Space Fizz

The Canadian Space Agency has launched a project called AuroraMAX, in which they set up a camera in Yellowknife to broadcast the aurora borealis to the general public. It's part of a 5-year educational initiative to raise awareness of space weather and the sun's influence on Earth. 

The AuroraMAX Project is an educational and outreach initiative designed to monitor the intensity and frequency of the aurora borealis (Northern Lights.)  The observatory is setup in the the captial of Canada's Northwest Territory, Yellowknife.  The initent is to monitor the aurora borealis leading up to the Solar Maximum, expected in 2013.  

Initiated by the Canadian Space Agency, this is a joint venture between the CSA, University of Calgary, Astronomy North, and the City of Yellowknife.  The project involves a series of online modules and features that invite you to "Discover, Explore, and Connect to the Aurora Borealis like never before."

AuroraMAX will explore the science behind sunspots, space weather, Earth's magnetic field and the Northern Lights.  The headlining feature of this whole project, is a 360 degree live-feed sky view camera from the observatory in Yellowknife.  Anyone online can view the aurora borealis as if they were standing in the Canadian north.

http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronomy/auroramax/connect.asp

There has been much talk this past week about the conjunction of Venus, Jupiter, and the moon.  It made for a brilliant display in the spring sky.  Venus and Jupiter are the brightest planets when viewed from Earth, and the timing was perfect as they accented a crescent moon this past weekend, specifically February 25th and 26th.  Mercury was also visible low on the horizon at the time of conjunction.  They will be closest - in conjunction - on March 15, only 3 degrees apart (six widths of the moon).  Great photos and time lapse video have been gathered all week.  For a great gallery of some of the best photos, check out universetoday.com.

Photo Credit: Neil Ghosh