I know some of you won't see this until tomorrow -- sorry!
If you peek outside tonight, Monday, and find the moon -- that bright
red pumpkin-colored star right next to it is Mars.
Cheers,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
This coming weekend is our public astronomy weekend in Pasadena and
Monrovia. Mojo and I will be setting up telescopes on Colorado Blvd in
Pasadena, CA - some place between Fair Oaks and Pasadena Avenues from
5:30 until 9:30 p.m. Friday the 16th.
Saturday the 17th is our Monrovia night - corner of Myrtle and Lime
Streets in Monrovia, CA as usual, from 5:30 until 9:30. Saturday is
also the peak of the Leonid Meteor shower. I doubt anyone wants to hop
in a car and drive to a dark location but I am bringing it up, just in
case.
The Meteor fluxtimator http://leonid.arc.nasa.gov/estimator.html tells
us that the time to view is from 3:00 - 5:00 a.m. Sunday Morning and
the rates will be about 4 - 8 meteors per hour. That's not a lot, but
if you enjoy getting out of the city lights this would be a great
weekend to do it. We'll stay in town, show the moon, skip the Leonids,
unless from the back yard.
Here is the forecast for the Leonids: http://leonid.arc.nasa.gov/
Here's the weather forecast (good for moon viewing):
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=LOX&llon=-118.968747&rlo…
Clear sky clock (the astronomers tool to determine the sky conditions)
http://cleardarksky.com/c/MnrviaCAkey.html
See you I hope! Jane and Mojo
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
When you look at Mars, have you ever wondered where the rovers are at
that moment? I do, and it adds to the fun of looking at Mars when I
know the rovers are facing Earth as I am looking up at that bright
ruddy planet. Wow is it ever getting bright!
Where and when to see the Rovers is part of the topic of my
November's What's Up. That and how to find a wonderful star, Mira,
which was captured in a fascinating image by the Galaxy Evolution
Explorer in August. Connecting stargazing to NASA missions adds some
complexity and extra enjoyment, at least it does to me. I hope you
enjoy this one!
Here is the What's Up:
http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html
Here is the GALEX image of Mira:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2007-090
Here is my favorite Mars Map showing the locations of the rovers:
http://www.damianpeach.com/images/mars/mars_2005dp_labeled.jpg
Next sidewalk astronomy is November 16 and 17th
http://www.otastro.org/ Have a look at Comet 17P/Holmes. If history
repeats, it will only stay bright for 20-30 days. That is what
happened in 1892 when it was discovered. And we're on day 16 now!
Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA 91109 818-393-6435
jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini SOC http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
What's Up? http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html
I am not much of a morning person, but tomorrow
morning - that's Wednesday the 7th there is a
shuttle +ISS pass over the Pasadena area. The
two spacecraft will be visible in the same part
of the sky as the bright comet 17P/Holmes in
Perseus. That should make a very pretty picture.
(if it is foggy, well, then I am sure someone
will have a very pretty picture of this lineup)
A friend here at work drove up CA Route 2, just a
couple miles up got him above the fog this
morning, where he snapped a photo of the shuttle
and International Space Station. Then he emailed
it to one of the astronauts aboard the shuttle
today.
Here is the chart
http://www.heavens-above.com/PassDetails.asp?Session=kebgcaianecpbahhnoafgb…
Here are the details: Look to the North East at
5:00 a.m. (not P. M.) - this allows a few
minutes to get oriented. It's a short pass just
3 minutes from 5:07 to 5:10 a.m. The two
spacecraft travel from NW to NNE 33 degrees above
the horizon. Then you should take a look at the
planetary lineup. Strung along the ecliptic will
be (starting from the Eastern horizon: Mercury,
the moon, Venus, Saturn and Mars (almost
overhead). Now that's what I call a lineup!
Date: Wednesday, 07 November, 2007
Observer's Location: Pasadena ( 34.1480°N, 118.1440°W)
Local Time: Pacific Standard Time (GMT - 8:00)
Leaves shadow 05:07:38 33 degrees above horizon
Maximum altitude 05:07:44 33 degrees above horizon
Drops below 10° altitude 05:10:24
Sets 05:12:30
There is another pass at 5:30 a.m. on the 8th,
but it only is 12 degrees above the horizon.
http://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=25544&Session=kebgcaian…
Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA 91109 818-393-6435
jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini SOC http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
What's Up? http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html
Normally on the third quarter moon weekend, you don't find the Sidewalk
Astronomers setting up. There will be no moon in the early evening.
But the sky gave us a big surprise late in October.
Normally extremely faint, comet 17P/Holmes had an outburst that made it
a million times brighter -- bright enough that we can see it from
downtown Monrovia without a telescope!
Over the past couple of weeks, amateurs and professionals alike have
been watching the comet's coma, the glowing cloud of dust that surrounds
it, grow in apparent size.
It's a fun object to see in a telescope, and we invite you to join us
this Saturday evening in Old Town Monrovia to do exactly that. We'll be
in our usual spot, at the corner of Myrtle & Lime, from 7:30 'til 9:30 p.m.
Because the comet is fairly far to the north in the sky, whereas the
moon and planets are usually found to the south, we'll have to move a
little up the walk towards the Mark Twain statue to get a clear view
without a tree in the way.
Right now the weather forecast looks good for Saturday night. I'll send
a follow-up note if that changes.
More about the comet and links to other pictures can be found on JPL's
web site here: <http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features.cfm?feature=1514>
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers http://www.otastro.org
