Daily Archives: July 5, 2014

The Sun Online and solar activity. July 5, 2014

There are currently 9 sunspot groups visible on the solar surface. NOAA 2104, 2108 and 2109 are the most prominent regions, but do not have magnetic delta’s. This may change for NOAA 2108 and 2109, as these groups have shown a gradual increase in sunspot area over the last 24 hours. Four C-class flares were observed. NOAA 2108 produced 3 of them, including the largest event being a C4.2 flare peaking at 14:39UT (4 July).
C-class flares are expected, with a chance on an M-class flare from NOAA 2104, 2108 and 2109.
Solar wind speed declined from 330 to 290 km/s, with Bz varying between -1 and +3 nT. Geomagnetic condions were quiet and are expected to remain so.
SIDC

Equipment: Coronado 90 +  Imaging Source DMK  + LX75
Processing: Photoshop, Avistack 300 frames
Date: 07/05/14
Time UT: 16:00
Exposure 1/500 sec.

Observatory Sponli

  

Related posts:

  1. The Sun Online and solar activity. July 4, 2014
  2. The Sun Online and solar activity. July 2, 2014
  3. The Sun Online and solar activity. July 3, 2014
  4. The Sun Online and solar activity. July 1, 2014

M106 Across the Spectrum 

m106_lg2048

Image Credit: X-ray – NASA / CXC / Caltech / P.Ogle et al.,
Optical – NASA/STScI, IR – NASA/JPL-Caltech, Radio – NSF/NRAO/VLA

 The spiral arms of bright, active galaxy M106 sprawl through this remarkable multiwavelength portrait, composed of image data from radio to X-rays, across the electromagnetic spectrum. Also known as NGC 4258, M106 can be found toward the northern constellation Canes Venatici. The well-measured distance to M106 is 23.5 million light-years, making this cosmic scene about 60,000 light-years across. Typical in grand spiral galaxies, dark dust lanes, youthful star clusters, and star forming regions trace spiral arms that converge on a bright nucleus. But this composite highlights two anomalous arms in radio (purple) and X-ray (blue) that seem to arise in the central region of M106, evidence of energetic jets of material blasting into the galaxy’s disk. The jets are likely powered by matter falling into a massive central black hole.

APOD NASA 05-Jul-14

Related posts:

  1. Massive Nearby Spiral Galaxy NGC 2841 
  2. Messier 63: The Sunflower Galaxy
  3. In the Center of Spiral Galaxy M61 
  4. A Particle Beam Jet forms HH 24

Sunflower Galaxy

93766055811fd1919359ca01535566b4.1824x0_q100_watermark

M63 (also known as NGC 5055, or the Sunflower Galaxy) is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici consisting of a central disc surrounded by many short spiral arm segments. M63 is part of the M51 Group, a group of galaxies that also includes M51 (the ‘Whirlpool Galaxy’). M63 was discovered by Pierre Méchain on June 14, 1779. The galaxy was then listed by Charles Messier as object 63 in theMessier Catalogue.

In the mid-19th century, Lord Rosse identified spiral structures within the galaxy, making this one of the first galaxies in which such structure was identified.

In 1971, a supernova with a magnitude of 11.8 appeared in one of the arms of M63.

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Ian King Ikharos 8″ RC
Imaging cameras: Atik 314L+
Mounts: Software Bisque Paramount MX
Guiding telescopes or lenses: Orion Mini 50mm Guide Scope
Guiding cameras: QHYCCD QHY5
Software: PixInsight, Software Bisque CCDSoft 5, Software Bisque TheSkyX, iLanga AstroPlanner, Matt Thomas’s CCDCommander
Filters: Baader Luminance 36mm, Baader Red, Green, Blue 36mm
Accessories: Atik EFW2
Dates: April 12, 2013
Frames: 173×300″
Integration: 14.4 hours

Author: Colin McGill
AstroPhotography of the day by SPONLI 05 July 2014

Related posts:

  1. Cigar Galaxy
  2. M 94 in the constellation Canes Venatici
  3. M101: Pinwheel Galaxy
  4. NGC 7023 Iris Nebula