Saturn Occultation
Saturn will be occulted (or covered) by the virtually Full Moon on the morning of 21st August 2024. The times are given in UT, rounded to the nearest minute. Add one hour for Irish Summer Time. The Graphic above is from Guide 9.1.
Below is more sites than given in Sky-High 2024. Times of Disappearances (at the bright limb) and Reappearances (at the very narrow dark limb) are given:Be sure to get ready to observe well in advance. Optical aid will be needed for the occultation itself.
IAS Membership Subscriptions
Membership renewals are due from the 1st August 2024. Please note that the rates have increased this year. This is the first increase in many years and is needed to cover increased postage and printing costs.
Great Aurora 10-11 May 2024
Mick McCreary imaged the Northern Light from Glasnevin in Dublin. 23:30 ST. Galaxy S21 FE 5G.
Donnacha O'Driscoll got this picture of a coronal aurora from his back door in the middle of light polluted Dundrum, Dublin. iPhone used.
Nicola Fletcher got this image of a colourful aurora from Roundwood, Co Wicklow. iPhone used at about 23:30 ST.
John O'Neill photographed the aurora from Topsfield, MA, USA. 4 s exposure with a DSLR at 02:43 EDT (06:43 UT).
John Flannery watching the aurora from a lake near Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
Patricia Carroll snaped this image of colourful veils from Phoenix Park, Dublin. Mobile phone used.
Angela O'Connell pictured the aurora from Rathgar, Dublin.
Total Solar Eclipse on 8 April 2024 from Arkansas, USA
John O'Neill reports:
Total Solar Eclipse observed from Daisy SP, Arkansas, USA. The very bright corona was in striking contrast to the lovely red prominences. The image shows the prominences at 13:50 CDT (5 hrs later in UT), taken with a Canon 700D DSLR on a Pronto refractor (480 mm focal length).
For a few more of his images see his website.
Sky-High 2024
Our yearly almanac Sky-High 2024 has now been printed and will be available soon. It is now in its 32nd year.
Sky-High has articles on upcoming events regarding Planets, Asteroids, Comets, Meteors, Eclipses and Variable Stars and more. It has a detailed Diary tailored for Irish Observers. It also features a number of guest articles.
Please see more details, that includes information in obtaining a copy.
Please note that paid-up IAS members will be mailed a free copy. Also Sky-High 2023 has been added to the free Archive.
Celestial Calendar 2024
Member John Flannery has produced a Celestial Calendar for the IAS. It includes sky events and historical events. Each month has a colour image.
It may be downloaded for free. Please note that the calendar is no longer printed.
12 Nov 2023: The url of this website now uses "https", rather than "http". This should not change anything as your old links should be automatically redirected.
Aurora November 2023
John Flannery imaged the 2023 November 5 aurora framed by the Pleiades and Jupiter. iPhone 12 (on a tripod) at about 18:00 UT. From near Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
Venus very near the Moon November 2023
Above: Barry Pickup photographed this striking scene on 2023 November 9 (at 07:20 UT) when the crescent Moon was above Venus. Canon 500D DSLR with a 180 mm lens was used.
Above: Mick McCreary took this image at 08:45 UT on the same morning just before clouds moved in. He used a Canon DLSR on a 20 cm reflector.
Annular Solar Eclipse 14 Oct 2023 from New Mexico, USA
John O'Neill reports:
Annular Eclipse observed from White Rock, New Mexico. Deliberately set up away from the centre line. Here, the asymmetric annularity was striking. The image shows a close up of the eclipse near 2nd contact at 10:35:31 MDT (6 hrs later in UT), taken with a Canon DSLR at 360 mm focal length.
For a few more of his images see his website.
Voyager and Beyond
by Kevin Nolan
We must apologise because due to a technical error at the Ely House internet system we are unable to broadcast this event on Zoom on 25 Sep 2023. However, we have recorded it here.
Total Solar Eclipse 20 April 2023 from Australia
Angela O'Connell reports:
Eclipse expedition onboard the P&O ship Pacific Explorer. The solar eclipse was a hybrid (i.e. annular at the beginning and end of the central track and total in between). The ship anchored in the Exmouth Gulf, within sight of the North West Cape and the town of Exmouth in Western Australia. Here, the spectacle of totality lasted just 60 seconds, but it was a wonderful breath-taking sight. The photo shows a wide-angle view during totality at 11:30 (local time), taken with a Canon EOS R50 on an automatic setting.
For a fuller report, see the article "Sun, Moon, Sea & Stars in Western Australia" in the July 2023 issue of Orbit.
Spring Sky into Summer Sky 2023
This spring and early summer Venus dominates the western evening sky. In this photo, taken back in April, the Pleiades star cluster hangs off the brilliant planet to its right. Picture courtesy of Michael McCreary with his IPhone. Click image for larger version.
Venus was a lovely sight near the Crescent Moon. Photo by Barry Pickup at 23:15 IST this evening in the west with a Canon 350D DSLR and 50 mm f/1.8 lens.
Aurora April 2023
With solar activity increasing there is an increasing chance of spotting an aurora. Here one was from Finland. Photo by Nicola Fletcher (Canon R6 with 14 mm lens, 5 sec exposure).
Jupiter and Venus approach February 2023
Venus and Jupiter are now approaching each other in the dusk sky. By March 1st they close with half a degree of each other.
Member Barry Pickup photographed the scene on 2023 February 22 when the crescent Moon was between the planets. Canon 500D DSLR with a 50 mm lens was used. Jupiter (mag -2.1) is above the Moon and Venus (mag -3.9) to the bottom right.
Mars just before its Lunar Occultation 2022
Photograph by our President Michael McCreary on 2022 December 8. Canon 600D DSLR on a C11 (28 cm SCT).
