© Galloway Astronomy Centre 2019 All images are copyright – M Alexander unless otherwise stated
Astronomical Events Observed - 2019
Comet 46P Wirtanen
1st Jan 2019 19.00UT
The comet is now in Lynx and has faded to about 6.5 mag, but in our dark
skies it is still an easy binocular object. It shape remains an oval with the
nucleus just off centre.
The comet should remain visible for a few more weeks.
Total Lunar Eclipse
21st Jan 2019 03.25UT
This is the first big astronomocal event of the year.
Occurring within a few hours of the Moon reaching its closest to the Earth
the Moon was a little larger than normal.
With clear skies the Moon entered the Earth’s shadow at umber. Mid eclipse
occurred at 05.15UT. -the eclipse seemed particularly dark compared to
other I have observed. This could be due to the volcanic activity over the
past months causing more sunlight to be scattered away from the Moon.
Shortly after the Moon started to leave the shadow clouds moved in.end
The next eclipse is on 16th July starting at Moon rise 21.00UT (10pm BST))
Comet C/2018 Y1 Iwamoto
31st Jan 2019 05.00UT
First new comet of 2019 observed. (C. Wirtanen was first seen in 2018).
Though discovered in 2018 the comet has been too low in the southern sky
to be seen here. With the moon out of the way for about 2 weeks there is a
good opportunity to watch the comet brighten as it closes on the Earth on
13th Feb to 28 million miles.
The comet is ralatively faint at +8th mag and should reach +7 by mid Feb.
Update 10th Feb
The comet has moved into Leo and brightened to +7mag. It has a low
surface brightens so still not an easy object to see without dark skies. It is
now closer to the Earth and has grown to about 30arcmins (size of full
Moon).
The comet passed below galaxies M95 and M96 (35 Million light years away)
- the comet was about 30 million miles.
The image was taken with a Canon 450D DSLR and 200mm lens. 5 min exp
at ISO800.
Aurora #1
31st Jan 2019 21.45UT
Our first aurora of the year.
The aurora built up to a bright across across the northern sky. No beams or
rays were seen. After an hour it faded away.
skies it is still an easy binocular object. It shape remains an oval with the
nucleus just off centre.
The comet should remain visible for a few more weeks.
Total Lunar Eclipse
21st Jan 2019 03.25UT
This is the first big astronomocal event of the year.
Occurring within a few hours of the Moon reaching its closest to the Earth
the Moon was a little larger than normal.
With clear skies the Moon entered the Earth’s shadow at umber. Mid eclipse
occurred at 05.15UT. -the eclipse seemed particularly dark compared to
other I have observed. This could be due to the volcanic activity over the
past months causing more sunlight to be scattered away from the Moon.
Shortly after the Moon started to leave the shadow clouds moved in.end
The next eclipse is on 16th July starting at Moon rise 21.00UT (10pm BST))
Comet C/2018 Y1 Iwamoto
31st Jan 2019 05.00UT
First new comet of 2019 observed. (C. Wirtanen was first seen in 2018).
Though discovered in 2018 the comet has been too low in the southern sky
to be seen here. With the moon out of the way for about 2 weeks there is a
good opportunity to watch the comet brighten as it closes on the Earth on
13th Feb to 28 million miles.
The comet is ralatively faint at +8th mag and should reach +7 by mid Feb.
Update 10th Feb
The comet has moved into Leo and brightened to +7mag. It has a low
surface brightens so still not an easy object to see without dark skies. It is
now closer to the Earth and has grown to about 30arcmins (size of full
Moon).
The comet passed below galaxies M95 and M96 (35 Million light years away)
- the comet was about 30 million miles.
The image was taken with a Canon 450D DSLR and 200mm lens. 5 min exp
at ISO800.
Aurora #1
31st Jan 2019 21.45UT
Our first aurora of the year.
The aurora built up to a bright across across the northern sky. No beams or
rays were seen. After an hour it faded away.
“It’s the best view I’ve ever had” - Prof Ian Morison (Jodrell Bank)
© Galloway Astronomy Centre 2019
All images are copyright – M Alexander unless otherwise stated
Astronomical Events Observed - 2019
Comet 46P Wirtanen
1st Jan 2019 19.00UT
The comet is now in Lynx and has faded to about 6.5
mag, but in our dark skies it is still an easy binocular
object. It shape remains an oval with the nucleus just
off centre.
The comet should remain visible for a few more
weeks.
Total Lunar Eclipse
21st Jan 2019 03.25UT
This is the first big astronomocal event of the year.
Occurring within a few hours of the Moon reaching its
closest to the Earth the Moon was a little larger than
normal.
With clear skies the Moon entered the Earth’s shadow
at umber. Mid eclipse occurred at 05.15UT. -the
eclipse seemed particularly dark compared to other I
have observed. This could be due to the volcanic
activity over the past months causing more sunlight
to be scattered away from the Moon.
Shortly after the Moon started to leave the shadow
clouds moved in.end
The next eclipse is on 16th July starting at Moon rise
21.00UT (10pm BST))
Comet C/2018 Y1 Iwamoto
31st Jan 2019 05.00UT
First new comet of 2019 observed. (C. Wirtanen was
first seen in 2018).
Though discovered in 2018 the comet has been too
low in the southern sky to be seen here. With the
moon out of the way for about 2 weeks there is a
good opportunity to watch the comet brighten as it
closes on the Earth on 13th Feb to 28 million miles.
The comet is ralatively faint at +8th mag and should
reach +7 by mid Feb.
Update 10th Feb
The comet has moved into Leo and brightened to
+7mag. It is now closer to the Earth and has grown
to about 30arcmins (size of full Moon). It has a low
surface brightens so still not an easy object to see
without dark skies.
The comet passed below galaxies M95 and M96 (35
Million light years away) - the comet was about 30
million miles.
The image was taken with a Canon 450D DSLR and
200mm lens. 5 min exp at ISO800.
Aurora #1
31st Jan 2019 21.45UT
Our first aurora of the year.
The aurora built up to a bright across across the
northern sky. No beams or rays were seen. After an
hour it faded away.
mag, but in our dark skies it is still an easy binocular
object. It shape remains an oval with the nucleus just
off centre.
The comet should remain visible for a few more
weeks.
Total Lunar Eclipse
21st Jan 2019 03.25UT
This is the first big astronomocal event of the year.
Occurring within a few hours of the Moon reaching its
closest to the Earth the Moon was a little larger than
normal.
With clear skies the Moon entered the Earth’s shadow
at umber. Mid eclipse occurred at 05.15UT. -the
eclipse seemed particularly dark compared to other I
have observed. This could be due to the volcanic
activity over the past months causing more sunlight
to be scattered away from the Moon.
Shortly after the Moon started to leave the shadow
clouds moved in.end
The next eclipse is on 16th July starting at Moon rise
21.00UT (10pm BST))
Comet C/2018 Y1 Iwamoto
31st Jan 2019 05.00UT
First new comet of 2019 observed. (C. Wirtanen was
first seen in 2018).
Though discovered in 2018 the comet has been too
low in the southern sky to be seen here. With the
moon out of the way for about 2 weeks there is a
good opportunity to watch the comet brighten as it
closes on the Earth on 13th Feb to 28 million miles.
The comet is ralatively faint at +8th mag and should
reach +7 by mid Feb.
Update 10th Feb
The comet has moved into Leo and brightened to
+7mag. It is now closer to the Earth and has grown
to about 30arcmins (size of full Moon). It has a low
surface brightens so still not an easy object to see
without dark skies.
The comet passed below galaxies M95 and M96 (35
Million light years away) - the comet was about 30
million miles.
The image was taken with a Canon 450D DSLR and
200mm lens. 5 min exp at ISO800.
Aurora #1
31st Jan 2019 21.45UT
Our first aurora of the year.
The aurora built up to a bright across across the
northern sky. No beams or rays were seen. After an
hour it faded away.
Astronomical Events Observed - 2019
Comet 46P Wirtanen
1st Jan 2019 19.00UT
The comet is now in Lynx and has faded to about 6.5
mag, but in our dark skies it is still an easy binocular
object. It shape remains an oval with the nucleus just
off centre.
The comet should remain visible for a few more weeks.
Total Lunar Eclipse
21st Jan 2019 03.25UT
This is the first big astronomocal event of the year.
Occurring within a few hours of the Moon reaching its
closest to the Earth the Moon was a little larger than
normal.
With clear skies the Moon entered the Earth’s shadow at
umber. Mid eclipse occurred at 05.15UT. -the eclipse
seemed particularly dark compared to other I have
observed. This could be due to the volcanic activity over
the past months causing more sunlight to be scattered
away from the Moon.
Shortly after the Moon started to leave the shadow
clouds moved in.end
The next eclipse is on 16th July starting at Moon rise
21.00UT (10pm BST))
Comet C/2018 Y1 Iwamoto
31st Jan 2019 05.00UT
First new comet of 2019 observed. (C. Wirtanen was
first seen in 2018).
Though discovered in 2018 the comet has been too low
in the southern sky to be seen here. With the moon out
of the way for about 2 weeks there is a good
opportunity to watch the comet brighten as it closes on
the Earth on 13th Feb to 28 million miles.
The comet is ralatively faint at +8th mag and should
reach +7 by mid Feb.
Update 10th Feb
The comet has moved into Leo and brightened to
+7mag. It is now closer to the Earth and has grown to
about 30arcmins (size of full Moon). It has a low surface
brightens so still not an easy object to see without dark
skies.
The comet passed below galaxies M95 and M96 (35
Million light years away) - the comet was about 30
million miles.
The image was taken with a Canon 450D DSLR and
200mm lens. 5 min exp at ISO800.
Aurora #1
31st Jan 2019 21.45UT
Our first aurora of the year.
The aurora built up to a bright across across the
northern sky. No beams or rays were seen. After an
hour it faded away.
mag, but in our dark skies it is still an easy binocular
object. It shape remains an oval with the nucleus just
off centre.
The comet should remain visible for a few more weeks.
Total Lunar Eclipse
21st Jan 2019 03.25UT
This is the first big astronomocal event of the year.
Occurring within a few hours of the Moon reaching its
closest to the Earth the Moon was a little larger than
normal.
With clear skies the Moon entered the Earth’s shadow at
umber. Mid eclipse occurred at 05.15UT. -the eclipse
seemed particularly dark compared to other I have
observed. This could be due to the volcanic activity over
the past months causing more sunlight to be scattered
away from the Moon.
Shortly after the Moon started to leave the shadow
clouds moved in.end
The next eclipse is on 16th July starting at Moon rise
21.00UT (10pm BST))
Comet C/2018 Y1 Iwamoto
31st Jan 2019 05.00UT
First new comet of 2019 observed. (C. Wirtanen was
first seen in 2018).
Though discovered in 2018 the comet has been too low
in the southern sky to be seen here. With the moon out
of the way for about 2 weeks there is a good
opportunity to watch the comet brighten as it closes on
the Earth on 13th Feb to 28 million miles.
The comet is ralatively faint at +8th mag and should
reach +7 by mid Feb.
Update 10th Feb
The comet has moved into Leo and brightened to
+7mag. It is now closer to the Earth and has grown to
about 30arcmins (size of full Moon). It has a low surface
brightens so still not an easy object to see without dark
skies.
The comet passed below galaxies M95 and M96 (35
Million light years away) - the comet was about 30
million miles.
The image was taken with a Canon 450D DSLR and
200mm lens. 5 min exp at ISO800.
Aurora #1
31st Jan 2019 21.45UT
Our first aurora of the year.
The aurora built up to a bright across across the
northern sky. No beams or rays were seen. After an
hour it faded away.
