www.skyandtelescope.org copy pastes.

[2dimes]

I just looked at the allskycam and finally the clouds were thin enough, I saw a few stars.

https://www.skyandtelescope.com/interactive-sky-chart/
Banff Latitude: 51° 17' N Longitude: 115° 57' W

https://cam01.sci.ucalgary.ca/AllSkyCam ... tImage.JPG

The Big Dipper was visible.


https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

Here is a cool movie transferred to video from the national film board.

https://www.nfb.ca/film/universe/

[jusplay4fun]

Now I see STARS. Orion was visible in the lower left corner....FINALLY...!

Thanks for posting.

JP4Fun

[jusplay4fun]

I saw Venus the last two nights:

https://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-jan-24-feb-1/

Very clear in the southwest sky shortly after sundown.

JP4Fun

[2dimes]

Yeah it's been cloudy most of December here. Seems like it's more often clouds than stars.

I grabbed the Jan/Feb issue of SkyNews, it features a TOP 10 sky events of 2020.

In March 18th Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter will be out and close together with a waning crescent moon.

The article explains, Saturn and Jupiter remain close in the sky all year however that will be one time you will be able to see all three in the same binocular field.

[jusplay4fun]

https://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-jan-31-feb-8/

[2dimes]

Do you ever see Aurora Borealis there? It's been a long time since I have because it's rare here but pretty spectacular.

https://skynews.ca/this-weeks-sky-janua ... ebruary-2/

[DoomYoshi]

cool channel

https://www.youtube.com/user/SVAstronomyLectures

[jusplay4fun]

https://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-february-14-22/

[Dukasaur]

Anybody following the Betelgeuse story?

Betelgeuse is continuing to dim. It's now at 38% of its average brightness, and though it has always been highly variable, this is the dimmest anyone's seen it in all the years we've been watching.

https://www.universetoday.com/145011/betelgeuse-is-still-dimming-and-we-have-the-pictures-to-prove-it/

[jusplay4fun]

See page 14 of this same thread; we did discuss Betelgeuse briefly. But thanks for the graph, Duk. That helps advance my understanding.


Below are some links for further edification:

https://www.space.com/orion-constellation-betelgeuse-stargazer-photo.html

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/nobody-knows-whats-going-on-with-the-colossal-nearby-star-betelgeuse/ar-BB1041gW

https://www.universetoday.com/145011/betelgeuse-is-still-dimming-and-we-have-the-pictures-to-prove-it/


JP4Fun

[jonesthecurl]

I'm hoping to get the latest at this Thursday's astronomy night at the brewery. I believe we should know fairly shortly if this is just a big dip in brightness.

[Dukasaur]

At least one theory that has not been ruled out is that a vast cloud of dust has been stirred up from somewhere in Bete's environs and is blocking our view.

Not the strongest theory, but still possible at this time.

[jusplay4fun]

https://www.skyandtelescope.com/observi ... ary-21-29/

A few highlights:

Betelgeuse remains dim. Orion's Betelgeuse is still V magnitude +1.5 or +1.6 as of February 19th, much dimmer than its more typical +0.5. However, it may now be showing subtle signs of rebrightening (by 0.1 magnitude or less) as measured photoelectrically. To the eye, Orion's two shoulder stars still look basically equal. See Is Betelgeuse Approaching a Crossroads?


Sunday, Feb. 23

• Walk the stars of the Winter Hexagon, and seek out some of their deep-sky surroundings,


Tuesday, Feb. 25

• In twilight, look far below Venus for the thin crescent Moon. Think photo opportunity.

[2dimes]

I'd like to take pictures of the moon but I'm not allowed to spend money on getting a camera. My wife says I might not use it enough. Legitimate complaint.

I suppose there are plenty of pictures of night sky objects out there. I can probably find some online to look at.

[Dukasaur]

I'd like to take pictures of the moon but I'm not allowed to spend money on getting a camera. My wife says I might not use it enough. Legitimate complaint.

See:https://www.conquerclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=232547#p5139137

[2dimes]

There's no money for a camera in there. But thanks? I did actually grab her and say that, wondering what she would say. As Jim mentioned, it is very different from the potus doing it to random women just because he is as he said on the tape, "a star".

Later I read that whole thread to her. She is fine with my part.

You have my full permission to delete the entire thing and shut down the patriarchy. I will quietly submit to both you and my wife today.

[2dimes]

I am actually kind of pleased because you are being protective of my wife. Not to worry though. She informed me the bleeding had stopped a couple of days ago. I'm not going to brag but we are getting along very well this morning...

Edit, ok... that was bragging a bit.

[Dukasaur]

Within my lifetime, black holes have gone from being a weird oddball theory, to being a generally accepted theory, to being observationally confirmed, to being routine.

I'm still awed.

Meanwhile, exoplanets are now so common nobody announces them any more.

[jusplay4fun]

Updates for March:

https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-february-28-march-7/

and:

https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/sky-tour-podcast-march-2020/

Early risers can easily spot Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn in the predawn sky. They're three bright beacons above the southeastern horizon. But their arrangement changes over the next few weeks. To figure out which one is which, listen to this month's Sky Tour!

also:

Betelgeuse is starting to recover. After bottoming out at magnitude +1.6 during mid-February, Orion's Betelgeuse had brightened a trace to about magnitude +1.47 as of February 26th. Can you detect any difference by eye yet, using Orion's other shoulder star, Bellatrix, as a comparison? See The Fall and Rise of Betelgeuse.

[jusplay4fun]

https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/sky-tour-podcast-march-2020/

Early risers can easily spot Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn in the predawn sky. They're three bright beacons above the southeastern horizon. But their arrangement changes over the next few weeks. To figure out which one is which, listen to this month's Sky Tour!

Meanwhile, Venus, is the dramatically bright "Evening Star" high in the southwestern sky after sunset. It's not a star, of course, but Venus looks so bright because lots of sunlight is reflecting off the planet's nearly pure-white cloudtops.

Looking south after sunset, you'll spot Sirius — the brightest actual star in the nighttime sky. It's only 8½ light-years away. Maybe you've heard Sirius called the Dog Star — have you ever wondered how it got that name? (Hint: Listen to this month's Sky Tour for the answer!)

If your sky is especially dark and free of light pollution, or if you can get to someplace where it is, you can also look for a treat called the zodiacal light. This is a diffuse cone or wedge of soft light that tapers to a point as it extends upward and to the left from the western horizon after twilight ends. Late March is a good time to look because the cone of light stands most upright and there’s no interference from moonlight.

[jonesthecurl]

Dammit, now the brewery astronomy talks are on hold due to covid-19.

[jusplay4fun]

https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-march-13-21/

Through March 21 (above)

JP4Fun

[jusplay4fun]

https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-march-20-28-2/

Betelgeuse is rebrightening. After bottoming out at about V magnitude +1.64 in early to mid-February, Orion's Betelgeuse was up to +1.1 as of March 19th. The change from its minimum is obvious to the eye.

Venus remains the bright highlight of the western evening sky. Once night has fully fallen, look for Aries and dimmer Triangulum some 12° to 16° from Venus as shown here. Above Venus, less far above every day, are the Pleiades (out of the frame).

[jusplay4fun]

Another source:

Wednesday, March 25

Today marks the 365th anniversary of Christiaan Huygens’ discovery of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. To this day, Titan is the only solar system moon that humanity has sent a robotic probe to explore.

Saturn creeps upward in the sky before sunrise, when it will become lost in the rays of our bright home star. Before the sky begins to brighten, turn your telescope to the ringed world and try to spot the brightest moon sitting about 6" northwest of the planet, standing alone while most of the smaller, fainter moons cluster closer to the rings.

Thursday, March 26
The 26th offers planetary observers a veritable feast of sights. Early risers are rewarded with a planetary trio in the southeast an hour before sunrise: There, ruddy Mars sits midway between Jupiter and Saturn. The configuration is the closest these three worlds have come in the sky in two decades.

https://astronomy.com/observing/sky-this-week/2020/03/the-sky-this-week-from-march-20-to-27

JP4Fun

[2dimes]

I wonder how much you need to spend on a telescope to view Saturn's moons?