|
Tonight's event has been
due to weather.
We'll try again next Friday. |
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Astronomical Observing at Fishcreek - Friday
04/03/2009
Tonight, the Moon will be with us the entire
night - but don't despair. The phase is near First Quarter so there's lots
to see near the Terminator - the line separating lunar night from day. We'll
also be able to see
Saturn,
colorful double
stars, and
open clusters made up of hundreds of stars.
The
globular clusters comprised
of hundreds of thousands of stars,
planetary nebula formed by dying stars,
diffuse nebula and
emission nebula where stars are being born, and
galaxies will be
somewhat difficult in the light of the Moon.
Saturn, the ringed planet, is a beautiful sight. With a high-power
view through the telescopes, the cloud bands are now visible since the rings are
nearly edge-on this entire year. Try to catch the rings now, or as soon as
possible, because they'll continue to be more difficult to see as the year
progresses reaching invisibility by early September..
for a list of DeepSky Objects that
will be available to us this session.
We hope to see you here for a night under the stars -
now in our fourteenth year!
For observing conditions at our site, please click on the link below:
ClearSkyClock for Fishcreek Site
(the darker blue the squares are, the better)
Quick links:
Inner Solar System
Outer Solar System
General Information about our events
|
The following Sun, Moon and planet detail
was calculated as it will be
on Friday 04/03/09 at 8:54:16pm EDT (nautical twilight)
Source: Guide8 software available from
www.projectpluto.com |
|
Above
Horizon |
Below
Horizon |
Constellation |
Mag |
Rises |
Sets |
| |
Sun |
Pisces |
-26.7 |
07:02 |
19:56 |
|
|
Mercury |
Pisces |
-1.8 |
07:14 |
20:14 |
|
|
Venus |
Pisces |
-4.2 |
06:04 |
19:09 |
|
|
Mars |
Aquarius |
1.2 |
06:03 |
17:26 |
|
|
Jupiter |
Capricornus |
-2.1 |
04:56 |
15:15 |
|
Saturn |
|
Leo |
0.6 |
17:17 |
06:20 |
|
|
Uranus |
Pisces |
5.9 |
06:21 |
18:09 |
|
|
Neptune |
Capricornus |
8.0 |
05:12 |
15:47 |
|
|
Pluto |
Sagittarius |
14.2 |
01:46 |
11:49 |
|
Moon |
|
Cancer |
-10.9 |
13:19 |
04:24 |
|
Sun data |
| |
|
Rises: |
|
7: |
02am |
|
|
Transits: |
|
1:
|
28pm |
-
Time of highest position in the sky, due South |
|
Sets: |
|
7:
|
56pm |
|
|
Constellation: |
|
Pisces |
|
Distance: |
|
1.00010902 AU = 149,614,180 km = 92,965,943 miles =
8.33 light-minutes |
|
Magnitude: |
|
-26.7 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
31.98 arcminutes in angular diameter |
|
Twilight ends... |
|
|
Civil: |
|
8: |
21pm |
- Sun is 6° below the horizon |
|
Nautical: |
|
8:
|
54pm |
- Sun is 12° below the
horizon |
|
Astronomical: |
|
9:
|
29pm |
- Sun is 18° below the
horizon |
|
Summer
Solstice: |
|
Sunday June 21, 2009 at 1:46am (when
Summer will officially arrives) |
Next Solar Eclipses
in Stow, Ohio:
Partial eclipse (>80%) on Monday August 21, 2017
2:30pm EDT
Total eclipse (an amazing sight!) on Monday April
8, 2024 2:15pm EST (3:15pm EDT)
On 4/03/2009 at 8:54:16pm the Sun will be 12º below
the west horizon
(back to 'Quick Links') |
|
|
Moon data |
| |
|
Rises: |
1: |
19pm |
|
Transits:
|
8: |
58pm
- Time of highest
position in the sky, due South |
|
Sets:
|
4: |
24am Apr 4 |
|
Constellation: |
|
Cancer |
|
Phase: |
|
66.25% illuminated
(waxing gibbous) |
|
Distance: |
|
0.00244004 AU =
365,025 km = 226,816 miles = 1.22 light-seconds |
|
Magnitude: |
|
-10.9 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
32.73 arcminutes
in
angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
108.83°
(evening sky) |
|
Age: |
|
8.37 days
since last
New Moon |
|
Next Phase: |
|
Full Moon on
Thursday Apr 9, 2009 at 10:56am |
|
Next Lunar eclipse: |
|
Total eclipse (100%)
on Sunday Sept 27, 2015 at 10:10pm EDT |
On 4/03/2009 at 8:54:16pm the
Moon will be 68.2º above the
south-southeast horizon
and
will look like
this...
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Mercury data |
| |
|
Rises: |
7: |
14am |
|
Transits:
|
1: |
44pm - Time of highest
position in the sky, due South |
|
Sets:
|
8: |
14pm |
|
Constellation: |
|
Pisces |
|
Phase: |
|
98.72% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
1.31367725 AU =
196,523,320 km = 122,113,931 miles = 10.94
light-minutes |
|
Magnitude: |
|
-1.8 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
5.12 arcseconds
in angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
4.19°
(evening sky) |
|
Next maximum elongations... |
|
Evening: |
|
Sunday, April 26,
2009 (20° 25' 12") |
|
Morning: |
|
Saturday, June 13,
2009 (23° 27' 17") |
On 4/03/2009 at 8:54:16pm
Mercury will be 8.3º below the
west horizon
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Venus data |
| |
|
Rises: |
6: |
04am |
|
Transits:
|
12: |
37pm - Time of highest position in the sky,
due South |
|
Sets:
|
7: |
09pm |
|
Constellation: |
|
Pisces |
|
Phase: |
|
2.68% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
0.28982422 AU =
43,357,086 km = 26,940,845 miles = 2.41 light-minutes |
|
Magnitude: |
|
-4.2
(extremely bright, but
completely lost in the glare
of the Sun) |
|
Apparent size: |
|
57.57 arcseconds in
angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
13.46°
(morning sky) |
|
Next maximum elongations... |
|
Morning: |
|
Friday, June 05,
2009 (45° 51' 07") |
|
Evening: |
|
Friday, August 20,
2010 (45° 57' 59") |
On 4/03/2009 at 8:54:16pm Venus
will be 19.7º below the
west-northwest horizon
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Mars data |
| |
|
Rises: |
6: |
03am |
|
Transits:
|
11: |
44am
- Time of highest position in the sky,
due South |
|
Sets:
|
5: |
26pm |
|
Constellation: |
|
Aquarius |
|
Phase: |
|
96.86% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
2.17266886 AU =
325,026,635 km = 201,962,190 miles = 18.1
light-minutes |
|
Magnitude: |
|
1.2 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
4.31 arcseconds
in angular diameter (getting
smaller) |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
28.85°
(morning sky) |
|
Next
close approach: |
|
Friday, Jan 29, 2010 |
On 4/03/2009 at 8:54:16pm Mars
will be 38.9º below the
west-northwest horizon
No, Mars was *not
"...as big as a Full Moon on August
27!"
Please see the following links for more information
about this annual 'Mars Hoax'
Sky & Telescope article
Snopes.com article
Hoax-slayer article
Universe Today article
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Jupiter data |
| |
|
Rises: |
4: |
56am |
|
Transits:
|
10: |
06am
- Time of highest
position in the sky, due South |
|
Sets:
|
3: |
15pm |
|
Constellation: |
|
Capricornus |
|
Phase: |
|
99.35% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
5.59364038 AU =
836,796,690 km = 519,961,363 miles = 46.59
light-minutes |
|
Magnitude: |
|
-2.1 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
35.24 arcseconds
in angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
54.74°
(morning sky) |
On 4/03/2009 at 8:54:16pm Jupiter will be 60.1º
below the northwest horizon
Next transit of the Great Red Spot: None before
it sets
GRS longitude: 129.7º
Jupiter moons activity:
None visible
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Saturn data |
| |
|
Rises: |
5: |
17pm |
|
Transits:
|
11: |
48pm
- Time of highest position in the sky,
due South |
|
Sets:
|
6: |
20am Apr 4 |
|
Constellation: |
|
Leo |
|
Phase: |
|
99.94% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
8.49991702 AU =
1,271,569,487 km = 790,116,658 miles = 1.18
light-hours |
|
Magnitude: |
|
0.6 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
19.55 arcseconds
in angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
151.93°
(evening sky) |
On 4/03/2009 at 8:54:16pm Saturn
will be 38.6º above the
east-southeast horizon
and will look like this...
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Uranus data |
| |
|
Rises: |
6: |
21am |
|
Transits:
|
12: |
15pm
- Time of highest position in the sky,
due South |
|
Sets:
|
6: |
09pm |
|
Constellation: |
|
Pisces |
|
Phase: |
|
99.99% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
21.03211053 AU =
3,146,358,951 km = 1,955,056,837 miles = 2.92
light-hours |
|
Magnitude: |
|
5.9 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
3.35 arcseconds
in angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
20.57°
(morning sky) |
On 4/03/2009 at 8:54:16pm Uranus
will be 31.2º below the
west-northwest horizon
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Neptune data |
| |
|
Rises: |
5: |
12am |
|
Transits:
|
10: |
29am - Time of highest position in the sky,
due South |
|
Sets:
|
3: |
47pm |
|
Constellation: |
|
Capricornus |
|
Phase: |
|
99.98% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
30.68207156 AU =
4,589,972,574 km = 2,852,076,766 miles = 4.26
light-hours |
|
Magnitude: |
|
8.0 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
2.23 arcseconds in
angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
48.72°
(morning sky) |
On 4/03/2009 at 8:54:16pm
Neptune will be 55.4º below the
northwest horizon
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Pluto
(Dwarf Planet aka Asteroid 134340)
data |
| |
|
Rises: |
1: |
46am |
|
Transits:
|
6: |
47am
- Time of highest position in the sky,
due South |
|
Sets:
|
11: |
49am |
|
Constellation: |
|
Sagittarius |
|
Phase: |
|
99.98% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
31.41636517 AU =
4,699,821,334 km = 2,920,333,622 miles = 4.36
light-hours |
|
Magnitude: |
|
14.2 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
0.10 arcseconds
in angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
101.05°
(morning sky) |
On 4/03/2009 at 8:54:16pm Pluto will be 54.4º
below the northeast horizon
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
Inner Solar System
- the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Earth
(Created using
Software Bisque's
TheSky
software)
(back to 'Quick
Links')
Outer Solar System
- the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto
(Created using
Software Bisque's
TheSky
software)
(back to 'Quick
Links')
General Information you
should know about our events - Q&A of Where, When and What
Very sincerely yours,
Dave Jessie
Time spent observing the heavens is not deducted from your life span
(back to 'Quick
Links')
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