Supernova discovered in M66 - Galaxy in Leo

Image by Gianluca Masi, Ceccano Italy - May 29, 2016

A new supernova has been observed in M66, a galaxy in the constellation of Leo the Lion.  On 28 may 2016, the ASAS supernova survey discovered a possible supernova in the amazing Messier 66 spiral galaxy in Leo; the supernova nature was confirmed a few hours later, suggesting a type IIP object. Clouds made impossible to us to image it on the first night, but we had some clear skies the following one.

If the skies ever clear in Maryland I plan to image M66 and compare it to images I have from the past.  I should be able to distinguish the new star!

Has A Fifth Force Been Found?

Radioactive decay anomaly could imply a new fundamental force, theorists say.

Physicists at the Institute for Nuclear Research in Debrecen, Hungary, say this apparatus — an electron-positron spectrometer — has found evidence for a new particle.

A laboratory experiment in Hungary has spotted an anomaly in radioactive decay that could be the signature of a previously unknown fifth fundamental force of nature, physicists say – if the finding holds up.

For the complete see Nature.

Ol' Sol in White Light

With all the cloudy nights I'm starting to get withdrawal symptoms from not going out with my telescope. But, today the clouds broke for a little bit and long enough for me to try out my solar filter on imaging the surface of the sun.

Sunspot - May 19, 2016 - 5:32PM EDT
EdgeHD11 at prime focus (2880mm)
ASI120MC Color Planetary Camera - 320 frames

Low clouds still hung around but I got a window of about 2 minutes to capture the image here. This is a large sunspot on the sun - imaged with my planetary camera. It is a stack of 320 video frames post processed in RegiStax.

Fireball in the NE

AMS Event #1750-2016 – © portsmouthwebcam.com

There was a very bright (Mag -10) meteor that flashed across the northeastern skies early on May 17th, at 12:50 EDT.  Lots of reports of the fireball have been coming in since the event.  Videos and details can be found at AMS.

Feeble attempt at the Mercury Transit

After considerable post-processing I was able to salvage one image of the transit of Mercury.  So, nothing to write home about, but alas, I can say that I did get to photograph the event.

This was taken with my QHY10 astro-camera through my EdgeHD11 telescope and Baader solar filter.  The exposure was 0.005 seconds.  Post processing with PixInsight, Registax and PSP.

Mercury is the small black dot just to the lower left of center.  There is a large sunspot group just above center.

Mercury transit - from space, yes.

Those pesky clouds just wouldn't get out of the way.  The transit of Mercury started around 6:40AM but the sun was far too low in the east behind my treeline.  The sky was cloudy with clear breaks at places, and the clouds were of the cirrus variety, high and thin. Imaging the transit would be possible even through these type of clouds.

But alas, the thicker clouds were quickly approaching from the west.  So the race was on - the sun creeping slowly up in the east while the clouds moving in from the west.  By the time the sun was high enough to see from my telescope location, the clouds were just too thick.  I did get to see part of the transit, and I managed to image it, but the results were very poor.  One somewhat fair image and a short video.

The NASA SDO satellite had a much better view.  See video at: NASA Mercury Transit

May 9th Transit of Mercury: Everything You Need to Know

On Monday the littlest planet will cross the enormous Sun for viewers in most of the world. Find timetables for your location, a viewing guide, and safe solar observing tips.

Mercury in transit appears tiny, but unlike sunspots, it’s round and has no penumbra. It moves noticeably in 15 minutes, the average time between these exposures taken by Dominique Dierick during the transit of May 7, 2003.
Dominique Dierick

For complete and detailed information on observing this event see:  SkyAndTelescope.com

I will, of course, be photographing this event with my telescope.  Just have to pray the clouds go away!

SpaceX reportedly sets its sights on Mars "as soon as 2018"

In a tweet, the company says it's prepared to send a Dragon to Mars within the decade.

SpaceX

See the full story at:  Astronomy.com 

Methane Sea on Titan

We knew that Saturn’s moon Titan had seas and lakes of liquid hydrocarbons, but their exact composition was unknown until recently.

Sunlight glints off of Titan’s northern seas this near-infrared,
color mosaic from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft. Image via NASA/JPL/Univ. Arizona/Univ. Idaho

Complete story at EarthSky

Recovery Attempts End for Hitomi X-ray Satellite

An artist's conception of Hitomi in space.
JAXA

On a sadder note, the X-Ray Observatory launched by JAXA (Japanese Space Agency) seems doomed. Observations show that the solar panels were flung off during the spacecraft's too-fast rotation, depriving Hitomi of power and ending the mission.  All this because the spacecraft's attitude control system (ACS), which keeps the spacecraft pointed in the right direction, determined that the spacecraft was rotating — even though it wasn't. So the system commanded the spacecraft's reaction wheels to counter the rotation, and that caused the spacecraft to actually start spinning. And things went 'down hill' from there.

Complete story (and timeline of events) at SkyandTelescope.com

Observations show that the solar panels were flung off during the spacecraft's too-fast rotation, depriving Hitomi of power and ending the mission. - See more at: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/recovery-for-hitomi-observatory-now-unlikely/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=sky-mya-nl-160429&utm_content=840839_SKY_HP_eNL_160429&utm_medium=email#sthash.UxgGeDzm.dpuf

Observations show that the solar panels were flung off during the spacecraft's too-fast rotation, depriving Hitomi of power and ending the mission. - See more at: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/recovery-for-hitomi-observatory-now-unlikely/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=sky-mya-nl-160429&utm_content=840839_SKY_HP_eNL_160429&utm_medium=email#sthash.UxgGeDzm.dpuf

Observations show that the solar panels were flung off during the spacecraft's too-fast rotation, depriving Hitomi of power and ending the mission. - See more at: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/recovery-for-hitomi-observatory-now-unlikely/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=sky-mya-nl-160429&utm_content=840839_SKY_HP_eNL_160429&utm_medium=email#sthash.UxgGeDzm.dpuf

Mission Manager Update: Kepler recovered and returned to the K2 mission

NASA

The Kepler spacecraft has recovered from a system failure and, as of Friday, April 22, is back on the job as the K2 mission searching for exoplanets — planets beyond our solar system.

Full story at Astronomy.com