logo
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#931673 10/23/19 12:49 PM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
OP Offline
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30

Halloween falls midway between an equinox and a solstice. In the ancient Celtic world it was the new year's eve and start of winter - time to prepare for survival in the darkening days. But also a time when the boundary between our world and the otherworld weakened. Who knew what might cross it?

Halloween

Sponsored Post Advertisement
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,111
Likes: 52
A
Chimpanzee
Offline
Chimpanzee
A
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,111
Likes: 52
So glad we can be together for Halloween here.

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
OP Offline
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
Thousands of years ago a comet broke up. A remnant of it still visits Earth, adding to the debris stream fuelling the annual Taurid meteor shower. The shower peaks near Halloween and may produce brilliant meteors - its nickname is 'Halloween Fireballs'. But is there something deadly in the debris?

Taurids - Halloween Fireballs

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
OP Offline
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30

Join me on a Halloween astronomical tour. See a cosmic witch and cosmic ghosts, spiders and snakes, and fiery skull. But have no fear. It's a virtual tour and all these objects are a very long way away.

Cosmic Halloween Tour

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
OP Offline
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30

Astronomers use colorful language for cosmic objects. But unlike ghosts, ghouls and vampires in horror stories, the cosmic ones aren't scary late at night. Here are tales of the birth, evolution and death of stars, a blinking demon and a star that, at Halloween, seems like the Sun's ghost.

Cosmic Ghosts Ghouls and Vampires

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
OP Offline
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
Autumn equinox and autumn sky, discoveries and discoverers, an ancient festival that marked the transition from the light to darkness. Can you identify them? What goes on between the autumn equinox and Halloween?

Autumn Equinox to Halloween - Quiz

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
OP Offline
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30

Have a look at R Leporis, as photographed by Martin Pugh.

APOD (Astronomy Picture of the Day) used this photo ("a vampire's star") for Halloween in 2018. They say:
Quote
It's a shocking shade of red. The star's discoverer, 19th century English astronomer John Russell Hind, reported that it appeared in a telescope "... like a drop of blood on a black field." Located 1,360 light-years away in the constellation Lepus, . . . R Leporis is now recognized as a carbon star, a very cool and highly evolved red giant with an extreme abundance of carbon. Extra carbon in carbon stars is created by helium fusion near the dying stellar core and dredged up into the stars' outer layers. The dredge-up results in an overabundance of simple carbon molecules, like CO, CH, CN, and C2. While it's true that cool stars radiate most of their energy in red and infrared light, the carbon molecules strongly absorb what little blue light is left and give carbon stars an exceptionally deep red color.

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
OP Offline
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30

Here is this year's Halloween pick from Astronomy Picture of the Day. It's the "ghostly Veil Nebula" photographed by Anis Abdul.
Quote
A ghostly visage on a cosmic scale, these remains of shocked, glowing gas haunt planet Earth's sky in the constellation Cygnus, and form the Veil Nebula. The nebula itself is a large supernova remnant, an expanding cloud born of the death explosion of a massive star. Light from the original supernova explosion likely reached Earth over 5,000 years ago. Also known as the Cygnus Loop, the Veil Nebula now spans nearly 3 degrees or about 6 times the diameter of the full Moon. That translates to over 70 light-years at its estimated distance of 1,500 light-years. In fact, the Veil is so large its brighter parts are recognized as separate nebulae, including The Witch's Broom (NGC 6960) below and right of center. At the top left you can find the Spectre of IC 1340. Happy Halloween!

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,111
Likes: 52
A
Chimpanzee
Offline
Chimpanzee
A
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,111
Likes: 52
It is ghostly. We enjoyed sitting out in our cul de sac tonight. With the wind blowing we expected a witch to blow in on her broom but the clouds were moving and we could actually see stars.


Moderated by  Mona - Astronomy 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Brand New Posts
Make It Sew Easier
by Cheryl - Sewing Editor - 03/27/24 04:34 PM
2024 - on this day in the past ...
by Mona - Astronomy - 03/27/24 01:31 PM
Planner Template Kit - Weekly Layout Template
by Digital Art and Animation - 03/26/24 07:39 PM
Planner Template Kit - Yearly Layout Template
by Digital Art and Animation - 03/26/24 07:37 PM
How to Use Digital Planner Template Kit
by Digital Art and Animation - 03/26/24 07:36 PM
Review - 20 Illustrator Color tips Helen Bradley
by Digital Art and Animation - 03/26/24 07:32 PM
March Equinox to June Solstice
by Mona - Astronomy - 03/26/24 12:27 PM
Hobotrader unleashes never seen opportunity with i
by Jamal molla - 03/26/24 11:55 AM
Psalm for the day
by Angie - 03/25/24 09:05 AM
Genealogy, Sort of
by Angie - 03/24/24 05:39 PM
Sponsor
Safety
We take forum safety very seriously here at BellaOnline. Please be sure to read through our Forum Guidelines. Let us know if you have any questions or comments!
Privacy
This forum uses cookies to ensure smooth navigation from page to page of a thread. If you choose to register and provide your email, that email is solely used to get your password to you and updates on any topics you choose to watch. Nothing else. Ask with any questions!


| About BellaOnline | Privacy Policy | Advertising | Become an Editor |
Website copyright © 2022 Minerva WebWorks LLC. All rights reserved.


Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5