Bootleg Astronomers

The Bootleg Star Party Registration Form is available HERE (pre-registration deadline is May 30th)

*** 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 ***

1	First Quarter Moon at 10:21 UT.
2	Moon near Castor (evening sky) at 4h UT.
2	Moon near Pollux (evening sky) at 8h UT.
3	Moon near Beehive cluster M44 (evening sky) at 8h UT. • Beehive Cluster (Wikipedia) • M44: The Beehive Cluster (APOD)
4	Venus 0.25° SE of Alcyone (brightest star in the Pleiades) (46° from Sun, evening sky) at 2h UT. Mags. −4.4 and 2.9. This is the closest Venus-Pleiades conjunction in 8 years. The event will be visible worldwide from 1 to 5 April. • The Pleiades (Wikipedia)
4	Moon near Regulus (evening sky) at 22h UT. • Regulus (Wikipedia)
7	Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 17:59 UT (distance 356,907 km; angular size 33.5').
8	Full Moon at 2:34 UT.
8	Moon near Spica (midnight sky) at 12h UT. • Spica (Wikipedia)
11	Moon near Antares (morning sky) at 15h UT. • Antares (Wikipedia)
14	Last Quarter Moon at 22:56 UT.
15	Moon near Jupiter (morning sky) at 0h UT. Mag. −2.2. • Jupiter (Wikipedia)
15	Moon, Jupiter and Saturn within a circle of diam. 5.5° (morning sky) at 7h UT. Mags. −2.2 and 0.6.
15	Moon near Saturn (morning sky) at 11h UT. Mag. 0.6. • Saturn (Wikipedia)
16	Moon near Mars (morning sky) at 6h UT. Mag. 0.6. • Mars (Wikipedia)
20	Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 19h UT (distance 406,462 km; angular size 29.4').
21	Moon near Mercury (14° from Sun, morning sky) at 21h UT. Mag. −0.8. • Mercury (Wikipedia)
22	Lyrid meteor shower peaks at 7h UT (variable). Active April 14-30. Radiant is between Hercules and Lyra. Expect 10 to 20 bright, fast meteors per hour at its peak. Observing conditions are optimal in 2020. • Lyrids (Wikipedia) • 2020 Meteor Shower Calendar (PDF) (IMO)
23	New Moon at 2:26 UT. Start of lunation 1204.
25	Moon near the Pleiades (evening sky) at 10h UT. • The Pleiades (Wikipedia)
26	Moon near Aldebaran (evening sky) at 3h UT. • Aldebaran (Wikipedia)
26	Moon near Venus (evening sky) at 18h UT. Mag. −4.5.
28	Venus at its brightest at 15h UT. Mag. −4.52.
29	Moon near Castor (evening sky) at 10h UT.
29	Moon near Pollux (evening sky) at 15h UT.
30	Moon near Beehive cluster M44 (evening sky) at 15h UT. • Beehive Cluster (Wikipedia) • M44: The Beehive Cluster (APOD)
30	First Quarter Moon at 20:38 UT.

>>> 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)