gemini
It’s Official!
A Gemini image of a star and its 8-Jupiter mass planet taken in 2008. Click for a larger version. Credit: Gemini Observatory.
I wrote about this back in 2008 and finally we have confirmation this is indeed the first directly imaged planet around another star!
Here’s the first part of the press release from the Gemini Observatory:
A planet only about eight times the mass of Jupiter has been confirmed orbiting a Sun-like star at over 300 times farther from the star than the Earth is from our Sun. The newly confirmed planet is the least massive planet known to orbit at such a great distance from its host star. The discovery utilized high-resolution adaptive optics technology at the Gemini Observatory to take direct images and spectra of the planet.
Terry Nazon’s Astronomy: Just Plain Wrong
Introduction
I wanted to take a brief pause from writing lectures for the intro astronomy class I’m teaching (don’t worry guys, the one for tomorrow is already written!) and head down a different path for a few moments.
Some may consider me a glutton for punishment. Considering my recent run-in of being threatened by an astrologer, I’ve been following her a bit on Twitter to see what she’s up to in her astrological prognostications. And that’s what I want to talk about today.
Munster galaxy
No, that title is not a typo. Here’s the galaxy:
This is an irregular galaxy about 15 million light years away that’s undergoing a "starburst" — a massive wave of star formation. I won’t go into details like I usually do (the press release for the image is pretty good, so go read that)… but I just wanted to make the joke.
The name of the galaxy? NGC 1313.
Image credit: my buddy, Travis Rector of the University of Alaska, Anchorage
What of the Telescopes in Chile?
The ESO Very Large Array atop Cerro Paranal, northern Chile (ESO). There are many international telescopes in Chile making use of the low humidity conditions in the Chilean mountains and high-altitude deserts. But as one of the most seismically active ...
The Case of the Contraband Corned Beef Sandwich
Gemini III launches, carrying Grissom, Young and a hidden corned beef sandwich into space (NASA). The 1960's were pioneering years for space exploration. Driven by Cold War politics, President John Kennedy put the US space agency on a 'do or ...
Planet X and 2012 and Astrology: Exploring the Claims of Astrologer Terry Nazon on 2012, Part 1
tags :
- Scientific Skepticism
- 2012
- 2012 astrology
- 2012 doomsday
- aries
- astrology
- astronomy
- Conjunction
- december 21
- doomsday
- eclipse
- Exposing PseudoAstronomy
- galactic alignment
- gemini
- Jupiter
- Lunar eclipse
- maya
- mayan prophecy
- Occultation
- pisces
- Pluto
- Saturn
- solar cycle
- Solar eclipse
- spica
- taurus
- terry nazan
- Uranus
- Venus
Introduction
While I was supposed to be working today, I was looking at the upcoming Coast to Coast AM late-night George Noory -hosted radio show. Tonight, February 15, 2010, they’re having what has been termed an “Astrology Special” with three astrologers coming in. I went to each of their websites just to nose around, and I found a page on Terry Nazon’s site dedicated to “The Mayan Prophecy of 2012.”
I’m an astronomer. Astrology is to astronomy what alchemy is to chemistry (or, for those about to take the SATs: astrology:astronomy::alchemy:chemistry). And, I’ve written many, many posts on the non-event of Planet X and 2012 (Planet X, 2012, and Planet X and 2012 — yes, those are different). So, this particular woman has combined two things that I just couldn’t help myself to post a break-down.
Gemini's New Filters Reveal the Beauty of Star Birth
Sharpless 2-106 (Gemini Observatory/AURA, right; left: copyright Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan; All rights reserved)
Mysterious Alien Dust Hints at Violent Planet Formation
