The night sky this week will see the reappearance of the Moon and the Planets will be in a more favourable position for viewing.
World space news and astronomy outreach through (Milky Way) Kiwi eyes.
Category: Deep Sky
Europa Clipper is looking a bit more secure, yay for astrobiology
It looks like NASA is going to get a good amount of funding in a bill set to fly through the US Congress and Senate. This is great news for programmes such as Europa Clipper that have dependencies on the SLS programme.
NASA and the Space Launch System and Mars, eventually
NASA’s plans to get to Mars are a bit slower than Elon Musk’s. They have many more steps and have plans to achieve some quite impressive things such as space station orbiting the Moon and capturing an asteroid.
How to find M83 – the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy
This little video will show you how to find the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, also known as M83.
The night sky this week, 19-25 March 2018
The night sky this week is looking great to view a few of the brightest galaxies in the Southern Sky. It’s also going to be awesome to get some views of Jupiter, Mars and Saturn.
How we are understanding more about the stuff surrounding stars
We are getting a better and better at understanding how planetary systems are formed. This article tracks the historic development of the heliocentric model and how that relates to understanding the formation of our own Solar System.
Our Very Own Super Massive Black Hole – SMBH
We are understanding a little more about the Super Massive Black Hole at the centre of our galaxy and observations are also revealing that Einstein was right about his theory of general relativity.
How to find the double star, 145 Canis Majoris (Winter Albireo)
This short video shows how to find the beautiful double star called 145 Canis Majoris, or sometimes known as the Winter Albireo.
The Beginners Series – Measuring and Finding Stuff
Being able to describe where to find stuff in the sky is a very handy way of learning the night sky. You don’t need an expensive piece of equipment, just your arm and the hand at the end of it.
The Beginners Series – The Coordinate System
This article looks at the basics of the positioning system used to describe the night sky.
One stardate to rule them all
Here’s some hints on how to survive a Stardate without harming yourself or other astronomers.
The Beginners Series – The Universe to Earth
In this article in the Beginner Series we look at the size of the universe and our place in it to give some context to the amazing sights available to the budding astronomer.
Our amazing universe
This article looks at a few of the amazing objects in the universe and some of their attributes that make them truly mind boggling.
The Night Sky from Staveley
The Stardate in the South Island over the weekend was a fantastic opportunity to learn about some objects that we haven’t seen before.
How to find Centaurus A
This short video shows how to find the galaxy, Centaurus A, which is also known as NGC 5128. This galaxy is very bright and should be easy to spot.
How to see faint stuff
Here’s an article to help you see faint stuff in the night sky using a range of techniques such as averted vision, movement and looking out for subtle changes in background contrast.
Impress your friends and family
Over the last couple of weeks Milky-Way.kiwi has made a few videos of how to find some interesting night sky objects. This article summarises them to build a whole evening of astronomy.
How to find NGC 2808 – Globular Cluster
This short video shows how to find the fantastic globular cluster, NGC 2808. This glob is one of the most massive surrounding our galaxy.
How to find the Blue Planetary Nebula
This short video will help you find the Blue Planetary Nebula, NGC 3918, which is near the Southern Cross.
How to find the Ghost of Jupiter Nebula
This short video will help you find NGC 3242, also known as the Ghost of Jupiter Nebula.
The sky of February – only the brightest!
Getting to know the southern sky is for ever a wonderfully strange experience. In any new place that I visit I always feel grateful for landmarks. On Earth, I am looking for trees and buildings and mountains, in the sky I always look for the brightest stars. Here in New Zealand, there are places and times when the light of the individual stars is lost in the haze of the Milky Way as if a blanket of tiny lights is covering the Earth at night.
