Regulusastro Blog

<rant on>

Ok – so you gathered by the fake html that I am about to rant, and rant I will. Why is it that, in this modern day and age, there are software companies that make their goodies such that they do not understand long file names? I mean… those tired old days of 8.3 limitations are LONG over folks. Get with the program. Here’s the kicker: they make the only application that interfaces the way everyone needs it, and it is supposed to integrate into a system of third party apps that DO understand long filenames. So… that leaves the system administrator,me, to rename everything to the old 8.3 format so this piece of #$% software will work. <Sigh>  Yes, I called in to their tech support group. No they are not seeing the change any time soon in future (if any) releases. Could I have the code? No. Enough.

Hey! Software coders and SQA testers: DO NOT ALLOW RELEASES of your software unless it meets the basic standards in todays post-Windows 98 world. Ok? Thank you. It is, after all, 2009, more than two decades later. ‘Nuff said.

</rant off>

Betelgeuse: a star large enough and close enough to be resolved.

Seeing as we had so many conversations about the star Betelgeuse, I could not pass up the opportunity to share some interesting, if not exciting news. As you know, Betelgeuse is a super red giant, at the end of its life. Recent observations have shown it to be reducing its radius rather dramatically (15% in 15 years) Photometry has been showing it to continue its rather slow oscillations in magnitude like any normal long period variable star. Is something changing? Yep – most likely. Perhaps the fuels inside are being swapped for the next heavier element. We do not know.

Now, beware the recent sensationalism. Fox News has put out a sensational article titled “Nearby Star May Be Getting Ready to Explode” (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,525695,00.html ) which predicts at the end “…It’s possible we’re observing the beginning of Betelgeuse’s final collapse now. If so, the star, which is 600 light-years away, will already have exploded — and we’ll soon be in for a spectacular, and perfectly safe, interstellar fireworks show.” I guess they do not know what a light-year really is!

For an excellent opinion on the Fox article, see the recent post on the Discovery site titled “WARNING: Betelgeuse is Shrinking. Supernova or Supernothing?” located at http://blogs.discovery.com/space_disco/2009/06/warning-betelgeuse-is-shrinking-supernova-or-supernothing.html . This puts it all into perspective.

So… keep looking up and enjoying the skies,

~john
(thank you A. Dupree (CfA) and NASA for the image)

The school year is coming to an end, a close, a finale. Finals-week is just a week away (less now that it is Wednesday), and students are in their last mad dash to complete projects and cram for exams. Teachers are in their final moments of prepping those last few days of classes, writing exams and grading furiously. The faster that grading gets done, the faster summer break comes along. It’s time to rest.

Not for all. I’ve got a couple of weeks to get ready for the next big adventure: a weeklong astronomy education conference. This will be the second of these events, we having planned for three over the course of six years. The timing coincides with the other conferences taking place at the Academy, so planning is not too difficult. We share in the plans for room, board, and overall organization.

What I look forward to the most: The fun generated by being with like minded teachers who all share the same topic. I am alone for much of the time, with my larger department being the group of physicists. I love physics, so don’t get me wrong. I love to teach it, too. I am the only one teaching astronomy. There is no daily banter about plans, good or bad days, classes that are doing really cool stuff, or not… These types of conversations are either at lunch or seem a bit forced at times. With the conference, we are all there to discuss education, and the education of astronomy – it is a blast! So – here it comes. Thirteen teachers from all over. Stay tuned for parts and pieces of posts as they develop!

Running an observatory can be an interesting position. Some times, something new just crops up, and in this case it was a real winner!  The school’s engineering club decided to build a medieval weapon, the trebuchet, a war machine which basically is a combinationof a catapult and sling. Today was launch day #2, and it was quite the success. A cantalope melon went well over 100 yards on one toss, giving all present a great view of an exploding melon at the far end.

Here it is during launch testing on May 14th, 2009.

The main area of the observatory grounds.

The Phillips Exeter Academy Grainger Observatory now has a Twitter account and will be using that to publish the current state of operations as well as any news for interested followers. Topics to be covered will include:

• Current status of operations: Open, closed, which domes are operational and with what equipment.
• Projects that are being worked on along with status of any data collection operations.
• News briefs and releases.
• Public observing announcements.
• http://twitter.com/PEA_Obs   or look for PEA_Obs on twitter.com

I have been taking basic data for Exeter, NH for Globe at Night. Here are the results:

• March 16: 4.5
• March 17: 4.0
• March 18: overcast
• March 19: 4.0 (25% cloud coverage)
• March 20: 4.0
• March 21: 5.0

The GLOBE project has just initiated its Globe at Night effort to have people around the world measure the darkness of their night sky… to do this is relatively simple. Actually, it is really easy! You go outside on a dark, clear or mostly clear night, find the constellation Orion (big, easy to see and up much of the night) and compare what you see to the charts provided online by Globe at Night. You then record your information on their website. If you want to help scientists and students to better understand the issues of light pollution, this is your chance! You have between now and 28 March to make your measurements. The more measurements you make, the better. Resources are available on their web site for families, teachers and more.

It was a great night, NASA-speaking. We got to see the STS-119 launch and saw it as it ran through its main engines low in the southeastern sky about 8 minutes after its launch. That was cool! If that was not cool enough, about half an hour later we got to see the ISS go overhead through Orion! Above are the images of that pass. Each shot is a 30 second shot at ISO 500 through a 18mm lens using a Nikon D200. The orange glow? Yeah – that’s Boston, folks… the light pollution of the city of Boston. It hurts.

It’s spring break: after typing 25 pages of comments and grading all the students, I am free to enjoy, to some extentm some free time. There are things to do, however, so it is not really all about time off. It’s more about time-on, to do the other things that are needed in life, but the job of teaching has taken precedence.

On one page I am watching NASA TV for the progress being made on prepping for tinight’s space shuttle launch. Go there and check it out:  http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html It’s a pretty cool service. One gets to see just what the tax dollars are going towards.

Twitter: Yes. I have an account. If you really want to, go ahead and “follow me”. Go there. I have images of the old FOLLOW ME trucks at larger airports which used to be the aid for progressive taxiing on the tarmac. Those were the days. So… go ahead and twit away.. My profile name is unuhalhai.  Yep – unukalhai. It’s the name of a star if you must know.FOr more on the name and the star, go to:  http://www.astro.illinois.edu/~jkaler/sow/unukalhai.html

Things to do:

• Set up observatory for spring term observing courses.
• Repair and set up archery equipment for the club and the club sport.
• Prep some new materials for Astronomy-III (Observational Astro) and Science & Religion.
• SLEEP.
• Practice more drums and guitar.
• Hold a small gathering for some friends.
• Sleep some more.

It’s taken a bit of time and effort, but I have updated the Regulus! photo gallery for a new look, feel, and better content. For years it had sat their, building a momentum of its own but not changing nor feeling fresh as the internet became popular and then huge… I felt that the site was falling behind in coolness… so… the change. The new site is located at: http://www.regulusastro.com/gallery/ Check it out. Let me know your comments. Hey, about comments: you can create your own username and password here, leave comments, and have your say. That’s open and available to all!