Category Archives: Space

NASA on the Upcoming Annular Eclipse

On Sunday, May 20th, the Moon will pass in front of the sun, transforming sunbeams across the Pacific side of Earth into fat crescents and thin rings of light. Continue reading

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NASA “Target Asteroids” Project Seeks Citizen Scientist Help

NASA is looking for citizen scientist observers to assist in locating and tracking minor planets in support of their upcoming OSIRIS REx mission to explore these roving rocks. Continue reading

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“Citizens in Space” Challenge to be Issued at Upcoming Maker Faire

Citizens in Space, a project of the United States Rocket Academy, will announce a space prize challenge for citizen scientists at Maker Faire, the nation’s largest festival of do-it-yourself science and engineering, on May 19. The announcement takes place on the Education Stage at the San Mateo Event Center at 1:00 pm. Continue reading

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“Monster” Sunspots Raise Solar Storm Fears

Over the weekend, a huge array of sunspots rotated into view. Experts suggest that the sun may be starting to unleash more solar storms. At the same time, these sunspots offer an opportunity for amateur solar astronomers to observe these sunspots. Continue reading

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Citizen Science Musings: Shooting the Moon

After a number of failed (and I mean epic fails here) attempts to shoot pictures of pretty much anything celestial through a telescope, I laid off astrophotography for a long time. Over a decade, in fact. Continue reading

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Are Amateur Satellite Watchers a Security Risk?

A 01 May item on the Scientific American website describes some of the exploits of amateur satellite trackers who have successfully spotted and tracked some of the government’s most secret spy satellites. The article asks, “As consumer telescopes and techniques improve, will there be implications for national security?” Continue reading

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VLF Radio Astronomy

Flares such as the ones seen recently could become the norm soon, though, as our sun’s 11-year cycle of magnetic activity ramps up, scientists explained. The sun is just coming out of a lull, and scientists expect the next peak of activity in 2013. The current cycle, called Solar Cycle 24, began in 2008. Continue reading

Posted in Amateur Radio, Amateur Science, Astronomy, climate, Electricity, Electronics, Instrumentation, Magnetism, Measurement, Meteorology, Physics, Space | 4 Comments

The Transit of Venus

On the 5th and 6th of June this year Venus will transit across the solar disk. This is an event that happened just eight years ago and yet won’t happen again for another 105 years. Continue reading

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Radio Astronomy – Thoughts and Lessons

At the age of 13, my parents gave me my first telescope; it was a Gilbert 3 inch reflector. That opened up the world of astronomy to me and at 16 I stumbled across a book titled “Radio Astronomy for Amateurs” by Frank Hyde (UK). This fit my other hobby of electronics and short wave listening. That was in 1964. Continue reading

Posted in Amateur Radio, Astronomy, Electronics, History of Science, Instrumentation, Physics, Space | 2 Comments

Life Discovered on Mars–36 Years Ago

New analysis of 36-year-old data, resuscitated from printouts, shows that NASA found life on Mars, an international team of mathematicians and scientists conclude in a paper published this week. Continue reading

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