Sideways Galaxy NGC 3628

This week I chose to do the picture of the galaxy NGC 3628. This picture clearly shows dust lanes running through the galaxy, evidence that points towards it actually being a spiral galaxy that we are looking at from the side. Located in Leo about 35 million light years away, it is the only galaxy in the Leo Triplet that was not part of Messier's catalog. The tidal tail, as well as the slightly distorted shape of the galaxy, is likely a result of this galaxy interacting with the other two galaxies in the triplet, M65 and M66.

The Dark Tower in Scorpius 4.6

This week, I chose to do the picture of the column of dust and gas in the constellation Scorpius. This 40 light year structure could possibly contain zones of star formation. This cometary globule is shaped by the UV radiation from the very hot stars in NGC6231. Within the dust, hot stars can be seen as small bluish reflection nebulae. All of these structures are approximately 5000 light years away.

The Giants of Omega Centauri 4.5

This week I chose to do the picture of Omega Centauri, the largest of the 200 globular clusters in the Milky Way. It contains about 10 million stars, and is located about 15,000 light years away and is about 150 light years in diameter. The giant stars in the cluster are colored yellow as a result of the combination of numerous colors. Some of the red spots, most of which are red giant stars, are actually more distant background galaxies.

Cygnus Without Stars 4.4

For this week, I chose to do the picture of a 12 degree view of northern Cygnus, using a filter that transmits only red light emitted by hydrogen atoms (An h-alpha filter). The picture has clouds of cosmic hydrogen gas, and most of the stars have been removed by digital processing. However, we can see Deneb because it is so bright, and also visible are the North America, Pelican, Butterfly, and Crescent Nebulae.

IC 2948: The Running Chicken Nebula 4.3

This week I chose to do the picture of the nebula that is in and around the constellation Centaurus, IC 2948. Located near the star Lambda Centauri, it is not far from the better-known Eta Carina nebula. We can also see Thackeray's Globules, small clouds of interstellar dust that are believed to be candidates for star formation.

A Large Magellanic Cloud Deep Field 4.2

This week I chose to do the picture of the Large Magellanic Cloud, the largest satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, classified as a dwarf irregular galaxy. The galaxy lies about 180, 000 light years away and is in the constellation Dorado, and it spans abot 15, 000 light years. It was the sight of the closest and brightest supernova of modern times, and is visible with the naked eye in the souther hemisphere.

Galaxy Wars: M81 vs M82 4.1

This week, I chose to do the photograph that contains the two galaxies M81 and M82. These two galaxies have been tearing each other apart by the force of their gravity for the past billion years, over the course of numerous hundred-million year periods in which they are located close to each other. Last time, M82 caused density waves to ripple around M81, which made the spiral arms of M81 extremely spectacular. On the other hand, M81 left M82 with violent star forming regions and colliding gas clouds, so violent that the galaxy literally glows with X-Rays. A few billion years from now, the battle between the galaxies will be finished and only one will remain.

Observation Feb.13

Date: 2/13
Time: 7-10
Location: My House

Tools Used: Naked Eye, Binoculars
Light Pollution: Not too bad
Cloud Cover: A fair bit, about 20%
Temperature: 70s
Moon: Waxing Crescent

Constellations: Orion, Eridanus, Auriga, Gemini, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Taurus (Observed Magnitude paper)
Stars: Eta Aurigae, Beta Eridani, Gamma Orionis, Delta Orionis, Zeta Orionis, Beta Tauri, Mu Geminorum, Xi Geminorum, Sigma Canis Majorum, Eta Canis Majorum, Alpha Geminorum

Star Forming Region LH 95 3.10?

This is a picture of the star-forming region LH 95, in the Large Magellanic Cloud Galaxy, taken by the Hubble Telescope. The picture is such high resolution that you can clearly see smaller, cooler stars than the blue giants, which are usually the only visible ones. There is also a cloud of dark dust and hydrogen gas visible in the picture. LH 95 is about 160,000 light years away and is about 150 light years across, in the constellation Dorado.

Planetary Nebulae

http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/PR/97/pn/photo-gallery.html http://www.astro.washington.edu/balick/WFPC2/
http://www.astrophoto.net/nebulagallery.html
http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagegallery/igviewer.php?imgid=3841&gid=279
http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/html/opo9738g.html
http://heritage.stsci.edu/gallery/galindex.html

Vela Supernova Remnant 3.9

This picture is a composite of 30 frames spanning 16 degrees on the northwest edge of the constellation Vela. Centered in the frame is the remnant of the Vela supernova, light from which reached Earth about 11,000 years ago. In addition, it also contains the Vega Pulsar, a dense stellar core left behind from the supernova. The remnant is approximately 800 light years away in the Gum Nebula, and the picture also contains numerous other nebulae and star clusters, including the Pencil Nebula.

Colin Johnson
Astronomy Honors I
Mr. Percival
March 5, 2008

Maria Mitchell
Maria Mitchell, the American Astronomer, was born on August 1, 1818, in Nantucket, MA. She was related, although not very closely, to Benjamin Franklin. She was one of nine siblings, born to William and Lydia Coleman Mitchell, and was fortunate in that her parents, as Quakers who believed in equal rights, insisted that their daughters received the same level of education as their sons. She attended a school led by Elizabeth Gardener in her youth, and later on she moved to North Grammar school, where her father was principal. Later on, when her father started his own school and she worked as his teaching assistant, she received at-home teaching from her father, including the field of astronomy. With her father’s help, Maria was able to calculate the exact moment of a total lunar eclipse at age 12. After her father’s school closed, she began working as a TA for Cyrus Pierce, and shortly after that, she left to open a new school of her own. In 1836, she became the first librarian of the Nantucket Atheneum Library.

In the 1840s, King Frederick VI of Denmark made a global proclamation that he would give an award to anybody who discovered a new comet that was invisible to the naked eye. In the autumn of 1847, Maria noticed a new “star” located where there had not been one previously, 5 degrees above the North Star. Upon observing its motion over the course of the next 24 hours, she became convinced it was a comet and submitted it to King Frederick. There was a minor dispute over who should receive the prize, as Father Francisco de Vico of Rome discovered the comet two days later than her, but actually submitted his discovery before her. However, the dispute was resolved, Maria received the prize, and the comet was named “Miss Mitchell’s Comet” in her honor.

She returned to her work as a librarian following this, but received numerous letters of recognition as the first professional female astronomer in the US. In 1848 she was voted in as the first female member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 1850, the Association for the Advancement of Science did the same. In 1856, Maria received an offer from a man named General Swift to accompany him and his daughter on their trips around the world. Maria accepted and visited numerous observatories, ending up in Vatican City in Rome. She faced difficulty getting into the Vatican Observatory, as women were forbidden from using it, and was eventually granted permission to use it, but only during the day, never at night. However, she still made the first observation that sunspots were not clouds, but cavities in the sun’s surface.

In 1865, Maria became the Professor of Astronomy, as well as the director of the observatory at Vassar College, where she was able to use the third-largest telescope in the US. She continued her research, and began observing Jupiter and Saturn. She was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1869, and in 1873 she helped to found the American Association for the Advancement of Women.

In 1888, she retired from Vassar due to health issues, and on June 2, 1889, she died in Lynn, MA. In 1902, her friends founded the Maria Mitchell Association, and in 1905 she was elected to the Hall of Fame of Great Americans. In 1994, she was elected to the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

www.lucidcafe.com/library/95aug/mitchell.html

www.distinguishedwomen.com/biographies/mitchell.html

www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/mitc-mar.htm

Astronomer Sources

www.lucidcafe.com/library/95aug/mitchell.html www.distinguishedwomen.com/biographies/mitchell.html
www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/mitc-mar.htm

NGC 4676: When Mice Collide 3.8

This week is a picture of two galaxies, known as "The Mice," which are colliding repeatedly until they coalesce into one galaxy. They are known as the mice because they both have long tails, which are formed as a result of the difference in the gravitational pulls on the different ends of the galaxies. The two galaxies lie within the constellation Coma Bernices.

Orion's Horsehead Nebula 3.7

For this week, I chose the picture of the horsehead nebula, in Orion. One of the most famous nebulae in the sky, it is only visible as a dark outline in front of the emission nebula in the center of the photograph. It is actually a dark dust cloud that has assumed a recognizable shape by mere chance. Also visible in the photograph are blue reflection nebulae.

Nebula Sites

http://filer.case.edu/sjr16/advanced/stars_nebulae.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/stars/nebulae.shtml
http://www.space.com/nebulas/
http://www.noao.edu/jacoby/pn_gallery.html
http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/nebula_worldbook.htm
http://www.williams.edu/Astronomy/research/PN/nebulae/
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/news/archive/2007/02/photo-02.phpl

Observed Magnitudes of Stars

So, I've been sick for three days, in addition to the internet being down in my house because my dad's computer had to be fixed, and the whole network in my house runs through his computer first. Anyways...

Eta Aurigae: 3.3
Beta Eridani: 4.2
Gamma Orionis: 2.5
Beta Tauri: 3.2
Delta Orionis: 1.4
Zeta Orionis: 1.7
Mu Geminorum: 2.9
Xi Geminorum: 3.8
Sigma Canis Majorum: 4.9
Eta Canis Majorum: 2.7
Alpha Geminorum: 1.4

Elliptical Galaxy NGC 1132 3.6

For this week I choseto do the picture of the elliptical galaxy NGC 1132. It contains approximately a trillion stars, and is located toward the constellation Eridanus. This composite picture contains images in the visible and x-ray spectra, from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, as well as the Hubble Telescope. Traces of dark matter are also visible, and the galaxy is approximately 300 million light years away.

A Sunspot in the New Solar Cycle 3.5

This week I chose to do a close picture of sunspot 10982. The magnetic field of the sun as just reset itself, and a new 11 year period of activity has begun. There are also two dark lines visible in the picture, which are cool filaments that are held aloft by the sun's magnetic field. The next solar maximum is expected to occur in the year 2012.

Young Star Cluster Westerlund 2 3.4

This week I chose to do the picture of the young star cluster in RCW 49. The IR and X-ray composite images were taken in the constellation Centaurus, the image reveals objects and structures that are normally obscured by interfering dust. The star cluster itself is only 2 million years old, and it contains some of the most massive, luminous, and therefore short-lived stars in the galaxy. The zone also contains evidence of some proto-planetary discs nearby.

Comet McNaught Over Chile 3.3

This week I chose to do the picture of the comet McNaught in Chile. Considered the most photogenic comet of our time, it has developed an unusually long and visible dust trail as it passed over Chile. The tail at the time dominated the entire picture, but the comet has now faded as it passed into the outer solar system, and now is only visible as a small dot visible through a telescope.

Double Supernova Remnants DEM L316 3.2

This week I chose to do the picture of a pair of supernova remnants known as DEM L316. The smaller shell appears to be the remnants of a White Dwarf supernova, while the larger one seems to be the leftovers of a massive normal star. The two supernova remnants do not appear to be colliding, so it is assumed that one is behind the other and they merely appear in the same location. Also, the two stars live on very different time scales, so they are not actually related. The remnants are located in the Dorado constellation, the swordfish.

Guided Observation 1/11

Date: 1/11/08
Time: 7:00-9:00
Location: Church off Clark

Tools used: Naked Eye, Binoculars, Telescope, Laser
Light Pollution: Minimal
Cloud Coverage: Very little as the night started, later it began to get worse.
Temperature: 70
Moon: Waxing Crescent

Constellations: Andromeda, Orion, Casseiopeia, Pegasus, Perseus, Eridanus, Cetus
Planets: Mars
Stars: Achernar, Pollux, Sirius, Capella, Rigel, Betelgeuse
Misc: M31, M41, M35, M36, M37

Colin Johnson
Astronomy Honors
Mr. Percival
January 8, 2008

Joseph Louis Lagrange

Joseph Louis Lagrange was born as Giuseppe Lodovico Lagrangia on January 25, 1736, in Turin, Italy. He was an astronomer and a mathematician who made valuable contributions to a number of fields throughout his life.

Lagrange was born under the name Lagrangia in January of 1736.His father had a large fortune and was in good social standing, but he lost much of his money on speculations before Lagrange was fully grown, so Lagrange had to rely mostly on himself. He was educated at the college of Turin, and when he entered mathematical school, he was already an accomplished mathematician. His interest in mathematics was spurred by a paper he read by Edmund Halley.

Lagrange’s first well-known publication was his letter to Leonhard Euler, in which he solved the isoperimetric problem which had puzzled thinkers for half a decade, while he was only 19. Because of this, Lagrange is widely recognized as the inventor of calculus.

In 1758, Lagrange created a society with the aid of his pupils, and through them, he created a collection of his first five writings, the Miscellanea Taurinensia. These five volumes solved a number of problems through the use of his calculus of variations, including laying down the principle of least action.

In 1761, Lagrange stood at the top of his field, but the labor of his previous works had taken a toll on his health. Doctors helped him to recover, but he was forced to frequently exercise, which took up a large amount of the time he would have otherwise spent working on his mathematics. From this point in his life onward, he lapsed into periods of depression and melancholy.

His next work was published in 1764, when he explained the libration of the moon and why the same face of the moon always faced the Earth. Later Lagrange was brought to Prussia to serve King Frederick, where he met his wife. He married her because he believed that it would lead to his happiness, but the marriage was an unhappy one and she died soon after.

While he spent the next twenty years of his life with the king of Prussia was when he made his most important contributions to science and mathematics. He made significant discoveries in algebra, geometry, differential equations, and number theory. He also created the Mécanique analytique, which is a principle so elegant that it has been described as a “scientific poem.” The most pertinent discoveries to our interests, however, were the advances he made in the field of astronomy.

Joseph Lagrange solved a number of problems that had been puzzling astronomers. He solved the three-body problem, and thereby invented the Lagrange Points, the points at which a satellite can be in geosynchronous orbit around a celestial body. He also made discoveries in the study of planetary orbits, with his paper on the motion of the nodes of a planet’s orbit. He discovered the variations in the elements of the planets, and indeed his work was as advanced as was possible with the knowledge of the time. He also clearly explained a method of determining the orbit of comets by using merely three observations.

When King Frederick died in 1786, Lagrange found himself dissatisfied with the direction society was taking, and so when Louis XVI offered to bring him to Paris, he gladly accepted. He was inducted into the French Academy of Sciences, but he also lapsed into a two-year period of depression, during which he did no work whatsoever. He was only roused from this when he was struck by a curiosity of the results of the French Revolution. Upon discovering what was happening with it, though, he was shocked and alarmed.

His period of unhappiness, as well as the trials he had been through in his life, led a young girl to take pity on him, and she insisted on marrying him in 1792. He very quickly fell in love with her, and she proved to be an excellent match for him.

When a decree ordered all foreigners out of France in 1793, he was specifically exempted from this law. However, he was still planning on making his escape, when he was offered presidency of a commission formed to enact reforms in weights and measurements of the country. In 1795, he became one of the founders of the Bureau des Longitudes, the group that, among other things, standardized global-keeping, astronomical discoveries, and oversaw nautical navigation.

In 1797, Lagrange was offered a professorship at the École Polytechnique, and his lectures there were described as perfect in both form and matter. He also made discoveries in calculus while there formed the basis for a number of discoveries by other men that followed him.

In 1808, Napoleon named Lagrange a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, and also appointed him a Count of the Empire. In 1813 he was awarded the Grand Croix (Cross). However, a week later he died, and was buried in the Pantheon. The inscription on his tomb reads “JOSEPH LOUIS LAGRANGE. Senator. Count of the Empire. Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour. Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Réunion. Member of the Institute and the Bureau of Longitude. Born in Turin on 25 January 1736. Died in Paris on 10 April 1813.”


Works Cited:
http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/L/Lagrange.html
http://lagrange-bio.net/
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=HpE8NHVm58EC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=joseph+lagrange&ots=udhfMDsoFV&sig=2I_UWBAHWJy5FycrSZeosD4nOdY
(As all of his writings were in French, Google Scholar had little to offer me, however I was able to find information about his mathematical discoveries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Lagrange#Middle_years

Polaris Dust Nebula 3.1

For this week I chose to do a picture of dust clouds close by Polaris. These dust clouds are relatively unfamiliar to us, high above the milky way. The light of the stars is reflected by the dust, resulting in a reflecting nebula. Also, there is red light visible in the picture as well, which comes as a result of complex organic molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are believed to give off the light.

Observation 1/9

Date: 1/9
Time: 6-7
Location: Osprey, Fl

Tools used: Naked Eye
Light pollution: Lots. I could barely see the stars. And I couldn't find our binoculars.
Cloud Cover: Very little.
Temperature: 70 degrees
Moon: Waxing Crescent (36 hr)

Constellations:Orion, Cepheus. Couldn't find any others because of the light.

Observation 1/3

Date: 1/3
Time: 10:00-12:00
Location: Smoky Mountain, Maggie Valley, North Carolina

Tools Used: Naked Eye, Binoculars
Light Pollution:None
Cloud Coverage: Very little, about 5%
Temperature: 8 degrees
Moon: Waning Gibbous
Constellations: Orion, Pleiades, Perseus, Cepheus, Casseopeia, Pegasus
Misc: Watched the Quadrantids meteor shower from our cabin on the mountain in North Carolina.

A Galaxy Is Not A Comet 2.8

For this week I chose to do the picture of the comet and the galaxy close together. This picture was taken on December 30th, over Hovergeen, Netherlands. It was taken with a 60x60 second exposure, and it contains the Comet Tuttle, as well as the Triangulum Galaxy. Triangulum, or M33, is a spiral galaxy about 3 million LY away, and the comet Tuttle is just bright enough to be seen with the naked eye, and it is about 2 light minutes away.