AstroAxis Aurora.

09/24/2023

09/23/2023

Celestial Snapshot of September 23rd, 2023

Explanation: An analemma is that figure-8 curve you get when you mark the position of the Sun at the same time each day for one year. To make this one, a 4x5 pinhole camera was set up looking north in southern New Zealand skies. The shutter was briefly opened each clear day in the afternoon at 4pm local time exposing the same photosensitized glass plate for the year spanning September 23, 2022 to September 19, 2023. On two days, the winter and summer solstices, the shutter was opened again 15 minutes after the main exposure and remained open until sunset to create the sun trails at the bottom and top of the curve. The equinox dates correspond to positions in the middle of the curve, not the crossover point. Of course, the curve itself is inverted compared to an analemma traced from the northern hemisphere. And while fall begins today at the Autumnal Equinox for the northern hemisphere, it's the Spring Equinox in the south.

09/21/2023

Celestial Snapshot of September 21: Dive into Today’s Astronomical Wonders!

Explanation: The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft's arm reached out and touched asteroid 101955 Bennu on October 20, 2020, after a careful approach to the small, near-Earth asteroid's boulder-strewn surface. Dubbed a Touch-And-Go (TAG) sampling event, the 30 centimeter wide sampling head (TAGSAM) appears to crush some of the rocks in this close-up recorded by the spacecraft's SamCam. The image was snapped just after surface contact some 321 million kilometers from planet Earth. One second later, the spacecraft fired nitrogen gas from a bottle intended to blow a substantial amount of Bennu's regolith into the sampling head, collecting the loose surface material. And now, nearly three years later, on Sunday, September 24, that sample of asteroid Bennu is scheduled to arrive on planet Earth. The sample return capsule will be dropped off by the OSIRIS-Rex spacecraft as it makes a close flyby of Earth. Twenty minutes after the drop-off, the spacecraft will fire its thrusters to divert past Earth and continue on to orbit near-Earth asteroid 99942 Apophis.

09/20/2023

Journey with us to the outermost reaches of our solar system as we explore Pluto, the dwarf planet that’s full of surprises. Once the ninth planet, Pluto’s status might have changed, but its allure remains undiminished. From its icy heart-shaped region to its mysterious moon Charon, Pluto has captivated scientists and space enthusiasts alike. Dive into the latest discoveries, stunning visuals captured by space probes, and unravel the secrets of this enigmatic celestial body. Whether you’re a space novice or an astronomy aficionado, this deep dive into Pluto promises to enlighten and enthrall.

09/20/2023

Celestial triple treat. Planet 🌏