A Darker View

Venus at Maximum Elongation

Crescent Venus — Venus approaching inferior conjunction, 24Dec2013

Today Venus is passing through maximum elongation, the highest elevation it will attain in the dawn sky for this apparition.

The planet is currently 47° ahead of the rising Sun. After today the brilliant planet will slide back into the glow of dawn headed for superior conjunction on August 13th, and an evening apparition starting in mid-September.

Jan 20th Total Lunar Eclipse

The next full Moon on January 20th, will feature a sunset total lunar eclipse visible across the islands. The eclipsed Moon will rise just as the Sun sets on the opposite horizon.

Total Lunar Eclipse Aug 28,2007 — Total lunar eclipse August 28, 2007

The eclipse will be just underway as the Moon rises on the island of Hawaii, with the Moon rising at almost exactly 18:00HST and the total phase of the eclipse starting 41 minutes later. Maximum will occur at 19:12HST with the Moon 14° above the horizon.

January 20, 2019 Total Lunar Eclipse
Event	Contact	UT	HST
Penumbral Begins	P1	02:36:28	16:36:28
Partial Begins	U1	03:33:55	17:33:55
Total Begins	U2	04:41:18	18:41:18
Greatest Eclipse	Max	05:12:18	19:12:18
Total Ends	U3	05:43:18	19:43:18
Partial Ends	U4	06:50:42	20:50:42
Penumbral Ends	P4	07:48:05	21:48:05
Data from Fred Espenak’s eclipse website

Many references state that the eclipse will occur on January 21st, and it will, in time zones further east than us here in Hawaii. We are ten hours behind UT, thus it will be the evening of the 20th when the eclipse occurs in the islands.

An easy to view evening eclipse, no reason not to get out and view this one, no need for an alarm clock!

Perihelion

Earth’s perihelion will occur at 19:20HST today.

Perihelion occurs when the Earth reaches its closest distance to the Sun for the year.

It may seem odd to some the perihelion occurs in the middle of winter. One must recall that the distance from the Sun is not the cause of our seasons, that is the effects of axial tilt.

2019 Apsides and Seasons
Event	Universal Time		Hawaii Standard Time
Perihelion	Jan 03	05:20UT	Jan 02	19:20HST
Spring Equinox	Mar 20	21:58UT	Mar 20	11:58HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 21	15:54UT	Jun 21	05:54HST
Aphelion	Jul 04	22:11UT	Jul 04	12:11HST
Fall Equinox	Sep 23	07:50UT	Sep 22	21:50HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 22	04:19UT	Dec 21	18:19HST
Data from US Naval Observatory Data Services

The Island Sky for 2019

2019 is looking to be a pretty ordinary year for events, with a few decent events to look forward to. The highlights will be a sunset total lunar eclipse on January 20th, the η-Aquariids meteor shower in early May, a transit of Mercury in November, and a nice set of planetary conjunctions in the sunset and sunrise.

Awaiting dark with the 20" telescope — Andrew Unger beside the 20″ Obsession while waiting for properly dark skies at Kaʻohe

There are dozens of posts scheduled here on DarkerView to remind my readers of these and many more events before they occur. Frankly, I need the reminder myself. Stay tuned for all of the great events the sky of 2019 will offer us.

The remainder of this post is a quick summary of the events our sky has to offer in 2019.

Saturn at Superior Conjunction

Today Saturn passes through superior conjunction, rounding the far side of the Sun as seen from our earthbound vantage point.

Saturn will re-emerge in the dawn sky towards the end of the month. Look for the planet low in the glow of dawn, rising higher each day. It will swing by Venus on February 18th, passing about a degree away.

Saturn will pass through opposition on July 9th, crossing into the evening sky.

A New Year

Once more the Earth has passed that particular point in its orbit where we mark the new year. One more time around the Sun, another year behind us to be seen in photos and memories.

Wishing that this next years brings you nothing but good memories and more adventures!

Fireworks over Palm Trees — A fireworks display over the coconut palms of the Fairmont Orchid resort

Favorite Posts of 2018

While the top posts of 2018 are interesting, the list is quite different when treated to a list of my favorite posts of 2018. The posts chronicle a very eventful year, a little too eventful perhaps. Fire and destruction was brought to a large section of the island, the entire island shaking and shuddering as the volcano erupted.

Fissure 8 Lava Fountain — The lava fountain at fissure 8 in Leilani Estates throwing lava hundreds of feet in the air on June 4th, 2018

As I compile this list I relive 2018 a bit, recalling good memories and the year’s many adventures. As I often state… DarkerView is a blog in the old sense, a web-log or online diary. It may be public, but it is also quite personal, a record of my life.

That is a long list! I find myself unable to shorten that list by much, indeed, there are good posts that should be added. The length of that list states one thing very clearly… 2018 was an eventful, interesting year.

A distinct change in this year was my increased political activity, particularly as it surrounds Mauna Kea. I am not just discussing blogging here, there was more… From submitting written testimony on state legislative actions, to attending public meetings, and testifying on issues I feel strongly about. The blog posts record some of that, but by no means all.

The year was eventful on the mauna. With record bad weather in the beginning of the year ruining many night of observing. there was plenty to keep my busy through the year. There is much to feel satisfied about, a few nice accomplishments, even a small victory or two.

The annual Alaskan voyage may very well be my last, my father is considering selling the boat, something that was always part of his plan. Certainly this was my last run along the Inside Passage, a milestone that I mark with some sorrow.

I re-read my written memories here, recall much of what has happened this year. I suspect that 2018 will stand out in my memory when other years have grown dim with fading memory.

Kiholo Bay by Drone — Kiholo Bay taken by the Mavic Air

2018 In Photos

The plume of volcanic gasses from Halemaʻumaʻu under the stars

Telescope and Observing Table — A telescope and observing table in the dark at Kaʻohe

8" Cave Astrola — The 8″ Cave Astrola as it arrived

Restored Cave Astrola 8" f/6 — A restored Cave Astrola 8″ f/6 Lightweight Deluxe

The 8" Cave Astrola setup at Kaʻohe — The 8″ Cave Astrola setup at Kaʻohe

Under the Stars — Standing next to the restored Astrola telescope under a dark Mauna Kea sky

Moonset Over Lake Waiau — A nearly full Moon setting over lake Waiau near the summit of Mauna Kea

Moonlight on Snow — Moonlight glistens from the snow on Puʻu Poliʻahu

Pineapple Bud — A pineapple just beginning to bloom with a Carolina anole below, image processed by Prisma

Banyan — The branches of a bayan tree supporting a whole ecosystem

Nene (Branta sandvicensis) — A pair of nene enjoy the ponds at Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo

Puna Glow — The glow of lava in the clouds and vog over Puna. Five image panorama with a 14mm lens from the summit of Mauna Kea.

Riding in an MD500 with our pilot Pete of Paradise Helicopters

Burning Farm — A tropical flower farm on Kapoho Beach Road with lava advancing into the shade-cloth structure

Flow Front — The front of the fissure 8 flow approaches Kapoho Bay

Andrew Cooper atop Keck 2 — The author of Darker View atop the Keck 2 dome

Flying the DJI Mavic Air in the saddle at the base of Mauna Kea

A first quarter Moon photographed with an 8" telescope and an iPhone 7 — A first quarter Moon photographed with an 8″ telescope and an iPhone 7

UH88 under the Milky Way — The UH88 telescope under the stars of the Milky Way

The Keck 1 AO laser working the sky in the direction of the galactic center

Gemini and CFHT in Moonlight — Gemini and CFHT illuminated by the light of a rising Moon, and some brake lights

A horse stands in the sunset at Kahua Ranch

A moonbow and Venus over the pastures of Kahua Ranch

Petersburg Harbor at Night — The fishing boats of Petersburg Harbor at night

Mid-Channel Marker — The Wrangell Narrows mid-channel marker with a few sea lions resting

Black Bear and Cub — A black bear and cub at Anan

Grizzly bear and cub eating a salmon at Pavlof River

Vessels shelter from the storm on the dock at Baranof

The launch beached in a small cove of Port Harvey

The Ruins of Namu — The collapsing waterfront of the abandoned cannery at Namu

A stripped and abandoned powerhouse at Namu

The sailboat Passing Cloud at anchor in Khutze Inlet

Fog wisps between the domes in this view from the top of Keck 2

Lifting segment 4-76 out of the Keck 2 primary mirror for re-coating and repair

The Moon and Venus

The Moon, Venus and Aldebaran join up for an evening conjunction

The year begins with a nice pairing of a 17% crescent Moon and a brilliant Venus just 2° apart before dawn tomorrow on New year’s Day. Jupiter and Mercury are also visible in the glow of sunrise below the pair.

The month of January will feature a clutch of bright planets in the dawn. Mercury will disappear into the sun’s glare to be replaced by Saturn emerging from superior conjunction mid-month, joining Venus and Jupiter.