Lyra and Kag Comet Report and Upcoming Astronomical Events For The Late Summer And Into Autumn

2009: The International Year of Astronomy (IYA)

 

Comets about:

• 22P/Kopff (08/03) UK or Equator or 40 South
• 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is in conjunction
• 116P/Wild (07/16) Equator or 40 South
• 217P/LINEAR (08/03) UK or Equator or 40 South
• Christensen (2006 W3) (07/02) UK or Equator
• Siding Spring (2007 Q3) (In conjunction) Equator or 40 South
• Garradd (2008 Q3) (07/16) Equator or 40 South
• Cardinal (2008 T2) (08/03) UK or Equator
• Yi-SWAN (2009 F6) (04/08) is at a poor elongation
• STEREO (2009 G1) (07/02) 40 South

Ephemeris for C/2006 W3   Christensen                  

Omega=133.5190 OMEGA=113.5726 i=127.0735 q= 3.126204 a=**********
e=1.000035  P=*********  T= 2009 July       6.6618    Equinox= 2000
Magnitudes calculated from m=-1.5+5.0*Log(d)+16.0*Log(r)+0.000*Beta

Station: UK                           
Latitude:  53.000  Longitude:    0.000   Magnetic variation:   0.0
Observing constraints:   Sun below -13. deg  Object above***** deg

August    2009                 Positions for 00:00 ET, Times in UT
                                                                                       Elong  Moon  Comet
Day     R.A. B1950 Dec   R.A. J2000 Dec   Mag    D      R    Trans    Observable    Sun Moon Phase Tail  pA d RA dDec

  1/ 2  20 51.8   27.43  20 54.0   27.55   8.3   2.34   3.14   0.12  21.46 to  2.27  134   71   86    8  182  -13   -9

 

Try This:

http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds/06w3.uk

 

This is the best Comet to look out for at the moment at Magnitude 8.3 is C/2006 W3 Christensen now in the Constellation of Vulpecula. 

 

If there are any reports of future dated bright Comets that may be seen with Binoculars or the naked eye I will keep you well informed.

 

Astronomical Events for August and upcoming Autumn:

 

3rd/4th Jupiter Occults 6th Magnitude Star 45 Capricorni

5th/6th Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

7th: Neptune 3 Degrees South of the Moon

9th Uranus is Six Degrees South of the Moon

10th Saturn's rings vanish

12th Perseid's Meteor Shower Maximum peak

14th Jupiter at Opposition

15th Juno Stationary

16th Mars Three Degrees South of the Moon

17th Neptune at Opposition and Venus is 1.7 Degrees South of the Moon

Asteroid (4) Vesta is 0.4 Degrees South of the Moon (Occultation over Europe) and Mercury is Three Degrees South of Saturn

22nd Saturn is Seven Degrees North of the Moon and Venus is Seven Degrees North of Pollux in the Constellation of Gemini

24th Mercury is at greatest Elongation East (27 Degrees-unfavourable)

27th Antares is 0.6 Degrees South of the Moon

29th Mars near M35 open cluster in Gemini

 

 

The Planets for August And Late Summer:

 

Mercury: May be glimpsed with binoculars close to Regulus in Leo as well as Saturn very low in the Western Sky.

Venus: is a brilliant "morning star" and is in Conjunction with Vesta on 25th

Mars: is far from being its best right now but is gradually climbing out of the morning twilight and will be close to M1 (The Crab Nebula) and M35 open cluster

Jupiter: is at Opposition 14th August in the Constellation of Capricornus and with a low Southern Altitude will be visible all night.

Saturn: now lost to the Western Evening Sky 

Uranus: Well placed by midnight in Pisces

Neptune: at Opposition on the 17th August and will remain close to Jupiter

Dwarf Planet Pluto: an Evening object amongst the stars of Sagittarius

Dwarf Planet Ceres: Now lost in the evening twilight

 

 

Upcoming Astronomical Space Events for August And Late Summer:

 

The Space Shuttle Discovery or STS 128 will return to the ISS and be the 30th US mission to the Orbiting platform in space-The flight will deliver equipment and supplies with a reusable Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. Delayed from July 30 and switched from Atlantis. Delayed from Aug. 6, Aug.

 

6 Worldwide Launches are scheduled for August including the STS 128 to the ISS

 

The Moon In August And For Harvest Moon:

 

All times are G.M.T or Universal Time U.T (add 1 Hour B.S.T)

 

Full Moon was on 6th August (Penumbral Eclipse) 00.05 Hours U.T

Last Quarter Moon is on 13th August at 18.55 Hours U.T

New Moon is on 20th August at 10.02 Hours U.T

First Quarter Moon is on 27th August at 11.42 Hours U.T

 

 

Full Moon occurs on 4th September at 16.03 Hours U.T (Harvest Moon)

Last Quarter is on 12th September at 02.16 Hours U.T

New Moon is on 18th September at 18.44 Hours U.T

First Quarter is on 26th September at 04.50 Hours U.T 

 

There are 2 Full Moons (or a Blue Moon) in the Month of December of this year 2009, there is also a Partial Eclipse of the Moon on New Years Eve 2009 during the evening but only 8% of the Lunar Surface will be Obscured.

 

Lighting Up Times for August and September:

 

All times are G.M.T or Universal Time U.T (add 1 Hour BST)

 

August 15th: 19.56 Hours U.T

August 31st: 19.19 Hours U.T

September 15th: 18.42 Hours U.T

September 30th: 18.06 Hours U.T

Astronomical twilight for August and September:

 

August 15th: 21.46 Hours U.T

August 31st: 20.52 Hours U.T

September 15th: 20.07 Hours U.T

September 30th: 19.27 Hours U.T