[meteorite-list] OT: lunar occultation + Geminids + ISS

From: Matson, Robert <ROBERT.D.MATSON_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:37:34 2004
Message-ID: <AF564D2B9D91D411B9FE00508BF1C8692C5D6A_at_US-Torrance.mail.saic.com>

Hi All,

Off-topic astronomy post for tonite, December 12-13. According
to the Sky & Telescope site, observers throughout North America
can see the 3.5-magnitude star, Wasat (delta Geminorum), emerge
from behind the Moon's dark limb (what little of it there is).
The event occurs at the following times, cities being grouped
by standard time zone. The Moon will be fairly high up
everywhere except Hawaii.

EST: Atlanta, GA, 2:56 a.m.; Boston, MA, 3:34; Buffalo, NY, 3:20;
     Charlotte, NC, 3:10; Columbus, OH, 3:12; Detroit, MI, 3:13;
     Indianapolis, IN, 3:05; Montreal, PQ, 3:28; New York, NY, 3:29;
     Ottawa, ON, 3:25; Philadelphia, PA, 3:27; Pittsburgh, PA, 3:18;
     Quebec City, PQ, 3:30; Richmond, VA, 3:21; Toronto, ON, 3:19;
     Washington, DC, 3:23.

CST: Chicago, IL, 2:04 a.m.; Dallas, TX, 1:22; 1:47; Memphis, TN, 1:47;
     Milwaukee, WI, 2:04; Minneapolis, MN, 1:55; Nashville, TN, 1:58;
     Oklahoma City, OK, 1:32; Omaha, NE, 1:47; Regina, SK, 1:39;
     Saskatoon, SK, 1:36; St. Louis, MO, 1:55.

MST: Albuquerque, NM, 12:16 a.m.; Calgary, AB, 12:26; Denver, CO,
     12:29; Edmonton, AB, 12:28; El Paso, TX, 12:02; Phoenix, AZ, 12:03;
     Tucson, AZ, 12:00.

PST: Fresno, CA, 11:03 p.m.; Long Beach, CA, 10:58; Los Angeles, CA,
     10:59; Portland, OR, 11:12; San Francisco, CA, 11:02;
     Seattle, WA, 11:14; Vancouver, BC, 11:14.

For southern California, the star will "wink-on" at about the
2 o'clock position of the moon's disk (where 6 o'clock is closest
to the horizon, 12 o'clock is closest to zenith, and 3 o'clock is
the right edge). For Phoenix and Albuquerque, the wink-on
location is closer to the 2:30 clock position.

The Geminid meteor shower also peaks tonite, though the one-day-
past-full moon will clearly interfere with the view.

There will also be a terrific pass of the International Space
Station tonite for the southwestern U.S. In the Phoenix area,
look for the station to rise out of the west-southwest around
6:04pm MST. By 6:05, the station will be due west and 45 degrees
above the horizon; 30 seconds later it passes under Deneb, one
of the three bright stars of the Summer Triangle. Culmination
is nearly 60 degrees above the NW horizon at 6:05:40, though
the station will continue to be bright for several more minutes.
The station will finally slip into the earth's shadow at 6:08:30pm,
about 15 degrees to the lower left of Capella.

You should be able to notice I slight orange color to the space
station, particularly in the earlier portion of the trajectory.
As it moves into the north-northeast, the orange may give way
to a more yellow or white color.

This same pass is visible from the L.A. area, though the sun will
only be a few degrees below the horizon, so spotting it will be
more difficult. Find Venus low in the southwest to use as a
reference -- ISS will be pass about 5 degrees to its left at
5:03:15pm PST as it rises out of the southwest. About 5:04:40,
the station will be due south, more than 60 degrees above the
horizon and still rising. Peak elevation occurs at 5:05 in
the southeast; ISS passes between Capella and Jupiter at around
5:07pm.

Cheers,
Rob
Received on Tue 12 Dec 2000 05:53:08 PM PST