Ernie Jacobs

#LookingUpWiththeBAA – What’s up May/June 2021

Posted on by Ernie Jacobs
As Seen on 5/22/21 Looking Up!
Sun and Moon:
  • Sun
    • Tonight (5/22) the Sun sets at 8:38 PM and rises on tomorrow morning (5/23) at 5:45 AM (Astronomical Dark 9:54 PM – 4:30 AM)
    • On 6/19 the Sun sets at 8:56 PM and rises the following morning (6/20) at 5:37 AM (Astronomical Dark 10:17 PM – 4:17 AM)
  • Moon
    • Full: 5/26 – Lunar Eclipse, Flower Moon, Moon near Perigee (Supermoon)
    • Last Quarter: 6/2
    • New: 6/10 – Annular Solar Eclipse, 18-hour crescent at sunset (challenging)
    • First Quarter: 6/17

The Planets:

Table of Rise/Set Times, Distance from Earth, and Equatorial Diameter for the planets 5/22/21 through 6/19/21. Click on photo to view it larger.
Club Events:
  • June General Meeting (members) – Friday 6/11 7:00 PM Zoom
  • Looking Up! Virtual Star Party – 6/19 8:30 PM
Special Celestial Events:
  • May 26th – Lunar Eclipse at Moonset (Spoiler – not for us)
  • May 29th – Mercury 1° below Venus after Sunset
  • May 31st – The Moon near Saturn (before dawn)
  • June 1st – The Moon near Jupiter (before dawn)
  • June 10th – Partial Annular Solar Eclipse at Sunrise
  • June 12th – Moon 3° from Venus (Sunset)
  • June 13th – Moon ~3° from Mars (after Sunset)
Lunar Eclipse – 5/26/2021:
  • Only Penumbral Eclipse (and less than 3 minutes of Partial) visible from Western New York
  • Penumbral Begins 4:47:39 AM
  • Partial Begins 5:44:58 AM
  • Moonset at 5:47:08 AM
Annular Solar Eclipse – 6/10/2021

!!! NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN WITHOUT PROPER EQUIPMENT !!!

  • Only Partial Eclipse visible in Western New York
  • ”Devil Horns” at Sunrise 🤘
  • Need unobstructed eastern horizon
  • Sunrise at 5:36:30 AM
  • Max Eclipse 5:39:57 AM
  • Eclipse Ends 6:36:30 AM

Clear Skies!

Ernie Jacobs

Look Up with the BAA – April / May 2021

Posted on by Ernie Jacobs

As seen on our April 17th Looking up! Spring into Galaxies

Sun and Moon:
  • Sun
    • Tonight (4/16) the Sun sets at 7:58 PM and rises on tomorrow morning (4/17) at 6:30 AM
    • On May 21st the Sun sets at 8:37 PM and rises the following morning (5/22) at 5:46 AM
  • Moon
    • First Quarter: 4/20
    • Full: 4/26 – Pink Moon, Moon near Perigee (Supermoon)
    • Last Quarter: 5/3
    • New: 5/11
    • Lunar X & V: 5/18 7:41 PM
    • First Quarter: 5/19
Lunar X & V captured with an iPhone through an 8″ telescope.
Lunar X & V, indicated by the white circles, captured with iPhone thru an 8″ telescope.

The Planets:

Click on image for larger view. Table of Rise/Set times, Distance from Earth, and Equatorial Diameter 4/16 thru 5/21.

Club Events:

  • Looking Up! Virtual Star Party – Spring into Galaxies – 4/17 8:30 PM (Facebook & YouTube)
  • May General Meeting (members) – Friday 5/14 7:00 PM Zoom
  • Looking Up! Virtual Star Party – 5/22 8:30 PM

Click here for more info on our upcoming events.

Special Celestial Events:

  • April 17th – Moon close to M35
  • April 22nd – Lyrid Meteor Shower Peak
  • April 25th – 28th – Mars Passes by M35
  • May 4th – Moon, Jupiter, & Saturn form a large Triangle in pre-dawn sky
  • May 5th – Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower Peak
  • May 12th – A very thin Moon will be close to Venus in the west at evening twilight
  • May 13th – Moon close to Mercury (Evening in the west)
  • May 16th – Moon near Mars in the evening
  • May 17th – Mercury at Greatest Elongation (22º East)

Featured Event: April 25th – 28th – Mars passes by M35

View looking WSW 4/25 – 4/28 as Mars makes a close pass of the open star cluster M35.
A close up view of mars passing by M35 showing Mars Orbital Path.

Meteor Showers:

  • Lyrid Meteor Shower
    • Peak on 4/22
    • Moon is not favorable (sets at 4:23 am)
    • Low hourly rate
  • Eta Aquariids
    • Peak on 5/5
    • Moon is favorable (Waning Crescent rises at 3:27 am)
    • Higher hourly rate than Lyrids (rate higher in Southern US)
  • General Tips for Meteor Showers:
    • Typically best after Midnight and before dawn
    • Dark Skies improve chances
    • Try to avoid Moon. If you can’t try to position Moon at your back.
    • Avoid Radiant Fixation!!!!!
    • Try to view as much of the sky as possible

Clear Skies!