Astronomical Observing at the Fishcreek Observing Site
Friday - 7/2/2010  9:30 pm

Event Report:  Fabulous skies, fabulous people, fabulous event - what more can be said?  A wide variety of telescope types & sizes were present and presented a fabulous view of the Universe to all who attended.  See you in two weeks!

Click HERE for event status
Click HERE for a printer-friendly version of the information on this page.

Click HERE for general Information you should know about our events - Q&A of Where, When and What.
Click HERE for satellite passes this evening. 

Tonight, we have a bright gibbous Moon with us, but not until it clears the trees to the east of the observing field at 1:30am.  This phase is great for viewing detail in the craters on or near the terminator - the line separating lunar night from day, a wealth of features can still be seen. Faint DSOs (Deep Space Objects) will be available to us prior to that, however.  Saturn will be beautiful with its rings still nearly edge-on and with five of its moons visible. Also, we have Venus showing a gibbous phase, and Mars growing smaller every night. We have the colorful double stars, 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.  Galaxies should be visible this evening despite the brightening of the sky by the Moon.

Click HERE 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 fifteenth year!

- - - - - - Our location - - - - - -

Longitude:

 W 81° 25' 38.4"
Latitude: N 41° 11' 11.1"
Altitude:

 337m

Note: All times are shown in EDT (Eastern Daylight Time (UT-4)) as seen from Stow, Ohio
 

The following Sun, Moon and planet detail was calculated as it will be
on Friday 7/2/2010 at 10:18:23pm EDT (nautical twilight)
Source: Guide8 software available from www.projectpluto.com
Above Horizon Below Horizon Constellation Mag Rises Sets
  Sun Gemini -26.7 05:53 21:05
  Mercury Gemini -1.6 06:11 21:33
Venus   Leo -4.1 09:14 23:24
Mars   Leo 1.4 11:14 00:15
  Jupiter Pisces -2.5 00:47 12:57
Saturn   Virgo 1.1 12:27 00:55
  Uranus Pisces 5.8 00:40 12:47
  Neptune Aquarius 7.9 23:22 10:04
Pluto   Sagittarius 14.2 19:59 05:56
  Moon Pisces -10.6 00:03 12:58
Click HERE for information on the planets such as orbital and rotational periods, velocities, distances, etc. not listed in the detail provided below.

Quick links:
    Inner Solar System     Outer Solar System

Sun data
 
Rises:

5:53am
Transits:

1:29pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

9:05pm
Constellation:

Gemini
Distance:

1.01668247 AU = 152,093,533 km = 94,506,541 miles = 8.47 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-26.7
Apparent size:

31.46 arcminutes in angular diameter

Twilight ends...
Civil:

  9:36pm - Sun is   6° below the horizon
Nautical:

10:18pm - Sun is 12° below the horizon
Astronomical:

11:09pm - Sun is 18° below the horizon
Summer began:

at the Summer Solstice which occurred on Monday Jun 21, 2010 at 7:29am
Fall begins:

at the Autumnal Equinox which will occur on Wednesday Sep 22, 2010 at 11:10pm
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 7/2/2010 at 10:18:23pm the Sun will be 12° below the northwest horizon

Click HERE for additional data on the Sun

 (back to 'Quick Links')

 

Moon data
 
Rises:

0:03am - Jul 3
Transits:

6:26am - Jul 3 (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
Sets:

12:58pm - Jul 3
Constellation:

Pisces
Phase:

64.26% illuminated (waning gibbous)
Distance:

0.00271103 AU = 405,564 km = 252,006 miles = 1.35 light-seconds
Magnitude:

-10.6
Apparent size:

29.45 arcminutes in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

106.42° (morning sky)
Age:

20d 15h 7m since last New Moon
Prior Phase:

Full Moon on Saturday Jun 26, 2010 at 7:30am
Next Phase:

Last Quarter on Sunday Jul 4, 2010 at 10:35am
Next Lunar eclipse:

Total eclipse (100%) on Sunday Sept 27, 2015 at 10:10pm EDT

On 7/2/2010 at 10:18:23pm the Moon will be 20.3° below the east-northeast horizon
but will look like this in our telescopes at very low power* when it clears the trees to the east of the observing field around 1:30am:

 

*How do we change the "power" (magnification) of our telescopes?
Simple!  By changing the eyepiece to one of a longer or shorter focal length.
If the eyepiece is of shorter focal length, the "power" (magnification) is higher,
If he eyepiece is of longer focal length, the "power" (magnification) is lower.
By how much?  Here's the formula:

Magnification =F focal length of telescope objective lens (or mirror)
focal length of eyepiece being used      

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.
Click HERE for additional data on the Moon
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Mercury data
 
Rises:

6:11am
Transits:

1:52pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

9:33pm
Constellation:

Gemini
Phase:

97.46% illuminated
Distance:

1.31996163 AU = 197,463,449 km = 122,698,100 miles = 10.99 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-1.6
Apparent size:

5.10 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

5.77° (evening sky)
Next maximum elongations...
Evening:

Saturday, August 7, 2010 (27° 22' 00")
Morning:

Sunday, September 19, 2010 (17° 52' 13")

On 7/2/2010 at 10:18:23pm Mercury will be 7.8° below the west-northwest horizon

Click HERE for additional data on Mercury

 (back to 'Quick Links')

 

Venus data
 
Rises:

  9:14am
Transits:

  4:19pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

11:24pm
Constellation:

Leo
Phase:

70.05% illuminated
Distance:

1.06153818 AU = 158,803,852 km = 98,676,140 miles = 8.84 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-4.1 (extremely bright, the brightest thing in the evening sky except for the Moon)
Apparent size:

15.72 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

40.59° (evening sky)
Next maximum elongations...
Evening:

Friday, August 20, 2010 (45° 57' 59")
Morning:

Saturday, January 8, 2011 (46° 57' 24")

On 7/2/2010 at 10:18:23pm Venus will be 10.7° above the west horizon
and will look like this in our telescopes at high power...

Click HERE for additional data on Venus
(back to 'Quick Links')

Mars_data

Mars data
 
Rises:

11:14am
Transits:

  5:44pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

  0:15am - Jul 3
Constellation:

Leo
Phase:

91.48% illuminated
Distance:

1.80766078 AU = 270,422,203 km = 168,032,569 miles = 15.06 light-minutes
Magnitude:

1.4
Apparent size:

5.18 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

63.05° (evening sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Mars is closest to the 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 7/2/2010 at 10:18:23pm Mars will be 20.8° above the west-southwest 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

 Click HERE for additional data on Mars
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Jupiter data
 
Rises:

  0:47am - Jul 3
Transits:

  6:52am - Jul 3 - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

12:57pm - Jul 3
Constellation:

Pisces
Phase:

98.96% illuminated
Distance:

4.71722891 AU = 705,687,400 km = 438,493,827 miles = 39.29 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-2.5
Apparent size:

41.79 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

98.35° (morning sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Jupiter is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Friday Aug 14, 2009 at 1:44pm

Next:

Tuesday Sep 21, 2010 at 7:28am

Next transit of the Great Red Spot: Saturday Jul 03, 2010 at 4:31am (The Red Spot transits about every 9 hours 56 minutes)
GRS longitude: 144.9º
Jupiter moons activity (during darkness):
        None

On 7/2/2010 at 10:18:23pm Jupiter will be 28.2° below the northeast horizon

 Click HERE for additional data on Jupiter
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Saturn data
 
Rises:

12:27pm
Transits:

  6:41pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

  0:55am - Jul 3
Constellation:

Virgo
Phase:

99.73% illuminated
Distance:

9.69523922 AU = 1,450,387,143 km = 901,228,800 miles = 1.35 light-hours
Magnitude:

1.1
Apparent size:

17.14 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

77.69° (evening sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Saturn is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Sunday Mar 21, 2010 at 8:28pm

Next:

Sunday Apr 3, 2011 at 7:48pm

On 7/2/2010 at 10:18:23pm Saturn will be 27.9° above the southwest horizon
and will look like this in our telescopes at high power...
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.
Click HERE for additional data on Saturn
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Uranus data
 
Rises:

  0:40am - Jul 3
Transits:

  6:43am - Jul 3 - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

12:47pm - Jul 3
Constellation:

Pisces
Phase:

99.94% illuminated
Distance:

19.88383283 AU = 2,974,579,052 km = 1,848,317,755 miles = 2.76 light-hours
Magnitude:

5.8
Apparent size:

3.54 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

100.49° (morning sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Uranus is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Thursday Sep 17, 2009 at 5:34am

Next:

Tuesday Sep 21, 2010 at 12:51pm

On 7/2/2010 at 10:18:23pm Uranus will be 27° below the northeast horizon

 Click HERE for additional data on Uranus
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Neptune data
 
Rises:

11:22pm
Transits:

  4:43am - Jul 3 - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

10:04am - Jul 3
Constellation:

Aquarius
Phase:

99.98% illuminated
Distance:

29.32115628 AU = 4,386,382,545 km = 2,725,571,786 miles = 4.07 light-hours
Magnitude:

7.9
Apparent size:

2.33 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

132.65° (morning sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Neptune is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Monday Aug 17, 2009 at 4:47pm

Next:

Friday Aug 20, 2010 at 5:59am

On 7/2/2010 at 10:18:23pm Neptune will be 13.1° below the east horizon

 Click HERE for additional data on Neptune
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Pluto (Dwarf Planet aka Asteroid 134340) data
 
Rises:

7:59pm
Transits:

0:57am - Jul 3 - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

5:56am - Jul 3
Constellation:

Sagittarius
Phase:

100.00% illuminated
Distance:

30.8535334 AU = 4,615,622,899 km = 2,868,015,139 miles = 4.28 light-hours
Magnitude:

14.2
Apparent size:

0.11 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

171.21° (evening sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Pluto is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Friday Jun 25, 2010 at 2:59pm

Next:

Tuesday Jun 28, 2011 at 1:23am

On 7/2/2010 at 10:18:23pm Pluto will be 20° above the southeast horizon

 Click HERE for additional data on Pluto
(back to 'Quick Links')


Inner Solar System - the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Earth
(Created using Software Bisque's TheSky software)
If you compare Mercury's position last Friday to where it is tonight, you'll notice that it has moved from a morning object to an evening object.


 (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')
 

Click HERE for event status
Click HERE for a printer-friendly version of the information on this page.

Click HERE for general Information you should know about our events - Q&A of Where, When and What.
Click HERE for satellite passes this evening. 

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