Posts

John Homenuk

2012 Transit of Venus: Astronomical event of a lifetime

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An incredibly rare astronomical event, known as the Transit of Venus, occurs later this afternoon as Venus passes over the evening sun (at least here

The Transit of Venus across the sun involves the gaseous planet passing between our orbit and that of the suns. The event won't occur again for 105 years. (NRAO)

on the East Coast of the United States). The event last occurred in 2004 and, get this, won’t occur again until 2114. This is, literally, the chance of a lifetime for astronomers and space enthusiasts alike to witness an incredible event. The event occurs as Venus, a gas planet lying between the Earth and the Sun’s orbit, passes directly over the sun. With the right tools, anybody on Earth can observe it as a small black dot, progressing over the suns light. If you plan on viewing the event, however, experts suggest that you wear solar eyeglasses or dark, polarized lenses for safety and better viewing. It will  be nearly impossible to view the event by looking directly at the sun with the naked eye — and you can actually hurt your eyes fairly severely by doing so.

The forecast, however, is less enthusiastic about the once in a lifetime event. Forecast models are indicating the potential for clouds across almost the entire area (70% chance of clouds across some areas, to as low as 40% across others). Such a forecast, more often than not, means the event won’t be viewable. That being said, if you happen to be lucky enough to grab some clear skies and sun this evening, the transit occurs at 6:04pm EST. So get your specialized glasses ready!

Looking to view the event in NYC? Various sources report that astronomy specialists and enthusiast groups have set up viewing sites around New York City, including areas near Riverside Park, Union Square, the High line, and 125 Street in Harlem.  Stay tuned to our Twitter account for more updates throughout the day on the cloud situation.

John Homenuk

“Supermoon” to highlight a quiet weather weekend

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A "supermoon" can look especially large when it first rises near the horizon.

With a cold front passing the region late Friday Night through Saturday, high pressure is forecast to build in to the forecast area for the weekend. Although some showers could be around for a brief period on Saturday, the high pressure is expected to remain in control for the majority of both Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures, also, will cooperate as the airmass isn’t overly cold behind the front. In fact, high temperatures will still reach into the lower 70’s in many locations on both days. With a light breeze, it will feel quite pleasant. The main highlight of the weekend will come from the sky, but instead of rain or lightning it will come from the moon and a meteor shower. Indeed, an active night sky is expected on the evening of Cinco De Mayo.

Both the Aquarid meteor shower, and a “supermoon” will occur on Saturday night — quite a Cino De Mayo celebration for stargazers and skywatchers alike. A supermoon is a nearly annual occurrence (nearly once a year, but not officially annual) where the moon makes it’s closest approach to earth — and is also full. The moon will be closest at around 11:54pm and will appear up to 30% brighter and 14% bigger than the most dull moon during the calendar year. However, the moon will “appear” biggest when it rises near the horizon (around 8:00pm). Because of “distortion of view” (not fully understood by astronomers), especially if you are near any trees or buildings, the moon will look monstrous in the night sky as it rises above the horizon — in a similar way that the sun can look large when it sets.

But the party doesn’t end there! The debris field of Halley’s comet (also known as the Aquarid meteor shower) will pass near as well — scattering meteors throughout the night sky. The large, full moon is expected to obstruct the otherwise consistently performing meteor shower. Without a bright moon, around 50 meteors per hour are typical from the Aquarids. Expect a bit less this year.

Of course, almost all of our viewing depends on the cloud conditions — and it appears that it will be a close call. Some forecast models are showing an area of low clouds moving from north to south, coincidentally between around 8pm and 12am. If that comes to fruition, the skywatching party would likely be crashed and broken up early. Hopefully, we can maintain clear skies and enjoy a beautiful display from space. We’ll be watching it very closely, so stay tuned for cloud updates throughout the day on Saturday.