CentaurZ

It’s nearly time for my monthly New Moon spotting challenge. I use the term New Moon in its classical sense of one’s first sighting of the Moon after its monthly solar conjunction (Dark Moon). Sharp-eyed observers may attempt to spot the less than one-day-old Moon after sunset on Sunday, November 15^th.

Photos and descriptions of the young crescent Moon this month would be welcome additions to this thread.

On 2020 DEC 21 at 18:21 UT Jupiter and Saturn will appear to have a geocentric angular separation of only 6.1 arcminutes, the narrowest since 1623 and until 2080. However, those separations are not small enough for Jupiter to occult Saturn. The last such occultation occurred in 6857 BC, while the next two will both occur during 7541.

Great conjunctions between Jupiter and Saturn occur about every 20 years. That’s their mutual synodic (lapping) period with a mean value of 19.86 years. Sometimes the conjunctions are triple due to the effect of apparent retrograde motion, but not this time.

Photos and descriptions of the upcoming conjunction would be welcome additions to my similar thread in the Observing-Planetary forum.

On 2020 DEC 21 at 18:21 UT Jupiter and Saturn will appear to have a geocentric angular separation of only 6.1 arcminutes, the narrowest since 1623 and until 2080. However, those separations are not small enough for Jupiter to occult Saturn. The last such occultation occurred in 6857 BC, while the next two will both occur during 7541.

Great conjunctions between Jupiter and Saturn occur about every 20 years. That’s their mutual synodic (lapping) period with a mean value of 19.86 years. Sometimes the conjunctions are triple due to the effect of apparent retrograde motion, but not this time.

Photos and descriptions of the upcoming conjunction would be welcome additions to this thread.

Elusive Mercury has commenced its apparition in the predawn eastern sky following its inferior conjunction between Earth and Sun on 2020 OCT 25. This a favorable apparition for observers other than those south of the tropics.

Photos and descriptions of Mercury during this apparition would be welcome additions to this thread.

Uranus will appear in opposition to the Sun during 2020 OCT 31. At magnitude +5.7 it may be visible to sharp naked eyes under dark skies, although the Full Moon at the time of opposition would be a hindrance.

It has always amazed me that Uranus was not discovered until William Herschel pointed a telescope at it in 1781. I would imagine that countless people observed it by naked eye before then, but assumed it was a fixed star and never noticed that over a period of time it changed position relative to the actual fixed stars. I first observed it by naked eye nearly fifty years ago, but of course I knew that it existed and exactly where to look.

Photos and descriptions of Uranus would be welcome additions to this thread. 

The Lunar X may be seen by telescopic observers in the Americas during the evening of Friday 2020 OCT 23 for an approximately four-hour period centered on 22:20 CDT (OCT 24 at 03:20 UT). The X should appear as the Sun rises on the clustered rims of the craters Blanchinus, La Caille and Purbach, while a waxing Half Moon graces the sky.

This is something to check-off from your astronomical “to-do” list. Photos and descriptions of the Lunar X would be welcome additions to this thread.

Asteroid 8 Flora is currently the second brightest asteroid at magnitude +8.2, barely dimmer than 4 Vesta at +8.1. Flora will appear within Cetus in opposition to the Sun on 2020 NOV 01 at magnitude +8.0.

Flora was discovered in 1847. It has a mean diameter of 128 km. It is the innermost large asteroid.

Photos and descriptions of Flora would be welcome additions to this thread.

The shadows of the Galilean satellites #1 Io and #4 Callisto will be simultaneously transiting Jupiter during the evening of Saturday 2020 OCT 17.

Photos and descriptions of the transits would be welcome additions to this thread.

It’s nearly time for my monthly New Moon spotting challenge. I use the term New Moon in its classical sense of one’s first sighting of the Moon after its monthly solar conjunction (Dark Moon). Sharp-eyed observers may attempt to spot the one-day-old Moon after sunset on Saturday, October 17^th.

Photos and descriptions of the young crescent Moon this month would be welcome additions to this thread.

The annual Orionid Meteor Shower may already be underway. It is expected to peak during the night of 2020 OCT 20-21. Its radiant is in the constellation Orion. That is the direction toward which the meteor tails point, but the meteors are equally likely to appear anywhere in your sky. The Orionids are debris from the famous periodic comet 1P/Halley.

At the peak about 60 meteors per hour may be seen by some sharp-eyed folks. The show begins after Orion rises in the late evening and intensifies until morning twilight. Since Orion lies on the celestial equator, the shower is easily observed from all geographic latitudes. The waxing crescent Moon during the shower peak this year should not provide much interference.

Descriptions of the shower or perhaps even lucky photos would be welcome additions to this thread. 

Mars is rarely brighter than Jupiter, but it is now. 😀

The 28% illuminated waxing crescent Moon will occult (cover) magnitude +2.6 Beta Scorpii for North American observers during the evening of Monday 2020 SEP 21.

The immersion will occur on the lunar dark limb, with emersion from the bright limb. Any observers in Panama on the only graze path can witness the star passing through lunar hills and valleys. Those north of the graze path will see a full occultation.

Photos and descriptions of the occultation would be welcome additions to this thread. If you would like specific occultation or graze predictions for your location, please reply to this post with your longitude, latitude, elevation and time zone.

 It’s nearly time for my monthly New Moon spotting challenge. I use the term New Moon in its classical sense of one’s first sighting of the Moon after its monthly solar conjunction (Dark Moon). Sharp-eyed observers may attempt to spot the less than one-day-old Moon after sunset on Thursday, September 17^th.

 Photos and descriptions of the young crescent Moon this month would be welcome additions to this thread.

The term Lunar Boat refers to a crescent Moon shaped like a U, with the appearance of a boat floating above the horizon. This sight is quite common in the tropics, but not so much in other regions. For those of us at mid-northern latitudes, evening Lunar Boats will not be possible until around 2026. However, we’re in the midst of a few years in which predawn Lunar Boats appear for us during the late summer and early autumn.

Below is my rendering of a Lunar Boat as it will be seen from Chicagoland before  dawn on Wednesday 2020 SEP 16.

A sight somewhat similar may be witnessed during the two preceding mornings.

Photos and descriptions of the Lunar Boat would be welcome additions to this thread.

The farthest major planet Neptune will appear in opposition to the Sun on 2020 SEP 11, while in the constellation Aquarius at magnitude +7.8.

Photos and descriptions of Neptune would be welcome additions to this thread.

Mars is currently rising about 22:00 (local daylight saving time) and is brighter than Sirius. It will reach opposition from the Sun during the night of October 13-14, when it will appear a bit brighter than Jupiter. Mars at opposition will be slightly less bright than during its 2018 apparition, but will appear much higher in the sky for observers north of the tropics.

Photos and descriptions of Mars during its current apparition would be welcome additions to this thread.

The Lunar X may be seen by telescopic observers in the during the night of 2020 AUG 25-26 for an approximately four-hour period centered on 21:42 CDT (02:42 UT). The X should appear as the Sun rises on the clustered rims of the craters Blanchinus, La Caille and Purbach, while a waxing Half Moon graces the sky.

This is something to check-off from your astronomical “to-do” list. Photos and descriptions of the Lunar X would be welcome additions to this thread.

It’s nearly time for my monthly New Moon spotting challenge. I use the term New Moon in its classical sense of one’s first sighting of the Moon after its monthly solar conjunction (Dark Moon). Sharp-eyed observers may attempt to spot the one-day-old Moon after sunset on Wednesday, August 19^th.

Photos and descriptions of the young crescent Moon this month would be welcome additions to this thread.

Asteroid 1 Ceres is currently the brightest asteroid at magnitude +7.8, slightly brighter than the normally brightest 4 Vesta. Ceres will appear within Aquarius in opposition to the Sun on 2020 AUG 28 at magnitude +7.7.

Ceres was the first discovered asteroid in 1801. It has a mean diameter of 845 km, making it the largest main belt asteroid. It is also classified as a dwarf planet.

Photos and descriptions of Ceres would be welcome additions to this thread.

The shadows of the Galilean satellites #1 Io and #3 Ganymede will be simultaneously transiting Jupiter during the night of 2020 AUG 14-15.

Photos and descriptions of the transits would be welcome additions to this thread.

The term Lunar Boat refers to a crescent Moon shaped like a U. This is quite common in the tropics, but not so much in other regions. For those of us at mid-northern latitudes, evening Lunar Boats will not be possible until around 2026. However, we’re in the midst of a few years in which predawn Lunar Boats appear for us during the late summer and early autumn.

Below is my rendering of a Lunar Boat that should appear for many observers during the early morning of Tuesday 2020 AUG 18.

Something similar may appear during the two preceding mornings.

Photos and descriptions of the Lunar Boat may be welcome additions to my similar thread in the forum for Observing-Lunar.

The term Lunar Boat refers to a crescent Moon shaped like a U. This is quite common in the tropics, but not so much in other regions. For those of us at mid-northern latitudes, evening Lunar Boats will not be possible until around 2026. However, we’re in the midst of a few years in which predawn Lunar Boats appear for us during the late summer and early autumn.

Below is my rendering of a Lunar Boat that should appear for many observers during the early morning of Tuesday 2020 AUG 18.

Something similar may appear during the two preceding mornings.

Photos and descriptions of the Lunar Boat may be welcome additions to this thread.

The annual Perseid Meteor Shower is already underway. The Perseids are usually the finest shower of the year. Normally at the peak more than sixty meteors per hour may be seen by some sharp-eyed folks. The Perseids are debris from the periodic comet 109P Swift-Tuttle.

The shower is expected to peak during the night of 2020 AUG 11-12. Its radiant is in the constellation Perseus. That is the direction toward which the meteor tails point, but the meteors are equally likely to appear anywhere in your sky.

For observers north of the tropics, the meteors appear virtually all night, although most prolifically during the hours before dawn. This year the waning but wide crescent Moon near the shower’s peak may provide minimal interference during the predawn hours.

 Descriptions of the shower or perhaps even lucky photos would be welcome additions to this thread. 

It’s nearly time for my monthly New Moon spotting challenge. I use the term New Moon in its classical sense of one’s first sighting of the Moon after its monthly solar conjunction (Dark Moon). Sharp-eyed observers may attempt to spot the more than one-day-old Moon after sunset on Tuesday, July 21^st.

Photos and descriptions of the young crescent Moon late this month would be welcome additions to this thread.

Jupiter’s Galilean Satellite #1 Io will partially occult its own shadow during the night of 2020 JUL 15-16. This can only occur during the nights surrounding Jupiter’s opposition from the Sun, which this year was during the night of 2020 JUL 13-14. Well, it can also occur around the time of Jupiter’s conjunction behind the Sun, but as a practical matter that is not observable.

Below are my preview graphic and event timetable. Photos and descriptions of the actual event would be welcome additions to this thread.