Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Thursday April 27 to Thursday May 4
The First Quarter Moon is Friday, April 28. Saturn is climbing in the morning twilight. Venus is prominent in the evening twilight and starts the week making a triangle with Elnath and Zeta Taurii, the stars that make the horns of the Bull. Venus forms a line with them by the 1st. Bright Mars forms a triangle with the bright stars Castor and Pollux. Venus, Mars and the waxing Moon form a line on the 27th. ETA Aquariids meteor shower starts.
The First Quarter Moon is Friday, April 28. The Moon is also at apogee, when it is farthest from the Earth, on the 28th.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes before sunrise).
Evening sky on Monday, May 1 as seen from Adelaide at 18:36 ACST, (60 minutes after sunset, click
to embiggen). Venus forms a line with the stars Elnath and zeta Taurii.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent
local time (60 minutes after sunset).
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).
Morning sky on Wednesday, May 6 looking east as seen from Adelaide at 5:00 am local time in South Australia showing the eta Aquariid meteor shower radiant as a star burst. Similar views will be seen elsewhere at the equivalent local time (click to embiggen).
The eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks on the late evening/early morning of 5-7 May in Australia, however the rising Moon reduces the rates on these dates, and the 4th is a reasonable night for viewing with about a meteor every six minutes.
Between the bright star
Canopus and the Southern Cross are another wealth of binocular objects to
discover.
Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).
Mercury returns to the morning twilight, but will be almost impossible to see.
Venus climbs higher in the twilight and forms a line with the stars Elnath and zeta Taurii.
Mars forms a triangle with the bright stars Castor and Pollux.
Jupiter is now lost in the twilight.
Saturn climbs higher in the morning skies.
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
Monday, April 24, 2023
Aurora Alert April 24, 2023
This morning a G4 geomagnetic storm saw auroras as far north as Dubbo, NSW (at 5 am!). The storm continued during daylight hours in Australia, dying down before sunset. there is currently a G1 storm going on and some aurora are bring reported in Victoria, and another G4 session is predicted for later tonight.
The Moon is just past new and will not significantly interfere with seeing aurora. Keep an eye out and be patient, as the magnetic polarity of the wind fluctuates significantly and aurora may come and go.
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.
Labels: aurora
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Livestreams for the Hybrid Solar Eclipse April 20, 2023
If you can't be at Northwest cape for the April 20, Hybrid Solar eclipse, then you can watch it on several live streams set up for the purpose.
The live streams should start around 10:00 am AWST (11:30 am ACST, 12:00 AEST, 0136 UT) Totality is 11:29 AWST (13:30 ACST, 14:00 AEST)
Perth Observatory: https://perthobservatory.com.au/astronomy/solar-eclipse-live-stream
Time and date: https://www.timeanddate.com/live/eclipse-solar-2023-april-20
Gravity discovery Center: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWEv1DWel3Y
For a guide to the partial eclipse seen from the rest of Australia See my eclipse page (don't forget do NOT look directly at the Sun! and use safe solar observing techniques):
http://astroblogger.blogspot.com/2023/04/hybrid-solar-eclipse-april-20-2023.html
Labels: eclipse, solar, solar eclipse, Sun
Monday, April 17, 2023
Thursday April 20 to Thursday April 27
The New Moon is Thursday, April 20. Solar Eclipse April 20, partial in most of Australia. Saturn is climbing in the morning twilight. Venus is prominent in the evening twilight and close to the crescent Moon on the 23rd. Venus starts the week below the Hyades cluster and ends the week making a triangle with Elnath and Zeta Taurii, the stars that make the horns of the Bull. Bright Mars is close to the crescent Moon the 26th.
The New Moon is Thursday, April 20. Solar Eclipse, partial in most of Australia.
Morning
sky on Saturday, April 22 as seen from Adelaide at 05:19 ACST, (90 minutes before sunrise, click
to embiggen). Saturn is below Capricorn.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes before sunrise).
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset).
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).
On 20th April the Sun will be eclipsed at the very edge of Australia,
the path of totality will pass over the northwest cape in WA.
The rest of Australia sees a partial eclipse, with WA having the best
view, Broome and Geraldton see >80% of the Sun covered: Darwin 80%,
Perth 71%, Cairns 50%M Townsville 36% and Adelaide 21%. the partial
eclipse begins around 10 am local time WA, 12 pm central states and 1 pm
Eastern states.
Do NOT look directly at the Sun! Do not use so called filters. Over exposed film, smoked glass, CD's, chip packets etc. used as filters are NOT, repeat NOT safe. Only special solar-rated viewing spectacles from astronomical suppliers should be used or safe solar projection.
Links to timings for selected cities, charts and safe solar observing techniques can be found at my eclipse site.
Between the bright star
Canopus and the Southern Cross are another wealth of binocular objects to
discover.
Elsewhere
in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset) although the ISS pass time may vary a bit.
Mercury returns to the morning twilight, but will be almost impossible to see.
Venus climbs higher in the twilight and is close to to the crescent Moon on the 23rd.
Mars is closest to the crescent Moon on the 26th.
Jupiter is now lost in the twilight.
Saturn climbs higher in the morning skies.
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
Thursday, April 13, 2023
Bright ISS passes 14 April to 21 April 2023
 |  |  |
| The ISS as seen from Brisbane on the evening of Saturday 15 April at 18:48 AEST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot). Click to embiggen. | The ISS as seen from Adelaide on the evening of Sunday 16 April at 19:08 ACST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot). Click to embiggen. | The ISS as seen from Perth on the evening of Sunday 16 April at 19:08 AWST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot). Click to embiggen. |
 |  |  |
| All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Saturday 15 April for Brisbane. | All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Sunday 16 April for Adelaide. | All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Sunday 16 April for Perth. |
Over the next few days
there are a series
of bright ISS passes in
the late evening twilight/early evening. The ISS passes close to the several bright stars. For several sites the ISS passes very close to bright Venus (Brisbane, Perth (see above) Sydney on the 18th, you will need a level, unobstructed horizon to see this at its best).
The following tables are from data provided from Heavens Above.
Particularly impressive passes are highlighted in yellow, passes entering the shadow in blue.
Passes from Adelaide (ACST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Apr | -1.9 | 05:40:54 | 15° | WNW | 05:41:07 | 15° | NW | 05:43:11 | 10° | NNW | visible |
| 13 Apr | -1.1 | 04:55:46 | 12° | N | 04:55:46 | 12° | N | 04:56:08 | 10° | N | visible |
| 13 Apr | -0.8 | 19:53:37 | 10° | NNW | 19:53:38 | 10° | NNW | 19:53:38 | 10° | NNW | visible |
| 14 Apr | -2.3 | 19:06:03 | 10° | N | 19:08:20 | 23° | NE | 19:08:20 | 23° | NE | visible |
| 15 Apr | -1.6 | 18:19:12 | 10° | NNE | 18:20:49 | 13° | NE | 18:22:27 | 10° | E | visible |
| 15 Apr | -1.7 | 19:53:57 | 10° | WNW | 19:55:50 | 28° | W | 19:55:50 | 28° | W | visible |
| 16 Apr | -3.9 | 19:05:40 | 10° | NW | 19:09:01 | 86° | NNE | 19:10:10 | 39° | SE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -3.2 | 18:17:40 | 10° | NNW | 18:20:52 | 43° | NE | 18:24:06 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -1.2 | 19:55:14 | 10° | W | 19:57:19 | 19° | SW | 19:57:19 | 19° | SW | visible |
| 18 Apr | -2.1 | 19:06:22 | 10° | W | 19:09:23 | 30° | SW | 19:11:21 | 17° | SSE | visible |
| 19 Apr | -3.0 | 18:17:45 | 10° | WNW | 18:21:02 | 52° | SW | 18:24:23 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 20 Apr | -1.0 | 19:08:02 | 10° | WSW | 19:09:53 | 14° | SSW | 19:11:45 | 10° | S | visible |
| 21 Apr | -1.5 | 18:18:45 | 10° | W | 18:21:22 | 20° | SSW | 18:23:59 | 10° | SSE | visible |
Passes from Brisbane (AEST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Apr | -3.7 | 04:37:55 | 60° | SSW | 04:38:25 | 79° | SE | 04:41:49 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 12 Apr | -0.6 | 19:35:48 | 10° | NW | 19:35:49 | 10° | NW | 19:35:49 | 10° | NW | visible |
| 13 Apr | -0.7 | 03:52:46 | 15° | ENE | 03:52:46 | 15° | ENE | 03:53:30 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 13 Apr | -1.6 | 05:25:45 | 11° | WNW | 05:26:45 | 12° | NW | 05:28:09 | 10° | NNW | visible |
| 13 Apr | -3.0 | 18:47:58 | 10° | NNW | 18:50:39 | 35° | NNE | 18:50:39 | 35° | NNE | visible |
| 14 Apr | -1.5 | 04:40:39 | 15° | N | 04:40:39 | 15° | N | 04:41:34 | 10° | N | visible |
| 14 Apr | -2.1 | 18:00:40 | 10° | N | 18:03:04 | 18° | NE | 18:05:20 | 11° | E | visible |
| 14 Apr | -1.0 | 19:36:51 | 10° | W | 19:38:18 | 19° | WSW | 19:38:18 | 19° | WSW | visible |
| 15 Apr | -2.9 | 18:48:11 | 10° | WNW | 18:51:26 | 47° | SW | 18:52:49 | 28° | SSE | visible |
| 16 Apr | -3.8 | 17:59:54 | 10° | NW | 18:03:14 | 78° | NE | 18:06:37 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -1.0 | 18:49:51 | 10° | WSW | 18:51:55 | 15° | SW | 18:53:59 | 10° | S | visible |
| 18 Apr | -1.8 | 18:00:38 | 10° | WNW | 18:03:31 | 26° | SW | 18:06:26 | 10° | SSE | visible |
Passes from Darwin (ACT)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Apr | -0.9 | 05:42:20 | 10° | S | 05:44:34 | 16° | SE | 05:46:47 | 10° | E | visible |
| 12 Apr | -2.3 | 19:00:00 | 10° | N | 19:02:35 | 21° | NE | 19:05:10 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 12 Apr | -0.7 | 20:37:23 | 10° | W | 20:38:49 | 14° | WSW | 20:38:49 | 14° | WSW | visible |
| 13 Apr | -3.2 | 06:29:56 | 10° | SW | 06:33:09 | 41° | NW | 06:36:20 | 10° | NNE | visible |
| 13 Apr | -1.9 | 19:48:06 | 10° | WNW | 19:51:02 | 28° | SW | 19:53:38 | 12° | S | visible |
| 14 Apr | -3.7 | 05:43:38 | 32° | SSW | 05:45:04 | 78° | SE | 05:48:26 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 14 Apr | -3.5 | 18:59:36 | 10° | NW | 19:02:54 | 70° | SW | 19:06:14 | 10° | SSE | visible |
| 15 Apr | -1.1 | 04:58:31 | 21° | E | 04:58:31 | 21° | E | 04:59:59 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 16 Apr | -1.8 | 05:46:20 | 17° | NNW | 05:46:20 | 17° | NNW | 05:47:49 | 10° | N | visible |
| 16 Apr | -0.9 | 19:01:17 | 10° | W | 19:03:17 | 15° | SW | 19:05:16 | 10° | SSW | visible |
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 15 Apr | -1.5 | 18:51:50 | 10° | NNE | 18:52:50 | 13° | NE | 18:52:50 | 13° | NE | visible |
| 16 Apr | -2.0 | 19:38:25 | 10° | NW | 19:40:08 | 27° | NW | 19:40:08 | 27° | NW | visible |
| 17 Apr | -3.0 | 18:50:29 | 10° | NNW | 18:53:36 | 36° | NE | 18:54:18 | 32° | ENE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -0.2 | 20:27:10 | 10° | W | 20:27:15 | 10° | W | 20:27:15 | 10° | W | visible |
| 18 Apr | -2.2 | 18:02:50 | 10° | N | 18:05:29 | 22° | NE | 18:08:10 | 10° | E | visible |
| 18 Apr | -2.5 | 19:38:41 | 10° | WNW | 19:41:17 | 42° | WSW | 19:41:17 | 42° | WSW | visible |
| 19 Apr | -3.8 | 18:50:19 | 10° | WNW | 18:53:42 | 84° | SW | 18:55:10 | 32° | SE | visible |
| 19 Apr | -0.1 | 20:28:02 | 10° | WSW | 20:28:06 | 10° | WSW | 20:28:06 | 10° | WSW | visible |
| 20 Apr | -3.5 | 18:02:06 | 10° | NW | 18:05:25 | 58° | NE | 18:08:46 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 20 Apr | -1.9 | 19:39:21 | 10° | W | 19:41:52 | 27° | SW | 19:41:52 | 27° | SW | visible |
| 21 Apr | -2.6 | 18:50:41 | 10° | W | 18:53:54 | 38° | SSW | 18:55:32 | 23° | SSE | visible |
Passes from Melbourne (AEST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Apr | -1.1 | 04:37:54 | 15° | NE | 04:37:54 | 15° | NE | 04:38:34 | 10° | NE | visible |
| 14 Apr | -1.6 | 19:37:13 | 10° | NNW | 19:38:18 | 18° | N | 19:38:18 | 18° | N | visible |
| 15 Apr | -2.1 | 18:49:50 | 10° | N | 18:52:15 | 18° | NE | 18:52:50 | 18° | ENE | visible |
| 15 Apr | -0.4 | 20:25:33 | 10° | WNW | 20:25:48 | 12° | WNW | 20:25:48 | 12° | WNW | visible |
| 16 Apr | -3.4 | 19:37:10 | 10° | NW | 19:40:08 | 63° | W | 19:40:08 | 63° | W | visible |
| 17 Apr | -3.7 | 18:49:01 | 10° | NW | 18:52:20 | 59° | NE | 18:54:19 | 22° | ESE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -0.3 | 20:26:46 | 10° | WSW | 20:27:15 | 12° | WSW | 20:27:15 | 12° | WSW | visible |
| 18 Apr | -2.1 | 19:37:56 | 10° | W | 19:40:55 | 28° | SSW | 19:41:17 | 27° | SSW | visible |
| 19 Apr | -2.8 | 18:49:16 | 10° | WNW | 18:52:31 | 44° | SW | 18:55:10 | 14° | SE | visible |
| 20 Apr | -1.2 | 19:39:20 | 10° | WSW | 19:41:24 | 15° | SSW | 19:41:52 | 15° | SSW | visible |
| 21 Apr | -1.5 | 18:50:14 | 10° | WSW | 18:52:51 | 20° | SSW | 18:55:29 | 10° | SSE | visible |
Passes from Perth (AWST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Apr | -0.4 | 04:10:54 | 12° | E | 04:10:54 | 12° | E | 04:11:13 | 10° | ENE | visible |
| 12 Apr | -2.1 | 05:43:53 | 17° | WNW | 05:44:44 | 18° | NW | 05:47:10 | 10° | N | visible |
| 13 Apr | -1.6 | 04:58:45 | 18° | N | 04:58:45 | 18° | N | 04:59:53 | 10° | NNE | visible |
| 13 Apr | -1.1 | 19:55:53 | 10° | NW | 19:56:36 | 15° | NW | 19:56:36 | 15° | NW | visible |
| 14 Apr | -3.1 | 19:08:02 | 10° | NNW | 19:11:09 | 36° | NE | 19:11:17 | 36° | NE | visible |
| 15 Apr | -2.1 | 18:20:41 | 10° | N | 18:23:06 | 19° | NE | 18:25:33 | 10° | E | visible |
| 15 Apr | -1.5 | 19:56:41 | 10° | WNW | 19:58:44 | 25° | WSW | 19:58:44 | 25° | WSW | visible |
| 16 Apr | -3.2 | 19:08:07 | 10° | WNW | 19:11:25 | 55° | SW | 19:13:04 | 26° | SSE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -3.8 | 18:19:52 | 10° | NW | 18:23:12 | 71° | NE | 18:26:35 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 17 Apr | -0.7 | 19:58:50 | 10° | WSW | 20:00:12 | 12° | SSW | 20:00:12 | 12° | SSW | visible |
| 18 Apr | -1.3 | 19:09:20 | 10° | W | 19:11:51 | 19° | SW | 19:14:12 | 11° | S | visible |
| 19 Apr | -2.1 | 18:20:23 | 10° | WNW | 18:23:26 | 31° | SW | 18:26:31 | 10° | SSE | visible |
| 21 Apr | -1.0 | 18:22:10 | 10° | WSW | 18:23:48 | 13° | SSW | 18:25:27 | 10° | S | visible |
Passes from Sydney (AEST)
| Date | Brightness | Start | Highest point | End | Pass type | ||||||
| (mag) | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | Time | Alt. | Az. | ||
| 12 Apr | -2.7 | 04:37:55 | 37° | N | 04:37:55 | 37° | N | 04:40:13 | 10° | NNE | visible |
| 13 Apr | -1.4 | 18:50:02 | 10° | NNE | 18:50:39 | 12° | NNE | 18:50:39 | 12° | NNE | visible |
| 14 Apr | -1.3 | 19:37:09 | 10° | NW | 19:38:18 | 20° | NW | 19:38:18 | 20° | NW | visible |
| 15 Apr | -3.7 | 18:49:04 | 10° | NNW | 18:52:22 | 56° | NE | 18:52:49 | 50° | E | visible |
| 16 Apr | -2.6 | 18:01:21 | 10° | N | 18:04:16 | 28° | NE | 18:07:11 | 10° | ESE | visible |
| 16 Apr | -1.3 | 19:38:11 | 10° | W | 19:40:08 | 21° | WSW | 19:40:08 | 21° | WSW | visible |
| 17 Apr | -2.6 | 18:49:28 | 10° | WNW | 18:52:40 | 40° | SW | 18:54:19 | 23° | SSE | visible |
| 18 Apr | -3.6 | 18:01:01 | 10° | NW | 18:04:23 | 77° | SW | 18:07:47 | 10° | SE | visible |
| 18 Apr | -0.6 | 19:40:34 | 10° | SW | 19:41:17 | 11° | SSW | 19:41:17 | 11° | SSW | visible |
| 19 Apr | -1.1 | 18:50:53 | 10° | WSW | 18:53:07 | 16° | SSW | 18:55:10 | 11° | S | visible |
| 20 Apr | -1.8 | 18:01:47 | 10° | W | 18:04:38 | 25° | SW | 18:07:31 | 10° | SSE | visible |
When and what you will see is VERY location dependent, so you need to use Heavens Above to get site specific predictions for your location, a small difference in location can mean the difference between the ISS passing over a star or planet or missing it completely.
As always, start looking several minutes before the pass is going to start to get yourself oriented and your eyes dark adapted. Be patient, there may be slight differences in the time of the ISS appearing due to orbit changes not picked up by the predictions. Use the most recent prediction for your site.
Labels: ISS, Satellite, unaided eye
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Hybrid Solar Eclipse, April 20, 2023
On 20th April the Sun will be eclipsed at the very edge of Australia, the path of totality will pass over the northwest cape in WA, being visible from Exmouth and Learmonth. If you haven’t already booked your campsite or hotel, it is too late, it was all booked out months ago. This is a hybrid eclipse, which annular in some parts of its path and total in others.
The rest of Australia sees a partial eclipse, with WA having the best view, Broome and Geraldton see >80% of the Sun covered: Darwin 80%, Perth 71%, Cairns 50%, Townsville 36% and Adelaide 21%. the partial eclipse begins around 10 am local time WA, 12 pm central states and 1 pm Eastern states (see table below for detailed times and eclipse coverage for selected cities, for places in between these cities the coverage will be about midway and the times similar).
A map showing eclipse times in Universal Time is here.
Do NOT look directly at the Sun! Do not use so called filters. Over exposed film, smoked glass, CD's, chip packets etc. used as filters are NOT, repeat NOT safe. Only special solar-rated viewing spectacles from astronomical suppliers should be used (for one example see here), they may cost a bit, but your eyesight is without price. Never
use eyepiece filters for telescopes. These can crack at inopportune
times and destroy your eyesight. In the annular eclipse path, as there
is always some of the solar disk visible, at no time is it safe to view the eclipse with the unaided eye.
The easiest and cheapest way to observe this event is by making a
pinhole in a stiff square of cardboard and projecting the image of the
Sun onto a flat surface. You are basically making a simple pinhole
camera, which will reveal the changes to the Suns outline quite
satisfactorily. A card with a 1 mm hole should be projected onto a
surface (eg white paper, or a white wall) about 20 cm away, a 5 mm hole
should be projected onto a surface 1 to 1.5 meters away.
You need to create a reasonable sized image, so you need a fair distance
between the pinhole and the surface you project the image on. This will
mean the image is going to be fairly dim, so you also need some sort of
sun shield to keep in image in shadow. I use the longest available
postpac postal tube, with alfoil over the top (and the pinhole in the
alfoil), and wide ring of stiff cardboard to ensure that the image of
the sun is projected into a dark area. This link will show you several
methods to make pinhole projection systems.
You are not limited to holes in cardboard, I have used Water crackers and colanders and gaps between leaves as projection systems.
You can also use binocular and telescopic projection systems. This link will show you how to make safe solar viewing and telescope projection systems. Here is my step by step guide to making a binocular projection system, and a guide to aiming your binoculars or telescope when you can't actually look at the Sun. And this is the projection system I use with my refractor telescope.
Remember, do NOT look directly at the Sun, as irreparable eye damage or blindness can occur (see this video for a graphic demonstration).
| City | Eclipse Start | Mid Eclipse | Eclipse End | % Sun covered |
| Adelaide (ACST) | 12:22 | 13:29 | 14:34 | 21 |
| Alice Springs (ACST) | 12:13 | 13:37 | 15:01 | 48 |
| Brisbane (AEST) | 13:44 | 14:45 | 15:42 | 16 |
| Broome (AWST) | 10:22 am | 11:53 am | 13:27 | 89 |
| Cairns (AEST) | 13:25 | 14:49 | 16:05 | 42 |
| Canberra (AEST) | 13:28 | 14:21 | 15:11 | 10 |
| Darwin (ACST) | 12:18 | 13:52 | 15:25 | 81 |
| Geraldton (AWST) | 09:59 am | 11:22 am | 12:50 | 82 |
| Hobart (AEST) | 13:25 | 14:06 | 14:47 | 5 |
| Melbourne (AEST) | 13:15 | 14:09 | 15:01 | 11 |
| Perth (AWST) | 10:00 am | 11:21 am | 12:47 am | 71 |
| Sydney (AEST) | 13:37 | 14:29 | 15:19 | 10 |
| Townsville (AEST) | 13:27 | 14:47 | 16:00 | 36 |
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: eclipse, solar eclipse, Sun
Thursday April 13 to Thursday April 20
The New Moon is Thursday, April 20. Solar Eclipse April 20, partial in most of Australia. Venus is prominent in the twilight and close to the iconic Pleiades cluster on the 13th. Saturn is climbing in the morning twilight and bracketed by the crescent Moon on the 16th and 17th. Bright Mars is closest to the bright star Metsuba on the 14th. A series of bright ISS passes starts this week.
The New Moon is Thursday, April 20. Solar Eclipse, partial in most of Australia. The Moon is at Perigee, when it is closest to the Earth, on the 16th.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes before sunrise).
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset).
Evening sky on Friday, April 14 as seen from Adelaide at 19:18 ACST, 90 minutes after sunset (click
to embiggen). Mars is at its closest to eta Geminorum (Metsuba). Venus is just above the horizon.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).
On 20th April the Sun will be eclipsed at the very edge of Australia,
the path of totality will pass over the northwest cape in WA.
The rest of Australia sees a partial eclipse, with WA having the best
view, Broome and Geraldton see >80% of the Sun covered: Darwin 80%,
Perth 71%, Cairns 50%M Townsville 36% and Adelaide 21%. the partial
eclipse begins around 10 am local time WA, 12 pm central states and 1 pm
Eastern states.
Do NOT look directly at the Sun! Do not use so called filters. Over exposed film, smoked glass, CD's, chip packets etc. used as filters are NOT, repeat NOT safe. Only special solar-rated viewing spectacles from astronomical suppliers should be used or safe solar projection.
Links to timings for selected cities, charts and safe solar observing techniques can be found at my eclipse site.
Between the bright star
Canopus and the Southern Cross are another wealth of binocular objects to
discover.
Elsewhere
in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (85 minutes after sunset) although the ISS pass time may vary a bit.
Mercury returns to the morning twilight, but will be almost impossible to see.
Venus climbs higher in the twilight and is close to to the Pleiades on the 14th.
Mars is closest to the bright star Metsuba on the 14th.
Jupiter is now lost in the twilight.
Saturn climbs higher in the morning skies and is bracketed by the Moon on the 16th and 17th.
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
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