Welcome April 1st
it’s
Global Astronomy Month 2015
Astronomers Without Borders encourages you to join in our month long international celebration of astronomy. Beginning on April 1 through to April 30 we will be hosting a large amount of global events including the largest star party in the world, online star gazing and much more! Check the previous post for more information and links for the events..
Further updates on Twitter and AstrOceanOmy Facebook Page
It’s Earth Hour Today 28th March 2015 @8:30 pm WorldWide
As usual, each year we celebrate Earth Hour to Save our planet from climate changes. Today, use your power to change climate change.
International Year of Light – (IYL 2015)
The International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies, 2015 (IYL 2015) is a United Nations observance that aims to raise awareness of the achievements of light science and its applications, and its importance to humankind.
IYL 2015 is a global initiative adopted by the United Nations to raise awareness of how optical technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to worldwide challenges in energy, education, agriculture, communications and health.
IYL 2015 opening ceremonies which was held on 19-20 January 2015 in Paris.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Einstein changed the
way we think about Time and Light. Now in the 21st century,
Einstein’s thinking is shaping one of the key scientific and
technological wonders of contemporary life: atomic clocks,
the best timekeepers ever made. Today, atomic clocks are still being improved, using atoms cooled by the pressure of light to incredibly low temperatures. A multimedia presentation at UNESCO Headquarters by the Nobel Prize William D. Phillips.
A Tour of IYL 2015
To recognize the start of IYL, the Chandra X-ray Center is releasing a collection of images that combine data from telescopes tuned to different wavelengths of light.
For More Info, Please visit:
Please Join Us!
A Huge space rock has approached Earth in a harmless but eye-catching close encounter on Monday night, Jan. 26-27.
This Asteroid is believed to be 740,000 miles away (3.1 times farther from us than the Moon) with a 0.5 km in diameter.
It can be seen by optical aid such as powerful binoculars or a Telescope. Please watch the video below on how and where to look for it in the sky.
This Asteroid “2004 BL86” will be the closest by any known space rock this large until asteroid 1999 AN10 flies past Earth in 2027.
Visit Spaceweather.com for more info (Archives 26th Jan 2015)
& NASA JPL Database & Spaceweather Realtime Image Gallary
Clear Skies
29th Earth revolution around the Sun since the owner of this website was born
The image above is taken from the famous Starry Night Pro Plus 7 software. The red dot represents Our nearest star – The Sun.
On this Day in History – 2013, July 19th, the Cassini spacecraft photographed Earth through the rings of Saturn, and the world waved at Saturn.
Image Above: Cassini’s latest shot at that day of Saturn looking back at Earth (we’re the small blue dot in the bottom right beneath the rings), 1.44 billion km’s away.
Image above is a AWB Saturn Mosaic Project, click on the image for zoom in options.
Here are some of my images which might be see included in the Mosaic:
For more information of the event, please refer to the previous post>> Our Planet around Our Star.
Clear Skies & Ramadhan Kareem
In the Name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.
Crescent Visibility Combined Report for Ramadan 1435 (Friday 27th June 2014) & Shawwal 1435 (Sunday 27th July 2014), Based on settings*
Crescent Visibility Report for Ramadan 1435 (Friday 27th June 2014) (29th of Shaaban 1435)
* Settings:-
– OMAN Muscat, Long: 58:35:36.0, Lat: 23:36:48.0, Ele:21.0 m, Zone:4.00
|
Timing: (27th/06/2014) |
Sun |
Moon |
| Rise |
05:21:22 |
05:20:21 |
| Transit |
12:08:58 |
12:08:07 |
| Set |
18:56:31 |
18:54:18 |
| Azimuth (Degree)@18:00 |
~290° 50` |
~285° 12` |
| Altitude (Degree)@18:00 |
~10° 55` |
~10° 33` |
Age of Moon: Waxing Crescent : ~ 0.24 days old.
Set Time difference : ~2 minutes
Based on the Astronomical data report, the Sun sets at 6:56 Pm @ (294° WNW), and 6:54 pm @ (289° WNW) for the Moon which makes out only 2 minuets before each set below the Horizon.
On this day, the Moon sets nearly 2 minuets before the sun, which makes the crescent sighting not only difficult but impossible.
The New Moon will be in conjunction with the Sun @ 12:08 UTC+4, however based on the astronomical calculations and personal experience , the Crescent (Hilal) will NOT be visible across the country.
Therefore Shaa’ban will continue its 30 days
Ramadan will start on Sunday, 29th June 2014 InShaAllah (If God Wills)
Please note, Actual Ramadan starts after the Sunset on Saturday 28th ..
(Not to get confused, The Arabic new day always starts after Sunset)
——————————————————————-
Crescent Visibility Report for Shawwal 1435 (Sunday 27th July 2014) (29th Ramadan 1435)
The crescent will be impossible if “not possible” to sight in most parts of the world on this day, however the chances to sight increases as we head towards south east; South Africa and South America.
* Settings:-
– OMAN Muscat, Long: 58:35:36.0, Lat: 23:36:48.0, Ele:21.0, Zone:4.00
|
Timing: (27th/07/2014) |
Sun |
Moon |
| Rise |
05:33:25 |
05:48:23 |
| Transit |
12:12:29 |
12:25:25 |
| Set |
18:51:18 |
18:59:29 |
| Azimuth (Degree)@18:00 |
~286° 40` |
~278° 36` |
| Altitude (Degree)@18:00 |
~9° 57` |
~11° 46` |
Age of Moon: Waxing Crescent : ~ 0.64 days old.
Set Time difference : ~8 minutes
Based on the Astronomical data report, the Sun sets at 6:51 Pm @ (290° W), and 6:59 pm @ (282° W) for the Moon which makes out only 8 minuets before each set below the Horizon.
The Azimuth between the Moon and the Sun is nearly 8° and 2° for the Altitude, which makes the sighting not possible.
Based on the astronomical calculations and personal experience , the Crescent (Hilal) will NOT be visible across the country.
Therefore Ramadan will continue its 30 days InShaAllah (If God Wills)
Shawwal will start on Tuesday, 29th July 2014 InShaAllah (If God Wills)
Ramadan Kareem and Eid Mubarak in advance to Everyone.
May Allah Accept our fasting, Prayers and good deeds. Ameen.
For more information regarding the topic; Please feel free to search this blog above, just type “Hilal” under the search window.
This post results are almost similar to the older post “Crescent Visibility Combined Report for Ramadan & Shawwal 1434”
April 28, 2014, 19:00 – 20:30 UTC
The End of GAM 2014 is approaching. It’s time for a Cosmic Concert
Live from Palazzo della Cultura, Messina (Italy) with composer Giovanni Renzo
The concert will be hosted by the astrophysicist Dr. Gianluca Masi
Online on WebTV, April 28, 2014, 19:00 – 20:30 UTC
Please Visit AWB Page for more info
Update: Final Video of the Cosmic Concert 2014 is available via this link,
Clear Skies
As on 30 April 2014, 22:00 UTC, there will be a Google Hangout on Dark Skies & AstroArts.
Join us for this exciting hangout where we will discuss light pollution and the loss of the night sky with both scientists and artists who are all working to raise awareness of these issues. Click here for more info.
Let’s celebrate our star, the Sun! Awareness and appreciation of the Sun are all you need to participate.
On Sunday, April 27 at 19 UTC / 3 pm EDT / 12 pm PDT, join AWB President Mike Simmons for a special online tour of the historic Snow Solar Telescope live from Mount Wilson Observatory in California, USA.
Watch the live webcast here on Sunday, April 27 starting at 19 UT / 3 pm EDT / 12 pm PDT.
Learn more about the history of the Snow Solar Telescope here.
Find plenty of activities, including Observing the Sun for Yourself, at the Stanford Solar Center.
What if it’s raining? Be ready for an indoor program with a presentation of “The Sun: Our Nearest Star” from Galilean Nights (available in English, French and Portuguese).
Look at The Sun Now via the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory or contact your local astronomy club to find a solar viewing event. Remember, NEVER look directly at the Sun.
For more information check out the AWB Page
People nearby AstrOceanOmy Observatory – Oman, please drop me a message including your contact information, so I can send you privet invitation and the location of our live observing session. Seats are limited.
Update: Images from Oman Astronomical Society on the day of event which held in Naseem Park
Clear Skies
It’s the International Dark Sky Week starting from 20th April to 26th April 2014.
Celebrate the stars! Created in 2003 by high-school student Jennifer Barlow, International Dark Sky Week (IDSW) has grown to become a worldwide event and a key component of Global Astronomy Month. The goals of IDSW are to appreciate the beauty of the night sky and to raise awareness of how poor-quality lighting creates light pollution.
Light pollution is a growing problem. Not only does it have detrimental effects on our views of the night sky, but it also disrupts the natural environment, wastes energy, and has the potential to cause health problems.
IDSW is a great time to host a neighborhood star party to introduce the idea of preserving a dark night sky to your community or to evaluate your own lighting to make sure that it is dark sky friendly.
There lots of great ways to participate. The more people there are that turn out their lights, the less light pollution there will be. How can you help the cause? Find some great ways to fight light pollution and some cool IDSW events at the International Dark-Sky Association’s IDSW page.
Follow the Dark Skies Awareness blog and check out these Dark Sky Resources.
Please Watch out this post for further updates
At the mean time, try finding dark skies near your location area. Try to conduct a Sky quality test via iPhone Application Named “DSM” – Dark Sky Meter. And for Android users, “Loss of the night”
Enjoy the dark skies while watching the Lyrid Meteor showers
From AWB: Let’s look up together for the Lyrid meteor shower!
The Lyrid Watch for GAM2014 will be most challenging for those located in suburban areas. The peak of the meteor shower occurs before dawn on April 22nd. Normally we would expect to see around 10-20 metoers at the peak, however, there is also a last quarter moon at this time, so viewing may be diminished.
The Lyrid meteor shower happens each year from about April 16 to 26 – most are seen on April 22. Don’t expect continuous meteors covering the sky but you’ll still see a good display. A shower occurs when Earth goes through a swarm of material in space and the meteors appear to come from one point in the sky known as the radiant, in this case in the constellation of Lyra (giving the annual event its name). You’ll see the most Lyrid meteors near the shower’s peak on April 22 as Earth moves through the debris left behind by Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, a regular visitor to the inner solar system referred to as a periodic comet. The recorded history of the Lyrids is longer than any other, with records of observations going back 2600 years.
Lyrid meteors are usually around magnitude +2, which is bright enough to be visible from most cities, but you’ll see more and enjoy them more if you leave the city for a dark place where the stars shine brighter. They often produce luminous trains of dust that can be observed for several seconds. Some Lyrids will be brighter, though, and the occassional “fireball” can cast shadows for a split second and leave behind glowing, smoky debris trails that last for minutes. Lyrid meteors disintegrate after hitting our atmosphere at a moderate speed of 29.8 miles per second.
During GAM we include a global Lyrids Watch when everyone is encouraged to observe the Lyrids and send in reports of what they saw. Observing reports like this are valuable scientific evidence that is gathered and analyzed by the International Meteor Organization (IMO). Submit your data to the IMO Visual Meteor Observation.
Tweet your data! You can also share your data by Tweeting your postcode, your country (click here to find your country code) and, optionally, the meteor count along with the hashtag; #MeteorWatch (you are welcome to use GAM hastags as well – #GAM2014 #LyridsWatch)
The meteor data will appear in a map at MeteorWatch.org
Resources:
EarthSky’s meteor shower guide for 2014
Visual Meteor Observation information at IMO
Please Share your experience/Photography with GAM2014 Facebook or Flickr group or Tweet using #GAM2014 and #LyridsWatch (@gam_awb) and in this comment section below.
Wish you a Clear Meteor Skies
Live Long & Prosper
Mundhir