Update: 2011 Blogging Scholarship Results
Published November 30, 2011
The voting deadline for the 2011 Blogging Scholarship has passed and it seems that John McAuliff over at http://roadtripofpassage.com/ is the winner.
Please take a minute to stop by his blog and give him some well-deserved congratulations.
It was an honor to be one of the finalists this year, and I’d like to thank every one of my readers for helping to grow the Dear Astronomer site into what it is today. I’ve only been doing this for about two years now, but my readership has grown each month.
For most of you it’s clear that I run this site out of my love for astronomy and science literacy. This isn’t a business, (I do have to pay for hosting and the telescopes I give out) but I do take this site as seriously as my family, education, and “day” job.
Thank you all for visiting my little corner of the Internet – the best is yet to come!
Review: Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Reflector Telescope
Published November 29, 2011
Orion XT8 Dobsonian reflector in front of the author's observatory. (Shown with Telrad finder scope - not included with product.) Photo Credit: Ray Sanders
Orion SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope
For many astronomers who are just getting started, dobsonian reflector telescopes are a popular choice. While many newcomers to Astronomy seek out computerized “go-to” telescopes, some prefer the “no-frills” setup a dobsonian telescope offers.
The Orion XT8 dobsonian is a mid-range reflector telescope. There are a few smaller and less expensive models available in Orion’s classic dobsonian series, and there are a few larger, more expensive models as well.
The XT8 offers a good balance between portability, price and performance. In this review we’ll look at the build quality of the XT8, along with how it performs at planetary and “dark sky” objects.
For starters, let’s look at the raw specifications for the XT8:
The XT8 features an 8″ (203mm) primary mirror. With a focal length of 1200mm, this gives a focal ratio of f/5.9. Advanced observers will enjoy the XT8′s 2″ focuser, which allows for larger eyepieces, or even a “T” adapter for short-exposure astrophotography. New observers (or those on a budget) will find the included 2″ to 1.25″ eyepiece adapter allows the use of 1.25″ eyepieces with no noticeable wiggle/slop.
Read the full product review over at Universe Today:
http://www.universetoday.com/91221/telescope-review-orion-skyquest-xt8-classic-dobsonian-reflector
Carnival of Space #225
Published November 28, 2011
This week’s carnival of space is hosted over at “One Astronomer’s Noise“.
In this edition of the carnival of space, Nicole covers the magnetic fields of Pulsars, Exoplanets, MSL, Mariner 2, and more!
Check it out at: http://noisyastronomer.com/2011/11/28/carnival-of-space-225/
I’ll be hosting Carnival of Space #226, so keep an eye out in a week or so!
Are Pulsars Giant Permanent Magnets?
Published November 22, 2011
The Vela Pulsar contains a neutron star - the remains of a supernova explosion.
Image Credit:
NASA/CXC/PSU/G.Pavlov et al.
Some of the most bizarre phenomenon in the universe are neutron stars. Very few things in our universe can rival the density in these remnants of supernova explosions.
Johan Hansson and Anna Ponga (Lulea University of Technology, Sweden) have written a paper which outlines a new theory on how the magnetic fields of neutron stars form.
Hansson and Ponga theorize that not only can the movement of charged particles form a magnetic field, but also the alignment of the magnetic fields of components that make up the neutron star – similar to the process of forming ferromagnets.
You can read the full article I wrote for Universe Today at: http://www.universetoday.com/91174/are-pulsars-giant-permanent-magnets/
Don’t forget, I’m a finalist for a $10,000 blogging scholarship, but I need your votes!
Please take a moment and vote for me (you can vote once a day!) at: http://www.collegescholarships.org/blog/2011/11/18/2011-blogging-scholarship/
What’s Up in the Winter Sky
Published November 21, 2011
Orion at 10:00 p.m. in early December. Image generated with Stellarium.
Curious as to what you can view in the night skies this winter? Hop on over to the Planetary Society Blog and read my “guest” post which provides some winter sky highlights. The guide is at: http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00003267/
Please don’t forget to cast your daily votes to help me win a $10,000 student blogging scholarship. Click on the badge below to cast your vote.
You can vote once per day-ish (about every 24 hours), so please vote each day and help support your friendly, neighborhood science blogger!
Thanks!
Leonid Meteor Shower
Published November 18, 2011
Eastern Skies before dawn (~3AM) Image Generated with Stellarium (www.stellarium.org)
While the Leonids peaked on the 17th, Stargazers with a “day” job should be able to still catch some celestial fireworks this weekend. After midnight and up to about an hour before dawn, look in the region of Leo, as shown in the image above.
The moon will be up, so there will be some interference, but observers with decent night sky conditions should still be able to see a fair amount of meteors. Those of you who have missed the tiny pink dot of Mars will be in for a treat, as it will be visible near the moon as well!
Rounding out 2011′s meteor shower season will be the Geminids on December 13th. I’ll have a post showing you how to find them next month.
Clear skies!
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