Approaching Comet Lulin, New Sunspots, Full Moon Alert

Space Weather News for Jan. 9, 2009
http://spaceweather.com

APPROACHING COMET: Comet Lulin (C/2007 N3), discovered in 2007 by a collaborative team of Taiwanese and Chinese astronomers, is swinging around the sun and approaching Earth. The photogenic comet has a bright tail and an "anti-tail" visible in mid-sized backyard telescopes. At closest approach in February, Comet Lulin is expected to brighten to naked-eye visibility. Visit http://Spaceweather.com for sky maps, pictures and more information.

NEW SUNSPOTS: For the second time this week, a sunspot is coalescing on the surface of the sun. The spot's high latitude and magnetic polarity identify it as a member of new Solar Cycle 24; its appearance continues a recent trend of gradually intensifying new-cycle solar activity. The spot is growing rapidly and may soon provide a nice target for backyard solar telescopes.

FULL MOON ALERT! This weekend's full Moon is the biggest and brightest of 2009. It's a "perigee Moon" as much as 50,000 km closer to Earth than other full Moons we'll see later this year. Perigee moonlight shining through icy winter air can produce beautiful halos, coronas, moondogs and other atmospheric optics phenomena. Sample photos are featured on today's edition of Spaceweather.com.

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

New Comet visible naked eye

This info comes to us through Dennis Young, Serius Observers of Sedona

A new comet(Comet C/2007 N3 Lulin), is heading our way rounding the sun this Jan 10th..(perihelion-1.2 AU),and coming closest to earth on Feb 24th (at .41AU) (1-AU is 93million miles). - At its closest the comet moves over 5degs of the sky every day!! That is easy movement to be seen in low power scope or even binoculars!. Estimates put this comet at 5mag in brightness at its peak in late feb.

First hand visual --using 90mm scope, high power binoculars, and even in a standard 7x35 binos I was able to pick up this comet easily this morning around 5am. Current mag is around 7.5mag. I saw no tail at any magnification but a bright diffuse nucleus just off the tip of scopius arm. Twilight kicks in around 630am..So any viewing before 6am and you should not have troubles spotting this comet at present. Check out sky&tel website for current location.<> Also a short brief history of Comet is attach below.

As this comet swing very fast across the sky to be seen during evening hours(late feb) I think we as a club could have a public star Comet Party showing this to the general public IF it puts on a great display.-(maybe at Sedona Library.)-just after our meeting on Feb 18(wed) or following sunday feb22nd(new moon is Feb25).

On feb 23 it is about 2deg south of Saturn.(a photo opportunity)...also note Saturn is getting very thin rings..

History of Comet Lulin ..(in part below)....

According to the museum, it took 28.5 million years for Comet Lulin to revolve round the Sun on its own axis.
In other words, museum astronomers said, the last time Comet Lulin came to the inner part of the solar system, the ice caps of the North and South Poles had just formed, the globe's highest mountain range, the Himalayas, had just appeared upon a ground breaking orogenic movement, and Taiwan was still deep in the sea.
Comet Lulin was initially described as an asteroidal object when found by Ye Quanzhi at the Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China.
Three images were obtained by Lin Chi-sheng of the Graduate Institute of Astronomy, National Central University at Zhongli in Taiwan on July 11, 2007.
Lin had acquired the images using the 41-cm camera at the university's Lulin Observatory in Nantou, central Taiwan.
The discovery of Comet Lulin (C/2227 N3) was part of the major.....

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

January Issue is available on line tonight

Please help yourself to the January issue of PAStimes
at this link http://www.pasaz.org/index.php?pageid=newsletter
on the PASaz.org website. Enjoy!

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Dec 3 Star Party at PV Park is Cancelled!!!

Due to cloud cover and a storm coming in for Sunday,
we are canceling this star party!!!
Please have a super evening!

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

First Meteors of 2009 & Space Weather Radio

Space Weather News for Jan. 2, 2009
http://spaceweather.com

FIRST METEORS OF 2009: The annual Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on Jan. 3rd when Earth enters a stream of debris from shattered comet 2003 EH1. The timing of the encounter favors observers in western North America and across the Pacific Ocean who could see dozens to hundreds of meteors during the dark hours before sunrise this Saturday morning. Visit http://spaceweather.com for a sky map and more information.

SOMETHING NEW: For the new year, Spaceweather.com is pleased to announce a new service: Space Weather Radio, broadcasting live "sounds from space" around the clock. Today you can listen to the Air Force Space Surveillance Radar in Texas. When a meteor passes over the facility--ping!--there is an audible echo. (Activity should be high during the Quadrantid meteor shower this weekend.) In the near future we'll be adding broadcasts of solar radio bursts and VLF signals from the ionosphere. The streams are punctuated by Daily Space Weather Updates from Dr. Tony Phillips. Click here to begin listening: http://SpaceweatherRadio.com

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

New Year's Eve spectacular site - Enjoy!

Space Weather News for Dec. 29, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

NEW YEAR'S EVE: What a way to end the year. On Dec. 31st, Venus and the slender crescent Moon will gather together high in the southwestern sky for a beautiful conjunction visible for hours after sunset. The two brightest objects in the night sky can be seen through city lights and even fireworks--so everyone can enjoy the show. Meanwhile, closer to the horizon, Mercury and Jupiter are converging for their own Dec. 31st conjunction. This one is not so easy to see, but rewarding for those who make the effort to find the two planets shining through the rosy glow of sunset.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for sky maps and photos of the converging planets.

BONUS: Is Venus really bright enough to cast shadows? The answer is yes, and the proof may be found on today's edition of Spaceweather.com. A French photographer has captured rare images of Venus casting a shadow and he has even made a movie of the shadow in motion.

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

12/20 Black Canyon City Star Party has been CANCELLED!

Enjoy your holiday evening!!!

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Rare Eclipse of EE Cephei Is Set to Begin

http://us.mc364.mail.yahoo.com/mc/showMessage?&fid=Inbox&sort=date&order=down&startMid=0&.rand=1072202621&da=0&mid=1_161335_AMNbv9EAABOBSUh2qQz72Fct0Sk&blockimages=none

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

Attn: PAS Members - Topic: PAS Social

Good morning,

It was brought to my attention that some PAS members do not know how to get to Chris's home for the PAS Social on Jan 10th, 2009. Logically, Chris should provide a map with address and directions to him home in Goodyear at the next PAS Meeting on Jan 8th, 2009. However, should you miss the meeting and are planning to (AFTER YOU RSVP with me) attend the Social,
please note that all you have to do, as PAS Members, is go into the Downloads section of the website (heres's the link for those who haven't mastered navigating our site yet: http://www.pasaz.org/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=48
Pop into the Members Only area, and download the current PAS Roster, which has Chris's address. Then plug it into Google Maps and you are on your way.
You NEED to be a current PAS member with that status on the site to access this info. If you can not get the info you need that way, feel free to Email Chris by visiting the Contact page within the website for his email address http://www.pasaz.org/index.php?pageid=contact.
These are two ways to get the info needed to be able to attend the PAS Social. We are NOT, for security purposes, putting a map to Chris's home in the January issue of the Newsletter. Why? Because the newsletter is now public. It isn't ONLY PAS members who receive it. Anyone can access that info & since we try not to give out private info through the Newsletter, we chose not to do that. The other option is that Chris was going to put a map to his home in the Private PAS Calendar on the date of Jan 10th, so that those of us who don't know where he lives, can get a map that way. The calendar listing is here: http://www.pasaz.org/forums/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=115&day=2009-01-10 I see the map is NOT there currently, so give me a few minutes to add it. Use it to get to Chris's.

Your RSVP is required for attendance. I want to be able to tell Chris how many are attending the party. It is a courteous thing to RSVp sooner than later. Thanks to all who wish to attend and those who have reminded me the map needs to be added to the site. See you at the party!

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society

December 18 Meeting of the Minds is Canceled!!!

DUE TO THE LACK OF TOPICS & THE HOLIDAYS CREATING MORE STUFF TO DO, THE MOM'S FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER HAS BEEN CANCELED.

We will see you at the next MOM's on January 1/29/09.

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Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society