Solar X-rays: Geomagnetic Field: |
Current Moon Phase |
Jupiter Twilight Setting: This treetop guided 15 second photo of Jupiter with its four Galilean satellites was taken at 5:46 p.m., November 23 from near Coopersburg, PA. Immediately afterwards a 15 second image was snapped with the mount drive disengaged to keep the trees sharp. The blurred trees of the first image, caused by Earth's rotation, were exchanged for the trees of the second photo to enhance the esthetics of the composition. A Canon D40 camera was used at a focal length of 320mm at F/5, ASA 500. Photography by Gary A. Becker... |
Going, going, but not quite gone... Compare how Comet Holmes has increased in size and decreased in brightness in these two identically scaled images. Holmes was as voluminous as the sun in the November 10 image, but eight times the volume in the November 27 photo. Canon D40 images at 640mm, F/5.6 by Gary A. Becker from Coopersburg, PA... |
Waxing crescent moon, October 17, 2007 Canon D40 image by Gary A. Becker... |
Waxing gibbous moon, October 20, 2007 Canon D40 image by Gary A. Becker... |
Waxing gibbous moon, October 21, 2007 Canon D40 image by Gary A. Becker... |
Geminid meteors will appear to diverge from an area of the sky near the bright star Castor. Look for orangey Mars, the brightest celestial object in the sky after moonset, to help locate Gemini and Castor. Map created by Gary A. Becker using The Sky software... |
Elfyourself: For all of the pain and suffering of working last spring with Kutztown University student teacher, Matt Hess, in his case for 18 weeks instead of the normal nine—he was a slow learner, this is how I was repaid. Currently Hess is teaching Earth and Space Science at Central York (PA) School District, but whether he’ll still have his job after the Winter Break is anyone’s guess. Oh, by the way, I’m the handsome elf on the left. If you want to see the entire show, click here . Happy Holidays, Matt! |
Comet 8P/Tuttle will be visible for the next week or so before it eventually disappears in the southwest in late January. Catch it now with binoculars or small telescopes from rural and suburban locales. Tuttle appears as a fuzzy smudge in small binoculars. The comet images on the map are strictly for location purposes and do not represent how the comet will appear to the unaided eye or through binoculars. Map drawn by Gary A. Becker using "The Sky"... |
Tuttle in Stereo: These two photos of Comet 8P/Tuttle will “pop” into a stereo image by crossing your eyes to produce a third image between the left and right pictures. The comet will appear to be three dimensional and lie in front of the stellar background. These two pictures, separated by only seven minutes in time, were taken with a Canon 40D camera on January 2 just after 9 p.m. EST. Photography by Gary A. Becker, Coopersburg, PA… |
Map drawn by Gary A. Becker using "The Sky"... |
A lazy nearly last quarter moon rolled up on its side above the rooftops of Coopersburg inviting me to take this image. It was the first mostly clear night in weeks. A tripod mounted Canon D40 camera was used with a 640mm lens at F/8, 1/80th second, ASA 200. December 30, 2:12 a.m. photography by Gary A. Becker... |