Favorites astronomical events months: Moscow time.
August 1st and all month- the probability of occurrence remains noctilucent clouds in the mid-latitude twilight sky,
August 2- new moon
August 3rd— covering by the Moon of the planet Mercury at visibility in South America,
5th of August- Venus passes a degree north of Regulus,
August 6- lunar occultation of the planet Jupiter in daytime visibility in Indonesia and Australia,
August 10 Moon in first quarter phase
12th of August- maximum action meteor shower Perseids with up to 150 meteors per hour (possibly up to 500!!),
August 13- Saturn in standing with the transition from backward movement to the straight
August 16- long-period variable star R Draco near its maximum brightness (6.5m),
August 16- Mercury reaches eastern (evening) elongation of 27 degrees,
August 17- the kappa-cygnids meteor shower from the constellation Cygnus reaches its maximum action (3 meteors per hour),
August 18- full moon
August 18- penumbral lunar eclipse
August 18— long-period variable star V Monoceros near maximum brightness (6m),
August 19— occultation by the Moon of the planet Neptune in visibility in the Far East and in North America,
August 22 Mercury passes 4 degrees south of Jupiter
24 August- Mars passes 4 degrees south of Saturn and 2 degrees north of Antares,
24 August is a long-period variable star S of the Northern Corona near its maximum brightness (6m),
25-th of August— Moon in phase last quarter,
25-th of August- Moon occultation of the star Aldebaran from the constellation Taurus when visible in North America and Oceania,
August 27- approach of Venus and Jupiter up to 4 arc minutes,
August 29 Mercury passes 5 degrees south of Venus
August 30- Mercury in standing with the transition from direct movement back to back
August 31 The Aurigids meteor shower from the constellation Auriga reaches its maximum
The sun moves through the constellation of Cancer until August 10, and then passes into the constellation of Leo and remains in it until the end of the month. declination daylight, in comparison with the first two summer months, decreases faster and faster every day. As a result, the length of the day also rapidly decreases: from 15 hours 59 minutes at the beginning of the month to 13 hours 52 minutes by the end of the described period (more than two hours). These data are correct for the latitude of Moscow , where midday height Sun for a month will decrease from 52 to 42 degrees. For solar observations, August is one of the most auspicious months in the northern hemisphere of the earth. Observations of spots and other formations on the surface of the daylight can be carried out with a telescope or binoculars, and even with the naked eye (if the spots are large enough). But we must remember that the visual study of the Sun through a telescope or other optical instruments it is necessary to carry out necessarily (!!) with the use of a solar filter (recommendations for observing the Sun are available in the journal Nebosvod http://astronet.ru/db/msg/1222232).
The moon will start moving in the August sky at a phase of 0.02 in the constellation of Gemini, and on the same day it will move into the constellation of Cancer. Here, on August 2, she will take the phase of the new moon, moving into the evening sky. On August 3, the young month will enter into the possession of the constellation Leo, and on August 4 pass south Regula, Venus and Mercury (occultation visible in South America) at a phase of about 0.05. By the end of the day on August 5, the phase of the Moon will increase to 0.1, and it will reach the constellation Virgo, having previously passed the conjunction with Jupiter (occultation visible in Indonesia). August 8 growing crescent at phase 0.3 will pass north Spiki, and on August 9 it will leave the constellation of Virgo and move into the constellation of Libra, where it will stay until August 11, having taken the phase of the first quarter here on August 10. On August 12, the lunar oval will visit the constellation Scorpio, passing north of Mars, and on the same day it will pass into the constellation Ophiuchus, where it will approach Saturn at a phase of 0.75. On August 13, the Moon will move into the constellation Sagittarius, where it will stay until August 16, increasing the phase to 0.95. On August 18, in the constellation of Capricorn, the Moon will take on a full moon phase, in which a penumbral lunar eclipse with a minimum phase will occur, visible in the Far East of the country. On the same day, the bright lunar disk will pass into the constellation Capricorn, where on August 19 it will cover Neptune when visible in eastern regions countries and North American continent. The next day, the Moon will cross the border with the constellation Pisces and rush to Uranus, with which it will approach on August 22, being in perigee at a phase of about 0.8. Having entered the constellation of Cetus on August 23, the Moon will move into the constellation of Aries on the same day, but will linger in it for a short time. Already on August 24, the lunar oval will move into the constellation Taurus, where it will take the phase of the last quarter on August 25. On this day, the lunar half-disk will cover once more the star Aldebraran in visibility in America and Oceania. Continuing across the morning sky, the crescent moon will drop to 0.3 on August 27 when it reaches the constellation of Orion, moving into the constellation of Gemini that same day. Reducing the phase to 0.1, the Moon will reach the constellation of Cancer on August 29 and will stay in it until almost the end of the day on August 30, then moving into the constellation of Leo. Here, the thinnest lunar crescent for the second time in a month will approach Regulus and complete its journey across the summer sky almost at the new moon phase.
Bmajor planets of the solar system
Mercury moves in the same direction as the Sun in the constellation Leo until August 20, and then passes into the constellation Virgo .
On August 4, the planet will be covered by the Moon in visibility in South America. In the middle (and even more so in the northern) latitudes, Mercury is not visible for the entire month, although on August 16 its elongation will reach 27 degrees. However, daytime telescope observations of Mercury remain available. The apparent diameter of the fast planet during the month increases from 6 to 9.6 arc seconds with decreasing brightness from -0.2m to +1.3m. The phase changes from 0.75 to 0.21, i.e. Mercury gradually turns from an oval into a semi-disk, and then into a crescent. In May, Mercury passed through the disk of the Sun, and the next passage will take place on November 11, 2019.
Venus moves in the same direction with the Sun along the constellation Leo, and on August 24 it passes into the constellation Virgo, where it will spend the rest of the described period. Evening Star gradually increases the angular distance to the east of the Sun, and by the end of the month, the elongation of Venus will reach 23.5 degrees. The planet is visible in the evening sky, but it is difficult to observe it at mid-latitudes due to its low position above the horizon. The apparent diameter of Venus is about 11 and the phase is close to 0.9 at a brightness of about -3.9m.
Mars moves in the same direction with the Sun through the constellation Libra until August 2, then passing into the constellation Scorpio until August 21, when it passes into the constellation Ophiuchus, where it will stay until August 25, once again entering into the possession of the constellation Scorpio. The planet is observed in the evening and at night over the southern horizon. The brightness of the planet decreases from -0.7m to -0.2m and the apparent diameter decreases from 13.0 to 10.5. Mars is gradually moving away from the Earth, and the next opportunity to see the planet near opposition will appear only in two years. Details on the surface of the planet can be visually observed in an instrument with a lens diameter of 60 mm, and, in addition, photographically, followed by processing on a computer.
Jupiter moves in the same direction as the Sun in the constellation Leo until August 8, and then passes into the constellation Virgo. gas giant observed against the background of the evening dawn until the middle of the month, and then disappears in the rays of the setting Sun. The angular diameter of the big planet The solar system decreases from 32.2 to 30.8 at a brightness of about -1.8m. The disk of the planet is distinguishable even with binoculars, and stripes and other details are visible on the surface with a small telescope, but the conditions for such observations in August are far from favorable. Four large satellites are already visible through binoculars, and with a telescope in good visibility conditions, shadows from the satellites on the planet's disk can be observed. Information about satellite configurations is in this CN.
Saturn moves back along the constellation of Ophiuchus, on August 13 changing the movement to a direct one. The ringed planet can be observed almost all night above the southern horizon. The brightness of the planet is about 0m with an apparent diameter of about 18. With a small telescope, you can observe the ring and moon Titan, as well as some of the other brightest moons. The visible dimensions of the planet's ring are on average 40x16 with an inclination of 26 degrees to the observer.
Uranus(5.9m, 3.4.) moves backwards in the constellation Pisces (near the star Zeta Psc with magnitude 5.2m). The planet is visible in the night and morning sky, and the duration of visibility by the end of the month will reach 8 hours. Uranus, rotating on its side, is easily detected with binoculars and search maps, and a telescope from 80 mm in diameter with a magnification of more than 80 times and a transparent sky will help to make out the disk of Uranus. With the naked eye, the planet can be seen during the periods of new moons on a dark clear skies, but such an opportunity for medium and northern latitudes will appear only in autumn and winter on a deep dark sky. The satellites of Uranus have a brightness less than 13m.
Neptune(7.9m, 2.3) moves backward in the constellation Aquarius near the star lambda Aqr (3.7m). The planet is visible in the night and morning sky, and by the end of the described period, its visibility will exceed 8 hours. To search for a planet, you need binoculars and star charts Astronomical calendar for 2016, and the disk is distinguishable through a telescope from 100 mm in diameter with a magnification of more than 100 times (with a transparent sky). Photographically, Neptune can be captured with the simplest camera (even still) with a shutter speed of 10 seconds or more. The satellites of Neptune have a brightness less than 13m.
From comets, visible in August from the territory of our country, the calculated brightness will be about 12m and brighter, according to at least, two comets: P/Tempel (9P) and P/Wild (81P). Comet P/Tempel (9P) is moving slowly through the constellation Virgo and Libra. The brightness of the comet is kept at the level of 12m. The celestial pilgrim P/Wild (81P) moves through the constellations Leo and Virgo, maintaining a brightness of about 11m, but descending further south. The conditions for observing these comets in the middle latitudes of the country are far from favorable. Details of the month's other comets (with charts and brightness predictions) are available at http://aerith.net/comet/weekly/current.html and observations are available at http://cometbase.net/.
Among the asteroids the brightest in August will be Vesta (8.4m) and Ceres (8.4m). Vesta moves in the constellation of Orion and Gemini, and Ceres in the constellation of Cetus. In total, seven asteroids will exceed the brightness of 10m in August. Maps of the paths of these and other asteroids (comets) are given in the appendix to the KN (file mapkn082016.pdf). Information on occultations of stars by asteroids at http://asteroidoccultation.com/IndexAll.htm.
Of the relatively bright long-term variable stars (observed from the territory of Russia and the CIS) the brightness maximum in this month according to AAVSO data was reached: U CYG (7.2m) on August 1, RU CYG (8.0m) on August 3, Z DEL (8.8m) on August 3, W PEG (8.2m) August 6, S UMI (8.4m) August 8, T CEN (5.5m) August 9, S GEM (9.0m) August 13, R DRA (7.6m) August 16, R COM (8.5m) August 16, SV AND (8.7m) August 17, X AQR (8.3m) August 17, V MON (7.0m) August 18, R VUL (8.1m) August 20, V VIR (8.9m) August 21, RR AQL (9.0m) August 22, S CRB (7.3m) August 24, X DEL (9.0m) August 29, V CNC (7.9m) August 29. More information at http://www.aavso.org/.
Other information - in AK_2016 - http://www.astronet.ru/db/msg/1334887
Clear skies and successful observations!
Here is a calendar of noteworthy astronomical events for 2016. Here you will find the dates of maximum activity of meteor showers, dates of the best observations of planets (oppositions and elongations), close flybys of comets, dates of full moons, solar and lunar eclipses, equinoxes and solstices, close encounters of the Moon with bright stars and planets.
In 2016, two eclipses will occur in spring (March new moon and full moon), and the other two in autumn (September new moon and full moon). From the territory of Russia, only lunar eclipses, and both are penumbral. The summer penumbral eclipse on August 18 is unlikely to interest even astronomy lovers, since the Moon will barely touch the very edge of the earth's penumbra, without showing itself in any way. appearance full moon.
The first major astronomical event of 2016 will be the complete solar eclipse March 9, the full phase strip of which will pass through Indonesia, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands. The second major and rare astronomical event will occur on May 9 - Mercury will pass across the disk of the Sun!
The best visibility of Mars is in May, Jupiter - in the spring, Saturn - in the second quarter. Time for fruitful observations of distant planets - Uranus and Neptune - will come in the autumn months.
In 2016, the Moon in the earth's sky will cover the following planets of the solar system: 3 times - Mercury, 2 times - Venus, 3 times - Jupiter, 7 times - Neptune.
From the occultations of stars by the Moon, the occultations of the star Aldebaran (alpha Taurus) will be of interest, the series of which began on January 29, 2015 and will continue until September 3, 2018. In 2016, Aldebaran will be covered by the Moon 12 times.
ATTENTION! MATERIAL CONSTANTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT!
The announcement will be updated throughout the year as new interesting discoveries or forgotten events. Stay tuned!
some terms about events in the motion of planets across the sky:
Elongation - the angular distance between the Sun and the planet (or Moon) when viewed from the Earth. When inner planets the best conditions for their visibility occur when they are located near the maximum elongations: east (evening) and west (morning). The maximum elongations for Mercury and Venus do not exceed 28° and 47°, respectively.
Opposition of the planet (opposition to the Sun) - the position of the upper planet in the orbit in which it is visible from Earth at opposite to the sun direction. Near oppositions, the best conditions for observing the planets are formed: the planets are located on the shortest distance from the Earth and facing the Earth with a hemisphere illuminated by the Sun, that is, they are in the largest phase.
2016
JANUARY
** Planets in January 2016**
March 24 - the upper connection of Mercury with the Sun (brilliance -1.8m; El = 1.2 °). The movements of Mercury against the background of stars from March 15 to March 31 can be observed in the field of view of the SOHO coronograph (Mercury is a bright object in the images, moving from right to left under the Sun).
April 12 - the 55th anniversary of the beginning of human space exploration! International Cosmonautics Day and show-marathon "Yuri's Night" (Yuri's Night).
April 22 - full moon and Micromoon-2016 - the coincidence of the lunar apogee (406,350 km from the Earth) and the phase of the full moon.
April 22 - International Mother Earth Day - the day of our common cozy home. On this day, everyone can take part in the improvement and gardening of their yards and streets.
April 22 - the maximum action of the Lyrid meteor shower - up to 20 meteors per hour. Visibility at night is the worst - the moon in the full moon hopelessly spoils visual observations. In 2016, the peak of activity in Irkutsk region will occur during daylight hours (6h UT).
May 14 - Astronomy Day. On this day, thousands of astronomical clubs, science museums, observatories, planetariums in many countries hold many interesting events. Spring Astronomy Day is usually celebrated on a Saturday - from mid-April to mid-May, near or before the 1st quarter of the Moon. The week from Monday to Sunday that includes Astronomy Day is called Astronomy Week.
August 18 - full moon at 9:30 UT and a penumbral lunar eclipse with a maximum phase of immersion in the earth's penumbra 0.018 - the Moon will pass tangentially to the earth's penumbra, so this eclipse is actually not observed even in the visibility zone. In addition, in Russia at this moment the moon will be under the horizon.
August 27 - Venus (-3.9m) passes only 4 arc minutes from Jupiter (-1.6m) in the evening sky! The elongation from the Sun will be 22°.
August 27 - The Earth comes closest to the orbit of Mars, being near its perihelion. The planet Mars will not be there at that moment, which means there will not be a Great opposition of the planets. "Mars the size of a full moon" we will never observe in the earth's sky in the foreseeable future!
December 14 - the maximum action of the Geminid star shower - up to 120 meteors per hour! Visibility at night is the worst - the moon in the full moon hopelessly spoils visual observations.
December 21 - winter solstice at 10:44 UT. The longest night in the Northern Hemisphere.
December 22 - maximum activity of the Ursida meteor shower - 10 meteors per hour. Visibility at night is favorable - the Moon in the phase of the last quarter illuminates only the morning sky. In 2016, the peak of activity in the Irkutsk region will be in the daytime (9h UT).
December 29 - inferior conjunction of Mercury (luster 7.4m, El=2.5°). The passage is not observed in the field of view of the SOHO space coronagraph - Mercury in the "new moon".
December 31 - perihelion of the short-period comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova at 0.53 AU. from the sun. The expected brightness is about 7th magnitude.
Astronomy lovers in the new year will be able to witness several curious phenomena, which take place every year, such as eclipses of the Sun and Moon, as well as quite rare, such as the passage Mercury across the disk of the Sun.
A few years ago we witnessed transits of Venus across the disk of the Sun and now it's time to observe Mercury, which will also move across the solar disk from the point of view of an earthly observer. This event will take place May 9, 2016.
Expected in 2016 4 eclipses: two solar and two lunar.9th of Marchwill be observed complete, aSeptember 1 - annular solar eclipse. Observers in Russia will not see any of them in full, unlike penumbral lunar eclipses -23 March and 16 September.
One of important events in space exploration is the achievement by the American apparatus "Juno" of Jupiter, which is expected in July 2016. The device has been started August 5, 2011 and to July 2016 will have to cover the distance 2.8 billion kilometers.
AT this calendar indicated Moscow time (GMT+3).
Astronomical calendar 2016
JANUARY
January 2 – Earth at perihelion (the planet is closest to the Sun)
3, 4 January - Star Rain Peak quadrantides. The maximum number of meteors per hour is 40. Remains of a disappeared comet 2003 EH1 which was opened in 2003.
January 10 – New Moon at 04:30. The days around the new moon are best for observing starry sky due to the fact that the moon will not be visible, which means there will be no strong light pollution.
FEBRUARY
February 11th 364358 km from the earth
MARCH
March 8 Jupiter is in opposition to the Sun. The best day for observing Jupiter and its satellites, since the giant Jupiter will be well illuminated by the Sun and at the same time will be at the closest distance from the Earth.
9th of March – New Moon at 04:54. total solar eclipse 130 Saros 52nd in a row. It can be observed in the north and in the center Pacific Ocean, in the east indian ocean. In Asia, including Japan and Kamchatka, and in Australia, it will be partially visible. The full eclipse can be seen from caroline islands. Full phase The eclipse will last only 4 minutes and 9 seconds.
20th of March – Spring equinox at 07:30. Day equals night. First day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and first day of autumn in southern hemisphere.
March 23 - Full moon at 15:01. Penumbral lunar eclipse at 14:48. Eclipse 142 Saros, number 18 of 74 eclipses in the series. Residents and guests of East Asia, Australia, Oceania, Eastern Russia, Alaska will be able to watch it. The duration of the penumbral phase - 4 hours 13 minutes. With this type of eclipse full moon will be in the earth's shadow only partially.
Astronomical Observations 2016
APRIL
April 22-23 - star Rain Lyrids. constellation Lyra. comet remnants Thatcher C/1861 G1 which was opened in 1861. Due to the fact that this year the time of this shower coincides with the full moon, it will be quite difficult to observe it.
May 6-7 - Star Rain This is the Aquarids. constellation Aquarius. Is particles Halley's comet discovered in antiquity. Due to the fact that this stellar rain coincides in time with the new moon, all meteors will be clearly visible. The best time to watch rain is just after midnight.
May 9 – Walkthrough Mercury across the disk of the Sun- a rare transit, which can be called a "mini-eclipse" of the Sun by Mercury. This event takes place on average once every 7 years(13-14 times per century) and can be observed either in May or November. Mercury, the Sun and the Earth will then be in one straight line, so the inhabitants of the Earth will be able to see how Mercury passes against the background of the Sun's disk.
The last time Mercury passed through the disk of the Sun November 8, 2006. Next time this phenomenon will take place November 11, 2019, and then only after 20 years - in 2039.
The transit of Mercury across the disk of the Sun will be clearly visible to observers in North Central and South America, parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. The transit can be fully observed in eastern parts USA and South America.
22nd of May Mars is in opposition to the Sun. Mars will be well lit by the Sun and will be at its closest distance to Earth, so this is the best time for observing the Red Planet. With a medium telescope, dark details of the planet's reddish surface can be seen.
Astronomical phenomena 2016
JUNE
June 3 Saturn is in opposition to the Sun. The distant planet Saturn on this day will be best seen due to the fact that it will be located at the closest distance from the Earth.
June 3 – Moon at perigee: distance -361142 km from the earth
21st of June - Day of the summer solstice at 01:45. The longest day of the year. The first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and the first day of winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
JULY
4th of July – Earth at aphelion from the Sun (The planet is at its furthest distance from the Sun)
4th of July – Spaceship "Juno" will reach Jupiter.
This automatic interplanetary station must reach its goal - the planet Jupiter, overcoming the distance in 5 years 2.8 billion kilometers. It should enter the orbit of the giant planet and, in about 1 Earth year, make 33 full turnover around the planet. The task of the station is to study the atmosphere and magnetic field Jupiter. Juno is planned to remain in the orbit of the giant until October 2017 and then burn up in the planet's atmosphere.
June 13 – Moon at apogee: distance -404272 km from the earth
July 28-29 - Star Rain Southern Delta Aquarids. The maximum number of meteors per hour is 20. Radiant - area constellation Aquarius. Is the wreckage Comets Marsten and Kracht.
AUGUST
August 12-13 - Star Rain Perseids. The maximum number of meteors per hour is 60. Radiant - area constellation Perseus. Is the wreckage Comet Swift-Tuttle.
August 27 – Connection Venus and Jupiter. This impressive sight is the two most bright planets night sky will be very close together (0.06 degrees) and will be easily visible to the naked eye in the evening sky just after sunset.
Astronomical objects 2016
SEPTEMBER
September 1 – New Moon at 12:03. annular solar eclipse at 12:07 - 39th eclipse of 135 Saros. This eclipse can be observed in Africa, Madagascar and other parts of the equatorial and tropical latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. The eclipse will only last 3 minutes and 6 seconds.
September 3 – Neptune in opposition to the sun. On this day blue planet will come close to close quarters to the Earth, therefore, armed with a telescope, it can be observed best of all. However, only the most powerful telescope can show any details. The planet Neptune is not visible to the naked eye.
16 of September - Full moon at 22:05. Penumbral moon eclipse at 21:55. Refers to 147 Sarosu number 9 out of 71 eclipses in the series. Best of all, this eclipse can be observed in Europe, Russia, Africa, Asia, Australia. AT total the eclipse will last 3 hours 59 minutes.
September 22nd - Autumn equinox at 17:21. Day equals night. It is the first day of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of spring in the Southern Hemisphere.
What astronomical phenomena will give us the coming year 2016?Surely he will give abundant food to astrologers: how - not only is it a leap year, but exactly on February 29, the connection with the Sun of the most distant official planet solar system- Ignorant...
And also Saturn, which all year not only moves along the "non-zodiacal" constellation of Ophiuchus (horror :-)), but also reaches the maximum opening of its ring! But seriously, at least one noticeable and rare astronomical event awaits us - the passage of Mercury across the disk of the Sun on the day off May 9! But first things first: Eclipses:
With eclipses in 2016, we simply will not be lucky. Unlike the previous year, five eclipses will occur in the coming year: two solar(March 09 and September 01) and three lunar(March 23, August 18 and September 16).
It should be noted right away that all lunar eclipses will be only penumbral, so there are no special hopes for spectacular images in 2016... Just like with solar eclipses, both (except for very small phases of the first in the Far East itself) are inaccessible to observations from territory of Russia:
Solar eclipses:
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Fig.1 Scheme of the eclipse on March 9, 2016 |
Fig.2 Scheme of the eclipse on September 1, 2016 |
The second solar eclipse on September 1 will be an annular, with a maximum phase of 0.974 and a duration of up to 03m06s. And its central strip will pass through the African continent (a good reason to go to Madagascar ;-)... - see Figure 2.
Lunar eclipses:
First Lunar Eclipse March 23 will be penumbral and will last from 09:38 to 13:56 UT. During the eclipse, the Moon will pass to the north of the earth's shadow - see Fig.3.
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Fig.3 Scheme of the eclipse on March 23, 2016 |
Fig.4 Scheme of the eclipse on August 18, 2016 |
Fig.5 Scheme of the eclipse on September 16, 2016 |
The next immersion of the moon in the earth's penumbra will occur August 18, but in fact it will be practically touching - the Moon will pass along the outermost parts of the penumbra from 09:30 to 09:56 UT. So absolutely no change in the appearance of the moon is even expected. It is interesting that on many astrosites this eclipse is not even mentioned - Fig.4...
And finally third lunar eclipse of the year - September 16. Again, only penumbral, but this time fully accessible for observations from Russia - Fig.5.
In these diagrams, everything is "on the contrary" - the dark gray areas are where the Sun shines. And white and light gray are the zones of visibility of the eclipse.
Transit of Mercury across the disk of the Sun:
We've been waiting again!
The next passage of Mercury across the disk of the Sun will occur on a holiday (day off) for Russians - May 9, 2016 (10 years after the previous November 8, 2006).
And although the planet itself is moving faster than Venus, but the distance to it is greater. Therefore, the total duration of the phenomenon will reach 7.5 hours (from 11h12.5m to 18h42.7m UT)! During this time, gaps are likely even in cloudy weather, so be sure to watch!
The phenomenon will be fully accessible to observers from the most western parts Russia (the farther to the east - the worse, in some places the Sun will already have time to go beyond the horizon - see details in planetarium programs or on the net). moving on reverse movement, Mercury will pass across the solar disk from left to right, slightly south of its center (see figure).
Note that the Russians will have another chance to see Mercury on the solar disk only in November 2032 (not counting those who will be able to get to the Atlantic in 2019)... Coatings:
Part by part occultations of stars and planets by the Moon, the coming year will give earthlings several coverings of bright planets.
There will be two occultations of Venus: April 6 in western Africa (for Russians in the daytime sky - from western borders to Baikal) and September 3, when inhabitants of the vicinity of Baikal will already in the best conditions!
The next episode will start on June 3rd. occultations of Mercury(03.06; 04.08; 29.09). And from July 9 - a series occultations of Jupiter(09.07; 06.08; 02.09; 30.09), but all these coatings are not visible from Russia...
The only thing we can try to observe is another series occultations of Neptune(for the first time since 2008). So, coverage on June 25 will be able to see residents of the west of the European part of Russia; July 23 (USA); August 19 - D.Vostok; September 15 - again the European part of Russia; October 13 - the very Far East and Alaska; November 9 - to the west and north of Lake Baikal; On December 6, the east of the USA and Greenland... Note that Neptune with a magnitude of about 7m is far from being a gift. All the moon-covered stars in our monthly calendars are much brighter...
In 2016 the series of occultations by the Moon will continue main star constellation Taurus - Aldebaran(and surrounding stars open cluster Hyades). However, compared to last year, only two out of 13 Aldebaran occultations out of 13 can be seen from the territory of Russia in the dark sky: May 8 (in the Far East) and November 15 (south of Middle Asia, Siberia and Far East)...
For more experienced observers, the page on which I once again collected the most interesting occultations of distant stars by asteroids(calculated shadows from which will pass through the territory of our country)
And if you came here already in 2016 - try to look at the USNO Astronomical Almanac coverage page - many online services open only from the beginning of the year. Major planets:
Ephemerides of the main planets of the solar system are available from a special page.
For our northern latitudes, the conditions for observing planets in 2016 can hardly be called favorable. The thing is that among the three "kings of the night sky": Jupiter, Saturn and Mars, only Jupiter(the conditions of observation of which are also deteriorating every year). Throughout the season, the planet moves through the constellations Leo and Virgo, passing the opposition point on March 8 (magnitude -2.5m and an angular diameter of more than 44"), and the line celestial equator- at the end of September. We can say that since the fall of 2016, everything outer planets will be best seen from the southern hemisphere of the Earth.
But we are waiting for another Mars opposition, which will occur on May 22 in the constellation of Scorpio. In another week, on May 31, the distance between Earth and Mars will be minimal and equal to 0.503 a.e. In this case, the brightness of the planet will reach -2.1m, and its angular diameter will be the largest in a year - 18.6". It is a pity that even maximum height Mars above the horizon in our latitudes will never exceed 15 degrees ...
The same can be said about Saturn, whose confrontation will take place on June 3 ( southern part Ophiuchus), and the apparent diameter of the planet will be close to the "Martian" - 18.44 ". Only the famous rings of Saturn save the situation, opened so wide that they completely cover the southern edge of the planet's disk and even protrude slightly above the northern one (their size will reach almost 40").
On the morning of January 9 just 5 arc minutes north of Saturn will pass a beauty Venus(36° elnagation), for which the coming year is also not sugar for observations (in the sense that the maximum morning elongation of Venus was on October 26 last year, and the maximum evening elongation will come only on January 12, 2017)...
Mercury always difficult to observe. But this year we will have a rare opportunity to see it directly against the Sun (see above)! Minor planets
You can find ephemerides of the brightest minor planets (asteroids) in my monthly calendars.
AT previous years I constantly referred to my special page, where you can clearly see the light curves (and not only) of the first hundred asteroids from 2005 to the beginning of 2016. Unfortunately, there is neither the strength nor the means to continue this work - therefore the only way out- turn to the help of the network... Search by keywords"minor planets at unusually favorable elongations 2016" - at least in last years such articles-lists were published in the Minor Planet Bulletin ... There you can also get a lot of other useful information, including "approaches of minor planets with deep-sky objects". It is worth looking at the server of the Association of Moon and Planetary Observers (ALPO) ...
The only alternative would be my special selection of "non-setting asteroids" for 2016. In the sense that amateurs with CCDs (especially in cooperation) can "in just a couple of nights" get scientifically significant results(light curve = period of rotation of the asteroid around its own axis). Comets:
Comets in the coming year will not be very good, but not very bad either. And here's what we already know:
At the beginning of the year, a comet can reach magnitude 5, discovered back in 2013 during a survey of the sky at the American station Catalina (comet Catalina C/2013 US10). It can be noted that this comet in January quickly makes its way to north pole of the world and remains beyond the horizon until the end of its visibility in amateur telescopes (Lizard, Perseus, Charioteer) ...
In early March, a comet can exceed magnitude 10 P/Ikeya-Murakami (P/2010 V1) and also in the night sky not far from the "Lion's head".
In May-June, a comet can "flare up" in the morning sky up to 6-7 magnitudes PANSTARRS (C/2013X1). True, for this comet, observers from the southern hemisphere of the Earth will find themselves in more favorable conditions.
In November - December another comet PANSTARRS (C/2015 O1) promises to get closer to 8m (chanterelle and swan). But this comet will reach its maximum brightness (about 6.5m) only in mid-February 2017 ... And one more old friend - the comet Honda-Mrkos-Paidusakova (45Р)- at the very end of the year, it can also flare up to 6-7 magnitudes low in the New Year's evening dawn.
Accurately predicting the brightness of comets in advance is a very unfavorable occupation. So let's wait and see! New and supernovae:
Outbursts of New Stars in our Galaxy occur several times a year and in recent times Quite often they are discovered by amateur astronomers. Mostly photographically, and often with very modest means (even ordinary digital cameras). Accurate forecasts here simply cannot be. But, to keep abreast of events - I advise
The main astronomical events of 2016:
1 Mars Opposition
In addition to other unforgettable celestial events in 2016, the opposition of Mars, which will take place on May 22 (the Red Planet will be in the constellation of Scorpio), may be the brightest. Already on May 31, Mars will be at a distance of 0.503 AU. (in the constellation Libra) from us, which is half the distance from the Sun to the Earth. That is why astronomy lovers should arm themselves with telescopes - at this time it will be possible to observe interesting details of the Martian surface. This opposition will be the last before the Great opposition of Mars in 2018, the last Great opposition occurred in 2003, Mars was on minimum distance from the Earth - 0.37 a.u. On average, oppositions of Mars occur approximately once every 780 days, Great - once every 15 years.
2. Transit of Mercury across the disk of the Sun
On May 9, for the first time in 10 years, an astronomical transit of Mercury will take place. Its tiny silhouette will move across the solar disk for about 7 hours - from 14:12 Moscow time to 21:42 Moscow time. Mercury will pass across the disk from left to right, south of the center. With favorable weather conditions the passage can be observed from most of the Americas and Western Europe, as well as partly from most of the countries of Africa and Asia. AT East Asia and Australia will not be able to see it, because at that time it will be night there. Mercury will cover only 1/150 of the solar disk. Safe observation of the event will require a telescope equipped with a solar filter. As for Russia, it will be possible to observe the phenomenon from western regions countries, but the farther to the east, the more difficult, since the Sun in some places will have time to go below the horizon.
3. Total solar eclipse
On March 9, there will be a total solar eclipse - the moon will completely close solar disk from an observer on earth. The full phase will last approximately 4 minutes and 9 seconds and will be visible in South-East Asia, Indonesia and the Western Pacific. A partial eclipse, when the Sun is visible, can be seen for much greater territory, including Asia, Oceania and Australia. Unfortunately, the eclipse will not be visible in Moscow, however, minor phases can be seen in Primorye, Sakhalin, Kamchatka and Chukotka.
The second solar eclipse of the year will be annular, it will take place on September 1 - visually, the Moon will pass over the disk of the Sun, but will be much smaller in diameter, and will not be able to completely cover it. The eclipse will be observed in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans and in Central Africa and also in Madagascar. The duration will be 3 minutes and 6 seconds. In Russia, even some phases of the eclipse will not be visible.
4. Supermoon
This phenomenon occurs when a full moon or a new moon is accompanied by perigee - the closest approach of the Moon and Earth. On November 14, the distance between the satellite and our planet will be 356,511 kilometers. This will make the Moon appear larger than usual from Earth.
On March 23 and September 16, penumbral lunar eclipses will occur, when there is penumbra around the cone of the Earth's shadow, where the Earth partially obscures the Sun, and the Moon passes through this area, but does not enter the shadow. The brightness of the moon will decrease, but only slightly. For example, during the eclipse on March 23, a slight darkening of the southern edge of the Moon's disk can be observed with the naked eye, the phenomenon can be seen from the territory of Russia. The eclipse on September 16 will also be visible, but this time the eclipse will be on the northern edge of the disk.
5. Eta Aquarids
This year, many meteor showers will not be easy to observe due to the light of the moon, but this is not the case for the Eta Aquarids (May Aquarids) shower. On the night of May 6-7, up to 60 meteors per hour can be seen in the Southern Hemisphere, up to 30 in the Northern Hemisphere. The stream is associated with Halley's comet, its radiant is in the constellation Aquarius. This year, the peak of rain activity will coincide with the new moon, so the sky will be dark enough that observers who are in the unlit zone can fully enjoy the splendor of the meteor shower.
6. Space trio
On the night of August 23 and 24, Mars, Saturn and Antares, brightest star constellations Scorpio will meet in the night sky, practically lining up in one vertical line in the southwestern sky. Especially interesting will be the combination of orange-red shades of Mars and Antares.
7. Date of Venus and Jupiter
On August 27, two of the most bright object(besides the Sun and Moon) - Venus and Jupiter. The conjunction will be observed at dusk, in the lower part of the sky in the west. celestial bodies will be only 10 arc minutes apart, which is equivalent to 1/3 of the diameter of the lunar disk in the sky.
8. Mars and Laguna
On September 28, Mars and the Lagoon Nebula, located 4,000 light-years away, will be only one degree apart, making it an excellent opportunity to observe with binoculars or a telescope.
