tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74870820602926233542024-03-13T04:34:55.235-04:00SkyTours with Derrick PittsDerrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-44158476877375675922017-07-17T16:15:00.002-04:002017-07-17T16:15:52.795-04:002017 Super Solar Eclipse, Pt. 3 - Einstein and the 1919 Principe Solar Eclipse
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Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-40647478335114943602017-07-17T16:10:00.002-04:002017-07-17T16:10:57.712-04:002017 Super Solar Eclipse, Pt. 2 - Why Don't Eclipses Happen Every Month?
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Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-50334517646374606242017-07-17T15:27:00.000-04:002017-07-17T15:44:15.302-04:002017 Super Solar Eclipse, Pt. 1 - What's An Eclipse?
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Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-16918743294034436052014-10-23T14:32:00.001-04:002014-10-23T14:32:31.144-04:00NE US Eclipse Viewers Clouded Out, But…
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IPS/MIFF 2014 Best 3D Show Award Trophy
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Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-54251127617687291662013-08-22T12:57:00.000-04:002013-08-22T12:59:22.142-04:00There's No Such Thing as A 'Blue Moon'
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I don't have a personal story about having met Neil Armstrong. Let's just say our circles didn't overlap. Unlike many others who met him or idolized him, he wasn't my hero either. But he was certainly a person of high achievement and great integrity. He accomplished an extraordinary task, one unlike almost any other in the history of mankind, yet he never 'traded' on its significance. Most Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-14190119559170213732012-08-05T00:57:00.000-04:002012-08-05T00:59:55.586-04:00T-24 Hours To Mars!
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Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-75659175160609022542012-08-01T14:33:00.001-04:002012-08-01T14:33:15.354-04:00Ad Astra Sally K.!
We need more adventurers like Sally Ride. The first American woman in space, Sally Ride immediately became a household name and a beacon of aspiration for women of all ages when she flew on the seventh Space Shuttle mission. At a time when it seemed that one of the basic criteria for becoming an astronaut was to be male, Ride opened a new chapter as an explorer. Ride's selection as the first Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-37159352070741733092012-05-22T12:24:00.000-04:002012-05-22T12:30:00.879-04:00SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch Opens New Era in Space Access
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Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-30409995737894146272012-05-01T12:19:00.000-04:002012-05-04T13:54:39.136-04:00SuperMoon 2012
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Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-8393706751308092952012-03-01T15:15:00.000-05:002012-03-01T15:15:27.807-05:00Dance of the Planets - March 2012
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{Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-47423318218292539182012-01-27T11:43:00.001-05:002012-01-27T13:16:22.733-05:00To The Moon, Newt!A viewer of Current TV's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" wrote in to ask what Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich had in mind when he stated that "By the end of my second term, we will have the first permanent base on the moon. And it will be American."
As a contributor to the program for astronomy and space topics, their booking producer asked my opinion of what I thought of Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-33761964670489790082012-01-03T11:41:00.000-05:002012-01-03T11:41:28.770-05:00Quadrantid Shower Peaks Tomorrow Morning, January 4
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{Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-37092676568426509172011-11-08T11:50:00.001-05:002011-11-08T11:51:24.319-05:00Close Asteroid Pass on Nov. 8th. Feel the Breeze!Asteroid 2005 YU 55 and the Earth-Moon System, November 8, 2011
An exciting event takes place at 6:28 p.m. EST this evening when a 400-meter long asteroid passes within 202,000 miles of Earth. This distance is about 85% of the 238,000-mile distance between Earth and the moon. While it might be a cause of concern for some, astronomers agree that the object will not come any closer to Earth and Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-32116194808831462322011-05-26T23:46:00.000-04:002011-05-26T23:46:01.905-04:00New Manned Capsule Shows the Way of the Future
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Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-74786871783628690132011-05-24T13:56:00.000-04:002011-05-24T13:56:21.774-04:00Doomsday May 2011: From My Point of ViewAll last week I listened to the news stories about Harold Camping’s prediction that the world would end on Saturday, May 21st. I’m posting this on May 24th. I almost feel like nothing more need be said. But I’m compelled to say more.
First, after 200,000 years of human existence on this planet, during which so many thousands of people have declared the end to be near, why would so many Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-65435125186128113492010-12-20T13:37:00.003-05:002010-12-20T13:53:02.697-05:00Tonight's Lunar Eclipse - December 21, 2010Total Lunar Eclipse - 21 December 2010
All times are Eastern Standard Time
Event: Total Lunar Eclipse – full moon moves through the earth’s shadow.
When: Tuesday, 21 December, 1:33 a.m. to 5:01 a.m.
Visibility: Throughout North America (eclipse begins at 10:33 p.m. Monday night on the west coast).
What Will You See: Beginning at 2:41 a.m., the moon will take on a deep red color. The colorDerrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-55737647734174575842010-11-11T17:20:00.002-05:002010-11-11T17:43:57.071-05:00Astronomy for Couch Potatoes: Astronomical Exploration by ComputerCouch potatoes? Let's not be so harsh. How about 'armchair astronomers?' Feel better now? However you see yourself, bringing the universe into your living room has become a reality for everyone from researchers to bored 8 year olds. Use the following list of websites to see how far you can go and what contributions you can make with just a laptop and a track pad. Learn how you can become a ‘Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-21135137447930152402010-11-11T16:56:00.001-05:002010-11-11T16:56:38.412-05:00November Skies 2010With the arrival of November there’s no denying the coming of winter. Chilly temperatures and brisk winds define the major weather changes along with the one hour time shift that now comes a week later than in previous years. While sunrise seems ‘better timed’ early in the month, it’s the very early sunsets that catch our attention. The time change provides an advantage for skygazers – we Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-18361383564657914852010-10-12T15:17:00.003-04:002010-10-12T15:41:17.092-04:00October Skies 2010October Skies
Ahhh, October……the last of the late summer storms leaves the air clear and crisp with blue skies and orange trees. Evening comes early now revealing the bright constellations of the fall sky.
At the top of the sky are two bright stars, Vega of Lyra and Deneb of Cgynus. The stars of Cygnus do double-duty as an asterism – that is, the stars represent two shapes at one time. LookingDerrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-92146842582472642242010-09-16T15:11:00.001-04:002010-09-16T15:13:28.439-04:00Astro Event This Saturday Night - Sept. 18th!Guerrilla Astronomy! Saturday night from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., I'll be posted at the NE corner of 2nd and Chestnut Sts. in downtown Philadelphia with a really good telescope inviting folks to have a look at Jupiter and the moon! The weather forecast looks great for the evening and I'm betting that most people have never seen Jupiter through a telescope. Have you? Also most people don't realizeDerrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487082060292623354.post-52027322293154240162010-09-15T17:00:00.003-04:002010-09-15T19:39:11.909-04:00The Rest of September....
Scorpius - West is to the right
This month's first entry was mostly about viewing planets. This time, let's look at what star patterns and constellations are available. What? You ask, "Aren't constellations star patterns?" The answers is, well, yes...and no. Here's how that can be: let's look at one of the best star patterns of the late summer sky, down low on the southern horizon right after Derrick H. Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02945026125657417717noreply@blogger.com0