We will not be doing Astronomical Observing from Fishcreek Observing Site on Friday 3/12/2010 at 7:28:30pm (nautical twilight) but this information is being provided in case you have an opportunity to observe from a reasonably close location - allowing for time changes, of course. All rise/transit/set times will be fairly close if you're within a 50 mile radius of Stow, OH USA. Sunset: 6:31pm Civil twilight ends: 6:57pm Nautical twilight ends: 7:29pm Astronomical twilight ends: 8:01pm Moon Phase: 7.64% illuminated (waning crescent) rising at 4:58am - 26d 21h 35m since last New Moon Observing at Fishcreek hasn't yet begun in 2010, but we hope you have a wonderful night under the stars whereever you are. We'll be back sometime in the spring of 2010 whenever the weather cooperates - now in our fifteenth year! All times are shown in EST (Eastern Standard Time (UT-5)) as seen from Stow, Ohio Longitude: W 81 25' 38.3" Latitude: N41 11' 11.1" Altitude: 337m The following Sun, Moon and planet detail was calculated as it will be on Friday 3/12/2010 at 7:28:30pm (nautical twilight). Source: Guide8 software available from www.projectpluto.com ALL: Object Mag Const Rise Set Sun -26.7 Psc 06:39 18:31 Mercury -1.7 Aqr 06:44 18:20 Venus -3.9 Psc 07:19 19:42 Mars -0.3 Cnc 13:41 04:52 Jupiter -2.0 Aqr 06:24 17:40 Saturn 0.5 Vir 19:03 07:24 Uranus 5.9 Psc 06:54 18:49 Neptune 8.0 Cap 05:43 16:22 Pluto 14.2 Sgr 02:24 12:22 Moon -6.9 Cap 04:58 15:44 ABOVE HORIZON: Object Mag Const Rise Set Venus -3.9 Psc 07:19 19:42 Mars -0.3 Cnc 13:41 04:52 Saturn 0.5 Vir 19:03 07:24 BELOW HORIZON: Object Mag Const Rise Set Sun -26.7 Psc 06:39 18:31 Mercury -1.7 Aqr 06:44 18:20 Jupiter -2.0 Aqr 06:24 17:40 Uranus 5.9 Psc 06:54 18:49 Neptune 8.0 Cap 05:43 16:22 Pluto 14.2 Sgr 02:24 12:22 Moon -6.9 Cap 04:58 15:44 Sun data: Rise: 6:39am Transit: 12:35pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South) Sets: 6:31pm Constellation: Pisces Distance: .99385041 AU = 148,677,905 km = 92,384,168 miles = 8.28 light-minutes Magnitude: -26.7 Apparent size: 32.19 arcminutes in angular diameter Civil twilight ends at: 6:57pm ( When the Sun is 6° below the horizon ) Nautical twilight ends at: 7:29pm ( When the Sun is 12° below the horizon ) Astronomical twilight ends at: 8:01pm ( When the Sun is 18° below the horizon ) Winter began at the Winter Solstice which occurred on Monday Dec 21, 2009 at 12:47pm Spring begins at the Vernal Equinox which will occur on Saturday Mar 20, 2010 at 1:33pm Next Solar Eclipse: Partial eclipse (>80%) on Monday August 21, 2017 2:30pm EDT Next TOTAL Solar Eclipse: Monday April 8, 2024 at 3:15pm On 3/12/2010 at 7:28:30pm the Sun will be 12° below the west horizon Moon data: Rise: 4:58am Transit: 10:17am (Time of highest position in the sky, due South) Sets: 3:44pm Constellation: Capricornus Phase: 7.64% illuminated (waning crescent) Distance: 0.00274051 AU = 409,975 km = 254,747 miles = 1.37 light-seconds Magnitude: -6.9 Apparent size: 29.14 arcminutes in angular diameter Elongation from Sun: 32.02° (morning sky) Age: 26d 21h 35m since last New Moon Prior Phase: Last Quarter on Sunday Mar 7, 2010 at 10:42am Next Phase: New Moon on Monday Mar 15, 2010 at 5:01pm Next Lunar eclipse: Total eclipse (100%) on Sunday Sept 27, 2015 at 10:10pm EDT On 3/12/2010 at 7:28:30pm the Moon will be 40.9° below the west horizon Mercury data: Rise: 6:44am Transit: 12:31pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South) Sets: 6:20pm Constellation: Aquarius Phase: 99.73% illuminated Distance: 1.36290977 AU = 203,888,399 km = 126,690,379 miles = 11.35 light-minutes Magnitude: -1.7 Apparent size: 4.93 arcseconds in angular diameter Elongation from Sun: 2.21° (morning sky) Next maximum elongations... Evening: Thursday, April 8, 2010 (19° 21' 01") Morning: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 (25° 07' 48") On 3/12/2010 at 7:28:30pm Mercury will be 13.9° below the west horizon Venus data: Rise: 7:19am Transit: 1:30pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South) Sets: 7:42pm Constellation: Pisces Phase: 96.93% illuminated Distance: 1.64203584 AU = 245,645,065 km = 152,636,769 miles = 13.68 light-minutes Magnitude: -3.9 Apparent size: 10.16 arcseconds in angular diameter Elongation from Sun: 14.56° (evening sky) Next maximum elongations... Evening: Friday, August 20, 2010 (45° 57' 59") Morning: Saturday, January 8, 2011 (46° 57' 24") On 3/12/2010 at 7:28:30pm Venus will be 1.5° above the west horizon Mars data: Rise: 1:41pm Transit: 9:16pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South) Sets: 4:52am - Mar 13 Constellation: Cancer Phase: 94.10% illuminated Distance: .85735944 AU = 128,259,146 km = 79,696,539 miles = 7.14 light-minutes Magnitude: -0.3 Apparent size: 10.91 arcseconds in angular diameter Elongation from Sun: 127.92° (evening sky) Dates of Opposition (when Mars is closest to Earth) Previous: Friday Jan 29, 2010 at 2:21pm. Distance: 99,400,435 km. Size: 14.08 arcseconds. Next: Saturday Mar 3, 2012 at 3:52pm. Distance: 100,839,728 km. Size: 13.88 arcseconds. On 3/12/2010 at 7:28:30pm Mars will be 61.3° above the east-southeast 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' http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/8708182.html http://www.snopes.com/science/mars.asp http://www.hoax-slayer.com/mars-earth-close.html http://www.universetoday.com/2007/07/25/will-the-mars-look-as-big-as-the-moon-on-august-27-nope/ Jupiter data: Rise: 6:24am Transit: 12:02pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South) Sets: 5:40pm Constellation: Aquarius Phase: 99.97% illuminated Distance: 5.96478729 AU = 892,319,478 km = 554,461,625 miles = 49.68 light-minutes Magnitude: -2.0 Apparent size: 33.05 arcseconds in angular diameter Elongation from Sun: 9.60° (morning sky) Dates of Opposition (when Jupiter is closest to Earth) Previous: Friday Aug 14, 2009 at 1:44pm Next: Tuesday Sep 21, 2010 at 7:28am On 3/12/2010 at 7:28:30pm Jupiter will be 21.4° below the west horizon Next transit of the Great Red Spot: Saturday Mar 13, 2010 at 0:36am (The Red Spot transits about every 10 hours 56 minutes) GRS longitude: 142.7 Jupiter satellite events (during darkness): none visible Saturn data: Rise: 7:03pm Transit: 1:13am - Mar 13 (Time of highest position in the sky, due South) Sets: 7:24am - Mar 13 Constellation: Virgo Phase: 99.99% illuminated Distance: 8.51615312 AU = 1,273,998,373 km = 791,625,898 miles = 1.18 light-hours Magnitude: 0.5 Apparent size: 19.52 arcseconds in angular diameter Elongation from Sun: 170.01° (morning sky) Dates of Opposition (when Saturn is closest to Earth) Previous: Sunday Mar 8, 2009 at 3:44pm Next: Sunday Mar 21, 2010 at 8:28pm On 3/12/2010 at 7:28:30pm Saturn will be 3.6° above the east horizon Uranus data: Rise: 6:54am Transit: 12:52pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South) Sets: 6:49pm Constellation: Pisces Phase: 100.00% illuminated Distance: 21.08711479 AU = 3,154,587,471 km = 1,960,169,802 miles = 2.93 light-hours Magnitude: 5.9 Apparent size: 3.34 arcseconds in angular diameter Elongation from Sun: 4.07° (evening sky) Dates of Opposition (when Uranus is closest to Earth) Previous: Thursday Sep 17, 2009 at 5:34am Next: Tuesday Sep 21, 2010 at 12:51pm On 3/12/2010 at 7:28:30pm Uranus will be 8.4° below the west horizon Neptune data: Rise: 5:43am Transit: 11:02am (Time of highest position in the sky, due South) Sets: 4:22pm Constellation: Capricornus Phase: 100.00% illuminated Distance: 30.91883199 AU = 4,625,391,429 km = 2,874,085,023 miles = 4.29 light-hours Magnitude: 8.0 Apparent size: 2.21 arcseconds in angular diameter Elongation from Sun: 25.20° (morning sky) Dates of Opposition (when Neptune is closest to Earth) Previous: Monday Aug 17, 2009 at 4:47pm Next: Friday Aug 20, 2010 at 5:59am On 3/12/2010 at 7:28:30pm Neptune will be 35.9° below the west horizon Pluto (Dwarf Planet aka Asteroid 134340) data: Rise: 2:24am - Mar 13 Transit: 7:23am - Mar 13 (Time of highest position in the sky, due South) Sets: 12:22pm - Mar 13 Constellation: Sagittarius Phase: 99.98% illuminated Distance: 32.00658801 AU = 4,788,117,414 km = 2,975,198,263 miles = 4.44 light-hours Magnitude: 14.2 Apparent size: 0.10 arcseconds in angular diameter Elongation from Sun: 77.12° (morning sky) Dates of Opposition (when Pluto is closest to Earth) Previous: Tuesday Jun 23, 2009 at 3:49am Next: Friday Jun 25, 2010 at 2:59pm On 3/12/2010 at 7:28:30pm Pluto will be 67° below the north horizon *************** Web hosting generously provided by *************** JCSi - Jucikas Computer Services, Inc. 4381 Hudson Drive, Suite KV2, Stow, OH 44224 Tel: 330-689-0155 * Fax: 330-689-0165