Bootleg Astronomers

*** Due to the number of people doing imaging at the Bootleg Star Parties, Bootleg Management is indicating that Green Lasers will not be permitted starting one hour after sunset ***

Pre-registration deadline is Saturday, May 26th!!! So hurry and get your forms in the mail!

All forms must be postmarked no later than May 26th to qualify for early registration.

1	Moon near Spica (morning sky) at 12h UT.
2	Mars 1.3° S of Saturn (morning sky) at 13h UT. Mags. 0.3 and 0.5.
3	Moon near Jupiter (morning sky) at 16h UT. Mag. −2.4.
5	Moon near Antares (morning sky) at 3h UT.
7	Moon near Saturn (morning sky) at 13h UT. Mag. 0.5.
7	Moon, Mars and Saturn within 3.5° circle (97° from Sun, morning sky) at 16h UT. Mags. −0.2 and 0.5.
7	Moon near Mars (morning sky) at 18h UT. Mag. −0.2.
8	Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 6h UT (distance 404,144 km; angular size 29.6').
8	Last Quarter Moon at 7:20 UT.
12	Moon near Mercury (20° from Sun, morning sky) at 12h UT. Mag. 2.3.
16	New Moon at 1:59 UT. Start of lunation 1179.
17	Moon near Venus (24° from Sun, evening sky) at 22h UT. Mag. −3.9.
18	Moon near the Pleiades at 13h UT (evening sky).
19	Moon near Aldebaran (evening sky) at 5h UT.
20	Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 15h UT (368,714 km; angular size 32.4').
22	Lyrid meteor shower peaks at 15h UT. Active April 16-25. Radiant is between Hercules and Lyra. Expect 10 to 20 bright, fast meteors per hour at its peak. Very favorable viewing conditions.
22	First Quarter Moon at 21:46 UT.
23	Moon near Beehive cluster M44 (evening sky) at 6h UT.
24	Moon near Regulus (evening sky) at 21h UT.
25	Venus near the Pleiades (evening sky) at 0h UT. Mag. −3.9.
28	Moon near Spica (morning sky) at 20h UT.
29	Mercury at greatest elongation west (18° from Sun, morning sky) at 18h UT. Mag. 0.5.
30	Full Moon at 0:58 UT.
30	Moon near Jupiter (midnight sky) at 19h UT. Mag. −2.5.

>>> All times Universal Time (UT). USA Central Standard Time = UT-6 hours. (DST = UT-5 hrs,)

Zodiacal Light is caused by sunlight reflected off meteoric dust in the plane of the solar system. Choose a clear, moonless night, about 1-2 hours after sunset, and look for a large triangular-shaped glow extending up from the horizon (along the ecliptic). The best months to view the Zodiacal Light is when the ecliptic is almost vertical at the horizon: March and April (evening) and October-November (morning); times reversed for the southern hemisphere.
• Zodiacal Light (Wikipedia)
• Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)
• Photographing the Zodiacal Light (Weatherscapes)