Astronomical Events Observed - 2010
Lunar Eclipse
31st Dec 2009
19.00UT
Description
A partial Lunar Eclipse took place in clear skies. The Pemumbra by itself is difficult to see at the
start of the eclipse, but once the Umbra darkens the surface it becomes much easier to
differential between the two. Only the southern part of the Full Moon was eclipsed.
Quadrantid Meteor Shower
3rd / 4th Jan 2010
19.15UT
Description
These meteors seem to orginate from between Ursa Minor and Bootes and are the remains of a
shattered comet. With the bright three quarter Moon not rising until 20.30UT there was plenty
of time to view this brief shower. The meteors are fast and mostly faint, between magnitude +4
and +5 which means a dark sky was needed to seem them. Only a few are as bright as +2
magnitude. In total about 30+ meteors were observed in an hour.
Fireball
16th / 17th Jan 2010
22.40UT
Description
One of our guests spotted a slow moving star like object which suddenly brightened to became
"brighter than Mars" when it was just under the belt of Orion in the south. I picked it about
Hydra until it disappeared deep in Leo near Theta Leo (Chertan) in the East. I estimated it at +1
mag the whole time with a whitish head and an dull orange tail which seemed to vary in length.
The object was visible for about 7 seconds overall and moved much slower than is usual for a
meteor. I think is was a piece of returning space debris.
Mars
27th / 28th Jan 2010
23.00UT
Description
Mars has been visible for several month but tonight it is at its closest to the Earth at 62 million
miles (100 million Km). The North Polar Cap is very obvious in scopes from our 127mm
Maksutov upwards. This apparition Mars is never close enough to be bigger than 14 arcseconds.
Its small size makes it very difficult to see much surface detail unless the atmosphere is very
stable.
Zodiacal Light
12th / 13th Jan 2010
19.30UT
Description
The very dark skies of the area make it possible to see this very dim cone of light stretching for
about 20deg along the Zodiac signs of Pisces and Aries. The glow is caused to dust particles
between the planets being illuminated by sunlight. It is very much dimmer than the Milky Way
which is why you need the darkest skies to see it.
Venus
1st / 2nd March 2010
18.30UT
Description
Venus is returning to the evening sky having moved sufficinetly far from the Sun to allow it to
be seen in binoculars in the bright twilight about 7 degrees above the horizon. It will be visible
for sevral months through the spring and early summer.
Warning: Always wait until the Sun has set before looking for Venus.
