Astronomy Toadfish Nerds Unite!

[Sibling DavidH]

Thanks for the heads-up, Opsa.

Another stinky joke, ha!

[Opsa]

Hey, get this: Earthsky says there may be another meteor shower on top of the Geminids, due to another comet's debris. Looky here. A double-whammy meteor shower for Thursday night! Woot!

[Aggie]

I saw falling flakes, not stars.

[Opsa]

Wish I'd seen either, here. It was clear, and I kept checking, but I didn't stay out for a long enough period, or late enough. I'll look again tonight.

[Opsa]

Here is some information about the comet Panstarrs, which could be visible with the naked eye this month!

[Opsa]

It's clear tonight, so I'm, going to see if I can spot it just after sunset in the western horizon a little bit north of where the sun sets.

Comet ISON may be a very bright one late this year!

[Aggie]

I keep forgetting / being too lazy to see Panstarrs...

[Opsa]

I forgot to do it, too!

Ah well, they say Panstarrs is just a barely visible smear. Plus, my view of the western horizon is somewhat blocked by trees. That doesn't mean I can't walk up the block. I just don't seem to get there.

[roystonoboogie]

I now have a garden in a fairly dark area, and a telescope (140mm reflector). I shall pay more attention to this thread.

[Opsa]

Awesome, RB! Let us know if you spot something.

Here's a bunch of upcoming stuff I lifted from seasky.org:

April 10 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 09:35 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.

April 14 - Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter. The Moon will pass about two degrees of the giant planet Jupiter in the evening sky. The crescent moon will be at magnitude -10.6 and Jupiter will be at magnitude -2.1. Look for both objects in the west after sunset. The pair will be visible in the evening sky for about 3 hours after sunset.

April 20 - Astronomy Day Part 1. Astronomy Day is an annual event intended to provide a means of interaction between the general public and various astronomy enthusiasts, groups and professionals. The theme of Astronomy Day is "Bringing Astronomy to the People," and on this day astronomy and stargazing clubs and other organizations around the world will plan special events. You can find out about special local events by contacting your local astronomy club or planetarium. You can also find more about Astronomy Day by checking the Web site for the Astronomical League.

April 21, 22 - Lyrids Meteor Shower. The Lyrids is an average shower, usually producing about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust particles left behind by comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which was discovered in 1861. The shower runs annually from April 16-25. It peaks this year on the night of the night of the 21st and morning of the 22nd. These meteors can sometimes produce bright dust trails that last for several seconds. The nearly full moon will be a problem this year, blocking out all but the brightest meteors. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Lyra, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

April 25 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 19:57 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Pink Moon because it marked the appearance of the moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the first spring flowers. This year, it is also known as the Paschal Full Moon because it is the first full moon of the spring season.

April 25 - Partial Lunar Eclipse. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra, and only a portion of it passes through the darkest shadow, or umbra. During this type of eclipse a part of the Moon will darken as it moves through the Earth's shadow. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)

April 28 - Saturn at Opposition. The ringed planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. This is the best time to view and photograph Saturn and its moons. A medium-sized or larger telescope will allow you to see Saturn's rings and a few of its brightest moons.

May 4, 5 - Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Eta Aquarids is an above average shower, capable of producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. Most of the activity is seen in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, the rate can reach about 30 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust particles left behind by comet Halley, which has known and observed since ancient times. The shower runs annually from April 19 to May 28. It peaks this year on the night of May 4 and the morning of the May 5. The second quarter moon will block out some of the less bright meteors this year but you should still be able to see quite a few good ones if you are patient. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

According to the Tysonism facebook page the April 21,22 shower ought to be spectacular.

Unless it's raining (as expected:  it's April-- rain is always expected) I will try to watch for it.

[Opsa]

Oooooooh.... according to this article, the Lyrids originate from the Comet Thatcher. Since Margaret Thatcher died yesterday, I'll give that a Woowoo factor.

[pieces o nine]

[Opsa]

Missed the Lyrids, but am looking forward to the Eta Aquarids on May 4th- my birthday!

[Opsa]

Missed them, too. Arrrgh!

Coming up soon: (from seasky)

July 27, 28 - Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Delta Aquarids is an average shower that can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by comets Marsden and Kracht. The shower runs annually from July 12 to August 23. It peaks this year on the night of July 27 and morning of July 28. The second quarter moon will block out most of the faint meteors, but you should still be able to catch quite a few good ones if you are patient. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

August 11, 12 - Perseids Meteor Shower. The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by comet Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862. The Perseids are famous for producing a large number of bright meteors. The shower runs annually from July 17 to August 24. It peaks this year on the night of August 11 and the morning of August 12. The first quarter moon will set shortly after midnight leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Perseus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.