Category Archives: Astronomy

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Filipp Romanov in Yuzhno-Morskoy, Russia, captured this photo of RS Ophiuchi a rare nova visible to the eye on August 10, 2021. He wrote: Recurrent nova RS Oph in outburst. I observed it with the unaided eye and estimated it at +4.6 mag. I took photos from my small hometown on August 9, 2021, from 15:19 to 15:22 UTC. I had been waiting for several hours, and the sky cleared for a few minutes. Thank you, Filipp.A rare nova visible to the eye

On August 8, 2021, the star RS Ophiuchi burst into view in Earths sky as what astronomers call a nova. Its a rare nova visible to the unaided eye. Its nowhere near as bright as the brightest stars. But, in a dark sky, you can see it shining in the constellation Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer. Earlier this week, the nova was said to have brightened to magnitude 4.3. If true, that would be huge amount of brightness increase for this star. RS Oph normally shines at around a magnitude of 12. Its usually much too dim to see with the eye or even most backyard telescopes. But a sudden thermonuclear explosion on this stars surface has increased its brightness several hundredfold.

This isnt the first time RS Oph has gone nova. RS Oph is part of a recurrent nova star system. That is, the system has regular explosions. RS Oph is part of a two-star system. One is a white dwarf, a highly compact, evolved star. The other is a red giant. The explosions happen when the white dwarf accretes or pulls too much mass from its red giant companion. The excess mass triggers a thermonuclear explosion in a hydrogen layer on the white dwarfs surface. You might see that this can happen periodically, as the two stars orbit each other, and one keeps pulling from the other. The systems most recent nova was in 2006, but known explosions of the star go back to 1898.

The explosions of RS Oph are spaced out approximately every 15 years. That means we can expect a future nova from RS Oph too. A system like RS Oph whose outbursts recur on the order of decades are rare. So the current outburst of this star is a special treat.

The nova brightened this week, but now may be beginning to fade. Over the past day yesterday (August 10, 2021), we didnt see any brightness estimates from the American Association of Variable Star Observers any brighter than 5th magnitude. Thats still within the limit of seeing it with the eye alone, but just barely. See it while you can.

The constellation Ophiuchus is currently in the south after sunset. It lies above the better-known constellation Sagittarius and its familiar Teapot asterism, which is closer to the horizon. If you look above the spout of the Teapot and cross the cloudy swath of the Milky Way, youll come to the region of sky where RS Oph lies.

The brightest star in Ophiuchus is Rasalhague, located near the top of the constellation, and the second-brightest is Sabik, located near the bottom. RS Oph lies about midway between the two stars but farther to the left (east). You can use the photo above as a star chart to get you to the right area, then use the photo below to narrow down the field. You can also find a star chart at SpaceWeather.com.

Observers took to Twitter to share their reports of RS Oph.

Bottom line: RS Ophiuchi is a stellar system that undergoes recurrent novas, and on August 8, 2021, a nova appeared to observers with the unaided eye. Is it still visible? The only way to know is to look.

Kelly Kizer Whitt has been a science writer specializing in astronomy for more than two decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine, and she has made regular contributions to AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club, among other outlets. Her childrens picture book, Solar System Forecast, was published in 2012. She has also written a young adult dystopian novel titled A Different Sky. When she is not reading or writing about astronomy and staring up at the stars, she enjoys traveling to the national parks, creating crossword puzzles, running, tennis, and paddleboarding. Kelly lives with her family in Wisconsin.

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A rare nova visible to the eye. See it while you can! - EarthSky

For the first time, scientists have detected light emanating from a black hole, and CNN writes that it executes a prediction based on Albert Einsteins general theory of relativity.

Stanford University astronomer Dan Wilkins and colleagues observed X-rays emitted by a high-velocity black hole at the center of a galaxy 800 million light-years from Earth.

Black hole closest to Earth / NASA photo

This bright glow of light is not uncommon because although light cannot escape from a black hole, the massive gravitational field around it heats up to millions of degrees. It emits radio waves and X-rays. Sometimes this very hot material is released into space in rapid explosions including X-rays and gamma rays.

However, d. Wilkins then noticed small X-ray flashes that appeared and were of different colors they spread from a distance of the black hole.

No light entering the black hole will come out of it, so we should not see anything behind the black hole, said Wilkins, author and researcher at the Cowley Institute for Particle Astronomy and Astronomy at Stanford University. .

However, the peculiarity of the black hole allowed such an event to occur. The reason we see this is because that black hole distorts space, bends light, and rotates the magnetic fields around itself, he said.

Fifty years ago, when astronomers began to speculate about how a magnetic field could act near a black hole, they did not know that one day we might have direct mechanisms to see how Einsteins theory of relativity works, said Roger Plantford. , Co-author.

A. Einsteins theory has not lost its relevance for hundreds of years, and new astronomical discoveries have been made in support of it. The general theory of relativity describes how massive objects decompose the fabric of the universe known as space-time. A. Einstein discovered that gravity was not created by an invisible force, but that we simply experience it in the decay of space-time.

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A wonderful moment in the history of astronomy - the first capture of light emanating from a black hole - The Press Stories

Two Northern California astrophotographers have been shortlisted for the prestigious Astronomy Photographer of the Year Award. The prize, organized by the Royal Observatory Greenwich in England and open to photographers from around the world, comes with an award of 10,000 (about $14,000). The shortlisted images, chosen from over 4,500 entries from 75 countries, will be displayed this month in London's National Maritime Museum. The winner will be announced on Sept. 16.

Sacramento astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy was shortlisted for a piece titled The Magnetic Field of our Active Sun. McCarthy told the Royal Observatory: "This image shows how the magnetic field pulls up portions of the chromosphere following a large solar flare, with the magnetic field lines on crystal clear display along the limb in Hydrogen-Alpha light." On Instagram, he described the image simply as, "Our star caught in a vulnerable moment."

McCarthy, who was born and raised in California's capital, recently left a career in software to pursue astrophotography full-time. He says his love of space initially began in childhood, inspired by his father's telescope. "Nowadays," he tells KQED, "my peers inspire me. They remind me there is always more to learn and there is an infinite amount of growth potential in [astrophotography]."

Also shortlisted for the prize is Mountain View resident Marcin Zajac. It's the third year in a row that Zajac has been selected, this time for his stunning Alien Throne photograph, seen below.

Zajac took the ethereal shot in the San Juan Basin of New Mexico, during a mid-pandemic camping trip to "the most remote areas" he'd ever visited on American soil. Zajac, who is originally from Warsaw, Poland, described his image to the Royal Observatory as "an otherworldly rock spire (also known as a hoodoo), ris[ing] out of the badlands, forming a perfect foreground to the Milky Way galaxy above."

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Astronomy Photographer of the Year Shortlist Includes Sacramento, Mountain View Stargazers - KQED

Early one June morning last year, British photographer James Rushforth captured something incredible: the comet NEOWISE streaking through the night sky above Stonehenge, itself lit up by the lights of a passing car.

To call this a once-in-a-lifetime shot would be underselling it. The last time NEOWISE passed by earth 6,800 years ago, Stonehenge didnt yet exist.

Understandably, the image earned Rushforth a place on the shortlist for the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, an annual event hosted by Royal Observatory Greenwich that showcases the best images of the cosmos taken from earth.

Like Rushforths entry, many of the nominated photographs evince a level of sublime grandeur that makes the dreamy landscapes of your Macbook desktop look like a cheap postcard.

Markus van Hauten, The Cave (2020). Courtesy Royal Museums Greenwich. Markus van Hauten.

This years competition, the 13th since the series began, drew more than 4,500 entries from 75 countries. Winners in 12 categoriesincluding Aurorae, Stars and Nebulae, and People and Spacewill be announced September 16. One overall winner will pocket a 10,000 cash prize.

Two days after thaton September 18an exhibition of the winning works will go on view at the National Maritime Museum. (A book that will feature the winners is available for pre-order now.)

Other highlights from this years shortlist include a neon-green look at the aurora borealis seen from a cave in Iceland; the International Space Station, glimpsed as it passed through a crescent moon; and shots of the Milky Way peering through the night sky, taken above a mountain in Iran, a rocky coast in England, and a lavender field in France.

Last years overall winner was an expansive, tilt-shift shot of the Andromeda Galaxy by French photographer Nicolas Lefaudeux.

Below, see some of the photographs shortlisted for this years Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.

Wang Zheng, Star fall (2020). Courtesy Royal Museums Greenwich. Wang Zheng.

Stefan Liebermann, Harmony (2020). Courtesy Royal Museums Greenwich. Stefan Liebermann.

Gerald Rhemann, The Exceptionally Active Ion Tail of Comet 2020F8 SWAN (2020) Courtesy Royal Museums Greenwich. Gerald Rhemann.

Peter Feltoti, Bicolour Veil Nebula (2020) Courtesy Royal Museums Greenwich. Peter Feltoti.

Larryn Rae, Iceland Vortex (2020). Courtesy Royal Museums Greenwich. Larryn Rae.

Anthony Sullivan, Milky Way rising over Durdle Door (2020). Courtesy Royal Museums Greenwich. Anthony Sullivan.

Andrew McCarthy, The Magnetic Field of our Active Sun (2020). Courtesy Royal Museums Greenwich. Andrew McCarthy.

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See the Hallucinatory Images of Space That Made the Shortlist for the Royal Observatorys Astronomy Photograph of the Year - artnet News

Title:Astro-animation A case study of art and science education

Authors:Laurence Arcadias, Robin H.D. Corbet, Declan McKenna, Isabella Potenziani

First Authors Institution:Maryland Institute College of Art

Status:Accepted for publication in Animation Practice, Process & Production [pre-print available on arxiv]

Astronomy is both a complex scientific endeavor as well as a deeply human experience. The night sky links us all to a collective heritage, making astronomy uniquely situated to address the perceived divide between science and society.

The intersect between art and science (commonly called STEAM) is utilized primarily to deconstruct harmful narratives surrounding science. Art highlights creativity and innovation, both necessary for practicing science, along with putting emphasis on individual interpretation. Misconceptions surrounding science paint it as an objective truth detached from the individual. This is hardly an accurate representation of the scientific process; science is an effort to understand the world around us, which can change on an individual level. It is the collective of different experiences of the natural world that more accurately represents science.

The authors of todays paper describe an application of STEAM specifically to address the science-society divide. Their work consists of an astro-animation class taught at the Maryland Institute College of Art that pairs art students with NASA scientists. The collaboration is mutually beneficial, allowing students to flex their creative prowess and increase their scientific literacy while also allowing scientists to further develop their science communication skills. Programs such as the one described here are important efforts towards making science more accessible and opening the field to more voices.

Much like how viewing the night sky can be an impassioned experience, animation is able to invoke emotion to a wide range of people. Animation is therefore a digestible method to intake otherwise intimidating concepts. Whereas most visualizations produced by NASA have the goal to be as informative and accurate as possible, the animations discussed here allow room for interpretation; the goal is not to provide definitive facts, but rather invoke the meaning behind the facts.

Figure 1:Sneeze by Tenzin Lhamo. The artist described their interpretation of the Big Bang as a sneeze, starting at a fixed point and shooting out in all directions.Figure 2 in the paper.

The program was 15 weeks long and taught jointly by both an animator and an astrophysicist. The first few weeks consisted of practicing animation skills on broad scientific concepts, before moving on to specific fields of research in astronomy.

NASA scientists came in to give lectures on their topic of research (i.e. black holes, dark matter, supernovae, etc.). Of these scientists, the students are assigned a specific mentor and topic for which their final project will be on. The majority of the time is designated for the students to work on their animation for their specific project. The final screening took place at the NASA GSFC Visitor Center.

The animations produced reflected the different ideas and experience brought forth from the students. Many animations featured metaphorical interpretations of scientific concepts, relating the complex ideas in creative and engaging visuals.

Figure 2:Various metaphorical stills used in the animations.Figure 13 in the paper.

#1: Neutron stars followed by the paparazzi while bar crawling; #2: A documentary styled animation representing a neutrino, a gamma ray, and protons as birds; #3: An astronaut traveling in lunar craters as a cowboy trying to find electricity to power his Moon barn; #4: The much anticipated The Martian sequel, this time taking place on Titan with Matt Damon recast as a dog; #5: A human astronaut and a robot competing to find water on the moon; #6: Bat scientists discovering a mysterious cult inside lunar lava tubes.

The animations also grew to reflect the diversity that is often overlooked in STEM fields. The animations showed scientists of varied ethnic backgrounds, orientation, and gender. This is useful in deconstructing harmful stereotypes surrounding practitioners of science. Starting in 2014, the authors noticed that the featured scientists grew more diverse throughout the years. The authors posited that this is potentially due to the artists being exposed to more scientists and feeling comfortable depicting scientists without a stereotypical older male figure.

Figure 3:The evolution of representation in the animations.Figure 14 in the paper.

#1: The scientist is Einstein, a white male figure; #2: An older white male is centered, but the animation features diversity in age, gender, and ethnicity; #3: A cool pirate; #4: An ambiguous scientist displaying low-key behavior; #5: An African-American female scientist also displaying low-key behavior; #6: A mom who is both a parent and a scientist; #7: A rad cowboy; #8: A cute anthropomorphized animal; #9: An Asian-American scientist from the 80s/90s.

The artists were also encouraged to be as experimental as they desired, which led to animations in a variety of mediums. This allowed the students to further express their personal takes on the material they studied.

Figure 4:The evolution of representation in the animations.Figure 16 in the paper.

#1: Paint on glass; #2: Watercolor; #3: 3D and stop-motion; #4: Cut out paper; #5 and #6: 3D; #7: 2D and stop-motion; #8: Digital cut-out; #9: Wax strata-cut.

A common concern with any attempt at science communication is the fear that scientific concepts may get muddled or distorted by offering simplified representations. For a program like this, it was important for the students to retain their artistic license while also maintaining scientific accuracy. Generally, it was perceived that strictly educational animations were a higher risk for students to misrepresent scientific ideas; pieces that were more inspirational allowed room for interpretation.

Figure 5:Donut Hole Puglisi, Whang, Wang 15. The artist interpreted traveling into a Donut World from a black hole; a scientist remarked that since we dont know whats on the other side of a black hole, any interpretation is fine!Figure 17 in the paper.

For the scientists involved, the program put them in a position where it was necessary to express their research in terms understandable for people not in their field. This is an important skill for any scientist, as it is key for practitioners to understand their role not only within their field, but also larger society. After all, scientific research is often reliant on collective funding agreements. Being able to communicate to the public is necessary to ensure that the scientific research being conducted is reflective of current societal needs. And in order to communicate, we must be able to speak in a common language.

Overall, the authors found that the program was effective in engaging students with science and well-received by the participants. On reflection of the program, Declan McKenna noted that my animation directly benefits from a methodical and intentional ideation process, like those governing the scientific process, to increase accessibility. This testimonial highlights the way art and science can intersect. The authors expressed interest both in continuing the program and looking at new methods of integrating astro-animation into informal learning environments. Their goals involve finding new ways to engage with people who are otherwise uninterested in science.

Programs such as these present exciting ways to lessen the science-society divide. It increases scientific literacy within individuals while also allowing scientists to develop the skills necessary to interface more directly with the public. In taking these steps to make science more accessible, we can continue to get diverse voices within science and increase public faith in scientists.

Astrobite edited by Lukas Zalesky

Featured image credit: UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

About Ciara JohnsonCiara Johnson is currently completing her masters in Science Communication at the University of Leeds. She has 5 years of experience working with planetariums and science centers, and has a research focus in co-production in museums with underrepresented groups in STEM.

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The Intersect of Art and Astronomy | astrobites - Astrobites

PhotographyScience#astronomy#contests#space#stars#sun

The Magnetic Field of our Active Sun by Andrew McCarthy. All images courtesy of Royal Museums Greenwich, shared with permission

A trippy shot of the psychedelic California Nebula, a panorama of the Milky Way sprawling above French lavender crops, and a phenomenal glimpse of the suns magnetic field bursting after a solar flare are a few of the stellar images on the 2021 Astronomy Photographer of the Year shortlist. Hosted by Royal Museums Greenwich for the past 13 years, the annual contest garnered more than 4,5000 images of the green lights of the Aurora, distant nebula, and other galactic sights from entrants in 75 countries. The winner will be announced on September 16 prior to the National Maritime Museums exhibition of the works opening on September 18. You can see more of the top photos on the contest site. (via Kottke)

Harmony by Stefan Liebermann

Iceland Vortex by Larryn Rae

Alien Throne by Marcin Zajac

California Dreamin NGC 1499 by Terry Hancock

Milky Way rising over Durdle Door by Anthony Sullivan

Break of a New Day by Nicholas Roemmelt

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now!

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Brilliant Solar Flares and the Northern Lights Appear in the Astronomy Photographer of the Year Shortlist - Colossal

Swerdlow was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1988, and was twice appointed as a member of the Institute for Advanced Study. He was also a member of the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union, professional societies which bring together astronomers and other experts.

He was a highly independent mind, and he was willing to rethink assumptions people had made for a really long time, said Anthony Grafton, the Henry Putnam University Professor of History at Princeton University, who was a student in Swerdlows very first undergraduate class at UChicago and remained a lifelong friend and colleague. When he examined a text, he could imagine his way into possible interpretations that other people simply didnt see.

Swerdlow was also known for his passion and charisma in the classroom and as a mentor. He was an extraordinary teacher and an incredibly generous person, to whom I owe more debts than I can list, said Grafton, AB71, AM72, PhD75. If someone was passionate about the scholarship, Noel would put in immense amounts of time to make their work even deeper and stronger. Scholars around the world, as well as his own students, learned an immense amount from him.

Though he occupied an unusual position in the astronomy department as its only historian, Swerdlows UChicago colleagues said his presence influenced how they thought.

He was the consummate scholar, said Michael Turner, the Bruce V. and Diana M. Rauner Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and Astrophysics at UChicago. Noel was enormously respected in the Department of Astronomy. Talking with him impressed upon me a newfound appreciation for the history of sciencea humility for its scope and a sense of progression, that it is a long-term and team effort.

Rigorous inquiry only begins to describe Swerdlows work in the history of the exact sciences, said Rocky Kolb, Arthur Holly Compton Distinguished Service Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago and Swerdlows longtime colleague and friend. Whether the study of obscure Babylonian clay tablets or the well-studied works of Nicolas Copernicus, Swerdlows books and papers brought to light the underappreciated mathematical sophistication of ancient astronomers.He was a great influence on his colleagues in the Department of Astronomy, infusing us all with a deeper understanding of our predecessors in the quest to understand the heavens.

Swerdlow shared an appreciation for these ancient scientists with many colleagues in the astronomy department, but particularly Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, the famed astrophysicist known for his work on black holes. Swerdlow and Chandrasekhar co-authored several articles on ancient astronomers.

In addition to his scholarship, Swerdlow loved music and was a regular opera attendee and music listener. Encyclopedic doesnt begin to do justice to his knowledge of performances and recordings of the great symphonies and operas of the 18th and 19th centuries, Grafton said.

After retiring, he moved to California, where he continued research at Caltech as a visiting associate professor in history from 2010 to 2018.

He is survived by his wife, Nadia Swerdlow; son Dorian Swerdlow, daughter-in-law Fiona and granddaughter Julia; and brother Lanny Swerdlow and partner Victor.

A memorial is planned; details will be announced later this fall.

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Noel Swerdlow, one of the 'greatest scholars' of the history of science, 1941-2021 - UChicago News

From most of Earth in early August, Saturn and Jupiter ascend in the eastern half of your sky by mid-evening (midway between your local sundown and midnight). Both are bright and noticeable! This chart is via Stellarium; try it to view the orientation of the planets from your specific location on the globe. In a dark sky, notice the famous Teapot in Sagittarius, and the graceful J shape of Scorpius the Scorpion, near Saturn and Jupiter (to the right of them, on this chart).Saturn at opposition

When viewed through a telescope, Saturn is our solar systems most glorious planet. But, to the eye, Saturn isnt as noticeable as bright Jupiter. Luckily, were still less than a year past the great conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. It happened on December 21, 2020. At that time, Saturn and Jupiter were exceedingly close in the sky. Now, as Saturn reaches its opposition on August 1-2, 2021, Saturn and Jupiter are still close. Keep reading to learn how Jupiter and the moon can help you find Saturn on the skys dome.

Earths faster motion in orbit brings Saturn to opposition once each year. Opposition is a big yearly milestone for observing the ringed planet Saturn, or any outer planet. It happens when we on Earth fly between that planet and the sun. At opposition, an outer planet is generally closest to Earth and brightest for that year. Saturns opposition comes on August 2 at about 06:00 UTC. That is on August 2 at 3 a.m. ADT, 2 a.m. EDT, 1 a.m CDT, 12 midnight MDT yet on August 1 at 11 p.m. PDT, 10 p.m. Alaskan Time and 8 p.m Hawaiian Time.

And dont worry about exact times too much. Just know that in early August 2021 Saturn is generally opposite the sun in Earths sky. At opposition, Saturn rises in the east around sunset, climbs highest up for the night around midnight and sets in the west around sunrise. When opposite the sun, Saturn is visible all night and at its brightest seen from Earth.

How can you find Saturn? First, look for Jupiter, which is the brightest starlike object in the evening sky once Venus sinks below the western horizon after sunset. Saturn is not far from Jupiter, located along the same path the sun travels during the day (the ecliptic). Saturn is the bright golden star a short hop to the west of Jupiter. Saturn lies in the direction of the constellation Capricornus and can be found there for the rest of 2021.

Does it surprise you that Jupiter will be at opposition on August 19-20? Yes, the heavens are orderly! Plus, in late August, the moon full or nearly full can help you find both Saturn and Jupiter. That makes sense, because both Jupiter and Saturn are near opposition, opposite the sun or nearly so. And a full moon is also opposite the sun. Check out the chart below:

The ringed planet will be in good view in the evening sky for the rest of August and throughout September, October, November and December 2021. Saturn and Jupiter will stay rather close together on the skys dome throughout 2021. Theyll remain fixtures of the evening sky for the rest of this year.

In 2021, Saturn comes closest to Earth for the year about 5 hours after it reaches opposition. But its nowhere near us in space. In fact, Saturn is the most distant of the worlds we can see with the eye alone. At present, Saturn lies about 10 times the Earths distance from the sun, and nine times the Earth-sun distance from Earth. Astronomers refer to one Earth-sun distance as an astronomical unit (AU). Saturn is now about 10 AU from the sun, and nearly 9 AU from us. Heavens-Above gives information about the present distances of the planets from the sun and Earth.

So the distance scale of the solar system is vast, and so is the size scale. For a realistic depiction of Saturns size relative to that of Earth (but not its distance), see the illustration below.

Our fast movement in orbit brings Earth between Saturn and the sun every year, or more precisely, about two weeks later every year. For instance, in 2016, Saturns opposition was June 3. In 2017, it was June 15. In 2018, opposition came on June 27. In 2019, it was July 9. And in 2020, it was July 20.

If you recognize this golden world tonight or later this month, youll also enjoy it throughout the Northern Hemisphere summer, or Southern Hemisphere winter.

If you had a birds-eye view of the solar system on the day of Saturns opposition, youd see our planet Earth passing between the sun and Saturn. Youd see the sun, Earth, and Saturn lining up in space. But not for long. Earth moves in orbit at 18 miles (29 km) per second in contrast to about 6 miles (9 km) per second for Saturn. Soon, well be pulling ahead of Saturn in the race of the planets.

The planets that orbit the sun inside Earths orbit Mercury and Venus can never be at opposition. Only the planets that orbit the sun beyond Earths orbit Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and the dwarf planet Pluto can ever reach opposition, that is, appear opposite the sun in Earths sky.

All the planets farther from the sun reach opposition every time our swifter-moving planet sweeps between the sun and these superior planets, the planets that orbit the sun outside Earths orbit. Mars returns to opposition every other year. Jupiters opposition happens about one month later each year, whereas Saturns opposition occurs about two weeks later yearly. The farther that a planet resides from the sun, the shorter the period of time between successive oppositions.

Saturn is the sixth planet outward from the sun. People in ancient times saw it as a golden star that moved among the fixed stars: a wanderer. It wasnt until astronomers began using telescopes in the 17th century that they saw its rings. In the 1950s, astronomers spoke of Saturn as having three rings. But spacecraft in the latter part of the 20th century showed vastly more detail. They revealed that Saturn actually has thousands of thin, finely detailed rings made of tiny chunks of ice. Saturn also has at least 62 moons with confirmed orbits. Only 53 of Saturns moons have names, and only 13 have diameters larger than 50 kilometers (about 30 miles).

Saturn is truly a wondrous world of rings and moons. Its everyones favorite celestial object to gaze at through a small telescope, so if theres a public astronomy night near you this month go!

Bottom line: Look for Saturn at and around opposition in early August 2021. It will be shining in the southeast at nightfall. Clouded out tonight? No problem. Saturn will be in an excellent place to observe throughout late July, August, September and October 2021.

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Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.

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Saturn at opposition August 1-2, near Jupiter - EarthSky

Some astronomers suggest setting up a "SatHub" to address the growing threat that satellite megaconstellations pose to the night sky but funding and support are necessary to make it happen.

The primary goal of the international SatHub project would be implementing and adapting plans for observations as new satellites go up, team members said. A secondary goal would be training, outreach and analysis concerning low Earth orbit satellites for the greater community.

SatHub was one of the key recommendations emerging from a recent workshop, called Satellite Constellations 2 (SATCON2), to figure out how astronomers can best perform observations in the face of swiftly growing satellite numbers. (Some satellite companies also participated in workshop discussions.)

Related: Astronomers ask UN committee to protect night skies from megaconstellations

"That may include a proposal to the International Astronomical Union," SATCON2 co-chair Connie Walker said during a preliminary press conference on July 16, referring to the SatHub idea. The IAU is one of the largest organizations representing astronomers and astronomy interests around the world.

"They have a call that just went out recently on such a center, so stay tuned for more on that," added Walker, a scientist at the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab.

Proposals are due to the IAU on Sept. 10, and deliberations will likely continue until at least the end of 2021, representatives added in the workshop. They did not give a timeline for when SatHub could be available, but this would likely depend in large part on funding.

Ideally, companies that send satellites to space should put money toward the center, said Meredith Rawls, a research scientist at the University of Washington who was also the observations working group chair for SATCON2.

"The idea here is to have a one-stop shop for all of your different needs pertaining to low Earth orbit satellite constellation observations," Rawls said during the press conference. "We really would like to get out ahead of this and avoid reinventing the wheel by having lots of individual siloed groups addressing the problem, and instead have a single landing place for all of these different observations and related analyses to land."

SATCON2 had three objectives, according to a press release from NOIRLab and the American Astronomical Society (AAS), which jointly organized the workshop: to figure out what is required to implement the previous recommendations from 2020's SATCON1; to have astronomers and satellite operators work together for policy frameworks and strategies; and to increase the diversity of all stakeholders.

SATCON1 participants produced a report last year warning that the impacts on astronomy of satellite megaconstellations in low Earth orbit "are estimated to range from negligible to extreme." All-sky survey telescopes that depend on lengthy light exposures free from interference will feel the biggest effects, the report concluded.

Report: Satellite megaconstellations could have 'extreme' impact on astronomy

Key recommendations from 2020 included limiting satellite altitudes in low Earth orbit to 370 miles (600 kilometers); reducing satellite brightness; developing image-processing software to minimize satellite trails; and making orbital information about satellites widely available so astronomers can point away from them.

This year, SATCON2 astronomers pointed to challenges in keeping up with the growing pace of satellite launches. Among the conclusions was that substantial development will be needed in software solutions, said Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics who was co-chair of the SATCON2 algorithms working group.

"We've tried to identify what existing software is relevant to the software problems, but we find that a lot of it is specialized to particular instruments or particular observatories, and it's going to need some work to be generalized," he warned during the press conference. "Also, there are big gaps where the software just doesn't exist. We do need a significant software development effort, and that's going to require substantial resources and funding."

Since satellites are always launching and software takes time to be developed, "we're going to need these resources as soon as possible," McDowell added. And the money will not only be needed for software, he added: Spectroscopic observations in particular are likely to be highly affected, so some observatories will likely need to spend money on hardware such as auxiliary spotting cameras.

The problem also goes beyond technical issues. Other commonly cited problems of constellations include space junk and crowding in terms of radio interference between satellites. These issues were not addressed in the workshop, but there were discussions concerning the impact on Indigenous peoples, as lack of access to the sky is seen as a cultural loss, said James Lowenthal, an astronomy professor at Smith College at Northampton, Massachusetts, who was the co-chair of the SATCON2 community engagement working group. (That said, he warned, not all Indigenous groups want the same thing.)

"The sky belongs to everyone," Lowenthal said. "People are impacted by changes in the sky. Megaconstellations are a global issue because space is a global commons. The sky is part of the environment and ecosystems depend on the night sky, and on each other, echoing the intersectional, interdependent nature of the many strands of this complex issue."

Lowenthal suggested that, when coming with policy solutions, stakeholders should look to lessons learned from past global commons agreements such as the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer, which led to some restrictions on CFCs. But not all such agreements were that successful, he said.

"Telephones, trains, planes, cars, fossil fuels, the internet itself all of these technologies burst upon the scene, were disruptive, produced profound change in society, to be followed by some modicum of regulation and lawmaking. Some were more successful than others at protecting public interests," Lowenthal said.

One way of mitigating the megaconstellation issue might be for those involved in satellite constellations to anticipate impacts long before satellites launch, said Richard Green of the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory, director of the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory and chair of the SATCON2 policy working group.

Related: Air pollution from reentering megaconstellation satellites could cause ozone hole 2.0

The policy working group "wanted to encourage operators to consider effects on astronomy, early in their development of their constellations," Green said. Acknowledging that SpaceX creates satellites in-house, most other companies contract for construction, he added. "They can adjust designs early, but it's very hard to change once they're in production."

Among other measures, the policy working group urged individual countries who are responsible for their launching entities, under the United Nations' 1967 Outer Space Treaty recognized in international space law frameworks to grant licenses to satellite operators only after the environmental impact of satellites has been assessed and minimized.

Despite the Outer Space Treaty's age, Green noted, it remains a useful tool for policy discussions. "It is a very flexible backbone that provides the principles under which nations can operate together, to define how some new phenomenon like satellite constellations fits under the expectations of a spacefaring nation," he said.

Constellations are not a new concept in space exploration, but they have been proliferating in recent years due to the ability to launch fleets of small but capable satellites on a single rocket. The most cited concern is the SpaceX Starlink constellation, which has an estimated 1,630 operational satellites as of July 2021, according to calculations from McDowell, and is growing fast.

"We started the SATCOM workshops after the launch in May 2019 of the first tranche of Starlink satellites," SATCOM2 co-chair Jeff Hall, an astronomer at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona, said during the press conference.

"That led to the idea we should all get together, in a community sense, and see what might be done about some of the impacts on astronomy. We know these satellites are perhaps up to a billion times brighter than the faintest objects astronomers study and have a significant impact on ground-based observatories, which require pristine dark skies to perform their research."

SpaceX eventually hopes to have as many as 42,000 Starlink satellites providing broadband service, and more companies are looking to grow their own fleets, including Amazon's Project Kuiper (which has yet to launch any craft) and OneWeb, which has already lofted 254 operational satellites.

Lowenthal praised some satellite companies for being "significantly and substantially involved in the planning of this workshop," along with promising to "commit resources" to reduce the effects of satellite constellations.

That said, he pointed to challenges. There are no firm regulations yet forcing companies to adjust their satellites to help astronomy observations, he said. Further, the competition has already been tough and resulted in bankruptcies. While Lowenthal did not name any particulars, one commonly cited example is OneWeb's recent Chapter 11 proceedings and subsequent ownership change.

"Even the business model is on shaky ground," he said. "We've already seen bankruptcies, and having a completely unregulated atmosphere is not necessarily the best for them, either. I think there's broad agreement that regulation is going to happen. Of course it's a slow process, but that's what we're launching with this workshop."

More than 350 astronomers, satellite operators, space policy specialists and advocates for dark skies skies with a minimum of light pollution and satellite interference attended SATCON2 from 40 countries, representatives said. A final report will be available around the end of September.

Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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Astronomers propose 'SatHub' to address growing threat of satellite megaconstellations - Space.com

Growing up in a Quaker household, Jocelyn Bell Burnell was raised to believe that she had as much right to an education as anyone else. But as a girl in the 1940s in Northern Ireland, her enthusiasm for the sciences was met with hostility from teachers and male students. Undeterred, she went on to study radio astronomy at Glasgow University, where she was the only woman in many of her classes.

In 1967, Burnell made a discovery that altered our perception of the universe. As a Ph.D. student at Cambridge University assisting the astronomer Anthony Hewish, she discovered pulsars compact, spinning celestial objects that give off beams of radiation, like cosmic lighthouses. (A visualization of some early pulsar data is immortalized as the album art for Joy Divisions Unknown Pleasures.)

But as the short documentary above shows, the world wasnt yet ready to accept that a breakthrough in astrophysics could have come from a young woman.

Ben Proudfoot is a filmmaker and the founder and C.E.O. of Breakwater Studios. He co-directed the Oscar-nominated Op-Doc A Concerto Is a Conversation.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And here's our email: letters@nytimes.com.

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Opinion | The Silent Pulse of the Universe: What Jocelyn Bell Burnell Discovered - The New York Times