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
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
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
As Part of GAM 2014, It’s Mars Watch Event on 11th April 2014.
Mars will be in opposition – which is where the Earth falls between the Sun and Mars on the 8th, and Mars will be closest to us on April 14th at 12:54UT.
AWB invites you, me and everyone to hold a Mars viewing party on Friday April 11, and to take advantage of the good viewing due to these two events. Don’t forget to register your event! For the rest, please join the nearst Event in your area.
In Oman/Muscat, AstrOceanOmy Observatory, will hold a Mars viewing party on Friday 11th April 2014 from 20:00 to 23:50 (UTC+4). Family and Friends are therefore invited for the event. Anyone else interested, please drop me a line in this post comments section. As I’ve got limited seats available.
Mars will be -1.5 magnitude with a diameter of 15.2” and a distance of 92.4 million kilometers making viewing quite favorable this April.
Even more: Name your very own crater on Uwingu’s map of Mars, and help create the world’s first crowdsourced Mars map.
Please visit AWB Mars Watch Page for more information
AstrOceanOmy Subscribers, please revisit this post at the end of the month for more updates and event pictures.
Clear Skies
29th April 2014 :Solar Eclipse @06:00 UTC
Watch the event on webTV.
21st April 2014 :Stars for all @20:30 UTC
Watch the event on webTV.
15th April 2014 :Total Lunar Eclipse @06:30 UTC
If you cannot view the eclipse directly yourself, including me :). You can watch it online. Updates: This event is now over, you can watch the recording of the whole program here on YouTube
10th April 2014 :Vesta Watch @20:30 UTC
As part of GAM, Remote Observing Programs, On 10th April 2014,Vesta is one of the largest asteroids in the Solar System. At the time of viewing it will be brighter than magnitude 6. So easily visible by the Virtual Telescope.
Watch the event on webTV.
8th April 2014 : The Night Of The Red Planet Online Observing Event @23:00 UTC
As part of GAM, Remote Observing Programs, On 8th April 2014, Mars, the red planet, will be at opposition. That very same night, we will explore that inspiring and amazing world thanks to the Virtual Telescope, sharing its images online, in real-time.
Live commentary by Dr. Gianluca Masi, astrophysicist.
Watch the event on webTV.
6th April 2014 : Near Earth Asteroid Observing Event @00:00 UTC
As part of GAM, Remote Observing Programs, today 6th April 2014, at 10:25 UTC, the 50-meters large asteroid 2014 GN1 will make a very close approach with the Earth, reaching a minimum distance of less than 930.000 km, that is 2.44 lunar distances.
This is a very safe distance, but still a very spectacular occurrence, so the Virtual Telescope Project will offer a live, online event sharing real-time images of 2014 GN1 with live commentary by our scientific staff.
Watch the event on webTV.
Note: Please visit this blog post for future update Remote events or AWB Page
As part of The GAM 2014, today 5th April 2014, is Global Star Party.
In Sultanate of Oman, the Global Star Party will be held in Qurum, the natural park / Muscat. Time: 18:00 to 21:00 (UTC+4).
Today we will be observing mainly the following:
For more updated news please follow AstrOceanOmy Facebook Page.
Clear Skies
Global Astronomy Month, (GAM) each April is the world’s largest global celebration of astronomy since the unprecedented International Year of Astronomy 2009.
Each GAM brings new ideas and new opportunities, and again brings enthusiasts together worldwide, celebrating One People, One Sky.
In April 2009, the 100 Hours of Astronomy (100HA) Cornerstone Project of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) showed what the astronomy community can do working together. As the first truly global outreach event, amateur astronomers, clubs, science centers and others held events by the thousands around the world, attracting the largest public audience ever. The excitement was contagious as this unified global event, encouraging everyone to look skyward, swept the world.
Everyone wanted the excitement to continue, and now it will. Not just repeating 100HA, but something even bigger, built on 2009’s global success.
Global Astronomy Month is Astronomers Without Border’s response. New ideas, new opportunities and more participation. Connecting people around the world in these events will create an even greater sense of sharing, just as in AWB’s motto and the slogan for GAM – One People, One Sky.
The global outreach community’s enthusiasm and innovation was critical in making 100 Hours of Astronomy successful, and GAM will continue to bring together all that tens of thousands of enthusiasts worldwide have to offer.
This Month is a busy month, I will try to cover and share some interesting topics and events in this blog as much as I can. At the mean time, please have a look at GAM2014 Program Schedule.
For more information, please visit:
Web: http://www.gam-awb.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gam.awb
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GAM_AWB
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/globalastronomymonth
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/gam/
Clear Skies,
Hope Everyone had a Happy Global Astronomy Month (GAM)
Unfortunately Been so busy with my work. Therefore I couldn’t post any planed articles during that golden month of Astronomy.. However I had a great time during GAM with the people around me..Family, Friends and Amateur Astronomers of course..
During (GAM) and even in previous years, I had a hard conversation with some of the people including from family members and some friends..
Some of there questions where like:
What is the use of Astronomy?
Why waste my time in this Hobby?
Can you predict the future?!.. Well I’m not an Astrologist 
Well, I answered them..but some of them are having a dry mind . Sorry if you were one of them and reading this.. 
In this blog of AstrOceanOmy, I will answer your questions in professional way.. Feel free to surf the blog and visit again for new posts.
Well before that..lets have some fun in the following videos ;
(Just for Fun: Please Note that I am Amateur Astronomer & Mechanical Engineer ) I’m open minded for those people who hate Astronomy)
Sleep-deprived amateur astronomer explains his new hobby to a co-worker.
Anyone that has taken up this hobby will find humor in this 2nd video! In fact, they and their significant other and close family members will enjoy this but unfortunately no one else will so enjoy!!!!
Click here to know more about Astrophotography! I also suggest to check the comments made by others for the above video in Youtube..
In addition.. some more videos on Amateur Astronomers
Just one more thing
Astronomy is a natural science and is one of the oldest sciences..(Click here to read more)
If you still dislike Astronomy..then you dislike the nature and modern science as well. All of the technologies which you see and use today are developed because of Astronomy.. For the rest all I’ll say
Clear Skies
Yes, it’s GAM2012 on April. Get ready & Be prepared!
If you have a close friend you’d love to take to a star party,
a family member you’d like to show the sky,
a colleague you’ve always wanted to understand the exciting things in the sky,
a distant friend who shares your passion for astronomy,
a stranger on the street you want to encourage to look up at the wonders that lie just above,
this is your invitation to share the sky with them all.
Take your family. Invite your friends. Share your sky.
Be part of Global Astronomy Month.
~One People, One Sky~
For more info and programs click here
Live Long & Prosper
Mundhir