Astronomy

This week is the culmination of a spectacular celestial alignment, creating a rare and beautiful triangle of three planets on Sunday 26th. The planets will be low in the west after sunset, and as the glare of the sunset fades, the three bright dots of light will emerge from that glare, and if you have a good western view, you'll see them for a short window of time before they set.The Triangle of PlanetsJupiter has been dominating the night sky for months, but each successive night has brought it closer to the time when it slips 'behind' the Sun, from our vantage point, and is shielded from our view. This happens to all of the outer planets throughout the course of a year or two. But by cosmic coincidence, Mercury and Venus are rapidly rising into the sunset sky, as their orbits bring them out of the glare from being 'behind' the Sun, and they quickly pop up into the evening sky. This week, they appear to move higher and higher in the sky just as Jupiter is 'falling' and they cross over in a lovely pattern.To see this spectacle, head out any evening and look west. The configuration will be changing noticeably each night, and for me, that is the real fun here -- to not only see a rare and unusual alignment on Sunday, but to watch the set up in the days before and after. Here are a number of good links with additional information:Sky & Telescope MagazineThe Always-Engaging Tony Flanders on SkyWeekNASA Science CastEnjoy the show, and may you have clear skies!Image courtesy of Sky & Telescope

<p><a href="http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap130522.html"><img src="http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/S_130522.jpg" align="left" alt="What's that in the sky?" border="0" /></a> What's that in the sky?</p><br clear="all"/>

Has this question ever crossed your mind? I wonder if I should shoot this in black & white? We think every photographer has been faced with this decision. And many folks today, in this digital world, would just tell themselves, “I can always convert it later”. But the truth is that sometimes it will help you in your visualization of the final photograph to image it in black and white right on the spot. Perhaps, you might want to filter the image, either optically or electronically: a red filter to darken the sky, a green filter to light foliage, a yellow to lighten a person’s skin. Another important point to consider is tonal value. The tonal value of your subject might influence how you frame it. What do we mean by tonal value? If your subject has the predominate colors green and blue, and they have the same reflective value, they will image at almost the same tonal value in black and white. So, how do you learn to see in tones? Back in the old days, (film), this was a trick we used to use. Find yourself a dark piece of glass. Sunglasses work fine. But they should be the very dark variety with no color tint. Close one eye and peer through the glasses with the open eye. The glasses effectively remove all color. you are now seeing the scene in tonal value (levels of light to dark). So What Screams Black and White? Let’s examine some photographic situations and discuss why black and white is an excellent choice. black and white by Gianni Dominici, on Flickr When your situation has unpleasing color balance This photographic opportunity is extremely interesting. But, it’s a factory setting. The natural color balance in this type of situation generally isn’t ideal. You’re probably looking at fluorescent or sodium vapor lighting. Both of which create unnatural color shifts in your image. True, you could color balance. But if you’re using a flash fill it’s going to throw the color temperature on your flash off. It could be done, with gels and tinkering, but it becomes complicated. What makes this scene perfect for black and white is the action. By eliminating color, it forces your eye to the repeating pattern of the hands, and this is where the true interest of the photograph lies. Then, you take in the rest of the image as a secondary part of the composition. The choice of black and white imaging takes this ordinary situation and turns it into a graphic element. My Dad in Shanghai :: iPhone by Jonathan Kos-Read, on Flickr When there just isn’t a whole lot of color to start with Sometimes, we find ourselves in situations where there just isn’t a lot of color around: a foggy day, an overcast day, a scene that is all  white, a scene that is all black, a scene that is all one color, a scene that has excessive contrast. The image above is a perfect example of black and white creating a strong visual statement, whereas a color version would have distracted from the man. The stark contrast of black and white draws you to the man in the foreground. His face becomes the focal point. The buildings, (despite their unusual shapes), are secondary points of interest. If this had been in color, the shapes of the buildings, combined with their color values, would have competed with the man; resulting in an image without a strong focal point. Black & White Flower Pattern by VinothChandar, on Flickr When you want to emphasize a repeating pattern When you eliminate color, the elements of composition tend to focus more strongly on pattern, shape, and tone. If you find yourself intrigued by a subject that has the element of a repeating pattern, consider switching to black and white; especially if the color of the subject has little to do with what you are trying to say. Thomas, Homeless (Black & White) by Franco Folini, on Flickr Emphasizing facial features Nothing does an interesting face more justice than a finely crafted black and white image. The very nature of the medium emph

A look at the landscape in front of Curiosity on May 21, 2013. Images: NASA/JPL-Caltech Here’s what it looked like from the front of the Mars Science Laboratory we know as Curiosity on Sol 281 May 21, 2013). The rover took a little break thanks to Mars moving behind the Sun in its orbit making communication impossible at times and ill-advised at others. Now that Mars has moved from behind the Sun and is in the clear, it’s back to work. A few days before the top image was taken Curiosity drilled into the target called “Cumberland“. The Cumberland-drill was the second hole, the first being the target called “John Klein”. The John Klein drill sample is still sitting inside Curiosity and is about to be analyzed. The “Cumberland lode” The two drill samples will be compared and since they are close to each other (9 feet / 2.75 meters) and have a similar appearance it is quite likely they will share some common results. The differences if any in the samples will be interesting; either way it’s a good check out for the sampler. The tailings from the drill sort of resembles clay, then again it could a multitude of things so we’ll just have to wait and see.

<p><a href="http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap130521.html"><img src="http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/S_130521.jpg" align="left" alt="How was the unusual Red Rectangle nebula created?" border="0" /></a> How was the unusual Red Rectangle nebula created?</p><br clear="all"/>

Do you want your photographs to be more eye catching, but don’t know where to begin? For starters, you can try a few of these simple composition tips to get you started on the path to compelling photographs. They are appropriate for all skill levels of photographers and can be adapted to just about any style of photography, too. Shoot What You Love - One of the easiest, least technical ways to create fascinating photos is to simply shoot what you love. Perhaps you love to go birding, or enjoy a good game of football, maybe you love people watch in bustling locations. Find what it is you love to do in your spare time and start photographing it. Since you love doing it, chances are you all ready look at it differently than others, which only means you are naturally inclined to photograph it in a different way. Forever In Dog Years by Tiffany Mueller, on Flickr Pay Attention To The Background - Many times the background of photograph is more of an afterthought, if it was ever a thought at all. If you are not shooting in a studio which generally offers us the convenience of hand selecting our backdrops, make sure you are looking past your subject to see whats behind it. Avoid shooting a subject against a similarly colored background so the subject doesn’t become “lost” by blending in too much. Try to avoid any distractions that will take away from the story you are trying to tell with your image. If you can’t move to a new location, consider using a more shallow depth of field to help blur out the background and eliminate any eyes wandering to what are essentially unimportant details in the image. Old Men Swimming by Jonathan Kos-Read, on Flickr Symmetry - Try incorporating symmetry into your images to give the photo a natural balance that is easy for the eye to take in. Alternatively, creatively interrupting the symmetry is a great way to add intrest and create a clear focal point which the eye is automatically drawn to. When you are out shooting, look for interesting patterns and lines in both man made and natural elements. They are all over, think brick walls, perfectly placed windows on a building, rows of crops, telephone and electricity poles. Symmetry is all around us, we just have to be willing to look for it at times. Under A Blood Red Sky by Ian Sane, on Flickr Perspective - If you have an interesting subject all your images are coming out uninteresting, it won’t hurt to switch up your perspective. Move around your subject and photograph it from multiple points of view. Sometimes a simple change such as taking a single step to the side can turn a snapshot into a portfolio worthy image. Don’t be afraid to kneel down, stand on a chair, stretch you camera hand far to the side, just work the scene until your subject magically pops from the setting. wishbone spiral by paul bica, on Flickr Avoid The Middle - As a rule, placing your subject in the middle of a photograph isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing composition. Instead, try adjusting your framing so that the subject is off to one side. The rule of thirds is a fundamental part of photography and is one of the more adamantly followed rules in art. Of course, that is not to say the rule of thirds should adhered to for every composition; however, if you have taken multiple shots of your subject and they all happen to have the subject dead center in the frame, try recomposing by sticking your subject to either the right or left 1/3 of the frame. Still Life by ?ick Harris, on Flickr One last piece of advice: slow down. If you feel like photographs are just missing the target, despite correct exposure and other technicalities, by all means, don’t rush yourself. Take your time to fully evaluate the setting and the subject. Do all of your “cropping” in camera, by moving in closer to your subject, if possible. Take every little element of the photograph, right down to the most minute detail, into conside

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<p><a href="http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap130520.html"><img src="http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/S_130520.jpg" align="left" alt="Our Sun is not a giant blueberry." border="0" /></a> Our Sun is not a giant blueberry.</p><br clear="all"/>

The evening sky facing north-east in Darwin on May 22 at 19:00 pm ACST showing the waxing Moon just about to cover Spica (alpha Virginis). (similar views will be seen from other locations north of Bundaberg at a similar local time eg 20:05 AEST Cairns). The inset shows a telescopic view of the Moon at 19:00 ACST, with Spica about to go behind the Moon. The waxing Moon passes in front of the bright star Spica in the constellation of Virgo on the evening of May 22. Spica is a bright white star visible to the unaided eye (magnitude 1).The occultation will only be seen from north-eastern Australia, anywhere north of a line running just below Darwin to Bundaderg.Every where else will see Spica dramatically close to the Moon, it is well worth watching even if you don't have an occultation. In Adelaide and Alice Springs the Moon is less than half a lunar diameter from Spica, and in Brisbane it floats just above the surface, almost grazing. Nambour sees a graze starting at 20:01 AEST.From Darwin the star disappears behind the dark limb of the Moon at 19:17 ACST, and reapppears at 19:43 ACST. From Rockhampton the star disappears behind the dark limb of the Moon at 20:35 AEST, and reapppears at 21:11 AEST. From Cairns and Townsville the star disappears behind the dark limb of the Moon at 20:05 AEST, and reapppears at 21:07 AEST.With the Moon nearly Full, this event is really best seen with binoculars or a small telescope (especially for the reappearance of the star on the bright limb of the Moon). If you have a tripod or other stand for your binoculars, it will be much easier to observe. Otherwise try and stabilise your binoculars on the back of a chair, or a car roof or something similarly solid. Set up about half an hour before the occultation to watch the star dissapear (so you are not mucking around with equiment at the last moment).

The Full Moon is Saturday May 25. Mercury returns to the evening sky. Venus, Jupiter and Mercury meet in the evening twilight. This will be the closest bright planet grouping until 2026. Saturn is high in the evening skies with the Moon close to Saturn on the 23rd. See an Emu in the sky.Sky on Wednesday May 23 looking north-east as seen from Adelaide at 21:00 local time in South Australia. The left inset shows a telescopic view of Saturn at this time. Similar views will be seen elsewhere at the equivalent local time (click to embiggen). The Full Moon is Saturday May 25. Saturn is now easily visible above the eastern horizon before midnight in the constellation of Libra. Saturn climbs higher in the evening sky during the week, becoming easier to see. On Thursday the 23rd the Moon is close to Saturn.Saturn, Arcturus and Aldebaran from a broad triangle above the eastern horizon.Opposition (when Saturn is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth) was on April 28. However, Saturn will be a worthwhile evening target for telescopes of any size for several months. The sight of this ringed world is always amazing.Mars is lost in the twilight.Evening sky looking west as seen from Adelaide at 17:45 pm local time on Thursday May 23. Similar views will be seen elsewhere at the equivalent local times indicated here. Click to embiggen.There will be a beautiful meeting of three bright planets in the twilight this evening, the closest meeting of three bright planets until 2026.Mercury returns to the evening skies this week week, but is very low in the twilight. You will need a level, unobscured horizon to see it (see below).Venus climbs higher in the evening twilight. It is still quite close to the horizon, and you need a clear, level horizon like the ocean to see it at its best. As the week progresses it climbs towards a meeting with Jupiter, making a fine sight in the twilight (see below).Jupiter is visible low in the early evening and rapidly descends into the twilight, heading towards a rendezvous with Venus and Mercury this week. Jupiter is setting progressively earlier, by 6:40 pm local time, so the giant world is now not really possible to follow in a telescope (see below).On Friday 24 May Venus and Mercury are closest. On 26 and 27 May (Sunday and Monday), these three bright planets will be inside a circle 3 degrees wide (that's three finger-widths wide). On the 27th, Mercury and Jupiter will be at their closest. On the 28th, Venus and Jupiter will be at their closest. On 31 May the planets from a straight line.You don't need a telescope to see this fine display, just your eyes. For more charts and observing hints (and an animation) see my Planet Dance page. The south-eastern horizon, around 9:00 pm local time in Australia. Can you see the Emu? Click to embiggen.Now that the Moon is past full and the evening sky is dark it is a great time to find the constellation of the Emu. Now you are saying: ‘Emu – but there is no Emu!’ However, the Emu is one of the indigenous Australian constellations. And interestingly, it is a "dark" constellation, one that is made up entirely of dark dust lanes!"Dark" constellations are unique to the Southern hemisphere. In South America they had the constellations of the Tinamou (and Emu relative) and two llamas making up the constellation the Indigenous Australians called the Emu*.See the Emu now?The Emu consists of the Coal Sack, the dark dust cloud that nestles in the crook of the Southern Cross (the head of the Emu), and a dark dust lane that stars near the Pointers (alpha and beta Centauri) and runs down to the curl of stars that forms the body of Scorpio. This is the neck and wings of the Emu. A second dark dust lane forms the lower body and legs.Being made of dark dust lanes, it is almost impossible to see in any city. However, here in the suburbs, if I let my eyes adapt for several minutes I can make it out. And of course in the country it is almost im