* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: January 2009

Blobrana · L

Moon on january, webcam on 50mm refractor

Blobrana · L

The moon appeared 20 percent larger than usual in Qatar last night as it was at its nearest point to the earth, according to a Qatari astronomer.

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I ran to Mt. Hawk at 5:01 PM, Saturday night, January 10th, to witness what NASA touted as the "biggest and brightest one of 2009". The NASA statement continued saying, this month's full moon will appear about 14 percent bigger in our sky and 30 percent brighter than some other full moons during 2009. This was because Saturday's moon was at perigee, the closest point to earth's orbit.
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Blobrana · L

When last month's full Moon rose over Florida, onlooker Raquel Stanton of Cocoa Beach realised that something was up.
Like millions of others around the world, she had witnessed the biggest full Moon of 2008--a "perigee Moon," 14% wider and 30% brighter than lesser Moons she had seen before.

Alert: It's about to happen again.

This Saturday night, Jan. 10th, another perigee Moon is coming. It's the biggest full Moon of 2009, almost identical to the one that impressed onlookers in Dec. 2008.

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Blobrana · L

The International Year of Astronomy will begin with Mercury and Jupiter next to each other low in the southwest shortly after sunset. Far to their upper left (south) will be Venus, a brilliant "evening star" dominating the southwestern sky. Saturn will rise in the east around midnight.

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Blobrana · L

January 2009

Jan 01 - International Year of Astronomy 2009
Jan ?? - XSS-12 Delta 2 Launch
Jan ?? - Microscope Ariane 5 Launch
Jan ?? - Amsat Phase 3E Express Ariane 5 Launch
Jan ?? - FSW-23 CZ-2D Launch (China)
Jan ?? - HealthSat (G-Sat 4)/ Tauvex GSLV Launch
Jan ?? - Unamsat 3 Dnepr 1 Launch
Jan ?? - Hausat 2 Dnepr 1 Launch
Jan ?? - Lapansat 2 Dnepr 1 Launch
Jan ?? - Bluesat Dnepr 1 Launch
Jan ?? - Cosmos-Parus/ Sterkh 1 (Cospas 11) Cosmos 3M Launch
Jan 01 - Asteroid 2008 LW16 Near-Earth Flyby (0.076 AU)
Jan 02 - Asteroid 2 Pallas Occults TYC 7046-00691-1 (11.5 Magnitude Star)
Jan 02 - Asteroid 2008 YC29 Near-Earth Flyby (0.009 AU)
Jan 02 - 5th Anniversary (2004), Stardust, Comet Wild 2 Flyby
Jan 02 - 50th Anniversary (1959), Luna 1 Launch (1st Moon Flyby)
Jan 03 - Quadrantids Meteor Shower Peak
Jan 03 - Asteroid 2560 Siegma Occults HIP 33715 (5.7 Magnitude Star)
Jan 03 - Asteroid 2008 YY32 Near-Earth Flyby (0.016 AU)
Jan 03 - Asteroid 2008 WQ63 Near-Earth Flyby (0.070 AU)
Jan 04 - First Quarter Moon (evening) 11:56.2 UT
Jan 04 - Earth At Perihelion (0.983 AU From Sun)
Jan 04 - Asteroid 4013 Ogiria Occults HIP 24512 (6.3 Magnitude Star)
Jan 04 - Asteroid 2008 YG30 Near-Earth Flyby (0.009 AU)
Jan 04 - Asteroid 17744 Jodiefoster Closest Approach To Earth (1.712 AU)
Jan 04 - Asteroid 1034 Mozartia Closest Approach To Earth (1.743 AU)
Jan 04 - 5th Anniversary (2004), Mars Exploration Rover A (Spirit), Mars Landing
Jan 04-08 - 213th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), Long Beach, California
Jan 05 - Comet P/2008 X4 (Christensen) Closest Approach To Earth (0.408 AU)
Jan 05 - Comet P/2002 CW134 (LINEAR) Perihelion (1.844 AU)
Jan 05 - Asteroid 7291 Hyakutake Closest Approach To Earth (1.941 AU)
Jan 05 - Asteroid 51824 Mikeanderson Closest Approach To Earth (2.255 AU)
Jan 05 - 40th Anniversary (1969), Venera 5 Launch (USSR Venus Atmospheric Probe)
Jan 07 - Asteroid 6735 Madhatter Closest Approach To Earth (1.033 AU)
Jan 07 - Asteroid 51823 Rickhusband Closest Approach To Earth (1.832 AU)
Jan 07 - Asteroid 1691 Oort Closest Approach To Earth (1.886 AU)
Jan 08 - Asteroid 5682 Beresford Closest Approach To Earth (1.567 AU)
Jan 09 - Asteroid 951 Gaspra Occults TYC 0587-00858-1 (15.5 Magnitude Star)
Jan 09 - Asteroid 2008 YV32 Near-Earth Flyby (0.007 AU)
Jan 10 - Comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin) Perihelion (1.213 AU)
Jan 10 - 40th Anniversary (1969), Venera 6 Launch (USSR Venus Atmospheric Probe)
Jan 11 - Full Moon (whole night) 3:26.8 UT
Jan 11 - Asteroid 2008 YF29 Near-Earth Flyby (0.025 AU)
Jan 11 - Asteroid 5450 Sokrates Closest Approach To Earth (1.486 AU)
Jan 12 - Comet C/2008 G1 (Gibbs) Perihelion (3.990 AU)
Jan 12 - Asteroid 2008 YF30 Near-Earth Flyby (0.068 AU)
Jan 12 - Asteroid 19578 Kirkdouglas Closest Approach To Earth (1.776 AU)
Jan 12-16 - Conference: Formation and Evolution of Globular Clusters, Santa Barbara, California
Jan 12-16 - Conference: Essential Cosmology for the Next Generation, Los Cabos, Mexico
Jan 13 - NROL-26 Delta 4H Launch
Jan 13 - Asteroid 91287 Simon-Garfunkel Closest Approach To Earth (1.228 AU)
Jan 13 - Asteroid 6676 Monet Closest Approach To Earth (1.744 AU)
Jan 13-16 - 2nd Heidelberg Workshop: High-Energy Gamma-rays and Neutrinos from Extra-Galactic Sources, Heidelberg, Germany
Jan 14 - Wideband Gapfiller Satellite (WGS-2) F-2 Atlas 5 Launch
Jan 14 - Stardust, Earth Flyby
Jan 14 - Venus At Its Greatest Eastern Elongation (47 Degrees)
Jan 14 - Comet C/2008 Y1 (Boattini) Closest Approach To Earth (1.790 AU)
Jan 14 - Asteroid 1224 Fantasia Closest Approach To Earth (1.271 AU)
Jan 14 - Asteroid 2985 Shakespeare Closest Approach To Earth (1.984 AU)
Jan 14-15 - ESA Workshop on GNC for Small Body Missions, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
Jan 14-16 - VII Reunion Anual de la Sociedad Chilena de Astronomia (Sochias), Cepal, Chile
Jan 15 - Dawn, Trajectory Correction Manoeuvre #2 (TCM-2)
Jan 15 - Asteroid 2002 AO11 Near-Earth Flyby (0.020 AU)
Jan 15-16 - Launch Conference of the International Year of Astronomy, Paris, France
Jan 16 - Asteroid 5430 Luu Closest Approach To Earth (1.692 AU)
Jan 17 - Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT Closest Approach To Earth (0.990 AU)
Jan 17 - Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann Closest Approach To Earth (5.115 AU)
Jan 17 - Asteroid 2105 Gudy Occults HIP 46511 (5.7 Magnitude Star)
Jan 17 - Asteroid 136849 (1998 CS1) Near-Earth Flyby (0.029 AU)
Jan 17 - Asteroid 11055 Honduras Closest Approach To Earth (1.983 AU)
Jan 17 - Asteroid 9661 Hohmann Closest Approach To Earth (3.536 AU)
Jan 18 - Last Quarter Moon (morning) 2:45.7 UT
Jan 18 - Comet C/2008 E1 (Catalina) Closest Approach To Earth (4.129 AU)
Jan 18 - Asteroid 51827 Laurelclark Closest Approach To Earth (1.641 AU)
Jan 18 - Asteroid 3162 Nostalgia Closest Approach To Earth (1.756 AU)
Jan 18 - Asteroid 656 Beagle Closest Approach To Earth (1.820 AU)
Jan 18 - Asteroid 7862 Keikonakamura Closest Approach To Earth (1.848 AU)
Jan 18-24 - International Heidelberg Conference on Dark Matter in Astro and Particle Physics (DARK 2009), Christchurch, New Zealand
Jan 19-23 - IAU Symposium 260: The Role of Astronomy in Society and Culture, Paris, France
Jan 19-23 - Constellation School on Numerical Astrophysics and its Role in Star Formation, Cardiff, United Kingdom
Jan 20 - Comet 68P/Klemola Perihelion (1.759 AU)
Jan 20 - Asteroid 24101 Cassini Closest Approach To Earth (1.082 AU)
Jan 20 - Asteroid 48575 Hawaii Closest Approach To Earth (1.782 AU)
Jan 20 - Asteroid 886 Washingtonia Closest Approach To Earth (2.599 AU)
Jan 20-21 - Earth Explorer User Consultation Meeting, Lisbon, Portugal
Jan 20-22 - 2nd European CubeSat Workshop, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
Jan 21 - Greenhouse Gas Observing Satellite (GOSAT)/SDS-1 (Small Demo Sat)/Sohla 1/Microlabsat 2/SpriteSat/PRISM/Kagakaki/KKS-1/STARS H-2A Launch (Japan)
Jan 21 - Comet 195P/Hill Perihelion (4.439 AU)
Jan 21 - Asteroid 132524 APL Closest Approach To Earth (2.305 AU)
Jan 22 - Venus Express, End of Extended Mission
Jan 22 - Comet P/2008 Y2 (Gibbs) Periehlion (1.638 AU)
Jan 22 - Asteroid 216 Kleopatra Occults TYC 0013-00545-1 (11.7 Magnitude Star)
Jan 23 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #180 (OTM-180)
Jan 23 - Asteroid 2000 CK59 Near-Earth Flyby (0.050 AU)
Jan 24 - Asteroid 17062 Bardot Closest Approach To Earth (2.249 AU)
Jan 24 - Asteroid 1604 Tombaugh Closest Approach To Earth (2.252 AU)
Jan 25 - Comet P/2002 JN16 (LINEAR) Perihelion (1.784 AU)
Jan 25 - Asteroid 2 Pallas Occults TYC 6468-01802-1 (11.2 Magnitude Star)
Jan 25 - Asteroid 8249 Gershwin Closest Approach To Earth (1.175 AU)
Jan 25 - 5th Anniversary (2004), Mars Exploration Rover B (Opportunity), Mars Landing
Jan 25 - 15th Anniversary (1994), Clementine Launch (USA Moon Orbiter)
Jan 26 - New Moon (invisible) 7:55.3 UT
Jan 26 - Annular Solar Eclipse
Jan 26 - Chinese New Year
Jan 26 - Comet 144P/Kushida Perihelion (1.439 AU)
Jan 26 - Asteroid 8088 Australia Closest Approach To Earth (1.387 AU)
Jan 26 - Asteroid 25399 Vonnegut Closest Approach To Earth (1.521 AU)
Jan 26-30 - 4th International Workshop on Science and Applications of SAR Polarimetry and Polarimetric Interferometry (POLinSAR 2009), Frascati, Italy
Jan 27 - Asteroid 2007 UY1 Near-Earth Flyby (0.073 AU)
Jan 27 - Asteroid 73491 Robmatson Closest Approach To Earth (1.348 AU)
Jan 27 - Asteroid 1288 Santa Closest Approach To Earth (2.019 AU)
Jan 28 - Asteroid 5020 Asimov Closest Approach To Earth (1.592 AU)
Jan 29 - Koronas-Foton Tsyklon 3 Launch
Jan 29 - 20th Anniversary (1989), Phobos 2, Mars Orbit Insertion
Jan 30 - Comet P/2003 O3 (LINEAR) Perihelion (1.247 AU)
Jan 31 - TacSat 3/ Genesat 2/PharmaSat 1/HawkSat 1/CP-6 Minotaur 1 Launch
Jan 31 - Asteroid 38237 Roche Closest Approach To Earth (1.398 AU)
Jan 31-Feb 04 - 32nd Annual Guidance and Control Conference, Breckenridge, Colorado

Blobrana · L

Tonight's Sky: January 2009

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Blobrana · L

The planet Mercury is at its greatest elongation 19 degrees east of the sun on the 4th January, 2009.
Look to the west, after sunset.

Blobrana · L

Night sky highlights in the new year
Jan. 3: Quadrantid Meteors. Circle this date on your calendar, for on this morning a strong display of Quadrantid meteors is possible for North America. In the United States and Canada, western observers are favored, for maximum activity is expected within a few hours of 5 a.m. PST. Recognised as a rich, but elusive shower, the "Quads" at greatest activity are capable of producing anywhere from 15 to perhaps 120 shower members per hour.

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Blobrana · L

Near Earth Objects


o Date  :  Miss Distance : Rel Velocity:  Diameter   : Object Name
o  2009-Jan-02 : 03.4 LD : 25.3 km/s : 023 m - 051 m : (2008 YC29)
o  2009-Jan-03 : 27.3 LD : 20.2 km/s : 250 m - 550 m : (2008 WQ63)
o  2009-Jan-03 : 69.3 LD : 27.3 km/s : 009 m - 020 m : (2001 WJ4)
o  2009-Jan-03 : 06.2 LD : 25.2 km/s : 024 m - 053 m : (2008 YY32)
o  2009-Jan-04 : 03.6 LD : 24.6 km/s : 031 m - 070 m : (2008 YG30)
o  2009-Jan-05 : 47.2 LD : 24.6 km/s : 032 m - 071 m : (2005 YO128)
o  2009-Jan-09 : 02.7 LD : 26.1 km/s : 016 m - 035 m : (2008 YV32)
o  2009-Jan-11 : 09.7 LD : 24.1 km/s : 041 m - 091 m : (2008 YF29)
o  2009-Jan-12 : 27.3 LD : 24.4 km/s : 035 m - 077 m : (2008 YF30)
o  2009-Jan-14 : 49.2 LD : 18.7 km/s : 480 m - 1.1km : (2008 QT3)
o  2009-Jan-15 : 07.7 LD : 22.8 km/s : 075 m - 170 m : (2002 AO11)
o  2009-Jan-17 : 11.3 LD : 17.6 km/s : 800 m - 1.8km : 136849 (1998 CS1)
o  2009-Jan-18 : 58.2 LD : 21.5 km/s : 130 m - 300 m : (1993 VD)
o  2009-Jan-19 : 76.2 LD : 20.0 km/s : 270 m - 600 m : (2008 TD27)
o  2009-Jan-24 : 71.2 LD : 21.9 km/s : 110 m - 240 m : (2008 CG)
o  2009-Jan-25 : 57.4 LD : 24.2 km/s : 038 m - 085 m : (2006 CW9)
o  2009-Jan-27 : 28.3 LD : 22.9 km/s : 071 m - 160 m : (2007 UY1)
o  2009-Jan-28 : 43.2 LD : 21.0 km/s : 170 m - 380 m : (2008 YE30)
o  2009-Jan-30 : 70.0 LD : 23.6 km/s : 051 m - 110 m : (2007 CL26)