Solar X-rays: Geomagnetic Field: |
Current Moon Phase |
The constellation Auriga the Charioteer is in the east, mid-sky, by 7:00 p.m. in early January. The star, Elnath technically belongs to Taurus the Bull. Three inset photos by Jan Wisnieski, Soake, British Columbia, Canada depict the triad of "M" objects located near the wheels of Auriga. Graphics by Gary A. Becker... |
Volcanic geysers loft tiny water ice crystals high into the dark, cold sky near Enceladus's South Pole (inset). Some of this water escapes Enceladus's gravitational field to repopulate the ephemeral E-ring of Saturn. Cassini images PIA08321 and PIA07758 (inset)... |
Graphics by NASA-PIA07799... |
Mercury becomes prominent in the evening sky about 30-45 minutes after sunset between the last week in January and the first week in February. Scan with binoculars below brilliant Venus and in the direction of the brightest part of the horizon. The most luminous star like object detected will be Mercury. Read the article above this picture. Graphics by Gary A. Becker... |
The lunar crater Copernicus shows all of the distinctive characteristics of a large impact. See the article above for specifics. NASA Lunar Orbiter photo PIA00094... |
Class Act: Dieruff High School astronomy students pose happily after learning that their unit on solar system cratering has finally come to an end. From left to right, Sean R. Quigney, Christine G. Eisenman, Anddy Lizardo (Lizard Man), Helen Motley, Quynh M. Tran, Ozzie Rivera, Steven A. Johnson, Kristofer E. Brown, Bradley Spangler, Gary A. Becker (who thinks he is in charge), Shawn F. Schuler (wierd hand), Julyssa Nunez, Steven Hernandez (kneeling), Andre F. Ortiz (Hey, he's not even in my class), Bernard M. Camacho (partially hidden), Zachary K. Davis, Reham Namous (troublemaker), Jimmy Torres (The Bull), Andrew J. Cocco, Michael Graham, and Matt Hess (student teacher from Kutztown University who wants my job)... Photo by Gary A. Becker... |