2009: The International Year of Astronomy (IYA)-Just under 3 Months of it left....
Comets about:
Current comet magnitudes (October 1) and observable region (October 1)
Comet Magnitude Trend Observable When visible
Christensen (2006 W3) 9 fade 70 N to 70 S evening
Siding Spring (2007 Q3) 9 steady 45 N to 0 S early morning
88P/Howell 9 steady 40 N to 70 S evening
217P/LINEAR 10.5 fade 65 N to 70 S morning
22P/Kopff 11.5 fade 50 N to 70 S evening
Cardinal (2008 T2) 12 fade 30 S to 70 S evening
116P/Wild 12.5 fade Poor elongation
Garradd (2008 Q3) 12.5 fade Conjunction
81P/Wild 12.5 bright 65 N to 20 S morning
65P/Gunn 13 steady Poor elongation
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 13 ? varies 50 N to 5 S early morning
Yi-SWAN (2009 F6) [14 fade 35 N to 55 S morning
The observable region is an approximate indication of the latitude at which the comet may be seen. Under good conditions comets may be visible outside this range. The period when visible is for the UK if the comet is visible from the UK, otherwise for 40 S or the Equator as appropriate.
Christensen (C/2006 W3)
This Comet is now Fading and is currently around Magnitude 9 in the Constellation of Aqulia and as the year moves on I think we have seen the best of this one.
2 other Comets around magnitude 9 are:
Siding Spring (2007 Q3) which is and early morning Comet in the Constellation of the lower part of Leo almost on the border of Crater the cup-its trend is steady and even by December 1st it will have only reached Magnitude 8.8.
The other Comet 88P/Howell which is a Periodical Comet and only Visible from Equatorial and Southern sky Regions-its trend is also steady and even by late October will only be around Magnitude 9 at its best.
2 Future Comets to look out for:
2009 R1 (McNaught) Will be a difficult Comet to pick out for us Amatures in the June Summer Skies of 2010 and its estimated Magnitude is to reach Magnitude +4 so it may be a naked eye Comet depending on how light the skies remain around this time of the year-into July it becomes unobservable for the U.K so its best viewing window will be an hour before or an hour after midnight around this time as the skies will be just about dark enough to vaguely pick this one out.
2009 P1 (Garradd) - predicted to reach Magnitude +7 by Mid February 2012 and will be visible all night-this may become Binocular visible around early December 2011 and should keep bright until about March of 2012 so its worth noting that this Comet will be visible for around 4 months with our amature equipment and will be a good Winter target for back garden Astronomers like ourselves around that time.
Astronomical Events for the Autumn and into the Winter Months-
The rest of October:
16th Saturn and Venus are 7 Degrees North of the Moon.
20th Orionids Meteor shower maximum-very favourable with the slim crescent Moon setting early evening.
21st Antares is 1 Degree North of the Moon-daylight Occultation from the U.K that I hope to look out for.
27th Jupiter and Neptune will be 3 Degrees South of the Moon.
30th Uranus 6 Degrees South of the Moon.
31st Ceres is in Conjunction with the Sun, Juno is stationary.
November:
1st Mars amid Praesepe.
5th Mercury in Superior Conjunction with the Sun.
17-18th Numerous Leonid Meteor showers maxima possible-very favourable and may reach storm level according to reports.
December:
2nd Mars exceeds 10 Degrees Diameter in the sky.
13-14th Geminid meteor shower peak-very favourable (05 Hours).
20th Jupiter .5 Degrees from Neptune.
21st Ring in the Winter Solstice (17.47 U.T).
31st Partial Lunar Eclipse 17.15 to 21.30 Hours U.T.
The Planets for October And The Autumn:
Mercury: is now lowering in the early morning skies to become superior conjunction on November the 5th and will emerge in the evening skies in early December with greatest elongation occurring on 18th December when the planet will be 20 Degrees out from the Sun and shining at magnitude -0.5 worth looking at but not as favourable as it could be for U.K latitudes.
Venus: will remain a morning object throughout the rest of 2009 although will draw closer to the Sun and be lost during November as it closes with the Sun.
The Earth: arriving at the point round the Sun it did last year-or near enough-fair old journey for us all...
Mars: Is a morning object that will be growing in size and brightening-going from Gemini into Cancer and Leo and by the end of the year and into 2010 early evening observers will be able to look this one up.
Jupiter: Moving slowly through Capricornus and by the years end it will be a South Western sky object disappearing into the new year and to be consumed by the evening twilight.
Saturn: Will start to return to the early morning skies by late October and by the years end will be rising by midnight over the eastern horizon-this is more an evening observing object for 2010
Uranus: An evening object in pisces as it Crosses the border into aquarius.
Neptune: In capricornus at Magnitude +7.9 and visible in good powerful binoculars or a small telescope.
Dwarf Planet Pluto: In saggitarius
Dwarf Planet Ceres: Is in Conjunction with the Sun
Upcoming Astronomical Space Events for The Autumn And Winter Months:
| Nov. 12 | Shuttle Atlantis • ISS ULF 3 |
| Launch time: 2104 GMT (4:04 p.m. EST) Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida  STS-129 will be the 31st U.S. mission to the International Space Station. The flight will deliver the first two Express Logistics Carriers with an array of spare parts for the outpost. [Sept. 23] | |
Atlantis rolls to launch pad 39A for November mission
After spending the past week inside the Vehicle Assembly Building being attached to its fuel tank, twin rocket boosters and mobile launching platform, space shuttle Atlantis journeyed to Kennedy Space Center's pad 39A on Wednesday for a November space station mission.
After spending the past week inside the Vehicle Assembly Building being attached to its fuel tank, twin rocket boosters and mobile launching platform, space shuttle Atlantis journeyed to Kennedy Space Center's pad 39A on Wednesday for a November space station mission.
5 Worldwide Launches are scheduled for the rest of October and in November 9 Launches are scheduled to take off including the STS-129 Atlantis to the I.S.S.
A possible 18 worldwide launches are now scheduled for the rest of 2009
The Moon For October And The rest of 2009:
All times are G.M.T or Universal Time U.T
October
New Moon is on 18th October at 05.33 Hours U.T
Last Quarter Moon will occur on 26th October at 00.42 Hours U.T
November
Full Moon is on 2nd November at 19.14 Hours U.T
Last Quarter is on 9th November at 15.56 Hours U.T
New Moon is on 16th November at 19.14 Hours U.T
First Quarter Moon will occur on 24th November at 21.39 Hours U.T
December
Full Moon is on 2nd December at 07.30 Hours U.T
Last Quarter is on 9th December at 00.13 Hours U.T
New Moon is on 16th December at 12.12 Hours U.T
First Quarter Moon is on 24th December at 17.36 Hours U.T
Full Moon (or Blue Moon) is on 31st December at 19.13 Hours U.T
Late in the Year in December:
There are 2 Full Moons (or a Blue Moon) in the Month of December of this year 2009, there is also a Partial Lunar Eclipse of the Moon on New Years Eve 2009 during the evening but only 8% of the Lunar Surface will be Obscured-worth looking at if you are a new year reveller.
Sunrise and Sunset Times for the Autumn and Winter Months:
All times are G.M.T or Universal Time U.T
October 15th Sunset: 16.58 Hours U.T Sunrise: 06.19 Hours U.T
November 1st Sunset: 16.23 Hours U.T Sunrise: 06.49 Hours U.T
November 15th Sunset: 16.00 Hours U.T Sunrise: 07.15 Hours U.T
December 1st Sunset: 15,43 Hours U.T Sunrise: 07.41 Hours U.T
December 15th Sunset 15.39 Hours U.T Sunrise 07.57 Hours U.T
December 21st Winter Solstice at 17.47 Hours U.T
Lighting Up Times for The Autumn and Winter Months:
All times are G.M.T or Universal Time U.T
October 15th: 17.33 Hours U.T
October 31st: 17.01 Hours U.T
November 15th: 16.38 Hours U.T
November 30th: 16.24 Hours U.T
December 15th 16.21 Hours U.T
December 31st 16.30 Hours U.T
Astronomical twilight for the Autumn and Winter:
All times are G.M.T or Universal Time U.T
October 15th: 18.52 Hours U.T
October 31st: 18.21 Hours U.T
November 15th: 18.00 Hours U.T
November 30th: 17.48 Hours U.T
December 15th 17.47 Hours U.T
December 31st 17.56 Hours U.T
Websites:
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Good Clear Skies
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Astrocomet
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Colin James Watling
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Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
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