APOD 1.4

September 23, 2010. Equinox and The Iron Sun.

This is a picture of the sun during the equinox, or the time as the sun crosses over the celestial equator.  Twice a year, the sun crosses the celestial equator causing equinoxes and changing the seasons to fall and spring.  Another two times throughout the year, this will occur causing solstices which bring the seasons into summer and winter. The literal meaning of the word equinox is actual equal night, because during the days that this phenomenon occurs, both day and night last for nearly 12 hours.  However, this lasts only for one day as days begin to grow shorter while the sun rises lower and lower in the sky as winter approaches. This picture is taken using ultraviolet light and is characterized by a false yellowish color due to ionized iron atoms. The swivels in the sun are fields of plasma suspended in magnetic fields above solar active regions.

APOD 1.3

September 20, 2010.  Aurora over Norway.

This picture stood out to me as it looked like a picture of fireworks in the night sky, however it was much softer colors and much smoother texture.  This picture is of an aurora above Tromso, Norway.  As the picture was taken over a length of time, the streaks seen inside of the aurora are actually satellites moving through the sky. Auroras are also known as Northern and Southern Polar Lights, the specific ones in this picture being Northern lights or the Aurora Borealis. These auroras are caused by collisions between charged particles and air molecules. They are often predicted based upon the time period of magnetic occurrences near the sun.

Observations Week of 9/20/10

Monday 9/20/10

Observing from my driveway in Northern Sarasota.
Observation Time: 9:00 P.M.
Findings: During my observation session, I saw a waxing gibbous moon a bit north of due eastward with Jupiter located slightly north of the moon. Although unable to be spotted by the naked eye, Uranus was also located very near to Jupiter.  Across the heavens in the western sky was Venus setting at the same time.

Tuesday 9/21/10

Observing from my driveway in Northern Sarasota.

Observation Time: 9:00 P.M.

Findings: During my observation session, I once again saw the waxing gibbous moon although it was very difficult to distinguish from a full moon as the full moon is approaching in the very near future. Again, Jupiter could be seen in the east near the moon although it was now located slightly south of the moon, although my viewing time may have slightly varied and the moon may have moved a more significant distance as it is much closer to us.  Again Venus was located in the western sky.

Wednesday 9/22/10

Observing from my driveway in Northern Sarasota.

Observation Time: 9:00 P.M.

Findings: During my observation session, the moon was again visible due east and it was extremely close to its full moon stage. Jupiter was now noticeably south of the moon and as of the previous days, Uranus again went unseen but located closely nearby.  Today however, I was unable to see Venus setting in the west, possible as a result of trees blocking my view from my observation point in my location.

APOD 1.2

September 10, 2010. Vela Supernova Remnant.

This picture contained a mixture of milky textured blues and reds, colors not common to the atmosphere that engaged my curiosity.  This picture contains the remnants of an explosion of a star in the constellation Vela that occurred over 11,000 years ago.  The constellation Vela, The Sails, was one of four constellations that made up a giant constellation known as Argo.  This caused an expanding shock wave that is still visible by X-Rays to date.  At the center lays a bright and dense core called the pulsar which rests approximately 800 light years away.  The Vela supernova remnant is located in the Milky Way inside of an older and larger supernova remnant called the Gum Nebula.

APOD 1.1

August 28, 2010. Hole in the Sun.

This picture stood out to me as an immediate choice as its unique view of our sun which looks as though there is a gaping hole going through its center.  The hole is called a coronal hole, an area of little density and cool temperature.  I learned that this coronal hole is formed by a magnetic field that allows for higher density plasma matter to exit via the hole.  One common effect of such an experience is that if the coronal hole is facing the Earth, it may create strong solar winds on our planet.  This is also the cause of the X-Rays that we can detect from the sun from the light spectrum.