astronomy

Happy Solstice Day!

By tigtog on 2010-12-22 • ( 2 )

The December solstice happened about twelve minutes ago as I compose this post (2010-12-21 23:38 Universal Time). APOD, as per usual, has the solstice goodies:

SF gets a new world-building scenario

By tigtog on 2010-12-03

A microbe has been discovered in a remote Californian lake that can survive without phosphorus, capable of substituting arsenic into that slot in its biochemistry instead.

All those stars reminded me – it’s nearly September equinox time (it’s becoming more common to no longer refer to vernal/autumnal equinoxes or summer/winter solstices because it gives the wrong impression that it’s the same season simultaneously around the world). The equinox falls on tomorrow, September 23rd at 1:09 pm Sydney time.

Happy Vernal Equinox

By tigtog on 2010-03-21

APOD put up a fantastic picture to mark this stage in the planet’s journey around the Sun. Recorded on March 10 from Teide National Park on the island of Tenerife, the vista is composed of 4 separate pictures spanning over 180 degrees. (Image Credit & Copyright: Daniel López)

Today I has been mostly looking at telescopes. Big Telescopes.

By tigtog on 2010-03-10 • ( 3 )

I now have a few extra places I want to see that I’ve added to my bucket list.

Been way too long since the last astronomy nerd post

By tigtog on 2009-04-24 • ( 1 )

This one is just so elegantly composed. North America got a very pretty show this week from the Moon and Venus.

Catching up on too many other things to blog blogging

By tigtog on 2009-03-22 • ( 1 )

And it’s been way too long since I posted something from Astronomy Picture of the Day (I added the labels of the moons on Friday before I got too sick to even look at my screen): Click on the picture… Read More ›

So who knew it was the International Year of Astronomy?

By tigtog on 2009-03-05 • ( 2 )

I didn’t, until the news about the little asteroid 2009 DD45 that just missed our planet yesterday popped into my milieu.

Go look at the moon.

By lauredhel on 2008-12-12 • ( 8 )

Full moon and perigee are coinciding this month – go check out the biggest, brightest moon since 1993. Last time this happened, we went down to the beach and proved that we really could read newsprint by moonlight with sunglasses… Read More ›

The Great Smiley Conjunction

By lauredhel on 2008-12-01 • ( 15 )

I’m sure there are better photographs of the Great Smiley Conjunction out there. But this is mine, taken mere moments ago; and that’s what makes it special.