Astroblog

Eastern evening sky at 19:00 as seen from Melbourne, similar views will be seen from elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (click to embiggen)	Closeup view of the constellation of Lupus with the location of the nova indicated by the open circle. Map via Wikipedia.

Labels: binocular, nova

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 10:37 am 0 comments

The New Moon is Wednesday June 25. Earth is at solstice on the 21st. Mercury is rising the evening twilight. Mars is lowering in the early evening sky as it moves through Leo moving away from the bright star Regulus. Saturn and Venus are visible in the morning twilight.  The Moon is close to Venus on the 22nd. Look for the constellation Corona Borealis before midnight, the blaze star T Coronae Borealis (TCrB) may go Nova eventually.  

The New Moon is Wednesday June 25. the Moon is at Perigee, when it is closest to the Earth, on the 23rd. Earth is at solstice on the 21st, when the day is shortest.

Eastern twilight sky on the morning of Sunday, June 22 as seen from Adelaide at 05:53 ACST (90 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

Venus is visible close to the thin crescent Moon in the twilight below Saturn. 

The insets show the telescopic views of Saturn and Venus at this time. 

 

 

 

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

 

If you look to the North just before midnight, you will see a prominent bright orange star, Arcturus, if you look northeast 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. Viewing tips at my T CrB post. After some brief excitement last week (false alarm) TCrB can potentially go Nova any time between now and August 2025. 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time.    

 

North-western sky on Saturday, June 21  as seen from Adelaide at 18:42 ACST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Mars is drawing away from the bright star Regulus.

  

 

 

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

 

North-western sky on Saturday, June 21 as seen  from Adelaide at 18:11 ACST (60 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Mercury is climbing higher into the twilight and is now easily visible. 

 

 

  

 

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

 

Whole sky on Saturday, June 21 as seen from Adelaide at 18:42 ACST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Mars is in the north. 

 

Bright Sirius  is on the north-west horizon as Scorpius climbs higher in the east.

 

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

 

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

 

 

Mercury  climbs higher in the evening twilight. 

Venus is high in the morning twilight. It is below Saturn and close to the crescent Moon on the 22nd. 

Mars is lowering in the evening sky and drawing way from the bright star Regulus..

Jupiter is lost in the twilight.

Saturn is rising in the morning 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 @ 10:08 pm 1 comments

The Last Quarter Moon is Thursday June 19. Jupiter and Mercury are low in the twilight. Mars is lowering in the early evening sky as it moves through Leo coming closer to the bright star Regulus. On the 17th and 18th the pair will be at their closest, red Mars and blue white Regulus forming a nice contrast. Saturn and Venus are visible in the morning twilight.  The Moon is close to Saturn on the 19th. Look for the constellation Corona Borealis before midnight, the blaze star T Coronae Borealis (TCrB) may go Nova eventually.  

The Last Quarter Moon is Thursday June 19.

Eastern twilight sky on the morning of Thursday, June 19 as seen from Adelaide at 05:52 ACST (90 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

Saturn is visible close to the Last Quarter Moon in the twilight above Venus. 

The insets show the telescopic views of Saturn and Venus at this time. 

 

 

 

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

If you look to the North just before midnight, you will see a prominent bright orange star, Arcturus, if you look northeast 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. Viewing tips at my T CrB post. 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time.    

North-western sky on Tuesday, June 17  as seen from Adelaide at 18:42 ACST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Mars is at its closest to the bright star Regulus (also on the 18th, red Mars and blue white Regulus forming a nice contrast.

  

 

 

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

 

North-western sky on Saturday, June 14 as seen  from Adelaide at 17:37 ACST (30 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Jupiter is very low on the horizon below Mercury. You will need a clear level horizon and probably binoculars to see both. 

 

 

  

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (30 minutes after sunset).

 

Whole sky on Saturday, June 14 as seen from Adelaide at 18:41 ACST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Mars is in the north. 

 

Bright Sirius  is on the north-west horizon as Scorpius climbs higher in the east.

 

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

 

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

 

 

Mercury  climbs the evening twilight. 

Venus is high in the morning twilight. It is below Saturn. 

Mars is lowering in the evening sky and coming closer to the bright star Regulus.On the 17th and 18th the pair will be at their closest, red Mars and blue white Regulus forming a nice contrast.

Jupiter is very low on the north-western horizon.

Saturn is rising in the morning the twilight. The Moon is close to Saturn on the 19th.

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 @ 12:35 am 0 comments

The Full Moon is Wednesday June 11. Occultation of the bright star Aldebaran on the 10th. Jupiter and Mercury are low in the twilight. Mars is lowering in the early evening sky as it moves through Leo coming closer to the bright star Regulus. Saturn and Venus are visible in the morning twilight.  Look for the constellation Corona Borealis before midnight, the blaze star T Coronae Borealis (TCrB) may go Nova eventually.  

The Full Moon is Wednesday June 11. The Moon is at apogee, when it is furthest from the Earth, on the 7th. 

Eastern twilight sky on the morning of Saturday, June 7 as seen from Adelaide at 06:19 ACST (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

Saturn is visible in the twilight above Venus. 

The insets show the telescopic views of Saturn and Venus at this time. 

 

 

 

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

 

If you look to the North just before midnight, you will see a prominent bright orange star, Arcturus, if you look northeast 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. Viewing tips at my T CrB post. 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time.   

 

North-western sky on Saturday, June 7  as seen from Adelaide at 18:41 ACST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Mars heads towards the bright star Regulus in Leo, with its closes approach next week. 

  

 

 

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

 

The eastern sky at 18:55 ACST Tuesday, June 10 as seen from Adelaide. The moon is about to occult the bright star Antares.

The inset shows the telescopic view at the time. (click to embiggen). Click to embiggen

For exact timings for more cities see my Occultation of Antares page.

 

 

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (see details in link above above). 

North-western sky on Monday, June 9 as seen  from Adelaide at 17:39 ACST (30 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Jupiter is low on the horizon near Mercury. You will need a clear level horizon and probably binoculars to see Mercury. 

 

 

  

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (30 minutes after sunset).

 

Whole sky on Saturday, June 7 as seen from Adelaide at 18:41 ACST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Mars is in the north. 

 

Orion the hunter is on the north-west horizon as Scorpius rises in the east.

 

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

 

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

 

 

Mercury  returns to the evening twilight and is close to Jupiter on the 10th. 

Venus is high in the morning twilight. It is below Saturn. 

Mars is lowering in the evening sky and coming closer to the bright star Regulus.

Jupiter is low on the north-western horizon and is close to Mercury on the 10th.

Saturn is rising in the morning 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 @ 8:29 pm 0 comments

The eastern sky at 18:55 ACST Tuesday, June 10 as seen from Adelaide. The moon is about to occult the bright star Antares. The inset shows the telescopic view at the time. (click to embiggen). Click to embiggen	The eastern sky at 19:25 AEST Tuesday, June 10 as seen from Sydney. The moon is about to occult the bright star Antares. The inset shows the telescopic view at the time. (click to embiggen). Click to embiggen	The eastern sky at 17:39 ACST Tuesday, June 10 as seen from Perth. The moon is about to occult the bright star Antares. The inset shows the telescopic view at the time. (click to embiggen). Click to embiggen

On Tuesday 10 June, Antares, the brightest start in Scorpio, is occulted by the Moon as seen from the all of Australia and New Zealand. (see the table below for major cities and see the IOTA site link below for more locations). In Western Australia the occultation starts in the twilight,

Occultation map from IOTA.

The occultation occurs with the moon well above the eastern horizon when the sky is fully dark for the Eastern and central states. Perth and Western Australia generally sees the occultation start low above the horizon during twilight.  

Disappearance and appearance times are given in the table below. Other locations will see the occultation at a similar time for cities at a similar latitude (eg Woomera is similar to Adelaide).

While the occultation is visible to the unaided eye (although the Moon being nearly full will make it difficult), the sight will be better in binoculars or a small telescope. Set up ahead of time so that you can be sure everything is working well and you can watch the entire event comfortably. Antares will be clearly visible to the unaided eye near the Moon. Other sites can be found at IOTA (timings in UT)

Labels: binocular, Moon, Occultation, unaided eye

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 7:28 am 0 comments

Western evening sky on Wednesday, June 3 as seen from Adelaide at 22:31 ACST	Western evening sky on Wednesday, June 3 as seen from Sydney at 23:18 AEST	Western evening sky on Wednesday, June 3 as seen from Perth at 21:18 AWST
Sunrise on the Moon: Moon at 19:00 ACDST, the Lunar V is just becoming visible.	Sunrise on the Moon: Moon at 22:00 ACDST, the Lunar V is becoming visible. Some crater walls are beginning to light up and the first hints of the Lunar X are there.	Sunrise on the Moon: Moon at 23:00 ACDST, the Lunar V is  visible. Some crater walls are lighting up and the Lunar X is clear.

The Lunar X (also known as the Werner X) and the Lunar V will be visible this Saturday as the moon reaches First Quarter. The Lunar X is a chiaroscuro effect in which strong contrasts of light and shadow create the appearance of a letter 'X' on the rim of the Lunar craters Blanchinus, La Caille and Purbach and a letter V from the rim of the crater Ukert, along with several smaller craters. 

The X and V are seen at first quarter, visible on the lunar surface for about 4 hours. However, the Moon is not always above the horizon from a given vantage point when this happens. This month is okay for Australian observers, with the Moon low to the horizon in the eastern sates, and reasonably high on the west coast.

Lunar X occurs on Wednesday, June 3, 13:18 UT,  23:13 AEST, 22:30 ACST, 21:11 AWST). This is later than official first Quarter which occurs at 13:11 ACST.

This is a telescope (and maybe good binoculars) only event. For the west coast the start of the Lunar X occurs with the Moon being 36° above the horizon, central states see it at 24° above the horizon, and for the east coast at 9° above the horizon.

Upcoming Lunar X' s are shown below:

Dates and time Lunar X and V are visible. Typically visible from about 4hours from the starting time, times in colour are daylight saving times.

If you are setting up to see the Lunar X, why not start early so you can watch sunrise on the Moon? You can watch the sides of crater walls light up as hours progress.Starting from nautical twilight, an hour after sunset, image the Moon through binoculars of a telescope every hour until around moon set and you can see the walls of the Lunar V light up, then the walls of the X. 

Also if you are setting up early, catch the reappearance of Chi Leo from occultation by the Moon. this is an occulation in the late twilight, Darwin and Perth miss out.

The moon as seen from Adelaide at 17:750 ACST as Chi Leo is reappearing from occultation.	The telescopic view of the moon as seen from Adelaide at 17:750 ACST as Chi Leo is reappearing from occultation.

Labels: Lunar X, Moon, Occultation, telescope

# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 11:16 pm 0 comments

The First Quarter Moon is Tuesday June 3.  The Lunar X will be visible with this Moon. Jupiter and Mars are visible in the evening sky. Jupiter sets shortly after the sky is fully dark, the thin crescent Moon is near Jupiter on the 29th. and Mars is lowering in the early evening sky as it moves through Leo. Mars is close to the crescent Moon on the 1st. Look for the constellation Corona Borealis before midnight, the blaze star T Coronae Borealis (TCrB) may go Nova eventually.  Saturn and Venus are visible in the morning twilight. Venus is at its greatest elongation fro the Sun on the 1st.

The First Quarter Moon is Tuesday June 3.  The Lunar X will be visible with this Moon.

Eastern twilight sky on the morning of Saturday, May 31  as seen from Adelaide at 06:15 ACST (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

Saturn is visible in the twilight above Venus. 

The insets show the telescopic views of Saturn and Venus at this time. 

 

 

 

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

 

If you look to the North just before midnight, you will see a prominent bright orange star, Arcturus, if you look northeast 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. Viewing tips at my T CrB post. 

Just above this is the asteroid Vesta, it was at opposition on the 2nd and theoretically visible to the unaided eye. it is roughly between the bright red Star Antares and Arcturus, and two and a half  binocular widths from the bright star Beta Librae. See my opposition of Vesta page for more details and charts.  

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time.  

 

North-western sky on Sunday, June 1 as seen from Adelaide at 18:44 ACST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Mars forms a triangle with Procyon and Pollux as it heads towards Leo and the bright star Regulus. Mars is close to the crescent moon at this time.

 

  

 

 

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

 

Western sky on Saturday, June 3 as seen from Adelaide at 23:18 ACDST' The lastquater moon is lowering in the sky and the Lunar X and V are visible in telescopes.

The inset is the appearance of the Lunar X and V at 23:18 ACDST  (click to embiggen).   Similar views will be seen elsewhere at the times indicated in the table.

 

Date	UT	AEST	ACST	AWST
June 3	13:18	23:18	22:30	21:18

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (see table above). 

 

North-western sky on Thursday, May 29 as seen  from Adelaide at 17:41 ACST (30 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Jupiter is low on the horizon near the crescent Moon.

 

 

  

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (30 minutes after sunset).

Whole sky on Saturday, May 31 as seen from Adelaide at 18:42 ACST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Jupiter has set.  Mars is in the north. 

 

Orion the hunter on the north-west horizon as Scorpius rises in the east.

 

The Southern Cross is rising in the Southern sky.  The moon is just past 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 morning twilight. 

Venus is high in the morning twilight. It is below Saturn. It is at its furtherest distance from the Sun, as seen from Earth, on the 1st.

Mars is lowering in the evening sky. Mars is close to the crescent Moon on the 1st.

Jupiter is low on the north-western horizon and is setting shortly before the sky is fully dark. It is close to the thin crescent Moon on the 29th.

Saturn is rising in the morning 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 @ 11:11 pm 0 comments

The New Moon is Tuesday May 27.  Jupiter and Mars are visible in the evening sky. Jupiter sets shortly after the sky is fully dark and Mars is lowering in the early evening sky. The thin crescent Moon is near Jupiter on the 28th. Look for the constellation Corona Borealis before midnight, the blaze star T Coronae Borealis (TCrB) may go Nova eventually.  Saturn and Venus are visible in the morning twilight. The waning crescent Moon is near Saturn on the 23rd, and near Venus on the 24th.

The New Moon is Tuesday May 27. The Moon is at Perigee, when it is closest to the earth, on the 26th.

Eastern twilight sky on the morning of Saturday, May 24  as seen from Adelaide at 06:11 ACST (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

Saturn is visible in the twilight above Venus. The crescent Moon is near Venus.

The insets show the telescopic views of Saturn and Venus at this time. 

 

 

 

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

 

If you look to the North just before midnight, you will see a prominent bright orange star, Arcturus, if you look northeast 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. Viewing tips at my T CrB post. 

Just above this is the asteroid Vesta, it was at opposition on the 2nd and theoretically visible to the unaided eye. it is roughly between the bright red Star Antares and Arcturus, and two and a half  binocular widths from the bright star Beta Librae. See my opposition of Vesta page for more details and charts.  

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time.  

 

North-western sky on Saturday, May 24 as seen from Adelaide at 18:44 ACST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Mars forms a triangle with Procyon and Pollux as it heads towards Leo and the bright star Regulus.

 

  

 

 

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

 

 

North-western sky on Wednesday, May 28 as seen  from Adelaide at 17:41 ACST (30 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Jupiter is low on the horizon just above the thin crescent Moon.

 

 

  

 

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (30 minutes after sunset).

 

Whole sky on Saturday, May 24 as seen from Adelaide at 18:44 ACST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

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

 

Orion the hunter is lowering in the north-west as Scorpius rises in the east.

 

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

 

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

 

 

Mercury is lost in the morning twilight. 

Venus is high in the morning twilight. It is below Saturn. It is close to the crescent Moon on the 24th.

Mars is lowering in the evening sky. 

Jupiter is low on the north-western horizon and is setting shortly after when the sky is fully dark. It is close to the thin crescent Moon on the 28th and 29th.

Saturn is rising in the morning the twilight. It is close to the crescent Moon on the 23rd.

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 @ 6:57 pm 0 comments