Author: NOVAC

  • NOVAC Member Sketches

    NOVAC Member Sketches

    Sketching the view seen through a telescope eyepiece has a long history going back to the earliest use of telescopes to observe the heavens, most famously with the sketches and notes taken by Galileo beginning around 1609. Sketching while observing is still popular despite the common use of cameras and cell phones to capture the scene in the eyepiece. Drawing has the effect of making one really look at the object, you can try this with any common scene around you: sketch a tree leaf, cats Read more […]
  • NOVAC imager Juan Marin Otero captures Abell 71 region in Cygnus

    NOVAC imager Juan Marin Otero captures Abell 71 region in Cygnus

    This region is in a very well known area of the sky, but its neighbors draw more attention from astrophotographers. Close to Deneb, at the opposite side of the North America and Pelican nebulae, lies this emission nebula complex. The whole region is quite strong in Ha, and very faint in SII and OIII. There is quite a bit going on in this image, the framing was chosen this way on purpose to try and capture the three following objects in one scene: Sh2-115 at the center of the image is Read more […]
  • August 8 – Public Monthly Meeting – To Bennu and Back Again: the OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Mission

    August 8 – Public Monthly Meeting – To Bennu and Back Again: the OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Mission

    To Bennu and Back Again: the OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Mission Are we alone or do we share our solar system and galaxy with other forms of life? And how widespread are advanced civilizations with whom we could communicate? Dr. Hannah Kaplan Sunday, August 8, 2021 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM EST Online event meet.google.com/osh-bcyd-gti Monthly Meeting – Public Invited Abstract: On October 20, 2020, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully collected a sample from the surface of near-Earth asteroid Read more […]
  • NOVAC eclipse chaser Lloyd Franklin captured this stunning image of the Ring of Fire eclipse on 10 June!

    NOVAC eclipse chaser Lloyd Franklin captured this stunning image of the Ring of Fire eclipse on 10 June!

    Lloyd Franklin captured a portion of the Annular Solar Eclipse (commonly known as a “Ring of Fire”), on 10 June 2021.   The path of annularity only traversed parts of Canada, Greenland, and Northern Russia, and wasn’t easy to get to, but with some research Lloyd  found one of the most interesting locations to view the partial eclipse.  Long Branch, New Jersey offered the opportunity to view the Sun rising from the Atlantic Ocean with “devil horns” due to being ~80% eclipsed Read more […]
  • July 11 – Public Monthly Meeting – Searching for Life on Other Worlds

    July 11 – Public Monthly Meeting – Searching for Life on Other Worlds

    Searching for Life on Other Worlds Are we alone or do we share our solar system and galaxy with other forms of life? And how widespread are advanced civilizations with whom we could communicate? Robert Naeye Sunday, July 11, 2021 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM EST Online event meet.google.com/osh-bcyd-gti Monthly Meeting – Public Invited Abstract: Are we alone or do we share our solar system and galaxy with other forms of life? And how widespread are advanced civilizations with whom we could communicate? Right Read more […]
  • May 15 – Astronomy Day 2021

    May 15 – Astronomy Day 2021

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” overlay_color=”” video_preview_image=”” border_color=”” Read more […]
  • May 2 – Public Monthly Meeting – The Last Stargazers

    May 2 – Public Monthly Meeting – The Last Stargazers

    The Last Stargazers Dr. Emily Levesque Sunday, May 2, 2021 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM EST Online event meet.google.com/osh-bcyd-gti Monthly Meeting – Public Invited Abstract: A bird that mimicked a black hole. The astronomer that discovered microwave ovens. A telescope that got shot. The science of astronomy is filled with true stories (and tall tales) of the adventures and misadventures that accompany our exploration of the universe. Join Dr. Emily Levesque, author of the new popular science Read more […]
  • April 11 – Public Monthly Meeting – Asteroids and Comets: Earth’s Nearest Neighbors

    April 11 – Public Monthly Meeting – Asteroids and Comets: Earth’s Nearest Neighbors

    Asteroids and Comets: Earth’s Nearest Neighbors Dr. Amy Mainzer Sunday, April 11, 2021 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM EST Online event meet.google.com/osh-bcyd-gti Monthly Meeting – Public Invited Abstract: Asteroids and comets, leftover fragments from the formation of our solar system, represent repositories of primordial material. As such, they provide clues to the processes by which planetary systems form and evolve. Over time, asteroids and comets have impacted the Earth and its moon, altering Read more […]
  • The Horsehead Nebula by Jeff McFarlin

    The Horsehead Nebula by Jeff McFarlin

    [fusion_builder_container type=”flex” hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” min_height=”” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”no” align_content=”stretch” flex_align_items=”flex-start” flex_justify_content=”flex-start” flex_column_spacing=”” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” container_tag=”div” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” status=”published” publish_date=”” class=”” id=”” link_color=”” link_hover_color=”” Read more […]
  • March 14 – Public Monthly Meeting – The Mysterious Great Dimming of Betelgeuse

    March 14 – Public Monthly Meeting – The Mysterious Great Dimming of Betelgeuse

    The Mysterious Great Dimming of Betelgeuse Dr. Andrea Dupree, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian Sunday, March 14, 2021 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM EST Online event http://meet.google.com/aoj-rfxn-oqd Monthly Meeting – Public Invited Abstract: The bright cool supergiant Betelgeuse became historically faint a little over one year ago in early February 2020. Various explanations have been offered for its unusual behavior – including conjectures this foreshadows an imminent supernova Read more […]