Maui Astronomy Club

Maui has had record breaking temperatures as of late, which is why snow on the Big Island is a complete shock to me.

Last night I was on Haleakala with a tour of folks who wanted to see the Milky Way.

We had 35mph winds and clouds that were like waves pounding over us.

Around 9:15pm it started raining.  On the Big Island, it started snowing!

Becky Sydney, president of the Maui Astronomy Club, has recently started a new business; MAUI ASTRONOMY TOURS.

www.mauiastronomytours.com   (808) 868-6020

Tell your friends and spread the word.  Becky will meet you for an awesome sunset on Haleakala Volcano and then use a deep space telescope when the star pop out. She provides heavy coats, gloves, hats, blankets, and face cover.  Organic snacks and water are also included.  See the stars like you’ve never seen!  It’s magical.

Haleakala is one of the best places in the world to see the stars.  The Milky Way is so bright you can read a book! With 300 clear nights per year, Hawaii is the only state in the USA that can see more than 80% of all stars in the sky AND see the Southern Cross (Springtime), Alpha Centauri (Springtime) and watch the Big Dipper dip beneath the horizon.  Amazing.

Aloha all!  Mark your calendar.

It is JD Armstrong’s pleasure to let you know about this month’s Maui Astronomy FREE Public Talk. 

http://sandgrains.com/artist.html

Dr. Gary Greenberg

In the year 1600, the existence of a microscopic world was utterly unimaginable.  A few years later, Robert Hooke published his famous book, “Micrographia: Or Some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses with Observations and Inquires Thereupon”. This was the world’s first best seller, and it revealed for the first time the hidden world that exists beyond our everyday perception. Since its invention, visionaries have used microscopes to save lives and reduce human suffering. Today, microscopes can image individual molecules and atoms, and have spawned the burgeoning field of nanotechnology.

Aloha Star Lovers!

You know in romantic movies where they show a man and woman running towards each other in slow motion?

Eventually to embrace after much anticipation?

Well…. this is the drama happening in the night sky after sunset!

 

Look west and see Venus the goddess of Love and Beauty and Jupiter the King of the gods blazing through the twilight as the first “stars” that pop out after sunset.

Venus is the brighter of the two and Jupiter sits above her…..reaching for her warm embrace.  Look how Venus is dazzling with rays….she really looks like a star!

 

Watch in the next coming nights as Venus and Jupiter appear to travel towards each other night by night…..slowly closing the gap between them.

On June 19,  behold the Magic Triangle….Venus, the crescent Moon and Jupiter forming a triangle in the west.

Then, the big event, June 30 when Venus and Jupiter kiss!  It will be a beautiful sight to behold!  Mark your calendars.

Aloha and Happy May Day and Lei Day!

Check out the western sky tonight and the coming week.

It’s going to be crazy busy! 

The brightest stars in the sky, Aldebaran, Rigel, Betelgeuse, Sirius, Castor, Pollux, Capella, etc will act like a web of stars with Super Bright Venus captured inside.

And watch little messenger Mercury …..he will quickly rise into the star web to make things more interesting.

NOTE: Very few people ever see Mercury with the naked eye since its presence is quick, short and low in the sky. (see article below)

 

FULL MOON PARTY: If you love the Full Moon, be sure to come to Fleetwoods on Front Street Saturday, May 2, 2015, from 7pm – 10pm.

I will be there with my scope showing everyone the magic of the Moon.  I’m set up from 8pm -10pm.  There’s food, music and dancing.

 

 

Mercury climbs quickly into view after sunset in early May as it hits the peak of its best evening appearance of 2015. The innermost planet orbits the Sun a bit like a moth drawn to a streetlight. The Sun’s glare hides Mercury much of the time, but at regular intervals, the world soars far enough from our star to show up just after sunset or before sunrise. This year, Mercury comes into view on evenings in January, May, September, and December; it appears before dawn in February, June, and October.

Read full article: http://www.astronomy.com/observing/sky-events/2015/04/catch-mercury-at-its-evening-best?

utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ASY_News1_

nonsub_150501_Final&utm_content=#.VUQLdL4DtuM.email

Aloha!

January 2014: 

Hebrew year 5774  –  Islam year 1435  –  Star Trek star date 308984

Black Moon – 2 New Moons in one month  1/1/14 and 1/30/14

John Dobson (Dobsonian Telescope inventor) died 1/15/14

Strange donut shaped rock appears on Mars.  1/20/14

John Dobson

donut rock on Mars

February:

Valentine’s Day Full Moon –  Maui sees a rabbit shape on the Moon.  2/14/14

China’s lunar rover, Jade Rabbit, comes back to life!

March:

Vernal Equinox Party 3/20/14

New Dwarf Planet found in our solar system……planet X?

Declan magically balanced an egg during the equinox sunset.

First asteroid discovered with rings!  Asteroid Cheriklo orbits between Saturn and Uranus.

April:

Total Lunar Eclipse  4/14/14

LADEE Moon satellite crashes into Moon  4/18/14

May:

Maui sees Missile Test at sunset 5/20/14

June:

Jupiter, Mars and Saturn visible!  6/18/14

Milky Way at La Perouse.  6/27/14

 

July:

Lahaina Noon day 7/16/14 – no shadow when sun is overhead.

August:

Super Moon and Perseids and Saturn’s hexagonal cloud  8/11/14

September:

Harvest Moon is another Super Moon!  9/8/14

Moon occults Saturn. 9/27/14

  

October:

2nd Total Lunar Eclipse of 2014   10/7/14

November:

Makahiki Season begins with rise of Pleiades star cluster.  11/5/14

Rosetta Mission lands on comet!   11/12/14

December:

Geminid Meteor Shower at La Perouse.  12/14/14

Green Comet Lovejoy under Sirius.  12/19/14