Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Sept 11 - The Hypatia Catalog

FaceBookShare
TwitterShare
color-instagram-96.png
color-link-96.png

Artist's concept of some of the different types of exoplanets - planets orbiting distant suns - discovered so far. Image via NASA.

Good morning!


What is the Hypatia Catalog?

So far, astronomers have found some 3,778 confirmed exoplanets, plus 2,737 possible worlds awaiting confirmation. And that's why they need the Hypatia Catalog. It uses "big data" - extremely large data sets - hopefully to reveal patterns, trends, and associations that might lead to finding distant worlds harboring life. Read more.

Next few evenings … Moon, Venus, Jupiter

From approximately July 7 to September 7, Mars - brightest since 2003 - outshone Jupiter. Now, Jupiter has reclaimed its rank as 3rd-brightest night sky object, after Venus and the moon. Watch for these 3 brightest worlds, clustered together, this week. See chart below and read more.

The moon phase is waxing crescent

You'll always see a waxing crescent moon in the west after sunset. It's a setting moon, due to follow the sun below the western horizon. Read more.

What is a parsec?

Why do professional astronomers speak of distances in the universe not in terms of light-years, but in terms of parsecs, a distance of 3.26 light-years? Explanation here.

Illustration of the shift in perspective that happens as an observer moves between the 2 locations. Image via Las Cumbres Observatory.

SHOP THE EARTHSKY STORE TODAY!


Your support means the world to us and allows us to keep going. At our store you'll find astronomy tools, EarthSky tees, hats, cool gadgets and even toys! Click here to shop

Next few evenings … Moon, Venus, Jupiter

The moon, Venus and Jupiter rank as the 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-brightest night sky objects. You can't miss 'em in the west after sunset this week. Read more.

Rainbow over Penang Island, Malaysia

Joey Zahari Mawi‎ caught this amazing cloud and rainbow last Saturday - September 8, 2018 - before the sunset. Thanks, Joey!

Submit your photo to EarthSky here!
Did a friend forward EarthSkyNews to you? Click here to get your own subscription!
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Instagram
Website

No comments:

Post a Comment