Astroblog

The New Moon is Saturday March 29. Jupiter and Mars are visible in the evening sky. Jupiter is past opposition and is visible all evening long, forming a line with the stars Aldebaran and Elnath. The Moon joins the line-up with Jupiter on the 3rd. Mars is high in the early evening sky. Look for the constellation Corona Borealis in the morning skies, the blaze star T Coronae Borealis (TCrB) may go Nova eventually. The Crescent Moon is near Saturn in the morning twilight on the 28th.

The New Moon is Saturday March 29. The moon is at perigee, when it is closet to the Earth, on the 30th.

Eastern twilight sky on the morning of Friday, March 28 as seen from Adelaide at 06:30 ACDST (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

Saturn is visible low in the twilight. Below the thin crescent moon.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise).

Northern sky on the morning of Saturday, March 29 as seen from Adelaide at 06:02 ACDST (90 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen)

If you look to the North at astronomical twilight (90 minutes before sunrise), you will see a prominent bright orange star, Arcturus, if you look downwards and to the right you will see a dainty circlet of stars. Corona Borealis, the northern crown. The blaze star T CrB is located on the right-hand side to the circlet, where the line of stars turns down, there are no other bright stars in the region, so when it erupts it will be easily visible.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes before sunrise).

North-western evening sky on Thursday, April 3 as seen from Adelaide at 20:32 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset), Jupiter is in the north-west forming a line with the stars Aldebaran and Elnath and the crescent Moon.

The inset is the telescope view of Jupiter at this time. (click to embiggen).

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

Northern sky on Saturday, March 29 as seen from Adelaide at 20:38 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Mars forms a triangle with Castor and Pollux.

The inset is the telescope view of Mars at this time. (click to embiggen).

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

Whole sky on Saturday, Saturday, March 29 as seen from Adelaide at 20:38 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Jupiter is in the north-west. Mars is in the north.

Orion the hunter is high in the north-west.

The Southern Cross is rising in the Southern sky. The moon is new and the fainter clusters and nebula are easier to see.

Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).

Mercury is lost in the evening twilight.

Venus is lost in the twilight.

Mars is high in the evening sky. Mars was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on January the 16th.

Jupiter is high in the the north-western evening sky when the sky is fully dark. Jupiter forms a line with the stars Aldebaran and Elnath. The Moon joins the line-up Jupiter on the 3rd.

Saturn returns to the morning the twilight. It is near the crescent Moon on the 28th.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.

Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/

Labels: weekly sky

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 11:48 pm 0 comments


Sky chart facing north on Saturday, March 22 as seen from Adelaide at 05:56 ACST (90 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen). The location of T CrB is shown with a circle. Similar views will be seen 90 minutes after Sunset elsewhere in Australia.	Sky chart facing north on Saturday, March 22 as seen from Adelaide at 05:56 (90 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen). Constellation names and lines are shown for clarity.


My image of Corona Borealis taken on 10 August with my Samsung S24 in astrophography mode at 5x zoom. Stars down to magnitude 7.5 are visible. The approximate location of T CrB is shown with a star above Ɛ CrB.	AAVSO chart of Corona Borealis showing the magnitude of surrounding stars. The decimal points have been omitted eg 22 is 2.2, 89 is 8.9

T Coronae borealis (T CrB) did not go Nova Last September as predicted. However, Thuringian State Observatory noticed the emission lines in the spectrum of T CrB have risen sharply, indicating a greatly increased accretion rate, and possibly an outburst is coming soon. See also https://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=17041

Unfortunately, Corona Borealis is in the morning sky now, so you have to get up at dark o'clock to see it.

If you look to the North in the morning at astronomical twilight (90 minutes before sunrise), you will see a prominent bright orange star, Arcturus (see top chart), if you look downwards and to the right you will see a dainty circlet of stars. Corona Borealis, the northern crown.

While pretty in its own right, it houses a most unusual star, T Coronae borealis (T CrB), also known as the blaze star. T CrB is a recurrent nova, a binary system where gas from a red giant star accretes on a white dwarf companion. Eventually the gas builds up to a density where a nuclear explosion occurs and this is seen as a nova.

A recurrent nova is one where there is a (semi) regular patter of repeated outbursts. T CrB seems to erupt every 80 years, with the last in 1946. Recent patterns of brightening and dimming look like the pre outburst phase of the 1946 eruption. It was predicted that T CrB may go nova between August and the end of September 2024. That didn't happen, but the new spectral changes may herald the long awaited outburts

When that happens, T CrB will rapidly rise to from its current magnitude 10 (well below eye or binocular visibility) around magnitude 2 about the same brightness as Alphecca, 𝛂 Coronae Borealis (see bottom left-hand panel), the brightest star in the constellation. It will only remain above unaided eye visibility for a week or so.

T CrB is located on the right-hand side to the circlet, just above Ɛ CrB (see bottom left-hand panel) where the line of stars turn down, there are no other bright stars in the region, so when it erupts it will be easily visible.

The challenge:

Take an image of Corona Borealis every clear morning during March-April awaiting the eruption. You will need a stack of ~ 10 images at high ISO of around 1 second duration, then stacked in appropriate software to pick up the faint stars. It would be best if you zoomed in so that Corona Borealis occupies most of the camera field (with a bit of space on the right-hand side so you don’t miss out on T CrB. That way hopefully you will catch not only the eruption, but the fade as well, doing a bit of backyard astrophysics.

Be patient, after a few night astrophotography you will become familiar with the stars and will easily see when T CrB erupts.

You can also follow the T CRB Nova Watch on Space weather (in the the righthand panel). Currently magnitude 10.

Labels: astrophotography, citizen science, nova, T CrB

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 6:12 pm 1 comments

The Last Quarter Moon is Saturday March 22. Jupiter and Mars are visible in the evening sky. Jupiter is past opposition and is visible all evening long. Mars is high in the early evening sky. Look for the constellation Corona Borealis in the morning skies, the blaze star T Coronae Borealis (TCrB) may go Nova soon.

The Last Quarter Moon is Saturday March 22.

Northern sky on the morning of Saturday, March 22 as seen from Adelaide at 05:56 ACDST (90 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen)

If you look to the North at astronomical twilight (90 minutes before sunrise), you will see a prominent bright orange star, Arcturus, if you look downwards and to the right you will see a dainty circlet of stars. Corona Borealis, the northern crown. The blaze star T CrB is located on the right-hand side to the circlet, where the line of stars turns down, there are no other bright stars in the region, so when it erupts it will be easily visible.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes before sunrise).

North-western evening sky on Saturday, March 22 as seen from Adelaide at 20:49 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset), Jupiter is in the north-west near the red star Aldebaran.

The inset is the telescope view of Jupiter at this time. (click to embiggen).

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

Northern sky on Saturday, March 22 as seen from Adelaide at 20:49 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Mars forms a triangle with Castor and Pollux.

The inset is the telescope view of Mars at this time. (click to embiggen).

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

Whole sky on Saturday, Saturday, March 22 as seen from Adelaide at 20:49 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Jupiter is in the north-west. Mars is in the north.

Orion the hunter is high in the north-west.

The Southern Cross is rising in the Southern sky. The moon is waning and the fainter clusters and nebula are becoming easier to be seen.

Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).

Mercury is lost in the evening twilight.

Venus is lost in the twilight.

Mars is high in the evening sky. Mars was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on January the 16th.

Jupiter is high in the the north-western evening sky when the sky is fully dark.

Saturn is lost in the twilight.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.

Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/

Labels: weekly sky

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 10:22 pm 0 comments


Evening sky on March 14 looking east as seen from Brisbane at 18:15 AEST, 10 minutes after Moon rise, the inset is the moon a	Evening sky on March 14 looking east as seen from Melbourne at 19:45 AEDST, 5 minutes after Moon rise	Evening sky on March 14 looking east as seen from Sydney at 19:35 AEDST, 20 minutes after Moon rise

On the early evening of Friday, 15 March there is a partial lunar eclipse low in the twilight in the Eastern sates. The Moon rises as the eclipse is finishing with only a small portion of the moon is in the deepest part of Earth's shadow (elsewhere in the world sees a Total Lunar Eclipse).

Live streams of the eclipse can de see at:

Time and date March 14 16:00 AEDST: https://www.timeanddate.com/live/eclipse-lunar-2025-march-14

Virtual telescope Live webtv March 14 17:00 AEDST: https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/webtv/

Griffith University in California March 14: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BguB5KSBYd0

City	Moon rise	Umbral eclipse ends
Brisbane	8:05 AEST	18:41 AEST
Melbourne	19:40 AEDST	19:47 AEDST
Sydney	19:14 AEDST	19:47 AEDST

Labels: eclipse, live-stream, lunar eclipse, Moon, partial, unaided eye

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 10:48 pm 0 comments

The Full Moon is Friday March 14. Earth is at equinox on the 20th. Jupiter and Mars are visible in the evening sky. Jupiter is past opposition and is visible all evening long. Mars is high in the early evening sky. Look for the constellation Corona Borealis in the morning skies, the blaze star T Coronae Borealis (TCrB) may go Nova soon.

The Full Moon is Friday March 14. The Moon s at apogee, when it is furthest from the Earth on the 18th. Earth is at equinox on the 20th, when day and night are equal lengths.

Northern sky on the morning of Saturday, March 15 as seen from Adelaide at 05:49 ACDST (90 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen)

If you look to the North at astronomical twilight (90 minutes before sunrise), you will see a prominent bright orange star, Arcturus, if you look downwards and to the right you will see a dainty circlet of stars. Corona Borealis, the northern crown. The blaze star T CrB is located on the right-hand side to the circlet, where the line of stars turns down, there are no other bright stars in the region, so when it erupts it will be easily visible.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes before sunrise).

North-western evening sky on Saturday, March 15 as seen from Adelaide at 20:59 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset), Jupiter is in the north-west near the red star Aldebaran.

The inset is the telescope view of Jupiter at this time. (click to embiggen).

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

Northern sky on Saturday, March 15 as seen from Adelaide at 20:59 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Mars forms a triangle with Castor and Pollux.

The inset is the telescope view of Mars at this time. (click to embiggen).

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

Whole sky on Saturday, Saturday, March 15 as seen from Adelaide at 20:59 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Jupiter is in the north-west. Mars is in the north.

Orion the hunter is high in the north-west.

The Southern Cross is rising in the Southern sky. The moon is waxing and the fainter clusters and nebula are becoming harder to be seen.

Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).

Mercury is lost in the evening twilight.

Venus is lost in the twilight.

Mars is high in the evening sky. Mars was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on January the 16th.

Jupiter is high in the the north-western evening sky when the sky is fully dark.

Saturn is lost in the twilight.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.

Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/

Labels: weekly sky

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 11:10 pm 0 comments

The First Quarter Moon is Friday March 7. Venus is lost in the twilight. Jupiter and Mars are visible in the evening sky. Jupiter is past opposition and is visible all evening long. The Moon is close to Jupiter on the 6th. Mars is high in the early evening sky. The Moon is close to Mars on the 9th.

The New Moon is Friday February 28.

North-western evening sky on Thursday, March 6 as seen from Adelaide at 21:13 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset), Jupiter is in the north-west near the red star Aldebaran.

The inset is the telescope view of Jupiter at this time. (click to embiggen).

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

Northern sky on Sunday, March 9 as seen from Adelaide at 21:20 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Mars forms a triangle with Castor and Pollux. The Moon is close to Mars.

The inset is the telescope view of Mars at this time. (click to embiggen).

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

Whole sky on Saturday, Saturday, March 8 as seen from Adelaide at 21:20 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Jupiter is in the north-west. Mars is in the north.

Orion the hunter is high in the north-west.

The Southern Cross is rising in the Southern sky. The moon is waxing and the fainter clusters and nebula are becoming harder to be seen..

Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).

Mercury is lost in the evening twilight.

Venus is lost in the twilight.

Mars is high in the evening sky. Mars was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on January the 16th. The Moon is close to Mars on the 9th.

Jupiter is high in the the north-western evening sky when the sky is fully dark. The Moon is close to Jupiter on the 6th.

Saturn is lost in the twilight.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.

Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/

Labels: weekly sky

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 9:47 pm 0 comments

The New Moon is Friday February 28. Venus is becoming harder to see low in the twilight, and is close to the thin crescent Moon on the 2nd. Jupiter and Mars are visible in the evening sky. Jupiter is past opposition and is visible all evening long. The Moon is close to Jupiter on the 6th. Mars is high in the early evening sky.

The New Moon is Friday February 28. The moon is at apogee, when it is furthest from the Earth, on the 2nd of March.

Western evening sky on Sunday, March 2 as seen from Adelaide at 20:24 ACDST (45 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

Venus is visible in the early twilight. You will need a clear, level horizon to see Venus. Venus is a thin crescent in telescopes.

The inset is the telescopic view of Venus at this time.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (45 minutes after sunset).

North-western evening sky on Thursday, March 6 as seen from Adelaide at 21:13 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset), Jupiter is in the north-west near the red star Aldebaran.

The inset is the telescope view of Jupiter at this time. (click to embiggen).

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

Northern sky on Saturday, March 1 as seen from Adelaide at 21:20 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Mars forms a triangle with Castor and Pollux.

The inset is the telescope view of Mars at this time. (click to embiggen).

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

Whole sky on Saturday, Saturday, March 1 as seen from Adelaide at 21:20 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Venus has set. Jupiter is in the north-west. Mars is in the north.

Orion the hunter is high in the north.

The Southern Cross is rising in the Southern sky. The moon is new and the fainter clusters and nebula will visible.

Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).

Mercury is lost in the evening twilight.

Venus is lowering in the evening twilight and is becoming more difficult to see.

Mars is high in the evening sky. Mars was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on January the 16th.

Jupiter is high in the the north-western evening sky when the sky is fully dark.

Saturn is lost in the twilight.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.

Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/

Labels: weekly sky

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 10:27 pm 0 comments