Celebrate International Year of Astronomy (IYA 2009)

Year 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy (IYA)! Click HERE for the main page of IYA 2009!

Enjoy the trailer of IYA 2009

The Smiling Sky & Quadrantids Meteor Shower!

The smiling sky

Did you see the smiling sky last month? It was the crescent moon with Venus and Jupiter above it – forming a smiley on the sky! Saw this as I walked down the slope heading to JBC…didnt know it was a rare sight until I saw a report about it on BBC…the whole world saw it, from US, UK, India and Malaysia! Read here.

This picture wasnt taken by me though…I copied from here. Hehe…

A note for friends wanting to see meteors and make your new year wishes…Quadrantids Meteor Shower is here to greet you!! Active between 1th – 5th January 2009…the best time to observe in UK is supposed to be later or rather…NOW – early morning of 3rd January! But no harm gazing at sky when you are free these few nights until 5th Jan…face North East if possible…Good luck!

For sky watchers…

Lost touch with astronomy for quite a few years already…spent some time during my weekend trying to reminiscene those great time i had in the past with stars…

So here are 2 interesting astronomical phenomena coming up soon:

1.Perseids Meteor Shower (July 17 – August 24)

A famous meteor shower observed since 2000 years ago, initially known as ‘tears of St Lawrence’. Expected to peak on 12 August 2008 early morning, but no harm gazing at the sky at nite when u r too bored with ur notes. Hee…Friends in Malaysia can try to look at the sky 12 or 13 August early morning. Best observed during predawn, when rates with truly dark skies can normally reach 60-100 meteors per hour. Can be seen everywhere in the sky but rises mainly from the Northeast (you can see the meteors moving away from one certain point in the sky called ‘radiant’.) Dont forget to make a wish for me~!!

Perseids Meteor Shower

2. Partial Solar Eclipse (1 August)

Friends in Europe should be able to observe a partial solar eclipse on 1 August 2008 morning. Malaysia wont get to see this eclipse i think..

Partial Solar Eclipse

Some of the info above contains my own interpretations which might be inaccurate. Forgive me if it really is, because i havent read astronomy for long…Oww..i miss starhunting…

Have fun! Cheers~