| As Scheduled |
Skywatch Guide |
Kauai, Hawaii |
Whether you're planning a Starwatch party, or just wish to observe Kauai skies with a friend or two, let me be your SKYWATCH GUIDE. I'm Rozlyn Reiner, an astronomy educator, (also known as Rocket Roz), & I maintain this AstroEvents page. I'm quite familiar with our Hawaiian skies, use helpful visual aides & astronomy "teach tools" (for pointing out stars, planets, constellations, & other naked-eye viewable objects), as well as a telescope & binoculars. The West side of Kauai has the most consistently clear skies (Waimea, Kekaha, Polihale Beach Park), & I will host small groups at my Kekaha home, or at nearby West Kauai viewing sites. I am also available to meet with you at another site if viewing conditions are favorable there. For further info, please contact me at: roz@rozhome.com |
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| September 2008 |
September Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
Four of the five "naked-eye viewable" planets grace the sky after sunset in early September. Brilliant VENUS appears in the darkening twilight, hanging low in the western sky. Hard to miss our brightest planet, which can serve as a beacon to locate fainter Mercury & Mars, as long as you have a clear view toward the western horizon. Just to the left/south of blazing Venus look for MERCURY. In early September the two planets appear within 3 degrees of each other. The two move in step nightly as they appear to close in on MARS which shines much fainter. Mars starts off the month approx. 3 degrees above (east of) Mercury & Venus. On Sept.10th, 11th & 12th, look to the west from about 7:15-7:45PM, for a fascinating conjunction; a planetary "gathering" of Venus, Mars, & Mercury near the bright star Spica, in the constellation Virgo. Venus & Mars will appear very close to one another (a mere 0.3 degrees apart), while Mercury hangs just below & to the left/south of the pair. Toward the end of the month, Mercury & Mars will be lost in the evening twilight while Venus will climb higher in the southwest evening sky.
Stunning JUPITER dominates the southern half of the sky all night, gleaming brightly in the south at dust. Jupiter appears among the stars of eastern Sagittarius, near the handle of the "teapot" asterism. SATURN reaches solar conjunction September 3rd, when it lies on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth, & thus not visible. It then passes into the morning sky, where it rises just before 5 AM, low in the east, by month's end. Scorpius, the giant scorpion is easily recognizable, as a "J" or fish-hook shape, (Ka Makau Nui O Maui), in the southern sky. Antares, the red supergiant star which is in the middle of the scorpion's curving body, is one of the largest stars in our stellar neighborhood. You'll find Scorpius & Antares just to the right /west of Jupiter. The Autumnal Equinox occurs on Sept. 22nd here in Hawaii. This is the moment when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, marking the change in seasons from summer to fall. On the day of the equinox, the Sun rises exactly in the East, & sets exactly in the West, & day & night are the same length. After the equinox, the Sun will appear lower & lower in the sky & the days will grow shorter.
For further details & a September sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org).
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| Sept. 27th, 3:00 - 9:00 PM |
The Hawaiian Sky Tonight: A Starwatch Program |
Waimea High School & Kaumakani Ball Field |
Kauai Community School for Adults is offering this one night course, taught by astronomy educator Rozlyn Reiner, an opportunity to learn about & visually explore our magnificent Hawaiian skies. There will first be an exciting multimedia presentation, at Waimea High School, from 3:00 - 5:30 PM. Discover the life cycle of stars & our Sun's place in the Milky Way Galaxy. Learn to recognize the constellations as they appear in the sky. Learn to use a sky map to locate & identify stars, constellations, planets, & other celestial objects. The class will then drive to Kaumakani (10 minutes) to participate in the KEASA public starwatch (weather permitting). Enjoy a guided sky tour led by astronomy educators using sky maps, laser pointers & helpful visual aids, as well as telescopes & binoculars.
Hear legends about the stars & explanations of special "events" of the solar system. Fee for the course is $18 plus $3 lab fee. Class size is limited & early registration advised by calling KCSA at (808) 274-3390. For further info, please email: roz@rozhome.com |
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| Sept. 27th, 2008 |
KEASA PUBLIC STARWATCH |
Kaumakani Ball Field |
The Kauai Educational Association for Science & Astronomy, KEASA, presents its monthly public STARWATCH, beginning at sunset Saturday September 27th, at the softball field in Kaumakani. For more information, including directions to this excellent viewing site, visit www.keasa.org (keasa.org). For recorded directions phone 808.332-STAR(7827). Feel free to call (808)346-5796, on Saturday late afternoon, for weather updates affecting Starwatch for that evening. |
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| August 30th - 7:00 PM |
KEASA presents PUBLIC STARWATCH |
Kaumakani Ball Field |
The Kauai Educational Association for Science & Astronomy, KEASA, presents its monthly public STARWATCH, beginning at sunset Saturday August 30th, at the softball field in Kaumakani. For more information, including directions to this excellent viewing site, visit www.keasa.org (keasa.org). For recorded directions phone 808.332-STAR(7827). Feel free to call (808)652-2373, on Saturday late afternoon, for weather updates affecting Starwatch for that evening. |
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| August 2008 |
August Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
Brilliant JUPITER dominates the southern half of the sky all night. The gas giant gleams from high in the southeastern sky at sunset. Jupiter appears among the stars of eastern Sagittarius, near the handle of the "teapot" asterism. Four planets are viewable in the Western sky for a short period just after sunset. VENUS stands out as the brightest object in the western sky after sunset. In the first week of August, look to the West at around 7:45 PM & you may be able to spot SATURN as a white dot to the upper left of Venus. Watch during the first 2 weeks of August as Venus & Saturn close in on each other. (The 2 planets appear closest on August 13th). Look for the pale orange glow of MARS to the upper left of Saturn. Watch for MERCURY to join the planetary "gathering" August 14th -16th. On August 15th, at around 7:30 PM, look for a tight clustering of Venus, Saturn, & Mercury, low on the Western horizon, with Mars to the upper left (SE) of the trio. Venus will be relatively easy to spot, while Saturn & Mercury, just below Venus, might require binoculars. (Mercury is the brighter of the two). The 3 conjunct planets will be setting by 7:45.
Scorpius, the giant scorpion is easily recognizable, as a "J" or fish-hook shape, (Ka Makau Nui O Maui), in the southern sky. Antares, the red supergiant star which is in the middle of the scorpion's curving body, is one of the largest stars in our stellar neighborhood. For further details and an August sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org).
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| Aug. 11th-12th, Midnight |
Perseid Meteor Showers |
Hawaiian Island Viewing |
The Perseid Meteor Shower is expected to peak the evening of Monday-Tuesday, August 11-12. The best time to view the meteors ("shooting stars") is after 11:30 PM on Monday night & especially after the Moon sets at around 2:00 AM Tuesday morning. The Perseids typically produce lots of bright meteors, many leaving luminous trails visible for several seconds. These are fast meteors with a velocity of about 36 miles/sec or 130,000 miles/hour! We can expect to see between 60 & 100 meteors per hour from a dark, clear viewing site. Perseid meteors appear to originate or "radiate" from the constellation Perseus, "the hero" which will be rising in the Northeast at around 11:30 (HST). Activity increases during the early morning hours when Perseus is overhead & the Earth turns skywatchers into the oncoming stream of comet debris. Note that the meteors are visible to the naked eye; no special equipment is required. (A reclining chair perhaps?)
Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through the path of a comet. The bits of debris left behind by the comets, most no larger than a grain of sand, create a spectacular light show as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. The Perseids' parent comet is 109/P Swift-Tuttle, which last visited our region of the Solar System in 1992. It returns to orbit the Sun approximately every 130 years.
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| July 2008 |
July Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
Perhaps the most exciting celestial event of the summer is the conjunction of Mars & Saturn in Leo. (See notes above). Watch nightly as Mars slowly catches up to Saturn (July 10th) and overtakes the orbit of slower moving Saturn. MARS will pass through Leo on the way to Virgo by month's end. This is the last month to view SATURN before it slips into the solar glare, to reappear in about 2 months in the morning sky.
Brilliant JUPITER is in opposition now, which means it is on the opposite side of our sky from the Sun. The gas giant rises in the east as the Sun sets & appears at its biggest & brightest, dominating the sky all night long. Jupiter appears among the stars of eastern Sagittarius, near the handle of the "teapot" asterism.
VENUS is slowly pulling away from the Sun & returning to the evening sky, though it will be difficult to spot until mid-month. Watch for Venus, (on the west-northwest horizon at sunset) to track through the Beehive star cluster in Cancer (M44) on July 18th, then cross into Leo on the 26th, when it will set 50 minutes after the Sun.
MERCURY is visible in the morning sky in early July, rising around 4:30 AM in Taurus, the Bull. By mid-month, the innermost planet drops out of visibility as it moves back toward the Sun, to reappear in the evening sky in early September.
Scorpius, the giant scorpion is easily recognizable, as a "J" or fish-hook shape, (Ka Makau Nui O Maui), in the southeast at sunset.
Early in the month, you'll be able to see the Southern Cross viewable just after sunset, low on the southern horizon. The two bright stars above the southern horizon, Alpha & Beta Centauri, "point" to the Cross to their west. By mid-month, "Crux," (the proper name for this constellation), will be setting with the Sun. Hawaii is one of the few places where we can see all the way from the North Star, Polaris (Hokupa'a), to the Southern Cross, a Polynesian navigational "star line" called Ka Iwikuamo'o, "The Backbone."
For further details and a July sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org).
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| July 5th, 9th & 10th |
Mars & Saturn Conjunction in Leo |
Hawaiian Islands & Mainland U.S. |
On the evening of July 5th, a thin crescent Moon hangs below Saturn, Mars, & Regulus (the brightest star in the constellation Leo), creating an intriguing Òcelestial line-up.Ó
Viewing from west to east, you will see the Moon next to Regulus, followed by Mars & then Saturn. Mars appears a ruddy rust color, between blue-white Regulus, & pale yellow Saturn (the brightest of the 3). Under clear skies, the line-up should be viewable in the west as soon as itÕs dark enough after sunset; (by 8:15 PM). YouÕll want to view early however, because this gathering will set by 10PM.
On July 9th & 10th, there will be a conjunction of Mars & Saturn in Leo. While the planets are actually separated by 817 million miles, they are currently placed in their orbits so that, as viewed from Earth, they appear close to each other. While Saturn takes 29 years to orbit the Sun, Mars completes an orbit in 687 days. Over the past few weeks, Mars has been slowly creeping closer to Saturn. Observe as the Red Planet moves closer each night, catching up with slower orbiting Saturn on July 9th-10th. (I think of the planets as being on concentric race tracks, with faster moving Mars overtaking slower Saturn). Mars then pulls away from Saturn as they both drop closer to the western horizon at sunset.
On July 10th the 2 planets will APPEAR to be separated by only 42 arc minutes. Although the planets will be closest on July 10th, the 9th is also good for viewing. |
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| June 2008 |
June Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
Three planets adorn our night skies this month. As the sky darkens in early June, Saturn & Mars appear high in the southwestern sky. SATURN sits just east of Regulus, Leo's brightest star, & easily outshines the "heart" of the Lion. On June 7th & 8th, watch for the Moon to pass just south of Regulus & Saturn. Saturn's ring system is beginning to tilt "edge-on" to our view from Earth. In late 2008, & through much of 2009, the rings will disappear from our view. This month, however, the rings are magnificent! You'll need at least a 30x telescope to view them. MARS crosses from Cancer into Leo this month, & will close within 0.7 degrees of Regulus by June 30th. Watch as the Red Planet edges closer towards Regulus & yellowish Saturn, as it moves toward a conjunction with Saturn in July. Brilliant JUPITER, rises in the southeast by 10PM early in the month, and by 8PM at month's end. Jupiter appears among the stars of eastern Sagittarius, near the handle of the "teapot" asterism, and dominates the sky all night long as the brightest object except for the Moon. (VENUS shines brighter but is currently behind the Sun & will not be viewable for another month). MERCURY is passing in front of the Sun for most of June & will reappear in the morning sky during the last few days of the month, hanging to the lower left of Aldebaran, the red eye of Taurus the Bull.
Look for the Southern Cross viewable just after sunset, low on the southern horizon. Hawaii is one of the few places where we can see all the way from the North Star, Polaris (Hokupa'a), to the Southern Cross, a Polynesian navigational "star line" called Ka Iwikuamo'o, "The Backbone." The SUN reaches its northernmost declination along the ecliptic on June 20th, the summer solstice. This is when our Sun crosses the celestial equator, from the southern hemisphere into the northern hemisphere, the longest day of the year (greatest number of daylight hours).
For further details and a June sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org).
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| May 2008 |
May Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
As the sky darkens in early May, Saturn & Mars are high in the southwestern sky. SATURN, almost directly overhead at sunset, easily outshines nearby Regulus, the "heart" of Leo the Lion, which sits just west of the ringed planet. Saturn's ring system is beginning to tilt "edge-on" to our view from Earth. In late 2008, & through much of 2009, the rings will disappear from our view. This month, however, the rings are magnificent! You'll need at least a 30x telescope to view them. (Join us at a KEASA Starwatch & SEE for yourself). MARS appears near the head of Gemini brother Pollux at the beginning of May, then crosses into Cancer. On May 9th, look for the waxing Moon 6¡ to the west of Mars, & on May 10th, 6¡ to the east. May 21-23, Mars passes through the Beehive star cluster (M44) in Cancer, offering some great binocular viewing; the ruddy Red Planet shining brightly against a background of the Beehive's few hundred stars. The constellation Cancer has few bright stars discernible from the city, though under dark skies, I'm usually able to find the Beehive. With naked eyes it appears as a hazy patch or "smudge" between Pollux (in Gemini) & Regulus (in Leo). Try locating Cancer by following Mars on its path through the Beehive May 21-23. Watch for brilliant JUPITER, rising in the southeast by midnight early in the month, and by 10PM at month's end. Jupiter appears among the stars of Eastern Sagittarius, near the handle of the "teapot" asterism, and dominates the night sky as the brightest object except for the Moon. MERCURY reaches its eastern elongation this month, when the innermost planet is at it's greatest distance from the Sun. Early May is a good time to view the tiny but bright planet, in Taurus, just 2¡ south of the Pleiades star cluster (M45). Best views come through binoculars as twilight falls, just slightly above the west-northwestern horizon. On May 6th, you'll find Mercury 3¡ to the lower left (south) of the crescent Moon. VENUS is moving back around the Sun & will be challenging to view until it reappears in the evening sky in late summer.
Look for the Southern Cross to rise by around 8:30PM in early May, & by 7 PM, late in the month, low on the southern horizon. Hawaii is one of the few places where we can see all the way from the North Star, Polaris (Hokupa'a), to the Southern Cross, a Polynesian navigational "star line" called Ka Iwikuamo'o, "The Backbone."
For further details and a May sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org).
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| May 5th, 2:30 A.M. - Sunrise |
Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower |
Hawaiian Islands |
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower could prove exciting this year, as the May 5th peak coincides with the new (dark) Moon. On this moonless night, away from city lights, observers might expect to see between 20 & 70 meteors/hour, between 2:30 A.M and sunrise on May 5th. These meteors are bright and fast moving; burning up as they make contact with our atmosphere, at approx. 41 miles/second. They appear to "radiate" from the constellation Aquarius, which rises almost directly due east by 2:30A.M. Most meteor activity expected just prior to dawn - look to the east.
Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through the path of a comet. The bits of debris left behind by comets, most no larger than a grain of sand, create a spectacular light show as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. The parent comet for the Eta Aquarids is Comet Halley.
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| April 2008 |
April Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
Behold our beautiful spring skies! As the sky darkens, you'll find our signature winter constellations nearly overhead: Orion, Gemini, Taurus, Canis Major (toward the south) & Auriga (toward the north); with Cancer & Leo just to the east. Early evening, look for the unmistakable orange glow of MARS, still in Gemini, high up at nightfall. The Red Planet sits along side of Gemini brother Castor in early April, then appears to move toward the other twin, Pollux. At the end of the month Mars is nearly in line with Castor & Pollux, & appears like a third "brother" or triplet in the constellation. SATURN shines brightly, 2.5 times brighter than Regulus, the "heart" of Leo the Lion, which sits 2 deg. west of Saturn. Watch for the Moon to visit Saturn & Regulus on April 14th, a stunning trio! Saturn's ring system is beginning to tilt "edge-on" to our view from Earth. In late 2008, & through much of 2009, the rings will disappear from our view. This month, however, the rings are magnificent! You'll need at least a 30x telescope to view them. (Join us at a KEASA Starwatch & SEE for yourself).
Early mornings, look for brilliant JUPITER, rising in the southeast by 2 AM early in the month, and by midnight at month's end. Jupiter appears among the stars of Eastern Sagittarius, near the handle of the "teapot" asterism, and dominates the early morning sky as the brightest object except for the Moon. The gibbous Moon dangles just below the giant planet the morning of April 27th. MERCURY will be traveling behind the Sun this month, and then reappear early evenings in late April, shining low in the west (at magnitude -1.4) about 30 minutes after sunset. On April 30th, as the sky begins to darken, look for Mercury, 10 deg. above the WNW horizon, just below the Pleiades star cluster.
Like Mercury, VENUS is moving back around the Sun & will be challenging to view until it reappears in the evening sky in late summer.
Shortly after sunset, April 8th, the crescent Moon crosses the glistening Pleiades star cluster, a striking event to observe.
Watch for the Southern Cross to rise around 10:00 PM in early April, and by 8:30 PM, later in the month, low on the southern horizon. Hawaii is one of the few places where we can see all the way from the North Star, Polaris (Hokupa'a), to the Southern Cross, a Polynesian navigational "star line" called Ka Iwikuamo'o, "The Backbone."
For further details and an April sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org).
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| March 2008 |
March Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
The Vernal Equinox occurs on March 19th here in Hawaii, at 7:49 P.M. HST. This is the moment when the Sun crosses the celestial equator, marking the change in seasons from winter to spring. On the day of the equinox, the Sun rises exactly in the East, & sets exactly in the West, & day & night are the same length. After the equinox, the Sun will appear higher & higher in the sky & the days will grow longer. SATURN is already in the eastern sky at dusk & remains visible nearly all night long, among the stars of Leo. It outshines Leo's brightest star, Regulus, the "heart" of the lion, which lies a few degrees to the west of the ringed planet. On March 18th, watch for an almost-full Moon right next to the pair. Early evening, look for the unmistakable orange glow of MARS, nearly overhead right after sunset. Mars crosses from Taurus into Gemini on March 4th, & sits above the horns of bull & next to legs of Gemini brother Castor throughout March. On March 9th & 10th, watch for an attractive binocular pairing as Mars passes north of Gemini's bright open star cluster, M35. Early mornings, look for JUPITER rising in the southeast by 4 AM early in the month, and by 2:30 AM at months end. Jupiter appears near the handle of the Sagittarius "teapot" asterism, & is the brightest object aside from the Moon, until VENUS rises two hours later. In early March, VENUS and MERCURY appear together, low in the predawn sky. On March 5th, a thin crescent Moon will join the pair, but you may need binoculars to see them both, low in the eastern sky, about 45 minutes before sunrise. Look for the Southern Cross to rise around midnight in early March, and by 11:00 PM, later in the month, low on the southern horizon. Hawaii is one of the few places where we can see all the way from Polaris, the North Star, to the Southern Cross, a Polynesian navigation "star line" called Ka Iwikuamo'o, "The Backbone." Earlier in the evening, you can still see the signature winter constellations: Orion, Taurus, Gemini, Auriga, & Canis Major (Orion's "Big Dog"). For further details and a March sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org).
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| February 2008 |
February Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
The month begins with a spectacular predawn conjunction of VENUS & JUPITER on February 1st. The two brightest planets are above the southeastern horizon by 6:00 AM beginning in late January. Watch how they appear closer & closer to each other each morning until, on Feb. 1st, they appear just 0.6 degrees apart, slightly more than the width of a Full Moon. Although the planets appear close to each other in the sky, VENUS is far closer to Earth (124 million miles away compared with 562 million miles for JUPITER) & shines brighter than the much larger gas giant. SATURN reaches opposition on Feb.24th, when it lies opposite the Sun in our sky & remains visible all night. This is a good time to view the ringed planet as it lies closest to Earth (771 million miles) & appears biggest & brightest. Watch for Saturn rising in the east shortly after sunset, with the stars of Leo, the Lion. On Feb.1st, you'll find MARS glowing brightly,high in the southeastern sky after sunset, between the stars which mark the horns of Taurus the Bull. Mars will appear to move eastward and, on the 29th, the Red Planet will form a nearly perfect equilateral triangle with 2 red giant stars; Betelgeuse (which marks Orion's shoulder) & Aldebaran (the eye of the Bull). There will be a total lunar eclipse on Feb.20th, tho' unlike the August 2007 eclipse, we will be unable to view this one from Hawaii, as it occurs before the Moon rises here. (We WILL be able to see the end of the PARTIAL eclipse, from Moon-rise at 6:40PM HST until 7:10). If you happen to be on the West Coast mainland, the eclipse will begin at 5:43 PST, just as the Sun sets. Totality starts at 7:01 & lasts 51 minutes. Then it will take another 78 minutes for the Moon to leave the Earth's shadow (partial eclipse). (Adjust for other mainland time zones accordingly). For further details and a February sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org).
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| January 3rd-4th, 2008 |
Quadrantid Meteor Shower |
Hawaiian Island Viewing |
The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on Jan.3rd, at approx. 8:30 PM (HST). This is one of the year's strongest showers, with a rate of 120 meteors/hour. There will be little interference from the waning crescent Moon, so if we have clear skies, we should see quite a display! The radiant will not rise until after midnight, so the best viewing will be closer to the early morning hours on Jan.4th. |
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| January 2008 |
January Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
January is an exciting month for stargazing! MARS is still glowing brightly, dominating the night sky, between the horns of Taurus the Bull & the feet of Gemini. The Red Planet rises just after sunset and, as twilight ends, is already more than 30 deg. above the Eastern horizon. At midnight, look for Mars almost directly overhead. Mars is visible all night long, however it won't be as bright at the end of the month, as Earth speeds away from the Red Planet in its orbit. Luminous VENUS, rises in the East around 4:30 A.M., more than 2.5 hours before the Sun. Hard to miss the brilliant planet, which is often mistaken for a UFO! Venus is viewable in the Eastern sky through sunrise. By mid-month, Venus is joined by the gas giant JUPITER, as the two planets prepare for a spectacular conjunction on February 1st. Look for the pair in the Eastern sky at dawn, beginning the second week of January. Notice how the two bright planets appear closer & closer each morning until, on Feb. 1st, they lie 0.6 degrees apart, slightly more than the width of a Full Moon. SATURN rises in the East around 10 PM in early January, & 2 hours earlier by month's end. The ringed planet lies more than 8 deg. below Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo. MERCURY starts to become visible in the West, shortly after sunset, by mid-January. On January 9th, you might be able to spot Mercury at twilight, below & to the right of a tiny crescent Moon. Look for the pair in binoculars. Mercury sets 80 minutes after the Sun on January 15th. On January 21st, Mercury reaches its greatest angle East of the Sun (19 deg.) & remains above the horizon 90 minutes after sunset. For further details and a January sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org).
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| Dec. 23, 6:55 PM |
International Space Station (ISS) Pass |
Above Kauai, from NW moving SW then SSE |
On Dec. 23rd, from 6:55 Ð 7:01 PM, there will be a very bright (-2.1), 5+ minute pass of the International Space Station over Hawaii. Look to the Northwest at 6:55 PM. The ISS looks like a bright star, only itÕs moving very fast. It will appear larger & brighter as it climbs overhead to maximum altitude of 68 degrees at 6:58, moving toward the SW. It will then continue toward the SSE where it will disappear from view. (Times are for Kauai viewing. For local info check www.heavens-above.com)
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| December 2007 |
December Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
December is MARS' month to shine. The Red Planet reaches opposition on the 24th when Mars rises as the Sun sets & is visible all night. Six days earlier, on Dec. 18th, Mars will reach it's closest point to Earth (approx. 54.8 million miles away), as Earth catches up to Mars' slower, longer orbit around the Sun. While not as close as in the 2003 or 2005 approaches, Mars' disk will appear larger than it will for the next 9 years, and gleams brighter than any star, dominating the sky from dusk to dawn, in the constellation Gemini. On Dec. 23, look for the Full Moon near Mars and just Southwest of the "heads" of Gemini twins Castor & Pollux. SATURN rises by 12:30 A.M. on Dec. 1st, & 2 hours earlier by month's end. Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion, rises about 40 minutes ahead of Saturn. Luminous VENUS, rises in the east around 4 A.M., 3 hours before the Sun. Hard to miss the brilliant planet, which is often mistaken for a UFO! Venus is viewable in the eastern sky through sunrise, in line with Virgo's brightest star Spica. A slim crescent Moon joins the pair on December 5th, a site well worth rising early to see. Watch for the Geminid meteor showers to peak on Dec. 14th & 15th (see notes below). December 21st marks the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, when the Sun reaches its maximum distance south of the celestial equator. For further details and a December sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium(bishopmuseum.org).
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| December 13/14/15 |
Geminid Meteor Showers |
Hawaiian Island Viewing |
The Geminid Meteor Shower will be active from December 7th thru 17th, expected to peak on Dec.13th/14th. After the crescent Moon sets mid-evening on the 13th & 14th we could see as many as 120 meteors/hour from a dark site. The meteors appear to originate or "radiate" from the constellation Gemini, the Twins, which rises shortly after sunset. Best viewing will probably be between 2 AM the morning of Friday, Dec. 14th, when Gemini is directly overhead, & dawn that morning. Start watching for meteors at/after 10PM on Thursday night,Dec.13th. Of course MARS is dominating the night sky, also in Gemini, and the streaking meteors will only serve to highlight our viewing of the bright Red Planet, nearing it's closest point to Earth. |
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| November 2007 |
November Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
Throughout November, watch for MARS to nearly double in brightness, as Earth's orbital motion catches up to the orbit of Red Planet. Mars appears brighter during these next 3 months than at any time in the past 2 years, with its upcoming opposition in December. Mars rises at 10PM in early November, & by 8PM at the end of the month, in the constellation Gemini, the Twins. SATURN rises around 2:30AM on Nov.1st, & just before midnight by the end of the month. Look for Saturn just east of the Regulus, the brightest star & "heart" of Leo, the Lion. Saturn will appear brighter than any of the surrounding stars & therefore should be fairly easy to spot. In early November, luminous VENUS, rises in the east around 3:30 AM, 3 hours before the Sun. Hard to miss the brilliant planet, which is often mistaken for a UFO! Venus is viewable in the eastern sky through sunrise. MERCURY, puts on its best predawn show of year, rising in the east just before sunrise, at around 5:30AM. November 3-8, look for the tiny yellow planet next to & OUTSHINING Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. Morning skywatch treat: On November 7th, in the pre-dawn eastern sky,(approx. 5:40 AM), look for a sliver of crescent Moon just south of Mercury & Spica. At the same time, you'll be able to view Venus, as well as Saturn in Leo & Mars in Gemini, AND Arcturus (Hokule'a) to the north of the ecliptic. JUPITER will soon be be leaving our evening skies, setting by 8:30PM early in November & before 7PM by the end of the month. Just below/south of Jupiter is Antares, the red supergiant star star which is the heart of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Notice that as Scorpius is setting in the west, Orion, the great Hunter, is rising in the east. For further details and a November sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium(bishopmuseum.org). |
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| November 17th-18th |
Leonid Meteor Shower |
Hawaiian Island Viewing |
Looks like a good year to view the Leonid Meteor Shower, from sunset on Saturday, November 17th, through sunrise on Sunday morning. Under a dark sky, the meteor rates should range from 20 to 40 per hour, with peak activity expected after 3AM. These are fast moving meteors, striking Earth's atmosphere at 38 miles/second, & appear to originate or "radiate" from the "sickle" shaped head of Leo, the Lion. Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through the path of a comet. The bits of debris left behind by comets, most no larger than a grain of sand, create a spectacular light show as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. The parent comet for the Leonids is 55P/Temple-Tuttle, which returns to orbit the Sun every 33 years & last visited our region of the solar system in 1997-98. As comet Temple-Tuttle nears the Sun, like any comet, it heats up and leaves a trail of debris behind it. It is these debris that the Earth intersects which produce the Leonids meteor showers. |
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| October 2007 |
October Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
Behold our Autumn skies! The first week of the month you might be lucky enough to spot MERCURY, low in the west just after sunset. On Oct. 12th, you may spot the tiny planet adjacent to the thin crescent Moon, setting shortly after the Sun. As the sky darkens, look for the brightest "star" in the Southwest. This is actually the PLANET JUPITER. Jupiter appears northeast, or just above Antares, the red supergiant star which is the "heart" of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Using Jupiter to locate Antares, look for the "J" or "fishhook" shape of the GIANT scorpion (aka: Ka Makau Nui o Maui: the giant fishhook of Maui). Notice how Jupiter, reflecting the light of our yellow Sun, gleams a lustrous golden color, in contract to the ruddy glow of red Antares. On Oct. 15th, watch for a crescent Moon to pass between Jupiter & Antares. Jupiter will slowly be leaving our night sky. Best views of the gas giant occur at twilight. By October 31st, Jupiter sets before 9PM. In early October, bright orange MARS rises before midnight. On Oct. 3rd, the Red Planet rises with the last quarter Moon, & appears near the open cluster M35 at the curved foot of the constellation Gemini. Mars willl continue to rise earlier & become bigger & brighter daily, as Earth slowly catches up to the orbit of the Red Planet, which will reach opposition in December. Plan to awaken early on Oct.7th to view a spectacular conjunction in the eastern sky: At around 3:30 AM, Venus, Saturn & the Moon will be rising in the east, near the bright star Regulus in Leo; all appear as a cluster, within a 6 degree circle. You can view this stunning arrangement until approx, 5:45 AM (sun rises at 6:30), & take note of Mars overhead at this same time! The Moon leaves the scene the following morning, but the other three bright objects will stay together for at least a week afterward. This month look for SATURN, and a bright shining VENUS, in the east before dawn. For further details and an October sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium(bishopmuseum.org). |
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| Oct. 20-22, 3:00AM - 5:30 AM |
Orionid Meteor Showers |
Hawaiian Islands |
This year, the peak of the Orionid meteor shower occurs 5 days before Full Moon. However the bright Moon sets by 2AM, so early-morning observers should be able to catch some meteor action. From moonset until sunrise, pre-dawn hours offer the best viewing. The meteors appear to originate or "radiate" from a spot in northeastern Orion, near it's border with Gemini. These are fast moving meteors, striking the Earth's atmosphere at 41 miles/second! Rates can reach 20 meteors/hour & occasionally more. Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through the path of a comet. The bits of debris left behind by comets, most no larger than a grain of sand, create a spectacular light show as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. The Orionid shower occurs when Earth's orbit intersects debris left behind by Halley's Comet, during its many passages through our solar system. |
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| Oct. 13th, 6:15 PM |
KEASA presents PUBLIC STARWATCH |
Waimea High School Playing Field |
Please join us for our monthly STARWATCH, beginning at sunset Saturday, October 13th, at the playing field of WAIMEA HIGH SCHOOL. Note that this is a change of viewing site, for the October Starwatch ONLY. Proceed WEST on hwy.50, thru the town of Waimea. Past Big Save, turn right on Ola Rd., at the Boys & Girls Club (across from Waimea Library). Park along the fenceline, across from the Boys & Girls Club, just below the tennis courts. Please dim headlights when approaching the playing field. For more information, visit www.keasa.org (keasa.org) or call 808.332-STAR(7827). Feel free to call (808) 652-2373, on Saturday late afternoon, for weather updates affecting Starwatch for that evening. |
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| September 2007 |
September Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
During the summer, the Sun's path appears high in the sky & the days are long. On the day of the equinox, the Sun rises exactly in the East, & sets exactly in the West, and day & night are the same length. Our autuminal equinox occurs on Sept. 22nd, at 11:51 p.m. HST, marking the change in seasons from summer to fall. After the equinox, the Sun will appear lower & lower in the sky & the days will grow shorter. As the sky darkens, look for the brightest "star" to the South. This is actually the PLANET JUPITER. Jupiter appears north, or just above Antares, the red supergiant star which is the "heart" of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Using Jupiter to locate Antares, look for the "J" or "fishhook" shape of the GIANT scorpion (aka: Ka Makau Nui o Maui: the giant fishhook of Maui). Notice how Jupiter, reflecting the light of our yellow Sun, gleams a lustrous golden color, in contract to the ruddy glow of red Antares. Jupiter, currently the brightest object in our night sky (except for the Moon), sets by midnight in early September & by 10:30 PM at the end of the month. The red beacon that you see in the East after midnight is MARS. Watch it ascend into the southeastern sky in the hours before dawn. By the 20th, Mars will be rising before midnight, just above the raised arm of Orion. Mars is getting brighter as Earth slowly catches up to the orbit of the Red Planet, which will reach opposition in December. In the morning, VENUS & SATURN pair up in the East, emerging into pre-dawn skies against the starry backdrop of Leo the Lion. Early risers can see VENUS, the brightest planet, rise before dawn all month; at 4:45 AM at the start of Sept. & by 3:30 AM at month's end. SATURN seems to follow Venus in its climb into the morning sky before dawn. It rises about 45 minutes before the Sun on the 1st, but a full 3 hours before the Sun by month's end. Watch throughout the month as the ringed planet closes the gap between itself & Venus. By the end of the second week of September, you might be lucky enough to spot MERCURY, low in the west at sunset. On the 12th & 13th, look for the little planet next to a thin crescent Moon. On the 21st, Mercury will appear close to Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, low in the West 45 minutes after sunset. For further details and a September sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org). |
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| August 27-28 |
TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE |
Hawaii & West Coast U.S. |
The night the Moon turns RED. A spectacular TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE will be visible for 1.5 hours on Aug. 27-28, viewable in its entirety from Hawaii & the West Coast mainland. The totality phase of the eclipse, when the Moon will turn a deep red, begins at 11:52 PM on Aug. 27 in Hawaii, & at 2:52 PM Aug. 28th PDT.
A lunar eclipse can only occur at Full Moon, when the Moon passes thru some portion of the Earth's shadow, as the Sun, Earth & Moon all line up on the same plane. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the entire Moon passes thru Earth's umbral shadow; the Earth blocking the sunlight normally reflected by the Moon. Although the Moon is in Earth's shadow, some sunlight is refracted, or bent as it passes through the Earth's atmosphere, and still manages to reach the Moon. Our atmosphere filters out most of the blue light. The remaining red light that reaches the Moon's surface, illuminates it to a coopery glow.
During the August eclipse, the Moon's northern edge will pass directly through the center of Earth's shadow, (a central eclipse), resulting in a longer lasting eclipse & a more darkly colored Moon at totality. Lunar eclipses occur on average between 0 and 4 times per year. Less than half of these are total eclipses, and are truly extraordinary events to observe.
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| August 2007 |
August Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
As Saturn & Venus slip into evening twilight, Jupiter will rule as the only naked-eye planet visible in our night sky. Brilliant JUPITER dominates the southern sky, just northeast of Antares, the red supergiant star which is the "heart" of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Using Jupiter to locate Antares, look for the "J" or "fishhook" shape of the GIANT scorpion (aka: Ka Makau Nui o Maui: the giant fishhook of Maui). At the beginning of August, Jupiter & Antares are just south of overhead at sunset, & are visible most of the night. Notice how Jupiter, reflecting the light of our yellow-orange Sun, gleams a brilliant golden color, in contract to the ruddy glow of red Antares. MARS will be rising just after midnight in early August, close to the Pleiades star cluster (AKA: Seven Sisters, or Makali'i). Mars is getting brighter as Earth slowly catches up to the orbit of the Red Planet, which will reach opposition in December. Watch as Mars approaches Aldebaran, the red giant star which is the "eye" of Taurus, the bull. Around Aug.20-23, Mars appears as the "other eye" of the bull and, by the end of the month, appears between it's two horns. For the first week of August, early risers might catch a view of MERCURY in the pre-dawn sky, rising in the east just after Castor & Pollux, Gemini's brightest stars. After Aug. 8th, Mercury is lost in the Sun's glare. Be sure to mark your calendar for two special August AstroEvents: Aug.11-13: the Perseid Meteor Showers, and Aug. 27-28: Total Lunar Eclipse. (See notes). Take the time to appreciate our gorgeous summer skies, rich in star clusters, nebulae & other deep space objects. Lucky we live in Hawaii! For further details and an August sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org). |
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| July 31st, 8:16 PM |
International Space Station (ISS) Pass |
Above Kauai, from SSW, moving SE & then ENE |
There will be a 4-minute bright pass(-2.0) of the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday, July 31st, starting at 8:16 PM. The ISS should first become visible at 10 degrees altitude above the SSW horizon. It will be moving toward the SE, reaching a max. altitude of 40 degrees (SE) at 8:19, then move toward the ENE where it will fade from view at approx. 8:20. Watch for the ISS to pass just South of Jupiter & Antares (the red supergiant star which is the "heart" of Scorpius, the Scorpion). For more information, or to view from Hilo or other sites, go to: www.heavens-above.com(heavens-above.com). |
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| July 2007 |
July Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
July opens with Saturn & Venus appearing close together in the western sky for about 2 hours after sunset (see "conjunction" notes). During the first week of the month, watch as the two planets drift apart. Venus moves toward Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion, & Saturn sinks toward the west. On July 16th, a crescent Moon lies between Venus & Saturn, & makes for a stunning view with Regulus. VENUS is at its brightest this month as it passes us on the inside track of its orbit around the Sun. This is the last chance to view SATURN, as it's glow is lost in twilight by month's end, until mid-September when it reappears in the morning sky. JUPITER dominates the southern sky, just northeast of Antares, the red supergiant star which is the "heart" of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Using Jupiter to locate Antares, look for the "J" or "fishhook" shape of the GIANT scorpion (aka: Ka Makau Nui o Maui: the giant fishhook of Maui). At the beginning of July, Jupiter & Antares are already halfway up in the eastern sky at sunset, & are visible most of the night. Notice how Jupiter, reflecting the light of our yellow-orange Sun, gleams a brilliant golden color, in contract to the ruddy glow of red Antares. MARS appears in the morning sky, rising by 2 A.M in early July and at 1 A.M. at month's end. Mars is beginning to brighten as Earth slowly catches up to the orbit of the Red Planet, which will reach opposition in December. Early risers will have one of the year's best morning views of MERCURY, as it reaches its greatest elongation west of the Sun on July 20th. On July 18th, look for the innermost planet rising with Betelgeus in the east, one half hour before sunrise. Take the time to appreciate our gorgeous summer skies, rich in star clusters, nebulae & other deep space objects. Lucky we live in Hawaii! For further details and a July sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org). |
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| June 29 -July 1st; 8:00 PM |
Conjunction of Venus & Saturn in Leo |
Western sky; viewable for approx. 2 hrs. after sunset |
Watch as Venus, unmistakably the brightest planet, highly visible at sunset in the Western sky (WSW), meets up with Saturn. As soon as it's dark enough to see Saturn (around 8PM), on June 29th, look for the 2 planets closely aligned. On June 30th & July 1st, the planets will appear from Earth to be so close as to seem like a single object. Just east of the pair is Regulus, the bright star which is the heart of Leo the Lion. Venus makes one orbit around the Sun in 225(Earth)days, while Saturn takes 29.5(Earth)YEARS. What we see as a "conjunction" of the 2 planets is the faster moving Venus catching up with the slower orbiting Saturn. The two planets are actually over 800 million miles apart, but in our "line of sight" from Earth, they appear close to one another & even "conjunct" in these 3 nights. |
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| June 2007 |
June Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
What a great month for observing the planets! Mercury & Venus appear high in the Western evening sky at the beginning of the month, Jupiter lights the sky nearly all night, & Saturn puts on its last display before slipping into twilight. MERCURY continues to gain altitude above the horizon through June 2, when it reaches eastern elongation (its greatest angular distance from the Sun). It remains visible through the first week of June, in the constellation Gemini, outshining both Castor & Pollux, Gemini's two brightest stars. VENUS, high above Mercury, moves from Gemini through Cancer & toward Leo, shining brightly until almost 10PM throughout the month. On June 17th, a thin crescent Moon will appear just to the west (right) of Venus. On the June 18th, look for the Moon nestled between Venus & Saturn. Watch Venus & Saturn move closer together during June, & on the 30th, meet in Leo, just 41' apart!
SATURN appears in the gap between Venus & Regulus, Leo's brightest star, & by the end of the month appears just 7 degrees from the "heart" of the Lion. JUPITER rises as the sun sets early in June, northeast of Antares, the red supergiant star which is the "heart" of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Using Jupiter to locate Antares, look for the "J" or "fishhook" shape of the GIANT scorpion (aka: Ka Makau Nui o Maui: the giant fishhook of Maui). MARS appears in the morning sky, rising around 2:30 A.M. in early June & by 1:45 A.M. at months end. Mars continues to brighten as Earth starts to catch up with Mars' slower orbit. It's bright, ruddy glow makes Mars easy to spot in Pisces, with no bright starts around it. For further details and a June sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org). |
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| Sunday June 3rd, 8:13 PM |
International Space Station (ISS) Pass |
Above Kauai, from SSW, moving SE & then NE |
There will be a 5.5 minute bright pass(-0.9) of the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday, June 3rd, starting at 8:13 PM. The ISS should first become visible at 10 degrees altitude above the SSW horizon. It will be moving toward the SE, reaching a max. altitude of 56 degrees (SE) at 8:15, then move toward the NE where it will fade from view at approx. 8:18. For more information, or to view from Hilo or other sites, go to: www.heavens-above.com(heavens-above.com). |
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| May 31st rising at Sunset |
BLUE MOON |
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For those of you curious about the BLUE MOON, which will occur for us in Hawaii & mainland U.S., this Thursday, May 31st, here's some info: Once in a Blue Moon ... is a common way of saying not very often, but what exactly is a Blue Moon?
According to the popular definition, it is the second Full Moon to occur in a single calendar month.
The average interval between Full Moons is about 29.5 days, whilst the length of an average month is roughly 30.5 days. This makes it very unlikely that any given month will contain two Full Moons, though it does sometimes happen.
On average, there will be 41 months that have two Full Moons in every century, so you could say that once in a Blue Moon actually means once every two-and-a-half years. For more info check: www.obliquity.com/astro/bluemoon.html.
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| May 2007 |
May Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
Elusive MERCURY puts in its best evening appearance of the year this month. On May 11th, try spotting the planet as a small, bright yellow "dot" 30 minutes after sunset, a few degrees above the Western horizon. On May 17th, a thin crescent Moon passes 2.5 degees north of Mercury. Mercury continues to gain altitude above the horizon through June 2, when it reaches greatest eastern elongation (its greatest angular distance from the Sun), & remains visible through the first week of June. VENUS remains the highlight of May evenings, sparkling high above Mercury's position. In early May, Venus shines like a beacon, high in the west for 3.5 hours after sunset. On May 19th watch for a spectacular pairing as the crescent Moon passes within 1 degree of Venus. SATURN continues to grace our evenings skies, directly overhead (at zenith) at sunset, early in May. Saturn appears in the constellation Leo, the Lion, and is now creeping toward Regulus, Leo's brightest star. As the month goes on, Saturn, moves steadily westward, and by June the ringed planet will appear just 24 degrees from Venus in the western sky. A telescope reveals Saturn's magnificent ring system, & perhaps even Titan & other Saturnian moons. JUPITER rises by 9:30 PM early in May, east or left of Antares, the red supergiant star which is the "heart" of Scorpius, the Scorpion. Using Jupiter to locate Antares, look for the "J" or "fishhook" shape of the GIANT scorpion. By the end of May, watch for Jupiter to rise by 7:30 PM, to join Mercury, Venus, & Saturn in evening twilight sky. (Jupiter in the Southeast; Saturn, Venus & Mercury in the West). MARS appears in the morning sky, rising around 3:30 A.M. in early May & by 2:45 A.M. at month's end. Mars appears small & faint in the morning sky. On May 13th the red planet appears next to a crescent Moon in the eastern sky before dawn (approx. 4:30 AM) making it easier to spot. We will have a Blue Moon on May 31st, (the second full Moon in the month).
For further details and a May sky map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org). |
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| April 2007 |
April Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
Brilliant VENUS dominates the early evening sky this month. Except for the Sun & Moon, it is the brightest object in the sky; shining at magnitude -4.0, bright enough to see in daylight! It stays above our western horizon for up to 3 hours after sunset. In early April, Venus lies 12 deg. south of the Pleiades star cluster, the "Seven Sisters" (Makali'i - M45), on the back of Taurus the Bull. On April 11th look for Venus just 2.6 deg. south of the Pleiades. Then on April 19th the crescent Moon appears directly between Venus & the Pleiades. These events are excellent as viewed thru binoculars; the dazzling stars of the Pleiades appear like a cluster of jewels, with nearby Venus a 4-carat gem! SATURN rises before sunset & doesn't set until early morning. It passes almost directly overhead, in the constellation Leo, the Lion, nearly 12 deg. to the right of Regulus, Leo's brightest star. A telescope reveals Saturn's magnificent ring system, & perhaps even Titan & other Saturnian moons.
JUPITER rises in the southeastern sky just before midnight. The gas giant joins its smaller neighbor Saturn in the night sky, with Jupiter in the east & Saturn in the west. Jupiter sits approx. 10 deg. east or left of Antares, the red supergiant star which is the "heart" of Scopius, the Scorpion. (Using Jupiter to locate Antares, look for the "J" or "fishhook" shape of the GIANT Scorpion).
MARS rushes across the constellation of Aquarius during April, rising around 4 A.M. in early April & by 3:30 A.M. at month's end. Mars appears small & faint in the morning sky. On April 13th a thin crescent Moon passes .5 deg. north of the red planet, making it easier to spot. Watch for the Lyrid Meteor Showers April 16-25, due to peak on April 22. (See notes below).
For further details and a April Sky Map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org). |
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| April 16 -25; Peak April 22 |
Lyrid Meteor Showers |
Hawaiian Island Viewing |
Favorable conditions for viewing the Lyrid Meteor Showers this year, with a first quarter Moon setting early. The peak of this shower is at NOON HST on Sunday, April 22, so best viewing (most meteors) would be early mornings, a few hours before dawn, on either Sunday or Monday. This is when the constellation Lyra, (from where these meteors appear to "radiate") is high in the sky. From a dark, clear viewing site, we can expect to see between 10 - 20 meteors per hour around the peak. Lyrid meteors are fast, (30+ miles/sec), & average as bright as the Big Dipper's stars.
Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through the path of a comet. The bits of debris left behind by the comets, most no larger than a grain of sand, create a spectacular light show as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. The particles we see as Lyrid meteors originated from Comet Thatcher (C/1861 G1), which returns to our area of the solar system about every 415 years. |
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| March 2007 |
March Skywatch Highlight |
Hawaian Islands |
There will be a total lunar eclipse on March 3rd which, unfortunately, we will be unable to view from Hawaii. The Full Moon will have passed out of the Earth's shadow, before it has risen above our horizon. The event will be highly publicized, so it will be easy to view images from parts of the 7 continents where it is visible. The Spring or Vernal Equinox, when the Sun crosses the celestial equator,(length of day & night are approx. equal), will fall on March 20th at 2:07 PM in Hawaii. (Most mainland areas will be changing to daylight-savings time on Sunday morning, March 11.) *** The evening's first glowing attraction is VENUS, climbing higher in the western sky after sunset, unmistakably the brightest planet. Look for a thin crescent Moon close to Venus on March 20 & 21st. SATURN shines brightly (at magnitude 0), rises well before dark & remains visible nearly all night. The ringed planet appears 9 degrees west of Leo's brightest star, Regulus (the "heart" of the Lion). Thanks to Saturn's axial tilt, the rings, & perhaps even Titan, Saturn's brightest moon, should be viewable through even a small telescope. JUPITER rises by 1:30 AM in early March; & 2 hours earlier by March 31. The giant planet blazes with a yellowish glow in the morning sky, contrasting with the red supergiant star, ANTARES, just 10 degrees to Jupiter's right. Use Jupiter to locate Antares, the "heart" of Scorpius, the scorpion, & see if you can discern the famous "J" or fishhook shape of this stunning constellation; (AKA: Ka Makau Nui O Maui = Giant fishhook of Maui). MARS is faintly visible in the southeast morning sky, rising approx. 2 hours ahead of the Sun. The Red Planet slowly brightens & grows larger throughout 2007, as it makes another close approach to Earth in December. On March 15th, Mars appears 8 degrees east of a thin crescent Moon. The following morning, look for MERCURY & Mars on either side of the Moon. Don't miss the fabulous "family" of Winter constellations, viewable this month in our Hawaiian night skies: Orion, Taurus, Gemini, Leo, Cassiopeia, Ursa Major (Big Dipper) & Ursa Minor (Little Dipper). Also look for Sirius, (A'a), the brighest star in the night sky, rising East-Southeast of Orion's belt, in the constellation Canis Major (Orion's hunting dog). For further details and a March Sky Map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org). |
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| February 2007 |
February Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
Mercury, the innermost planet is viewable early in the month, in the West just after sunset, to the lower right of the much brighter, sparkling planet Venus. Mercury reaches it's greatest eastern elongation on Feb. 7th, when it appears 18 degrees East of the Sun, small & dim compared to Venus. Venus continues to rise higher & stay out longer after sunset, it's dramatic glow dominating the western sky. On Feb. 19th, look for a thin crescent Moon right above Venus. February is the best month this year for viewing magnificent Saturn. The ringed planet is at opposition on Feb. 10th, rising as the Sun sets & remaining in view all night. (Best viewing around midnight, with Saturn nearly overhead). Saturn appears in the sickle shaped "head" or "face" of Leo the Lion, close to blue-white Regulus, Leo's brightest star. Telescopic viewing will reveal Saturn's spectacular system of rings, & possibly Titan & other saturnian moons. Jupiter dominates the morning sky. Look for the brilliant gas giant to the left of Scorpius, the Scorpion, around 3:30 A.M. in early Feb. & by 2:00 A.M. at the end of the month. Jupiter's yellowish hue contrasts nicely with the ruddy glow of nearby Antares, the red super-giant star which is the "heart" of the Scorpion.
Mars appears in the morning sky, rising approx. an hour & a half before the Sun in the East. On Feb. 14th, a thin crescent Moon lies 9 degrees to Mars' right. The Red Planet slowly brightens & grows larger throughout 2007, as it makes another close approach to Earth in December. Don't miss the fabulous "family" of Winter constellations, viewable this month in our Hawaiian night skies: Orion, Taurus, Gemini, Leo, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pisces, Ursa Major (Big Dipper) & Ursa Minor (Little Dipper). Also look for Sirius, the brighest star in the sky (except for our Sun), rising East-Southeast of Orion's belt, in the constellation Canis Major (Orion's hunting dog).
For further details and a February Sky Map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org).
(Courtesy Bishop Museum Planetarium) |
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| Jan 31, 2007 - 12:00pm |
January Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
SATURN shines brightly (magnitude 0.1), rising by 10PM early in the month, & by 8PM at months end. The ringed planet lies well below Castor & Pollux, the bright stars of Gemini, the Twins; and is 6 degrees above Regulus, the "heart" of Leo the Lion. Saturn lies 770 million miles from Earth in mid-January, which means the light we see takes more than an hour to reach us. Saturn's rings span 45" east to west, offering spectacular views, especially once the planet is directly overhead. Look for the gibbous moon next to Saturn on January 5th. MERCURY skips from evening to morning sky this month and, in the process, performs a rare transit of the Sun, passing directly between the Sun & Earth. The entire 5-hour transit can be observed from Hawaii, but you'll need to USE APPROVED SOLAR FILTERS, as sunlight, especially focused through a telescope or binoculars, can BLIND you! JUPITER is just barely visible the first few days of November, setting just after the Sun. The giant planet will re-emerge in the morning by early December. MARS & VENUS are currently "traveling" around/behind the Sun (from our perspective) & are not viewable this month. |
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| January 2007 |
January Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
SATURN shines brightly (magnitude 0.1), rising by 10PM early in the month, & by 8PM at months end. The ringed planet lies well below Castor & Pollux, & outshines these bright stars of Gemini, the Twins. It appears 6 degrees above Regulus, the "heart" of Leo the Lion. Saturn lies 770 million miles from Earth in mid-January, which means the light we see takes more than an hour to reach us. Saturn's rings span 45" east to west, offering spectacular views, especially once the planet climbs high above. Look for the gibbous Moon next to Saturn on January 5th. JUPITER is up by 5:00 AM in early January & an hour & a half earlier by the end of the month. The giant planet blazes in the morning sky! Look for a waning crescent Moon next to Jupiter on Jan.15th, lined up with Antares, the "heart" of Scorpius, the Scorpion. There's no way you can miss VENUS, the brightest planet, low in the western sky, setting shortly after the Sun. January 20th, look for a conjunction of Venus with the crescent Moon. By the end of January MERCURY joins Venus in the evening twilight. On January 22nd, you can spot Mercury just 10 degrees below Venus. MARS rises just ahead of dawn in the east, following Jupiter in the morning sky. The Red Planet traverses the Milky Way in Sagittarius during January. For further details and a January Sky Map, visit Bishop Museum Planetarium www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org). |
|
| Jan 06, 2007 - 6:00am |
Moon Occults Saturn & Regulus |
Hawaiian Island Viewing |
Early on Saturday morning, Jan. 6th, Saturn & the Moon will lined up with Regulus (the bright star which is the "heart" of Leo, the Lion). From approx. 5AM until sunrise (7:19 AM) you can spot the trio high in the Western Sky. Saturn & the Moon with go into conjunction on that morning at about 6:30 am. The Moon will pass between Earth & Saturn, & an "occultation" will occur. The Moon will cover 1/2 of Saturn at 7 AM; and occult the entire planet at 8:50 am, as the Moon & Saturn set in the Western sky. The Moon will also occult Regulus, but this will occur during daylight hours in Hawaii, so we will be unable to view this event. |
|
| Nov 18, 2006 - 11:59pm |
Leonid Meteor Shower |
Hawaian Islands |
The annual LEONID METEOR SHOWER is expected to peak around November 18th this year, concurrent with our KEASA public Starwatch & close to new Moon, which means the sky will be dark the entire night. The Leonids are expected to put on a good show, with predictions that observers may see as many as 100 meteors/hour. Leonids are fast meteors, with a
velocity of about 44 miles/second! Leonid meteors appear to originate or "radiate" from the constellation Leo, "the lion," which will be rising (from the East) shortly after midnight. You may want to start watching for meteors late night & early morning hours of the 16th & 17th as well as the 18th.
Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through the path of a comet. The bits of debris left behind by the comets, most no larger than a grain of sand, create a spectacular light show as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. The parent comet of the Leonids is Tempel-Tuttle. This year Earth passes through a debris trail left by the comet's 1932 passage through our Solar System. |
|
| Nov 08, 2006 - 9:12am |
Mercury Transits the Sun |
Hawaiian Island Viewing |
On Wednesday, Nov.8, Mercury will transit, or appear to pass across the face of the Sun, over a period of nearly 5 hours, & Hawaii will have an ideal view for the entire transit. The event will begin at 9:12 AM and end at 2:10 PM HST. You'll need to USE APPROVED SOLAR FILTERS, as sunlight, especially focused through a telescope or binoculars, can BLIND you! AstroDay will be presenting a video feed webcast, from the summits of Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, & Haleakala. Visit: www.astroday.net (astroday.net)
This event is fairly rare, on average only 13 or 14 times a century. The last Mercury transit, in 2003, could not be seen from Hawaii, & the next one in 2016, will only be visible during the last few minutes before sunset.
For further details visit the November Skywatch page at www.bishopmuseum.org/planetarium (bishopmuseum.org). |
|
| Nov 01, 2006 - 6:00pm |
November Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
SATURN is returning to the night sky, rising by 1:30 AM in early November, & by midnight at Thanksgiving. The ringed planet lies inLeo, "the lion," close to Regulus, the lion's "heart," & brighest star in this constellation. Saturn lies 5 degrees Northwest of Regulus & appears to shine about twice as brightly as its steallar companion. Early morning Nov. 13, look for the waning crescent Moon, forming a trio with Regulus & Saturn from 1:00 AM until sunrise. Best time for telescopic viewing of Saturn's rings is at pre-dawn, when the planet has climbed high in the Southeastern sky. MERCURY skips from evening to morning sky this month and, in the process, performs a rare transit of the Sun, passing directly between the Sun & Earth. The entire 5-hour transit can be observed from Hawaii, but you'll need to USE APPROVED SOLAR FILTERS, as sunlight, especially focused through a telescope or binoculars, can BLIND you! JUPITER is just barely visible the first few days of November, setting just after the Sun. The giant planet will re-emerge in the morning by early December. MARS & VENUS are currently "traveling" around/behind the Sun (from our perspective) & are not viewable this month. |
|
| Oct 31, 2006 - 12:00pm |
October Skywatch |
Hawaiian Islands |
JUPITER the giant gas planet, will set by 8:30 at the beginning of October & by 7:00 PM by Halloween. Look for it low in the southwest at sunset, the brightest object in the night sky, other than the Moon. Jupiter, currently in the constellation Libra, appears just west of Scorpius, the Scorpion (Ka Makau Nui o Maui: the giant fishhook). Speaking of the Moon...
the October 7th full Moon, the Harvest Moon, coincides with perigee, the closet point in its orbit around the Earth. Watch for accentuated tides, enhanced by intensified gravitational pull of the Moon & Sun on the Earth. Check out the waning gibbous Moon Oct. 9/10 when it rises close to the Pleiades star cluster (Makali'i), aka: the Seven Sisters, on the back of Taurus, "the bull." SATURN rises
around 3 A.M in early Oct., & by 12:30 A.M. on Oct. 31st. Saturn lies in Leo, "the lion," close to Regulus, the brighest star in this constellation. A waning crescent Moon passes just 2 degrees north of Saturn, the morning of Oct. 16th. Try looking for MERCURY Oct. 18th, when it lies 4 degrees directly belowJupiter (approx. 30 minutes after sunset). A crescent Moon joins Mercury & Jupiter on Oct. 24th, with Antares (the red supergiant "heart" of Scorpius) just above and East of the trio. |
|
| Oct 21, 2006 - 10:00pm |
Orionid Meteor Showers |
Hawaiian Island Viewing |
The annual ORIONID METEOR SHOWER peaks on October 21 this year, concurrent with our KEASA public Starwatch & during new Moon, which means the sky will be dark the entire night. The Orionids are a great fall shower - lots of meteors, many leaving persistent trains, & longer nights. Orionid meteors appear to originate or "radiate" from the constellation Orion, "the hunter," which will be rising (from the East) by 10:00 PM. The actual "peak" of the shower is at approx. 4 AM the morning of Oct. 21st, so you may want to start watching for meteors late night & early morning hours of the 20th as well as the 21st. We might expect to see approx. 20 meteors/hour at the peak, STREAKING at an average velocity of 41 miles per SECOND!
Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through the path of a comet. The bits of debris left behind by the comets, most no larger than a grain of sand, create a spectacular light show as they enter the Earth's atmosphere. It is wonderful to think, as we observe these Orionid meteors, that we are seeing pieces of debris from the famous Halley's Comet. |
|
| Sep 30, 2006 - 7:30pm |
September Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
JUPITER the giant gas planet, still dominates the night sky, the brightest object besides the Moon, despite lying some 500 million miles from Earth. Look for it low in the southwest at sunset. On Sept. 25 & 26, the new Moon can be spoted just below & then just above Jupiter. Jupiter, currently in the constellation Libra, appears just west of Scorpius, the Scorpion (Ka Makau Nui o Maui: the giant fishhook). SATURN will be visible in the morning sky at approx. 4:45 a.m. in early Sept., & about 1.5 hours earlier by the end of the month. On the mornings of Sept. 18th & 19th, look for the waning crescent Moon just above & then just below the ringed planet. Saturn rises at the head of the constellation Leo the Lion, & on Sept. 30th, lies 8 degrees WNW of Leo's brightest star, Regulus (the heart of the Lion).
There will be 2 bright passes of the International Space Station (ISS), on Sept. 7th (approximately 8:00PM) & Sept. 9th (approx. 7:11 PM). Mark your calendars & check this AstroEvents site for further details.
(Courtesy Bishop Museum Planetarium) |
|
| Aug 31, 2006 - 7:30pm |
August Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
JUPITER the giant gas planet, outshines the brightest stars in the sky, despite lying some 500 million miles from Earth. You cannot miss it, high in the southwestern sky at dusk. The Moon passes 5 degrees south of Jupiter on August 1st & 29th. Last chance to glimpse MARS before winter. It appears low in the western sky about 30 minutes after sunset, in the constellation Leo. On Aug. 25th the crescent Moon lies 5 degrees left & slightly above the red planet. (BTW: The bogus email circulating about a current Mars approach is a HOAX. This data is about the Mars approach of 2003. Earth is currently moving AWAY from Mars in our orbits & the red planet continues to DIM as weeks pass). MERCURY & VENUS currently appear mornings, rising just ahead of the Sun. On Aug. 6/7, Mercury reaches its greatest western elogation, appearing 10 degrees above the eastern horizon, 30 minutes before sunrise, with Venus just 3 degrees away. On Aug. 22nd, 30 minutes before sunrise, look to the east for a conjunction of Mercury & SATURN (less than 1 degree apart), with a brilliant Venus 6 degrees above the pair, & the crescent Moon 2 degrees to Saturn's lower left. Mercury, Saturn, Venus & the Moon will all appear within a 7.5 degree wide circle. Don't miss the highlight of August AstroEvents: the Perseid Meteor Shower, Aug. 11th & 12th. Peak is Aug.12th, 6PM EDT (See notes below). |
|
| Jul 31, 2006 - 7:45pm |
July Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
Summer skies provide excellent opportunities for celestial viewing. Look for Saturn shining at magnitude 0.4, low in the west about 40 minutes after sunset. Saturn currently lies in the constellation Cancer, the crab, and will be setting too early to be viewable by the end of July. Mars moves into the constellation Leo, & passes close to the bright star Regulus, the "heart" of the lion, on July 21st & 22nd. Mars appears reddish-orange, in contrast with blue-white Regulus. On July 27th, the crescent Moon joins Mars & Regulus low in the western sky.
Jupiter still dominates the night sky as the brightest object apart from the Moon. Look for the gas giant low in the southwest at twilight, in the constellation Libra, just west of the head of Scorpius, the Scorpion. On July 4th, Jupiter's famous RED SPOT, (a giant hurricane large enough to engulf a few Earth-size planets), is set to pass close to another system, nicknamed Red Junior. As the two storms converge, scientists are not certain if they will combine or just pass by each other, but some interaction is expected to occur. On July 5th, the waxing gibbous Moon passes 5 degrees south of Jupiter.
Venus rises by 4 A.M. in early July & a bit later by the end of the month. When it appears in the morning sky, Venus is called "Hokuao" the "dawn star." Venus will be reunited with Mercury by the end of July, & Mercury will appear 7 degrees below Venus as it rises out of the morning twilight. The Southern Cross ("Hanai-a-ka-malama"), is setting shortly after dark, & this will be the last month to see it in the evening hours, low on the southern horizon, until next year. (Courtesy Bishop Museum Planetarium & Astronomy Magazine) |
|
| May 31, 2006 - 7:40pm |
May Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
Jupiter is currently the brightest object in the evening sky (besides the Moon), rising as the Sun sets. The giant planet is in Libra, above the head of Scoripus the Scorpion (aka: Ka Makau Nui O Maui, the fishhook) and can be viewed until dawn. Venus (Hokuao) is BRILLIANT, rising ahead of the Sun, by far the brightest object in the morning sky. Pre-sunrise, look for Jupiter shining brightly in the West, and Venus, brilliant in the East. Mars is in Gemini, starting the month between twin brothers Castor & Pollux. Mars ends up next to Pollux's head, before heading toward Cancer, where it will join Saturn in that constellation next month. Saturn is currently Mars' neighbor in the night sky. While Mars is in Gemini, Saturn resides in the next zodiacal constellation, Cancer. On May 31, find Saturn just a little below the crescent moon. Next month, Saturn & Mars trade places as Mars overtakes slower moving Saturn and moves higher in the sky. (Courtesy Bishop Museum Planetarium) |
|
| May 30, 2006 - 7:40pm |
Moon close to Mars & Saturn |
Hawaiian Islands |
Look for MARS near the Gemini twins, (Castor & Pollux), moving towards Saturn (in Cancer). On May 30th, Mars will be 3 degrees south of the waxing crescent Moon. On May 31st, look for Saturn, 4 degrees south of the Moon. Scorpius, the giant Scorpion or fishhook (Ka Makau Nui O Maui), is now fully visible by approximately 11 PM, rising after/below Jupiter. It is viewable until sunrise (has roughly a "J" shape), & appears to be following brilliant Jupiter. |
|
| Apr 30, 2006 - 8:00pm |
April Skywatch Highlights |
Hawaiian Islands |
Jupiter is currently the brightest object in the evening sky (besides the Moon), rising just before 9 P.M. in early April. The giant planet is in Libra, above the head of Scoripus the Scorpion (aka: Ka Makau Nui O Maui, the fishhook) and can be viewed until dawn. Venus (Hokuao) is BRILLIANT, rising ahead of the Sun, by far the brightest object in the morning sky. Mars is between the tips of the horns of Taurus, the bull, in early April; then gradually moves eastward toward the feet of Castor, one of the Gemini twins. On April 4th, Mars, together with the red giant stars Aldebaran (Hoku'ula) in Taurus, & Betelgeuse (Kauluakoko) in Orion, form an almost perfect equilateral triangle. The Moon passes above Mars on April 3rd, over Saturn on the 6th, and near Jupiter on the 14th. Watch for the Lyrid meteor showers on the nights of April 21 & 22. Best viewing after midnight. |
|
| Apr 30, 2006 - 12:01pm |
Solar Eclipse Webcast |
View as Archive |
If you were unable to view the webcast of the Total Solar Eclipse, LIVE from Turkey, you can view it, at your convenience, as an archive at www.exploratorium.edu(exploratorium.edu). It's approximately a 2-hour webcast with informative documentary and STUNNING telescope images of this remarkable event. There's also a shorter, Eclipse Highlights video available for viewing at this site. |
|
| Apr 28, 2006 - 6:30pm |
Space Month & Starwatch |
Waimea Library, Kauai, Hawaii |
Celebrate SPACE MONTH throughout the month of April, at the Waimea Library, with special exhibits, books, resources and information about our Infinite Universe. On April 28th join us for a guided Starwatch. At 6:30 PM Pastor James Merritt will discuss ways to become involved in astronomy, followed by a presentation by Dr. Marshall Mock on "Our Hawaiian Skies." Starwatch to begin at approx. 7:45, behind the Waimea Library. |
|
| Apr 21, 2006 - 11:59pm |
Lyrid Meteor Showers |
Darkest location you can find! "Radiate" from Lyra, rising in the northeast. |
The peak of Lyrid meteor showers this year will occur the night of April 21st & into the morning of April 22nd. Best viewing after midnight. Could be substantial activity on the night of April 23rd as well. These "shooting stars" will appear to radiate from the constellation Lyra (marked by the bright star Vega), rising around 10 PM in the northeast. Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through the path of a comet. The bits of debris left behind by comets, most no larger than a grain of sand, create a spectacular light show as they enter & burn up in the Earth's atmosphere. |
|
| Apr 01, 2006 - 7:00pm |
Moon in Makali'i (Pleiades) |
Look west just after sunset |
Touted in Astronomy magazine as "one of the most beautiful conjuctions the sky can deliver," the crescent Moon will glide in front of Makali'i, the Pleiades star cluster, on April 1st. Best viewing with binoculars or small telescope, just after sunset, as soon as it's dark enough to see the stars of Makali'i glistening like sparkling gems around the Moon. |
|
| Mar 28, 2006 - 10:00pm |
View the Solar Eclipse |
U.H. Hilo or Webcast |
On March 29, 2006, the new Moon will move directly between the Earth & the Sun, and a total solar eclipse will occur. The Moon's shadow will fall across the earth creating a narrow "path of totality." (It will transit across parts of: Brazil, the Atlantic, northern Africa, the Mediterranean, Turkey, central Asia & end at sunset in western Mongolia.) The eclipse will be Webcast at www.exploratorium.edu(exploratorium.edu). Or view it & celebrate at a "Midnight Solar Eclipse Party" at University of Hawaii, Hilo:
www.astroday.net(astroday.net). |
|
| Mar 01, 2006 - 6:45pm |
March Sky Viewing |
Hawaiian Islands |
VENUS (Hoku'au) is currently rising 2.5 hours before sunrise, & is the third brightest object in the sky (after the Sun & Moon). On March 25th, a thin crescent moon appears just to the right of the planet. Look for JUPITER rising at 11:30PM at the beginning of March and by 9:30PM at months end. Jupiter sits just above the head of Scorpius, the scorpion (Ka Makau Nui o Maui). On March 18th the moon appears next to this bright planet. MARS is currently high overhead at sunset, between the Pleiades (Makali'i) and Taurus, the bull. It almost looks like a second eye of the bull, close to Aldebaran (Hoku'ula) a giant red star which is the bulls other eye. On March 5th, the moon hangs directly above the red planet. SATURN appears half-way up in the eastern sky at dusk, in the constellation Cancer. (Because Cancer is made up of relatively dim stars, Saturn is easy to spot). On March 10, look for the waxing gibbous moon next to the ringed planet. Next to Saturn is a cluster of stars nickednamed the Beehive. The cluster & planet together make for great viewing thru either binoculars or a telescope. (Source: Bishop Museum Planetarium) |
|
| Feb 22, 2006 - 7:16pm |
International Space Station (ISS) Pass |
Above Kauai, from SW heading NW and then NE |
There will be a particularly bright pass (-0.8) of the International Space Station on Wednesday, Feb. 22nd, starting at 7:16 PM (19:16). It should first become visible at 10 degrees altitude from SW. Then reaching MAX. altitude of 78 degrees (NW) at 19:19.
Finally, fading from view at 10 degrees (NE) at 19:22. For more information, or to view from Hilo or other sites, go to: www.heavens-above.com |
|
| Jan 23, 2006 - 1:45am |
Jupiter & Saturn, January Viewing. |
Hawaiian Islands |
Jupiter is currently rising at approx. 2:30 AM, and at 1:00 AM by the end of the month. On January 23, look for a waning crescent moon next to Jupiter in the east. (If you happen to be awake to see Jupiter rise, look to the south & see the Southern Cross as well!) Saturn, in Cancer, is currently rising at about 7:15 PM. Saturn reaches opposition on Jan. 27th, rising at sunset and staying in the sky all night long. |
|
| Jan 18, 2006 - 6:54pm |
International Space Station (ISS) Pass |
Above Kauai, from NNW moving to NE & then SE |
Wednesday evening, January 18, there will be a particularly bright (-1.0), nearly 6 minute pass of the International Space Station over Kauai. At approx. 18:54, it should first appear 10 degrees above the NNW horizon. At 18:57, it will reach max. altitude of 65 degrees in the NE, and then move toward the SE, where it will disappear from view at approx 19:00. |
|
| Dec 25, 2005 - 6:30pm |
December Sky Viewing |
Hawaiian Islands |
Have you been enjoying our Winter skies and the return of the Winter constellations as I have been? The first bright object, visible at/just after sunset is VENUS. As the sky darkens, Venus has been glowing like a sparkling gem, "setting" in the West (SW) around 8:30PM. Shortly after sunset, a brilliant, pumpkin colored MARS becomes visible, toward the East, and is directly overhead by 8:30 PM. Taurus, the bull, is visible after dark ( rising from the East) with the Pleiades Cluster (Makali'i) on his back. At approx. 7:30, the Great Square of Pegasus, as well as Andromeda, are directly overhead. So nice to view Orion back on the scene, his famous BELT rising from due East, around 8PM! The Gemini Twins, Castor & Pollux are rising around 8PM as well, with SATURN just behind (below) them (ENE). Saturn should be easy to find, (rising around 9PM), as a fairly bright yellow light.
*KEASA hosted a Starwatch presentation on Dec.23 at the Hyatt Regency, Poipu. Hyatt guests were treated to hot chocolate & s'mores while being guided to views of a beautifully clear evening sky!
For more information on KEASA *(Kauai Educational Association for Science & Astronomy) and for details on our public Starwatches, please go to: www.keasa.org |
|
| Nov 05, 2005 - 12:00pm |
Taurid Meteor Showers |
Appear to "radiate" from the Constellation Taurus |
The Taurids could well be the highlight of our November skies. The southern Taurids peak on November 5th, and the northern Taurids on November 12th. Both showers can be observed through about November 25th. Observers on the mainland have reported seeing "fireballs" this past week, from the Taurids. When should you look? You might see a fireball, or other "streakers" flitting across the sky any time Taurus is above the horizon. At this time of year, the Bull rises in the east just after sunset. The odds of seeing a bright meteor improve as the constellation climbs higher. By midnight, Taurus is nearly overhead, so that is a particularly good time. |
|
| Nov 03, 2005 - 6:00pm |
Viewing Mercury |
Shortly after sunset in the the western sky |
Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and therefore is always seen near the sun. On Thursday, Nov. 03, we will have an opportunity to find Mercury easily in the evening sky. The thin crescent moon (Hawaiians call it the "Hoaka" moon) will be just above Mercury, making it much easier to find the planet. Use binoculars, but be careful not to look directly into the sun with them. (Wait until just after the sun has set).
The Hawaiians call Mercury "Ukaliali'i" (following the chief) because it is seen only close to the sun. |
|
| Oct 29, 2005 - 6:15pm |
Mars Approach |
Rising in the east, at sunset |
MARS closest to Earth. Not as close as it was in 2003, but the closest it will be until 2018. On Halloween night it will rise at sundown. It shines at a magnitude of -2.3 at a distance of 43 million miles. This is bright enough to be seen even from urban-lit ciies. Our RED PLANET "neighbor" rises a little before the Pleiades, or Makali'i in the east.
|
|
| Oct 29, 2005 - 6:30pm |
Mars Watch - KEASA Starwatch |
Kaumakani Ball Field |
On October 29, 2005, MARS was a MERE 43 million miles from Earth! This was the closest approach of the RED PLANET until 2018. Our KEASA Starwatch was a lot of FUN! It was "partly cloudy" at sunset and throughout the early evening. But we were still able to intermittently view Venus, Sagittarius, the constellations of the Summer Triangle, other constellations, and even a few more distant objects through the telescopes. At 6:45, we observed a BRILLIANT pass of the International Space Station (ISS) which lasted close to 6 minutes! Mars was viewable by 8:15 PM, through the passing clouds at times. Several of us were able to see Andromeda Galaxy, the Pleiades Cluster, The Ring Nebula, and other objects through the telescopes. By 9 PM, we had mostly clear skies and by 10 PM it was crystal clear; pitch black & absolutely GORGEOUS! Unfortunately, many stargazers had left by then. A handful of astronomy enthusiasts took advantage of this exceptional opportunity for observing and stayed until well beyond midnight! |
|
| Oct 27, 2005 - 7:30pm |
International Space Station (ISS) Pass |
Above Kauai, from Southwest, moving West |
Very bright pass of the ISS, first visible from the Southwest at 7:30:38 PM, rising to maximum altitude of 49 degrees in the Western sky. Should be viewable for approx. 2.5 minutes. |
|
| Oct 17, 2005 - 12:00pm |
Partial Lunar Eclipse |
Observable from Hawaii |
The partial lunar eclipse will begin shortly before midnight on October 16 & extend into early morning hours of October 17. It will first appear as a very slight darkening as the outer part of the Earth's shadow covers the moon. Then at 1:34 a.m., the partial eclipse begins, as the UMBRA, or darker, inner portion of the shadow, becomes visible on the moon's surface. Even at the eclipse's maximum, around 2:03 a.m., less than 10% of the moon will be eclipsed, but that makes it even more interesting to try to see the sharper, defined edge of the inner shadow. (from: Bishop Museum Planetarium Skywatch. www.bishopmuseum.org) |
|
| Oct 14, 2005 - 6:40pm |
Venus & Antares |
First & brightest object visible at sunset. Western sky to the east of the Sun. |
Have you been observing Venus lately? Now that Jupiter is setting with the sun, a magnificent Venus shimmers & sparkles like a brilliant gem, alone in the twilight. Try to take in a sunset and be dazzled by Venus as well! On Oct.14, and for several nights thereafter, Venus should be quite close to Antares (Lehua Kona) the Red SUPERGIANT star which is the heart of Scorpius. I'm wondering what this means for you Scorpios out there. Lotsa LOVE in your heart these days?
The first, and brightest object you will see after sunset is Venus. Next look for a reddish star to appear nearby. When it gets darker, you might be able to discern the shape of the scorpion, lying on it's side, with an "S" curve from Antares to the "stingers" in the tail. Scorpius is also known as Ka Makau Nui o Maui (the big fishhook of Maui).
When seen in the evenings, Venus is known as the "Evening Star." As such, the Hawaiians called it: "Hokukauahiahi." HOKU is the Hawaiian word for STAR. KAU means YOUR, and AHIAHI means EVENING. Venus is also known as the "Morning Star" when it is seen in the mornings. The Hawaiians called it "Hokuao." AO means DAWN or MORNING.
Since Venus is closer to the sun than the Earth, it is always seen fairly close to the sun (at sunset or sunrise) and not found overhead or across the sky from the sun. |
|
| Oct 07, 2005 - 11:30pm |
Draconid Meteor Shower |
Appear to "radiate" from the head of Draco; Northern sky near Little Dipper |
The Draconids are very distinctive, SLOW MOVING meteors, which helps make them easier to differentiate from any random sporadic meteors. The peak activity for this meteor shower should occur between late evening on October 7th and early morning October 9th. "The buzz" is that we could see an "outburst" of shower activity, up to 10-20 meteors/hour, during this peak period, as was observed during the 1999 Draconids. Try to observe from the darkest location possible to view more of the meteors. Many meteor showers, such as these, can be predicted, as they repeat every year when the earth passes through the path of a comet. The bits of debris left behind by the comets, most no larger than a grain of sand, create a spectacular light show as they enter the earth's atmosphere. The Draconid meteors are the streaming tail of comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.
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|
| Sep 06, 2005 - 7:25pm |
Venus, Jupiter & the Moon with Spica |
Western Sky at and just following sunset |
Following a spectacular conjunction of Jupiter & Venus on Sept. 1, where the 2 planets appeared as ONE brilliant object, close to the bright star SPICA (HIKIANALIA), these planets will now appear to separate. On September 6th an exquisite crescent Moon joins them along with Spica, in a stunning array! If you continue to watch night after night, Venus & Jupiter will continue to separate and you'll notice that Jupiter will dip lower and lower until it disappears below the horizon toward the end of the month, leaving dazzling Venus alone just after sunset. |
|
| Sep 03, 2005 - 7:00pm |
StarWatch |
Kaumakani softball field |
New Moon for our monthly KEASA Starwatch! Check out KEASA website for more details, including directions to this excellent viewing site.
http://www.keasa.org/ |
|
| Sep 01, 2005 - 7:30pm |
Venus Jupiter Moon Conjunction |
Evening skies, west-southwest, just after sunset - beginning NOW (late Aug.) |
Our two brightest planets, Jupiter & Venus appear STRIKING as twilight falls in early September. While Venus gleams a pure white, Jupiter shines a few shades toward pale peach. Watch how their colors deepen toward orange, and even red, as they descend. Start looking during the last week of August to see Venus climbing away from the Sun, while Jupiter slides in. The planets appear closest to each other Sept.1st. On Sept. 6th, the waxing crescent Moon joins the duo to create a stunning trio! Enjoy this conjunction, as the next nice one between these two planets happens in February 2008. (From Astronomy Magazine, Sept. 2005) For more info:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/26aug_sunset.htm?list761521 |
|
| Aug 29, 2005 - 7:25pm |
International Space Station (ISS) Pass |
Over Kauai, look SW, moving toward NE |
For those who missed the BRILLIANT pass of the ISS on August 27th, you'll have another opportunity to view it this Monday evening. It should appear at approximately 7:25 in the SW sky, heading NW. It will be almost directly overhead at 7:29, and disappear into the NE horizon 7:31:30. |
|
| Aug 23, 2005 - 7:30pm |
Sunspot Explosions could spark Aurora |
Best Viewing at high latitudes |
Big sunspot 798 exploded twice yesterday, August 22nd, and hurled a pair of coronal mass ejections apparently toward Earth. Geomagnetic storms are possible when the clouds arrive. Sky watchers should be alert for auroras during the nights of August 23rd and 24th. High latitudes are favored: e.g., Canada, Alaska and northern-tier US states from Washington to Maine. Visit
http://spaceweather.com for more info.
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| Aug 12, 2005 - 8:00pm |
PERSEIDS Report |
Polihale |
I camped last night at Polihale & the PERSEIDS put on quite a display. From about 9PM until sunrise, the sky was beautifully CLEAR and the activity constant! There were many quick STREAKERS, as well as occasional outbursts /bright FLASHES; and we also observed several - at least 10 - colorful fireballs, some of which left long tails for a second or two behind them.
Early morning (between 3 & 4AM), I thoroughly enjoyed watching Taurus & Orion rise and move across the sky. Hadn’t seen those guyz since last Winter! And this was the first time I was able to discern all the stars in Perseus and some other constellations that I don’t view regularly (Pegasus, Andromeda, etc.). Mars is BRILLIANT: BRIGHT RED, & getting brighter as it approaches (closest to Earth in late October). And I vaguely remember watching Saturn rise, along with Gemini twins Pollux & Castor, before finally CRASHING into a deep sleep (around 5 AM). Sister starwatchers reported counts of 25-30 meteors observed during 15 minute intervals, starting at approx. 4AM. Wish I could have stayed awake longer for the TRUE PEAK experience!
Still some activity seen on Friday night, though there seems to be more clouds tonight here in Kekaha. |
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| Aug 11, 2005 - 7:30pm |
PERSEIDS Meteor Shower |
Polihale |
Be sure to check out the PERSEIDS tonight. Best viewing before sunrise tomorrow AM. (After 2am tonight, look towards the East where Perseus will be rising!) Forecasts for as many as 120+ meteors/hr. I’m headin’ out to the WEST POLE (Polihale) at sunset! |
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| Aug 08, 2005 - 8:00pm |
Moon, Venus, & Jupiter |
West Kauai Astronomy Center |
Should be beautiful “events” starting Sunday, Aug.7, observing the crescent moon, first closest to Venus, then between Venus & Jupiter, and finally closest to Jupiter.
Stargazing here at: West Kauai Astronomy Center at Hale Kekaha Luana (my HOME) has been FABULOUS!
August 7, 2005:
The crescent Moon and the planet Venus will pass within a degree or so of each other as seen from most of the country this evening. Venus is the dazzling "evening star." It brightens into good view within a few minutes of sunset.
August 8, 2005:
The crescent Moon splits the gap between the second- and third-brightest objects in the night sky this evening: the planets Venus and Jupiter. Venus is to the lower right of the Moon, with fainter Jupiter a little farther to its upper left.
August 9, 2005:
The crescent Moon teams up with one of the solar system's other luminaries this evening: Jupiter. The solar system's largest planet looks like a bright star a little above the Moon at nightfall. |
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| Jul 17, 2005 - 8:00pm |
Lunar Occult of Antares |
West Kauai Astronomy Center at Hale Luana |
There was a full occult today where the moon passed in front of Antares, “Scorpio's GIANT RED HEART” In Hawaii this was at about 17:45 HST, still too light to see ANY stars in the constellation. Right now, approx. 8PM, there’s a slight cloud cover and it’s still not all that dark (especially with the bright moon). But I suspect most of Antares (AKA: Lehua-Kona) will be covered by the moon. And it’s a HUGE RED SUPERGIANT star)! Stay tuned for updates. |
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| Dec 31, 1969 - 1:59pm |
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| Dec 31, 1969 - 1:59pm |
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| Dec 31, 1969 - 1:59pm |
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Maintained by Roz Reiner - Kauai, Hawaii
>> Email Roz <<
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