© Galloway Astronomy Centre 2016 All images are copyright – M Alexander unless otherwise stated
Astronomical Events Observed - 2017
Moon, Venus & Mars Grouping
1st / 2nd Jan 2017 2015 (16.45UT)
Description
A 3 day old crescent Moon is a short distance to the right of nearby planet Venus
tonight. Over the next 24hrs it will move passed and for 2nd Jan will be between
fainter Mars and bright Venus.
Aurora #1 with Meteor
4th / 5th Jan 2017 23.30
Description
Set up a camera to catch late Quadrantid meteors.
I caught an interesting meteor and as a bonus some Aurora activity too!
Aurora lasted about an hour between 00.30 and 01.25UT
Moon, Venus, Mars & Uranus Grouping
28th Feb / 1st Mar 2017 (19.00UT)
Description
In the evening twilight a 2 day old crescent Moon with 3 planets. What is not obvious
is the huge distances between the objects
Moon - 230,044 miles (370,371 Km)
Venus - 33 million miles (54 million Km)
Mars distance - 189 million miles (305 million Km)
Uranus - 1,922 million miles (3,099 million Km)
Venus - changes phases
As Venus orbits around the Sun it is getting closer to the Earth and will by 16th
March become difficult to see in the twilight. It has slowly been changing phase from
a “half Moon” look to a thin crescent. These images show this change.
Penumbra Lunar Eclipse
11th / 12th Feb (02.00UT)
Description
A penumbra eclipse is much fainter than a full umbra eclipse. The Moon does not
turn copper coloured it only becomes a little darkened with a bluish tint.
Recorded the event with this image.
Comets Imaged
28th Feb / 1st Mar 2017 (01.00UT)
Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova has been very difficult to see / image due
to either clouds or bright Moonlight. Just before it was completely lost from view I
did manage to get one image of it. It was only +13th mag - very faint.
Comet 2015 V2 Johnson was visible the same night and much easier to see in our
16” telescope as it is at +9.5 mag. The telescopic view was much like the image on
the right - a star like core surrounded by a bright elongated tail which extended into
a fainter tail.
Unlike 45P , Comet Johnson is brightening each night.
More images will be posted on the Comets page.
tonight. Over the next 24hrs it will move passed and for 2nd Jan will be between
fainter Mars and bright Venus.
Aurora #1 with Meteor
4th / 5th Jan 2017 23.30
Description
Set up a camera to catch late Quadrantid meteors.
I caught an interesting meteor and as a bonus some Aurora activity too!
Aurora lasted about an hour between 00.30 and 01.25UT
Moon, Venus, Mars & Uranus Grouping
28th Feb / 1st Mar 2017 (19.00UT)
Description
In the evening twilight a 2 day old crescent Moon with 3 planets. What is not obvious
is the huge distances between the objects
Moon - 230,044 miles (370,371 Km)
Venus - 33 million miles (54 million Km)
Mars distance - 189 million miles (305 million Km)
Uranus - 1,922 million miles (3,099 million Km)
Venus - changes phases
As Venus orbits around the Sun it is getting closer to the Earth and will by 16th
March become difficult to see in the twilight. It has slowly been changing phase from
a “half Moon” look to a thin crescent. These images show this change.
Penumbra Lunar Eclipse
11th / 12th Feb (02.00UT)
Description
A penumbra eclipse is much fainter than a full umbra eclipse. The Moon does not
turn copper coloured it only becomes a little darkened with a bluish tint.
Recorded the event with this image.
Comets Imaged
28th Feb / 1st Mar 2017 (01.00UT)
Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova has been very difficult to see / image due
to either clouds or bright Moonlight. Just before it was completely lost from view I
did manage to get one image of it. It was only +13th mag - very faint.
Comet 2015 V2 Johnson was visible the same night and much easier to see in our
16” telescope as it is at +9.5 mag. The telescopic view was much like the image on
the right - a star like core surrounded by a bright elongated tail which extended into
a fainter tail.
Unlike 45P , Comet Johnson is brightening each night.
More images will be posted on the Comets page.
Venus & Moon - 1st Jan
Mars Moon & Venus - 2nd Jan
Venus & Moon - 1st Jan
© Galloway Astronomy Centre 2016
All images are copyright – M Alexander unless otherwise stated
Astronomical Events Observed - 2017
Moon, Venus & Mars Grouping
1st / 2nd Jan 2017 2015 (16.45UT)
Description
A 3 day old crescent Moon is a short
distance to the right of nearby planet
Venus tonight. Over the next 24hrs it
will move passed and for 2nd Jan will
be between fainter Mars and bright
Venus.
Aurora #1 with Meteor
4th / 5th Jan 2017 23.30
Description
Set up a camera to catch late
Quadrantid meteors.
I caught an interesting meteor and as
a bonus some Aurora activity too!
Aurora lasted about an hour between
00.30 and 01.25UT
Moon, Venus, Mars & Uranus
Grouping
28th Feb / 1st Mar 2017 (19.00UT)
Description
In the evening twilight a 2 day old
crescent Moon with 3 planets. What is
not obvious is the huge distances
between the objects
Moon - 230,044 miles (370,371 Km)
Venus - 33 million miles (54 million
Km)
Mars distance - 189 million miles (305
million Km)
Uranus - 1,922 million miles (3,099
million Km)
Venus - changes phases
As Venus orbits around the Sun it is
getting closer to the Earth and will by
16th March become difficult to see in
the twilight. It has slowly been
changing phase from a “half Moon”
look to a thin crescent. These images
show this change:
Penumbra Lunar Eclipse
11th / 12th Feb (02.00UT)
Description
A penumbra eclipse is much fainter
than a full umbra eclipse. The Moon
does not turn copper coloured it only
becomes a little darkened with a bluish
tint.
Recorded the event with this image.
Comets Imaged
28th Feb / 1st Mar 2017 (01.00UT)
Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-
Pajdusakova has been very difficult
to see / image due to either clouds or
bright Moonlight. Just before it was
completely lost from view I did
manage to get one image of it. It was
only +13th mag - very faint.
Comet 2015 V2 Johnson was visible
the same night and much easier to see
in our 16” telescope as it is at +9.5
mag. The telescopic view was much
like the image on the right - a star like
core surrounded by a bright elongated
tail which extended into a fainter tail.
Unlike 45P , Comet Johnson is
brightening each night.
More images will be posted on the
Comets page.
distance to the right of nearby planet
Venus tonight. Over the next 24hrs it
will move passed and for 2nd Jan will
be between fainter Mars and bright
Venus.
Aurora #1 with Meteor
4th / 5th Jan 2017 23.30
Description
Set up a camera to catch late
Quadrantid meteors.
I caught an interesting meteor and as
a bonus some Aurora activity too!
Aurora lasted about an hour between
00.30 and 01.25UT
Moon, Venus, Mars & Uranus
Grouping
28th Feb / 1st Mar 2017 (19.00UT)
Description
In the evening twilight a 2 day old
crescent Moon with 3 planets. What is
not obvious is the huge distances
between the objects
Moon - 230,044 miles (370,371 Km)
Venus - 33 million miles (54 million
Km)
Mars distance - 189 million miles (305
million Km)
Uranus - 1,922 million miles (3,099
million Km)
Venus - changes phases
As Venus orbits around the Sun it is
getting closer to the Earth and will by
16th March become difficult to see in
the twilight. It has slowly been
changing phase from a “half Moon”
look to a thin crescent. These images
show this change:
Penumbra Lunar Eclipse
11th / 12th Feb (02.00UT)
Description
A penumbra eclipse is much fainter
than a full umbra eclipse. The Moon
does not turn copper coloured it only
becomes a little darkened with a bluish
tint.
Recorded the event with this image.
Comets Imaged
28th Feb / 1st Mar 2017 (01.00UT)
Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-
Pajdusakova has been very difficult
to see / image due to either clouds or
bright Moonlight. Just before it was
completely lost from view I did
manage to get one image of it. It was
only +13th mag - very faint.
Comet 2015 V2 Johnson was visible
the same night and much easier to see
in our 16” telescope as it is at +9.5
mag. The telescopic view was much
like the image on the right - a star like
core surrounded by a bright elongated
tail which extended into a fainter tail.
Unlike 45P , Comet Johnson is
brightening each night.
More images will be posted on the
Comets page.
Venus & Moon - 1st Jan
Mars Moon & Venus - 2nd Jan
Astronomical Events Observed - 2017
Moon, Venus & Mars Grouping
1st / 2nd Jan 2017 2015 (16.45UT)
Description
A 3 day old crescent Moon is a short
distance to the right of nearby planet
Venus tonight. Over the next 24hrs it will
move passed and for 2nd Jan will be
between fainter Mars and bright Venus.
Aurora #1 with Meteor
4th / 5th Jan 2017 23.30
Description
Set up a camera to catch late Quadrantid
meteors.
I caught an interesting meteor and as a
bonus some Aurora activity too!
Aurora lasted about an hour between
00.30 and 01.25UT
Moon, Venus, Mars & Uranus
Grouping
28th Feb / 1st Mar 2017 (19.00UT)
Description
In the evening twilight a 2 day old
crescent Moon with 3 planets. What is not
obvious is the huge distances between
the objects
Moon - 230,044 miles (370,371 Km)
Venus - 33 million miles (54 million Km)
Mars distance - 189 million miles (305
million Km)
Uranus - 1,922 million miles (3,099
million Km)
Venus - changes phases
As Venus orbits around the Sun it is
getting closer to the Earth and will by
16th March become difficult to see in the
twilight. It has slowly been changing
phase from a “half Moon” look to a thin
crescent. These images show this
change:
Penumbra Lunar Eclipse
11th / 12th Feb (02.00UT)
Description
A penumbra eclipse is much fainter than
a full umbra eclipse. The Moon does not
turn copper coloured it only becomes a
little darkened with a bluish tint.
Recorded the event with this image.
Comets Imaged
28th Feb / 1st Mar 2017 (01.00UT)
Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos
-Pajdusakova has been very difficult to
see / image due to either clouds or bright
Moonlight. Just before it was completely
lost from view I did manage to get one
image of it. It was only +13th mag - very
faint.
Comet 2015 V2 Johnson was visible the
same night and much easier to see in our
16” telescope as it is at +9.5 mag. The
telescopic view was much like the image
on the right - a star like core surrounded
by a bright elongated tail which extended
into a fainter tail.
Unlike 45P , Comet Johnson is
brightening each night.
More images will be posted on the
Comets page.
distance to the right of nearby planet
Venus tonight. Over the next 24hrs it will
move passed and for 2nd Jan will be
between fainter Mars and bright Venus.
Aurora #1 with Meteor
4th / 5th Jan 2017 23.30
Description
Set up a camera to catch late Quadrantid
meteors.
I caught an interesting meteor and as a
bonus some Aurora activity too!
Aurora lasted about an hour between
00.30 and 01.25UT
Moon, Venus, Mars & Uranus
Grouping
28th Feb / 1st Mar 2017 (19.00UT)
Description
In the evening twilight a 2 day old
crescent Moon with 3 planets. What is not
obvious is the huge distances between
the objects
Moon - 230,044 miles (370,371 Km)
Venus - 33 million miles (54 million Km)
Mars distance - 189 million miles (305
million Km)
Uranus - 1,922 million miles (3,099
million Km)
Venus - changes phases
As Venus orbits around the Sun it is
getting closer to the Earth and will by
16th March become difficult to see in the
twilight. It has slowly been changing
phase from a “half Moon” look to a thin
crescent. These images show this
change:
Penumbra Lunar Eclipse
11th / 12th Feb (02.00UT)
Description
A penumbra eclipse is much fainter than
a full umbra eclipse. The Moon does not
turn copper coloured it only becomes a
little darkened with a bluish tint.
Recorded the event with this image.
Comets Imaged
28th Feb / 1st Mar 2017 (01.00UT)
Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos
-Pajdusakova has been very difficult to
see / image due to either clouds or bright
Moonlight. Just before it was completely
lost from view I did manage to get one
image of it. It was only +13th mag - very
faint.
Comet 2015 V2 Johnson was visible the
same night and much easier to see in our
16” telescope as it is at +9.5 mag. The
telescopic view was much like the image
on the right - a star like core surrounded
by a bright elongated tail which extended
into a fainter tail.
Unlike 45P , Comet Johnson is
brightening each night.
More images will be posted on the
Comets page.
Venus & Moon - 1st Jan
Mars Moon & Venus - 2nd Jan
