Saturn

Moon almost full (illumination 94.1%) and a clear night. With Saturn nearing opposition it was a good time to spend some time observing the ringed planet. The view was sharp. Using a 6mm eyepiece (Mag x200) the Cassini division was easily visible and I believe I could see the C ring against the dark background. The moons were visible, Titan, Rhea, Tethys and Dione. Unfortunately, I still couldn't see Enceladus. The cloud band around the South temperate area and the darker polar region were also very visible.

I also viewed the Moon. It was 11.71 days old. The best areas were around Aristarchus especially the Vallis Schroter which stood out like a bright twisting line. In the South the crater Shickard was lit nicely and Nasmyth/Phocylides gave an interesting effect of light and darkness.

As I was dismantling my setup, I saw a bright meteor travelling some 40 degrees across the sky. I would say about magnitude 1 with a yellow tail moving relatively slowly from the direction of Betelgeuse towards Gamma Canis Majoris. It must have been bright to be visible in spite of the bright moonlight.

Ephemeris

Today being my birthday, I am comparing the positions of the solar system bodies today with those on the day I was born.

___________________Then________________ Now________
______________RA_______ Dec_______ RA________Dec___
Sun_______ 20:45:04 -18°03'13" 20:46:31 -17°57'30"
Moon______ 12:29:18 - 4°33'28" 05:37:03 +27°45'36"
Mercury___ 20:02:28 -22°11'51" 21:46:36 -14°43'08"
Venus_____ 22:01:53 -13°42'35" 22:17:03 -12°19'17"
Mars______ 03:29:04 +20°59'57" 18:40:47 -23°43'34"
Jupiter___ 15:46:10 -18°53'18" 16:49:08 -21°44'25"
Saturn____ 18:11:25 -22°28'39" 09:41:39 +15°11'04"
Uranus____ 09:08:56 +17°08'53" 22:57:33 - 7°27'34"
Neptune___ 14:20:45 -12°09'44" 21:26:27 -15°18'28"
Pluto_____ 10:40:47 +21°32'45" 17:51:39 -16°32'56"

Obviously the Sun is pretty much in the same position, but Venus is pretty close as is Jupiter. Pluto and Neptune are, of course, slow movers and have only moved just over 7 hrs of RA. I am including Pluto since it was considered a planet at the time. (ephemeris from ephemeris.com)

Gemini and the Eskimo Nebula

Tonight was clear and with an 18% moon setting early I decided to have a look at the heavens. Taking a hint from this month's Sky at Night magazine, I looked for NGC 2392, the Eskimo Nebula. I prepared a chart of the area around delta Geminorum with Cartes du Ciel and started starhopping. First I easily found delta Geminorum (Wasat), a double with the fainter K star just visible off the much brighter F star. This was seen better at lower magnification since under the viewing conditions the star was blurred when highly magnified. Below delta is 63 Geminorum and below that, plainly visible is the Eskimo, a planetary nebula. This is bright as far as planetaries go. The centre is bright and surrounded by the haze of the nebula which to me looked greenish. There is a star close by.

Once in Gemini I took a quick look at Castor, a fine white double. I also observed the M35, a magnificent open cluster with myriad stars.

Once out observing I tried for the M46 and 47. For the first time I believe I could just make out NGC 2438, the planetary nebula in the M46. I also viewed the M1 Crab Nebula, M42, M43, the M44 Beehive and finished off with the Saturn. To the West of the planet first was Tethys with Dione to its South, then Titan and Iapetus furthest out. Rhea lay to the East.

Overall a good evening's observing.

Rho Geminid

I only had a chance to view the sky for a brief moment last night but I was lucky to see this meteor which zipped between Alphard and Saturn from the direction of Gemini. Tracing it back to its possible radiant I believe it was a Rho Geminid (visible from end of December to the end of January peaking on 8th January). It was about magnitude +2.5 and had no tail.

The Little Dumbbell

One of the few Messiers I had never observed was M76, the Little Dumbbell Nebula (also called Cork, Butterfly or Barbell Nebula). Tonight I made my first attempt to find it. It was actually easier than I had anticipated. I starhopped from the Perseus Double Cluster, on to Phi Persei. The nebula is nearby. Although a faint planetary nebula, I could see its ghostly shape especially through averted vision.

Other targets for the night were M79, the globular cluster in Lepus, I couldn't resolve any stars though, and the M78 reflection nebula in Orion.

Saturn always deserves a look. The moons were arranged with Titan on the outside to the West, Dione between Titan and the planet, Iapetus to the East, Rhea to the North and Tethys to the South West. Enceladus continues to elude me. The clouds then rolled in at about 22:30 and I had to turn in.

Seeing Canopus

One of my astronomical resolutions was to observe Canopus (Alpha Carinae). The problem is that from my latitude (35.91N) this star with declination 52.696S never rises more than 1.39 degrees above the horizon. Yesterday was a clear night, although the humidity was somewhat high. I climbed up to the highest point in my house looking South at about 22:45 which was the moment of culmination according to my computer and planisphere. I actually managed to see Canopus as it was bright enough to pierce the orange glow close to the horizon. I watched it for some time to make sure it was not a light on a tall pole or a landing aircraft. It did however move in the expected path and was exactly in the predicted position so it could not have been anything other than this elusive star, the second brightest star in the night sky after Sirius. This observation was also my first view of the constellation Carina.

Comet McNaught

The last few evenings were disappointing as thick cloud obscured the western horizon. I had given up ever seeing this comet. Today my hopes were raised as the day was much clearer with some light cloud. When sunset came the zenith was clear but disappointingly there were these dark clouds low to the West covering some 60% of the lower 10 degrees. I had taken my binoculars to work as the view to the West from my office window is unobstructed. After some moments of panic as the light ebbed with the comet hidden by cloud, I suddenly spotted it. It dodged the clouds as I followed it until it disappeared behind some low hills. It was bright. Through 16x50 binoculars I could see it and its tail in the orange sunset glow even though it was only half a degree above the horizon.

This was the first naked eye comet I have seen since the unforgetable Hale Bopp of ten years ago. Simply amazing.

Open Clusters

Tonight, before moonrise I resolved to observe the open clusters in the vicinity of Canis Major. I set up the scope and started off with an observation of the M42/43 in Orion. I couldn't miss that, could I. I then went for the M41. This is very easy to find just below Sirius. A fine cluster with some orange stars.

I then went into Monoceros and tried the Rosette Nebula with its cluster NGC 2237-2239. This I found after starhopping from Betelgeuse. Nearby is the interesting Plaskett's Star. I believe I idenified it. However, I couldn't resolve the binary. Not surprising since I later found out it is a spectroscopic double. It is one of the most massive known binary systems. Just North of this is one of my favourites, the seasonal Chrismas Tree Cluster NGC 2264. Easy to find and identify. Its shape really does look like a conifer with a very bright star at the base. Starting again fron Sirius I then found the M50.

Another nearby constellation is Puppis. Here my main target was the M93 which I had never observed. Since this area is low on the horizon and washed in light pollution I had some problems identifying stars among the great number in the Milky Way. I eventually found rho Puppis and found the M93 from there. Strangely my "Atlas of the Night Sky" lists it as a globular. However it looks nothing like that and has two fine orange stars at one side. In fact, www.seds.org lists it as an open cluster. North of the M93 lie two nearby and very different open clusters. The M47 which is a bright collection of stars and the M46 which is much fainter but with many more stars. I have never managed to see the planetary nebula in this latter cluster. These two clusters are easy to find also starting from Sirius.

I couldn't avoid finishing the evening with a view of Saturn. The moons were arranged with, to the West, Titan the furthest out, Rhea and Iapetus closer in and Tethys closest to the rings. Dione was on the East side also close to the rings.