BBC Sky at Night 2013-02

THE BIGGEST AND BEST NIGHT-SKY GUIDE

Sky at Night THE BIGGEST NAME IN ASTRONOMY

In memory of Sir Patrick

Moore PLUS

Working with a legend

The Sky at Night TV team on their leading man

Exoplanetary puzzle

How to work out an alien world’s composition

Supernova sleuth Searching for the cause of stellar explosions

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Revealed: why now is the ideal time to see the aurora

Discover Europe’s best dark-sky destinations On test: 3 eyepieces for wide-field space views

See the mysterious starburst galaxy M82 FEBRUARY 2013 #93 www.skyatnightmagazine.com

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR FEBRUARY 03

Welcome

This month’s contributors include...

Remembering our Editor Emeritus

PAUL ABEL SKY AT NIGHT PRESENTER

A

s I write to you this month, at the end of the week that brought the sad news of the passing of Sir Patrick Moore, the team has thought more than once about the incredible honour it has been to work with such a unique figure – an inspiration not just in astronomy, but in science and indeed in life. HEATHER COUPER Patrick was an extraordinary person to SCIENCE BROADCASTER have on the team – knowledgeable, inventive Heather explores the and utterly dependable. He would phone to mysteries let us know his latest feature was imminent, of starburst the prompt to go to the office’s fax machine galaxy M82 and collect the pages of flowing prose on on page 44; you can also see it as part of our Deep- a subject we had discussed on the phone not 48 hours previously. sky tour on page 60. Our Editor Emeritus was quick to spot the LUCIE GREEN slightest of changes that had been made to his SOLAR SCIENTIST copy. One minor edit back in 2007 elucidated It’s a solar maximum a letter in which Patrick “consigned the year, and wretched sub-editor to the seventh circle of that means hell!” In a 2008 letter, he advised, “Do NOT we may see introduce the pernicious habit of using small more aurorae – Lucie letters in star names.” And, always forthright explains the science behind them on page 67. in his views, one book review came back from Patrick with the comment, “I have KEV LOCHUN written this review, and have not once used PRODUCTION EDITOR Kev travelled the term ‘balls’ – but if you are not happy, it to La Palma can be toned down!!” to find out On page 6 of this bumper memorial issue, why the you’ll find an obituary of Britain’s best loved island was made a Starlight Tourism astronomer, while Patrick’s colleagues on the BBC TV programme pay their tributes on Destination in 2012. His page 13. And, starting on page 18, you’ll find tale begins on page 80. Paul tells us why now is a good time to observe Uranus on page 86 – and how by doing so you can help professional astronomers.

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just some of the many messages you sent in to us in an extended Interactive section. Also this issue, on page 67 we explore the science of the aurora as peak viewing season approaches and cover some of the most alluring dark-sky getaways in Europe on page 74. Hotshots and Eye on the Sky are on the coverdisc only this month; they’ll be returning to these pages in the next issue.

Chris Bramley Editor

PS Next issue goes on sale 19 February.

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In the magazine ON THE COVER 06

06

51

74

IN MEMORY OF PATRICK MOORE Our six-page obituary to the voice of British astronomy

13

114 67 102

44

COVER IMAGE: GETTY, THIS PAGE: REX

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FEATURES 06 In memory of Patrick Moore

The story of his life, from his military years to his record run as a television presenter.

13 A team pays tribute

The Sky at Night TV show team reveal their own experiences of working with a legend.

18 Your messages of remembrance

Friends and fans share their anecdotes, stories and memories of Patrick.

37 Astronomy photographer of the year 2013

All you need to know to enter your photos.

44 A galaxy in turmoil The secrets of starburst galaxy M82.

67 In awe of the aurora

We explain the science of this magical event.

74 Dark-sky destinations

Enjoy skies unfettered by light pollution on these 10 European astronomy getaways. skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

80 The forgotten skies

Make the most of a trip to La Palma, one of the finest observing locations in the world.

86 The ice-giant mystery

95 What’s on

Astronomy events from around the UK.

97 Reviews First light 98 Altair Astro LightWave 60mm

Top tips on how to observe distant and mysterious gas giant Uranus during 2013.

triplet apo refractor.

90 Stargazing skills

Angle 2-inch eyepieces.

102 Three Meade eXtreme Wide-

Magnitudes

106 Orion StarShoot AllSky Camera II.

REGULARS

110 Books

26 SUBSCRIBE Get your issues at a discount

29 Bulletin

The latest astronomy and space news.

This month’s essential astronomy titles.

112 Gear The best stargazing accessories.

114 What I really want to know is…

What sparks a Type Ia supernova?

51 THE SKY IN FEBRUARY Your 15-page guide to the night sky featuring our pick of the top sights throughout the month, an all-sky chart, a special galaxy-themed deep-sky tour and much more…

MAN IN SPACE iPAD APP

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AVAILABLE NOW ON iTUNES – ONLY £3.99 To download visit www.skyatnightmagazine.com/man-in-space-ipad-app skyatnightmagazine.com 2012

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In later years, filming of The Sky at Night moved to Patrick’s study in Farthings

REX, PATRICK MOORE X 2

IN MEMORY OF

Patrick Moore WORDS: GRAHAM SOUTHORN

He fronted The Sky at Night for an incredible 55 years and was the voice of British astronomy. This is the story of his life skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

PATRICK MOORE FEBRUARY 07

P

atrick Moore did more than anyone in history to get people interested in the stars. As the face of The Sky at Night, he introduced millions to the wonders of the night sky and, in the process, set a record that will never be beaten. Having been broadcast continuously on BBC television since 1957, The Sky at Night is the longest running programme with the same presenter. Patrick’s persona made him a household name among the general public and rich fodder for impersonations. He was the only amateur astronomer most people had heard of, and his books and magazine articles made him a star the world over. Patrick Alfred Caldwell-Moore was born an only child on 4 March 1923. His father, Captain Charles Trachsel Caldwell-Moore, MC, had served in the army, but other members of the family had a background in performing. His mother Gertrude (née White) had trained to be an opera singer in Italy and had been offered the soprano lead in the Italian Grand Opera. His uncle, Reginald White, gave up a legal career to be a singer in Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

Early life

Patrick’s mother trained to be an opera singer; later, he would write an opera of his own

Patrick grew up in Sussex – first in Bognor Regis and later in East Grinstead. He went to prep school for one term when he was eight, but otherwise his formal schooling was limited by the heart problems he suffered up to the age of 16. While his faulty heart seemed to have put paid to any thoughts of going to Eton College and Cambridge University, it did leave him plenty of time for other pursuits. He could play the piano by the age of eight and promptly bought a book of waltzes to learn how to read music. He’d composed his very own Viennese waltz by the age of 10 and, at 13 years of age, a win on the football pools enabled him to buy a xylophone. The following year he gave a solo performance on the instrument on stage at a theatre in East Grinstead. Music was to play a big part in his later life, and he once said that one of his biggest regrets was not taking it more seriously. Patrick’s interest in astronomy started early. Hooked at the age of six, after reading GF Chambers’ 1898 book The Story of the Solar System, he resolved to learn a new constellation each night and bought a pair of binoculars. Such was his new-found passion that a family friend proposed him for membership of the British Astronomical Association (BAA). At the age of 11, he became its youngest member, and its president 50 years later.

Duty impelled Patrick to join the RAF, but he remained tight-lipped about his wartime service

Patrick’s first big break arrived thanks to WS Franks, an astronomer who operated the privately owned Brockhurst Observatory in East Grinstead. Patrick was just 14 years old when he was asked to take over the running of the observatory after Franks’ tragic death in an accident. When he wasn’t showing invited guests the wonders of the night sky, he used its 6-inch telescope to study the Moon. His observations of lunar craters were so detailed that he wrote them up in a paper and presented them at a BAA meeting. It was the start of Patrick’s long obsession with the Moon. And not long afterwards, another trademark quirk was born. When he found out that his eyesight was lacking in one eye, he opted for a monocle.

The RAF years Despite the heart problems that beset him, he passed school exams with the help of tutors and was due to take up a place at Cambridge University when World War II broke out. A sense of duty impelled him to join the RAF, despite lying about his age (he was only 16) and getting a friend to stand in for him at his physical examination. He rarely spoke about his wartime experiences, but it is known that he was a navigator on bombing raids to Germany, rising to the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Astronomy know-how came in handy, enabling him to navigate by the stars using a sextant when the night skies were clear. He only took the controls of a plane once during the war, when a pilot was injured, although he had learned to fly a turboprob. In December 2012 a further tidbit came to light in an interview with Patrick’s three ‘adopted sons’ published in the Daily Mail. “He said that he worked > skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

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> in an intelligence group of 10 ... on missions to mainland Europe,” Ian Makins revealed. “He showed me a letter from his Major congratulating him on a successful mission behind enemy lines ... something he was tight-lipped about to the end.” During the war his passion for cricket emerged, after becoming a member of an RAF team. He played for the Lord’s Taverners, a charity team, and continued to take part in local matches until 1999. By then, growing infirmities – the result of injuries sustained during the course of his RAF service – finally forced him to retire. His deepest scar from the war, however, was the death of his fiancée Lorna, killed by a German bombing raid in 1943. Such was the pain of the tragedy that he never entered into another relationship. He once commented in an interview for This is London magazine, “I would have liked a wife and family, but it was not to be.” He did, however, take several godsons under his wing – some the children of late friends.

A star is born After the war he could still have studied at Cambridge University, but was appalled at the idea of a government grant. Instead, he decided to work as a teacher in order to save up enough money to go. He worked first at a prep school for boys in Woking and then at a new school, Holmewood House in Tunbridge Wells. It was while teaching that he set up a 12.5-inch reflecting telescope at his home in East Grinstead and recommenced his studies of the Moon. He claimed to have discovered

RADIO TIMES X 2, BBC

> Guide to the Moon was later rebranded Patrick Moore on the Moon, despite Patrick reminding everyone that he’d never been

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

Patrick was a prolific author, hammering out books and papers on his much-loved typewriters

“By the mid-1950s, Patrick was no stranger to appearing on TV and radio as an expert astronomer” the Mare Orientale, a feature that lies on the limb (outer edge) of the Moon. Although the name means ‘eastern sea’, it now lies on the Moon’s western limb (the International Astronomical Union reversed lunar east and west in 1961). He did much to popularise the name, but later backed off his claim to the discovery when it came to light that it had been previously described by others. Patrick also studied short-lived changes on the Moon’s surface known as transient lunar phenomena. His in-depth knowledge of the Moon was to serve him well when it came to establishing a new career. As a boy he’d learned to type by copying a 60,000-word book about the Moon by WH Pickering. In 1952, he wrote his own book, Guide to the Moon, later renamed Patrick Moore on the Moon, on a 1908 Woodstock typewriter. The Woodstock was subsequently pressed into service for hundreds of books and countless newspaper and magazine articles. He was a deft typist and this, together with his encyclopedic knowledge of his subject and natural gift for words, made

him a formidable writer. His typing skills enabled him to turn out 1,000 words in minutes. Guide to the Moon was such a success that it ran to eight subsequent editions. Shortly afterwards, he followed it up with Guide to the Planets and translated a book on Mars that was written in French by the astronomer Gerard de Vaucouleurs. With his writing career taking off, he made the decision to leave his employ at Holmewood House. But he put his firsthand experience of the active imaginations of young boys to good use by penning a series of sci-fi novels. The early ones were highly speculative flights of fancy in a Boy’s Own style, but in the later ones he attempted to stick to established scientific facts. He claimed he was never happy with his other attempts at fiction: a sci-fi tale for adults and a farce, Ancient Lights. By the mid-1950s, Patrick was no stranger to appearing on TV and radio programmes as an expert astronomer and, during one of the regular outbreaks of flying saucer sightings, he was asked to argue the case against alien visitations in a live television debate. The programme’s producer, Paul Johnstone, was impressed by Patrick’s performance and soon sounded him out about a new TV show in development, called Star Map. Patrick

PATRICK MOORE FEBRUARY 09

This huge planisphere was a mainstay of The Sky at Night set in the programme’s early years

would be the frontman of this new monthly series on astronomy, which would be aimed at complete beginners but contain enough information to interest more knowledgeable viewers as well. The programme first aired at 10.30pm on 24 April 1957 and by then had a new name, The Sky at Night, to ensure its inclusion in the all-important Radio Times listings. The first show was broadcast live from London’s Lime Grove studio, in black and white on the BBC’s only channel, and ran for 15 minutes. Patrick later said he was grateful to the twin-tailed Comet Arend-Roland – the topic of that first

show. It had brightened to such an extent that it was visible to the naked eye around the date of the broadcast.

A new era dawns To begin with, The Sky at Night was broadcast on a trial basis, but with no objections forthcoming it quickly became a monthly fixture. One factor in The Sky at Night’s early success was undoubtedly the burgeoning public interest in all things space-related. The first ever man-made satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched into orbit in October that same year. The Apollo 11 Moon landing was still over a decade away, but the pace of research into both manned and unmanned spaceflight was accelerating rapidly. The Sky at Night was broadcasting at just the right time in October 1959, when the Russian probe Lunik 3 was orbiting the Moon. < The Radio Times listing for the first episode; no one realised how successful it would go on to be

Patrick was able to show viewers the far side of the Moon for the first time. Mishaps were far from unknown on live television and The Sky at Night was no exception. It was during a programme about the Moon that Patrick swallowed a large fly live on air. Ever the consummate professional, he gulped it down and carried on with the broadcast. His mother, as he was fond of recounting, commented afterwards that the incident was “nasty for you, but how much worse for the fly?” During the 50th episode in 1961, Patrick attempted to show viewers live images of Jupiter and Saturn through an amateur telescope. Not for the last time, the sky clouded over at precisely the wrong moment. And seven years later during live coverage of Apollo 8, Patrick awaited a signal from the astronauts as they reappeared from behind the Moon. At the pivotal moment, transmission switched to the children’s programme Jackanory. The Sky at Night did, however, help to pioneer techniques that would become standard elements of a television producer’s armoury. On 15 February 1961, the show coordinated a live broadcast from no > skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

10

The props were basic, but Patrick was willing to do anything to get a point across

save 19 New King Street, Bath – once home to William Herschel – from demolition, and fought a losing battle to preserve the Royal Greenwich Observatory as a professional institution. However, his stay in Ireland lasted just three years, one reason being his dislike of religious tension. His time in Armagh, though, would later be put to good use when he became a driving force behind the establishment of a new planetarium near Chichester. The South Downs Planetarium was opened by the Astronomer Royal, Lord Martin Rees, in April 2002 and used Armagh’s old projector.

Man on a mission

> fewer than three locations – St Michel in France, Florence in Italy and Mount Jastrebac in what was then Yugoslavia. The broadcast followed the total eclipse of the Sun as it passed through all three locations, with Patrick’s segment from Mount Jastrebac being a literal high point.

BBC X 2, NASA/JPL, PATRICK MOORE

That Moon map Part of the show’s charm was undoubtedly its pre-CGI selection of household props to explain astronomical phenomena. Fruit of varying sizes stood in for different planets, while actors, dressed head-to-toe in black outfits, moved makeshift props across the set. Patrick put the success of The Sky at Night down to the non-controversial subject matter, the fact that it was cheap to produce, and in a late-night time slot that didn’t interfere with soap operas and other populist output. And, with his trademark modesty, he added that its popularity was not due to his own presenting talent. He often said that others could do it better. With The Sky at Night occupying some of his daylight hours, Patrick continued his preoccupation with astronomy at night. An active member of the BAA, he was at one time director of sections devoted to observing Venus, Mercury and the Moon. And it was the Moon where his observations proved the most valuable. Patrick used sketches by himself and another amateur astronomer, Percy Wilkins, to produce a large map of the Moon’s surface. It was so detailed

When he left Ireland in 1968, he and his mother bought a thatched house in Selsey, West Sussex. It was a big investment, but the Apollo 11 Moon mission the following year helped secure that the Russian space his finances. Within a agency requested a month of its landing, copy to help it plan Patrick’s Moon Flight its unmanned Atlas had sold Lunik missions. 800,000 copies. Patrick’s life Patrick was became even a constant busier when presence on in 1965 he television took a partduring the time position years of the as director of a Apollo missions. new planetarium He covered them being set up in live with fellow Armagh, Northern presenter James Burke, Ireland. He’d turned initially from Alexandra down the chance to become Palace and then BBC Television Þ The Russians used the full-time director of the Centre. The hours were long Patrick’s lunar map to London Planetarium four and demanding. On the night plan their unmanned years earlier, following several of the Apollo 11 landing, he Lunik Moon missions differences of opinion with broadcast continuously for the planetarium’s board. over 10 hours. He covered the final mission, Patrick made a big impact at Armagh Apollo 17, from Cape Canaveral, having and it swiftly became one of the most been studio-bound till then. popular tourist attractions in the area. The cancellation of Apollo was far While working there, he also helped from the end of Patrick’s forays into live broadcasting. In the 70s and 80s, a series of unmanned NASA probes began exploring the Solar System, beaming back pictures of planets that had never been photographed at such kick-start the restoration of the 72-inch close proximity. He was at mission control telescope at Birr Castle in the Republic for many of the key moments, presenting of Ireland. Built in 1845, it had once reports with planetary scientist Garry Hunt. been the largest in the world. Restoration The pair revelled in a stream of surprises, work on the Birr Telescope was finally such as the lifeless surface of Mars revealed completed in 1999. He later helped by the Viking landings in 1976, and the

“Anyone who showed an interest in astronomy was given the warmest encouragement”

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

PATRICK MOORE FEBRUARY 11

Patrick reported live on many of the Apollo missions, in one case broadcasting for 10 hours straight

multitude of glorious images from the Voyager missions to the outer planets Aside from broadcasting, he made many other contributions to astronomy. In the 1950s, he was involved in research that attempted to reveal a link between radio emissions and spots on Jupiter’s surface as they rotated into view. No connection was found. In 1971, NASA asked him to visit Johannesburg to observe the dust storms on Mars during the Mariner 9 mission. His daily reports assisted the space agency in selecting areas for the probe to photograph.

A source of inspiration His activities helped amateur astronomy too. In 1995, he compiled a list of bright, deep-sky objects (clusters, galaxies and nebulae) to complement the catalogue put together over 200 years earlier by French astronomer Charles Messier. This list, the Caldwell Catalogue, became extremely popular and inspired numerous books by other authors. Above all, he was tireless in promoting astronomy to the public – anyone who showed an interest was given the warmest encouragement. Many professional astronomers owed their glittering careers to the inspiration they received from a tour of his telescopes and a cup of tea with the great man. Members of the public would merely have to write to him to be invited to his home, Farthings, for a day, and sometimes longer. His hospitality was legendary, and he was a frequent host of parties. New Year’s, St George’s Day and even the 666th episode of The Sky at Night were all seized upon as opportunities to entertain friends and colleagues. Guests were given free rein of

Farthings and Patrick’s copious drinks cabinet – although he would insist, usually with an impish chuckle, that the host must always remain sober. Unlike most celebrities, Patrick’s contact details were listed in the phone book. He naturally received many crank letters, often from fans with their own special theories of the Universe. The writers were thanked with a series of standard, often humorous replies – typically asking to see a full mathematical proof of their idea, which was seldom forthcoming. Indeed, Patrick’s love of humour is apparent throughout much of his work. He was never afraid to laugh at himself. He performed TV comedy alongside the likes of Michael Bentine, Morecambe and Wise, and Jon Culshaw, and once joined the Flat Earth Society as a joke.

He also fondly recalled a talk he’d given in 1960, in which he’d made 10 predictions about the planet Venus. When its secrets were finally revealed by spacecraft, each of his predictions was proved wrong. He was happy, for the most part, to accept new scientific orthodoxy. When it was decreed that Pluto should no longer be a planet, for example, Patrick agreed. This despite his friendship with Pluto’s discoverer, Clyde Tombaugh, with whom he co-authored a book about the distant world. Patrick’s career as a writer extended to the news media too, as he contributed countless articles to newspapers and magazines. At various times, he was an editor and consultant for a number of astronomy magazines in the UK, giving his full support to Sky at Night Magazine when it launched in 2005 and writing two columns in each issue. He received much recognition for his work, accumulating an impressive array of honours including an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Society, a BAFTA, an OBE, a CBE, a knighthood and numerous honorary doctorates. In Patrick’s passing, Britain has lost a national treasure. He was a largerthan-life character, yet also a man of deep compassion who was exceptionally trusting and quick to make friends. For many decades he was the public voice of astronomy, raising awareness of our place in the Universe and helping countless amateur astronomers to pursue their hobby. Just as crucially, he inspired generations of professional astronomers to solve the mysteries of the Universe, and a multitude of writers and broadcasters to educate a fascinated public about its wonders. It’s through them that Patrick Moore’s great legacy will live on. S

Patrick was generous with his time and knowledge, inviting many of those who wrote to him to Farthings to see his telescopes

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

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TEAM TRIBUTES FEBRUARY 13

tribute

A team pays

BBC

The Sky at Night’s series producer and co-presenters remember their record-breaking, generous and inspirational leading man

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

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WILL GATER X 2, PETE LAWRENCE, REX X 2

Chris Lintott Co-presenter I first met Patrick when he came to my school to give a lecture, and it is the sheer power of his presence as a public speaker that will be one of the things I remember. He could hold an audience in the palm of his hand and take them through the most complicated of topics without anyone getting lost. That lecture was just one of countless thousands he must have given, for free, to societies and organisations across the country. He was generous with his time, happy to spend hours talking to star-struck astronomers of all ages and, when at home, hours answering letter after letter from anyone who wrote. That generosity spilled into the programme too. He had such a large personality, but guests on the show (and latterly, the rest of the team) were always given space to be enthusiastic, to share their own interest and excitement – and just occasionally to show off. Patrick had a magic combination of talents, able to draw skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

on his own expertise effortlessly without ever ceasing to be the voice of the viewer, asking the right question at the right time. We all know much more about the Universe because of him; I think that’s the tribute he would have wanted.

Pete Lawrence Co-presenter I always loved going to Farthings and visiting Patrick. The house was a hub of all things astronomical, and left you feeling energised and enthused. Patrick’s kindness and great sense of humour shone through and I regarded him as a great friend. Being a busy house, there were always things going on and I will miss that greatly. Patrick was keen to make people achieve their potential and helped many, both in the field of astronomy and outside it too. He was always badgering me to write a book on astronomy and, being busy, I was always coming up with excuses why I hadn’t done it. Then he suggested a joint authorship to which I agreed. A few days later he

presented me with his completed half of the book! When I next met him he gave me that knowing look that said, “Over to you now!” Patrick’s knowledge of the sky was absolutely superb. I recall standing in his garden, many years ago, with my feet feeling like blocks of ice. On that occasion, Patrick had been fi lming in London. He arrived home close to midnight and joined us in the dome where he kept his beloved 15-inch reflector. We were looking at the Ring Nebula, M57. He hopped up to the eyepiece, admired the view and then asked whether there was anything else I wanted to see. I suggested the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules, M13. To my amazement, Patrick star hopped across to M13 while looking through the main eyepiece of the scope! To be able to do that without turning to the finder was astonishing and something I’ve never forgotten to this day. On another occasion, I remember chatting to him about the Vallis Alpes on the Moon and proudly showing him one of my first high-resolution photos of it. I was particularly proud of the fact that I’d managed to image the 700m-wide rille, or

TEAM TRIBUTES FEBRUARY 15

crack, that runs down the centre of the valley – something of a rite of passage for lunar imagers. On pointing this out to Patrick, he dropped into the conversation that he was the first person to have reported that rille. Conversations with such a great observer had a habit of humbling you from time to time.

Chris North Co-presenter Patrick’s main legacy is the inspiration that he has provided to astronomers over the decades, both professional and amateur. But the reason he could do that was that he was so friendly, generous and approachable, and had an amazing ability to make people stop and listen to him speak about almost anything. He never patronised the audience – he treated them with the respect that they have always given him. Patrick was adamant about one thing: anyone can do astronomy, no matter how young or old, from the most inexperienced to the most qualified. Over the years he’s

also convinced scientists and nonscientists alike, often at a young age, to continue to take an interest in and ask questions about the world around them. That inquisitiveness extends not just to astronomy, but to science in general. Patrick was very sharp and didn’t suffer fools easily – while he would happily explain the most basic astronomical concept to a beginner, he easily clocked anyone trying to feign knowledge or bluff. The first time I met him he pointed to his knighthood medal hanging in a glass-fronted case, among a plethora of honorary degrees and doctorates. In the middle was a small golden cross-shaped pin, and Patrick made a habit of asking newcomers whether they’d ever seen such an award. I’m glad to say I didn’t take the bait, because those who did claim to be impressed and have seen a few before were rewarded with a knowing chuckle and the truth: it was from a Christmas cracker. It was a classic example of how Patrick would try to get a first impression of newcomers, and I’m sure it affected the way he treated some people. I’ll remember his knowledge and ability to distil complex ideas into easy-

to-understand concepts. But I’ll also miss his stories and his wit.

Paul Abel Co-presenter I first encountered Patrick in 1989. The Voyager 2 spacecraft had arrived at Neptune and was returning all sorts of exciting discoveries. But among all of the scientists talking about the findings there was just one voice that was captivating and had an uncanny way of explaining the discoveries in a way that I, an enthralled 10 year old, could understand. The voice came from an eccentric looking chap, hair waving in the breeze, tie slightly askew as he animatedly gushed about Voyager 2, the people behind it and what all this meant for astronomy. I decided I would write to him. I didn’t have his address – I simply wrote ‘Patrick Moore’ on the envelope. I wondered if the letter would ever reach him. Three days later his reply came, bashed out on the famous Woodstock. I am but one example, almost every astronomer in the UK, > skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

16 TEAM TRIBUTES FEBRUARY

> amateur and professional alike, has a similar story to tell. Patrick’s success was his ability to convey complicated astrophysical ideas to people in plain English, generally with an amusing analogy. This was coupled with his excitable delivery and enormous sense of fun. He was a sort of kindly eccentric uncle. He was always accessible and unbelievably generous, which meant he was loved by millions.

WILL GATER, PETE LAWRENCE, BBC

Jane Fletcher Series producer Patrick and I worked together for over 10 years and they were the 10 most interesting and fulfi lling years of my career. He was not only an amazing broadcaster and writer, but also became a great friend. He was skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

kind, generous and forgiving. When I first got the job as producer for The Sky at Night, the then executive producer told me that it was “a quiet little programme”. How wrong she was. Patrick was never, ever quiet. We covered eclipses both lunar and solar; two transits of Venus, one of which we fi lmed in his garden; as well as astounding space missions such as Cassini, Messenger and more. Of course Patrick always kept an eye on what was in the night sky, telling us what to look for, when and where. He had an instinctive grasp for what viewers wanted to know and would find interesting. But he also loved surprises and would happily throw the running order out of the window to include exciting news. Patrick was inspired by cosmic events: supernovae, bright comets or asteroids crashing into planets. He saw it as his job to interpret these events for the viewer in his irrepressible and enthusiastic manner.

Working with Patrick was more than just business. Once he decided he liked you, you became part of his family. Our monthly routine never varied for 10 years. Twice a month I would arrive at Patrick’s home Farthings: once for a planning meeting and another to fi lm the programme. Patrick started broadcasting in the heady days of live television and had been trained to deliver his scripts first time. When ‘on air’ he would put on his distinctive broadcasting voice. He frequently reminded me of those days with his mantra of “the first take is the best one”. Patrick leaves an enormous void, one which we cannot fi ll, nor would want to. He was entertaining, a professional to the core and never, ever boring. His surviving The Sky at Night family draw strength from his example, remember his advice and are doing what he would have done – planning the next programme. S

18

Interactive EMAILS • LETTERS • FORUM • TWEETS

Next month’s Email us at [email protected] top prize: four Philip’s books

YOUR MESSAGES OF REMEMBRANCE

In the weeks following the sad news of Patrick’s death, we were inundated with messages here at Sky at Night Magazine, all paying tribute to the iconic and inspirational figure that has done more in the past 50 years to promote and popularise astronomy than anyone else. There are many messages that recall personal contact with Patrick – an impromptu telephone call, an invititation to lunch or a correspondence kept up over many years. All serve to underline the fact that despite decades in the public eye, Patrick was happy to personally answer the call of anyone with an interest in space and the stars, and take the time to encourage that interest to develop. It’s a remarkable feat – something that seems all too rare in these days of celebrity obsession and restricted access – that rests as the great astronomer’s living legacy . Regrettably there just isn’t space in this issue to reprint all of the messages and tributes you sent to us (and indeed they are still coming in) but we will print them in future issues. The Astro Crossword will return next issue too. – Ed

I just heard the sad news from the BBC website and it’s deeply affecting. Patrick’s books on astronomy inspired in me a fascination with the subject when I was just a child. By the age of eight, I’d decided this would be what I wanted to do with my life and now I’m one of those lucky few who get to enjoy astronomy for a living. I know a great many astronomers will say the same thing. Patrick has been such a constant presence for as long as I can remember that it is truly shocking to hear he passed away, the end of an era. He was an inimitable presenter both on camera and in person. The show and his writing will continue to inspire new astronomers for generations. Rest in peace, Patrick. Rachel Street, via email

I was very saddened to hear the news today about the passing of Sir Patrick Moore. It immediately skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

BBC

Message of the month will return in the March issue, when the writer will receive four top titles courtesy of astronomy publisher Philip’s. Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest’s Stargazing 2013 is a month-by-month guide to the year, and you’ll be able to find all the best sights with Patrick Moore’s Guide to Stars and Planets. Stargazing with Binoculars by Robin Scagell and David Frydman contains equipment and observing guides, and you’ll be viewing planets in no time with Peter Grego’s Solar System Observer’s Guide.

raised thoughts in my head about his immense contributions to the popularisation of astronomy, but also to you, your colleagues and The Sky at Night. On behalf of everyone at Sky & Telescope Magazine, I extend our condolences to you, your staff, and everyone who knew and loved him. My colleague Kelly Beatty posted a very nice obituary on our website, and we will find a way to honour Sir Patrick and his contributions in an upcoming issue. Robert Naeye, editor, Sky & Telescope Magazine

I feel that the world has lost the greatest astronomer of all time. His inspiration and enthusiasm was simply magnetic; Sir Patrick Moore was the one who inspired me to take up astronomy. He was a legendary figure and word of his death filled me with sorrow. Patrick was my hero, it’s very

LETTERS FEBRUARY 19

The great educator

Tributes from Have your say at http://twitter.com/ skyatnightmag @lee20XI Very sad to hear of the passing of Sir Patrick Moore. A true broadcasting legend. @xVstargazerVx Rest in peace to Sir Patrick Moore. He will be missed by many who were inspired and fascinated by his work. @SteveMills2 Rest in peace Patrick Moore and thank you for inspiring my love of astronomy. @astrobutler Very saddened by Sir Patrick’s passing. Inspired so many astronomers including myself. @markwk40 RIP Patrick Moore. Thank you for getting me into astronomy, you will be truly missed. @LeonardoEffect Sir Patrick Moore, very sad to hear of his passing. Inspired generations, including us. Sympathy to co-presenters and programme team.

Patrick Moore nurtured my passion for astronomy as a youngster and growing up in the 1970s I seldom missed The Sky at Night. With my first telescope Patrick helped me to discover the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, the Orion Nebula, and our own Moon as a real place with mountains and craters. I have spent the evening searching through old documents and letters, and found one of Patrick’s. It was written in 1978; the inset shows Patrick’s famous old typewriter, which it was typed on. Looking at the letter now I’m struck by a few things. I see the slanted lines of text betraying the fact that the paper was misfed through the rollers; the inconsistent ink tone due to imperfections in the ribbon or variations in finger pressure on the keys ... and the odd typo. All in all a priceless document. Thank you Patrick. Gerry Moran, via email

unfortunate that he has left us! But at least he has fuelled our brains with knowledge and inspired several generations. I thank him for all he has done for us. I thank him for his wonderful programmes, magazine articles and books. I may only be 15, but this iconic gentleman was my world. Patrick, thank you. You are sadly missed. Astronomy will never be the same without you. Patrick, I thank you again – rest in peace.

experience for so many of us that he became less of an institution and something more akin to a dear friend or a favourite teacher. He truly was our ‘guide star’ and he will be sorely missed.

Sasha Kasyanov-Ward, via email

Darrell Heath, Central Arkansas Astronomical Society, US

I would just like to say that I am sorry to hear the sad news today of Patrick’s passing. He was, to begin with, a great excuse to stay up late when I was 12, then through him I got interested and hooked on astronomy. Thanks to him I could not have experienced all the things I have in the night sky over the past 25 years.

I was in shock after reading the news of Sir Patrick’s passing. He got me interested in astronomy early, in 1960 at the age of six. I corresponded with him since that time. Last year I sent him a tektite – he was pleased at that. I also have some of his typed letters and many of his books. The first one I read by him was Your Book of Astronomy in 1960. He sent me one, a bit worn and an update of it, I think. It was a bit tattered and has editors marks on corrections he should make ... it’s sealed and in my trunk! He will be missed for sure ... he said he hoped we could meet ... he came to Halifax to learn to fly for the war and said, “Bet it has altered.” RIP Sir Patrick! I will miss the correspondence with him and his witty and serious talks. But I know he is now among the stars that he so much loved.

Aaron Tweed, Welwyn Garden City

As a child, then a teenager, a young man, a father and a grandfather, I have relied on Sir Patrick Moore to inform me about the wonders of the Universe in which we live. As I set up my telescope this Christmas to let my grandchildren gaze up at the heavens, I’ll point out the bright new star I’ll expect to see there: Sir Patrick looking down on us with his impish smile. A long life, and a full one. Rest in peace.

Michael Boschat, Halifax Center – Royal Astronomical Society of Canada

Derek Frankland, via email

I am deeply saddened to hear of Sir Patrick’s passing. Few people have done more to promote amateur astronomy to so many than Sir Patrick (or, to many of us, just plain old ‘Patrick’). The Sky at Night television show and his numerous books have been an inspirational as well as an educational

Sad news that Sir Patrick Moore has died. He was a man who brought home the excitement of the starry night sky, as well as the wonders of the Sun, Moon, planets and a whole host of celestial discoveries. A few years ago my good mate Paul won two tickets to see the great man; I was privileged to be invited along and briefly met him at Fairfield Halls, Croydon. The > skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

20

Tributes from @Sarah_J_Reed It was an honour to meet him. @DoctorCBenjamin Very sad news. He’s been a hero of mine since I was a kid...it would be nice if a star could be named after him. @arioch1st I will forever see his face when I look at the Moon. He was my inspiration and will be missed by millions. @skarlos77 Very sad news. RIP Sir Patrick Moore and thanks for fantastic knowledge.

Þ More personal than a book of remembrance, members of the Baker Street Irregular Astronomers shared their

memories of Patrick on his Moon map – one of several achievements that made him one of astronomy’s great figures

> Sky at Night will be missing a star because of his

departure, yet he will always be remembered when we look up at the night sky. Seán McAree, via email

@lfboyd Sad day. Black ribbons on telescope mounts tonight. @MikeAlphaOne Inspired by Patrick since I was about seven when his programme introduced me to astronomy. He was special and unique.

The Baker Street Irregular Astronomers met on Wednesday 12 December for our Christmas party, and also to celebrate the life of our friend Sir Patrick Moore. We all said it was one of the best meetings we have had in our two-and-a-half year history. In memory of Patrick, the 90 or so people in attendance gathered together all holding a red light torch or a mobile phone with a red screen, and recited these lines from a poem by Sarah Williams: “Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.” We also took one of Patrick’s Moon maps (above), for members to sign, and we will continue to take it to meetings until there is no space left. Simon M Bennett, London

How very sad to hear of the death of Sir Patrick, he was an inspiration to amateur astronomers everywhere. Astronomy is a great leveller in that no matter what your background or ability it is open to everyone and Patrick was its great champion in that respect. From an early age I looked forward to watching The Sky at Night every month. Patrick skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

inspired me, through one of his books, to make my own telescope, which I have finally accomplished after 35 years (I’m now 50) with help from the Camden Amateur Telescope Society. I probably wouldn’t have thought of trying had it not been for his infectious writing. There must be thousands of amateurs who owe their interest in astronomy to Sir Patrick’s great character and enormous talent for the subject. Ennio Tabone, London

My passion for astronomy began in 1954, so I have followed Patrick admiringly throughout his entire TV career and learned much from him. Some years ago I watched him being interviewed in his observatories at Selsey and at one point he was asked whether he ever spared a thought for the fiancée he lost during World War II. His reply was very telling: “Just occasionally, half an hour passes when I find that I have not thought of her.” May I suggest that we all do as Neil Armstrong’s family suggested and wink at the Moon whenever we see it; but now not only in memory of Neil, but also Sir Patrick. After all, the two men knew each other quite well and they died in the same year. John Livingston, North Yorkshire

With great regret I learned about the loss of Sir Patrick Moore. It hit me like a deep blow. With his >

LETTERS FEBRUARY 21

The empty void

Tributes from

A supergiant that has shone brightly in the night sky for so many years has been extinguished, leaving a vacuum that will be very difficult to fill. I am going to miss a good friend. I had known and worked with Patrick since I illustrated my first book for him in 1954, at the age of 18, launching my own career as an astronomical and science-fiction artist, illustrator and writer that lasts to this day. In 1957 I was his first

artist on The Sky at Night, and continued to be so for many years; I also appeared several times as a guest on the programme. Although he always claimed that he couldn’t draw – despite his wonderful lunar maps – he always encouraged artists. It will be difficult to find another presenter with the knowledge, enthusiasm, presence and charisma of Patrick Moore at his best. David A Hardy, Birmingham

@LynziJones Thank you for showing us the stars and inspiring generations of people to look up. You will be missed by many, RIP. @BarclayDave He was the only man left alive to interview the first to fly the first into space and the first on the Moon. You’re a star Patrick. @smithkc1966 Will the BBC be opening a book of condolence? There will be thousands who would want to share their memories of Sir Patrick. @astrobhoy73 Commiserations to everyone at The Sky at Night. Another idol lost to us all. @NNimblefingers RIP Sir Patrick. Thanks for inspiring me and, in turn, my children.

Þ These three pieces

of David’s art were all used on The Sky at Night in 2007: top, Earth eclipses the Sun, as seen from the Moon; above, the surface of exoplanet Gliese 581c; and left, the Ulysses probe passes through the tail of Comet Hyakutake

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

© DAVID A. HARDY/WWW.ASTROART.ORG X 3

@5142N831W I certainly owe my beginnings in astronomy to Sir Patrick Moore. Rest in peace.

22

The flat Earth foray

Tributes from @andybanks1969 RIP Sir Patrick. You were a great inspiration and now a sad loss to us all. @bill_abong Oh my goodness very sad news indeed, rest in peace. @Philipgo6 RIP Patrick Moore. Every time I look through the eyepiece of my scope I will remember him. Thanks to him I love astronomy.

To the best of my knowledge Patrick and I were each other’s oldest friends. We met in about 1945, when I was a small boy, and he encouraged me in astronomy for over 60 years. Patrick and my uncle and godfather, John Miller, were both in poor health in their teens and met when they went to the same tutor. Both were born in 1923, I in 1942. In World War II both joined the RAF, though my uncle was invalided out. After the war, Patrick was a frequent visitor at my uncle’s. They each rode ancient motorbikes and went on amusing trips together which often ended up with one of the bikes breaking down or the two of them getting hopelessly lost. Patrick would appear in his flying suit and goggles, looking for all the world like Biggles, bike steaming in the background, and greet me (aged about six) with a friendly ‘What Ho!’ My uncle died very young in 1950 and Patrick elected himself an honorary godfather, sending me copies of his books, starting with adventure stories in 1952 and later encouraging astronomy with books like Guide to the Moon and The Amateur Astronomer. I had a memorable evening looking through his telescopes. We kept in touch ever after. I did not become more than a keen stargazer really, but our memories and similar interests and sense of humour formed a lasting bond. He was my oldest friend and we concluded that as most of Patrick’s wartime friends had died, I was probably his oldest surviving friend too.

His letters were a delight, quite unlike those of any other adult, and included comments on the current state of Vesuvius, his ancient motorbike, as well as dubious rhymes and outrageous comments. A typical example is attached [see below]. The other [bottom] was written after his brief membership of the International Flat Earth Research Society. He had told me how he used a pseudonym and wore a false beard to attend. Needing a subject for a talk we were required to do at school, I asked Patrick for the address of the secretary, Sam Shenton of Dover. I duly wrote to Mr Shenton, a retired sign-writer, and received a cordial and slightly helpful reply. Two years later I wrote again for some reason and shortly after that found myself stranded in Dover one evening while trying to hitch from Paris to Edinburgh. Cheekily I rang up the Shentons who immediately offered a bed for the night and filled me in with the work of the society, whose aims were ‘to observe, think freely, rediscover forgotten facts and oppose theoretical dogmatic assumptions’, a sentiment that Patrick would have shared. Much later, in 1968, I found myself teaching at a college in Canterbury and engaged Shenton to give a talk. At tea he told me with great pride that he had been elected a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. I had great pleasure letting on that it was Patrick who had proposed him. Hamish Halls, via email

@LeonardoEffect Fondly recall his Scott Saunders space adventure books. Using his knowledge and imagination to inspire kids. @cookie478 May you RIP Sir Partick Moore, you did a lot for astronomy. @Kitty_B_Good RIP Sir Patrick Moore. Made from star stuff, now returned to the stars. Thanks for getting me to look up and wonder. @BlackWhiteAdder Sad news about Patrick Moore’s passing, but as long as we remember him and his work he’ll never really be gone.

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

Þ Patrick’s humour

and personality is evident in these letters, as they were in much of his correspondence

LETTERS FEBRUARY 23

> passing a piece astronomy has gone. To many people he has brought home that we have nice hobby. Sir Patrick Moore was popular in Germany. Through Sky at Night Magazine, he will remain with us in good memory.

hard to think of anyone who could fill his shoes. Such an awe-inspiring legend, whose memory will live on forever. Deepest sympathy to friends and family. Gerard McEntaggart, via email

Mario Richter, Finsterwalde, Germany

@EdgeOrch What a perfect night for stargazing. Still can’t get over being able to see Jupiter and Uranus. In memory of Sir Patrick Moore. @bebeleTee So sad to hear this news. RIP Sir Patrick Moore :( @keppler123 Sad day indeed. He will be sorely missed by astronomers and non-astronomers alike. @falcon_ii Sir Patrick Moore will be greatly missed by the world. You are the sky at night, all the stars, the Moon and the Sun. @lisaloveschoccy I saw two Geminids tonight. Thinking of you Sir Patrick Moore. @OllieW_ RIP Sir Patrick, an inspiring gentleman! Will be missed. @Luke_E_Murphy RIP Sir Patrick Moore, very sad news, thank you for a life served explaining the wonders of the Universe.

Paul Wenham-Clarke, via email

Sir Patrick Moore inspired my interest in astronomy as a teenager in the 1980s through his The Observers Book Of Astronomy. I went on to study physics and astronomy at University College London, but went down other paths after graduating as jobs in science were a struggle to get in those days. I still have that astronomy interest and watch The Sky at Night. He visited Wrexham to open a science festival and I met him briefly. I sent him a photo of the event, which he kindly signed and returned to me. Rest in peace Sir Patrick, you’re a legend among the stars now, on a journey into the cosmos to be with Einstein, Galileo and Carl Sagan to name but a few. Simon Stapley, Wrexham

I was so sad to hear the news – like many people I’ve been a fan and admirer of Patrick for as long as I can remember. One could almost have imagined him going on forever. It somehow doesn’t seem possible that such a huge, generous and fascinating personality could pass away. I think Brian May summed things up beautifully with his comments, in particular that we were lucky to have had him. Adam Crute, Crook, County Durham

Thank you for the inspiration, Patrick. You were such a kind man who treated us like old friends the very first time we met. You gave us great memories that will always stay with us. In 1993 at his house in Selsey, with my mum and dad, he cooked a roast chicken dinner for us. He even left us in his house to go into the village on his old push-bike with no brakes to get potatoes and ice cream for us all. Always in our hearts and now in the stars. RIP. John Conway, via email

So sorry to hear of the passing of Sir Patrick. He will forever be a shining star in the sky. It is

I first heard of Patrick Moore when my mum gave me a book about astronomy in the southern hemisphere. This was around 1979. In July 1993 I met him when he came to Auckland, New Zealand, to promote his latest book Passion for Astronomy. He was a fascinating talker: lively, well informed and made everything he said interesting. After his talk I was introduced to him through an acquaintance, but then I was just a 30-year-old stargazer and a bit humbled. Patrick proceeded to tell me he had met Albert Einstein, Yuri Gagarin and one of the Wright brothers who had flown the first aeroplane. I know now of course that he met the astronauts who stepped on the Moon – what an incredible contrast from first flight to spaceflight. I still have his book, which he autographed for me and he was and always will be an influence. We should celebrate Patrick’s life by sharing our own knowledge and introducing others to the night sky, fuelling them with the same passion for astronomy. Joe Dempsey, Melbourne, Australia

I heard the very sad news that Sir Patrick had passed away as I was writing out my Christmas cards. Every Christmas I send a card to Sir Patrick and was left very sad at that second as I was not going to be sending him one not only this year, but ever again. I sat there thinking about the man and all that he had accomplished, and looked at a letter I had received from him back in 2009 where he was talking about man going back to the Moon. He said we will, but not in his lifetime. Although this is now true, hopefully he is correct about China getting things in motion and landing someone there in the next 10 years or so. To me Patrick is an astronomy legend. I admired him in his professionalism and the way he lived his life, and he will be sadly missed on The Sky at Night. Hopefully with Chris, Paul and Pete at the helm the BBC can continue the truly great show that has inspired all of us fellow amateur astronomers for years to come. I hope Sir Patrick is now reunited with Lorna and he is at peace, as the great man truly deserves. Jason Trussell, via email

I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Patrick Moore. He was a hero and an inspiration to me since I saw my first episode of The Sky At Night in 1997. This is the year my passion for astronomy was awakened. As a 12 year old, I was fascinated by the Comet Hale-Bopp and hungrily devoured books and TV shows on the subject, but it was Sir Patrick and The Sky at Night itself that really captured my imagination. I have > skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

PAUL WENHAM-CLARKE/WWW.WENHAMCLARKE.COM

Tributes from

I had the great pleasure of spending a day photographing Patrick back in 2002 and it was one of the most enjoyable days of my photographic career. He will be sadly missed. The image won the British Institute of Professional Photography Portrait Photographer of the Year award.

24 LETTERS FEBRUARY

> never missed an episode since and my passion

is greater than it has ever been. I want to thank Sir Patrick for opening up the heavens for me. I will be forever grateful and he will be sorely missed. Amy Appleby, Darlington

Tributes from @RockersAndrew As a simple and effective tribute can The Sky At Night be renamed as Patrick Moore’s The Sky At Night? @LeonardoEffect Will greatly miss Sir Patrick’s writing in the magazine each month. Always the first pages I turned to.

I thought I would share this image taken from data of the Andromeda Galaxy, M31, that I was collecting when I heard of the passing of Sir Patrick Moore. I know it is not an image of his personal favourite (we all know that’s the Moon) but whenever I look at this particular shot I will always remember him. He was a great character and a friend to many more people than he could ever have met. I often imagine him commentating when I’m observing and take great comfort in the knowledge that one of the greatest and best-known astronomers was officially an amateur. Farewell Sir Patrick and thank you – I and many others will be out there looking at the night sky because of your inspiration and enthusiasm. Martin Rogers, Edgcott, Buckinghamshire

ART AND PICTURES Art Editor Steve Marsh Picture Research Sarah Kennett CONTRIBUTORS Paul Abel, Jamie Carter, Heather Couper, Adam Crute, Lewis Dartnell, Glenn Dawes, Lucie Green, Keith Hopcroft, Carol Lakomiak, Pete Lawrence, Martin Lewis, Chris Lintott, Hazel Muir, Kate Oliver, Jeff Parker, Damian Peach, Steve Richards, Graham Southorn, Giles Sparrow, Paul Sutherland, Anton Vamplew, Vincent Whiteman, Paul Whitfield, Paul Wootton ADVERTISING SALES Advertising Director Caroline Herbert Advertising Managers Steve Grigg (0117 314 8365), Tony Robinson (0117 314 8811) Inserts Laurence Robertson 00 353 87 690 2208 PRODUCTION Production Director Sarah Powell Production Manager Derrick Andrews Ad Services Manager Mel Watkins Ad Co-ordinator Fred Bennett Ad Designer Nathaniel Brain Reprographics Tony Hunt, Chris Sutch

MARKETING Head of Circulation Rob Brock Head of Marketing Marie Davies Marketing Executive Priscilla Midgley Head of Press and PR Carolyn Wray 0117 314 8812

Þ Martin’s M31; although Patrick was best known for his love of the Moon, this was his favourite galaxy

I have many fond memories of Patrick. We spoke often and one of the things that I remember most is that he always made the time to talk and listen to what I had to say. He was a kind, funny and opinionated man, who I found to be an absolute delight to talk to. We spoke about just about everything from astronomy to cricket and his love of music. I am deeply saddened by his passing and will miss him immensely. There will never be another Patrick Moore and for this I am glad, for he will be remembered as a singular individual who inspired many into astronomy, myself included. Rest in peace my friend. John Cave, Huyton, Merseyside

For me Sir Patrick Moore has been the face of astronomy. I was a child back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and I remember that we had a very poor BBC TV reception where we lived in Ireland: the picture quality was very snowy. But I always used to be there ready to watch The Sky at Night programme. Patrick may be gone but the stars will always shine on in his memory! James Adamson, via email

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

EDITORIAL Editor Chris Bramley Features Editor Will Gater Production Editor Kev Lochun Editorial Assistant Kieron Allen Reviews Editor Paul Money

LICENSING Head of Licensing and Syndication Joanna Marshall

@BHM2345 I took my first shot of M44 on Sunday night as a tribute to Sir Patrick. @shmooza The night sky will be brighter with Patrick Moore shinning down on us. RIP.

Sky at Night Magazine is published by Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited under licence from BBC Worldwide.

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BULLETIN FEBRUARY 29

Bulletin The latest astronomy and space news written by Hazel Muir

PLUS

CUTTING EDGE

Our experts examine the hottest new astronomy research papers CHRIS LINTOTT LEWIS DARTNELL

32 34

NGC 1277, inset, sits within the Perseus Galaxy Cluster; the galaxy’s black hole accounts for much more mass than expected

Comment

by Chris Lintott

Black hole could be biggest known DAVID W. HOGG/MICHAEL BLANTON AND THE SDSS COLLABORATION, NASA/ESA/ANDREW C. FABIAN

The dark monster could be the first in a new class of objects A monster black hole in a galaxy 220 million lightyears away could be the biggest on record. Astronomers have shown it is about 17 billion times as massive as the Sun, and its discovery could influence theories about galactic evolution. “This is a really oddball galaxy – it’s almost all black hole,” says team member Karl Gebhardt from the University of Texas at Austin. “This could be the first object in a new class of galaxy-black hole systems.”

The black hole is in a small, flattened galaxy in Perseus designated NGC 1277. Black holes form when matter collapses to a point so dense that nothing, not even light, can escape from the region around it. Supermassive black holes millions of times as massive as the Sun sit at the centres of most galaxies, but it’s not entirely clear how they formed. The mass of a galaxy’s black hole is usually about 0.1 per cent of the mass of the galaxy itself. That hints that a galaxy and its black hole somehow grow in tandem. Intriguingly, however, Gebhardt’s team, led by his colleague Remco van den Bosch, discovered that this black hole breaks the mould. Using a telescope at the McDonald Observatory in Texas, they found that the black hole in NGC 1277 accounts for a whopping 14 per cent of the galaxy’s overall mass. The overgrown black hole could eventually provide useful clues about how galaxies and their black holes form and evolve. > See Comment, right

This result is puzzling. Astronomers believed that black holes and galaxies grow together; that, after all, is a reasonable explanation for why the supermassive black hole at the centre of a galaxy is always responsible for roughly the same percentage of the total mass. In this case the galaxy might have lost a lot of mass, presumably through some violent interaction with a neighbouring system. There seems to be little other evidence for that, though, and we need other options. Could material have fed the black hole directly? That seems unlikely – the geometry is just too tricky. Additionally, the process of getting gas and dust down into the centre of a galaxy is normally quite inefficient. Maybe NGC 1277 just happened to be especially good at it. Its gas must somehow have been channelled toward the centre, allowing the black hole to grow rapidly. If so, by working out why it’s the way that it is, we may end up understanding normal galaxies a little better too. CHRIS LINTOTT co-presents The Sky at Night on BBC TV

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

30

GRAIL delivers lunar gravity map Twin probes crashed onto Moon after the mission’s resounding success The gas halo is so large it may encompass other members of the Local Group

News in brief RADIOACTIVITY COULD WARM DISTANT WORLDS

Hopes of finding life on planets circling Sun-like stars have been boosted by a study suggesting the ‘habitable zones’ of many stars – where planets can host liquid water – are larger than expected. Cayman Unterborn from Ohio State University studied eight Sun-like stars and found that seven contained more thorium than the Sun. Any planets circling them would also be rich in the element, which is radioactive and provides some of Earth’s internal heat. “If these planets are warmer than previously thought, then we can effectively increase the size of the habitable zone around these stars,” says Unterborn.

NASA/JPL-CALTECH/GSFC/MIT, NASA/JPL-CALTECH/MIT, THINKSTOCK X 3, NASA/JPL-CALTECH, ESO/G. LOMBARDI, NASA/ESA

GRAIL’s full gravity map of the Moon; the far side is in the centre and the near side either end in this Mercator projection

NASA’S GRAIL MISSION came to an end in December, when its twin lunar probes, Ebb and Flow, were crashed onto the Moon’s surface after successfully measuring its gravity field in unprecedented detail. The results returned by the mission back the theory that the Moon formed when a Mars-sized body smashed into the young Earth, sending debris flying into orbit where it coalesced into our rocky satellite. The probes of the GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory) mission were launched in September 2011. Flying around the Moon in formation, Ebb and Flow measured its gravity field by detecting tiny changes in the distance between each other due to the uneven mass in mountains and craters, as well as structures under the lunar surface. The resulting gravity field map, pictured above, reveals many features that have never been seen in detail before, including volcanic landforms, basin rings and central peaks in some craters. It also suggests deep fractures in the lunar interior extend down into the deep crust and possibly the mantle. “More than any other celestial body we know of, the Moon wears its gravity field on its sleeve,” says lead mission scientist Maria Zuber from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “When we see a notable change in the gravity field, we can sync up this change with surface topography features such as craters, rilles or mountains.” skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

Ebb and Flow, illustrated, were crashed near the Moon’s north pole

The observations suggest that the overall density of the Moon’s highland crust is lower than previously thought. Likewise, the average thickness of the lunar crust has been calculated as between 34km and 43km – about 10-20km thinner than estimated. “With this crustal thickness, the bulk composition of the Moon is similar to that of Earth,” says GRAIL scientist Mark Wieczorek from the Institute of Earth Physics in Paris. “This supports models where the Moon is derived from Earth materials that were ejected during a giant impact event early in Solar System history.” Other features revealed by the probes include long straight structures that probably indicate thin bodies of solidified magma in the lunar subsurface. Scientists suspect they are among the oldest features on the Moon, so studying them further could reveal its early history. www.nasa.gov/grail

DISTANT DOUBLE STARS BEGAN LIFE AS TRIPLETS

Scientists believe they may have discovered what causes wide double stars – they may have originated as triple stars. Some binary stars orbit each other as much as one lightyear apart. Computer simulations performed by the NASA Astrobiology Institute team at the University of Hawaii have shown this can happen if a star born in a close triple system is ‘kicked’ into a wide orbit by a gravitational encounter, while the two other stars merge. “The two close stars spiral all the way in and collide,” says team leader Bo Reipurth.

BULLETIN FEBRUARY 31

BENCHMARK STAR VEGA’S AGE REVISED BRIGHT STAR VEGA is more than 200 million years older than previously thought, a discovery that astronomers say should help them hone theories about stellar life cycles. Vega is the brightest star in the constellation of Lyra and is only 25 lightyears away. Historically, astronomers standardised the stellar brightness scale by assigning Vega’s brightness as magnitude zero. The star was thought to rotate quickly, once every 12 hours. But now observations have shown that it rotates in 17 hours. Because the star’s rotation should slow over time, this means its age has been revised upwards to 700 million years. “Vega continues to challenge and surprise us,” says team leader John Monnier from the University of Michigan. “It’s a reference point for other stars, but it certainly isn’t boring or normal.” www.umich.edu

Vega, top right, was used as a reference for magnitudes

New Mars rover to launch in 2020

News in brief KMOS READY TO PROBE EARLY GALAXIES

The new K-band MultiObject Spectrograph (KMOS) has completed testing at the Very Large Telescope in Chile. It will provide crucial data to help astronomers work out how early galaxies formed and evolved. KMOS, shown below, has 24 movable arms that allow it to map and analyse infrared light from 24 galaxies at the same time. “The possibility to observe 24 galaxies simultaneously will allow us to build galaxy samples of unprecedented size and quality,” says co-principal investigator Ralf Bender of the Max-Planck Institute in Garching, Germany.

NASA is committing to a vigorous campaign to explore the Red Planet The new mission is expected to follow the template set out by the Mars Science Laboratory

SUBATOMIC MASS CONFIRMED WITH SPACE ALCOHOL

NASA HAS ANNOUNCED plans to launch a new Mars rover in 2020. Its specific scientific objectives have not been decided yet, but its development and design will closely follow that of the Mars Science Laboratory mission, which successfully landed the Curiosity rover on Mars in August. That will help minimise the costs and risks of the project, says NASA. “With this next mission, we’re ensuring America remains the world leader in the exploration of the Red Planet, while taking another significant step

toward sending humans there in the 2030s,” says NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. Bolden also reiterated NASA’s commitment to a vigorous Mars exploration programme over the next decade, which includes next year’s launch of the MAVEN orbiter to study Mars’s upper atmosphere. In 2016, NASA will launch the InSight mission to study the Martian interior. This lander will investigate whether the core of Mars is solid or liquid and why – unlike Earth – it doesn’t have shifting tectonic plates. www.nasa.gov

By studying alcohol billions of lightyears away, scientists have shown that the masses of protons and electrons haven’t changed over time. Using a 100m radio telescope, a team from VU University Amsterdam studied the spectrum of methanol in a distant galaxy. Its spectrum would be different to that in the lab if the electron-proton mass ratio changed over time, but the results showed the ratio has been constant for at least seven billion years.

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

32

CUTTING EDGE

Our experts examine the hottest new research

Spying on the deaths of the first stars We may be able to spot the supernovae left by the first stars; now we just have to find them WORDS: CHRIS LINTOTT The population III stars illustrated here were probably massive – a result of them being only composed of hydrogen and helium

collapsing stellar material – but also the star’s environment, as well as calculating the resulting glow and its effects on the surrounding material. With that huge amount of work done, the team has been able to predict the light curve of a typical population III star supernova, measuring the likely changes in brightness over time. They’ve also had to consider the effect of the expansion of the Universe;

NASA/JPL-CALTECH/R. HURT (SSC)

S

etting out to catch the light from the Universe’s first stars sounds like the grandest of cosmic adventures. But in a recent paper, Carnegie Mellon University astronomer Dan Whalen and colleagues suggest that intrepid explorers have some chance of success. These first stars, normally and confusingly known for historical reasons as ‘population III’ stars, were weird. They must have formed from gas composed only of the elements forged shortly after the Big Bang, hydrogen and helium. Star formation later in the Universe’s history requires the creation of molecules involving carbon and oxygen, among other elements, in order for a protostar to cool sufficiently to collapse in on itself, kick-starting nuclear reactions. Deprived of such elements, population III protostars cooled inefficiently, so only the largest were able to collapse. As a result, these first stars should have been enormous, between 30 and 500 times the mass of the Sun. Such massive stars can’t persist for long, as the huge pressures and temperatures at their cores drive rapid nuclear fusion. The fuel in the core will run out just tens or hundreds of millions of years after the star is born. It is here that the paper picks up the story. The main innovation Whalen and colleagues make is to improve an old model of stellar evolution to explain these unusual stars. The basics are the same as for any other very massive star: the end of nuclear fusion causes a collapse, which rebounds into a supernova. But the details of this catastrophic event are complicated. For example, the computer codes the team developed not only have to track the expanding shock front – which punches through the still skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

“The supernovae from the first stars should be detectable, even if they formed just 100 million years after the Big Bang”

Chris Lintott is an astrophysicist and co-presenter of The Sky at Night on BBC TV. He is also the director of the Zooniverse project

not only does this shift the expected spectrum to the red, but it also slows down the apparent speed with which things change; so the dramatic jump in brightness that normally takes a few days to appear will take 50. Nevertheless, the exciting news is that the supernovae from the first stars should be detectable. The James Webb Space Telescope should be able to see them, even if the first stars formed as quickly as 100 million years after the Big Bang. This is an incredible result if true. The light from such early events would have to have travelled a long way, meaning the supernova should be faint, yet still visible. Even more remarkably, if the first stars formed later than this, it is possible that the first supernovae have been lurking in existing Hubble Space Telescope data all along – an exciting conclusion, made possible by an awful lot of careful calculation.

CHRIS LINTOTT was reading… Finding the First Cosmic Explosions I: Pair-Instability Supernovae by Daniel Whalen et al. Read it online at http://arxiv.org/abs/1211.4979

BULLETIN FEBRUARY 33

News in brief

Hubble reveals ancient galaxies The new finds could help clarify how early galaxies evolved

Observations by the Very Large Telescope in Chile and other observatories have revealed a curious new class of galaxies dubbed ‘green beans’. Mischa Schirmer from the Gemini Observatory in Chile and colleagues found more than a dozen of the bright green galaxies. They suspect the green glow is a light ‘echo’ from giant black holes in the galaxies that once fed on hot gas and dust, but have since become inactive. “Discovering something genuinely new is an astronomer’s dream come true, a once in a lifetime event,” says Schirmer. “These glowing regions are fantastic probes to try to understand the physics of galaxies.”

ALL EYES ON ANDROMEDA

A new project is seeking volunteers to scan Hubble images of the Andromeda Galaxy, below, the nearest large galaxy to our own. Organisers want volunteers to look for star clusters, which could hold clues about galactic evolution. To participate, visit www. andromedaproject.org.

The aged galaxies are mere specks in the Hubble eXtreme Deep Field, pictured here

says team member Brant Robertson from the University of Arizona in Tucson. “There wasn’t a single dramatic moment when galaxies formed – it was a gradual process.” www.hubblesite.org

MAPS REVEAL GLOBAL LIGHT POLLUTION

Find out where Europe’s dark spots are on pages 74-84

Looking back

CFHT/ESO/M. SCHIRMER, THINKSTOCK, NASA/ESA/R. ELLIS (CALTECH) AND THE UDF 2012 TEAM, NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY/NOAA NGDC, ESA/AOES

‘GREEN BEANS’ FOUND IN SPACE

NASA’S HUBBLE SPACE Telescope has revealed a hitherto undetected collection of seven galaxies that emerged more than 13 billion years ago, when the Universe was less than 3 per cent of its current age. The galaxies found by Hubble astronomers had already formed when the Universe was just 350 million to 600 million years old. The James Webb Space Telescope will study galaxies like these in more detail when it launches in 2018. “Our data confirms that galaxies slowly built up their stars and chemical elements,”

NEW IMAGES OF Earth have highlighted the scale of light pollution around the world. The images were gathered by the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership, an Earth-observation satellite managed by NASA and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Light pollution can fog the night sky, preventing us from seeing astronomical objects clearly. “The new images show that there is still much work that needs to be done in tackling the problems of light pollution,” says Bob Parks, executive director of the International Dark Sky Association. www.nasa.gov/npp

The Sky at Night February 1982 On 7 February 1982, The Sky at Night broadcast discussed the possibility that there are active volcanoes on Venus. Earth’s ‘evil twin’ has more volcanoes than any other planet in the Solar System, but it remains unclear whether any of them are still active. Radar imagery has revealed more than 1,000 volcanic structures on

Venus, as well as signs that the planet has periodically been resurfaced by lava. ESA’s Venus Express spacecraft, which has orbited the planet since 2006, has found indirect evidence that volcanoes have been active within the past 2.5 million years. And in December 2012, scientists reported that Venus Express had

could Volcanic activity anging ch s’s nu Ve n ai expl els lev e id sulphur diox measured changes in the amount of sulphur dioxide gas in the planet’s upper atmosphere. Sulphur dioxide levels increased between 2006 and 2007, but steadily fell up to 2012. That hints that volcanic activity has changed recently.

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

34 BULLETIN FEBRUARY

CUTTING EDGE

Our experts examine the hottest new research

The riddle of exoplanetary radii If you want to pin down a planet’s composition, you really need an accurate measure of its radius WORDS: LEWIS DARTNELL Some scientists think 55 Cancri e may be a carbon planet – but if our maths is off, it could have a quite different composition

different compositions, exoplanet researchers are able to make a fair stab at the likely make-up of a planet, even when they only know its mass and radius. The spanner in the works here is that even the best space and ground telescopes can only read a planet’s radius with an accuracy of two per cent and its mass to within 10 per cent, which introduces a lot of uncertainty when working out composition. For

NASA/JPL-CALTECH

T

he tally of exoplanets discovered continues to skyrocket. But we are at least decades away from large space telescope arrays with enough resolution to directly image features on the discs of exoplanets, in the way we can with Mars or Jupiter. So all we know about their characteristics is deduced indirectly. The radial velocity technique, relying on the wobble an orbiting planet imparts on its host star, tells us the mass of a world. If we’re lucky, and the same planet transits across its star from our point of view, we can also calculate its diameter and volume. Divide one by the other and you can work out the average density of the planet. These snippets of information are all we’ll be getting about the physical characteristics of exoplanets for the foreseeable future. But if you know the mass and radius (half of the diameter) of one of these invisible worlds, you can reasonably deduce a lot more about its interior using some planetary modelling, as Frank Sohl and his colleagues at the German Aerospace Center’s Institute of Planetary Research have done in a paper looking at rocky exoplanets. As a planet forms and gets more massive, it compresses under its own gravity, concentrating more mass in its core and becoming heavier for a particular girth; so there is a relationship between the mass and radius of a planet depending on the kind of stuff it is made of – in other words, the recipe of iron core, silicate rock mantle and water-ice shell. A planet with more iron will obviously be heavier than a predominantly icy globe of similar size. So, by modelling the internal structure of worlds with skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

“Researchers are able to make a fair stab at the make-up of a planet, even when they only know its mass and radius”

Lewis Dartnell is an astrobiologist at University College London and the author of Life In The Universe: A Beginner’s Guide

example, the exoplanet 55 Cancri e seems to be unusually light for its size, so some researchers speculate that this world may be a carbon planet, low in silicate rocks and with a shell of diamond underground. Kepler 10b, on the other hand, is apparently incredibly leaden for its width, which implies a huge metallic core, like a super-Mercury. The point the researchers make is that these exotic compositions may merely be due to an error in the measurements of radius or mass, distorting the calculation of density – and therefore composition. Over time, as we discover more mini-Neptunes or super-Earths, we’ll gather more examples to refine these models of planetary interiors. But, as Sohl et al argue, measuring the radii of these worlds as accurately as possible will become increasingly important if we want to confidently work out their true composition.

LEWIS DARTNELL was reading… Mass-radius relationships of rocky exoplanets by Frank Sohl et al. Read it online at http://arxiv.org/abs/1211.3331v1

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37 YOUR FIRST TELESCOPE JANUARY

This shot of the Whirlpool Galaxy was last year’s winner

Dates for your diary Competition opens for entries: 17 January Competition closes: 13 June Awards ceremony: 18 September Exhibition opens: 19 September Exhibition closes: 23 February 2014

MARTIN PUGH

The world’s premier astrophotography contest is now open for you to submit your pictures skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

Luc Perrot’s image of the Milky Way, taken from Réunion Island, was highly commended in the Earth and Space category in 2012

The winners will be announced during a ceremony at the Royal Observatory later in the year

Þ The top entries are displayed in a Royal Observatory exhibition that runs for several months > It’s not just exhibition-goers who are keen to immortalise the winners – the best pictures often appear in newspapers and magazines skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

APOTY 2013 FEBRUARY 39 < A member of the public strikes a thoughtful pose; your picture could be the one that encourages people to take that first look at the skies

S

ince its launch in 2009, the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition has gone from strength to strength, with last year’s awards the most successful yet. After scrutinising more than 800 entries sent in by astrophotographers from around the world, 2012’s judging panel selected Martin Pugh as overall winner of the competition for his exquisitely detailed image of the Whirlpool Galaxy, M51. Now the time has come to see if you can match, or even exceed, the skill and technical expertise shown by Pugh, as Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2013 opens for entries on 17 January. Once again there will be four categories and three special prizes – these are Earth and Space, Our Solar System, Deep Space, Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year, People and Space, Best Newcomer and Robotic Scope Image of the Year. All seven are discussed in detail on the next page. From the arrival of Comet C/2011 L4 PANSTARRS to Saturn’s opposition, 2013

promises a wealth of spectacular sights to suit any astrophotographer. If you’ve never entered the competition before, now is the perfect time to give it a go.

Take a chance Last year’s winner of the Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year prize wowed the judges with an atmospheric image of the Pleiades. This year, 15-year-old Jacob von Chorus is turning his attention to gas clouds. “I’ve just bought a monochrome CCD camera and I’m looking forward to using it to image nebulae,” he says. “The Veil Nebula is my favourite, but I’ll be imaging the North American Nebula, Pacman Nebula and Wizard Nebula too.” Dr Marek Kukula, public astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich and one of the competition’s regular judges, is excited to see what 2013’s contest has in store. “As usual I’m looking forward to seeing another amazing batch of pictures,” he says. “One thing I’ve learned as a judge is always to expect the unexpected. Of course each year brings its own crop of unusual astronomical events, but I never cease to be amazed by the endlessly new

and inventive ways that people find to present perennial subjects such as star trails, aurorae, and familiar Solar System and deep-sky objects.” The team behind the competition are keen to see entries from new astro imagers. “All too often when I ask if people are planning to enter the competition the reply is ‘Oh no – I’m not good enough’,” says Kukula. “My response is: ‘Yes you are!’ You don’t have to have expensive kit or years of experience to have a chance of winning a prize, so why not have a go? The public love beautiful pictures of space, so it is a chance for your photo to be seen by millions.” Von Chorus agrees: “You don’t need anything too complex to start with, just a camera and tripod.” If you’ve been inspired to get involved with this year’s competition, stay tuned to Sky at Night Magazine. As official media partner for the competition, you’ll be able to read about any updates to the competition and keep track of the key dates right here. S TURN THE PAGE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CATEGORIES AND HOW TO ENTER 

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

LUC PERROT, ROYAL OBSERVATORY GREENWICH X 4

þ Visitors can also check out images submitted to the competition’s Flickr group

ROYAL OBSERVATORY GREENWICH, MASAHIRO MIYASAKA, CHRIS WARREN, PHILIP PUGH, JAVOB VON CHORUS, LAURENT LAVEDER, LÓRÁND FÉNYES, THOMAS READ, ©FLICKR

CATEGORIES AND PRIZES EARTH AND SPACE

OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

DEEP SPACE

YOUNG ASTRONOMY PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

This category celebrates images taken of the night sky alongside Earthly landscapes. Last year Masahiro Miyasaka took the £500 prize with this stunning image of a frozen waterfall against a starry backdrop.

From Saturn’s iconic rings to the polar caps on Mars, our Solar System has some fantastic targets to image. Chris Warren scooped last year’s £500 prize with an eerie shot of the transit of Venus peeking through the clouds.

Deep space is the realm of exotic nebulae, vast galaxies and more. In 2012, Martin Pugh won this category and the competition overall with this shot of the Whirlpool Galaxy. The winner of this category gets £500.

This category recognises talented astrophotographers under the age of 16. Last year, Jacob von Chorus impressed the judges with his image of the Pleiades open cluster in Taurus, claiming the £500 prize.

PEOPLE AND SPACE

BEST NEWCOMER

ROBOTIC SCOPE IMAGE OF THE YEAR

This prize is for night-sky images that include people in the frame. £350 went to Laurent Laveder for this image of Venus and Jupiter in close conjunction, with a bystander – Laurent in fact – illuminating the foreground.

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

If 2013 is going to be your first time entering the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, this group is for you. Last year Lorand Fenyes won the £350 prize with this image of the Elephant’s Trunk with Ananas.

The final prize rewards imagers who use robotic scopes to take their astrophotos. Last year’s winner was Thomas Read, who used the Bradford Robotic Telescope to snap this image of the Sunflower Galaxy and take the £350 prize.

HOW TO ENTER

To enter your images into the competition you will need to create a Flickr account. For full details of how to do this, the rules and how to submit your images, visit the competition website at www.rmg.co.uk/astrophoto

Se e a A t 20 st o you 13 ro ur St fes an t d!

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44

GALAXY A turmoil IN

Heather Couper explores the violent history and ongoing mystery surrounding starburst galaxy M82

NASA/ESA/THE HUBBLE HERITAGE TEAM (STSCI/AURA)

G

uiding his mighty telescope towards a fuzzy patch above the ‘head’ of the Great Bear, Ursa Major, William Parsons, the third Earl of Rosse, located an enigmatic inhabitant of the cosmos. Through the eyepiece of his 72-inch telescope – the Leviathan of Parsonstown, so named because it was at the time the largest telescope in the world – he saw “a most extraordinary object … crossed by several dark bands”. His scope was trained on the highly unusual galaxy M82. Years earlier, John Herschel was equally astounded by M82’s appearance, describing it as a “very bright ray; very large”. Although we know the galaxy best by its classification in Charles Messier’s catalogue, M82 was discovered by German astronomer Johann Bode in 1774. To him it was “a nebulous patch, very pale; elongated”. Today’s observers are still as fascinated by the ‘nebulous patch’ as their predecessors were. Stewart Moore, the present-day director of the Deep Sky Section of the British Astronomical Association has seen and sketched the galaxy using an 8-inch telescope. “It looks like a cigar,” he says. “There are dark lanes, and a thin streak. And it’s very mottled.” It actually wasn’t until the 20th century that we realised M82 was a galaxy, lying some 12 million lightyears away. Edwin Hubble, who was the first to classify galaxies, was somewhat dismissive of this rather scruffy little object. Although he rejoiced in ‘spiral nebulae’ (as galaxies were > ABOUT THE WRITER Heather Couper is an astronomy author and broadcaster. Her latest book is Philip’s Stargazing 2013, which is co-authored with fellow astronomy writer Nigel Henbest.

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

YOUR FIRST TELESCOPE JANUARY 37

M82’s cigar-like shape is clear in this shot, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

36

M81 and M82 are close enough that they can be seen in the same view with a wide-field telescope

ROB GENDLER/WWW.ROBGENDLERASTROPICS.COM, NASA/ESA & R. DE GRIJS (INSTITUTE OF ASTRONOMY,CAMBRIDGE, UK), JODRELL BANK, ESO/M. KORNMESSER

> called back then), he didn’t have much

time for objects that he couldn’t easily shoehorn into his system. In his classic 1936 book The Realm of the Nebulae, Hubble wrote: “Other nebulae … are called irregular nebulae. Some … could be described as elliptical nebulae which have disintegrated without developing spiral structures. Others, such as M82, are merely nondescript. Almost all of them require individual consideration but, in view of their very limited numbers, they can be neglected in preliminary surveys of nebular forms.” Even the great Edwin Hubble could get it wrong. But he didn’t have the arsenal of multiwavelength astronomical tools that we have today.

Baby boomer M82 is unique. It is a baby-boom galaxy – the nearest starburst galaxy to the Milky Way. Of all the galaxies visible from Earth, it is the brightest at infrared wavelengths, which points to massive star formation at its core; the rate of star birth in M82 is 10 times higher than that of our Galaxy. This frenetic star formation has fashioned a galaxy that looks like a bit like skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

“M82 is the brightest galaxy at infrared wavelengths, which points to massive star formation at its core” The brighter patch below and left of M82’s central dust cloud is M82 B – an old starburst region that formed after an encounter with M81

M82 FEBRUARY 47

a straggly rug – dust lanes break up its contours and plumes of spiky hydrogen gas erupt into space (see page 48). But in 2005, astronomers discovered that underneath this mess lurks an edge-on spiral galaxy with two arms. The bustling nucleus of M82 must be a nightmare for the intergalactic traveller. There are nearly 200 active young star clusters downtown, each weighing in at 200,000 solar masses. There’s almost certainly a central black hole, although the dust created by all the disruption makes it hard to measure its mass; current estimates based on the dynamics of stars

near the core suggest that it is around 30 million times the mass of the Sun. There’s a downside to M82’s rapid star formation and massive young stars, though. These heavyweight denizens of the cosmos explode as supernovae – and they do so at an alarming rate.

Radio magic Tom Muxlow and his team from Jodrell Bank Observatory near Manchester have had the MERLIN array – a group of seven radio telescopes spread around England and run from Jodrell Bank – trained on M82 for many years. “High mass stars, The Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank is the most famous instrument in the MERLIN array

say 30 times the mass of the Sun, live fast and die young,” says Muxlow. “They die almost as soon as they are born. In M82, we detect a new supernova every 20 to 30 years. In the Milky Way, supernovae occur about every 300 years.” The result is a graveyard of supernova remnants. Forty or so star corpses are visible in M82 through radio telescopes, each of which is more powerful than the most energetic remnant in the Milky Way. NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has detected a mighty source of gamma rays in the nucleus of M82, which researchers also put down to supernovae. So what is stirring up all this activity? Enter the culprit: its beautiful neighbour, spiral galaxy M81. The pair are much loved by observers as they can both be seen in the same field of view with a wide-field telescope. The two galaxies are estimated to be around 300,000 lightyears apart, although measurements get a little fuzzy when you’re talking about something 12 million lightyears away, especially when you have a blurry and obscured galaxy like M82. Bode discovered M81 in the same year that he spotted M82. It is a grand spiral type galaxy and sits at the hub of a small galaxy cluster with more than 30 other members. At 250 billion solar masses, it is about a third the size of the Milky Way. But because of its density, M81 packs a substantial gravitational punch – and >

AN ENERGETIC ENIGMA In May 2009, a team using the MERLIN array of radio telescopes in the UK discovered a weird object pumping out radio waves in M82. “It has left us scratching our heads,” said Jodrell Bank astronomer Tom Muxlow at the time. “We’ve never seen anything quite like this before. The young, new supernovae we expect to see in M82 brighten at radio wavelengths over several weeks, and then decay over several months.” The object turned on very quickly and it is still going today – we spoke to Muxlow to find out more. “It’s almost certainly an accretion event onto a collapsed object, generating relativistic radio jets,” he says. The team has recently resolved the object and measured gas moving away from it at 110,000km/s – much faster than the expansion speeds detected in supernovae. It has been dubbed a ‘microquasar’, but no one knows exactly what it is – or even what powers it. The theory of microquasars says that it

should emit X-rays, but this one doesn’t. It’s not even at the centre of M82. It’s close, but not close enough to be the central black hole of the galaxy. Observations are complicated by the fact that M82 is edge-on. “It’s tricky to separate out all the foreground and background sources within the nuclear region,” says Muxlow. It seems the M82 mystery object will remain an enigma for a while yet.

Astronomers know that the object in M82 is firing off radio jets, but are at a loss as to what it actually is

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48 M82 FEBRUARY

THE PLUMES OF M82 The filaments of hydrogen reaching out of M82 stand testament to the unrest at its heart

NASA/JPL-CALTECH/C. ENGELBRACHT (UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA)

The characteristic signature of M82 is its ragged appearance. First classified by Edwin Hubble as an ‘irregular’ galaxy, it took infrared observations that sliced through M82’s dust to discover that it is a highly disturbed spiral. Its spectacular filaments of hydrogen (the ‘plumes’) shoot tens of thousands of lightyears into space. In 2004, Linda Smith and her colleagues at University College London – along with teams from Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona and using data from the Hubble Space Telescope – looked at the plumes in detail. “M82 shows intense star formation packed into dense star clusters,” she said at the time. “This powers plumes of hot gas that extend above and below the starry plane of the galaxy. This cosmic hurricane is travelling at more than a million miles an hour into intergalactic space.” The powerful combination of telescopes put the team on the trail of the super wind. They followed it back to the centre of M82, likening their method of study to tracking a pall of smoke from a huge factory to the exact chimney that released it. At the heart of the galaxy, massive stars are burning bright before dying and creating violent supernovae, which help to create the plumes.

> that is what scientists think is behind M82’s prolific star-forming activity. “The motion of M82 with respect to M81 over the past 200 million years means that M82 is impacting the outer regions of atomic hydrogen gas surrounding M81,” says Muxlow. “This is generating strong shocks within the nuclear region of M82, which has resulted in a burst of extended star formation.” M82 isn’t the only victim of M81’s gravity. Another member of the group, elliptical galaxy NGC 3077, has a clearly disturbed nucleus, emitting radiation that corresponds to that of excited hydrogen gas.

Cosmic web

Astronomers hope to discover how the plumes affect their galactic environment. Supernovae are crucibles of creation: in their death throes, they create a fresh stock of heavy elements – the kind of materials that make rocky planets and

its encounter with M81 some 200 million years ago are now in the process of forming a tiny irregular galaxy. Today, M82 continues to surprise astronomers. In 2000, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory discovered X-rays from what’s certainly the first-known ‘intermediatemass’ black hole. It is estimated to be between 200 and 5,000 times the mass of

us. “Our goal here is to understand the structure of the wind’s plumes, which are key factors in the evolution of this galaxy, and the eventual enrichment of nearby intergalactic space with new chemical elements,” said Smith.

(see page 47) is still being monitored today. “We’ve been looking at it for three years and it’s still there,” says Muxlow. If it were a supernova, astronomers would expect to see it fade in a matter of months. “Starburst galaxies such as M82 are relatively uncommon since they are transitory [objects] triggered by passing interactions between galaxies,” he says. “However, as you move out into the Universe you find many interacting systems – some significantly more luminous than M82, which on the cosmic scale is fairly weedy. Life nowadays is certainly calmer than it was earlier in the Universe. What makes M82 unique, however, is that it’s close to us. We can study the starburst phenomenon in great detail, allowing us to measure the rate at which stars and galaxies were formed over cosmic time.” M82, it seems, is a cosmic benchmark right on our doorstep. Take this month’s Deep-sky tour on page 60 and you can discover its enigmatic appeal for yourself. S

“In 2009, astronomers detected a ‘mystery object’ in M82 that was unlike anything they had ever seen before”

The result of these gravitational gyrations goes far beyond the individual galaxies. Their interactions have resulted in a cosmic web of hydrogen gas that weaves its way through the cluster. This loop of gas is estimated to have a mass of 1.4 billion Suns – the stream between M81 and NGC 3077 is 300,000 lightyears long. The loop carries onto M82, where stars from skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

The giant clouds of hydrogen surging from M82 appear red in this infrared image

the Sun – some estimates put it as high as 100,000 solar masses – and sits about 600 lightyears away from M82’s galactic centre. Its nature is, as yet, completely unknown. Another oddity emerged in 2009, when astronomers at Jodrell Bank detected a ‘mystery object’ in the galaxy that was unlike anything they had ever seen before. This object, classified as a ‘microquasar’

THE SKY GUIDE FEBRUARY 51

February The Sky Guide Jupiter by day

OUR STARGAZING EXPERTS PETE LAWRENCE As well as writing The Sky Guide, Pete can be seen on BBC TV’s The Sky at Night. On page 64, he shows you how to image entire constellations.

Brilliant Venus can be easily seen in daylight so long as you know where to look. Jupiter, at the top of this image, is harder to spot – you’ll need a pair of binoculars at least. This month, we’ll show you how to find it using the Moon as a guide.

CAROL LAKOMIAK Carol lives in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, where she bravely goes out observing even when the local wolf pack can be heard howling! She shares her sketching tips on page 62.

PETE LAWRENCE

STEVE RICHARDS Steve is passionate about observing deep space and likes nothing more than taking images of distant galaxies – follow his Deep-sky tour on page 60 to find a host of fascinating objects.

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52

HIGHLIGHTS Your guide to the night sky this month This icon indicates a good photo opportunity

1

FRIDAY If you’re up early, the waning gibbous Moon (75% lit), mag. +1.0 star Spica (Alpha (a) Virginis) and mag. +0.8 Saturn form a line in the morning sky. From tonight until the 17th is a good time to take this month’s deep-sky tour – see page 60.

8

FRIDAY Mag. –1.0 Mercury and mag. +1.2 Mars are very close this evening. From the centre of the UK, the Sun sets just after 17:10 UT. The two planets should start to become visible about 30 minutes later. At 17:40 UT, Mercury and Mars will be 15 arcminutes apart. See page 55.

13

2

SATURDAY  The magnificent constellation of Orion, the Hunter, is due south around 21:00 UT. Famed for the exquisite Orion Nebula, M42, this is a fantastic part of the sky to admire with a telescope, binoculars or just your eyes.

10

11

MONDAY The waxing crescent Moon (2% lit), mag. –0.8 Mercury and mag. +1.2 Mars form a triangle in this evening’s sky. See if you can spot this cosmic trio, low in the west-southwest, after sunset, at around 18:00 UT.

SUNDAY  Following sunset at around 17:10 UT, an incredibly young Moon, not half a day old, hangs just 7º above where the Sun went down. It may not be possible to see the Moon at this time, but you won’t know unless you try. The Moon sets at around 18:00 UT.

WEDNESDAY If you aim a telescope at the beautiful waxing lunar crescent (13% lit) hanging in the western part of the sky after sunset tonight, look out for the three giant craters Langrenus, Petavius and Furnerius. They will be beautifully illuminated close to the terminator.

15

16

17

18

FRIDAY A 50m-wide lump of rock, the asteroid 2012 DA14, will skim past Earth tonight. Whizzing by just 35,000km from our planet, 2012 DA14 should become bright enough to appear in binoculars and small telescopes. Its closest approach is at 19:26 UT. See page 54.

SUNDAY The first quarter Moon, mag. –2.2 Jupiter and the Pleiades open cluster form a triangle tonght. Look for it from around 22:00 UT.

PETE LAWRENCE X 7

24

SUNDAY  Saturn looks like it has a new moon at the moment, as it is passing close to mag. +11.5 star TYC 5572972-1 in Libra. The star, not shown here, appears just to the north of the planet at around 04:00 UT, nestled with the moons Dione (mag. +10.6) and Rhea (mag. +9.9).

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

SATURDAY Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation today, visible in the evening sky, 18º from the Sun after sunset. At mag. –0.4, Mercury should be relatively easy to spot from 18:00 UT onwards, although it doesn’t hang around, setting at 19:15 UT.

MONDAY Look for the waxing gibbous Moon (56% lit) in the eastnortheast at noon: Jupiter is 1.75º to the northwest of it and visible in binoculars. For reference, the apparent diameter of the Moon is about 0.5º. See page 55.

25

MONDAY

Saturn passes in front of mag. +11.5 TYC 5572-972-1 tonight. It’ll be interesting to see whether the star can be seen as the rings pass in front of it. With a large scope, look at the eastern part of the rings just after Saturn rises. It’s over by 04:00 UT.

THE SKY GUIDE FEBRUARY 53

What the team will be observing in February

3

SUNDAY Continuing eastwards, this morning’s virtually last quarter Moon (54% lit) is 4.5º to the southwest of mag. +0.8 Saturn at 04:30 UT.

4

MONDAY This is a great time to start looking out for little Mercury as it moves farther out from the Sun in the evening sky. This evening, the planet shines as a mag. –1.0 dot low in the west-southwest. Catch it shortly after sunset. Mercury sets an hour after the Sun this evening.

12

TUESDAY In the early hours of the morning, the Milky Way swings out of the way to let us gaze into the depths of space. Here you’ll find all manner of distant galaxies, including edge-on spiral NGC 4565 in Coma Berenices, pictured here.

Pete Lawrence “If the weather’s kind, I’ll be outside trying to get an image of asteroid 2012 DA14 as it skims past Earth. Although it will be moving fast, it will be bright in binoculars for a short time, so it’s worth a go!” Will Gater “Over the winter months I’ve been trying to get a really wide and deep image of the Orion’s Sword to Orion’s Belt region. Hopefully February will give me the clear skies I need to finish it.” Chris Bramley “I”m looking forward to catching a view of bright Jupiter and its moons, currently nicely placed between the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters.”

Terms you need to know UNIVERSAL TIME (UT) Throughout this guide we’ve used Universal Time (UT), the standard time used by astronomers worldwide. UT is the same as GMT. RA (RIGHT ASCENSION) AND DEC. (DECLINATION) These co-ordinates are the night sky’s equivalent of longitude and latitude, describing where an object lies on the celestial ‘globe’.

Icons explained

How to tell what equipment you’ll need

23

 SATURDAY The bright, nearly full Moon (95% lit) occults open cluster M67 this evening. The Moon’s glare will make it hard to spot M67 – look for the cluster to the southeast (lower left) of the Moon at about 19:00 UT. M67 reappears a couple of hours later.

28

THURSDAY 

Dwarf planet Ceres, highlighted right, ends the month relatively close to mag. +1.6 star Elnath (Beta (b) Tauri). Ceres is less than 1º to the southwest of the star but only mag. +8.3, so you’ll need at least a pair of binoculars to spot it.

NAKED EYE Allow 20 minutes to become dark-adapted BINOCULARS 10x50 recommended PHOTO OPPORTUNITY Use a CCD, webcam or standard DSLR SMALL SCOPE Reflector/SCT under 150mm, refractor under 100mm LARGE SCOPE Reflector/SCT over 150mm, refractor over 100mm

Getting started in astronomy If you’re new to astronomy, you’ll find two essential reads on our website. Visit http:// bit.ly/10_Lessons for our 10-step guide to getting started and http://bit.ly/First_Tel for advice on choosing your first scope.

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54

DON’T MISS... 3 TOP SIGHTS An asteroid fly by WHEN: 15 February at 20:00 UT until 16 February at 00:00 UT

OUR PLANET IS due a close call this month as near-Earth asteroid 2012 DA14 passes by, missing our home in space by a mere 35,000km. At 50m across, this is a fairly sizeable body which, given the proximity of its passage, should become visible for a short time through binoculars or a small telescope. Closest approach is at 19:26 UT on 15 February, when the asteroid should appear as a slow moving 7th-magnitude star. When we say slow moving, we’re doing 2012 DA14 a bit of a disservice, as compared to most Solar System objects it will be zipping along at quite a rate.

As you can see from the chart below, 2012 DA14 emerges from the eastern horizon just before 20:00 UT, so it will be below the UK’s horizon at closest approach. However, its rapid movement soon lifts it into view, crossing up from the east (left) of mag. +2.1 star Denebola (Beta (b) Leonis), through Coma Berenices and into Canes Venatici. To spot it visually using binoculars, look out for the faint star-like dot that moves over the course of several minutes. Even over this short distance, 2012 DA14’s brightness starts to fall appreciably. As it emerges

16 Feb, 00:00 UT (+11.1)

URSA MINOR

above the horizon it will be around mag. +7.7, but by the time it reaches Canes Venatici, it will have faded to mag. +8.7. Even though the asteroid is at its brightest when low in the sky, the thicker atmosphere close to the horizon will make it appear dimmer. Consequently, as it rises and its apparent brightness falls, the thinner layer of atmosphere higher up will probably cause 2012 DA14 to appear constant in brightness for the first couple of hours.

URSA MAJOR

23:30 UT (+10.8) 23:00 UT (+10.5)

Simulated appearance of the track of 2012 DA14 over 15 minutes, starting at 21:30 UT as it crosses the handle of the Plough (correct for central UK)

22:30 UT (+10.1)

LEO MINOR

22:00 UT (+9.7)

DRACO

Sickle

21:30 UT (+9.2)

LEO

Plough 21:00 UT (+8.7)

2012 DA14 Cor Caroli 20:30 UT (+8.1)

CANES VENATICI

BOÖTES

Denebola

PETE LAWRENCE X 4

COMA BERENICES

15 Feb, 20:00 UT (+7.7)

E

NE

The path of 2012 DA14 as seen from the centre of the UK; its magnitude at each point is given in brackets

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

Viewedfrom:

Localtime: Fieldof view:

Magnitudes: 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0

!

NEED TO KNOW

An asteroid is an irregular rocky or metallic body left over from the formation of the Solar System. Many reside in the ‘belt’ between Mars and Jupiter.

After reaching Canes Venatici at 21:00 UT, 2012 DA14 continues on, entering Ursa Major and crossing the handle of the Plough asterism just before 21:45 UT. The asteroid fades by another magnitude by 22:00 UT. When it crosses the Plough’s handle it will be mag. +9.7. This means that you will need a telescope to spot it there. By midnight on the 16th, when the asteroid passes into Ursa Minor, it will be mag. +11.1. The track on our chart shows the path of 2012 DA14 as seen from the centre of the UK. However, as the asteroid is so close, its position will change relative to the background stars depending on where you are viewing it from. If you want more accurate positional information – which you would need, for example, to image the asteroid at high magnification – use the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory ephemeris generator at http://ssd.jpl.nasa. gov/horizons.cgi. This will allow you to generate an accurate table of positions for your specific location.

THE SKY GUIDE FEBRUARY 55

Mercury and Mars in conjunction WHEN: 7, 8 and 9 February, from 17:30 UT

MARS HAS BEEN lurking in the evening twilight for some time now, holding position while the stars appear to drift slowly westwards behind it. It is a long way from Earth at the moment, on the far side of its orbit to us. Through a telescope, there’s not much to see – the planet is rather small and indistinct. However, before it passes into the twilight and slips behind the Sun in the middle of April, Mars has one last call to centre stage. This month Mercury will be well placed in the evening sky, reaching greatest eastern elongation on 16 February, when it will appear separated from the Sun by 18º. A few days before it reaches elongation, on 8 February, Mercury will pass very close to Mars, providing yet another excuse to hunt for the Red Planet. This isn’t going to be an easy sighting by any means, as both planets set a little less than 90 minutes after the Sun. If you

Mars

Mercury

Mercury

Mercury

Mars

Mars 1º 7 February 17:45 UT

8 February 17:45 UT

9 February 17:45 UT

Look for the pair in the west-southwest about 6º up; the planet sizes shown have been exaggerated for clarity

look for them immediately after sunset, the bright evening twilight will mean you’ll probably miss them altogether. Try 20-30 minutes after the Sun goes down, from about 17:30 UT – though remember the exact time will vary slightly depending on your location.

Spotting Jupiter by day

At mag. –1.0, Mercury should appear first, a relatively easy sight through a pair of binoculars. Mag. +1.2 Mars will be a tougher target as it struggles to emerge from the evening twilight. The two planets are separated by just 15 arcminutes on the

Binocular view at 13:00 UT on 18 February

Jupiter (size and brightness exaggerated)

WHEN: 18 February, from 13:00 UT

IT’S NOT TOO hard to locate the Moon with just your eyes in the daylight sky as long as you know where to look. It’s possible to see Venus too, but that can sometimes be a bit tricky. Although bright enough to be seen in daylight, there’s not very much you can use to find your way to it. Jupiter is pretty bright at the moment, but it isn’t really visible in daylight using just your eyes. Enlist the help of a pair of binoculars and it is possible to spot it though. It does look quite dim nonetheless and this makes it a much harder feat than spotting Venus. However, help is at hand in the form of the Moon. On 18 February, the Moon

8th – that’s half the apparent diameter of the Moon. The pair will also be quite noticeable on the 7th and the 9th, so don’t despair if you are clouded out on the 8th. Mars and Mercury will be a little farther apart on these dates, separated by 1º.

Moon

rises above the northeast horizon at around 10:40 UT. By 13:00 UT it will have climbed to a height of 18º, almost due east. Jupiter will be 2º above the Moon at this time. Place the Moon at the bottom of a binocular field of view, and Jupiter should be located just above centre. By 18:50 UT, the Moon will be at a height of 55º, due

south. At this time Jupiter will appear 3.7º to the upper-right of our satellite.

!

NEED TO KNOW

The brightness of a star is known as its magnitude – the lower the number, the brighter the star; with the naked eye you can see down to mag. +6.0.

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

Moon

12 Feb

56

THE PLANETS Pick of the month

Moon

20 Feb

16 Feb 11 Feb

Mercury

MERCURY BEST TIME IN FEBRUARY:

12 Feb

16 February, 18:00 UT ALTITUDE: 9º LOCATION: Aquarius DIRECTION: South-southwest

11 Feb

8 Feb

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT:

Naked-eye, binoculars, 3-inch telescope or larger

Mars 12 Feb

10º

20 Feb 16 Feb

11 Feb

4 Feb

FEATURES OF INTEREST:

Phase, disc shadings

4 Feb

MERCURY IS AN evening object and well placed in February. It should be visible right from the start of the month, although you’ll need a very flat southsouthwest horizon to spot it early on. Minute planets Mercury and Mars pass within a few arcseconds of each other early in the month On 1 February, Mercury’s mag. After the 16th Mercury’s position –1.0 dot remains above the waxing crescent Moon (2% lit) improves, as it lies almost vertically above horizon for just 50 minutes joins the show, presenting the Sun at sunset. On the 20th, it sets after sunset. what should be a more than 90 minutes after the Sun. If A week later on the delightful view. you can look at it through a telescope on 8th, mag. –1.0 Mercury Mercury reaches this date, you’ll see that its disc is getting and mag. +1.2 Mars greatest eastern larger, now 8 arcseconds across, while the will be 15 arcminutes elongation on the phase is starting to shrink, having now apart. A telescope will 16th, when it will be reached a 32% lit crescent. show Mercury to have a separated from the Sun On this date, Mercury’s brightness will tiny 80% lit, 5-arcsecond by 18º. A telescope will have dropped to mag. +0.3. By the 28th it disc. Both planets set show a larger 7-arcsecond roughly 90 minutes after the disc, now just 50% lit. Although will fall to mag. +3.3, even though it is still well placed. This is due to the fact Sun. On the 11th, the planets the planet will be dimmer at Mercury will be well that, from Earth, Mercury now appears will be going their own way, placed as it hits greatest mag. –0.4, you’ll be able to see eastern elongation as a thin 4% lit crescent. separated by 2.5º. A slender it against darker skies.

How the planets will appear this month The phase, tilt and relative sizes of the planets in February. Each planet is shown with south at the top, to show what it looks like through a telescope

MERCURY 1 FEBRUARY

SATURN 15 FEBRUARY

VENUS 15 FEBRUARY

URANUS 15 FEBRUARY

PETE LAWRENCE X 2

MERCURY 15 FEBRUARY NEPTUNE 15 FEBRUARY

MARS 15 FEBRUARY MERCURY 28 FEBRUARY

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

JUPITER 15 FEBRUARY

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THE SKY GUIDE FEBRUARY 57

JUPITER BEST TIME IN FEBRUARY:

1 February, 19:30 UT ALTITUDE: 58º LOCATION: Taurus DIRECTION: South Despite the fact that Jupiter is past opposition, it continues to dominate the sky. Appearing at its highest point as darkness falls, it is in a convenient place for early evening observation. The planet is between the Hyades and Pleiades clusters in Taurus and is a bright mag. –2.4 at the start of February, reducing slightly to mag. –2.1 by month end. Its apparent size also decreases from 42 arcseconds to 39 arcseconds over this period. Telescopically, the two main belts should be quite obvious and it’s always amazing to see the Great Red Spot. The four Galilean moons can also be seen in binoculars.

on the Sun. Your best chance of seeing it is at the start of the month, immediately before sunrise. Its mag. –3.8 dot will be extremely low down, so you need a perfectly flat southeast horizon. In the days that follow Venus becomes harder to see and is unlikely to be visible beyond the first few days of February. MARS

SATURN

BEST TIME IN FEBRUARY:

BEST TIME IN FEBRUARY:

1 February, 18:40 UT ALTITUDE: 26º LOCATION: Pisces DIRECTION: Southwest Uranus is still visible immediately after sunset. It can be seen in Pisces at the start of the month, 1º to the west of mag. +5.8 star 44 Piscium, but as darkness falls at the end of February it is too low down.

VENUS BEST TIME IN FEBRUARY:

1 February, 07:30 UT ALTITUDE: 0.5º (very low) LOCATION: Sagittarius DIRECTION: Southeast Venus is becoming much harder to spot as it closes in

Using a small scope you’ll be able to spot Jupiter’s biggest moons. Their positions change dramatically during the month, as shown on the diagram. The line by each date on the left represents midnight.

BEST TIME IN FEBRUARY:

8 February, 17:45 UT ALTITUDE: 5º LOCATION: Aquarius DIRECTION: Southwest Mars isn’t a viable telescopic target at present, but it has a final trick up its sleeve before it slips behind the Sun. On 8 February, Mars and Mercury will be just 15 arcseconds apart in the west-southwest. URANUS

28 February, 04:15 UT ALTITUDE: 24º LOCATION: Libra DIRECTION: South Saturn now reaches its highest point in the sky, due south, in darkness. At mag. +0.8, it rivals nearby mag. +1.0 star Spica (Alpha (a) Virginis), 18º to the west. Saturn’s true glory comes from looking at it through a telescope. The famous rings, now tilted over by 19 º, steal the show. A small scope can reveal them as an elongation either side of the planet, while a larger instrument shows the Cassini Division, the dark gap that divides the A Ring and B Ring.

Jupiter’s moons

NEPTUNE BEST TIME IN FEBRUARY:

4 February, 18:15 UT ALTITUDE: 1º (very low) LOCATION: Aquarius DIRECTION: West-southwest Neptune is more or less lost this month, but interesting because on the evening of 4 February its dim mag. +7.9 disc is just 25 arcminutes to the north of mag. –1.0 Mercury. It may be visible in binoculars at this time given clear skies and a flat westsouthwest horizon. Look for it around 18:15 UT.

See what the planets look like through your telescope with the field of view calculator on our website at: http://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/astronomy-tools

JUPITER IN FEBRUARY WEST EAST

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On other dates, use the interactive planetarium on our website at www.skyatnightmagazine.com/interactive-planetarium

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THE SKY GUIDE FEBRUARY 59

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DEEP-SKY TOUR With Steve Richards so interesting is their woolly nature. Through a 4-inch or smaller telescope the galaxy has an almost stellar appearance, and slightly larger telescopes show a thin halo too. A 10-inch or larger telescope will start to reveal clumps of star-birth regions within the spiral arms.  SEEN IT

We’re on the hunt for some galactic gems in this themed deep-sky tour ✓ 

Tick the box when you’ve seen each one

3

4 You can see star-forming regions in the Sunflower Galaxy with a 10-inch scope

CHART: PETE LAWRENCE, PICTURES: STEVE RICHARDS

1

2

THE SILVER NEEDLE GALAXY

We’re on a bit of a galaxy quest this month, starting with the stunning Silver Needle Galaxy, NGC 4244, in the constellation of Canes Venatici. You need to make a couple of star hops to find it: start at mag. +4.3 star Chara (Beta (β) Canum Venaticorum), then look 2.7° south-southwest to mag. +5.0 star 6 Canum Venaticorum. Sweep 2° southwest from here to find the galaxy. Canes Venatici contains four Caldwell objects and this is one of them, listed as number 26. Tilted at about 5° from our perspective on Earth, we see it very close to edge-on. Its needle-like quality is nicely visible in a 4-inch telescope, although you’ll need a 10-inch telescope to reveal its subtle mottling.  SEEN IT

THE SUNFLOWER GALAXY

Return to Chara and follow the constellation to mag. +2.9 star Cor Caroli (Alpha (α) Canum Venaticorum), also known as Charles’s Heart. Draw an imaginary line between Cor Caroli and mag. +1.7 star Alkaid (Eta (h) Ursae Majoris). About one-third of the way along the line and just under 1º below it you’ll find the unusual Sunflower Galaxy, M63. This galaxy has many spiral arms, but what makes them

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

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6

THE WHIRLPOOL GALAXY

Continuing on our imaginary line from Cor Caroli to Alkaid, our next target can be found three-quarters of the way along and 0.7° above it. The beautiful Whirlpool Galaxy, M51, caused much controversy in the world of astronomy when Lord Rosse first sketched its spiral nature in 1845. More recently it was the site of a Type II supernova, SN 2011DH. The galaxy is a constant source of attraction to observers and astrophotographers because of its fascinating shape, from which it gets its common name. It is an interacting grand-design spiral, comprising NGC 5194 and NGC 5195, and is easily viewed in a 4-inch telescope.  SEEN IT

NGC 4605

Return to Alkaid and imagine a line through mag. +2.3 star Mizar (Zeta (ζ) Ursae Majoris). Continue for just over the same distance again to find relatively bright galaxy NGC 4605. Discovered in 1790 by William Herschel, it is highly inclined and appears oval in shape, but is believed to be a spiral. A 4-inch telescope will pick this one out easily as it has a large, bright central region, although the halo is rather faint. Note that it is not perfectly oval – it is sharper to the southeast and more blunt to the northwest.  SEEN IT

BODE’S GALAXY

Our penultimate galaxy can be found by drawing a line from mag. +2.4 star Phad (Gamma (g) Ursae Majoris) through to mag +2.0 star Dubhe (Alpha (α) Ursae Majoris), then extending it for the same distance again, sweeping 1.5º northeast. The almost face-on spiral galaxy you’ll reach is Bode’s Galaxy, M81. It was discovered by Johann Elert Bode in 1774. At mag. +6.9, it is one of the brightest galaxies we can see, and is visible in binoculars. A 6- to 8-inch telescope will show the bright core surrounded by a relatively bright halo, but the galaxy responds well to larger apertures. Through a 12-inch or larger telescope you’ll start to discern its spiral structure.  SEEN IT

CIGAR GALAXY

Just over 0.5º north of M81 you’ll discover the very different Cigar Galaxy, M82. Through a 6-inch telescope at a magnification of about 35x you can view both galaxies in the same field of view, making for a most attractive pairing. Whereas M81 has a clearly defined nucleus with hints of its spiral nature, M82 displays a much less defined core. In images, you can clearly see that the core is quite fractured and rich in star-birth activity as a result of a close encounter with its nearby companion. At higher magnifications, M82 will reveal its irregular mottled appearance.  SEEN IT

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62

SKETCHING With Carol Lakomiak

Messier 37 NEED TO KNOW STEP 1 With a B pencil, place the cluster’s bright-ish central star in the middle of your sketch and add any other stars that stand out. M37 is quite compact, but with careful study you’ll spot some easily noticeable formations like the rows and large loop of stars shown here.

NAME: Messier 37 TYPE OF OBJECT: Open cluster CONSTELLATION: Auriga RA: 05h 52m 18s DEC.: +32° 33’ 12” TIME TO SKETCH: 1-12 February, 7pm till 12am UT EQUIPMENT: 6-inch reflector; 2B, B and HB pencils, kneadable eraser

SKETCHES: CAROL LAKOMIAK, LUNAR FEATURE: PETE LAWRENCE

FIELD OF VIEW: 47 arcminutes; 64x magnification

OPEN CLUSTER M37 is located about 7º northeast of mag. +1.6 Elnath (Beta (b) Tauri). The earliest recorded observation of the cluster is in Sicilian astronomer Giovanni Battista Hodierna’s 1654 work Of the systematics of the world of comets, and on the admirable objects of the sky. Sadly, many of Hodierna’s contributions to astronomy remained unknown outside Sicily for a few centuries, so it’s easy to see why Charles Messier’s 1764 observation was thought to be an original discovery. William Herschel advised that “great and long attention” is needed in order to properly observe this cluster – and as usual, he’s absolutely right. M37 contains well over 100 12th-magnitude stars, making it the richest of the three Messiercatalogued open clusters in Auriga (the others being M36 and M38). It is also the densest. The cluster’s bright stars are easily resolved using a small telescope, but it becomes even more stunning using larger apertures. Sketching M37 can be quite a challenge because of its density, but keep in mind that there’s no need to complete it during skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

a single observing session. You can even begin your sketch when the Moon is up. Moonlight overwhelms the dimmer stars, allowing you to concentrate on the bright ones first. You can then complete the sketch on a Moonless night. No matter how you decide to proceed, the first step is to choose some anchor stars. These are usually the brightest ones in the field, but you can also use easily recognisable ones, such as the mag. +9.2 star in the centre of M37. Descriptions of its colour vary from yellow-orange to ruby red, but the most important thing is that it stands out well despite the stellar congestion. It will prove to be very helpful as a reference point when placing other stars. Dense, compact open clusters are difficult to sketch so be prepared to make mistakes. Remove any erroneous stars by dabbing them with a kneadable eraser that has been worked to a point. And don’t be upset if your sketch doesn’t look exactly the same as the view through the telescope. Remember, this is an observational eyepiece sketch – not a piece of fine art.

STEP 2 Make a swatch of 2B graphite on a separate piece of paper and rub the tip of a cotton bud across it. Dab the coated cotton bud on the sketch to draw the hazy glow of the cluster’s unresolved stars. Some areas are brighter than others, so dab a bit more if needed.

STEP 3 Populate the star field with an HB pencil. Begin with a single star, and study the positions of the stars around it. Look for any easily recognisable patterns like pairs or delicate chains. After you’ve filled in an area, choose another star and repeat the process.

THE SKY GUIDE FEBRUARY 63 N

THEBIT D

E

RUPES RECTA RIMA BIRT

BIRT

BIRT A

Rupes Recta THEBIT

STAG’S HORN

TYPE: Linear fault SIZE: 110km long, 2-3km wide AGE: Between 3.2 and 3.9 billion years old LOCATION: Latitude 20.0°S, longitude 7.7°W BEST TIME TO OBSERVE: 3 February (morning), 18 and 19 February (evening) RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: 3-inch telescope or larger

The stark shadow cast by the Rupes Recta belies its true form – a gentle incline of just 10º

MOONWATCH With Pete Lawrence “One day after first quarter, the rising Sun makes Rupes Recta cast a dark shadow to the west, giving the impression that this must be a massive, high cliff” RUPES RECTA, ALSO known as the ‘Straight Wall’ is a most curious linear feature. It lies roughly on a vertical centreline of the Moon’s face, about one-third of the way up from the southern pole. It is easily seen with a small telescope when the lighting is right. And here, lighting is very important indeed. When the Sun is at the right angle, the Straight Wall becomes quite obvious. One day after the Moon’s first quarter phase, the rising Sun makes it cast a dark shadow to the west, giving the impression that this must be a massive, high cliff. As the Moon reaches its last quarter phase, the Sun’s light illuminates the Straight Wall from the other side, causing it to appear bright.

The reason for this difference in appearance is that the Straight Wall isn’t a wall or cliff at all – it’s a slope. When the Sun’s light comes from the east one day after first quarter, the difference in height between the higher eastern side and lower western side is enough for a shadow to form and engulf the slope – hence the dark ‘line’ appearance. At last quarter, the Sun’s evening light, now coming in from the west, falls on the slope directly, so instead of a shadow, it is lit up. Amazingly, the slope that looks so dramatic from Earth is actually quite a gentle affair, with an inclination estimated to be around 10º, rising to a height of

about 0.3km. The Straight Wall is an example of what’s known as a linear fault, where the portion of surface to the west has dropped relative to the surface to the east. Although it is referred to as being straight, a large telescope will show that there are kinks along the fault. The Straight Wall runs across the centre of an unnamed broken crater for around 110km from north-northwest to south-southeast. It starts close to the 5km-wide crater Thebit D in the north and finishes within a cluster of mountains to the south. Part of this mountain range contains a peculiar crescent shaped feature sometimes referred to as the ‘Stag’s Horn’. If you have a good imagination this can be seen as the handle of a cutlass, the Straight Wall representing the blade. You can find it towards the eastern edge of Mare Nubium, 94km to the west of the 60km-wide crater Thebit. Immediately to the west of the fault is the 17km-wide crater Birt; a short distance to the northwest is a rille – a crack in the lava surface – known as Rima Birt. This is a lot harder to see than the Straight Wall itself, requiring 12-inch or larger telescope. skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

64

ASTRO PHOTOGRAPHY With Pete Lawrence

Imaging constellations Recommended equipment DSLR camera, driven mount or tripod, shutter release cable

A LOT OF astrophotography is concerned with making what are apparently small objects in the sky look big, bright and beautiful. I use the term ‘apparently’ deliberately here because, of course, these objects are physically huge. However, some night-sky targets, such as the constellations, are apparently huge in their own right. You may think that photographing a constellation isn’t actually that hard a thing to do and in some respects you’d be right. However, there are subtleties just waiting to trip you up and these need to be addressed if you want to get the best results possible. The first thing to consider is focal length. When you try to make small things look big you need lots of this. However, for constellation shots, more modest values are preferred, and for the really large constellations a wide angle

lens is the only way to go. As an example, using a standard DSLR camera – and by this I mean a DSLR that has a sensor smaller than full frame – a 50mm lens will cover an area of sky measuring 25º by 17º. In other words, approximately 50x34 apparent full Moon diameters. This is generally a good size for the major patterns, but still falls short in many instances if you are trying to fit a constellation’s full boundaries into your frame. For example, Orion’s borders fit within a rectangle measuring 24º by 33º. A 35mm lens will just about capture this area; a 28mm lens, covering 43º by 30 º, will do so with a bit of room to spare at the edge. The next thing to think about is how you are going to mount the camera while you take the shot. If you are using a simple tripod then you’ll need to keep

the exposure time below a certain limit to prevent noticeable star trailing. There is a formula for calculating this that takes the part of the sky you are looking at into consideration, but to keep things simple, I would simply try a straightforward 30-second exposure and check the result yourself. If it looks ok, then fine, but if the stars look noticeably trailed, reduce the exposure time. Stars closer to the north celestial pole will trail less than those close to the celestial equator for a given exposure. The reason for this is that the stars closer to the pole only move a short distance each day, whereas those close to the equator effectively have to go around the whole sky. Mounting a camera on a driven tracking mount will alleviate the trailing issue, but you can still take good shots with a tripod on its own.

Pushing the boundaries Another important factor is light pollution. If you are imaging small sections of the sky, this can be contained and dealt with using simple image adjustment techniques. However, for large areas of the sky, light pollution can introduce brightness gradients as well as an orange hue associated with sodium street lighting. When you’re starting out, my advice is to image the constellations that are in the least light polluted patch of sky available to you. Camera settings are, as you would imagine, very important. There’s good news here, because constellation shots don’t need to be too demanding. A mid-

ALL PICTURES: PETE LAWRENCE

How to capture a perfect constellation

STEP 1 A tripod is the best way to mount your camera because this allows you to easily aim at any region of the sky. A flimsy tripod can be made sturdier by hanging rocks, a bottle of water or even a telescope counterweight underneath it. A tripod that allows you to tilt the camera on its side is helpful for portrait shots.

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

STEP 2 Choose your lens to match the area of sky you’re trying to image. A 28mm lens will cover most constellations fairly well. Remember that the main pattern of many constellations is smaller than the total area enclosed by the official constellation boundary. If you’re not too bothered with catching the extremities, then a 35-50mm lens may be a better choice.

STEP 3 The lens should be set to manual focus and focused at infinity. Live view is ideal for this if you have it. Aim at a bright object – Jupiter is good at the moment – and focus as accurately as you can. Set the ISO to 200-400 and fully open the lens. For the reasons stated above, you may find it useful to close the aperture by a stop or two to reduce aberrations.

THE SKY GUIDE FEBRUARY 65

There’s a fine balance between capturing a busy star field and keeping the constellation outline

value ISO of 200-400 will pick up the brighter stars and help to keep noise low. Opening the camera’s lens fully will allow you to collect the largest amount of light for a given exposure time, but it is sometimes wise to close the lens by a stop or two. The reason for this is that some lenses exhibit distorting aberrations when they are fully open. Closing the aperture slightly will help to reduce these effects. The exposure time you need will vary depending on your conditions. Interestingly,

STEP 4 The length of exposure that works for you will depend on the focal length of your lens and whether you’re bothered by star trails. If your lens is wide angle and has a short focal length, trailing will be less of an issue. Start with a 30-second exposure and review it – check trail lengths by magnifying the image. If the trails are too long, use a shorter exposure.

longer exposures don’t always work the best – it depends on what you are aiming for. For a shot that shows the main constellation form picked out by the brightest stars, a modest exposure normally works wonders. If you want to go deeper, which is a bit harder with a tripod-mounted camera, you might find that the sheer number of stars you record overloads the basic form of the constellation. Bright stars can become somewhat lost in long-exposure constellation shots, reducing the visual impact of the end result and making it hard to see what you were actually photographing! Finally, don’t forget that you can deliberately succumb to the motion of Earth and increase your exposure time to capture star trails. Set your camera to bulb mode, the ISO low and the lens aperture to somewhere between f/8 and f/11, and plan to expose for say, five minutes at a time. Add a lockable shutter release cable to your setup and you are ready to capture beautiful star trails.

Key technique PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SETTINGS

Basic constellation shots are relatively easy to do, and they can look stunning if done right. All you need is a DSLR camera on a fixed tripod, but if your exposures are too long you will capture star trails, an effect caused because of Earth’s natural rotation in space. The key to getting the best results is sometimes to try an exposure setting and check the results, adjusting the exposure length on the fly to suit what your camera setup can deliver and your own personal taste.

 Send your image to: [email protected]

STEP 5 Sometimes a satellite or aircraft can cross into the frame and ruin a shot, as can ill-timed gusts of wind and unintentional (and often unnoticed) knocks of the tripod or camera. For this reason it is a good idea to take a lot of similar images, just in case. A remote shutter release cable is very useful here to help avoid camera shake.

STEP 6 If your images include orange skies, a simple fix is to use the levels adjustment tool in a graphics editing program. Select the red channel and reduce the mid-slider until the sky turns slightly green. Then adjust the green channel’s mid-slider to reduce the green hue too. Finally, tweak the position of the blue channel’s mid-slider to taste.

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

AURORA FEBRUARY 67

aurora IN AWE OF THE

Lucie Green explores the science of this magical natural wonder

O

DR JUERG ALEAN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

ne of the great triumphs of the Space Age was the discovery that interplanetary space isn’t empty. That revelation came when a controversial 1958 theory that described a wind constantly blowing from the Sun was confirmed by early Soviet and American spacecraft. Today, we know that we are living in the Sun’s extended atmosphere. Earth responds in the most magnificent way, by producing beautiful curtains of light that dance across the northern and southern polar skies – the aurora borealis and aurora australis. With the Sun now at a peak in its 11-year cycle of activity, the chance of seeing strong auroral displays is at a high. So how does this incredible phenomenon occur and what drives it? Well, that story begins with the Sun. Rushing out of the Sun’s million-degree atmosphere is the solar wind – a stream of charged particles that blows throughout the Solar System, creating a vast bubble centred on our star. This bubble is so huge that after 35 years of space travel the two Voyager probes are only now approaching its edge, at a distance of more than 15 billion km from the Sun. Not even the immense gravitational pull of our star can hold back the solar wind and every second one million tonnes of the Sun’s atmosphere streams into space. In fact, the incessant flow of the solar wind is only stopped when it collides with the interstellar medium, which lies beyond our Solar System. >

The chances of seeing the dramatic aurora are high this year

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COURTESY OF NASA/SDO/GSFC AND THE AIA/EVE AND HMI SCIENCE TEAMS, MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY, IMAGE COURTESY OF THE IMAGE SCIENCE & ANALYSIS LABORATORY, NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

> Because the solar wind originates at the Sun it

shares a common composition. It is made mainly of hydrogen gas that has been ripped apart into its components of negatively charged electrons and positively charged protons, producing an electrically charged gas known as plasma. As this plasma flows out from our star, it drags the Sun’s magnetic field with it – we’ll see why this is important later. When the solar wind reaches Earth it is travelling at hundreds of kilometres per second and has a density of around 10 particles per cubic centimetre. Compared to the 100 billion billion particles per cubic centimetre in the air around us, this density seems staggeringly small. However, if you placed

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Þ This large filament formed in August 2012; the particles it unleashed caused aurorae days later

þ Earth’s magnetic field forms a shield that protects us from the onslaught of the solar wind

Astronauts on the ISS have none of the problems ground-based observers face when aurora hunting

your fingertip in the flow of the solar wind you would have 500 million particles passing through it every second. Earth’s cross-sectional area is one billion billion times bigger than this and so presents a much larger obstacle.

Buffeted by the wind Yet this raging torrent of particles isn’t able to bombard Earth directly. Instead it runs into an invisible shield – a vast magnetic bubble surrounding Earth that is created by currents flowing in the planet’s molten outer core: the magnetosphere. Under most conditions the solar wind blows around the magnetosphere. However, if the magnetic field carried by the solar wind is pointing in the opposite direction to that of the magnetic field at the edge of the magnetosphere, a process known as magnetic reconnection can occur. This joins the solar wind’s magnetic field to the magnetosphere’s outer layer, creating a channel for the solar wind particles to flow along. Electrons trapped within the magnetosphere move backwards and forwards along the magnetic field lines. But when reconnection occurs, they can be accelerated down toward the atmosphere in a process called precipitation. The shape of Earth’s magnetic field funnels the electrons towards the

AURORA FEBRUARY 37

We went through an intense auroral display once. We were literally flying over the green aurora but through the red aurora. It was an amazing phenomenon – NASA astronaut Don Pettit Hear Don Pettit describe what the aurora looks like from the International Space Station. Listen to the whole interview at www.skyatnightmagazine.com

magnetic poles – where the field lines converge and dive into Earth. The fastest moving electrons make it to the top of the atmosphere where they collide with atmospheric gases, giving up some of their energy to the gas particles. These gas particles then emit the energy they received in the form of light. Collectively, this produces the shimmering colours of the aurora at the edge of space. The wavelength, or colour, of the light emitted in an auroral display depends on the type of atom that is energised and the energy exchanged in the collision. Green light is produced by oxygen atoms at altitudes of around 100-150km, while red light is emitted by oxygen atoms higher up. Blue and purple aurorae are produced by nitrogen atoms above 100km in altitude. Aesthetically pleasing as these lights are, they are also a visual manifestation of the electrical currents that flow between the magnetosphere and the upper atmosphere.

Kp = 6

Kp = 7

Kp = 8

Kp = 9

No time like the present Most of the time aurorae can seen as faint bands of light at high latitudes above northern Canada, Siberia and the Antarctic. Ovals of auroral activity form around the north and south magnetic poles; their location reflects the base points of the magnetic field lines along which electrons are ‘precipitating’. >

The coloured bands show the boundaries of auroral activity based on the Kp index – see page 72

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> At times of high geomagnetic activity aurorae become much brighter, enhanced by the energy carried by fast moving solar wind streams, and huge eruptions of the Sun’s magnetic field and charged particles – known as coronal mass ejections – which collide with the magnetosphere. During these energetic events the auroral ovals spread in latitude so that bright displays can then be seen across Europe, possibly reaching the south of England. It is a display such as this that we are hoping for now. Curiously, the frequency of auroral displays also shows a seasonal variation, with more being reported from March-April and September-October. This is a strange situation that seemingly implies that the Sun ‘knows’ about the position of Earth in its orbit! This isn’t the case of course: it is the tilt of our planet – and therefore the magnetosphere – at these times that makes reconnection between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetic field more likely to occur, leading to an inflow of particles and enhanced currents. Another explanation for this variation may lie in the light that the Sun emits – in particular the short wavelength ultraviolet light that is able to change the properties of Earth’s upper atmosphere by splitting the atoms into their electrically charged components, a process called ionisation. How much of each hemisphere is illuminated varies as Earth moves around the Sun, meaning that the level of ionisation changes too. This, in turn,

Þ Vivid green displays are a result of oxygen atoms being energised at an altitude of 100-150km

alters how easily the currents that produce the aurorae can flow. When a strong display does break out, undulating ribbons ripple across the sky, sometimes bursting into rays and arcs. These dramatic shapes are thought to be produced by processes in the magnetosphere that cause the electrons to descend into our atmosphere, but the underlying physics is poorly understood at present.

Auroral augurs Predicting a good aurora display in advance means forecasting when the Sun is going to emit a fast solar wind stream, or a coronal mass ejection, that carries a correctly aligned magnetic field capable of >

THINKSTOCK X 5, CANON, PEKKA PARVIAINEN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY, ESA/AOES MEDIALAB

MODERN STUDIES OF THE AURORA Observations of the aurora from the ground have been used for many years to tell us about the composition of the upper atmosphere and the physical processes taking place there. Now observations from space are being used to study the aurora. ESA’s four Cluster satellites are making measurements of how electrons are moving hundreds of kilometres above our heads, day and night. They hope to answer questions such as what happens high up in the magnetosphere to accelerate electrons into the atmosphere to produce the aurora? And where does this acceleration happen? Recently, researchers at UCL managed to detect, for the first time, electrons being accelerated as two of the Cluster spacecraft came into perfect alignment along magnetic field lines. Such observations are crucial for finding the ‘battery’ that is driving the auroral currents. Ground-based cameras are still being used to understand exactly how the different auroral structures are produced, while specially designed space missions are being developed to build on the work being done by the Cluster satellites.

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The Cluster satellites cross the northern polar cusp of Earth’s magnetosphere. The cusps, shown in purple, are the regions where the solar wind can reach our atmosphere and create aurorae

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OBSERVING AND PHOTOGRAPHING

THE AURORA

Seeing the aurora is a magical experience that deserves its status as one of those great natural phenomena everyone should try to spot at least once. To the eye, most auroral displays – certainly the kind occasionally seen from the UK – appear as a green, perhaps pulsating glow. Travel to the Arctic Circle, or witness a particularly strong display from the UK, and you may see more colours as well as many of the intricate structures, illustrated below, that make the aurora so beguiling. If you want to take a picture of the Northern Lights, there are several things you’ll

need to do to get the shot. DSLR cameras are best for aurora photography as they allow you to open the shutter for long periods. Some point and shoot cameras do have the ability to open their shutters for 30 seconds, but the images will likely be noisier than those taken with a DSLR. To start imaging the aurora, first set your camera up on a tripod. This is crucial – you cannot hold a camera still enough to get a sharp shot for the length of the exposure needed. Set your camera lens to its shortest focal length and open the iris of the lens right

up. Next, take some test exposures – with aurora photography you need to balance the length of exposure with the amount of detail captured. Too long an exposure and the motion of the aurora will blur any fine structures in the display, too short and you won’t pick up anything at all. Also vary the ISO sensitivity setting – if the display’s very bright you may find you can set the ISO to around 400 to reduce noise in your images. Or, if you want to ‘freeze’ the display and capture fine structures like rays, try a shorter exposure with an ISO of 1600 or above, though the image may be noisier.

TYPES OF AURORA CURTAINS

ARCS

BANDS

RAYS

CORONAE

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CHASE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS It may be a solar maximum year, but there’s no need to wait for the aurora to come to you

FLIGHTS

PETE LAWRENCE, HURTIGRUTEN CRUISES/ ROAST PUBLIC RELATIONS LTD, TRANSUN

Omega Holidays (www.omega-holidays.com) runs Northern Lights flights from the UK. Lasting around three hours and leaving from various airports across England and Scotland, you fly north, past the tip of the UK in search of the elusive aurora. The aircraft lights – including those on the tips of the wings – are sometimes switched off so that your eyes can fully adjust to the darkness. If the aurora is active, you’ll be able to see it from this unusual vantage point through the aircraft’s windows. Also included is a tour of the night sky while in the air and introductory lectures before take-off. Prices start from £200.

AURORA CRUISES

Hurtigruten Cruises (www.hurtigruten.co.uk) sails up the coast of Norway and into the Arctic Circle. Its five-night astronomy cruise with lecture series costs £756; for 12 nights it’s £1,608. Flights are included and excursions are available. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines (www.fredolsencruises.com) offers 16-night Norwegian cruises departing from Southampton, Liverpool or Portsmouth. Prices start from £1,899 and excursions are also available. Cruise and Maritime (www. cruiseandmaritime.com) offers 15-night cruises sailing from Bristol to Norway and up into the Arctic Circle, including a programme of lectures and entertainment, from £1,649.

> opening up the magnetosphere (if it reaches us). This is not a trivial task and even the best models can only make predictions a few days in advance. We do know that the strongest auroral displays are produced when Earth’s magnetosphere is severely disturbed by its interaction with the impacting solar wind or coronal mass ejection. So, keeping an eye on ground-based measurements that indicate a disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field is the best way to decide whether you might be able to see the aurora and from where. Websites like AuroraWatch UK (http://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk) and Space Weather (www.spaceweather.com) are a good place to start. The current state of the magnetosphere is measured on a global scale by what is known as the ‘Kp index’, a term first used in 1949. The name originates from the German ‘planetarische Kennziffer’, which translates as ‘planetary index’. The Kp index describes, on a scale of 0 to 9, how disturbed Earth’s magnetic field is. The higher the value, the farther south the aurora tends to be seen.

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LAND TRIPS

Regent Holidays (www.regent-holidays.co.uk) offers five-night, single-site getaways from £780, or eight-day tours in Iceland that include six aurora-hunting expeditions from £1,245 with flights included. Discover the World (www.discover-the-world.co.uk) runs trips to Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Canada. The three-night Canadian trip offers the chance to look out for the aurora from northern Alberta and costs from £436, flights not included. Transun (www.transun. co.uk) offers trips of three days or longer to Finland which include two outings to see the aurora. Prices start from £800 and cover flights, a snowmobile safari, reindeer camp and more.

As there are now many decades of observations it is possible to look up what Kp index is needed for you to see the aurora from your location. Bearing in mind that aurorae do not need to be directly overhead to be seen – observers in the northern hemisphere with a clear view to the northern horizon and dark skies should look for them even if they are a few degrees in latitude away. Like any area of astronomy, you need patience and a bit of luck with the weather. But in the coming months the Sun will hopefully be playing its part and keeping up its activity level. All we have to do is wait to see what should be the show of the decade. S ABOUT THE WRITER Dr Lucie Green is a solar scientist at UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory. She studies magnetic fields on the Sun and how they produce coronal mass ejections.

Sussex Astronomy Centre Meade Advanced Product Dealer

Free Parking Friendly personal service for ALL your astronomy needs. Celestron, Sky-Watcher, Meade main stockist for Sussex Beginners most welcome! A large range of telescopes and accessories from the world’s leading suppliers. Tel: 01903 247317 • 16 Mulberry Lane, Goring-by-Sea, Worthing, West Sussex

www.sussex-astronomy-centre.co.uk

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DARK-SKY

DESTINATIONS:

Europe

Jamie Carter heads for some of the continent’s darkest corners and starriest skies – you can leave your light-pollution filters at home

W

here will you be when the lights go out? In Europe’s urban areas it simply never gets dark; light pollution renders cities less than perfect places to gaze at the heavens, but things are changing. Many of the world’s top telescopes may be in the darker southern hemisphere, but it’s perfectly possible to exercise your night vision much closer to home. Views of the southern Milky Way, nebulae and

distant galaxies are on offer to anyone prepared to head to Europe’s darkest corners – and help is at hand. The US-based International Dark-Sky Association provides a proper certification scheme that monitors light pollution, the result of which are several Dark Sky Parks and Dark Sky Reserves across the continent. More will follow, but there are plenty of other places without ‘dark sky’ status where twilight and tourism make good bedfellows too.

Astronomy holiday destinations in this feature

Cumbria GREAT BRITAIN Exmoor Eastbourne Isle of Wight Sark Normandy FRANCE

© SUE DALY X 3

PORTUGAL

Les Granges National Park de Pyrenees

Alqueva Dark Sky Route

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HUNGARY Zselic Starry Sky Park

ABOUT THE WRITER Jamie Carter is a freelance travel writer with a passion for astronomy, observing and seeking out dark skies in unique holiday destinations around the world.

ASTRONOMY HOLIDAYS FEBRUARY 75

This vista of the Milky Way is a mere one-hour boat trip from the UK

Dark Sky Island, Sark

Star trails above La Seigneurie, the home of the island’s leader

There are no cars or streetlights on this charming Channel Island

A one-hour ferry crossing from Guernsey, the island of Sark was named the world’s first Dark Sky Island in 2011. From 19-21 April 2013, it will host the second Sark Dark Sky Fest. Full details will be announced nearer the time, but Sark’s charms are obvious: without a single car, tarmaced road or streetlight, there are fewer more evocative – or darker – places from which to gaze upwards. One of this rural island’s boutique properties, Stocks Hotel, offers a Dark Sky Sark short breaks package comprising two nights in a superior single, double or twin room, including breakfast and dinner. The deal includes a horse and carriage ride around Sark after dark, with Champagne and the use of a telescope. You can fly to Guernsey from eight UK airports year round – Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton, Exeter and East Midlands – with either Aurigny (www.aurigny. com), Flybe (www.flybe.com) or Blue Islands (www.blueislands.com) from around £79 each way. From Guernsey it’s a one-hour ferry crossing with Sark Shipping (www.sarkshippingcompany. com), though if you stay for four nights or more you can claim back the £27.80 cost of your return ferry ticket.

A ban on cars helps Sark to maintain its gloriously dark skies

DETAILS Holiday Dark Sky Sark short break Cost £345 per person Duration Two nights Company Stocks Hotel Website www.stockshotel.com Phone number 01481 832001

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Pic du Midi Observatory, France Spend the night at southern France’s most famous observatory This could be the perfect astro trip if you have children. Located on a Pyrenean peak just two hours (and a short cable car ride) from Toulouse, Pic du Midi Observatory is the most famous in France – and it’s open all night. The special Les Nuits au Sommet (Nights at the Summit) package includes a visit to the facilities and museum, observing the sunset from the terrace, astronomical activities with four astronomers (you’ll get to use some of the equipment) and dinner. You then spend a night in the ‘high up’

hotel, watch sunrise from the terrace, have breakfast and visit scientists at the Pic du Midi. Nearby are three child-friendly variations on an astronomical theme. Toulouse’s Cité de l’Espace (Space Town) theme park includes a 360° planetarium and a full-scale Arianne 5 rocket – adults €19, children €13. France’s tallest telescope lies in wait at Parc aux Étoiles (Star Park) at nearby Triel-surSeine, adults €6, children €4.50, while Parc du Cosmos (Cosmos Park), 15 minutes from Avignon, hosts a

guided 90-minute star walk to explain astronomy’s key concepts, with a planetarium on hand in a traditional local hut – adults €13, children €10. DETAILS Holiday Les Nuits au Sommet Cost €249 for one person, €379 for two Duration one night (most weekdays throughout February and March) Company Independently arranged Website www.picdumidi.com Phone number +33 825 00 2877

NATIONAL PARK DE PYRENEES X 2, © ZOLTÁN KOLLÁTH X 2, RICHIE JARVIS X 2, SUN STAR FRANCE

After a night of exploration you can watch dawn break over the mountains

Zselic Starry Sky Park, Hungary Night hikes in Hungary’s dark heart Zselic Landscape Protection Area, about 70km south of Lake Balaton in southwest Hungary, is the darkest spot in Eastern Europe. It is an International Dark Sky Park, similar to Galloway Forest Park in Scotland. The area has been long loved by astronomers, though Zselic’s night-time walks are open to all. Around 5-9km in length and organised in cooperation with the Hungarian Astronomical Association, the March-October treks start at dusk and attract around 100 people – and they don’t take any torches with them. “Even in the forest it is possible to hike only by the light of the starry sky,” says guide Zoltán Kolláth. “We stop at forest openings and show the stars and constellations using a green laser

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pointer. Usually at one location it is possible to use a mobile telescope to see some planets and clusters.” There are plans for a starry sky park visitor centre at Zselic, which would contain a public observatory, a digital planetarium and auditorium. Hotel Kardosfa (www.kardosfa.hu) is within the Zselic’s boundaries. DETAILS Holiday Zselic Starry Sky Park Cost Rooms for two staying half board at the Hotel Kardosfa start from £70 per person per night Duration Various Company Independently arranged Website http://zselic.csillagpark.hu/ en.html Phone number None

The skies above Zselic are clear enough that you can navigate by the stars alone

ASTRONOMY HOLIDAYS FEBRUARY 77 Pic du Midi offers a rare combination – a hotel and a working observatory

Isle of Wight Star Party Cliff-edge views of a dark southern horizon With southerly views and minimal light pollution, there are few better stargazing spots in the UK than the Isle of Wight. Astronomers watching the skies from the west of the island in particular can see some of the low-altitude objects that are tricky to spot from the rest of the UK. Dark skies abound, but if you need an excuse the annual Isle of Wight Star Party (www.iowstarparty.org) will be held on 7-11 March 2013 at Brighstone Holiday Centre. A threenight break at Brighstone costs from £240, based on two people sharing a room on a bed and breakfast basis, and includes return vehicle ferry

crossings from Portsmouth with Red Funnel. If you’re thinking of taking a tent or camper van (some are available on site) you might want to get in early to bag one of the prime spots; set up your scope near the edge of the cliff to take advantage of the low horizon far out at sea. DETAILS Holiday Isle of Wight Star Party Cost £240 for two people Duration Three nights Company Brighstone Holidays Website www.brighstone-holidays.co.uk Phone number 01983 740244

Þ The Rosette Nebula, imaged during the Isle of Wight star party

You’ll need to get to the event early if you want the best observing spots

Les Granges, France The ultimate place to practice astrophotography Star trails above Zselic International Dark Sky Park

If astrophotography is on your horizon, there are few better places to learn or improve than Les Granges in southern France. This Provencale farmhouse is the result of owner Olly Penrice’s search for the best possible site in mainland Europe for an astronomy centre. Situated a little north of the Observatoire de HauteProvence – where exoplanet 51 Pegasi was discovered – Les Granges is inland, farther away from coastal light pollution. Free imaging and image-processing tuition is on offer to beginners and advanced imagers alike, using the six telescopes (including a 20-inch Dobsonian, apochromats and astrographs) from a site where stars down to mag. +7.0 are visible. Penrice also offers tours of the Universe in full astronomical darkness – even in June – and taught courses in astronomy over five two-hour classroom sessions. Spend a week in this countryside retreat and you’re likely to achieve something very special.

The Pleiades is stunning from light-pollution free Les Granges

DETAILS Holiday Les Granges B&B Cost €42 per person per night, €850 per week for whole house (max. six people) Duration Various Company Sun Star France Website www.sunstarfrance.com Phone number +33 492 66 2257

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78 < The skies above the man-made Alqueva Lake are pristine

Alqueva Dark Sky Route, Portugal Mainland Europe’s darkest corner is Starlight Tourism Destination-certified

SUNVIL DISCOVERY X 3, © NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES JOE CORNISH, © EXMOOR NATIONAL PARK, THINKSTOCK

The first area of Europe to be deemed a Starlight Tourism Destination by UNESCO, the World Tourism Organization and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias because of its intensely dark, clear skies, the area surrounding the man-made Alqueva Lake in Portugal’s Alentejo region (www.darkskyalqueva.com) is a first-class stargazing spot. The area boasts an average of 286 clear nights a year, with the lake a prime spot for total darkness; this trip consists of seven nights self-catering on a slow-moving houseboat, complete with freedom to moor-up anywhere to set up your own equipment. For a night or two using telescopes set up in advance, complete with local food and red wine, consider hopping on the Dark Sky Route, which passes through villages and takes in myriad activities from stargazing (even on horseback or from canoes on the lake) to bird watching, hiking and wine tasting. Two good bases are either Monte Alerta (www.montealerta.pt) or Monte Santa Catarina (www. montesantacatarina.com). The former has a Meade ETX-125 that’s ideal for studying planets and their moons, while the latter has a 12-inch Dobsonian telescope perfect for exploring faint deep-sky objects. The best time to see the Milky Way is in July and August. DETAILS Holiday Sunvil Discovery: Alentejo Cost £942 per person Duration Seven nights Company Sunvil Discovery Website www.sunvil.co.uk Phone number 0208 758 4722 Stargaze from what could well be England’s most remote spot at Ennerdale

< The Dark Sky Route offers a chance to mix stargazing with other activities

Low Gillerthwaite, Ennerdale, Cumbria The only Dark Sky Discovery Site in the northwest of England Now an accredited Dark Sky Discovery Site and part of the UK Dark Sky Discovery Partnership, Low Gillerthwaite Field Centre is right in the middle of what’s been described as England’s last true wilderness, where municipal lighting is non-existent. Surrounded by mountains and one of the remotest places in the UK – it is more than 3km to the nearest public road – Gillerthwaite is following up on last year’s successful programme of Dark Sky events with more winter-based activities. Held on the weekend of 9-10 February 2013 (which coincides with a new Moon), the events will feature the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s Star Lab, an inflatable planetarium that can hold over 40 people. Visitors

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The Milky Way is a thrilling sight from Alqueva

will be treated to a rotating, digital illustration of the Universe on the domed walls of Gillerthwaite’s 18th century barn, with local expert astronomers on hand to answer questions over hot soup. Self-catering, hostel accommodation is available, but book ahead and bring a sleeping bag, provisions, stout footwear and warm clothes. DETAILS Holiday Low Gillerthwaite Field Centre, Ennerdale Cost £14 per night Duration Two nights (9-10 February) Company Independently arranged Website www.lgfc.org.uk/bookingsbook.htm Phone number 01946 861229 S

ASTRONOMY HOLIDAYS FEBRUARY 79 Exmoor has aw ardwinning dark skies

QUICK GETAWAYS… Exmoor

Exmoor National Park was the first place in Europe to get the title of International Dark Sky Reserve – Silver status. Yarn Market Hotel (www.yarnmarkethotel.co.uk) in the beautiful medieval village of Dunster has a Stargazing Break from 1-3 February 2013, which includes two nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast. Steve Owens, a freelance science communicator, writer and astronomer, acts as the guide for the weekend. Gaze through some historic telescopes at The Observatory Science Centre

Normandy

Eastbourne

Re-enact the pre-colonial dark skies of North America at Big Sky Tipis (www.bigskytipiholidays. co.uk) near Eastbourne, a campsite of authentic hand-painted Indian Sioux tipis at a site with excellent stargazing, chosen specifically for the clear skies and lack of light pollution. It’s just five minutes walk to The Observatory Science Centre (www.the-observatory.org), which also offers regular stargazing events through its historic telescopes. A free monthly star party is held in Eastbourne at the historic Redoubt Fortress and Military Museum, with Eastbourne Astronomical Society supplying the telescopes and often a talk.

Luxury stargazing from an eco tree house is on offer at Perché dans le Perche (www.perchedansleperche.com) in the Orne area of southern Normandy. A representative of the local astronomical association, Perche Astronomie, joins guests at the tree house and leads a stargazing session, with powerful telescopes on hand in the neighbouring village of Bellou-leTrichard. English is spoken and viewing sessions can be arranged in advance. One night’s bed and breakfast costs £57 per person based on four sharing, which includes the guided stargazing session as well as lunch or dinner.

Head to Normandy for a stargazing session led by a local astronomer

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THE FORGOTTEN

SKIES

Kev Lochun travels to La Palma to find out how amateurs can enjoy its exceptional observing conditions for themselves

BABAK TAFRESHI/TWAN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY, KEV LOCHUN X 2

I

t is little wonder that, in 1979, astronomers at the Royal Observatory in East Sussex decided to close the dome of the Isaac Newton Telescope for the last time and pack it off to the Canary Island of La Palma. This tiny volcanic crag, a geological infant at just a few million years old, is one of the finest observing locations on Earth. The skies are dark, the nights almost cloudless and the seeing rivals that of the Atacama Desert in Chile or Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Yet the island is just a few hundred kilometres from the coast of Morocco – a relative stone’s throw from the UK. La Palma’s fortunes have traditionally been built on boom and bust industries. In centuries past these included sugar, rum and silk; today, it’s bananas. Plantations pepper its lower reaches, as common as grass in a meadow. But in 2012 the island was named a Starlight Tourism Destination, a nod to the quality of the night skies and a growing focus on astro tourism. Part of the reason that the skies are so dark is the 1988 Law of the Sky, a piece of legislation that skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

GETTING THERE The island has one airport, Santa Cruz la Palma (SPC). The only direct flights from the UK are operated by Thomson weekly on Fridays. If you want to travel on any other days you’ll need to change on the Spanish mainland or one of the other Canary Islands.

stargazers who regularly find themselves under the orange haze of light pollution can only dream of. It imposes limits on flight paths (you’ll see no contrails here), atmospheric pollution and even the types of streetlights that can be installed. If you were able to hover above the Canaries at night, La Palma would appear as little more than a shadow on the waves, save for the capital Santa Cruz de La Palma and the larger Los Llanos de Aridane on the opposite coast. Between the pair, hidden in the darkness, are the 15 professional telescopes of the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory (ORM). “The island sits at 28ºN, an ideal location for an observatory,” says Ovidiu Vaduvescu, an astronomer based at the William Herschel Telescope, the island’s most scientifically prolific instrument. “We’re near enough to the equator to have good views of the southern hemisphere, but far enough that we avoid the humidity and haziness typical of lower latitudes.” Vaduvescu is one of a growing number of ORM astronomers who have set up tourism businesses as

LA PALMA FEBRUARY 81 The Isaac Newton Telescope gazes into the northern night sky. The clouds, trapped below, roll by harmlessly

Banana ‘terraces’ abound in La Palma’s coastal regions; over 130 million kilograms are exported annually

side projects to their day job; I meet him in a hotel in Los Cancajos, a coastal resort town a couple of kilometres from the airport where his agency is organising a meteor conference. “We also have very little atmospheric pollution in La Palma,” he says. “There is no heavy industry here.” Even from sea level, city dwellers will notice that there are far more stars in the night sky. But to see the best La Palma has to offer, you need to go up.

Sentinels in the sky The locals say that La Palma is the steepest inhabited island in the world. It is less than 20km from the east coast to the west, but over this distance the island rises to 2,426m – equivalent to Snowdon on top of Ben Nevis. The peak is part of the Caldera de Taburiente, a 10km-wide crater that stretches across the north of the island. Just 30m below, on the crater’s northern wall, is the ORM. The site testers of the 1970s had to trek up to the observatory with mules; today it is a 45-minute drive up a specially built road with hairpin turns every few metres. You round each corner only to find another ahead of you, so when you finally reach the observatory it comes as something of a surprise – its brilliant shells of white and >

Telescopes dominate the ridge of the caldera; the observatory is home to 15 instruments in total

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KEV LOCHUN X 4, IMAGE COURTESY OF THE IMAGE SCIENCE & ANALYSIS LABORATORY/NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, DAVID PARKER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY. LA PALMA MAP BY PAUL WOOTTON

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> silver pop into existence like the first few stars in a freshly dark sky. It was from this dusty scarp that astronomers found the first brown dwarf and discovered that comets could have sodium tails. King of the hill is the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC), the largest optical instrument in the world, at least until the European Extremely Large Telescope in Chile is finished. Fourteen more domes and dishes – gamma ray, solar and robotic scopes among them – fan out along the ridge, a line of gleaming sentinels peering into the cosmos. Equally striking is the sea of clouds that often sits below the observatory. It is held in place by an invisible net, a temperature inversion layer that persists at 1,300m-1,600m for much of the year. Over most landmasses air near to the ground is warmer than the air above it; convection causes the warm and cool air to mingle, spreading dust and pollutants freely. When a temperature inversion occurs, the layer of air near the ground becomes cooler than the one above it, creating a barrier. Pollutants, dust and even clouds in the cool, lower layer cannot pass through into the warm one. Consequently, the skies above the inversion are frequently clear and stable. Conditions are improved further on La Palma because the air flowing over the island arrives after travelling over several hundred kilometres of ocean, and as such holds very little turbulence. “The seeing is typically 0.6-0.7 arcseconds,” says Vaduvescu. “On the best nights it is as good as 0.2 arcseconds.” In other words, the atmosphere is so still that the image of a star is spread by only a miniscule amount. You can tour parts of the observatory if you book in advance (see page 84), but you can’t pop up here at night for a stargazing session: visitors haven’t been allowed onto the site after dark for some years, ever

LA PALMA LOCATIONS Town Mirador Observatory Airport

Los Sauces

Puntagorda

ORM

Pico de la Cruz

Tijarafe

Santa Cruz de La Palma

Los Llanos de Aridane

El Paso Tacande Llano de los Jables

Los Cancajos Llano de la Venta

Airport Mazo

þ La Palma is the westernmost

of the Canaries; in antiquity it was the edge of the known world Morocco La Palma

The Moon, complete with earthshine, was the first arrival on our observing night on the Pico de la Cruz

Western Sahara

San Antonio Volcano Fuencaliente

200km

5km

since a bus driver ferrying tourists managed to aim his headlights into the open dome of the William Herschel Telescope. However, there is a public viewpoint, the Pico de la Cruz, a few kilometres away. It’s at an altitude of 2,300m, so the sky there is just as good as it is above the Roque itself.

Delightfully dark A crescent Moon hangs above the Pico de la Cruz, where I’ve joined Vaduvescu and two other ORM astronomers on an observing evening for delegates from the meteor conference. Dusk is setting in, and our nearest neighbour is watching on as the Sun sinks towards the horizon. Our star pauses for a brief moment to silhouette the domes of the ORM; then it’s gone. Saturn appears first in close conjunction with the Moon, followed by Arcturus and Vega, then the Plough and Teapot asterisms. Soon the sky is iridescent, the rich seam of the Milky Way arching overhead. “There are so many stars I could get lost,” says GTC astronomer Agustín Núñez, one of our guides skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

LA PALMA FEBRUARY 83

THE OBSERVATORY

Inaugurated in 1985 with the reopening of the Isaac Newton Telecope, the ORM takes its name from the mound that marks La Palma’s highest point – the Roque de los Muchachos, the ‘rock of the boys’. The observatory is a bit bigger these days, with 15 instruments making up the ranks. These are five of the most famous. GRAN TELESCOPIO CANARIAS (GTC) The silver dome of the GTC is the ‘mascot’ of the ORM. With a 10.4m primary mirror, it is also the largest optical scope in the world. The mirror is made of 36 hexagonal plates, each of which is 8cm thick but weighs 500kg. The scope also makes observations in infrared light. WILLIAM HERSCHEL TELESCOPE (WHT) The 4.2m WHT is the most productive scope on the island – its data has appeared in over 1,200 papers, and its observations have helped to confirm that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating. It was the largest optical telescope in Europe until 2009, when it was surpassed by the GTC.

Þ Viewed from space, Gran Canaria and Tenerife shine brightly in the dark; La Palma, top, is a stark contrast

ISAAC NEWTON TELESCOPE (INT) The INT was built in Britain for the Royal Observatory in 1967, but was moved to La Palma in 1979 to take advantage of the much clearer skies. Its 2.5m main mirror is small by modern standards, so today the telescope is mostly used for wide-field imaging. MAGIC-I AND MAGIC-II The two open-air, 17m MAGIC scopes scour the cosmos for signs of gamma rays, in the form of Cherenekov radiation. MAGIC-I, pictured, began work in 2003; MAGIC-II followed in 2009. Their biggest discovery so far is that the pulsar in the Crab Nebula is 100 times more energetic than was thought possible.

for the evening and a self-confessed fan of power outages. “Have you ever had a power cut in your city?” he asks. “I want to tell everyone to get out into the street and start celebrating the night sky!” I can see why. Of space, Douglas Adams famously wrote in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, “You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mindbogglingly big it is.” He was right, of course. But when you are faced with skies like these – so good that when the Milky Way is out of the way, you gain one or two extra magnitudes of visibility – it reminds you how much there is to see nonetheless. Núñez, who also acts as a guide for an astro tourism business, is holding court over a 12-inch Dobsonian, through which we take a better look at some of the deep-sky objects that stick close to the horizon in Britain, including the Butterfly Cluster in Scorpius and the Swan Nebula in Sagittarius. One of the most southerly objects you can see is Canopus, the second brightest star in the night sky. The people who lived on La Palma prior to the Spanish conquest called this star the ‘life giver’ because it only appears from August to April, the months it is most likely to rain. You don’t need to be an expert to get the most out of an observing evening like this – the meteor delegates have varying levels of observing experience, but Núñez shortly has them (and me) spotting the Andromeda Galaxy with the naked eye. A few more galaxies, globulars and hours later, it is time to wrap things up. The cosmos acknowledges its audience by firing a meteor along the eastern horizon, a silent farewell salute. On some occasions, it also offers up the zodiacal light, gegenschein and airglow. “It’s a > skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

84 LA PALMA FEBRUARY

WHILE YOU ARE THERE See how the people who inhabited La Palma before the Spanish conquest lived – and the myriad rock carvings they left behind – at the sprawling Caves of Belmaco in Mazo. There is also a museum. http://bit.ly/belmaco

The island’s capital, the port of Santa Cruz de La Palma, is famous for its dwarf statues and traditional balconies, right. See them near the seafront before diving into the old town’s cobbled streets, plazas and museums. http://bit.ly/LPcapital

The best way to explore La Palma’s banana plantations, laurel forests and volcanic origins for yourself is on foot. The island has 1,000km of signposted walking paths, many of which criss-cross the caldera. http://bit.ly/lptreks

Tenerife is a mere 30-minute flight from La Palma, so you could also pop over to the Teide Observatory, home to some of the finest solar scopes in Europe. Like the ORM, visits need to be organised well in advance. http://bit.ly/IACteide

> shame we can’t stay out to catch Jupiter,” Núñez says, forlornly. “The views are steady as a picture.”

KEV LOCHUN X 4, THINKSTOCK

See it for yourself The pristine skies that lured pro astronomers here are easily accessible in spite of the fact that the ORM itself is out of bounds at night. There are several local astro tourism businesses on the island, and most cater for both individuals and entire astronomical societies. Núñez’s AstroLaPalma (www.astrolapalma.com) runs regular observing evenings, and themed sessions focused on the Moon and events such as the Perseid meteor shower, priced from €8-€35 per person. AstroTour (www.astrotour.es) offer evening stargazing sessions for €25 per person, as well as an astrophotography workshop (contact for prices). Vaduvescu’s Astro Travels (www.astro-travels.com) offers a seven-day tour of the island that includes trips to beaches and volcanoes as well as the ORM and the privately built Tacande Observatory in El Paso, a village about 25km from the airport. Again, it’s best to contact them for prices. You can also book guided solar and evening observing sessions at Tacande directly (www.astropalma.com), for €20 per person. It is just as easy to go it alone. Over the past few years the island government has set up a network of astronomical viewpoints, known locally as miradors, which are free for amateur astronomers to use. You need to bring your own kit: what the miradors offer are dark skies, parking and somewhere flat to set up skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

La Palma is still volcanically active; the latest eruption came from this cinder cone, Teneguía, in 1971

VISITING THE ORM You can’t just rock up to the Roque. Visits to the observatory are available throughout the year, but only by appointment and only in daylight hours. They typically last for between 45 and 90 minutes and include tours inside one or two telescopes. http://bit.ly/IAC_ORM

a scope, and believe us the latter is at a premium. There are 16 miradors at present – a few are shown on page 82, but a full map is available at http://bit.ly/ miradors. Most have a sign that points to Polaris, with a basic planisphere below it to help you hop from the pole star to the Plough and Cassiopeia. If you don’t want to bring your own scope, you could hire one from a local agency – AstroLaPalma and AstroTour rent out kit by the night. Though with skies as good as Atacama and Mauna Kea, you have to wonder – will one night ever be enough? S ABOUT THE WRITER Kev Lochun is Sky at Night Magazine’s production editor. Before realising he could make money from being able to spell, he completed a BSc in biology at Cardiff University.

36

THE

ICE-GIANT

mystery Paul Abel explains how you can help unlock the secrets of distant Uranus

THINKSTOCK, NASA/ESAAND M. SHOWALTER (SETI INSTITUTE), NASA/JPL, MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

I

n the frozen gloom of the outer Solar System, set against the stars of Pisces, lies an aquamarine mystery. The discovery of Uranus is credited to William Herschel, who observed it in March 1781. Herschel was busy examining the stars of the Milky Way in the constellation of Gemini when he happened upon an object that looked decidedly non-stellar. At first he believed he had discovered a comet, but as astronomers calculated the orbital characteristics of the new body, they very quickly realised that the comet was in fact a substantial new world, far beyond the orbit of Saturn. After the initial excitement of a new discovery, interest in the planet began to wane. Soon it was being ignored. Small and faint, nothing but its existence was acknowledged. Only one spacecraft has

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ever visited it to date: Voyager 2 flew by in 1986, and most of our knowledge of Uranus and its family of moons come from its brief survey. It is time to change the situation. Uranus needs observing seriously and amateur astronomers can provide the systematic coverage that the planet needs. If you have a telescope and you’re not afraid of a little star hopping, you should give this strange frozen world a look. Uranus, like Neptune, is an ice giant. Internally, the current model is that there is a sort of hydrocarbon haze at the top of the atmosphere, which also contains the methane that gives the planet its distinctive blue-green hue. Under the thick atmosphere is a layer that is probably composed of ices (water, ammonia and methane). At the centre of the planet

URANUS THE FACTS In February, Uranus will be located in the constellation of Pisces. This means it will be an early evening object. Magnitude +5.9 (binocular object) Apparent diameter 3.4 arcseconds Best seen As soon as the sky gets dark Conjunction 29 March Reappearance in morning sky Beginning of May Opposition 3 October

URANUS FEBRUARY 87

Uranus’s magnetic poles are aligned very differently to Earth’s

Magnetic north pole EARTH

Orbital plane Rotational axis

Magnetic south pole

URANUS Orbital plane

Rotational axis Magnetic south pole Uranus’s rings as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope; inset, a portion of the rings photographed by Voyager 2 during its fly by in 1996

there is probably a small core. Models of Uranus’s interior vary – it is hard to be 100 per cent certain about which one is right since our information about the planet is limited. Uranus has a number of physical characteristics that are still a complete mystery, like its axial tilt of 98°. Being effectively on its side means that the planet’s seasons are unusual. During the course of a Uranian year, one pole will experience a freezing night lasting 21 Earth years, while the other pole will be in perpetual sunlight. The extreme axial tilt also means that sometimes the north or south poles are pointing towards us and at other times the equator points towards us (as it is at the moment). You can use the planetary software WinJUPOS (www. grischa-hahn.homepage.t-online.de/astro/ winjupos/index.htm) to determine the planet’s orientation with respect to Earth.

Emerald enigma Uranus’s magnetic field is also unusual. The magnetic north pole is at an angle of 59° to Uranus’s axis of rotation and the magnetic field does not pass through the centre of the planet. But perhaps the most striking puzzle is the planet’s lack of internal heat. Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune give out much more heat than they receive from the Sun, largely due to the primordial heat left over from the formation of the planets. This difference between internal and external heat is thought to drive these three planets’ strong winds, so its absence could explain why Uranus’s atmosphere is a lot calmer.

þ Astronomers suspect Uranus’s atmosphere contains the methane that makes the planet appear blue-green

PLANETS NOT SHOWN TO SCALE

Magnetic north pole

This lack of internal heat, the strange axial tilt and the skewed magnetic field suggest that Uranus may have undergone a dramatic encounter – perhaps colliding with another large body – in the distant past. The planet also has a system of rings, but they are too dark to be seen by amateur telescopes. The first five rings were discovered in 1977 by astronomers using the Kuiper Airborne Observatory. While watching Uranus occulting the star SAO 158687, the invisible rings caused the star to wink five times before the occultation and five times afterwards. > Liquid hydrogen

Atmosphere

Core

Water, methane and ammonia ices

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88

PISCES

ω

41

δ

51

62

For the next few years, Uranus will be in the constellation of Pisces. Locate it using a pair of 10x50 binoculars. When you’ve found it, switch to a telescope at very low magnification and track it down again. Even at 60x magnification, Uranus looks non-stellar and distinctly green. The planet

n 1

44

Ja

Fe 1

Uranus

b

ar 1

ov N

Look to Pisces

M

1

1 ct O

1 CHART BY PETE LAWRENCE, NASA/JPL X 4, JOHN CHUMACK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY, PAUL ABEL, PETE LAWRENCE

> Four more rings were discovered during another occultation soon after. When Voyager 2 imaged the rings in 1986 it found that their particles are very dark; their chemical composition cannot simply be water-ice as this is highly reflective. Two more rings were found in Voyager 2’s images. In 2005, the Hubble Space Telescope discovered another two, taking the count to 13 separate rings. As well as rings, Uranus shepherds an extensive family of moons. There are five main ones: Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon. Many of these bare deep impact scars – indeed Miranda seems to have a bizarre mixture of terrains, suggesting that it may have been broken up and reformed. The brightest of the moons is Titania, then Oberon, and you may be able to glimpse these two in a larger scope like an 8-inch reflector. To spot the other three you’ll need a 10-inch scope at least and a dark, transparent sky.

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Ap r

ay M

Ju n

p 1

1

1

Se

Au g

1

1

Ju l

60

Þ Uranus moves across the sky slowly; find it once and you won’t have to look far to find it later in the year

Þ Miranda’s geology suggests that it was broken violently and subsequently reformed. Left to right above it are Titania, Oberon and Ariel

is a slow mover – once you have found it once, it shouldn’t take long to find it a few days later. It’s also small and faint, so you’ll need a large telescope to observe it properly. An 8-inch reflector is probably the smallest usable aperture if you want to study the planet. A magnification of 250x is desirable if you want to examine the disc; I try to use 300x on an average night and 400x when the seeing is good. Don’t be surprised if your first view of Uranus is just a blank disc, or your first images show nothing

URANUS FEBRUARY 89

but a fuzzy ball. The planet’s features are faint and subtle – the main thing to look out for are changes on the disc. In recent years a bright equatorial zone has come and gone, and various subtle cloud belts and banding have appeared and changed over the course of an apparition – the period during which a Solar System object is visible. Imagers can make invaluable studies of the planet in the infrared and methane wavelengths. In recent years a number of bright storms and clouds have been visible at these wavelengths, and they need more monitoring.

What you can do There are large gaps in observational data, so it is difficult to be certain what seasonal changes may occur on the planet during the course of a Uranian year. In 1998, the Hubble Space Telescope imaged discrete storms on the planet in the methane band. Much more recently, observations from the UK Infrared Telescope, the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility and the Gemini North Telescope have provided further evidence that the planet might be becoming more active. This presents a great opportunity to do some science by providing the same continual monitoring of Uranus as has been carried out for Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. It is only by making observations over the course of a full apparition, and then over successive apparitions, that we can build up a seasonal picture. If you are going to observe the planet regularly, do keep accurate records. Record the date, time (in UT) and the setup you observed with. Visual observers with large telescopes might try examining the planet with red and blue filters to

WHAT YOU WILL SEE BINOCULARS Uranus will appear as a faint, star-like point. In 10x50s you should be able to see the planet’s distinctive greenish hue. Binoculars are a great way of locating the planet before you begin observing it. SMALL TELESCOPE Uranus shows a definite disc at around 80x magnification. A 4- to 6-inch telescope will show the planet as a tiny, glowing disc among the faint stars of Pisces. Its emerald colour is very striking. LARGE TELESCOPE Apertures of 8 inches or larger will reveal more. At a magnification of 350-400x the disc will be large enough to examine. Watch out for faint cloud bands. Some of the planet’s moons may be visible, as Oberon and Titania are in the image above.

see if there are any changes to features already present. Above all else, send your observations to organisations like the British Astronomical Association (BAA) so they can be used. Uranus is now above the celestial equator and getting better placed. Who knows what features have silently come and gone in the past, and what surprises it may hold in store in for us in the future? S ABOUT THE WRITER Dr Paul Abel is a co-presenter of The Sky at Night on BBC TV. He is based in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leicester, and is a visual observer.

VISUAL MONITORING AND IMAGING VISUAL

IMAGING

For visual work, you need an 8-inch or larger telescope. Magnification is also key – at least 250x to give a usable disc size – as is a transparent sky. Mist and fog will cut down the light visible from the planet, making the image faint at high magnifications. Spend about 10 minutes examining the disc. Picking out details takes some practice, so don’t be put off if you just see a blank disc initially. Watch out for a brighter equatorial zone or subtle darker bands. Averted vision will help you to spot the finer details. Remember Uranus is at a 98º tilt, so use WinJUPOS to find out what its orientation is. To record your observations, use a 50mm circular blank and draw what you see on it using a 3B pencil. Don’t forget to add the date, time, magnification and telescope details to your observation. Send a copy to the BAA’s Saturn Section (www.britastro.org/saturn).

Photographing small and faint Uranus is challenging. Webcams are commonly used to capture this planet, though you will need software such as RegiStax or AutoStakkert! to process your videos. Doing this allows you to create a higher resolution, better quality final image. A number of imagers I’ve spoken to are of the opinion that recording five frames per second is realistic for Uranus. The planet rotates fairly slowly, so you can spend about 45 minutes collecting frames. Try imaging in the methane and infrared wavelengths as this is where bright storms tend to show up. You can, alternatively, use a DSLR camera or a CCD camera, provided it allows you to take images with short exposure times in the region of one-tenth of a second. Also bear in mind that the shutter itself can create vibrations, which could affect the quality of your final image.

Paul’s sketch using a 20-inch DallKirkham telescope

Uranus imaged through a 14-inch SchmidtCassegrain telescope

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90

STARGAZING SKILLS Magnitudes With Anton Vamplew

Understanding that not all stars burn as brightly as each other is key to using star maps and finding your way around the sky

Vega in Lyra Remember towas use a planisphere the base stardesigned for the for your latitude magnitude system – otherwise the sky won’t match the chart

Vega

new has led to some interesting changes. We now consider the mathematical difference between one magnitude and the next to be about 2.5 times in brightness. What this means is that a 1st-magnitude star is 100 times brighter than a 6th-magnitude star. As a result of this refinement, some stars were moved into new magnitude classes. For example, Hipparchus considered Vega, the alpha star in the constellation of Lyra, to be a 1stmagnitude star – now we assign it a magnitude of zero. The scale has also extended beyond zero into negative numbers, signifying even brighter magnitudes. The brightest star in the night sky, Sirius in the constellation of Canis Major, is mag. –1.5. The Full Moon is mag. –12.7 and the Sun is mag. –26.8.

PETE LAWRENCE X 9, STEVE MARSH, WILL GATER X 3, THINKSTOCK X 2, N.A.SHARP/NOAO/AURA/NSF

Practical applications

THE BASICS

Why understanding magnitudes is useful What the difference is between apparent

and absolute magnitude How to work out your limiting magnitude

W

hen looking into the night sky it’s easy to see that not all stars look the same – some really shine while many others look faint. The name we give to this appearance in terms of brightness is ‘apparent magnitude’, often simply abbreviated to ‘mag.’. The magnitude system was developed several thousand years ago by the Greek skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

astronomer and mathematician Hipparchus. He divided the stars into six magnitudes. The 20 brightest stars were classed as magnitude one or ‘1st magnitude’. Slightly fainter stars fell into magnitude two, or 2nd magnitude, and so on down to magnitude six. These are typically the faintest stars that can be seen with the naked eye alone. The telescope hadn’t been invented back then, so what the naked eye could see was it. Nowadays, not only can we see much fainter celestial objects, but we have also been able to more accurately measure and refine Hipparchus’s original magnitudes. The basic system that he invented has remained intact, but the mixing of old and

Knowing the visual magnitude of a particular star, planet or deep-sky object is very useful in understanding what it’s going to look like in the sky. For example, you can expect to find the mag. +7.5 Dumbbell Nebula in Vulpecula easily in a small telescope, but the dimmer, mag. +10.6 Little Dumbbell Nebula in Perseus would be more of a challenge. There are many other things to consider, such as the object’s size and telescopic equipment being used, but visual magnitude is a good starting point. Being familiar with star brightness can also help you to measure the quality of your local night sky in terms of limiting magnitude – the faintest stars that you can see with the naked eye from a given location. Increasing light pollution means that the night sky is no longer truly dark across much of the UK, especially near towns and cities. As light pollution increases, so the number of stars you can see decreases. The 6th-magnitude stars theoretically visible may be lost from sight; if your skies are very bad you may be limited to the 2nd magnitude or worse, with only a handful of the brightest stars on show. So far we’ve been talking solely about apparent magnitude, which refers to how

STARGAZING SKILLS FEBRUARY 91

TOP 10

Brightest night-sky objects visible from the northern hemisphere

THE MOON Magnitude: –12.7

Þ At mag. +7.5, the Dumbbell Nebula in

Þ The fainter mag. +10.6 Little Dumbbell

bright a star looks to us on Earth. It tells us nothing about how luminous an object truly is – its ‘absolute magnitude’. Brightness decreases with distance, so a very luminous star that is a long way away may appear fainter than a dimmer star that sits closer to us. Consider Sirius: if it were the same distance from Earth as the Sun, it would appear brighter than our star. To work out an object’s absolute magnitude, we calculate how bright it would be if it were an arbitrary distance of 10 parsecs – 32.6 lightyears – away. By

lining up celestial objects like this, we can ‘see’ how they differ from one another. Hipparchus and his contemporaries knew nothing of these great distances. Just looking up at the sky, they are not readily apparent. Everything looks like it sits at the same distance on a great celestial sphere around us. Absolute magnitude gives us some insight into the true nature of an object, but it has nothing to do with how it appears in a telescope. Happily, most star charts and observing guides list celestial objects in terms of apparent magnitude as standard. S

Vulpecula is easily seen in a small telescope

VENUS

Magnitude: –4.7 (at its brightest)

Nebula in Perseus is far trickier to observe

MARS

Magnitude: –2.9

(at its brightest)

JUPITER

Magnitude: –2.8 (at its brightest)

MERCURY

Magnitude: –1.9 (at its brightest)

HOW TO WORK OUT YOUR LIMITING MAGNITUDE Using this asterism is one way of working out limiting magnitude; counting stars in the Pleiades is another

SIRIUS

(Alpha Canis Majoris)

Magnitude: –1.5

Scheat

SATURN

Magnitude: –0.2

ANDROMEDA

(at its brightest)

Alpheratz

Markab

ARCTURUS

PEGASUS

(Alpha Boötis)

Magnitude: 0.0 Great Square of Pegasus

VEGA

PISCES

(Alpha Lyrae)

Algenib Look west at 7pm in the first week of February and you will be able to see the famous Great Square of Pegasus. You can use this asterism to work out the limiting magnitude of your local skies. You need to wait for your eyes to adapt to the dark to do this accurately, so head outside a good 15 minutes in advance to acclimatise. Then look for the Great Square

– with your eyes only – and count the number of stars you can see inside it. If you can’t see any, then your limiting magnitude is +4.0. If you can spot three, your site’s limiting magnitude is +4.75; at five stars it is mag. +5.25; at nine stars it is mag. +5.75. If you can count all the way up to 13 stars, you can see down to mag. +6.0 from your location.

Magnitude: 0.0

CAPELLA (Alpha Aurigae)

Magnitude: +0.1

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92 STARGAZING SKILLS FEBRUARY

NE X MONTTH

Lost in space

The trials and tribulations of a novice astronomer

KEITH H BACK TO EADS SC TO IMPROHOOL V HIS ASTR E O KNOWLE DGE

With Keith Hopcroft SAY GOODBYE TO sore, weeping, bloodshot eyes and a bathroom cabinet stuffed with a bewildering array of solutions. Say goodbye, in other words, to contact lenses. And say hello to glasses – I have, and I’m thrilled with the result. I can see, and it doesn’t even hurt. And my wife thinks I have specs appeal. There’s just one problem: I’m worried my glasses will interfere with stargazing. As regular readers will know, to me astronomy is as much a source of trauma as it is a hobby. Glasses complicate things by bunging another lens into the light path and offering all sorts of potential pratfalls (steaming up, falling off, etc) – so I’m approaching my next session with an increasing sense of dread. And I’m still waiting. Glasses may compensate for my short-sightedness, but they do nothing to dispel the seemingly permanent cloud cover. So I decide to take advantage of a free afternoon by dusting off my scope and trying a dummy run. It seems fine at first. My chosen target is a distant chimney puffing smoke, which, for my purposes, is a stand-in for the Orion Nebula. It looks great through the scope with my glasses on and – after a slight re-focus – with them off, too. But as

WILL HOPCROFT, ILLUSTRATION BY JEFF PARKER, PETE LAWRENCE

Binocular quest THIS MONTH NGC 2232

What: Open cluster Apparent magnitude: +3.9 Best time to see: 9pm mid-month

THIS MONTH’S BINOCULAR target, NGC 2232, rests halfway up from the southern horizon in a quiet area of the sky. You won’t have any trouble finding the rough area though, as it sits immediately to the left of the brilliant winter constellation of Orion. skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

I crank up the magnification, my problems begin. The field of view narrows so much that I now have tunnel vision as well as myopia. Moving closer to the eyepiece causes the telescope to crunch my glasses, and my glasses to crunch my nasal bones. At this point, I dimly recall something about eye relief, a concept which, in my halcyon 20/20 days, I didn’t bother with. Maybe I need to revisit the subject. Or, I could just ditch the glasses next time I get my scope out. That, I decide, is the best plan. Problem is, I have to see properly to set up and read sky charts. So I’ll need my glasses to hand. I’m bound to lose or drop them in the dark so that means another lanyard around my neck, in addition to the ones I have for my binoculars, red-light torch and pen. As any health and safety

NGC 2232 is a fairly loose group of around 20 stars that surrounds mag. +5.1 star 10 Monocerotis. To find it, start from the three bright stars that make up Orion’s Belt. If you follow the line made by the Belt down and out towards the lower left, you will reach mag. –1.5 Sirius (Alpha Canis Majoris), the brightest star in the night sky. Imagine a path joining the two. To the north of the middle of this path are two stars in the constellation of Monoceros, mag. +4.0 Gamma Monocerotis on the right and mag. +4.6 Beta Monocerotis on the left. The latter will help us home in on NGC 2232. It’s actually a very simple star hop. Pointing your binoculars at Beta Monocerotis, slowly move up the sky until you get to the next noticeable star. This is 10 Monocerotis. Cascading down from

expert will tell you, many lanyards plus one slewing scope equals a serious risk of garrotting. Hopefully, I’ll see it coming. Oh, hang on, I won’t, will I? Keith Hopcroft is a GP and a columnist for The Times

10 Monocerotis

Loose open cluster NGC 2232, centred on 10 Monocerotis, is easy to find from Orion’s Belt

it you will see some fainter 7th- and 8th-magnitude stars that together form open cluster NGC 2232.

22-24

FEBRUARY

Now it’s your turn

2013

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WHAT’S ON FEBRUARY 95

What’s on

Our pick of the best events from around the UK

Galway astronomy festival Westwood House Hotel, Galway, Ireland, 2 February, 9.45am

PICTHKE

Stargazing at St Fagans St Fagans: Natural History Museum, Cardiff, 16 February, 6pm Head to St Fagans: Natural History Museum for an evening of stargazing organised by the National Museum of Wales and Cardiff Astronomical Society. Get advice from experienced astronomers, handle real meteorites, and – if the skies stay clear – observe night-sky sights like M31, above. The event is free, but book in advance. www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/whatson

Talk: Messier Marathon

OF MONTH

Scarborough & Ryedale Astronomical Society, Scarborough, 15 February, 7.30pm In this talk Sky at Night Magazine reviews editor Paul Money discusses how he became the first person in the UK to observe all 110 astronomical objects from the Messier Catalogue in a single night – including stunning M42, above. The event is free to members and £2 per person for non-members. Contact [email protected] for more information.

Even more beautiful after the Sun sets, Galway’s skies are waiting for festival goers Think space exploration and a few countries stand out from the crowd – the US, China, Russia. But Ireland is also home to many well respected space scientists. For this reason, Ireland: The Final Frontier of Science is the theme for the 10th Galway Astronomy Festival, an event celebrating Irish academics and astronomers involved in some of the most important space projects today. Speakers include Dr Andy Shearer,

who will discuss his involvement with NASA’s Kepler mission, and Prof Lorraine O’Hanlon, who will give a talk on the GLObal Robotic telescopes Intelligent Array (GLORIA), a project she has played a key role in. With many more expert speakers and observing sessions in the evening, this event is not to be missed. Tickets are available on the door, priced € 20. www.galwayastronomyclub.ie

BEHIND THE SCENES

THE SKY AT NIGHT IN FEBRUARY

THINKSTOCK X 5

and

One, 3 February, around midnight (repeated Two, 9 February, midday)*

Four, 4 February, 8pm;

THE SUN KING Chris Lintott and Lucie Green are on location at the Royal Observatory Greenwich to discover how the Sun affects our planet, while the rest of the team find out about the observatory’s historic telescopes – which are still being used to examine the night sky. *Check www.radiotimes.com as times may vary

Winter planetarium show At-Bristol Planetarium, Bristol, daily until 5 March From the Orion Nebula to the Pleiades, left, discover the best sights to observe this winter in this presenter-led planetarium show that’s suitable for astronomers of all ages. Tickets to At-Bristol cost £13.50 for adults and £9 for children, plus an additional £1 per person for the planetarium show. Visit www.at-bristol.org.uk or call 0845 345 1235 or to book your place.

MORE LISTINGS ONLINE Visit our website at www. skyatnightmagazine.com/ whats-on for the full list of this month’s events from around the country. To ensure that your talks, observing evenings and star parties are included, please submit your event by filling in the submission form at the bottom of the page.

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

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REVIEWS FEBRUARY 97

Reviews Bringing you the best in equipment and accessories each month, as reviewed by our team of astro experts

HOW WE RATE Each category is given a mark out of five stars according to how well it performs. The ratings are:

★★★★★ Outstanding ★★★★★ Very good ★★★★★ Good ★★★★★ Average ★★★★★ Poor/Avoid

98

Find out if Altair Astro’s lightweight LightWave refractor makes a good travel companion

This month’s reviews

PAUL WHITFIELD X 4

First light

98

Altair Astro LightWave 60mm triplet apo refractor

102

Three Meade eXtreme Wide-Angle eyepieces

106

Orion StarShoot AllSky Camera II

Books

Gear

110

112

We rate five of the latest astronomy titles

Including these Altair TMS Guide Scope Rings

Find out more about how we review equipment at www.skyatnightmagazine.com/scoring-categories skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

98

FIRST light Altair Astro LightWave 60mm

triplet apo refractor

This 2.5-inch triplet refractor could be the ideal partner for an astronomy holiday WORDS: PAUL MONEY

VITAL STATS • Price £449 • Aperture 60mm (2.5 inches) • Focal length 420mm, f/7 • Optical design Triplet Ohara FPL-51 ED glass • Focuser Dual-speed rack and pinion; 3-inch rotating back • Length 288mm, 360mm with dew shield extended • Weight 2.3kg • Extras Hard carry case, 2- to 1.25-inch adaptor • Supplier Altair Astro • www.altairastro.com • Tel 01263 731505

S

mall, short-focus apochromatic refractors are all the rage at the moment, so it is no surprise to see another entry to the market. Altair Astro’s LightWave 60mm refractor is highly portable, yet powerful enough to still give good views of the night sky. Its 2.5-inch triplet objective lens is made from Ohara FPL-51 ED glass and has a short focal length of 420mm, giving a focal ratio of f/7. The tube is just 288mm long when the dew shield is retracted. The dual-speed 1:10 rack and pinion focuser is rigidly made and can support heavy cameras – there is little give, keeping the image stable. The focuser section can also be rotated through 360 º and is locked in place with a thumbscrew, so it is easy to frame subjects. It was gratifying to see that although the image shifted slightly when we loosened the focuser to rotate it, once relocked the view returned to its original position with no image shift. The end of the focuser is also threaded, so you can attach a camera directly using a suitable adaptor.

ALL PHOTOS: PAUL WHITFIELD

Pin-sharp stars SKY SAYS… Stars were pin sharp across 90 per cent of the field of view, with only slight aberration at the edge

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

The telescope ships with a 2- to 1.25-inch adaptor and heavy-duty tube rings, but not a dovetail bar – you will have to buy this separately. We also found that the tube rings can only be attached to the scope when the dew shield is in its extended position, but this is a minor quibble. It is also supplied with an aluminium case with foam padding and some space for additional accessories. We aimed it at the night sky with our own star diagonal and a trusted 25mm eyepiece attached, and were impressed with the wide-field views. The 25mm eyepiece gave a field of view of 3º, wide enough to fit the three belt stars of Orion >

TUBE RINGS The tube rings are solidly built, provide good support for the telescope and allow easy rotation of the tube if required. They can be attached to Vixen- or Losmandystyle mounting bars.

FOCUSER The focuser is a rotatable dual-speed rack and pinion design with a 10:1 ratio for fine focus control. It can accommodate both 2- and 1.25-inch eyepieces with the supplied adaptor. Its end is threaded internally, so you can attach a camera directly if you have a suitable adaptor.

FIRST LIGHT FEBRUARY 99

COMPACT AND PORTABLE This is a compact scope when the dew shield is retracted – just 288mm long. It is also quite lightweight at 2.3kg, making it ideal as a ‘pick up and go’ scope or for travelling abroad. Its lightness and small size bring another benefit: this scope could be attached to small mounts, or even a tripod. The shortness of the tube with the dew shield retracted means that the scope can be packed into hand luggage, and its weight won’t

seriously eat into your baggage allowance either. We can see this scope being taken almost anywhere, opening up its use to solar eclipse chasers as well as travelling deep-sky aficionados. Just add an erecting diagonal, an eyepiece and a good solid tripod to complete the setup, and you’re good to go.

> The short tube length makes

the LightWave easy to transport

RETRACTABLE DEW SHIELD The dew shield had a smooth action and was easy to retract for storage in the hard case after use. It gave good protection from dew under normal conditions and did a good job at cutting out extraneous light.

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

100 FIRST LIGHT FEBRUARY

FIRST light

TUBE AND INTERNAL COATING The tube is lightweight at 2.3kg, but is still robust and easy to handle. It is 288mm long with the dew shield retracted, 360mm long with it extended. The internal matt coating does a good job of cutting down on any internal reflections, which can spoil the contrast of faint deep-sky objects.

OPTICS The objective lens is made from Ohara FPL-51 ED glass and is multicoated, giving it a characteristic green hue. It has a triplet design to correct colour fringing and visually gave great views. Photographically, there was some slight colour fringing on bright stars.

> or the entire Andromeda Galaxy. Stars were pin

SKY SAYS… Now add these:

ALL PHOTOS: PAUL WHITFIELD

1. iOptron SmartEQ Pro mount 2. LightWave Premium 9mm, 68º long eyerelief eyepiece 3. LightWave Premium 1.25inch, 45º imagecorrecting prism

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

sharp across 90 per cent of the field of view, with only slight aberration at the edge. Star colours were also pleasing, especially when we turned to the blue and gold double star Albireo in Cygnus. The wide field of view does mean that you have to crank up the magnification to clearly split a lot of the common doubles, but Mizar and Alcor in Ursa Major were an exception: a delight at low magnification. We split Castor in Gemini and Algieba in Leo, both double stars with components separated by around 5 arcseconds, using a 25mm eyepiece and a 5x Powermate lens. With the 25mm eyepiece we also saw the Pleiades open cluster surrounded by a lot of space, drawing your eye into its heart. The Sword of Orion and the Orion Nebula were also very pleasing sights. This scope may have a wide field of view, but it can bear magnification well, as evidenced by the views of galaxy pair M81 and M82 in Ursa Major through our 10mm eyepiece. We then turned to Jupiter and were pleased that we were able to push the magnification enough to see three

bands and the four Galilean moons, despite the planet’s small disc. We attached our Canon 50D DSLR and took several test shots of the Pleiades and the Sword of Orion, and noted that the stars were pinpoints virtually to the edge of the field. There was a little colour fringing on the brightest stars in our image of the Pleiades, but considering the price of this scope we were still pleased with the result. The wide field of view is also particularly suited to large subjects, such as the star fields of the Milky Way and nebulae. As well as being a great ‘pick up and go’ travel scope, it is well suited to wide-field astrophotography. S

VERDICT BUILD AND DESIGN EASE OF USE FEATURES FIELD OF VIEW OPTICS OVERALL

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★

TOP QUALITY ACCESSORIES - AFFORDABLE PRICES! Gimbal Heads

Tripod/Monopod

Triopo DG-1 is a light and advanced gimbal head designed for photo-reporters and wild-life photographers using large and heavy tele lenses. It is made of high quality magnesium-aluminum alloy providing large load capacity. Unlike other Gimbal heads the set may be precisely balanced and smoothly framed without using additional strength. It is equipped with two knobs allowing you to block movement in selected directions. Because of the way the camera is mounted the DG-1 is perfect for inc VAT + UK dynamic framing, great for sport and wild life mainland delivery photography.

Triopo C-258 Titanium Alloy Tripod With KJ-2 Ball Head, Bag & Strap Designed especially for amateurs & professional photographers looking for a solid and durable tripod at a fantastic price. Made from Titanium-alloy it offers durability coupled with low weight. Maximum load capacity is 5,5 kg and a maximum height of 150 cm.

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Triopo DG-2 offers the same stiffness, capacity, and fluid movement in a more compact and lightweight package (it is one pound lighter and about two inches shorter). The head’s redesigned panning base has zero play, and the pan locking knob has been moved to the side of the head, thus allowing the user to easily operate both knobs with the same hand. New lobed “soft-touch” knobs provide a more comfortable grip and perform better when using gloves. The hanging head is designed for long focal length lenses.

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Triopo DG-3 offers the same stiffness, capacity, and fluid movement in a more compact and lightweight package (it is one pound lighter and about two inches shorter). The head’s redesigned panning base has zero play, and the pan locking knob has been moved to the side of the head, thus allowing the user to easily operate both knobs with the same hand. New lobed “soft-touch” knobs provide a more comfortable grip and perform better when using gloves. The hanging head is designed for long focal length lenses.

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Mount/Viewfinder High Quality Car Window Spotting Mount With Pan This mount has been designed to fit any car window so you can take photographs or use your spotting scope in warmth and comfort. Height: 150mm. Weight: 0.55kg. Load: 5kg (Max). Features: Built in spirit level, pan ball head with quick release plate. High quality finish.

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inc VAT + UK mainland delivery Triopo GL-40 Carbon Fibre Monopod this monopod is light, flexible and portable. It is suitable for all photographers who regularly shoot sports, outdoors, and tourism etc. The GL series is made of carbon fibre which i a high rate of contraction. It has excellent properties such as density, high strength and is hard to fracture. It is ideal for use in low temperatures and has excellent corrosion resistance. the GL-40 comes with a sponge comfort covering and the heads are equipped with 1/4 and 3/8 amphibious screws. Maximum height 146 cm. Folded height 43 cm. Maximum load 10 kg. Weight 0.5 kg. inc VAT

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Gigtube DSLR Wireless Viewfinder II Long distance remote viewfinder with video recording, multiple camera shutter control, and multiple shooting modes. What’s more, it includes a built-in camera and playback for DSLRs without live-view. Features: Live view wireless display and remote. 2.4G Wireless Digital-signal transfer technology. New Mini-Cam Technology. Monitor 4 cameras at once. Video start & stop control. Built-in memory and playback. Sleep mode. Long battery life.

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102

FIRST light Three Meade XWA

SKY SAYS… The 100º apparent field of the XWAs gives a terrific feeling of space. Optically, they show no serious aberrations

2-inch eyepieces We find out if this trio of weighty eyepieces deliver on their potential to offer spectcular wide-field views WORDS: PETE LAWRENCE

VITAL STATS XWA 9mm eyepiece • Price £299 • Focal length 9mm • Apparent field of view 100º • Eye relief 12.5mm • Optical elements Nine • Barrel size 2-inch fit • Extras Rubber eyecup • Weight 879g

ALL PHOTOS: PAUL WHITFIELD

XWA 14mm eyepiece • Price £399 • Focal length 14mm • Apparent field of view 100º • Eye relief 14.5mm • Optical elements Nine • Barrel size 2-inch fit • Extras Rubber eyecup • Weight 822g XWA 20mm eyepiece • Price £499 • Focal length 20mm • Apparent field of view 100º • Eye relief 14.5mm • Optical elements Nine • Barrel size 2-inch fit • Extras Rubber eyecup • Weight 680g • Supplier Telescope House • www.telescopehouse. com • Tel 01342 837610

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

E

yepieces are used to magnify the image produced by a telescope’s optics, leading to a view you can scrutinise with your eye. Of course, different eyepieces produce different viewing experiences. Here, we’re looking at the three eXtreme Wide-Angle eyepieces from Meade, part of its Series 5000 range. Designated ‘XWA’ eyepieces, they give an enormous 100 º apparent field of view. There are several characteristics that define how useful an eyepiece is for visual astronomy. First, there’s the focal length, which is usually given in millimetres and stamped somewhere on the body of the eyepiece. A telescope’s visual magnification is calculated by dividing its focal length by the focal length of the eyepiece, in the same units. For example, adding a 25mm eyepiece to a scope with a focal length of 1,000mm would give you 40x magnification.

FIRST LIGHT FEBRUARY 103

TRULY WIDE-FIELD VIEWS The headline feature of each of the XWA eyepieces is the amazing 100º apparent field of view, something best suited to wide-field vistas rather than high-magnification views of the Moon or planets. The apparent field is the width, in degrees, of the view measured at your eye. The human eye has a conservative useful field of view between 120º and 140º (although eye movement extends this) – the XWA’s apparent field of view comes close to this figure.

The true field of view seen through a given scope can be determined by timing how long it takes for a star to drift across the centre of the field. Multiplying the true field of view by the magnification of your setup gives the apparent field of view. We did this for each eyepiece and can report that the 100º figure is correct for all three. It is also impressive how flat the view looks through each eyepiece, especially in the 20mm focal length model. The flatness conveys a natural-looking field.

EYECUP RUBBER GRIP The chunky rubber grip around the middle of each eyepiece stands out straight away. Although it looks a bit like the tyre from a toy truck, this grip will stop you accidentally dropping what are quite heavy items, especially if it’s cold and you’re wearing gloves.

Each eyepiece has a flip-up rubber eyecup. This helps to block out extraneous light, keeping the view as dark as possible. In addition, the internal surfaces of each eyepiece are blackened with anti-reflection coating, improving contrast.

Þ The 100º apparent field is great for wide-field vistas

Then there is eye relief, which refers to the distance your eye has to be from the outer lens to see images properly. If the eye relief is too big or too small, it is difficult to look through the scope comfortably. Eye relief of 5mm-20mm is acceptable, but 15mm-20mm is preferred for a relaxed viewing experience. This is especially important if you wear glasses when observing.

Feeling space

PARFOCAL DESIGN The three Meade eyepieces are close to being parfocal, which means you can focus with one and replace it with another, and only do a minimum of refocusing. This makes swapping between different magnifications easy and helps to maintain viewing continuity.

A perfect eyepiece should be virtually unnoticeable and deliver a view that draws you in. A wide apparent field of view helps enormously here, because it makes you feel as if you’re floating in space. Of course, this only happens if the eyepiece’s optics are distortion free, keeping the stars pin-sharp and without false colour right to the edge of field. If an eyepiece fails to do this, the illusion is ruined and you may find yourself concentrating more on the aberrations than your intended subject. The 100 º apparent field of the XWAs gives a terrific feeling of space. Optically, the eyepieces show no serious aberrations. The three focal lengths in the set are 20mm, 14mm and 9mm, corresponding to low, medium and high magnification views. Contrast is generally excellent throughout, although the 9mm does start to lose a certain something in this regard. Turning to the sky, we zoomed in on the Andromeda Galaxy, M31, using the 20mm eyepiece and a 4.5-inch, f/7 refractor. The way that its two satellite galaxies – M32 and M101 – fitted into the whole vista was especially pleasing. Stars were pin-sharp right to the edge of the field. It is actually possible to move your eye to the edge of the eyepiece and then look further sideways to see stars – a peculiar and quite amazing experience. The rich star fields delivered by the 20mm eyepiece were a delight. However, not all objects suit a low-magnification eyepiece like this one – globular cluster M15 in Pegasus looked rather lost in the huge field of view. This is where the smaller focal length eyepiece came into their own, as upping the magnification allowed us to see a bit more in the way of resolved detail. > skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

104 FIRST LIGHT FEBRUARY

FIRST light OPTICS The eyepieces are constructed from nine glass elements, which provide an excellent colour-corrected view with a flat apparent field of 100º. Looking at a target through the 20mm and 14mm models tends to give the sensation that you’re floating in space.

THREADED 2-INCH BARREL These eyepieces are 2-inch fit, which means they will slip into any compatible 2-inch diameter eyepiece holder. The barrels themselves are threaded, allowing you to attach a 2-inch filter. Filters are sold separately and can be used for a variety of things – for example, an ultra-high contrast filter is useful for bringing out faint nebulosity. > The Dumbbell Nebula, M27, looked amazing

SKY SAYS… Now add these:

ALL PHOTOS: PAUL WHITFIELD

1. Meade Series 6000 apo refractor 2. Orion Nautilus filter holder 3. Orion Stargazers 2-inch filter set

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

through the 20mm eyepiece, a gaseous blob floating in a sea of stars. The 14mm eyepiece showed more detail and M27’s characteristic apple core shape, while the 9mm eyepiece gave a much larger view, but one that we thought was less pleasing. Bright star Vega in Lyra looked intense through the 9mm eyepiece, but showed a bit of colour aberration – a violet-blue spike – very close to the edge of the field. The aberration quickly reduced when we brought the star towards the centre of the view. We moved onto the famous Double-Double, Epsilon Lyrae, a multiple star system containing a double star whose components are both double stars themselves. Resolving the two main components is easy, but splitting each one again is a different matter. The 9mm eyepiece did a great job here, with each pair remaining separate almost to the edge of the field – most impressive. The three eyepieces work well together as a team. The 20mm was our favourite, producing such wide-field views that we felt we could get lost in them. The 9mm gives the highest magnification, but the reduced contrast that came with it removed some of the wow factor. The 14mm is a nice compromise, allowing you to get closer to the action while retaining that all important feeling of space. S

9MM VERDICT BUILD AND DESIGN EASE OF USE EXTRAS EYE RELIEF OPTICS OVERALL

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★

14MM VERDICT BUILD AND DESIGN EASE OF USE EXTRAS EYE RELIEF OPTICS OVERALL

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★

20MM VERDICT BUILD AND DESIGN EASE OF USE EXTRAS EYE RELIEF OPTICS OVERALL

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Observing the Sun through an h-alpha filter is an incredible experience… Solarscope manufacture complete h-alpha telescopes available in unobstructed 50mm and 60mm apertures as well as a range of h-alpha lter systems which can convert your existing astronomical telescope into a high quality solar instrument. H-alpha lter systems are available in unobstructed 50mm, 60mm, 70mm and 100mm aperture sizes. The dedicated Solarview (SV) telescope range provides you with everything you need to observe the Sun in h-alpha apart from a mount and clear skies! These solar instruments are manufactured to the highest quality and will give you views of our nearest star which will literally take your breath away. The solar lter system (SF) range consists of a totally unobstructed front mounted etalon with a matching rear mounted blocking lter which ts into your telescope’s eyepiece holder. A custom made adapter plate is used to securely mount the etalon over the front of your telescope. Using laser industry techniques our lter systems are manufactured to the highest optical tolerances.

Prestige hydrogen-alpha solar lters manufactured in the Isle of Man

For information on Solarscope filters Contact: Ken Huggett

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[email protected]

www.solarscope.co.uk 15/7/09 11:48:39

106

FIRST light

Orion StarShoot

AllSky Camera II

SKY SAYS… This camera comes into its own when picking up broader objects like thin clouds, aurorae and the Milky Way

The successor to Orion’s original all-sky camera offers 24hour recording and a chance to create magical timelapses WORDS: MARTIN LEWIS

VITAL STATS • Price £799.99 • Sensor 0.5-inch Minitron 24-bit colour CCD, 752x582 pixels • Video format PAL • Operating System Windows XP, Vista, 7 or 8 • Software HandyAvi Special Edition, camera control software, video capture device software, drivers • Extras Video Capture Device, 12V mains adaptor, 12V car plug supply lead, 15m extension lead, USB to RS-232 adaptor, camera dome security screwdriver • Weight 1.2kg • Supplier The Widescreen Centre • www.widescreencentre.co.uk • Tel 020 7935 2580

T

he Orion StarShoot AllSky Camera II is a novel colour imager that gives ultra-wide views of the sky on your computer screen or TV. But why is this useful? It allows you to check the current observing conditions from the comfort of your house or observatory, for one. This versatile camera also has several other uses, among them recording bright meteors automatically and creating timelapse videos. Some people even run cameras of this type 24/7 and automatically post images of their current sky conditions onto their websites. Our first experiences with the camera were faltering, however, with some weak set-up documentation, issues installing the camera control software under Windows XP and problems with an ineffective dew heater. We brought these to Orion’s attention and the company has given assurances that the issues will be resolved. The documentation has been expanded, the heating improved and the compatibility issues with Windows XP overcome. At the heart of the camera is a fish-eye zoom lens and CCD video imaging chip. The lens points vertically upwards under a clear acrylic dome, which is sealed onto a robust and well-made aluminium housing. The housing incorporates a heating block and cooling fan, both of which react to changes in the

internal housing temperature, allowing the camera to run reliably outdoors in all weather conditions. This model is an upgrade to Orion’s original all-sky camera, and one of the main differences is that the new version allows you to change the camera settings remotely from a computer rather than a local switchpad. The manual gives recommendations for most of these settings, but it is worth playing around with them to get a feel for what they all do. Auto mode is particularly useful, as it works well both for night and daytime imaging using the camera’s automatic iris and gain control features. The camera remembers your settings once you’ve selected them, so you don’t have to open the software every time you want to use it.

Multiple uses You can use the camera in a number of different ways. The obvious one is for assessing the current outdoor sky conditions by viewing the camera’s output in real time on your computer screen or – through the AV input – your TV. If you want to view it on a computer, you will need to use the included USB Video Capture Device to convert the camera’s analogue video signal into a digital one. At maximum sensitivity, in 256x frame integration mode, the camera’s low-resolution >

PAUL WHITFIELD X 2, MARTIN LEWIS X 4

CLEVER FEATURES FOR TIMELAPSES The HandyAvi software allows you to create timelapse sequences, compressing hours of changing sky into videos a few minutes long. This is great for recording satellite passes, auroral displays and even changes in daytime cloud patterns. We used the camera to make several videos, stills from which are shown on the right. We imaged constellations, planets and the brighter stars wheeling around Polaris, the passage of high, thin clouds, fast moving patterns of lower clouds and satellites flitting across the sky. The moving patterns of thin

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

cloud revealed in timelapse videos shot at night are very useful for showing you the true sky transparency from your observing site. The software is well thought out and has several useful features. You can, for example, specify the frame-to-frame interval, and add a time and date stamp onto each frame. It also auto-generates new video files when the current one becomes too large and it stores a temporary version of the current video, allowing you to rescue your data in the event of a power failure.

FIRST LIGHT FEBRUARY 107

ZOOM LENS The camera has a Fujinon f/1.4 zoom lens with an automatic iris to cater for a range of sky brightnesses. Its zoom focal length range is 1.4mm to 3.1mm. The focus and zoom settings can be adjusted manually using levers, but you have to remove the dome to access them. Critical focusing is best done at night, when the iris is wide open.

PLASTIC DOME The clear acrylic dome is weather-sealed to the top of the housing using special security screws, but can be removed – and you’ll need to do so to access the two lens adjustment levers. A spare dome with a special anti-fog and non-stick coating is available as an optional extra to help keep the cover clear of raindrops and dew.

LEADS The camera has leads for the AV video signal, 12V DC power and camera control. These are sealed as they enter the housing. A 15m extension lead, a 12V DC car plug and 12V AC/DC mains adaptor were also supplied, though the latter was not usable as it was not CE-marked and had US-type blade pins.

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108 FIRST LIGHT FEBRUARY

FIRST light VIDEO CCD CHIP The camera contains a 0.5-inch colour, nonblooming Minitron CCD chip with an effective imaging size of 752x582 pixels. Digitally converting the video with the supplied Orion Video Capture Device offers a range of frame formats, the largest of which is 720x576 pixels.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL The sealed enclosure of the camera could be prone to overheating or dewing up. The design, however, includes a fan that switches on when the internal temperature passes 35ºC to keep the electronics cool; below 15ºC a 4W heater kicks in, sending warm air into the dome and keeping it dew-free inside and out.

SKY SAYS… Now add these: 1. Orion 50ft dual power and video cable 2. Orion AllSky Camera roofmounting bracket 3. Orion StarShoot LCD-DVR

> Minitron chip will give exposures of up to five seconds and show you the brighter stars, but don’t expect to see any but the brightest deep-sky objects, such as the Orion Nebula or the Pleiades. Instead, this camera comes into its own when picking up broader objects like thin clouds, aurorae and the Milky Way. From a moderately light-polluted site in Hertfordshire, the Milky Way showed up well on the monitor, even though it was tough to see with the naked eye. Tendrils of thin cloud were also visible

Þ At the shortest focal length of 1.4mm, the

field of view is 185° but the image is small

Þ At the longest focal length, 3.1mm, the

field is only 90° but more detail is visible

on the screen, even though looking up it seemed to be a totally clear sky. You can capture video at 25 frames per second, but these can quickly become very large files. Alternatively, compressed videos of a manageable length covering much longer periods can be made by setting the camera to timelapse mode using the supplied HandyAvi software (see page 106). This software can also detect frame-to-frame changes, so it can be used to record transient events such as meteors, lightning and passing satellites. The detection software is quite sophisticated – you can even define a region of interest in the frame so that it is not triggered by things like passing car headlights or swaying branches. More experienced imagers and observers will find the camera to be a valuable addition to their arsenal. Even if you are new to astronomy, you may well be fascinated by the timelapse videos this camera can create, which give a wholly different perspective on skies. S

PAUL WHTFIELD, MARTIN LEWIS X 4

VERDICT

Þ A focal length of 2.5mm offers a good

compromise between detail and field size

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

Þ This Leonid meteor was automatically recorded using the HandyAvi software

BUILD AND DESIGN CONNECTIVITY EASE OF USE FEATURES IMAGING QUALITY OVERALL

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READ

Moore A selection of works from the iconic British astronomer

PATRICK MOORE’S ASTRONOMY

THE COSMIC TOURIST

Explore the night sky with Sir Patrick Moore and grasp the basics of the fascinating science of astronomy. You will investigate the Sun, Moon, planets, comets and stars and learn how to observe them. This comprehensive guide, complete with star charts, will map out the skies and allow you to impress with your knowledge of the heavens…

From asteroids to zodiacal dust and from orbit around the Earth to beyond the most distant galaxies, join your cosmic guides Sir Patrick Moore, Brian May and Chris Lintott. They explain the sights - what they are, and how they fit into the astronomical zoo of familiar and curious objects and phenomena. The images present the Universe’s extraordinary beauty as seen through the biggest and best telescopes on Earth and in space.

IMAGE CREDIT: BBC

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BANG! THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE

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The Universe was born 13.7 billion years ago. Infinitely small at first, Brian May, Sir Patrick Moore and Chris Lintott explain its expansion, from the moment when time and space came into existence, to the formation of the first stars, galaxies and planets, and to the evolution of humans. Then on towards the infinite future, long after the Earth has been consumed by the red giant Sun...

The New Astronomy Guide explains the principles of astronomy, as well as the practical techniques to provide both beginners and more experienced observers with all the information they need to understand and enjoy the wonders of the night sky - and to capture and share the resulting images. From a digital camera and a laptop, to larger lenses and modern telescopes, you can produce breathtaking images of planets and remote galaxies.

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www.carltonbooks.co.uk

110

Books New astronomy and space titles reviewed

Megacatastrophes!

THINKSTOCK

David Darling and Dirk Schulze-Makuch Oneworld £11.99  HB None of the scary scenarios featured in Megacatastrophes! will be new if you’ve flicked through a tabloid, or even a broadsheet having a less sober moment. From good old-fashioned plague to exotic planetary collapse courtesy of the particle physicists in Geneva, science-borne doom scenarios are a mainstay of journalism, but plague – with nanotechnology and similar they rarely contain this much genuine high-tech concepts being explained clearly, science – or a mark out of 10 for how although usually briefly. The informal tone terrified to be. If you’re interested, for the includes few references, assuming you will next century, asteroid impact rates a four. take what the authors say on trust, although The risk to humanity from artificial a helpful list of further reading intelligence pips it with a five. is included for those who The authors, David want to learn more. Darling and Dirk SchulzeSadly, the ‘survival Makuch, are doctors tips’ at the end of of astronomy and each chapter are geology respectively, more steps for and both have humanity to take as authored other a whole – develop science titles drugs that will covering their repair DNA disciplines and damage, for example beyond. This is – than anything the reflected in the worried reader can do breadth of topics to improve his or her covered in the book, chances. As the title might where each of the nine Asteroid extinction is imply, Megacatastrophes! isn’t chapters introduces a diverse apparently less likely one for the nervous – but is selection of threatening than a robot uprising otherwise an interesting way concepts. For example, the of drawing together a bundle of scientific chapter dealing with ice ages takes in knowledge, engineering achievements and the reversal of Earth’s magnetic poles, other general insights gathered during the cycle of solar activity and the Sun’s humanity’s fragile, temporary existence. eventual transmutation into a red giant, colourfully illustrated with mentions of ★★★★★–– crashing NASA probes and Justin Bieber lyrics (to clarify, neither of these were KATE OLIVER is a science writer suggested as causing ice ages). This is a jargon-free zone – perhaps it Reader price £10.99, subscriber price £9.99 was wiped out by some kind of dictionary- P&P £1.99 Code: S0213/1 skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

RATINGS ★★★★★ Outstanding ★★★★★ Good ★★★★★ Average ★★★★★ Poor ★★★★★ Avoid You can order these books from our shop by calling 01803 865913

2 MINUTES WITH DAVID DARLING What inspired you to write this book? All the nonsense being talked about the Mayan prophecy that the world would end in 2012 got us thinking about what scientifically feasible catastrophic events could finish us or the whole planet off. Did anything surprise you while researching the book? I was surprised by how unlikely many of the threats that people worry about actually are in the foreseeable future – especially the natural ones such as major asteroid collisions, exploding stars and super-volcanoes. On the other hand, potential catastrophes of our own making are something we really do need to worry about in the short term. What’s the most likely way the world will end in your opinion? There isn’t any way the planet itself is likely to be destroyed until the Sun expands to become a red giant in several billion years time. Among the catastrophes that could wipe out much of the human race, our highest ranking goes to an untreatable global pandemic, such as a mutant flu strain or an Ebola-like virus that spreads around the world before quarantine can be put in place. Could any of these events happen in the next decade or so? The only one that poses a significant risk over the next 10-20 years is the pandemic. Some events, such as super-volcanoes, aren’t predictable and so could happen at any time. But the probability is low. DAVID DARLING is an astronomer and co-author of Megacatastrophes!

BOOKS FEBRUARY 111

The Cosmic Tourist Brian May, Patrick Moore and Chris Lintott Carlton Books £24.99  HB

OKE BO F TH

O N TH MO

With a winning cover that shows our intrepid heroes blasting off into space in a Tintin-style rocket ship, the celebrated team behind 2009’s bestselling Bang! The Complete History of the Universe is back with a book that promises to visit “the 100 most awe-inspiring destinations in the Universe”. As one might expect, this beautifully produced, well-illustrated book takes a thematic journey through the cosmos, from the safety of our home planet to the most distant parts of the observable Universe. Along the way are stops ranging from the mountains of the Moon to the icy rings of Saturn, the

A Guide to DSLR Planetary Imaging Jerry Lodriguss Astropix LLC £30.99  CD DSLR cameras may be a mainstay of deep-sky imagers, but other than for general scenic shots, they are not commonly used to photograph the planets. However, now that highresolution, fast frame rate video modes are being built into DSLRs, they are beginning to look a little more appealing to planetary imagers. Renowned US astrophotographer Jerry Lodriguss, while not being especially well known for photographing the planets, has done a thorough job in the material presented in his CD guide. So much so that the title, A Guide to DSLR Planetary Imaging, does little justice to

closest stars and the most distant galaxies known to science. The text is well written and packed with facts. It does a good job of keeping up the central concept of a trip across the Universe, even if the book does, to a great extent, rely on images taken from Earthbased and orbital telescopes. But this is of course out of necessity. However, more than half of the stops lie within our own Solar System, which allows both more variety of imagery and some unusual insight into specific locations – the extensive coverage of individual landmarks on the Moon, for example, is very informative. The Cosmic Tourist offers an ideal package holiday for armchair astronomers of all levels of experience. Although this is certainly a book for leisurely reference and enjoyment rather than an observing guide, the tour does conclude with a brief chapter of practical advice from Patrick Moore.

★★★★★

50 YEARS OF ESO The Jewel on the Mountaintop Claus Madsen  Wiley-VCH £44.99  HB The Jewel on the Mountaintop charts the history of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and was written by one of its senior advisors to celebrate the organisation’s 50th anniversary. Anniversary publications can be overly dry or self-puffing, but this one isn’t – it’s a weighty yet wonderfully written account of the effort to restore the prowess of European astronomy after World War II. A deeply impressive tale.

★★★★★ GILES SPARROW is an astronomy author HAZEL MUIR Reader price £22.99, subscriber price £20.99 P&P £1.99 Code: S0213/4

the considerable information included. Chapters on collimation, telescope thermal issues and astronomical seeing accompany detailed sections on the Sun, Moon, planets, transient visitors and satellites. Video processing tutorials are also included, covering many of the widely used packages for processing planetary images, such as AutoStakkert! and RegiStax. Lodriguss even adds sample videos so that readers can practise image processing without using – or having to capture – their own data. This is a helpful resource for those looking to start photographing the planets. Although it is aimed at people who want to improve their DSLR photography, there is also a lot of useful information, especially in the chapter on Solar System objects, that any planetary observer would find beneficial.

★★★★★ DAMIAN PEACH is an award-winning planetary imager

Reader price £39.99, subscriber price £37.99 P&P £1.99 Code: S0213/2

Europe to the Stars Govert Schilling and Lars Lindberg Christensen  Wiley  £29.95  HB This book celebrates 50 years of the European Southern Observatory, which operates some of the world’s major telescopes in Chile. Beautifully produced, Europe to the Stars tells the story of how dreams of giant telescopes became a reality and covers many of the exciting discoveries made at La Silla and Paranal. Looking to the future, it explains how the expanding Atacama Large Millimeter Array and upcoming European Extremely Large Telescope will add to the achievements. The book also features sumptuous images and comes with a DVD.

★★★★★ PAUL SUTHERLAND Reader price £27.99, subscriber price £25.99 P&P £1.99 Code: S0213/3

Order online from: www.astropix.com/ GDPI/order.htm

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

112 GEAR FEBRUARY

Gear

Vincent Whiteman rounds up the latest astronomical accessories

1

4 1 SkyQ Link Wi-Fi Adaptor Price £125 • Supplier David Hinds 01525 852696 • www.celestron.uk.com

Use your iPhone, iPad or laptop to take wireless control of a computerised Celestron telescope with this wi-fi adaptor. The adaptor has an on-board sky tour, will slew to any selected object and even align your scope.

2 Sky Panorama Ultra WideAngle Eyepieces Price £119-£219 • Supplier Optical Vision 01359 244200 • www.opticalvision.co.uk

These three eyepieces each give an 82º field of view, and have optics that have been broadband multicoated for better contrast and light transmission. Available in focal lengths of 7mm, 15mm (both 1.25-inch fit) and 23mm (2-inch fit).

2

5

3 Space Shuttle and Boeing 747 Plastic Model Kit Price £19.99 • Supplier Revell 01442 289285 • www.revell.com

Recreate the famous last flight of the Space Shuttle – on the back of a Boeing 747 – with this scale model of the two aeronautical giants.

4 Eyepiece cap

Price £1.80 • Supplier 365 Astronomy 020 3384 5187 • www.365astronomy.co.uk A handy accessory to keep your optics free of dust, this cap has an inner diameter of 36mm and fits over the top of a 1.25-inch eyepiece.

5 Five-Position Filter Wheel

3

Price £79.99 • Supplier Optical Vision 01359 244200 • www.opticalvision.co.uk This five-position wheel makes it easy to switch filters during an observing session. It is supplied with a 1.25-inch nosepiece, 1.25-inch eyepiece adaptor, T-2 camera adaptor and locking ring.

6 Altair TMS Ultra Light 100mm Guide Scope Rings Price £95.50 • Supplier Altair Astro 01263 731505 • www.altairastro.com

These lightweight guidescope rings form part of the Altair Telescope Mounting System (TMS) and can be mounted to Losmandy- or Vixenstyle bars, saddle clamps or saddle plates.

skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

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114 EXPERT INTERVIEW FEBRUARY

WHAT I REALLY WANT TO KNOW IS…

What sparks a Type Ia supernova? Ben Shappee is close to pinning down the trigger for the explosive events used to measure distances in the Universe INTERVIEWED BY PAUL SUTHERLAND

O

ne of the most dramatic events in the Universe is a supernova, the violent act in which a star marks the end of its life by blowing itself to pieces, briefly becoming brighter than all the other stars in its parent galaxy put together. There are two main types of supernova. One, dubbed a Type II, happens when a red supergiant star becomes unstable and its core collapses in on itself, causing the explosion. The other is called a Type I supernova. A class within this group, the Type Ia, is of special interest to astronomers because these supernovae share a similar pattern as they brighten and dim, and so can be used as ‘standard candles’ or ‘mile markers’ to help us determine distances and expansion rates in the Universe. We already know that a Type Ia supernova involves a white dwarf star. Our challenge is to discover what happens to make it explode. White dwarfs are very dense, dead stars that are about the same size as Earth but have a mass equivalent to the Sun. They ‘go supernova’ when something causes a runaway explosion, similar to a thermonuclear blast. We want to know what’s triggering that blast, because a lone white dwarf won’t explode on its own.

A white dwarf wouldn’t explode unless it was set off by something – Shappee believes that something is another white dwarf

THINKSTOCK

Hidden relative We believe the white dwarf must have a companion triggering the explosion – the mystery is what that companion is. There have been two models to suggest an answer. It could be that there is a Sun-like star or a red giant that the white dwarf strips of material over time until it becomes too massive to support itself and explodes; or that the companion is a second white dwarf and those two stars become very close, merge and then detonate. The twin white dwarf model is very difficult to prove directly, so we are trying to find indirect evidence for it by testing whether the alternative model works. If the supernova has a companion skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

ABOUT BEN SHAPPEE Ben Shappee is a graduate student at Ohio State University’s department of astronomy. His special research interests are supernovae and variable and multiple star systems.

like a red giant or a Sun-like star, then you would expect material ejected in the explosion to strike that companion and to blow a lot of its material away. In August 2011, a supernova named SN 2011fe was seen in the relatively nearby Pinwheel Galaxy, M101, 21 million lightyears away. It was the closest Type Ia supernova in the past 25 years, so it was a great gift to our research. We were able to use the Large Binocular Telescope on Mount Graham in Arizona to record the spectra of the event using a tool called the Multi-Object Double Spectrograph. This allowed us to see right into the centre of the supernova remnant to check what it was made of and to look for any removed companion material, which would be basically hydrogen. What we found was a great lack of this material. There have been a number of models to show how much of the companion’s material the supernova ejecta might blow off; the levels our observations indicated are significantly below those that you might expect for such a scenario. We take this as evidence against the white dwarf having a red giant or Sun-like companion. It suggests the twin white dwarf system must be true, or that there is another, more exotic model. More work is needed to get further evidence to support our findings. But first we need to locate more supernovae. One way we are doing this is by using a programme devoted to finding exploding stars, called the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae. It is carrying out a survey of the entire sky using wide-field cameras based in Hawaii and Chile. Other surveys are also detecting supernovae and many more are being discovered by amateur astronomers using CCD cameras. If we can check what is happening in more of these cataclysmic events, we can become more confident that our model of two white dwarfs triggering Type Ia supernovae is correct. S

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE IN FEBRUARY With Glenn Dawes

> 1 February > 15 February > 28 February

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VIRGO

Gemini is in the northern evening sky. Its most distinctive stars are mag. +1.9 Castor (Alpha (a) Geminorum) and mag. +1.2 Pollux (Beta (b) Geminorum), which mark the twins’ heads. Their bodies, lines of second- to fourth-magnitude stars, extend towards Orion. There’s an easy way to work out which twin is which: remember ‘CC’. Castor is always Closer to the horizon in the southern hemisphere. The two stars are 4.5° apart, similar to the separation of the southern pointer stars.

M6

Jupiter and its moons are occulted by the waxing gibbous Moon on the evening of the 18th. Ganymede will be first to disappear behind the Moon’s dark limb, followed by Jupiter, Callisto, Io and Europa. The entire sequence takes about 22 minutes. It’s visible in southern Australia, from Perth at 7.39pm, Adelaide at 10pm, Hobart at 10.21pm and Melbourne at 10.33pm; these are local standard times so you’ll need to add one hour for daylight savings. The rest of Australia will see a near miss.

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STARS AND CONSTELLATIONS

C B O E RE MA NI CE S

FEBRUARY HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 23:00 22:00

H E AS T

The chart accurately matches the sky on the dates and times shown. The sky is different at other times as stars crossing it set four minutes earlier each night. We’ve drawn the chart for latitude –35° south.

RT O N

WHEN TO USE THIS CHART

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Moving 9° north of (below) M44 will take you to mag. +4.0 star Iota (i) Cancri (RA 8h 46.7m, dec. +28° 46’). This colourful double star is comprised of a yellow mag. +4.1 primary with a white mag. +6.6 secondary 30 arcseconds northwest. They are often reported as appearing orange and blue respectively.

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skyatnightmagazine.com 2013

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of the faint naked-eye star (mag. +4.2) Acubens (Alpha (a) Cancri).

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DEEP-SKY OBJECTS The constellation of Cancer is in the northern evening sky. It’s most famous for the Beehive Cluster, M44, but far less attention is paid to nearby open cluster M67 (RA 8h 51.3m, dec. +11° 48’), pictured right. At mag. +6.9, it fills the 0.5° field of view of a low-power eyepiece. The cluster contains around 100 stars arranged in curving lines with obvious clumps. M67 is visible in binoculars, only 1.8° west

α

Saturn

of mag. +1.0 star Spica (Alpha (a) Virginis), low in the east. Saturn is best observed in the northern sky in the pre-dawn. Venus can also be seen just before dawn, low in the east, in the first half of February. Look for it directly under the teapot of Sagittarius.

EAST

The two largest planets are visible this month. Jupiter is well placed in the northwest evening sky, 6° below mag. +0.9 star Aldebaran (Alpha (a) Tauri). By the time it sets near midnight Saturn will have risen, appearing about 18° to the lower right

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skyatnightmagazine.com 2013