JeffPo's Recent News & Events Page
Last update: 10/29/07
All times given are for my local time zone, which is Eastern Daylight Time.
Recent Observing Sessions
Absolutely nothing! Unfortunately I've hit that era in life were work, kids activities, family activities, etc. have severely limited my observing time. I still love astronomy, but find I rarely have the time or energy to get out there. I still attend my astronomy club meetings and do some occasional binocular and naked eye viewing. On official observing night sessions with the club, we pretty much have to have a clear sky guarantee for me to put in the effort. Factor into this the high cost of gasoline. I'll get back on track, hopefully in the near future.
I have started observing a bright comet. More on that below.
Projects & Updates
Nothing. Will I ever get back to working on the observatory? I've moved it in my garage so I can start working on the roof, but we're also storing some old furniture out there so it makes it even harder to work on. I really need it, so maybe it will be a winter project for me to work on.
Non-Astronomy Projects & Updates
I've bought a skeet barrel for my shotgun in hopes of taking up skeet/trap shooting.
My railroad lantern and pocket watch collection has grown a little bit. I'm heading to the Gaithersburg Railroadiana show in November.
I've started working on a tree house for the kids.
Upcoming Events
Leonid meteor shower on November 17-18, 2007. This meteors tend to be bright and leave glowing trains.
Comet Holmes: This past week Comet Holmes went from an obscure 17th magnitude comet, not visible in any telescope I own, to a bright naked eye "star" in the constellation Perseus. For some reason the comet brightened almost a million fold! It looks like a relatively bright, and somewhat fuzzy extra star in Perseus. With magnification, it looks like a bright round disk (the coma) with a tiny nucleus. If this thing develops a tail, it may be the best comet since Hale-Bopp. Get out and take a look!
The Planet Report (Last update: 10/29/07)
Jupiter is about 22 degrees above the southwestern horizon at sunset.. It's an okay evening target, but you better hurry.
Pluto is about 31 degrees above the south southwestern horizon at sunset.. It's an okay evening target.
Neptune is about 32 degrees above the south southeastern horizon at sunset, making it a great evening target.
Uranus is about 25 degrees above the east southeastern horizon at sunset, making it a great evening target.
Mars is about 60 degrees above the west southwestern horizon at sunrise. It rises about 10:08pm, making it a good late-late night target, or great early morning target.
Saturn is about 55 degrees above the southeastern horizon at sunrise. It's a great morning target.
Venus is about 42 degrees above the southeastern horizon at sunrise. It's a great morning target.
Mercury is about 11 degrees above the east southeastern horizon at sunrise. It might be too much into the morning twilight glow to easily catch it, but it's still possible.
Moon
Lunar Phase |
Date |
| New Moon | October 11, 2007 |
| First Quarter | October 19, 2007 |
| Full Moon | October 26, 2007 |
| Third Quarter | November 1, 2007 |
| New Moon | November 9, 2007 |
| First Quarter | November 17, 2007 |
| Full Moon | November 24, 2007 |
| Third Quarter | December 1, 2007 |
| New Moon | December 9, 2007 |
| First Quarter | December 17, 2007 |
| Full Moon | December 23, 2007 |
| Third Quarter | December 31, 2007 |
| New Moon | January 8, 2008 |