Daily Archives: May 31, 2014

The Sun Online and solar activity. May 31, 2014

Over the last 24 hours, only one C-class flare was observed. This C1-flare peaked on 31 May at 07:05UT, and originated from the active region that is about to round the east-northeast limb. There are currently 5 sunspot groups visible. They are all small and magnetically simple. There’s a small chance on a C-class flare, in particular from the region near the east-northeast limb. Solar wind speed varied mostly between 320 and 360 km/s. Bz was initially negative with excursions up to -11nT. Around 19:00UT on 30 May, Bz turned
positive reaching +10nT, and stayed mostly positive for the remainder of the period. The geomagnetic field was quiet with locally an active episode. A small coronal hole that passed the central meridian on 29 May can
influence the geomagnetic field as of 2 June. Geomagnetic conditions are expected to remain quiet, though locally a brief active episode is possible.
SIDC

Equipment: Coronado 90 + Imaging Source DMK + LX75
Processing: Photoshop, Avistack 300 frames
Date: 05/31/14
Time UT: 16:00
Exposure 1/500 sec.

With SPONLI Space is getting closer

Satellite Station and Southern Skies

Image Credit & Copyright: James Garlick

This clear night skyscape captures the colorful glow of aurora australis, the southern lights, just outside the port city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, planet Earth. As if staring into the dreamlike scene, the Tasmanian Earth Resources Satellite Station poses in the center, illuminated by nearby city lights. Used to receive data from spacebased Earth observing instruments, including NASA’s MODIS and SeaWiFS, the station was decommissioned in 2011 and dismantled only recently, shortly after the picture was taken on April 30. Still shining in southern skies though, the central bulge of our Milky Way galaxy and two bright satellite galaxies the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds appear in the frame. The Small Magellanic Cloud shines through the fainter red auroral band.
NASA APOD 31-May-14

Antennae Galaxies: NGC 4038 & 4039

2beeb8a5b65f68c4c16901383daf4f6e.1824x0_q100_watermark_watermark_opacity-10_watermark_position-4_watermark_text-Copyright Rick Stevenson, 2012
The Antennae Galaxies, also known as NGC 4038/NGC 4039, are a pair of interacting galaxies in the constellation Corvus. They are currently going through a phase of starburst.

The Antennae Galaxies are undergoing a galactic collision. Located in the NGC 4038 group with five other galaxies, these two galaxies are known as the Antennae Galaxies because the two long tails of stars, gas and dust ejected from the galaxies as a result of the collision resemble an insect’s antennae. The nuclei of the two galaxies are joining to become one giant galaxy. Most galaxies probably undergo at least one significant collision in their lifetimes. This is likely the future of our Milky Way when it collides with the Andromeda Galaxy. Two supernovae have been discovered in the galaxies: SN 2004GT and SN 2007sr. A recent study finds that these interacting galaxies are less remote from the Milky Way than previously thought—at 45 million light-years instead of 65 million light-years.

Imaging telescopes or lenses: GSO RC10
Imaging cameras: Starlight Xpress Lodestar, Starlight Xpress SXVR-H18
Mounts: Astro-Physics AP900
Software: PixInsight, Maxim DL
Filters: Astrodon E-series R, Astrodon E-series Lum, Astrodon E-series B, Astrodon E-series G
Accessories: Starlight Xpress AO-LF, Atlas Focuser
Dates: May 13, 2012

Author: Rick Stevenson
AstroPhotography of the day by SPONLI 31 May 2014

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