2007-07-27

Astronomical Observing at Fishcreek - Friday 7/27/2007

Unfortunately, the weather forecast for this Friday is looking prohibitive for astronomical viewing. Even if it does clear slightly, the full Moon will back-light the clouds and moisture to render all but Jupiter invisible. It is a pity, too, since this was to be our last chance to catch a glimpse of Saturn and Venus until next year - both being lost in the glare of the Sun until the Earth makes its way around into a favorable position to put Saturn in our evening sky. Venus is a different story since it will re-appear sooner due to its faster inside-track around the Sun. Take a look back here Friday mid-afternoon when we'll have a better idea if we'll even attempt to set up equipment. As was posted earlier this year, the last thing we should be doing is standing in the middle of a huge field surrounded by metal (expensive metal, for that matter) waiting to be struck by lightening. With that said, we will be prepared to set up telescopes if the conditions allow. Here is the list of DeepSky Objects that would have been available to us tonight.

We hope to see you here for a night under the stars - our twelfth year.

Observing conditions in Stow, map to our location and other useful information is available here:

ClearSkyClock for Fishcreek Site (the darker blue the squares are, the better)

For exact directions to our location, just click on 'Road Map' in the 'Nifty Links' section immediately below the Sky Clock.

The following Sun, Moon and planet detail was calculated as it will be on Friday, 7/27/07 at 9:58pm (nautical twilight).
Source: Guide8 software available from www.projectpluto.com

Quick links:
Sun Moon Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto & General Information

All times are shown in EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) as seen from Stow, Ohio.

Sun data:
     Rise 6:12am
     Transit: 1:32pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
     Sets 8:51pm
     Constellation: Cancer
     Distance: 1.01549733 AU = 151,916,239 km = 94,396,376 miles
     Magnitude: -26.7
     Apparent size: 31.50 arcminutes in angular diameter
     Civil twilight ends at 9:19pm ( When the Sun is 6 degrees below the horizon )
     Nautical twilight ends at 9:58pm ( When the Sun is 12 degrees below the horizon )
     Astronomical twilight ends at 10:42pm ( When the Sun is 18 degrees below the horizon )
     Autumnal Equinox: Sunday Sept 23, 2007 at 5:51am (when fall will officially be here)ise 6:06am
     (back to 'Quick Links')

Moon data:
     Rise 7:31pm
     Transit: 11:56pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
     Sets 4:24am Jul 28
     Constellation: Sagittarius
     Phase: 95.56% illuminated (waxing gibbous)
     13.58 days since last New Moon
     Distance: 0.00257685 AU = 385,491 km = 239,533 miles
     Magnitude: -12.1
     Apparent size: 30.99 arcminutes in angular diameter
     Elongation from Sun: 155.62 degrees (evening sky)
     Next Phase: Full Moon on Sunday July 29, 2007 at 8:48am
     Next Lunar eclipse: Tuesday August 28, 2007 at 5:51am
     At 9:58pm the Moon be at an altitude of 15¾º and look like this in binoculars:

     or like this in the telescopes, except with far more detail - honest!

     (back to 'Quick Links')

Mercury data:
     Rise 4:45am
     Transit: 12:14pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
     Sets 7:44pm
     Constellation: Gemini
     Phase: 62.05% illuminated (waxing gibbous)
     Distance: 1.04359082 AU = 156,118,965 km = 97,007,829 miles
     Elongation from Sun: 18.11 degrees (morning sky)
     Magnitude: -0.6
     Apparent size: 6.44 arcseconds in angular diameter
     (back to 'Quick Links')

Venus data:
     Rise: 8:50am
     Transit 3:19pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
     Set: 9:47pm
     Constellation: Leo
     Phase: 12.74% illuminated (waning crescent)
     Elongation from Sun: 28.56 degrees (evening sky)
     Distance: 0.34953751 AU = 52,290,067 km = 32,491,542 miles
     Magnitude: mag -4.4 Bright, but below the horizon at Nautical Twilight
     Apparent size: 47.74 arcseconds in angular diameter
     At 9:58pm Venus will be at an altitude of -3º and be below the horizon, but it will look like this in the telescopes before it sets:

     (back to 'Quick Links')

Mars data:
     Rise: 1:18am Jul 28
     Transit 8:28am Jul 28 (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
     Set: 3:38pm Jul 28
     Constellation: Taurus
     Phase: 86.35% illuminated
     Distance: 1.34278378 AU = 200,877,594 km = 124,819,552 miles
     Magnitude: mag 0.5
     Apparent size: 6.97 arcseconds in angular diameter (getting larger)
     Elongation from Sun: 71.40 degrees (morning sky)
     Next close approach of Mars is on Monday, Dec 24, 2007ise: 1:32am Jul 21
     (back to 'Quick Links')

Jupiter data:
     Rise: 4:52pm
     Transit 9:38pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
     Set: 2:24am Jul 28
     Constellation: Ophiuchus (pronounced oh-fee-oo'-cuss)
     Phase: 99.39% illuminated
     Distance: 4.64876779 AU = 695,445,763 km = 432,129,968 miles
     Magnitude: mag -2.4
     Elongation from Sun: 125.42 degrees (evening sky)
     Apparent size: 42.41 arcseconds in angular diameter
     Next transit of the Great Red Spot: Saturday July 28, 2007 at 1:13am
     At 9:58pm Jupiter and its four moons will be at an altitude of 27¼º and look like this in the telescopes:
      ( Io is behind Jupiter and will reappear from Jupiter's shadow at 11:31pm )

     (back to 'Quick Links')

Saturn data:
     Rise: 8:00am
     Transit 2:57pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
     Set: 9:54pm
     Constellation: Leo
     Phase: 99.96% illuminated
     Distance: 10.16870706 AU = 1,521,216,923 km = 945,240,385 miles
     Magnitude: mag 0.6
     Elongation from Sun: 20.79 degrees (evening sky)
     Apparent size: 16.34 arcseconds in angular diameter
     At 9:58pm Saturn and four of its brightest moons will be at an altitude of -1¾º
     and be below the horizon, but will look like this in the telescopes before it sets:

     (back to 'Quick Links')

Uranus data:
     Rise: 10:34pm
     Transit 4:21am Jul 28 (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
     Set: 10:07am Jul 28
     Constellation: Aquarius
     Phase: 99.97% illuminated
     Distance: 19.34457503 AU = 2,893,907,235 km = 1,798,190,611 miles
     Magnitude: mag 5.8
     Elongation from Sun: 136.42 degrees (morning sky)
     Apparent size: 3.64 arcseconds in angular diameter
     (back to 'Quick Links')

Neptune data:
     Rise: 9:25pm
     Transit: 2:37am Jul 28 (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
     Set: 7:50am Jul 28
     Constellation: Capricornus
     Phase: 100.00% illuminated
     Distance: 29.07047868 AU = 4,348,881,710 km = 2,702,269,847 miles
     Magnitude: mag 7.8
     Elongation from Sun: 163.58 degrees (morning sky)
     Apparent size: 2.35 arcseconds in angular diameter
     (back to 'Quick Links')

Pluto (Dwarf Planet aka Asteroid 134340) data:
     Rise: 5:44pm
     Transit 10:50pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
     Set: 3:56am Jul 28
     Constellation: Sagittarius
     Phase: 99.99% illuminated
     Distance: 30.51765451 AU = 4,565,376,134 km = 2,836,793,247 miles
     Magnitude: mag 14.1
     Elongation from Sun: 141.53 degrees (evening sky)
     Apparent size: 0.11 arcseconds in angular diameter
     (back to 'Quick Links')

General Information - Q&A of Where, When and What

Very sincerely yours,
Dave Jessie
"Time spent observing the heavens is not deducted from your life span"

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