observation

I observed around 10 pm from Sarasota, Florida. Tonight it was a little cloudy outside, however, I was able to make some limited observations. I pointed out certain constellations that I could see and I also saw a spot to the left of the moon. I later found this to be called Pleiades.

apod 3.1

This week's APOD is titled Aurora Dog over Alaska.This bright aurora seemed to be changing into the shape of a dog that jumps. It also seemed to ahve a curly tail. The astrophotographer John Chumack also captured the multitude of colors in this picture with a 15 second exposure through a wide- angle lens. If you scroll over the picture it reveals the different planets and constellations that are visible from this picture. You can see Mars, Betelgeuse, Big dipper, Jupiter, and much more.

Johann Mädler biography

 Johann Mädler

          Johann Mädler was born in 1794 in Berlin. Mädler realized he was first interested in astronomy when he was a child and he observed a fascinating comet. Since Mädler was an orphan as a child, he was in charge of keeping his younger sisters under his wing. Mädler went to the University of Berlin to study both mathematics and astronomy. Mädler had to support his family so he went ahead and took on the job of being a private tutor.
          Along the way, Mädler met Wihelm Beer, a prosperous banker and recent astronomer. When Wilhelm first met Mädler he saw potential in him and immediately offered him a different job at the observatory that he was constructing. This is where Mädler began to gather his countless observations and contributions to the world of astronomy. At Beer’s observatory, Johann Mädler completed a detailed map of the moon. In fact, his maps were thought to be the absolute most precise credentials out of the three different decades the maps were made in.
          Mädler was also the first person to divide the moon into four sections on paper. Beer and Mädler were both involved in the conclusion that the Moon’s features do not change. Not only did Mädler accomplish this, he also observed Mars for a period of time in 1830. Mädler and Beer were the first two human beings to create a map of the planet. Mädler and Beer were also the first to choose the “Sinus Meridiani” also known as the prime meridian for all Mars maps. They worked together to find out the rotational period of Mars by using Herschel’s calculations. However, calculations that were made in 1837 proved that their original calculation was off by roughly 1.1 seconds. Johann Encke saw how hard Mädler was working and decided to promote him to the Berlin Observatory.
          Mädler continued to study astronomy as well as meteorological studies as he was promoted once again to the director of the observatory. Mädler was well known for his observations of the moon and Mars, however, he also made many observations of Jupiter early on in his career as an astronomer. One of his first contributions included his sighting of two shadowy spots on the rings of Jupiter.
          In addition to completing all of these marvelous things, he also created the Central Sun Hypothesis. This hypothesis stated that the center of the universe is positioned in a specific star cluster. He formed this hypothesis by studying the motion of over 3,000 stars. Astronomers used these observations later on, however, it was proven to be false. Mädler retired from his stance as director of the observatory and died in 1847.

Johann Madler Sources

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/355890/Johann-Heinrich-von-Madler

http://www.ajaloomuuseum.ut.ee/vvebook/pages/4_5.html