Friday, February 27, 2015
Geomagnetic alert for February 28- March 1
A geomagnetic alert a has been issued by the Australian IPS, the activity is
due to a high speed solar wind stream form a coronal hole. The activity is
likely to peak late in the evening of the 28th to the early morning of the 1
March, possibly lasting to the night of the March 1. If aurora occur, this may
be visible in Tasmania, New Zealand, and possibly Southern Vic, WA and Southern
South Australia. However, geomagnetic storms are fickle, and the storm may
arrive in daylight or may fizzle out entirely .. or might just be
spectacular.
However, the waxing Moon may make it difficult to see displays in the early evening.
Dark sky sites have the best chance of seeing anything, and always allow around 5 minutes for your eyes to become dark adapted.
As always look to the south for shifting red/green glows, beams have been reported too.
The all sky aurora camera in Southern Tasmania at Cressy may be of help in monitoring for aurora,
<http://www.ips.gov.au/Geophysical/4/2> http://www.ips.gov.au/Geophysical/4/2
SUBJ: IPS GEOMAGNETIC DISTURBANCE WARNING 15/02
ISSUED AT 26/2330Z FEBRUARY 2015
BY THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE FORECAST CENTRE.
INCREASED GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY EXPECTED
DUE TO CORONAL MASS EJECTION
FROM 27 FEBRUARY 2015 TO 01 MARCH 2015
_____________________________________________________________
GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY FORECAST
27 Feb: Quiet
28 Feb: Quiet to Active, some minor storm periods possible.
01 Mar: Unsettled to Active, minor storm possible.
Further monitoring at
http://www.ips.gov.au
However, the waxing Moon may make it difficult to see displays in the early evening.
Dark sky sites have the best chance of seeing anything, and always allow around 5 minutes for your eyes to become dark adapted.
As always look to the south for shifting red/green glows, beams have been reported too.
The all sky aurora camera in Southern Tasmania at Cressy may be of help in monitoring for aurora,
<http://www.ips.gov.au/Geophysical/4/2> http://www.ips.gov.au/Geophysical/4/2
SUBJ: IPS GEOMAGNETIC DISTURBANCE WARNING 15/02
ISSUED AT 26/2330Z FEBRUARY 2015
BY THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE FORECAST CENTRE.
INCREASED GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY EXPECTED
DUE TO CORONAL MASS EJECTION
FROM 27 FEBRUARY 2015 TO 01 MARCH 2015
_____________________________________________________________
GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY FORECAST
27 Feb: Quiet
28 Feb: Quiet to Active, some minor storm periods possible.
01 Mar: Unsettled to Active, minor storm possible.
Further monitoring at
http://www.ips.gov.au
Labels: aurora
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
The Sky This Week - Thursday February 26 to Thursday March 5
The First Quarter Moon is Thursday February 26. Venus is prominent in
the
twilight evening
sky. Mars is lost in the twilight. Jupiter is the
brightest object in the late evening sky and is visited by the waxing Moon on the 3rd. Saturn is in the
head of the Scorpion. Mercury is
prominent in the morning sky .
The First Quarter Moon is Thursday February 26. The Moon is at apogee (furthest from the Earth) on March 5.
Evening sky on Saturday February 28 looking west as seen from Adelaide
at
20:30 (8:30 pm) ACDST in South Australia. Mars is low in the twilight, with
Venus above it. Similar views will be seen
elsewhere
at the equivalent local time (click to embiggen).
Venus is easy to see low above the western horizon in the twilight. At civil twilight, half an hour after sunset, it is around one and a half hand-spans above the horizon. Venus is also just above Mars. As the week goes on the pair separate.
Mars is low in the western twilight sky. Mars is becoming harder and harder to see as it lowers deeper into the twilight, and you may need binoculars to pick it up. By the end of the week it is lost to view.
Evening sky on Saturday February 21 looking north-east as seen from
Adelaide
at 22:00 ACDST showing Jupiter. The inset shows
Jupiter's Moons at 22:00 on the 21st. Jupiter is the brightest object
above the north-eastern horizon. (click
to embiggen).
Jupiter is now easily seen in the evening sky. It is the brightest object above the north-eastern horizon when twilight ends. It is not far from the bright star Regulus in the sickle of Leo (this forms the head of the constellation of the Lion).
Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest in our sky, on 7 February, but it will be an excellent object for may weeks to come. Jupiter is visible all night and is high enough for decent telescopic observation from around 10 pm, although its visibility will improve in the coming weeks. Jupiter's Moons will be putting on a good display in both binoculars and small telescopes.
Jupiter is close to the waxing Moon on March 3.
Morning sky on Sunday March 1 looking east as seen from
Adelaide
at 6:00 am ACDST . Mercury is reasonably high above the horizon. (click
to embiggen).
Saturn climbs still higher in the morning sky. It is now easily visible well before twilight near the head of the constellation of the Scorpion not far from the bright red star Antares. The sight of the distinctive constellation of the Scorpion curled above the horizon, with bright Saturn in its head, is very nice indeed.
Mercury climbs higher in the morning twilight and should be reasonably easy to see over a hand-span above the horizon an hour before sunrise. It is currently in the constellation of Capricornius.
There are lots of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. Especially with Jupiter just past opposition. If you don't have a telescope, now is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.
Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEDST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
The First Quarter Moon is Thursday February 26. The Moon is at apogee (furthest from the Earth) on March 5.
Venus is easy to see low above the western horizon in the twilight. At civil twilight, half an hour after sunset, it is around one and a half hand-spans above the horizon. Venus is also just above Mars. As the week goes on the pair separate.
Mars is low in the western twilight sky. Mars is becoming harder and harder to see as it lowers deeper into the twilight, and you may need binoculars to pick it up. By the end of the week it is lost to view.
Jupiter is now easily seen in the evening sky. It is the brightest object above the north-eastern horizon when twilight ends. It is not far from the bright star Regulus in the sickle of Leo (this forms the head of the constellation of the Lion).
Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest in our sky, on 7 February, but it will be an excellent object for may weeks to come. Jupiter is visible all night and is high enough for decent telescopic observation from around 10 pm, although its visibility will improve in the coming weeks. Jupiter's Moons will be putting on a good display in both binoculars and small telescopes.
Jupiter is close to the waxing Moon on March 3.
Saturn climbs still higher in the morning sky. It is now easily visible well before twilight near the head of the constellation of the Scorpion not far from the bright red star Antares. The sight of the distinctive constellation of the Scorpion curled above the horizon, with bright Saturn in its head, is very nice indeed.
Mercury climbs higher in the morning twilight and should be reasonably easy to see over a hand-span above the horizon an hour before sunrise. It is currently in the constellation of Capricornius.
There are lots of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. Especially with Jupiter just past opposition. If you don't have a telescope, now is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.
Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEDST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
Labels: weekly sky
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
The Sky This Week - Thursday February 19 to Thursday February 26
The First Quarter Moon is Thursday February 26. Venus is prominent in the
twilight evening
sky and is close to Mars between the 20th to the 24th. Jupiter is the brightest object in the late evening sky. Saturn is in the
head of the Scorpion. Mercury is
prominent in the morning sky .
The First Quarter Moon is Thursday February 26.
Evening sky on Saturday February 21 looking west as seen from Adelaide
at
20:30 (8:30 pm) ACDST in South Australia. Mars is low in the twilight, with
Venus below it. Similar views will be seen
elsewhere
at the equivalent local time (click to embiggen).
Venus is easy to see low above the western horizon in the twilight. At civil twilight, half an hour after sunset, it is around one and a half hand-spans above the horizon. Venus is also just below Mars. Between the 20th and 24th the pair are less than a finger-width apart
Mars is still seen low in the western evening sky, setting just before 9:30 pm daylight saving time (just before twilight ends). Mars is becoming harder and harder to see as it lowers deeper into the twilight, and you may need binoculars to pick it up.
As the week goes on Mars and Venus approach each other, the pair will be closest on the 22nd when they are half a finger-width apart.
Evening sky on Saturday February 21 looking north-east as seen from
Adelaide
at 22:00 ACDST showing Jupiter. The inset shows
Jupiter's Moons at 22:00 on the 21st. Jupiter is the brightest object
above the north-eastern horizon. (click
to embiggen).
Jupiter is now easily seen in the late evening sky. It is the brightest object above the north-eastern horizon when twilight ends. It is not far from the bright star Regulus in the sickle of Leo (this forms the head of the constellation of the Lion).
Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest in our sky, on the 7th, but it will be an excellent object for may weeks to come. Jupiter is visible all night and is high enough for decent telescopic observation from around 10 pm, although its visibility will improve in the coming weeks. Jupiter's Moons will be putting on a good display in both binoculars and small telescopes. On the 21st Io and its shadow transits the face of Jupiter from around the end of twilight for about an hour.
Morning sky on Sunday February 22 looking east as seen from
Adelaide
at 5:30 am ACDST . Mercury is below the asterism of the teapot. (click
to embiggen).
Saturn climbs still higher in the morning sky. It is now easily visible before twilight near the head of the constellation of the Scorpion not far from the bright red star Antares. The sight of the distinctive constellation of the Scorpion curled above the horizon, with bright Saturn in its head, is very nice indeed.
Mercury climbs hight in the morning twilight and should be reasonably easy to see a hand-span above the horizon an hour before sunrise under the Teapot of Sagittarius.
There are lots of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. Especially with Jupiter just past opposition. If you don't have a telescope, now is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.
Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEDST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
The First Quarter Moon is Thursday February 26.
Venus is easy to see low above the western horizon in the twilight. At civil twilight, half an hour after sunset, it is around one and a half hand-spans above the horizon. Venus is also just below Mars. Between the 20th and 24th the pair are less than a finger-width apart
Mars is still seen low in the western evening sky, setting just before 9:30 pm daylight saving time (just before twilight ends). Mars is becoming harder and harder to see as it lowers deeper into the twilight, and you may need binoculars to pick it up.
As the week goes on Mars and Venus approach each other, the pair will be closest on the 22nd when they are half a finger-width apart.
Jupiter is now easily seen in the late evening sky. It is the brightest object above the north-eastern horizon when twilight ends. It is not far from the bright star Regulus in the sickle of Leo (this forms the head of the constellation of the Lion).
Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest in our sky, on the 7th, but it will be an excellent object for may weeks to come. Jupiter is visible all night and is high enough for decent telescopic observation from around 10 pm, although its visibility will improve in the coming weeks. Jupiter's Moons will be putting on a good display in both binoculars and small telescopes. On the 21st Io and its shadow transits the face of Jupiter from around the end of twilight for about an hour.
Saturn climbs still higher in the morning sky. It is now easily visible before twilight near the head of the constellation of the Scorpion not far from the bright red star Antares. The sight of the distinctive constellation of the Scorpion curled above the horizon, with bright Saturn in its head, is very nice indeed.
Mercury climbs hight in the morning twilight and should be reasonably easy to see a hand-span above the horizon an hour before sunrise under the Teapot of Sagittarius.
There are lots of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. Especially with Jupiter just past opposition. If you don't have a telescope, now is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.
Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEDST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
Labels: weekly sky
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Southern Skywatch February, 2015 edition is now out at its New Home!
The February edition of Southern Skywatch is now up at its new home.
Err, so what happened to the January edition? Bushfires, heatwaves, family stuff and comets kept me from finishing.
This month a bit of planetary action with the opposition of Jupiter.
Jupiter rises higher in the evening sky and is at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest, this month.
Mars is becoming harder to see in the western evening twilight. Mars comes closer to Venus and the pair are close to the crescent Moon on the 21st.
Saturn is now high in the morning sky. It is in the head of the constellation of Scorpius, the Scorpion. It is close to the waning Moon on the 13th.
Venus is readily visible in the evening sky. Over the Month it comes closer to Mars
Mercury returns to the morning sky. This is the best time to see Mercury in the morning sky. It is close to the crescent Moon on the 17th.
Labels: southern skywatch
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
The Sky This Week - Thursday February 12 to Thursday February 19
The New Moon is Thursday February 19. Venus is prominent in the
twilight evening
sky. Mars is just visible
in the early evening twilight and is coming closer to Venus. Jupiter is
visible in the late evening sky and is just past opposition, when it is biggest and brightest in our sky. Saturn is in the
head of the Scorpion, with the Moon nearby on the 13th. Mercury becomes prominent in the morning sky with the crescent Moon nearby on the 17th.
The New Moon is Thursday February 19.
Evening sky on Saturday February 14 looking west as seen from Adelaide
at
21:00
(9:00 pm) ACDST in South Australia. Mars is low in the twilight, with
Venus below it. Similar views will be seen
elsewhere
at the equivalent local time (click to embiggen).
Venus is easy to see low above the western horizon in the twilight. At civil twilight, half an hour after sunset, it is around one and a half hand-spans above the horizon. Venus is also three finger-widths below Mars.
Mars is still seen low in the western evening sky, setting just around 9:30 pm daylight saving time (just before twilight ends). Mars is becoming harder and harder to see as it lowers deeper into the twilight, and you may need binoculars to pick it up.
As the week goes on Mars and Venus approach each other, the pair will be closest on the 22nd.
Evening sky on Saturday February 14 looking north-east as seen from
Adelaide
at 22:00 ACDST showing Jupiter. The inset shows
Jupiter's Moons at 22:00 on the 14th. Jupiter is the brightest object
above the north-eastern horizon. (click
to embiggen).
Jupiter is now easily seen in the late evening sky. It is the brightest object above the north-eastern horizon when twilight ends. It is not far from the bright star Regulus in the sickle of Leo (this forms the head of the constellation of the Lion).
Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest in our sky, on the 7th, but it will be an excellnet object for may weeks to come. Jupiter is visible all night and is high enough for decent telescopic observation from around 11 pm, although its visibility will improve in the coming weeks. Jupiter's Moons will be putting on a good display in both binoculars and small telescopes. On the 14th Io and its shadow transits the face of Jupiter from around the end of twilight for about an hour, adn on the 17th Ganymede and its shadow transits from around 2:30 am.
Morning sky on Tuesday February 17 looking east as seen from
Adelaide
at 5:30 am ACDST . Mercury is below the asterism of the teapot. . The thin crescent Moon is close by. (click
to embiggen).
Saturn climbs still higher in the morning sky. It is now easily visible before twilight near the head of the constellation of the Scorpion not far from the bright red star Antares. The sight of the distinctive constellation of the Scorpion curled above the horizon, with bright Saturn in its head, is very nice indeed.
On the 13th the crescent Moon is close to Saturn.
Mercury climbs hight in the morning twilight and should be reasonably easy to see a hand-span above the horizon and hour before sunrise under the Teapot of Sagittarius. On the 17th the thin crescent Moon is close to Mercury.
There are lots of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. Especially with Jupiter just past opposition. If you don't have a telescope, now is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.
Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEDST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
The New Moon is Thursday February 19.
Venus is easy to see low above the western horizon in the twilight. At civil twilight, half an hour after sunset, it is around one and a half hand-spans above the horizon. Venus is also three finger-widths below Mars.
Mars is still seen low in the western evening sky, setting just around 9:30 pm daylight saving time (just before twilight ends). Mars is becoming harder and harder to see as it lowers deeper into the twilight, and you may need binoculars to pick it up.
As the week goes on Mars and Venus approach each other, the pair will be closest on the 22nd.
Jupiter is now easily seen in the late evening sky. It is the brightest object above the north-eastern horizon when twilight ends. It is not far from the bright star Regulus in the sickle of Leo (this forms the head of the constellation of the Lion).
Jupiter was at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest in our sky, on the 7th, but it will be an excellnet object for may weeks to come. Jupiter is visible all night and is high enough for decent telescopic observation from around 11 pm, although its visibility will improve in the coming weeks. Jupiter's Moons will be putting on a good display in both binoculars and small telescopes. On the 14th Io and its shadow transits the face of Jupiter from around the end of twilight for about an hour, adn on the 17th Ganymede and its shadow transits from around 2:30 am.
Saturn climbs still higher in the morning sky. It is now easily visible before twilight near the head of the constellation of the Scorpion not far from the bright red star Antares. The sight of the distinctive constellation of the Scorpion curled above the horizon, with bright Saturn in its head, is very nice indeed.
On the 13th the crescent Moon is close to Saturn.
Mercury climbs hight in the morning twilight and should be reasonably easy to see a hand-span above the horizon and hour before sunrise under the Teapot of Sagittarius. On the 17th the thin crescent Moon is close to Mercury.
There are lots of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. Especially with Jupiter just past opposition. If you don't have a telescope, now is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.
Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEDST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
Labels: weekly sky
Sunday, February 08, 2015
Jupiter Overexposed (8 February 2015)
 |  |
| My image of Jupiter taken through the 114 mm Newtonian with 25 mm eyepiece and my Canon IXUS using infinity to infinity focusing (400 ASA, 1 second exposure). 8 February at 9:30 pm | Stellarium prediction for the moons at 11 pm |
I couldn't be bothered setting up the webcam CCD camera (anybody got an old laptop with WIndows 2000 they want to get rid off? That way I can replace my current lash up (computer monitor to replace broken latop monitor, and needing mains power as the computer battery is shot) which takes about an hour to set up), so I used the Canon IXUS setup. Unfortunately I can't go below a second exposure, so the image of Jupiter is overexposed and slightly trailed.
Hopefully I will have time to set up the webcam at some stage, but it was nice to capture Jupiter tonight, the day after opposition.
Labels: Jupiter, Opposition, telescope
Opposition of Jupiter, 7 February 2015
Opposition of a planet from Earth's perspective is when a planet is directly opposite the sun as seen from Earth. At this time the planet is at its biggest and brightest as seen from Earth (well, its a bit more complicated than that but bear with me).
Jupiter was at opposition on February 7... at 4am. So go outside and have a look tonight. Jupiter's magnitude will stay around -2.6 (being the brightest object in the sky once Venus has set) for a week, and when it drops too magnitude -2.5, you will need good eyesight and a practised eye to notice the difference.
Unlike Mars, Jupiter's diameter will not change sufficiently to be different in any but the most high end telescopes for many weeks. Last night Jupiter was 45.3 arc seconds in diameter, tonight is is 45.29 arc seconds.
Jupiter is now visible all night long, rising in the east as Venus sets in the west. Easily visible in the evening as the brightest object in the north-eastern skies, it is best for telescopic views, being high enough above the horizon murk and turbulence, for around 11 pm local time on. It is highest around 1 am local daylight saving time (midnight local standard time) above the northern horizon.
Aside from its obvious brightness, Jupiter is easy to find as it is close to the bright star Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation of Leo. Regulus forms the handle of the hook-shaped asterism of the sickle of Leo.
The following ephemeris is for ACDST, but can be easily converted to local time. Ast Twi is astronomical twilight, when the sky is finally dark, rise, set are obvious and transit is when the planet is due north.
Date Ast Twi Rise Set Transit Diam " Mag 07 Feb 2015 21:52:09 20:12:50 06:45:54 01:31:33 45.30 -2.6 08 Feb 2015 21:50:53 20:08:31 06:41:19 01:27:06 45.29 -2.6 09 Feb 2015 21:49:35 20:04:11 06:36:44 01:22:39 45.28 -2.6 10 Feb 2015 21:48:17 19:59:52 06:32:09 01:18:12 45.27 -2.6 11 Feb 2015 21:46:58 19:55:32 06:27:34 01:13:44 45.26 -2.6 12 Feb 2015 21:45:37 19:51:13 06:22:59 01:09:17 45.24 -2.6 13 Feb 2015 21:44:16 19:46:53 06:18:24 01:04:50 45.22 -2.6 14 Feb 2015 21:42:54 19:42:34 06:13:50 01:00:23 45.19 -2.6 15 Feb 2015 21:41:31 19:38:15 06:09:16 00:55:57 45.16 -2.5 16 Feb 2015 21:40:08 19:33:56 06:04:42 00:51:30 45.13 -2.5 17 Feb 2015 21:38:43 19:29:37 06:00:08 00:47:04 45.10 -2.5 18 Feb 2015 21:37:18 19:25:18 05:55:35 00:42:37 45.06 -2.5 19 Feb 2015 21:35:53 19:20:59 05:51:02 00:38:11 45.02 -2.5 20 Feb 2015 21:34:26 19:16:41 05:46:29 00:33:46 44.97 -2.5 21 Feb 2015 21:33:00 19:12:23 05:41:57 00:29:20 44.93 -2.5 22 Feb 2015 21:31:32 19:08:04 05:37:25 00:24:55 44.88 -2.5 23 Feb 2015 21:30:04 19:03:47 05:32:53 00:20:30 44.82 -2.5 24 Feb 2015 21:28:36 18:59:29 05:28:22 00:16:06 44.77 -2.5 25 Feb 2015 21:27:07 18:55:12 05:23:51 00:11:42 44.71 -2.5 26 Feb 2015 21:25:38 18:50:55 05:19:21 00:07:18 44.65 -2.5 27 Feb 2015 21:24:09 18:46:38 05:14:51 00:02:54 44.59 -2.5
The Moons of Jupiter are easily seen in binoculars or even a small telescope, and you can see them winking out as they go into eclipse. In larger telescopes, you can see them (and sometimes their shadows) cross the face of Jupiter. The Great Red Spot (more pale salmon now) can been seen too. Times of notable Jupiter events and when the great red spot is in the middle of the face of Jupiter are given below in AEDST (subtract an hour for AEST, half an hour for ACDST etc.)
Mon 9 Feb 0:35 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Mon 9 Feb 20:26 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Mon 9 Feb 23:52 Gan: Transit Begins T Tue 10 Feb 0:09 Gan: Shadow Transit Begins ST Tue 10 Feb 3:30 Gan: Transit Ends S Tue 10 Feb 3:48 Gan: Shadow Transit Ends Tue 10 Feb 6:22 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Wed 11 Feb 2:13 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Wed 11 Feb 22:04 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Thu 12 Feb 5:29 Io : Disappears into Occultation Fri 13 Feb 2:39 Io : Transit Begins T Fri 13 Feb 2:48 Io : Shadow Transit Begins ST Fri 13 Feb 3:51 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Fri 13 Feb 4:57 Io : Transit Ends S Fri 13 Feb 5:06 Io : Shadow Transit Ends Fri 13 Feb 6:04 Eur: Disappears into Occultation Fri 13 Feb 23:42 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Fri 13 Feb 23:55 Io : Disappears into Occultation Sat 14 Feb 2:24 Io : Reappears from Eclipse Sat 14 Feb 21:05 Io : Transit Begins T Sat 14 Feb 21:17 Io : Shadow Transit Begins ST Sat 14 Feb 23:23 Io : Transit Ends S Sat 14 Feb 23:34 Io : Shadow Transit Ends Sun 15 Feb 0:53 Eur: Transit Begins T Sun 15 Feb 1:17 Eur: Shadow Transit Begins ST Sun 15 Feb 3:48 Eur: Transit Ends S Sun 15 Feb 4:12 Eur: Shadow Transit Ends Sun 15 Feb 5:29 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Sun 15 Feb 20:53 Io : Reappears from Eclipse Mon 16 Feb 1:20 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Mon 16 Feb 21:11 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Mon 16 Feb 22:32 Eur: Reappears from Eclipse Tue 17 Feb 3:08 Gan: Transit Begins T Tue 17 Feb 4:08 Gan: Shadow Transit Begins ST Wed 18 Feb 2:58 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Wed 18 Feb 20:44 Cal: Reappears from Eclipse Wed 18 Feb 22:49 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Fri 20 Feb 4:23 Io : Transit Begins T Fri 20 Feb 4:36 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Fri 20 Feb 4:42 Io : Shadow Transit Begins ST Fri 20 Feb 21:51 Gan: Reappears from Eclipse Sat 21 Feb 0:27 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Sat 21 Feb 1:40 Io : Disappears into Occultation Sat 21 Feb 4:19 Io : Reappears from Eclipse Sat 21 Feb 20:19 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Sat 21 Feb 22:49 Io : Transit Begins T Sat 21 Feb 23:11 Io : Shadow Transit Begins ST Sun 22 Feb 1:07 Io : Transit Ends S Sun 22 Feb 1:28 Io : Shadow Transit Ends Sun 22 Feb 3:09 Eur: Transit Begins T Sun 22 Feb 3:54 Eur: Shadow Transit Begins ST Sun 22 Feb 22:47 Io : Reappears from Eclipse Mon 23 Feb 2:05 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Mon 23 Feb 21:25 Eur: Disappears into Occultation Mon 23 Feb 21:57 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Tue 24 Feb 1:06 Eur: Reappears from Eclipse Wed 25 Feb 3:44 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Wed 25 Feb 20:07 Eur: Shadow Transit Ends Wed 25 Feb 23:35 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Thu 26 Feb 21:44 Cal: Transit Begins T Fri 27 Feb 2:12 Cal: Shadow Transit Begins ST Fri 27 Feb 2:29 Cal: Transit Ends S Fri 27 Feb 20:08 Gan: Disappears into Occultation Sat 28 Feb 1:13 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian Sat 28 Feb 1:50 Gan: Reappears from Eclipse Sat 28 Feb 3:24 Io : Disappears into Occultation Sat 28 Feb 21:04 GRS: Crosses Central Meridian
Labels: binocular, Jupiter, Opposition, telescope, unaided eye
Tuesday, February 03, 2015
The Sky This Week - Thursday February 5 to Thursday February 12
The Last Quarter Moon is Thursday February 12. Venus is prominent in the
twilight evening
sky. Mars is just visible
in the early evening twilight and is coming closer to Venus. Jupiter is
visible in the late evening sky and is at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest in our sky, on the 7th. Saturn is in the
head of the Scorpion. Mercury becomes prominent in the morning sky.
The Last Quarter Moon is Thursday February 12. The Moon is at apogee, when it is furthest form the Earth, on the 6th.
Evening sky on Saturday February 7 looking west as seen from Adelaide
at
21:00
(9:00 pm) ACDST in South Australia. Mars is low in the twilight, with
Venus below it. Similar views will be seen
elsewhere
at the equivalent local time (click to embiggen).
Venus is easy to see low above the western horizon in the twilight. At civil twilight, half an hour after sunset, it is around one and a half hand-spans above the horizon. Venus is also a hand-span below Mars.
Mars is still seen low in the western evening sky, setting just before 10:00 pm daylight saving time (just as twilight ends). Mars is becoming harder and harder to see as it lowers deeper into the twilight.
As the week goes on Mars and Venus approach each other, the pair will be closest on the 22nd.
Evening sky on Saturday February 7 looking north-east as seen from
Adelaide
at 22:00 ACDST showing Jupiter. The inset shows
Jupiter's Moons at 22:00 on the 2nd. Jupiter is the brightest object
above the north-eastern horizon. (click
to embiggen).
Jupiter is now easily seen in the late evening sky. It is the brightest object above the north-eastern horizon when twilight ends. It is not far from the bright star Regulus in the sickle of Leo (this forms the head of the constellation of the Lion).
Jupiter is high enough for telescopic observation just before midnight, although its visibility will improve in the coming weeks. Jupiter's Moons will be putting on a good display in both binoculars and small telescopes. Jupiter is at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest in our sky, on the 7th. On the 7th Europa and its shadow transits the face of Jupiter from around the end of twilight for about an hour.
Morning sky on Thursday February 12 looking east as seen from
Adelaide
at 4:00 am ACDST . Saturn is in the head of the Scorpion, not far from Antares at this time. The Last Quarter Moon is close by. (click
to embiggen).
Saturn climbs still higher in the morning sky. It is now easily visible before twilight near the head of the constellation of the Scorpion not far from the bright red star Antares. The sight of the distinctive constellation of the Scorpion curled above the horizon, with bright Saturn in its head, is very nice indeed.
Mercury climbs hight in the morning twilight and should be reasonably easy to see a hand-span above the horizon and hour before sunrise by the end of the week under the Teapot of Sagittarius. In the coming weeks Mercury will be putting on a decent display.
There are lots of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. Especially with the comet in the early evening sky. If you don't have a telescope, now is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.
Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEDST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
The Last Quarter Moon is Thursday February 12. The Moon is at apogee, when it is furthest form the Earth, on the 6th.
Venus is easy to see low above the western horizon in the twilight. At civil twilight, half an hour after sunset, it is around one and a half hand-spans above the horizon. Venus is also a hand-span below Mars.
Mars is still seen low in the western evening sky, setting just before 10:00 pm daylight saving time (just as twilight ends). Mars is becoming harder and harder to see as it lowers deeper into the twilight.
As the week goes on Mars and Venus approach each other, the pair will be closest on the 22nd.
Jupiter is now easily seen in the late evening sky. It is the brightest object above the north-eastern horizon when twilight ends. It is not far from the bright star Regulus in the sickle of Leo (this forms the head of the constellation of the Lion).
Jupiter is high enough for telescopic observation just before midnight, although its visibility will improve in the coming weeks. Jupiter's Moons will be putting on a good display in both binoculars and small telescopes. Jupiter is at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest in our sky, on the 7th. On the 7th Europa and its shadow transits the face of Jupiter from around the end of twilight for about an hour.
Saturn climbs still higher in the morning sky. It is now easily visible before twilight near the head of the constellation of the Scorpion not far from the bright red star Antares. The sight of the distinctive constellation of the Scorpion curled above the horizon, with bright Saturn in its head, is very nice indeed.
Mercury climbs hight in the morning twilight and should be reasonably easy to see a hand-span above the horizon and hour before sunrise by the end of the week under the Teapot of Sagittarius. In the coming weeks Mercury will be putting on a decent display.
There are lots of interesting things in the sky to view with a telescope. Especially with the comet in the early evening sky. If you don't have a telescope, now is a good time to visit one of your local astronomical societies open nights or the local planetariums.
Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEDST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
Labels: weekly sky
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