Posted on 07/02/2005 2:37:32 PM PDT by NRA2BFree
SUNSPOTS GALORE: Only a few days ago the sun was completely blank, but now it is peppered with fast-growing sunspots. So far these active regions have produced no strong solar flares, but this could change if their dynamic growth continues. Visit spaceweather.com for movies of the growing 'spots and safe solar observing tips.
REMINDER: Far from Earth, NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft is about to poke a hole through the crust of Comet Tempel 1. When? July 3rd at 10:52 p.m. PDT (July 4th at 0552 UT). A plume of gas and dust emerging from the hole could cause the comet to brighten so much that sky watchers on Earth can see it through binoculars or even with the unaided eye from dark-sky sites. Observers in the western United States, Hawaii, Mexico and parts of Central and South America are favored.
From those places the comet hangs in the southwestern sky after sunset on July 3rd--at the right place and time to view the impact. If the comet does brighten, it will look like a faint fuzzy smudge not far from the bright star Spica. Visit spaceweather.com for a sky map and observing tips.
"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"
Yep, we're DOOMED so you better bend over and kiss your backside good bye. LOL
Jupiter is also near Spica. Spica is the alpha star of Virgo, hard to miss, especially since the Big Dipper points at it.
There will be a live thread Sunday. Everything is set up for viewing by naked eye if all goes as well as possible.
Sure is a lot of interest in this. Lots of threads.
Thanks for the info. I know someone has an astronomy ping list, but I don't remember who it is. I would like to be pinged to the live thread, so I don't forget. :)
I got hooked on astronomy a few years ago when I saw the Astronomy Picture of the Day. I never knew just how beautiful and amazing the Solar System is.
There is or was one for picture of the day. Haven't seen it for a while.
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