Bootleg Astronomers

The Bootleg Spring Star Party is in the history books. We had observing opportunities on Thursday night and Friday night!

*** 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, August 25th!!! So hurry and get your forms in the mail!

All forms must be postmarked no later than August 25th to qualify for early registration.

4	Last Quarter Moon at 18:19 UT.
6	Moon near the Pleiades at 3h UT (morning sky). • The Pleiades (Wikipedia)
6	Moon near Aldebaran (morning sky) at 19h UT. • Aldebaran (Wikipedia)
9	Mercury at inferior conjunction with the Sun at 2h UT. Mercury passes into the morning sky. Not visible.
9	Moon near Castor (morning sky) at 15h UT.
9	Moon near Pollux (morning sky) at 19h UT.
10	Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 18:10 UT (358,078 km; angular size 33.4').
11	Partial Eclipse of the Sun at 9:46 UT (greatest). Visible from northern Europe and NE Asia. Begins at 8:02 and ends at 11:31 UT. • Solar Eclipses: 2011 - 2030 (Mr Eclipse) • Partial Solar Eclipse of 2018 August 11 (GIF)
11	New Moon at 9:58 UT. Start of lunation 1183.
12	Perseid meteor shower peaks at 20h UT. Peak lasts about 12 hours. Active from July 17 to August 24. Produces swift, bright meteors (50 to 100 per hour) many with persistent trains. Best viewing is after midnight. Favorable conditions in 2018. • Summer Meteor Shower (video) (StarGazers, PBS) • Observing the Perseids (Gary Kronk) • Meteor Shower Calendar (IMO)
12	Moon near Regulus (evening sky) at 4h UT. • Regulus (Wikipedia)
14	Moon near Venus (evening sky) at 18h UT. Mag. −4.3.
15	Moon near Spica (evening sky) at 22h UT. • Spica (Wikipedia)
17	Moon near Jupiter (evening sky) at 13h UT. Mag. −2.0.
17	Venus at greatest elongation east (46° from Sun, evening sky) at 17h UT. Mag. −4.3.
18	First Quarter Moon at 7:49 UT.
19	Moon near Antares (evening sky) at 13h UT. • Antares (Wikipedia)
21	Moon near Saturn (evening sky) at 10h UT. Mag. 0.3.
23	Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 11h UT (distance 405,746 km; angular size 29.4').
23	Moon near Mars (evening sky) at 16h UT. Mag. −2.3.
26	Full Moon at 11:57 UT. • Full Moon Names (Wikipedia)
26	Mercury at greatest elongation west (18° from Sun, morning sky) at 20h UT. Mag. −0.1.

>>> 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)