I’m back…
May 22nd, 2008Twas an ugly process but the Vern’s Astronomy Weblog is back online, at least partially.
No images yet, thats next.. and the stock theme is ugly, working on that too.
Sky this Week for May 11 to 17, 2008
May 15th, 2008The following is a list of a few of the objects that may be seen up in the sky, this week May 11 to May 17, 2008.
International Space Station
There are no bright passes this week. Several passes are visible early in the morning before sunrise but all are low, not bright, and visible for only a minute or two.
Sun
There are no active regions visible on the solar disk as of Sunday. For those of us around 40 degrees north latitude, the sun rose at 5:51 am and set at 8:07 pm MDT on Sunday, May 11. On Saturday May 17, sunrise is at 5:45 am and sunset is at 8:13 pm MDT
Moon
Sun May 11, lunation 6.7: Moon is at first quarter at 9:47 pm MDT. Lunar 1 targets are Aristoteles, Eudoxus, Manilius, Rima Hyginus, Gemma Frisius, and Marolycus. Mon May 12, lunation 7.7: Lots of Lunar 1 targets this evening, Vallis Alpes, Montes Alpes, Mons Piton, Cassini and Cassini A, Aristillus, Autolycus, Archimedes, Palus Putredinus, Mare Vaporum, Sinus Medii, Hipparchus, J. Herschel, Ptolmaeus, Albategnius, Alphonsus, Arzachel, and Walter. Tue May 13, lunation 8.7 so Lunar 1 targets are Mare Nubium, Plato, Sinus Aestuum, Fra Mauro, Rupes Recta, Pitatus, Tycho, Magnius, Clavius and the Clavius craterlets. Wed May 14, lunation 9.7: Mare Frigoris, Promontorium Laplace, Mare Imbrium, Copernicus, Bullialdus, Palus Epidemiarum, and Longomontanus Thurs May 15, lunation 10.7: Sinus Iridium, Promontorium Heraclides, Kepler, Mare Humorum, Gassendi, and Hippalus Fri May 16, lunation 11.7: Vallis Schroter, Aristarchus, Oceanus Procellarum, and Billy Sat May 17, lunation 12.7: Sinus Roris, Reiner Gamma, and Schickard
Planets
Mercury is visible in the northwest after sunset. It is +0.9 magnitude in brightness Mars is visible about midway up in the western sky after sunset in the constellation Cancer. It is magnitude +1.4 in brightness and its disk is 5.3 arc sec in diameter. It is 91% illuminated. Distance is 165 million miles. Saturn is visible in the early evening in the south-southwest in the early evening in the constellation Leo. It is magnitude +1 in brightness and its disk is 18.2 arc sec in diameter. Distance is 853 million miles. Jupiter rises a few minutes after midnight and may be seen low in the southeast in the constellation Sagittarius. It is magnitude -2.3 in brightness and its disk is 43.2 arc sec in diameter. Distance is 423 million miles. Jupiter’s Great Red Spot may be viewed about an hour before and after the following times this week: Mon. May 12 at 04:04 am Wed. May 14 at 05:42 am Thur. May 15 at 01:33 am Sat. May 17 at 03:11 am
Asteroids
(brighter than magnitude +10, positions for 0 UT May 17, 2008) 1 Ceres is in constellation Taurus (RA: 5h 12m 23s Dec: +23d58m15s) and is magnitude +8.8 41 Daphne is in constellation Virgo (RA: 13h 22m 56s Dec: +09d 24m 00s) and is magnitude +10
Comets
(brighter than magnitude +12, positions for 0 UT May 17, 2008) C/2007 W1 Boattini is in constellation Hydra (RA: 09 45 19 Dec: -24 00 47) . It will be about magnitude +5.9 and should be visible in binoculars. The coma is a 22.5 arc min in diameter 17P Holmes is in constellation Auriga (05 50 44.82 +35 15 18.6). The coma is 1 degree in diameter and is magnitude +6.1 in brightness. C/2008 C1 Chen-Gao is in constellation Monoceres (RA: 06 54 28 Dec:+03 08 59). The coma is 13.3 arc min in diameter and it is magnitude +10.5 in brightness C/2006 Q1 McNaught is in constellation Hydra (RA: 10 01 17 Dec: -19 56 03). It is magnitude 10.6 in brightness and the coma is 1.9 arc min in diameter. C/2007 B2 Skiff is in constellation Virgo (RA: 12 00 40 Dec:+00 21 09). It is magnitude +12 in brightness and the coma is 1.6 arc min in diameter.
Sky this Week May 4 to May 10, 2008
May 6th, 2008A few of the many objects that may be viewed up in the sky, this week May 4 to May 10, 2008:
International Space Station
Some nice bright passes of the ISS are visible in the early morning before sunrise this week.
On Monday morning May 5, the ISS is visible in southwest at 4:32 am and disappears in the northeast at 4:36 am MDT (magnitude -2.4)
On Tuesday morning May 6, the ISS is visible in the west at 4:53 and disappears in the northeast at 4:58 (magnitude -1.1)
On Wednesday morning May 7 the ISS is visible in the ENE at 3:44 and disappears in the NE at 3:46 (magnitude -1.2)
On Thursday morning May 8 the ISS is visible in the northwest at 4:05 and disappears in the northeast at 4:08 am MDT (magntiude -1.1)
The Sun
No active regions are currently visible on the disk as of today Sunday.
On Sunday morning the sunrose at 4:58 am and sunset at 8:00 pm MDT
On Saturday morning sunrise is at 5:52 am and sunset is 8:06 pm MDT
The Moon
The Moon is new on Monday morning, May 5th at 6:18 am MDT
On Tues May 6 and Wednesday May 7 take a look at the thin crescent moon low in the northwest. It will a beautiful to view as the nightside of the moon will be illuminated by the bright light from earth. This light illuminates the lunar landscape and is then reflected back. This is called “Earthshine”.
Thursday May 8 the moon is at lunation 3.6. Locate the craters Endymion, Clemodes, and Picard in the north. Explore Mare Crisium, “the sea of crisis”. It is about 376 miles wide with a flat floor and wrinkled ridges in the outer boundaries. Toward the southern part of the moon, locate Langrenus, Vendelinus, Petavius, the Petavius wall, and Furnerius.
Friday at May 9 lunation 4.6. Locate Lunar 1 club craters Atlas, Macrobius, Proclus, Palus Somni, Messier and Messier A, and Fabricius.
Saturday May 10 at lunation 5.6 Mitchel, Lacus Mortis, Posidonius, Mare Tranquilitatis, Plinius, Theophilus, Cyrillus, Catharina, Rupes Altai, Mare Nectaris, Fracastorius, and Picollomini
Planets
On Saturday May 10th after sunset, the planet Mercury is visible low in the northwest. It is magnitude +0 in brightness and the disk is 7.3 arc sec across. It will appear in your telescope as a miniture first quarter moon. It is now about 84 million miles from Earth.
Mars moves from constellation Gemini into the constellation Cancer, the crab. On Saturday evening it will be a bit below and to the right of the crescent moon. It is +1.3 magnitude in brightness and 5.5 arc-sec across. It is 160 million miles from Earth.
Saturn is in the constellation Leo. It is +1 magnitude in brightness and 18.3 arc sec across. Saturday evening, its largest moon Titan will be located about 2 arc minutes to the east. Tethys will be very close to the disk to the east. The moons Dione and Rhea are visible about an arc minute to the west. It is about 842 million miles from earth.
Jupiter rises about 12:40 am and is in the constellation Sagittarius. It is 42.3 arc sec across and -2.3 magnitude in brightness. It is 431 million miles from earth. Jupiter’s great red spot crosses the center at the following times during this week:
Mon May 5 at 03:18 am
Wed May 7 at 04:57 am
Thur May 8 at 00:48 am
Fri May 9 at 06:35 am
Sat May 10 at 02:26 am
Meteor Showers
The Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower is active this week but will probably not be very impressive. Look early in the morning around 4 am. The radiant is in Aquarius about 4 degrees below Alpha Aquarii (Sadalmelik). Due to the low radiant only about 2 per hour are expected. You may also see around 4 sporadic meteors per hour. Sporadic meteors are not associated with any particular radiant. The Eta Aquarid are caused when the earth passes through debris left by Halley’s comet.
See http://www.amsmeteors.org/lunsford for more information. Also be sure to checkout the Astroleague Asteroid Observing club at http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/meteor/metrcl.html
Asteroids
1 Ceres is visible low in the northwest in the constellation Taurus. It is magnitude 8.9 in brightness
7 Iris is in the constellation Virgo and is magnitude 10 in brightness.
41 Daphne is also in the constellation Virgo and is magnitude 9.9 in brightness
Both 7 Iris and 41 Daphne are about 2 astronomical Units or 188 million miles in distance.
Comets
C/2007 W1 Boattini is in constellation Hydra and should be visible in binoculars. It is magnitude 7 in brightness; the coma is 17.9 arc min in diameter.
17P Holmes is in constellation Auriga. It is about magnitude +6.1 in brightness and the coma is about 1 degree diameter. Binoculars or wide field scope and a dark sky location will be needed to see it.
C/2006 Q1 McNaught is in the constellation Hydra and is magnitude +10.7 in brightness; the coma is about 1.9 arc min diameter.
C/2007 B2 Skiff is in the constellation Virgo. It is magnitude +12 in brightness and the coma is 1.6 arc min in diameter.
26P/Grigg-Skjellerup is in the constellation Delphinius and is magnitude +11.2 in brightness.
Dark Sky
By the weekend the Moon interfere’s with our evening dark sky views.
Sky this Week April 27 to May 3, 2008
April 29th, 2008
The following is a summary of just a few of the many objects that may be seen in the sky, this week April 27th to May 3rd, 2008.
International Space Station
On Fri May 2 the ISS appears in the south at 4:57 am and disappears in the east at 5:02 am MDT (magnitude -0.4)
On Sat May 3 the ISS appears in the southwest at 5:19 am and disappears in the northeast at 5:25 am MDT (magnitude -2.3)
Sun
No active regions are currently visible on the solar disk as of Sunday.
On Sunday April 27th sunrise occurred at 6:07 am and set at 7:53 pm MDT
On Saturday May 3rd, sunrise is at 6:00 am and sunset is 7:59 pm MDT
Moon
The moon is at third quarter phase on Monday April 28 at 8:12 am MDT. It transitions to new on Monday May 5th.
Planets
Mercury is visible in the western sky after sunset in the constellation Taurus. It sets later each day from about 9 pm on Sunday to 9:34 pm on Saturday. On Sunday it is magnitude -1.2 in brightness and is in constellation Aries. By Saturday it dims to magnitude -0.7 and will be in the constellation Taurus. In the telescope it appears as a very small first quarter moon.
Mars is visible in the early evening (9pm) about half way up in the sky toward the west. It is in the northern part of Gemini about 5 degrees to the left of Pollux. It is now 5.7 arc sec in diameter, 90% illuminated, and magnitude +1.2 in brightness. It is about 153 million miles from Earth.
Saturn is visible nearly straight south in the early evening as well. It is in the constellation Leo. It is +1 magnitude in brightness and the disk is 18.6 arc sec in diameter. It is 864 million miles from earth. While you are out Saturday locate Saturn’s moon’s Tethys, Rhea, Dione, Titan in your scope. (Titan is 2 arc min to the lower right of the disk).
Jupiter rises shortly after 1 am in the constellation Sagitarrius in the southeast. It is magnitude -2.2 in brightness and 41.4 arc sec in diameter. It is 443 million miles from earth.
Jupiter’s great red spot (grs) crosses the center of the disk at the following times this week.
Mon April 28 at 02:32 am
Wed April 30 at 04:11 am
Sat May 2 at 05:49 am
The GRS is visible for about an hour before and after the central meridian crossing times above.
Asteroids
In the early evening there are 3 asteroids visible that are brighter than magnitude +10.
1 Ceres is in the constellation Taurus it is magnitude +8.9
41 Daphne is in constellation Virgo and is magnitude +9.7
7 Iris is in the constellation Corvus and is magnitude +9.9
Comets
17P Holmes is in constellation Auriga. On May 3rd it will be moving through open cluster M38. It is about magnitude 5.8 in brightness and the coma is about 1 degree diameter. Binoculars or wide field scope will be needed to see it.
C/2007 W1 Boattini is in constellation Hydra. It is magnitude 7.7 in brightness; the coma is 9 arc min in diameter.
C/2008 C1 Chen-Gao is in constellation Orion and is magnitude +10.4 in brightness; the coma is 2.9 arc min in diameter.
C/2006 Q1 McNaught is in the constellation Antlia and is magnitude +10.9 in brightness; the coma is about 1 arc min diameter.
26P/Grigg-Skjellerup is in the constellation Delphinius and is magnitude +11.2 in brightness.
Dark Sky Objects
This weekend we get 6hrs and 34 minutes of astronomical darkness as the moon rises at 4:30 am which is after astronomical twilight ends (4:17 am).
M51 in Canes Venatici is an impressive object in scopes 10 inches and larger. Try tracing the multiple spiral arms of M51. If you have a really large scope you might try to see the plumes or horns north of its companion NGC 5195.
M101 in Ursa Major is another great object to view especially in larger telescopes. Look at it with UHC filter to locate 3 or 4 of its bright HII regions in the arms. If you are working on the Astroleague Arp observing club, observe that some of its spiral arms appear bent with straight segments. Locate the bright knot NGC 5462 that Halton Arp reported in his notes.
NGC 3242, the "Ghost of Jupiter" in constellation Hydra. Center your finder on Mu Hydrae and then slew south not quite 2 degrees. It bright at magnitude 8.4 and 35×30 arc sec across and so about the same size as the planet Jupiter, hence its name. It has a blue or bluish-green color even in smaller scopes. The magnitude 12.1 central white dwarf star may be seen with moderate aperatures. The central star is surrounded by a small circular dark area and a diffuse outer nebulous region with distinct edges elognated in NW to SE. Observe it with UHC or OIII filter to increase the contrast.
Sky this Week April 13 to April 19, 2008
April 16th, 2008Some astronomical objects to view up in the sky during the week of April 13 to 19, 2008.
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
No bright passes this week.
SUN
Our closest star, the Sun, is currently at solar minimum As of today,
Sunday, there are no active regions visible on the solar disk.
For those of us at 40 degrees north latitude the sun rose Sunday morning
April 13th at 6:27 am and set at 7:38 pm MDT.
Next Saturday the sun will rise at 6:18 am MDT and set at 7:44 pm MDT
PLANETS
If we look toward the southwest about an hour after sunset, we can
see the planet Mars about half way between the horizon and the zenith in in
the southwest. It is currently in the constellation Gemini. It is now 1.5 AU
or 139 million miles from earth. It appears quite small in a telescope,
about 6.2 arc sec across in the eyepiece and is magnitude 1.1 in brightness.
The disk is 90% illuminated.
To the south the planet Saturn is visible high up in the constellation Leo.
Saturn is 812 million miles (8.7331 au) from Earth. It is 19 arc sec across
and 0.9 magnitude in brightness It is always great to view in a telescope.
On Saturday Saturns largest Titan (magnitude 8.3) will appear in appear in
the eyepiece about 1.5 arc minutes to the east of saturn. Saturns moon Rhea
(magntiude 9.6) is about 1 arc minute to the east. The 10th magnitude moons
Tethys (above) and Dione (below) are about 0.5 arc minute to the east as
well.
Early morning in the twilight before sunrise is currently the best time to
view and image the planet Jupiter this week. At that time it will be to the
south in the constellation Sagittarius. It is magnitude -2.1 in brightness
and 37 arc sec across. It is now about 4.8 au or 462 million miles away. It
will be getting closer, brighter and larger over the next few months. It is
at opposition and closest to the earth on July 8.
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot crosses the center of the disk at the following times this week. It is visible for about an hour before and after the central meridian crossing,
Tue April 15 at 06:47 am (MDT)
Wed April 16 at 02:38 am
Fri April 18 at 04:17 am
Sun April 20 at 05:55 am
MOON
This week is a good time to view the Earth’s moon. Aim your telescope or binoculars along the terminator. The terminator is the line on the moon’s disk between light and dark. The sun is rising at that location and casting long shadows which emphasize hills, craters, domes, and other geologic
features.
Mon. April 14 : Lunation 9 (that is 9 days after new): Take a look a the spectacular crater Copernicus with binoculars or telescope of any size. Copernicus is one of the most prominent craters on the moon. It is a relatively young crater have been formed only about a billion years ago by a massive impact. The central portion of the crater is about 58 miles (93 km) across. There are 3 terraces visible along inner wall of the crater. The 3 central peaks are about 3900 feet high. Lunar1 targets: Mare Frigoris, Mare Imbrium, Copernicus, Bullialdus. Longomontanus
Tues April 15: Lunation 10. Perhaps one of the most beautiful features on the Moon, Sinus Iridum also called “the Bay of Rainbows” may be viewed. Sinus Iridum is a 162 mile (260 km) wide impact crater in which one side subsided and then filled with lava. To its north are the Jura mountains. The
Promotorium Laplace on the west and Promotorium Heraclides on the east are local high spots rising about 7900 feet (2.4km) above the bay..
Wed April 16 Lunation 11: (Lunar1 targets) Aristarchus, Kepler, Oceanus Procellarum, Gassendi.
Thurs April 17 Lunation 12: (Lunar1 targets) Sinus Roris, Vallis Schroter, Billy, Schickard, Reiner Gamma
Fri April 18 Lunation 13: Look for Rays and bright albedo features
COMETS (brightner than magnitude 12)
17P Holmes is in constellation Auriga, the coma is 70 arc min and is magnitude 5.6
C/2007 W1 Boattini is in the constellation Crater. It is magnitude 8.8 and coma is 8.2 arc min across
C/2008 C1 Chen-Gao is in the constellation Orion. It is magnitude 10.2 and coma is 8.2 arc min across
C/2006 Q1 McNaught mag 11.1 and coma is 1 arc min across
46P Wirtanen is in the constellation Gemini. It is mag 11.5 in brightness and the coma is 3.9 arc min across
ASTEROIDS (brighter than magnitude 10)
All are in the constellation Virgo.
5 Astraea magnitude 9.8 It was discovered in 1845 by amateur astronomer Karl Hencke. The discovery of 5 Astrae led to the demotion of 4 other asteroids which considered to be planets at that time.
7 Iris magnitude 9.6
41 Daphne magnitude 9.4