astro-observer.com

Persied Meteor Shower

The Perseid meteor shower takes place in mid August. While the Perseids usually peak somewhere between August 11 - 13 every year, shooting stars can often be seen a week or two before and after the peak date. Known as the most brilliant of annual meteor showers, the Perseids, at its peak, can emit anywhere from 50 to 150 shooting stars an hour. More...

If you miss the Persieds. you have a chance in November to observe another a meteor shower called the Leonids.

Find a Star Party near you.

Star parties are astronomy events that consist of dozens to hundreds of people camping out with telescopes gazing at the heavens. They usually occur on weekends near a new moon each month. We have compiled a list of star parties around the world. We believe it to be the most comprehensive list of star parties on the internet.

What is Light Pollution?

Click on the image to see a light pollution map of the united states.

To find out more about light pollution and what you can do to help decrease light pollution in your area click here.

Mars, Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn, and Uranus

Mars will be bright this winter

Mars rises shortly before midnight and the view improves a few hours later. The most prominent feature will be the white Northern polar cap.

Jupiter lies due South and at its highest point in the sky as evening twilight descends. The planet remains 30 degrees altitude until 8:00 PM local time during November’s first week, but only until 6:30 PM by month’s end. Due to the earth’s atmosphere, you will want to observe Jupiter early.

Saturn stands halfway to the Zenith at twilight. Saturn’s rings tilt 3.1 degrees to our line of sight on the 1st and by the 31st they tilt 4.3 degrees.

Neptune The gap between Jupiter and Neptune narrows, from 6 degrees to 3 degrees during November. To find Neptune, point your telescope or binoculars at a line of three stars North of Delta Capricorni. The two Northern stars 42 and 44 cap, form the base of a triangle with Neptune at the vertex. Through a telescope Neptune shows its disk proving you’re looking at a planet, and not a star.

Turn Off the Lights in 2010

This year you can be green and dark at the same time by turning out, or at least down, the lights in your area. Bright or misdirected lights in your yard not only waste energy but they cause a type pollution called light pollution.

One fifth of the world's population cannot see the Milky Way because street lamps and building lights are too bright. So scientists are mounting a new campaign, called Dark Skies Awareness.

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