Space Events Not To Be Missed In 2017

(Yahoo News UK) – With a solar eclipse due on 26 February, there are plenty of celestial treats to keep stargazers happy in 2017.

Last year was packed with astronomical action including supermoons, Tim Peake’s history-making spacewalk and the arrival of NASA’s Juno probe at Jupiter and this year is set to be big just as big for space botherers. From meteor showers to solar eclipses, here are the space events you don’t want to miss in 2017…

1. Annular solar eclipse – 26 February 2017
   At the end of February, the moon will pass in front of the sun, creating a bizarre halo effect. Unfortunately, this year’s eclipse will only be visible over South and West Africa and some of South America. 
2. Jupiter at opposition – 7 April 2017
   The largest planet in our solar system will reach ‘opposition’ in April, meaning that it will slide into view as Earth moves into position between the sun and Jupiter. The massive planet’s face will be illuminated by the sun and will be visible through binoculars or a telescope. 
3. Saturn at opposition – 15 June 2017
   In summer, Saturn will move into its closest position to Earth, giving us the best view possible. A telescope will be needed to see the huge planet’s famous rings while Saturn is fully lit up by the sun. 
4. Perseid meteor shower – 12/13 August 2017
   One of the brighter meteor showers of the year, the Perseids happens annually between 17 July and 24 August, this year peaking 12-13 August. The best time to view the shooting stars is between midnight and dawn. 
5. ‘Great American’ total solar eclipse – 21 August 2017
   For around two minutes, a 70-mile stretch between Oregon and South Carolina will be plunged into total darkness in a rare total eclipse as the sun will totally disappear behind the full moon. Stargazers elsewhere in the US will get a partial view of the stunning eclipse. 
6. Cassini probe will crash into Saturn – 15 September 2017
   Launched in 1997, NASA’s probe finally made it to Saturn in 2004 and has been beaming back vital data to Earth ever since. The probe will be destroyed when it plunges through Jupiter’s atmosphere but not before sending back never-seen-before images. 
7. Leonid meteor shower – 17/18 November 2017
   The Leonids meteors will be visible in the night sky throughout November, peaking between 17 and 18 November. The glowing pieces of comet debris will be visible to the naked eye. 
8. Supermoon – 3 December 2017
   While 2016 saw stargazers treated to several supermoons, 2017 will see just one. December’s full moon, also known as the Full Cold Moon, will appear slightly bigger and brighter than normal. The best time to watch will be around sunset when the distinctive orange moon will appear.
9. Geminid meteor shower – 13/14 December 2017
   Unlike most meteor showers, the Geminids are associated with an asteroid, rather than a comet. The glowing fireballs should be visible to the naked eye between December 7 and 16, but the best time to catch a glimpse is between 13 and 14 December. 

Earth, A Poem By Ahmad Ali Karim

Earth,
So, so green,
Home sweet home,
And it’s so clean.

Earth, 
So much things to see,
So much places to go,
On land and below the sea.

Earth,
Gift of nature,
Lovely trees, beautiful flowers,
As well as wonderful creatures.

Photos: 2013 Supermoon, When Moon At Closest Point To Earth

JER03. Har El (Israel), 23/06/2013.- A full moon in the ‘Perigee’ phase rises over the Jerusalem neighborhood of Har El, 23 June 2013. The moon on 23 June evening will be at its closest distance to Earth, a constellation also known as ‘supermoon,’ in which the earth’s trabant appears between 12 to 14 per cent larger and according to scientific sources also about 30 percent brighter than the normal full moon. EFE/EPA/JIM HOLLANDER

Supermoon happens when the moon on its elliptical orbit is at its closest point to Earth.

So, we will see it bigger than usual.

The moon can appears to be up to 14%  larger and 30% brighter than when the moon is at its farthest point, or apogee.

Please click here for more images

Incredible Photos From Space

Astronaut Chris Hadfield and other astronauts are beaming back incredible photographs of Earth from aboard the International Space Station.

Please click here for the pictures

The Moon or Lunar

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person who walked on the moon.

Do you ever wonder where did the moon went when at night we can’t see it or can only see a part of the moon?

I’ll explain…

The moon was not eaten or cut away.

It happened because the moon orbits the Earth.

The moon has no light and when we see the moon shines the light actually comes from the Sun.

Only half of the moon gets the light at one time.

The lighted portion of the moon that we see is called  phase of the moon.

This video might explain a lot…

Please click my posts below to learn more about lunar eclipse:

1. Total Lunar Eclipse – June 16, 2011

2. Partial Lunar Eclipse

Our Solar System

There used to be 9 planets and more than 170 moons in our solar system.

The 9 planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.

But in August 2006, the International Astronomical Union decided to re-classify Pluto as a “dwarf planet”, and not in the same category as the 8 planets.

So now there are 8 planets in the solar system.

Each planet goes around the Sun on its own path called orbit.

Anyway we cannot see the paths because they are invisible.

Earth takes about 365 days to orbit the Sun.

This is called one Earth year.

And each moons moves around its planet in its own orbit.

The size of the planet from the smallest to the biggest:

1. Mercury

2. Mars

3. Venus

4. Earth

5. Neptune

6. Uranus

7. Saturn

8. Jupiter

On April 12, 1961, Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin became the first person who went to space.

People travel to space in a spacecraft or spaceship.

The Transit Of Venus June 6, 2012

I designed this all by myself using Microsoft PowerPoint for this special phenomena.

The Transit of Venus will occurs tomorrow.

Please click below for:

1. Photos Transit Of Venus June 5, 2012.

2. ANGKASA’s Photos: Transit Of Venus (Malaysia) June 6, 2012.

3. NASA’s Special And Rare Video Of The Transit Of Venus (June 5, 2012)

Venus Transit happens when Earth, Venus and Sun are align together.

During the transit, Venus can be seen from the Earth as a small black disk moving across the face of the Sun.

I used the Microsoft PowerPoint to illustrate how the Transit of Venus happens.

It is a very rare event to be able to see Venus passing across the face of the sun.

Venus Transits currently recur at intervals of 8, 105.5, 8 and 121.5 years.

In Malaysia we can see the transit begins with contact I at 06:09:29 am, reach the maximum phase at 09:29:28 am and finally the transit ends at contact IV at 12:49:57 pm.

Geocentric Phases of Venus Transit – 6 June 2012

The transit will can be seen from the West to the East.

Most of North America sees the beginning of the transit in the afternoon and evening on June 5, whereas much of Eurasia sees the end of the transit in the morning  on June 6, 2012.

WARNING: Viewing the Sun without safety filters can cause a permanent eye damage or blindness!

The map shows where and when the Venus Transit can be seen.

Total Lunar Eclipse – June 16, 2011

INTO DARKNESS: The moon slowly being obscured by the earth's shadow — Pic: Angkasa.

Lunar means moon.

There was a total lunar eclipse on June 16, 2011.

Lunar eclipse happens when the Earth blocks the Moon from the Sun.

It happens when the Sun, the Earth and the Moon are in straight line or  almost; with the Earth in the middle.

Total lunar eclipse happens when the Earth blocks the whole moon.

If only about half Moon is blocked by the Earth, it will be a partial lunar eclipse.

This is a picture that I made using the Microsoft PowerPoint to show how lunar eclipse happens.

First I tried to watch the lunar eclipse at 12:56 a.m., but I can’t see anything because it was too cloudy.

Then I woke up early and went outside to watch the lunar eclipse at 6:05 a.m. and this time I can see the eclipse but it was still cloudy.

I waited and soon it was less cloudy and I can see the eclipse clearly.

Anyway I miss the total eclipse.

I hope that I’m not going to miss another total lunar eclipse next time.

Photos Of Discovery’s Final Landing

The space shuttle Discovery lands at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, March 9, 2011. The space shuttle Discovery capped a successful 13-day spaceflight with a smooth landing in Florida on Wednesday, ending a 27-year flying career for NASA's most-traveled spaceship as the agency prepares for an uncertain future. REUTERS/Stan Honda/Pool

This is space shuttle Discovery’s final landing.

It is NASA’s most traveled spaceship.

Since 1984, Discovery flew 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited Earth 5,830 times and traveled 148,221,675 miles.

Discovery’s first flight was from August 30, 1984 to September 5, 1984.

It’s final flight was from February 24, 2011 to March 9, 2011.

The space shuttle Discovery lands at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, March 9, 2011. REUTERS/Joe Skipper

Space shuttle Discovery is towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility after landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, March 9, 2011.o(AP Phot/John Raoux)

The space shuttle Discovery is towed from the runway after it landed at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, March 9, 2011. REUTERS/Pierre Ducharme

The space shuttle Discovery is towed from the runway after it landed at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida March 9, 2011. REUTERS/Pierre Ducharme

Violent Demonstrations In Egypt – Photos

””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””’

Egyptians are angry of the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

So they held demonstrations.

Demonstrations is a way to fight for something important.

But they are supposed to stop doing bad things and violence during the demonstrations because it can destroy our world.

Violence can turn into a war.

This is a disaster.

It is like what happened in Bangkok.

People were killed and injured; buildings, cars and plants were destroyed.

They should have a peaceful demonstration to say what they wanted.

And the government should listen to the people and discuss what can be done for them.

We have to take care of our Earth and lets go green.

Cairo's historic Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifai mosques are engulfed with smoke from a nearby fire at a police station which was set ablaze during massive protests by Egyptians demanding the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak. The United States said Friday that the political unrest in Egypt "is of deep concern. (AFP Marco Longari)

CAIRO, Jan. 29, 2011 (Xinhua) — Demonstrators climb up to armed vehicles after clashes calmed down at Square Tahrir in Cairo, capital of Egypt, early on Jan. 29, 2011. Dozens of tanks entered the Square, while protestors welcomed the army and waved to the soldiers standing on tanks. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)