Sky & Telescope's Weekly Bulletin - Feb 24

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SKY & TELESCOPE'S WEEKLY BULLETIN - February 24, 2006
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Welcome to Sky & Telescope's Weekly Bulletin. Images, the full stories,
abridged here, and other enhancements are on our Web site, at:
http://SkyandTelescope.com

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THIS WEEK'S NEWS
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Astronomers Agog Over Stellar Explosion

February 23, 2006 | The astronomical community is abuzz with activity
following the closest long-duration gamma-ray burst (GRB) observed
since 1998. Major telescopes on the ground and in space are being
trained on the source. Research astronomers have high hopes that
further study of this event will provide crucial details about the
connection of long GRBs (extraordinarily powerful bursts of
very-high-energy radiation that last several seconds to several
minutes) to supernovae (the explosions of massive stars). Advanced
amateur astronomers will monitor the explosion's expanding fireball,
which should brighten to about 16th magnitude over the next one to two
weeks....

http:/SkyandTelescope.com/news/article_1683_1.asp

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London Planetarium to Close

February 22, 2006 | The stars at one of central London's well-known
tourist attractions will go dark for good this July. Madame Tussauds
waxworks, the owner of the London Planetarium, has decided to close the
facility as the company shifts its focus from science education to
entertainment. The planetarium (renamed the Auditorium) will soon
replace its shows with programs about celebrities....

http://SkyandTelescope.com/news/article_1682_1.asp

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OBSERVING - SKY AT A GLANCE
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February 24 - March 4

Catch a thin crescent Moon and Mercury at dusk, big Saturn in the east,
and big Jupiter at dawn.

http://SkyandTelescope.com/observing...icle_110_1.asp

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OBSERVING - THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS
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A Surprise Comet in the Dawn

Comet Pojmanski has brightened more than expected as it enters the dawn
sky for Northern Hemisphere observers. Can you spot it with binoculars?

RS Ophiuchi in Rare Outburst

This famous recurrent nova has erupted for the first time in 21 years,
reaching magnitude 4.8 on February 13th. Catch it as it fades.

http://SkyandTelescope.com/observing/

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SHOP AT SKY (Advertisement)
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Stuart Goldman
Associate Editor http://SkyandTelescope.com
Night Sky Magazine http://NightSkyMag.com
49 Bay State Rd.
Cambridge, MA 02138