📣🎟️We are thrilled to announce the winner of last week's Family Ticket Giveaway... JP Pearson ❗✨
Thank you again 🥰 to all our amazing followers for helping us reach 1000; we loved reading the stories you shared about what sparked your love for Astronomy🔭… and for many of you, it was the influence of your loved ones that ignited your curiosity and desire to look up and observe the wonders of the universe. 🌌 Thank you for sharing your stories with us!
📣Due to the recent storms ⛈️ at the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024, Gold Coast Astronomy has been hard at work recovering, repairing and rescheduling our Public Astronomy Nights for 2024.
We are now delighted to announce the schedule 🗓️ for the upcoming Monthly Public Astronomy Nights in 2024‼️
Our events welcome everyone, from novices to experts, families to individuals, and people of all ages. We invite you to join us for a night of stargazing and exploration. 🔭🌌
Please note that the dates for each Monthly Public Astronomy Night Event will be confirmed closer to the time. Our first event for 2024 is scheduled for Saturday, February 3rd, and tickets 🎟️ are available for purchase on our website: 🌐 www.goldcoastastronomy.com.au
We closely monitor 👀 sky conditions to provide value for money and the best possible stargazing experience. Therefore, it may be necessary to reschedule our events.
We look forward to you joining us at our Monthly Public Astronomy Nights in 2024, embarking on an educational and memorable night exploring our Galaxy and beyond...
FOLLOW and LIKE us on Facebook (link in bio) to find out more about this and more upcoming events.
#gcastronomy #gcstargaze
#goldcoastastronomy #datenight #nature #goldcoast #goldcoastevents #stargazing #astronomynight #astronomy #space #telescopes #southernsky #cosmos #local #family #goldcoastsmallbusiness
📣 Event Status Update‼️
The ✨ skies are clear 🌄 so it's a GO for tonight's 🔭 postponed "Shooting Stars" Astronomy Night, our last Public Event for 2023‼️
🌡️With the weather predicted to reach a low of 18˚C tonight and a slight breeze in the air, we strongly recommend bringing a jacket. 🧥🧣🧤
We look forward to welcoming you at Syd Duncan Park tonight. ☺️
FOLLOW and LIKE us on Facebook and Instagram (goldcoastastronomy) to find out about our upcoming events in 2024!
#gcastronomy #gcstargaze
#goldcoastastronomy #meteor #shootingstar #comet #clearskies #datenight #nature #goldcoast #goldcoastevents #stargazing #astronomynight #astronomy #space #telescopes #southernsky #cosmos
Happy Winter Solstice ❄️
Where did the name 'Solstice' come from❓
In ancient times people would track the Sun (Sol) ☀️, and those who resided in the Southern Hemisphere observed that once a year, it would reach the furthest (highest) ⬆️ point to the South or the furthest (lowest) ⬇️ point to the North on the horizon before reversing 🔄 and heading in the opposite direction, forming almost a figure 8 ♾️ pattern of motion.
The observation of this phenomenon is where the name Solstice was derived, meaning as our 🌞 Sun "Sol" stood still.
🖋️Author: Leanne McDonald
#gcastronomy #gcstargaze #goldcoastastronomy
FOLLOW and LIKE us on Facebook (link in bio) to find out more interesting facts.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#sun #sol #solstice #shortestday #longestnight #winter #wintersolstice #nature #goldcoast #stargazing #astronomy #space #southernsky #cosmos
🎙️Our upcoming Saturday Public Astronomy Night: the Longest Night Exploring the Winter Solstice Sky ✨🔭 got the local ABC morning host asking... What can you expect⁉️ Have a listen👂and don't miss your chance to join us‼️
🕔When: Saturday, 24th of June from 5:30pm
📍Where: Syd Duncan Park, Lower Beechmont
ℹ️For more information and to secure your spot visit us at www.goldcoastastronomy.com.au
FOLLOW and LIKE us on Facebook (link in bio) to learn more about this and upcoming events.
#gcastronomy #gcstargaze
#goldcoastastronomy #lasttickets #longestnight #winter #wintersolstice #abcradiogoldcoast #clearskies #schoolholidays #lastminuteideas #datenight #nature #goldcoast #goldcoastevents #stargazing #astronomynight #astronomy #space #telescopes #southernsky #cosmos
📣 Event Status - Weather Update‼️
We have been closely monitoring 👀 the weather in the lead up to tonight's event. Please be advised that to offer value for money and a memorable ✨ stargazing experience the current weather conditions and ☁️ cloud cover (>90%) will require us to postpone tonight's event.
ℹ️ Details for the rescheduled date will be issued shortly.
📣 Exciting News‼️This month may see a potential launch of SpaceX Starship 🚀
Last month, SpaceX completed a successful static firing test 💥 of its Starship super-heavy booster.
The test ignited 31 of its 33 liquid methane Raptor engines for a period of ⏱️ 6 seconds. Even at half throttle, these engines produced a whopping 7.9 million pounds of thrust.
At launch time🚀... with all 33 engines firing at full power... the super-heavy booster will produce more than 16 million pounds of thrust... that's twice as powerful as NASA's Saturn V Moon rocket or its new SLS space launch system (the spacecraft used for Artemis).
🗓️This month there will hopefully be an orbital test flight of Starship that should see the super-heavy booster splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, as the Starship completes one orbit of the Earth 🌏 before splashing down via a controlled landing in the Pacific Ocean, near Hawaii. 🌅
Starship will be the next generation of heavy lift vehicle and as such will open mankind up to 'new worlds' of possibilities; 🤯 capable of not only lifting humans👩🚀, but also 150 tonnes of cargo into Earth's orbit, and 100 tonnes to more distant destinations like Mars. ✨
🖋️Author: John McDonald
📸Image & 🎥 Video Credit: SpaceX
#gcastronomy #gcstargaze #goldcoastastronomy
FOLLOW and LIKE us on Facebook (link in bio) to find out more interesting facts.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#science #stem #instascience #spacex #upcominglaunch #starship #raptorengine #superheavybooster #goldcoast #goldcoastevents #stargazing #astronomy #space #telescopes #southernsky #goldcoastlife #goldcoastbusiness #goldcoasthinterland #local #family #lowerbeechmont
🗓️This Thursday will see a planetary conjunction, which is a fancy word to describe when two planets appear really close together in the sky. ✨
Venus and Jupiter will appear to converge on the western horizon just after sunset. 🌄
They may look close, but they are actually both on the other side of the Sun. ☀️
It's just an optical illusion 👀 that they appear to almost touch... as in reality Venus orbits on an inside lane, closer to the Sun than us 🌏; and Jupiter is on an outside lane, on an orbit out past Mars. 💫
🖋️Author: John McDonald
📸Image Credit: Leanne McDonald, NASA and stellarium.
#gcastronomy #gcstargaze #goldcoastastronomy
FOLLOW and LIKE us on Facebook and Instagram (goldcoastastronomy) to find out more interesting facts.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#science #stem #conjunction #Jupiter #Venus #astronomicalevent #thisweek #goldcoast #goldcoastevents #stargazing #astronomy #space #telescopes #southernsky #goldcoastlife #goldcoastbusiness #goldcoasthinterland #local #family #lowerbeechmont
📣‼️EVENT STATUS UPDATE‼️📣
We have postponed tonight’s "Mythology of the Constellations" Astronomy Night Event to tomorrow night, due to the late arrival of this afternoon’s high-level cloud coverage ☁️ severely limiting visibility for tonight’s event.
🤞Maybe a good word to Zeus the Sky Father is needed...
We look forward to welcoming you tomorrow night at Syd Duncan Park, Lower Beechmont. ✨🔭
💫May the 4th be with you today✨
💫May the 4th be with you today✨
#gcastronomy #gcstargaze #goldcoastastronomy #starwarsday #may4th
❓What happened to the SpaceX Satellites❓
📰SpaceX was dealt a blow earlier this month with 40 of its 49 starlink satellites, 🛰️ launched on Feb 3rd, destined to fall back and burn up 🔥 in the Earth's atmosphere.
The launch was perfect 🚀, and the satellites were deployed in low orbit, (around 210 km). However, a little under 150 million km away, the Sun ☀️ changed the program.
The Sun can, and does discharge massive bursts of ☢️ solar radiation from its surface; these solar flares can direct massive amounts of highly charged and energetic particles and plasma towards Earth. 🌏
Thankfully these get shepherded around us by our magnetosphere, (our protective magnetic 🧲 field generated by the Earth).
On a bright note, these geomagnetic storms cause the beautiful and ethereal displays we call Aurora's: Northern and Southern lights.🌌
😢Sadly for Starlink, the result of this is that it increases ("fluffs up") the atmosphere by close to 50% greater than normal, at the height Elon's satellites must travel. This densification increases drag and slows the satellites.
SpaceX tried to save these satellites by running them in a safe mode ⛑️, and even changing their flight orientation to be flying edge on, to limit drag.
But even with these measures, the increased drag on the low orbit satellites 🛰️ was enough to prevent them from achieving their designated orbit, causing them to fall back to Earth, and eventually 🔥 burn up harmlessly.
🖋️Author: John McDonald
🎥Video Credit: Space .com/Eddie Irizarry/Sociedad de Astronomia del Caribe (SAC)
#gcastronomy #gcstargaze #goldcoastastronomy
FOLLOW and LIKE us on Facebook and Instagram (goldcoastastronomy) to find out more interesting facts.
.
.
.
#science #stem #instascience #spacex #geomagneticstorm #starlink #nature #goldcoast #goldcoastevents #stargazing #astronomynight #astronomy #space #telescopes #southernsky #cosmos #local #family #goldcoastsmallbusiness #lowerbeech
‼️POSTPONED‼️
📣Due to inclement weather conditions☁️
We can control a great many variables, unfortunately the weather is not one of them. Therefore, with much regret we will need to Postpone tonight's "DO LOOK UP - Discovering Aussie Space Explorers" Event again.
As we wish to offer value for money and a memorable stargazing experience, the constant cloud cover has completely obscured the sky and will made it impossible to showcase and view the night sky tonight.
We plan to hold the "DO LOOK UP - Discovering Aussie Space Explorers" Event at a later date, to be announced.
Stay up to date with Upcoming Events by following our Socials or heading to our Website: www.goldcoastastronomy.com.au
We thank you for your understanding and continued support.
Gold Coast Astronomy
