LUNAR ECLIPSE MAY BE INVISIBLE: There's a lunar eclipse tonight! Bad news: It may be invisible. Eclipse expert Fred Espenak, formerly of NASA, believes that the Moon will not dip deeply enough into Earth's shadow to make the eclipse visible to the naked eye. "I fear the general media is hyping this event when there's really nothing more to see than a Full Moon--although that’s beautiful in its own right," he says. FULL STORY
BRIGHT MORNING COMET: Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) is doing something very rare: Shining through the rosy glow of dawn. "How many times in your life can you say 'I saw a comet at dawn'--and really mean it?" asks Petr Horálek of the Czech Republic. "It happened to me this morning!" Horálek took this picture just before sunrise over Proseč u Chrudimi:
"Pretty clear skies allowed me to capture Comet NEOWISE from the ephemeral moment of its rising to the moment I was able to see it with naked eyes--even if still very hardly--on July 4th July," says Horálek.
Yesterday, July 3rd, Comet NEOWISE passed by the sun near the orbit of Mercury. Intense solar heating boosted its brightness to magnitude +1 (now +2), allowing it to be seen despite its close proximity to the sun. This development has turned NEOWISE into one of the most remarkable comets in years.
In Stixendorf, Austria, Comet NEOWISE was visible from the very moment it peeked above dark clouds hugging the eastern horizon. Astrophotographer Michael Jaeger recorded this video:
A tracked exposure by Jaeger shows the extent of the comet's magnificent fan-shaped tail: image.
Comet NEOWISE is just getting started. It is barely visible to the naked eye now only because it has to compete with the glow of dawn. The situation will improve in the days ahead as NEOWISE moves into darker skies. If it retains its current luminosity, the comet should put on a very good show indeed. Set your alarm for dawn! Sky maps: July 4, 5, 6.
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APOLLO 11 PROOF SILVER DOLLAR (COLLECTOR'S ITEM): Are you looking for a far-out gift? Consider this: On July 20, 2019 (the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing), the students of Earth to Sky Calculus flew this rare proof silver dollar to the stratosphere:
The US Mint created the coins to celebrate the first Moon landing--but you can no longer buy them from the Mint. You can, however, get one from Earth to Sky Calculus. The students are selling the collector's item for $229.95 to support their cosmic ray ballooning program.
The silver dollar is curved and reproduces the helmet of astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Reflected in Buzz's visor are Neil Armstrong, the United States flag, and the lunar lander. The opposite side of the coin shows Neil's iconic footprint on the Moon. Included is a greeting card showing the coin in flight and a certificate of authenticity.
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