Planets Converge for Sunset Sky Show

Space Weather News for June 29, 2015
http://spaceweather.com

SUNSET SKY SHOW: The two brightest planets in the night sky are converging for a spectacular close encounter.  On June 30th, Jupiter and Venus will be just a fraction of a degree apart, forming a pair so bright that you can see them even before nightfall. Check http://spaceweather.com for observing tips and more.

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Good Clear Skies

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Astrocomet

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Colin James Watling

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Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)

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Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera

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Real 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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Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/

[BAA-ebulletin 00862] BAA Exhibition 2015

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BAA electronic bulletin
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A final reminder ...

BAA Exhibition 2015

St David's Hall, Cardiff

Saturday, 27 June

The Exhibition presents an opportunity to meet and talk with Section Directors and other members of the Association and with members of local societies. For details of this event, please see the Exhibition website (via the link below), where a programme of the day's proceedings is available for download.

Lorraine Crook

Exhibition Organiser

http://britastro.org/exhibition/

E-mail: lorraine@hamal.demon.co.uk

Mobile: 07532 010495

24 June 2015

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BAA-ebulletin mailing list visit:
http://lists.britastro.org/mailman/listinfo/baa-ebulletin
(c) 2015 British Astronomical Association    http://www.britastro.org/
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Good Clear Skies

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Astrocomet

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Colin James Watling

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Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)

--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera

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Real 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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Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk

SPA Newsletter 33: Aurora alert

SPA Newsletter 33

22 June 2015

Aurora alert
There is a strong possibility of auroral activity tonight, as several coronal mass ejections are currently hitting the Earth's magnetic field. Activity is now at storm level according to Aurorawatch UK.
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R Corona Borealis fades again
Recent observations show a significant fade of the variable star R Corona Borealis. As of 13 June it had dropped from a peak brightness of about magnitude 7.5 to around 10. For details go to http://popastro.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c3c026b652ea9c4b1c85afb31&id=009553e807&e=65c669f6a5

The star will be featured in the July issue of Popular Astronomy.
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This newsletter is issued in plain text only.
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Good Clear Skies

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Astrocomet

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Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)

--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera

--

Real 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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Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/

Geomagnetic Storm Warning: June 22-23

Space Weather News for June 22, 2015
http://spaceweather.com

GEOMAGNETIC STORM WARNING: A CME is heading directly for Earth, and it is expected to sweep up one or more lesser CMEs before it reaches our planet on June 22nd.  The combined impact is likely to spark polar geomagnetic storms and high-latitude auroras.   Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information and updates.

AURORA ALERTS:  Don't sleep through the auroras.  Get a phone call when geomagnetic storms are underway.  Space weather alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

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Good Clear Skies

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Astrocomet

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Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)

--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera

--

Real 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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Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/

The Summer Solstice.....

https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Summer_solstice

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Good Clear Skies

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Astrocomet

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Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)

--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera

--

Real 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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Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/

[BAA-ebulletin 00861] Light variations from a black hole!

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BAA electronic bulletin
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The variable star V404 Cyg has just gone into outburst but there is more to it than that as V404 Cyg is an X-ray nova and a low mass X-ray binary (LMXB) with a black hole component.  It also had outbursts in 1938, 1956, possibly in 1979 and in 1989. It has has been intensively monitored since then including by X-ray satellites.

However, perhaps the most interesting thing about V404 Cyg is that observers, including myself and Nick James using CCD cameras, have reported light changes of almost 2.5 magnitudes in less than 25 minutes!  This was from mag 13.0 to mag 15.0.  Most observers with moderate telescopes should be able to see an object of mag 13 visually and will then see this object disappear as it plunges down to mag 15 or so.  However, there is every chance that V404 Cyg may yet increase in brightness and the rapid fluctuations should become easier to see.  CCD observers should have no difficulty in recording these variations.

It is amazing to realise the light is coming from close to a black hole situated at the centre of this binary system.

Finder charts can be obtained from the AAVSO Variable Star Plotter at http://www.aavso.org/vsp where your specific orientation and field of view can be entered to suit.

I must also mention our friend R CrB which after promising to return to normal brightness of around mag 6, only reached mag 7 and has now plunged to below mag 12 again.  So, if you missed seeing it in your binoculars this time, who knows when it will recover again to become visible in such instruments?

If you do make any observations of either R CrB or V404 Cyg, please report then to the Variable Star Section.

Roger Pickard (roger.pickard@sky.com)
19/06/2015
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BAA-ebulletin mailing list visit:
http://lists.britastro.org/mailman/listinfo/baa-ebulletin
(c) 2015 British Astronomical Association    http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================

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Good Clear Skies

--

Astrocomet

--

Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)

--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera

--

Real 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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Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/

Incoming CME could spark solstice auroras

Space Weather News for June 19, 2015
http://spaceweather.com

SOLSTICE AURORA WATCH: On June 18th, the sun produced its biggest flare in nearly two months.  The M3-class explosion caused a brief low-frequency radio blackout over North America and hurled a CME into space.  A glancing blow from the CME is likely on June 21st , possibly sparking a geomagnetic storm and solstice auroras.  Check http://spaceweather.com for updates.

SUNSET PLANETS:  When sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west.  Venus, Jupiter and the crescent Moon are having a lovely conjunction in the sunset sky.  Photos @ http://spaceweathergallery.com

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Good Clear Skies

--

Astrocomet

--

Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)

--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera

--

Real 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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Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/

Charts-info Astrosite Groningen (June 18, 2015)

Dear comet observers,    We have prepared the following new charts for our homepage:    C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy):    - a 4.5x6.0 degrees chart for the period 19 - 27 June 2015    C/2015 G2 (MASTER):    - a 3.0x4.0 degrees chart for the period 20 - 29 June 2015    These new charts are now available in the charts section of our  mainpage at: http://www.shopplaza.nl/astro    Reinder Bouma/Edwin van Dijk  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Good Clear Skies

--

Astrocomet

--

Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)

--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera

--

Real 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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Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/

Philae Calls.

http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2015/06/Where_Philae_phones_home

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Good Clear Skies

--

Astrocomet

--

Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)

--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera

--

Real 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)

--

Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/

Charts-info Astrosite Groningen (June 9, 2015)

Dear comet observers,    We have prepared the following new chart for our homepage:    C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy):    - a 4.5x6.0 degrees chart for the period 11 - 19 June 2015    This new chart is now available in the charts section of our  mainpage at: http://www.shopplaza.nl/astro    Reinder Bouma/Edwin van Dijk  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Good Clear Skies

--

Astrocomet

--

Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)

--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera

--

Real 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)

--

Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/