Well, once again WordPress ate my post yesterday.  Sorry about that so here it is again.

This past weekend, I was out at my observatory taking images.  Although I haven’t processed all of them yet, I did manage to take some interesting images of the Moon and Venus (and a Joshua tree).  Enjoy.

The annual California fire season has started again.  This photo is show a fire near Phelan Ca.

The fires make for interesting sunsets.

Friday night from a parking lot in Indio.  The Moon and Venus at twilight.

Saturday afternoon maneuvers at the 29 Palms Marine Base.  It is really interesting when they do night maneuvers, they go right over my observatory.

A variety of exposures and ISO’s of the Moon, Venus and a Joshua tree near my observatory using my Canon G12.

– Ex astris, scientia –

I am and avid amateur astronomer and intellectual property attorney in Pasadena, California and I am a Rising Star as rated by Super Lawyers Magazine.  As a former Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy, I am a proud member of the Armed Service Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association working to aid all active duty and veterans in our communities. Connect with me on Google +

Norman

Happy Birthday to the High Energy Astronomy Observatories (HEAO 1) satellite , launched August 12, 1977

Alas, the HEAO 1 only operated until 9 January 1979.

HEAO 1 was primarily a survey mission, dedicated to systematically mapping the X-ray sky every 6 months.

HEAO 1 performed almost 3 full celestial surveys and discovered 1500 new X-ray sources in the 0.2 keV – 10 MeV range of the electromagnetic spectrum.  At the time, this was the greatest and most accurate X-ray detector.

HEAO 1 (formerly known as HEAO A) and the two other HEAO spacecraft, actually provided the beginnings for craft like Hubble and Spitzer.  Each one of the craft added to our collective understanding of X-ray and gamma radiation and its potential in helping understand the universe.

Although all told the three spacecraft only orbited from the first launch in 1977 to the final splashdown in 1982, they did fundamentally change how we understood this area of space exploration.

Of course, those craft that followed built upon the shoulders of those that went first.  So here’s to you HEAO spacecraft, your contribution is not forgotten.

– Ex astris, scientia –

I am and avid amateur astronomer and intellectual property attorney in Pasadena, California and I am a Rising Star as rated by Super Lawyers Magazine.  As a former Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy, I am a proud member of the Armed Service Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association working to aid all active duty and veterans in our communities. Connect with me on Google +

Norman

A team of astronomers from the University of Anitoquia, Medellin, Colombia, have discovered a graveyard of comets.

They also found out that some of these comets, inactive for millions of years, have returned to life as the so called ‘Lazarus comets’.  I like Zombie Comets better, but I didn’t discover them, so no zombie comets. 🙁

I understand that the biblical reference to Lazarus is appropriate, but I think zombie comets are far more satisfying.

There is ample precedent for zombie (or xombie depending on your preference) comets.  For centuries comets have been the harbingers of ill times and foreboding, omens of death, or coming catastrophes.

– Ex astris, scientia –

I am and avid amateur astronomer and intellectual property attorney in Pasadena, California and I am a Rising Star as rated by Super Lawyers Magazine.  As a former Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy, I am a proud member of the Armed Service Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association working to aid all active duty and veterans in our communities. Connect with me on Google +

Norman

High Wind Weather Warning!

Scientists have found conclusive proof that space wind exists.  Space wind theory was first postulated more than 20 years ago.

Data from the European Space Agency’s Cluster spacecraft detected plasmaspheric wind.

The plasmaspheric wind helps cause the loss of the plasmasphere, a region above Earth’s atmosphere, but below the magnetoshpere.

The data shows that there is a slow but steady wind, releasing about 2.2lbs (1 kg) of plasma every second into the outer magnetosphere.  About 100 tons (90 metric tons) every day, or one aircraft carrier every 10 days!

The plasmasphere is filled with charged particles.  Scientists analyzed the properties of these charged particles to detect the wind.

The plasmasphere, the most important plasma reservoir inside the magnetosphere, plays a crucial role in governing the dynamics of Earth’s radiation belts. These present a radiation hazard to satellites and to astronauts travelling through them. The plasmasphere’s material is also responsible for introducing a delay in the propagation of GPS signals passing through it.

– Ex astris, scientia –

I am and avid amateur astronomer and intellectual property attorney in Pasadena, California and I am a Rising Star as rated by Super Lawyers Magazine.  As a former Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy, I am a proud member of the Armed Service Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association working to aid all active duty and veterans in our communities. Connect with me on Google +

Norman