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13 August 2016

The CARNIVAL OF SPACE # 471 @ LINKS THROUGH SPACE



Welcome to Links Through Space. Astronomy for everyone.
This is the blog of our Astronomy Club Toutatis, Kustavi, Finland.
We write/post news about space related topics and
we showcase our astrophotos and timelapses.

So here we have it, Ladies and Gentlemen!
The Carnival of Space #471 @ Links Through Space. 


This week in the Carnival of Space...
Lifeboat News: The Blog - lifeboat.com
Company to commercialize NASA financed 3D pizza printer
by Mark R. Whittington / blasting news

The lunar south pole (Credit NASA)
How Moon Express intends to make money in the short term
by Mark R. Whittington / blasting news
The Small Country of Luxembourg Announces Big Plans for Asteroid ... - inverse.com
Deep Space Industries announces prospector 1 mission to an asteroid
by Mark R. Whittington / blasting news
NASA discovers 20 planets similar to Earth - tecake.in
by Mark R. Whittington / blasting news

What's Orbiting KIC 8462852 - Shattered Comet or Alien ... - universetoday.com
Latest discovery from star KIC 8462852 has scientiists wondering about alien magastructure
by Mark R. Whittington / blasting news

Two cosmic structures show evidence for a remarkable
change in behavior of a supermassive black hole. Credit: Chandra
A Black Hole Story Told by a Cosmic Blob and Bubble
by The Chandra Space Telescope team / Chandra blog

Astronaut Edwin Aldrin on lunar surface during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. This mission actually happened, although some people who don't understand spaceflight and how it works claim that it didn't.  NASA
Five Astro-Misconceptions about Space and Astronomy
by Carolyn Collins Petersen the space writer / SpaceAbout.com


Kenny baker who played R2D2 dies at age 81
by Brian Wang / Next Big Future
SOURCES- Lawrence Berkeley Lab
Biggest ever 3D map of 35 million galaxies begins construction phase for the device
by Brian Wang / Next Big Future
SOURCES- Popular Science
China targets 2030 for operational hybrid hypersonic spaceplane
by Brian Wang / Next Big Future

Logo of the Ancient Astronomy Series on the Age of Astronomy presented
by Astronomy Club Toutatis, Kustavi, Finland public outreach program 2016.

 Here at Links through Space we introduce a series of articles on the Age of Astronomy. This series of 7 articles focuses on establishing a connection between Earth's ancient civilizations and Astronomy. 
Follow the Ancient Astronomy Series: THE AGE OF ASTRONOMY  posts and find out the true age of astronomy.

So here you have it!
All the thrills and excitements of the Astronomy/Space community this week.
The Carnival of Space #471

If you run a space/astronomy related blog and would like to get more awareness, participate in the Carnival of Space. Every week a different webmaster or blogger hosts the Carnival, showcasing articles written on the topic of space. It's a great way to get to know the community and to help your writing reach a wider audience. If you'd like to be a host for the Carnival or be part of the Carnival, please send an email to carnivalofspace@gmail.com.
Carnival of Space logo photo credits: Jason Major.


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Introducing Ancient Astronomy Series: The AGE OF ASTRONOMY. PROLOGUE.

Pubic outreach program  by Astronomy club Toutatis, Kustavi, Finland.

PROLOGUE
Astronomy has surely a beginning. A precise starting time when people started to use the knowledge of the motion of the night sky. When was it that ancient people had the grasp of the study of the stars? When, for the first time, was it possible to pass this information to next generations?

This series of articles is part of the Astronomy club Toutatis, Kustavi, Finland's public outreach annual program in astronomy. All the photos are by the astronomy club unless credited otherwise. This was possible by the participation of Astronomer Ali Mohamed from the astronomy club of Marrakesh, Morocco, friends and family.

This is a series of 7 articles on the age of astronomy. It is part of my 1 year research on the age of Astronomy. Establishing a connection between Earth's ancient civilizations and the knowledge of astronomy.

What is the age of Astronomy? How old is it? Can we find some tangible evidence of it's age?
Many clues can be found in almost all Civilizations on Earth before us such as Artifacts, Relics, Star maps, Astronomical alignments, Astronomical references and Astronomical instruments. A voyage through old civilization's myths, architecture, arts and places all linking to astronomy.

We know of many physical evidence found around the world that are related to astronomy. In this mini series of articles we will establish the chronology of astronomy with the aid of these physical evidences left by our ancient ancestors from as far back as the prehistory up to the present day, pinpointing exactly in time, the age of Astronomy.

I have no doubts of the powerful implications of astronomy in the past, present or future of the human race. It seems that the heavens has always played a major role in the history of humanity and that is why it is so difficult to pinpoint. The age of astronomy will be known gradually more when new findings across the globe will emerge. A future of new discoveries pushing the dates backward till one day it will be reveal to us, the age of astronomy.

Here is the List of articles on our Ancient Astronomy Series: The Age of Astronomy. Click on the article to open the link.

ANCIENT ASTRONOMY SERIES: The AGE OF ASTRONOMY.
Have a look also at the links below to read more on the age of astronomy.
Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_astronomy
http://www.windows2universe.org/the_universe/uts/timeline.html
http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0072482621/student_view0/astronomy_timeline.html
http://www.rundetaarn.dk/en/the-observatory/timeline/
http://www.haystack.mit.edu/edu/pcr/resources/astronomyhistory.htm

Disclaimer:
These articles are part of the Astronomy Club Toutatis, Kustavi, Finland education program. Trips a broad, contact creating and local public outreach are ways for the astronomy club to unite the astronomy community and advance knowledge of astronomy among participants. Wikipedia is a major bank of information widely used and You tube as well. In these articles the Wikipedia background and the You tube videos are essential for short and good explanations. Also they provide a very good list of References, crucial for verifying the sources. The Astronomy Club Toutatis, Kustavi, Finland educational program is shared publicly through the astronomy club's blog: www.linksthroughspace.blogspot.com.


Pubic outreach program  by Astronomy club Toutatis, Kustavi, Finland



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17 June 2016

More pictures of the Transit of Mercury.


Transit of Mercury in front of our Sun. 09.05.2016
Credit: S. Ekko.


Last May (09.05.2016) we had the chance to witness the transit of Mercury. We had a great weather and lots of people came to look through the telescope.
Here are more pictures of the event.
Credit of the photos: S. Ekko.

Large group eager to see what was happening.
Credit: S. Ekko.
Stefan Lamoureux with friend (Igor) talking about the transit of Mercury.
Credit: S. Ekko. 

Ingress of the planet Mercury in front of the Sun. 09.05.2016
Credit: S. Ekko.


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11 May 2016

09.05.2016: Transit of Mercury. 7 hours of great astronomy in broad day light!!!



The transit of Mercury viewed in Turku, Finland. A gathering between friends and family to observe this rare and beautiful astronomical event. Here are some pictures we took of the transit of Mercury 09.05.2016.

Enjoy!

The Astronomical Association of Kustavi thanks everyone who came and had a look through the telescope and saw something wonderful.

Here are the pictures. All photos credited to The Astronomical Association of Kustavi, Finland/S.Lamoureux.

Setting Sun low at the horizon with Mercury at the bottom right of the solar disc.
(Click on the photo to enlarge)

Base camp at the foot of a giant maze (Jatulin tarha) High grounds, Turku, Finland.
(Click on the photo to enlarge)

The transit of Mercury at midway.
Notice the Sunspots above to the right of the planet Mercury.
(Click on the photo to enlarge)

Camera with solar filters on telescope.
(Click on the photo to enlarge)

Close up of base camp next to giant maze (Jatulin tarha) with telescope and solar filters.
(Click on the photo to enlarge)



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10 February 2016

Two astronomers, double the fun!


Meet the two Astronomy Association linking together for mutual posts and observations.
The Association Astronomy Marrakesh and the Association Astronomy Toutatis, Kustavi, Finland have link up to present astronomy related posts/articles. Also we work together on conjoint observations from our own observatories in each ones country.

So please have a look at our posts and enjoy the astronomy behind it. This blog is in 2 languages; English and French. With the Google Translate window you can change languages in no time.






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31 August 2015

Space dishes! An Astronomy club's way to fund itself.


Space dishes. Fun way to fund own astronomy club.

As a way to fund my Astronomy Club, I made some Space dishes!
I team up with a friend of mine who is a great drawing artist to make this series.
We decided to make coffee mugs, bowls and breakfast plates.

This was a great way to collect funds for our coming events and to buy better gear for the club.
Family and friends participated and bought the dishes to help us with our hobby.

Of course I have my own set at home and it is wonderful to eat in these unique mugs and plates that remains me always of astronomy, space and beyond...

This project was facilitated by the fact that my girlfriend has a pottery shop and we could use the expertise of the workers at the shop.

I want to Thank Essi, Julia and Vesa for making this project a success, without them it would certainly have been only an idea.

Here are more pictures of the dishes.





































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25 August 2015

Astronomy Club Toutatis: 4 days in a row


Star trail of the western night sky in Kustavi, Finland. 22.08.2015
The dense Milky Way can be seen in the middle of the picture.
Credit: KTY Toutatis/S. Lamoureux.  

Fall brings great dark skies in Finland. Also it offers warmer temperatures to enjoy the night sky.
On the 22.08.2015 was the 4th day in a row that we looked at the night sky. We moved to a more open space where the western (and eastern) sky can be seen without obstruction from trees and buildings.

We continued on the theme of the Milky Way, this time I took a star trail with my fish eye lens on my canon 550D. The picture seen above.

Also we manage to edit the 60 photos into a GIF animation of the movement of the Milky Way in our night sky. We saw many shooting stars, planes and satellites. We spent 1,5 hours enjoying the mysteries of our Universe.

Here are what we got this time.

GIF animation of the movement of the Milky Way in our night sky.
Took on the 22.08.2015 Kustavi, FInland.
Credit: KTY Toutatis/S.Lamoureux.

Caption of the GIF animation. The Milky Way.
Credit: KTY Toutatis/S.Lamoureux.

Me and Birgit sitting on the star terasse. Kustavi, Finland.
Credit: KTY Toutatis/S.Lamoureux.

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21 August 2015

Astronomy Club Toutatis is in the house.


Astronomy Club Toutatis opened its doors for the youth in Kustavi, Finland. It staged a 3 night watch of the night sky. Participants were all young adults who had the chance to observe the universe through a camera lens. Here is the result. We had 3 activities.
1. Star trails. Showing how the stars revolves around the pole star (Polaris).
2. Have a sense of the movement of the night sky with a GIF Animation.
3. Introduction to the Milky Way Galaxy and Star hopping.

Here is what we got.

GIF Animation of the movement of the Milky Way Galaxy in our night sky.
Duration: 1 hour. Credit: KTY Toutatis/S. Lamoureux.

The Milky Way in the Trees.
Star trail with Polaris at the top of the picture.
Notice the smudge-like star trail of the Milky Way between the trees.
Want to do the same photos and animations. Have a look at these links:




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19 July 2015

New Horizons mission to Pluto. The moons of Pluto. Styx.


Image of the Plutonian System. The family portrait of Pluto
consists of Papa Pluto, Mama Charon and the 4 kids: Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx. :)
Credit: HST jAPL SwRI NASA. 
Did you know that the last moon named Styx was discovered while looking for hazards to the New Horizons mission?
No!

Keep reading.
The innermost and largest moon, Charon, was discovered by James Christy on June 22, 1978, nearly half a century after Pluto was discovered. This led to a substantial revision in estimates of Pluto's size, which had previously assumed that the observed mass and reflected light of the system were all attributable to Pluto alone.

Two additional moons were imaged by astronomers of the Pluto Companion Search Team preparing for the New Horizons mission and working with the Hubble Space Telescope on 15 May 2005, which received the provisional designations S/2005 P 1 and S/2005 P 2. The International Astronomical Union officially named Pluto's newest moons Nix (or Pluto II, the inner of the two moons, formerly P 2) and Hydra (Pluto III, the outer moon, formerly P 1), on 21 June 2006.

Kerberos, announced on 20 July 2011, was detected using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope during a survey searching for rings around Pluto. It was first seen in an image taken with Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 on 28 June. It was confirmed in subsequent Hubble pictures taken on 3 and 18 July. Styx, announced on 7 July 2012, was discovered while looking for potential hazards for New Horizons.


http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Pluto
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluto
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styx_(moon)

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16 July 2015

Raining outside! no worries, New Horizons mission to Pluto is on the internet.

Note the velocity Relative to Pluto (km/s): 13.78. Credit: NASA JAPL. New Horizons mission to Pluto 

Everybody is baffled by the New Horizons mission to Pluto.
It got me thinking and with the help from my mom i know now that the spacecraft that passed the Pluto system is going roughly 74,000 km/h. At this time, the spacecraft is traveling at 13.78 km/s relative to Pluto.

This is straight from Wikipedia, Ladies and Gentlemen.
After three years of construction, and several delays at the launch site, New Horizons was launched on January 19, 2006, from Cape Canaveral, directly into an Earth-and-solar-escape trajectory with an Earth-relative speed of about 16.26 kilometers per second (58,536 km/h; 36,373 mph); it set the record for the highest launch speed of a human-made object from Earth.
After a brief encounter with asteroid 132524 APL, New Horizons proceeded to Jupiter, making its closest approach on February 28, 2007 at a distance of 2.3 million kilometers (1.4 million miles). The Jupiter flyby provided a gravity assist that increased New Horizons‍ '​ speed by 4 km/s (14,000 km/h; 9,000 mph). The encounter was also used as a general test of New Horizons‍ '​ scientific capabilities, returning data about its atmosphere, moons, and magnetosphere. Most of the post-Jupiter voyage was spent in hibernation mode to preserve on-board systems, except for brief annual checkouts.[5] On December 6, 2014, New Horizons was brought back online for the encounter, and instrument check-out began.[6] On January 15, 2015, the New Horizons spacecraft began its approach phase to Pluto. On July 14, 2015 11:49 UTC (07:49 EDT), it flew 12,600 km (7,800 mi) above the surface of Pluto,[7][8] making it the first spacecraft to explore Pluto.[4][9] Hours later, at 00:52:37 UTC (20:52:37 EDT),[10] NASA received the first communication from the probe following flyby at the time expected. Engineering data indicated that the flyby was successful and the probe operated in all respects as expected.[11][12][13]
So lets see now! The Moon is at a 385,000 km from Earth.
The spacecraft is traveling at 60,000 km/h initially.
The Jupiter push increased the velocity by 4km/s. (14,000 km/h)
60,000 km/h + 14,000 km/h = 74,000 km/h
385,000 km % 74,000 km / gives us the hours it takes to make that distance (in hours).
385 % 60 =  5.20 hours.
So this means the New Horizons spacecraft every 5 hours and some minutes he makes the distance between Earth and the Moon.

Now at roughly 74,000 km/h "Where is he going?" my mom asked me. I frankly don't know the answer to that question, but surely to new horizons.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon
http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/

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14 July 2015

Pluto! New Horizons gives us Pluto.


Pluto! New Horizons.NASA.JAPL


We arrived to Pluto!
Now we know why Clide Thoubaugh gave it that name.

Links:
WIKI: Pluto (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluto)
WIKI: New Horizons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons)
FB: New Horizons Government Organisation  (https://www.facebook.com/new.horizons1?fref=ts)
WIKI: Clide Thoubaugh (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clyde_Tombaugh)

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The Day Pluto Stood Still. Part:3


Pluto as seen from New Horizons on 11.07.2015.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute
Special Coverage: Pluto Closest Approach (online)

Be part of the historic moment of the encounter of the Dwarf planet Pluto and New Horizons spacecraft. Tune in to NASA TV and follow this exciting day. Truly new horizons for humankind.

Tune in to NASA TV here.

Links:
WIKI: Pluto (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluto)
WIKI: New Horizons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons)
FB: New Horizons Government Organisation  (https://www.facebook.com/new.horizons1?fref=ts)

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The Day Pluto Stood Still. Part:2


2 hours to go for the flyby of New Horizons spacecraft to Pluto.
Credit: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/index.php

The Flyby:

On July 14, at 11:49:59 UTC NASA's New Horizons spacecraft will make its historic closest approach to the dwarf planet Pluto, the most distant solid object to be visited by a spacecraft.


NASA will not be in contact with the spacecraft at closest approach since the spacecraft's instruments will be pointed at Pluto, an orientation that will take the spacecraft's fixed communications antenna off earth point. Earthlings will need to wait about 13 hours for a signal from the spacecraft to arrive at Earth.

Read more HERE on the Flyby schedule and download a PDF file of the activities of the mission.

PDF file: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/Resources/Press-Kits/NHPlutoFlybyPressKitJuly2015.pdf

 Links:
WIKI: Pluto (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluto)
WIKI: New Horizons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons)
FB: New Horizons Government Organisation  (https://www.facebook.com/new.horizons1?fref=ts)


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The Day Pluto Stood Still. Part:1


New Horizons spacecraft instruments. Credit: NASA/ JAPL
The New Horizons science payload consists of seven instruments – three optical instruments, two plasma instruments, a dust sensor and a radio science receiver/radiometer. This payload was designed to investigate the global geology, surface composition and temperature, and the atmospheric pressure, temperature and escape rate of Pluto and its moons.

If an extended mission is approved, the instruments will probe additional Kuiper Belt Objects that the spacecraft can reach.

The payload is incredibly power efficient – with the instruments collectively drawing less than 28 watts – and represents a degree of miniaturization that is unprecedented in planetary exploration. The instruments were designed specifically to handle the cold conditions and low light levels at Pluto and in the Kuiper Belt beyond.

Continue reading on the New Horizons instruments HERE. (http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Mission/Spacecraft/Payload.php)

This is truly new horizons for space exploration. Congratulations to all participants and follower of this historic moment.

Links:
WIKI: Pluto (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluto)
WIKI: New Horizons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Horizons)
FB: New Horizons Government Organisation  (https://www.facebook.com/new.horizons1?fref=ts)

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08 June 2015

Countdown to the dwarf planet Pluto with mission New Horizons on the way


Artist's concept of New Horizons when it reaches Pluto in July 2015.
Source: Wikipedia  

36 Days to go until the flyby of the dwarf planet Pluto. The NASA spacecraft mission New Horizons slowly reaches its destination. This July 14, new horizons we will visit. First time in history, to finally see the once planet and its moons.

Have a look at the latest news HERE.





Wikipedia: New Horizons Mission to Pluto
Visit New Horizon's Webpage HERE.


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18 May 2015

The CARNIVAL OF SPACE # 406 @ LINKS THROUGH SPACE



Welcome to Links Through Space. Astronomy for everyone.
This is the blog of our Astronomy Club Toutatis here in Kustavi, Finland
We write/post news about space related topics and
we showcase our Astrophotos and Timelapses.

Our blog is a way for you to follow Space/Astronomy news and find new links through the Internet about Space and astronomy.
So here we have it, Ladies and Gentlemen!
The Carnival of Space # 406 @ Links Through Space. 

Globular Cluster 47 Tucanae
Credit: Hubble Space telescope. Nasa/ESA

 A look at Hubble Space Telescope's latest releases.

The Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles.
Credit: Carolyn Collins Petersen.
Wishing the venerable Griffith Observatory a happy 80th birthday!
We went to Los Angeles last weekend to celebrate the 80th birthday of the venerable Griffith Observatory.

X-Ray map of Galaxy Abell 1033.
Credit: Chandra/ VLA.
Observations of Abell 1033 galaxy cluster shows radiation known as phoenix type, with its origin in a collision between cluster members. The article is written in Spanish.


2D Flat Spheroid Galaxy.
Credit: Astrophysical Journal - Hidig in Plain Sight:
An Abundance of Compact Massive Spheroids in the Local Universe.
When researchers took a closer look at surveys of galaxies in the local universe, they found many had been mischaracterised. More careful analysis of images revealed that 21 galaxies that originally looked like big 3D clouds of stars – "giant elliptical galaxies" – were actually flat 2D disc galaxies with bulges in the middle.
 Read article on The Universe is fullof rogue stars, rogue planets and galaxies that were tough for  oldertelescopes to see.

Janne Leppäkoski & Patrick Innocent
@ Sahara Sky.
Credit: S. Lamoureux/ KTY Toutatis 
Check us out at Links through Space. Our new post and follow our Astronomy Club’s travel post series on our Astronomy trip to the Sahara, Southern Morocco and enjoy the astronomy behind it. This week it’s all about Stargazing in one of the darkest night sky in the world! 
 Read the Post on Stargazing in one of the best night sky in the World. The Sahara Observatory.

So here you have it!
All the thrills and excitements of the Astronomy/Space community this week.
The Carnival of Space #406

If you run a space/astronomy related blog, and would like to get more awareness, participate in the Carnival of Space. Every week, a different webmaster or blogger hosts the carnival, showcasing articles written on the topic of space. It’s a great way to get to know the community, and to help your writing reach a wider audience. If you’d like to be a host for the carnival, please send email to carnivalofspace@gmail.com.
Carnival of Space photo: Credit: Jason Major

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