Your monthly newsletter by the Seattle Astronomical Society
The Web-Footed Astronomer
- JULY 2022 -
Flame and Horsehead Nebula: SAS Astrophotography Contest, Summer 2022 | Rohit Nair
Upcoming Events
MEETINGS
July 13 — SAS Board Meeting | 7:00 - 9:00 PM
In person at Museum of Flight Second-Floor Board Room
Online via Zoom link from: president@seattleastro.org Event Details July 20 — SAS General Meeting | 7:00 - 8:30 PM
Members log in for link at 7 PM
Public log in at 7:30 PM:
Please request link at outreach@seattleastro.org Event Details
STAR PARTIES July 1 — Covington Park | 8:00 PM July 16 — Bonney Lake | 8:00 PM July 21 thru July 25 — Goldendale, WA July 23 — Paramount Park | 8:00 PM July 30 — Rattlesnkae Ledge Trailhead | 8:00 PM SAS members only July 30 — Snoqualmie Point Park | 8:00 PM Open to public
Find all Star Party details here
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Bonney Lake Tunes @ Tapps every Wednesday in July! | 5:00 - 8:00 PM
Come listen to live music and visit the SAS booth Event details
Scientists uncover new population of massive black holes
June 9 — A clever way to find a previously overlooked population of dwarf galaxies could answer questions about how supermassive black holes grow so big Read the full story here
Astronomers find evidence for most powerful pulsar in distant galaxy June 15 — Astronomers using data from the VLA Sky Survey have discovered one of the youngest known neutron stars -- possibly as young as only 14 years Read the full story here
International Space Station dodges orbital debris from Russian anti-satellite test June 19 — Debris from the Soviet-era Cosmos 1408 satellite destroyed by Russia in Nov. 2021 forced the avoidance maneuver Read the full story here
SPECIAL NEWS ITEM
First Images From NASA’s Webb Space Telescope
Coming Soon
(Credit: nasa.gov)
June 1, 2022
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, a partnership with ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), will release its first full-color images and spectroscopic data on July 12, 2022. As the largest and most complex observatory ever launched into space, Webb has been going through a six-month period of preparation before it can begin science work, calibrating its instruments to its space environment and aligning its mirrors. This careful process, not to mention years of new technology development and mission planning, has built up to the first images and data: a demonstration of Webb at its full power, ready to begin its science mission and unfold the infrared universe.
“As we near the end of preparing the observatory for science, we are on the precipice of an incredibly exciting period of discovery about our universe. The release of Webb’s first full-color images will offer a unique moment for us all to stop and marvel at a view humanity has never seen before,” said Eric Smith, Webb program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “These images will be the culmination of decades of dedication, talent, and dreams – but they will also be just the beginning.”
Hubble Ultra Deep Field | Credit: NASA, ESA, R. Bouwens and G.Illingworth (University of California, Santa Cruz)
LOOKING
BACK
This month in
astronomy history
Explorer 38 launches NASA into
Radio Astronomy
In the early evening on July 4, 1968, NASA launched their first Radio Astronomy satellite into the overcast sky above the Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Radio Astronomy Explorer A (RAE-A), also known as Explorer 38, was launched as part of NASA's Explorer program, a program that provided flight opportunities for physics, heliophysics, astrophysics and geophysics investigations from space. The Explorer program began in 1958 with the launch of Explorer 1, the first satellite launched by the United State's and our ticket into the Cold War Space Race.
Explorer 38 was led by Project scientists Dr. Robert Stone and Dr. Nancy Roma, and Project Manager John Shea.
The Explorer 38 spacecraft, with its two 230 m long V-antennas, six radiometers, impedance probe and capacitance probe, was designed to measure the intensity of celestial radio sources, specifically our celestial source; the Sun. During its designated 12-month operating lifetime, the satellite, weighing 600 kg with all its instruments and attachments, conducted five experiments analyzing radio frequencies from 0.2 to 20-MHz.
Explorer 38 was able to successfully telemeter data back to Earth that provided new insights into type III solar radio bursts and the average frequency of the cosmic background, making it possible to obtain the first estimates of the solar corona's electron density. The spacecraft's antennas also picked up the widespread and very intense radio emissions coming from Earth, of natural and human origin, which emit at 40 dB higher than the cosmic background.
Radio astronomy is a vital tool that allows astronomers to probe the universe's ancient past. It expands the senses of the astronomer, shining a light on the cold and quiet corners of the cosmos that hide in the background. Explorer 38 ceased its data transmissions in 1969 as planned and remains in orbit today. NASA's Explorer program continues and launched the 97th satellite on December 9, 2021.
Credit: Unsplash | Kota Hamori
The July Night Sky
See what our celestial neighbors are up to this month
For observes in the northern hemisphere, July is the perfect time to see the Milky Way stretching across the night sky as the Earth is tipped toward the Galactic Core. Stay up late to see the stream of stars appear out of the darkening sky. As you gaze up, visualize yourself in the small Orion-Cygnus spiral arm of the Milky Way, halfway between the visible edge and Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole around which our galaxy swirls. Grab your best viewing equipment — whether that be binoculars, a telescope or your eyes — and look out for these stellar viewing opportunities this July.
Messier 22
Messier 22 (M22) is an elliptical globular cluster located near the galactic bulge. It's one of the brightest globular clusters visible in the night sky and is best viewed in the summer months when the Milky Way is high in the sky. It can be found in the constellation Sagittarius and is visible with a telescope or binoculars.
Credit: ESA/Hubble, CC BY 4.0
July 1 - July 14 — Observe the changing phases and location of the moon Observe from New Moon to Full Moon to learn how the orbit of the moon affects its appearance. Record the location of the moon at the same time every night during end of evening twilight and notice the path that it follows across the sky.
The planets are aligning this month to provide observers with a series of planet-moon conjunctions. On July 15, Saturn will be at conjunction with the 90% illuminated moon in a Close Approach with an apparent separation of 4°02′ at their closet. On July 18, Jupiter and the moon will be at conjunction with a separation of 2°13′. This event can be viewed in the evening with the unaided eye thanks to Jupiter's brightness. And around midnight on July 21, Mars and the dim 34% illuminated moon will be at conjunction with a separation of 1°03′.
July 20 – Asteroid 9 Metis & Pluto at Opposition
Around midnight on July 20, near the constellation Sagittarius, main-belt asteroid 9 Metis and Pluto will at opposition, meaning opposite the Sun with the Earth sitting in between. They'll be brightly illuminated with reflecting sunlight and visible near the constellation Sagittarius.
Thank you for reading our Seattle Astronomical Society Newsletter. Visit our website for all event details and follow our social to stay up to date with all club activities.
Messier 22 (M22) is an elliptical globular cluster located near the galactic bulge. It's one of the brightest globular clusters visible in the night sky and is best viewed in the summer months when the Milky Way is high in the sky. It can be found in the constellation Sagittarius and is visible with a telescope or binoculars.
Observe from New Moon to Full Moon to learn how the orbit of the moon affects its appearance. Record the location of the moon at the same time every night during end of evening twilight and notice the path that it follows across the sky.
