Be Part of the Solution, Fight Light Pollution: DARK SKY FESTIVAL 2012

HARMONY, FL – Saturday, April 14, 2012 the Town of Harmony, the largest Green Certified Community in Central Florida, will be hosting their 9th Annual Dark Sky Festival in the Harmony Town Square from 6-11pm. Festival admission is free and open to the public. Last year’s attendance was estimated at around 5,000 people; with many more expected this year.

The purpose of the Dark Sky Festival is to expose the general public to the marvels of astronomy and the importance of protecting dark skies - not just for astronomy purposes, but also for the values that darkness provides to area wildlife. This festival will include Stargazing on “Telescope Hill,” NASA Exhibits and Speaker, Local Astronomers, Science Exhibits and Demonstrations, Starlab Mobile Planetarium, Live Music and Entertainment, Food/Drinks, Cosmic Kids Zone, “Glow Golf,” and much more! The event is family-friendly and enjoyable for all ages. Thank you to our main supporters; WUCF-TV, Central Florida’s PBS Channel; Starwalk Interactive Astronomy Guide; Osceola News Gazette; Seminole State College Planetarium; Clancy and Theys Construction; Waster Services INC. and the Education Foundation of Osceola County.

Harmony is located on US 192 in Osceola County, 30 minutes from Disney and Melbourne, and 20 minutes from Lake Nona Medical City. For more information on the event, please contact the Harmony Festival Director by visiting www.harmonyfestivals.com. To find out more about life in Harmony, visit www.harmonyfl.com.

Moon Flamingo Tee On Sale For $2

We are aware about the first landing of astronauts in Moon and other missions of Moon.

The guys at Headline Shits in San Francisco have come up with "Moon Flamingo Tee" for both men and women and are offering a one-day sale.

If you are an astronomy lover then don't miss the sale on Wednesday July 20th,2011 to garb your favorite Moon Flamingo Tee.







Details of the sale:


Date: Wednesday July 20th,2011

Tee on Sale: Moon Flamingo for $2 only.Link to find the sale http://www.headlineshirts.net/moon-flamingo-t-shirt.html

Sale Code: SPACEBOOTS (this needs to be entered on the check out page in order to get the discount)

Shipping is fast as the Tee is shipped in 24 hours from San Francisco, CA and has free returns and exchanges.

Grab the sale offer at $2 only :D

The Square Kilometre Array belongs in Africa

Africa is bidding to host the world's most powerful radio telescope, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). When constructed, in 2025, it will have 50 times greater sensitivity than any other radio telescope on Earth. The SKA will probe the edges of our universe, even before the first stars and galaxies that formed after the Big Bang. This telescope will contribute to answering fundamental questions in astronomy, physics and cosmology, including the nature of dark energy and dark matter.






South Africa is leading the African bid and has already legislated to create 12.5 million hectares of protected area - or radio astronomy reserve. This area is also referred to as the Karoo Central Astronomy Advantage Area, offering low levels of radio frequency interference, very little light pollution, basic infrastructure of roads, electricity and communication.



The human story began in Africa and it can also be the place where we find answers to the story of our universe.


For more information check out http://skaafrica.com/.

Watch Geminid Meteor Shower On 13th and 14th December

If you are a sky gazer then you won't like to miss a chance to watch the beautiful Geminid meteor shower coming this week and if astronomers are to be believed its going to the "best meteor shower of the year".

The name Geminids comes from the name "Gemini" constellation.On 13th December and 14th December you can expect these showers late night if you are willing to brave the chill of December.



Observers can see more than 100 meteors per hour.The meteor shower will be more visible as the sky will be dark and moonless on December 14.

One more event astronomical event for this year will be the only Total lunar eclipse on December 20th which will be witnessed North America, Central America, a bit of South America, Greenland and Iceland.

Do let us know if you caught a glimpse of spectacular Geminid meteor shower!

Jupiter will be close to Earth this September

Jupiter will be close to Earth for this month of September and it will be especially close to Earth on 2oth September.



Jupiter will be closer to Earth again not before year 2022.I hope that viewers will be able to have a beautiful view of this awesome sight.

North Americans can view Jupiter in the east shortly after twilight.

A pic from Google Earth Image - Identify the object

Can any one identify the object in the pic given below?



The pic was sent my one of my reader who located the mentioned object in Google Earth.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks.

Picture of Flower shaped Nebula NGC 2237

The NASA 's Wide-field Infrared Explorer (WISE) has captured a beautiful pic of a flower shaped nebula (NGC 2237).



Nebula NGC 2237 cannot be viewed with our naked eyes but at the center of flower there is nebula NGC 2244 which is made up of cluster of young stars and it can be viewed with the help of a good telescope.

NGC 2237 is 4,500 to 5,000 light-years away from our galaxy.

Big Bang theory : An overview

Have you ever given a thought that how our Universe came into be? Our Universe was created in an extremely hot and dense state which expanded at a rapid state and then cooled and it is expanding even now today.The fact is interesting isn't it?

When our Universe came into existence there was NOTHING at all and Big Bang theory gives an explanation to this.




Big Bang theory has been developed by taking theoretical assumptions and observations together by George Lemaitre in 1927 by taking into consideration Albert Einstein's equations of general relativity and proposed and this model was being called "explosion" of a "primeval atom" which later came to be known as Big Bang theory.

In the year 1929 Hubble suggested that the Universe was expanding, contracting the infinite and is changing the "static universe" theory as proposed by Einstein. In "static universe" theory Einstein explained that our Universe is neither expanding nor it is contracting.

According to Big Bang theory after a long period of time the dense matter due to gravitational pull formed stars, galaxies, planets and other heavenly bodies which we find today.

Universe is in the form of dark energy today and near about 72% of the energy of Universe is in this form.

Misconceptions of Big Bang theory:

The most common misconception about Big Bang is that we assume that there was an explosion in the Universe but the experts say that there is an "expansion" and due to this "expansion" things in Universe are moving away from us.

There is no evidence of Big Bang theory as there is no explanation to the concept of what could have caused "Big Bang".

Big Bang theory gives no explanation to the existence of God. It is being believed that the Universe is a super natural creation by God. It gives no explanation to the fact whether God created Universe.

Perseids Annual Meteor shower being sighted

There was an excellent show of Perseids meteor shower on Thursday night along with thin crescent Moon with Venus, Mars and Saturn in the west-southwestern sky just after sunset.

Many observers have shared their sightings on Twitter.



The Perseids meteor shower is witnessed every year in the second week of August.

Perseids meteor shower was expected to be seen in India too but unforunately due to bad weather which included cloudy skies and showers only few Perseids meteor were seen by few star gazers between 12:30 hrs and 0200 hrs.

Were you able to see the yearly Perseids meteor shower? If yes, then please do share.

Watch Perseids Meteor shower along with thin crescent Moon this Thursday

If you happen to be a star gazer then be prepared to see the yearly meteor shower of Perseids and you can also see a young Moon along with Venus, Mars and Saturn in the west-southwestern sky just after sunset.

You can enjoy the best Perseids meteor shower on Thursday night till Friday dawn where if you are lucky and have clear sky you can watch 50 to 60 meteors per hour.

It will be a beauty to watch those meteor shower with thin crescent Moon.