Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revision Previous revision
Next revision
Previous revision
Last revision Both sides next revision
sky_highlights [2015/03/29 19:46]
edose add April 2015
sky_highlights [2017/06/28 15:10]
admin
Line 1: Line 1:
-====== Sky Highlights for APRIL 2015 ====== 
-  * April 4     ​-- ​ Full Moon (the "Grass Moon" or "Egg Moon"​)\\ 
-  * April 11    --  Last Quarter (moon absent from evening sky)\\ 
-  * April 11    --  OPEN HOUSE at Farpoint Observatory,​ beginning 8:30 pm\\ 
-  * April 18    --  __**New Moon**__\\ 
-  * April 25    --  First Quarter\\ 
  
-===== PLANETS in April 2015 ===== 
-Evening Sky: 
-  * **Mercury** -- in west 
-  * **Venus** ​  -- in west 
-  * **Mars** ​   -- in west, bright orange 
-  * **Jupiter** -- high in south, very bright 
  
-Midnight: +For sky highlights ​see:
-  * **Jupiter** -- in west, very bright +
-  * **Saturn** ​ -- in southeast +
- +
-Morning Sky: +
-  * **Saturn** ​ -- in southwest +
-  * **Uranus** ​ -- in east +
-  * **Neptune** -- in east +
- +
-===== CONSTELLATIONS well placed in evening during April 2015 ===== +
-North to South, at 9-11 pm: +
-  * **Ursa Minor**, the Little Bear, also the Little Dipper +
-  * **Ursa Major**, the Big Bear, also the Big Dipper +
-  * **Camelopardalis**,​ the Giraffe +
-  * **Lynx**, //not a Lynx//--so named because you need Lynx eyes to see it +
-  * **Leo Minor**, the smaller Lion +
-  * **Leo**, the Lion +
-  * **Cancer**, the Crab +
-  * **Sextans**,​ the Sextant +
-  * **Hydra**, the Water Snake +
- +
-===== EXTRAS in April 2015 ===== +
-  * In April, especially in evenings with no moonlight, you can still see the evening **zodiacal light**, reaching almost vertically from the west horizon. Look about 45 minutes after sunset. +
-  * Several planets continue to grace the evening ​sky in April. Jupiter is up very high, and Venus and Mars are is low in the west. Saturn is up by midnight. Mercury'​s back too, after April 18, just above the west horizon. +
-  * We finally get a meteor shower break in April: the Lyrids peak near New Moon! Look for them April 22/23, especially after the moon sets around midnight. Best times will be 2-6 am, very high in the sky. +
-  * There'​s a lunar eclipse April 4 before dawn. In Kansas, the moon becomes totally eclipsed at 6:54 am, and then right away sets at 7:13 am. Look west, and be quick! +
-  * Comet C/2012 Q2 (Lovejoy) is fading and very low in the north all night. Probably best to catch it around 9:30-10 pm low in the NW sky, with binoculars or a small scope. Otherwise tough going for comets in April. +
-  * Venus passes close to the Pleiades cluster around April 10. +
-  * Remember: it's springtime by day, but April can be winter-like on clear nights. Take and put on more clothes than you think you'll need, and take a break now and then. But the skies are great--go look! +
-\\ +
----- +
----- +
-\\ +
----- +
----- +
-\\ +
-====== Sky Highlights for MARCH 2015 ====== +
-  * March 5     ​-- ​ Full Moon (the "Crow Moon"​)\\ +
-  * //March 7/8   ​-- ​ Set your clocks forward for Daylight Savings Time//\\ +
-  * March 13    --  Last Quarter (moon absent from evening sky)\\ +
-  * March 14    --  OPEN HOUSE at Farpoint Observatory,​ beginning 8:00 pm\\ +
-  * March 20    --  __**New Moon**__\\ +
-  * March 27    --  First Quarter\\ +
- +
-===== PLANETS in March 2015 ===== +
-Evening Sky: +
-  * **Venus** ​  -- in west +
-  * **Mars** ​   -- in west, bright orange +
-  * **Jupiter** -- in east, very bright +
-  * **Uranus** ​ -- in southwest +
-  * **Neptune** -- in west +
- +
-Midnight: +
-  * **Jupiter** -- in south, very bright +
- +
-Morning Sky: +
-  * **Mercury** -- low in southeast +
-  * **Jupiter** -- in west, very bright +
-  * **Saturn** ​ -- in south +
- +
-===== CONSTELLATIONS well placed in evening during March 2015 ===== +
-North to South, at 7-9 pm: +
-  * **Draco**, the Dragon, very low in the North +
-  * **Ursa Minor**, the Little Bear, also the Little Dipper +
-  * **Camelopardalis**,​ the Giraffe +
-  * **Lynx**, //not a Lynx//--so named because you need Lynx eyes to see it +
-  * **Gemini**, the twins +
-  * **Orion**, the Hunter +
-  * **Canis Minor**, the Smaller Dog +
-  * **Canis Major**, the Big Dog +
- +
-===== EXTRAS in March 2015 ===== +
-  * March is by far the best month to see the evening **zodiacal light**, reaching almost vertically from the west horizon. And this year the moon is new at the equinox. Look about 45 minutes after sunset. On the clearest evenings around mid-March, the roughly triangular pillar will reach up 45 degrees, to the Pleiades. Not to be missed. +
-  * OK, Kansas nights are still a bit cold in March. **Think binoculars!** Even in a Michelin Man coat and gloves, it's hard to set up a telescope and stay out. BUT!--a coat, hat, folding chair, and modest binocs and you're good for 15 minutes or more--//and you can see a lot.// We'll make suggestions here. SO, we're going to start emphasizing binocular Sky Highlights during the winter months. +
-  * This is **Messier Marathon** month. Best nights by far will be the weekend of March 20-22. Because of this early date, the object at highest risk of being lost in twilight is--the last one, M 30, a heartbreak scenario, but there it is. Anyone up for an all-nighter?​ +
-  * Several evening planets grace the sky in March. Jupiter is already high in the southeast in the evening, and Venus, Mars, and Uranus are low in the west. Saturn is up pre-dawn. Mercury and Neptune have passed the sun and are up pre-dawn as well.  +
-  * Venus and Mars flirt shamelessly early March. Look above the west horizon perhaps 30-60 minutes after sunset.  +
-  * A tough month for comets: C/2012 Q2 (Lovejoy) is fading and very low in the north all night, and C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) is high pre-dawn but will probably require a 10" telescope and patience. +
-  * +
-  * Rememberstay warm during wintertime observing--take and put on more clothes than you think you'll need, and take a break now and then. But the skies are great--go look!+
  
 +[[http://​www.astronomy.com/​observing/​sky-this-week|Astronomy Magazine'​s Sky This Week]] ​