* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: September 2013

Blobrana · L

The Earth is at its maximum northerly heliographic latitude at 10:16 UT, 8th September: Look towards the solar North Pole.

Blobrana · L

Mars is 0.5° south of Beehive cluster in the constellation Cancer on the 8th September, 2013.

Blobrana · L

On 8th September, 2013, about 30 minutes after sunset, a thin crescent moon will be just below Venus with the star Spica to the lower right less than 2 degrees away.

The Moon occults Spica at 15:00 UT, 8th.
The event is visible from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

The Moon occults Venus at 21:00 UT, 8th.
The event is visible from southern South America.

Blobrana · L

Maximum westerly lunar libration at 21:33.3 UT, 7th September

Blobrana · L

Eyes on the Sky: Sept 2 thru Sept 8

Spoiler

Blobrana · L

Bright Asteroids at Opposition

Asteroid (346) Hermentaria is at Opposition in the constellation Aquarius on the 4th September 2013.
Magnitude: 10.6
Distance to Earth: 1.583 AU
Distance to Sun center: 2.575 AU

Asteroid (419) Aurelia is at Opposition in the constellation Pisces on the 12th September 2013.
Magnitude: 11.1
Distance to Earth: 1.291 AU
Distance to Sun center: 2.294 AU

Asteroid (324) Bamberga is at Opposition in the constellation Pisces on the 13th September 2013.
Magnitude: 8.1
Distance to Earth: 0.811 AU
Distance to Sun center: 1.811 AU

Asteroid (599) Luisa is at Opposition in the constellation Cetus on the 23rd September 2013.
Magnitude: 11.0
Distance to Earth: 1.032 AU
Distance to Sun center: 1.993 AU

Asteroid (196) Philomela is at Opposition in the constellation Cetus on the 23rd September 2013.
Magnitude: 11.0
Distance to Earth: 2.117 AU
Distance to Sun center: 3.110 AU

Asteroid (124) Alkeste is at Opposition in the constellation Pisces on the 24th September 2013.
Magnitude: 11.4
Distance to Earth: 1.687 AU
Distance to Sun center: 2.690 AU

Asteroid (89) Julia is at Opposition in the constellation Pegasus on the 25th September 2013.
Magnitude: 9.2
Distance to Earth: 1.130 AU
Distance to Sun center: 2.087 AU

Asteroid (69) Hesperia is at Opposition in the constellation Pisces on the 28th September 2013.
Magnitude: 11.1
Distance to Earth: 2.063 AU
Distance to Sun center: 3.065 AU

Blobrana · L

Highlights

Autumnal Equinox
On this day, the Sun rises directly in the East, and sets directly in the West. At the South Pole, the Sun will begin to rise after six months of darkness.

Watch out for the zodiacal lights, also known as the false dawn, which maybe visible about two hours before sunrise from dark sites during the latter part of September.

Blobrana · L

Meteor Showers

There are no major meteor showers this month...
September is a month with the best sporadic rates and a few mysterious minor showers.
The Alpha Aurigids are active from Aug. 25 to Sept. 5, normally with a ZHR of 10. this year it may be quite active

The Delta Aquarids are active September 5 thru October 10, with a ZHR of 6. It is on view until dawn. Faint, swift meteors are likely and the brighter ones may leave persistent trains.
These two form part of what is known as the Auriga-Cassiopiea-Perseus-Aries-Triangulum radiants, active from late August until mid-October.

The Piscids, active September 1 - 30, have a ZHR of 3.

The Sextanids are active September 9 through October 9. Though, this one is more of a radio/radar shower.

A new meteor shower, called the September Taurids, might peak this month on the evening of September 13 - 14. The exact date and time of maximum activity, however, are uncertain. The radiant, which lies between the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters, produces only 7 meteors per hour, with an average brightness of magnitude 2.7.

Shower	Activity Period	Maximum	Radiant		Velocity	ZHR
		Date	R.A.	Dec.	km/s
Alpha Aurigids	Aug 25 - Sept. 5	1 September	5.5h	41°	66.0km/s	10
October Arietids	Sept-Oct	8 September
Piscids	Sept 1 - 30	19 September	0.7h	9.2°	30.0km/s	5
Sextanids	Sept-Oct	25 September
Andromedids		26 September		58.1°	59.3km/s
Gamma Piscids	23 - 28	28 September	23.4h	11.0°	19.2km/s	4
Pi Virginids		29 September	12.6h	-16.0°	8.6km/s	3

Blobrana · L

Mercury: at magnitude -1.1, starts the month in the constellation of Leo. The planet is close to Spica on the 25th. Mercury is at Aphelion (distance to sun: 0.4667 AU) on the 25th.
(On September 1st, RA= 7h23m04s Dec=+20°32.8' (J2000) Distance=0.920AU Phase k=44% Diameter=7.3")

Venus: is at magnitude -4.0. The planet is in the evening skies in the constellation Virgo at the start of the month. It is best seen from 9.5h -19.7h. Venus is Close to Spica on the 6th. Venus is in Conjunction with Saturn, 3.5° separated, on the 18th.
(On September 1st, RA=13h07m27s Dec= -7°19.2' (J2000) Distance=1.122AU Phase k=73% Diameter=14.9")

Earth: Maximum Northerly heliographic latitude of the Earth at 10:16 UT, 8th September: Look towards the solar North Pole. The September Equinox is at 20:44.1 UT, 22nd September.

The Moon: Full moon at 11:12.8 UT, 19th September. Lunar perigee (distance 367419.2 km) at 16:39.3 UT, 15th September. Last Quarter Moon is at 03:55.5 UT, 27th September. Lunar apogee (distance: 404268.0 km) is at 18:17.03 UT, 27th September. New Moon is at 11:36.1 UT, 5th September. First Quarter Moon at 17:08.4 UT, 12th September, 2013.

Mars: at magnitude 1.6 starts the month in the constellation Cancer. The moon is close to Mars on the 2nd.
(On September 1st, RA= 8h19m26s Dec=+20°36.3' (J2000) Distance=2.292AU Phase k=96% Diameter=4.1")

Jupiter: is in the constellation Gemini. At magnitude -2.1, the planet is observable in the morning sky this month. The Moon is 5° from Jupiter on the 28th.

Transit times of the Great Red Spot are posted in a separate thread.
(On September 1st, RA= 7h00m40s Dec=+22°35.1' (J2000) Distance=5.651AU Diameter=34.8")

Saturn: at magnitude 0.7 sits in the constellation Libra. Saturn is near to the star Kappa Virginis. Saturn is 2° from the Moon on the 9th. Saturn's rings are tilted ~17 degrees to our line of sight.
(On September 1st, RA=14h21m43s Dec=-11°44.1' (J2000) Distance=10.354AU Diameter=16.0")

Uranus: is in the constellation Pisces. Uranus at magnitude 5.7, has a bluish-green hue and appears 3.5 arcseconds wide.
(On September 1st, RA= 0h43m31s Dec= +3°53.4' (J2000) Distance=19.181AU Diameter=3.7")

Neptune: is at magnitude 7.8 in the constellation Aquarius. The planet is best seen from 22.4h - 1.2h.
(On September 1st, RA=22h23m05s Dec=-10°49.5' (J2000) Distance=28.979AU Diameter=2.3")

Pluto: is in the constellation Sagittarius (mag 14.1). Normally, a finder chart is necessary to help in identifying the 0.13" diameter dwarf planet. The dwarf planet is Stationary: Getting Prograde on the 20th.
(On September 1st, RA=18h37m47s Dec=-20°04.4' (J2000) Distance=31.993AU Diameter=0.1")

The Sun enters the zodiac sign of Libra at 20:44 UT on the 22nd September, 2013.