Arizona Adventures: Then and Now

It doesn't seem that long ago (almost 10 years ago already?) when our annual trips to such astronomy meccas in Arizona like Kitt Peak, Whipple Observatory, and Lowell Observatory took place. Not only were we inspired by being in the presence of such famous facilities, but we also took the opportunity to enjoy the same bit of clear Arizona night sky that they were using...with our own eyes, telescopes, and maybe a film camera as well, we explored the heavens as they did. 

The McMath Solar Telescope on Kitt Peak imaged at the Advanced Observing Program - November 2004

Because we grew up with astronomy as a hobby, we had the prerequisite posters on our walls: images of the Orion Nebula, Pleiades, and others - taken from these large telescopes we were so enamored with. As our backdrop to the wider universe, these images held a special power to inspire.

Now, for the past decade or so, what was once the realm of large university telescopes perched upon remote mountaintops has made its way into the hands of astronomy enthusiasts of all types. When we see the images that amateurs can produce with internet-accessible telescopes and compare them to those taken 20 or 30 or more years ago with vastly larger professional telescopes, it is truly a revelation...just looking at the images obtained by students at the Plymouth Public School as part of a collaborative effort with Insight Observatory and iTelescope.Net, and I realize we are truly in a new era of astronomy.

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Supernova in Galaxy M82

On January 21, 2014, a group of astronomy students spotted an extragalactic supernova in the galaxy known as M82, the famous nearby irregular galaxy located in the constellation of Ursa Major. It peaked at magnitude 10.5 during the first week of February, but as of February 28th, it was still quite visible in amateur scopes at about magnitude 11.7.

The discovery of this extragalactic supernova will provide an opportunity for students and amateur astronomers to study such an event utilizing remote robotic telescopes for astronomy research and education. Students and amateur astronomers could take sequential images of the galaxy over a period of nights to compare the supernova's change in magnitude.

Before and after photos of the galaxy M82 showing the appearance of a  brand new 11.7 magnitude supernova. 
Image by E. Guido, N. Howes, M. Nicolini

Spectra showed it to be a Type Ia supernova  (an exploded white dwarf) with debris originally expanding at up to 20,000 kilometers per second. It is significantly dimmed and reddened by dust in M82 along our line of sight. By one estimate, it would be two magnitudes brighter if we were seeing it in the clear.

< Because this new supernova is currently at magnitude +11 to +12, it's definitely not visible to the naked eye. You’ll need a 4-inch telescope at least to be able to see it. That said, at 12 million light-years away, this is (at the moment) the brightest, closest supernova since SN 1993 J exploded in neighboring galaxy M81 approximately 21 years ago. M81 and M82, along with NGC 3077, form a close-knit interacting group.

M82 is a bright, striking edge-on spiral galaxy bright enough to see in binoculars. Known as the Cigar or Starburst Galaxy because of its shape and a large, active starburst region in its core, it’s only 12 million light-years from Earth and home to two previous supernovae in 2004 and 2008. Neither of those came anywhere close to being as bright as the discovery, and it’s very possible the new object will become brighter yet.

The supernova occurred when the dwarf packed enough pounds to reach a mass 1.4 times that of the Sun, and it can no longer support itself. The star suddenly collapses, heats to incredible temperatures, and burns up explosively in a runaway fusion reaction. What we see here on Earth is the sudden appearance of a brand new star within the galaxy’s disk. Of course, it’s not really a new star, but rather the end of an aged one.

T24 is the largest iTelescope system in the Northern Hemisphere. It is big, it is beautiful. Situated under dark and clear skies deep in its Sierra mountains remote location in Northern California USA. This is the same location Insight Observatory plans to host the 16" Dream Astrograph Telescope.

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Comets ISON and Lovejoy Now Visible to Naked Eye

According to reports from Space.com and Sky and Telescope magazine, the much-anticipated Comet ISON is now visible to the naked eye according to reports from many observers. Comet ISON - the potential "comet of the century" - has suddenly brightened in an outburst of activity with just two weeks to go before it literally grazes the surface of the sun.  In recent months, Comet ISON has repeatedly befuddled forecasters trying to anticipate just how bright it will ultimately become. 

Comet ISON imaged by Julian Durnwalder on 11-10-2013

using itelescope.net's T21 in Mayhill, New Mexico

But earlier this week, the comet's brightening trend again seemed to sputter and stall, but more recent observations suggest a sudden and radical upsurge in brightness. Comet ISON has brightened suddenly in the last few days to 5th magnitude as of November 15th - a popsicle-shaped comet with a round, sharp-edged, bright green head and a long, thin, dim tail. It's speeding sunward near the bright star Spica in Virgo and Mercury low in the east just before dawn. The comet passes less than 2° from Spica on the mornings of November 17th and 18th for the Americas, accelerating every day toward its November 28th perihelion and trial by fire.

According to veteran comet observer, John Bortle, Comet ISON was shining only at magnitude +8.5 on Monday (Nov. 11) morning - more than six times too dim to be visible to the unaided eye. But by Wednesday morning, the comet’s brightness had increased three-fold brightening to +7.3.

In just 72 hours, Comet ISON increased nearly 16 times in brightness. Carl Hergenrother, acting co-coordinator of the comet section of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, has confirmed Bortle's observations. "ISON has dramatically brightened over the past few days," Hergenrother told SPACE.com via email. "The latest observations put the comet around magnitude 5.7 to 6.1 which is a 2+ magnitude increase from this weekend. My own observations from this morning in 10x50 and 30x125 binoculars show a nice 'lollipop' comet with a very condensed blue-green head and a long narrow tail. The tail was over 1 degree in length even in the 10x50s. The comet may continue to brighten as the outburst is still in its early stages."

Meanwhile, Comet Lovejoy glows only a little less bright much higher before dawn. Both comets are visible in binoculars despite moonlight returning to the morning sky. They're being detected naked-eye by skilled observers under good conditions.

As of Nov. 6, based on a consensus of worldwide observers, Comet Lovejoy had reached magnitude 6.5, which is considered to be the threshold of naked-eye visibility in a dark sky, far from any bright lights.

The new comet is getting progressively brighter with each passing day. This is because while en route to its Dec. 22 rendezvous with the sun, Lovejoy will make its close approach with Earth on Tuesday, when it will pass within 36.9 million miles (59.4 million km) of the planet.

At its best around that time, Comet Lovejoy "might" become as bright as magnitude 4.5, still a moderately faint object, yet bright enough to be glimpsed with the naked eye and certainly a fine object for binoculars and small telescopes. Unfortunately, the moon will be two days past full that morning and well up in the west, lighting up the sky, probably preventing any naked-eye viewing opportunity.

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