Urban observing June 2014 June 1, 2014
Posted by aquillam in Urban Observing.Tags: Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, urban_observing, Venus
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Special Events
The major special event for June is the solstice. Here in the northern hemisphere, summer officially begins June 21 at 10:51 UTC (that’s 6:51 AM Eastern daylight time). That’s the date we get the most hours of daylight, and the mid-day shadows are the shortest. Of course if you were in the southern hemisphere, you’d have the least hours of daylight and longest shadows.
The full moon occurs June 13, so the best time to observe the Moon will be the first week of the month, and the best time for deep sky objects will be the last week of the month.
Planets
At the start of the month, Mercury is just past greatest eastern elongation, so you can see it in the west just after sunset. Inferior conjunction occurs on the 19th though, so look soon or you’ll miss your chance. Morning observers get their chance again in July, though those with a keen eye and a good pair of binoculars might be able to catch it as early as June 29.
Just after sunset, June 1.
6 AM June 29.
Venus is a morning star all month. It heads northward toward the Sun as the month progresses, starting the month at 18º altitude due east at 6 AM on June 1 and ending 19º up ENE on June 30. A very old moon passes within 3º of Venus on June 24. It is also very close, and a bit easier to see, on June 23. It’s not too far from the Pleiades those days either, making the 23 & 24 a good wide field photo op for morning observers.
6 AM June 24.
Mars starts the month near the double star Porrima in Virgo. Look about 45º up due south at 10 PM at the start of the month. By the end of the month, it is nearly southwest at 10 PM, and about half way between Porrima and Spica. The first quarter moon passes close to it on June 7.
Jupiter is quickly disappearing into the glow of the Sun. Look for a nice grouping of Mercury, Jupiter and the Moon in Gemini and Cancer on June 1. By June 22, it’ll be getting hard to see Jupiter in the glare of the sunset. With binoculars and a clear, flat, western horizon, you might be able to catch Jupiter and a very young moon on June 28.
Saturn is the planet to watch this June. Just past opposition, it’s well up at sunset, and out most of the rest of the night. The rings are tilted nicely toward us, so it’s a beautiful telescope target. A gibbous moon passes close to it on June 9 & 10. It’s near the double star with the awesome name Zubenalgenubi that week as well.
10 PM June 8.
Urban observing April 2014 April 1, 2014
Posted by aquillam in Astronomy, MichiganAstro, Urban Observing.Tags: astronomy, Jupiter, Mars, Moon, Saturn, urban_observing, Venus
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Special Events
After a few months without much in the way of special events, April brings several things.
Eclipses
The biggest event of the month is probably the lunar eclipse on April 15. Unfortunately, here in Michigan, the eclipse begins at roughly 2 AM and finishes around 5:00 with totality starting a little after 3 AM and ending around 4 AM. Still, if it happens to be clear where you are, it’s worth going out and taking a look. This is the first of a series of four eclipses, about six months apart, all visible from continental US. For maps and information on visibility from your area, check out the eclipse page from NASA: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2014.html#LE2014Apr15T
Of course those familiar with eclipses know that a solar eclipse generally falls two weeks before or two weeks after a lunar eclipse. Unfortunately in this case the solar eclipse is only an annular, and is best visible from Australia and Antarctica. More information from NASA: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2014.html#SE2014Apr29A
Meteor Showers
The constellation of Lyra is high in the east at 3:30 AM on April 22. The Lyrid meteors appear to come from this constellation, but will be visible across most of the sky.
April also brings a return of meteor showers. The Lyrids are active from April 16 through the 25th. The peak should be the morning of the 22nd, but any morning three days before or after that should bring a good number of meteors. Lyrids are known for producing bright dust trails that may last for several minutes, however a waning Moon will interfere with your ability to see these. Check the American Meteor Society articles on meteor showers the week before for predictions.
Mars Opposition
Mars is at opposition on April 8. That means it will rise at sunset and remain out all night. A few days later, on April 14, it reaches “closest approach”, when the distance between Mars and Earth is smallest. So pull out the telescopes and have a look. You’ll have to wait a year and a half before it happens again.
Planets
Practiced observers with binoculars might be able to catch the planet Mercury in the predawn skies at the start of the month. However, it will be a tough catch is it skims the horizon just before dawn. It reaches superior conjunction on the 26th, and returns to the evening skies in May.
6:30 AM on April 11. Neptune is just below Venus.
Venus is just about as far west of the sun as it ever gets on April 1. This makes this whole month of excellent time for viewing it in the morning. It is in fact that incredibly bright thing in the East an hour or even two before sunrise. Late in the month it will dim quickly as it heads toward conjunction. Those with a small telescope can use it to find Neptune between the 10th and 13th. Neptune passes just below and to the right of Venus during those days. A nice crescent Moon joins Venus on April 25.
Mars and Porrima on April 25 at 10 PM.
Mars is visible to both morning and evening observers this month. Look for it in the constellation of Virgo. It’s very near the Moon on the night of the eclipse. At the end of the month it is very close to the double star Porrima in Virgo. The distance between the two stars varies noticeably over a few years. Unfortunately, right now they are very close to each other, so they won’t be distinguishable without a relatively large telescope until 2020.
The brightest thing in the winter skies continues to be Jupiter. It continues its retrograde motion through Gemini for most of the month, pausing and returning to prograde in the last week. Of course it’s now spring, so the best time to observe the winter constellations is before 10 or 11 PM. Orion sets a little after nine at the end of the month, and Jupiter follows not long after. A thin quarter Moon makes a close pass on April 6, providing a nice opportunity for astrophotos without a telescope.
Saturn technically returns to the evening skies this month, rising at about 11:15 on April 1. the waning crescent moon passes very close on April 17.
Deep Sky Objects
If you have a small telescope, an April evening is a lovely time to put it to use. Early in the evening, many of the winter objects are still out. The Pleiades and the Hyades are naked eye objects, but a small telescope reveals hundreds of individual stars. If you like open clusters, M44 and M47 are also well worth a look. And of course, don’t forget M42, the Orion nebula.
10 PM on April 6, facing west
Turning our gaze eastward, especially at the end of the month, reveals several globular clusters. These include M13, the Great Cluster in Hercules, and M92 a great cluster on it’s own if it wasn’t so close to M13. M3 and M5 are also worth a look if your skies are dark enough.
10 PM on April 25, looking east.
Urban Observing March 2014 March 10, 2014
Posted by aquillam in Astronomy, MichiganAstro, Urban Observing.Tags: astronomy, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, urban_observing, Venus
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Luckily, this month gets off to a slow start, because my computer is having problems, and I’m working on a loaner, without all my usual software. This is also gonna be a bit short…
Events
The moon was new on the first, so the first few days of the month were good ones to head out to a dark site. If you missed it, don’t worry. This month actually has two new moons, so start making plans now for the last two weeks! Maybe a road ip up to the Headlands dark sky park.
The special event for march is, of course the vernal equinox. This year, it occurs at 12:57 EDT on March 20. Usually dubbed the first day of spring, this is the day when the Sun is overhead at solar noon if you are on the equator, and it rises at the north geographic pole. In most of the northern hemisphere, we’ll have 12 hours of daylight, and the light will be at a steeper angle, which means it’s more concentrated. Let’s hope it actually melts some of this snow!
The March full moon falls in the 16th.
Planets
Venus and Mercury half an hour before sunrise on March 17.
Morning observers get their chance at Mercury as the month starts. The second week will be the best, as it reaches greatest western elongation at the 14th
Venus reaches greatest western elongation on the 22, so it’s a great ” morning star” all month. It’s easily visible even in twilight, so take a look while you’re having that morning coffee. Look especially on the 26 – 29 when a crescent Moon passes through the area. Use binoculars on the 29, and you might also catch one last glimpse of Mercury next to the very old Moon.
Although Mars technically rises in the evening now, it’s still best viewed in the morning. In the constellation of Virgo, it’s high in the west at sunrise. The gibbous Moon joins it March 17 – 20. While the Moon overwhelms it naked eye, the extra light might make it a good time to put a green or blue filter on your ‘scope and take a look.
Jupiter in the evening skies in March.
Jupiter is past opposition, but it’s position in the middle of Gemini makes it a real gem in the evening skies (sorry, couldn’t resist.) Look high in the southeast around sunset, it’ll be the first thing to pop out of the twilight.
Saturn goes in to retrograde this month, so continue to look for it in the morning skies, along with Mars and Venus. It is joined by the Moon on March 20 & 21.
Pre-dawn planets in early March
Urban Observing February 2014 February 2, 2014
Posted by aquillam in Astronomy, MichiganAstro, Urban Observing.Tags: astronomy, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, urban_observing, Venus
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Events
The event of the month is the continuing visibility of the supernova in M82. Just off the end of the bowl of the Big Dipper, M82 is reasonably easy to find. Around magnitude 11, SN2014J should be visible in modest backyard telescopes. But look soon, it’s likely to fade quickly. Check out the AAVSO comparison chart if your skies are too bright to see the galaxy: http://media.skyandtelescope.com/images/SN2014J-comparison-star-chart.gif
Looking north at 10 PM on Feb 1. Look for the supernova in M82.
There is no new moon this month. The new moon occurred on January 31 (happy Chinese New Year), and it’s 29 days between new moons, so the next one is March 1. However, there is a nice, romantic full Moon for Valentine’s day!
Planets
Mercury is just past greatest eastern elongation as February opens, so if it’s clear in the evening, look southwest soon after sunset. On Feb. 1 use binoculars and you might also be able to spot the very young moon. Look for Mercury to join Venus in the morning skies at the end of the month. A waning crescent moon joins the pair on the 25 and 26.
Just after sunset looking west on Feb 2.
The planets in a line just before dawn on Feb 25.
Venus is a bright morning star all month.
Mars rises just before midnight at the beginning of the month, and a little after 10 PM at the end of the month, making Mars best as a morning planet. It makes a nice contrast with the blue star Spica all month. Mars, a waning quarter Moon, Saturn and Venus make a nice lineup in the pre-dawn skies on Feb 20.
pre-dawn sky on Feb 20
Jupiter makes a beautiful addition to the winter skies all month. It is nearly stationary in Gemini. A fat waxing Moon passes it between Feb 9 – 11. If you have a telescope, check out these Sky & Telescope apps, http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/3307071.html for the Galilean moons, and http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/3304091.html for visibility of the great red spot.
Saturn spends the month between the claws of Scorpio in the pre-dawn sky, with Venus and Mars.
Deep Sky Objects
Winter skies offer some of the nicest targets for urban observers.
Looking south at 10 PM on Feb 14.
The Pleiades is an open cluster in Taurus, visible to the naked eye in most skies. Binoculars or a small telescope shows dozens of stars. If you happen to have dark skies, you might be able to discern some of the gas and dust in this young cluster.
Nearby, the Orion Nebula is the real jewel of the winter skies. Also known as M42, it’s the middle star in the sword of Orion. A mid-sized telescope is enough to show that the center of the nebula has already been cleared by the strong winds and radiation from the massive stars at the center. Four of them form a trapezoid called the trapezium.
M44, also know as Praesepe or the Beehive cluster is at the center of Cancer, half way between Gemini and Leo. It’s a wide, bright open cluster, a great binocular object
For winter double stars, Castor is hard to beat. A blue-orange double, and easy to spot with a small telescope.
Sirius is a well known double since Sirius B was one of the first known white dwarfs. However, it’s so much dimmer than Sirius A that it’s actually fairly tough for most ‘scopes. Slightly better is nearby Aludra, or Eta Canis Majoris. This is a wide double with stars of very different magnitudes.
If two stars aren’t enough, try Sigma Orionis. It’s a binary and trinary system aligned as an apparent quintary system!
Sideways Orion 
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