APOD 2.8

 This APOD from December 27, 2012 is a picture of the Curiosity rover on Mars. It is at a place called "rocknest" where there are groups of stones. Curiosity is also set to explore the smooth soil on its left which they surmise to have been created by a martian wind. The mountain behind Curiosity to the right is Mt. Sharp. Several analyzed samples have revealed the presence of carbon organic material.

APOD 2.7

 This APOD from January 1, 2013 is a double star cluster in the constellation of Perseus. It is 7,000 light years away. It can barely be seen with the naked eye. It was discovered in 130 BC by Hipparchus. The clusters are also very similar in age despite their differences. These stars are also younger than the sun and probably created from the same region.


Few star clusters are seen to be so close to each other. Some 7,000 light-years away, though, this pair of open or galactic star clusters is an easy binocular target, a lovely starfield in the northern constellation Perseus. Also visible to the unaided eye from dark sky areas, it was cataloged in 130 BC by Greek astronomer Hipparchus. Now known as h and chi Persei, or NGC 869 (above right) and NGC 884, the clusters themselves are separated by only a few hundred light-years and contain stars much younger and hotter than the Sun. In addition to being physically close together, the clusters' ages based on their individual stars are similar - evidence that both clusters were likely a product of the same star-forming region. 

Biography

Joseph Von Fraunhofer was born in Bavaria. His parents were Franz Xaver Fraunhofer and Maria Anna Frohlich. At the young age of 11, he became an orphan. He then became a glass maker's apprentice. The workshop where he worked collapsed and the Prince of Bavaria came to his aide. After the fact, the prince demanded that Fraunhofer be given time to work on his studies. The prince also gave him money to help fund his education. He became a pupil at the Institute at Benediktbeuern, a monastary devoted to glass making. That is where he learned many glass making skills. With these skills, he learned how to disperse light and measure it. In 1809, he ran the optical institute and eventually became the director. He became the leading glass maker in all of Bavaria. He received a doctorate from the University of Erlangen, was awarded the Merit Order of the Bavarian Crown. He died at a young age from heavy metal poisoning due to vapors from glass making. 

Fraunhofer's work with glass revolutionized telescope making. He figured out how to cleanly and safely polish the lenses. He made the process of glass making more efficient. He also would refract light to see the continous light spectrum. He would use lamps and prisms to show how light breaks up. He observed absorption lines through the spectroscope he invented. He used these lines to determine various substances power of refraction. He used the spectroscope to find the spectrum of the sun and other stars. 

Sources

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06250a.htm
http://www.plicht.de/chris/35fraunh.htm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/217618/Joseph-von-Fraunhofer

Observations

I went to the stargaze yesterday for the entire 2 hours. It was really exciting. My favorite thing was pointing out satellites, looking at Jupiter, and using Luke's fancy laser.

APOD 2.6

Observation To-Do List

1. M45 (Pleiades)
2. HD 173582 (Epsilor Lyrae/double double star)
3. M31
4. M27
5. Venus
6. Mars
7. Neptune
8. HD 123299 (Thuban)
9. Orion Constellation
10. NGC 7293 (Helix Nebula)