Tag

Amateur Astronomer

All articles tagged with #amateur astronomer

space2 years ago•1 min saved

"China's Spaceplane Unleashes Mysterious Wingmen in Orbit"

China's top-secret spaceplane, Shenlong, has released six mysterious objects in orbit, emitting signals that are being tracked by the US Space Force. Amateur astronomer Scott Tilley has observed that the objects emit the strongest signals while passing over North America, suggesting the presence of a clandestine ground station on the west coast or a ship off the coast. The objects, designated A through F, have varying characteristics, with object B being very bright and potentially the upper stage of the Long March 2F rocket. China's spaceplane missions remain shrouded in secrecy, but their rapid frequency suggests a significant technological demonstration.

via Futurism|

#amateur-astronomer #china #north-america

astronomy2 years ago•1 min saved

Mysterious Impact on Jupiter Leaves Astronomers Puzzled

An amateur astronomer captured a bright flash as an object slammed into Jupiter, disintegrating in the gas giant's atmosphere. While Jupiter is regularly impacted by asteroids due to its gravitational pull, capturing these impacts is rare. Studying the light curves from such impacts can provide insights into the energy released and the nature of the object. Jupiter's role in protecting inner planets from asteroid impacts and its potential as a slingshot for objects from the outer Solar System are areas of interest for further research.

via IFLScience|

#amateur-astronomer #asteroids #astronomy

space-and-astronomy2 years ago•4 min saved

"Amateur Astrophotographer Uncovers Mysterious Celestial Creature in Scorpio's Tail"

An amateur astrophotographer named Steeve Body has discovered a new nebula called the Phantom Stinger Nebula in the Scorpio constellation's tail. The nebula, which emits oxygen, was found in a well-studied area of the sky, highlighting the potential for amateurs to make significant discoveries. Body and his team, New Horizons, use narrow filters to capture specific wavelengths of light and have been exploring for oxygen-rich nebulae. The Phantom Stinger Nebula's origin and distance are still unknown, but it appears to be associated with a young hot star. The discovery highlights the need for a catalog to track such findings.

via IFLScience|

#amateur-astronomer #astrophotography #nebula

astronomy2 years ago•2 min saved

Mysterious Explosion on Jupiter Leaves Scientists Baffled

An amateur astronomer from Japan captured a comet crashing into Jupiter, causing a bright explosion on impact. The collision, classified as a bolide, did not leave any visible scars on Jupiter's surface due to its immense size. Similar incidents have occurred in the past, including the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet in 1994, which left dark scars in Jupiter's atmosphere. Bolides also occasionally enter Earth's atmosphere, but they usually burn out quickly and crash into the ocean. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of monitoring the skies for potential impacts on Earth.

via Giant Freakin Robot|

#amateur-astronomer #astronomy #bolide

astronomy2 years ago•2 min saved

"Amateur Astronomer's Rare Footage Captures Jupiter Impact Event"

An amateur astronomer in Japan captured video of a comet crashing into Jupiter, showing a bright flash against the gas giant. While this particular crash wasn't spectacular, Jupiter has seen similar crashes in the past due to its powerful gravitational pull. The crash likely didn't cause any damage to Jupiter. Earth also experiences these fireball crashes, but they usually explode and disintegrate before reaching the atmosphere. NASA has programs like DART in place to protect Earth from larger celestial objects.

via BGR|

#amateur-astronomer #astronomy #bolide

space2 years ago•2 min saved

Explosive Space Collision: Object Strikes Jupiter in Jaw-Dropping Footage

An amateur astronomer in Japan spotted a flash on Jupiter, indicating an impact event. This is not uncommon, as Jupiter's massive size allows it to attract objects into its orbit. The recent impact was likely caused by either pieces of a comet or an asteroid, and it resulted in a short-lived fireball. Collisions like these are a normal part of the solar system, and they played a crucial role in the formation of planets. While smaller impacts occur frequently on Earth, scientists are working on ways to deflect potential future collisions with larger objects.

via Mashable|

#amateur-astronomer #astronomy #impact

astronomy2 years ago•5 min saved

Unique Supernova Remnant Unearthed by Amateur Astronomer

Amateur astronomer Dana Patchick discovered a unique supernova remnant, named PA 30, in the constellation of Cassiopeia. Initially thought to be a planetary nebula, professional astronomers later realized it was the remnant of a supernova observed in 1181. This supernova, known as SN 1181, is one of less than a dozen suspected supernovae in recorded history prior to modern astronomy. Further study revealed that PA 30 is an exceptionally rare type of supernova known as a SN Type Iax, caused by the merger of two white dwarfs. Historical records and observations support the association of PA 30 with SN 1181, making it the fifth supernova remnant positively associated with an observation of a supernova in our galaxy.

via Phys.org|

#amateur-astronomer #astronomy #historical-observation

space2 years ago•2 min saved

Amateur Astronomers Outshine Hubble in Capturing Supernova Wreckage

The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a new image of the hazy spiral galaxy NGC 941, which once hosted a supernova explosion. The image shows the remnants of the stellar explosion, known as SN 2005ad, and its surrounding environment. Amateur astronomer Kōichi Itagaki initially discovered the supernova, highlighting the important role that amateur astronomers play in detecting astronomical events. The data collected by Hubble will contribute to a larger initiative to understand the environments in which hydrogen-rich supernovae occur.

via Space.com|

#amateur-astronomer #galaxy #hubble-space-telescope

astronomy2 years ago•1 min saved

"Exploring the Cosmic Symphony: Unveiling the Headphones Nebula's Sonic Secrets"

Amateur astronomer Bill McLaughlin captured a stunning image of the "Headphones nebula," also known as Jones-Emberson 1, using his 14-inch Planewave CDK telescope. Planetary nebulae are formed when dying stars expand and create a glowing shell of ionized gas. The Headphones nebula gets its name from its resemblance to a pair of headphones. McLaughlin's image, composed from 127 sub-exposures taken over 19.25 hours, may not match that of a professional-level system, but he is pleased with the result.

via Ars Technica|

#amateur-astronomer #astronomy #astrophotography

astronomy2 years ago•3 min saved

Amateur Astronomer Discovers Unprecedented Collision Event Missed by Professionals

An amateur astronomer's social media post led to the discovery of a collision between two ice giant exoplanets in a distant space system. The collision created a bright heat afterglow and a dust cloud that dimmed the parent star over time. The sighting was confirmed by a network of professional and amateur astronomers, and further observations will be made to study the system's development.

via Good News Network|

#amateur-astronomer #astronomy #collision-event

astronomy2 years ago•4 min saved

"Stunning Discovery: Afterglow of Exoplanet Collision Captured 1,800 Light-Years Away"

Astronomers have captured the afterglow of a planetary collision for the first time, as two icy exoplanets collided 1,800 light-years away. The collision created a blaze of light and enormous plumes of dust, which was detected by an amateur astronomer who noticed a quirk in a social media post. The fading of a star's brightness was caused by the dust cloud generated by the collision. Scientists believe that the dust cloud will eventually thin out and may form a retinue of moons orbiting the parent star. The discovery was published in the journal Nature.

via Daily Mail|

#amateur-astronomer #astronomers #astronomy

science-and-astronomy2 years ago•6 min saved

"Hidden Supernova: Massive Weight Loss of Doomed Star Delayed Flash for Days"

A massive star that exploded in the Pinwheel Galaxy appears to have lost approximately one sun's worth of ejected mass during the final years of its life before going supernova. Amateur astronomer Kōichi Itagaki discovered the star, known as SN 2023ixf, and observations revealed a significant and unexpected amount of mass loss in the year prior to the explosion. The shape of the light curve indicated a delayed shock breakout, providing evidence for the presence of dense material from recent mass loss. This discovery sheds light on the behavior of massive stars in their final years before exploding.

via Space.com|

#amateur-astronomer #massive-star #observations

astronomy2 years ago•1 min saved

Amateur Astrophotographer Captures Rare Explosions on Jupiter

An amateur astrophotographer, Tadao Ohsugi, captured a rare fireball hitting Jupiter, believed to be an asteroid or comet striking the gas giant's atmosphere. These explosions provide valuable insights into the violent processes of the early solar system. Ohsugi's high-speed video recording offers scientists a treasure trove of data, although the impact did not leave behind a visible debris field. The study of these events relies on dedicated backyard astronomers like Ohsugi, as professional telescopes cannot provide continuous observation.

via PetaPixel|

#amateur-astronomer #astronomy #astrophotography

astronomy2 years ago•3 min saved

"Amateur Astronomer Captures Rare Video of Jupiter's Brightest Fireball"

An amateur astronomer in Japan captured rare video footage of a bright flash on Jupiter, likely caused by an asteroid or comet colliding with the planet's surface. This is only the second time in a decade that such a significant impact has been recorded. Jupiter's powerful gravity makes it a "vacuum cleaner of the solar system," pulling in comets and asteroids and potentially protecting Earth from catastrophic impacts. Scientists rely on hobby astronomers to report these events, as they occur more frequently than observed.

via Yahoo! Voices|

#amateur-astronomer #astronomy #fireball

astronomy2 years ago•3 min saved

"Amateur Astronomer Captures Rare Video of Jupiter's Brightest Fireball"

An amateur astronomer in Japan captured rare video footage of a bright flash on Jupiter, likely caused by an asteroid or comet colliding with the planet's surface. This is only the second time in a decade that such a significant impact has been recorded. Jupiter's powerful gravity makes it a "vacuum cleaner of the solar system," attracting and potentially protecting Earth from dangerous space rocks. Scientists rely on hobby astronomers to report these types of impacts, which occur more frequently than observed.

via Yahoo News|

#amateur-astronomer #astronomy #fireball