THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PHILIPPINE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
APPULSE the
3RD QUARTER 2017 VOL. 50 NO. 94
THE
GREAT AMERICAN ECLIPSE
MORE GRAVITATIONAL CHASING AFTER THE WAVES DETECTED MOON’S SHADOW NEWS
FEATURE
CASSINI’S EYE VIEW
COSMIC COLLECTIVES
TABLE OF CONTENTS P.A.S. NEWS
04 PAS conducts monthly lecture, elects officers for 2017-2018 05 DEI organizes Perseids Meteor Shower Observation with PAS 06 PAS conducts monthly lecture with PUP PhySoc, PSAU PAS, ALP participate in AGGEM, PAGS-SEGSC’s Ad Astra 07 PAS launches monthly infographics, educational videos 08 UDM hosts PAS monthly lecture Genesis
SPACE NEWS FEATURES 09 Great American Eclipse: The most viewed eclipse in history
10 More gravitational waves detected via the Virgo Observatory
ABOUT THE COVER PHOTO
10 Grand Finale: Cassini crashes into Saturn 11 Energetic cosmic rays sources traced outside Milky Way OSIRIS-REx flies by Earth to gain extra speed
INFOGRAPHIC
12 The Great American Eclipse of 2017
SPECIAL FEATURE
14 Chasing after the Moons’ Shadow
The front cover for this issue is a Great American Eclipse photo taken by Rey Pecierdo of Loma Linda, California, USA.
COSMIC COLLECTIVES
18 Cassini’s Eye View: Revolutionizing the way we perceive Saturn
CELESTIAL EVENTS
20 UP NEXT: Upcoming Celestial Events for the 4th Quarter of 2017 23 PAS Astro Calendar 2017 October to December
ABOUT THE BACKGROUND & BACK COVER
The background image for this page is a close-up photo of the Moon’s surface, courtesy of Pixabay.com. The back cover art is a tribute to Cassini by Mayumi Exiomo.
THE APPULSE
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF PAS EDITORIAL BOARD
CORRESPONDENTS
GRAPHIC ARTISTS
Lanz Anthonee Lagman
Rachel Sta. Iglesia Maria Sobina Yu
Jamie Delos Reyes Mayumi Exiomo Denise Anne Valentino
CONTRIBUTORS
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Michael John Alcazaren Pecier Decierdo Jolyn Pon-an Erin Jillian C. Tanchoco Engr. Ronald Tanco
Abdur Rahman Alindao Kashogi Astapan Jeffre Blanco Forrest Cruz Rey Decierdo
Editor-in-Chief
Denise Anne Valentino Assistant Editor
Mark Joseph Bantayan Almirah Tabao Amin News Editors
Pecier Decierdo Angelica Y. Yang Consultants
Philippine Astronomical Society Office, 8/F Semicon Bldg., Brgy. De la Paz, Marcos Highway, Pasig City, Metro Manila https://www.facebook.com/PhilippineAstronomicalSociety/ pasbod@philastrosociety.org www.philastrosociety.org
EDITORS’ NOTE
GREAT LESSONS from the Great American Eclipse
The astronomical organizations in the country must be aggressive in our efforts to bring Space Science closer to the public. Alongside our other efforts such as free public lectures, monthly stargazing activities, and publications, we must also tap the power of social media. One PAS event illustrates as such. During the Perseids meteor shower of 2017, Kashogi Astapan, Philippine Astronomical Society Vice President, posted on our Facebook group an unexpected invitation to an impromptu meteor shower viewing event. Despite the short notice, a lot of students participated—and what they all have in common is access to social media. Imagine the multiplier effect if that post had gone viral outside the group! When something becomes viral, it catches the attention of the mainstream media, but this interplay has not always been helpful to the cause of public education. We’ve seen in the last decade how astrology had been portrayed as if it is something legitimate that deserved public attention. Thanks to Facebook, a local flat Earther group has come to attract thousands of new members. Besides popularizing celestial events, we must fight misinformation—consequently the social media is a very powerful weapon. A case in point here is the public reception to The Great American Eclipse which occurred on August 21, 2017. The US National Census puts the number of people at the path of totality at 12.25 million, with an estimated 1.8 million to 7.4 million visitors. NASA reported 4.4 million views on their livestream. Google and the University of California – Berkeley teamed up to create a movie out of the thousands of footages and pictures from the path of totality submitted by the public, with the goal of compiling a “unique treasure-trove of information on how the corona changes over time.” There is a tremendous wealth of data in the images themselves. Taken using smartphones with GPS, the metadata must contain the time, coordinates, and elevation of the viewers at that moment. Just by submitting pictures, the people have contributed directly to Science—this is a fine example of Citizen Science! What we should learn from the influence of both new and traditional media in the public reception of the eclipse is this: we should adapt to the social milieu. People clamor for the rare and the novel, and they want to be part of history. The effectiveness of social media in educating and recruiting the masses in science during the Great American Eclipse presents us an example of how to utilize technology effectively. The astronomical organizations in the country must be active in viralizing the technical aspects of astronomy. Studying Physics and Astronomy might be boring to Juan dela Cruz, but we can sneak in some science into his Facebook notifications, his Twitter feed, and his Google plus groups. If we can make Citizen Science the new trend, we can instill in him the sense of wonder that brought us into the study of Space Science in the first place, and maybe we can invite him to our next event!
Mark Joseph Bantayan News Editor
Lanz Anthonee Lagman Editor-in-Chief
PAS NEWS
PAS conducts monthly lecture, elects officers for 2017-2018 By Maria Sobina Yu
The Philippine Astronomical S o c i e t y ( PA S ) , i n c o l l a b o r a t i o n with the Physics Society of Adamson University (PSAU), conducted a monthly lecture on July 8, 2017 at Adamson U n i v e r s i t y, w i t h t h e t h e m e EQUINOX: Unlocking Boundaries between Physique and Intellect.
University of the Philippines (UP) Senior Project Assistant J. Mikhail Solitario delivered the first lecture titled Keeping Up with Millennials from Surviving to Thriving, which centers on the best practices for students and includes suggestions on handling stress as well as efficient time management. The talk also involved a discussion on etiquette, and how to display p r o p e r d e m e a n o r, w h i c h a r e necessary to succeed in life. Solitario is currently taking up h i s J u r i s D o c t o r d e g r e e a t U P, Diliman. PA S B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s C h a i r m a n E n g r. C a m i l o D a c a n a y gave the second lecture titled The Martian PH: Crossing the Barrier of Space and Time, where he discussed the nature of space exploration and the possible dangers of and challenges to human settlement o n M a r s . E n g r. D a c a n y a l s o 4 | THE APPULSE
mentioned the prerequisites for a successful human colony on the red planet. The last lecture titled The Martian PH: A Flight of a Filipina to Mars featured M i n e r v a R a n e s e s a s t h e s p e a k e r. Raneses, one of the Mars One applicants, talked about the planned expedition by Mars One, a private non-profit company that aims to establish a permanent human settlement on Mars. The application to join the colony was opened to anyone r e g a r d l e s s o f n a t i o n a l i t y. T h e colony member selection is currently at its third phase and the candidates are down to 100 applicants from the initial 200,000. S u b s e q u e n t l y, PA S c o n d u c t e d its annual election of Board of Directors for the year 20172018. After 50 votes, the elected Board of Directors are as follows: A sta p a n , Ka s h o g i Wa l te r ; C a nte ro, Christian Noel; Chu, Rafael; D a c a n a y, C a m i l o ; D i z o n , H e r n a n ; Fernando, Evita; Gavino, Elora Marie A.; Lagman, Lanz; Parinas, Marge; Sta. Iglesia, Rachel; and Ta n c o , R o n a l d . The finalization of positions among the elected board of officers, decision on immediate plans of action, reorientation, and oath taking, took place on July 16, 2017, at the SM City Manila.
PAS NEWS
DEI organizes Perseids Meteor Shower Observation with PAS
TO PAS THE TIME. Participants observed the Moon while waiting for the Perseids meteor shower during the stargazing event on August 12-13, 2017 at Megatent, Libis, Quezon City. Photo by Kashogi Astapan
By Rachel Sta. Iglesia The DraGold Enterprises Inc. (DEI) invited the Philippine Astronomical Society (PAS) for a collaboration in organizing the public event Perseids Meteor Shower Viewing and Stargazing on August 12-13, 2017 at Megatent, Libis, Quezon City. DEI President Orlando Campo offered the Megatent parking space as the opening grounds for the event.
of celestial observation. The telescope viewing allowed the participants a closer view of celestial bodies such as the Moon, Jupiter, and Saturn. Despite the thickness of the clouds and the light of the Earth’s moon from the eastern sky around 10 PM, the Perseids meteors still drew short and long streaks of light across the skies of Metro Manila. Participants witnessed an estimated average of 10-15 meteors throughout the event.
DEI Junior Astronomer and Licensed Professional Teacher Jescil Ann Oriol, together with DEI support staff, set up the Celestron 8-inch CGX Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope and the Celestron Omni XLT 120 Refractor telescope. The PAS Board of Directors and members, as well as the participating teachers and students, soon arrived at the venue. DEI Program Director and PAS Emeritus Officer Edmund Rosales led the public telescope viewing and conducted a lecture on the basics
NO PAY PER VIEW. A civilian takes advantage of the free public telescope viewing on August 12-13, 2017 at Megatent, Libis, Quezon City. Photo by Kashogi Astapan
THE APPULSE | 5
PAS NEWS
PAS conducts monthly lecture with PUP PhySoc, PSAU
STAR-STRUCK. A participant asks Rafael Chu regarding the tragedy faced by the characters in the 2013 film Gravity on August 19, 2017 at Bulwagang Balagtas, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Sta. Mesa, Manila. Photo by Forrest Cruz.
By Jolyn Pon-an The Philippine Astronomical Society (PAS), together with the Physics Society of Adamson University (PSAU) and the Physics Society of Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP PhySoc), held the August PAS monthly lecture on August 19, 2017 at the Bulwagang Balagtas, PUP, Sta.Mesa. The free event themed Astronomical Transits: Marking History in the Sky consisted of lectures followed by a question-and-answer portion. The participants consisted of students from 23 public and private, secondary and tertiary institutions . PAS Researched Committee Head Rafael Chu explained the usual misconceptions and conceptual errors in space-related science fiction films. In his aptly named lecture CinemAstronomy: Exploring Astronomical Themes in Recent Films, Chu discussed how scenes in most science fiction films represented a misunderstanding of physics and astronomy. He also discussed the concept of stellar navigation, which had been practiced by different ancient cultures. In Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics, PUP Physics alumnus John Paul Besagas introduced the oddness of quantum physics and the concept of multiverses. He discussed how it is possible that different versions of reality exists in parallel universes, and how the probabilities not actualized in one of these universes could have probably materialized in 6 | THE APPULSE
another universe. Besagas concluded his lecture by talking about the possibility of explaining everything about the Universe, challenging the audience to find the single equation that will describe the nature of reality. Besagas is currently taking a doctorate in Physics at the University of the Philippines, Diliman (UP-Diliman). PAS Board of Directors Chairman Engr. Camilo Dacanay delivered his lecture Phase Transition at the Moment of Creation, where he explored the theories on the beginning and end of the Universe. Engr. Dacanay talked about the importance of the concept of symmetry in understanding the nature and origin of the Universe. The participants consisted of college and senior high school students from Marikina Polytechnic College, National Teachers College, Novaliches High School, Quezon City High School, College of St. Catherine – Quezon City, Caloocan National Science and Technology High School, Trinity University of Asia, Collegio de Montalban, Commonwealth High School, Philippine Malabon Cultural Institute, Sapang Palay National High School, Philippine Normal University, Far Eastern University, Nicanor Reyes Educational Foundation College, Greenland Academy, Technological University of the Philippines, UP-Diliman, Parañaque National High School, Lagro High School, First City Providential College, AMA Computer College – East Rizal, Ramon Magsaysay High School, and the host institution, PUP-Sta. Mesa.
PAS NEWS
PAS, ALP participate in AGGEM, PAGS-SEGSC’s Ad Astra By Michael John Alcazaren
The Philippine Astronomical Society (PAS), participated in Ad Astra, a lecture series focusing on Planetary Geology and Space Science held on August 23, 2017 at the Mapùa University. The event was organized by the Association of Geologists and Geological Engineers of Mapùa (AGGEM), and the Philippine Association of Geology Students – Society of Economic Geologists Student Chapter (PAGS-SEGSC), in light of recent push for the Philippines’ own Space Agency. Mapùa University Professor Dr. Ernest Macalalad delivered the lecture titled, The Science of Space Weather: Why do we even bother?, in which he discussed how the changes in the surface of the sun affects us on Earth. Dr. Macalalad explained how solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and geomagnetic storms can still have damage our Global Positioning System
satellites, radio signals, and the electric grid, adversely affecting the economy. Christopher Lu, Corporate Secretary at the Astronomical League of the Philippines Inc., talked about the various geological features of celestial bodies in the solar system. Lu discussed the theory of how the Moon came into formation, as well as the atmospheric compositions of planets Venus and Mars. Engr. Camilo Dacanay, Chairman of the PAS Board conducted a lecture about the stars’ contribution to the formation of the Earth, and how the sun affects its geology. Engr. Dacanay also discussed how Earth’s seismic and volcanic activity had been instrumental in the creation of the conditions for life and possibly to several mass extinctions. Ad Astra concluded with the awarding of certificates for the guest speakers.
PAS launches monthly infographics, educational videos By Lanz Lagman
Aiming to promote astronomy education to the public by utilizing the advantages of social media, the Philippine Astronomical Society (PAS) successfully produced its first monthly infographics and educational video on the month of September. The first infographics PAS posted on its official Facebook page titled Goodbye, Cassini! discusses and commemorates the Cassini spacecraft’s service after it has successfully ended its mission by plunging towards the planet Saturn back in September 15, 2017 in a maneuver dubbed as “The Grand Finale.” PAS posted the said infographics the event. It contains a brief summary of the spacecraft’s journey, contribution to astronomy, and the reason its mission ended. The infographic art was made by Jamie delos Reyes, a graphic artist volunteering under PAS’s Publication and Website Committee.
The first educational video titled The Autumnal Equinox illustrates how the autumnal equinox phenomenon occurs by using animated text and graphics. PAS posted the video on September 22, 2017, on the exact day before the celestial event. PAS volunteer and video editor Niña Rodriguez made the said video. Like delos Reyes, Rodriquez is a member of the Publication and Website Committee. The same committee did the research for the contents of the infographics and educational video. With a goal of releasing one educational video and infographic art every month, PAS hopes that the said educational social media posts will help the public, especially the Filipinos, learn and understand astronomy easier. The Society also hopes to collaborate with other astronomy organizations in making public astronomy education outreaches more effective. THE APPULSE | 7
PAS NEWS
UDM hosts PAS monthly lecture Genesis By Erin Jillian C. Tanchoco Universidad de Manila’s (UDM) Senior High School Science Department hosted Genesis, a Philippine Astronomical Society (PAS) monthly lecture for the month of September. Genesis focused on Space Science and the Origin of Life, and was held on September 30, 2017 at Palma Hall, UDM. UDM Office of Student Affairs and Science Area Dean Iserlohn Lim introduced PAS Events Committee Head Hernan Dizon, who welcomed the senior high students of UDM and San Beda College to the event. Kashogi Astapan, Vice President of PAS, formally introduced PAS to the audience. He presented the Board of Directors and the organization’s activities such as the monthly lectures, telescope and celestial navigation workshops, and out-of-town stargazing events. Astapan also mentioned The Appulse, the official publication of PAS. He later discussed the requirements for PAS applicants and the responsibilities of members, and invited the participants to apply for membership to the organization. PAS Research Committee Head Rafael Chu announced several anticipated celestial events PAS will soon be observing, as well as astronomical news regarding the discovery of E. Coli’s (Escherichia coli)
capability to mutate in the outer space, and the termination of the Cassini-Huygen Spacecraft’s mission. Leogiver Mañosca, Senior High School Faculty and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) teacher of Biology and Research at Caloocan National Science and Technology High School, and an active PAS member since 2001, conducted the lecture titled The Cellular Life on Primitive Earth: Origin and development through time. Mañosca started by discussing the properties of life before proceeding to present different theories that biologists have proposed to explain the origin of life. Furthermore, Mañosca provided a detailed presentation on the rise of probiotic cells. Philippine Normal University Biology Professor Thaddeus Owen Ayuste delivered the lecture on Cosmozoic Theory: Did life originate from outer space? The Cosmozoic Theory suggests that life did not originate on Earth but was brought by celestial objects that fell to the surface of the planet. Toward the end of his lecture, Ayuste discussed the importance of the research conducted at Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) about organic molecules near stars. ALMA refers to an array of astronomical interferometer of radio telescopes located at the Atacama Desert, Chile. The research facility was a collaboration of scientific communities worldwide.
LOOK AND LISTEN. High School students listen to Leogiver Mañosca’s lecture during the PAS monthly lecture on September 30,2017 at Universidad de Manila. Photo by Jeffre Blanco 8 | THE APPULSE
SPACE NEWS July to September Space News Features by Pecier Decierdo
Great American Eclipse: The most viewed eclipse in history
STANDING OVATION. Crowds gather with their smartphones to watch the totality at the Oregon State Fairgrounds, Salem, Oregon. Image courtesy of Dominic Hart (NASA)
Millions of Americans, along with tourists from all over the world, witnessed a total solar eclipse phenomenon last August 21. The “Great American Eclipse� was so-called because it was the first to cross the continental United States from Pacific coast to Atlantic coast in 99 years. The total phase of the eclipse was witnessed in parts of 12 states. It was first seen from Oregon, then Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, and finally South Carolina. Different partial phases of the eclipse were visible from most of North America.
According to estimates conducted by the University of Michigan, the Great American Eclipse was the most viewed eclipse in history both in person and over the Internet. Some estimates put the live audience at 20 million, but an analysis published in Forbes says that this is a conservative estimate given that 12 million people already live within the path of totality. NASA reported that 4.4 million people viewed their live-stream on the day of the eclipse. Total solar eclipses happen when the Moon completely blocks the disk of the Sun. The next total solar eclipse will happen on July 2, 2019. It will be seen from parts of Chile and Argentina. THE APPULSE | 9
SPACE NEWS
More gravitational waves detected via the Virgo Observatory Last August, scientists announced new detection of gravitational waves, marking the fourth instance scientists measured these ripples in space-time. Previous gravitational wave detections were made using the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory—which has two detectors in the United States—while the said new detection made using the Virgo Observatory in Italy. Like the previous detections, the gravitational waves detected using Virgo came from the collision between merging black holes.
Gravitational waves are like ripples in the fabric of space-time. The merging of two very massive objects such as black holes and neutron stars can produce them. A third working detector in Europe will provide scientists a more complete, 3-dimensional picture of gravitational wave sources in the universe. It also allows scientists to investigate the polarization of gravitational waves. Polarization describes the orientation of the wave’s oscillation.
Grand Finale: Cassini crashes into Saturn
THE LAST DIVE. An artist’s impression of the Cassini spacecraft as it dives toward Saturn’s atmosphere. Image courtesy of NASA
Last September 15, the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft, commonly called Cassini, crashed into planet Saturn after 13 years of orbiting the ringed planet. The planned collision was part of Cassini’s “Grand Finale,” the final stage of its long and fruitful mission to investigate Saturn and its moons. Cassini-Huygens mission scientists arranged Cassini’s crash into Saturn to avoid the possibility of the spacecraft falling into the planet’s moons Titan and Enceladus as those moons are suspected to have the potential for harboring life. Scientists wanted to avoid the possibility that Earth microbes, which might have hitched a ride on Cassini, will contaminate those moons. 10 | THE APPULSE
Near the end of its mission, Cassini made several risky dives into the gap between Saturn’s cloud tops and its innermost rings, taking closeup photos of Saturn as well as measurements of the rings’ total mass. The scientific community celebrated the end of the Cassini-Huygens mission as a great success due to the discoveries and milestones the spacecraft helped achieved, such as attaining the measurements of Saturn’s magnetic field and so much more. The Cassini-Huygens Mission is a joint project of National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency.
SPACE NEWS
Energetic cosmic rays sources traced outside Milky Way
Astronomers have finally found evidence that the most energetic cosmic rays came from sources outside Milky Way galaxy, the galaxy our solar systems belong to. Scientists working at the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina published these findings in the journal Science last September. Cosmic rays are charged particles, such as protons or atomic nuclei, which travel at very high speeds. The most energetic particles travel at close to the speed of light. When cosmic rays hit the atmosphere, they produce a shower of other particles that scientists can detect on the ground. Since they rarely hit the Earth, an observatory must cover a large area to detect them.
To accomplish this, the Pierre Auger Observatory has detectors scattered in an area almost the size of Batangas province. It was able to detect 30,000 cosmic particles in 12 years. By analyzing the detected particles, scientists were able to trace the origin of the cosmic rays to a region of the sky far from the plane of our galaxy. This indicates that they come from a source outside the Milky Way. Scientists still do not know where exactly these cosmic rays come from and how they became highly energetic, but the said discovery will help scientists who are hot on the trail of these highspeed particles.
OSIRIS-REx flies by Earth to gain extra speed On September 22, 2017, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft swung by the Earth for a gravitational assist that will put it on course toward its destination, the asteroid Bennu. It is expected to reach the asteroid in August of next year. The maneuver, which others have described as “cosmic billiards,” was needed because the orbit of Bennu is inclined with respect to the Earth’s. The maneuver would have required a lot of fuel. Instead of making OSIRIS-Rex carry heavy and expensive fuel, mission scientists made the spacecraft return to Earth for a gravitational assist a year after its launch. A gravitational assist works by transferring some of the Earth’s orbital momentum to the spacecraft. Since spacecrafts are very light compared to the Earth, the change on the Earth’s speed is negligible compared to that of the spacecraft. The gravitational assist on OSIRIS-REx gave the spacecraft a velocity change of 3.778 kilometers per second. OSIRIS-REx stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer. Its aims to photograph Bennu, collect samples, and return those samples to Earth. If successful, it will be the first US spacecraft to bring home samples of an asteroid.
SPEED BOOST. An artist’s impression of OSIRIS-Rex as it passes by Earth to gain speed in order to reach Bennu. Image courtesy of NASA THE APPULSE | 11
12 | THE APPULSE
Jamie Delos Reyes THE APPULSE | 13
chasing after the moon’s
shadow Pecier Decierdo Rey Decierdo
FEATURE
Last month, my family and I packed ourselves into an RV and drove for 4 days, across a distance greater than that which separates Manila and Davao, to go to the small town of Casper, Wyoming. Even though Casper is a town with a population less than that of Pateros, Metro Manila, it was packed with tens of thousands of tourists when we arrived there on the morning of August 21. Many other towns and cities across the United States were similarly overrun with tourists.
What were all those crowds there for? What
the Sun (don’t stare at the Sun without the help of such
were we there for? Well, it was to witness one of
glasses!) and see that a bite seems to have been taken
nature’s greatest and most breathtaking show—the
out of it, making it look like Pac-Man from the video
moment of totality.
game.
Viewed from Earth, totality happens when the
Maybe you have seen a partial solar eclipse and
Moon completely covers the disk of the Sun. It is the
don’t understand why some people would travel great
highlight of a total solar eclipse.
distances to witness totality. Here are a few reasons.
Viewed from space, a total solar eclipse
First, totality is book-ended by Baily’s beads
happens when the Moon’s darkest shadow, called the
and the diamond ring effect. They occur moments
umbra, falls on the Earth. Since the Moon goes around
before totality, when almost the Moon blocks almost
the Earth, the umbra moves across the Earth’s surface
all of the Sun except for very small portions that shine
during an eclipse, tracing what is known as the path of
through the valleys. I don’t know of any other celestial
totality. During a total eclipse, only those standing in
phenomenon visible to the naked eye more beautiful
this path can witness totality.
than those two.
Because of the Moon’s distance, the path of
Second, because while we have understood
totality is not very wide. In the last eclipse, it was only
the workings of the universe to great precision, there’s
about 122 kilometers across.
still a lot about it that we don’t understand, and totality presents a great opportunity to solve some of the
Outside the path of totality, you can only
universe’s mysteries. Historically, Einstein’s general
experience a partial solar eclipse. During a partial
theory of relativity got its first confirmation during an
eclipse, you can use certified eclipse glasses to look at
observation of a totality.
16 | THE APPULSE
FEATURE Third, the darkness of totality is unlike any other. It is not quite like night or even twilight, but rather a strange mix of the two. Totality’s eerie darkness happens because parts of the Earth outside the umbra still receive and reflect sunlight. Inside the almost-night of the umbra, you can see this daylight from afar. As a bonus, the brightest of the stars and planets show up! Fourth, totality lets you see the corona, the Sun’s ghost-thin upper atmosphere. We don’t usually see it because the Sun’s visible layer, the photosphere, is many times brighter. During totality, the corona appears like a wispy flower extending its intricate, feathery petals into the dark of space. It is absolutely spectacular.
Fifth, totality is a celebration of science at its finest. For instance, when I timed the occurrence of totality during my observation of the eclipse last month, they agreed with the predicted times to the tenths of a second! That is astounding given how eclipses can be predicted hundreds of years ahead. Furthermore, totality is also a great tool for scientists, both historically and currently. To give a historical example, it was during totality when the astronomer Sir Arthur Eddington first obtained observational confirmation of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. Today, totality lets scientists do researches ranging from investing the solar corona to measuring the fine details of the Earth’s gravitational field.
“
Totality presents a great opportunity to solve some of the universe’s mysteries.
“
By now, I hope I have convinced you
to plan a trip to witness totality. You owe it to yourself to experience it at least once in your life.
Total solar eclipses are not rare. On
average,
one
happens
every
18
months.
However, because the path of totality is not very large, it rarely occurs for a given part of the Earth. On average, a spot on the Earth experiences totality once every 375 years. Hence, you need to travel if you want to see an eclipse within the next decade.
The next total solar eclipses will happen on July 2, 2019 and December 14, 2020. Both can be seen from parts of Chile and Argentina. The next one visible from the Philippines will happen on April 20, 2042. The path of totality will cross most of Palawan, Panay Island, and Bicol Region. Imagine totality right next to Mt. Mayon! If you can’t afford to travel far to see the next few eclipses, I hope you will mark in your calendar the date when it will happen here in the Philippines. You really have to see it yourself. In the meantime, enjoy the beauty of the cosmos whenever and wherever you can. A THE APPULSE | 17
COSMIC COLLECTIVES
Cassini’s eye view Revolutionizing the way we perceive Saturn
Maria Sobina Yu
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com
THE SIXTH PLANET of our solar Aeronautics and Space Administration system, Saturn, is known for its beautiful (NASA) astronaut Sally Ride. The mission’s rings. primary goal is to look for more satellites of Saturn, to deduce the reason behind the Remove the ring system, and we get appearance of Saturn’s majestic rings, and to a pale-colored planet surface that can’t understand more about the planet’s moon’s compare to the beautiful bands and zones of evolution, composition, and characteristics. Jupiter. And so, the U.S. Congress approved And we realized that Saturn is such a of Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s (JPL) plan to dull planet indeed. develop a spacecraft that will orbit and observe Saturn. With a cost of 3.3 billion dollars, the That is, until we saw Saturn through Cassini-Huygens was a joint venture between Cassini’s eyes. the NASA, European Space Agency, and Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, the space agency When the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft, of Italy. The spacecraft was named Cassini in commonly called Cassini, orbited Saturn honor of a 17th century astronomer Giovanni back in 2004, we learned a lot of things Cassini who discovered four moons of Saturn about Saturn. We learned that Saturn has a (Iapetus, Rhea, Tethys, and Dione), while lot to offer than just its beautiful rings—it is its lander was named Huygens in honor of a dynamic and complex world. Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens who proposed that the ear-like structure seen The Cassini-Huygens mission first beside Saturn through a telescope were started out as a dream by first female National actually ring systems. 18 | THE APPULSE
COSMIC COLLECTIVES
“
Saturn has a lot to offer than just its beautiful rings—it is a dynamic and complex world.
Cassini entered Saturn’s orbit on July 1, 2004, and ever since, the said spacecraft has been orbiting Saturn. The Huygens lander arrived on Saturn’s biggest moon, Titan, on January 14, 2005, where the lander revealed that Titan has numerous lakes made from liquid methane. Because of Cassini, we now know that Saturn’s moon Enceladus is an active moon with jets of water erupting from its surface. Three more moons were discovered, namely, Methone, Pallene, and Polydeuces. Cassini also provided a close-up view of one of Saturn’s moons Rhea, revealing the moon’s pockmarked surface caused by asteroid impacts. In addition, the spacecraft found out that Saturn’s magnetic field is aligned with the planet’s axis of rotation. When Cassini bid good bye by plunging into Saturn last September to end its 13-long years of mission, it left mankind with a different view of Saturn and its system, both literally and metaphorically. It also left us with a guarantee that there is more to a planet than what meets the naked eye. A THE APPULSE | 19
“
CELESTIAL EVENTS
UPNEXT|
UPCOMING CELESTIAL EVENTS FOR THE 4TH QUARTER OF 2017
Engr. Ronald Tanco
THE LAST
quarter of the year 2017 groups most of the naked eye planets towards the direction of the sun. Nearly of the planets undergoing a conjunction with the Sun. Viewing planets through the telescope are limited as the Sun’s brightness washes out the planet’s light. Nonetheless, there are still a few interesting events to watch out for.
OCTOBER
SKY WATCH In the morning of October 6, the Mars and Venus will be seen at its closest approach to each other. From this day onward, Venus descends towards the Sun and Mars continues its long journey towards its opposition which is expected around July 2018. As they separate, you will be able to catch the last few days of the crescent moon joining these two planets on 17-19. Throughout October and November, Mercury and Jupiter will not be seen as it makes its journey behind the sun, with its conjunction happening on October 12 and 27 respectively. Saturn on the other hand can still be seen in the early evening, but will eventually be in conjunction with the Sun by December. METEOR SHOWERS With the parent source coming from Halley’s comet, this meteor shower produces swift moving meteors (67km/sec) with a zenith hourly rate of about 20-25 meteors. However, in 2006 to 2009, it produced as much as 50-75 per hour. Observations for this meteor are very much welcome. Orionids is active from September 23 to November 27 with its peak dates on Oct 21-22 and should be seen above the horizon by around 11 PM.
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NOVEMBER SKY WATCH On November 20, one will be able to see a crescent moon with the planets, Mercury and Saturn, near each other with the trio forming a shape of an triangle. As the moon moves away in the days that follows, Mercury and Saturn will be seen approaching each other. Such that, by November 30, they will be seen side by side, and will be at its closest approach on December 6. After over twoweek long conjunction Mercury will then quickly slip away from Saturn where it will undergo its inferior conjunction. By December 16 before sunrise, it will join the morning planet Venus, but the sun may be too bright, and the planets too low, to be visible for viewing.
PARTIALLY COVERED.
The Earth’s shadow covers a portion of the Moon during a partial lunar eclipse on August 7-8, 2017, as seen from Dasmariñas City, Cavite, Philippines. Photo by Abdur Rahman Alindao.
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CELESTIAL EVENTS
DECEMBER SKY WATCH For December, we will focus on Jupiter which will be visible in the early morning throughout the month. Jupiter will continue to rise above the horizon earlier each day and this massive planet will then move closer to Mars until it overtakes it in early January. Mars, Jupiter and the crescent waning moon can easily be seen together on December 13-15. Saturn and Venus will be difficult to catch on this month as they are all just around the vicinity of the Sun. If you are lucky, you may be able to spot Mercury as an evening star at the start of the month and then catch it once more as a morning star just before sunrise by the end of December. This planet will reach its greatest elongation from the Sun on January 2, 2018. December 22 marks the winter solstice where we will have the longest night and shortest day. From this day on, nights grow shorter and days longer until the summer solstice. METEOR SHOWERS Our favorite and very reliable Geminids meteor shower is active from December 7 to 17, with the peak of the activity happening on December 13/14, achieving ZHR up to about 120 meteors per hour, with speed at about 35km/sec. This is one of the few meteor showers wherein the radiant is above the horizon as early as 8:30pm. People of all ages need not wait for the early morning to get a glimpse of this meteor shower event. However, like most meteor showers, the activity increases after midnight towards the early morning. 22 | THE APPULSE
METEOR SHOWERS Leonids has been on the quiet side in the last decade. With an average Zenith Houtly Rate (ZHR) of about 15-20 meteors, it would occasionally have variable activity reaching upto 100 meteors per hour. Leonid meteors are characterized to be bright and fast (71km/sec). This meteor shower is active from November 5 to 30, and peaking on Nov 17-18. Viewing this meteor shower is very favorable as it peaks on a moonless night. The constellation Leo rises from the eastern sky at around 1 AM.
CELESTIAL EVENTS
PAS Astro Calendar 2017 October to December
Reference: Starmap Pro 12 with Manila as reference THE APPULSE | 23
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