Download the Venus Transit iPhone/iPad App for June 6, 2012

The transit of Venus across the face of the Sun (begins at 06-06-06:12am-2012-varies with location) is the last for this century, which makes it a prominent event. I thought it may just be prominent enough to warrant an app for the iPhone (or iPad), so I did a search and there it was, an app especially made for the June 6, Venus transit!

The Venus Transit app of 2012 boasts of Timer, Simulation, Visibility, and Info tabs. If you click on Simulation,  you will be given Ingress and Egress to choose from. The labels are self-explanatory and tapping on one of them calls up a realistic animation of a magnified Venus either ingressing or egressing with the limb of Sun in the backgound. A timer keeps count and you are given instructions to hit the screen to log the time of contact. But that's only the simulation. The actual logging of contact times is not available until the transit itself, according to the app. Through the app, you can contribute to an experiment where amateur astronomer participants can send in their contact times of the transit.

If you tap the Visibility tab, you will get a map of your location, which also shows the dates and times for the ingress and egress (interior and exterior) of Venus in your area as well as the time for sunrise and sunset. The Info tab gives details of the developers, led by Astronomy Without Borders, with credit to Rikkert Koppes of DDQ Scientific & Educational Apps.

The Venus Transit iPhone App is available for free in the Apple App Store.

UPDATE: During the Venus Transit 2012, an error (possibly due to Internet connectivity or a glitch in the app itself) in the display of the counter prevented the app from being used in the experiment.

Asteroid YU55 Flyby (Nov. 8, 2011) - An Observing Dream for Astronomers

Asteroid 2005 YU55 radar image. (Wikipedia)

On Nov. 8, 2011, asteroid 2005 YU55 will fly by the earth. It will pass closer than the moon is to us, which is kind of scary for some people who think it might hit us. But really, the experts know whether any planetoid out there will be a danger to earth for as long as they've had ample time to study them. Since asteroid YU55 has been known for quite some time, the people on earth really have nothing to fear. According to JPL Goldstone scientist, Marina Brozovic, "We know exactly where it is going to be, and we don't have any chance of impact for the following hundred years." So alright, that's good to know. So it's our grandchildren that will have something to worry about in the future.

But asteroid YU55 isn't really about the end of the world. It's by far the greatest opportunity for astronomers, amateur and professional to be able to get their telescopes set up and see what an asteroid looks like in person and up close. Sure some of you reading this may have already observed a few famous asteroids like Vesta and Ceres, but how they appear in a small telescope would be nothing compared to YU55 as it passes by the earth. At 201,700 miles close and at 1,300 feet wide (about 4 football fields) and seemingly round (which is kind of uncommon for a small asteroid), and black, like charcoal - so it is taunting us in a way, like it's saying, "Come on now, this is a once in a lifetime chance to see a strange asteroid up close, so watch me!"

More details about the path and other things about asteroid YU55 are in The Watchers, and of course, Wikipedia.

The asteroid belt figures prominently in this 100-piece jigsaw puzzle for kids. It's a great way to teach them about the solar system. Order your Solar System Cardboard Jigsaw Puzzle by clicking here or on the image.

Buy Telescopes in the Philippines

In the Philippines, there are lots of astronomy enthusiasts. Many of them are young people dreaming of owning a telescope and using it to "go where no one has gone before." Well, for most of them, the dream just remains a dream. The common problem is looking for a telescope to buy. It's a fact (at least as of this writing) that good telescopes can be hard to find in the Philippines. But the good news is that astronomy groups and organizations have stepped in to fill the void and help make telescopes more available in a country where food takes precedence over everything else.

Telescopes are a luxury in the Philippines but you only have to know where you can find them and then you can pick the right one for you, whether you're a beginner or an advanced hobbyist. For starters, some popular retail stores in the country like the outdoor sports store, Hahn, and sometimes, even National Bookstore, sell telescopes. These are usually refractors designed for land gazing, but you may come upon a fine 2 or 3 inch reflector that's more appropriate for star gazing.

In mall toy stores in the Philippines, you can also find maybe two or three small telescopes, but these will likely be just toys to encourage budding youngsters in the study of science. While you can always try to order a telescope online, the shipping expenses involved may not make that a practical move, unless the purchase is going to be funded by a corporate entity or institution. For telescopes for personal use that are affordable yet useful, you should go to individual dealers of local astronomy clubs. There won't be a lot of choices, and some will be hand made (especially the mirrors), but that's okay. They know their stuff and you can bet that you will also get reliable advice.

The astronomy/telescope community in the Philippines really revolves around the major national groups like the Philippine Astronomical Society (PAS) and the Astronomy League of the Philippines (ALP), but there are school organizations and regional/local groups that can point you to the right person. Information about them can be obtained from their websites and blogs like this one can be pretty useful in finding an astronomical telescope that you can buy.

Transform your room into a planetarium with this best-selling table-top portable planetarium from Uncle Milton! Fuel your child's dream to explore outer space inside the comforts of the bedroom. Click here or on the image to place your order now.
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Going to the Planets with Your Eyes and Imagination

by Jeff Seward

A good way to teach your kids their first lesson about the eight or nine (depending on how you wish to tell them about Pluto) planets of the solar system is by combining factual lessons with visible sightings of the planets.

How to Teach Your Kids about Planets

START BY DISTINGUISHING PLANETS FROM STARS; this will also help them understand better why planets are easier to identify among the thousands of stars in the sky if they know what they're looking for. This may also be a good time to start explaining to them why Pluto, once known as the 9th planet in the solar system, has been demoted to becoming a dwarf star.

YOU CAN MAKE LESSONS MORE INTERESTING by providing explanations behind the stories of the planets' names. This makes a great segue from astronomy to Greek and Roman mythology.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to see all eight planets in one night so consider dividing your home astronomy lessons into several sessions.

SHOW YOUR KIDS A PHOTO OF OUR EARTH and explain to them why our planet is livable compared to other planets in the solar system. If possible, enumerate the factors that make Earth inhabitable. This is also a good time to explain why scientists believe there's a chance for Mars to have once been inhabited and the theory of aliens.

VENUS is the closest planet to Earth and is the easiest planet to locate with the naked eye because of its brightness. Although the phases of Venus can only be visible through the use of a telescope, you could show photos that will give your kids a good idea about the dangers of the greenhouse effect and emphasize to them the importance of keeping the environment clean.

JUPITER is the next easiest planet to locate with the naked eye because of its size. Make sure, therefore, that you mention to your kids how Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. If you have a small telescope with you, you can also point out to them where the Red Spot of the planet is and how it's actually a storm that has been brewing for more than three centuries. This is a good time to explain the differences in Jupiter's and Earth's weather and why we're blessed to have weather like ours.

MARS can be easily located as well because of its distinctive coloring. You can elaborate on what you've discussed earlier on by enumerating the similarities between Mars and Earth.

MERCURY is the closest planet to the Sun, and you can explain why its location or proximity to the center of the solar system makes it difficult to locate at certain times of the day. You can also provide explanations as to why Mercury's weather is extremely hot and cold at day and night respectively before citing the possibility of having the same thing happen to Earth.

ALTHOUGH SATURN IS NOT THE ONLY PLANET IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM WITH RINGS, it is however the most famous. Saturn will appear yellowish to the naked eye but its rings will only be visible with the help of a telescope. If you can show your kids what the rings look like, you can then explain to them what these rings are made of.

URANUS can only be seen by the naked eye if it's shining at its brightest. You will also have to be an optimal place and time. If you're living in a city, you might need the help of a telescope to give your kids a better and clearer view of this planet.

NEPTUNE is the most difficult planet to locate by the naked eye and conditions have to be near perfect first before this can be possible. Together with Uranus, both planets require you to study planetary schedules and locations if you wish to locate them at the shortest amount of time and effort.

And lastly, if you still have time and you do own a telescope, you can also show your kids Pluto. As Pluto is named after the God of the Dead, you might want to cite similarities between the mythical god and its equivalent planet. Explain about the controversy revolving the demotion of Planet.

And there ends your first home astronomy lesson for your kids. Prepare lots of food for the session because this makes a great bonding time for your family as well.

About the Author

Learn about Sun facts and Jupiter facts at the Planet Facts site.

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