MnAstro Forums

Author: Becky Smethurst. Available in Hennepin County Library. Fun book recounting how science developed both the theory and the tools to prove the existence of black holes. One point she likes to make is that black holes are neither black or a hole. Since accretion disks around them radiate energy,...

Just watched a you tube video on a Sony product called Star Spere. It's a small satellite that you can rent time on to photograph the earth. Will be active later this year. It was just launched. If you interested, here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOw31oQ9kOE. When the pricing comes o...

Kare, channel 11, is presenting a feature on Astro Tourism in Minnesota during their 10pm news on Monday Nov 21. I've set my DVR for it to see what it's all about.

Just finished a new book by Bob Berman. It's in the Hennepin County library. Interesting read on various violent events, such as supernovas, etc. Lot's of interesting facts. 35 short essays like "When Galaxies collide". Also includes biological mayhem. Fun stuff.

If you want a quick treat, get up around 4am and look to the south. The bright one is Jupiter and off to the left and down a little is Saturn, both shinning bright. Further to the left will be Mars. 3 planets.

Here's and interesting book detailing the history of rockets up to the creation of NASA. The author is Amy Shira Teitel and the book is in the Hennepin library system. It relates some of the weird experiments in 20's and 30's especially in Germany. It covers the development of the V2 and the afterma...

On a lighter side another annoying legacy for a couple of decades was: "If they can put a man on the moon why can't we 'fill in your cause'"?.

I'm not sure our government is capable of sustaining a large program for many years. As the video points out we had a couple of tries which ran out of gas or were cancelled. It may take a SpaceX or Blue Origin to pull it off. China is able to plan for decades so they may end up getting to moon and/o...

Well, while we are all celebrating the 50th anniversary here's a you tube discuss with some interesting ideas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0ERXwhn-5w Make sure you watch the whole presentation to get the complete picture on why Apollo's legacy might be flawed. I'll be interested in your comments.

I wonder what it will be like when there are thousands of these going around the earth, especially for imagers.

There is a YouTube video also. Search on starlink

Here's a you tube video of Katie Bouman explaining how the data processing worked. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7n2rYt9wfU

We are usually looking at the world of very large objects, planets, stars, clusters, and galaxies. At the other end of the scale is the quantum world where electrons, protons, quarks exist. The stuff that the large world is made up. The quantum world is a strange place. Particles may be in two place...

Try to find some pictures of the Japanese rovers on an asteroid. They hop instead of drive. The picture I saw was a WOW but I don't know how to find it again.

Gustav Holst's "The Planets" turn 100 tomorrow. You can catch a recording on NPR.

How close is it to area 51?

Note: anyone receiving training last Friday, let me know, by email, if you would like a door code.

Clear Sky Chart and Clearoutside indicated wonderful skies. However, the smoke was there. No, Sagittarius, Scorpius, or Capricornus. Planets around. Like looking through a filter. However, we had lot's of new members and visitors; at least 15 in all. 2 larger groups. We had visitors and new members ...

Many of us suffering from PDS (Photon Deficiency Syndrome) got a small dose of photons on Saturday night. So now we are 1 for 18 on CGO nights. Maybe we will improve over the next few months. We accomplished some training also. Make sure you email me or send a private message if you received the tra...

Friday.

Even if the forecast for tomorrow, Saturday, improve, CGO's field could be very wet. It received a lot of rain today.

It's not easy to make a decision on relocating the Messier Marathon. However, the field at CGO is not in good condition with the 8" of snow from the last storm. With potentially more on the way this weekend, it seems best to plan to move the event to ELO where observing areas will dry out faste...

Yes, on the road problem. The best way is to continue on Mn 52 to Mn 57 and proceed south from there to Wanamigo and Mn 60. Then right (west) on Mn 60 to Goodhue 1.

I know it's a bad Friday but anyone thinking about CGO tonight? Joan & I are thinking about going there tonight? By bad I mean the 13th

Nancy, if you are at CGO tonight and someone needs training on opening/closing Cherry Grove, could you go over it with them and then email me who you trained. They will also need to email me so I can send them a code. I checked this morning and there were Tstorms in the forecast, so I committed to o...