Nova in Sagittarius

For the astronomers out there:

According to the AAVSO, a nova has been discovered in the constellation Sagittarius at the following coordinates:

RA = 18h 07m 08s (2000.0)

Dec = -33d 46.6m (2000.0)

The Nova was discovered by Koichi Nishiyama, Kurume, Fukuoka-ken, Japan, and Fujio Kabashima, Miyaki-cho, Saga-ken, Japan, at unfiltered magnitude 7.7 on two 60-second frames taken Aug. 6.494 and 6.495 UT. They confirmed the discovery on five frames taken around Aug. 6.494.

A 3-degree FOV finder chart is shown below:

The following is from AAVSO Alert Notice 400:

Event:

Nova in Sagittarius

Discovered Independently By:

a. - Koichi Nishiyama, Kurume, Fukuoka-ken, Japan, and Fujio Kabashima, Miyaki-cho, Saga-ken, Japan

b. - Grzegorz Pojmanski, Dorota Szczygiel, and Bogumil Pilecki, Warsaw University Astronomical Observatory, observed by ASAS3

Discovery Date:

a. - Aug. 6.494 and 6.495 UT, confirmed on five frames taken around Aug. 6.494

b. - Aug. 6.182 UT

Discovery Magnitude:

a. - 7.7 (unfiltered CCD with 105-mm f/4 lens)

b. - 7.78 V (ASAS3, telephoto lens 200/2.8, diameter 70 mm + CCD + Johnson V filter, three 3-minute exposures, pixel size 14.8")

Position:

a. - RA = 18h 07m 07.67s, Dec = -33d 46m 33.9s (2000.0)

b. - RA = 18h 07m 08s, Dec = -33d 46.6m (2000.0)

Spectra:

The object was confirmed as a nova through spectra obtained by:

Mitsugu Fujii, Fujii Bisei Observatory, Okayama, Japan, on Aug. 7.60 UT, and by Akira Arai, Tomoyuki Komatsu, Msayuki Yamanaka, Mahito Sasada, and Ryosuke Itoh, on Aug. 7.63 UT.

Observations:

Via CBET 1900: H. Maehara, Kwasan Observatory, Kyoto University, and Y. Sakane and H. Yamaoka, Kyushu University, on Aug. 7.57 UT: 7.43V, B-V = +0.60, V-R_c = +0.48, V-I_c = +0.99. S. Kiyota, Ibaraki, Japan, using the 30-cm telescope of the GRAS (global-rent-a-scope) at New Mexico: Aug. 8.122 UT, I_c = 6.52; 8.130, 7.68V; 8.131, R_c = 7.41; 8.133, 8.07B.

Observations reported directly to the AAVSO: Aug. 07.6689, 7.292V +/-0.016, M. Nissinen, Varkaus, Finland (using GRAS telescope); 08.3667, 7.8, Y. Kok, Stanmore, NSW, Australia; 08.3882, 7.6, H. Maysuyama, Kanimbla, QLD, Australia; 08.4424, 7.8, Matsuyama; 08.4972, 7.9, Matsuyama; 08.5528,8.2, Kok.

Charts:

Finder charts for N Sgr 2009 No. 3 may be plotted by entering the coordinates above into VSP: http://www.aavso.org/observing/charts/vsp

Report Observations:

This object has been assigned the name VSX J180707.6-334633 with the AUID 000-BJP-536. Please report observations to the AAVSO International Database using the name N Sgr 2009 No. 3, N Sgr 2009#3, or VSX J180707.6-334633.

Notes:

a. Nishiyama and Kabashima report no motion was seen during 80 minutes and nothing was visible at this location down to 12.7 on survey frames taken July 22.531 and 29.584 UT. Nothing was seen on the DSS (POSS2/UKSTU red), or in ASAS, AAVSO VSX, SIMBAD, 2MASS and USNO-B1.0 catalogues, although the USNO-B1.0 shows a faint star (I = 12.45) nearby (at end figures 07.509s, 33.13").

b. Pojmanski, Szczygiel, and Pilecki report nothing was visible on Aug. 4.152 UT. The ASAS light curve and images can be found at: http://www.astrouw.edu.pl/cgi-asas/asas_disc/180708-3346.6,5040.

c. Leonid Elenin, Moscow, also confirmed the presence of the object using a remote astrograph (Takahashi Epsilon 180 telescope (+ ST2000C camera with a blue-sensitive chip) in Pingelly, Australia, providing position end figures 07.67s, 34.9s, +/-0.14".

d. The non-AAVSO information in this Alert Notice was announced in IAU CBET No. 1899 (Brian G. Marsden, Ed.) and CBET No. 1900 (Daniel W. E. Green, Ed.).

Congratulations to Koichi Nishiyama and Fujio Kabashima, and to Grzegorz Pojmanski, Dorota Szczygiel, and Bogumil Pilecki for their independent discoveries!

Good observing,

Elizabeth O. Waagen, AAVSO

Mars Update to Google Earth

Mars' Valles Marineris Credit: NASA/Google Earth

NASA and Google announce an update to Mars in Google Earth, a 3D mapping tool for the Red Planet.

Originally released with Google Earth 5.0, Mars in Google Earth now contains even more features that give users a sense of how our knowledge of Mars, and our study of astronomy, has evolved over time.  After selecting 'Mars' from the toolbar in Google Earth, users “fly” to a 3D view of the Red Planet, complete with informational layers, imagery, and terrain.  The tools for navigation and exploration on Mars are identical to those on Earth - zoom in and out, change the camera view, or spin the entire planet with a click of the mouse.

There are several new features in this updated version of Mars in Google Earth:

First, users can “travel back in time” to see the Red Planet through the eyes of the pioneers of Mars science in the Historical Maps layer by exploring antique maps by astronomers Giovanni Schiaparelli, Percival Lowell, and others .

Then, they can fast-forward to the present day with the new Live from Mars layer, featuring a continuous stream of the latest imagery from today's Mars spacecraft.  Live from Mars includes imagery from NASA's THEMIS camera on board the Mars Odyssey spacecraft, and lets users fly along with Odyssey as well as the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to see what they have been observing lately and where they are headed next.

Users can discover these, and other exciting features—and learn all about the history of Mars science and exploration—with two new guided tours of Mars narrated by Ira Flatow of Public Radio's Science Friday and Bill Nye the Science Guy.

You may wish to view the narrated tutorial here or here.

Mars in Google Earth also contains several updated elements, in addition to the many popular features that were available at the original launch:

Updated imagery from NASA and ESA, and improved the search function to make it easier to explore well-known sites on Mars.  Just as they could in the original version of Mars in Google Earth, users can read geo-located articles from William K. Hartmann’s A Traveler's Guide to Mars about the solar system's largest canyon, Valles Marineris, its tallest volcano, Olympus Mons, the infamous “Face on Mars”, and many other famous Martian locations.  They can also follow the paths of Mars rovers and view hi-resolution panoramic photos of the Mars surface.

Water Found On Mars… Yet Again?

Update: Based on a comment to this article, it seems I overestimated the degree of general knowledge concerning the conditions of the Martian climate and the properties of water. I have updated this article to include data showing why I think the globules are not evidence of liquid water.

Phoenix touched down at its landing site in the Martian arctic on 25 May 2008. Recent examinations of early Phoenix photographs show globules of what may be liquid water on the lander’s struts.

Image: Mars water, Renno, et al., NASA

Images of one of Phoenix's struts taken by the lander's robotic arm camera on Sols (or Martian days) 8, 31 and 44 of the mission. The two spheroids enclosed by the circle appear to merge with each other.

Some Phoenix scientists argue is a sign that the globs are liquid water, but researchers are divided on just what the photographs actually show.

Let’s talk about water and triple point:

The triple point of any substance is that temperature and pressure at which the material can coexist in all three phases (solid, liquid and gas) in equilibrium. Specifically the triple point of water is 273.16 K, (0.01° C, 32.018° F) at 611.2 Pa [pascals], (6.112 mb [millibars]).

Now, let’s look at this diagram showing water in relation to the Martian atmosphere:

The atmospheric pressure on Mars is so low, even in the most favorable spots where the pressure is higher than average, liquid water is restricted to the temperature range +0.01º C to +9 °C.

So, for liquid water to exist on Mars, the atmospheric pressure would have to be between 6.1 mb to 10 mb and the temperature between +0.01º C to +9 °C.

The temperature and pressure at Phoenix’ location on the dates the three photos were taken were:

(Martian day number, low temp, high temp, atmospheric pressure)

Sol 8 -83 ºC, (-117.4º F), -31 ºC, (-23.8º F), 8.49 mb (849 Pa, 0.00837 atm)
Sol 31 -79 ºC, (-110.2º F), -31 ºC, (-23.8º F), 8.16 mb (816 Pa, 0.00805 atm)
Sol 44 -78 ºC, (-108.4º F), -30 ºC, (-22.0º F), 8.04 mb (804 Pa, 0.00793 atm)

Highs between Sol 8 and Sol 44, inclusive:
-25 ºC, (-13º F, 248º K) 8.5mb, (850 Pa, 0.00838 Atm)

For those “globules” to be pure liquid water, we would have to throw out the physics of water as we understand it, the physics of the Martian atmosphere as we understand it, or both. Neither are likely to be incorrect on this scale.

So. The globules aren’t pure liquid water. BUT—what if the water is contaminated?

Phoenix found perchlorates in the soil around the lander. Perchlorates are highly water soluble and in solution allow the water to remain in a liquid state to -70°C. The presence of perchlorates increases the plausibility of water solutions in a liquid state.

Also, Phoenix’ landing rockets “burned” hydrazine, which decomposes into ammonia, nitrogen gas, and hydrogen gas. I have not calculated the phase states of hydrazine or ammonia under Martian climatic conditions, but I propose either would be a better bet than pure liquid water.

In any event, the globules really can’t be pure liquid water, though they may be water with antifreeze added—big deal. NASA’s press release is much ado about nothing but it serves to demonstrate that such releases are a bad idea until all your data is in, properly reduced, and passed around for comment and critique by other researchers.

Every once in a while, there is a “sensational” story about water being found on Mars as though it was a new discovery. To set the record straight, it has long been known that there IS, in fact, water on Mars.

A small, small sample of such stories from only the BBC:

21 June, 2000, Water 'found on Mars'

26 July, 2001, Water reserves found on Mars

28 May, 2002, Mars ice could flood planet

16 February, 2003, Ankle-deep on Mars

24 January, 2004, Long history of water and Mars

6 March, 2004, More signs of water found on Mars

18 May, 2004, Rover finds new Mars water signs

26 July, 2004, Probe maps water vapour on Mars

21 February 2005, Mars pictures reveal frozen sea

29 July 2005, Ice lake found on the Red Planet

5 September 2005, Martian dunes hide water secret

30 November 2005, Radar sees ice deep below Mars

16 March 2007, Polar water 'would blanket Mars'

19 December 2007, 'Active glacier found' on Mars

20 December 2007, Greenhouse clue to water on Mars

17 July 2008 14:28 Water 'widespread' on early Mars

31 July 2008 22:15 NASA's lander samples Mars water

There’s water on Mars. So okay already. Move on.

Earth Escapes Disaster by 41 Minutes

Asteroid Passed Within 46,500 Miles, Monday

An asteroid named 2009 DD45, estimated to be the size of a ten-story building, (about 115ft), barely missed colliding with Earth Monday. Had the asteroid arrived just 41 minutes earlier it would have struck the Earth with devastating consequences.

Tunguska, 45 years after the event

An asteroid of similar size to 2009 DD45 smashed into the Earth’s atmosphere on June 30, 1908, over Siberia. Streaking across the sky at an estimated speed of about 62,000mph, it exploded high in the atmosphere with a blast equivalent to about 15 one-megaton atomic bombs. Over 60 million trees were flattened over more than 770 sq miles of forest, (an area 1.6 times the size of New York City), near Siberia’s Tunguska River. By sheer luck the blast occurred over a remote area and no lives were known lost.

But we’re not out of the woods yet. There are plenty more cosmic missiles—known and yet to be discovered—coming our way.

At 1,100 ft, asteroid Apophis--designated 2004 MN4--is capable of causing considerably more devastation than either the Tunguska asteroid or 2009 DD45. Apophis will swing past Earth in 2029 at an altitude less than our communications and spy satellites. There's a slim chance that Apophis will pass through a "keyhole." In this narrow corridor of space, perhaps a few hundred yards wide, Earth's gravity would deflect the asteroid just enough to put it on a certain collision course with our planet on its next pass in 2036.

An asteroid made this crater in Arizona, 50,000 years ago

The odds that Apophis will pass through this fatal corridor are currently estimated at 1 in 45,000. We might have to wait until weeks after its close approach in 2029 to learn whether Apophis has squeezed through the keyhole, leaving us precious little time to avert calamity in 2036.

Few experts are giving this much thought, says astronomer David Morrison of NASA’s Ames Research Center: “The number would roughly staff a couple shifts at a McDonald’s.”

John McCain take note!

John McCain Puts The "Twit" In Twitter

McCain Mocks Spending For Astronomy

McCain answers a question on his IQ

John McCain, a man so inept his wife has to scan the internet for him, has a Twitter account, which he uses to promote his political agenda, (I suspect one of his aides makes the entries).

Among other things, McCain has been twittering about pork in the congressional theft "economic stimulus" bill. Now, I'm against pork--which makes up the vast majority of that bill--but look at what McCain sees as the number 2 porker:

#2. $2 million “for the promotion of astronomy” in Hawaii - because nothing says new jobs for average Americans like investing in astronomy

What?

Let's see... McCain represents Arizona... Okay, take a gander at this page:
The Economic Impact of Astronomy, Planetary and Space Science Research in Arizona

Quoting from that page:

Research in Astronomy, Planetary Sciences and Space Sciences is a core strength of Arizona’s economy.

According to the economic analysis contained in the report, in 2006 alone, research in astronomy and space and planetary sciences provided over a $250 million in economic impact to Arizona. To put that in perspective, that is the equivalent of the economic impact of the Super Bowl every two years.

Arizona, like most of the nation, is facing an uncertain economic future in the near term. But one thing is not uncertain and that is the importance of astronomy, space and planetary research to Arizona’s economy.

There are real threats that will diminish the economic contributions of research in these fields. Immediate and decisive action must be taken so that will continue to realize the economic benefit of astronomy and space and planetary sciences.

So. Astronomy brings over a quarter-of-a-billion dollars into his own state every year, but McCain thinks spending 0.000049% of the Pork Bill to promote astronomy in Hawaii is a bad idea?

Well, what’s so special about astronomy in Hawaii?

Hawaii is Earth's connecting point to the rest of the Universe. The summit of Mauna Kea on the Island of Hawaii hosts the world's largest astronomical observatory, with telescopes operated by astronomers from eleven countries. The combined light-gathering power of the telescopes on Mauna Kea is fifteen times greater than that of the Palomar telescope in California -- for many years the world's largest -- and sixty times greater than that of the Hubble Space Telescope.

There are currently thirteen working telescopes near the summit of Mauna Kea. Nine of them are for optical and infrared astronomy, three of them are for submillimeter wavelength astronomy and one is for radio astronomy. They include the largest optical/infrared telescopes in the world (the Keck telescopes), the largest dedicated infrared telescope (UKIRT) and the largest submillimeter telescope in the world (the JCMT). The westernmost antenna of the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) is situated at a lower altitude two miles from the summit.

Mauna Kea is unique as an astronomical observing site. The atmosphere above the mountain is extremely dry -- which is important in measuring infrared and submillimeter radiation from celestial sources - and cloud-free, so that the proportion of clear nights is among the highest in the world. The exceptional stability of the atmosphere above Mauna Kea permits more detailed studies than are possible elsewhere, while its distance from city lights and a strong island-wide lighting ordinance ensure an extremely dark sky, allowing observation of the faintest galaxies that lie at the very edge of the observable Universe. A tropical inversion cloud layer about 600 meters (2,000 ft) thick, well below the summit, isolates the upper atmosphere from the lower moist maritime air and ensures that the summit skies are pure, dry, and free from atmospheric pollutants.

Part of the observatory complex on Mauna Kea

To quote the 2006 Report on long-term development of observatory sites on the summit of Mauna Kea:

Astronomy facilities on Mauna Kea and Haleakala represent a capital investment of close to $1 billion. The economic impact of astronomy to the State [of Hawaii] amounts to $150 million per year. New projects for Haleakala and Mauna Kea have the potential to double these numbers.

As of 2006, $150 million and the potential to bring over $300 million to the State of Hawaii every year? Maybe that’s just chump change to a man who didn’t even know how many houses he owned until a journalist told him.

Green Comet Lulin Approaches Earth

Quanzhi Ye, a 19 year-old meteorology student at Sun Yat-sen University, China, discovered a new comet on an image taken at Lulin Observatory, after which the comet is named.

Comet Lulin (C/2227 N3) makes its closest approach to Earth, (0.41 AU, about 14.5 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon), on 24 February 2009. Current estimates set the maximum brightness at 4th or 5th magnitude, which means dark country skies will be required to see it. The hyperbolic orbit of Comet Lulin suggests this could be the comet's first visit to the inner solar system, hence, its first exposure to intense sunlight: Magnitude estimates may therefore be off—perhaps considerably.

Comet Lulin Image by Mike Broussard, Maurice, Louisiana, USA, 4 February 2009 Equipment used included a TV-85 refractor, Hutech Canon XS, IDAS-LPS filter and an Atlas EQ-G w/EQMOD. Exposure was 15x180 sec @ ISO 1600.

Lulin's green color comes from the gases that make up its Jupiter-sized atmosphere. Jets spewing from the comet's nucleus contain cyanogen (CN: a poisonous gas found in many comets) and diatomic carbon (C₂). Both substances glow green when illuminated by sunlight in the near-vacuum of space.

The comet rises a few hours before the sun and may be found about 1/3rd of the way up the southern sky before dawn.

Feb. 6th: Comet Lulin glides by Zubenelgenubi, (zuBEN-el-JA-newbee), a double star at the fulcrum of Libra's scales. You can see Zubenelgenubi with your unaided eye (it is about as bright as stars in the Big Dipper); binoculars pointed at the binary star reveal Comet Lulin in beautiful proximity. [NASA sky map]

Feb. 16th: Comet Lulin passes Spica in the constellation Virgo. Spica is a star of first magnitude and a guidepost even city astronomers cannot miss. A finderscope pointed at Spica will capture Comet Lulin in the field of view, centering the optics within a nudge of both objects. [NASA sky map]

Feb. 24th: Closest approach! On this special morning, Lulin will lie just a few degrees from Saturn in the constellation Leo. Saturn is obvious to the unaided eye, and Lulin could be as well. [NASA sky map]

Orbital Elements:

Epoch 2009 Jan. 9.0 TT = JDT 2454840.5
T 2009 Jan. 10.66551 TT                                 MPC
q   1.2125523            (2000.0)            P               Q
z  +0.0000043      Peri.  136.85390     -0.92916054     -0.36953038
+/-0.0000079      Node   338.53392     -0.34642777     +0.86057082
e   0.9999948      Incl.  178.37278     -0.12902902     +0.35052129

2009: International Year of Astronomy, Bicentenary of Darwin’s Birth

The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is a global effort initiated by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and UNESCO to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night-time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery.

Everyone should realize the impact of astronomy and other fundamental sciences on our daily lives, and understand how scientific knowledge can contribute to a more equitable and peaceful society. IYA2009 activities are taking place locally, nationally, regionally and internationally. National Nodes in each country are running activities throughout 2009 which will establish collaborations between professional and amateur astronomers, science centers and science communicators. 136 countries are already involved and well over 140 are expected to participate eventually.

To coordinate this huge global program and to provide an important resource for the participating countries, the IAU established a central Secretariat and an IYA2009 website (www.astronomy2009.org) as the principal IYA2009 resource for public, professionals and media alike

The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is endorsed by the International Council of Science (ICSU) and by the United Nations, (one of the rare times I will mention the UN in a convivial light).


2009 is also the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin, the 150th anniversary of the publication of his seminal work, ‘On the Origin of Species’, and the 800th anniversary of the University of Cambridge which will be celebrating Darwin's life and achievements 5–10 July 2009.