On request I am publishing a larger version of my galactic center shot. I really do need to re-shoot this with an Hα sensitive camera.
As usual, click on the image for the larger version…
Postcard from the Universe – Galactic Center Grande
Author: Andrew
An electrical engineer, amateur astronomer, and diver, living and working on the island of Hawaiʻi.
Postcard from the Reef – Protopalythoa?
Hawaiian reefs are well studied, so much so that identification of what I find is often fairly easy. Various resources from popular guide books to professional papers list most of the species one is likely to encounter. There are also several excellent online references that I make regular use of.
There will be situations when identification is not quite so easy… There are critters that are difficult to identify from a simple photograph. Such is the case with this small group of cnidarians I found in a crevice. They caught my eye enough that I took the photo, but proved a bit more difficult when I hit the books. The best I can guess at is the family Protopalythoa, among the zoanthids. I have no need to collect a specimen and find an expert, thus these will most likely remain unidentified…
Venus and Aldebaran
Tomorrow morning, July 8th, Venus will pass less than 1° from Aldebaran. The Eye of the Bull may be one of the brightest stars in the sky at 0.9 magnitude, but it is no match for Venus at -4.4 magnitude.
On the morning of the 8th the planet will be 59′ from the star, just an iota under 1°. On the morning of the 9th the distance will be slightly closer at 55′. The pair will rise about 03:18, to be well up in the sky before sunrise.
Postcard from the Summit – Weather Tower
Postcard from the Reef – Gold Lace
These fellows are fairly common along the Kohala Coast. They are also quite pretty, always worth a couple exposures…
Happy Fourth of July
Ohia Forest
Apehelion
Today the Earth is furthest from the Sun, a point called apehelion. We will be about 152,098,232km (94,509,459miles) from the Sun. Compare this to the 147,098,290km (91,402,639miles) we were at perihelion on Jan 4th, a difference of about 5,411,169km (3,362,344miles) occurs throughout one orbit.
It may seem odd that we are actually at the furthest for the middle of northern summer, you just have to remember that proximity to the Sun is not the cause of the seasons. The seasons are caused by the axial tilt of the Earth, creating short and long days throughout the year, with a resulting change in the angle and intensity of the sunlight.
| 2012 Solstices and Equinoxes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT | HST | |||
| Perihelion | Jan 5 | 03:59UT | Jan 4 | 17:59HST |
| Spring Equinox | Mar 20 | 05:14UT | Mar 19 | 19:14HST |
| Summer Solstice | Jun 20 | 23:09UT | Jun 20 | 13:09HST |
| Apehelion | Jul 4 | 23:59UT | Jul 4 | 13:59HST |
| Fall Equinox | Sep 22 | 14:49UT | Sep 22 | 04:49HST |
| Winter Solstice | Dec 21 | 11:12UT | Dec 21 | 01:12HST |
| Source: USNO Data Services Website and the NASA Sky Calendar | ||||
Employment at Keck – Infrastructure Technician-Electrician
W. M. Keck Observatory Position Announcement…
The W.M. Keck Observatory operates two of the world’s largest and most scientifically productive optical/infrared telescopes located on the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. A highly capable and motivated staff operates, maintains and develops the complex telescope systems and infrastructure on the summit. We seek an Infrastructure Technician-Electrician to join this high-caliber team.
Commitment to WMKO’s core values, working well with others, and the ability to handle multiple tasks and priorities within a fast paced environment are all essential. For a full listing of duties and qualifications for this position, please go to: www.keckobservatory.org/about/employment
Full Moon
