Podaster: Shane and Chris
Title: The Observer’s Calendar for April 2024
Organization: Actual Astronomy
Link : https://actualastronomy.podbean.com/ ; https://www.deepskyeye.com/
Description: The Actual Astronomy Podcast presents The Observer’s Calendar for April 2024. In this episode we’ll talk about the possible Nova of T-Corona Borealis, Mars, Saturn and Moon forming a Triangle in the Eastern Sky, the April 8th Solar Eclipse. Chris and Shane also discuss the Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks but since recording both have viewed it in binoculars.
Bio: Shane and Chris are amateur astronomers who enjoy teaching astronomy classes and performing outreach where they help the eyes of the public to telescope eyepieces.
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Transcript:
The Observer’s Calendar for April 2024 on Episode 414 of the Actual Astronomy podcast. I’m Chris and joining me is Shane. We are amateur astronomers who love looking up at the night sky and this podcast is for everyone who enjoys going out under the stars.
- Did you get any more testing done with the 90FL?
- Shout out to wade
- Listeners please send us in your Spring observing plans
Email from Michael:
Hi guys,
Just finished episode #410. I am getting more into observing planetary nebulae lately. Back when I only had my 4.5 inch newtonian I neglected them as I maxed out at 120x and didn’t have access to filters due to the 0.965 inch eyepiece barrels. I just didn’t think it was worth it to try for them when most would be too small to see any detail if I was even able to differentiate them from stars. The only ones I observed back then were the Messiers, the Helix, the Collarbone Nebula in Orion, the Skull Nebula in Cetus, the Ghost of Jupiter in Hydra and the Cat’s Eye in Draco. I tried for a few others but got really frustrated. Looking forward to overcoming that with the 12 inch and filters this year.
My spring Observing project is to get through all of the Ursa Major galaxy targets on the RASC Finest NGC list, in addition to a few others highlighted in O’Meara and Sue French’s books. I started this project last year but the spring had a lot of smokey skies when there were clear nights so I didn’t get through everything I wanted to and should probably re-observe the ones I did tackle, like the Tiger’s Eye Galaxy, the Helix Galaxy, the Phantom Frisbee and the Bow and Arrow Galaxy.
At least the supernova in M101 was visible even when the smoke made the spiral arms of the galaxy barely visible (if I could see them at all).
Here’s hoping for a good run of clear skies before wildfire season begins again!
Michael
Bill sent a couple notes, one on using a seed starter as a warmer for eating eyepieces, Alister suggested a lizard warmer, Marc a heating pad…Bill also sent a note with Some sketches
- T-Corona Borealis possible to go Nova this Spring or Summer based on it’s pre-Nova cycle at this time last year.
- From a Nasa Article that stirred much media attention.
- A star system, located 3,000 light-years away from Earth, is predicted to become visible to the unaided eye soon. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime viewing opportunity as the nova ouburst only occurs about every 80 years. T Coronae Borealis, or T CrB, last exploded in 1946 and astronomers believe it will do so again between February and September 2024.
April 1 – Zodiacal light visible in West for next 2 weeks.
April 2 – Last quarter Moon
April 6 – Mars, Saturn and Moon form a Triangle in East at dawn
April 7- International Dark Sky Week
April 8 – Total Solar Eclipse
April 10 – Jupiter and Uranus 4-degrees below the Moon this evening
April 11 – Morning Mars, Saturn Pleiades – 0.5 degrees for somewhere…I think they are farther here.
April 15 – First Quarter Moon – Lunar X visible Near Crater Werner for all of North America
April 16- Lunar Straight Wall visible
April 19 & 20 – Jupiter and Uranus 0.5 degrees apart.
April 22 – Lyrid Meteor Shower is spoiled by the Full Moon on the 23rd
Photo Source: https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fzqdd9jxvqpqc1.jpeg
Concluding Listener Message: Please subscribe and share the show with other stargazers you know and send us show ideas, observations and questions to actualastronomy@gmail.com
End of podcast:
365 Days of Astronomy
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