This event has been CANCELLED
due to clouds, rain, high winds
and soaked observing field.
(This, most definitely, has *not* been a good year for astronomy!!)

We'll try again next Friday 10/21/2011
 

Astronomical Observing at the Fishcreek Observing Site
Friday - 10/14/2011 at 7:30 pm

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. 
Click here for chart of Solar/Lunar/planet availability for tonight. 

Tonight we'll have a 92% illuminated waning gibbous Moon with us until it sets at 11:06am tomorrow morning.  The DSO's (Deep Space Objects) we love to see will be difficult the entire night.  Jupiter will be visible by 8:50pm after it clears the trees to the east of the observing field.  There won't be any Jovian moon activity, but the GRS transits the planet at 10:25pm and should be easy to see.  Uranus and Neptune are up, but rather unimpressive being so far away.  Colorful double stars and open clusters made up of hundreds of stars that will look beautiful; the globular clusters will be fantastic as will the planetary nebula formed by dying stars.  The diffuse nebula and emission nebula where stars are being born will be visible.  Galaxies will be available to us,  Bring your binoculars and we'll show you how to find the Andromeda Galaxy!

Click here for a list of DeepSky Objects that will be available to us this session.

How about the planets...which ones can we see tonight? 

    Sun is obviously unavailable to us, it will be night time after all. 
    Mercury is setting 25 minutes after sunset and will soon be visible in the west after sunset.
    Venus is now setting 41 minutes after sunset and will soon be visible in the west after sunset.
    Earth is what you'll be standing on as you look up. 
    Mars is a late night object now, rising at 1:55am and is now 8° east of the M44 - the Beehive Cluster
    Jupiter is a night object rising at 7:23pm.
    Saturn is no longer visible since it sets 8 minutes after the Sun.
    Uranus rises at 5:55pm.
    Neptune rises at 4:35pm.
 
  Pluto rises at 1:19pm, but so incredibly small and dim that we can't see a thing in our telescopes!  We can show you where it is.  OK, OK...if you want to try to see it, we'll try.  Don't expect to see anything, though!
    Moon will be a 92% waning gibbous rising at 7:53pm.  It will be our constant companion tonight.
    Comet Garradd (C/2009 P1) is now easily visible at magnitude 7.9 in the constellation Hercules


Click here for additional information on the planets not listed in the detail below.
Click here for a list of constellations we can see tonight before midnight.

We hope to see you here for a night under the stars - now in our seventeenth year!

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

Longitude:

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

 337m

- - - - - Click here for map - - - - -

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 10/14/2011 at 7:47:02pm (nautical twilight)
Source: Guide8 software available from www.projectpluto.com
  Above Horizon Below Horizon Constellation Mag Rises Sets
  Sun Virgo -26.7 07:33 18:50
  Mercury Virgo -0.6 08:30 19:15
  Venus Virgo -3.9 08:54 19:31
  Mars Cancer 1.2 01:57 16:16
Jupiter   Aries -2.9 19:24 09:02
  Saturn Virgo 0.7 07:28 18:57
Uranus   Pisces 5.7 17:55 06:05
Neptune   Aquarius 7.9 16:35 03:16
Pluto   Sagittarius 14.3 13:20 23:10
  Moon Aries -11.8 19:55 11:05
Comet Garradd   Hercules 8.0 10:29 00:58
Click here for information on the planets such as orbital and rotational periods, velocities, distances, etc. not listed in the detail provided below.

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Sun data
 
Rises:

7:33am
Transits:

1:12pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

6:50pm
Constellation:

Virgo
RA:

13h 18m 38.895s
DEC:

- 8° 18' 03.87"
Distance:

0.9973517 AU = 149,201,691 km = 92,709,634 miles = 8.31 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-26.7
Apparent size:

32.07 arcminutes in angular diameter

Twilight ends...
Civil:

7:15pm - Sun is   6° below the horizon
Nautical:

7:47pm - Sun is 12° below the horizon
Astronomical:

8:19pm - Sun is 18° below the horizon
Fall began:

at the Autumnal Equinox which occurred on Friday Sep 23, 2011 at 5:05am
Winter begins:

at the Winter Solstice which will occur on Thursday Dec 22, 2011 at 12:31am
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 10/14/2011 at 7:47:02pm the Sun will be 12° below the west-southwest horizon
 Below is the current image of the Sun in heavily-filtered white light updated each morning on the SOHO site.
Notice the graphic below the image that shows the relative size of Jupiter and Earth compared to the Sun:
Never EVER point your telescope at the Sun!!!  Instantaneous and permanent eye damage will result!!!
Very special equipment is required to provide an image like this...don't try this at home.

 Click here for additional data on the Sun

 (back to 'Quick Links')

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Moon data
 
Rises:

  7:55pm
Transits:

  3:27am - Oct 15 (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
Sets:

11:05am - Oct 15
Constellation:

Aries
Phase:

92.44% illuminated (waning gibbous)
Distance:

0.00270406 AU = 404,522 km = 251,358 miles = 1.35 light-seconds
Magnitude:

-11.8
Apparent size:

29.53 arcminutes in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

148.00° (morning sky)
Age:

17d 12h 43m since last New Moon
Prior Phase:

Full Moon on Tuesday Oct 11, 2011 at 10:06pm
Next Phase:

Last Quarter on Wednesday Oct 19, 2011 at 11:30pm
Next Lunar eclipse:

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

On 10/14/2011 at 7:47:02pm the Moon will be 2.7° below the northeast horizon
but will look like this in our telescopes at low power* at 9:30pm when it clears the trees to the east of the observing field:
*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
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Mercury data
 
Rises:

8:30am
Transits:

1:53pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

7:15pm
Constellation:

Virgo
Phase:

95.37% illuminated
Distance:

1.39526608 AU = 208,728,834 km = 129,698,086 miles = 11.62 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-0.6
Apparent size:

4.82 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

11.16° (evening sky)
Next maximum elongations...
Evening:

Monday, November 14, 2011 (22° 44' 52")
Morning:

Friday, December 23, 2011 (21° 50' 30")
Conjunctions of Mercury...
Prior:

Superior Conjunction on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 8:28:40pm
Next:

Inferior Conjunction on Sunday, December 4, 2011 at 2:12:42am
Next:

Superior Conjunction on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 5:36:20am

On 10/14/2011 at 7:47:02pm Mercury will be 7° below the west-southwest horizon
Click here for additional data on Mercury

 (back to 'Quick Links')

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Venus data
 
Rises:

8:54am
Transits:

2:13pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

7:31pm
Constellation:

Virgo
Phase:

96.32% illuminated
Distance:

1.63078286 AU = 243,961,643 km = 151,590,739 miles = 13.58 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-3.9 (extremely bright, but lost in the glare of the Sun)
Apparent size:

10.23 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

15.87° (evening sky)
Next maximum elongations...
Evening:

Tuesday, March 27, 2012 (46° 02' 27")
Morning:

Wednesday, August 15, 2012 (45° 48' 10")
Conjunctions of Venus...
Prior:

Superior Conjunction on Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 1:29:15am
Next:

Inferior Conjunction on Tuesday, June 5, 2012 at 9:32:09pm
Next:

Superior Conjunction on Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 8:37:10pm

On 10/14/2011 at 7:47:02pm Venus will be 3.9° below the west-southwest horizon

 Click here for additional data on Venus
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Mars data
 
Rises:

1:57am
Transits:

9:07am - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

4:16pm
Constellation:

Cancer
Phase:

91.04% illuminated
Distance:

1.7148682 AU = 256,540,631 km = 159,406,960 miles = 14.28 light-minutes
Magnitude:

1.2
Apparent size:

5.46 arcseconds in angular diameter - less than 1/380th the apparent diameter of the Moon!
Elongation from Sun:

65.95° (morning 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.
Click here:

For a table of close encounters with Mars from 1969 to 2052

On 10/14/2011 at 7:47:02pm Mars will be 28.7° below the north-northwest horizon

Question: Will Mars be "as big as a Full Moon on August 27!" ???
  Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
Question: Will there be "Two Full Moons in the Sky!" ???
  Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
Mars was the closest in recorded history on August 27, but that was only in 2003, not every year!
At that time, it appeared to be 1/75th the apparent diameter of the Moon!  NOT the "same size as the Full Moon".

Please check these respected sites for their stories on the "Mars hoax" by clicking on the links below:
    Sky & Telescope
    Snopes.com
    Hoax-slayer
    Universe Today

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

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Jupiter data
 
Rises:

7:24pm
Transits:

2:13am - Oct 15 - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

9:02am - Oct 15
Constellation:

Aries
Phase:

99.92% illuminated
Distance:

3.99486044 AU = 597,622,615 km = 371,345,481 miles = 33.27 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-2.9
Apparent size:

49.35 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

164.07° (morning sky)

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

Previous:

Tuesday Sep 21, 2010 at 7:28am

Next:

Friday Oct 28, 2011 at 9:37pm

Next transit of the Great Red Spot: Tonight at 10:25pm (The Red Spot transits about every 9 hours 56 minutes)
GRS longitude: 169.8°
Jupiter moons activity (during darkness):
        None tonight

On 10/14/2011 at 7:47:02pm Jupiter will be 3° above the east-northeast horizon
At 8:50pm tonight, when it clears the trees to the east of the observing field, Jupiter will look like this in our telescopes at high power.
Note that the GRS (Great Red Spot) is rotating into view for a transit at 10:25pm tonight.

 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 Jupiter
(back to 'Quick Links')

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Saturn data
 
Rises:

7:28am
Transits:

1:12pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

6:57pm
Constellation:

Virgo
Phase:

100.00% illuminated
Distance:

10.66613684 AU = 1,595,631,360 km = 991,479,373 miles = 1.48 light-hours
Magnitude:

0.7
Apparent size:

15.58 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

2.45° (morning sky)

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

Previous:

Sunday Apr 3, 2011 at 7:48pm

Next:

Sunday Apr 15, 2012 at 2:19pm

On 10/14/2011 at 7:47:02pm Saturn will be 10.4° below the west horizon
Click here for additional data on Saturn
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Uranus data
 
Rises:

5:55pm
Transits:

0:00am - Oct 15 - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

6:05am - Oct 15
Constellation:

Pisces
Phase:

99.99% illuminated
Distance:

19.13647536 AU = 2,862,775,966 km = 1,778,846,537 miles = 2.66 light-hours
Magnitude:

5.7
Apparent size:

3.68 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

160.53° (evening sky)

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

Previous:

Sunday Sep 25, 2011 at 8:07pm

Next:

Saturday Sep 29, 2012 at 3:07am

On 10/14/2011 at 7:47:02pm Uranus will be 19.6° above the east horizon

 Click here for additional data on Uranus
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Neptune data
 
Rises:

4:35pm
Transits:

9:55pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

3:16am - Oct 15
Constellation:

Aquarius
Phase:

99.98% illuminated
Distance:

29.39374307 AU = 4,397,241,375 km = 2,732,319,150 miles = 4.08 light-hours
Magnitude:

7.9
Apparent size:

2.32 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

127.03° (evening sky))

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

Previous:

Monday Aug 22, 2011 at 7:18pm

Next:

Friday Aug 24, 2012 at 8:24am

On 10/14/2011 at 7:47:02pm Neptune will be 28.7° above the southeast horizon

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

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Pluto (Dwarf Planet aka Asteroid 134340) data
 
Rises:

  1:20pm
Transits:

  6:15pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

11:10pm
Constellation:

Sagittarius
Phase:

99.98% illuminated
Distance:

32.37409839 AU = 4,843,096,185 km = 3,009,360,488 miles = 4.49 light-hours
Magnitude:

14.3
Apparent size:

0.10 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

73.86° (evening sky)

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

Previous:

Tuesday Jun 28, 2011 at 1:23am

Next:

Friday Jun 29, 2012 at 11:03am

On 10/14/2011 at 7:47:02pm Pluto will be 26.1° above the south-southwest horizon

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

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Comet Garradd (C/2009 P1) data
 
Rises:

10:29am
Transits:

  5:44pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South at altitude of 67.7°
Sets:

  0:58am - Oct 15
Constellation:

Hercules

RA:

17h 50m 11.050s

DEC:

N18° 52' 37.23"
Phase:

92.64% illuminated
Distance:

1.8554882 AU = 277,577,084 km = 172,478,406 miles = 15.46 light-minutes
Magnitude:

7.9
Elongation from Sun:

72.19° (evening sky)

Apparent motion

Speed:

36.914"/hour at position angle 263.6

Motion is:

0.24°/day in RA, -0.03°/day in DEC

On 10/14/2011 at 7:47:02pm Garradd (C/2009 P1) will be 55.7° above the southwest horizon

For a current chart showing Comet Garradd's position, click here

For a current close-up chart showing Comet Garradd's position, click here (includes SAO numbers of stars in the same 1° field of view)
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Inner Solar System - the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars on 10/14/2011
(Created using Software Bisque's TheSky software)
Mercury reached superior conjunction on 9/28/2011 and is setting 25 minutes after sunset but is lost in the glare of the Sun
Venus is setting 41 minutes after sunset but is still lost in the glare of the sun.  Venus reached superior conjunction on Aug 16, 2011
Mars will reach western quadrature on Dec 2, 2011.  It's now getting closer and will be closest on 3/3/2012

 (back to 'Quick Links')

Outer Solar System - the Sun, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto on 10/14/2011
(Created using Software Bisque's TheSky software)
The Earth is catching up with Jupiter which will reach opposition on Oct 28, 2011 when it will be closest to Earth.
Saturn reached conjunction on Oct 13, 2011 and is now setting at 6:57pm.  It's totally lost in the glare of the Sun.
Uranus reached opposition on Sep 25, 2011 and rises at 5:55pm
Neptune reached opposition on Aug 22, 2011 and rises at 4:35pm
Pluto's orbit can be seen to be extremely eccentric (non-circular) and tilted to the plane of the ecliptic.  It reached opposition on June 28, 2011

(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. 
Click here for chart of Solar/Lunar/planet availability for tonight. 

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