The 2024 Bootleg Star
Party dates are .................
June 6th - 9th and September
5th - 8th!
Save the dates mateys, and make plans to join
us!
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The Bootleg Spring Star Party
Registration Form is available HERE
(pre-registration deadline is May
18, 2024) 12th)
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*** 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 ***
Upcoming
Observing Highlights for April 2024
(from skymaps.com)
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)
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)
>>>
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)