We had some aurora here on Sunday Dec 20th,2015
Here's a few pics I took:
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Sunday, December 20, 2015
This and that
Woke up to our first dusting of snow of the season this morning.Temps are expected to rise so it should hopefully be gone before the end of the day and mild temps are expected thoughout the Christmas week.
So far I have had no luck imaging Comet Catalina aka C/2013 US10.Sky conditions habe not been co-operating at all.It's somewhere in this shot but not visible to me.
This week's sky events:
December 20: El Nath
The star El Nath performs double duty. It represents the tip of one of the horns of Taurus, the bull. But it also forms part of the classical pattern of the adjoining constellation Auriga, the charioteer.
December 21: Winter Solstice
Winter arrives at 10:48 p.m. CST, when the Sun stands farthest south for the year. The Sun will "stand still" for a few days more, rising and setting at almost exactly the same points on the horizon. After that, it will begin to move northward.
December 22: Sparkly Rings
Fomalhaut, the brightest star of Piscis Austrinus, the southern fish, is low in the south as night falls. It is the only bright star in that region of the sky. A giant planet orbits the star, and the planet could be encircled by rings.
December 23: Moon and Aldebaran
The bull gets an eyeful of moonlight tonight. Aldebaran, the bright star that represents the eye of Taurus, the celestial bull, stands close to the upper right of the Moon at nightfall. The two remain close throughout the night.
December 24: Long-Night Moon
Santa shouldn't need Rudolph's help tonight, because the full Moon will light up the Christmas Eve sky. In fact, there's more moonlight tonight and tomorrow night than at any other time of the year.
December 25: The Reindeer
A long-forgotten reindeer jingles across the sky tonight. The extinct constellation Tarandus vel Rangifer snuggles close to Polaris, which marks the north celestial pole. It's above the pole this evening, to the right of M-shaped Cassiopeia.
December 26: Winter Circle
The just-past-full Moon joins a bright pattern of stars known as the Winter Circle or Winter Hexagon tonight. The group climbs into good view by about 9 p.m. Look to the upper left of the Moon for the twins of Gemini, the stars Pollux and Castor.
-- Al C
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Waiting for meteors
The annual Geminid meteor shower is expected to peak tonight.I did an all night sky photo session last night and only picked up a few.Hoping that the sky stays clear tonight for another photo session.
Other things to look for this as posted on Star Date:
December 13: Breaking Down
Look for the beautiful thin crescent Moon shortly after sunset this evening. The crescent is illuminated by sunlight, while the dark portion of the lunar disk is illuminated by earthshine, which is sunlight reflected from an almost-full Earth.
December 14: Crab Nebula
A colorful crab scuttles across the sky on December nights. The Crab Nebula is a cloud of glowing gas in the constellation Taurus that spans about a dozen light-years. It's called the crab because its tendrils of gas resemble a crab.
December 15: Northern Cross
Look to the northwest after nightfall this evening for the Northern Cross, a grouping of stars in the constellation Cygnus, the swan. As it begins to set, a few hours after sunset, the cross stands upright, as though it were anchored to the horizon.
December 16: Perseus
Perseus, the hero, stands overhead by 9 or 10 p.m. Many of its stars are immersed in the glow of the Milky Way. As you look at Perseus, you are seeing stars in three of the galaxy's spiral arms, named for the constellations Orion, Perseus, and Cygnus.
December 17: Evening Constellations
December's evening skies abound with bright constellations, especially in the south and east. Look for Orion, the hunter; Gemini, the twins; and Orion's dogs, Canis Minor and Canis Major, home of Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky.
December 18: Switching On
The constellation Pisces, the fishes, stands high in the south at nightfall, spreading out above and to the upper left of the Moon. It has few bright stars, so you may need a starchart to help you find it.
December 19: Last Visit
The planet Saturn is just climbing into view in the morning sky. It's quite low in the southeast at dawn tomorrow and looks like a moderately bright star. The giant planet will climb into much better view by year's end.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
This week's upcoming sky events + forecast
Things to look for this week:
November 29: More Moon and Gemini
The constellation Gemini, the twins, climbs into good view in the east by about 9 o'clock. The gibbous Moon rises directly below the twins late this evening, and follows them across the sky for the rest of the night.
November 30: Orion Rising
One of the icons of winter nights is climbing higher into the evening sky. Orion the hunter is in good view in the east by about 9 p.m. Look for his "belt" of three moderately bright stars pointing straight up from the horizon.
December 1: Venus and Spica
Spica, the brightest star of the constellation Virgo, is in the southeast at dawn tomorrow. It stands close to the right of Venus, the brilliant "morning star."
December 2: Orion Nebula
Orion climbs into view in the east by 9 p.m. To the right of its three-star belt, look for a row of three objects that make up Orion's Sword. One of those objects looks fuzzy because it's a nebula, a cloud of gas and dust that's giving birth to new stars.
December 3: Moon and Jupiter
Jupiter keeps company with the crescent Moon early tomorrow. The planet looks like a brilliant star. It rises just above the Moon in the wee hours of the morning, and they remain close together at dawn.
December 4: Moon and Mars
Mars is in the morning sky, shining like a moderately bright orange star. The planet will stand close to the lower left of the Moon at dawn tomorrow, and to the upper right of the Moon on Sunday.
December 5: Moon and Companions
The Moon is surrounded by bright companions early tomorrow. Venus, the "morning star," stands to the lower left of the Moon. Two fainter companions are closer to the Moon — Spica below it and Mars above.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
This week wx forecast:
Today A mix of sun and cloud. 30 percent chance of flurries this afternoon. Wind northwest 20 km/h. High plus 2.
Tonight Partly cloudy. 30 percent chance of flurries this evening. Clearing before morning. Wind north 20 km/h. Low minus 6.
Mon, 30 Nov Sunny. High minus 2.
Night Clear. Low minus 4.
Tue, 1 Dec Sunny. High plus 3.
Night Cloudy periods with 60 percent chance of showers. Low plus 3.
Wed, 2 Dec Periods of rain. High 9.
Night Periods of rain. Low 6.
Thu, 3 Dec Periods of rain. Windy. High 8.
Night Cloudy periods. Low minus 3.
Fri, 4 Dec Sunny. High plus 2.
Night Clear. Low minus 2.
Sat, 5 Dec Sunny. High plus 2.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Been experimenting with CHDK on my Canon A-610.Really need some clear moonless nights to really give it a workout but so far I am impressed with the enhancements via the software.Anyone not familiar with it can read more here: http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK
Check out a couple of videos I made showing some of the features:
Test photo:
---- Al C
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Last week's pics and upcoming sky events for this week
It's a typical Nov 1 day here in NS....cloudy,light rain and temp at +8.5C on my thermometer.At least it's calm.
Monday to Friday are expected to be decently clear so will have to try to get out with the camera and shoot some pics.Also working on a camera/telescope setup....preliminary tests were OK and will do some test streams on Ustream this week.Follow my Twitter feed to be notified when it's online.
My pics from last week of the planetary alignment and the full 'Hunter's' moon.Awesome that Venus was bright enough to see well after sunrise.
In the sky this week:
November 2: More Mars and Venus
The orange planet Mars stands close to the upper left of Venus, the “morning star,” at first light tomorrow. Jupiter, which is second only to Venus in brightness, is well above them.
November 3: Planetary Nebulae
A doppelganger of the planet Saturn floats down the southwestern sky on November evenings. Through a telescope, it looks like Saturn seen with its rings nearly edge-on. Yet the Saturn Nebula is really the brilliant final gasp of a dying star.
November 4: California Nebula
The constellation Perseus is in the northeast in mid evening. A cloud of gas known as the California Nebula stands near its southern tip. The nebula, which is just visible through small telescopes, resembles the outline of California.
November 5: Moon and Jupiter
The solar system puts on a show the next few mornings as the Moon slides past the planets Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. First up is Jupiter, the largest planet. It’s close to the left or upper left of the Moon tomorrow, and looks like a brilliant star.
November 6: Moon and Companions
There’s a beautiful conjunction in tomorrow’s early morning sky. The crescent Moon huddles close to the planets Venus and Mars, with Jupiter standing above them. Venus is the “morning star,” with Mars a little above it.
November 7: Busy Galaxy
The Milky Way arches high across the sky this evening. As night falls, its hazy band stretches from the teapot of Sagittarius in the southwest, through the swan overhead, to W-shaped Cassiopeia in the northeast. You need dark skies to see it.
November 8: Moon and Spica
Spica, the leading light of Virgo, stands close to the lower right of the Moon at first light tomorrow. Spica consists of two stars that are locked in a tight orbit around each other. Each is a good bit hotter, brighter, and more massive than the Sun.
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Sunday, October 25, 2015
3 morning planets and this weeks's astronmy hi-lites
eastern pre-dawn sky for the next week or so .
Other upcoming sky events this week:
A newly found asteroid of notable size - known as asteroid 2015 TB145 - will
safely pass Earth on October 31, 2015. It should be visible moving in front
of the stars, with the help of a telescope, the night before. It is the
biggest known asteroid that will come near Earth until 2027. The asteroid -
found as recently as October 10 - will fly past Earth at a safe distance, or
about 1.3 times the moon's distance. Closest approach to Earth will be
October 31 at 2 p.m. ADT
More info here:
http://earthsky.org/space/big-asteroid-will-safely-pass-earth-on-halloween-o
ctober-31-2015
October 25: Sheratan
Sheratan, the second-brightest star of Aries, the ram, is low in the east as
night falls this evening, far to the left of the Moon. To the eye alone, the
star looks like a single pinpoint of light, yet Sheratan actually is a
system of two stars.
October 26: Hunter's Moon
The Hunter's Moon strides boldly across the sky tonight. It is the first
full Moon after the Harvest Moon - a bit of skylore inherited from some
older cultures of Europe and the Americas.
October 27: Clusters
The two most prominent star clusters in the night sky are in good view on
autumn evenings. The V-shaped Hyades cluster outlines the face of Taurus,
the bull, while the smaller, dipper-shaped Pleiades cluster represents his
shoulder.
October 28: The Plow
Ursa Major hunkers low in the north on autumn evenings. Americans see its
brightest stars as the Big Dipper. In England, though, these stars are seen
as a plow. October is a good time to visualize a plow because it stands just
above the horizon.
October 29: Moon and Aldebaran
Aldebaran, the bright orange star that represents the eye of Taurus, the
bull, stands close to the upper right of the Moon as they climb into good
view in late evening.
October 30: Halloween Star
Algol, a star whose name means "the demon," creeps up the northeastern sky
this evening. It's actually a close pair of stars in which one is
cannibalizing the other. The system is in Perseus, the hero, which is in the
northeast at nightfall.
October 31: Halloween Dragon
A dragon haunts the night sky: the constellation Draco. Its coils wrap
around Polaris, the North Star. In mythology, it guarded a golden apple tree
for Hera, the queen of the gods. As a reward for its service, Hera placed
the dragon in the stars.
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Monday, October 19, 2015
3 Morning Planets and this week's hi-lites
Mars,Jupiter and Venus in this morning's sky.Mercury is also visible but
below the trees in this graphic.
http://users.eastlink.ca/~jmnorman/gif/planets.gif
This week's astronomy hi-lites from https://stardate.org :
October 19: Orionid Meteors
The Orionid meteor shower is expected to peak before dawn on Thursday, with
up to a dozen meteors per hour. The Orionids tend to spread out a bit, so
you can generally see almost as many meteors for a day or two before and
after the shower's peak.
October 20: Pisces
Pisces, the fishes, which is one of the constellations of the zodiac, is in
the eastern sky after nightfall. It is faint, though, so you need a dark sky
to see it.
October 21: Alderamin
Alderamin, the brightest star of Cepheus, the king, shines high in the
northern sky. It stands directly above Polaris, the North Star, a couple of
hours after sunset. Alderamin is a white star, about 50 light-years from
Earth.
October 22: Morning Trio
A bright trio adorns the morning sky: Venus, Jupiter, and Mars. Venus, the
"morning star," stands at the top of the lineup tomorrow, in the east at
dawn. Jupiter is close to the lower left of Venus, with fainter Mars to the
lower left of Jupiter.
October 23: Venus and Jupiter
The planet Venus, the "morning star," is well up in the eastern sky at first
light. Over the next few days, it will pass quite close to the
next-brightest object in the night sky, the planet Jupiter.
October 24: Hamal
The yellow-orange star Hamal decorates the forehead of Aries, the ram.
Thousands of years ago, it was near the Sun at the spring equinox, making it
an important star in many cultures.
October 25: Sheratan
Sheratan, the second-brightest star of Aries, the ram, is low in the east as
night falls this evening, far to the left of the Moon. To the eye alone, the
star looks like a single pinpoint of light, yet Sheratan actually is a
system of two stars.
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below the trees in this graphic.
http://users.eastlink.ca/~jmnorman/gif/planets.gif
This week's astronomy hi-lites from https://stardate.org :
October 19: Orionid Meteors
The Orionid meteor shower is expected to peak before dawn on Thursday, with
up to a dozen meteors per hour. The Orionids tend to spread out a bit, so
you can generally see almost as many meteors for a day or two before and
after the shower's peak.
October 20: Pisces
Pisces, the fishes, which is one of the constellations of the zodiac, is in
the eastern sky after nightfall. It is faint, though, so you need a dark sky
to see it.
October 21: Alderamin
Alderamin, the brightest star of Cepheus, the king, shines high in the
northern sky. It stands directly above Polaris, the North Star, a couple of
hours after sunset. Alderamin is a white star, about 50 light-years from
Earth.
October 22: Morning Trio
A bright trio adorns the morning sky: Venus, Jupiter, and Mars. Venus, the
"morning star," stands at the top of the lineup tomorrow, in the east at
dawn. Jupiter is close to the lower left of Venus, with fainter Mars to the
lower left of Jupiter.
October 23: Venus and Jupiter
The planet Venus, the "morning star," is well up in the eastern sky at first
light. Over the next few days, it will pass quite close to the
next-brightest object in the night sky, the planet Jupiter.
October 24: Hamal
The yellow-orange star Hamal decorates the forehead of Aries, the ram.
Thousands of years ago, it was near the Sun at the spring equinox, making it
an important star in many cultures.
October 25: Sheratan
Sheratan, the second-brightest star of Aries, the ram, is low in the east as
night falls this evening, far to the left of the Moon. To the eye alone, the
star looks like a single pinpoint of light, yet Sheratan actually is a
system of two stars.
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Saturday, October 10, 2015
A good week
A spectacular Northern Lights display:
An iridium flare:
And a nice bright pass of the ISS:
Northern Lights 2 frame animated gif:
CLICK TO VIEW
Things to look for in the sky over the next week:
October 10: Morning Mercury
Venus, the "morning star," is well up in the east at dawn, with slightly
fainter Jupiter to its lower left. The much fainter planet Mercury stands
well below them, just above the crescent Moon. Mercury will climb higher and
shine brighter over the next few mornings.
October 11: Uranus at Opposition
The planet Uranus is putting in its best showing of the year. It rises at
sunset, is in the sky all night, and is brightest for the year. In fact,
under dark skies, those with keen vision might just make out the planet with
the unaided eye.
October 12: 51 Pegasi
Pegasus, the flying horse, soars high across the sky on October evenings. In
1995, astronomers discovered a planet orbiting one of its stars, 51 Pegasi.
It was the first planet discovered in orbit around a "normal" star like the
Sun.
October 13: Hot Planet
Cancer, the crab, is high in the east at first light. One of its stars, 55
Cancri, hosts at least five planets, including one that may be covered by
giant volcanoes that belch enough ash and gas to sometimes almost block its
sun from view.
October 14: Tau Ceti
Tau Ceti, one of the most popular star systems in science-fiction, is in the
constellation Cetus, the sea monster. The star climbs into view in the
east-southeast by about 10 p.m. It is faint, so you need a starchart to help
you pick it out.
October 15: Mars and Jupiter
Mars and Jupiter look like they are going to ram together in the dawn sky
over the next few days. Jupiter is the brighter world, with orange Mars
standing just below it tomorrow. They will move closer together on Saturday
and Sunday.
October 16: Moon, Saturn, Antares
Only one planet is in easy view in the evening sky: golden Saturn. Tonight,
it is close to the lower right of the Moon as night falls. The bright orange
star Antares, the heart of the scorpion, is a bit farther to the lower left
of the Moon.
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Sunday, October 4, 2015
This week's astronomy hi-lites
October 4: Last-Quarter Moon
The Moon is at its last-quarter phase at 4:06 p.m. CDT, so sunlight
illuminates half of the lunar hemisphere that faces Earth. The illuminated
portion of that hemisphere will grow smaller each day until the Moon is new
on October 12.
October 5: Double Cluster
Two vigorous young star clusters, known as the Double Cluster, circle high
across the north on autumn evenings. Under dark skies, they are just visible
to the unaided eye as a hazy smudge of light below W-shaped Cassiopeia.
Binoculars reveal many more stars.
October 6: Triangulum Galaxy
The third-largest galaxy in our neighborhood, M33, is in Triangulum, which
is in the east in mid evening. The galaxy is visible through binoculars as a
hazy smudge of light not far from the triangle of stars that gives the
constellation its name.
October 7: Moon and Companions
The crescent Moon drops past two pairs of bright objects in the pre-dawn sky
the next couple of days. The group that is closer to the Moon tomorrow
includes the planet Venus, which shines as the "morning star," and the true
star Regulus, the heart of the lion.
October 8: Moon and More Companions
Mars stands close to the left of the crescent Moon at first light tomorrow.
The planet looks like a modest orange star. The much brighter planet Jupiter
is below Mars and the Moon, with the even brighter planet Venus above them.
October 9: Alpha Persei
Perseus, the hero, is low in the northeast at nightfall. Its brightest star,
Alpha Persei, probably is just one percent of the age of the Sun, yet it
already is nearing the end of its life because it's much more massive than
the Sun.
October 10: Morning Mercury
Venus, the "morning star," is well up in the east at dawn, with slightly
fainter Jupiter to its lower left. The much fainter planet Mercury stands
well below them, just above the crescent Moon. Mercury will climb higher and
shine brighter over the next few mornings.
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The Moon is at its last-quarter phase at 4:06 p.m. CDT, so sunlight
illuminates half of the lunar hemisphere that faces Earth. The illuminated
portion of that hemisphere will grow smaller each day until the Moon is new
on October 12.
October 5: Double Cluster
Two vigorous young star clusters, known as the Double Cluster, circle high
across the north on autumn evenings. Under dark skies, they are just visible
to the unaided eye as a hazy smudge of light below W-shaped Cassiopeia.
Binoculars reveal many more stars.
October 6: Triangulum Galaxy
The third-largest galaxy in our neighborhood, M33, is in Triangulum, which
is in the east in mid evening. The galaxy is visible through binoculars as a
hazy smudge of light not far from the triangle of stars that gives the
constellation its name.
October 7: Moon and Companions
The crescent Moon drops past two pairs of bright objects in the pre-dawn sky
the next couple of days. The group that is closer to the Moon tomorrow
includes the planet Venus, which shines as the "morning star," and the true
star Regulus, the heart of the lion.
October 8: Moon and More Companions
Mars stands close to the left of the crescent Moon at first light tomorrow.
The planet looks like a modest orange star. The much brighter planet Jupiter
is below Mars and the Moon, with the even brighter planet Venus above them.
October 9: Alpha Persei
Perseus, the hero, is low in the northeast at nightfall. Its brightest star,
Alpha Persei, probably is just one percent of the age of the Sun, yet it
already is nearing the end of its life because it's much more massive than
the Sun.
October 10: Morning Mercury
Venus, the "morning star," is well up in the east at dawn, with slightly
fainter Jupiter to its lower left. The much fainter planet Mercury stands
well below them, just above the crescent Moon. Mercury will climb higher and
shine brighter over the next few mornings.
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Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Rainfall warning in effect
Queens County
Rain, at times heavy, is expected.
A slow-moving cold front will approach from the northwest today and move
over the region tonight then remain nearly stationary over the province on
Thursday. Rain at times heavy from this system will spread slowly from
northwest to southeast later today and persist on Thursday. General rainfall
amounts of 50 to 90 millimetres can be expected with amounts possibly
exceeding 100 millimetres in parts of northern and western Nova Scotia.
Rainfall warnings will likely be extended eastward to other parts of the
province later today as this system continues to slowly develop.
Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads. Localized
flooding in low-lying areas is possible. Watch for possible washouts near
rivers, creeks and culverts.
Rainfall Warnings are issued when significant rainfall is expected.
Follow us on Twitter : https://twitter.com/AL_in_NS
Rain, at times heavy, is expected.
A slow-moving cold front will approach from the northwest today and move
over the region tonight then remain nearly stationary over the province on
Thursday. Rain at times heavy from this system will spread slowly from
northwest to southeast later today and persist on Thursday. General rainfall
amounts of 50 to 90 millimetres can be expected with amounts possibly
exceeding 100 millimetres in parts of northern and western Nova Scotia.
Rainfall warnings will likely be extended eastward to other parts of the
province later today as this system continues to slowly develop.
Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads. Localized
flooding in low-lying areas is possible. Watch for possible washouts near
rivers, creeks and culverts.
Rainfall Warnings are issued when significant rainfall is expected.
Follow us on Twitter : https://twitter.com/AL_in_NS
Monday, September 28, 2015
Last night's eclipse pic and this week's astronomy hi-lights
Five constellations that form part of the same story spread across the
evening. Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Cetus, and Perseus all climb up the
eastern side of the sky, telling a story of vanity, sacrifice, and heroism.
September 29: Mirach
The binary system known as Mirach forms the second-brightest star in the
constellation Andromeda, which is in the east and northeast as night falls.
The system's main star is almost 100 times wider than the Sun, and 2,000
times brighter.
September 30: Chasing Dogs
Two "dog stars" chase across autumn's pre-dawn sky. The brighter one is
Sirius, in Canis Major, the big dog. The other is Procyon, of Canis Minor,
the little dog. Both are high in the sky at first light, with Procyon far to
the upper left of Sirius.
October 1: Early Winter
Autumn is just underway, but you can get a preview of the winter sky in the
hours before dawn. Taurus, the bull, is high overhead, to the upper left of
the Moon. Orion is due south, with Sirius, the sky's brightest star, in the
south-southeast.
October 2: The Plow
Ursa Major hunkers low in the north on autumn evenings. Americans see its
brightest stars as the Big Dipper. In England, though, these stars are seen
as a plow. October is a good time to visualize a plow because it stands just
above the horizon.
October 3: Rare Gems
Aquarius, the water-bearer, is in the southeast as darkness falls and stands
highest in the sky, due south, around 11 p.m. Its brightest stars, Alpha and
Beta Aquarii, look fairly faint. In reality, both are brilliant supergiants
that are dulled only by their great distance of 500 light-years.
October 4: Last-Quarter Moon
The Moon is at its last-quarter phase at 4:06 p.m. CDT, so sunlight
illuminates half of the lunar hemisphere that faces Earth. The illuminated
portion of that hemisphere will grow smaller each day until the Moon is new
on October 12.
The supermoon eclipse at it's peak,as my camera saw it....Sept 27th,2015
Monday, September 21, 2015
This week's astronomy hi-lites
September 21: Fomalhaut
The bright star Fomalhaut climbs into view in the southeast by about 9 p.m.
and stands due south around midnight. There are no other bright stars around
it, so it's easy to pick out.
September 22: September Equinox
Astronomical fall begins at 3:21 a.m. CDT tomorrow, with the autumnal
equinox. It is the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator from north
to south, and marks a time of roughly equal amounts of daylight and
darkness.
September 23: Dabih
The star Dabih stands quite close above or to the upper right of the Moon at
nightfall - less than the width of a finger held at arm's length. Binoculars
reveal two stars, known as Dabih Major and Dabih Minor.
September 24: Morning Lineup
The planet Mars and the star Regulus, the leading light of Leo, stand side
by side, low in the east, about an hour before sunrise tomorrow. Mars is to
the left of slightly brighter Regulus.
September 25: Weekend Goodies
A couple of hours before sunrise tomorrow, look for Venus, the "morning
star," almost due east. The only pinpoint of light that even comes close to
its brilliance is Jupiter, which is quite low in the sky at that hour, well
to the lower left of Venus.
September 26: Lunar Eclipse
Earth, Moon, and Sun are about to achieve syzygy - a near-perfect alignment.
The full Moon will pass through Earth's shadow tomorrow night, creating a
total lunar eclipse. All or most of the eclipse will be visible across the
entire U.S.
September 27: Eclipsed Harvest Super Moon
A total lunar eclipse will decorate the sky this evening as the full Moon
passes through Earth's long shadow. This is also the Harvest Moon, which is
the full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox.
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The bright star Fomalhaut climbs into view in the southeast by about 9 p.m.
and stands due south around midnight. There are no other bright stars around
it, so it's easy to pick out.
September 22: September Equinox
Astronomical fall begins at 3:21 a.m. CDT tomorrow, with the autumnal
equinox. It is the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator from north
to south, and marks a time of roughly equal amounts of daylight and
darkness.
September 23: Dabih
The star Dabih stands quite close above or to the upper right of the Moon at
nightfall - less than the width of a finger held at arm's length. Binoculars
reveal two stars, known as Dabih Major and Dabih Minor.
September 24: Morning Lineup
The planet Mars and the star Regulus, the leading light of Leo, stand side
by side, low in the east, about an hour before sunrise tomorrow. Mars is to
the left of slightly brighter Regulus.
September 25: Weekend Goodies
A couple of hours before sunrise tomorrow, look for Venus, the "morning
star," almost due east. The only pinpoint of light that even comes close to
its brilliance is Jupiter, which is quite low in the sky at that hour, well
to the lower left of Venus.
September 26: Lunar Eclipse
Earth, Moon, and Sun are about to achieve syzygy - a near-perfect alignment.
The full Moon will pass through Earth's shadow tomorrow night, creating a
total lunar eclipse. All or most of the eclipse will be visible across the
entire U.S.
September 27: Eclipsed Harvest Super Moon
A total lunar eclipse will decorate the sky this evening as the full Moon
passes through Earth's long shadow. This is also the Harvest Moon, which is
the full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox.
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Sunday, September 6, 2015
This Week's Astronomy Hi-Lites
September 6: Milky Way
The Milky Way arches high overhead this evening. This hazy band of light
stretches roughly north-south a couple of hours after sunset, outlining the
disk of our home galaxy. You need to get away from city lights to see it.
September 7: Labors
The western evening sky offers a figure that seems just right for Labor Day:
Hercules, the strongman. In mythology, he had to labor not once, but 12
times. If you have a dark sky, look for Hercules shining faintly in the west
after sunset.
September 8: Moon and Venus
Venus shines as the dazzling "morning star" right now. Tomorrow, it poses
almost directly below the crescent Moon at first light. The fainter planet
Mars is close by as well.
September 9: Moon, Venus, and Mars
A pretty trio decorates the eastern sky at first light tomorrow. Venus, the
brilliant "morning star," stands to the upper right of the Moon. The fainter
planet Mars stands to the left or lower left of the Moon.
September 10: Arcturus
Arcturus, a bright yellow star, is in the west this evening. To make sure
you have the right star, look for the Big Dipper in the northwest. Follow
the curve of its handle away from the bowl until you reach the first bright
star, which is Arcturus.
September 11: Lacerta
Lacerta, a flying serpent, soars high overhead this evening. It is a
zigzagging line of faint stars between the prominent constellations Cygnus
and Cassiopeia. Lacerta is high in the northeast at nightfall, and high
overhead around midnight.
September 12: Zodiacal Light
If you have clear, very dark skies before dawn over the next few mornings,
look toward the eastern horizon for a ghostly pyramid of light, called
zodiacal light. It is sunlight reflecting off tiny grains of dust scattered
throughout our solar system.
(From https://stardate.org/ )
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The Milky Way arches high overhead this evening. This hazy band of light
stretches roughly north-south a couple of hours after sunset, outlining the
disk of our home galaxy. You need to get away from city lights to see it.
September 7: Labors
The western evening sky offers a figure that seems just right for Labor Day:
Hercules, the strongman. In mythology, he had to labor not once, but 12
times. If you have a dark sky, look for Hercules shining faintly in the west
after sunset.
September 8: Moon and Venus
Venus shines as the dazzling "morning star" right now. Tomorrow, it poses
almost directly below the crescent Moon at first light. The fainter planet
Mars is close by as well.
September 9: Moon, Venus, and Mars
A pretty trio decorates the eastern sky at first light tomorrow. Venus, the
brilliant "morning star," stands to the upper right of the Moon. The fainter
planet Mars stands to the left or lower left of the Moon.
September 10: Arcturus
Arcturus, a bright yellow star, is in the west this evening. To make sure
you have the right star, look for the Big Dipper in the northwest. Follow
the curve of its handle away from the bowl until you reach the first bright
star, which is Arcturus.
September 11: Lacerta
Lacerta, a flying serpent, soars high overhead this evening. It is a
zigzagging line of faint stars between the prominent constellations Cygnus
and Cassiopeia. Lacerta is high in the northeast at nightfall, and high
overhead around midnight.
September 12: Zodiacal Light
If you have clear, very dark skies before dawn over the next few mornings,
look toward the eastern horizon for a ghostly pyramid of light, called
zodiacal light. It is sunlight reflecting off tiny grains of dust scattered
throughout our solar system.
(From https://stardate.org/ )
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Thursday, August 20, 2015
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Another Lonely Meteor
Tried something different....80 to 200 mm lens at 80mm with a wide angle
attachment. 30 secs at ISO 1600.
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Sunday, August 16, 2015
Astronomy hi-lites for the upcoming week
August 17: Saturn in Balance
The planet Saturn stands between the balance scales and the scorpion. It
looks like a bright golden star, a third of the way up the southwestern sky
at nightfall. The scales of Libra line up to the right of Saturn, with the
scorpion to its lower left.
August 18: Earthshine
If you look at the crescent Moon with binoculars this evening, you can pick
out many of the features that are visible when the Moon is full. That's
because the dark portion of the Moon is illuminated by earthshine - sunlight
reflected from Earth.
August 19: Moon and Spica
The crescent Moon slides just above Spica, the brightest star of the
constellation Virgo, this evening. They are low in the west-southwest as
night falls, with Spica close below the Moon.
August 20: Polaris
The North Star, Polaris, isn't all that bright. Yet it's easy to find
because of some bright pointers. Line up the two stars at the outer edge of
the Big Dipper's bowl. Extend that line above the bowl to the first
moderately bright star: Polaris.
August 21: Moon and Saturn
The giant plan Saturn is in great view tonight. It stands to the left of the
Moon as night falls, and looks like a bright golden star. The true star
Antares, the heart of the scorpion, stands to Saturn's lower left.
August 22: Moon, Saturn, and Antares
The planet Saturn snuggles quite closer to the lower right of the Moon this
evening. It looks like a bright golden star. The true star Antares, at the
heart of the scorpion, is farther to the lower left of the Moon.
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The planet Saturn stands between the balance scales and the scorpion. It
looks like a bright golden star, a third of the way up the southwestern sky
at nightfall. The scales of Libra line up to the right of Saturn, with the
scorpion to its lower left.
August 18: Earthshine
If you look at the crescent Moon with binoculars this evening, you can pick
out many of the features that are visible when the Moon is full. That's
because the dark portion of the Moon is illuminated by earthshine - sunlight
reflected from Earth.
August 19: Moon and Spica
The crescent Moon slides just above Spica, the brightest star of the
constellation Virgo, this evening. They are low in the west-southwest as
night falls, with Spica close below the Moon.
August 20: Polaris
The North Star, Polaris, isn't all that bright. Yet it's easy to find
because of some bright pointers. Line up the two stars at the outer edge of
the Big Dipper's bowl. Extend that line above the bowl to the first
moderately bright star: Polaris.
August 21: Moon and Saturn
The giant plan Saturn is in great view tonight. It stands to the left of the
Moon as night falls, and looks like a bright golden star. The true star
Antares, the heart of the scorpion, stands to Saturn's lower left.
August 22: Moon, Saturn, and Antares
The planet Saturn snuggles quite closer to the lower right of the Moon this
evening. It looks like a bright golden star. The true star Antares, at the
heart of the scorpion, is farther to the lower left of the Moon.
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Wednesday, August 12, 2015
One Lonely Perseid Meteor
100% cloud covered last night.....maybe tonight will be better but the
forecast is not looking good:
'Mainly cloudy with 40 percent chance of showers or drizzle. Fog patches.
Wind southwest 20 km/h becoming light overnight. Low 16.'
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Sunday, August 9, 2015
Astronomy hi-lites for the upcoming week
August 9: Moon and Betelgeuse
The bright orange star Betelgeuse stands to the lower right of the Moon at
dawn tomorrow. It marks the shoulder of Orion. It has held that spot for
millennia, and will stay there for tens of thousands of years longer.
August 10: Perseid Meteors
The Perseid meteor shower will "rain" meteors into Earth's atmosphere for
the next few nights. The view is enhanced because the Moon is a thin
crescent, and it doesn't rise until a couple of hours before dawn.
August 11: More Perseids
The Perseid meteor shower should be at its best the next couple of nights.
Its meteors all appear to "rain" from the direction of the constellation
Perseus. The meteors can streak across any part of the sky, though, so you
don't have to face a particular direction to see them.
August 12: Sagittarius
Sagittarius stands low in the south as night falls, and sets in the wee
hours of the morning. It represents a centaur, although modern skywatchers
are more likely to see a teapot formed by eight bright stars. The handle is
on the left, with the spout on the right.
August 13: Galactic Hub
The center of the Milky Way galaxy rolls low across the south on summer
nights. It is just above the spout of the teapot-shaped constellation
Sagittarius, which is in the south in early evening.
August 14: Aquila
Although it is faint, Aquila is a rarity: a constellation that really does
resemble its namesake - in this case, an eagle. Under dark skies, look for
it high in the southeast at nightfall. It soars across the south in late
evening.
August 15: Changing Addresses
The planet Venus will cross the line between Earth and the Sun today, moving
from the evening sky to the morning sky. It will be lost in the Sun's glare
for a few days, but will climb into easy view in a few days as the brilliant
"morning star."
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The bright orange star Betelgeuse stands to the lower right of the Moon at
dawn tomorrow. It marks the shoulder of Orion. It has held that spot for
millennia, and will stay there for tens of thousands of years longer.
August 10: Perseid Meteors
The Perseid meteor shower will "rain" meteors into Earth's atmosphere for
the next few nights. The view is enhanced because the Moon is a thin
crescent, and it doesn't rise until a couple of hours before dawn.
August 11: More Perseids
The Perseid meteor shower should be at its best the next couple of nights.
Its meteors all appear to "rain" from the direction of the constellation
Perseus. The meteors can streak across any part of the sky, though, so you
don't have to face a particular direction to see them.
August 12: Sagittarius
Sagittarius stands low in the south as night falls, and sets in the wee
hours of the morning. It represents a centaur, although modern skywatchers
are more likely to see a teapot formed by eight bright stars. The handle is
on the left, with the spout on the right.
August 13: Galactic Hub
The center of the Milky Way galaxy rolls low across the south on summer
nights. It is just above the spout of the teapot-shaped constellation
Sagittarius, which is in the south in early evening.
August 14: Aquila
Although it is faint, Aquila is a rarity: a constellation that really does
resemble its namesake - in this case, an eagle. Under dark skies, look for
it high in the southeast at nightfall. It soars across the south in late
evening.
August 15: Changing Addresses
The planet Venus will cross the line between Earth and the Sun today, moving
from the evening sky to the morning sky. It will be lost in the Sun's glare
for a few days, but will climb into easy view in a few days as the brilliant
"morning star."
Follow us on Twitter : https://twitter.com/AL_in_NS
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Photo: The Blue Moon of July 2015
With a wave of my 'magic wand' it really was a Blue Moon ;) :D
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Thursday, July 2, 2015
Venus Jupiter Conjunction
Uploaded the wrong pic the last time.
My apologies.
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Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Wx Update
30C on one day.....we have seen somewhat of a downturn. Yesterday's high was
only near 8C with rain....today will be generally the same.Better and more
seasonable temps will begin to move in tomorrow.Temps should be near 20C by
the end of the week.
Photo: The Trestle Trail Bridge,May 31,2015 (deemed to be unsafe and now
closed) as viewed from the bridge over the Mersey on Hwy 103.
Cheers!
Monday, March 23, 2015
First full week of Spring 2015
I hope it's better where you are than it is here.....maybe the 4 ft snow
banks will soon start melting.Our fingers are crossed.
-9C at 9AM
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Finally....a clear night
The clouds finally moved out...a rare occurrence here these days.....and we were treated to this sight.The Moon ,Venus and Mars in conjunction.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Feb 2 Snowstorm
The snow began around noon and continued until midnight...maybe a bit longer...not sure,I was in bed before it was over.
Total accumulation here was about 20cms.We received less rain than expected and temps did not rise to +8C.Temps did increase during the storm but they did not make it above freezing at ground level.There was however a fair amount of ice pellets from upper level warm air.
Overnight the temps dropped to -12C and the snow developed a 5 cm 'crust'.The snow that was pushed off the streets by the plows froze into something similar to cement......so it was hard going getting everything cleaned up today.
Unfortuately,there is another storm on the way for Thursday.It's a toss up at this point if it will be rain or snow.Time will tell.
Photo: A couple of hours after the storm began.Near blizzard conditions.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Sunday Feb 1,2015 - Cold and Wintery
Feb came in cold and wintery.Temp is currently at -11C on my thermometer and winds are brisk making for a windchill near -20C.The street is snow covered this morning after an evening of light snow that began as freezing drizzle in the late afternoon.
More snow is on the way for tomorrow with a change over to rain possible here on the coast.
Seems like winter is just starting.....
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
2015 'Blizzard' re-cap
There wasn't much of a blizzard here.Snow with ice pellets started about 3AM and continued until mid-afternoon.Total accumulation was in the 10 cm range with another 2 or so cms of ice pellets on top of that.
Winds were very strong all day and are still quite gusty at 7PM.
Temp has risen to -1C and is expected to go above freezing overnight.Rain is expected.
Photo is from my wx cam as the 'blizzard' was raging....
Monday, January 26, 2015
Alerts for: Queens County
Warnings
4:25 AM AST Monday 26 January 2015
Winter storm warning in effect for:
- Queens County
Hazardous winter conditions are expected.
A low pressure system will develop off the U.S. Seaboard today then intensify into a large winter storm as it moves slowly northeastward toward the Maritimes later tonight and Tuesday. Snow at times heavy will develop overnight or early Tuesday morning and spread northeastward during the day. Very strong northeast winds gusting to 90 km/h with even higher gusts possible along the Fundy and Atlantic coasts will give extensive blowing and drifting snow and near-zero visiblities on Tuesday. General snowfall amounts of 15 to 30 cm are expected. Over parts of Nova Scotia snow will mix with or change to ice pellets in the afternoon.
Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve. Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. Visibility will be suddenly reduced to near zero at times in heavy snow and blowing snow.
Winter Storm Warnings are issued when multiple types of severe winter weather are expected to occur together.
Environment Canada meteorologists will update alerts as required. Stay up to date with Weatheradio or your local media. Email reports of severe weather to weatherASPC@ec.gc.ca or call 1-877-815-9900. You may tweet reports using the hashtag #NSStorm.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Storm Update
Last night's storm basically ended here around midnight.Getting some reports of localized flooding along parts of the mouth of the Mersey River but nothing any more extreme than what usually happens,
Next storm for NS is due on Tuesday....a mix of rain and snow is expected here.Significant snowfall in inland areas is a very good possibility.
More to come........
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Alerts for: Queens County
Warnings
4:55 AM AST Saturday 24 January 2015
Storm surge warning in effect for:
- Queens County
Higher than normal water levels with large waves are expected near the coast.
An intensifying low pressure system is forecast to develop off the U.S. eastern seaboard today and track towards the maritimes. The system will move into the Bay of Fundy this evening and into the Gulf of St Lawrence early Sunday morning. The combination of the timing of the strong winds and high waves from this system together with a cycle of higher astronomical tides will give elevated water levels and the risk of coastal flooding to parts of the Atlantic coast during high tide late this evening. Water levels will subside overnight.
Coastal flooding is possible along the shoreline. High waves combined with the surge may cause damage along the coast. Stay away from affected shorelines. People close to the shoreline should stay on the lookout for worsening conditions.
Storm surge warnings are issued when water levels pose a threat to coastal regions.
Environment Canada meteorologists will update alerts as required. Stay up to date with Weatheradio or your local media. Email reports of severe weather to weatherASPC@ec.gc.ca or call 1-877-815-9900. You may tweet reports using the hashtag #NSStorm.
4:47 AM AST Saturday 24 January 2015
Rainfall warning in effect for:
- Queens County
Rain, heavy at times is expected. The frozen ground has a reduced ability to absorb this rainfall.
A low pressure system will approach from the southwest today and track through the Bay of Fundy and into the Gulf of St Lawrence tonight into Sunday. Rain or snow will develop ahead of the system this afternoon then change to rain at times heavy this evening before ending early Sunday morning. Generally 25 to 50 millimetres of rain is expected.
Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible. Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads.
Rainfall Warnings are issued when significant rainfall is expected.
Environment Canada meteorologists will update alerts as required. Stay up to date with Weatheradio or your local media. Email reports of severe weather to weatherASPC@ec.gc.ca or call 1-877-815-9900. You may tweet reports using the hashtag #NSStorm.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Alerts for: Queens County
Warnings
3:44 PM AST Friday 23 January 2015
Rainfall warning in effect for:
- Queens County
Rain, heavy at times is expected. The frozen ground has a reduced ability to absorb this rainfall.
A low pressure system will approach from the southwest on Saturday and track through the Bay of Fundy and into the Gulf of St Lawrence Saturday night into Sunday. Rain or snow will develop ahead of the system Saturday afternoon then change to rain at times heavy Saturday evening before ending early Sunday morning. Generally near 25 millimetres of rain is expected however parts of the Atlantic coast could locally see up to 50 millimeters,
Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible. Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads.
Rainfall Warnings are issued when significant rainfall is expected.
Environment Canada meteorologists will update alerts as required. Stay up to date with Weatheradio or your local media. Email reports of severe weather to weatherASPC@ec.gc.ca or call 1-877-815-9900. You may tweet reports using the hashtag #NSStorm.
Statements
3:45 PM AST Friday 23 January 2015
Special weather statement in effect for:
- Queens County
Higher than normal water levels and heavy pounding surf are expected along parts of the Atlantic coast during high tide Saturday night.
An intensifying low pressure system is forecast to develop off the U.S. Eastern Seaboard on Saturday and track towards the Maritimes during the day. The system will move into the Bay of Fundy Saturday evening and into the Gulf of St Lawrence early Sunday morning. This system will bring snow, rain and strong southeast winds to the province Saturday night into Sunday.
The combination of the timing of the strong winds and high waves from this system together with a cycle of higher astronomical tides will give elevated water levels and the risk of coastal flooding to parts of the Atlantic coast during high tide Saturday night. At this time the areas likely to see the highest water levels are along the Atlantic coast from just east of Halifax southwestward through to Digby County.
The public..Especially those in vulnerable coastal areas..Is advised to monitor future forecasts as storm surge warnings may be required.
Please monitor the latest forecasts and warnings from Environment Canada at www.weatheroffice.gc.ca.
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