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| Amateur Observers Are Seeing Double |
| Oct 28, 2005 - As Derek Breit headed for Fremont, California on April 15 to observe a lunar grazing event, little did he know that he was about to make a discovery that would change the way we look at standard stars. As he set up his 12" Meade SCT and prepared to record the event with a low lux videocamera, it seemed like a fairly routine observation. Until he reviewed his tapes. As frame by frame moved by, he noticed something a little unusual about upsilon Geminorum - a standard star against which others are measured, especially in the infrared. In 55 frames of his video footage, he apparently captured what may be the very first look at a 11th magnitude companion on a slightly variable star not known to be a double. (Full Story) |
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| Computer illustration of the GMT's 7 giant mirrors. Image credit: GMT. Click to enlarge. |
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| First Mirror Cast for the Giant Magellan Telescope |
| Oct 28, 2005 - Workers at the University of Arizona Steward Observatory Mirror Lab have cast the first mirror for the Giant Magellan Telescope. By the time they're complete, the lab will cast a total of 7 of these enormous 8.4-metre (27-foot) mirrors, giving the enormous observatory the equivalent of a 22-metre aperture. The Giant Magellan Telescope will be constructed in Northern Chile by 2016. (Full Story) |
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| Bright Mars This Weekend |
| Oct 28, 2005 - Look east this weekend and you'll see a bright red star blazing in the night sky. That's not a star, it's Mars, and on the night of October 29, it'll reach its closest approach. And you don't need dark skies, a telescope, or any special knowledge. Just look East... you can't miss it. Don't worry if you're too busy this weekend, Mars will stay bold and bright for the next few weeks. (Full Story) |
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