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Elusive Mercury in the Evening December 1, 2017

Posted by aquillam in Astronomy, MichiganAstro, Urban Observing.
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This weekend promises amazing weather for December in SE Michigan. Take advantage of it by looking for the elusive planet Mercury!

Sunset on December 1 in A2 is at about 5:03 PM, and Mercury sets at about 6, so grab a pair of binoculars and go out between roughly 5:15 – 5:45 and look low in the SW. Be sure to check out Saturn too: it’ll disappear behind the Sun soon! The image below is for 5:30 on Friday December 1, 2017

As the days progress, Mercury gets closer to the Sun in the sky (yes, it’s in retrograde), so by the 5th or 6th it’ll be all but impossible to catch! Conjunction is on the 12th. Saturn conjunction is December 21. 01Dec1730SW_Mercury.png

Urban Observing June 2016 – Planets version June 7, 2016

Posted by aquillam in Astronomy, MichiganAstro, Urban Observing.
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I’m a little overloaded these days, but there’s so much good stuff in planets I wanted to get those out there.

Mars Opposition was on May 22, and it’s closest approach on May 30, so early June is still a great time to check out the red planet.

It’s not far from Saturn, which is at opposition on June 3. It has a nice tilt now too, so it’s a great month for cell phone pictures through a telescope.

Jupiter is still a great evening target. Look for it high in the south at sunset. It’s only 1º from a first quarter moon on the 11th.

11June2300SE-W.png

Morning observers get some of the easiest viewing of Mercury the first 2 weeks of the month. Of course, the early sunrise means you’ll have about a 15 minute window 30 – 45 minutes before sunrise to catch it. Greatest western elongation is on the 5th, but the best angle relative to the horizon is the 13th (at least at 42º latitude.) Binoculars will help.

13June0520ENE.png

Venus fans are out of luck. Superior Conjunction is on the 6th, so it’s lost in the Sun’s glare most of the month. If you’re up for challenge, start watching for it in the evening at the end of the month.

The lowest full moon of the year will be on June 20. If you’re a fan of optical illusions, check it out – the low altitude enhances the Moon Illusion.

Mercury and the Moon binocular challenge June 2, 2016

Posted by aquillam in Astronomy, Urban Observing.
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Using binoculars, and a clear ENE horizon, you can spot a very old Moon and Mercury tomorrow morning. About 45 minutes to an hour before sunrise, go out and look for the bright Star Capella in the north east. Drop your view about 5° toward the horizon, and scan to the east. With a little luck, Mercury and a very old old moon will pop into view.

02June0530ENE.png

Transit of Mercury May 9 2016 May 6, 2016

Posted by aquillam in Astronomy, MichiganAstro, Urban Observing.
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Phil Plait posted a very nice guide to the transit. It includes a long list of available webcasts, in case it’s cloudy or night where you are.

The highlights:

You’ll need magnification. DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN WITHOUT APPROPRIATE FILTERS.

The transit runs 11:12 – 18:39 UT, or about 7:12 AM to 2:39 PM Ann Arbor time.

If you’re in SE Michigan, here’s a list of places you can go to observe the transit.