Sensible Sunrise

All astronomers are receiving to know their neighbors improved. Our Sun lies within a spiral arm of our Milky Way galaxy, about two thirds of the way in the opposite direction to the center. Recently, the satellite Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, NASA has sought a new group of stars close to home: the family coldest brown dwarf star "failed". Now, just when scientists are "finding and greet" the new neighbors, WISE has a surprise in the room: there are many fewer stars brown around us predicted.

Since every two years the Specula Vatican organizes some international summer courses on astronomy. This is the thirteenth edition. The information was released by Vatican Radio, whose team interviewed Father Gabriel Funes, director of the Astronomical Observatory of the Holy See, located in Castel Gandolfo. The bishop confirmed the Vatican agency that there's interest, especially students from Latin America.

Sunrise at Uranus and Venus

Sky watchers will have an asymmetrical opportunity to spot the planet Uranus, because it will be located very close to the brilliant planet Venus in the sunrise sky.

You can easily spot Venus as the brightest article in the sky just before sunrise, but it will be better to be up a little earlier just as Venus clears the eastern horizon, so that the sky will be as dark as possible. This will help you to spot tiny Uranus, just within range of the naked eye under perfect conditions, but most of the time requiring binoculars or a small telescope to spot.