For the other Astronuts out there

Medieval Astronomy from Melk Abbey

Image Credit: Paul Beck (Univ. Vienna), Georg Zotti (Vienna Inst. Arch. Science)​

Copyright: Library of Melk Abbey, Frag. 229​

Explanation: Discovered by accident, this manuscript page provides graphical insight to astronomy in medieval times, before the Renaissance and the influence of Nicolaus Copernicus, Tycho de Brahe, Johannes Kepler, and Galileo. The intriguing page is from lecture notes on astronomy compiled by the monk Magister Wolfgang de Styria before the year 1490. The top panels clearly illustrate the necessary geometry for a lunar (left) and solar eclipse in the Earth-centered Ptolemaic system. At lower left is a diagram of the Ptolemaic view of the Solar System with text at the upper right to explain the movement of the planets according to Ptolemy's geocentric model. At the lower right is a chart to calculate the date of Easter Sunday in the Julian calendar. The illustrated manuscript page was found at historic Melk Abbey in Austria.
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Tomorrow's picture: eclipse below​

 

Total Solar Eclipse Below the Bottom of the World​

Image Credit & Copyright: Petr Horálek (ESO Photo Ambassador, Inst. of Physics in Opava) ; Acknowledgement: Xavier Jubier​

Explanation: In late 2021 there was a total solar eclipse visible only at the end of the Earth. To capture the unusual phenomenon, airplanes took flight below the clouded seascape of Southern Ocean. The featured image shows one relatively spectacular capture where the bright spot is the outer corona of the Sun and the eclipsing Moon is seen as the dark spot in the center. A wing and engine of the airplane are visible across the left and bottom of the image, while another airplane observing the eclipse is visible on the far left. The dark area of the sky surrounding the eclipsed Sun is called a shadow cone. It is dark because you are looking down a long corridor of air shadowed by the Moon. A careful inspection of the eclipsed Sun will reveal the planet Mercury just to the right. You won't have to travel to the end of the Earth to see the next total solar eclipse. The total eclipse path will cross North America on 2024 April 8, just over one week from today.
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NASA Coverage: Total Solar Eclipse of 2024 April 8
Tomorrow's picture: black hole twister​

 

Did we notice the plane at 9 o'clock?

 

Neither can I.

 

The other plane is to the left of the Sun, Mercury is just right of the Sun. Zoom in and it's quite apparent.

 

Yeah, I was distracted and goof on that. She's gone now.

 

Thanks, guys. It's about two lengths (of the plane on the LEFT) to the right of the Sun. I was looking too closely.

 

"She's gone now" ! Great title for a song.

 

Hey OpanaPointer , got your Eclipse glasses yet ? You should be close.

 

Boss Lady and I saw the last one through here. The thrill is gone now. Plus totality will be hours south of here.

 

Detailed View of a Solar Eclipse Corona​

Image Credit & Copyright: Phil Hart​

Explanation: Only in the fleeting darkness of a total solar eclipse is the light of the solar corona easily visible. Normally overwhelmed by the bright solar disk, the expansive corona, the sun's outer atmosphere, is an alluring sight. But the subtle details and extreme ranges in the corona's brightness, although discernible to the eye, are notoriously difficult to photograph. Pictured here, however, using multiple images and digital processing, is a detailed image of the Sun's corona taken during the April 20, 2023 total solar eclipse from Exmouth, Australia. Clearly visible are intricate layers and glowing caustics of an ever changing mixture of hot gas and magnetic fields. Bright looping prominences appear pink just around the Sun's limb. A similar solar corona might be visible through clear skies in a narrow swath across the North America during the total solar eclipse that occurs just six days from today
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NASA Coverage: Total Solar Eclipse of 2024 April 8
Tomorrow's picture: celestial fireworks​

 

Yep. Very good shot BTW.

 

Unwinding M51​

Image Credit & Copyright: Data - Hubble Heritage Project, Unwinding - Paul Howell​

Explanation: The arms of a grand design spiral galaxy 60,000 light-years across are unwound in this digital transformation of the magnificent 2005 Hubble Space Telescope portrait of M51. In fact, M51 is one of the original spiral nebulae, its winding arms described by a mathematical curve known as a logarithmic spiral, a spiral whose separation grows in a geometric way with increasing distance from the center. Applying logarithms to shift the pixel coordinates in the Hubble image relative to the center of M51 maps the galaxy's spiral arms into diagonal straight lines. The transformed image dramatically shows the arms themselves are traced by star formation, lined with pinkish starforming regions and young blue star clusters. Companion galaxy NGC 5195 (top) seems to alter the track of the arm in front of it though, and itself remains relatively unaffected by this unwinding of M51. Also known as the spira mirabilis, logarthimic spirals can be found in nature on all scales. For example, logarithmic spirals can also describe hurricanes, the tracks of subatomic particles in a bubble chamber and, of course, cauliflower.
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NASA Coverage: Total Solar Eclipse of 2024 April 8
Tomorrow's picture: clear skies​

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Learn a lot about things that normally get washed out by the main sun light.

 

The Changing Ion Tail of Comet Pons-Brooks​

Image Credit & Copyright: Shengyu Li & Shaining​

Explanation: How does a comet tail change? It depends on the comet. The ion tail of Comet 12P/Pons–Brooks has been changing markedly, as detailed in the featured image sequenced over nine days from March 6 to 14 (top to bottom). On some days, the comet's ion tail was relatively long and complex, but not every day. Reasons for tail changes include the rate of ejection of material from the comet's nucleus, the strength and complexity of the passing solar wind, and the rotation rate of the comet. Over the course of a week, apparent changes even include a change of perspective from the Earth. In general, a comet's ion tail will point away from the Sun, as gas expelled is pushed out by the Sun's wind. Today, Pons-Brooks may become a rare comet suddenly visible in the middle of the day for those able to see the Sun totally eclipsed by the Moon.

NASA Coverage: Today's Total Solar Eclipse​

Total Eclipse Imagery: Notable Submissions to APOD Tomorrow's picture: yesterday's eclipse


Sky dragon come! ​

 

Moon's Shadow over Lake Magog​

Image Credit & Copyright: Stan Honda​

Explanation: Captured in this snapshot, the shadow of the Moon came to Lake Magog, Quebec, North America, planet Earth on April 8. For the lakeside eclipse chasers, the much anticipated total solar eclipse was a spectacle to behold in briefly dark, but clear skies. Of course Lake Magog was one of the last places to be visited by the Moon's shadow. The narrow path of totality for the 2024 total solar eclipse swept from Mexico's Pacific Coast north and eastward through the US and Canada. But a partial eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent.

Total Eclipse Imagery: Notable Submissions to APOD
Tomorrow's picture: hot star mess​