HAA Skywatch

COMET C/2007 N3 (LULIN) BRIGHTENING IN SAGITTARIUS

Observing Jupiter and the many M objects in the Milky Way? This week you can catch Comet Lulin as it passes half a degree S of 3rd magnitude star Mu Sagittarii at the top of the "teapot" hanging over the S horizon after dusk. Here's a chart showing the comet's position 14 Aug and the direction it is moving (green arrows):

The comet is magnitude 9 and getting brighter as it moves W. Observers will be looking for a faint fuzzy about 2' in diameter; imagers will be trying to capture the comet's faint tail.

WEATHER IMPROVING FOR TUESDAY'S PERSEID PUBLIC NIGHT

There were some spectacular Perseid fireballs even last Friday night after 11 pm, so the Perseids are well worth watching (a lounge chair and very warm clothing is all you'll need). Tonight is looking like a good opportunity for HAA members and friends to gather on the hill at Binbrook after dark. The public is welcome to join us from 8 - 11 pm or later if members stay on...

A GREAT NIGHT FOR WATCHING TRANSITS OF JUPITER

Tonight, Holiday Monday 4 August, you can catch transits of Jupiter by Ganymede, Ganymede's shadow and then by Callisto (a rare opportunity). It's a fabulous imaging opportunity! Unfortunately Callisto's shadow will not transit until after dawn when the planet has set.

ECLIPSE REPORT FROM OUR MAN IN BEIJING

Ray Badgerow sends this cable report on the August 1st total solar eclipse:

"I wish to report that our group had successfully observed the Aug.1, 2008 TSE from Northern China. The group had an early start 8:30 am in order to pass through 2 security checkpoints. At the second one,our bags and passports were checked.

We arrived at our observing site near the self-styled Eclipse City constructed by the Chinese gov't. By accounts there were some 5,000 eclipse chasers gathered there and assigned viewing locations. The skies were very hot (39C) and very clear. We worried about orographic clouds drifting into the region of the sky where the eclipse was to take place.

At the last moment an even better site was discovered by Glenn Hawley. Our entire group left at 5:30 pm boarded the buses and departed for a site on the other side of a local mountain near the town of Nom. We missed the first 4 minutes of first contact, but managed to see the eclipse and to have a site all too ourselves.

The shadow arriving and departing was spectacular. We experienced approx. 1m 54s of totality. Since we were in a military zone near the Mongolian border the border police stopped by to assess the situation and observe the eclipse. The only other group in the area were some Europeans observing the eclipse in swimsuits!!."

Great report, Ray. We await pictures - come home safely!

OUR MAN IN BEIJING - RAY BADGEROW, ECLIPSE CHASER

August 1st is the big Total Eclipse of the Sun. HAA member Ray Badgerow is in China, braving the heat, dust and (coff coff) air pollution to see the eclipse.

Here is a web site with more info on the eclipse:

http://solar-center.stanford.edu/SID/educators/eclipse.html

Good luck, Ray! Enjoy the view and come back safely!