New Moon Reporter

Welcome to the New Moon Reporter!  This newsletter is for observational amateur astronomers.  It includes monthly astronomy highlights, special events, lunar calendar, planet and deep sky object observational tips as well as links to a constellation of the month.  It's made available by AstronomyLog.com.  Visit us for more great astronomy tips.

Highlights 

Special Event: There’s a Lunar Eclipse on Dec 10 visible all around the Pacific Ocean.

Best Dark Sky Weekend: New moon occurs on Christmas Eve, the last Saturday of the month.  The best weekend for observing all night is Dec 23-24.

Best of the Planets: This month we have great choice of planets to view in the evening sky.  Four will be visible before midnight and a fifth will appear at the witching hour.

Constellations of the Month: Two constellations are highlighted this month, both show off deep sky objects outside the Milky Way.  Learn more about Indus and Andromeda below.

Remember to record what you've found at AstronomyLog.com.

For a limited time, subscribe to the "New Moon Reporter" for free!

Welcome to the New Moon Reporter!  This newsletter is for observational amateur astronomers.  It includes monthly astronomy highlights, special events, lunar calendar, planet and deep sky object observational tips as well as links to a constellation of the month.  It's made available by AstronomyLog.com.  Visit us for more great astronomy tips.

Highlights 

Special Event: Southern observers can see the moon partially eclipse the sun.  When I say southern, I mean really south.  It will be seen only by those on the southern tip of Africa, on Tasmania and Antarctica.  Is it worth a trip?  You decide and let me know!

Best Dark Sky Weekend:  The new moon occurs on the American holiday of Thanksgiving.  That’s on a Thursday, so the best weekends for observing all night are Nov 18-20 and Nov 25-27.

Planets: Jupiter is just past opposition so it is a great target all night long.  This is a good time to follow the paths of the four moons.

Constellation Focus:  There are two circumpolar constellations highlighted this month: Cepheus and Tucana.  One is visible only to northern observers and one for readers in the south.

Comet Watch: The brightest comet this month is the one that you may have been watching for the last three: Comet Garradd gives its last hurrah early in the month, and then drops below the horizon.  Catch it early, if you can.

Begin to enjoy the long nights that start with Autumn astronomy!

Remember to record what you've found at AstronomyLog.com.

For a limited time, subscribe to the "New Moon Reporter" for free!

Welcome to the New Moon Reporter!  This newsletter is for observational amateur astronomers.  It includes monthly astronomy highlights, special events, lunar calendar, planet and deep sky object observational tips as well as links to a constellation of the month.  It's made available by AstronomyLog.com.

Highlights 

Special Event: There are two Meteor Showers in October.  One of them, the Draconids, are expected to be a Meteor Storm.

Comet Watch: The comet to watch this month, Garradd, sets right after sunset.  Look for it early in the month before it gets too low

Best Dark Sky Weekend: New moon occurs mid-week at the end of the month.  There are two best weekends for observing all night: Oct 22-23 and 29-30.  These are the two weekends surrounding the full moon.

Jupiter reaches opposition this month and is visible all night.  Now is a great time to view Jupiter and its 4 bright Galilean moons in a telescope or with binoculars.

Aquarius, a zodiacal constellation, is highlighted this month with three Messier objects, a pair of planetary nebulae and two worthy double stars.

Begin to enjoy the long nights that start with Autumn astronomy!

Remember to record what you've found at AstronomyLog.com.

For a limited time, subscribe to the "New Moon Reporter" for free!

Highlights 

Comet Watch: September gives us a comet bright enough to see with binoculars, possibly naked eye, and viewable all night long.   Check the finder chart below to see Comet Garradd this month.

Best Dark Sky Weekend: New moon occurs at the end of the month.  The best weekend for observing all night is September 24-25.  This is a couple of nights before the night of the full moon.

Jupiter is now easily visible for evening observers, appearing just after sunset.   It’s viewable all night and, until after midnight, it’s the only planetary option. 

Capricornus, a zodiacal constellation, is highlighted this month with a single Messier object and two worthy double stars.

Enjoy the last of the warm weather with Autumn astronomy!

Remember to record what you've found at AstronomyLog.com.

For a limited time, subscribe to the "New Moon Reporter" for free!

Highlights 

Although nights are getting longer, twilight is still late during the summer.  Plan your observing to take this into account.

Best Dark Sky Weekend: New moon occurs at the end of the month.  The best weekend for observing all night is August 27-28, right before the night of the full moon.

Last Chance for Saturn, First Chance for Jupiter:  Saturn is located low in the west as the sun sets and is lower each night as the month progresses.  It will nearly disappear next month and will be a morning object in the months to follow.  Be sure to catch it this month, it’s your last opportunity for the year.  Jupiter begins to be visible for evening observers willing to stay up past midnight.

Get out there!  There's no time like summer for observing!

Remember to record what you've found at AstronomyLog.com.

Highlights 

Careful planning for night sky observing is a must this time of year.  June weather might be improving but the nights are getting shorter. 

Best Dark Weekend: New moon occurs early this month and on a Wednesday thus the best weekend for evening observing is that last weekend of the month, after the last quarter moon.  Strange but true.

Saturn is Best Evening Planet:  It's getting further away and thus smaller each month.  Try to observe the large storm occurring in its northern hemisphere.  It causes a distinct line parallel to the rings.

Mercury Appears Later in June:The speedy one makes a brief evening appearance during the last week of the month.

Get out there!  There's no time like summer for observing!

Remember to record what you've found at AstronomyLog.com.

Highlights 

May this year is a quiet month for night sky observing.  It's a good time to work on the more subtle objects you need to complete a goal or two.

Two Best Dark Weekends: New moon nearly occurs twice this month so that gives us two weekends for stargazing.  Plan to observe both the first and last weekends of the month.

May 5-7 Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower:The meteor shower is best in the southern hemisphere and is one of the best showers of the year.  It's possible to view it north of the equator.  It occurs just after new moon so it should put on a nice show.

Saturn is still the Best Planet.  The tilt is increasing each month so the rings will look better as time passes.  Unfortunately for us in the north it passes below the celestial equator and will become more murky for the next few years.  If you're in the south, we envy you.  Us in the north must be sure to get our last look as it drops into the thicker atmosphere.

Get out there!  There's not time like the present for observing!

Remember to record what you've found at AstronomyLog.com.