Bootleg Astronomers

*** Due to the number of people doing imaging at the Bootleg Star Parties, Bootleg Management is indicating that Green Lasers will not be permitted starting one hour after sunset ***

Pre-registration deadline is Saturday, May 26th!!! So hurry and get your forms in the mail!

All forms must be postmarked no later than May 26th to qualify for early registration.

2	Moon near Antares (morning sky) at 11h UT.
2	Venus 6.4° N of Aldebaran (28° from Sun, evening sky) at 18h UT. Mags. −3.9 and 0.9.
4	Moon near Saturn (morning sky) at 20h UT. Mag. 0.3.
6	Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks. Most active for 7 days around this date. Associated with Comet Halley. Very fast, bright meteors, up to 30 per hour. Favors skywatchers in the tropics observing a few hours before dawn. Unfavorable viewing conditions this year due to bright moonlight. • The Eta Aquarids (Gary Kronk) • Meteor Shower Calendar (American Meteor Society)
6	Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 1h UT (distance 404,457 km; angular size 29.5').
6	Moon near Mars (morning sky) at 7h UT. Mag. −0.5.
8	Last Quarter Moon at 2:10 UT.
9	Jupiter at opposition at 0h UT. Best time to observe the largest planet in the solar system. Mag. −2.5. • Opposition (Wikipedia)
13	Moon near Mercury (23° from Sun, morning sky) at 19h UT. Mag. −0.2.
15	New Moon at 11:49 UT. Start of lunation 1180. • Lunation Number (Wikipedia)
16	Moon near Aldebaran (15° from Sun, evening sky) at 13h UT.
17	Moon near Venus (31° from Sun, evening sky) at 19h UT. Mag. −4.0.
17	Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 21h UT (363,776 km; angular size 32.8').
19	Moon near Pollux (evening sky) at 13h UT.
20	Moon near Beehive cluster M44 (evening sky) at 12h UT. • Beehive Cluster (Wikipedia) • M44: The Beehive Cluster (APOD)
21	Venus 0.7° N of M35 cluster (32° from Sun, evening sky) at 10h UT. Mags. −4.0 and 5.1.
22	Moon near Regulus (evening sky) at 2h UT.
22	First Quarter Moon at 3:50 UT.
26	Moon near Spica (evening sky) at 2h UT.
27	Moon near Jupiter (evening sky) at 20h UT. Mag. −2.5.
29	Full Moon at 14:20 UT.
29	Moon near Antares (midnight sky) at 19h UT.

>>> All times Universal Time (UT). USA Central Standard Time = UT-6 hours. (DST = UT-5 hrs,)

Zodiacal Light is caused by sunlight reflected off meteoric dust in the plane of the solar system. Choose a clear, moonless night, about 1-2 hours after sunset, and look for a large triangular-shaped glow extending up from the horizon (along the ecliptic). The best months to view the Zodiacal Light is when the ecliptic is almost vertical at the horizon: March and April (evening) and October-November (morning); times reversed for the southern hemisphere.
• Zodiacal Light (Wikipedia)
• Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)
• Photographing the Zodiacal Light (Weatherscapes)