Tonight – October 23, 2016 – you won’t see the moon in the evening sky. It’s past last quarter now and visible in the sky only between midnight and dawn. If you’re up early in the next few mornings, though, you’ll see the waning crescent moon near Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion.
Regulus is known as the heart of the Lion in Leo. It’s the only first-magnitude star – that is, the only bright star among all the sky’s brightest stars – to sit almost exactly on the ecliptic or sun’s yearly path in front of the constellations of the zodiac.
The moon in its monthly journey around Earth moves more or less along the zodiac, too. It can swing anywhere from 5o north to 5o south of the star Regulus. In cycles of about 9 years, however, the moon actually occults – passes directly in front of – Regulus once a month for a period of about one and one-half years. For instance, the last occultation series began on January 7, 2007, and ended on May 12, 2008, staging a total of 19 occultations.
The next occulation series will begin on December 18, 2016, and will end on April 24, 2018. Once again, there will be a total of 19 occultations in the series. But to see any lunar occultation of Regulus, you have to be on the right spot on Earth.
For the fun of it, we list the dates for the upcoming occultation series:
1. December 18, 2016
2. January 15, 2017
3. February 11, 2017
4. March 10, 2017
5. April 12, 2017
6. May 4, 2017
7. May 31, 2017
8. June 28, 2017
9. July 25, 2017
10. August 21, 2017
11. September 18, 2017
12. October 15, 2017
13. November 11, 2017
14. December 8, 2017
15. January 5, 2018
16. February 1, 2018
17. March 1, 2018
18. March 28, 2018
19. April 24, 2018
Exactly midway through the occultation series – on August 21, 2017 – the moon will occult Regulus on the same date that the moon will totally eclipse the sun, as seen by us in North America.
How’s that for a great coincidence?
Bottom line: Starting on the morning of October 24, 2016, watch for the moon to shine in the vicinity of Regulus, the constellation Leo’s brightest star. The moon will appear near Regulus for the next several days.
Total eclipse of the sun: August 21, 2017
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from EarthSky http://ift.tt/2eGr8RO
Tonight – October 23, 2016 – you won’t see the moon in the evening sky. It’s past last quarter now and visible in the sky only between midnight and dawn. If you’re up early in the next few mornings, though, you’ll see the waning crescent moon near Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion.
Regulus is known as the heart of the Lion in Leo. It’s the only first-magnitude star – that is, the only bright star among all the sky’s brightest stars – to sit almost exactly on the ecliptic or sun’s yearly path in front of the constellations of the zodiac.
The moon in its monthly journey around Earth moves more or less along the zodiac, too. It can swing anywhere from 5o north to 5o south of the star Regulus. In cycles of about 9 years, however, the moon actually occults – passes directly in front of – Regulus once a month for a period of about one and one-half years. For instance, the last occultation series began on January 7, 2007, and ended on May 12, 2008, staging a total of 19 occultations.
The next occulation series will begin on December 18, 2016, and will end on April 24, 2018. Once again, there will be a total of 19 occultations in the series. But to see any lunar occultation of Regulus, you have to be on the right spot on Earth.
For the fun of it, we list the dates for the upcoming occultation series:
1. December 18, 2016
2. January 15, 2017
3. February 11, 2017
4. March 10, 2017
5. April 12, 2017
6. May 4, 2017
7. May 31, 2017
8. June 28, 2017
9. July 25, 2017
10. August 21, 2017
11. September 18, 2017
12. October 15, 2017
13. November 11, 2017
14. December 8, 2017
15. January 5, 2018
16. February 1, 2018
17. March 1, 2018
18. March 28, 2018
19. April 24, 2018
Exactly midway through the occultation series – on August 21, 2017 – the moon will occult Regulus on the same date that the moon will totally eclipse the sun, as seen by us in North America.
How’s that for a great coincidence?
Bottom line: Starting on the morning of October 24, 2016, watch for the moon to shine in the vicinity of Regulus, the constellation Leo’s brightest star. The moon will appear near Regulus for the next several days.
Total eclipse of the sun: August 21, 2017
Enjoying EarthSky so far? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/2eGr8RO
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