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Something cool for everyone.
Cpt.Stubbing
Member Posts: 269
Now that I have seen everything from Ron Paul being compared to Anakin Skywalker to Global Warming here, I feel it is safe to post this. Here something for everyone I think. Its a list of neat stuff you can observe in the night sky this next year. I cant wait to get my telescope out for the conjunction Feb. 1.
Enjoy.
Comments
/sarcasrm
Post the list.
O CRAP! My bad LOL. This is from Space.com.
February 1 — Venus/Jupiter conjunction, Part 1. This will be the first of two meetings this year between the two brightest planets in our sky. This one will occur in the morning sky, low in the east-southeast and is best seen about 45 minutes before sunup. On Feb. 4, a beautiful crescent moon will join the two planets making for an eye-catching array.
February 20-21 — Total eclipse of the moon. Less than six months after last August's total lunar eclipse, we have yet another that occurs during the late-night hours of February 20-21. This eclipse will favor much of North America, occurring during convenient evening hours, although Europeans will also be able to enjoy a view of the darkened moon before it sets. Totality will last for a bit less time than usual (50 minutes), as the moon slides to just within the southern portion of the Earth's umbra, perhaps leading to a potentially bright total phase highlighted by a brighter southern limb. Adding to this spectacle, a planet (Saturn) and a bright star (Regulus) will be close to the totally eclipsed moon forming a broad triangle.
May 10 — Occultation of the Beehive star cluster. A waxing crescent moon, 38 percent illuminated, will pass in front of the famous Beehive Cluster this evening for North Americans, making for a pretty sight in binoculars and low-power telescopes. Members of the cluster will disappear behind the moon's dark edge and will reappear about an hour later behind the bright edge.
May 21-22 — Jupiter without satellites! Anyone who points a small telescope toward the planet Jupiter will nearly always see some or all of the four famous Galilean satellites. Usually at least two or three of these moons are immediately evident; sometimes all four. It is very rare when only one moon is in view and rarer still when no moons at all are visible. On this night, for parts of the northeast U.S. and eastern Canada, Jupiter will appear moonless for about 20 minutes.
June 30 — Occultation of the Pleiades star cluster. This occultation is already in progress for the northeastern U.S. as a skinny sliver of a waning crescent moon rises in the pre-dawn sky. Earthshine should also be present, imparting a "3-D effect" in binoculars and small telescopes. The best views will come as the brighter stars of this cluster reappear along the dark lunar limb.
August 1 — Total eclipse of the sun. Siberia anyone? From Novosibirsk you'll see the late-afternoon sun completely blotted out for 2.3 minutes. Totality will also be visible from Canada's Northwest Passage, western Mongolia, and the western end of the Great Wall of China.
August 11-12 — Perseid meteor shower. At first glance this doesn't look like a favorable year to view this famous meteor display, since the moon will be in a bright waxing gibbous phase on the peak viewing night. Fortunately, the moon will set at around 1:45 a.m. local daylight time, leaving the rest of the night dark for meteor watchers.
August 16 — Partial eclipse of the moon. Europe, Africa and Asia will be in the best position to watch about four-fifths of moon become immersed in the Earth's dark umbral shadow.
September 19 — Another Pleiades occultation. A waning gibbous moon will already be within the Pleiades as it rises over the Eastern U.S. and Canada during the mid-evening hours. The reappearance of stars such as Alcyone and Taygeta should be well-seen along the moon's dark limb.
December 1 — Venus/Jupiter conjunction, Part 2. This will be the second pairing-off of the two brightest planets in 2008, this time in the evening sky soon after sundown. And as a bonus, the crescent moon will join them forming a striking triangle and likely making even those who normally don't look up at the sky take notice.
What 'scope are you getting ?
Check out the 'cool pictures' thread for a picture i took at prime focus through my scope in october (last decent night we've had, really)
BTW you seemed to have missed the list
EDIT: Ahh man, i wish i could see that venus-jupiter conjunction how close are they ? thats going to be impressive
I have a an older (analog LOL) 8" Mead that my kids and I use. I can USUALLY find what Im looking for in the sky but I'm no astronomer. We could see Jupiter pretty well with it though and Saturn last time they were around to see. That comet that exploded here recently was pretty cool too. If you like all that stuff (and by your post im gonna assume you do
) you can sign up for new alerts from space.com. You get one at least once a week, and its pretty informative. I save all the articles in a special file in my email just because I love the way their articles read.
I take it back, Im putting on my snow shoes to go see this-
August 1 — Total eclipse of the sun. Siberia anyone? From Novosibirsk you'll see the late-afternoon sun completely blotted out for 2.3 minutes. Totality will also be visible from Canada's Northwest Passage, western Mongolia, and the western end of the Great Wall of China.