APOD 6

This image shows the constellation of Orion surrounded by dust clouds. M78 is located left of the center slightly north of Orion's Belt. The different shades shown in the photo represent the temperature differations, blue being hotter and red being cooler. I chose this photo because I found it really intriguing to see a constellation I could recognize in the sky outside in a galactic, colored perspective and be able to really appreciate more than just the location and figure of the constellation.

Observation 4

October 14, 2013
8:00-10:00

While doing my homework I decided to sit outside for some stargazing using only my naked eye and phone app. The sky was unfortunately, basically the same as the previous nights so I was still able to spot Polaris, Draco, Cepheus, Corona Borealis, Ursa Minor, and Centaurus. In addition to the previous stars and constellations I also was able to identify a bit of Cassiopeia in the North Eastern part of the sky. The moon was now officially in its waxing gibbous stage, preparing to approach a Full Moon.

Observation 3

October 12, 2013
8:00-10:00

With my naked eye and iPhone app it was, as usual, easy to identify Polaris. Although the view in the sky didn't shift much from the previous night, I did notice a few things I did not yesterday such as parts of Centaurus in the south west and Cepheus all the way in the north. I again saw Draco in the north and Corona Borealis in the north west. The moon was beginning to enter the waxing gibbous phase as it left first quarter.

Observation 2

October 11, 2013

8:00-10:00

Using my naked eye and sky guide app on my cellphone I was easily able to identify Polaris and the Corona Borealis, which was off in the West. Looking towards the North I could see Draco and Ursa Minor (Little Dipper) which are both circumpolar and located by polaris. It was hard to identify much else since we haven't really reached this part of the sky yet in our constellations but I also noted the Moon in its first quarter phase.

Observation 1

October 10, 2013
8:00-10:00

As I looked into the night sky, using only my naked eye and the slight assistance of a star app on my phone, I could easily identify the summer triangle, which includes stars Vega, Deneb, and Altair, and the North Star, Polaris, in the night sky. The moon was in its waxing gibbous phase and I believe I could feintly spot the Big and Little Dipper in the south but it was difficult to make out. Although it took a while for my eyes to adjust, it was interesting to watch the night sky and apply what I've been learning in the classroom to real life! I'd say it was a fairly successful first night of star-gazing.

Astronomer: Ole Røemer

Ole Røemer was born September 25, 1644 in Aarhus, Denmark and would soon be known as the discoverer of the speed of light. Røemer was born to father Christen Pedersen Røemer, a small merchant who would die in 1663 leaving his son navigational tools and books in which he would later use to toy with scientific discovery.  Røemer went on to school at University of Copenhagen where he studied mainly astronomy while dabbling with physics, working with Thomas and Erasmus Bartholin before going on to the Paris Observatory where he would soon make an unexpected discovery. He died in Copenhagen, Denmark on September 19, 1710 at age 66.

While studying one of Jupitor's satellites at the Paris Observatory, Røemer unexpectedly discovered the mathematical speed of light. In trying to calculate the satellite orbit of Jupitor using mathematics, he came across a continual number pattern which he then discovered was the speed of light and was able to discover its use in astronomy. He is now known as the first person to measure the speed of light.

 Without Røemer's discovery of the speed of light, today astronomers, scientists, and physicists would be unable to calculate things such as wavelength, frequencies, and distance from Earth and other spacial objects. This lack of knowledge would be the cause living in a world where most discoveries in astronomy made after Røemer's would be incapable without knowing the speed of light for calculations and discoveries of the unknown.

 

APOD5

This photo features NGC 891, a spiral galaxy spanning out to about one thousand light years located within the constellation Andromeda. Resembling the milky way, this galaxy is surrounded by a cluster of stars and emits complimentary colors of yellows, purples, and vague pinks and blues .The dust surrounding the galaxy is most likely due to supernova explosoins or star formations within the galaxy.

Astronomer Resources

http://www.amnh.org/education/resources/rfl/web/essaybooks/cosmic/p_roemer.html

http://galileo.rice.edu/Catalog/NewFiles/roemer.html

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/508943/Ole-Romer

APOD4

This active galaxy NGC 1275 is the center of the larger galaxy, Perseus Cluster of Galaxies. With it's emission of X-Ray and radio waves, it is very relevant to the matter we are currently learning about in chapter 2. It's visible wavelengths shine a mix of colors between purple, blue, indigo, violet, red, and pink that are all emitted around a ball of light at its center. I chose this picture because of its relevance to our class learning about light spectrums and their emissions and it's eye-appealing swirl of mystical colors.