#Local Astronomy

[meteorologistaustenlonek]

Come join the BAS for our monthly Star Party at Harrison Bay State Park on Saturday, February 10. We will be setting up in the Recreation Hall parking lot. We will have a variety of telescopes and observing opportunities. It may be cold, but there are a LOT of exciting things to observe!

Remember – there is no charge for BAS star parties and no fees at Harrison Bay!

Please understand that these events are entirely at the mercy of the weather, over which we have little control. We will post updates on Saturday afternoon with information and whether or not we may have to cancel, so be sure to check back after 3:00 pm. https://barnardastronomy.org/event/harrison-bay-star-party-7/

[planetaryalphabet]

An image from Hubble of the plasma jet spewing from M87, supermassive black hole at the center Messier 87's galactic core. M87 is the largest and most massive galaxies in the local universe

Image: NASA, ESA, A. Lessing (Stanford University), E. Baltz (Stanford University), M. Shara (AMNH), J. DePasquale (STScI)

[murderousink23]

05/03/2025 is Free Comic Book Day 🌎, International Leopard Day 🐆🌎, World Naked Gardening Day 🌎, Astronomy Day 🔭🌎, National Chocolate Custard Day 🇺🇸, National Garden Meditation Day 🇺🇸, National Lumpy Rug Day 🇺🇸, National Paranormal Day 🇺🇸, National Raspberry Popover Day 🇺🇸, National Specially-Abled Pets Day 🇺🇸, National Two Different Colored Shoes Day 🇺🇸, National Auctioneers Day 🇺🇸, Join Hands Day 🇺🇸, National Homebrew Day 🇺🇸, National Scrapbook Day 🇺🇸, Local Bike Shop Day 🚲🇬🇧, World Press Freedom Day 📰🇺🇳

[thecatchat]

Hey, I'm an analog horror fan who's taking an Astronomy course. For homework, my teacher let us either type out a page generally what a peice of media (video, movie, game, etc.) Gets right or wrong about Astronomy. (Ex: talk about how there's no sound in space when watching Star Wars fights in space)

So, I've analyzed Local 58 in it's entirety (took 40 minutes in the first take, cut it down to 30 in the redo), Gemini Home Entertainment "Our Solar System", and GHE "Crusader Probe Mission". I'm planning on going over "Voyager-19" next.

Now I've run out of content, I could technically go over Iron Lung but I don't know how to tackle it.

Any recommendations for any good space horror series/games that focus on things like planets and starts? NOT ALIENS.

[dixdixbby]

Being in college means taking a science class and having my dumb dumb humanities brain finally realize the joke of an XKCD comic

[clamsjams]

if u make a one piece college au and u don’t make all of the strawhats students then u r a fucking coward

[trammellesstangent]

Damn everything really is just one big fractal.

[faeryaesther]

thinking about if i were to excel in stem, i'd choose astronomy over anything in my life. Now, I'm just a no-less of the biggest admirer of the space, stars' wonders and the concept of something so big, we are just another component that completes a system so small, so tiny, yet so rich of life.

[lenbryant]

Watch the sky! And support your local PBS station.

[coffinkissez]

I said if I got two notes I’d post Solas so here she is

[meteorologistaustenlonek]

#BackyardAstronomy -- "Join us for a public Star Party at the @UTC Clarence T. Jones Observatory, 10 N. Tuxedo Ave. Chattanooga, TN. • Tonight’s Topic - Extraterrestrial Life • Featured Constellations-Orion"

[frank-olivier]

Unveiling the Cosmic Dance: From Milkomeda to Laniakea, Across the Vast Void

The vastness of the universe is impressive. It consists of billions of galaxies that extend over billions of light years. But within this immense expanse, our cosmic neighborhood, the so-called local universe, has a special significance. Here we find our home galaxy, the Milky Way, and countless other celestial bodies that shape our understanding of the cosmos. Let's embark on a journey through the local universe and explore the fascinating structures of galaxy groups, clusters and superclusters and their role in the larger structure of the cosmos.

Our immediate cosmic family is the Local Group, a collection of galaxies held together by gravity. This small-scale structure consists of the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), the Triangulum Galaxy (M33), and about 50 dwarf galaxies. Although the Local Group may seem insignificant compared to the vastness of the Universe, it is a crucial laboratory for studying galaxy interactions and dynamics.

The Andromeda Galaxy, our nearest large star neighbor, is a stunning sight in the night sky. With its spiral arms and bright core, M31 is a prominent feature of the constellation Andromeda. The May 10, 2009 Astronomy Picture of the Day shows M31 and its companion, the elliptical galaxy M32, providing a stunning visual representation of the beauty and complexity of the Local Group.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Local Group is the future collision between the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy. In about 4.5 billion years, these two majestic galaxies will merge and form a new entity called "Milkomeda." This cosmic event highlights the dynamic nature of galactic interactions and the ever-evolving nature of our local Universe.

As we expand our view beyond the Local Group, we encounter larger and more diverse structures - galaxy groups and clusters. These are collections of galaxies held together by the gravitational forces that shape the Universe. Galaxy groups and clusters come in different sizes and densities, and each offers unique insights into the evolution and behavior of galaxies.

Paul Hickson identified Hickson Compact Groups as small, dense collections of galaxies. These groups are of particular interest because of their potential for galaxy mergers and interactions. In such a small space, galaxies can be subject to tidal forces, gas ejection and gravitational perturbations, leading to the formation of new types of galaxies and the reshaping of existing ones.

The Virgo Cluster is a prominent galaxy cluster in the local Universe, located in the constellation Virgo. It is a rich cluster containing thousands of galaxies, including giant elliptical galaxies and numerous spiral galaxies. The Virgo Cluster is a prime example of how galaxies gather and interact in a dense environment, influencing each other's evolution.

Rich galaxy clusters are cosmic giants containing thousands to tens of thousands of galaxies and huge amounts of hot gas. These clusters are not only impressive in size, but also crucial for understanding the distribution of matter in the universe and the role of dark matter.

The Coma Cluster in the constellation Coma Berenices is a remarkably rich galaxy cluster. It is one of the most distant objects visible to the naked eye and contains a diverse population of galaxies. The high density of galaxies and the hot gas within the cluster make the Coma Cluster an ideal laboratory for studying cluster dynamics and the effects of gravitational interactions on galaxy evolution.

The Abell Catalog, compiled by astronomer George Abell, is a comprehensive list of rich galaxy clusters. Named after their discoverer, these clusters are crucial for mapping the large-scale structure of the Universe. Abell clusters such as Abell 02352 and Abell 03496 (the Hercules Cluster) are massive structures that contribute significantly to our understanding of the cosmic web.

A critical aspect of galaxy clusters is the presence of dark matter, a mysterious and invisible substance that makes up most of the mass of these structures. The gravitational influence of dark matter is enormous, as it holds galaxies together in clusters and superclusters. In fact, most of the mass in galaxy clusters is dark matter, making it a dominant force in shaping the cosmic landscape.

The hot gas in dense galaxy clusters, the so-called intracluster medium, is a remarkable feature. Heated to millions of degrees, this gas emits X-rays that can outshine the light from individual galaxies. Studying this X-ray-emitting gas provides valuable insights into the temperature, density and overall mass distribution of the cluster. It is a powerful tool for astronomers to study the invisible dark matter and understand the dynamics of these massive structures.

As we travel through the local universe, we encounter superclusters, the largest known structures in the cosmos. Superclusters are vast collections of galaxy groups and clusters connected by galaxy filaments. They are the building blocks of the cosmic web, the complex network that spans the entire observable universe.

The Virgo Supercluster is our home supercluster, which contains the Local Group and the Virgo Cluster. It is a massive structure that spans 100 million light-years, making it a significant landmark in our cosmic neighborhood. The Virgo Supercluster is a crucial part of the larger Laniakea Supercluster, which defines our place in the cosmic web.

In 2014, astronomers defined the boundaries of the Laniakea Supercluster, a massive structure that encompasses and extends far beyond the Virgo Supercluster. Laniakea, which means "immeasurable sky" in Hawaiian, represents our cosmic home on a grand scale. Understanding superclusters like Laniakea is critical to mapping the large-scale structure of the universe and our place in it.

When we zoom in to even larger scales, we encounter the most extensive structures in the universe, including voids, filaments, and walls. These features form the cosmic web, a complex network that defines the distribution of matter in the universe.

Voids are vast, empty regions of space with few or no galaxies. They are the cosmic deserts separated by the complex filaments and walls of the cosmic web. Voids can extend for hundreds of millions of light years and are crucial for understanding the large-scale structure and evolution of the universe.

Filaments are long, thin structures that connect galaxy clusters and superclusters, while walls or sheets are relatively flat structures that contain numerous galaxies. These features form a cosmic fabric that determines the distribution of galaxies and superclusters. The "Great Wall" of Sloan, discovered by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), is a remarkable example of a huge sheet of galaxies that stretches for a billion light-years.

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey is a groundbreaking astronomical project that has revolutionized our understanding of the local universe and the cosmic web. SDSS has mapped the positions and distances of millions of galaxies, creating a detailed three-dimensional map of the cosmos. This survey has been crucial in identifying galaxy clusters, superclusters, and the complex filaments and voids that make up the cosmic web.

The local universe is a vibrant and dynamic environment filled with galaxies, groups, clusters, and superclusters. From the intimate interactions within the local group to the vast structures of the cosmic web, each element contributes to the grand narrative of the universe's evolution. Exploring the local universe allows us to understand our place in the cosmos and the complex relationships between celestial bodies. Studying galaxy groups, clusters, and superclusters provides valuable insights into the distribution of matter, the nature of dark matter, and the large-scale structure of the universe. As we continue to push the boundaries of astronomical research, the local universe will remain a crucial laboratory for testing our theories and expanding our knowledge of the cosmos. By unlocking the mysteries of our cosmic neighborhood, we come one step closer to understanding the vast and wondrous universe we inhabit.

Groups and Clusters of Galaxies (Jason Kendall, April 2024)

Where is Everything in The Universe Going? (History of the Universe, October 2024)

Sunday, October 13, 2024

[thefinalwitness]

HELLO i gave myself a horrible two-in-one headache yesterday (tension headache from working on this all night, sinus headache because spring/summer is torturous to me) but i finally got to put that weird fucking oc together. they didnt end up as weird as i was anticipating but this is only their "midway trying to be normal" form so maybe i'll make the true-true form extra fucked up. some other time. i'm tired)

ANYWAY babbling spree: im calling this oc atlas (they/them) for now but i havent 10000% settled on a name. they were a concept and familiar created by venat in the world unsundered, and were what she sent to track meteion when she fled to ultima thule before the final days. they spent 12k years trying to get through to meteion, and in the process were severely "corroded" by the despairing dynamis, until only a shred of their will yet existed in ultima thule.

they use that little bit of will to try and guide the scions and warriors of light when they come to ultima thule; they can't do anything more than call out and try to guide them to meteion. so, besides a spooky extra voice, they don't have much impact on the series of events there.

they're freed with the endsinger's defeat, and use some of their recovering power to save l'aiha, who would have died of her injuries otherwise. they also think she's "adorable" and, upon returning to etheirys, chose to remodel their true form to more resemble her, hence why they look so much like a miqo'te with moth bits. (originally, they'd have looked more like an ancient, and/or just more weird and alien.)

they also have a "disguise/plain miqo'te" form for blending in, but it's... imperfect. main issues are the starry freckles across their body still glow in dim light and darkness, and their eyes are just. VERY bright.

they LOOOOOVE modern etheirys but don't understand a lick of it. <3 ooc theyre a double whammy of "i need a dedicated dancer oc" and "i am ever on the lookout for an oc that i would consider to be l'aiha's wol successor if i retire her at some point". theyre very kind and 'brave' (or, perhaps more accurately, unaware of danger) and they're going through a bit of a Depression post-6.0 because, well, venat is very dead.

despite the 12k years of conflict with meteion, they've always cared about her and are one of her two friends after endwalker (minfilia (yes that minfilia) being the other one. minfie's alive and collecting ancient familiars). atlas therefore spends most of their time in thavnair, helping minfilia tend to those awakened to the echo there during the final days, but will likely begin playing a bigger role in msq now that A Certain Arch Nemesis Of Hydaelyn is back in the picture, sorta, kinda. <3

anyway theyve been stewing in my brain for weeks now, and i only this weekend collected enough little ideas to pin together to make an actual oc. i like them a very normal amount.

[albonium]

anyway look at the sky past 23h30 tonight and the next few nights there's gonna be shooting stars

[disast3rtransp0rt]

Ya know how people say "Once in a blue moon?"

Well, that's coming up shortly!

SUPER BLUE MOON TIME!!!

[superpte]

Hubble Crisis, 2025

Abstract: Modern cosmological theories of the 2010s are incredibly precise. Those Lambda Cold Dark Matter (ΛLCDM) theories have a problem: the acceleration of the expansion of the universe computed in our cosmic neighborhood disagrees with the acceleration of the expansion computed using what is viewed as the early universe. It is a question of 73 locally versus 68 early on. But these are…