What’s Up – Bath Astronomers

What are we up to?

Jul15

Getting to Grips with the Night Sky: Introduction to astronomy

15 JulZoom web meeting

A talk on the night sky, how to get more involved in stargazing and ideas for enjoying astronomy. All are welcome from beginners upwards. It is intended to show you the simple science of the night skies above your head and how that knowledge can help you observe. You'll need to download the Zoom app onto your computer to get involved. Do this well beforehand and check you're happy your speakers and microphone work ok. You can join the meeting with the following link: https://zoom.us/j/3212071969?pwd=N2NXNVpIRWRnWlBka2w0WjluUlFNQT09 Please consider a donation to the Society or joining to help us cover the costs of running these events. Credit: NASA, Juno

Sep16

Getting to Grips with the Night Sky: Introduction to astronomy

16 SepZoom web meeting

A talk on the night sky, how to get more involved in stargazing and ideas for enjoying astronomy. All are welcome from beginners upwards. It is intended to show you the simple science of the night skies above your head and how that knowledge can help you observe. You'll need to download the Zoom app onto your computer to get involved. Do this well beforehand and check you're happy your speakers and microphone work ok. We'll make the link available for the session in early September Please consider a donation to the Society or joining to help us cover the costs of running these events. Credit: NASA, Juno

Sep30

Talk by Mark Radice, Observing the Planets

30 SepHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Wednesday 30th September – Monthly meeting. A talk by Mark Radice on observing the planets. Bath Astronomers monthly meeting for all members and new comers to meet up, enjoy perhaps a new topic and a cup of tea and a biscuit. Held on the last Wednesday of every month at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street. The format is open and comprises an update for the month and a talk on an astronomy topic within the reach of amateurs. All visitors welcome and there is a charge of £5. Reduced to £2 for juniors, students or William Herschel Society members. Bath Astronomers members get free entry. Picture: Mark Radice

Oct28

Talk by Stephen Tonkin, Two Eyes are Better than One

28 OctHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Wednesday 28th October – Monthly meeting. A talk by Stephen Tonkin on binocular astronomy. Two Eyes are Better than One. Steve Tonkin has been an amateur astronomer since childhood and now spends most of his time doing astronomical outreach; he leads public observing sessions at BBC Stargazing Live events. He has taught astronomy to adults and children for over 35 years and has authored many articles and several books on practical aspects of astronomy. He writes equipment reviews and a monthly Binocular Tour for BBC Sky at Night magazine. Steve is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, a past-chairman of the Wessex Astronomical Society and a founder member of Fordingbridge Astronomers. Bath Astronomers monthly meeting for all members and new comers to meet up, enjoy perhaps a new topic and a cup of tea and a biscuit. Held on the last Wednesday of every month at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street. The format is open and comprises an update for the month and a talk on an astronomy topic within the reach of amateurs. All visitors welcome and there is a charge of £5. Reduced to £2 for juniors, students or William Herschel Society members. Bath Astronomers members get free entry. Picture: Stephen Tonkin

Nov18

Getting to Grips with the Night Sky: Introduction to astronomy

18 NovHerschel Museum of Astronomy

A talk on the night sky, how to get more involved in stargazing and ideas for enjoying astronomy. All are welcome from beginners upwards. It is intended to show you the simple science of the night skies above your head and how that knowledge can help you observe. The location for the talk if the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street, Bath. BA1 2BL. There is a charge of £5 per head for adults. Accompanied young people can attend for free. For those that decide to join Bath Astronomers by end of November, the £5 will be deducted from the membership subscription payment due. Credit: NASA, Juno

Nov23

Moon/Planet viewing with Bath Astronomers

23 NovHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Monday 23 November, 6pm to 9pm Evening observing session from the house and garden of 18th century brother and sister astronomers William and Caroline Herschel. The Planet Uranus was discovered from the garden in 1781, by William. Generously supported by volunteers from Bath Astronomers.

Nov25

A Life on Mars. Talk by Bud Martin

25 NovHerschel Museum of Astronomy

A Life On Mars by Bud Martin We take a look at the personalities, speculations and theories that have contributed to our changing views of the Red Planet over the last 150 years. From the sublime to the ridiculous, we examine what it takes to visit our near neighbour. About Bud Bud first became interested in astronomy at 8 years old after seeing a bright meteor flash across the night sky. Determined to learn more, he avidly read all the astronomy books in the local Public Library then set about making his first telescope from spectacle lenses and cardboard tubes. At the same time, he developed a love for music and by the age of 13 had made his own electric guitar. Nearly 60 years later, Bud is still performing at gigs on his equally old Gibson 345. Astigmatism in his right (dominant) eye began to make observation at the telescope eyepiece a troublesome experience so Bud developed a system using a modified web-cam to view the heavens. Naturally, this paved the way to enable him to capture the images he was seeing on the computer screen. Constantly improving camera sensor technology meant that before long he was seeing objects – especially on the Lunar surface – in such detail impossible with his naked eye. Bud is an internationally published Lunar Astrophotographer. The event: Bath Astronomers monthly meeting for all members and new comers to meet up, enjoy perhaps a new topic and a cup of tea and a biscuit. Held on the last Wednesday of every month at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street. Bath Astronomers' members and under 18s enter for free. All visitors welcome and there is an entry charge of £5. Reduced to £2 for Herschel Society members and students. Picture: Bud Martin

Dec17

Evening Astronomy

17 DecHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Thursday 17 December, 8pm to 11pm Evening observing session from the house and garden of 18th century brother and sister astronomers William and Caroline Herschel. The planet Uranus was discovered from the garden here, by William, in 1781. Generously supported by volunteers from Bath Astronomers

Jan27

Talk by Nick Howes, Oh My God, We're all gonna die

27 JanHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Wednesday 27th January – Monthly meeting. Nick Howes has sixteen years' experience working at the cutting edge of Research and Development. Formerly Deputy Director of Kielder Observatory, Sci-Comms for ESA, software development for the SKA Telescope, and Pro-Am Programme Manager for the Faulkes Telescopes, helping to discover dozens of new asteroids. Nick is both a fellow of the BIS and of the Royal Astronomical Society, and works now as the Lead Specialist for BMT's Space R&D team. BMT Defence and Security were the architectural design team behind the QEC Aircraft Carrier, and have offices all over the world, including Bath. His Talk "Oh My God...We're all gonna die" takes us through the perceived threats in space, and hones in on the ones that could truly change the face of our planet forever. Bath Astronomers monthly meeting for all members and new comers to meet up, enjoy perhaps a new topic and a cup of tea and a biscuit. Held on the last Wednesday of every month at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street. The format is open and comprises an update for the month and a talk on an astronomy topic within the reach of amateurs. All visitors welcome and there is a charge of £5. Reduced to £2 for juniors, students or William Herschel Society members. Bath Astronomers members get free entry. Picture: Nick Howes

Mar31

Talk by Pete Williamson FRAS

31 MarHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Wednesday 31st March – Monthly meeting. Topic to be confirmed: Observing the Moon, or From Herschel to Hawkwind Bath Astronomers monthly meeting for all members and new comers to meet up, enjoy perhaps a new topic and a cup of tea and a biscuit. Held on the last Wednesday of every month at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street. The format is open and comprises an update for the month and a talk on an astronomy topic within the reach of amateurs. All visitors welcome and there is a charge of £5. Reduced to £2 for juniors, students or William Herschel Society members. Bath Astronomers members get free entry. Picture: Peter Williamson

Jun30

Talk by Chris Starr, Cassini and Saturn

30 JunHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Wednesday 30th June – Monthly meeting. Bath Astronomers monthly meeting for all members and new comers to meet up, enjoy perhaps a new topic and a cup of tea and a biscuit. Held on the last Wednesday of every month at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street. The format is open and comprises an update for the month and a talk on an astronomy topic within the reach of amateurs. All visitors welcome and there is a charge of £5 which helps cover the cost of the venue. Reduced to £2 for juniors, students or Bath Astronomers members. Picture: Simon Holbeche

The Moon

Waning Gibbous (Illumination: 94.5%)
Age: 17.00 days (Phase: 57.6%)
Size: 30.5' (Distance: 392,167km)
Moon rise: 22:19
Moon set: 06:09

New Moon	First Quarter	Full Moon	Last Quarter
Sun 21 Jun	Sun 28 Jun	Sun 5 Jul	Sun 12 Jul
Mon 20 Jul	Mon 27 Jul	Mon 3 Aug	Tue 11 Aug
Wed 19 Aug	Tue 25 Aug	Wed 2 Sep	Thu 10 Sep
Thu 17 Sep	Thu 24 Sep	Thu 1 Oct	Sat 10 Oct

The Sun

Sunset: 20:26
End twilight:
Begin twilight:
Sunrise: 04:03

Current Meteor Showers

Shower	Start	Peak	End	ZHR
Alpha Capricornids	3 Jul	30 Jul	15 Aug	5

Step by: Mode:
North latitude East longitude
DSOs Star names Constellation lines Constellation labels

Reproduced and extended by permission of Ernie Wright under GNU

The Planets

Planet	Rises	Sets	Constellation	Disk Size	Sun separation
Mercury	Tuesday 03:53:25	Tuesday 19:12:44	Gem	11.3" (86%)	9.9°
Venus	Tuesday 02:00:34	Tuesday 17:07:06	Tau	39.1" (62%)	37.8°
Mars	Monday 23:34:53	Tuesday 11:29:34	Psc	11.9" (47%)	100.1°
Jupiter	Tuesday 20:41:52	Wednesday 04:45:49	Sgr	46.5" (94%)	173.2°
Saturn	Tuesday 21:00:14	Wednesday 05:21:21	Sgr	17.8" (89%)	166.7°
Uranus	Tuesday 00:21:35	Tuesday 14:53:58	Ari	3.5" (85%)	65.3°
Neptune	Monday 22:57:13	Tuesday 10:13:25	Aqr	2.3" (103%)	114.4°

Rise and Set times are with respect to Bath, UK. (%) indicates size compared to maximum possible. As Separation with the Sun approaches 0°, we have Conjunction. As it approaches 180°, we have Opposition. Planets will not be visible between Sunrise(04:01) and Sunset(20:28)

Messier objects due South now

Messier	Name	Type	Magnitude	Constellation
M1	Crab Nebula	Planetary Nebula	8.4	Taurus
M36	NGC1960	Open Cluster	6	Auriga
M38	NGC1922	Open Cluster	6.4	Auriga
M42	Great Orion Nebula	Nebula	4	Orion
M43	De Mairan’s Nebula	Nebula	9	Orion
M45	Pleiades	Open Cluster	1.2	Taurus
M79	NGC1904	Globular Cluster	8	Lepus

Click on the Messier number for the finders guide for the deep sky object.

Spot the Space Station from Bath

Date	Mag	Start	Max	End
Wed 08 Jul	-2.4	02:24:37 look SSW alt 33°	47°	02:28:55 look E alt 10°
Wed 08 Jul	-3.1	03:59:07 look W alt 11°	85°	04:05:40 look E alt 11°
Thu 09 Jul	-1.8	01:38:25 look SE alt 34°	34°	01:41:04 look E alt 11°
Thu 09 Jul	-3.0	03:11:29 look W alt 11°	88°	03:18:03 look E alt 11°
Fri 10 Jul	-1.0	00:51:57 look ESE alt 20°	20°	00:53:14 look E alt 11°
Fri 10 Jul	-2.9	02:24:58 look WSW alt 20°	76°	02:30:25 look E alt 11°
Fri 10 Jul	-3.1	04:00:42 look W alt 11°	87°	04:07:15 look E alt 11°
Sat 11 Jul	-0.3	00:05:24 look E alt 11°	11°	00:05:24 look E alt 11°
Sat 11 Jul	-2.7	01:38:28 look SW alt 37°	61°	01:42:49 look E alt 10°
Sat 11 Jul	-3.0	03:13:03 look W alt 11°	83°	03:19:37 look E alt 11°
Sun 12 Jul	-2.3	00:51:43 look S alt 45°	47°	00:55:12 look E alt 10°
Sun 12 Jul	-3.0	02:25:25 look W alt 11°	85°	02:31:58 look E alt 11°
Sun 12 Jul	-3.0	04:02:14 look W alt 11°	71°	04:08:46 look ESE alt 11°
Mon 13 Jul	-1.9	00:04:27 look SSE alt 34°	34°	00:07:21 look E alt 11°
Mon 13 Jul	-2.9	01:37:46 look W alt 11°	88°	01:44:20 look E alt 11°
Mon 13 Jul	-3.0	03:14:36 look W alt 11°	85°	03:21:09 look ESE alt 11°
Mon 13 Jul	-1.4	23:14:07 look SSW alt 10°	25°	23:19:30 look E alt 11°
Tue 14 Jul	-2.9	00:50:09 look WSW alt 11°	76°	00:56:42 look E alt 11°
Tue 14 Jul	-3.0	02:26:58 look W alt 11°	87°	02:33:31 look E alt 11°
Tue 14 Jul	-2.3	04:03:59 look W alt 12°	42°	04:10:07 look SE alt 10°
Tue 14 Jul	-1.0	22:27:17 look S alt 11°	18°	22:31:40 look E alt 11°
Wed 15 Jul	-2.7	00:02:34 look WSW alt 10°	61°	00:09:04 look E alt 10°
Wed 15 Jul	-2.9	01:39:19 look W alt 11°	83°	01:45:52 look E alt 11°
Wed 15 Jul	-2.6	03:16:06 look W alt 10°	56°	03:22:36 look ESE alt 10°
Wed 15 Jul	-2.4	23:15:01 look SW alt 10°	46°	23:21:27 look E alt 10°
Thu 16 Jul	-2.9	00:51:40 look W alt 11°	85°	00:58:13 look E alt 11°
Thu 16 Jul	-2.9	02:28:29 look W alt 11°	72°	02:35:01 look ESE alt 11°
Thu 16 Jul	-1.3	04:05:40 look W alt 11°	22°	04:10:43 look SSE alt 11°
Thu 16 Jul	-1.9	22:27:47 look SW alt 11°	34°	22:33:35 look E alt 11°
Fri 17 Jul	-3.0	00:04:01 look W alt 11°	88°	00:10:34 look E alt 11°
Fri 17 Jul	-2.9	01:40:50 look W alt 11°	85°	01:47:23 look ESE alt 11°
Fri 17 Jul	-1.7	03:17:48 look W alt 11°	31°	03:23:34 look SSE alt 11°

Latest Starlink Satellites - 13th June

Date	Satellite	Rise	Max	Set
Tue 07 Jul	STARLINK-1477	23:16:31 look W alt 10°	64°	23:22:43 look ENE alt 10°
Wed 08 Jul	STARLINK-1477	00:52:29 look WNW alt 10°	81°	00:58:41 look ESE alt 10°
Wed 08 Jul	STARLINK-1477	02:28:29 look W alt 10°	27°	02:30:42 look SW alt 27°
Wed 08 Jul	STARLINK-1477	22:16:24 look W alt 10°	79°	22:22:37 look ENE alt 10°
Wed 08 Jul	STARLINK-1477	23:52:22 look WNW alt 10°	65°	23:58:34 look E alt 10°
Thu 09 Jul	STARLINK-1477	01:28:28 look WNW alt 12°	50°	01:31:32 look S alt 49°
Thu 09 Jul	STARLINK-1477	22:52:14 look W alt 10°	61°	22:58:26 look E alt 10°
Fri 10 Jul	STARLINK-1477	00:28:09 look WNW alt 10°	82°	00:32:48 look ESE alt 27°
Fri 10 Jul	STARLINK-1477	02:04:22 look W alt 10°	13°	02:04:50 look W alt 13°
Fri 10 Jul	STARLINK-1477	23:28:03 look WNW alt 10°	73°	23:34:16 look E alt 10°
Sat 11 Jul	STARLINK-1477	01:04:05 look W alt 11°	33°	01:06:21 look SW alt 33°
Sat 11 Jul	STARLINK-1477	22:27:55 look W alt 10°	62°	22:34:07 look E alt 10°
Sun 12 Jul	STARLINK-1477	00:03:47 look WNW alt 10°	63°	00:07:54 look SE alt 37°
Sun 12 Jul	STARLINK-1477	23:03:42 look WNW alt 10°	86°	23:09:39 look ESE alt 12°
Mon 13 Jul	STARLINK-1477	00:39:56 look W alt 11°	23°	00:41:38 look WSW alt 23°
Mon 13 Jul	STARLINK-1477	22:05:53 look WNW alt 44°	67°	22:09:46 look E alt 10°
Mon 13 Jul	STARLINK-1477	23:39:38 look W alt 11°	45°	23:43:27 look SSE alt 32°
Tue 14 Jul	STARLINK-1477	22:39:18 look WNW alt 10°	76°	22:44:58 look ESE alt 14°
Wed 15 Jul	STARLINK-1477	00:15:43 look W alt 11°	17°	00:17:07 look WSW alt 17°
Wed 15 Jul	STARLINK-1477	23:15:11 look W alt 11°	33°	23:18:56 look S alt 26°
Thu 16 Jul	STARLINK-1477	22:15:06 look WNW alt 12°	57°	22:20:45 look SE alt 12°
Thu 16 Jul	STARLINK-1477	23:51:54 look WSW alt 11°	13°	23:53:00 look SW alt 13°

This is a satellite from the 9th batch of 58 of the Starlink constellation launched on 13th June 2020

Prior Starlink Satellites - L7 - 4th June

Date	Satellite	Rise	Max	Set

This is one of the satellites from the 8th batch of 60 of the Starlink constellation launched on 4th June 2020

Comet NEOWISE over Lebanon

Moophz

A comet has suddenly become visible to the unaided eye. Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) was discovered in late March and brightened as it reached its closest approach to the Sun, inside the orbit of Mercury, late last week. The interplanetary iceberg survived solar heating, so far, and is now becoming closer to the Earth as it starts its long trek back to the outer Solar System. As Comet NEOWISE became one of the few naked-eye comets of the 21st Century, word spread quickly, and the comet has already been photographed behind many famous sites and cities around the globe. Featured, Comet NEOWISE was captured over Lebanon two days ago just before sunrise. The future brightness of Comet NEOWISE remains somewhat uncertain but the comet will likely continue to be findable not only in the early morning sky, but also next week in the early evening sky. Comet NEOWISE from Around the Globe: Notable Images Submitted to APOD