Unsettled weather along the path of totality upended the viewing plans of many umbraphiles on the week leading up to April 8th’s total solar eclipse. So it was with our intrepid band of me, my wife Susanna, and two other couples who early on had made plans to travel to the Historic Leakey Inn close to the Mexican border in Leakey, Texas. When the weather forecast for our chosen site became reliably dismal, we instead packed up our car and drove from NJ to stay with our friends (one of the couples mentioned above) at their home in Stowe, Vermont. There we scoped out a great viewing site at the top of their road. We experienced 2 minutes 50 seconds of totality. Several prominences that we’d seen in the H-alpha scope prior to totality shone without filtration with brilliant red fluorescence at second contact. It was glorious. We chose not to photograph the eclipse except for a few “souvenir” cellphone shots a few folks took through eyepieces of my Questar and the two-tiered gizmo shown above. I’ll be looking for images captured by others that highlight the streaming corona and the brilliantly fluorescent prominences that excited us visually. The drive back to NYC on Tuesday took about ten hours, and memories of “Oh my God!” moments will always stay with us.
In Dallas, storm clouds made me flip, To Niagara, where clouds could eclipse. Then Watertown, I tried, But the clouds did deride, In Burlington, at last, caught the eclipse’s grand trip!
Now with joy, I recall that eclipse, Though my journey had twists, turns, and skips. For the next one in sight, On August twelve, twenty twenty six, oh, the delight! Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, or Spain, the next eclipse grips!
Millions of people made long journeys across the US to catch a glimpse of the total solar eclipse on April 8th 2024. The totality lasted up to 4 mins. First I will write about the logistics of getting to the path of totality and watching the eclipse. The second part is about the science of the sun and eclipses.
The path of totality was about 115 miles wide and passed diagonally from Texas to Vermont. It was a much hyped event as the next total eclipse is not expected for another two decades in the US. I may not be around to watch that. The laws of economics kicked in to capitalize on this opportunity. Airline fares, hotels, rental cars all had jacked up prices. We decided on a strategy to guarantee sighting the most sought after event without spending a fortune.
From our home in Jacksonville, Florida, the nearest place geographically was Jonesboro, Arkansas, about 800 miles away. We decided to drive instead of flying. The nearest city which was outside the path of totality is Memphis, Tennessee, which had reasonable hotel rates. We checked in Memphis a couple of days earlier and saw the National Civil Rights Museum at Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated. Also Beale Street, the home of Blues music.
We checked the weather forecast the night before. In addition to Jonesboro, we had three other towns as alternates within a 25 miles radius. Based on the weather forecast, we settled on Walnut Ridge, which was about 25 miles west of Jonesboro, and had a longer duration of eclipse (3:46). On April 8th morning we started early in the morning crossing the Mississippi river into Arkansas. Early morning fog started burning up as we moved closer to our destination. There was not much traffic and we arrived at Walnut Ridge City Park a good 3 hours before the start of the eclipse. Few clouds were there but nothing threatened the viewing of the eclipse.
Around 1230, the moon started covering the sun. Nothing much happened till a significant portion of the sun was covered. The light dimmed and the temperature dropped. It was a peculiar kind of light, not that of dusk, but a hue not observed normally. Suddenly it became dark and the distant lights in the Park came on automatically. The sight of a black circle in the midst of the sun was memorable. It lasted close to 4 minutes. And then the events occurred in reverse order before full sunlight was restored. Pictures taken using my iPad pro capture the event. The pictures are more of a personal memorabilia than representing any semblance of excellence in astrophotography. The first picture shows the eclipsed Sun with 3 visible planets – bottom right, top right and top left.
Second picture shows the lights in the Park which came on automatically as the eclipse created darkness.
On the way back, getting out of the Park was easier. The town of Walnut Ridge, unknown to most people, had its 15 minutes of fame. As someone was heard saying “Walnut what ?”. Someone else said “Where is the Ridge ? As it was all a flat open land”. As we moved away from the town towards Memphis, the traffic increased. The eclipse traffic from the nearby towns of Arkansas came to converge at the bridges across the Mississippi river into Memphis. We got stuck for three hours. It was an OK price to pay for the wonderful natural spectacle. Rest of the trip home was uneventful.
Now to the science of eclipses. A small body like the moon can blot out the entire sun because coincidentally the ratio of the size of the sun to the moon is the same as the ratio of the distance of the sun and the moon from the earth, which is about 400. Total eclipses dont happen often because the orbital plane of the moon around the earth is tilted compared to the orbital plane of the earth around the sun. Not in the same country for several years or decades.
Incidentally, the outer layer of the sun called corona is about 2 million degrees, much hotter than 10,000 degrees on the surface. This corona normally gets totally outshone by the sun. During a total eclipse, the corona comes into view. During one such eclipse in the 1800s, the sunlight on the edges was analyzed spectroscopically and a new element called Helium was discovered. It is a very rare element on the earth.
Most famous experiment done during an eclipse was in 1919 when Arthur Eddington set out to prove Einstein’s general theory of relativity that light bends in the presence of gravity. Stars in the sun’s proximity which are not normally visible are visible during a total eclipse. Eddington led a team to Brazil while another team went to Africa just as a backup in case the first team hit clouds. Both the teams measured the bending of starlight while it passed through the outer fringes of the sun. And the bending of light agreed completely with Einstein’s calculations.
While eclipses help do the scientific observations, now with the benefit of space probes with coronagraphs (which block most of the sun, like eclipses do), it is easier to do observations any time round the clock. NASA’s Parker probe and India’s Aditya are observing the sun from millions of miles closer to the sun.
While reminiscing about the past eclipse, waiting for the total eclipse in India about a decade from now.
My wife and I had long planned to travel to outside of Waco Texas to see the April 8 eclipse. But as the eclipse drew near, the weather in Texas, didn’t seem to be matching long-reange predictions. When taking another look at the expected weather along the path of totality I decided that Maine might be a good place to go. Fortunately, I have some family there, plus I was able to find an Airbnb very near the path. After cancelling our long-held reservations. The trip was rebooked. We ended up staying the night of April 6 in Scarborough, ME, then spent the nights of April 7 & 8 in Waterville, ME. On the day of the eclipse, my brother, my wife, and drove towards Jackman, ME. From the perspective of being in the path of totality, we went from around 90% in NJ, to 95% in Scarborough, to 99% in Waterville, to 3:08 minutes of totality on the way to Jackman. Driving up to Jackman was uneventful. My brother who was driving kept mentioning, that the further North we went the fewer cars there were. When we finally got close to Jackman (20+ miles) we pulled over into a pull-over (where others had stopped). The sky was crystal clear and waited for the event to begin.
Since we were planning to go to Texas to view the eclipse, I had purchased the Celeston EclipSmart 50mm telescope. What attracted it to me was the fact that it conveniently fits under the seat in front of you (including the tripod)! The one upgrade I made was getting the equivalent of a slow-motion control for the telescope. This provides easier adjustment and makes using a Barlow much easier. Since this was my wife’s first Solar eclipse I also brought a pair of EclipSmart 10 x 42 binoculars along.
I’ve included a couple of photos that I took with my Panasonic point and shoot camera. Plus, a couple of photo taken with my cell phone (using the appropriate filter).
The month of April 2024 has brought out the tremendous skills, innovative engineering, techniques, excitement, and frankly the true astro-grit of AAAP members chasing the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse. Many members, including those whose images are displayed here, traveled to the line of eclipse totality path through the United States from Mexico to Maine. What made this event even more challenging was the typical cloud weather pattern did not behave as typically forecasted with eclipse chasers abandoning their expected clear skies in Texas for the northeast such as New York, Vermont, Maine, or Canada.
The taxonomy of a solar eclipse and summary consists of the eclipse phases of C1 that is the moment the Moon starts obscuring the sun. C2 is when totality begins. C3 is when totality ends. C4 is when the moon stops obscuring the Sun. The eclipse solar events include the diamond ring effect, Bailey’s Beads, the solar corona, and solar prominences.
The diamond ring effect takes place just before totality and right before it ends at C2 and C3, the Moon nearly fully covers the Sun and a final bright spot of sunlight called the “diamond” remains visible. This bright visual effect resembles a diamond ring, hence the name.
The Baily’s Beads effect, named after the British astronomer Francis Baily, is when light appears around the edge of the Moon during the seconds leading up to totality and just after. Baily’s Beads are caused by sunlight passing through valleys and between mountains on the Moon’s irregular surface. The thin reddish edge is the Sun’s chromosphere.
The solar corona is the Sun’s outer atmosphere, composed of plasma and extending millions of miles into space. The Sun’s intense brightness hides it, but it is visible during totality. The corona appears as a halo of blue-white, wispy light surrounding the dark silhouette of the Moon. The shape of the corona changes over time and the changes may be viewed by comparing past eclipse images of coronas.
The solar prominences are large, bright loops of plasma that extend from the Sun’s surface into the corona. During totality, solar prominences appear as red or pink arches near the edge of the solar disk, sometimes extending out into the corona. At times, a coronal loop may be seen as a well-defined arch-like structure in the corona made up of dense plasma confined and isolated from the surrounding medium by magnetic flux tubes. Coronal loops begin and end at two base points on the photosphere and project into the upper chromosphere and corona.
Image descriptions are edited or authored by Michael DiMario unless noted. Image capture data are by the imager.
David Ackerman – Eclipse Images
This image shows Bailey’s Beads, solar prominences, the beginning of the diamond ring effect, and the corona. If look closely, faint coronal loops may be seen at the nine to ten o’clock positions.
These two images show the eclipse transitioning from C2 to C3 with their corresponding diamond ring effects, Bailey’s Beads, and prominences.
This image shows the corona in all its glory during totality. If look closely, faint coronal loops may be seen at the four, five, and six o’clock positions.
Eclipse images were captured at Magog, QC using a Nikon DSLR with a 400mm + 1.4xTC on an iOptron SkyGuider on a photographic tripod. A total of 1130 frames were captured. David used Solar Eclipse Maestro for hands-off operation requiring an Intel Mac running an antique operating system.
Lisa Fanning – Eclipse Progression
Eclipse was imaged in Morganville at 90% coverage. Image progression was taken with a Canon PowerShot SX70HS with Baader Astrosolar film and assembled in Bazaart.
Dave Wilton – Eclipse Composite Captured Hand Held
The eclipse composites were taken manually and handheld using a Canon 6D Mark II and Redcat 51. The tripod was inadvertently left behind in the garage. The eclipse images are exceptional given that it is nigh impossible to hold a camera and long lens, in this case a Redcat 51 refractor, steady while trying to magnify the view on the camera screen to get good focus. There was also light cloud cover which obscured the outer corona.
Rich Sherman – Eclipse Diamond Ring
This image of the eclipse’s diamond ring effect was taken in Dallas, TX
It was captured with a Nikon d800 camera, 480 mm focal length at ISO 200, f/8, at 1/8th of a second. It was processed using Lightroom.
Purnendu Gupta – Eclipse Prominences and Bailey’s Beads
Image reveals the plumes of prominences rising from the red arc of chromosphere. The thickness of the arc corresponds to 10,000 km that could house the Earth. There is a hint of the solar corona in the background. Still visible are tiny white portions of the Sun, the photosphere, shining through the lunar craters and valleys forming Bailey’s Beads.
Robert Vanderbei – Eclipse Totality and Prominences
Total eclipse image captured using a 3.5” Questar and ZWO ASI2400MC Pro camera. Images processed with SharpCap Pro Sequencer; location was Plattsburg, NY.
Michael DiMario – NGC 2477 Electric Guitar Open Cluster
NGC 2477 was imaged with a Takahashi FSQ-85ED Baby Q with a ASI 2600MC Pro camera and an Antilla Triband filter of 60 sub-light frames at 90 seconds each; processing in PixInsight.
NGC 2477 Electric Guitar open cluster image was taken March 31st at Big Cypress National Preserve in southwest Florida. This open cluster is typically a southern object and was taken about 25 deg above the southern horizon. Located about 2300ly – 6200ly, it is comprised of about 300 stars in the constellation Puppis. Star on left is b Pup, a rotating variable star believed to be a binary.
Lisa Fanning – Lunar X and Lunar V at First Quarter
Lunar First Quarter terminator image captured the Lunar X and Lunar V features of April 15, 2024 using an Apple iPhone 13 digiscope adapter attached to a Swarovski Optik Spotting Scope.
Lunar X is a “clair-obscur effect” where light and shadow creates the illusion of the letter ‘X’ on the rim of the Blanchinus, La Caille and Purbach craters. The Lunar V is also visible, formed by Ukert crater and several small craters.
Michael DiMario – NGC 3372 Carina Nebula
NGC 3372 Carina Nebula image comprised of 23 subframes at 30 sec using a Takahashi FSQ-85ED, Antilla Triband filter, and ASI 2600 MC Pro camera; processed in PixInsight.
NGC 3372 Carina Nebula was imaged March 31st at Big Cypress National Preserve 1-2 degrees above the southern horizon making it a very difficult object to capture. NGC 3372 Carina Nebula is one of our Galaxy’s largest star-forming regions spanning over 300 ly at a distance of 7,500 ly. The Carina Nebula is home to young, extremely massive stars, including the variable Eta Carinae, a star with well over 100 times the mass of the Sun. Eta Carinae is the bright star next to the central dark notch in this field. The difficulty of imaging near the horizon is the amount of air mass that light of your target must pass through. The number of air masses at the horizon is 40. That is, stellar light passes through 39x more atmosphere than at the zenith. To check out the effects on magnitude and the derivation, see https://asterism.org/resources/atmospheric-extinction-and-refraction/.
Joshua Verma – Total Solar Eclipse Prominences
This total eclipse image with prominences was captured in Cleveland, Ohio. As the official photographer of Nottingham Baptist Church, Joshua used a Skywatcher Star Adventurer, Evostar 72ed, and Canon EOS 500D and an Orion telescope for others to use. With snacks and drinks provided for all 50 people at the event, it turned out quite fun; many memories were made. A lot of people wanted to take a look inside the telescope, which provided a much closer look at the sun than they could get with the glasses. Most thoroughly enjoyed it, especially during the end of totality when the pink triangle “sun mountain” was visible. The clouds, rather than completely hindering the experience, actually created a nice effect during totality, reflecting light in such a way to create a white halo in the sky.
Glamping With the Stars As I exited Harry Reid International Airport on a bright March afternoon, my hand flew up to protect my eyes, which had grown accustomed to the dull light of a long, gray Tennessee winter. I’d headed west for the sun, but even more so for the night sky, so I was hoping for clear weather ahead…more
-NYT
A James Webb Turns To Examine Planet Showing Potential Sign Of Life NASA made a huge splash in September when it announced that its James Webb Space Telescope had spotted potential sign of life on an exoplanet dubbed K2-18b in the form of “dimethyl sulfide,” (DMS) a gas that’s produced exclusively by lifeforms on Earth…more
-Guardian
Controversial new theory of gravity rules out need for dark matter Dark matter is supposed to account for 85% of the mass in the universe, according to conventional scientific wisdom. But proponents of a radical new theory of gravity, in which space-time is “wobbly”, say their approach could render the elusive substance obsolete…more
-NYT
Killer Asteroid Hunters Spot 27,500 Overlooked Space Rocks A couple of years ago, a team of researchers dedicated to finding killer asteroids before they kill us came up with a neat trick. Instead of scanning the skies with telescopes for asteroids, the scientists wrote an algorithm that sifts through old pictures of the night sky, discovering about 100 asteroids that had been overlooked in those images…more
-NYT
Cosmic Forecast: Blurry With a Chance of Orbital Chaos Researchers discovered that a sunlike star named HD 7977, found 247 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia, could have passed close enough to the sun about 2.8 million years ago to alter the orbits of the Earth and other planets…more
-NYT
She Dreams of Pink Planets and Alien Dinosaurs Have dinosaurs evolved on other worlds? Could we spot a planet of glowing organisms? What nearby star systems are positioned to observe Earth passing in front of the sun? These are just a few of the questions that Lisa Kaltenegger has joyfully tackled. As the founding director of the Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell University…more
-NYT
Good News and Bad News for Astronomers’ Biggest Dream The United States should commit $1.6 billion to building an “extremely large telescope” that would vault American astronomy into a new era, according to the National Science Board, which advises the National Science Foundation. In a statement on Feb. 27, the board gave the foundation until May to decide how to choose between two…more
-NYT
NASA Seeks ‘Hail Mary’ for Its Mars Rocks Return Mission The cost of a proposed NASA mission to gather rocks on Mars and return them to Earth is spiraling upward and slipping further into the future. So on Monday, space agency officials asked for ideas on simplifying the mission and trimming its price tag….more
-NASA
Unveiling the Sun: NASA’s Open Data Approach to Solar Eclipse Research As the world eagerly anticipates the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, NASA is preparing for an extraordinary opportunity for scientific discovery, open collaboration, and public engagement. At the heart of the agency’s approach to this unusual event lies a commitment to open science, ensuring that the data…more
-NASA
Meet the Two Women Leading Space Station Science The International Space Station provides researchers access to the unique features of low Earth orbit: long-duration microgravity, exposure to space, and a one-of-a-kind perspective of our planet. These special attributes enable scientists to conduct innovative experiments that can’t be done anywhere else…more
by Rex Parker, PhD director@princetonastronomers.org
No Formal AAAP Meeting April! As the calendar would have it, the monthly meeting of AAAP in April falls a day after the solar eclipse. With many of our members travelling for the eclipse at a location offering totality and clear skies, we have decided to not hold a meeting on April 8. There is ongoing interest in connecting with members via Zoom to share experiences of the eclipse on April 8. If that happens you will receive a link by e-mail. I will be one of those travelling (to Indiana) for the eclipse. Here’s hoping for clear skies along the path of totality!
With all the excitement about the solar eclipse, don’t forget that this is also galaxy observing season! Below is my recent image (taken March 29) of the western-most part of Markarian’s Chain, a large and famous group of galaxies in Virgo. These galaxies are moving together through space, considered “near-by” at a distance of about 50 million light years.
Markarian’s Chain of Galaxies in Virgo. The 2 bright elliptical galaxies left and center are the Messier objects M84 and M86. Astrophoto by RA Parker from central NJ using a 12.5” f/6.7 reflector on Paramount MX and ASI2400MC camera.
The meeting was convened in Peyton Hall and on Zoom by Director Rex Parker at 1938 with his agenda and opening remarks:
◦ No meeting next month due to officers all traveling for the eclipse.
◦ A memorial service for Member John Miller will be held at the Dinky Bar and Kitchen on April 6 from 1230 to 1430.
◦ Sidereal Times will be posting astroimages by AAAP members.
◦ It’s galaxy season, with the Leo Triplet (M65, M66, NGC 3628) well positioned and M83 a challenge low in the south.
◦ To the two open observing/astrophotography challenges Lunar South Pole and Jupiter Moon Double Shadow Transit he is adding the repeating nova τ Coronae Borealis.
At 1949 Program ChairVictor Davis introduced speaker Erika Bernadette Hoffman, who gave us a presentation entitled Super-Massive Black Hole Winds: An X-Ray Perspective. A ten minute question session ended at 2055 and was followed by a ten-minute break. Present in the auditorium were 30 attendees.
The meeting reconvened at 2105 with 30 attendees in the auditorium. It opened with an Unjournal Presentation by Member Dr John Church about his lecture at Cornell University about the optics of their 12” refractor.
***********REPEAT OF IMPORTANT CHANGES*****************************************************
Due to most of the AAAP leadership traveling for the April 8 eclipse, it was previously decided that:
● The 2024 observatory season will be delayed for two weeks. The first Public Night will be on April 19.
● There will be no hosted, live eclipse event at the observatory. Folks will be referred to online coverage.
● The April meeting is cancelled.
Solar obscuration in the Princeton area will be 85-90%, still dramatically different from totality. Glasses or filters will be needed throughout the event.
Rex expanded on his challenge to be ready to observe or photograph the variable star τ Coronae Borealis when it brightens dramatically but briefly. It is one of only 5 known repeating novae and its next flare up is expected sometime this year. He reminded us that his Lunar South Pole and Jupiter Moon Double Shadow Transit challenges remain unanswered.
Observatory Co-Chairs Dave and Jennifer Skitt are passing on requests from local organizations for eclipse support. Members Joanna Hertz and Dave Misiura will be staying in the area and have stepped up to provide a AAAP response.
Merchandise Chair Rich Sherman pitched us about buying any needed warm AAAP logo clothing before the store changes over to spring and summer articles. He also proposed a renaming to the John Miller Outreach Chair to honor the memory of John’s many decades of enthusiastic dedication to the AAAP. Response was favorable but no formal action was taken.
Observatory Co-Chair Dave Skitt reported that the water valve that feeds the observatory from the Nature Center is undergoing replacement. It has been leaking for years. We may be getting stone in the drive, but only between the two inner gates. The entry to the soccer fields may remain deeply holed. He mentioned that Burlington is hosting a star party on April 5, when many of us will be traveling for the eclipse. New Keyholder schedule information has been published. He is planning to create brief video clips detailing the individual steps needed to open the observatory. They will be available to Keyholders as a refresher and may be used in training. He and Jennifer had attended the planetarium program at TCNJ and found it worthwhile, although their schedule is very limited. They are open this spring only on March 1, April 5, and May 3. They want to know you are coming, so check out further information at https://observatory.tcnj.edu/planetarium/
The meeting was adjourned at 2150.
Membership currently numbers 205, with 11 having joined in 2024. There have been 32 renewals while 8 have allowed their membership to expire, giving us a 80% retention rate.
New warm weather apparel is now available for purchase at our online store! The drab winter gear is gone and now it’s time for spring and summer AAAP apparel.
Visit https://www.princetonastronomy.org/merchandise.html. The password is SiderealTimes. And if you ever forget the password, it is right on our webpage immediately under the links to our online stores. Here is a screenshot so you can find it easily when you are ready to shop:
Remember, if you want a different color or an item you don’t see listed, please email me at merchandise@princetonastronomy.org and I will do my best to get you what you need.
For those of you who subscribe to Sky & Tel, there is an excellent reproduction of a drawing of the 1883 Caroline Island eclipse expedition on pages 28 and 29 of the April issue. As show by the key map, the leftmost tent contains Hastings’ own 4-inch refractor and Rockwell’s 6-1/4-inch, which is the one that we have in our observatory with the lens made by Hastings himself. This is a drawing rather than a photograph and doesn’t show all the details of the scope and the mount.
This drawing was originally published in Volume 2 of the Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, 1883. For those of you who may have access to Princeton’s Firestone Library and want to see the actual book, its call number is 8001.863.65. I ran this down when researching the history of our telescope back in the 1970’s.
Of additional interest is that using “our” scope, Hastings came to the erroneous conclusion that the corona was only a diffraction effect of the moon’s edge !! See Sky & Tel for March 1978, p. 211-12.
Title: Our Moon: How Earth’s Celestial Companion Transformed The Planet, Guided Evolution, And Made Us Who We Are
Author: Rebecca Boyle
Publisher: Random House, New York, NY
Publication Date: 2024
Total Pages: 336
Science journalist and author Rebecca Boyle makes the case that the Moon has been passively involved in the development of Earth, the planet’s life, humanity, and our societies. The author describes how the moon came to be, how the Moon supported human evolution, and how we made the Moon in our image. Boyle discusses the Moon’s role in different human civilization’s conception of time from ancient Mesopotamia to today as well as the marking of time. The evolution of life is explored from the Moon’s effect on tidal pools and the evolution of Earth and all life through the course of 4.51 billion years and the evidence such as the Troctolite 76535 Moon rock determined to be 4.26B brought back by Apollo17 Astronaut Jack Schmitt Dec 13, 1972. Boyle explores astronomy history including Kepler and Galileo and the influence the Moon had on scientific revolution. The author describes the four Moon creation models of the body called Theia slammed into the Earth at 20,000 mph.
This is an enjoyable read laden with data and exploration of Moon effects on all of us and our history that is not readily available in other materials.
Stellar nurseries are places in a galaxy where star formation is taking place. Very much like all living beings, stars are born and die. Huge clouds of gaseous hydrogen, embedded with dust particles, are the source for star formation. Some of these clouds span several light years. Over a long period of time, gravity does its magic compressing the gas cloud to lead to a stellar nursery.
Star formation leads to planet formation. And a new solar system is born. The number of planets and their proximity to the parent star, depends on a lot of factors. Some of the combinations lead to a goldilocks zone like ours where a planet developed life. Thousands of exoplanets are being discovered around other stars. Given billions of galaxies with billions of stars in each, it is statistically likely that life exists elsewhere in our Universe. The form and level of life may be different. It may or may not be carbon based life like ours is. May not be intelligent or may be a super intelligent life form. The timing could be different as well. Some of them could have had their peak and may be extinct, some may be in peak, and some may be yet to come. Shown below is the picture of a stellar nursery as captured by James Webb telescope, courtesy NASA. There are about 50 new stars lighting up in the picture.
The gas clouds start off as a huge collection of atomic hydrogen. Atomic hydrogen is the simplest element in the Universe with one proton in the nucleus and one electron orbiting. Such clouds do smash into each other and form a cloud of molecular hydrogen. A molecule of hydrogen consists of 2 hydrogen atoms. As gravity acts on such a cloud, a structure emerges which has long filaments connecting some dense cores. In a cloud, some areas become dense statistically which form the cores. While the lighter parts become the filaments. The dense cores become the sites of star formation. The cores get compressed by gravity further and further before they light up the nuclear furnace and start giving out radiation including light.
What sets the rate at which stars are born in a galaxy ? Obviously the raw material is a huge amount of gasses which need to come together. Earlier galaxies had primordial hydrogen. Later ones got gasses from explosive deaths of stars. When the gas gets depleted in a galaxy, the star formation comes to an end. And the galaxy begins to die as the death of stars is more than births. Like the population of the countries decrease when the births reduce in relation to deaths. Yes, galaxies are born and galaxies die, like stars. We know our Universe was born, it will probably die some time in the distant future.
Our galaxy, the Milky Way, produces stars at a leisurely pace of about three solar masses’ worth of stars every year. But so-called starburst galaxies that flourished in the early universe had high star-formation rates that are tens or hundreds or thousand times that of ours.
The dynamics inside such huge gas clouds depends on gravity, turbulence, radiation and magnetic fields. Observing such a gas cloud is not easy. Any visible light gets absorbed by the dust in the cloud and all we see is a dark patch. But radio waves and infrared waves pass through. The radio telescopes and infrared telescopes are our best bet to observe such gas clouds. Like the James Webb telescope which operates in the infrared region.
Based on the observations made, mathematical models are built on how the gas clouds behave and progress. Gravity is the weakest of the four known fundamental forces (electromagnetic force along with the nuclear forces of strong and weak interactions are the other ones). Yet this weak force is what sculpts the structures of our Universe.
A recent article in Scientific American spoke about how the results from the mathematical models, like the shape, is used to 3D print an object which can be held in one’s hand ! A stellar nursery being held in a hand!
The astroimaging section of this month’s Sidereal Times displays several images from the AAAP membership. The solar eclipse of April 8th may reveal Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, nick named the Devil Comet, shown as the first image in this edition’s collection near Jupiter. Other images taken in New Jersey skies show the finest images are possible in light polluted skies with the skill and talent of the AAAP membership.
Image descriptions are edited or authored by Michael DiMario for clarity and composition. Image capture data provided by imager.
Dan Mints — Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks
Image by Daniel Mints
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks was imaged on March 11, 2024. Image was captured with a ZWO ASI 533MC Pro camera and a Samyang 135MM Telephoto Lens. Comet image frame stacking with PixInsight.
Comet 12P/Pon-Brooks, or called the Devil or Millennium Falcon comet, is a periodiccomet with an orbital period of 71.2 years. Comets with an orbital period of less than 200 years are referred to as Halley-type comets. It is one of the brightest known periodic comets, reaching an absolute visual magnitude of about 5 in its approach to perihelion. Comet Pons-Brooks was discovered at Marseilles Observatory in July 1812 by Jean-Louis Pons, and on its next appearance in 1883 by William Robert Brooks thus giving its name. This comet is nick named the Devil or Millennium Falcon (Star Wars) comet due to an outburst that caused the coma to distort into a horseshoe or horned shape, with a dark center and bright wings due to an uneven spewing of gas and dust.
Comet 12P/Pons–Brooks has been identified as a comet observed in 1385 and in 1457. The 1385 was recorded by the Chinese and was also mentioned in some European sources. A comet observed by Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli, an Italian astronomer and mathematician, in January 1457 and mentioned in Chinese sources is also identified as comet 12P/Pons-Brooks. In both apparitions the comet had magnitude 3 or brighter. It is possible that it was also a comet recorded in Chinese sources in September 245 CE.
It might be visible during the total solar eclipse — The next perihelion passage is 21 April 2024, with closest approach to Earth being 1.55 AU on 2 June 2024. The comet is expected to brighten to about apparent magnitude 4.5. The comet nucleus is estimated to be around 30 km in diameter. That’s just two weeks after the April 8th total solar eclipse and Comet Pons-Brooks will be in the sky near the Sun during totality. It may be bright enough to pick up with binoculars, or naked eye should the comet outburst. Do look for it near Jupiter.
Daniel Mints — Jellyfish Nebula IC443
Image taken by Daniel Mints
Jellyfish Nebula image captured using an Askar V 384mm at f/4.8 with a ZWO 533MC Pro camera and Antlia Triband LP Filter. Image processing of 120 x 5 min subs stacked in PixInsight – 2x Drizzle for extra detail on the nebula. Processed with BlurXTerminator 2.0 and NoiseXTerminator. Post processed in Lightroom for color and contrast adjustment.
The Jellyfish nebula is a supernova remnant, 70 ly in diameter, of about 35,000 years ago located approximately 5,000 ly from Earth in the Gemini constellation. The supernova event produced the nebula and a neutron star. The presence of the neutron star and the nebula’s location in a star forming region indicate that the remnant was created by a Type II supernova, one triggered by a rapid collapse of a star with a mass at least 8 times that of the Sun. The neutron star is moving away from the Jellyfish Nebula at about 800,000 km/h.
Robert Vanderbei — M35 (upper left) and NGC 2158 (lower right)
Image by Robert Vanderbei
M35 and NGC 2158 image captured using a 10” Ritchey-Chretien reflector, a ZWO ASI2400MC-Pro camera. Integration of 4 5-minute live stacks of 30-sec exposures.
Exposures: Four 5-minute live stacks of 30-second exposures. Processed using SharpCap.
M35, located in the constellation Gemini, is about 2,970 ly away and consists of about 500 stars. NGC2158 is about 9,000 ly away. It is a middle-age open cluster. The stars are very metal poor.
Joe Matthews — IC 2162
Image by Joseph Matthews
IC 2162 was imaged using a William Optics Fluorostar 91/FLT91, ZWO ASI2600MC camera, and Optolong L-eNhance filter. Image integration of 34 frames at 300-sec per frame for an integration of 2-hr 50-min.
IC 2162 is a compact diffused nebula lying about the tip of Orion’s cudgel. The IC 2162 is positioned at about 2.5 degrees south of the “Monkey Head Nebula” belongs to Orion. IC 2162 has a smaller size of 15 arc minutes than that of the Monkey Head nebula. The nebula has fewer characteristics in its shape and has no familiar nicknames like “Monkey Head Nebula”, but some call it the Mushroom Nebula.
Joseph Matthews – NGC 2245/IC 447/IC 2169 Dreyer’s Nebula
Image by Joseph Matthews
NGC 2245/IC 447/IC 2169 was imaged using a William Optics Fluorostar 91/FLT91, ZWO ASI2600MC camera, and Optolong L-Pro filter. Image integration of 34 frames at 300-sec per frame for an integration of 2-hr 50-min.
NGC 2245/IC447/ IC 2169 is a bright blue reflection nebula in the constellation of Monoceros about 2 deg west of the Cone Nebula and Christmas Tree Cluster. This complex belongs to a large molecular cloud, the Monoceros R1 (Mon R1) Complex with a mean distance from Earth around 716 pc. It is an active star forming region and hosts many young stars and Herbig-Haro objects, bright patches of nebulosity associated with new born stars. The astronomer Edward E. Barnard exposed photographic plates of this region on 11 October 1888 using a 12-inch refractor and again on 21st and 24 January 1894 using the 6-inch Willard lens. He reported the discovery to John Dreyer, the compiler of the NGC and IC catalogues who listed IC 447 as Dreyer’s Nebula.
Joseph Matthews – M53 (center) and NGC 5053 (upper right)
Image by Joseph Matthews
M53 and NGC 5053 was imaged using a William Optics Fluorostar 91/FLT91, ZWO ASI2600MC camera, and Optolong L-Pro filter. Image integration of 53 frames at 120-sec per frame for an integration of 1-hr 46-min.
M53 is a globular star cluster located in the northern constellation Coma Berenices. The cluster has an apparent magnitude of 8.33 and lies at an approximate distance of 58,000 ly from Earth. It has the designation NGC 5024 in the New General Catalogue. The best time of year to observe M53 is in the months of March, April and May. M53 lies about 60,000 light years from the galactic center and, being roughly at the same distance from the solar system, it is one of the more distant globulars. M53 lies in the vicinity of another globular cluster, NGC 5053. NGC 5053 is considerably fainter, looser and less populated, and can be seen in the same field of view as M53 as it lies only a degree to the east. There is reported to be a tidal bridge linking M53 and NGC 5053. The fainter cluster, which is in fact slightly closer to us than M53, contains only about 3,500 stars and only appears as a patch of light in 8-inch telescopes. M53 was discovered by the German astronomer Johann Elert Bode on February 3, 1775.
Purnendu Gupta – Solar Sunspot AR3590
Image by Purnendu Gupta
Sunspot AR3590 photographed on Feb 24, 2024 from my front yard. At the time this was the biggest sunspot of the current solar cycle and wide enough to fit several Earths. The current solar cycle (#25) is the latest of the 11-year solar activity period which started in Dec 2019 and is expected to continue to 2030. A few days prior to this, on Feb 21-22 this active region had produced the three instances of the largest category of solar flares, X flares, within a 24-hour period. One of those was a X6.4, the largest solar flare in the current solar cycle.
The image is created out of a 25% stack of a 1 min video at 24 fps (ISO 100, 1/100 shutter) using a Canon 70d DSLR in video mode and a Celestron with a solar filter. Telescope used was a 430 mm f/6 refractor on a tracked alt-az mount. Image processed in PIPP, AutoStakkert!, Registax, and GIMP.
Title: Our Moon: How Earth’s Celestial Companion Transformed The Planet, Guided Evolution, And Made Us Who We Are
