1. Asteroid 2206 VV2
Flyby
A fairly large asteroid passes relatively
close to Earth this week, and some of you with telescopes could see it at around
10th magnitude. An asteroid bigger than this is not predicted to pass closer to
Earth until 2036. David Grennan writes the Sky Diary pages for our magazine
(www.astronomy.ie/sub) every
month and he has put full information and detailed maps on our website www.astronomy.ie Please
report any sightings and send photos to observe@astronomy.ie
2. Moon Occults
Saturn
As reported in the Sky Diary of our March
magazine the Moon will pass in front of Saturn in the small hours of Thursday
March 29. Saturn will be visible to the naked eye all Wednesday evening to the
lower left of the Moon, which will slowly close in on it. Closest approach comes
as they set in the West between 5am and 6am. Further details are in the
magazine.
A similar event occurred on March 2nd when
Astronomy Ireland Chairman David Moore got this image www.astronomy.ie/satmoon070302b.jpg with an 8-inch Celestron telescope and NexImage camera from Dublin (the
car park outside our Shop!). Seen in a telescope close-up he and others
reported it was an amazing view with Saturn's rings and the craters on the Moon
visible in the same field of view. Reports and photos will be in the next
magazine going to the printer this week so sign up or order the "May" issue
here: www.astronomy.ie/sub
In the U.K. Saturn actually passed in
front of the Moon (it was a near miss from Ireland) and Damian Peach used a
Celestron 9.25-inch telescope to get these remarkable results: http://damianpeach.com/satoccul07.htm
3. Moon Occults
Regulus
The brightest star in Leo, first magnitude
Regulus, will be the Moon's target almost exactly one day later. In the
small hours of Friday March 30th the Moon will pass in front of Regulus and
snuff it out in an instant. Such lunar occultations are amazing to watch in a
telescope and this event is so bright that binoculars should show it also.
Depending on where you live in Ireland the occultation will happen between
4:15am and 4:30am but get ready a half hour before that to watch the Moon creep
up on the star. Naked eye viewers will see Regulus to the lower left of the Moon
all Thursday night of course. Full details are in our March magazine in the Sky
Diary pages. www.astronomy.ie/sub
So that's two mornings to set your alarm
clocks and please report sightings/photos to observe@astronomy.ie
4. US Security Fears Sparks
Eclipse Cancellation
Coinciding with the 6th anniversary of
"9/11" there will be a deep partial eclipse of the Sun on September 11
( www.eclipse.org.uk/eclipse/0422007 ). Fearing opportunistic attacks on its embassies
under the eclipse the U.S. has decided to bring its might to cancelling this
eclipse. This has never been done before and suggestions are being sought
worldwide. See the special report on our website www.astronomy.ie and note the
special email address to send your proposals as the deadline is this Sunday, so
mark that date on your calendar/diary!
ASTRONOMY
IRELAND - for telescopes and
information
