from: http://www.aavso.org/publications/alerts/alert380.shtml

Nova in Ophiuchus
May 27, 2008

Event: Nova in Ophiuchus

Discovered By: independently by several Japanese observers using
unfiltered CCDs:
-- K. Nishiyama, Kurume, Fukuoka-ken, and F. Kabashima,
Miyaki-cho, Saga-ken
-- H. Nishimura, Kakegawa, Shizuoka-ken
-- K. Haseda, Toyohashi, Aichi; via H. Yamaoka, Kyushu University

Discovery Date: 2008 May 25 (JD 2454612)

Discovery Magnitude: approximately 10.2 (visual estimate)

Position: R.A. = 17h 39m 50.93s ; Decl. = -23o 50' 00.9" (J2000)
by K. Nishiyama and F. Kabashima


SJS

Another candidate:

http://www.aavso.org/publications/alerts/alert381.shtml

Event: Second (Possible) Nova in Ophiuchus in 2008 - N OPH 2008 NO. 2

Discovered By: K. Nishiyama, Kurume, Fukuoka-ken, Japan, and F.
Kabashima,
Miyaki-cho, Saga-ken, Japan

Discovery Date: May 31.608 and 31.609 UT

Discovery Magnitude: unfiltered CCD magnitude 11.3 (two 30-s CCD
frames using
a 105-mm f/5.6 camera lens)

Position:  R.A. = 17:33:29.67  Decl. = -27:01:16.4 (equinox 2000.0)
measured by Nishiyama and Kabashima on their confirming image taken
May 31.628 UT.


SJS

I checked out both OPH Novas these last night  (Monday) in my 10" newt.  The
first one we received notice of I visually measured at mag 11, which seems
to agree with other AAVSO observers.  However, the second one (the one
listed below) was very dim, and only detected with averted vision, so I
couldn't get a measurement. The limiting mag on my scope is around 14, so I
would guess it is around mag 13 or so.  It was very low in the SE horizon,
however.

-John

-----Original Message-----
From: starrynights@yahoogroups.com [mailto:starrynights@yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of Stephen Saber
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 8:18 PM
To: starrynights@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [starrynights] Re: New Nova In Ophiuchus

Another candidate:

http://www.aavso.org/publications/alerts/alert381.shtml

Event: Second (Possible) Nova in Ophiuchus in 2008 - N OPH 2008 NO. 2

Discovered By: K. Nishiyama, Kurume, Fukuoka-ken, Japan, and F.
Kabashima,
Miyaki-cho, Saga-ken, Japan

Discovery Date: May 31.608 and 31.609 UT

Discovery Magnitude: unfiltered CCD magnitude 11.3 (two 30-s CCD
frames using
a 105-mm f/5.6 camera lens)

Hi all, it took a fine night and some seriously accurate star hopping
but I did bag NGC 5606. Lined it up at 30x and put what I thought
might be it in the center and upped it to 75x. Perfect triangle, with
averted vision saw 4 stars with the yellow one to the side. Also
managed to bag the Ghost of Jupiter, the Spindle galaxy and NGC 5907
(definitely there with averted vision). All in all a very satisfying
night.
Brian

June Calendar by Dave Mitsky

All times, unless otherwise noted, are UT (subtract four hours and,
when appropriate, one calendar day for EDT)

6/1   A double Galilean satellite shadow transit (Ganymede's shadow
is followed by Europa's) begins at 17:20
6/3   The Moon is at perigee, subtending 33'27" from a distance of
357,251 km (221,986 miles), at 13:21 - high tides will result; New
(Dark) Moon (lunation 1057) occurs at 19:23
6/7   Mercury is at aphelion today; Venus is at the ascending node
today; the Moon is 0.4 degree south of the bright open cluster M44
(the Beehive or Praesepe) in Cancer at 11:00; Mercury is in inferior
conjunction at 15:00
6/8   Mars is 1.1 degrees north of the Moon, with an occultation
taking place in New Zealand, at 2:00; a double Galilean satellite
shadow transit (Ganymede's shadow is followed by Europa's) begins at
19:54
6/9   The Moon is 1.4 degrees south of the first magnitude star
Regulus (Alpha Leonis) at 3:00; Venus is in superior conjunction at
4:00; Saturn is 3 degrees north of the Moon at 9:00
6/10 First Quarter Moon occurs at 15:04
6/11 The Purbach Cross or Lunar X, an X-shaped illumination effect
involving various rims and ridges between the craters La Caille,
Blanchinus, and Purbach, is predicted to occur at 2:29
6/12 Asteroid 3 Juno (magnitude 10.0) is at opposition today
6/14 The earliest sunrise of 2008 occurs today
6/15 A double Galilean satellite shadow transit (Europa's shadow is
followed by Ganymede's) begins at 22:42
6/16 The Moon is at apogee, subtending 29'25" from a distance of
406,228 km (252,419 miles), at 19:33
6/17 The earliest morning twilight of 2008 occurs today; the Moon is
0.2 degree south of the first magnitude star Antares (Alpha Scorpii),
with an occultation taking place in southern South America and
Polynesia, at 5:00
6/18 Full Moon (known as the Flower, Rose or Strawberry Moon) occurs
at 17:30
6/19 Mercury is stationary at 19:15
6/20 Pluto (magnitude 13.9, size 0.1") is at opposition today;
Jupiter is 2 degrees north of the Moon at 13:00; summer solstice in
the northern hemisphere occurs at 23:59
6/23 A double Galilean satellite shadow transit (Europa's shadow is
followed by Ganymede's) begins at 2:40; Neptune is 0.8 degree south
of the Moon, with an occultation taking place in southern Greenland
and most of North America, at 9:00
6/24 The latest evening twilight of 2008 occurs today
6/25 Uranus is 4 degrees south of the Moon at 16:00
6/26 Last Quarter Moon occurs at 12:10
6/27 The latest sunset of 2008 occurs today; Mercury is at its
greatest heliocentric latitude south today; the Bootid meteor shower
peaks at 2:30; the Curtiss Cross, an X-shaped illumination effect
located between the craters Parry and Gambart, is predicted to occur
at 2:36; Uranus is stationary at 8:00
6/28 Asteroid 1 Ceres is in conjunction with the Sun at 17:00
6/30 A slender crescent Moon occults some of the stars of M45 (the
Pleiades) shortly before dawn

Beginning around 2:00 a.m. EDT on the morning of June 30, the rising
crescent Moon passes through the Pleiades for a period of
approximately two hours for observers in northeastern North America.
The Moon is 26.5 days old on June 1 at 0:00 UT.  The Moon is at its
greatest northern declination of +28 degrees on June 4 and its
greatest southern declination of –28 degrees on June 18.
Longitudinal libration is at a maximum of +8 degrees on May 9 and a
minimum of -7 degrees on May 25.  Latitudinal libration is at a
maximum of +7 degrees on May 15 and a minimum of -7 degrees on May 2
and May 29.  Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to
occur in June are available at http://www.lunar-
occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm

The Sun is located in Taurus on June 1.  The longest day of the year
occurs on June 20 when the Sun reaches its northernmost declination
on the ecliptic.  At latitude 40 degrees north, there are 15 hours
and 1 minute of daylight.  This is the earliest summer solstice to
occur in 116 years.

Brightness, apparent size, illumination, distance from the Earth in
astronomical units, and location data for the planets and Pluto on
June 1: Mercury (magnitude 4.1, 11.7", 4% illuminated, 0.57 a.u.,
Taurus), Venus (magnitude -4.0, 9.6", 100% illuminated, 1.73 a.u.,
Taurus), Mars (magnitude 1.5, 4.9", 92% illuminated, 1.89 a.u.,
Cancer), Jupiter (magnitude -2.6, 45.0", 100% illuminated, 4.38 a.u.,
Sagittarius), Saturn (magnitude 0.7, 17.7", 100% illuminated, 9.40
a.u., Leo), Uranus (magnitude 5.8, 3.5", 100% illuminated, 20.03
a.u., Aquarius), Neptune (magnitude 7.9, 2.3", 100% illuminated,
29.50 a.u., Capricornus), and Pluto (magnitude 13.9, 0.1", 100%
illuminated, 30.47 a.u., Sagittarius).

This month Venus, Mars, and Saturn are located in the western sky in
the evening.  Jupiter is in the southwest and Saturn in the west at
midnight.  Mercury can be found in the east-northeast, Jupiter in the
south, Uranus in the southeast, and Neptune in the south in the
morning sky.

During the last ten days of the month, Mercury is visible with
difficulty in the east-northeast in morning twilight.  By June 28,
the speedy planet has brightened to magnitude 0.7 and outshines
Aldebaran (magnitude 0.8) some 7 degrees to upper right of Mercury.

Venus is occulted by the Sun on June 9, which happens to be the
midpoint between the 2004 and 2012 transits of the Sun, and will not
be visible this month.

Mars departs Cancer and enters Leo on June 10 and rapidly approaches
Saturn and Regulus.  The Red Planet is located 12 degrees from
Regulus on the 10th, 6 degrees on June 21, and less than 3 degrees on
the 26th.  On the night of June 30, Mars (magnitude 1.6) passes just
43 arc minutes north of slightly brighter Regulus (magnitude 1.4).

Jupiter is rather poorly positioned in southern Sagittarius this
year.  When it reaches culmination at approximately 2:00 a.m. EDT,
the planet is not much more than 20 degrees above the horizon.  On
the night of June 28, a magnitude 5.6 star is some 6 arc minutes
south of the planet and Callisto is at its maximum distance of 10 arc
minutes to the east of Jupiter.  Click on
http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/article_107_1.asp
  to determine transit times of the central meridian by the Great Red
Spot.  Data on the Galilean satellites is available at
http://skytonight.com/observing/objects/javascript/3307071.html

During June and July, Saturn's rings have an inclination of just 9
degrees.  Saturn (magnitude 0.8) lies 5 degrees to the east of Mars
and Regulus on the night of June 30.  Titan (magnitude 8.4), Saturn's
brightest satellite, is due north of Saturn on the nights of June 13
and June 29 and due south of it on the nights of June 5 and June 21.
The Ringed Planet's other notable moons - Rhea, Dione, Tethys, and
Enceladus - shine at magnitudes 9.7, 10.4, 10.3, and 11.8
respectively.  Iapetus decreases in magnitude to11.9 when it reaches
eastern elongation on June 27.  The position of this peculiar
satellite in relation to Saturn at 0:00 UT is as follows: June 1 (15"
west), June 5 (4" west), June 7 (1" east), June 13 (16" east), June
17 (25" west), June 23 (33" east), and June 29 (34" east).  For
further information on Saturn's satellites, browse
http://skytonight.com/observing/objects/javascript/3308506.html

Uranus lies 5 degrees to the east of Phi Aquarii (magnitude 4.2),
which is located south of the Circlet of Pisces.

Neptune rises before midnight by the end of the month.  It's situated
to the north of the second magnitude star Delta Capricorni and forms
a triangle with two fifth magnitude stars, 42 and 44 Capricorni.

On June 1, the dwarf planet Pluto is located 0.2 degree northwest of
the star 6 Sagittarii (magnitude 6.2). By the end of June, Pluto's
westward retrograde motion places it nearly a degree away from 6
Sagittarii.  A finder chart is available on page 67 of the June issue
of Sky and Telescope.

Comet C/2007 G1 (LINEAR) shines dimly at 11.9 magnitude as it
traverses Ophiuchus and enters Scorpius this month.  Along the way,
the comet passes south of the globular cluster M9 (magnitude 7.9) and
north of the globular cluster NGC 6342 (magnitude 9.8) on June 6.

Asteroid 3 Juno also travels westward through Ophiuchus during June.
The 244 kilometer-sized "vermin of the skies" passes about two
degrees south of the globular cluster M14 during the first week of
the month.

Forty binary and multiple stars for June: Struve 1812, Kappa Bootis,
Otto Struve 279, Iota Bootis, Struve 1825, Struve 1835,  Pi Bootis,
Epsilon Bootis, Struve 1889, 39 Bootis, Xi Bootis, Struve 1910, Delta
Bootis, Mu Bootis (Bootes); Struve 1803 (Canes Venatici); Struve
1932, Struve 1964, Zeta Coronae Borealis, Struve 1973, Otto Struve
302 (Corona Borealis); Struve 1927, Struve 1984, Struve 2054, Eta
Draconis, 17-16 Draconis, 17 Draconis (Draco); 54 Hydrae (Hydra);
Struve 1919, 5 Serpentis, 6 Serpentis, Struve 1950, Delta Serpentis,
Otto Struve 300, Beta Serpentis, Struve 1985 (Serpens Caput); Struve
1831 (Ursa Major); Pi-1 Ursae Minoris (Ursa Minor); Struve 1802,
Struve 1833, Phi Virginis (Virgo)

Challenge binary star for June: Gamma Coronae Borealis

Notable variable star for June: V Bootis (see
http://www.britastro.org/vss/00042a.html for further information)

Notable carbon star for June: V Coronae Borealis

Fifty deep-sky objects for June: NGC 5466, NGC 5676, NGC 5689
(Bootes); M102 (NGC 5866), NGC 5678, NGC 5879, NGC 5905, NGC 5907,
NGC 5908, NGC 5949, NGC 5963, NGC 5965, NGC 5982, NGC 5985, NGC 6015
(Draco); NGC 5694 (Hydra); NGC 5728, NGC 5791, NGC 5796, NGC 5812,
NGC 5861, NGC 5878, NGC 5897 (Libra); M5, NGC 5921, NGC 5957, NGC
5962, NGC 5970, NGC 5984 (Serpens Caput); M101, NGC 5473, NGC 5474,
NGC 5485, NGC 5585, NGC 5631 (Ursa Major); NGC 5566, NGC 5634, NGC
5701, NGC 5713, NGC 5746, NGC 5750, NGC 5775, NGC 5806, NGC 5813, NGC
5831, NGC 5838, NGC 5846, NGC 5850, NGC 5854, NGC 5864 (Virgo)

Top ten deep-sky objects for June: M5, M101, M102, NGC 5566, NGC
5585, NGC 5689, NGC 5746, NGC 5813, NGC 5838, NGC 5907

Top five deep-sky binocular objects for June: M5, M101, M102, NGC
5466, NGC 5907

Challenge deep-sky object for June: Abell 2065

The objects listed above are located between 14:00 and 16:00 hours of
right ascension.

I just finished all the objects in the Messier catalog last weekend.
Do you have any suggestion on the further deep sky object observation
after this? Thanks.

On Jun 3, 2008, at 3:40 , zwhzjh wrote:

> I just finished all the objects in the Messier catalog last weekend.
> Do you have any suggestion on the further deep sky object observation
> after this? Thanks.

Congratulations! Why not try the Herschel 400?

A word of caution... after a few nights working on the Herschel 400,
almost any Messier object will appear both huge and bright in your
eyepiece.  ;o)

zwhzjh wrote:
> I just finished all the objects in the Messier catalog last weekend.
> Do you have any suggestion on the further deep sky object observation
> after this? Thanks.

The list I usually recommend is Alan Dyer's Finest NGCs:

http://www.seds.org/Messier/xtra/similar/rasc-ngc.html

Like Messier's catalog, this contains 110 objects, and includes
virtually all of the finest objects visible from the northern hemisphere
which Messier missed.

Geoff

--
Geoff Gaherty
Foxmead Observatory
Coldwater, Ontario, Canada
http://www.gaherty.ca

--- In starrynights@yahoogroups.com, "zwhzjh" <zwhzjh@...> wrote:
>
> I just finished all the objects in the Messier catalog last weekend.
> Do you have any suggestion on the further deep sky object observation
> after this? Thanks.
>
If you have not already tried it; AstroByte Logging System software
(free)is an excellent resource. It has 4 lists plus the Messier list
and the Sac Database is really good for record keeping.

Hello Zwhzjh:

There are many lists you can now work from, as many from this group will
suggest. As an example, I just uploaded an Excel spreadsheet in the
"observing list" files section that compares many of the lists, separated
into categories for small scopes/binos; urban areas; and general (darker
skies/larger scopes). I have high-lighted the most common reoccurrences for
each category for special consideration. Some of my observing notes are also
included to give you a feel of what you may see under a variety of
conditions. The file is titled "N Splendours combined from several lists
above OC to post.xls." Please see the "read me first" tab for the sources
for the lists and other information.

Regards,
Bob

On Fri, May 30, 2008 at 3:41 PM, davejm28 <djm28@...> wrote:
> Last night I had the honor of being the first person to look through
> the new 8mm Ethos at night, according to Al Nagler.

Wow - Congrats!!!
A buddy of mine with a 20" Obsession has one on order - I'm looking
forward to checking out M22 with it this fall!
Great writeup too!
Jim

Mr. Mitsky,

   Just a quick note to thank you for posting your astro calendar every month. 
It's always full of useful and exciting info.  Very cool and groovy!

   -dave



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[]

Emacs!


Please join us in the beautiful San Diego County mountains on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday, August 1, 2 and 3, 2008.

Please look here -->> http://www.JulianStarfest.com/

Special discount coupon here -->>
http://www.lakehodges.com/JSF-2008-Astroclub-50-EMKB603.pdf

Located just 35 miles east of the San Diego Wild Animal Park via Hwy
78 east, in the historic Gold Rush Mountain Community of Julian, CA.

          (Check Southwest Airlines and Jet Blue for Discount Fares to
San Diego)

Many of the major astronomy vendors will have special sales tents and
astronomy BARGAINS for everyone!

Also an ASTRONOMY SWAP MEET and presentations from special guest
speakers. Special TOUR of Palomar Observatory.

Incredible DARK SKY observing on Friday and Saturday nights.  Camp
sites are still available -->> bring your tent, van or motor home.

Register now -->> http://www.julianstarfest.com/starfestregistration.pdf

Warm thanks,

-- Kurt Barnhart
     Julian, California
     email:  Julianstars <at> expresswire.com









[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In starrynights@yahoogroups.com, "zwhzjh" <zwhzjh@...> wrote:
>
> I just finished all the objects in the Messier catalog last weekend.
> Do you have any suggestion on the further deep sky object
observation
> after this? Thanks.

Here are a number of other noteworthy lists that haven't yet been
mentioned:

http://www.saguaroastro.org/content/BEST-OF-DEEP-SKY-OBJECTS-NOT-IN-
THE-NGC.htm

http://www.astronomyboy.com/saa/saa100.html

http://www.skymap.com/saa200.htm

http://www.taas.org/taas200/index.html

http://homepage.mac.com/vicmenard/telescopes/TheList.pdf

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/raycash/dmcon.htm

http://www.subdomainname.yurisnight.net/messier/xtra/similar/m1000.txt

http://www.1000plus.com/2000plus/

Dave Mitsky

>
> Here are a number of other noteworthy lists that haven't yet been
> mentioned:
>
>Hi Dave, the TAAS 200 is now on my hard drive. thanks for the heads up.
Brian

--- In starrynights@yahoogroups.com, dave dyer <davidpauldyer@...>
wrote:
>
> Mr. Mitsky,
>
>   Just a quick note to thank you for posting your astro calendar
every month.  It's always full of useful and exciting info.  Very cool
and groovy!
>
>   -dave

From one Dave to another, you're welcome.

Dave Mitsky

davejm28 wrote:
> --- In starrynights@yahoogroups.com, dave dyer <davidpauldyer@...>
> wrote:
>>   -dave
>
>>From one Dave to another, you're welcome.
>
> Dave Mitsky

Just so you're aware, if either of you join the RASC (Royal Astronomical
Society of Canada), you will also automatically become a member of the
RASD (Royal Astronomical Society of Daves).  At some point, members
named Dave became so numerous that they formed a subsociety, with each
Dave being assigned a number.  Unfortunately for me, there is no RASG,
although there are three genuine Geoffs in the RASC Toronto Centre
alone, along with some pseudoGeoffs, those who spell their name with a J.

Geoff

--
Geoff Gaherty
Foxmead Observatory
Coldwater, Ontario, Canada
http://www.gaherty.ca

Reminds me of the Canadian comedy troupe the Kids in the Hall who did a song
called "These are the Daves I Know", which of course was sung by Dave Foley.

-- Dave

Read my latest astronomy column!
http://parkingorbit.blogspot.com/

   ----- Original Message -----
   From: Geoff Gaherty
   To: starrynights@yahoogroups.com
   Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 5:04 AM
   Subject: [starrynights] OT: Daves [was: June 2008 AstroCalendar]


   davejm28 wrote:
   > --- In starrynights@yahoogroups.com, dave dyer <davidpauldyer@...>
   > wrote:
   >> -dave
   >
   >>From one Dave to another, you're welcome.
   >
   > Dave Mitsky

   Just so you're aware, if either of you join the RASC (Royal Astronomical
   Society of Canada), you will also automatically become a member of the
   RASD (Royal Astronomical Society of Daves). At some point, members
   named Dave became so numerous that they formed a subsociety, with each
   Dave being assigned a number. Unfortunately for me, there is no RASG,
   although there are three genuine Geoffs in the RASC Toronto Centre
   alone, along with some pseudoGeoffs, those who spell their name with a J.

   Geoff

   --
   Geoff Gaherty
   Foxmead Observatory
   Coldwater, Ontario, Canada
   http://www.gaherty.ca




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

http://jda.jaxa.jp/jda/v4_e.php?
v_id=ca70e8c7ae2300efb02e2d8f3b34ea81&mode=search&genre=5&category=5025&
mission=5026

If you think it's worth the time,(copy and paste might work) check out
the video of earth rising from the moon in HD. It's from the Japanese
explorer 'SELENE'. I also had to use QT as windows media went "DUH"
George in AZ

On Jun 18, 2008, at 9:00 , George Mastry wrote:

> http://jda.jaxa.jp/jda/v4_e.php?
> v_id=ca70e8c7ae2300efb02e2d8f3b34ea81&mode=search&genre=5&category=502
> 5&
> mission=5026
>
> If you think it's worth the time,(copy and paste might work)

This works too: <http://tinyurl.com/6myjbh>

Thanks Paul :-)--- In starrynights@yahoogroups.com, Paul Lawler
<plawler@...> wrote:
>
> On Jun 18, 2008, at 9:00 , George Mastry wrote:
>
> > http://jda.jaxa.jp/jda/v4_e.php?
> >
v_id=ca70e8c7ae2300efb02e2d8f3b34ea81&mode=search&genre=5&category=502
> > 5&
> > mission=5026
> >
> > If you think it's worth the time,(copy and paste might work)
>
> This works too: <http://tinyurl.com/6myjbh>
>

Hi All,
I took my 12" outside last Friday night and had an excellent night. I
went back to old favourites - all relatively easy to find in my light
polluted skies. It was a particularly clear and steady evening. As I
am at 52.5 degrees North, it took until nearly 1am before the night
got reasonably dark and that then only lasted an hour.

I saw the Ring Nebula in Lyra as a circle with a clear central hole
(couldn't see the central star) for the first time - usually this
appears as a uniform grey filled in circle for me.

Jupiter was very low down and did not rise above the hedge on the
Southern aspect of my garden until 1.30am. When it did though, I
could clearly see two red cloud bands. Variations in seeing were
obvious with the disc alternately being blurred and focused moment by
moment.

However, the highlight was looking at the large Hercules Cluster. For
the first time since I started the hobby, I was able to allow my eyes
to completely relax at the eyepiece. It made an incredible
difference, allowing the eyepeice to properly focus the image for me.
And when it did (Moonfish 30mm 2"), the image was spectacular.
Suddenley, stars appeared, apparently gonig right down to the core
(although I can't possibly have resolved all the stars in reality),
complete with dust lanes. The stars were jewels hanging in the sky!
Wow!

Andy

Hey, maybe this isn't the place for this....but I thought that this
was cute & interesting. (just try it...ok?)

How long would you survive in space?

http://www.oneplusyou.com/q/v/space_vacuum

(I could survive for 1 min. & 5 sec. in the vacuum of space!!)



.·´
`·-»~JACKI~

Survival doesn't sound like that much fun.

I like the idea of skydiving from a shuttle though.


SJS (1m53s)



--- In starrynights@yahoogroups.com, "~Jacki~" <d0lphinw0man@...> wrote:
>
> Hey, maybe this isn't the place for this....but I thought that this
> was cute & interesting. (just try it...ok?)
>
> How long would you survive in space?
>
> http://www.oneplusyou.com/q/v/space_vacuum
>
> (I could survive for 1 min. & 5 sec. in the vacuum of space!!)
>
>
>
> .·´
> `·-»~JACKI~
>

Comet Boattini has been causing interest for southern views in the
past weeks, as it is coming within reach of small binoculars in the
early predawn sky. I observed it twice from my windswept back steps
with my 8X32mm Tasco and was impressed by the view in 25X100 Binox. It
displays an oval shape with a brightening extension NE.  In a quarter
moonlit sky it appears as a mag 5.5 blob as large as 47 Tuc but much
dimmer. It compares well in binocs  to NGC 2069, the Tarantella Nebula
in the far south.
As Boattini is heading North it may be visible to many horizon hugging
northern viewers from early July. It passes 4 ½ ° NE of  Menkar, a
Ceti  on July 12th and then heads into Aries by the end of July.
More renowned for his asteroid hunting, this is Andre Boattini's first
comet and with an orbit of 63,000 years we need to catch it this time
around!
Regards,
Eddy

I have also observed Comet Boattini from Las Campanas Observatory
at the beginning of June and also from Romania in middle may. The most
striking aspect to me is it's color. Unfortunately I did not had any
optical instrument with me when traveling in the southern hemisphere
and strange enough, at large observatories (Like CTIO and LCO) they do
not have any good small telescope. As Boattini I am part of a project
- EURONEAR ( http://euronear.imcce.fr/tiki-index.php ) "dealing" with
asteroids, but no comet so far in the 500 objects we discovered :(.
     Here are some pictures with comet Boattini and the observatories:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27891676@N05/
     Clear skies,
Alex Tudorica


2008/6/27 Eddy OConnor <bigmonocle@...>:
> Comet Boattini has been causing interest for southern views in the
> past weeks, as it is coming within reach of small binoculars in the
> early predawn sky. I observed it twice from my windswept back steps
> with my 8X32mm Tasco and was impressed by the view in 25X100 Binox. It
> displays an oval shape with a brightening extension NE. In a quarter
> moonlit sky it appears as a mag 5.5 blob as large as 47 Tuc but much
> dimmer. It compares well in binocs to NGC 2069, the Tarantella Nebula
> in the far south.
> As Boattini is heading North it may be visible to many horizon hugging
> northern viewers from early July. It passes 4 ½ ° NE of Menkar, a
> Ceti on July 12th and then heads into Aries by the end of July.
> More renowned for his asteroid hunting, this is Andre Boattini's first
> comet and with an orbit of 63,000 years we need to catch it this time
> around!
> Regards,
> Eddy
>
>

Hi all, I have been waiting for a month to post this. In that month
there was a typhoon, lots of clouds and a very bright moon but tonight
I bagged M 55-75-72 and completed my Messier 110 list. I also managed
to add NGC 6396 and 6400 tonight before the Messiers came above the
tree line. Now I get to do it all again with the 8" LightBridge that
should be arriving in 9 days. Should be fun.
Brian

On 6/27/08, Brian W <mljbw2@...> wrote:
> I bagged M 55-75-72 and completed my Messier 110 list.

Congrats - thats great!

I think M55 and M75 where the last two I needed a few years ago to
finish mine off with my 4.5" Skyquest =-)  Doing it in a 4.5" scope is
great - I spent the next two years with my 10" Dob going back and
revisiting them: enjoy!

Jim

Leo hosts a fine series of conjunctions after sunset in early July.
Mars passes within 0.7° of Regulus on the 1st and appears within the
same distance of Saturn on the 10th.
Our waxing crescent moon also joins the trio on the 5th and 6th.
The linked slideshow follows the progression of events over the first
ten days in July (40n90w).

http://tinyurl.com/5jz6ln

Enjoy the show.


Stephen Saber
PAC/Astronomical League
www.astronomyblogs.com/member/saberscorpx

--- In starrynights@yahoogroups.com, "davejm28" <djm28@...> wrote:
>
> June Calendar by Dave Mitsky

Several days ago I noticed that my proofreader and me had missed the
mistakes in the lunar secion on librations.  May should read as June,
of course.

Dave Mitsky