The new cosmic calendar for the next three months at a glance!  Our astronomy infographic shows you all you need to keep an eye out for in the coming months.  Check out the text below for more details of each event!

 

 

08 Dec – Moon occults Regulus

At the beginning of December the waning Moon will occult the star Regulus in the constellation Leo.  It is a special event, since Regulus belongs to the brightest stars in the night sky at 1.3 mag.  A pair of binoculars or a small telescope will suffice, to witness it all.  However, you will need a good view of the north-eastern horizon.  Best case scenario would be finding a nice open area or a hill, from which to observe.  It is only important that no houses or forest obstruct your view.

13 Dec –  A Lunar Meeting with Mars

The narrow sickle of the waning Moon will show itself shortly before dawn, meeting up with Mars at about 6 degrees.  Yet there is more to see: with the star Spica, the two celestial bodies will create a triangle.  Closer to the horizon, you will also be able to see Jupiter.  It will appear, as if all four form an arrow pointing towards the horizon.

14 Dec – Geminids

If the night sky is clear, look to the south to see the Geminid meteor shower, originating from the constellation Gemini.  More precisely, the point of origination will be roughly two degrees above the star Pollux.  Between 9 PM and 6 AM is the best time for viewing the Geminids, with roughly 120 meteors per hour . making it one of the most active meteor showers.  Unfortunately, the full Moon will create some competition as it rises, but the event should nevertheless not be missed!

21 Dec – Winter Solstice

Every year on the 21st of 22nd of December, we get to experience the shortest day and longest night of the year.  This year on the 21st, Winter officially begins and the Sun will set early.  The night will last about 12 hours – a dream for every hobby astronomer, who wants to observe for long periods.

31 Dec – The Lunar Occultation of Aldebaran

In the night of the 30th to the 31st, the Moon will occult the star Aldebaran, which is the most prominent star of the Taurus and belongs to the brightest stars in our night sky.  Such an occultation of a bright star is quite an experience.  Almost completely full, the Moon will approach Aldebaran on its dark and interesting side.  The star will disappear sometime around 2 AM and reappear around 30 minutes later on the opposite side.

01 Jan – Mercury at Its Greatest Western Elongation

Mercury orbits so fast and so close to the Sun, that we cannot see it all the time.  Yet, today the planet will be at a distance of 22 degrees from the Sun.  During dawn, Mercury will appear around 6:30 AM in the south-eastern sky.  As the sky brightens, however, you will quickly lose sight of the planet.  Luckily, Mercury is quite bright, so you will be able to see it at even 7:30 AM.  In case it is overcast or you are sleeping off ringing in the New Year, you will still be able to see Mercury until the 10th of January.

03 Jan – Quadrantids

The next meteor show is already upon us: the Quadrantids.  This meteor show will originate from the constellation Boötes and will rain down a maximum of 120 meteors per hour.  You will have the best seats for the show if you happen to be out from the 2nd to the 3rd of January.

07 Jan – Mars Meets Jupiter

On the morning of the 7th, Mars and Jupitar will have tea and crumpets.  In the middle of the constellation Libra, both planets will be illuminated at a distance of 12 arc-minutes from one another, which is about a third of the Moon’s diameter.  You will be able to use your telescope to view both planets in one go!

11 Jan –  The Meeting of the Moon, Mars and Jupiter

A few days later in the same region, Mars and Jupiter will create some more space.  Yet, on this particular morning, the Moon plays a role.  The thin sickle will shine about 3 degrees above the two planets.  Even if you have to dress warm to see it, the sight will melt any ice in the vicinity.

13 Jan – Mercury Meets Saturn

Mercury will give us one more chance, before exiting the stage.  Yet, this morning, the fastest planet will be visible with the gas giant Saturn.  Shortly before sunrise, the two will appear just above the horizon in the south east.

31 Jan – Ceres in Opposition

Ceres is one of the most well known dwarf planets of the solar system with a diameter of 963 kilometers.  It orbits, with the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, the Sun every 5 years.  On the 31st January, Ceres will come into opposition to the Sun and you can observe it at its greatest brightness.  With a bright 6.9 size class, it will move from the head of Leo between the constellations Lynx and Cancer.  You can use a telescope or a large set of binoculars to find dwarf planet.  More exact details can be found here:

01 Feb – The Moon Meets Regulus and Mars meets Acrab

If you like to observe during the morning hours, then there is something for you on the 1st of February.  At about 4 AM, the pinzers of Skorpio will rise in the south east.  Yet, there is more: Mars.  The red planet will push past the star Acrab at a distance of around 18″.

Moreover, the following evening, the Moon will be about 7 arc-minutes away from Regulus, the most prominent star of the constellation Leo.  The time for the meeting is quite good: around 7 PM, European Central Time, the Moon will be closest.

08 Feb – The Moon Occults γ Lib

This occultation may not be observed by so many star gazers, since it will take place in dawn, when most are still laying in a warm bed.  That makes the occultation of the star γ Lib by the Moon, within the constellation Libra, quite a seldom seen event.  The Moon will be illuminated at around 45% and be edging ever closer to the star with its bright side.  Around 4:20 AM, the star will disappear behind the Moon and reappear at around 5:30 AM on the un-illuminated side of the Moon.

11 Feb – A Lunar Meeting with Saturn

The Moon seems to enjoy visiting our planets.  On the 11th of February, our satellite will meet with Saturn.  Such meetings are always an amazing sight and a great opportunity for a great photo with a standing camera and lens.  The Moon will be visible about 3.5 degrees higher in the sky, and as a result easier to spot.  Around 5 AM, Saturn will peer over the horizon.  It is not really the best time for the ringed planet however, as it will only appear in the second half of the night for next few months.  As early Summer sets upon us, the planet will appear at more comfortable times.  In June, it will even stand in opposition.

21 Feb – The Moon Occults μ Cet

An occultation at dusk: around 6:20 PM, the Moon will occult the star μ Cet in the constellation Cetus.  After a good hour, at around 7:15, the star will reappear on the other side.  This time the Moon will approach the star with its un-illuminated side.  During observation, you will notice the star disappear so suddenly, as if someone just pinched its flame like that of a candle.

23 Feb – The Moon Occults Aldebaran

A highlight on this day is the lunar occultation of Aldebaran.  As in last December, you should not miss this event, because such occultations are quite seldom and this will be the last occultation of Aldebaran for years to come.

The Moon will inch towards the star with its un-illuminated side.  For many, it is quite a surprise when the star suddenly disappears, despite it being expected.  At around 5:50 PM, Aldebaran will disappear and at 6:50 PM reappear.  For amateurs, it will be interesting to following the occultation to the minute.  With a Touptek Camera and software from SharpCap 2.7 will both be helpful in such a scenario.

Enjoy stargazing and clear skies from the team at Astroshop.

PDF here

 

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As the temperatures outside become milder, many stargazers make their way outside.  In the Spring, the night sky shows us a very different side of itself.  What is there to observe?  What is worth the time and effort?

Our astronomy highlights infographic for Spring 2017 can show you at a glance, what to keep an eye out for during the next three months, from March to May.

March

1 March – The Moon’s Meeting with Mars, Uranus and Venus 

During dusk, the crescent Moon will rise, illuminated at 12% and waxing.  Three days prior was the new Moon and the crescent offers a vivid glimpse of the Mare Crisium.  Still there is more to be seen here in a trio of planets – Mars, Uranus and Venus.

4 March – Moon Occults the Hyaden Cluster

Occultations of celestial objects by the Moon are always interesting and are all the more fascinating when the Moon is not fully illuminated, thereby occulting the object with its non-illuminated side.  On the 4th of March the Moon will travel across the open star cluster of the Hyades and thereby obscuring the 3.6 mag bright star 54 Tau. For European observers, the star will disappear behind the non-illuminated side of the Moon just before 9 PM GMT and reappear at the other side just before 11 PM GMT.

10 March – A Lunar Meeting with Regulus

In the evening of the 10th of March, the almost full Moon will rise in the East, as the sky darkens.  Just above it, the constellation Leo and its brightest star Regulus.  At the beginning of the evening, the two will be about 1.6° apart.  However, shortly before midnight our satellite will move within 1° of Regulus.  From here, you will be able to observe how the Moon slowly travels across the night sky.

14 March – A Lunar Meeting with Jupiter and Spica

Quite a sight indeed: on the 14th of March, we will see the Moon in close proximity to Jupiter and Spica, the brightest star of Virgo.

19 March – Venus and Mercury

The only good chance to view Mercury during the evening this year, the smallest planet will be visible from now until the 10th of April!  As of the 19th of March, we will be able to discover the Sun’s closest planet extremely close to the western horizon.  Need help finding it? Just search out Venus and approximately a hand’s width away, you will find Mercury.

26 March – Extremely Thin Venus Crescent (for the Professionals)

Venus reveals itself in her perfect form, subtle and crescent-shaped, the planet will appear just above the horizon, and only 1% illuminated.  The most fascinating part is that this event will take place during the day.  Warning: the Sun will appear very close to Venus, so avoid looking directly into the Sun.  This type of observation is best left to the experienced astronomer.

29 March – Mercury at Dusk

Mercury will be approaching its easterly elongation, occurring on the 1st of April, meaning the planet will descent in the dusk following the Sun and will appear as a half-illuminated disk.  Mercury will now set later, than on the 19th of February, and be an easy object to identify in the night sky.  The sight along with a crescent Moon at 3.6% illumination will provide a great opportunity to capture the essence and atmosphere of the evening!

April

1 April – Minor Planet Vesta

In January, the minor planet Vest stood at opposition and was visible throughout the night.  The class 7.6 planet will be easily visible in the constellation Gemini, almost half way between 69 Gem and 77 Gem.

7 April – Jupiter in Opposition

On the 6th of April, the gas giant Jupiter will be in opposition to the Sun.  Rising just at dusk, the planet will be visible throughout the night.  Photo tip: Photograph Jupiter this year, as the gas giant will be roughly 30° above the horizon, just below the celestial equator, and will not reach a higher position for the next few years.

10 – 11 April – A Lunar Meeting with Jupiter

The almost full Moon will approach Jupiter, at 1.1°, during the night of the 10th and 11th of April.

14 April – Comet 41P/Tuttle

The comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak will approach the Earth, and be easy to view through a telescope.  During this year’s pass, a respectable increase in brightness is predicted.  According to the Minor Planet Center, the comet will increase to a 6.7 mag bright object from the beginning to the middle of April.  Moreover, it will appear high in the sky as a circumpolar object and travel from mid-April through the constellation Draco, until it reaches Hercules by month’s end.  The Moon provides a helping hand by being in its darker phase.

21 April – Lyrid Meteor Shower

The Lyrid meteor shower will peak on the 21st with 10 to 20 meteors per hour.  While the optimal observation time is between 10 PM and 4 AM, the Moon will cause little disturbance.  The radiant, so the origination of the shower, lies within the constellation Lyra.

28 April – The Moon Occults Aldebaran

For European observers, a thin Moon cicle will occult the star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus at 8 PM.  On the 28th, the occultation will occur during sundown.  Approximately 50 minutes later, around 9 PM, Aldebaran will appear on the other side of the Moon.

30 April – Venus in Full Splendor

The morning star Venus will shine bright in the sky once again.  With a brilliance of -4.8 mag, our second planet will appear just before sunrise.  The Venusian cicle will then be illuminated at 26%.

Mai

6 May – Golden Handle on the Moon

A golden handle on the Moon?  You can find it as a matter of fact.  A ring of light will appear on the dark area of the Moon’s surface.  It always appears, when the waxing Moon is illuminated at 83% (around 4 PM Central European Time, 10 EST in the USA).  Within the Mare Imbrium, the plain Sinus Iridum will connect.  This plain is encircled by Montes Jura range.  While the valley between remains in darkness, the rising Sun will illuminate the peaks of the mountain range, the spectacle of the “golden handle”.  Another way to put it: Alpenglow on the Moon!

7 May – A(nother) Lunar Meeting with Jupiter

During the night of the 7th into the 8th of May, the Moon will once again approach Jupiter, reaching a separation of only 1°.

11 – 12 May – Shadow Games on Jupiter

Tonight, we will be sitting in the premium seats.  Before us on stage: Jupiter and its moons.  In a short on the night of the 1tth to the 12th, we will witness the moons Europa and Io leave their shadows on the gas giant.

First, Europa will travel across the planet’s disk around midnight (central European time).  At around 1:40 AM, the moon’s shadow will transit across the planet.  Then at 3:13 AM, Io will dance in front of Jupiter.  Its shadow will then follow shortly before 4 AM (CET).  We will then see two shadows on the planet, one on each side of the gas giant.

Ensure that you have a good view of the horizon during this event, since Jupiter will be sitting just above the horizon around 4 AM.

12 May – The Great Red Spot on Jupiter

This evening, the great red spot of Jupiter will be easily observable.  Around 9:40 PM, the spot will appear from behind the planet and wander over a four-hour period over the planet’s disk.

14 May – A Lunar Meeting with Saturn

Four days after the full Moon, a lunar meeting with Saturn will take place, with a separation of 1.6°.

20 May – Western Lunar Libration

For astrophotographers, this can be a very interesting project – capturing the libration of the Moon.  The Moon will find itself in its western libration.  A strong eastern libration will take place on the 31st of May, during which you see more of the Moon.  Capturing it in a photograph will surely be a fine experience.

22 May – A Lunar Meeting with Venus

Shortly before sunrise, we will witness a beautiful constellation of Venus and the Moon at a separation of 6°.  The Moon will show itself as a cicle, illuminated at 19%, with a new Moon three days later.

25 May – Moon in Close Proximity to Earth

The new Moon will be at a distance of 358,000 km (222,500 miles) to Earth, making it the closest distance of the year.

31 May – A Lunar Meeting with Regulus

Today, the Moon will be at 1.5° of separation from the star Regulus.

 

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Available as JPG and PDF.

Enjoy stargazing and clear skies!