbits that intersect with Earth’s orbit. Near-Earth Asteroids that approach Earth's orbital distance to within about 45 million kilometers (28 million miles) and may pose an impact danger. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624324178046-K9NDVDEDAMXQL0LZZTVG/dart.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) – NASA’s first mission to demonstrate a planetary defense technique – will get one chance to hit its target, the small moonlet in the binary asteroid system Didymos scheduled for 2022. Work is ramping up at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, and other locations across the country, as the mission heads toward its summer 2021 launch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624324337725-TAAN7O9DV0HV7GCTX9NM/asteroid+with+moon.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - More than 300 asteroids have their own moons, including quite a few with two moons, and a few that have three moons. The image to the left is of 243 Ida, and its moon Dactyl at 3 o'clock. Discovered by Johann Palisa at the Vienna Observatory 243 Ida was discovered September 29, 1884. It’s moon discovery was in 1993. 10199 Chariklo found in 1997, was the first ringed asteroid. Its rings were discovered in 2013. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624324630488-UJDHILJ4FCR2EM9PDQ0F/ceres.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Dwarf planet Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt and the only dwarf planet located in the inner solar system. It was the first member of the asteroid belt to be discovered when Giuseppe Piazzi spotted it in 1801. An asteroid for many years, Ceres is so much bigger and so different from its’ rocky neighbors that scientists classified it as a dwarf planet in 2006. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624394537082-BP6TSSCFF5IBD4JWO39Z/ta010302-lucy_320.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Lucy: Surveying the Diversity of Trojans Credit: NASA Dr. Hal Levison joined the NASA Night Sky Network on July 25, 2019, to share with us the plans for the Lucy mission to study the Trojan asteroids. Jupiter's swarms of Trojan asteroids may be remnants of the primordial material that formed the outer planets and serve as time capsules from the birth of our Solar System more than 4 billion years ago. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624394765252-AI96ESPM4DDUBP66CGFP/LucyPath.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624828704580-A8VPBR9RDVHN8SPUHFV1/Asteroid_16_Psyche_-47191.jpeg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Asteroid 16 Psyche A new study of asteroid 16 Psyche suggests that ancient ferrovolcanism, volcanoes that spewed molten iron, might have been present on this solar system object. Check out the June 17 article by Lauren Sgro in Sky & Telescope. Artist's illustration, asteroid 16 Psyche, is the subject of a new study by Michael Shepard. Courtesy of Maxar / ASU / P. Rubin / NASA / JPL-Caltech https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1625078214375-PAVYJJVF6H0OQGFWSL6K/asteroid+day.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - June 30 was Asteroid Day and you can see the video here from NASA YouTube. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624395623988-TEIX6P7W9EZE829SKICZ/Sam+on+Scope.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - On June 10, 2021, ASTRA Member Sam Granovsky was with the other ASTRA members at Seaside Park. He did not hold back on working on getting the best images possible for the solar eclipse. Sam has some of the best astrophotography gear around and knows how to use it to its fullest. Pictured are the following: Canon Rebel T6 Explore Scientific ED102 FCD 100 iOptron Cem 70 Celestron Power Tank Lithium Pro For the eclipse, Sam also used a homemade solar filter from Thousand Oaks Optical film. Below are the specifications for the Explore Scientific ED102 FCD 100 and iOptron CEM70 Mount. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624826577504-SFPZZJB8IZGL5UJJS6AK/July+Sky1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624826615654-48J0JDJTZI216PFVKUC6/July+Sky2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624407884041-ZU4IPWO9MY7ISFIB9ZAQ/The+North+America+Nebula+7_27_19.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - NGC 7000 North America Nebula CONSTELLATION: Cygnus DISTANCE: 25 million light-years MAGNITUDE: 4 APPARENT DIAMETER: 120 x 100 arcmin * Depending on the resource used, this measurement can be different. Credits: Sam Granovsky https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624402219121-MJEY6CQW8EYOJ67C6RXS/NGC7000_Finder_Chart.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624405031096-BYW54UYHTIHPY6OMNUR4/Godzilla+vs+Jim.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 APO Editor favorite, thanks Sam. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624826855702-6CLG4K6TD27DSKAQULXF/166182131_777076529600505_6551314456331494595_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624406573364-4KBX4PO7252L72HWXTDU/197422896_4798234200203166_3864440909311751754_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624833230193-PA0Z4F5ZWDM9YUYFYQ87/Solar+Eclipse+Jim.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Jim Webster Jim Webster https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624833287572-WJYKAHL7N3UMR3CZ5C4E/Solar+Eclipse+John.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - John Endreson John Endreson https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624833251495-FYIYKUDIVBQOAC359CY2/alexandra+eclipse.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Alexandra Granovsky Alexandra Granovsky https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624833300076-I2DDRAYD5VYS29HYD3ZL/sam+eclipse.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Sam Granovsky Sam Granovsky https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624409230726-U7Z47YNVDETSDA5XKZ2V/Ron+Moon.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Moon By Ron Bernknophf - June 16 Ron shot this image with just his Canon T6 DSLR and 70 - 250mm Canon EF Zoom lens. Single image cropped and processed in Gimp Software. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624408006740-G7Q2RW68K8MIJN1TC99G/Sam+Image.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Cygnus Region By Sam Granovsky - June 17 Canon 80D Sigma 50mm f/1.4 @ f/3.2 iOptron CEM70 Optlong L-Extreme At Island Beach State Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624410516149-7Z6M2XVT4G789HVGTWKU/IMG_2327_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Milkyway By Jim Webster - June 17 Jim shot this image of the Milkyway at Island Beach State Park with Canon 80D and Rokinon 14mm. It’s a single 20 second image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624410800969-4BBLSU0I0A4N6TD9Y0E4/_MG_9992_JPW_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Milkyway By Jim Webster - June 17 Jim shot this image of the Milkway at Island Beach State Park with an astro modified Canon T6S and Rokinon 14mm. It’s a single 20 second image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624409478703-PW9Q1X4EV04NSVQ4E978/Western+veil+nebula.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Western Veil Nebula By Matthew Michota - June 18 Matthew took this image of the Western Veil Nebula a few nights before posted date from his driveway within two hours of integration. Redcat51 APO ZWO Asi533mc pro w/ ZWO duo band filter Ioptron skyguider pro Guided. Captured w/ asiair 40x180s lights / 20x darks / 20x bias / No flats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624977869147-X2YXK4WBVWQQZDB0MMT4/OPT_Blue_-_with_Telescope_Authority_2x_3974ba73-ba71-4350-a541-78120e46dbe6_410x.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - OPT Telescopes Video Summer is here, and that means Milky Way season is among us. Watch as Mack Murdoc breaks down the top 15 Summer targets you can shoot during Milky Way season, along with fun facts, what focal lengths, filters, and much more to shoot them with. Don't forget to support the channel by smashing that like button! … Top 15 Summer Targets https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624844106143-XUB9CHC8LE0SYM2W2RDK/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Make it stand out This notification was distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624843834485-WXO1UX3EG5WVG3R8Y28W/ExoplanetWatch_896.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - From NASA's Exoplanet Watch Team: Dear Astronomers, We are writing to invite you to participate in Exoplanet Watch, a new exoplanet citizen science project funded by NASA’s Universe of Learning and led by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624827406845-HJNJHKTZPJPLFTZ2AKE4/IMG_2330+%281%29.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Philip Zollner - June 10 Eclipse The June 10th sunrise eclipse was really quite unique in several ways The geometry of it was influenced by its sunrise view from North America, and the fact that it happened so far north and so near the Summer Solstice. That meant the track on the ground started northeast and then looped back toward the northwest before leaving the Earth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624827369435-49MB7HGYKNANA3PTXXJ1/IMG_2335+%281%29.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624827376135-P53U8N0J60V72Q2SGXOG/IMG_2370+%281%29.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624827464117-FKOUPZGGP9VZFPO45ZGY/Simkover+5+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Interestingly, Phil’s fellow eclipse chaser, Howie Simkover, up in Ottawa actually saw the crescent horns reversed at sunrise (see Simkover photo). That’s because he was about 250 miles closer to the eclipse track, and (being farther north) had an earlier sunrise. The partial eclipse he saw as it cleared his horizon was about 20 minutes before the maximum eclipse and 20 or so minutes before we saw it in NJ. He did not have a clear horizon, so his photo is partially blocked, but it clearly shows a view much earlier view than we had in NJ. Howie Simkover submitted to Phil Zollner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624827750034-6YLARHKMQCRJO60ASXSY/Schirra-Speare+PA+image.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - The last image is from Schirra-Speare in Northeastern PA. For this last photo in PA, they did not have a very flat horizon and had to wait a few minutes before seeing the whole crescent. That meant their view was much the same as ours. Photo submitted to Phil Zollner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - What’s Up: July 2021 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624834875728-BBSYJ33EK8CKEKXELSGP/NASA_greatrift-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - To observe the Milky Way, you need clear, dark skies, and enough time to adapt your eyes to the dark. Photos of the Milky Way are breathtaking, but they usually show far more detail and color than the human eye can see – that’s the beauty and quietly deceptive nature of long-exposure photography. The Great Rift is shown in more detail in this photo of a portion of the Milky Way along with the bright stars of the Summer Triangle. You can see why it is also called the “Dark Rift.” Credit: NASA / A.Fujii https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624835163551-A7QX8RFZL7AUTSCO5752/NorthAmGalaxy-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Make it stand out If the Milky Way was shrunk down to the size of North America, our entire Solar System would be about the size of a quarter. At that scale, the North Star, Polaris - which is about 433 light years distant from us - would be 11 miles away! Find more ways to visualize these immense sizes with the Our Place in Our Galaxy activity: bit.ly/galaxyplace https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624931720601-5LI9LKGYV2UDQ2EPNOOD/IBSP+ASTRA+Area+15+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Island Beach State Park To see what is possible in capturing the Milky Way from Island Beach State Park, can be found on our club's YouTube channel. ASTRA YouTube https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1625146853845-44SM2C9OY4TTUK7WRNP2/IMG_3050Kelly_KICK_LRedit+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624838747809-PEQBIIVAETCMJD854K5X/barnegat+Lighthouse.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624842062599-SMEJKYVZLMOPBYYH9TWM/MM1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - The best dates and times to see or photography the Milky Way in New Jersey can be found on njspots.com. Here you can find a pdf chart for the US East Coast from capturetheatlas.com. This chart is based on Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania. For photographers, a great app for finding the Milky Way and plan out location photoshoots is from photopills.com and they have many other worthwhile guides. The Best Times to Spot the Milky Way chart image in this APO article is from starcircleacademy.com. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1625145652007-E3OR75F9EFAALCDSIVB4/Cherry+Springs+2019_1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Cherry Springs State Park in PA Milky-way time-lapse video from just outside of Cherry Springs can be found on ASTRA YouTube. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624905710081-E1K7XA3ZF9S7Y4KFBG4I/Tonights+Sky+July+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Tonight’s Sky: July Find the Scorpius constellation to identify the reddish supergiant Antares, which will lead you to discover a trio of globular star clusters. Keep watching for space-based views of these densely packed, spherical collections of ancient stars, as well as three nebulas: the Swan Nebula, the Lagoon Nebula, and the Trifid Nebula. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1624843221713-B8YV8W4PMJ6JV89KDJ2W/skywatcherusa.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online July 2021 - Sky-Watcher USA Has several articles that may be interesting for you to explore. Go to Sky-Watcher USA Blog. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-june2021 monthly 0.5 2021-08-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621811861558-V0G847XU8HWWBNBH5WY9/46777011_2169859353066155_2227714831090188288_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Robert J. Novins Planetarium Announcement The Novins Planetarium is pleased to announce that they will begin a phased reopening of in-person events beginning this June. To show our appreciation for their support of ASTRA please visit the planetarium website and purchase some show tickets. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1622594531100-VRRQKCPCHF5A4KKLIBG7/Orion_Meade.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - June 1, 2021 - Orion Announces Acquisition of MEADE Instruments For more information go to Orion Telescope & Binoculars website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621553413104-Z3LVP94C51JQ3IAIRNTS/Boats.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Make it stand out Our May virtual club meeting on May 14 had a low turnout as it was competing with a great weekend for getting out and enjoying the weather along with the easing of some of the COVID restrictions. We had a show & tell event for the membership this month along with a discussion of the upcoming Solar Eclipse and the club’s Island Beach State Park Permit. We also highlighted some upcoming county park presentations for the fall. Hopefully, by then all COVID restrictions will be removed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619006724145-VZJDAMKTNIZVAM6J765T/june%2B10%2Bsunrise.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Sunrise Solar Eclipse - June 10 We discussed at our virtual club meeting on May 14 the first solar eclipse viewable from North America since 2017, it will be viewable along the Jersey Shore early Thursday morning on June 10. Make sure your alarm clock is properly set so you won't miss it. The image is an extraction from Stellarium. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621638780482-PAGZQ32ZD23CJWXLYB1P/Eclipse3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - For our area, the sunrise on June 10 will be at 5:27 AM. We should have good viewing for almost two hours starting from then. The Eclipse should already be in progress as the sun comes up. We are planning on meeting at Lafayette Ave boardwalk, just south of the Sawmill in Seaside Park. Recommend getting there no later than 5 AM EST. We will have some solar eyewear if you do not have them already. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1622547791560-2XMXXIJKCRQ5AA0AWCZA/Eclipse4.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Make it stand out We are planning on meeting at Lafayette Ave boardwalk, just south of the Sawmill in Seaside Park at 5 AM EST … Image from Google Maps https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619090358319-JBRPU0JE4LPM65YM2VQT/June+10_0540AM.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Night mode image at 05:35 AM theskylive.com (Copy) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621640020568-DCB9OAULAL1JV6UO271V/wAnq5.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Partial Solar Eclipse Sample GIF Partial Solar Eclipse Sample GIF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621804028318-V289F1BTENW3MTDIBIOJ/May2021+Presentation_JPW_IntroAPO+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Make it stand out Club Show and Tell for ASTRA May 2021 virtual meeting with Rosemarie Spedaliere and Jim Webster. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621803989201-2MKYBRDKLD2NXGQBRWNZ/celestron_71238_eclipsmart_10x42_solar_binoculars_1480500427_1284463.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - EclipSmart from Celestron. EcipseSmart is a 10x42 Solar Binoculars sold by Celestron and is one of two models they have available. The other is a smaller 10x25. Whether for observing the upcoming solar eclipse or for everyday solar viewing, these Celestron binoculars are for you. View distinct solar details with the Celestron EclipSmart 10x42 Solar Binoculars. Multi-coated optics enable high-contrast images for displaying more solar wonders. Images viewed through these binoculars feature natural color representation for seeing the Sun's characteristics as they actually exist. Image and item can be found at B&H. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621807011211-79VTG2FB8MVAWQLSFQUU/ES-Earpieces-Gray-1120x176.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Make it stand out Image and more information can be found at eclipse.aas.org. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621807373447-OF9OBKXX62HRZU18R8FO/Allsky+Presentation+6.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - What is an Allsky Camera? It’s a specialized camera used in meteorology and astronomy for capturing a photograph of the entire sky. Sometimes referred to as Whole Sky Camera. It is possible to assess, in real-time, the night sky quality, and to record fast phenomena such as meteors and fireballs or slower objects such as satellites, rockets, and aurora. Jim’s particular camera is built to work either by WIFI via a Rasberry Pie 4 mini-computer or direct cable from the camera to a laptop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621807805685-XRPE4JMWBAHGHYGICUO3/Picture1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Some History: One of the early cameras for whole sky observing was Mueller’s whole sky camera from 1905 and was first reported in the 1915 issue of Monthly Weather Review and can be found on Wikipedia. The images to the right are from the Boyden Observatory and Naval Hill Planetarium, South Africa. Theodore Houck and his advisor Dr. Arthur Code from the University of Wisconsin arrived in 1953. They came to Boyden Observatory to set up a special wide-angle camera that could photograph the entire sky in one photo. The camera itself is located at the apex of the tripod and is looking down at the spherical mirror, giving it a field of view of up to 150 degrees. One of their photographs, taken in infrared light, showed the structure and center of the Milky Way in a way never before seen. Their photograph was widely reproduced. Photos Elske Smith. Boyden Observatory and Naval Hill Planetarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621808166784-64FZLOMCMDCLJN04KK6Z/Picture2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Other uses: The hemispherical lens was originally designed by Robin Hill (1924) to view the entire sky for meteorological studies of cloud formation. Hemispherical photography, also known as canopy photography, is a technique to estimate solar radiation and characterize plant canopy geometry using photographs taken looking upward through an extreme wide-angle lens or a fisheye lens (Rich 1990). Image from Wikipedia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621808771703-DN4BMCCLS246XGEFDUNL/Allsky+sample+diagram_rev2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Make it stand out The above is a simplified block diagram that shows the device can be used with either WIFI and the Raspberry Pi computer or direct cable from the camera to an available laptop. Currently, Jim is using an astrophotography program called Sharpcap 3.1 for testing. The video samples within the presentation did not transfer well to the Zoom recording so some are listed below. Skylapser videos on YouTube: Video 1 May 9, 2021 … Video 2 Aug 10-11, 2020 Perseids Meteor Shower. Lightning storm with Milkyway on Big Island in Hawaii from IfA Maui on YouTube Nov 4, 2013. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621810831266-7RN9PTYXX246KO9VTR2X/Picture4.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - The simplest setup for an Allsky camera is CMOS or CCD camera and lens on a tripod. This would require it being connected to a laptop to make the camera work as well as record the data. Most Astrophotographers would have the camera already. What is needed is a camera lens that can provide a large field of view. Everything from our presentation and mentioned here can be found at Allskyoptics.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621810062051-2M4NOIKFRTKBWS9VDKB6/Picture3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - The image to the right is from one such effort and can be found on YouTube. It was NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day on March 15, 2021. Credit goes to Thomas Ashcraft of the Radio Fireball Observatory in New Mexico and can be found on the attached YouTube link. This YouTube video is much longer than what we had for our presentation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1622299136395-ICREUHSZWK45P7E5JQ4R/john+scope1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Say hello to my little friend. Club President John Endreson has a new telescope and it’s big. Why go small when you can go big. John recently added to his family of telescopes a Meade LX200R 16” SCT, a monster size telescope. So it was only logical to get a monster size mount to handle its size, an iOptron CEM-120. The telescope's first light came on May 11 and wasn’t an easy feat as the total weight is at 287 lbs. John purchased a trio of casters from Home Depot to make the move from his garage to outside. His first deep-sky object viewed was M3 a globular cluster in the constellation of Canes Venatici. Now that COVID rules are easing and we’re able to get back out for star parties I am sure we will all waiting to experience a view of objects in this telescope. Wishing John the best of luck with it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1622319768420-MKOO6HX6YSTGYN9XDR41/lx200r%252Bspec.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1622302721064-D6HBHXDOTNSE0FXUKQQH/Ioptron%2Bcem120.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1622547956261-L7P5ZDJ5UWZV36DQB7K5/2020+June+151024_1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621898250076-QK54DSZBGNYIBG2757CR/2020+June+151024_2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1622590312775-0NX92FZEFQC4QWTH6GHP/M101.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - M101 - The Pinwheel Galaxy CONSTELLATION: Ursa Major DISTANCE: 25 million light-years MAGNITUDE: 7.9 APPARENT DIAMETER: 26’ x 26’ * Depending on the resource used, this measurement can be different. Credits: Hubble Image: NASA, ESA, K. Kuntz (JHU), F. Bresolin (University of Hawaii), J. Trauger (Jet Propulsion Lab), J. Mould (NOAO), Y.-H. Chu (University of Illinois, Urbana) and STScI; CFHT Image: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope/J.-C. Cuillandre/Coelum; NOAO Image: G. Jacoby, B. Bohannan, M. Hanna/NOAO/AURA/NSF www.nasa.gov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1622590999564-JZSEYO4KH7EKF8C96CGU/m101_position.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Make it stand out freestarcharts.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1622548037658-LPTPSUG1UOBQ8B9SEKSF/partial-solar-eclipse+%281%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 APO Editor’s home demonstration of the upcoming Solar Eclipse. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621556594551-NW8AHXM2Y96KL82AR6Z3/Funny+6.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 The Far Side of Astronomy … http://earthstar.htmlplanet.com/farside_art.htm https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621557821145-JAOJWRHX2A9S7FZ2MG8O/Ron_Dumbell_APOD_May10.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Dumbell Nebula (M27) By Ron Bernknopf - May 10 Astrophotography Photo of the Day TSS Astrophotography Photo of the Day for May 10. Ron is showing us why it's a good idea to keep your old data. As technology improves and your processing skills develop, it's nice to have some old data to play with. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618669068306-N4X8W668OQG0MOYDCECN/12+inch+LX200GPS.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Includes: Meade Large tripod and custom mounting plate Meade Superwedge Meade 8x50 optical finder Meade Electric Focuser Meade 2” diagonal mirror Meade Autostar hand controller, V4.2g Telrad with dew shield Bahtinov mask Petersen Engineering add-ons: EZ-Focus EZ-Grip handles EZ-DEC Clutch Eye Opener II, 2” Visual Back 3” Dovetail Rails top and bottom Counterweights Kendrick Dew Strap for 12” scope Kydex dew shield Thermal Wrap cover Messier Objects Ranked By Difficulty of Viewing by Tom Urbain, with data source by Tony Flanders. For more on this and other astronomy topics go to StarLust.org Added to our Astronomy tools page on the club website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1622303633690-GAQLU0JYKQ8PZD955NKF/distances.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Chris Savia submitted the Out of This Word Records image. This chart illustrates comparisons among the distances driven by various wheeled vehicles on the surface of Earth's moon and Mars sent up over the years up to Feb 13, 2019. As of February 22, 2021 publishing, the Perseverance Rover is set to break many records and may establish some new ones. For more on this, you can check them out on the Guinness Worlds Records website. The image source is from NASA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1622305193832-3ERI640P9YFJC6FWAY9I/IMG_3853Kelly_KICK_LRedit.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Chris Savia submitted an article from Space.Com. Surprise meteor shower! Finlay-id shooting stars will appear for the first time in 2021. Listed as a possible one-time event, the never-before-seen meteor shower may be viewable from Earth’s southernmost region. For more on this go to Space.com. Image source is from Jim Webster in 2018. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1622310599712-F1K4Z65G2GYZT554XA89/TESS.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Jim Webster submitted the following on TESS. NASA is asking citizen scientist to help hunt exoplanets in the vast trove of images gathered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). You can find more on this article by Eric Betz at Astronomy.com. NASA TESS image from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab as posted on Astronomy.com. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - What’s Up: April 2021 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621643686490-MII7XVO31QTW17TK401R/SmartphoneTripod-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Don’t expect Hubble-level images starting out! However, you can take surprisingly impressive shots by practicing several basic techniques: steadiness, locked focus, long exposure, and processing. First, steady your smartphone to keep your subjects sharp. This is especially important in low-light conditions. A small tripod is ideal, but an improvised stand, like a rock or block of wood, works in a pinch. A small tripod for a smartphone. They are relatively inexpensive – the author found this at a local dollar store! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621646460629-2CZKTOKKCYE83B9EJCZM/CrescentMoonRichmond-iPhone-WEB.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621646475362-I62Q1GAB0Y9ZT0YN09ES/MoonClose-C8-iPhone-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621738288369-ORWKL79P4EC2J9HJ6IH0/IMG_9969.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Milkyway at Cherry Springs https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621740499771-9WICLLAFEV7TINLAFN6U/IMG_2864.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Hercules Globular Cluster M13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621740513060-KI4296KU5X0VI3NCO8GX/IMG_0169.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Saturn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621740524175-6PWDE84O0J527RUUNZUE/IMG_8263.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Jupiter and faintly one of it's moons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621814043411-D4W1ALZ0U674U6KJ7TO4/Ro+Moon+Photo.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Rosemarie Spedaliere Samsung s20 FE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621814079662-MQVMPO5HCQSTYDT5WWQ8/Jim+Moon+Photo.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Jim Webster Galaxy S10 on 8inch Newtonian https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621894938452-K9ORGWXDKX0MHNT17OHK/Timothy+Fukuyama.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - A Starry Night Timothy Fukuyama https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621895299236-6PENNLUG20921Z1JQVQB/Wilton+Observatory.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Comet Lovejoy Q2 Comet Lovejoy Q2April 22, 2019, Meade LX200-8 and Sony a6000 at Calamus Iowa. By Grant Harkness of the Wilton Observatory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621892987347-4GMNJGDM0X719ZYJKRBK/Tonights+Sky+June.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Tonight’s Sky: June Though the nights are shorter in June, they are filled with fine sights. Look for the Hercules constellation, which will lead you to a globular star cluster with hundreds of thousands of densely packed stars. You can also spot Draco the dragon, which will point you to the Cat’s Eye Nebula. Keep watching for space-based views of globular star clusters and the nebula. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1621898924125-UB16WS7HRTHKM5HT8PYT/orion44-logo-2019.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online June 2021 - Orion Telescopes & Binoculars A series of articles and videos from telescopes to phone apps and more. How to use a Telescope: First-Time Telescope User’s Guide for Beginners. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-may2021 monthly 0.5 2021-05-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618798245282-QRKJQVPK4SV6DKSIQRAO/April+9+meeting+2021_members+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 The April virtual club meeting on April 9, had some excellent participation, along with questions throughout for our guest speaker’s presentation. For this months’ APO we will expand more on the subject of radio astronomy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618437297898-FE16BCZ3MUEA2ISIUXWO/Radio+Telescope+Pic+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 Club Virtual Meeting - Radio Telescopes 101 - Guest Speaker: Kevin Lloyd https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618443230486-67JVLDMSUVABZ2KX9SLT/April%2B9%2Bmeeting%2B2021_Kevin%2BLloyd.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Guest Speaker: Kevin Lloyd Kevin Lloyd provided a virtual presentation to the ASTRA membership at our April 9 meeting, all the way from Colorado. His presentation was an introductory level presentation on Radio Telescopes. Kevin has been building and working with Radio Telescopes for the last ten years. He has no special training in Radio Telescopes and no advanced degrees. You only need to understand some key concepts and you’re on your way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618444526440-M3BVJK940V5OO7KS2FS7/Radio+Telescopes+101_SDR+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Receivers The cheapest and most effective way to build a radio telescope is to use a Software Defined Radio (SDR) and an RTL 2832 dongle (RTL-SDR). There are several free SDRs available on the internet and the dongle can be priced between $20 to $100 plus dollars. A dongle is an adapter that can have one or more ports built into it, allowing you to plug one or more devices into your computer at the same time. The dongle takes the place of the receiver hardware. It receives the radio signal and converts them into a digital stream of 1’s and 0’s that the SDR interprets and extracts the signal from the carrier and sends the output to the sound card on a computer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618448761230-2O5LCOGB82ZS914US4F4/April%2B9%2Bmeeting%2B2021_antenas.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 The purpose of an antenna is to help amplify a range of frequencies. It works best if it matches the wavelength of the frequency. There are many types of antennas: Vertical (Spiral or Whip), Dipole (Rabbit Ears), Yagi, Parabolic, and Loop. The Parabolic antenna is generally the most recognizable of the radio astronomy antenna. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618450021934-0TI0OXHM8TQGGBLPHHIX/Radio%2BTelescopes%2B101%2BRecorder.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Recorder The recorder performs the same job as the camera does in optical astronomy – it records the data (noise level) from the receiver and presents it graphically. Radio-SkyPipe software uses the input from your sound card/microphone and graphs the level of input and is a fully functional strip chart recorder. There are several versions of Radio-SkyPipe, the free version having no time limits and can be used with your own setup or with a remote unit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618450658327-XGY9GMG02YGWYAJ9ZRSK/April%2B9%2Bmeeting%2B2021%2Bfather%2Bof%2Bradio%2Bastronomy.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - The father of radio astronomy, Karl Jansky. Karl Jansky was an American physicist and radio engineer from Red Bank, New Jersey. He was working for Bell Labs investigating sources of static that might interfere with radio voice transmissions. In 1931 he discovered that one of the static sources was radio waves emanating from the Milky Way galaxy. In honor of Jansky’s epoch-making discovery, the unit of radio-wave emission strength was named the jansky. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618452928117-ZOL1P8SQ62FYXL1KUDVQ/Radio%2BTelescopes%2B101_Jansky%2Bantenna.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Karl’s Dipole antenna. He had to build all the equipment he used so that he could track down sources of radio static, inventing radio astronomy in the process. A large directional antenna system mounted on a turntable that rotated about a central vertical axis, riding on a circular track on the wheels of a Model-T Ford. It was dubbed “Jansky’s merry-go-round.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618452074261-9OXG4B7ZR8AUFBXF1J4N/Radio+Telescopes+101+sdr+setup.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 The above diagram is a sample radio telescope setup. You must be careful about the output level of your radio. If it is too high for the microphone input, the level gets distorted and increases in noise amplitude are missed. Think of someone who shouts into a microphone and how distorted that gets. Adjust the microphone input and the radio output so that neither of them are a maximum. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619006724145-VZJDAMKTNIZVAM6J765T/june%2B10%2Bsunrise.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Sunrise Solar Eclipse - June 10 Something to discuss at our virtual club meeting on May 14. The first solar eclipse viewable from North America since 2017, will be viewable along the Jersey Shore early Thursday morning on June 10. Make sure your alarm clock is properly set so you won't miss it. The image is an extraction from Stellarium. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619090340209-CDETDKF1KD31LTOG09J0/June+10_0524AM.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Night mode Image at 05:24 AM theskylive.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619090358319-JBRPU0JE4LPM65YM2VQT/June+10_0540AM.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Night mode image at 05:35 AM theskylive.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618766381944-JM2X77BDMKXNCER3GNO9/Bell_Labs_Horn_Antenna_Crawford_Hill_NJ.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 Wikipedia - The Horn Antenna located in Holmdel Township, New Jersey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618842988477-J7QA3CJ7RURF66MI9TRS/175649025_792795758038746_6474614904571857046_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - 17 December 1903; First flight on Earth https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618842405894-SSQHD8BWJPZCHV13O5W5/174703769_792795744705414_4282882021919119582_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - 19 April 2021; First flight on Mars https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619093990943-APW6ORE5A787VXRPT7YS/gvY9upxxDjNh7puFbe5kcJ-970-80.gif Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover took a selfie with the Ingenuity helicopter, seen here about 13 feet (3.9 meters) from the rover. on April 6, 2021. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS). On April 20, the Perseverance rover made another first on Mars, one that may help pave the way for astronauts to explore the Red Planet someday. The rover successfully used its MOXIE instrument to generate oxygen from the thin carbon dioxide Martian atmosphere. MOXIE = “Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment.” For more check out the article from Space.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618756303419-7TLEY5ULH49RP69PTL7B/W50_optical1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618756314828-FWOUOESOR7YK1HCPFC8C/W50_composite2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618757018219-NKUO8NFLIZIBX9Z4E1OV/nrao17df10b.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Doing Radio Astronomy The radio portion of the electromagnetic spectrum can come from energetic objects and processes in the universe as well as cold, dark objects that emit no visible light. Because different wavelengths are given off by different objects, radio astronomers use a variety of methods and instruments to detect them. Image: VLA image of the radio emissions coming from the location where two neutron stars collided and generated gravitational waves. The emission from the collision site is the middle object in this image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619448189899-EZ0F61Z330S7MY65ZRZZ/Natasha%2BHurley-Walker.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Added to our club saved YouTube links How radio telescopes show us unseen galaxies. by Natasha Hurley Walker - TED Talks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619458657491-U2VXLHX6XP8RSI1J4P2W/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Outreach material below is distributed free for public outreach. https://www.astroleague.org/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619446144322-A2K1U2L0DENP4G83K8NV/May+Night+Sky.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619447133007-RL9DHO8A8RX6UYHE160A/May+12+Night+Sky.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619447156727-HCDHFHWNTPQWM4SJ6UW5/May+13+Night+Sky.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619011413215-NL99CYWXSQI57PUDP9JE/meteor_detection_equpment-1024x509.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 Equipment used by Reddit user Maxworm to detect Perseids meteors using the Graves radar: Dipole, LNA, Bias-Tee, and RTL-SDR. Article for this setup can be found at RTL-SDR.COM https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619011923830-S0ROOWBPN2C6ZOS7WJR7/detected_meteor-1-1024x768.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - With the right equipment (and location) you can detect meteors with an RTL-SDR dongle and appropriate antenna. When a meteor enters the atmosphere it leaves behind a brief trail of ionized air which is highly reflective to RF signals. These trails can reflect carrier waves from distant transmitters towards your antenna, allowing you to detect a meteor entering the atmosphere. This is called meteor scatter. Meteor detected by MaxWorm https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616551040235-8JB19NAI24QG3VBPX70P/Alysky+Camera3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - AllSky Camera If there is an interest in tracking meteors overnight the AllSky Camera from AllSky Optics is one such device that can perform this function. It can be mounted on a building or on a tripod to make it a portable device that can be used for star parties or presentations. APO Editors Note: The camera is made and coming in from the UK. For more on the AllSky Camera visit their links: Facebook Webpage Image source from AllSky Optics. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619012422819-WDT8NGOS6DAHBXZS1D0N/Meteor%2Bdetecting%2Bdisplay.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 Triple Simultaneous meteor detection using Graves radar. Blog Article and YouTube of recording. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619013496756-ZDW3CAM8PPLAF04D9GCI/allsky%2Bsample.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Skylapser YouTube Video All-Skylapse from the Cielito Azul Observatory near Tres Piedras, in Taos County New Mexico. Camera gear: Lumix GH3, 4mm circular fisheye, F2.8 ISO 6400 25 sec. exposure, 30 sec. interval, rendered at 15 frames per second. YouTube https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619100481773-1EKUU2UOA5MD5PG5EMAX/175606924_197887208812669_7304951226309828514_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 Astronomy Cartoons a Facebook group dedicated to sharing some fun astronomy and space jokes, memes and cartoons. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619217823332-1ZT4ZCVXGV7FAU87QR18/Mars_Helicopter.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 Posted with permission from Abigail Bollenback. Abigail is a rising star in the astronomy community. An Explore Alliance Ambassador at Explorer Scientific, USA. She is also a host and writer for Astronomy Magazine’s Youtube channel, Infinity and Beyond. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618777772354-LG0XZQKF28Z0FX82UOJF/171403062_10226569693976375_3730425632990331800_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - NGC2403 By Ron Bernknopf - April 10 This is Galaxy NGC2403. It is better than last years' attempt. This one is "fairly" close at 8 million light years away. It’s an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Camelopardalis. It is an outlying member of the M81 Group. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619444831670-UQG3J7F2ZEA1E3RLSU24/ron+moom+photo.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - The Moon By Ron Bernknopf - April 25 Tonight's Moon (4/25/21). She is 97.9 full. This is shot using my summer telescope (Meade ETX-90) and my Canon T6 DSLR. 80 exposures 1/250 seconds and ISO 400. I like this telescope for moon and planets. I hope you enjoy the picture. The photos were stacked using Registax6 and processed using Gimp software. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619572453677-8JZBER5QHLEJ6C937U28/Ron-M33.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Triangulum Galaxy - M33 By Ron Bernknopf - April 27 What do you do with some downtime when your not imaging? Mess around with old data. This is Messier 33, the Triangulum Galaxy, taken in November 2020. M33 is a member of our "local group" of galaxies including the Milky Way, Andromeda, and others. It is a little over 1/2 the size of the Milky Way and is located 2.7 million light-years away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618669068306-N4X8W668OQG0MOYDCECN/12+inch+LX200GPS.JPG Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Includes: Meade Large tripod and custom mounting plate Meade Superwedge Meade 8x50 optical finder Meade Electric Focuser Meade 2” diagonal mirror Meade Autostar hand controller, V4.2g Telrad with dew shield Bahtinov mask Petersen Engineering add-ons: EZ-Focus EZ-Grip handles EZ-DEC Clutch Eye Opener II, 2” Visual Back 3” Dovetail Rails top and bottom Counterweights Kendrick Dew Strap for 12” scope Kydex dew shield Thermal Wrap cover Messier Objects Ranked By Difficulty of Viewing by Tom Urbain, with data source by Tony Flanders. For more on this and other astronomy topics go to StarLust.org Added to our Astronomy tools page on the club website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - What’s Up: April 2021 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619003510714-W9A1E7ZN32FGFROZX9OR/FindVirgo-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - This large constellation is home to the Virgo Cluster, a massive group of galaxies. While the individual stars in Virgo are a part of our own galaxy, known as the Milky Way, the Virgo Cluster’s members exist far beyond our own galaxy’s borders. Teeming with around 2,000 known members, this massive group of galaxies are all gravitationally bound to each other, and are themselves members of the even larger Virgo Supercluster of galaxies, a sort of “super-group” made up of groups of galaxies. Find Virgo by “arcing to Arcturus, then spiking on to Spica.” Please note that in this illustration, the location of the Virgo Cluster is approximate - the borders are not exact. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619003862240-NB4DPSRAIX08MP2ATEN3/M87bhPolarized-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - The first image of a black hole’s event horizon was taken in the center of one of the most prominent galaxies in Virgo, M87! This follow-up image, created by further study of the EHT data, reveals polarization in the radiation around the black hole. Mapping the polarization unveils new insights into how matter flows around and into the black hole - and even hints at how some matter escapes! More details: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210331.html Credit: Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619037828632-15WGP3MTD67H6FA0FPVS/VirgoCluster_RBA_1080_labeled.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 The Virgo Cluster from Nasa Astronomy Picture of the Day … Image Credit: Rogelio Bernal Andreo … apod.nasa.gov https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1619444684468-1TO49VK7I9I3Y2JRG00A/Tonights+Sky+May.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - Tonight’s Sky: May In May, we are looking away from the crowded, dusty plane of our own galaxy toward a region where the sky is brimming with distant galaxies. Locate Virgo to find a concentration of roughly 2,000 galaxies and search for Coma Berenices to identify many more. Keep watching for space-based views of galaxies like the Sombrero Galaxy, M87, and M64. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618761568636-2AFEHVEXZBVQHVFVNQIT/HighPointScientific%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online May 2021 - High Point Scientific A series of articles from telescopes to phone apps and more. How to use a Telescope: First-Time Telescope User’s Guise for Beginners. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-april2021 monthly 0.5 2021-04-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616449983999-B4M92QSRRZRG2XFN4196/neaf_logo.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - NEAF 2021 - The Virtual Experience Free Event April 10, 2021, from 10 AM to 8 PM EST https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1617374695735-LL9M1DK638OVSUF4KNQM/Astronomers+Without+Borders+Astronomy+Month.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 April is Global Astronomy Month! Join Astronomers Without Borders for the world's largest celebration of the night sky and astronomy in its 12th year! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1617402184148-LOPYRK7ZLKQSRLY2CSCE/IDSW2021-logo-2.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 International Dark Sky Week 2021 during the week of April 5-12 … Event Calendar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - Website Updates … Please visit our club website. We continue to have additional updates, if there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://www.astra-nj.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616125720592-0LBM9EPZCWHE6FRWOGW1/Astronomy%2BTools_jpeg.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 Club Virtual Meeting - Astronomy Observing Tools - Jim Webster https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616465282638-TJECS7063CQGHPD7ADQU/march%2Bmeeting%2B1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 ASTRA Members preparing for the March 12 overview, Astronomy Observing Tools. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616460979940-VSJ8Y7DHZSAVB33WHBEZ/Meeting+CellPhone.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - The overview started with the benefits of what is possible with todays cell phones. There are many apps available today making the cell phone a Swiss Army Knife for Astronomy. You can find interactive Planispheres, Compass, Level, Clear Sky Chart, GPS, Collected information making the cell phone a planetarium in the palm of your hand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616461466553-30NWVP5CG6YDSIXZCQL5/Meeting+CellPhone2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - This led us to a discussion initiated by Ryan Nipple at the end of the presentation on telescope alignment. Is there a telescope out there with full auto-alignment? The outcome of this was no, not really. We have telescopes with go-to features but not with true auto-alignment. You will need to polar align your telescope for this to work properly. We also discussed the proper alignment of finder scopes. Image source from Celestron. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616634505561-K05XGXQKG6FXQ79ZY6VC/Ryan.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616462588803-NZWR998HSQ8OIV8D3UUU/finder+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616634595417-EAHPO30QN1UDM3047CQC/John.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616463186421-02RS9QL3DHI195VWE4C7/Lightswitch.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - APO Editor’s Note: After the meeting, I checked into the Auto or Self-Alignment telescopes we were trying to figure out was at the Photo Center in Brick, NJ. Meade had on the market, the Meade Lightswitch. Why it was discontinued, I did not do any further research on it. Safe to say there is not a self-alignment telescope. For a brief summary on the Meade Lightswitch, you can find it on YouTube. Image source from Meade. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616464302188-CO5D6NFNX5XFNKTUIHMO/mirror%2B%25282%2529.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - Another item we discussed for our review is using a mirror with binoculars for viewing the night sky. It’s an interesting concept that warrants some investigation. The idea is to have the mirror on a mounting surface and have the binoculars pointed down at the mirror. From there you can view the sky in the reflection in the mirror. Of course, such a setup would need to be physically moved to reposition to the next object you wish to view. Binocular observing did get a significant representation at the March Meeting from cell phones, finder scope attachments, and binocular chairs to several possible mounts to support the binoculars during a viewing session. Image source from Sky & Telescope. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616553816601-MM7T50JZYCBPXZ821OX4/wilcox+ring.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - An item that has proven useful is the Wilcox Rings for the Newtonian telescopes. It is an extra set of tube rings that allows for the rotation of the optical tube to reposition the eyepiece. Newtonians on an equatorial mount have a bad habit of the eyepiece moving into spots where you can’t reach unless you're using a ladder. The Wilcox ring will take care of this. For more check out this YouTube Video. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616634681776-K7KL5RM2J5UAT7KCB3KX/Ro.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616634700166-06TQRPBU2OJCMY70W57P/Joe.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616551040235-8JB19NAI24QG3VBPX70P/Alysky+Camera3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - AllSky Camera If there is an interest in tracking meteors overnight the AllSky Camera from AllSky Optics is one such device that can perform this function. It can be mounted on a building or on a tripod to make it a portable device that can be used for star parties or presentations. APO Editors Note: I am purchasing one myself. For more on the AllSky Camera visit their links: Facebook Webpage Image source from AllSky Optics. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1617065277310-UFCTSOBJES52XQSS95OD/Virtual+Star+Party+March+20+2021_Image1+%282%29.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 Jim Webster and Astro-cat Penny, worked the Zoom session and Starry Night presentation for the star party objects. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616633245199-LI6K1SPVNILW5VSO12NE/Virtual+Star+Party+March+20+2021_Image2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 Sam Granovsky and his telescope setup. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616633350486-AJQC7OZGIPYXX94KZAAU/Virtual%2BStar%2BParty%2BMarch%2B20%2B2021_Image3A.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 The first object for our virtual star party was the Orion Nebula. M42 / NGC 1976 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616633404255-QKIUJ5ST8SX0T0Y8BVQM/Virtual+Star+Party+March+20+2021_Image4.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 Next, we had both the Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) and the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616633470488-B1017B1Z60VSESZGLEXZ/Virtual%2BStar%2BParty%2BMarch%2B20%2B2021_Image6.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 The crown jewel for the night was the Rosette Nebula. NGC 2244 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616633516723-G1EMY0Y5VTB7BQLI8995/Virtual+Star+Party+March+20+2021_Image7.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 First-time imaging of Thor’s Helmet. NGC 2359 It did not disappoint and came in without any issues. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616633561611-754NI0I4VCOXBHW58ZHI/Virtual+Star+Party+March+20+2021_Image8.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 Last up to wrap up our virtual star party was the Whirlpool Galaxy. M51a / NGC 5194 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1615068431912-EKZA9W4OELBO5B7JKA7Y/Moon+Halo_RoS.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - “Beautiful Halo” By Rosemarie Lahosky Spedalier - February 27 Beautiful halo around the Moon last night on February 27. The photo was taken with a cell phone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1615068930867-9KANTI5X2MCLNX0UX0JM/Owl_RonB.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - “Owl Nebula” (M97) By Ron Bernknopf - March 3 Here is Messier 97, The "Owl Nebula" in Ursa Major. This is my 2nd attempt at M97. The last was February of last year. M97 lies 2030 light-years away and was formed from the wind of the central star that is evolving into a white dwarf. 33x 30minute exposures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1615068749698-G0QJOCK8RGOWJ0CY53AB/NGC2903_RonB.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - “Spiral Galaxy” (NGC2903) By Ron Bernknopf - March 4 Spiral Galaxy NGC2903 in the Constellation of Leo. It was first observed by William Hershel on November 16, 1784. NGC2903 is 30 million light-years away. 6" Reflector, AVX mount, Canon T6 w/ L-eNhanced clip filter. 33x 3 minutes with 20x 3 minutes darks and flats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616452764967-19LZV5K71PACIBN8G81H/158094252_10226289723417286_4497992468094048231_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - Medusa Nebula (Sharpless 2-274) By Ron Bernknopf - March 8 The "Medusa Nebula" is found in the constellation Gemini. This was discovered in 1955 by UCLA Astronomer George Abell. It is an old Planetary Nebula. This is the final death of a star before becoming a White Dwarf. Medusa is about 1500 light-years away. This was a total of 45 x 3-minute exposures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616452404832-HZ65P2S312W31728UL22/159607297_10226308569368423_6830541412685900446_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - Jellyfish Nebula (IC443) By Ron Bernknopf - March 9 A supernova remnant about 5000 light-years away in the constellation of Gemini. It’s a pretty dim Nebula and I used 18x 5-minute exposures. My 1st time using this exposure length. I tried shooting this once before but 3 minutes didn't bring out enough. I hope you can see the "tendril" looking parts coming off the crescent shape that make this look like a Jellyfish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616452123244-5GIJZHN6L7IPSGYLRAZ6/160516027_10226356768453370_547283690524658207_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - Leo Triplet (M65, M66, NGC 3628) By Ron Bernknopf - March 14 These three Galaxies are in the Constellation of Leo and are called the "Leo Triplet". They are M65, M66, and NGC3628 ("The Hamburger Galaxy"). They are also known as the M66 group and are located around 35 million light-years away. This was a total of 18 x 5-minute exposures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616634221386-4UV8WFD8ZVCK7KNYFGPJ/163620673_10226418340672637_2612021132612905487_o.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 March 22 The Moon was at 69.9% (waxing gibbous) By Ron Bernknopf. 50 x 1/1000 seconds @ ISO 1600. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1617364488884-WQOF9BRHYLHQRFN2ZXTA/167087964_10226479293796427_2622199460924171815_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - Whale Galaxy (NGC 4631) By Ron Bernknopf - March 30 The Whale Galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. The galaxy's slightly distorted wedge shape gives it the appearance of a herring or a whale, hence its nickname. The Galaxy is 30 million light-years away. 20x 3-minute exposures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1615069312390-QGT1L4A6BU32UAKMXIQ5/messier-objects-ranked-by-viewing-difficulty-1024x683.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - Messier Objects Ranked By Difficulty of Viewing Messier Objects Ranked By Difficulty of Viewing by Tom Urbain, with data source by Tony Flanders. For more on this and other astronomy topics go to StarLust.org Added to our Astronomy tools page on the club website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - What’s Up: April 2021 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 This article and images are distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616116022728-JY3208PZ9GWZ00RTG6UX/LeoTriplet-VST-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 Your view of the three galaxies in the Leo Triplet won’t look as amazing as this image taken by the VLT Survey Telescope unless you have a telescope with a mirror 8 feet or more in diameter! Still, even a small telescope will help your eyes pick up these three galaxies as “faint fuzzies”: objects that seem blurry against a background of pinpoint stars. Let your eyes relax and experiment with observing these galaxies by looking slightly away from them, instead of looking directly at them; this is called averted vision, a handy technique that can help you see details in fainter, more nebulous objects. Image Credit: ESO, INAF-VST, OmegaCAM; Acknowledgement: OmegaCen, Astro-WISE, Kapteyn I. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616116141245-J02UP72AH709RMTVE91W/Leo-April2021-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - The stars of Leo: note that you may see more or less stars, depending on your sky quality. The brightness of the Leo Triplet has been exaggerated for the purposes of the illustration - you can’t see them with your unaided eye. If you peer deeper into Leo with a small telescope or binoculars, you’ll find a notable double star! Look in the sickle of Leo for its second-brightest star, Algieba - also called Gamma Leonis. This star splits into two bright yellow stars with even a small magnification - you can make this “split” with binoculars, but it's more apparent with a telescope. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1615070140554-NZULOSKWTATYPNHWA6IP/Tonights+Sky+April.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - Tonight’s Sky: April In April nights are filled with starry creatures. Near the Big Dipper, you will find several interesting binary stars. You can spot galaxies like the Pinwheel Galaxy, M82, and M96 the last of which is an asymmetric galaxy that may have been gravitationally disrupted by encounters with its neighbors. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616117298815-QTP4LPNNTWHSRHY0E4DR/263855_10150230110122562_656343_n.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - Globe at Night The Globe at Night mentioned in is month’s Night Sky Network article is an international campaign to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by inviting citizen-scientists to measure their local night sky brightness and submit their observations from a computer or smartphone. Light pollution threatens not only our “right to starlight”, but can affect energy consumption, wildlife and health. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616117688018-D41B82KQJ75WKWKU6B2V/3386041676493c54c42945f7b1927242_2000x.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - Sky Quality Meter uses: Keep track of the evolution of light pollution in your area. Monitor sky brightness through the night, night-to-night, and year-to-year. Determine which nights are the greatest for finding the faintest of lights. Calibrate the effect of sky brightness on qualitative measures such as the Bortle Scale. Investigate how sky brightness correlates with the solar cycle and month-to-month sunspot activity. Help provide local ground truth for future sky brightness prediction with the Clear Sky Clock. The Sky Quality Meter can be found at OPT. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1615077705808-24AKSD378A1UI9AJLWNB/OPT_Blue_-_with_Telescope_Authority_2x_3974ba73-ba71-4350-a541-78120e46dbe6_410x.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online April 2021 - OPT University Astronomy and Astrophotography Blog On those overcast and rainy days or if you're looking for information, OPT has a selection of Observational Astronomy and Astrophotography overviews. Well worth checking out. OPT University https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/apo-march2021 monthly 0.5 2021-03-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 - Website Updates … There have been several additions to our club website. If there is some content that would be useful to members please let us know. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614304963943-0Z1K435C7W9DVFW23E5P/Ro%252BPresentation%252Bon%252BMars%252BASTRA%252BMeeting%252BFeb%252B2021_Rover.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 Images of Mars landing from NASA via YouTube. Club Virtual Meeting - Upcoming Mars Landing - Rosemarie Spedaliere https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614304075802-A8J4V36Y2Q1UCU3L0Y8Z/Ro%2BPresentation%2Bon%2BMars%2BASTRA%2BMeeting%2BFeb%2B2021_intro.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 Rosemarie Spedaliere provided to the membership an overview of the upcoming Mars landing that was scheduled for Feb 18, 2021. The presentation was a mix of PowerPoint presentations with some YouTube videos followed by a general discussion from the membership that was present at this event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614309909555-XSWMCOGZO6XSB87Q0FQQ/Ro%25252BPresentation%25252Bon%25252BMars%25252BASTRA%25252BMeeting%25252BFeb%25252B2021_Landing%25252Blocation.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 - After traveling nearly 300 million miles (470 million km), NASA’s Perseverance Rover will complete its journey to Mars, but to reach the surface it has to survive the harrowing final phase to the surface of the Red Planet. The rover’s new home is the Jezero Crater, a large impact crater of about 28 miles wide, just north of the Martian equator. Jezero once contained a lake which scientists think is one of the most ideal places to find evidence of ancient microbial life. If life exists anywhere else in our solar system, chances are, it might be at Jezero Crater. There is evidence that water flowed into and out of the crater from the images below. Click on each of the three Mission Overview images below to view. The last image is the most likely of places to search, a preserved delta deposit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614311368192-11AWP5KS9YX1A01LNT0B/Ro%252BPresentation%252Bon%252BMars%252BASTRA%252BMeeting%252BFeb%252B2021_Crater1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614311383554-CECYV09UIB9LDKZKM0GJ/Ro%252BPresentation%252Bon%252BMars%252BASTRA%252BMeeting%252BFeb%252B2021_Crater2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614311408237-I828RSY2JAT1EC73HAIZ/Ro%252BPresentation%252Bon%252BMars%252BASTRA%252BMeeting%252BFeb%252B2021_Crater3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614306770673-FHTC9GNDLVCXCSS2ANIA/Ro%2BPresentation%2Bon%2BMars%2BASTRA%2BMeeting%2BFeb%2B2021_rover2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 - To perform this the Perseverance Rover has a drill to collect core samples of Martian rock and soil, then store them in sealed tubes for pickup. That it will deposit on the Martian landscape as it moves to another sampling location. These tubes will be picked up on a future mission and sent back to Earth. Perseverance will also test new technologies to help pave the way for future human exploration of Mars. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614307383934-FYJUN5UFLP3GOCXON9MS/Ro%2BPresentation%2Bon%2BMars%2BASTRA%2BMeeting%2BFeb%2B2021_Ingenuity.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 - Ingenuity will be the first test of powered flight on another planet. It’s built to be light and strong enough to be stowed away under the rover and survive the harsh Martian environment. It will be powerful enough to lift off the thin atmosphere and may fly for up to 90 seconds to a distance of almost 980 feet at a time at about 10 to 15 feet off the ground. It will fly on its own without human control. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308961540-0VPTWPHEY83DODX2JGEK/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic1a.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308960744-MTJYMNS1UGPUTMLCQ262/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614556023420-DVVOTZKNIIZAK1O7I6PZ/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308961831-AQSDODJVGBGY40RCTIO6/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic4.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614337218867-U3GP85TYXXSS2OBWV36O/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic4a.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308962076-6L1LTL5AUBN881G82WQ6/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic5.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614556248293-IAW9633JA8DDRQSB95KR/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_A1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308962218-HHOY1G8VBVOPH089144Q/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic6.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308962570-FC54H48PRHDOM6EH8W1C/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic7.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308962646-U3AD616RHHTBI922Z40A/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic8.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308963095-9UIOYERM325KU2APFODS/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic9.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308963132-T493EJHGQMHW6I2V738Y/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic10.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308963676-4I659683MGEQCTELJA2E/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic11.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614337232412-M5PAQPI4O1KCWC1MPIXQ/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic11a.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308963734-SPGZM0S9Z7BCVMR5QRLM/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic12.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308964267-Q16OZE3KUE8LNYSTYH72/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic13.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308964312-5IJCJ3LPXBPFK15LEAST/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic14.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308964824-RQAWCY5AXUZJFUD0TZYI/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic15.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308964878-GOBMUS49XM9OG1F738UO/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic16.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614308965415-PI7FYYQLOUZO6W0MXD6Q/Ro+Presentation+on+Mars+ASTRA+Meeting+Feb+2021_Pic17.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614354079688-3MPZ8D85DD9V2588WJJH/Ron+Monky+Head+Nebula_Feb+25_2021.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 On the night of February 25, ASTRA member Ron Bernkropf took advantage of some clear skies. … Last night the sky was clear but the nearly full Moon washed a lot of the sky out. I decided to photograph the "Monkey Head Nebula" (NGC 2174) for the 1st time. NGC 2174 is a star-forming Nebula where the newer center stars illuminate the gas with radiation. It is at a distance of around 6500 Light Years away in the constellation Orion. This is 40x 3-minute exposures (2 hours of data). Wish it could've come out better but it was a great night to have the telescope out. … From the Webmaster/APO Editor: This image is awesome. Members wishing to add an image or video clip to an upcoming APO publication send them via email to Webmaster/ APO Editor Jim Webster. Include date, location, subject detail, and setup used. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614553051339-UWBJH0VBL19493V050ZG/Gary+Palmer+Astrophotography+Review_Feb+27_2021.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 - Virtual Training Sessions Virtual Training sessions have become popular with the COVID world we have been dealing with. Jim Webster recently attended an Astrophotography session for beginners. It was very engaging and looking forward to intermediary and advance sessions. Presented by Gary Palmer, a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, and was hosted by Ontario Telescope and Accessories. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614303543150-8HV8FBE2XR6H9W027FEQ/ISS%2BDocking%2BSimulator.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 - ISS Docking Simulator Can you safely dock SpaceX Crew Dragon with the International Space Station? It will take a steady hand and some patience. Click on the image to find out. For more go to Space.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 - What’s Up: March 2021 Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 This article is distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1613438300450-4UPU40NJV14GBAEECSLO/SiriusAB-HSTandCHandra-print.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 Sirius A and B imaged by two different space telescopes, revealing dramatically different views! Hubble’s image (left) shows Sirius A shining brightly in visible light, with diminutive Sirius B a tiny dot. However, in Chandra’s image (right) tiny Sirius B is dramatically brighter in X-rays! The “Universe in a Different Light” activity highlights more surprising views of some familiar objects. Credit: ASA, ESA, H. Bond (STScI), and M. Barstow (University of Leicester) (left); NASA/SAO/CXC (right) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1613436877961-OPPCO8SCGJESOW0PQ60G/SirusAndProcyon-MarchEve-print.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 Sirius and Procyon, the loyal hunting dogs of nearby Orion the Hunter! What other stories can you imagine for these stars? Learn about “Legends in the Sky” and create your own with this activity: https://bit.ly/legendsinthesky Image created with assistance from Stellarium. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614111624656-AGEP13WT5KDOPACCRRV1/Tonights%2BSky%2BMarch.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 - Tonight’s Sky: March In March, the stars of spring lie eastward: Look for the constellations Gemini and Cancer to spot interesting celestial features like star clusters M35 and the Beehive Cluster, and NGC 3923, an oblong elliptical galaxy with an interesting ripple pattern. Keep watching for space-based views of the galaxies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614351804665-EM5IINL9B0TQT9SIPHVH/Nasas%2BEye_Solar%2BSystem.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online March 2021 - NASA Science Solar System Exploration Real-time positioning of everything related to our solar system. Items are clickable for more information. This will be added to Online Observing Tools and Astronomy for Kids on the ASTRA Website. https://www.astra-nj.com/blog-3/blog-post-title-one-rp2fn monthly 0.5 2021-02-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610765968296-DAGYQJ543FQ3UQ3RAAGA/astra+webpage.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2021 - New Website … We discussed the club’s new website at astra-nj.com. This will replace the old one with a fresh look and updated material. More information has been getting added to it but it is already online for all to see. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610766082539-ESOL2UY9ZYONX51U1N3D/Amy+Astro.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2021 - We had a guest speaker for our January 2021 meeting and welcomed Amy Little of AmyAstro. She is an astrophotographer with a growing YouTube presence. Check it out and subscribe. She discussed light pollution with the membership and how it impacts astrophotography and the filters she uses to get around it. Check out our new club YouTube channel “ASTRA YouTube” for the saved virtual meeting. We would like to thank Amy for her taking the time she spent with us. It was well worth it for our club to hear her experiences and tips she shared with us and would welcome her back in the future. … Clear Skies. To see some more of Amy’s adventures visit her Facebook or her webpage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610767596317-ZZU8JZKPDONLKKWQO44Y/Sam+Virtual+Test.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2021 - We closed with a discussion on holding a possible club virtual star party. Club members Jim Webster and Sam Granovsky, have been working on setting up for potential star parties, with Sam doing most of the heavy lifting. The testing for it has gone on for several nights in a two-week span prior to our January 2021 meeting and the end results look promising. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610768656456-I7BJ0TCM7BG2P9M5NO3C/Virtual+Star+Party+Test+Sample+Sample1.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2021 - Sam Granovsky worked the field side of hooking up the telescope to the virtual Zoom session. Jim Webster managed the Zoom session. It is anticipated that while the telescope is being moved from one object to another we’ll have Stellarium running explaining what is going on or other items of interest. Jim is working on getting additional memory to accommodate using Zoom and Stellarium on the secondary laptop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610768779764-TRNKM0KU57MWD6ELM293/Virtual%252BStar%252BParty%252BTest%252BSample%252BSample2.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610769154708-0VJLNSGXKLGVW02FQ1X9/Virtual+Star+Party+Test+Sample+Sample3.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610804119229-QXFA60PP15D42QO7ZO75/Tonights+Sky+February+%282%29.png Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2021 - Tonight’s Sky: February In February, the Winter Triangle is your guide to the night sky: The northern hemisphere is treated to views of the stars Procyon, Sirius, and Betelgeuse. Keep watching for the awe-inspiring space-based views of the Orion Nebula, which is sculpted by the stellar winds of central bright stars. Want to see more? Click on the image to get started. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611266732705-PA5KPC49D3LPN78I2TQ0/nsn_banner.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2021 This article is distributed by NASA Night Sky Network The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611265938359-64FMLKEZFFJ486UBM24K/Mars2020EDL-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2021 Illustrations of the Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) sequences for Viking in 1976 (below), and Perseverance in 2021 (above). Despite the wide gap between these missions in terms of technology, they both performed their landing maneuvers automatically, since our planets are too far apart to allow Earth-based engineers to control them in real time! (NASA/JPL/Caltech) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611265997479-1GIAVE9K9XJ3JIBRGLLF/VikingEDL-web.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611268389975-16G7JNGBR2QWWX0VXAOO/whatsup20140701-640-640x350.jpg Astral Projections Online - Astral Projections Online February 2021 - What’s Up: Sky Watching Tips from NASA Provided by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://www.astra-nj.com/darksky-new-jersey-1 daily 0.75 2024-03-26 https://www.astra-nj.com/darksky-new-jersey-1/april-2024 monthly 0.5 2024-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1cc01882-0af4-4c10-bf74-873a8b6ff738/DarkSky-logo-white+letters-small.png DarkSky New Jersey Monthly - DarkSky NJ Monthly April 2024 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/15ef1953-1ce9-4eea-90d4-9024d6509a3e/Raritan+Valley+Planetarium.png DarkSky New Jersey Monthly - DarkSky NJ Monthly April 2024 - Saturday, March 18 - Astronomy Day We are looking to see if we can have some volunteers to set up a DarkSky table for Astronomy Day. Please let Jim Webster or Arlene know. We will get you in touch with the Planetarium. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/33fb8d44-81c3-4961-8216-6bf58f036a36/428603186_431888625856860_5041088630065132914_n.jpg DarkSky New Jersey Monthly - DarkSky NJ Monthly April 2024 - Northeast Astronomy Forum and Space Expo In a joint effort between DarkSky New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, the three chapters of DarkSky International will have a booth set up at NEAF on April 20 and 21. Jim Webster is expected to provide a 45-minute presentation at some point during this event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/982a14ae-23fb-4794-a80f-e471f12657d6/2024+Dark+Sky+flyer+%281%29.png DarkSky New Jersey Monthly - DarkSky NJ Monthly April 2024 - Dark Sky Presentation March 30 Steven Mariconda will be presenting on March 30 at the Ethical Culture Society of Bergan County. https://www.astra-nj.com/darksky-new-jersey-1/blog-post-title-two-5a25j monthly 0.5 2020-05-19 https://www.astra-nj.com/darksky-new-jersey-1/blog-post-title-three-g7fpc monthly 0.5 2020-05-19 https://www.astra-nj.com/darksky-new-jersey-1/blog-post-title-four-ekl7d monthly 0.5 2020-05-19 https://www.astra-nj.com/home daily 1.0 2026-03-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614199874565-FQBOSNNPEG6SOVDPGTTB/ASTRA+Logo_Feb+2021.jpg Home The Astronomical Society of the Toms River Area https://www.astra-nj.com/our-mission daily 0.75 2022-01-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609558259816-0XSE4D6K0FYBFNWUJJYL/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Our Mission https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609558327989-L53NW7N5100N2SAI9ZLX/NightSkyBannerTag.gif Our Mission https://www.astra-nj.com/team daily 0.75 2023-10-14 https://www.astra-nj.com/donate daily 0.75 2020-10-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ce82d5d7cff9a0001025c64/1565807681737-B0SD7OH81DVOGLQR0A6C/20160125-A05A0708.jpg Donate https://www.astra-nj.com/loaner-telescopes daily 0.75 2025-04-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610237594510-RSQTP73U86IT7123NOP2/AWB_Telescope_Poster_v6_no_background_5-8-13_copy_540x.jpg Club Loaner Telescopes - Astronomers Without Borders Telescope The OneSky 130MM Reflector Tabletop Telescope is an AWB flagship product. Easy to maneuver and set up. It is designed for travel. If you’re getting started, this is the one that should be checked out. The club AWB OneSky 130mm tabletop telescope was won based on our public outreach efforts from NASA Night Sky Network. This telescope is available as part of the loaner program. Manual PDF: AWB 130 Newtonian S&T Test Report: S&T Test Report Video Review: OneSky 130 Video Review: How to use a Dobsonian Telescope. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/bbfbbb4a-5d95-476f-97a0-07bb40b18401/20220930_114808.jpg Club Loaner Telescopes - Celestron 15x70 Binoculars The SkyMaster Series of large aperture binoculars from Celestron offer phenomenal performance for astronomical viewing. The 15x70 works well mounted to a tripod but is also light enough for some handheld viewing. Includes a tripod, pan head mount., a mounting bracket with plate, and bags for easy transport and storage. Binocular viewing is recommended for beginners when getting started. It offers you a cheaper way to start with astronomy before investing in telescopes. But binocular viewing is just as enjoyable if you wish to stay with them. Linked is a video review about astronomy with binoculars with some objects to observe and how to find them. Using Binoculars For Astronomy. - Video Orion Paragon Tripod and Pan-head Mount - Video Orion Paragon Tripod and Pan-head Mount - PDF Celestron Binoculars - PDF The Orion Paragon tripod, pan-head mount with bracket assembly, and the Orion bag were donated by ASTRA members Jim and Gloria Webster. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/924d6ff0-65de-4c17-a463-b8e25a20c5f7/astra+3.jpg Club Loaner Telescopes - ASTRA 3 Dobsonian telescope The ASTRA 3 Dobsonian telescope is an alt-azimuth-mounted (f/6) Newtonian with 203mm (8") of aperture, and a focal length of 1220mm yielding wide-field views of the Moon, nebulae, galaxies, star clusters, and the planets. The Telrad finderscope helps you locate celestial objects in the night sky by projecting a large ring that projects a 4-degree, 2-degree, and 0.5-degree bullseye in the center of the field of view. Video Review: How to use a Dobsonian Telescope. Donated by club member Vic Palmieri. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609694290943-HUQPI1JJJA8G62WPR289/Sky+Watcher.jpg Club Loaner Telescopes - Sky-Watcher 8" f/5.9 Dobsonian The Sky-Watcher 8" f/5.9 Dobsonian is an alt-azimuth-mounted (f/6) Newtonian with 200mm (8") of aperture, and a focal length of 1200mm yielding wide-field views of the Moon, nebulae, galaxies, star clusters and the planets. The full-sized 9 x 50 finderscope. The base weighs in at 25 pounds. 2" Crayford focuser. Video Review: How to use a Dobsonian Telescope. Donated to the club. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609696410977-QUCCAT8X0FA59Z7D3ZUP/ASTRA+Celestron+Telescope.jpg Club Loaner Telescopes - Celestron SP-C80 Refractor Telescope The Celestron SP-C80 is a Japanese-made achromatic telescope that is an (f/11) Refractor with 80mm (3") of aperture, and a focal length of 880mm yielding bright, magnified views of The Moon, nebulae, star clusters and planets. The Red-Dot finderscope helps you locate celestial objects in the night sky by projecting a single red-dot in the center of the field of view. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609546227176-MTWRMB5IBXMBO6OM0CY7/Celestron_loaner.jpg Club Loaner Telescopes - Celestron 8-Inch / Nexstar GoTo Mount The Celestron 8-Inch Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope with the NextStar GoTo mount comes with a database of 40,000+ celestial objects that are automatically located and tracked for you. Sky Align technology gets the telescope aligned and ready to observe in minutes. Included is a 12-volt car adapter cord and 110 AC to 12-volt power adapter. The telescope manual can be found here. The Quick Setup guide is available here. Look here for an instructional video on setting up and using the telescope here. https://www.astra-nj.com/r-erik-zimmermann-phd daily 0.75 2021-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616795146130-I2MV33T2C8QVPPLRNV9X/Doc+Zim3.jpg DR. Erik Zimmermann, Ph.D - It all begins with an idea. This page is dedicated to Dr. R. Erik Zimmermann, whose efforts have made all this possible. President, A.S.T.R.A. 1977-2001 Director, Robert J. Novins Planetarium. 1974-2001 There is a degree of respect that seems to come from earning a Doctorate and achieving the position of Planetarium Director. And then there is the degree of respect that one commands for his accomplishments once he achieves such a position. In the rarest of instances, an individual unceasingly dedicates himself to his chosen field. From those with whom he interacts he commands both personal and professional respect. And still, if that's not enough, poking his head out from under all his various hats is Erik, the man we call colleague, mentor, and most of all "friend". Erik is one of those rare individuals who has truly touched the lives of those with whom he's worked and associated. The outpouring of affection and admiration he commands has been overwhelming. Erik's dedication to ASTRA encompassed every aspect of creating an organization not just to promote Astronomy but also to create pride in membership. He welcomes new members to ASTRA with open arms. We are all new members to him so everyone knows the feeling. He never spoke down to any of us even though his knowledge surpasses all of us. He made us feel like his equal. He wanted us all to excel at this hobby. Whether it was pointing out a satellite at a star party, discussing recent developments in the field, helping a new member with a small/new telescope, or just shooting the breeze, Erik wanted us to enjoy the Astronomy hobby to the max. Like it was his personal responsibility. Anything he could do to make our enjoyment of the night sky better was important to him. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611449497797-LMP90UQP8LB1XQO4CPCE/ErikZ1.jpg DR. Erik Zimmermann, Ph.D - Erik has reached a crossroads in his life. He has retired from the Robert Novins Planetarium after 26 years of service. He is not retiring from ASTRA, but he will no longer be our club "Director". The two endeavors were so intertwined that Erik's retirement brings ASTRA to a crossroads as well. Erik became the Director of the Planetarium in 1974 when it first opened. Erik's assistant, John Coolbaugh, started ASTRA in 1977. John left within about a year and Erik took over the operation of the club. Erik ran the whole show. As stated in the "Man of Many Hats" award that we presented to Erik last December, those tasks included publishing the newsletter, performing as the club Secretary, keeping club membership records, being the club treasurer, running the club meetings, presiding at all of the meetings, being the "Astronomical League" coordinator, buying cookies/refreshments, hosting the college star parties and was just as happy as he could be to do it. This was all in addition to his real job as Director of the Planetarium, preparing scripts for many shows, preparing the slides for all of the shows, being the Planetarium serviceman, teaching "Astronomy/Navigation" courses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611449567309-7S8ZDFDE5ZNOFDNQ87ZL/ErikZ2.jpg DR. Erik Zimmermann, Ph.D - As ASTRA became more active, editing/publishing the "ASTRAL Projections", creating/managing the club web site, maintaining a list of e-mail addresses, hosting club picnics managing club telescopes, coordinating "Astronomy Day". Now that Erik is retiring, ASTRA has taken on the responsibility, through the election of club officers, of those tasks related to the club. A full executive board is necessary to accomplish what Erik has done alone for all of these years. Erik and Gayle, his wife, have moved to Georgia. Erik will not be gone in spirit, however; as he will remain net connected to us, I am sure we will hear about his "Astronomical Adventures" in Georgia. We will, nonetheless, miss the interaction ASTRA has had with him over the years and on which it has come to rely in so many ways. Will he be missed? Certainly! Will he be called upon for advice and guidance? Probably! Will a time ever come when he and his achievements are not gratefully acknowledged? NEVER! And so we are here to wish him not "farewell", but "fare forward, voyager"! The club you founded is strong. If ASTRA had a last name, it would be "Zimmermann". https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1616795966327-DE74F4HI3XLVHVE08C69/ErikZ3.jpg DR. Erik Zimmermann, Ph.D https://www.astra-nj.com/dr-zimmermann-award daily 0.75 2023-10-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609550414537-0NUKGM6CRPVR2S2ZZRHS/Gene+Russo+small.jpg Dr. R, Zimmermann Award https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609550525374-ZTYNZXFF8O4ZKJU5352R/IMG_5034a.jpg Dr. R, Zimmermann Award https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609688133521-EWDSVPK4FLB0C9QKPL0A/Randy_s.jpg Dr. R, Zimmermann Award - Congratulations to Randy Walton, Recipient of the Dr. R, Erik Zimmermann Award !!! It is with deep regret and sorrow that we must advise you all that Randy Walton passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 29, 2016, at the age of 67. (Written and presented by Bob Salvatore): First I’d like to say that when I look around at the meetings I don’t see as many people as I used to who knew Dr. Erik Zimmermann. That’s good and bad. Bad because we’ve lost a few friends over the years including Eric of course. It’s good because I do see many new faces who didn’t know Erik so the club he founded is thriving after he’s gone. Erik was a man who brought astronomy to the public. He was the Founder of ASTRA and for over 25 years he was the Director of the Planetarium, President of ASTRA, Treasurer, Star party coordinator, Web Master and Newsletter Editor. But more than that, he was a friend and mentor to all who knew him. We created this award in his memory for deserving members who follow in his footsteps bringing Astronomy to the public and being a mentor and friend to all ASTRA members. This year we bestow this honor, the second recipient of the Dr. Erik Zimmermann Award to Mr. Randy Walton. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609688541010-TP0CL6BJMC75KQUG74R5/Roe.jpeg Dr. R, Zimmermann Award - Congratulations to Ro Spedaliere, Recipient of the Dr. R, Erik Zimmermann Award !!! (Written and presented by Bob Salvatore): When Erik Zimmermann left us we soon realized we needed at least 5 people to take over everything he did for the club. Ro Spedaliere, who was still a relatively new member at the time, immediately jumped in and assumed the responsibility of two of these tasks, Treasurer and Star Party, Coordinator. She’s held both these positions since then and still does today (so get those dues paid up!). Anyone who’s been treasurer of anything knows the difficulty and accuracy involved when dealing with people and their money. At ASTRA most of this is done behind the scenes where members don’t even see it until comes time they need to make a payment or get paid, which happens pretty much every week for Ro. Her efforts in this regard have been seamless, professional and accurate. I’ve never witnessed a financial problem due to errors on her part or otherwise. The accounts are always in balance, the bills always get paid and thanks to Ro an, “Uck-o, What are we gonna do now?” financial situation has never arisen. And if it has, I didn’t hear about it, did you? That’s what I’m talkin’ about. At every meeting she takes care of registering new members, collecting dues, paying for refreshments, running a raffle and that’s just some of her treasurer responsibilities. She also balances the books, the checking account and actually goes to the bank to make deposits. There has never been a challenge to Ro for this position come election time. Not only don’t I think anyone else wants the job (let’s face it, it’s actual real work), no one else can do it better than Ro and we should consider ourselves very lucky to have her watching over our financial situation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609689197250-51XPVIZXMDGF9YW3B8PH/John_E_w_Award.jpg Dr. R, Zimmermann Award - Congratulations to John Endreson, Recipient of the Dr. R, Erik Zimmermann Award !!! (Written and presented by Bob Salvatore): It was a cold dark Friday night back in the winter of (ought 1) 2001, the meeting was over and a few members were headed back to my house for some backyard observing. Of course the new guy, (John or something, I’m not good with names) was standing there, “What? You’re all going observing? Where? Can anyone come? Is this like a club…. thing or a private thing?” To me he seemed a pleasant interested sort, so I says, “Sure your invited, come on follow me, red minivan.” Ladies and gentlemen, that was the one and only time John Endreson ever had to follow me to get somewhere. The snow and ice was thick on the ground except for a round circle where the tripod legs would sit on frozen dirt instead of the snow at our feet that would shortly be freezing up to our knees. We saw Jupiter and Saturn then ploughed through deep sky object after deep sky object. The new guy, John (I’m sure that was it now), was very impressed, but something was missing. We were observing, galaxies, planetary nebular and open clusters. I still needed to find one really exciting showpiece for this guy, he’s really into it. Then it hit me. The globular cluster M5 is high in the sky, far more dazzling than the wispy galaxies and little planetary nebulas we were observing, this should be really cool. I moved the scope. It was a real cold crisp clear still night and the seeing was fantastic, M5 was extremely impressive. John took a look, I’m pretty sure, “Love at first sight” was the expression on his face. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609690392868-IXY0DOA366NO7ONCRLDA/John_E_w_Scope.jpg Dr. R, Zimmermann Award - I’ve heard him tell this same story several times since that day. John’s face has aged, just a bit, but you can still see that expression whenever he talks about Astronomy. It doesn’t matter if it’s answering a technical question or teaching little kids about the Great Red Spot, John brings he’s love of this hobby to the public in every way possible and is well-deserving of the award we bestow on him tonight. During the next 2 years John taught himself and questioned others enough about Astronomy, and ASTRA, that he became a leading member of the club. Veteran members Gene Russo, Rich Brady, and Paul Gitto convinced John to run for President of the club. In 2004 he was elected president and started to effect change. First he started setting up committees to handle the different ASTRA functions (before that all club functions were handled by club officers). Next he took over as the club Newsletter Editor and took the Astral Projections newsletter from a 2 page pamphlet to a multi-page booklet. Then he went online and became the club webmaster and together with other key members of the club advanced ASTRA’s involvement in the NASA Night Sky Network which supplies helpful kits and gives awards to our members for public outreach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609690684206-9KTE19LY4D4JOT4R1RDS/P_Zollner-Zimmermann-Award.jpg Dr. R, Zimmermann Award - Congratulations to Phil Zolner, Recipient of the Dr. R, Erik Zimmermann Award !!! (Written and presented by Rich Brady): Phil Zollner has been a member of ASTRA for 38 years where he has shared his passion for Astronomy. He was invited to give a talk on one of his eclipse trips and joined ASTRA after that. He has the distinction of being the earliest member who is still with us. The Planetarium opened in 1974 with Erik Zimmermann as the Director. ASTRA was formed in 1977 by the then Assistant Director to the Planetarium – John Coolbaugh. After about a year, John left and the operation of the club was assumed by Erik. Erik took care of all aspects of the club including doing all the presentations. By the mid 80’s (after I joined in 1982) several of us including Phil did some of the presentations taking the burden off Erik. Phil has a flair for presenting a topic while weaving in a story at the same time. He has done several presentations on astrophotography, one of his favorites. He has combined photography of the heavens against the backdrop of Earth scenes, sometimes called Earth/Sky photography. He has done presentations on eyepieces demonstrating the different types, what they are used for, how they work, and which ones to get. He has also given presentations on telescopes and mounts. Finally, he shared his experiences on many of the 13 (soon to be 14) eclipses to places like Siberia, Colombia, Australia, Kenya, Manitoba and Mauritania to name just a few. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609690967649-XT9O7S7FEW35F5T6ZU34/Phil_Z_award.jpg Dr. R, Zimmermann Award - Instead of giving information on just the eclipse, Phil presented a bit of a travel log giving information on his trip, exploring the surrounding area and culture, and any astronomical related activities in the area (museums, Planetariums, etc.) Everyone was interested in his presentation. This typifies Phil’s style of presenting a topic and weaving a story into it at the same time. When Erik was preparing to retire (around 2001), he asked Phil (along with Gene and I) to help “run” the club as a Director. This was before we had the bylaws and election of officers. Phil has also been with the Planetarium for about 38 years sharing his passion for Astronomy there as well. He started in Sep 1978 long before the Planetarium installed the automated system. He did live shows as well as prerecorded shows, some of which had his voice along with Erik’s and Bill Kinsella’s (the Assistant Director). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609691408268-XJYYUW1XLBIVYKVVP1NU/Rich+Brady+Zimmerman+Award.jpg Dr. R, Zimmermann Award - Congratulations to Richard D. Brady, Recipient of the Dr. R, Erik Zimmermann Award !!! (Written and presented by John Endreson): For those of you who didn’t know Dr. Erik Zimmermann let me give you a little background history of the man. Dr. Erik Zimmerman became the Director of the Planetarium in 1974, when it first opened and was the director of the Robert J. Novins Planetarium from 1974 to 2001. Along with Erik's assistant, John Coolbaugh, he started the ASTRA astronomy club in 1977. John left within about a year and Erik took over the operation of the club. He was the President of ASTRA from 1977 to 2001. Erik's dedication to ASTRA encompassed every aspect of creating an organization not just to promote Astronomy but also to create pride in membership. He never spoke down to any of us even though his knowledge surpasses all of ours. He made us feel like his equal. He wanted all of us to excel at this hobby. Whether it was pointing out a satellite at a star party, discussing recent developments in the field, helping a new member with a new telescope or just shooting the breeze, Erik wanted us to enjoy the Astronomy hobby to the max like it was his personal responsibility. Anything he could do to make our enjoyment of the night sky better was important to him. For many years, he was the only club member who did club presentations. And he was great storyteller, sharing with us many a tale both personal and scientific. https://www.astra-nj.com/astronomy-links daily 0.75 2025-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609557475670-ZQO1OZEIAXNDI8S293HT/AL-Logo-Observing50yrs-200x100.png Astronomy Links - The Astronomical League Astronomical League https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609556237439-XZW88OQYFA7FG73SE8HI/NightSkyBannerTag.gif Astronomy Links NASA - The Night Sky Network https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609556347505-UQZEE047OM5DWUJ351RU/neaf_logo.jpg Astronomy Links Americas premier Astronomy Expo Held at Rockland Community College, Suffern, NY https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609715403354-28TB5I0DO3VRHU4Z26V6/Nasa-logo.png Astronomy Links - NASA.GOV NASA is a great resource for everything about space. "Watch NASA TV" and "NASA TV Schedule" under the "Featured NASA Sites" on the lower right side of the page. This gives live coverage during NASA space missions plus interviews and briefings or education programs at other times. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1612297007065-4ZM6SV7O78OOGPHC6G9C/ALPO%2BYouth%2BLogo.jpg Astronomy Links - Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers Founded in 1947, The Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) is an international organization devoted to studying the Sun, Moon, planets, asteroids, meteors, and comets. Our goals are to stimulate, coordinate, and generally promote the study of these bodies using methods and instruments that are available within the communities of both amateur and professional astronomers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610246122531-CAZXANLVK04SU0V56CKB/awb_banner_blk_500x100.jpg Astronomy Links It takes a lot of people around the world to make Astronomers Without Borders a reality, from the staff and board to volunteers in many countries. Help support them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609716195534-BT6SRCEF2XHQX8MS8SZU/Catching+the+Light.png Astronomy Links This is a website of deep-sky astronomical pictures, tips, and techniques for digital astrophotography. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609719101938-TREATHICERNOFJL5VJEG/HighPointScientific%282%29.png Astronomy Links The Telescope and Astrophotography Experts in New Jersey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611780342758-7LTWWRN7H26LQWVP4CFL/Sky%26Telescope_Red_Large.png Astronomy Links Sky & Telescope has the largest, most experienced staff of any astronomy magazine in the world. Operating since 1941. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a540259f-7fc8-4869-9c2b-3cedea06a109/scistarter-logo-hi-res.jpg Astronomy Links - Make it stand out Citizen science enables people from all walks of life to advance scientific research. Anyone can participate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610260984369-76ZE0NKAPIR5FT20I8RK/b%2526H2.jpg Astronomy Links - B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio Supplies Camera and Telescope gear. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/ac3a6de8-9631-4df1-9bfb-c59a8841bf60/Adirondack+Sky+Center+Logo.jpg Astronomy Links - Make it stand out A great place to visit for Astronomy and Astrophotography education. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609718665480-QW2VIAUFHZ7UXQADPK11/HobbyTown.jpg Astronomy Links Local resource in Toms River, NJ for 3D printed parts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1629842371831-ROUAGSRBNEWQEVEPC3OH/Shelter+Cove+Embroidert.jpg Astronomy Links - Make it stand out Club Logo is available at Shelter Cove Embroidery. Shirts, jackets, sweaters and more. https://www.astra-nj.com/video-links daily 0.75 2022-04-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/4a30766f-8391-420b-8c54-a87b0dfd6eec/Michael+Martin.jpg Video Links - Late Night Astronomy "I'm Michael Martin and welcome to Late Night Astronomy! Through monthly observing guides, equipment reviews, and imaging sessions, we’re here to expand your knowledge of amateur astronomy and astrophotography. Please consider joining our growing community of new and experienced amateur astronomers by subscribing to the channel" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1613433447145-MK7DAE7JAJJ9XEUI6M4W/Ed+Ting.jpg Video Links - Ed Ting I'm an amateur astronomer with 40+ years of experience in helping others enjoy the night sky. My work has appeared in writing at many of the major astronomy publications, and at various places around the internet. I write a popular telescope review web site, www.scopereviews.com, where I've reviewed hundreds of telescopes. I do astronomy outreach with children, and I am an NSF Ambassador to Chile, and a NASA Solar System Ambassador. While at Dartmouth, my master's thesis on astronomical imaging won an award from the school. Join me here, and let's learn and have fun looking up at the night sky! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609568198175-D6A8W2TQC2UAEYR3F9VS/Darrell+Heath.jpg Video Links - The Night Sky UALRTV via YouTube presents “The Night Sky” video series with Darrell Heath. Darrell explains all aspects of the Night Sky, Astronomy, and the tools we use to view what is out there. An excellent series for both the beginner and seasoned astronomer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609568874444-S35AUL1JTPMW18LCLHAD/Telescope+Basics.jpg Video Links - Telescope Basics Telescope Basics with “Eyes on the Sky” host David Fuller. A six part video series for beginner astronomers that are ready to make the first purchase of a telescope or for a seasoned astronomer looking to refresh themselves on the basics. The Link below will take you to: Types of Telescopes … Magnification/Focal Ratio … Standard Eyepieces Field of View … Barlow Lenses … Finderscope Types & Alignment https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610242935177-VSJO4Q4P3PN5VOSU1GIP/hqdefault.jpg Video Links - Equatorial Mounts Equatorial mount basics with “Eyes on the Sky” host David Fuller. A four part video series. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609570130181-E8G9JFBGCDBE0ZWOHB4J/Star+Gazing+Basics.jpg Video Links - Stargazing Basics Stargazing Basics with “Eyes on the Sky” host David Fuller. A three part video series for understanding the night sky. The Link below will take you to: Getting oriented to better learn the night sky. Understand star magnitudes to learn the night sky. Learn to measure distance easily in the night sky. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609570655892-WB5941T69UYYSKU3P357/AmyAstro.jpg Video Links - Astrophotography with AmyAstro Amy Little of AmyAstro has been a top YouTube video presenter since she first started posting on August 25 of 2019. It all begins with an idea. Amy only expected family members to watch her videos, but the world has taken notice and we see great things from her. She offers a fresh easy to understand presentation for each topic of astrophotography she shares. From Amy Little’s YouTube About link: “With this Channel, I will share my love of the night sky. We will chase the stars, learn about gear, imaging and processing. Join me on this adventure beyond our atmosphere. Together we will learn and have a great time.” Along with the video link below, Amy also has a Facebook link here. You can find her webpage here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610315734721-ROKDMOJDMGD9OF7M26EY/trevor-jones-astrobackyard.jpg Video Links - Astrobackyard Astrophotography and more with Trevor Jones. I'll take you with me as I shoot nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters with my camera and telescope in the backyard. Whether you are in the middle of town with heavy light pollution or blessed with dark country skies, I'll show you how to capture the night sky. Here's what to expect: • Astrophotography Tutorials • The Astrophotography Equipment you need • The Camera settings I use • Image Processing Tips and Tricks • Examples of what to expect with similar gear. Along with the video link below, Trevor also has a Facebook link here. You can find his webpage here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610411156222-DY7MXKQ5STLVU127HFYB/750_4779_1x1.jpg Video Links - Peter Zelinka Astrophotography My goal is to help the average person learn more about astrophotography, without having to invest thousands of dollars in new equipment! A simple star tracker, DSLR, and camera lens are all that is required to capture stunning photos of the night sky. Whether you want to learn how to take better wide-angle nightscapes or deep space astrophotography, I hope you enjoy the videos! Along with the video link below, Peter also has a webpage link here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611154655116-CSWQMU1JZ49CKV8V06AY/Amazing%2BSpace%2BYouTube.jpg Video Links - Amazing Space - Space Videos We love space. We will bring you 24/7 views of Earth from space live. As well as the latest launches from NASA, SpaceX, Blue Origin, ULA, Arianespace. With our 24/7 Nasa live stream, we want you to enjoy the latest space news, with the best videos from the likes of NASA TV and the ESA as well as new content exclusive to us. This channel is about exploring our galaxy and being amazed at the wonders of the universe. We love Nasa, SpaceX, Blue Origins, ULA, Virgin Galactic, and all those who are taking us into space! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611281083829-4XMLCC7MSTH0QJRJCZ1H/Learn+The+Sky.jpg Video Links - Learn The Sky Our Mission at Learn the Sky is to inspire people to go outside, observe the stars, and share their experiences with others. We offer online courses to support your journey through the stars. Learn the Sky can also be found on Facebook and the website. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1615417223408-FTZQHFJ1OM0MTC51CBLL/SarafinaConstStill02.png Video Links - Seeker: Constellations “In Seeker Constellations, we'll explain the science of the universe’s most famous stars and dive into the culturally significant stories behind them.” Seeker offers much more on space as well as other science topics. For more go to their YouTube Playlist, Facebook, or their Website. Added: Mar 10, 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1618149088341-SGJNJZUGWHF4TBBQMYJI/Cody_AstroBlender.jpg Video Links - AstroBlender Hey everyone - Cody here! I have many hobbies and interests! I strive to provide top-notch astronomy, science education, astrophotography, instructional videos, and telescope equipment reviews. I hope you enjoy the channel and learn as I learn! Thank you for visiting, and clear skies! Webmaster Note: Excellent resource for instructional videos and reviews. Cody makes full use of his YouTube channel so check each tab. You can find his imaging under Community. Added: April 11, 2021 https://www.astra-nj.com/meetingevent-info daily 0.75 2023-06-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609576719521-8GLAWB87BIT6J3ZTAO17/20190713_203401.jpg Meeting/Event Info - Event Info Viewing events is always subject to weather conditions. Please check the "Club Calendar" two hours prior to the start time to verify that this event is still scheduled. ASTRA Members will receive email notification of any ASTRA star party/event changes or cancelations! If you are an ASTRA member and are not receiving these notifications please contact Jim Webster. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1609576351065-OV2X3SGLOFVMOFTZDZL2/20190712_202936.jpg Meeting/Event Info - Meeting Info ASTRA meetings are held the second Friday of each month unless otherwise directed on our Club Calendar. Meetings will start at 7 PM EST at the Robert J. Novins Planetarium on the campus of Ocean County College in Toms River, New Jersey. COVID-19 Update Jan 31, 2022: We are back at the Planetarium. https://www.astra-nj.com/membership daily 0.75 2025-03-05 https://www.astra-nj.com/404-page daily 0.75 2021-01-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611261656156-CITCFB6TCOE7OJGPJUSB/ASTRA%2BLogo%2BBoarder%2BWide%2B2021.jpg 404 Page - OOPS!!! Something went wrong. If the problem continues please contact the ASTRA Webmaster at: astranjwebmaster@gmail.com https://www.astra-nj.com/vendor-links daily 0.75 2021-01-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610257362862-4URQXA072RX3OWP7Y0AD/logo-high-point-scientific.jpg Vendor Links - High Point Scientific The Telescope and Astrophotography Experts in New Jersey. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610257670504-0A9KXUV33SQ3I3X4KN2C/HobbyTown.jpg Vendor Links - Hobbytown Local hobby store resource in Toms River, NJ for 3D printed parts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1610259369796-HAG9CE03KV835LRA3369/opt_logo_no_ring.jpg Vendor Links - OPT The Telescope Authority People come to OPT because we have the expertise and the drive to help you succeed in your Astronomy goals. https://www.astra-nj.com/astronomy-web-tools daily 0.75 2023-10-14 https://www.astra-nj.com/children-astronomy daily 0.75 2022-01-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611147982368-93SVCX0YQEP5AEL2IIM2/Free+School+Our+Solar+System.jpg Astronomy for Kids - Free School Astronomy and Space Astronomy and Space for Kids. Explore our solar system and more. A thirty-two part video series from Free School. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611149235682-JXSURRA0PQJK6HQ1UHHP/Free+School+Constellation+Quest+%282%29.jpg Astronomy for Kids - Free School Constellation Quest The Mythology and Astronomy of Constellations. A series of five videos from Free School. Constellations presented are Orion, Cassiopeia, Scorpius, Leo, and Taurus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611167419017-7CS0ULQRMDIB00YROTZN/Nasa-logo.png Astronomy for Kids - NASA KID’s Club Visit Nasa’s Kid’s Club for a lot of fun activities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611169403066-LQQJFWBDEJXLAV6A0NDT/SciShow%2BKids.jpg Astronomy for Kids - SciShow Kids SciShow Kids explores all those curious topics that make us ask "why?" Whether conducting experiments, researching new questions, or talking with experts, there's always something new to discover with SciShow Kids, no matter what your age! Visit their YouTube “About” for more links and support them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611167584224-UEWR0D0DXXC6J95XJV20/Nasa-logo.png Astronomy for Kids - NASA At Home — For Kids and Families Extensive resource for all family members for fun and study. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1612295632461-77W72YWILNT5NS2YJIIA/ALPO+Youth+Logo.jpg Astronomy for Kids - ALPO Youth Program The goal of ALPO's Youth Program is to encourage children and young adults to take an interest in astronomy, space, and outreach. We plan to achieve this goal by forming an alliance with astronomy clubs, and other STEM and educational entities. The ALPO Youth Program is one part of many great works done by the members of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1614352399899-C0A9KLZM4B0IVG4O65I1/Nasas%2BEye_Solar%2BSystem.jpg Astronomy for Kids - NASA Science Solar System Exploration Real-time positioning of everything related to our solar system. Items are clickable for more information. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1615383785324-H4POL56VXL06FH1F7II6/starry%2Bscoop.jpg Astronomy for Kids - The Starry Scoop A Facebook monthly astronomy publication. Excellent reading from this young editor/author. Recommended for anyone at any age. https://www.astra-nj.com/novins-planetarium daily 0.75 2021-01-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1611260297142-VFXS7G999N3SDLRTKPT4/Planetarium_Boardered.jpg Novins Planetarium - At the Robert J. Novins Planetarium explore the universe seeing the stars and planets as you have never seen before with our Laser Shows, Sky Shows and Full Dome Movies shows for all ages. School programs and rentals are available. For more information on Planetarium events: Location and Directions Webpage Facebook https://www.astra-nj.com/citizen-science daily 0.75 2023-10-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/73e21536-3eb6-4a6d-a37e-a211c5b98c6e/170396527_306832910859983_6625274097710649497_n.jpg Citizen Science - What is Citizen Science? Citizen Science is community volunteer scientific research. It is done in part or wholly by amateur scientists, regardless of age, experience, or level of expertise. Citizen Science allows for public participation in scientific research, whose outcomes advance scientific research on many different available projects. Citizen science may be performed by individuals, teams, or networks of volunteers. You may partner with professional scientists to achieve common goals. Amateur volunteer networks allow scientists to accomplish tasks that would be too expensive or time-consuming to accomplish on their own. There are many projects out there that we as amateur astronomers may find interesting. All that is needed is a desire to learn more and participate in something worthwhile. You’ll find many projects where NASA is involved. https://www.astra-nj.com/tips-for-attending-a-star-party daily 0.75 2023-06-21 https://www.astra-nj.com/club-loaner-guidelines daily 0.75 2023-06-25 https://www.astra-nj.com/darksky-new-jersey daily 0.75 2026-02-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/2c5e3567-5048-4919-a428-6328c06ee0df/DarkSky-logo-white+letters-small.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/8ba022f7-f716-428d-9675-98044ec4228b/Types+of+LP.jpg DarkSky New Jersey - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c9efc628-f141-43a2-a283-e81657135538/Picture1.jpg DarkSky New Jersey - Light Pollution Bortle Scale This image is a representation of the Bortle Scale for measuring sky brightness. Lower numbers indicate darker skies while higher numbers show fewer stars because of sky glow and other forms of light pollution. As we become more urbanized with town and city lighting, we lose the majesty of the night sky. We have members of our New Jersey community and elsewhere who have never seen the Milkyway. Image credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA, P. Marenfeld https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/c6c4000f-440d-4e8b-9154-8ee2a4204bde/NJ-night-sky-brightness-light-pollution-map-bortle.jpg DarkSky New Jersey - New Jersey Light Pollution New Jersey is being impacted by widespread light pollution and it continues to grow. It is noticable in all areas: urban, suburban, and even rural areas. Most people can’t go outside and see the night sky as it was meant to be seen. For us here in Central New Jersey protecting the Barnegat Bay area and beyond is important for the health of the delicate ecosystem we have. The same applies to both North and South Jersey, we are all in it together. The elimination of lighting is not necessary or desired. What is needed are better solutions for our lighting needs. The image on the left is the 2019 satellite image of Central NJ showing light pollution from the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center. On the right is a 2015 light pollution map showing sky brightness at the zenith from World Atlas data. Colors correspond approximately to the Bortle scale. - Image source: Go-Astronomy.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/a0d3e258-1ab2-469d-b81f-5083812ed8cf/nam_anim.gif DarkSky New Jersey - Protecting the night Only two in ten people live under the night sky of natural darkness. To see the Milky-way how far do you have to travel? Dark-Sky International is a global organization that works to protect the night skies for present and future generations, promoting responsible outdoor lighting. Today, 83% of the global population lives under a light-polluted sky with 99% of the US and Europe are under light-polluted skies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/58eb62ca-ac8c-44f6-8f27-a3fd8504945f/Slide+1+%2836%29.jpg DarkSky New Jersey - Why should we care about light pollution? Light pollution affects animals, especially species that are most active at night. Artificial light can interfere with migration, hunting, feeding, and reproduction. It gives nocturnal animals less time to find food, shelter, and mate. And it helps predators to see prey animals around the clock. Light pollution has led to a lower firefly population, the deaths of many birds that become confused during migration, and habitat loss for many species. It may also increase the risk of algae blooms in bodies of water, which can harm fish and aquatic ecosystems. Compelling evidence shows how constant exposure to light may negatively affect nocturnal animals and insects, crucial ecological systems that concern agriculture and food supplies. While its impacts are still being studied and vary widely across species, scientists do know light pollution is affecting how plants grow and reproduce. It disrupts their seasonal rhythms, their ability to sense and react to natural light, and their fragile relationship with pollinators. The more strained that relationship becomes, the more our food supply may be put in jeopardy. And just one broken link could create unfathomable physiological consequences up and down the food chain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/1697317233383-2284FZSZSC728BLTXMPJ/image-asset.jpeg DarkSky New Jersey - How Does Light Pollution Affect Your Health? Melatonin is a hormone that your brain produces in response to darkness. You need darkness to live a healthy life. Before the invention of artificial light, humans were adjusted to a natural 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. This cycle is part of your circadian rhythm, your body’s internal "clock" that helps you fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning. Manmade light at night disrupts it. There are several forms of illness that have been linked to light pollution. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-light-pollution AMA adopts guidance to reduce harm from high-intensity street lights. Outdoor Lighting at Night Tied to Diabetes Prevalence Missing the Dark: Health Effects of Light Pollution https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/01ab8bcb-8af4-4313-8ae2-3a0a3968ff25/Picture3.png DarkSky New Jersey - What can you do? Appreciate the Darkness - Get outside of the City Change Your Outdoor Lights. Share your Knowledge of Dark Skies. Voice your Opinion: Community School or workplace Family and Friends Ask your community leaders to make changes to Public Outdoor Lighting. For more reach out to your New Jersey Dark Sky Advocate which can be found on the contact page of ASTRA-NJ.com. There are several public presentations that are available. You can also visit DarkSky International at darksky.org. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/3c723034-d0b2-4038-91bb-f12617b8b202/DarkSky-logo-white+letters-small.png DarkSky New Jersey - Make it stand out To find out more, visit darksky.org Losing the Dark video. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f7a6fbc052f492f9d4a0a53/32d070b2-3485-44eb-8c7c-cdb9f26d59e2/globe+at+night_scistarter.jpg DarkSky New Jersey - Help with Citizen Science Scistarter.org is a citizen science hub of more than 3,000+ projects. Citizen science enables people from all walks of life to advance scientific research. Find projects that match your interests and track your contributions. Globe at Night, which is a project found on Scistarter.org, is a citizen-science campaign to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by inviting citizen scientists to measure & submit their night sky brightness observations. It's easy to get involved - all you need is a computer or smartphone. scistarter.org/globe-at-night scistarter.org/darksky-index https://www.astra-nj.com/darksky-information daily 0.75 2024-03-24 https://www.astra-nj.com/media-spotlight daily 0.75 2025-10-07 https://www.astra-nj.com/new-page daily 0.75 2026-01-13