Carpe Noctem
The night sky is filled with wonders and sights of incomparalble beauty that can only be appreciated far from city lights. Located at the base of the Chiricahua Mountains in Southeast Arizona, Bifrost Astronomical Observatory experiences some of the darkest skies in the USA. To see the constellations and Milky Way from such a remote location is a delight that few people ever have the opportunity to enjoy. This Website offers a forum to share images from Bifrost as well as information about the ever changing motions of the Sun, Moon and planets. May it inspire you to venture outside some evening and enjoy the heavens for yourself. Carpe noctem! (Seize the night!)
"The treasures hidden in the heavens are so rich that the human mind shall never be lacking in fresh nourishment." - Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
New Features
- 2013
- 2013 Triple Planetary Alignment Photo Gallery - a collection of photos of the great planetary alignment of May 2013.
- 2013 Triple Planetary Alignment - viewing charts for the great planetary alignment of May 2013.
- 2012
- Portal to the Universe - Fred Espenak's blog about life and astronomy in southeastern Arizona.
- Planetary Ephemerides - high precision coordinates for the Sun, Moon and planets.
- The Sun - the surface of our star revealed in hydrogen light.
- Milky Way - panoramic, wide angle and telephoto views of our home galaxy.
- Annular Solar Eclipse of 2012 - a gallery of images posted on our sister web site MrEclipse.com.
- Partial Lunar Eclipse of 2012 - a gallery of images posted on our sister web site MrEclipse.com.
- Planetary Conjunctions - interesting alignments of the planets with the Moon and stars.
- Bright Star Photo Gallery - images of many of the Brightest Stars in the sky.
- Astronomical Events Calendars - 15 years of calendars covering important sky events for 8 time zones.
- 2011
- AstroPixels Photo Index - a directory of astrophotos shot from Bifrost Observatory.
- Messier Catalog Photo Gallery - a 2011 project to image all 110 deep sky objects in the Messier Catalog.
- Planetary Ephemeris Data - astronomical predictions including solstices, equinoxes, phases of the Moon, Apogee & Perigee, etc..
- 2010
- Bifrost Astronomical Observatory - tells the story of how my observatory came to be.
- Moon Phases Photo Gallery - a collection of images illustrating how the Moon's appearence changes from day to day.
- Resources - dozens of useful links including observing tools (clear sky clock, weather, Moon phases, etc.), astronomical data (ephemerides, star catalogs, star maps, events, software and publications), astronomical equipment (dealers, telescopes ccd cameras, solar filters, and accessories), and a list of some of the best astro-imagers.
Supported External Links
- International Dark-Sky Association - A non-profit member organization that teaches how to preserve the night sky.
- The World At Night (TWAN) - An international photography project featuring night sky landscapes.
- Astronomers Without Borders - Boundaries vanish when we look skyward: One People, One Sky.
- Center for Inquiry - Fosters a secular society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values.
- ASPCA - American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, "We Are Their Voice".