In this issue of SpaceTides

Dear SpaceTides subscribers

The summer is quickly nearing here in the Southern Hemisphere, (more specifically central SA!) and I'm sure there's many amateur astronomers who are looking forward to see the summer constellations like Orion, Taurus, Canis Major etc. again.

GlobalSecurity.org placed satellite images on their website showing the tragic and devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in the US: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/new-orleans-imagery.htm.  Satellites are becoming key players in the monitoring and observation of such events.

It seems the US are serious about returning to the Moon by 2018. Although such a lunar project will provide great experience for future manned missions to e.g. Mars, the costs are quite high and a lot of time and effort will be spent on it. One cannot help but wonder whether it isn't a return to the Kennedy era politics to provide the populace with a vision and some hope for the future in times of uncertainty. Critique of this statement of mine is more than welcome...

Gerrit Penning
Editor

Total subscribers as at 27 September 2005: 356 (+40 from previous issue, no. 35)

1. Spaceflight news from around the world

An artist's illustration showing the Hayabusa craft moving towards its asteroid target. Credit: JAXA

Japanese probe to return asteroid sample to Earth
Spaceflightnow: 12 September 2005

For the first time in history, a satellite will return a piece of an asteroid to Earth. The task will be undertaken by a Japanese probe called the Hayabusa, launched in May 2003. The probe recently took up its position at a distance of about 20 km from its targeted asteroid called "Itokawa". The probe will fly close by the asteroid and a funnel will scoop up about 1 gram of dust from the asteroid after a metal pellet is shot into the surface, ejecting the materials (possibly on two attempts). It will return to Earth in June 2007.

Hayabusa will also deploy a small rover known as MINERVA, which will leap, hop, and jump across the surface, taking pictures and measuring temperatures.

Full article: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0509/14hayabusa/

A single space shuttle solid rocket booster might be used to transport the new astronaut capsule into space.

Credits: NASA/John Frassanito and Associates

NASA's new bid for the Moon
BBC News World Edition: 19 September 2005

NASA recently announced that they are planning to send humans back to the Moon by 2018. The cost might be close to R700 billion.
NASA sent nine manned missions to the Moon Between 1968 and 1972 and 12 men walked on its surface during that time.

The lunar return project aims to someday use the moon as a staging post for missions to the planet Mars and beyond. The possibility exists that NASA may build a semi-permanent lunar base, where astronauts can make use of the Moon's natural resources for water and fuel. Two moon flights per year are currently envisioned.

The current space shuttle is to be retired by 2010. It will be replaced by the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) to be ready by 2012. The CEV will be shaped like the Apollo command and service modules and will be able to take four astronauts to the Moon at a time.

Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4261522.stm

2. Astronomy news from around the world

Tycho's supernova remnant (exploded star).
The blue outer layer represents rapidly moving, extremely high energy electrons.

Credit: NASA/CXC/Rutgers/J.Warren & J.Hughes et al

Chandra's Evidence for Cosmic Rays
Chandra Observatory News Release: 22 September 2005

In 1572, the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe observed the explosion of a star that was later named "Tycho's supernova". The Chandra Observatory (satellite in orbit around Earth) captured an image of the supernova which shows "an expanding bubble of multimillion degree debris (green and red) inside a more rapidly moving shell of extremely high energy electrons (filamentary blue)" - see image at left.
Two X-ray emitting shock waves are created by fast expanding stellar debris - one moves outward into the interstellar gas, and another moves back into the debris.

Chandra's observation is important in understanding the origin of "cosmic rays". These rays are high-energy atomic nuclei which pervade the Galaxy and also constantly bombard the Earth. Proposed sources of cosmic rays include e.g. solar flares and similar events on other stars, pulsars, and black hole accretion disks. The prime suspect however - supernova shock waves. And Chandra's "Tycho" findings strengthen the case.

From article at: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2005/tycho/

3. Interesting Space Facts

- Supernovae: Supernovae are immensely energetic explosions which can be as bright as a whole galaxy. Supernovae occurs when a very big star comes to the end of its lifetime. The star's nuclear fuel (hydrogen) becomes exhausted and helium is left to undergo fusion. Later, even heavier elements undergo this process. Layers of gas are thrown off into space. The expanding core and rushing layers collide with each other as the star expand and contract, giving of a tremendous shockwave. The layers are blown away from the core and causes the supernova's mammoth explosion. The remaining matter might form a neutron star or even a black hole.

- White dwarfs: Our sun is too small to become a supernova.  In about 5 billion years, our sun's hydrogen supply will become depleted.
After becoming a red giant for some time, engulfing all the inner rocky planets, it will contract to become a white dwarf star, shining faintly and being surrounded by a cloud of nebulous gas thrown off in the process. It will form a planetary nebula.

4. Space Questions

What is a so-called "Wormhole"?
No, it's not only an earthworm's hole in your vegetable garden. In astronomy there is also a term "wormhole", albeit with a different interpretation and more sci-fi at the moment than anything else.

By using some accepted models of "general relativity" theory you can bend the fabric of local space-time geometry by utilizing an extremely strong gravitational field. The space-time fabric becomes so intensely warped that it folds in on itself and can perhaps create a connection to a different location in space or time. These "connections" are referred to as wormholes. This concept may one day be used for quicker movement between stars. Someday artificial wormholes might be produced which can be large enough and remain open long enough for a traveller to pass through. Hope I don't come out somewhere in the middle of the hot dry waterless Gobi desert!

More at BBC Science: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/deepspace/wormholes/

Image of the Sun with sunspots visible. Credit: Jacques van Delft, ASSA Bloemfontein Centre.

What are stars made of?
As you know, the stars that we can see are nothing else than "suns". Our Sun is in turn nothing more than an ordinary mid-life, mid-size star. Our Sun, like other stars that we can see, formed in a huge gas clouds consisting almost entirely of hydrogen atoms. These "birth-places" of stars are called nebulae. Many beautiful nebulae can be seen through modest telescopes and some can be observed using binoculars or even your naked eyes.

Over 90% of our sun consists of hydrogen. The rest (almost 8%) consists of mainly helium. A very small percentage is made up of heavier elements like oxygen, carbon, nitrogen etc. Thus, stars are "huge balls of burning gas in space"!

Solar composition summary: http://www.earth.uni.edu/~morgan/astro/course/Notes/section2/solarcomp.html
Doing your own solar observations safely: http://www.geocities.com/jjvdelft1/solar.html

5. Sky Observation Log

Currently low in the western sky is the planet Jupiter, flanked to the upper left by the star Spica (alpha Virginis). Venus shines very bright a few degrees above them.

At 20h00, South African observers will see a bright star shining just above the northern horizon, slightly to the west. This star is called Vega - alpha Lyrae. Vega is the 5th brightest star in the sky.  It is also one of the nearest stars to our sun - only 26 light years away!

The constellation of Pegasus (the Winged Horse) is rising in the east with Spring. Watch for the Square of Pegasus later in the evening - a giant square forming the body of the horse, with its head pointing west.

Amateur astronomers with medium-sized telescopes can do themselves a favour and still try to observe the open cluster M11, also known as the Wild Duck cluster in Scutum. A bit difficult to find first time, but surprisingly beautiful. At small magnifications it appears to take on the form of a globular star cluster.
See a picture of M11 on APOD: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030122.html

Chances are running out to catch a last glimpse of Scorpius and Sagittarius. Binocular users in dark skies can scan these constellations and see what deep sky objects you can find.

More on deep sky observing on the national ASSA Deep Sky pages:  http://www.saao.ac.za/assa/html/32_deepsky.html

6. Amateur Astronomers' Corner

Part of a full disk photo of the moon, taken by Neels Raath (ASSA Bloemfontein Centre), using a Sony W15 digital through a 10 inch Dobsonian with a 25 mm eyepiece.

Photographing lunar details

Many people unacquainted with telescopes are amazed when the see they can take impressive pictures of the moon's surface by using their ordinary digital cameras. With the right telescope (even some small ones) and the right size eyepiece, you can turn your digital camera into a handy astrophotographer tool.  The moon is an easy target, because it is bright enough to not worry about exposure times and holding your hands steady if you don't have a camera adapter to fit on your telescope.

You can edit your photo afterwards with image processing software like Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop etc. Try increasing the photo's "contrast" and you will see the boundaries between the detail on the photo coming out superbly (this is also true for ordinary land photos - colours are "contrasted" against each other and the image becomes clearer).  You can even compare your lunar photo with a lunar map and see which craters you can make out on your own photo.

7. Astronomy in Southern Africa

Digital elevation map showing proposed sites for the SKA: in Namaqualand, the Kalahari or Karoo. SKA.

SA's bid for the Square Kilometer Array
SKA website

South Africa's near-perfect locations for astronomical observations in certain parts of the country makes it the ideal place to host large international observatories, visual or radio.

The Square Kilometer Array is one of the most exciting radio astronomy projects in decades and aims "to create a receiving surface of a million square metres - one hundred times larger than the biggest receiving surface now in existence". South Africa is in on the race to be the host country of the project.
The SKA will consists of many small antennas spread out over a vast area of land. The signals received by each of the smaller antennas will be combined to form a single, big, picture.
From the SKA website. More information: : http://www.ska.ac.za/

8. Astronomy Events in the City of Bloemfontein

Explore Boyden Observatory:  www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden/explore.htm
One of the most publicly accessible observatories of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, also housing SA's third largest telescope.  To arrange group visits to the Observatory, phone Dr. Matie Hoffman at 051-401 2924 for more information, or send an e-mail to him at: HoffmaMJ.SCI@mail.uovs.ac.za

Next Boyden Open Evening/Volgende Boyden Ope-aand: (Bloemfontein, SA) - Saturday 5 November 2005, 18h30 for 19h00. International Astronomer from the University of Michigan in the USA, Dr. Patrick Seitzer will give a 15 minute talk on the Lamont-Hussey Observatory and give a presentation on the exciting topic of space debris called "When Good Satellites Go Bad - An Astronomical Survey for Space Debris". Observations of deep sky objects through telescopes. Please watch the media for reservation details.

The Friends of Boyden:  www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden
A public interest group for Boyden Observatory and for people interested in joining the astronomical community of  Bloemfontein, but not make astronomy necessarily their "full-time" hobby.

Contact Braam van Zyl at 051-436 7555 (h) or visit the website above for more information regarding the Friends. Anyone can become a member. R50 membership fee per year for a whole family. Members receive the latest information on astronomy events in Bloem, attend the Friends' presentations free of charge and receive the "Naghemel" quarterly newsletter compiled by ASSA Bloemfontein by post.

ASSA Bloemfontein Centre:  www.assabfn.co.za
Affiliated with the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa, the Bloemfontein Centre of ASSA is an active organization of amateur astronomers meeting on a regular basis to discuss and practise astronomy as hobby. Activities include solar-, lunar-, deep sky- and comet & meteor observations, as well as historical research, telescope building, tours and away-weekends under dark skies. Send an e-mail to mail@assabfn.co.za or visit the website. Interested persons can also contact Phillip Coetzer: 084 627 7626.

9. Web links & Net nodes

• Astronomy & Spaceflight Links:

Mission Timeline - BBC. A site with a timeline of key space exploration dates. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/themes/science_and_technology/space/default.stm

Imagine the Universe.  Especially for learners 14 and up and for anyone else wanting to learn more about the Universe!  http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.html

Destination Space @ nationalgeographic.com - a smart and modern site with various astronomical themes.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/destinationspace/

• Other links on the web:

DOSGAMES.com - Those were the days! Download over 400 free DOS games...
http://www.dosgames.com/
Digital Photography Review - want to buy or upgrade a digital camera? Include tips and techniques.
http://www.dpreview.com/
World Airport Guide - Going to an airport in the coming few weeks? Let this site be your guide...
http://www.worldairportguide.com/
ThinkQuest Education Foundation - Innovative student learning resource on the web.
http://www.thinkquest.org/library/