Astronomy

This image released by the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, Thursday, May 12, 2022, shows a black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. The Milky Way black hole is called Sagittarius A*, near the border of Sagittarius and Scorpius constellations. It is 4 million times more massive than our sun. The image was made by eight synchronized radio telescopes around the world. (Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration via AP)

Astronomers capture 1st image of Milky Way’s huge black hole

‘It burbled and gurgled as we looked at it’

 

Kim Venn at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in 2022. (Courtesy of UVic Photo Services)

B.C.-led astronomy team discovers traces of the universe’s first stars

Metal-poor cluster on outer edge of Milky Way galaxy a grouping of ancient stars

 

Briefly seen over a road in Kent, Wash., this fireball was seen in multiple places in B.C., including Agassiz, Abbotsford and Peachland. The event was seen on Tuesday, April 26, between 8:45 p.m. and 9:05 p.m. (Screenshot/AMS)

VIDEO: ‘Fireball’ blazes across Fraser Valley night sky

Witnesses reported event as far north as Kamloops and as far south as Portland

 

Venus and Jupiter appear close together in the sky during a conjunction. (Wikimedia Commons)

Venus Jupiter conjunction this weekend kicks off a 5-day show in the skies

Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn will be visible, plus a meteor shower next week

Venus and Jupiter appear close together in the sky during a conjunction. (Wikimedia Commons)
An asteroid that circles our sun on a wide orbit between the planets of Mars and Jupiter is now named after Skookum Jim Mason, the Tagish adventurer and prospector who helped kick off the Klondike Gold Rush. (Pixabay Image)

Distant asteroid now bears Tagish adventurer Skookum Jim’s name

The renaming of the asteroid comes from a suggestion by the Yukon Astronomical Society.

An asteroid that circles our sun on a wide orbit between the planets of Mars and Jupiter is now named after Skookum Jim Mason, the Tagish adventurer and prospector who helped kick off the Klondike Gold Rush. (Pixabay Image)
Astrophysicist Jan Jamie Eldridge will explain how stars’ lives and deaths have produced the elements that make up the physical universe at the Nanaimo Astronomy Society’s next meeting March 24. (Photo submitted)

Astrophysicist will speak about stardust at Nanaimo Astronomy Society’s next meeting

Jan Jamie Eldridge shares star evolution’s role in producing elements

Astrophysicist Jan Jamie Eldridge will explain how stars’ lives and deaths have produced the elements that make up the physical universe at the Nanaimo Astronomy Society’s next meeting March 24. (Photo submitted)
Sid Sidhu said he may need a new telescope if he’s going to be able to see the asteroid named for him. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

Humble B.C. amateur astronomer now officially out of this world

Jaskarn Singh ‘Sid’ Sidhu has an asteroid named after him, honouring his volunteer astronomy efforts

Sid Sidhu said he may need a new telescope if he’s going to be able to see the asteroid named for him. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)
The city and Regional District of Nanaimo are looking to curb artificial light pollution and preserve dark skies in the region. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

Regional District of Nanaimo looking at ways to preserve its dark skies

Board directs staff to provide information on how to craft a light pollution bylaw

The city and Regional District of Nanaimo are looking to curb artificial light pollution and preserve dark skies in the region. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Canadian astrophysicist Alexandra Tetarenko shovels snow at the Mauna Kea telescopes in Hawaii. She will talk to the Nanaimo Astronomy Society this week about how the James Webb Space Telescope will advance knowledge about black holes. (Photo submitted)

Astrophysicist will talk to Nanaimo astronomers about bursts from black holes

Alexandra Tetarenko will conduct observations using James Webb Space Telescope

Canadian astrophysicist Alexandra Tetarenko shovels snow at the Mauna Kea telescopes in Hawaii. She will talk to the Nanaimo Astronomy Society this week about how the James Webb Space Telescope will advance knowledge about black holes. (Photo submitted)
Canada’s contributions to the James Webb Space Telescope; the Fine Guidance Sensor and the Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph, are seen during assembly. (Photo Courtesy of NASA)

Island scientists play key role in helping space telescope explore earliest galaxies

Team at Herzberg research centre helped design the James Webb Space Telescope

Canada’s contributions to the James Webb Space Telescope; the Fine Guidance Sensor and the Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph, are seen during assembly. (Photo Courtesy of NASA)
Sean Baxandall was driving south of Campbell River when he saw a bright flash of light (centre of screen) moving fast through the sky on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021. (SCREENSHOT FROM VIDEO)

VIDEO: Loud boom, bright light likely a meteor, says Vancouver Island seismologist

Island-wide reports are tell-tale signs of an exploding meteor

Sean Baxandall was driving south of Campbell River when he saw a bright flash of light (centre of screen) moving fast through the sky on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021. (SCREENSHOT FROM VIDEO)
Randy Enkin, geophysicist and president of Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s Victoria Centre, has been cataloguing his observations of the moon for 30 years. He is the guest speeker at the Nanaimo Astronomy Society’s meeting Thursday, Nov. 25. (Photo courtesy Randy Enkin)

Moonstruck scientist will share his passion with Nanaimo Astronomy Society

Randy Enkin to speak about his 30 years of lunar observations

Randy Enkin, geophysicist and president of Royal Astronomical Society of Canada’s Victoria Centre, has been cataloguing his observations of the moon for 30 years. He is the guest speeker at the Nanaimo Astronomy Society’s meeting Thursday, Nov. 25. (Photo courtesy Randy Enkin)
This Andromeda Galaxy photo was snapped by Qualicum Beach’s Ron Fisher from his backyard using a Canon EOS with a 300mm telephoto lens on an equatorial tracking mount. (Ron Fisher photo)

Vancouver Island man captures photo of Andromeda Galaxy from his backyard

Fisher uses Canon EOS with 300mm lens to snap pic

This Andromeda Galaxy photo was snapped by Qualicum Beach’s Ron Fisher from his backyard using a Canon EOS with a 300mm telephoto lens on an equatorial tracking mount. (Ron Fisher photo)
Ken Tapping, astronomer with the National Research Council’s Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory near Penticton, will discuss how Earth’s atmosphere is affected by the sun. (National Research Council Canada photo)

Nanaimo astronomy club to learn about the Earth’s relationship with the sun

Radio astronomer Ken Tapping speaks at Nanaimo Astronomy Society meeting Oct. 28

Ken Tapping, astronomer with the National Research Council’s Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory near Penticton, will discuss how Earth’s atmosphere is affected by the sun. (National Research Council Canada photo)
Science communicator Matthew S. Williams will explore the growing importance of making science accessible to the general public in a time of misinformation and ‘data fatigue’ at the Nanaimo Astronomy Society’s meeting Thursday, Sept. 23. (Photo submitted)

Nanaimo Astronomy Society’s first meeting of the fall focuses on science communication

Guest speaker Matthew S. Williams will talk about making science accessible

Science communicator Matthew S. Williams will explore the growing importance of making science accessible to the general public in a time of misinformation and ‘data fatigue’ at the Nanaimo Astronomy Society’s meeting Thursday, Sept. 23. (Photo submitted)
Randy Enkin, president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Victoria, uses a sextant, a tool used to determine angles between the horizon and a celestial body such as a star. (Photo by Eva Bild)

Weather poised to present ideal Perseid meteor shower for viewers

Seek dark skies away from city areas for best views, astronomer says

Randy Enkin, president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Victoria, uses a sextant, a tool used to determine angles between the horizon and a celestial body such as a star. (Photo by Eva Bild)
John A. Read, who was inspired to leave his former career to become a professional astronomer by the purchase of a $13 telescope, will give beginning astronomers key pointers on how to set up and get the best performance from their instruments at Nanaimo Astronomy Society’s meeting June 24. (Photo courtesy Jennifer Read)

Astrophysicist will talk about getting the most out of a telescope at Nanaimo astronomy meeting

John Read’s purchase of a $13 telescope led to a degree in astrophysics and a career in astronomy

John A. Read, who was inspired to leave his former career to become a professional astronomer by the purchase of a $13 telescope, will give beginning astronomers key pointers on how to set up and get the best performance from their instruments at Nanaimo Astronomy Society’s meeting June 24. (Photo courtesy Jennifer Read)
An artist’s rendering depicts the James Webb Space Telescope in operation. The JWST will be launched in October and will augment and eventually take over from the Hubble Space Telescope, which has been in operation since 1990. (Image courtesy Northrop Grumman. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

Space telescope scientist featured at next Nanaimo Astronomy Society meeting

Chris Willott will explain systems and science behind the world’s most sophisticated space telescope

An artist’s rendering depicts the James Webb Space Telescope in operation. The JWST will be launched in October and will augment and eventually take over from the Hubble Space Telescope, which has been in operation since 1990. (Image courtesy Northrop Grumman. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
Cam Wipper, an astronomer with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, will talk about how his career took him from Vancouver Island to the big island of Hawaii at Nanaimo Astronomy Society’s upcoming monthly meeting. (Photo submitted)

Astronomer from Nanaimo part of exciting discoveries at Hawaii observatories

Cam Wipper will share stories from his professional career at next Nanaimo Astronomy Society meeting

Cam Wipper, an astronomer with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, will talk about how his career took him from Vancouver Island to the big island of Hawaii at Nanaimo Astronomy Society’s upcoming monthly meeting. (Photo submitted)
In this Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020 photo made available by NASA, Saturn, top, and Jupiter, below, are seen after sunset from Shenandoah National Park in Luray, Va. The two planets are drawing closer to each other in the sky as they head towards a “great conjunction” on Monday, Dec. 21, where the two giant planets will appear a tenth of a degree apart. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)

Jupiter and Saturn align in our skies tonight, to form the Great Conjunction

Stargazers typically gather in groups at observatories or with backyard telescopes for such events

  • Dec 21, 2020
In this Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020 photo made available by NASA, Saturn, top, and Jupiter, below, are seen after sunset from Shenandoah National Park in Luray, Va. The two planets are drawing closer to each other in the sky as they head towards a “great conjunction” on Monday, Dec. 21, where the two giant planets will appear a tenth of a degree apart. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
Pop-up banner image