Bootleg Astronomers

Pre-registration deadline is Saturday, May 26th!!! So hurry and get your forms in the mail!

All forms must be postmarked no later than May 26th to qualify for early registration.

3	Moon near Neptune (152° from Sun, evening sky) at 12h UT. Mag. 7.8. Occultation visible from Tasmania and New Zealand. • Occultation of Neptune (IOTA)
5	Venus 0.2° NNE of Mars (23° from Sun, morning sky) at 17h UT. Mags. −3.9 and 1.8.
5	Full Moon at 18:41 UT.
8	Mercury at superior conjunction with the Sun at 21h UT. The elusive planet passes into the evening sky.
9	Moon near the Pleiades (morning sky) at 2h UT. • The Pleiades (Wikipedia)
9	Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 5:53 UT (366,855 km; angular size 32.6').
9	Moon near Aldebaran (126° from Sun, morning sky) at 18h UT. Occultation visible from Asia. • Occultation of Aldebaran (IOTA)
12	Last Quarter Moon at 12:26 UT.
13	Moon near Beehive cluster (morning sky) at 20h UT. • Beehive Cluster (Wikipedia) • M44: The Beehive Cluster (APOD)
15	Moon near Regulus (52° from Sun, morning sky) at 11h UT. Occultation visible from USA and Mexico. • Occultation of Regulus (IOTA)
17	Moon near Mars (28° from Sun, morning sky) at 11h UT. Mag. 1.8.
18	Moon near Venus (20° from Sun, morning sky) at 2h UT. Mag. −3.9.
19	Uranus at opposition at 17h UT. Mag. 5.7.
19	New Moon at 19:12 UT. Start of lunation 1173. • Lunation Number (Wikipedia)
21	Orionid meteor shower peaks. Arises from the debris field of Comet Halley. Active from October 2 to November 7. Produces very fast (66 km/sec), generally faint meteors (20 per hour). Radiant located near Orion's club asterism. Observe after midnight on night of 21/22. • Orionids (Gary Kronk) • Meteor Shower Calendar (IMO)
23	Moon near Antares (evening sky) at 8h UT. • Antares (Wikipedia)
24	Moon near Saturn (evening sky) at 12h UT. Mag. 0.5. • Saturn (Wikipedia)
25	Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 2h UT (distance 405,154 km; angular size 29.5').
26	Jupiter at conjunction with the Sun at 18h UT. Passes into the morning sky (not visible).
27	First Quarter Moon at 22:22 UT.
30	Moon near Neptune (124° from Sun, evening sky) at 21h UT. Mag. 7.8. Occultation visible from southern Africa. • Occultation of Neptune (IOTA)

>>> All times Universal Time (UT). USA Central Standard Time = UT-6 hours. (DST = UT-5 hrs,)

Zodiacal Light is caused by sunlight reflected off meteoric dust in the plane of the solar system. Choose a clear, moonless night, about 1-2 hours after sunset, and look for a large triangular-shaped glow extending up from the horizon (along the ecliptic). The best months to view the Zodiacal Light is when the ecliptic is almost vertical at the horizon: March and April (evening) and October-November (morning); times reversed for the southern hemisphere.
• Zodiacal Light (Wikipedia)
• Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)
• Photographing the Zodiacal Light (Weatherscapes)