Eclipses, Conjunctions, Alignments and Celestial Phenomena

[Puma]

CRYOVOLCANIC ERUPTION ON COMET 29P

Over the years, astronomers have observed hundreds of cryovolcanic eruptions on Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann. Icy gases burst out of the comet's crust at unpredictable times, multiplying its size and brightness 10-fold or more. "I just photographed gases expanding from a strong eruption on April 2nd," says Pepe Manteca of Begues, Catalunya, Spain:


This comet is so interesting!" he says.

Out of all the eruptions researchers have seen, this one may be different. Why? Because they predicted it.

"We have been watching 29P especially closely because [on April 1st] the pseudo-nucleus became very faint indicative of the crust sealing and preventing outgassing," says Dr. Richard Miles of the British Astronomical Association (BAA). "It was the faintest we had ever seen it."

Miles and colleagues considered an eruption to be "highly likely" and, indeed, the comet erupted while they watched. It blew like a cork popping from a champagne bottle. Astronomers Maria Eleftheriou and Jose Manuel Perez Redondo caught the eruption in progress on April 2nd using the 2.0-m Faulkes Telescope South. Pepe Manteca's photo shows the debris one week later.

Amateur astronomers who wish to help monitor this eruption can find 29P in the constellation Gemini, right here.

Spaceweather.com Time Machine

 

[Ryan]

FYI, we've got the New Moon on Thursday 20th accompanied by a Solar Eclipse, and Mercury goes Retrograde on the 21st, the same day as the Sun enters Taurus. Seems like there's a bit of chaotic energy around at the moment, so might be good to keep all the above in mind, as it could be a few more days until things settle.

 

[Puma]

WHAT A SOLAR ECLIPSE SOUNDS LIKE: A solar eclipse happens when the Moon glides in front of the sun. It's a silent process; there is no sound in space. Yet when Joerg Schoppmeyer observed yesterday's total eclipse over Exmouth, Australia, he heard something. Turn up the volume and click play:

Hoots, cries of delight, and clapping can be heard from the crowd surrounding Schoppmeyer and his telescope. Eclipses are always accompanied by this soundtrack when humans are present. It's an emotional experience, and vocalizing is practically involuntary. Criers often become lifelong eclipse chasers.

"This was my 61st solar eclipse," says Schoppmeyer, "and conditions in Exmouth were ideal. The detailed 4K video was done with a Baader Travel Companion Telescope (560mm focal length) and a Canon EOS250D (1/1000s and ISO 100)."

Yesterday's solar eclipse was a rare "hybrid eclipse," the first in almost 10 years. Hybrid eclipses are a mixture of two types: annular and total. Schoppmeyer photographed totality over western Australia while people in the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific witnessed the annular "ring of fire." Were you in the eclipse zone?

Spaceweather.com Time Machine

https://twitter.com/x/status/1649246425375465472

https://twitter.com/x/status/1649077562029514752

 

[BHelmet]

FYI, we've got the New Moon on Thursday 20th accompanied by a Solar Eclipse, and Mercury goes Retrograde on the 21st, the same day as the Sun enters Taurus. Seems like there's a bit of chaotic energy around at the moment, so might be good to keep all the above in mind, as it could be a few more days until things settle.

What I hear the astrologers saying is that things are not going to settle for quite some time. Remains to be seen of course. I remember in 2019/early 2020 I think Pluto made a conjunction with Saturn if I recall correctly and the Astros all said it was a big deal. At first it was “meh” and then 3 months later we got the COVID thing happening which was indeed a YOOGE deal. So it seems things don’t always manifest immediately if there is indeed something to the observations. And of course we have Mercury soon to go retrograde which is always a barrel of laughs.

 

[Puma]

2023 Lyrid meteor shower: All you need to know​

When to watch in 2023: Late evening to dawn on the nights of April 21-22 and April 22-23 will be the best time to watch. The predicted** peak is 1:06 UTC on April 23. By the way, the peak of the Lyrids is narrow (no weeks-long stretches of meteor-watching, as with some showers). Also, in 2023, the moon won’t interfere with the Lyrids.

| EarthSky

earthsky.org

From midnight of April 22nd to dawn of April 23rd, the Lyrid meteor shower will reach its peak. This is a view of the of meteors that flowed from April 22 to 23, 2021, at dawn, as captured by a wide-angle camera pointed south from Fuji. The meteors that fell overnight are shown here all at once. The Lyrebellar meteor shower has a sharp peak, and the number of meteors decreases after one day.

The peak is sharp because the river of dust that is the source of the Lyra meteor shower strikes almost perpendicular to the orbital plane of the Earth. This is the dust motion of the Lyrebellar Meteor Shower as visualized by NASA's CAMS network. The light blue is the Earth, the white is the orbit of the parent body, and the white dots are dust scattered from the parent body.

Translation with Deepl

https://twitter.com/x/status/1649641591869706241

 

[Ryan]

What I hear the astrologers saying is that things are not going to settle for quite some time.

Well, "settle", relatively speaking. Regarding astrologers, Annie Botticelli has Western horoscopes for May and June out on her Youtube channel now, btw.

 

[Puma]

If conditions are favorable, many inhabitants of the American continent and some parts of northern Europe will have the opportunity to observe how the Moon changes color from copper to purple. This event will last only a few minutes, so those interested should be attentive and not miss this celestial spectacle.

A BLOOD ECLIPSE AND AN INTENSE METEOR SHOWER WILL BE THE MAIN ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS OF MAY 2023

Flower Moon (May 5)

May is the month when everything blooms," explains Lydia Leija, social editor of National Geographic. Even the moon. For thousands of years, the native nations of the United States and Canada have referred to the full moon of May as the 'Moon of Flowers' because of the splendor that the fields acquire with the warmth of spring.

However, as documented by the astronomical observing platform SeaSky, historically it has also been called the Milk Moon or Harvest Moon because it coincides with the harvest stage of the agricultural cycle. This year, the best time to observe it in the north of the American continent will be at 11:30 pm at May 5. If it is a clear night, this will be the peak of its nocturnal splendor.

The spectacle of the Flower Moon will really begin when the only natural satellite of the Earth begins to darken. For a few minutes, the visible face of the Moon will be veiled with a reddish shadow, which will transition to violet, until it becomes completely black. It will therefore be one of the most spectacular astronomical events of May 2023.

Eta Aquarid Shower (May 6 and 7)

The Eta Aquarid shower is known for the fast-passing meteors, which "leave long, bright trails," as described by Smithsonian Magazine. On average, asteroids that come into contact with the atmosphere will be traveling at a speed of 238,182 kilometers per hour from their radiant (or the point from which they appear): the constellation Aquarius.

For thousands of years, these luminous meteors have been coming from the mythical Halley's comet. As it passes through our Solar System, it leaves cosmic debris that ignites when it comes into contact with our atmosphere. Each year, this nocturnal spectacle is expected to occur during the first weeks of May.

It is estimated that, at its point of maximum concentration, the Eta Aquarids shower will bring a load of 60 meteors per hour. It is important to note that this astronomical phenomenon began this year on April 17, but will reach its peak on the night of May 6 until the early morning of May 7. The last remnants of the astronomical phenomenon can be observed until the 28th of the month.

Un Eclipse de Sangre y una intensa lluvia de meteoros protagonizarán los eventos astronómicos de mayo 2023 - National Geographic en Español

La agenda de eventos astronómicos de mayo 2023 ya está aquí. Te contamos cuáles son y cuál será el mejor momento para observarlos.

www.ngenespanol.com

 

[Puma]

Black Moon May 2023: What is it and why does it occur?

This year's Black Moon will occur on May 19.

A Black Moon is not an official astronomical term but there are two common definitions for the term according to Time and Date(opens in new tab):

~The second new moon in a single calendar month.
~ The third new moon in a season of four new moons.

While a full moon refers to the moon phase when the moon's Earth-facing side is fully illuminated by sunlight, a new moon refers to the moon phase when the moon's Earth-facing side is fully in shadow. (Unfortunately, that means the Black Moon will be more or less invisible.)

Because the lunar calendar almost lines up with Earth's calendar year, there is typically one full moon and one new moon each month. A second full moon in a single calendar month is sometimes called a "Blue Moon." By this definition, a Black Moon is the flip side of a Blue Moon: the second new moon in a single calendar month. These Black Moons occur approximately once every 29 months and are the most common type of Black Moon according to Time and Date.

By the second definition, a Black Moon refers to an extra full moon in a season. Because Earth's seasons are approximately three months long, they typically have three new moons. When a season has four new moons the third new moon is called a Black Moon. These seasonal Black Moons occur about once every 33 months according to Time and Date.

Black Moon May 2023: What is it and why does it occur?

This year's Black Moon will occur on May 19.

www.space.com

 

[Olivierlejardinier]

There is a planetary alignment, an opposition, on May 21, in the early hours, mars, earth and pluto will be in line.
Mars being in cancer and pluto in capricorn constellationwise.
In the bellow picture earth is the light blue disk on the straight line joining the two planets (theskylive.com for 3D view).

 

[Puma]

SUPERNOVA IN THE PINWHEEL GALAXY (UPDATED): Astronomers are scrambling to photograph a new supernova in the Pinwheel Galaxy (M101). "This is best supernova in a decade," says Eliot Herman of Tucson, Arizona. "It has tripled in brightness in only 24 hours."

Image credit: Eliot Herman of Tucson, Arizona​

At this rate, it will soon rival or outshine the spiral galaxy's core.

Astronomer Yvette Cendes of Harvard's Center for Astrophysics says the supernova should continue to brighten for another day or so. "We think it will peak around magnitude +10, although it is hard to be certain."

Discovered by amateur astronomer Koichi Itagaki on May 19th, this is a Type II supernova caused by the core collapse of a massive star. A shock wave has broken out of the dying star, creating a fireball as it plows into circumstellar material. That's what we are seeing now.

Image credit: Scott Tucker of Tucson, Arizona​

The Pinwheel Galaxy is an popular target for amateur astronomers, easy to find in the constellation Ursa Major (finder chart). Many observers know how it looks and will immediately notice the "extra star" in one of its spiral arms.

"If amateur astronomers have any data from the last few days, particularly right before discovery, it might prove useful for science and end up in some scientific papers!" says Cendes. "Sending the data to the AAVSO is probably the best way to contribute."

Spaceweather.com Time Machine

 

[Vulcan59]

More details and pictures of this new supernova at the article below.

Bright Supernova Blazes in M101, the Pinwheel Galaxy

A supergiant star exploded as a supernova in the prominent galaxy M101 in Ursa Major. It's now bright enough to see in a 4.5-inch telescope!

skyandtelescope.org

 

[Puma]

MARS IN THE BEEHIVE: Got a telescope? Point it at Mars. The Red Planet is entering the Beehive Star Cluster. South Korean astronomer Bum-Suk Yeom created an infographic to show their conjunction:

You can see Mars with your naked eye. A telescope is recommended, though; even low magnifications will reveal Mars' rust-colored disk surrounded by the Beehive's splash of stars. Both are located in the constellation Cancer in the western sky after sunset: sky map.

This is a slow-motion conjunction that will last for more than 48 hours. Take a look and submit your pictures here.

Spaceweather.com Time Machine

Mars and the Beehive! See them together on June 1 and 2​

 

[Puma]

This week it was #Manhattanhenge2023 But what is it?
Basically it's when the sunset lines up perfectly with Manhattan's skyscrapers. It happens two nights each year in May and July about three weeks before and after the summer solstice.

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson first used the term Manhattanhenge in 1997, inspired by its resemblance to Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument in England where the sun aligns with concentric circles of standing stones on each of the solstices.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1663862891362021376

It is not as perfect as the ancient cultures made it, but it is attractive.

 

[Olivierlejardinier]

There is a conjunction on June 04 (source):

"
Conjunction of Mercury and Uranus

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 at 06:34 CEST (04:34 UTC)

Mercury and Uranus will share the same right ascension, with Mercury passing 2°54' to the south of Uranus.

From Paris however, the pair will not be observable – they will reach their highest point in the sky during daytime and will be no higher than 2° above the horizon at dawn.

Mercury will be at mag 0.0, and Uranus at mag 5.9, both in the constellation Aries.

The pair will be too widely separated to fit within the field of view of a telescope, but will be visible through a pair of binoculars.

A graph of the angular separation between Mercury and Uranus around the time of closest approach is available here.

The positions of the two objects at the moment of conjunction will be as follows:

Object	Right Ascension	Declination	Constellation	Magnitude	Angular Size
Mercury	03h10m40s	+14°33'	Aries	0.0	7"2
Uranus	03h10m40s	+17°27'	Aries	5.9	3"4

The coordinates above are given in J2000.0. The pair will be at an angular separation of 23° from the Sun, which is in Taurus at this time of year."

Found this interpretation from astrologic point of view (source):

"

June 4th, 2023: Mercury Conjunct Uranus​

June 4, 2023 Nadia Gilchrist

• Mercury in Taurus conjunct Uranus (20 deg)

Here is the provocative statement. The words burst out (probably unplanned) and disrupt routine/security. Or, the feeling that you must break away is finally put into words.

This aspect is stubborn even as it's exciting - there is zero compromise. Excellent if you need to blow away a stagnant situation but be wary of extreme pronouncements that leave zero room for nuance. Information will be very clear but anything subtle will be overlooked. Is it really so simple? Before you go with this new idea, make sure you're not ignoring inconvenient details that don't fit the electric narrative.

This can be a flash of genius regarding money, values or any physical matter. The solution appears and it's radical, perhaps involving technology or weird views that somehow work. You're hit with a hard truth about spending or survival - you cannot ignore what you see.

Uranus is the higher octave of Mercury. When they unite there's the possibility of tapping into a higher consciousness or larger perspective. Maybe you glimpse the future/your future. You see the physical word/resources from a distance and this detachment allows you to comprehend the bigger picture."

---

Later the same day there's also a venus-pluto opposition, venus transiting in cancer constellation, pluto in capricorn, with earth close to alignment.
And finally, on June 06 Mercury will start to go forward (east->west) after being retrograde for month and a half, meanwhile passing from aries to taurus contellation.

 

[Puma]

Three comets crash into the sun

To be more precise three parts of the same comet crash into the Sun. All three are on the same trajectory so likely a larger block of ice and dust started to break up as it approached the Sun. #1 is very small and I cannot make a good movie of it.
Keith Strong vía Twitter

https://twitter.com/x/status/1667893852110200834

https://twitter.com/x/status/1667896828107292674