Eclipse Reflections
by Celestyn M Brozek
Moon Between the Stones
Despite clouds and rain showers astronomer Phillip Perkins managed to spot a reddened, eclipsed Moon between the stones of this well known monument to the Sun during May’s total lunar eclipse, from Stonehenge, England.
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Moon & Pleiades
by Laurent Laveder
A conjunction of the crescent Moon and Pleiades or the seven sisters star cluster in early morning sky.
[A fascinating time-lapse AVI video of the same scene is available here.]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ch22hx8o1qbn5m1o1_1280.jpg)
Moon & Pleiades
A conjunction of the crescent Moon and Pleiades or the seven sisters star cluster in early morning sky.
[A fascinating time-lapse AVI video of the same scene is available here.]
Brilliant Sun Pillar
by Kevin Povenz
Summary: Andrew McFarlane; Jim Foster
The photo above showing a breathtaking Sun pillar was captured at sunset near Jenison, Michigan on April 10, 2012. Sun pillars result from the reflection of sunlight off the bottom surfaces (or less frequently, the top surfaces) of plate-shaped ice crystals composing cirrus clouds.
These crystals must be similarly oriented and slightly tipped with respect to the viewer in order for a pillar to be observed. The crimson shaft piercing the purple sky made this sunset unforgettable.
Waning Crescent Moon from Pic of the Sacred Heart, Paris
City of (Sunspot) Lights
Sunspot AR1476 (photographed above over the Eiffel Tower) has been monitored all week, as the Jupiter-sized coronal “active region” has been pointed squarely at Earth, ready to release a wave of magnetic energy in the form of a solar flare or coronal mass ejection. Last night, a CME was detected, racing toward Earth at over 1,000 km/s.
This awesome animation from the Goddard Space Weather Lab demonstrates the forecasted wave and glancing blow we await on Earth (we aren’t in any danger, but satellites may be disrupted):
Above, the sunspot is photographed Thursday evening over the Eiffel Tower by VegaStar Carpentier.
Rare Venus Transit of Sun in June to Amaze Skywatchers
Make sure to see the June 5 passage of the planet Venus across the face of the sun: a similar event won’t happen again until the year 2117.
In the Image:
Watching the tiny silhouette of the planet Venus slowly cross the face of the sun doesn’t evoke the same drama and excitement as experiencing a total solar eclipse, but what makes a transit so unique is its rarity and historical significance.
The Cat & Venus
With “Alnath” above Venus, a Giant Star and the Second Brightest Star in the Constellation Taurus.
Scientists by Tomas Muller
With the intention of depicting science as the true adventure and worthy pursuit it is, Tomas created this series as a promotion for the Charles University’s Faculty of Science in Prague. These Titans of ginormous stature are each a visual representation of an area of science: biology, geography, chemistry, and geology. I’ll let you figure out which Titan is which, after all, you should already know this stuff. But before you ask: the Titan representing the science of pizzamaking was, sadly, omitted.
