“MOA (Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics) is a Japan/NZ collaboration that makes observations on dark matter, extra-solar planets and stellar atmospheres using the gravitational microlensing technique at the University of Canterbury Mt John Observatory in New Zealand. Further studies are also carried out.” (MOA Page, University of Canterbury)
A Kiwi perspective on astronomy and space science news and how to get the most out the night sky
Category: Deep Sky
Navigating the Night Sky – Part 4
This is the fourth video in the series and looks at the area between the Southern Cross and the Diamond Cross, along the Milky Way, in the Southern Sky. You’ll need binoculars to see the objects in this video.
The Kuiper Belt’s Ultima Thule and the New Horizons Flypast on New Years Day
Hot on the heals of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 trip to the Moon we have the real time fly past of Ultima Thule on New Years Day, only this time the distance […]
Supernovae and Extinction Events
Recent research suggests there may be a link between a supernova about 2.6 million years ago and the extinction of a large number of marine megafauna on the Earth at the time.
How to find the Sculptor Galaxy, NGC 253
This is a short video on how to find the Sculptor Galaxy in the Southern Sky. This is a beautiful and bright galaxy that is well worth a look at.
How to make a blackhole
A light hearted look at how you might make a blackhole if you happen to have a large star handy.
How do you make a star?
It’s not easy to make a star, you need a lot of cold space and a huge amount of hydrogen. But if you manage to do that then you can have your very own Sun sized star to keep you warm in winter.
What is a Gamma Ray Burst?
Aside from the Big Bang, Gamma Ray Bursts are the most powerful releases of energy in the universe, sometimes releasing over 100 times the entire energy of the Sun over it’s 10 billion year lifespan.
Now Chandra has a glitch
The Chandra X-Ray Observatory has developed a glitch and gone into safe mode. The 19 year old spacecraft is well past it’s design life but continues to produce incredible science so hopefully it’ll be back to full serviceability very soon.
Interstellar, here we come!
The amount of interstellar particles being detected by Voyager 2 may indicate that the spacecraft is about to pass through the heliopause into interstellar space.
Hubble having a bit of a glitch
The Hubble Space Telescope is currently in safe mode while technicians at NASA figure out what has gone wrong with a gyroscope that was found to be not performing properly. Hopefully it’s an easy fix and Hubble will be back to full operations soon.
Quasars – The worst kind of light pollution
Quasars are the brightest objects in the universe and are amazingly powerful. They are caused by Super Massive Black Holes.
The stars that we can see (except one)
The night sky is full of stars and some of the very brightest we see have some very interesting characteristics. Next time you’re looking at Sirius or Canopus you’ll be able to appreciate just how big they are compared to our very own star – the Sun.
The night sky, this week, 23-29 July 2018
It’s the Winter of the Planets and in the early evening this week you can see Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. Then there is the Lunar Eclipse on Saturday morning as well.
How far from the Earth to the Sun – the Astronomical Unit
Next year is the 250th anniversary of James Cook’s voyage to the Pacific Ocean. One the things he did was contribute to a more accurate calculation of the distance between the Earth and the Sun by observing the transit of Venus.
The night sky this week – 17 to 22 Jul 18
The night sky this week is still all about the planets but if you’re quick, you can still spot some deep sky objects before the Moon gets too bright.
The Night Sky – 9 to 15 July 2018
A great week for deep sky observing, why not try and see if you can Barnard’s Galaxy or the Saturn Nebula.
The Week in Space to 5 July 2018
Some interesting news about space in the last week.
Where is Vesta now (4 July 2018)?
Vesta reached opposition on the 20 June but is still quite easy to see and well worth a look if you get the chance.
The Week in Space, In a Minute, 11-17 June 2018
A really quick round up of the week in space including a black hole swallowing a star, the Mars dust storm and Hayabusa’s journey to Ryugu.
How to blow up an asteroid – Hayabusa 2 and 162173 Ryugu
Hayabusa2 is about to have a close up and personal experience with the asteroid Ryugu. In this mission the spacecraft will collect a bit of the asteroid and return to Earth.
