We were all ready to view to eclipse from Keck HQ in Waimea. The gear was ready to go, our astronomers setup to answer questions, the public invited…
It rained.
Not to be deterred I grabbed my little telescope and headed for the Sun. The satellite showed a reasonable possibility of clear skies in Kawaihae. As I rolled into the parking lot at Pu’u Kohala Heiau National Historic Site I found the hole in the clouds needed for eclipse photography.
I was not the first there, I met another gentleman setup with a 70mm Meade ETX, we chatted as I set up beside him. I found out later that a couple of the gals from CFHT were setup at Spencer Beach just below the heiau. For clear skies this was about the only reliable place on the island other than the summit.
I quickly setup my little TV-76mm and got the images I was looking for at maximum. We only got to 47% here on the big island, but still worth the effort to see.
Jan 15th, 2010 annular solar eclipse, photo by Dan BirchallA reminder that this afternoon we will have the opportunity to see a partial solar eclipse. For viewers further south, in Australia and across the South Pacific, this will be an annular eclipse. For viewers here in the Hawaiian islands this will be a deep partial solar eclipse, with well over 40% of the Sun obscured by the Moon. This is enough to produce a noticeable drop in the Sun’s brightness at mid-day.
Please exercise caution when viewing the Sun! Use appropriate eye protection or indirect observing techniques to project an image of the Sun. The link at the start of this paragraph leads to a great discussion on viewing the Sun safely. As always the single best source on the web (or anywhere) for eclipse and transit information is Fred Espenak’s eclipse website at NASA. Stop by whenever you have a question on upcoming events as well as viewing and photography tips.
During a deep partial such as this one check out the shadows under nearby vegetation. Small gaps in leaves can act like pinhole cameras projecting small crescent images of the Sun.
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 14:29HST.
Our May meeting will take place Tuesday, May 14th, 7:00pm at Keck Observatory HQ in Waimea. This month we have local photographer Ethan Tweedie in to talk.
AstroDay 2013!It is AstroDay, a chance for all of the observatories to do a little community outreach.
Prince Kuhio Plaza is the largest mall on the island. Perhaps small by large city standards it is still the focal point of shopping in Hilo. The observatories and a few other organizations use tables all through the branches of the mall. In the center of it all is a stage with live music, giveaways and other activities for the crowd. The whole thing is a great family day and a great outreach opportunity.
Take two old scanners, two VCR’s, a stereo amplifier and tape deck. Place on a table with an ample supply of screwdrivers, wire cutters and other tools. Mix in a dozen middle school kids and observe the results!
As you might expect a little chaos appears. Chaos is good… Embrace the chaos! Use the result to have a little fun while learning.
A few electronic sacrifices await the arrival of the students.The event is STEMpede, a day filled with science, technology, engineering and math at the Parker School here in Waimea. With Keck Observatory essentially right next door, it makes sense that our engineers and astronomers can put on quite a day for the kids.We were joined by one of the engineers from Liquid Robotics and a couple local physicians and paramedics for a variety of activities and talks.
I was not going to simply talk, I have always believed learning is best done by hand. Some of the gear was from my own garage, some off the electronics disposal pallet at work. A lineup of old electronics greeted the kids, then I opened the tool-bag!
Jan 15th, 2010 annular solar eclipse photographed from Kampala, Uganda by Dan Birchall, used by permissionMay 9th will see a solar eclipse sweep across the Pacific. For viewers in Australia and the southern Pacific Ocean, this will be an annular eclipse, not a total eclipse. With the Moon near apogee and further from the Earth, its apparent size will not be quite enough to cover the entire disk of the Sun, resulting in a ring of light surrounding the silhouette of the Moon.
For viewers here in the Hawaiian islands this will be a deep partial solar eclipse, with well over 40% of the Sun obscured by the Moon. This is enough to produce a noticeable drop in the Sun’s brightness at mid-day.
Please exercise caution when viewing the Sun! Use appropriate eye protection or indirect observing techniques to project an image of the Sun. The link at the start of this paragraph leads to a great discussion on viewing the Sun safely. As always the single best source on the web (or anywhere) for eclipse and transit information is Fred Espenak’s eclipse website at NASA. Stop by whenever you have a question on upcoming events as well as viewing and photography tips.
The early hours of dawn on May 5th will see the peak of the ηAquariid meteor shower. This is a reliable shower that produces anywhere from 30-80 meteors each hour near peak. Resulting from debris left behind by Comet 1P/Halley this shower approaches the Earth from the direction of the constellation Aquarius. As this constellation is quite low in the sky during the shower the meteors are entering the atmosphere at a low angle, this often results in meteors with long trains crossing much of the sky. A good shower that produces great fireballs.
A pair of Leonid meteors streak through OrionThe ηAquariids seem to peak in activity every 12 years. As we are approaching the lull in this cycle it is likely that 2013 will produce a modest showing. That said, meteor prediction is an inexact science, no way of knowing ahead of time how good the shower will be.
IMO analyses in recent years, based on data collected between 1984–2001, have shown that ZHRs are generally above 30 between about May 3–10, and that the peak rates appear to be variable on a roughly 12-year timescale. Assuming this Jupiter-influenced cycle is borne-out, the next trough is due around 2014–2016, so ZHRs should be relatively modest in 2013, according to this idea – IMO website
The ηAquariid shower has a broad peak with several weeks of activity either side of the peak. The entire meteor shower lasts from around April 19 to May 28. Any morning from May 3rd to May 10th can be worth watching with rates to around 30 meteors per hour. The peak itself is predicted for 01:00UT on May 6th (15:00HST May 5th), but this shower often produces subpeaks as the Earth passes through clouds of debris left on successive orbits of Halley’s Comet.
The radiant for the ηAquariid shower does not rise until the last few hours of dark, about 2:30am, making this an early morning observing exercise. 2013 does offer decent viewing conditions, with only a slim waning Moon on the day of peak activity and new Moon occurring a few days later on the 10th. Remember, meteor watching can be enjoyed without any special equipment, just a dark sky and a safe place to watch from. Perhaps a good reason to get out under a dark sky? But then, should you ever need a reason to go observing, just go.
