Today the minor planet 4 Vesta will pass through opposition.
4 Vesta is one of the largest objects orbiting between Mars and Jupiter, a region often referred to as the Asteroid Belt. This is the second largest asteroid, at 530km (329miles) in diameter. It is also usually the brightest asteroid that can seen by earthbound observers. When Vesta is at opposition it is bright enough to be just visible to the unaided eye, usually around 6th magnitude.
This year Vesta will reach magnitude 5.7 at opposition. This magnitude requires a dark site to view without the aid of a telescope. Precise knowledge of the location is also helpful. Given these two items it becomes possible to see an asteroid with the unaided eye.
The minor planet is currently located in Virgo about 2.5° northwest of τVir. Interestingly enough the dwarf planet 1 Ceres will be located about 2° east and a touch south of Vesta. Despite being much larger than Vesta it will be over a full magnitude dimmer at about 6.9 magnitude.
Vesta was visited by the Dawn spacecraft during 2011 and 2012. Dawn is now on course for Ceres with a planned rendevouz in February 2015.
Vesta (marked), Jupiter and Summer Milky Way, 40s, 17mm@f/4, fixed tripod on 28May2007
Over the next few days Venus will swing quite close to Neptune. Today the pair is separated by 2°41′. This will decrease to 49′ on the 11th and remain close at 51′ on the 12th.
The pair is quite a mismatch… Neptune is a mere 7.9 magnitude while Venus is a brilliant -4.2, over 60,000 times brighter. The 4.8 magnitude star σAqr will be 1.5° southwest of the two, the only nearby object that can be confused for the planet.
Next month, on May 15th, Venus will pass about 1° from to Uranus for a similar oddball conjunction.
Tonight the Moon and Jupiter will be close. The Moon will rise first, at 10:56HST, most of an hour ahead of Jupiter, placing the two quite high in the sky at sunset. The Moon will be 39% illuminated and about 10° from the bright planet. Tomorrow night the pair will be much closer, about 6.5° apart.
A total lunar eclipse will occur on the next full Moon, April 14th. The eclipse will be visible across much of the western hemisphere, including the west coast of North America and across the Pacific. This is an excellent eclipse for observers here in Hawai’i, the entire eclipse will be visible from start to end.
Total lunar eclipse, photo is a 8sec exposure with a Canon 20Da on a 90mm f/12 APOSome references note that this eclipse will occur on the 15th, and so it will for much of the world. For Hawai’i this will occur late on the 14th when considering the time zone correction.
The Moon will be thoroughly submerged in the umbra, the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow, with an umbral magnitude of 1.29. The Moon will not pass directly through the umbra, but rather through the northern section, thus the north pole of the Moon will remain somewhat brighter, even at maximum.
Observing a total lunar eclipse requires no special equipment, simply the desire to look up. The most useful piece of equipment will be a reclining chair or some other method of staying comfortable while watching the sky. A pair of binoculars or small telescope can provide beautiful views of the Moon during an eclipse. Photography is somewhat more challenging, but not that difficult. Focal lengths of around 1000mm will fill the field of most DSLR cameras allowing photos like that shown here.
Penumbral Eclipse Begins
18:53:37 HST
04:53:37 UT
Partial Eclipse Begins
19:58:19 HST
05:58:19 UT
Total Eclipse Begins
21:06:47 HST
07:06:47 UT
Greatest Eclipse
21:45:40 HST
07:45:40 UT
Total Eclipse Ends
22:24:35 HST
08:24:35 UT
Partial Eclipse Ends
23:33:04 HST
09:33:04 UT
Penumbral Eclipse Ends
00:37:37 HST
10:37:37 UT
Timing for the 14Apr2013 total lunar eclipse
In Hawai’i the eclipse will begin not long after moonrise. The entire eclipse will be visible during the evening hours, quite convenient for amateur and casual sky-watchers. This is an excellent eclipse to publicize and use for outreach purposes.
The next total lunar eclipse in October will also be visible across the Pacific region. It will occur somewhat later in the night and be slightly brighter, only 1.16 umbral magnitude. With two good lunar eclipses 2014 is a treat for sky watchers across the western hemisphere. An annular eclipse is visible later in April in Australia and the South Indian Ocean, a partial solar eclipse is visible in late October across North America.
A very young moon over Waikoloa, this is only 26 hours after new, visible to the unaided eye as a sliver in the fading glow of sunsetNew Moon will occur today at 08:45HST.
Tomorrow morning, March 26th, will see a brilliant Venus paired with a crescent Moon. Look for the pair to rise about 03:48HST to be 32° above the horizon at sunrise. An 21% illuminated Moon will be a nice match for Venus shining brilliantly at -4.3 magnitude. Separation will be about 9°.
The following morning, March 27th, will see the pair even closer with the Moon 6° below Venus. Observant sky-watchers will note Mercury another 18° closer to the eastern horizon and the rising Sun.
The vernal or spring equinox occurs today at 06:57HST. Today there will be little difference between the length of the night when counted against the number of daylight hours. This is the first day of spring as marked by many cultures in the northern hemisphere.
Today Mercury reaches maximum elongation, the furthest point it will reach from the Sun in the sky and the highest it will be above the sunrise for this morning apparition. The planet is easily visible as a bright, starlike object about 27° above the rising Sun as the twilight begins. Over the next couple weeks Mercury will slide back into the sunrise, heading for superior conjunction on April 25th.
Tonight the Moon and Jupiter will be close. The Moon will rise first, at 13:04HST, about ten minutes ahead of Jupiter, placing the two well up in the eastern sky by sunset. The Moon will be quite large, 65% illuminated and about 6° from the bright planet. Tomorrow night the pair will still be seen together, about 11° apart.
With Jupiter this close to the Moon it is an excellent time to see Jupiter in the daytime sky. Look 6° northeast of the Moon for a bright pinpoint of light. 6° is 12 times the size of the Moon seen in the sky, north will be to the left seen as the pair rises above the eastern horizon.
