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| A selection of the best objects in the sky over North America during the International Year of Astronomy |
Although dramatic special events in the sky are few over the next 12 months, each of the major planets takes its turn as a prime attraction.
There are four lunar eclipses this year, but all are minor penumbral or partial eclipses.The two solar eclipses of 2009 consist of an annular eclipse on January 26, visible from the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia, and a total eclipse on July 22, visible from India, China and the western Pacific Ocean.The latter ranks as the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century and will attract thousands of eclipse chasers, but since no part of the Moon’s shadow touches NorthAmerica, it is not listed here.
For the first time in 13 years, Saturn’s rings turn edge-on. Unfortunately, this occurs in September, when Saturn lies behind the Sun and out of sight. Pity.
Another pity is that on the nights of August 11 and 12, the last-quarter Moon rises as darkness falls,washing out the popular Perseid meteor shower. However, the Moon is absent for the weekend of December 12 and 13,when the year’s other superb meteor shower, the Geminids, peaks.
Click on photos to enlarge. |
 February 27, 2009
CONJUNCTION OF VENUS AND CRESCENT MOON
(DUSK/EARLY EVENING)
When the night sky’s two brightest celestial objects are within two degrees of each other, it’s time to get the whole family outside for a look. Nothing quite matches the beauty of the jewel-like Venus and the silvery lunar crescent side by side. Visible without optical aid, city or country. Binoculars enhance the scene.COURTESY SIMULATION CURRICULUM CORP.
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 March 2, 2009
WAXING CRESCENT MOON OCCULTS PLEIADES (LATE NIGHT)
The current series of lunar occultations of the Pleiades continues in 2009, with one of the best occurring at about midnight on March 2. While it involves a waxing crescent Moon—the ideal phase for seeing the Moon cover this bright star cluster—the event is visible only from western Canada (best from the West Coast), with the Moon low in the west.COURTESY THE SKYX™/SOFTWARE BISQUE |
 March 8, 2009
SATURN AT OPPOSITION (ALL NIGHT)
This spring, during International Year of Astronomy events, thousands of people will want to see Saturn through a telescope. At opposition, Saturn rises at sunset, then it rises earlier each evening, making March through May the ideal months for Saturn viewing. Yes, the rings are narrow, but they will still evoke exclamations of delight, especially when novice observers are told that this is exactly how Galileo saw Saturn in 1612.COURTESY SOLAR SYSTEM SIMULATOR/NASA-JPL |
 April 22, 2009
OCCULTATION OF VENUS (MORNING)
This is not an event for general audiences, but backyard astronomers can enjoy the sight of the waning crescent Moon covering up Venus on the morning of April 22. The event occurs in daylight for most of North America, but both worlds are bright enough to show up against the blue sky. From the West Coast, however, the Moon hides Venus just before sunrise.COURTESY SIMULATION CURRICULUM CORP. |
 April 23, 2009
COMET CARDINAL IN M37
Discovered from Canada, Comet Cardinal (C/2008 T2) promises to be bright enough to see in a small telescope or binoculars during April and May. On April 23, the comet sweeps by the rich star cluster M37. Then, on May 12, Comet Cardinal passes a mere 23 arc minutes
from Comet Lulin, then dimmed to 12th magnitude and low in the western sky.
COURTESY SIMULATION CURRICULUM CORP. |
 April 26, 2009
MOON-MERCURY CONJUNCTION NEAR PLEIADES (EVENING)
April is a busy month. On the evening of April 26, look west after
sunset for a grouping of the waxing crescent Moon, the Pleiades and Mercury The conjunction coincides with Mercury’s greatest angle away from the Sun, during its best evening appearance of the year, making this an ideal night for showcasing Mercury at a public-viewing event.COURTESY SIMULATION CURRICULUM CORP.
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 June 19, 2009
MOON-VENUS-MARS CONJUNCTION (MORNING)
Just as Mars and Venus pass each other in a close dawn-sky conjunction, along comes the waning crescent Moon to form a pretty threeworld grouping in the morning sky. But there’s more! Mercury, near its greatest angle away from the Sun, is visible now as a bright morning “star” below the Pleiades and the Moon-Venus-Mars grouping.COURTESY SIMULATION CURRICULUM CORP. |
 August 14, 2009
WANING CRESCENT MOON OCCULTS PLEIADES (MORNING)
More of Canada will see this event than saw the March 2/3 occultation, but only by getting up well before dawn. All of western Canada sees the waning crescent Moon cover up the Pleiades in a dark sky. From Ontario and Quebec, the occultation begins as the sky is brightening with morning twilight, while from Atlantic Canada, the Sun rises just after the first stars are hidden. COURTESY THE SKYX™/SOFTWARE BISQUE |
 October 8-16, 2009
MERCURY-VENUS-SATURN CONJUNCTIONS (MORNING)
A striking performance of planetary dancing occurs predawn in October. On October 8, Saturn swings within 20 arc minutes of Mercury, then on October 13, it passes 30 arc minutes from Venus. Three days later, as shown here, the waning Moon joins the trio of dawn planets, with Saturn above and Mercury below a pairing of Venus and the Moon. COURTESY Simulation Curriculum Corp. |
 December 18-21, 2009
JUPITER-NEPTUNE CONJUNCTION (EVENING)
Galileo observed Neptune in December 1612 and again in January 1613, noting it as a star that moved near Jupiter. In late December, we can re-create Galileo’s observation as Jupiter passes within an eyepiece field of Neptune. What we won’t see, and apparently Galileo missed, is a re-creation of the morning of January 4, 1613, when Jupiter passed in front of Neptune! COURTESY THE SKYX™/SOFTWARE BISQUE |
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