Bootleg Astronomers

The Bootleg Spring Star Party Registration Form is available HERE (pre-registration deadline is May 18, 2024) 12th)

*** 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 ***

2	Last Quarter Moon at 3:15 UT.
6	Moon near Mars at 6h UT (morning sky). Mag. 1.2. • Mars (Wikipedia)
6	Moon, Mars and Saturn within circle 3.0° diameter at 9h UT (morning sky). Mags. 1.2 and 1.1.
6	Moon near Saturn at 11h UT (morning sky). Occultation visible from Antarctica. • Lunar occultation of Saturn (In-The-Sky)
7	Moon near Neptune at 9h UT (morning sky). Occultation visible from South Atlantic Ocean.
7	Moon near Venus at 17h UT (15° from Sun, morning sky). Mag. −3.9. • Venus (Wikipedia)
7	Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 17:46 UT (distance 358,850km; angular size 33.3').
8	Total Solar Eclipse from 16:39 to 19:55 UT, greatest eclipse at 18:17 UT (duration 4m 28s). Totality visible along narrow path crossing Mexico, eastern USA and south-eastern Canada. Partial eclipse visible across all of North America (except Alaska), Hawaii and parts of Central America. • Total Solar Eclipse of 2024 April 8 (GIF) (NASA) • Total solar eclipse (In-The-Sky) • Solar Eclipses: 2011 - 2030 (Mr Eclipse) • NASA Solar Eclipse Page (NASA)
8	New Moon at 18:22 UT. Start of lunation 1253.
10	Moon near Jupiter at 20h UT (evening sky). Mag. −2.0. • Jupiter (Wikipedia)
10	Mars 0.44° NNW of Saturn at 21h UT (37° from Sun, morning sky). Mags. 1.2 and 1.1. • Close approach of Saturn and Mars (In-The-Sky)
11	Moon near the Pleiades at 14h UT (evening sky). • The Pleiades (Wikipedia)
11	Mercury at inferior conjunction with the Sun at 23h UT. The innermost planet passes into the morning sky.
13	Moon near M35 star cluster at 23h UT (evening sky). • Messier 35 (Wikipedia)
15	Moon near Castor at 9h UT (evening sky).
15	Moon near Pollux at 15h UT (evening sky).
15	First Quarter Moon at 19:13 UT.
16	Moon near Beehive cluster M44 at 18h UT (evening sky). • Beehive Cluster (Wikipedia) • M44: The Beehive Cluster (APOD)
18	Moon near Regulus at 16h UT (evening sky). • Regulus (Wikipedia)
20	Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 2h UT (distance 405,623km; angular size 29.5').
22	Lyrid meteor shower peaks at 7h UT (timing and activity is variable). Active April 14-30. Radiant is between Hercules and Lyra. Expect 10 to 20 bright, fast meteors per hour at peak. • Lyrids (Wikipedia) • AMS Meteor Shower Calendar 2024-2025 (IMO)
23	Moon near Spica at 5h UT (evening sky). • Spica (Wikipedia)
23	Full Moon at 23:50 UT.
26	Moon near Antares at 22h UT (morning sky). Occultation visible from the Middle East, southern India and Indonesia. • Antares (Wikipedia) • Disappearance and Reappearance Times (IOTA) • Occultation of Antares (In-The-Sky)
29	Mars 0.04° SE of Neptune at 5h UT (morning sky). Mags. 1.1 and 7.9. • Close approach of Mars and Neptune (In-The-Sky)

>>> 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)