| Event
Report...
A Fabulous night!! Lots of telescopes and many enthusiastic
visitors - some who had never before looked through a telescope.
We were out until after 2:00am and the sky was still crystal clear.
|
General Information you
should know about our events - Q&A of Where, When and What
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Astronomical Observing at Fishcreek - Friday
06/26/2009
Tonight, we have a relatively thin crescent Moon that will be with us
until it sets at 11:55pm. This phase is perfect for
viewing detail in the craters on or 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 becoming invisible to us 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 06/26/09 at 10:19:31pm EDT (nautical twilight)
Source: Guide8 software available from
www.projectpluto.com |
|
Above
Horizon |
Below
Horizon |
Constellation |
Mag |
Rises |
Sets |
| |
Sun |
Gemini |
-26.7 |
05:51 |
21:06 |
|
|
Mercury |
Taurus |
-0.6 |
04:41 |
19:37 |
|
|
Venus |
Aries |
-4.2 |
03:20 |
17:24 |
|
|
Mars |
Aries |
1.1 |
03:04 |
17:20 |
|
|
Jupiter |
Capricornus |
-2.6 |
23:43 |
10:17 |
|
Saturn |
|
Leo |
1.0 |
11:46 |
00:48 |
|
|
Uranus |
Pisces |
5.8 |
00:53 |
12:49 |
|
|
Neptune |
Capricornus |
7.9 |
23:39 |
10:16 |
|
Pluto |
|
Sagittarius |
14.1 |
20:10 |
06:12 |
|
Moon |
|
Sextans |
-8.8 |
10:26 |
23:55 |
|
Sun data |
| |
|
Rises: |
5:51am |
|
Transits: |
1:28pm
-
Time of highest position in the sky, due South |
|
Sets: |
9:06pm |
|
Constellation: |
Gemini |
|
Distance: |
Distance: 1.01657328 AU
= 152,077,198 km = 94,496,391 miles = 8.47
light-minutes |
|
Magnitude: |
-26.7 |
|
Apparent size: |
31.47 arcminutes in angular diameter |
|
Twilight
ends... |
|
Civil: |
9:36pm
- Sun is 6° below the horizon |
|
Nautical: |
10:19pm
- Sun is 12° below the
horizon |
|
Astronomical: |
11:11pm
- Sun is 18° below the
horizon |
|
Autumnal
Equinox: |
Tuesday
Sept 22, 2009 at 5:19pm (when
Fall 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 6/26/2009 at 10:19:31pm the Sun will be 12º below
the northwest horizon
(back to 'Quick Links') |
|
|
Moon data |
| |
|
Rises: |
10: |
26am |
|
Transits:
|
5: |
17pm - Time of highest
position in the sky, due South |
|
Sets:
|
11: |
55pm |
|
Constellation: |
|
Sextans |
|
Phase: |
|
24.44% illuminated
(waxing crescent) |
|
Distance: |
|
0.00245352 AU = 367,041 km = 228,069 miles = 1.23
light-seconds |
|
Magnitude: |
|
-8.8 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
32.55 arcminutes
in
angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
59.14°
(evening sky) |
|
Age: |
|
4.28 days
since last
New Moon |
|
Next Phase: |
|
First Quarter on
Monday June 29, 2009 at 7:28am |
|
Next Lunar eclipse: |
|
Total eclipse (100%)
on Sunday Sept 27, 2015 at 10:10pm EDT |
On 6/26/2009 at 10:19:31pm the
Moon will be 16.4º above the west-southwest horizon
and
will look like this...
Note:
All graphics are correct-image representations. A telescope
will reverse this left-right and possibly invert up-down
depending on type of equipment being used.
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Mercury data |
| |
|
Rises: |
4: |
41am |
|
Transits:
|
12: |
09pm - Time of highest
position in the sky, due South |
|
Sets:
|
7: |
37pm |
|
Constellation: |
|
Taurus |
|
Phase: |
|
69.54% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
1.10036539 AU = 164,612,319 km = 102,285,354 miles =
9.17 light-minutes |
|
Magnitude: |
|
-0.6 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
6.11 arcseconds
in angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
18.12°
(morning sky) |
|
Next maximum elongations... |
|
Evening: |
|
Monday, August 24, 2009 (27° 21'
57") |
|
Morning: |
|
Morning: Tuesday, October 06,
2009 (17° 56' 43") |
On 6/26/2009 at 10:19:31pm
Mercury will be 22.2º below the
northwest horizon
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Venus data |
| |
|
Rises: |
3: |
20am |
|
Transits:
|
10: |
21am - Time of highest position in the sky,
due South |
|
Sets:
|
5: |
24pm |
|
Constellation: |
|
Aries |
|
Phase: |
|
60.02% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
0.87031115 AU = 130,196,695 km = 80,900,477 miles =
7.25 light-minutes |
|
Magnitude: |
|
-4.20
(extremely bright, visible in
the morning before sunrise) |
|
Apparent size: |
|
19.17 arcseconds in
angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
44.55°
(morning sky) |
|
Next maximum elongations... |
|
Evening: |
|
Friday, August 20,
2010 (45° 57' 59") |
|
Morning: |
|
Saturday, January
08, 2011 (46° 57' 24") |
On 6/26/2009 at 10:19:31pm Venus
will be 33.4º below the
north-northwest horizon
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Mars data |
| |
|
Rises: |
3: |
04am |
|
Transits:
|
10: |
12am
- Time of highest position in the sky,
due South |
|
Sets:
|
5: |
20pm |
|
Constellation: |
|
Aries |
|
Phase: |
|
92.69% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
1.90766622 AU = 285,382,805 km = 177,328,656 miles =
15.89 light-minutes |
|
Magnitude: |
|
1.1 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
4.90 arcseconds
in angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
46.31°
(morning sky) |
|
Next
close approach: |
|
Friday, Jan 29, 2010 |
On 6/26/2009 at 10:19:31pm Mars
will be 31.9º below the north
horizon
No, Mars will *not*
be "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: |
11: |
43pm |
|
Transits:
|
5: |
00am June 27
- Time of highest
position in the sky, due South |
|
Sets:
|
10: |
17am June 27 |
|
Constellation: |
|
Capricornus |
|
Phase: |
|
99.38% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
4.35584029 AU = 651,624,433 km = 404,900,656 miles =
36.28 light-minutes |
|
Magnitude: |
|
-2.6 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
45.26 arcseconds
in angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
128.80°
(morning sky) |
On 6/26/2009 at 10:19:31pm Jupiter will be 16.7º
below the east horizon
Next transit of the Great Red Spot: Saturday
June 27, 2009 at 1:44am
GRS longitude: 131.5º
Jupiter moons activity:
Io shadow transits ends at
11:06pm with Jupiter 8° below horizon
Io transit ends at 0:10am with Jupiter 3.6°
above horizon
Ganymede eclipse begins at 0:35am with
Jupiter 7.9° above horizon
Ganymede eclipse ends at 4:14am with
Jupiter 34.3° above horizon
Ganymede occultation begins at 4:52am with
Jupiter 35.3° above horizon
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Saturn data |
| |
|
Rises: |
11: |
46am |
|
Transits:
|
6: |
17pm
- Time of highest position in the sky,
due South |
|
Sets:
|
0: |
48am Jun 27 |
|
Constellation: |
|
Leo |
|
Phase: |
|
99.74% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
9.70525994 AU = 1,451,886,221 km = 902,160,283 miles
= 1.35 light-hours |
|
Magnitude: |
|
1.0 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
17.12 arcseconds
in angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
70.74°
(evening sky) |
On 6/26/2009 at 10:19:31pm
Saturn will be 26.8º above the
west-southwest horizon
and will look like this...
Note:
All graphics are correct-image representations. A telescope
will reverse this left-right and possibly invert up-down
depending on type of equipment being used.
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Uranus data |
| |
|
Rises: |
0: |
53am Jun 27 |
|
Transits:
|
6: |
51am Jun 27
- Time of highest position in the sky,
due South |
|
Sets:
|
12: |
49pm Jun 27 |
|
Constellation: |
|
Pisces |
|
Phase: |
|
99.94% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
19.91480161 AU = 2,979,211,916 km = 1,851,196,483
miles = 2.76 light-hours |
|
Magnitude: |
|
5.8 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
3.54 arcseconds
in angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
98.98°
(morning sky) |
On 6/26/2009 at 10:19:31pm
Uranus will be 29.4º below the
northeast horizon
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Neptune data |
| |
|
Rises: |
11: |
39pm |
|
Transits:
|
4: |
57am Jun 27 - Time of highest position in the sky,
due South |
|
Sets:
|
10: |
16pm Jun 27 |
|
Constellation: |
|
Capricornus |
|
Phase: |
|
99.98% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
29.37487012 AU = 4,394,418,022 km = 2,730,564,800
miles = 4.08 light-hours |
|
Magnitude: |
|
7.9 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
2.32 arcseconds in
angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
129.34°
(morning sky) |
On 6/26/2009 at 10:19:31pm
Neptune will be 16º below the
east horizon
(back to 'Quick
Links') |
|
|
Pluto
(Dwarf Planet aka Asteroid 134340)
data |
| |
|
Rises: |
8: |
10pm |
|
Transits:
|
1: |
11am Jun 27
- Time of highest position in the sky,
due South |
|
Sets:
|
6: |
12am Jun 27 |
|
Constellation: |
|
Sagittarius |
|
Phase: |
|
100.00% illuminated |
|
Distance: |
|
30.65646162 AU = 4,586,141,381 km = 2,849,696,173
miles = 4.26 light-hours |
|
Magnitude: |
|
14.1 |
|
Apparent size: |
|
0.11 arcseconds
in angular diameter |
|
Elongation from Sun: |
|
173.16°
(evening sky) |
On 6/26/2009 at 10:19:31pm Pluto will be 18.8º
above the southeast 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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