Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Astrophoto: Nova Centauri 2013 Turns Pink

This image shows Nova Centauri 2013, a bright naked eye nova in the Southern constellation of Centaurus. The nova appears pink because of emissions from ionised hydrogen. Credit and copyright: Rolf Wahl Olsen.

A recent naked-eye visible nova that erupted the first week in December 2013 is still showing its stuff, and this new “hot off the press” image from Rolf Wahl Olsen in New Zealand reveals its unusual color. “I managed to grab a close-up of Nova Centauri 2013 with my new 12.5″ f/4 scope,” Rolf said via email to Universe Today. “Curiously, I have only so far seen wide field images of this nova, and none that actually show it’s very unusual strong pink colour.”

Nova Centauri 2013 (in the Southern constellation of Centaurus) was discovered by John Seach from Australia on December 2, 2013, and it was visible at about magnitude 5.5. It subsequently brightened to reach a peak at magnitude 3.3.

Rolf’s image was taken today (it’s already Dec. 28, 2013 in New Zealand!) when the nova had faded to around magnitude 4.5. You can see a larger version here on Flickr or click the image above for a larger version on Rolf’s website.

Why is it pink?

“The nova appears pink because we are really viewing the light from an expanding shell of ionized hydrogen which emits strongly in both the red and blue part of the optical spectrum,” Rolf explained. “These emissions give the nova its strong pinkish colour, similar to emission nebulae which are also predominantly pink/magenta in hue.”

A nova is the result of a thermonuclear explosion on the surface of a white dwarf star in a tight binary system. The white dwarf accretes matter from its nearby companion and eventually the pressure from nuclear fusion blows off the accreted layers from the surface of the white dwarf. Contrary to a supernova where the star itself is blown apart and ceases to exist, a nova does not result in the destruction of the host star. The white dwarf may continue to accrete matter from its companion and the process may repeat itself sometime in the future.

Image details:
Date: 28th Dec 2013
Exposure: LRGB: 17:7:6:6 mins, total 36 mins @ -25C
Telescope: 12.5″ f/4 Serrurier Truss Newtonian
Camera: QSI 683wsg with Lodestar guider
Filters: Astrodon LRGB E-Series Gen 2
Taken from Auckland, New Zealand

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

The 2013 Super and Mini Moon Together in One Photo

A composition of the nearest and farthest 2013 full moons, with the SuperMoon of June on the left and the MiniMoon of December on the right. Credit and copyright: Giuseppe Petricca.

Astrophotographer Giuseppe Petricca from Pisa, Tuscany, Italy managed to capture two of the very ‘special’ full Moons from 2013 and created a comparative mosaic. Here is both the 2013 “SuperMoon” in June – when the Moon is the closest to Earth in its orbit and visually largest – and the recent December 2013 “MiniMoon” — the most distant and visually smallest Full Moon of the year.

“I was amazed, to say the least, from the actual difference!” Petricca told Universe Today via email. “The motto ‘It’s not that evident until you, by yourself, get to notice it!’ applies perfectly to this situation.

While with naked eye, the full Moon seems about the same size every month, the difference in its visual size is clearly visible via pictures. Of course, the Moon itself doesn’t change size, it’s just how big or small it appears in the sky due to the eccentricities in its orbit around Earth.

The two pictures were both taken at the same focal length, with a simple non reflex camera, a Nikon P90, on tripod, with matching ISO speed and exposure, at ISO 100, f5.0, 1/200″. Both taken from Pisa, Tuscany, Italy.

You can read all about the recent “MiniMoon” here, and find out more about the mechanics of the “SuperMoon” here.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Astrophotos: Geminid Meteor Shower Images from Around the World

One of the 27 antennas of the Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope complex illuminated by moonlight, on December 13, 2013, peak night for the Geminid meteor shower. A single Geminid is right of the antenna at centre frame. Credit and copyright: Alan Dyer/Amazing Sky Photography.

It’s always one of the most reliable of the annual meteor showers, however, this year the Geminids had to compete with a bright waxing gibbous Moon, which reached Full Moon status today, just 3 days after the shower’s peak over the weekend. But as always, our astrophotographer friends were out in force to try and capture a meteor or two with their cameras. Take a look at our great gallery of shots from around the world, and thanks to everyone who submitted their images to Universe Today’s Flickr page!

A Geminid meteor and Comet C/2013 R1 Lovejoy, seen Dec. 11, 2013. Credit and copyright: Jeffrey Sullivan.
A Geminid meteor and Comet C/2013 R1 Lovejoy, seen Dec. 11, 2013. Credit and copyright: Jeffrey Sullivan.
A Geminid meteor pierces the sky over the San Pedro volcano in the Atacama desert in Chile. Credit and copyright: srta Andrea on Flickr.
A Geminid meteor pierces the sky over the San Pedro volcano in the Atacama desert in Chile. Credit and copyright: srta Andrea on Flickr.
A Geminid meteor on Dec. 14, 2013 over the Captain Cook Monument in North Yorkshire, UK. Credit and copyright: Peter Greig.
A Geminid meteor on Dec. 14, 2013 over the Captain Cook Monument in North Yorkshire, UK. Credit and copyright: Peter Greig.
A Geminid meteor races away from Jupiter on Dec. 14, 2013. Credit and copyright: James Lennie.
A Geminid meteor races away from Jupiter on Dec. 14, 2013. Credit and copyright: James Lennie.
A Geminid Meteor streaking by Betelgeuse in Orion, as seen from the UK on Dec. 14, 2013. Credit and copyright: Dave Walker.
A Geminid Meteor streaking by Betelgeuse in Orion, as seen from the UK on Dec. 14, 2013. Credit and copyright: Dave Walker.
A Geminid meteor on Dec. 13, 2013. Credit and copyright: Max Zoom on Flickr.
A Geminid meteor on Dec. 13, 2013. Credit and copyright: Max Zoom on Flickr.
An early Geminid crosses pathes with Comet 2013 R1 Lovejoy. (Credit: Jason Hullinger).
An early Geminid crosses paths with Comet 2013 R1 Lovejoy. (Credit: Jason Hullinger).

Want to get your astrophoto featured on Universe Today? Join our Flickr group or send us your images by email (this means you’re giving us permission to post them). Please explain what’s in the picture, when you took it, the equipment you used, etc.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Astrophoto: Zodiacal Light at Dawn

The morning zodiacal as seen from near Rodeo, New Mexico, looking east at 5:00 am December 6, 2013. Credit and copyright: Alan Dyer/Amazing Sky Photography.

Sometimes, if you are lucky, dawn comes before the dawn. The zodiacal light – or false dawn, as it is sometimes called – is an ethereal light extending up from the horizon, sometimes seen about an hour before sunrise or an hour after sunset. At one time, it was thought this was an atmospheric phenomenon, but it’s more cosmic than that! Zodiacal light is sunlight reflecting off dust grains in space. These dust grains are likely left over from the same process that created Earth and the other planets of our solar system 4.5 billion years ago.

Alan Dyer captured this beautiful view of the zodiacal light on a recent trip to New Mexico. If you look closely you can see some other cosmic phenomena as well: “Mars is above centre and Saturn is just rising over the mountain ridge,” Alan wrote on Flickr. “Comet Lovejoy C/2013 R1 is at far left. The image includes the position (left of centre, above the mountains left of the Zodiacal Light) where Comet ISON (C/2012 S2) would have been had it survived passage around the Sun.”

See more of Alan’s great work at his Flickr page or his website, Amazing Sky Photography.

Want to get your astrophoto featured on Universe Today? Join our Flickr group or send us your images by email (this means you’re giving us permission to post them). Please explain what’s in the picture, when you took it, the equipment you used, etc.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Astrophoto: Star Trails Over Kitt Peak

162 images combined to create star trails in this image taken of Kitt Peak in November 2013. Credit and copyright: Robert Sparks.

Our pal Rob Sparks said he had always wanted to try creating a star trails picture and this is his first attempt. Very nice! Of course, he had a great view of the telescopes on Kitt Peak in Arizona as a stunning foreground, (the lights of Tucson are to the right) but had to deal with a “nearly full Moon that night which illuminated the observatory and limited the exposure times,” Rob said on Flickr. “However, I am reasonably happy for a first try.”

We’re happy, too, as this is a lovely image. Thanks for sharing Rob!

You can read more details about the image on Rob’s website, The Half-Astrophysicist.

Want to get your astrophoto featured on Universe Today? Join our Flickr group or send us your images by email (this means you’re giving us permission to post them). Please explain what’s in the picture, when you took it, the equipment you used, etc.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Gorgeous Astrophoto: Montage of Comet ISON

A montage of images of Comet ISON taken from September 24 to November 15, 2013. Credit and copyright: Damian Peach.

Astrophotographer Damian Peach has wowed us with his images of Comet ISON the past few months. Here’s a montage of some of his best images from September 24 to November 15.

“This may well be my final word on it.” Damian said via email, “but here it is growing in brightness on approach to its best in mid-late November.”

And while it appears there’s a ghost of ISON out there with a blob of dust in the latest views from the Sun-studying satellites, it won’t give us the views we had hoped for. But its been a fun experience the past few months, watching what unfolded. Thanks for bringing us along for the ride with your images, Damian!

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Original Drawing of MAVEN Launch is a Throwback to the Early Days of Space Exploration

An original drawing of the launch of the MAVEN spacecraft on November 18, 2013. Credit and copyright: Wendy Clark.

We’ve seen some great images from the launch of the MAVEN spacecraft earlier this week, but this original drawing of the moment of liftoff of the Atlas V carrying MAVEN is remarkable. This pencil illustration is reminiscent of the early days of spaceflight – or perhaps even the pre-spaceflight days, before we had actual images of launches, only our dreams of spaceflight.

“Everyone takes great photos of the launches and I thought a drawing would be something different,” said artist and photographer Wendy Clark from the UK. “True inspiration comes from the things you love most and I think this is why I especially enjoy drawing space related things.”

Like most of us, Wendy watched the launch online and she started her sketches after NASA started receiving telemetry from MAVEN, and said she worked on the drawing for about 24 hours total since Monday. This final version was done with graphite on A3 paper.

“Don’t let anyone tell you drawing a rocket is easy,” she told Universe Today. “This is only the 2nd drawing I have fully completed of a rocket launch. The special missions always interest me and I’m a fan of Atlas V rocket shapes, although they are not easy subjects to draw!”

Wendy said she’s an avid launch fan, although she’s never witnessed a mission launch in person. “One day would be nice to stand and watch this in person,” she said.

The other launch drawing she completed was of the final launch of the space shuttle program, STS-135, and she said she felt like she got to know the shuttle Atlantis like an old friend.

“When you spend 72 hours drawing a momentous event like this you get kind of attached to the subject in a way you can’t immediately understand,” she said. “I got to know every curve by putting what I saw on paper with graphite.”

An original graphite drawing of the final launch of the space shuttle program, STS-135. Credit and copyright: Wendy Clark.
An original graphite drawing of the final launch of the space shuttle program, STS-135. Credit and copyright: Wendy Clark.

See more of Wendy’s drawings and photographs on her Flickr page.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Astrophoto: Plane Pwns the Moon

An airplane at about 2,400 meters above the ground passes in front of the Moon on its way to landing at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France. Taken from about 70 km from Paris. Credit and copyright: Sebastien Lebrigand.

Astrophotgrapher Sebastien Lebrigand lives along the flight path to the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and regularly captures planes flying in front of the Moon (see another of his shots here). But this might be the image to end all ‘plane crosses in front of the Moon’ pictures. This plane is seriously taking over the Moon! Plus, its a great detailed shot of the lunar surface.

Sebastien took this image using a Canon EOS 60D, with a 102 mm refractor and 1320 mm of focal length.

Want to get your astrophoto featured on Universe Today? Join our Flickr group or send us your images by email (this means you’re giving us permission to post them). Please explain what’s in the picture, when you took it, the equipment you used, etc.