stevend

*** WARNING *** NEVER, EVER LOOK AT THE SUN THROUGH OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS WITHOUT THE CORRECT SAFETY EQUIPMENT. See also here: http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/39748-imagingobserving-the-sun-a-warning/ A total solar eclipse occurs on Friday 20th March in Svalbard (Norway) and the Faroe Islands. There will be c90% coverage for Northern England and the maximum eclipse for London occurs at 0931 UT.

a double Galilean shadow transit from 1936 - 1959 UT 15:11 IV.Sh.I 19:36 I.Sh.I ** double shadow transit ** 19:59 IV.Sh.E 21:53 I.Sh.E I = Io, IV = Calisto, I/E = Ingress/Egress

The asteroid will reach its closest point to Earth at 1620 UT on Jan. 26. An asteroid, designated 2004 BL86, will safely pass about three times the distance of Earth to the moon on January 26. From its reflected brightness, astronomers estimate that the asteroid is about a third of a mile (0.5 kilometers) in size. The flyby of 2004 BL86 will be the closest by any known space rock this large until asteroid 1999 AN10 flies past Earth in 2027. At the time of its closest approach on January 26, the asteroid will be approximately 745,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) from Earth. source NASA. BL86 will be travelling through the constellations Hydra and Cancer visible in the south-southeast sky and should be between Jupiter and the Sirius. By 0600UT it will be making a close pass of the Beehive star cluster. Travelling at speeds of 56,000 km/h, it will appear to traverse the width of the full moon in just ten minutes. So the best way to identify positively that you have found the asteroid is to watch it move quickly across the backdrop of fixed stars. In the overnight hours its estimated brightness is pegged to be around 9.5 magnitude, making it just visible with large binoculars and an easy target through small backyard telescopes. source. SkyLive tracker: http://theskylive.com/2004bl86-tracker SGL thread: http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/234215-asteroid-2004-bl86-is-coming/

Just after sunset this evening the thin crescent Moon, Venus and Mercury will be in a triangular formation and particularly eye-catching through binoculars. source; National Geographic. In the UK start looking around 1700 GMT.

Tonight the Earth is between the Sun and Jupiter, so Jupiter will be visible all night and at its highest point (in the southern sky) at midnight.

DELTA LEONID METEORS - These are moderately slow meteors, traveling at about 24 KPS, and only about five per hour can be expected at most. The radiant, at astronomical coordinates: RA 10h 36m / DEC +19 deg, is found about midway between the moderately bright stars Zosma and Algeiba (the two that make the long stretch of the Lion's Back in Leo). Since the first quarter moon sets nearly at midnight, this should be a very favorable year to watch for this mysterious meteor shower. source: http://www.arksky.org/index.php?pid=248

What a way to say farewell to Mars ? From March and the following 6 months it becomes very difficult to view Mars, but before it goes going we are in for a treat. Over the course of a week Venus (moving eastwards) passes Mars (moving westwards) and the closest pass is on 21st February. From about 1830 Venus and Mars will be in the same FOV through a low power eyepiece. As an added bonus a 3 day old new moon will be nearby; the Moon, Mars and Venus will be 2 deg apart.

Mars is 0.2 degree south of Neptune at 21:00, both will be visible in the same FOV with a low power eyepiece. View from 1800 UT.

This evening Venus and Mercury (Hesperus and Hermes are their Greek names as evening starts) will be only 0.5 degrees apart. From the UK view around 1630-1700 UT just above the SW horizon.

Galileo Galilei discovered Io, Europa, and Callisto on January 7th, and Ganymede on January 13th 1610.

For the young ones in your families: the ISS flies over the UK from 1720-1726, elevation 46 degrees, direction W-SW.

A Christmas Day target: Comet Lovejoy may become visible in the UK from around the 25th December but you will need a very good view of the southern horizon. Lovejoy will be below Orion and Lepus, but it climbs steadily and should be easily viewable to many just a few days after Christmas, passing Orion in mid January. Further info: http://theskylive.com/c2014q2-info The best time to view over the Christmas period will be close to midnight. MERRY CHRISTMAS.