CPH Theory نظریه سی پی اچ

Hazy View of Saturn

Haze layers in the atmosphere encircling Saturn. Image credit: NASA/JPL/SSI Click to enlarge

Jan 6, 2006 - This moody image of Saturn was taken by Cassini on December 5, 2005. It was taken using a special combination of the spacecraft's spectral filters to reveal delicate haze in its upper atmosphere. A methane-sensitive filter makes the high altitude features stand out, while a polarizing filter makes the small haze particles bright. The small white dot at the right side of the rings is Saturn's moon Dione.

10 Days Until Stardust Returns

An artist's illustration of Stardust approaching Earth. Image credit: NASA/JPL Click to enlarge

Jan 6, 2006 - NASA's Stardust spacecraft performed its 18th and second-to-last flight maneuver on January 5th, perfecting its aim for Earth. On January 15, 2006, the spacecraft will release its sample return capsule, which will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. The capsule is carrying particles collected by Stardust as it passed through the tail of Comet Wild 2. NASA will then fly the capsule back to the Stardust Lab at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Charon has no Atmosphere

An artist's conception of Pluto and its moon Charon. Image credit: NASA Click to enlarge

Jan 5, 2006 - Astronomers from MIT and Williams College were fortunate enough to be watching Pluto's moon Charon at the moment that it passed in front of a very dim star. By measuring how the light from this star dimmed as it passed behind the tiny, distant moon, they were able to come up with a very accurate measurement of Charon's size (606 km or 377 miles). They also determined that the moon doesn't have any appreciable atmosphere, lending evidence that it was formed when something smashed into a proto-Pluto millions of years ago.

When a Meteor Slashed Mars

Color view of 'butterfly'-shaped crater at Hesperia Planum. Image credit: ESAClick to enlarge

Jan 5, 2006 - This image, taken by ESA's Mars Express spacecraft, shows an unusually shaped impact crater Hesperia Planum region of Mars. The crater is approximately 11 x 24 km (7 x 15 miles) across and has ejecta surrounding it where molten rock splashed around when a meteor carved it out. While most impact craters are circular, this elongated shape means that the space rock hit Mars at an extremely low angle (less than 10 degrees). Similar craters have been seen on the Moon.

Superbubble Complex N44

Superbubble complex N44 as imaged with GMOS. Image credit: University of Alaska Anchorage. Click to enlarge

Jan 5, 2006 - The powerful Gemini telescope produced this amazing photograph of the N44 superbubble complex (also known to astronomers as NGC 1929). A cluster of hot, young stars have pushed out a cavernous bubble in this nebula 325 by 250 light-years across. Additional smaller bubbles can be seen inside the nebula, which could have been formed by collapsing gas and dust.

A Supernova Every 50 Years

An artist's illustartion of the sequence of radioactive decay that gives out gamma rays. Image credit: MPE Click to enlarge

Jan 5, 2006 - A team of European astronomers has calculated the rate that supernovas are exploding in the Milky Way: approximately one goes off every 50 years. They came to this calculation by measuring the amount of gamma rays coming from radioactive aluminum at the centre of the Milky Way. They were able to estimate that there's a total of approximately three solar masses of radioactive aluminum in the galaxy - produced by supernova exploding every 50 years or so.

What's Up 2006 - Download it Free

Jan 5, 2006 - I'm sure some of you noticed we missed this week's What's Up, and I apologize, my whole family was a little sick this week, so I wasn't able to put much work into the website. However, I have a big surprise for all of you. Tammy has been hard at work for the last 4 months writing a book... for you.

What's Up 2006 - 365 Days of Skywatching

This is a FREE 407-page downloadable book containing What's Up material for every day in 2006. You can download the book to your local computer, go to the day you like and print off the page to take outside with you nicely formatted. It's also got tons of other material including general skywatching advice, equipment selection, and hundreds of beautiful photographs. We've been working pretty hard on this. :-)

And yes, this book is absolutely free. Download it, send it to your friends, print it off. Oh, and if you could tell everyone you know, we'd really appreciate it. :-) We'll still be having the same old web content as well, and some additional material to support the book. I'm still getting that all together, but I didn't want to delay the release any longer.

Also, this is an experiment, so give me any feedback you have, suggestions for improvements, etc.

Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today

Astrophoto: Orion Nebula by Gregory Cranwell

Image credit: Gregory Cranwell. Click to enlarge

Jan 5, 2006 - Gregory Cranwell took this picture of Great Orion Nebula on November 24, 2005 from Tucson, Arizona. Gregory used a LXD 75 Schmidt Newtonian 8" with a Canon Rebel XT 8.0 megapixel digital SLR.

Do you have photos you'd like to share? Post them to the Universe Today astrophotography forum or email them to me directly, and I might feature one in Universe Today.

Leading the Way Back to the Moon

Computer illustration of the CEV in orbit around the Moon. Image credit: NASA.Click to enlarge.

Jan 4, 2006 - The centerpiece of NASA's Vision for Space Exploration is the new spacecraft that will carry astronauts to the moon, Mars and beyond. Jeff Hanley, appointed as Constellation Program manager in October, discusses the development of the new Crew Exploration Vehicle, the role of the International Space Station, and the path of the 'Vision.'

10 new stories for 2006/01/09

Star Orbiting a Medium Sized Black Hole