2019 Week 8: (February 17-February 23)

This week in Calgary we may approach the freezing mark for the first time in several weeks.  We may have a few mild evenings to check out what is happening in the sky above!  The chart below highlights all the great events.

Date	Event
February 17	Moon 0.6°S of Beehive (M44)
February 18	Venus 1.1°N of Saturn
February 19	Full Moon (Perigean Moon)
February 20	Zodiacal Light Visible

The Moon will be what some people refer to as a 'supermoon' this week.  It will be the closest full moon to the Earth this year.  This phenomenon is essentially imperceptible to the human eye but the name 'supermoon' tends to excite people.  Besides the Moon being slightly larger and brighter, the tides may measure a little higher compared to other full or new moons throughout the year.  The reason for this is the gravitational force is dependent on the distance between two objects by an inverse square.  This essentially means the closer two objects are, the higher the gravitational force.

The previous week had a close conjunction of the fourth and seventh planet in our Solar System.  Mars and Uranus put on a great show during a cold clear night.

Mars/Uranus Conjunction, February 13, 2019

This week the second and sixth planet will be in close conjunction.  Venus and Saturn will be a little over 1° apart in the sky during the early morning just before sunrise.  This will be more difficult to see as at 7:00am the pairing will only be 8° above the southern horizon with the Sun close in pursuit.  Also, with possible flurries in the forecast it may be an impossibility for Calgarians.

Saturn and Venus (Crescent Phase)

The zodiacal light phenomenon may be visible in the west shortly after evening twilight.  This is best seen from dark locations away from the lights of the city.  A blog post describing this is provided below.

Zodiacal Light

After a few weeks of skies free of major rocket launches this week picks back up.  Three scheduled launches will be occurring with a Falcon 9 lifting an Israeli Lunar Lander for a rendezvous with our nearest celestial neighbour.  You can catch all of these launches live at: https://spaceflightnow.com/

Two Soyuz rockets are also scheduled to take some communication satellites into orbit.  This will include the first of a constellation of broadband internet satellites.

Date	Event
February 21	Soyuz - EgyptSat-A (09:47)
February 21	Falcon 9 - PSN 6 & Beresheet (18:45)
February 22	Soyuz - OneWeb Pilot (14:37)

We are fortunate enough to have a free public lecture on Radio Astronomy by Dr. Jo-Anne Brown from the University of Calgary.  Canada is a world leader in Radio Astronomy and this talk will discuss the recent work that is being done in the Okanagan Valley in BC.

Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory - John A. Galt Telescope (Image Credit: Jason Nishiyama)

This event is open to everyone and will be our last meeting at the Kerby Centre.  After a brief stopover at the University in March our new home will be the Central Branch of the Calgary Public Library.

Date	Event
February 21	RASC General Meeting - Imaging the Invisible Using Radio Astronomy (19:30)

If you would like more information about this great event please head to the event on Facebook, linked below.

https://www.facebook.com/events/408536426381970/

Stay tuned for some amazing events happening throughout 2019 by subscribing to our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/simonjastronomy/

Stay warm and if you catch yourself outside after dark don't forget to look up at the wondering staring down!

2019 Week 7: (February 10-February 16)

We have had an exceptionally cold February this year and it looks to continue for at least another week or two.  The sky has been relatively clear with great seeing but certainly difficult for astronomers to brave the cold!  Of course, in the middle of this cold we have a rare event that you do not want to miss.  The chart below highlights everything going on in the sky this week.

Date	Event
February 10	Mars 6°N of Moon
February 10	Uranus 5°N of Moon
February 12	First Quarter
February 13	Mars 1.1°N of Uranus
February 13	Aldebaran 1.7°S of Moon

I am really excited for the conjunction of Mars and Uranus.  The closest alignment occurs during the evening of February 13, 2019.  However, during the 11th-14th they will be in the same telescopic field with my camera.  Unfortunately the weather has been exceedingly cold which will make taking a photograph much harder.  If there is a clear sky I will likely be out on one of those nights.

A map of this event in the sky can be found below.  Mars will be the bright red object in the south-southeastern sky after it gets dark.  Don't confuse it with the bright red star Aldebaran which will be hanging out with the Moon that night.  Stick Mars in your binocular field and you will see Uranus hovering less than a quarter of your field below.

Mars/Uranus Conjunction, February 13, 2019

There are no rocket launches scheduled for this week but it looks like 4 may lift off the week after including the Crew Dragon Spacecraft.

There are no public events occurring this week but there will be a great free lecture next week.  Join us for the last meeting at the Kerby Centre before we move to the Calgary Public Library.  On February 21 at 7:30pm Dr. Jo-Anne Brown will be giving a talk entitled "Imaging the Invisible Using Radio Astronomy".  A description is provided below.

Radio Astronomy is a relatively young branch of astronomy that takes advantage of radio-frequency emission, instead of the more familiar optical emission. Radio telescopes can "see" through dust and gas in a way that allows us to probe farther into space, and thus further back in time than optical telescopes can. The Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory (DRAO), nestled in the hills of the Okanagan Valley, has been, and continues to be, a world leader in radio astronomy, both in terms of observations and engineering. In this talk, I will review some of the history of radio astronomy, and of DRAO itself, as well as discuss my work on Galactic magnetism using data from DRAO.

DRAO Main Building and 26m Dish (Image Credit: Jason Nishiyama)

This is a free event for anyone to join, I really hope to see you there!  Details can be found below.

https://www.facebook.com/events/408536426381970/

Don't forget to subscribe to our Facebook Page for all the latest Space News and Astronomical Sights!

2019 Week 6: (February 3-February 9)

In Canada we have been experiencing unseasonably cold temperatures that may be keeping astronomers inside.  There are a few highlights this week in which the Moon dances with some objects in our Solar System.  The chart below highlights the events.

Date	Event
February 4	New Moon
February 6	Vesta 1.1°S of Moon
February 6	Neptune 3°S of Moon

On Monday a new lunar cycle begins with a Micro New Moon.  A micromoon is a non-scientific term that refers to a New or Full Moon near the time of apogee (furthest point in Moon's orbit around Earth).  I would not expect the media to jump all over this term like the 'Super Blood Wolf Moon' of two weeks ago.

However, this New Moon marks the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar.  This great event is celebrated worldwide with many festivities happening throughout the days before and after.  This upcoming year is the year of the pig.  So will people be calling this a Micro Pig New Moon?  I certainly hope not.

Happy New Year! 恭禧發財

The Moon, as a waxing crescent, will be seen in the western sky dancing between Neptune and the second largest asteroid in the belt: Vesta.  Both objects have been visited by spacecraft from Earth.  Voyager 2 visited Neptune back in 1989 while Vesta was visited relatively recently in 2011 by the Dawn spacecraft.  It may be difficult to see these objects as the Sun will have just set within the same hour.

The important date to set on the calendar in the coming weeks is February 13 when Mars and Uranus will be in the same telescopic field of view.  A similar situation happened back in December when Mars and Neptune were close friends.

Mars/Neptune Conjunction - December 2018

There are no rocket launches schedule for this week but things will pick up later in February.  Also, stay tuned for March when the second Falcon Heavy will launch from LC-39A at the Kennedy Space Centre with a Saudi communications satellite.  It is an important historical fact that LC-39A was the same launch pad that sent the Apollo 11 mission to space with a Saturn V.

This is a great segue into the next agenda item: public astronomy events.  The Rothney Astrophysical Observatory is hosting another one of their famous open houses.  At this event, space historian Joel Powell will present "The Space Race: From Sputnik to Apollo 11 and Beyond".  Members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada will be out with their telescopes so you're going to want to dress in warm clothes!

Date	Event
February 9	RAO Open House (20:00-23:00)

If you would like more details about this event check out the Facebook page:

 https://www.facebook.com/events/374772506684955/

or the event page:

https://www.ucalgary.ca/rao/node/2276

As always, stay tuned on our Facebook Page for the latest information about what is happening in the sky and the news.

www.facebook.com/simonjastronomy

2019 Week 5: (January 27-February 2)

We are now in the fifth week of 2019 and heading straight into February.  For the first time in 2 years there is nothing exciting happening in the sky!  There are no rocket launches scheduled and no public events planned either.  This defeats the whole purpose of this blog!

Date	Event
-	-

New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt continues to get exciting as the latest image of 2014 MU 69 (Ultima Thule) was beamed back to Earth for all to see.

2014 MU69 (Ultima Thule) (Image Credit: NASA)

An article on this news from Astronomy is provided below.

http://www.astronomy.com/news/2019/01/new-horizons-latest-images-from-ultima-thule-reveal-new-details

The Moon will be moving from its Full phase to Last Quarter this week.  The Lunar Eclipse last Sunday was incredible as the haze started dissipating shortly after totality.

Total Lunar Eclipse, January 20, 2019

Let's talk about what we can see in the sky around 10pm in the evening under clear skies!

Week 5 Sky (10pm)

The constellation Orion is in a perfect location directly south.  You will recognize the three bright stars of his belt crossing from east to west.  The star representing the upper eastern shoulder is a red supergiant called Betelgeuse.  The lower western knee is a blue supergiant called Rigel.  These two stars offer a great contrast in colour that can be seen with the naked eye.

If you trace the belt towards the southeast you should spy the brightest star in the night sky -- Sirius.  Telescope or binocular users may be able to see the open cluster, Messier 41, sitting just below this bright star of Canis Major.

Tracing a line from Rigel through the easternmost belt star, Alnitak, will take you straight to the twin stars of Castor and Pollux.  These are the brightest stars in Gemini.  Moving a telescope just above Castor will allow you to see the open cluster Messier 35.

Another trace of the belt towards the northwest will bring you to Taurus' bright red star Aldebaran.  Progressing a short distance further will take you to the Pleiades, Messier 45.

M45, Pleaides

On a cloud free night see if you can find all the stars in the Winter Hexagon.  The map below should help you in your quest.

Winter Hexagon

Take some time this week to observe the night sky.  Trace the stars from Orion to find some of these familiar constellations and stars.  Don't forget to see the Orion Nebula which sits just below the belt stars.  It appears as a faint blurry patch to the naked eye and can be resolved with a simple pair of binoculars.

2019 Week 4: (January 20-January 26)

This is the week of the Total Lunar Eclipse which will easily be visible from all residents of North and South America.  This, of course, assumes clear skies!  The chart below highlights what else is happening during Eclipse Week!

Date	Event
January 20	Full Moon
January 20/21	Total Lunar Eclipse
January 21	Moon 0.6°S of Beehive
January 21	Moon at Perigee
January 21	Venus 2°N of Jupiter

The Full Moon and the Lunar Eclipse of course coincide as the Moon needs to be on the opposite side of the Earth to be in its shadow.  See Moon Phases below.

https://simonjastronomy.blogspot.com/2017/05/explore-universe-lunar-phases.html

The Calgary times for the eclipse is provided below.

7:36pm - Penumbral Eclipse Starts
8:33pm - Partial Eclipse Starts
9:41pm - Total Eclipse Starts
10:43pm - Total Eclipse Ends
11:50pm - Partial Eclipse Ends
12:48am - Penumbral Eclipse Ends

Further details can be found below.

https://simonjastronomy.blogspot.com/2018/01/total-lunar-eclipse.html

Total Lunar Eclipse (Image Credit: NASA)

The free astronomy software Cartes du Ciel actually shows the shading of the Moon as the Earth's shadow transits its face.  If you would like to download this software a link has been provided.

https://simonjastronomy.blogspot.com/2017/05/free-astronomy-software-cartes-du-ciel.html

The Beehive Cluster will be under 7° away from the eclipse and binoculars should be able to expose this wonderful grouping of stars.  Look approximately 1 or 2 binocular fields to the east of the Moon during the eclipse.  The map below highlights this close encounter.

Sky Map During Eclipse

As you can notice in the table below the Moon reaches perigee relatively close to the Full Moon.  This is typically what some people refer to as a 'Super Moon'.  Although not scientifically defined or used it has become a colloquial expression to generate interest in astronomy.  The Moon is imperceptibly brighter and larger and may cause higher than normal tides.  The Farmer's Almanac which may have appropriated Full Moon names from specific Great Lakes tribes centuries ago refers to this as a 'Wolf Moon'.  Again, not officially recognized, many Native tribes and cultures throughout North America and the World have different names for Full Moons.  This has lead to the expression 'Super Blood Wolf Moon' as the eclipse makes the Moon appear red.

The appearance of a Moon during an eclipse can be qualitatively defined by the Danjon Scale.  Many factors affect the appearance of the Moon.  The most interesting, in my opinion, is recent volcanic eruptions severely darkening its appearance (1992).  More information can be found below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danjon_scale

If you didn't stay up too late watching the eclipse make sure you get up early to see a beautiful conjunction of Jupiter and Venus.  These two friends will be about 2° apart; close enough to capture in a wide field telescope view.  Watch the southeastern sky shortly after 6:30am in the morning to see this sight.  They have been close friends the previous week and will continue to be throughout this next week.  Catch them closely dancing before Venus tracks too far to the east!

2019 Week 3: (January 13-January 19)

This week in the sky we have the Moon reaching its first quarter phase.  When the Moon is full this month there will be a total lunar eclipse.  Watch out for more details as the night approaches.  The table below provides a summary of this week.

Date	Event
January 13	First Quarter
January 17	Aldebaran 1.6°S of Moon

If you are a Calgarian working on your Messier catalogue this is the perfect time of year to locate some of the most southern objects.  Lepus, Canis Major, and Puppis are all in prime viewing position by 11:30pm-12:00am.  You do not want to miss out on these -20°S declination objects especially since they are fairly bright clusters.

Messier 47

Leo is starting to reach a comfortable region of the sky by midnight with all of its spectacular wonders.  Following Leo is Virgo and the Virgo Cluster which I have yet to wrap my head around in the 3 years I have been doing astronomy.  I will make it a goal to figure out this region of the sky in 2019.

There is only one rocket launch scheduled for this week.  A Japanese Epsilon rocket is a sending a (Rapid Innovative Payload Demonstration Satellite) into space to test new technology.  A lightweight solar cell mechanism will be tested to see how well it can obtain power.  Along with this satellite several secondary Japanese and Vietnamese payloads will be heading up into space. You can catch this launch live at https://spaceflightnow.com with the time details below.

Date	Event
January 16	Epsilon - RAPIS 1 (19:50)

There will be one public event occurring this week.  Our monthly General Meeting will be held at the Kerby Centre and we will be having two lectures.  The first will be on the legacy of the RASC Sesquicentennial and the many highlights of such a great year.  The second talk will focus on the relationship between outdoor lighting and crime.  A case study on New York's strategy will be discussed.  I hope you can make it out to the event; all members of the public are invited!

2019 Week 2: (January 6-January 12)

We are in the first full week of 2019 and the weather is quite mild.  With clear skies there are a lot of amazing things to see!

Date	Event
January 6	Uranus Stationary
January 10	Neptune 3°N of Moon
January 12	Mars 5°N of Moon

Uranus will complete its retrograde motion and begin moving toward the east against the background stars.  It will soon be within the borders of Aries, moving to its second constellation since I started astronomy back in 2016.

Neptune and Mars will be in tight with the Moon on the 10th and 12th respectively.

Familiar constellations dot the Winter sky.  Orion is high in the sky around 11pm and makes for a beautiful sight.  Place your binoculars on his belt and move them south and you will see the Great Orion Nebula.  At 1334 light years away, this is one of the most active star creating regions in our galaxy.

The Orion Nebula

The Twins known as Gemini follow closely behind Orion.  You can find them by drawing a line from Orion's bright blue knee through his bright red shoulder to a pair of bright stars. 

On a clear night see if you can trace out the Winter Hexagon.  Each vertex is a bright Winter star consisting of (with their brightness rank): 7 - Rigel, 14 - Aldebaran, 6 - Capella, 17 - Pollux, 8 - Procyon, 1 - Sirius.

There is only one rocket launch scheduled for this week.  A Falcon 9 is sending 10 satellites into space to replace the original Iridium constellation that observers love watching.  You can catch this launch live at https://spaceflightnow.com.

Date	Event
January 8	Falcon 9 - Iridium Next 66-75 (08:48)

Spend some time outside in the mild Winter weather and see some fantastic sights!  We sometimes don't get the chance to see some of these because it is so cold and snowy outside!