APOD 3.2

Here we have not a new, super-impressive, ground-shattering shot of some space phenomena hundreds of light years away, but rather a simple picture of one of Jupiter's moons. Or rather, half of one. Europa is one of Jupiter's four primary, or otherwise known as Galilean, Moons. The other 3 are Io, Ganymede, and Callisto. It is approximately the size of our own moon, and is the 15th largest body in the Solar System.

Half of a fracture-marked Europa.

Now, it would seem that Europa's surface is similar to that of our moon's: dry, dusty, and definitely no water what-so-ever. However, that is wrong. Europa's entire surface is composed of ice! Beneath this ice, there is a subterranean sea between the ice layer and the core. Now, what would one make of the cracks on the surface? Those cracks (more properly sized as gorges) are the result of gravitational stresses on the moon by the other moons and Jupiter itself. The bodies pull on the moon in different directions, so it is only natural that it begins to fracture due to the stress. Luckily, the moons have different orbital periods, or Europa would be ripped apart entirely! Another question: How did all the lines get all skewed like that, surely the other moons don't have orbits that swing them around like that? The answer goes back to the ice layer and the subterranean sea. Scientists believe there isn't an anchor between the ice layer and the rocky core, which means that the ice has the ability to swing freely. Neat, isn't it? Below is a picture of Europa in it's entirety.

 

APOD 3.1

Today's picture is a snazzy shot of the trio of stars that make up Orion's Belt: Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka (Left to right in the photograph). Just by looking at the picture, you can tell that these stars are HUGE. You visibly notice their diameter in the photograph, but now take in to account that these stars are light years away. Their size dwarfs our sun immensely. By a lot. These stars are Big.

Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka

This trio is among the brightest of the Winter sky, and by far the most noteworthy. Nowhere else in the sky are there three stars which are lined up so perfectly. In fact, a study has shown that Orion's Belt is one of the most widely know astrological asterisms simply because it is so easy to recognize. Ironically, it is also commonly attributed to other groups of stars, often by small children or dull adults. This happened to me when I was a child, and I wanted to call any group of stars that seemed to vaguely line up Orion's Belt. Also visible in this picture are the Horseshoe and Crab nebulae, even though there only appears to be one located around Alnitak.

Astronomer Biography: David Rittenhouse

David Rittenhouse was one of the first renowned ‘American’ astronomers, in addition to being a Surveyor, Clockmaker, and the first Director of the American Mint. Born in April 1732 and died in 1796, Rittenhouse was an incredibly intelligent man who was very important for his time, since few people had the skills at such as level as he.

David was born near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in a small town known as ‘Rittenhouse Town’. David received no formal education, but instead taught himself mathematics and sciences. When he was young, he inherited a set of carpentry tools from his uncle. Being the intelligent, self-taught young boy he was, he began to use these tools to invent things. Some of the things he made included a working miniature model of his grandfather’s paper mill and a working water wheel. By the time he turned 13, David had mastered Newton’s laws such as Gravity and the Laws of Motion. By the time he turned 19, David started a scientific instruments shop near his father’s farm. He used his skill with clockworks to create to small models of the Solar system for Rutgers University, and in return received a scholarship to study philosophy. An interesting note, it would seem uncommon today for Mathematicians to study Philosophy, but that’s how they did things back then. Rittenhouse married twice, first to Eleanor Coulston in 1766 and then to Hannah Jacobs in 1771.

One of Rittenhouse’s most notable achievements was observing the Transit of Venus in 1769. According to rumor, he even fainted from excitement. Another was to be the First American to sight the planet Uranus in 1781. Then, in 1784 he along with surveyor Andrew Ellicott he completed a survey of the Mason Dixon line between Delaware and Pennsylvania.
Rittenhouse also participated in the American Philosophical Society. He was allowed membership in 1768 and served as a librarian and secretary. However, after Ben Franklin’s death, Rittenhouse was elevated to Vice President. Later, he was moved up to President in 1790 until 1799.
Rittenhouse was the treasurer of Pennsylvania from 1777 to 1789. President George Washington noticed his efficiency at keeping the books, and therefore selected to be the first director of US Mint. David was very diligent on perfecting the design of the first American coins, since he sought to create a work of art without breaching the new American etiquette.
Rittenhouse has a crater on the moon named after him, in addition to a square in Philadelphia.

Sun Pictures

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/images/3/32/Ultraviolet_Sun.jpg

http://images.nexopia.com/galleryfull/1/1209643/349242.jpg

http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/174723main_LEFTBlueCUSun.jpg

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1004/SunSDOfulldisk.jpg

http://interface-associates.net/images/Iron_Sun.jpg

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/gallery/images/large/promquad.jpg

http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu/sgrais/images/UV/SOHO_EIT_ultraviolet_corona_image.gif

http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/gallery/Ultraviolet_Sun.jpg

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0607/uvsun_trace_big.jpg

http://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/images/latest_aia_171.gif

http://www.spaceweather.com/images2010/04dec10/darkfilament.jpg

http://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/eit/images/latest_eit_171_full.gif

http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/latest_1024_0304.jpg

http://www.photoweeklyonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/sun.jpg

APOD 2.3 & Lunar Eclipse Observation

This picture is one taken at the International Space Station. One of the major things noticed about this picture is the background. The picture provides an extraordinary, even though obstructed, view of the Earth at night. The cluster of lights most prominent in this photo is New Orleans, directly above the left wing of the spacecraft docked at the station.

A very noticeable aspect of the sky is the aura of light visible around the atmosphere. While it is uncertain what the source of this light is, it is most likely the light from the sun refracting around the planet. A notable effect of this phenomena is when the Moon glows red during a lunar eclipse, due to the refraction of red light at that end of the spectrum.

Speaking of Lunar Eclipses, I recently attended a Lunar Eclipse watch at my school with my amazing Astronomy Teacher, Mr. Percival. During the actual eclipse, an extraordinary amount of stars became visible, more stars than I had ever seen in the sky before. Many 'blank spaces' in some of my favorite constellations became filled with a sea of small pricks of light, which was really an astonishing sight.

I also made use of a telescope that was already set up to observe the planet Saturn. The sight was surreal almost, since it was defined well enough to see the bulge of the rings, but not enough to see the stripes on the planet. It almost seemed like a small painting.

Astronomer #2 Biography Words Cited

Works Cited

"David Rittenhouse (1732-1796), University of Pennsylvania University Archives." University Archives and Records Center, University of Pennsylvania. Web. 06 Jan. 2011. <http://www.archives.upenn.edu/people/1700s/rittenhouse_david.html>.

"David Rittenhouse (American Astronomer and Inventor) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Web. 06 Jan. 2011. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/504662/David-Rittenhouse>.

"David Rittenhouse." NNDB: Tracking the Entire World. Web. 06 Jan. 2011. <http://www.nndb.com/people/172/000172653/>.

"David Rittenhouse." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 06 Jan. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Rittenhouse