Amateur
radio and astronomy go hand in hand. Propagation is good when
sunspot counts are high. Moonbounce and meteor scatter enhance the
hobby and make it unique. On this site you will find photos,
sketches, observing notes, equipment descriptions, links to other great
astronomy websites and more!
...........................
Courtesy
cleardarksky.com . Click on image for more information.
Astronomy This Month:
April 2005
This month, Jupiter is at opposition, Saturn is great in
the western sky of an evening, and a partial eclipse graces the skies of
the southern half of the U.S. A partial eclipse will occur on April
8 and will barely be visible from Central Illinois. Just a tiny
sliver (up to 5%) will be covered by the Moon. Watch the moons of
Jupiter as they circle the planet which is at its best this month.
Saturn is also great. Take a look at Titan and imagine the Huygens
probe sitting silently on its surface. Cassini is still very much
alive and is returning great pictures of the ringed planet. As for
meteor showers, the Lyrid shower peaks on April 22. The summer stars
begin to return to the eastern sky in the evening. Look for Arcturus
high in the east a couple hours after sunset. Happy Stargazing!!!
The Moon Now:
Jupiter Now:
Today's Meteor Shower
Forecast:
When showers are forecast, note the following time and
moon conditions:
Notes:
The above number per hour and duration of these
meteor
showers varies from time to time.
Numbers represent the
average number and duration.
The number per hour seen is also dependent on
visibility factors.
The best time to see meteors is generally between
midnight and dawn.
The "Peak Today" icon appears when the
showers peak occurs within the next 24 hours.