Category Archives: Betty’s Bay Buzz

Articles written for the Betty’s Bay Buzz

Morning Person, Evening Person or Night Owl

Posted on by May 16, 2015
April 2014

IMG_7584-bSo often when I ask people whether they have seen a specific bright star, I get the answer oh no, I am not a morning person or oh no, that is long past my bedtime. Well I am afraid you have no excuse now. Jupiter is shining bright towards the north after sunset with Mars, the Moon and then Saturn following from the east. I would say three planets and the Moon before bedtime is very good going. Even though Jupiter sets just around midnight, Saturn, Mars and the Moon are putting on a splendid display to entertain night owls until the early hours of the morning when dazzling Venus comes gliding in from the east to herald the day. For the next week or so even Mercury will be visible low on the eastern horison at dawn. Continue reading →

International Dark Sky Places

Posted on by June 17, 2014

March 2014

OrionNow would it not be absolutely wonderful if Betty’s Bay could be declared an International  Dark Sky Place? It certainly has all the potential to become one and not such a difficult goal to achieve either.
First of all we would have to implement a community-wide lighting code. Now how difficult could that be?
As set in the International Dark Sky Association Guidelines, we would have to promote responsible lighting and set an example to surrounding communities, promote eco-tourism, protect human health, nocturnal habitats and public enjoyment of the night sky.
Betty’s Bay’s  lighting code would have to adhere to the following: Fully-shielded or  full cutoff  standard for all lighting fixtures over 3000  lumens  initial  lamp  output.  Is that sounding too technical? In other words we would not be allowed to project our lighting heavenwards and in all directions, onto our neighbour’s property or flood the fynbos.
Restrictions would have to be placed on the total amount of unshielded lighting for an area of certain size with the issue of over-lighting to be taken seriously.
A wide range of community organizations would have to support the initiative – even the electricity suppliers.
How amazing it would be if the BBRA would support such an initiative!
If Betty’s Bay were to become an International Dark Sky Place, it would be allowed to use logos like ” First South African IDA Dark Sky Community”
Wow!
Even if Betty’s Bay never receives this international recognition, there is no reason why we could not retain and preserve the beautiful night sky. Our skies are darker than the surrounding communities. We are an example. Educators are in abundance and I have noticed that Betty’s Bay has some of the most enthusiastic folk when it comes to protecting this area.
I had my telescope out recently and standing out in the dark, I thought of all the kids that are growing up without seeing the stars….and I wondered, how can one live without being able to see the stars?
Oh yes, I almost forgot – I love promoting public enjoyment of the night sky!

http://www.darksky.org/international-dark-sky-places/about-ids-places

Here comes the Sun

Posted on by June 17, 2014

Aug 2013

NASA/SDO Image

Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams

Something big is about to happen on the Sun. According to measurements from NASA-supported observatories, the sun’s vast magnetic field is about to flip.

“It looks like we’re no more than 3 to 4 months away from a complete field reversal,” says solar physicist Todd Hoeksema of Stanford University. “This change will have ripple effects throughout the solar system.”

After reading this I looked through the window at a cloudy winter sky. In 3 – 4 months the smiles are supposed to be returning to our faces here in the Southern Hemisphere just like the Beatles promised. Now it seems we are in for some stormy space weather.

How much will this event effect us here on Earth this time?

Every eleven years (give or take a year or two) the Sun goes through a sunspot cycle which is linked to magnetic forces. Now what have magnetic forces got to do with pole reversals?

Reading up on the Parker Solar Dynamo Theory, only to learn that the theory was flawed, I proceeded to the Babcock-Leighton Model until I hit the sentence: Unfortunately it could not offer a prediction…..

OK so now I’ve wasted some time but not to be deterred I googled until I found written in bold: And the answer is….

ah ha!
Two separate processes seem to be going on: The Local Dynamo and the Global Dynamo. Before attaching major significance to a whole lot of really weird terms like the Tachocline and helioseismometry data from SOHO, I scrolled down to the bottom of the page just to make sure I was on the right track. “There are still many details to be worked out….”

While the physicists work on the many details, Kid’s Astronomy gives a nice explanation. Solar Magnetic Field reversals occur more or less every eleven years and at a time when solar activity is at its peak. Solar storms travel through space towards Earth. Energy and radiation from solar flares and coronal mass ejections can harm astronauts, damage electronics on satellites, cause the most beautiful auroras blackouts on Earth by surges in power grids.

There have been predictions that the upcoming solar storm will outdo the 1859 Carrington Event, a super storm so intense that the Northern Lights could be seen from Rome!

Should I book a ticket to Rome or will media headlines change from Something big is about to happen on the Sun to Something is about to happen on the big Sun.

Well seeing that the Sun’s magnetic field has flipped 5.5 times before in my lifetime, for now I might as well carry on humming: Here comes the sun, here comes the sun and I say it’s all right, sun, sun, sun, here it comes

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/05aug_fieldflip/
http://science.nasa.gov/heliophysics/

Sunset Apparition

Posted on by June 17, 2014

Aug 2010

Sunset ApparitionWhen I prepare for an evening’s stargazing, I always keep a watchful eye on the clouds. I acknowledge their beauty, remain friendly, give them time to show off their glorious sunset gowns  but when dusk settles in, I plead with them to go away until another day.
This is my ritual.
Something about yesterday was slightly different.

The wind was howling. The sunset was magnificent. The clouds rolled in and then as I looked through my viewfinder to take a photograph  I noticed “the apparition”.
I looked twice and thought no no, I am not going to be phased by this. “These clouds need to go away now! I am on a mission. Tonight  I need to see Orion rising over the mountain, the beautiful globular cluster of stars  in Tucana and far away galaxies  ”
The clouds dispersed slowly.
The wind kept howling but I took shelter. I must have been the only one outdoors when the International Space Station sailed across the sky  from west to east . I remembered to wave. Tumbling satellites flashed their signals. Night creatures were stirring……….
It was around midnight that I directed my telescope at the Silver Coin Galaxy – 10 million light years away. What a magnificent sight to behold.
This object was first discovered by Caroline Herschel way back in 1783 and there I was discovering it all over again in the night sky over Betty’s Bay.
Mmm, what a considerate apparition!