Skywatching Archives

February 2, 2017February 3, 2017 by David Dickinson

Superbowl Smackdown: Watch the Moon Occult Aldebaran on Sunday

Daytime Aldebaran — Can you see it? Dave Walker accidentally (!) caught Aldebaran near the daytime Moon on October 19th, 2016. Image credit and copyright: Dave Walker

Author’s note: This Superbowl Sunday event and 101 more like it are featured in our latest free e-book, 101 Astronomical Events for 2017, out now from Universe Today.

Sure, this Superbowl Sunday brings with it the promise of sacks, fumbles and tackles… but have you ever seen the Moon run down a star in the end zone? Just such an event, referred to as an occultation, happens this weekend for folks living around the Mediterranean and — just maybe for some sharp-eyed, telescope-owning observers based around the Caribbean region — this coming weekend.

Update: be sure to watch this Sunday’s occultation of Aldebaran by the Moon courtesy of Gianluca Masi and the Virtual Telescope Project live starting at 22:00 UT/5:00 PM EST:

Live starting at 22:00 UT. Credit: The Virtual Telescope Project

We’re talking about Sunday’s occultation of the bright star Aldebaran by the 64% illuminated waxing gibbous Moon. This is the 2^nd occultation of Aldebaran by the Moon for 2017 and the 28th of the current ongoing cycle of 49 spanning from January 29^th, 2015 to September 3^rd, 2018. The Moon actually occults Aldebaran and Regulus once for every lunation in 2017. We won’t have another year featuring the occultations of two +1^st magnitude stars (Spica and Antares) again until 2024.

Occultation footprint — The footprint for the February 5th occultation of Aldebaran by the Moon. The broken lines show where the occultation occurs during daytime, and the solid lines denote where the occultation occurs under dark skies. Image credit: occult 4.2.

The event occurs under dark skies for observers based around the Mediterranean and under daytime afternoon skies for folks in central America, the Caribbean, northern South America and the Florida peninsula, including Astroguyz HQ based in Spring Hill, just north of the Tampa Bay area. We’ve managed to spy Aldebaran near the daytime Moon while the Sun was still above the horizon using binocs, and can attest that the +1st magnitude star is indeed visible, if you know exactly where to look for it.

Note that, like solar eclipses belonging to the same saros cycle, occultations of Aldebaran in the ongoing cycle drift north and westward from one to the next, to the tune of about 120 degrees longitude. Though most of North America sits this one out, we do get a front row seat for next lunation’s occultation of Aldebaran on the evening of March 4/5th. The next one is the best bright star occultation of Aldebaran by the Moon for North America in 2017. And be sure to check out the Moon this Sunday evening after the big game, and note Aldebaran hanging just off of its bright limb.

Moon motion — No, the wind is not shaking the ‘scope… Sharin Ahmad chronicled the motion of the Moon past Aldebaran from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last month. Image credit and copyright: Shahrin Ahmad (@shahgazer)

The ref will have a close call to make for this one. The northern grazeline in Florida might make this an especially interesting event to watch, though it’ll be challenge, as the occultation occurs in the afternoon under daylight skies. This crosses right along near the cities of Jacksonville and Gainsville. Clear, deep blue high contrast skies are key, and we’ll be watching from Astroguyz HQ north of Tampa Bay during this event.

The northern grazeline across the Florida peninsula for Sunday’s ‘big game’. Credit: Dave Dickinson.

Here are some key times from the occultation zone (noted in Universal Time):

Tampa, Florida

Ingress: 20:08 UT/Moon altitude: 23 degrees

Egress: 20:34 UT/Moon altitude: 29 degrees

Bogota, Columbia

Ingress: 19:34 UT/ Moon Altitude: 49 degrees

Egress: 20:29 UT/ Moon altitude: 31 degrees

The view from Jimena de la Frontera Spain just before the occultation. Credit: Stellarium.

Rome, Italy

Ingress: 20:21 UT/Moon altitude: 37 degrees

Egress: 23:12 UT/ Moon altitude: 28 degrees

Tel Aviv, Israel

Ingress: 22:39 UT/Moon altitude: 16 degrees

Egress: 23:29 UT/Moon altitude: 5 degrees

Casablanca, Morocco

Ingress: 21:49 UT/ Moon altitude: 61 degrees

Egress: 23:07 UT/ Moon altitude: 45 degrees

Note that this occultation spans five continents, a truly worldwide event. The International Occultation Timing Association (IOTA) maintains a page with an extensive list of times for cities worldwide. Note that when the Moon tackles Aldebaran, its also crossing the scrimmage line of the Hyades open cluster, so expect numerous occultations of fainter stars worldwide as well.

Aldebaran is the brightest star along the Moon’s path in our current epoch, along with runner-ups Spica, Regulus and Antares. Though Aldebaran is 1.5 times the mass of our Sun, it’s also 65 light years away, and only appears 20 milliarcseconds (mas) in size, about the equivalent of a 40 meter diameter crater from the distance of the Moon. Still, you might just notice a brief pause as Aldebaran fades then winks out on the dark limb of the Moon, a tiny hitch betraying its diminutive angular size.

And the clockwork gears of that biggest game of all, the Universe, grind on. Don’t miss this first big ticket astronomical event for February 2017, coming to a sky above you. Next up, we’ll watching out for another bright star occultation, two eclipses, and the close passage of a comet near the Earth.

Stay tuned!

October 6, 2016October 6, 2016 by Bob King

Celebrate the Power of Naked-Eye Observing With New Book

The cover of my new book "Night Sky with the Naked Eye". The book is currently available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Publication date is November 8. — This is the cover of my new book “Night Sky with the Naked Eye”, a non-technical guide to all the great things visible with the naked eye at night. It’s published by Page Street Publishing and distributed by Macmillan and currently available for **pre-order on Amazon** and **Barnes and Noble**. Publication date is November 8. Look for it here on Universe Today soon!

If you’re like a lot of people, you don’t own a telescope but still have a passionate curiosity for what’s going on over your head. Good news! There’s lots to see up there without any equipment at all. This is the premise of my new book titled Night Sky with the Naked Eye, a guide to the wonders of the night sky that anyone can enjoy and understand whether you live in an apartment in the city or cabin 50 miles from nowhere.

This diagram from the book depicts why many satellites are visible during twilight before they're eclipsed by Earth's shadow. Credit: Gary Meader — This diagram from the book depicts why many satellites are visible during twilight before they’re eclipsed by Earth’s shadow. Credit: Gary Meader

I’ve always been amazed at how accessible the universe is. To make that personal connection to the cosmos we only need acquire the habit looking up. Total eclipses, monster auroras and rich meteor showers get a lot of coverage and rightly so, but there’s a lot of other stuff up there. Little things that stoke our sense of wonder happen all the time: Earth’s rising shadow at sunset, nightly satellite flyovers, the beauty of an earth-lit crescent moon or seeing your shadow by the light of Venus.

Skywatching not only informs and delights, it has the power to expand our perspective and sense of place in the scheme of things. Gazing up at the Milky Way on a dark summer night, we feel both humbled and fortunate to be alive. The night sky’s elixir of beauty, timelessness and possibility feeds an inner quietude that can be our strength in stressful times.

Night sky observing sometimes means pleasant surprises like seeing this rare Venus pillar and corona. The book explores both celestial and atmospheric phenomena. Credit: Bob King

While the book touches on the contemplative aspects of skywatching, the bulk of it is activity-oriented, intended to inspire you to get outside. I’ve got tips on weather-watching and making the most of online resources like Clear Dark Sky and satellite imagery to help you find clear skies for that must-see special event. And if light pollution is a problem where you live, we explore ways to make a difference in reducing it as well as using online atlases to find a dark observing site.

The book covers the basics of celestial and planetary motions, how to find the brighter constellations and naked-eye deep sky objects along with suggested night sky viewing activities to share with friends and family. There are 1o chapters in all:

Chapter 1: Wave “Hi!” to the Astronauts
Chapter 2: Anticipating the Night
Chapter 3: Rockin’ N’ Rollin’ Earth
Chapter 4: Dive Into the Dippers
Chapter 5: Four Seasons of Starlight
Chapter 6: Meet the Rabbit in the Moon
Chapter 7: Face to Face with the Planets
Chapter 8: Wish Upon a Shooting Star
Chapter 9: Awed by Aurora
Chapter 10: Curiosities of the Night

This is back cover of the Night Sky with the Naked Eye book jacket. — This is back of the *Night Sky with the Naked Eye* book jacket. My book will appear back to back with another space book, titled *Incredible Stories from Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos,* by Universe Today contributing editor Nancy Atkinson. Watch for her announcement shortly.

Not everything is a billion miles away. We also take time to examine and appreciate closer-to-home phenomena that are part of the nighttime experience like lunar halos, light pillars and the aurora borealis. No observers’ guide would be complete without challenges. How about seeing craters on the moon with no optical aid or spotting the gegenschein? It’s all here.

Because the Internet has become an integral part of our lives, the book includes numerous online resources as well as useful mobile phone apps related to constellation finding and aurora tracking and tips on night sky photography.

Whether for yourself or to give as a holiday gift for a budding skywatcher, I hope you check out my book, which will be featured in a special promotion here at Universe Today. It would be my privilege to serve as your night sky guide.

August 16, 2013April 26, 2016 by Nancy Atkinson

Update on the Bright Nova Delphini 2013; Plus a Gallery of Images from our Readers

The bright new Nova Delphini 2013, as seen from Puerto Rico on August 16th, 03:13ut Credit: Efrain Morales/Jaicoa Observatory.

Since showing itself on August 14, 2013, a bright nova in the constellation Delphinus — now officially named Nova Delphini 2013 — has brightened even more. As of this writing, the nova is at magnitude 4.4 to 4.5, meaning that for the first time in years, there is a nova visible to the naked eye — if you have a dark enough sky. Even better, use binoculars or a telescope to see this “new star” in the sky.

The nova was discovered by Japanese amateur astronomer Koichi Itagak. When first spotted, it was at about magnitude 6, but has since brightened. Here’s the light curve of the nova from the AAVSO (American Association of Variable Star Observers) and they’ve also provided a binocular sequence chart, too.

How and where to see the new nova? Below is a great graphic showing exactly where to look in the sky. Additionally, we’ve got some great shots from Universe Today readers around the world who have managed to capture stunning shots of Nova Delpini 2013. You can see more graphics and more about the discovery of the nova on our original ‘breaking news’ article by Bob King.

The new nova is located in Delphinus alongside the familiar Summer Triangle outlined by Deneb, Vega and Altair. This map shows the sky looking high in the south for mid-northern latitudes around 10 p.m. local time in mid-August. The new object is ideally placed for viewing. Stellarium

If you aren’t able to see the nova for yourself, there are a few online observing options:

The Virtual Star Party team, led by UT’s publisher Fraser Cain, will try to get a view during the next VSP, at Sunday night on Google+ — usually at this time of year, about 10 pm EDT/0200 UTC on Monday mornings. If you’d like a notification for when it’s happening, make sure you subscribe to the Universe Today channel on YouTube.

The Virtual Telescope Project, based in Italy, will have an online observing session on August 19, 2013 at 20:00 UTC, and you can join astronomer Gianluca Masi at this link.

The Slooh online telescope had an observing session yesterday (which you can see here), and we’ll post an update if they plan any additional viewing sessions.

There’s no way to predict if the nova will remain bright for a few days more, and unfortunately the Moon is getting brighter and bigger in the sky (it will be full on August 20), so take the opportunity this weekend if you can to try and see the new nova.

Now, enjoy more images from Universe Today readers:

Nova Delphini 2013 from August 16, 2013 at 0846 UTC. Credit and copyright: Nick Rose.

The bright nova in Delphinus when it was at magnitude 6.1 on August 14, 2013, as see from Yellow Springs, Ohio USA. Credit and copyright: John Chumack/Galactic Images.

Proving that Nova Delphini 2013 is now a bright, naked-eye object, this fun image shows not only the nova, but the surrounding landscape in Sweden of the photographer, too. Credit and copyright: Göran Strand.

Nova Delphinii 2013 as seen on August 15, 2013. Credit and copyright: Andre van der Hoeven

Nova in Delphinus from Ottawa, Canada on August 14, 2013. 13 second exposure under heavy light pollution with Nikon D80. Credit and copyright: Andrew Symes

Image of Nova Delphini 2013, on 15 Aug. 2013, via the Virtual Telescope Project/Gianluca Masi.

Annotated image of Nova Delphini 2013, as seen from Hawaii. Credit and copyright: Bryanstew on Flickr.

Ralf Vandebergh shared this video he was able to capture on his 10-year-old hand-held video camera to “demonstration of the brightness of the nova and what is possible with even 10 year old technique from hand.”

April 28, 2013December 30, 2015 by Nancy Atkinson

Saturn Reaches Opposition on April 28

Saturn is one of the most striking objects to see through a telescope, and it is now at its brightest in the night sky as it reaches opposition from the Sun. This is when Earth stands mostly perfectly in line between Saturn and the Sun. It is when Saturn is brightest (at magnitude +0.3), closely approximating famous “first magnitude” stars like Betelgeuse. Also, it is when Saturn is out all night long. Continue reading “Saturn Reaches Opposition on April 28”

August 8, 2012December 23, 2015 by Nancy Atkinson

See the “Martian Triangle” in the Sky Tonight!

If — like me — you’ve been focusing on all the great images and news coming from the Mars Science Laboratory, perhaps you’ve missed the great view of the “Martian Triangle,” now visible in the night sky at twilight! Astrophotographer John Chumack hasn’t missed the view. This image is from August 6, 2012 from his observatory in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

The Martian Triangle show starts at twilight, and you can find it by looking low in the southwestern sky. The star at the top is actually the planet Saturn, the star on the bottom left is Spica, and the bright spot on bottom right is the planet Mars. And remember, somewhere in your field of view, there’s a few spacecraft on and around Mars and another orbiting Saturn.

John took this image with a modified Canon Rebel Xsi DSLR and a 47mm Lens, at F5.6, ISO 800, 10 second exposure. See more of John’s wonderful astrophotos at his Flickr page or at his website, Galactic Images.

Want to get your astrophoto featured on Universe Today? Join our Flickr group or send us your images by email (this means you’re giving us permission to post them). Please explain what’s in the picture, when you took it, the equipment you used, etc.

April 10, 2012April 13, 2022 by Ken Kremer

Great ISS Sightings – All Nights this Week of April 9

ISS crossing the evening sky at about 8:40 PM EDT on April 8, 2012 in New Jersey; 25 sec exposure, about 30 degree elevation, looking south. Credit: Ken Kremer.

Calling all Skywatching and Space Fans ! This is a great week for observing the International Space Station (ISS), swiftly crossing the evening nighttime sky.

All this week from Monday thru Saturday, folks all across vast portions of the United States and Canada will be treated to fabulous viewings of the International Space Station. And at very convenient viewing times in the early evening, after dinner and in prime time.

From Maine to Vancouver, from Ohio to Texas, from Florida to New Mexico – many of you will be in for a rather pleasurable ISS treat.

Of course the exact viewing times, days, elevations, durations and directions varies greatly depending on your exact location – and clear skies. And the viewing parameters change daily.

Check out this NASA website for Human Spaceflight Sighting Opportunities. It’s simple. Just plug in your country, state and select a local town. Also check out – Heavens Above.

This evening, Monday April 9, I shot a few 20 to 30 second exposures as the ISS was speeding past at about a 30 degree elevation. But the best viewings at far higher elevations are yet to come the remainder of this week.

ISS speeds across evening sky on April 9, 2012. 6 Humans from the US, Russia and the Netherlands are currently living aboard the ISS. Credit: Ken Kremer

The International Space Station is the brightest manmade object in the night sky and even brighter than Venus depending on orbital mechanics. Only our Sun is brighter. Since Venus is an evening observing target this week, maybe you’ll even be lucky to see the ISS seem to pass close by that hellishly hot planet.

Have you ever looked at the ISS hurtling overhead ?

Take some shots and send them to Ken to post here at Universe Today.

And remember, 6 Humans from the US, Russia and the Netherlands are currently residing aboard the ISS, conducting science research and sending back gorgeous shots of all of us back here on Earth.

April 4, 2012January 7, 2016 by Nancy Atkinson

Timelapse: A Tribute to Sky Gazers

If you’ve fallen for the enchantment of a night out watching the stars, you’ll relate to and revere in this new timelapse video.

“This timelapse production is a tribute to all skygazers around the world who enjoy exploring the night sky with their telescopes,” said Babak Tafreshi, an astronomer, journalist and director of The World at Night (TWAN). “I’m happy to release this in April 2012 in celebration of the Global Astronomy Month, an international program of Astronomers Without Borders in partnership with world-wide astronomy centers and clubs.”
Continue reading “Timelapse: A Tribute to Sky Gazers”

November 25, 2011December 24, 2015 by VirtualAstro

Beginner’s Guide To Binoculars

Before you consider buying expensive equipment for viewing the wonders of the night sky, binoculars are one piece of equipment every amateur astronomer should have.

Many beginners to astronomy (especially around the holiday period) are sometimes dead-set on getting a telescope, but many aren’t aware that a good pair of binoculars can outperform many entry level telescopes for a similar cost, or much less.

Binoculars are simplicity in themselves — maintenance free, instantly available for use and very versatile, as they can be used for daytime, or “terrestrial viewing” just as well. It is difficult to say the same for with most telescopes.

Go into any photographic store, or website that sells binoculars and you will be met with literally hundreds of different makes, types and sizes – confusing for the beginner, but with a few pointers it can be easy to choose.

Binoculars comparison1-3-300w — Credit: astronomybinoculars.com

So how do you choose a pair of binoculars that will give good results with astronomy?

When choosing binoculars for astronomy, the only variables you need to think about are size of the optics and weight.

Too small and they won’t be powerful enough or let enough light in; too big and heavy means they are almost impossible to use without a support or tripod. Beginners need to find a pair of binoculars which are just right.

The key is to get as much light into the binoculars as possible without making them too heavy. This will give sharp views and comfort when used.

Size and weight come hand in hand, the more light gathered, the heavier the binoculars will be.

All binoculars are measured or rated by two numbers, for example: 10 X 25 or 15 X 70. The first number is the magnification and the second number is the “objective diameter” which is the diameter of the objective lens and this determines how much light can be gathered to form an image.

593px-Binoculars_description_plate2 — Credit: Halfblue Wikipedia

The second number or objective diameter is the most important one to consider when buying binoculars for astronomy, as you need to gather as much light as possible.

As a rule of thumb, binoculars with an objective diameter of 50mm or more are more suited to astronomy than smaller “terrestrial” binoculars. In many cases a larger objective also gives better eye relief (larger exit pupil) making the binoculars much more comfortable to use.

For the beginner or general user, don’t go too big with the objective diameter as you are also making the binoculars physically larger and heavier. Large binoculars are fantastic, but — again — almost impossible to keep steady without a support or tripod.

Good sizes of binoculars for astronomy start at around or just under 10 X 50 and can go up to 20 X 80, but any larger and they will need to be supported when using them. Some very good supported binoculars have objective diameters of more than 100mm. Theses are fantastic, but not as portable as their smaller counterparts.

Binoculars are one of the most important items a new or seasoned astronomer can buy. They are inexpensive, easy to choose, use and will last a very long time.

Enjoy your new binoculars!

August 23, 2011April 8, 2018 by Nancy Atkinson

Stunning New Timelapse: Tempest Milky Way

It’s been a summer of storms across the US, and timelapse photographer Randy Halverson has taken advantage of it! Randy alerted us that he’s just put out a new video following his incredible Plains Milky Way timelapse from earlier this year. His new one is “Tempest Milky Way” which features the storms and skies of the Midwest US. Randy said he wanted to combine “good storm and star shots,” but that the opportunity doesn’t come along very often. “The storm has to be moving the right speed and the lightning can overexpose the long exposures.” But Randy’s photography and editing prowess shines in “Tempest Milky Way.”

A few things to watch: Look for a Whitetail buck (briefly) at the 1:57 mark (“It was caught on 20 frames, and was there for about 10 minutes. It was only 50 yards from the camera, dolly and light,” Randy said.)

At about 2:28 an airplane flies under the oncoming storm.

At the 3:24 mark, a meteor reflects on the water of the small lake. Look for many other meteors in the timelapse, too.

This is a wonderful video, augmented with great music, not to be missed!

See more at Randy’s website DakotaLapse

August 11, 2011December 24, 2015 by VirtualAstro

The Perseids: Why is There a Meteor Shower?

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Every year from late July to mid-August, the Earth encounters a trail of debris left behind from the tail of a comet named Swift-Tuttle. This isn’t the only trail of debris the Earth encounters throughout the year, but it might be one of the most notorious as it is responsible for the annual Perseid meteor shower, one of the best and well-known yearly meteor showers.

Comet Swift-Tuttle is a very long way away from us right now, but when it last visited this part of the Solar system, it left behind a stream of debris made up of particles of dust and rock from the comet’s tail.

Earth encounters this debris field for a few weeks, reaching the densest part on the 11th to 13th August.

The tiny specs of dust and rock collide with the Earth’s atmosphere, entering at speeds ranging from 11 km/sec (25,000 mph), to 72 km/sec (160,000 mph). They are instantly vaporised, emitting bright streaks of light. These tiny particles are referred to as meteors or for the more romantic, shooting stars.

The reason the meteor shower is called the Perseid, is because the point of the sky or radiant where the meteors appear to originate from is in the constellation of Perseus, hence Perseid.

When the Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak, up to 100 meteors an hour can be seen under ideal dark sky conditions, but in 2011 this will be greatly reduced due to a full Moon at this time. Many of the fainter meteors (shooting stars) will be lost to the glare of the Moon, but do not despair as some Perseids are bright fireballs made from larger pieces of debris, that can be golf ball size or larger.

These amazingly bright meteors can last for a few seconds and can be the brightest thing in the sky. They are very dramatic and beautiful, and seeing one can be the highlight of your Perseid observing experience.

So while expectations may be low for the Perseids this year, keep an eye out for the bright ones and the fireballs. You will not be disappointed, even if you only see one!

Join in on twitter with a worldwide event with Universe Today and Meteorwatch.org just follow along using the hashtag #meteorwatch ask questions, post images, enjoy and share your Perseid Meteor Shower experience.