ISS Pass (from LA area): Time: Fri Oct 21 6:31 PM, Visible: 6 min, Max
Height: 58°, Appears: 10° above NW, Disappears: 12° above SSE- Get your
own alerts for your location here --> https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/
The August 21 2017 total Solar Eclipse is only ten months away! It will
be visible in the US from Oregon to South Carolina -- in a thin path
only about 60 miles wide.
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/sun/2017eclipse
If you are wondering where to go to see it, scroll down to "Find Your
Spot" on the toolkit link above -- and click on the Google Interactive
Map to see the eclipse path, anywhere you click, you'll get the time and
totality length. In the west, totality can be seen only in a narrow
path through Oregon, Idaho and Wyoming. The maximum totality (minutes
and seconds) reaches 2 minutes 40 seconds near St. Louis, less in the
west and east of maximum. Here are some examples of totality length near
the centerline in the western states:
1 minute 55 seconds in Salem -- Bend, Corvallis and Portland all will
have a partial eclipse.
In Wyoming, Casper has 2 minutes 25 seconds,
In Idaho, Rexburg gets 2 minutes 17 seconds of totality, while Idaho
Falls, 29 miles south gets only 1 minute 41 seconds.
Many hotels along the centerline are completely booked already. We
wanted to drive with our telescopes for dark sky observing at night, and
so we'd have flexibility to dodge clouds on the day or day before the
eclipse, and rented a trailer. We found an RV park just 12 miles north
of Rexburg ID, very close to the centerline. Our location will see 2
minutes 3 seconds of totality.
This RV park still had lots of spaces available (and restroom/showers
and a store) http://www.idahodunesrv.com/ <UrlBlockedError.aspx>
The rates for "Special Events" like 4th of July, Labor Day and eclipses
increase double (to $70 per night) for our large space
https://www.idahodunesrv.com/reservations.php
On this map is the campground layout
https://www.idahodunesrv.com/map.php <UrlBlockedError.aspx>
We rented the end space in the end row, space 56 on the map above for 4
nights August 19-22. We plan to join the Idaho Falls Astronomy Club at
one or more of their dark sky star parties in the evenings before the
eclipse, or possibly even set up in the RV space and share views with
other campers, if the lights aren't too bad.
There will also be livestreamed events of the eclipse for the armchair
sun worshipers, more on that as time nears. And here's what the partial
solar eclipse will look like here in the LA area.
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/los-angeles?iso=20170821
Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
@jhjones
What's Up podcast August 2016: Perseids and Planets
https://youtu.be/0vE5Jr6HttUhttp://nasa.tumblr.com/post/148352903509/whats-up-for-august-2016
A really nice ISS pass everyone!!
Time: Tue Oct 18 7:32 PM, Visible: 4 min, Max Height: 79°, Appears: 10°
above NW, Disappears: 45° above SE
Later..... at 10:25 p.m. a lunar grazing occultation!
*Who:* Magnificent red Aldebaran, the "eye" of Taurus the bull appears
to approach the moon's sunlit side, close to the north pole. Soon the
star will be easy to see as it moves onto the dark side of the moon. If
Aldebaran was placed where the sun is now, its surface would extend
almost to the orbit of Mercury. It's also about 153 times brighter than
the sun.
Good image here:
http://occultations.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/MoonViewWithCaption.j…
*What:* A lunar occultation occurs when the Moon, moving along its
orbital path, passes in front of a star or other celestial object, as
seen by an observer (normally on the Earth). A grazing lunar occultation
occurs when one of the two edges of the moon parallel to its orbital
path appears to just touch or graze the object as the moon goes by. When
this happens, a properly positioned observer will see the grazed object
disappear and reappear, possibly several times, as mountains and valleys
on the edge of the moon pass in front of it.
*Where:* Along a very thin line from Los Angeles, through Denver, Sioux
Falls, Minneapolis!
http://occultations.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20161019_AldebaranGra…
*When:* Greater Los Angeles area 10:25 - 10:29 p.m.
http://occultations.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CA_LA_6.jpeg
Super detailed maps (Monrovia on the Centerline)
http://occultations.org/aldebaran/2016october/
That's all for now! Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
@jhjones @otastro
What's Up Oct? Moon phases, Astronomy Day, Meteors, Saturn!
https://youtu.be/TwLaBKi3LaY
Saturday is International Observe the Moon night, and also Astronomy Day
or both. For us, it's just our regular Saturday night closest to the
first quarter moon -- the Saturday each month we bring the moon and
planets (weather permitting) to the sidewalk. There are some other
events Saturday the 8th in the bandshell on the other side of Monrovia
Park, so come on down and enjoy the various afternoon and evening events
by walking around the park! The big Library Park would make a great
scale model of the solar system, with the sun at the fountain, wouldn't
it? So come out and join us!
When Oct 8 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Myrtle/Lime corner Monrovia CA
Other events coming up:
* Pasadena Astronomy Week Oct 16-22 http://www.cityofastronomy.org/events/
* Huntington Gardens Star Party Oct 28 (check their website)
* Maybe dark sky at Amboy Crater October 29 RSVP with me for
directions and tips
* Mojave National Preserve public star party (free camping, RSVP) Nov
5 - the centennial celebration!!
https://www.facebook.com/events/310376066006443/
Here is my monthly What's Up video, it's naturally all about the moon
and Astronomy day this month!~ :-)
Many formats on JPL website
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/video/details.php?id=1442
YouTube: https://youtu.be/TwLaBKi3LaY
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nasa/
Tumblr: http://nasa.tumblr.com/post/151195307324/whats-up-for-october-2016
--
Jane Houston Jones
@jhjones @otastro
What's Up Oct? Moon phases, Astronomy Day, Meteors, Saturn!
https://youtu.be/TwLaBKi3LaY
