Celestial events have long been associated as harbingers of doom. In the past, comet sightings were associated with change or seen as a bad omen. Today, we know that comets are left over from the formation of our solar system. Short period comets that have orbits less than 200 years originate from the Kuiper Belt, just outside of Neptune. Long period comets, which may come around once every thousands to millions of years originate from the Oort Cloud, 100 A.U. from the Sun. Recent sample missions have found that materials in these comets are similar to material found in the inner solar system but have been preserved in these frozen objects from the outer fringes of our solar system. (Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine) NAA member and veteran observer, Ron Ziss, will review current comets that may be observed and highlight the “devil comet” 12P/ Pons-Brooks, which may also be visible during the eclipse on April 8, 2024. Comets are exciting objects to view, but it may take practice to learn to “star hop” to locate them. If you are looking to add comet observing to your routine, or are simply interested in comets, you may want to check out Ron’s April fundamentals presentation. Our April Fundamentals Program will be held on April 16th at 7:30 pm, at the Naperville Municipal Center, located in downtown Naperville, at Aurora Ave. & Eagle St. The location is downstairs, in Meeting Room B. The public is welcome to attend, free of charge.
Neutrino Astronomy In Greenland and Antartica
Not all telescopes use light to observe the universe. Some, like ice cubes, the RadioNeutrino Observatory in Greenland (RNO-G) and the Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) look for neutrinos from distant, extragalactic sources by detecting their...
Astronomy Fundamentals: What Possessed You to Build Your Own Telescope
Amateur astronomy used to be associated with making your own telescope. Stellafane in Vermont still pays homage to the art of telescope making and is approaching its 90th year. However, with the availability of mass produced mirrors, lenses, and complete telescopes,...
July ’25 – Rick’s Picks
Transient Events That Can Give Us a Good Enough Reason to Get Outside and Do a Little ObservingAll month: the evening sky belongs almost exclusively to Mars again this month, with Mercury playing a supporting role after sunset until mid-July, about the same time that...
Focal Plane June 2025 Astronomy Fundamentals: NAA Welcomes You to Family Fun Night
Our June Fundamentals continues our annual tradition of providing a family night of science. Just because school is out for the summer (not forever), doesn’t mean the opportunity to learn is also on hiatus. If you have some budding science enthusiasts at home, you may...