Category Archives: Sidereal Times

Princeton University – “Night of Stars, 2025” -Outreach Summary

Posted on May 2, 2025 by ST Editors

by Dave Skitt, Observatory Chair Enthusiasm outweighed hope as the AAAP volunteers arrived for the May 3rd, “Night of Stars, 2025” outreach event in honor of Princeton University’s “Star” undergraduates facing finals week and the semester end.  Thickening haze and storm … Continue reading →

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Cosmic Threads

Posted on May 2, 2025 by ST Editors

by Rich Sherman, Merchandise Chair Spring is finally here and so is our warm-weather merchandise at the AAAP store! This year, we have added men’s and women’s baseball-style shirts and some tank tops to complement our existing array of t-shirts, … Continue reading →

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Book Review

Posted on May 2, 2025 by ST Editors

by Michael DiMario Title: Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space Authors: Adam Higginbotham Publisher: Avid Reader Press, New York, NY Publication Date: 2024 Total Pages: 576 The space shuttle Challenger, on January 28, … Continue reading →

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Influence of the Sun

Posted on May 2, 2025 by ST Editors

by Prasad Ganti Our Sun holds our solar system together, including all the planets, the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and the Kuiper belt objects beyond all the known planets. The Sun’s influence is felt in terms of the … Continue reading →

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The Astro-imager’s Corner

Posted on May 2, 2025 by ST Editors

by Michael DiMario The Jelly Fish Nebula, located in the Gemini Constellation 5000 light years from Earth, is a result of possibly several supernova remnants of spinning neutron stars. The nebula is 70 light years in diameter and is composed … Continue reading →

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Snippets

Posted on May 2, 2025 by ST Editors

compiled by Arlene & David Kaplan Astronomers Detect a Possible Signature of Life on a Distant Planet The search for life beyond Earth has led scientists to explore many suggestive mysteries, from plumes of methane on Mars to clouds of phosphine gas on … Continue reading →

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Trip Planning Reminder

Posted on April 4, 2025 by ST Editors

If you haven’t completed the survey regarding the proposed trip to the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum near DC yet, please take a few minutes to do so! Here is the link to the survey:Survey for Udvar-Hazy (Air & Space) … Continue reading →

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From The Director

Posted on March 30, 2025 by ST Editors

by Rex Parker, PhD director@princetonastronomy.org Treasure on Earth Created by Kilonova.  My long winter sojourn in the midwest ended a few weeks ago.  Upon return I am inspired by nature with the changing of seasons and the imminence of budburst … Continue reading →

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From The Program Chair

Posted on March 30, 2025 by ST Editors

by Victor Davis, Program Chair Going for GoldThe April, 2025 meeting of the AAAP will take place in Peyton Hall on the campus of Princeton University on Tuesday, April 8th at 7:30 PM. As usual, the meeting is open to … Continue reading →

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Minutes of the March 11, 2025 Meeting

Posted on March 30, 2025 by ST Editors

by Gene Allen, Secretary Director Rex Parker opened the meeting remotely via Zoom at 1930. There were 23 attending in Peyton Hall. He shared an astrophoto of Omega Centauri that he captured from a remote telescope he operates in Chile … Continue reading →

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Book Review

Posted on March 30, 2025 by ST Editors

by Michael DiMario Title: Is Earth Exceptional? The Quest For Cosmic Life Authors: Mario Livio & Jack Szostak Publisher: Basic Books, New York, NY Publication Date: 2024 Total Pages: 336 The origins of life on Earth may serve as a … Continue reading →

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Gott Map Projections

Posted on March 30, 2025 by ST Editors

by James Peck I logged in to the March 11th meeting late so didn’t really understand too much of the first part of Richard Gott’s talk. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the map projection discussion. My father was a navigator in … Continue reading →

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Astrobiology

Posted on March 30, 2025 by ST Editors

by S. Prasad Ganti Astrobiology represents the human quest to find life outside of our planet Earth – whether it is in our Solar system or elsewhere in our Universe. It could be simple life like microbes or intelligent life … Continue reading →

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