HAA Skywatch

Sunspot group 1045 has developed into one of the largest and most interesting sunspots in a long time (well, years!). It is currently centered in the sun's northern hemisphere and is well worth looking at before it disappears. As always, be sure to use proper solar observing techniques and equipment, and always be safe when observing the sun. Check out today's image from the SOHO satellite.

The sun on February 7th, with large sunspot group.

There's been lots of talk about Mars at our meetings and in the blog since opposition is occurring tonight. But there is another interesting thing in the sky keeping Mars company tonight. The Moon will be full on Sat 30 Jan and it also will be at perigee. Like all orbits, the Moon's is elliptical and gets closer or further away from the Earth throughout it's orbit.

Link to larger image

As it turns out, this full Moon (Also known as the Wolf Full Moon), will be coinciding with its closest approach. This means it will be larger than usual (both actually and apparently). Try to catch the full Moon rise in the East just after sunset. Combined with the atmospheric effects, this full Moon should appear a lot larger than normal.

And as a bonus, tonight the Moon will be within 6 degrees of Mars (conjunction) - also at its closest to Earth for the next few years. Both are in the constellation Cancer. So you have a double treat. Here's a chart to help you find them. These both could fit into the field of view of low power binoculars.

Link to larger chart

The forecast is calling for a fair amount of clouds over the next few days, but there should also be some good breaks. So keep an eye on the sky and get out when it opens up. Be sure to let us know about your observing activities.
(images and charts from SpaceWeather.com)

Opposition
Today (Jan 27, 2010) marks Mars closest approach to Earth for the next 26 months or so. Today we are about 99 million km from Mars (in Aug 2003, we were about 58 million km), but on Friday Jan 29 we'll be at opposition (exact opposite direction from us and the Sun.) The difference is explained by orbital mechanics. In simplified terms, our orbits are not parallel with respect to each other so Earth is pulling away from the Sun while Mars is getting closer to both the Sun and Earth, but not at the same rate. As a result, closest approach and opposition do not fall at the same time (but are generally close to each other).

This weekend is calling for some clear skies so get out if you can to see Mars at it's best for the next 2 years. Even so, Mars won't be much more than 14 arc-seconds in size. But at the Burlington Public Night last week, I was able to make out the polar cap and some of the larger surface features in my 5" refractor without a lot of magnification.

Spirit
As I reported at the Jan HAA meeting, the Mars rover Spirit has been stuck in one place since April of 2009. NASA, JPL and APL engineers have been trying to figure out ways to free Spirit from its location.

Last tracks that will ever be made by Spirit

Regrettably now it's official (as of Jan 26) that they have given up and they will no longer try to free Spirit from its current position.
Spirit

Instead Spirit will now enter a new phase of life as a stationary science platform doing additional chemical analysis and try to determine more info about the nature of the planetary core.

How long it will last will be dependent upon surviving the winter. It is now mid-fall on Mars and the tilt of the solar panels (which provides power to the heaters, electronics and radios) is getting less and less energy each day. If it can't get enough energy to keep warm enough through the winter, then it may not survive. If it does, then it could last for many more months or years in this final location.

The good news is that the other rover, Opportunity is still going strong.

Phoenix
In a related note about Mars exploration, you may remember the Phoenix lander from 2008. It landed in the far Martian north in June and was supposed to last to Sept, but got another 2 months after confirming water ice under the polar cap. Its last transmission was Nov 2008 when the winter had advanced and solar energy dropped to a level incapable of sustaining Phoenix.
Phoenix Wake-up call

Now that spring is approaching and the sun is getting higher(more energy for the solar panels and batteries), NASA has planned a series of calls to Phoenix to see if it survived the winter. While it appears to be unlikely, there is a slim chance. The first calls went out on Jan 18 and will be repeated several times over the next few months. Orbiting satellite Odyssey will be positioned to listen for any weak signal and relay it to Earth. So far there hasn't been a reply, but it's still early and potentially lots of frost on the panels. Conditions may improve over the next few months.

Target Earth: Impacts Large and Small - Feb. 9

This one is for the week of our February meeting. If you are in the area
you might consider taking it in.

Peter Brown is an excellent speaker. I hope he will address our club in the future.
Here's the annoucement for your pleasure.

February's “Classes without Quizzes" lecture is called Target Earth: Impacts Large and Small. The Earth is constantly bombarded by asteroids and comets. Peter Brown, physics & astronomy associate professor at Western, will discuss the threat these extraterrestrial impacts pose, and how they also offer researchers unparalleled opportunities to better understand our solar system and how it formed. The lecture takes place on Tuesday, February 9 at the Medway Community Centre, Sherwood Forest Square, Wonderland Road North, London. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the lecture begins at 7 p.m.

"Classes without Quizzes" is a complimentary lecture series for the community offered by The University of Western Ontario. Join us for topical, entertaining and insightful monthly lectures by some of Western’s leading faculty, each taking place in different London locations through to Spring 2010. For more information or to RSVP for a lecture, please email programs@uwo.ca, call 519-661-2111 ext. 85739 or visit http://communications.uwo.ca/CWQ/

Sent to me via Facebook. I thought some club members might be interested in this. Sounds interesting.

ASX’s 7th Annual ‘Expanding Canada’s Frontiers’ Symposium

The Astronomy & Space Exploration Society (ASX) at the University of Toronto invites you to this exciting event!

Featuring:
* Prof. Peter Schultz (NASA LCROSS mission): Water on the Moon - a new oasis for life in space
* Prof. Sara Seager (MIT): seeking the stuff of life beyond our solar system
* Dr. Firouz Naderi (NASA JPL): engineering the future of robotic space exploration
* Dr. Narendra Bhandari (Indian Space Res. Org.): India's Space Program finds water in the lunar desert

DATE & TIME: Friday, January 29, 2010, 6:30 PM
(Doors open at 5:30 PM, reception at 10 PM)

LOCATION: Convocation Hall, University of Toronto (31 King’s College Circle, Toronto)

ADMISSION:
General Public: $20 ($15 until Jan 7, 5pm) from UofT TIX:
http://uofttix.ca/view.php?id=579
Phone #: (416) 978-8849

** This event has attracted over 1,000 attendees in the past, so do book your ticket early!

ABSTRACT: The search for habitable worlds other than our own, from nearby in our solar system to far away exoplanets, is one of the greatest scientific endeavors of human history. The discovery of many exoplanets in recent years as well as the astonishing discovery of water on the moon has propelled this quest to the forefront of today’s scientific research. With these discoveries in mind, ASX is pleased to present a truly inspiring cast of speakers who are at the forefront of this field. Please come out on January 29th to hear these speakers talk about their latest work and accomplishments as well as their perspectives on the search for other worlds and space exploration.

More info: http://asx.sa.utoronto.ca/symposium/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=233912979487

About ASX:
The ASX is a student group at the University of Toronto that is committed to bringing about awareness of astronomy and space exploration news, research, initiatives and opportunities in Canada and around the world, to the students and the greater public.