{"id":36104,"date":"2022-09-15T14:27:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-15T14:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=36104"},"modified":"2022-09-21T10:22:33","modified_gmt":"2022-09-21T10:22:33","slug":"interactive-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/2022\/09\/15\/interactive-13\/","title":{"rendered":"Interactive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Emails \u2013 Letters \u2013 Tweets \u2013 Facebook \u2013 Instagram \u2013 Kit questions<\/p>\n\n

Email us at inbox@skyatnightmagazine.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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MESSAGE OF THE MONTH<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catching Saturn in a moonbeam <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Moonlight perfectly points to Saturn in Lindsay\u2019s fabulous shot <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I was observing Saturn on the evening of Thursday 11 August with my girlfriend Lindsay. She\u2019s not a serious astronomer but does take an interest in my hobby and loves taking photos of the Moon on her smartphone. She took several shots that evening and whilst most were so-so, one in particular stood out. The \u2018moonbeam\u2019 in the shot could not have been better aimed to point out Saturn, above left of the rising Moon! Right place at the right time, we think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tony <\/strong>Bees, <\/strong>via <\/strong>email <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A wonderfully serendipitous shot of Saturn, Tony, which has put Van Morrison\u2019s song \u2018Moondance\u2019 in our heads!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 Ed. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

This month\u2019s top prize: two Philip\u2019s titles<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n
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The \u2018Message of the Month\u2019 writer will receive a bundle of two top titles courtesy of astronomy publisher Philip\u2019s: Nigel Henbest\u2019s Stargazing 2022 <\/em>and Robin Scagell\u2019s Guide to the Northern Constellations<\/em><\/p>\n\n

Winner\u2019s details will be passed on to Octopus Publishing to fulfil the prize<\/p>\n\n

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Size matters <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

I enjoyed your feature \u2018From city lights to deep space\u2019 (July 2022). In it, it\u2019s mentioned that certain star clusters and other deep-sky objects can be seen using telescopes of a certain size, but it doesn\u2019t mention what type of telescope, whether it\u2019s a reflector or a refractor. It may be helpful if both sizes are mentioned. I know scopes vary, but it could be a good guide. Telescope sizes are often mentioned in the magazine, but again not the type.<\/p>\n\n

Bill Foote, Weymouth <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Where we have space, we will mention the type of telescope and its aperture. You\u2019ll also find a guide to equivalent sizes of refractors and reflectors in the \u2018Need to know\u2019 column in the Sky Guide <\/a>of every issue. In the case of the feature you mention, Bill, we meant refractors!<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Ed. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

Shift happens <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

As the light from distant stars has a redshift, does this mean that the infrared signature of a gas observed for an object with a redshift has its signature redshifted too?<\/p>\n\n

David Mould, via email <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

That\u2019s right, David, all the light from distant stars gets redshifted, meaning that visible becomes infrared, infrared becomes radio and so on, which is why radio telescopes like ALMA are so good for seeing distant galaxies.<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Ed. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

Photo op <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

In his letter in your September issue, Ian Sutton mentioned a mystery object he observed on 29 April, which you identified as the deorbit burn of a Russian rocket. I saw it too, \u2018hovering\u2019 above our house as I went outside to check my DSLR that I had left meteor-hunting. It looked just like a globular cluster, but I knew it was far brighter than M13 or M22. I would have got better images with my 75\u2013300mm zoom lens, but all I could do was divert my camera as was (with a 18mm lens, ISO 6400 and six-second exposure) towards it. The image (below) shows a blue patch to the lower left, the blue colour not being apparent visually.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Philip Pugh, via email<\/span><\/p>\n\n

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The blue cloud of a deorbiting rocket burn caught by Philip <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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A pass of Starlink satellites imaged by Swiss reader Nadia <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Sky streaks <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

I live near Basel in Switzerland and on Saturday 20 August I was able to take photos and a video of SpaceX\u2019s Starlink satellites passing in space.<\/p>\n\n

Nadia von Burg, Basel, Switzerland <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Sun seekers <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

Under clear blue skies on Thursday 11 August members of Sunderland Astronomical Society set up their scopes for a solar observing event at Northumberland Park, North Shields, Tyne and Wear, and park-goers were able to safely observe our nearest star. Many were surprised at what they were seeing for the first <\/span>time, marvelling at the sunspots and solar prominences that were on view. More than 100 people attended the event, 34 of those were children, and there was lots of enthusiasm and loads of questions. It was a lovely day and a novel way to celebrate the park\u2019s 137th birthday!<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Graham William Edwards, via email <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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Young visitors get a safe look at the Sun thanks to Sunderland Astronomical Society <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

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Tweet <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

Barry Clough @CloughBarry \u2022 Aug 22<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Stepped outside at 5 this morning, the Moon above me, Venus shining low between the houses and Jupiter with its moons at a steep angle. Another trying day ahead made easier with such sights! @skyatnightmag <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n

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