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Sidewalk Astronomy tonight - Monrovia Myrtle-Lime 8-10 p.m.

by Jane Houston Jones

We'll be out a little later tonight. Sunset isn't until 8 p.m. so that's when we'll start observing at our usual Myrtle and Lime corner in Monrovia CA. The moon is a few days from first quarter, so will appear as a chonky crescent tonight. We've just about lost views of Mars this apparition, you might glimpse it near the western horizon with unaided eye after sunset, but it will be too low to aim a telescope at from our corner. Jupiter is beginning its months-long reign as King of the planets in the night sky sky this month. Despite all the hype about Jupiter's brightness and closest approach (opposition) to the Earth in its orbit this week, this isn't the easiest time to view the planet early in the evening. Just like the full moon phase, Jupiter Opposition means Jupiter is "opposite" the sun, rising sunset *opposite* the sun and setting near sunrise. At 8 p.m. sunset tonight, Jupiter will only be a few degrees above the eastern horizon. It may clear the trees in Monrovia by 10 p.m. tonight but will be best to see around midnight for the next few weeks, when it reaches its highest altitude, which is only 30 degrees above the horizon. Each week it will reach this highest point a half hour earlier, so July and August will be prime viewing months. So tonight's view, when Jupiter will be lower in the sky won't provide awesome views. For awesomness, set your alarm, step outside between midnight and dawn over the next few months. With some moderate-sized binoculars and a steady view (use a fence or post to steady/balance the binos) aim at Jupiter and you should be able to see the Galilean moons! Hope to see some of you tonight! Jane Jane Houston Joneshttp://www.otastro.org/ <http://www.otastro.org/>

6 years, 8 months

clouds and atmosphere = poor moon viewing, so we are cancelling

by Jane Houston Jones

Tonight should be our sidewalk night in Monrovia, but the clouds won't clear until 8 p.m. and there is a line of small but powerful thunderstorms between us and Antelope Valley. So we are cancelling tonight's sidewalk astronomy to protect our telescopes, and not disappointing our guests with poor views of the moon. Next dates are June 8 and 15. If, you happen to look up and see the moon from home or from your evening stroll tonight, you can use these links below to identify features with your unaided eye. The moon is at First Quarter tonight May 11, 2019 at 6:12 pm. You can find the phases of the moon every month in What's Up video from JPL now. And I've included the link to my very favorite moon map below. What's Up video ends with the month's moon phases - a great addition to the video! https://youtu.be/VoivZE4xLEw Time and date -- a calendar of lunar phases for the year, just select your location for precision: https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/ --> Moon Map I love! The awesome Lunar and Planetary Sciences Lunar Landing Site Chart: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/mapcatalog/LandingSite/ Next sidewalk dates are June 8 and/or 15, weather permitting. Over and out! Jane and the sidewalk gang -- Jane Houston Jones, retired JPLer Twitter: @jhjones @otastro http://www.otastro.org/ Astronomy, travel, music, food, cats

6 years, 9 months

ISS pass tonight, Sidewalk Astronomy Saturday (weather permitting.

by Jane Houston Jones

First, tonight, a nice high ISS pass! Time: Tue Apr 09 8:15 PM, Visible: 3 min, Max Height: 71°, Appears: 36° above WNW, Disappears: 19° above SE. Sign up for your own alerts at the NASA "Spot The Station" website https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/ Next, /NASA's What's Up podcast/ continues with a new team, but three of us Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers are credited in the April video with image contributions here: https://youtu.be/iZAKN8IiUdU Finally, Saturday night, some of us will be out with telescopes in Monrovia from sunset (7 p.m. DST) and for about 2 hours after that, so come on down to Library Park at the Myrtle and Lime corner. We'll be looking at the Moon and Mars, maybe the Pleiades or some other things not marred by light pollution. Watch /What's Up/ for some good viewing suggestions for the whole month, including how to find Polaris, the North Star! Hint: It is not bright, but is easy to find. -- Jane Houston Jones, retired JPLer Twitter: @jhjones @otastro http://www.otastro.org/ Astronomy, travel, music, food, cats

6 years, 10 months

Sidewalk Astronomy in Monrovia: On tonight

by Jane Houston Jones

Come out and join us tonight!!!!! Monrovia, Myrtlee and Lime Street corner after sunset which is 7 p.m. tonight. We'll be there for about 2 hours. Jane and the OTastro gang -- Jane Houston Jones, retired JPLer Twitter: @jhjones @otastro http://www.otastro.org/ Astronomy, travel, music, food, cats

6 years, 11 months

Short sidewalk astronomy night tonight!

by Jane Houston Jones

It's cold and windy, but 4 of us will be out early for sidewalk astronomy tonight. Myrtle and Lime, Monrovia. 6 p.m. till 7:30 p.m. No promises that we'll be out later. Jane -- From Jane, sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.

6 years, 12 months

Short sidewalk astronomy night tonight!

by Jane Houston Jones

6 years, 12 months

Pretty sun-lit clouds :-( Also ISS pass tonight!

by Jane Houston Jones

ISS Pass again tonight. Time: Sat Feb 09 6:53 PM, Visible: 5 min, Max Height: 48°, Appears: 10° above WNW, Disappears: 26° above SSE The forecast is partly cloudy, Gary just stepped out and sees increasing clouds and no visible moon. The temperatures are dropping, and none of the astronomers appear to be available tonight, so we won't be bringing telescopes out tonight for all those reasons. If you feel so inclined, and can see some patches of sky, step outside to see the ISS pass at 6:52 p.m. and look for the slim crescent moon. It's 22% illuminated, and sets at 10 p.m. We may try again next Saturday but some of us are not available then either. Hang in there for better weather and less busy volunteer astronomers. Jane -- Jane Houston Jones, JPL Retiree Astronomer, music lover, JPL retiree My Final What's Up Astronomy podcast #138: Dec 2018 Jane’s finale. An awesome comet https://go.nasa.gov/2DUnUsg All 138 What’s Ups since 2007: https://go.nasa.gov/2usaBaB

7 years

Tonight: ISS pass on a clear Thursday night!

by Jane Houston Jones

Time: Thu Feb 07 6:59 PM, Visible: 2 min, Max Height: 41°, Appears: 11° above NW, Disappears: 41° above N Weather permitting (clouds and 20% chance of rain are in the forecast), may cancel Saturday Sidewalk Astronomy. Here's the forecast. I'll post a go/no-go on the website, and maybe a quick email on Saturdayo. https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/91016:4:US Finally, the new JPL What's Up video team has produced the February program. I like it, and so will you! https://youtu.be/CUaYcikaarE Jane -- Jane Houston Jones, retired JPLer Twitter: @jhjones @otastro http://www.otastro.org/ Astronomy, travel, music, food, cats

7 years

Tonight's lunar eclipse will be through clouds

by Jane Houston Jones

Most of the Sidewalk astronomers are staying home, otherwise engaged, or doing school or scouting events that aren't reliant on guaranteed viewing tonight. We have been looking on Weather.com, or weather underground and the forecast is cloud cover/poor transparent skies for Pasadena and much of Southern California. Your eyes are the best observing tool for lunar eclipses. So take a break from the football games and check out the sky after 7:30p.m. that's when the first "bite" will show. I like to sketch the moon, and one thing you could do is draw some circles like the sketching example (on a sheet of paper secured on a clipboard.) Fill in the amount of shadow you observe and show the time you observe it below your sketch and draw or mark any prominent features you see. I'll try to do the same at my scouting event tonight. Sketching example from Erika Rix publisshed in Astronomy Magazine: http://www.astronomy.com/magazine/erika-rix/2014/08/sketching-a-lunar-eclip… Lunar features annotated https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lunar_features#/media/File:Moon_names… Here are times of key eclipse events: before eclipse - note the features you see on the full moon 7:33 pm Moon enters the Earth’s inner shadow (first bite) 8:40 pm Totality begins (moon is covered in shadow) 9:12 pm Mid-eclipse 9:43 pm Totality ends (moon emerges from shadow) 10:51 pm Moon exits the earth's inner shadow One or two astronomers may be on the corner of Myrtle and Lime from 7:30 - 8:30 or 9 tonight, to look for the moon through the expected clouds and possibly aim binoculars if there are fleeting views. Don't make a special trip, but if you are planning to walk around Monrovia tonight, you may see an astronomer or two with binoculars, no promise of a telescope. I don't think the astronomers will stay past the beginning of totality at 8:40 p.m., so your best bet is to look up from your own place if you can see the moon. Your eyes turn out to be the best instrument for viewing lunar eclipses. I'm bringing binoculars and wishful thinking to a girl scout event tonight. From the Griffith Observatory announcement: NOTE: The eclipse will be visible to the naked eye from anywhere in southern California if skies are clear. You do not need a telescope. It is safe to view a lunar eclipse without any eye protection. Griffith Observatory has a warning about crowds, and traffic and lots of great info here. If you plan on going, be prepared to either go several hours before 7:30 p.m. or go late, and park miles away & walk. http://www.griffithobservatory.org/events/Lunar_Eclipse_January_2019.html?f… There are other cool astronomical events coming up so don't let the clouds dampen your stargazing enthusiasm! https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/los-angeles See you all soon! -- Jane Houston Jones Astronomer, music lover, storyteller NASA's January What's Up has not been posted due to partial gov't shutdown, sorry, but I'm retired!

7 years

Clouds and rain tonight!

by Jane Houston Jones

We've been carefully watching the forecast for a couple days before posting a go or no-go sidewalk astronomy decision for tonight, January 12th. But I think Gary's morning forecast note "Now says rain all day until 6pm instead of being done around lunch, I think that seals the fate of this evening." sums it up. Once again weather wins over sidewalk astronomy, and we are cancelling sidewalk astronomy tonight. But next Sunday there is a total lunar eclipse you'll be able to see from home, any cloud free part of the Americas. For those easily confused between UTC (Universal Time) and your local time, the eclipse begins at 9: 12 PST and the totality portion is between 8:41 p.m. and 9:43 p.m. More details here, and you can change the location if you aren't local to us here in LA. https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/usa/los-angeles?iso=20190121 As the week progresses and we return from a month of travel, we'll post some viewing spots. That's all from Jacksonville FL, gotta board my flight home now! Jane -- Jane Houston Jones, JPL Retiree Astronomer, music lover, JPL retiree My Final What's Up Astronomy podcast #138: Dec 2018 Jane’s finale. An awesome comet https://go.nasa.gov/2DUnUsg All 138 What’s Ups since 2007: https://go.nasa.gov/2usaBaB

7 years, 1 month

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