October 2023

Friday October 20

5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Bartow Friday Fest Public

This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readywith some goodanswers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

Recurs monthly

Saturday October 21

9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Wings n Things Sun n Fun Campus

EVENT: October 21st, 2023 from 10am-2pm (set up 9am) for Solar observation on the Sun n Fun Campus, Aerospace Center for Excellence in Lakeland.

Attendees will include young students interested in astronomy and their parents.

This event is open to the public and is classified as a community education program.

IPAS membership has participated in this annual educational event for many years, and the SnF Wings n Things program is consistent with our mission of public education in astronomy.

While limited to daytime solar observing, ALL members are encouraged to attend, with or without a solar-capable scope. (White light Baader filtered or Hydrogen-alpha are requested).

Use of a static display with appropriate handouts is encouraged.

Members will be fielding questions from very inquisitive young minds.

November 2023

Friday November 17

5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Bartow Friday Fest Public

This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readywith some goodanswers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

Recurs monthly

December 2023

Friday December 15

5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Bartow Friday Fest Public

This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readywith some goodanswers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

Recurs monthly

January 2024

Friday January 19

5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Bartow Friday Fest Public

This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readywith some goodanswers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

Recurs monthly

February 2024

Friday February 16

5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Bartow Friday Fest Public

This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readywith some goodanswers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

Recurs monthly

March 2024

Friday March 15

5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Bartow Friday Fest Public

This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readywith some goodanswers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

Recurs monthly

April 2024

Friday April 19

5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Bartow Friday Fest Public

This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readywith some goodanswers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

Recurs monthly

May 2024

Friday May 17

5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Bartow Friday Fest Public

This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readywith some goodanswers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

Recurs monthly

June 2024

Friday June 21

5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Bartow Friday Fest Public

This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readywith some goodanswers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

Recurs monthly

July 2024

Friday July 19

5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Bartow Friday Fest Public

This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readywith some goodanswers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

Recurs monthly

August 2024

Friday August 16

5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Bartow Friday Fest Public

This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readywith some goodanswers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

Recurs monthly

September 2024

Friday September 20

5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Bartow Friday Fest Public

This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readywith some goodanswers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

Recurs monthly

October 2023

Friday October 6

9:48 am
πŸŒ— Last Quarter Moon

Saturday October 14

12:13 pm – 1:03 pm
Partial Solar Eclipse (Americas)

Perhaps this will rile you up for the AMAZING TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE IN APRIL 2024. Start making reservations!

This less spectacular but still fun annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. It will be visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America.

In the U.S., this eclipse begins in Oregon at 9:13 a.m. PDT and ends in Texas at 12:03 p.m. CDT.

1:55 pm
πŸŒ‘ New Moon

Saturday October 21 – Sunday October 22

Orionids Meteor Shower

In 2023, the Orionid meteor shower should rain down its greatest number of meteors on the morning of October 22, in a moonless sky. But the morning of October 21 is worth a look, too.

On a dark, moonless night, the Orionids exhibit a maximum of about 10 to 20 meteors per hour.

These fast-moving meteors sometimes produce bright fireballs, which might be able to overcome a moonlit glare. If you trace these meteors backward, they seem to radiate from the Club of the famous constellation Orion the Hunter.

The Orionids is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Halley, which has been known and observed since ancient times.

Saturday October 21

11:29 pm
πŸŒ“ First Quarter Moon

Monday October 23

All Day
Venus In The Morning

Wake up early, brew a coffee, and watch for Venus to rise in the east before the sun. While you’re waiting, read up on the Mayan myth of Popol Vuh which integrates Venus’ mercurial habit of cyclically switching between roles as our morning and evening star…

Today the planet Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation of 46.4 degrees from the Sun. This is a great time to view Venus since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky.

Saturday October 28

2:01 pm – 6:26 pm
Partial Lunar Eclipse

A portion of the Moon will be fully darkened by Earth’s shadow. Regions seeing, at least, some parts of the eclipse: Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, Much of South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica.

4:24 pm
πŸŒ• Full Moon

November 2023

Thursday November 2

All Day
Jupiter Crazy Bright

Jupiter will be at opposition — its closest approach to Earth for the year. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Jupiter and its moons. A medium-sized telescope should be able to show you some of the details in Jupiter’s cloud bands. A good pair of binoculars should allow you to see Jupiter’s four largest moons, appearing as bright dots on either side of the planet.

Saturday November 4 – Sunday November 5

(Possible) Taurid Fireball Meteor Shower

The second quarter moon will block most of the dim meteors this year. But if you are patient, you may still be able to catch a few good ones.

Keep your fingers crossed! Every now and then (like in 2008) the Taurid meteor shower β€” normally modest β€” produces spectacular fireballs. There seems to be a seven year periodicity with these fireballs. 2008 and 2015 both produced remarkable fireball activity.

The meteoroid streams that feed the Southern (and Northern) Taurids are very spread out and diffuse. Thus the Taurids are extremely long-lasting (September 28 to December 2 in 2022) but usually don’t offer more than about five meteors per hour. That is true even on their peak nights. The Taurids are, however, well known for having a high percentage of fireballs, or exceptionally bright meteors. Plus, the two Taurid showers – Southern and Northern – augment each other. In 2022, the expected peak night of the South Taurid shower is that of November 4-5, but the waxing gibbous moon will be bright at 87% illumination. Peak viewing will thus be in the pre-dawn morning of November 5, just after the moon has set at 3 a.m.

The North Taurids meteor shower is (October 13 – December 2 in 2022) but modest, and the peak number is forecast at about five meteors per hour. The North and South Taurids combine to provide a nice sprinkling of meteors throughout October and November. Typically, you see the maximum numbers at or around midnight, when Taurus the Bull is highest in the sky. Taurid meteors tend to be slow-moving but sometimes very bright. In 2022, just as for the South Taurids, the bright moon interferes with your viewing. The meteor peak takes place just after full moon and the waning gibbous moon rises a bit later every night, providing dark skies only a few hours after nightfall.

The South and North Taurid meteors continue to rain down throughout the following week, but the moon will keep getting fuller, so the best viewing is during mornings before the peak rather than after.

The Taurids is unusual in that it consists of two separate streams. The first is produced by dust grains left behind by Asteroid 2004 TG10. The second stream is produced by debris left behind by Comet 2P Encke.

Sunday November 5

3:37 am
πŸŒ— Last Quarter Moon

Monday November 13

4:27 am
πŸŒ‘ New Moon

Friday November 17 – Saturday November 18

Leonids Meteor Shower

In 2022, the expected peak night of the Leonids is from November 17 until dawn November 18. The waning crescent moon doesn’t rise until about 2 a.m., so the best peak viewing is just before that time. The famous Leonid meteor shower produced one of the greatest meteor storms in living memory. Rates were as high as thousands of meteors per minute during a 15-minute span on the morning of November 17, 1966. On that beautiful night in 1966, Leonid meteors did, briefly, fall like rain. They streamed from a single point in the sky – their radiant point – in the constellation Leo the Lion. Some who witnessed the 1966 meteor storm had a strong impression of Earth moving through space, fording the meteor stream. Leonid meteor storms sometimes recur in cycles of 33 to 34 years. But the Leonids around the turn of the century – while wonderful for many observers – did not match the shower of 1966. And, in most years, the Lion whimpers rather than roars. In a typical year, you’ll see a maximum of perhaps 10-15 meteors per hour on a dark night. Like many meteor showers, the Leonids ordinarily pick up steam after midnight and display the greatest meteor numbers just before dawn, for all points on the globe.

This shower is unique in that it has a cyclonic peak about every 33 years where hundreds of meteors per hour can be seen. That last of these occurred in 2001. (So I guess start making plans for November 2033?)

The Leonids is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1865. The shower runs annually from November 6-30. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Leo, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

Monday November 20

5:50 am
πŸŒ“ First Quarter Moon

Monday November 27

4:16 am
πŸŒ• Full Moon

December 2023

Friday December 1

All Day
2024 Astro Calendar Updates Coming Soon!

Hello! I hope you have some VERY HAPPY HOLIDAYS coming up.

Canton (canton@gmail.com) will be researching and adding 2024 calendar events (meteor showers, etc.) during the last week of this month. Feel free to email him any suggestions! Also, if you do your holiday shopping on Amazon, you can support the work of this calendar by starting your shopping spree here: https://amzn.to/31jLBYH (Then click anywhere to buy whatever you intended to buy anyway.)

Starting on or around January 1, 2024, new events should automatically flow into your calendar once they are made available. Moon phases are already in place.

Meanwhile, start making plans RIGHT NOW for The Great American Eclipse of April 8, 2024! The more south you can go (Mexico FTW!) the more likely you are to have clear skies. Weather in places like Indiana will be a gamble, with a 75% chance of cloud cover…

Peace and good health to you,
Canton Becker
Santa Fe, New Mexico USA

Saturday December 2 – Sunday December 3

Andromedids meteor shower?

A short and strong return of the Andromedids was last observed on 2021 November 28, producing about 50 meteors per hour. The Andromedids are a historical shower previously thought to be defunct. They are expected to flare once again this year, although nobody knows how strong they may be. In ten days, around Dec 10, we may encounter meteoroids released from comet 46P/Wirtanen for the first time. Keep looking up!

Tuesday December 5

12:49 am
πŸŒ— Last Quarter Moon

Tuesday December 12

6:32 pm
πŸŒ‘ New Moon

Wednesday December 13 – Thursday December 14

Geminids King Meteor Shower

Since the radiant rises in mid-evening, you can watch for Geminids all night around the peak dates of December 13 and 14. Plus, a young waxing crescent moon will not interfere with the Geminids in 2023, hooray!

The bold, white, bright Geminids give us one of the Northern Hemisphere’s best showers, especially in years when there’s no moon. They’re also visible, at lower rates, from the Southern Hemisphere. The meteors are plentiful, rivaling the August Perseids.

You can watch the usually reliable and prolific Geminid meteor shower from evening December 13, with the best views probably just before or around midnight. Under a dark sky with no moon, you might catch 120 Geminid meteors per hour.

These meteors are the debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, which was discovered in 1982. The shower runs annually from December 7-17. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Gemini, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

Wednesday December 13

All Day
Mercury Retrograde Begins

This is of particular interest to astrologically minded folks. See URL for more info…

Tuesday December 19

1:39 pm
πŸŒ“ First Quarter Moon

Thursday December 21

10:27 pm – 11:27 pm
December solstice

This marks the beginning of winter (in the northern hemisphere) and the beginning of summer (in the southern hemisphere.) The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, respectively, in the sense that the length of time elapsed between sunrise and sunset on this day is a minimum for the year. Of course, daylight saving time means that the first Sunday in April has 23 hours and the last Sunday in October has 25 hours, but these human meddlings with the calendar and do not correspond to the actual number of daylight hours.

If you live in the southern hemisphere, this is your Summer Solstice, and good cause for celebrating the longest day of the year.

Friday December 22

All Day
Ursids Meteor Shower

The waxing gibbous moon – at 86% illumination – will mask much of hte Ursids display in 2023 until the moon sets about three hours before sunrise.

This low-key meteor shower is somewhat overlooked due to the season and that its rates are much lower than the popular Geminids, peaking just a week before. Ursids range from December 13 to 24, so some may intermingle with the peak of the Geminids. The Ursids usually peak around the December solstice, perhaps offering five to 10 meteors per hour during the predawn hours in a dark sky.

The Ursids is a minor meteor shower producing about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tuttle, which was first discovered in 1790.

Tuesday December 26

7:33 pm
πŸŒ• Full Moon

January 2024

Monday January 1

All Day
2024 Begins, Mercury Retrograde Ends

Happy New Year! Time to review your computer’s backup strategy!

Mercury Retrograde is of particular interest to astrologically minded folks, and some people who have to deal with. communications technology. See URL for more info…

Wednesday January 3

10:30 pm
πŸŒ— Last Quarter Moon

Thursday January 11

6:57 am
πŸŒ‘ New Moon

Wednesday January 17

10:53 pm
πŸŒ“ First Quarter Moon

Thursday January 25

12:54 pm
πŸŒ• Full Moon

February 2024

Friday February 2

6:18 pm
πŸŒ— Last Quarter Moon

Friday February 9

5:59 pm
πŸŒ‘ New Moon

Friday February 16

10:01 am
πŸŒ“ First Quarter Moon

Saturday February 24

7:30 am
πŸŒ• Full Moon

March 2024

Sunday March 3

10:24 am
πŸŒ— Last Quarter Moon

Sunday March 10

5:00 am
πŸŒ‘ New Moon

Sunday March 17

12:11 am
πŸŒ“ First Quarter Moon

Monday March 25

3:00 am
πŸŒ• Full Moon

April 2024

Monday April 1

11:15 pm
πŸŒ— Last Quarter Moon

Monday April 8

2:21 pm
πŸŒ‘ New Moon
2:27 pm – 3:35 pm
GREAT AMERICAN SOLAR ECLIPSE

Especially if you live somewhere in North America, this is the chance of a lifetime. However, it’s storm season, so plan accordingly. The more south into the eclipse path you can go (Mexico FTW!) the more likely you are to have clear skies. Weather in places like Indiana will be a gamble, with a 75% chance of cloud cover.

Weather: https://eclipsophile.com/2024tse/

Monday April 15

3:13 pm
πŸŒ“ First Quarter Moon

Tuesday April 23

7:49 pm
πŸŒ• Full Moon

May 2024

Wednesday May 1

7:27 am
πŸŒ— Last Quarter Moon

Tuesday May 7

11:22 pm
πŸŒ‘ New Moon

Wednesday May 15

7:48 am
πŸŒ“ First Quarter Moon

Thursday May 23

9:53 am
πŸŒ• Full Moon

Thursday May 30

1:13 pm
πŸŒ— Last Quarter Moon

June 2024

Thursday June 6

8:38 am
πŸŒ‘ New Moon

Friday June 14

1:18 am
πŸŒ“ First Quarter Moon

Friday June 21

9:08 pm
πŸŒ• Full Moon

Friday June 28

5:53 pm
πŸŒ— Last Quarter Moon

July 2024

Friday July 5

6:57 pm
πŸŒ‘ New Moon

Saturday July 13

6:49 pm
πŸŒ“ First Quarter Moon

Sunday July 21

6:17 am
πŸŒ• Full Moon

Saturday July 27

10:51 pm
πŸŒ— Last Quarter Moon

August 2024

Sunday August 4

7:13 am
πŸŒ‘ New Moon

Monday August 12

11:19 am
πŸŒ“ First Quarter Moon

Monday August 19

2:26 pm
πŸŒ• Full Moon

Monday August 26

5:26 am
πŸŒ— Last Quarter Moon

September 2024

Monday September 2

9:55 pm
πŸŒ‘ New Moon

Wednesday September 11

2:06 am
πŸŒ“ First Quarter Moon

Tuesday September 17

10:34 pm
πŸŒ• Full Moon

Tuesday September 24

2:50 pm
πŸŒ— Last Quarter Moon

October 2024

Wednesday October 2

2:49 pm
πŸŒ‘ New Moon
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