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X-WR-CALNAME:RASC Hamilton
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for RASC Hamilton
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BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/Toronto
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DTSTART:20240310T070000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250103T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250103T200000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193106Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19037-1735923600-1735934400@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Crescent Moon Meets Venus (early evening)
DESCRIPTION:The southwestern sky will provide a beautiful photo opportunity on Friday evening\, January 3 when the slender waxing crescent moon will shine near the brilliant planet Venus. They’ll be close enough to share the view in binoculars (orange circle) from sunset until they set at about 8:30 p.m. local time. Keep an eye out for Earthshine on the moon. Sometimes called the Ashen Glow or the Old Moon in the New Moon’s Arms\, the phenomenon is visible within a day or two of new moon\, when sunlight reflected off Earth and back toward the moon slightly brightens the unlit portion of the moon’s Earth-facing hemisphere. A backyard telescope will reveal that Venus has a half-moon shape.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/crescent-moon-meets-venus-early-evening/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250103T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250104T050000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193106Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19038-1735934400-1735966800@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Quadrantids Meteor Shower Peak (all night)
DESCRIPTION:Named for a now-defunct constellation called the Mural Quadrant\, the Quadrantids meteor shower runs from December 26 to January 16 every year. Quadrantids meteors always radiate from a point in the northeastern sky below the tip of the Big Dipper’s handle. This shower commonly produces bright fireballs because it is produced by particles dropped by an asteroid designated 2003EH. The Quadrantids’ most intense period\, when up to 50 to 100 meteors per hour can appear during a short\, 6 hour window\, will occur on Friday\, January 3 at 18:00 GMT. That converts to daytime in the Americas\, but observers located in the Pacific Ocean and eastern Asia will have ideal conditions in the hours before dawn. The moon will not interfere with the shower this year.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/quadrantids-meteor-shower-peak-all-night-2/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250104T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250104T000000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T192900Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:18956-1735948800-1735948800@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Earth at Perihelion (at 8 a.m. EST)
DESCRIPTION:The Earth will reach perihelion\, its minimum distance from the sun for the year\, on Saturday\, January 4 at 8 a.m. EST\, or 5 a.m. PST\, or 13:00 GMT. At perihelion Earth will be 91.404 million miles (or 147.101 million km) from our star\, about 1.67% closer than our mean distance of 1.0 Astronomical Unit. As winter-chilled Northern Hemisphere dwellers will attest\, daily temperatures on Earth are not controlled by our proximity to the sun\, but by the number of hours of daylight we experience.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/__trashed-23/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250104T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250104T193000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193108Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19040-1736011800-1736019000@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Waxing Moon joins Saturn (evening)
DESCRIPTION:In the southwestern sky after sunset on Saturday\, January 4\, the yellowish dot of Saturn will appear several finger widths below (or celestial WSW of) the waxing crescent moon – close enough to share the view in binoculars (orange circle). Venus will gleam to their lower right. The moon and Saturn will be visible from dusk until they set at about 10 p.m. local time. Hours earlier\, skywatchers located in a zone extending across northwestern Africa\, most of Europe\, Iceland\, and northeastern Greenland can safely watch the moon occult Saturn with unaided eyes\, binoculars\, and backyard telescopes. Use an app like Starry Night or Sky Safari to look up the event’s start and end times where you live.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/waxing-moon-joins-saturn-evening/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250105T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250105T220000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193108Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19041-1736103600-1736114400@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Watch Algol Fade (from 6:42 to 11:42 pm EST)
DESCRIPTION:The star Algol in the constellation of Perseus represents the glowing eye of Medusa from Greek mythology. Also designated Beta Persei\, it is among the most accessible variable stars for skywatchers. During a ten-hour period that repeats like clockwork every 2 days\, 20 hours\, and 49 minutes\, Algol dims noticeably and re-brightens by about a third when a fainter companion star with an orbit nearly edge-on to Earth crosses in front of its much brighter primary\, reducing the total light output we perceive. Algol normally shines at magnitude 2.1\, similar to the nearby star Almach (aka Gamma Andromedae). But while fully dimmed\, Algol’s brightness of magnitude 3.4 is almost identical to Rho Persei (or Gorgonea Tertia or ρ Per)\, the star sitting just two finger widths to Algol’s lower right (or 2.25 degrees to the celestial south). On Sunday evening\, January 5 at 6:42 p.m. EST (or 23:42 GMT)\, Algol will start to fade from its usual brightness. At that time it will be shining very high in the eastern sky\, above and between the bright star Capella and Jupiter. Five hours later\, at 11:42 p.m. EST (or 04:42 GMT on Monday)\, Algol will have faded to its minimum brightness. It’s location at that time will be about halfway up the western sky below Capella and Jupiter. If you miss this attempt\, you can watch Algol brighten from its minimum starting at 7:02 p.m. EST on Thursday\, January 30.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/watch-algol-fade-from-642-to-1142-pm-est/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250106T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250106T220000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193108Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19042-1736190000-1736200800@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:First Quarter Moon (at 23:56 GMT)
DESCRIPTION:The moon will complete the first quarter of its 29.53-day journey around Earth on Monday\, January 6 at 6:56 p.m. EST\, or 3:56 p.m. PST\, or 23:56 GMT. At first quarter\, the moon’s 90-degree angle from the sun causes us to see it half-illuminated on its eastern side. First quarter moons always rise around mid-day and set around midnight\, so they are also visible in the afternoon daytime sky. The evenings surrounding first quarter are the best ones for seeing the spectacular lunar terrain when it is lit by low-angled sunlight\, especially along the terminator\, the pole-to-pole boundary that separates the moon’s lit and dark hemispheres.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/first-quarter-moon-at-2356-gmt/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250107T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250108T050000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193108Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19043-1736280000-1736312400@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:The Goat Star and Her Kids (all night)
DESCRIPTION:On early-January evenings\, the constellation of Auriga\, the Charioteer is positioned high in the eastern sky. The constellation is dominated by the very bright (magnitude 0.05)\, yellow\, sun-like star Capella\, nick-named the Goat Star. Look several finger widths to the right (or 4 degrees to the celestial south) of Capella for a narrow\, sideways triangle of three fainter stars known as the Kids –Almaaz\, and Hoedus I\, and Hoedus II (or Epsilon\, Zeta\, and Eta Aurigae). The main stars of Auriga form an ellipse\, although the medium-bright star Elnath at its right-hand (or southern) end is actually the northern horn-tip star of Taurus\, the Bull.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/the-goat-star-and-her-kids-all-night/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250108T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250108T220000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193108Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19044-1736362800-1736373600@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:The Stars of Orion’s Belt (evening)
DESCRIPTION:The three stars in Orion’s belt may look the same at a glance\, but they are actually quite different under closer inspection. Magnitude 1.85 Alnitak (Zeta Orionis) on the left and magnitude 1.65 Alnilam (Epsilon Orionis) in the center shine at almost the same brightness\, though Alnilam is almost twice as far away. The magnitude 2.4 star Mintaka (Delta Orionis) on Orion’s right hip is quite a bit fainter. Alnitak is blue\, while the other two stars are whiter in color. In a telescope\, Alnitak (Arabic for “the Girdle”) is revealed to be a very tightly-spaced double star\, while Mintaka is a more widely spaced pair. Using binoculars (orange circle) look for a large\, upright\, S-shaped asterism of dim stars in the space between Alnilam and Mintaka. Sigma Orionis the medium-bright star shining less than a finger’s width to the lower right (or 0.8 degrees southwest of) Alnitak\, is a beautiful little grouping of ten or more stars when viewed under magnification.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/the-stars-of-orions-belt-evening/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250109T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250109T220000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193123Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19045-1736449200-1736460000@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Moon Crosses the Pleiades (evening)
DESCRIPTION:Skywatchers in the Americas on Thursday evening\, January 9 can watch the orbital motion of the bright\, 82%-illuminated gibbous moon carry it through the Pleiades star cluster (aka Messier 45\, Subaru\, and the Seven Sisters). In the Eastern Time zone\, the event will last from about 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. EST (or 00:00 to 03:30 GMT on Friday). In the Pacific Time zone\, the moon will start crossing in a bright sky. While bright moonlight overwhelms fainter objects\, viewing the encounter through binoculars (orange circle)\, will show the “sisters” well. Skywatchers in other parts of the world will see the moon shining close to the cluster.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/moon-crosses-the-pleiades-evening/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250110T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250110T193000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193123Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19046-1736530200-1736537400@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Venus at Greatest Eastern Elongation (after sunset)
DESCRIPTION:On Friday\, January 10\, Venus will officially reach its widest separation of 47 degrees east of the sun. Viewed in a telescope (inset)\, the planet will exhibit a half-illuminated phase. For best results\, observe Venus during evening twilight when the contrast between the bright planet and the surrounding sky is lower. After Friday\, our sister planet will continue to brighten and increase in apparent disk diameter as it swings sunward for its inferior solar conjunction in late March.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/venus-at-greatest-eastern-elongation-after-sunset/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250110T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250111T050000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193123Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19047-1736539200-1736571600@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Bright Moon Joins Jupiter (all night)
DESCRIPTION:At dusk on Friday\, January 10\, look to the east for the brilliant planet Jupiter shining several finger widths to the lower right (or celestial south) of the bright\, waxing gibbous moon – cozy enough to share the view in binoculars (orange circle). The duo will make a lovely photo opportunity when composed with some nice foreground scenery. As the moon and Jupiter climb higher\, the bright stars of winter will appear around them\, particularly yellowish Capella on their upper left (celestial north) and reddish Aldebaran to their right (celestial south). Both stars are part of the huge winter hexagon asterism. The moon and Jupiter will culminate due south around 9:30 p.m. local time and set in the west before dawn on Saturday morning. By then the diurnal rotation of the sky will lift the moon above Jupiter.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/bright-moon-joins-jupiter-all-night/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250111T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250112T050000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193123Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19048-1736625600-1736658000@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Mars Closest to Earth (overnight)
DESCRIPTION:A few days before Mars reaches opposition on January 15-16\, the red planet will be closest to Earth on Saturday\, January 11 in the Americas. That night\, Mars will be 59.70 million miles\, 96.08 million km\, or 5.33 light-minutes away. You can view the bright reddish planet from late evening onward\, near the bright stars Pollux and Castor in Gemini. In a telescope\, the planet will exhibit its maximum apparent disk size of 14.6 arc-seconds\, revealing the greatest amount of surface detail this year. Mars will continue to brighten in the sky until opposition night. The difference in the two dates arises because the distance between Earth’s and Mars’ elliptical orbits is increasing at this time of the year.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/mars-closest-to-earth-overnight/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250112T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250112T220000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193123Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19049-1736708400-1736719200@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Full Moon in the Winter Football (evening)
DESCRIPTION:From Friday until Sunday night\, January 12\, the nearly full moon will shine inside the Winter Football asterism\, also known as the Winter Hexagon and Winter Circle. The asterism is composed of the brightest stars in the constellations of Canis Major\, Orion\, Taurus\, Auriga\, Gemini\, and Canis Minor – specifically Sirius\, Rigel\, Aldebaran\, Capella\, Castor & Pollux\, and Procyon. Once Sirius has risen above the rooftops in the southeast around 7 p.m. local time\, the huge pattern will straddle nearly 70 degrees of the southeastern sky. In late evening\, the asterism will stand upright in the southern sky\, with the Milky Way ascending vertically through it. The hexagon is visible during evening from mid-November to spring every year. Jupiter\, which is brighter than any of the asterism’s stars\, will be spending this month on the western rim of the football\, between Aldebaran and Capella.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/full-moon-in-the-winter-football-evening/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250113T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250113T000000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T192900Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:18967-1736726400-1736726400@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Full Wolf Moon with Mars (at 22:27 GMT)
DESCRIPTION:The January full moon\, which always shines in or near the stars of Gemini or Cancer\, will occur on Monday\, January 13 at 5:27 p.m. EST\, 2:27 a.m. PST\, or 22:27 GMT. At that time\, the bright red planet Mars will be shining just to the moon’s lower left (or celestial east). This full moon is known as the Wolf Moon\, Old Moon\, and Moon after Yule. The Indigenous Ojibwe people of the Great Lakes region call it Gichi-manidoo Giizis\, the “Great Spirit Moon”\, a time to honor the silence\, and recognize one’s place within all of Great Mystery’s creatures. (You might recall that name from hearing or singing Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s The Song of Hiawatha.) The Cree of North America call the January full moon Opawahcikanasis\, the “Frost Exploding Moon”\, when trees crackle from the extreme cold temperatures. Full moons during the winter months climb as high in the sky as the summer noonday sun\, and cast shadows in the same locations. Bright ray systems radiating from the youngest large craters are prominent around the full moon.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/__trashed-11/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250113T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250113T220000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19051-1736794800-1736805600@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Full Moon Occults Mars (10 p.m. EST)
DESCRIPTION:On Monday evening\, January 13\, observers across the continental USA\, northern Mexico\, south and eastern Canada\, and northwestern Africa will be treated to the full moon passing in front of\, or occulting\, Mars. The event can be observed with unaided eyes\, binoculars\, and any backyard telescope. The start and end times vary by location\, so use an app like Starry Night or Sky Safari to determine your own circumstances. In New York City\, the leading edge of the moon will cover Mars at 9:21 p.m. EST. Mars will reappear from behind Mare Smythii on the moon’s opposite limb at 10:37 p.m. EST. In Africa\, the occultation will occur before dawn on Tuesday morning. Lunar occultations are safe to observe without filters. Start watching several minutes ahead of your scheduled occultation times.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/full-moon-occults-mars-10-p-m-est/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250115T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250116T050000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19052-1736971200-1737003600@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Mars at Opposition (all night)
DESCRIPTION:Mars will officially reach opposition at 10 p.m. EST on Wednesday\, January 15. On that night\, the bright red planet will rise with the stars of Gemini at sunset\, climb to its highest position due south around midnight local time\, and then set at sunrise. The bright\, recently full moon will rise two hours after Mars and follow it across the sky. On opposition night\, Mars will shine with a peak visual magnitude of -1.38. Although its distance from Earth of 59.83 million miles\, 96.29 million km\, 0.644 AU\, or 5.35 light-minutes will be slightly farther than it was at closest approach on January 11\, Mars will still be an impressive sight in backyard telescopes for some time\, showing an apparent disk diameter of 14.55 arc-seconds. (In comparison\, Jupiter’s disk spans about 42 arc-seconds.) Mars’ Earth-facing hemisphere on January 15 will display its bright northern polar cap – visible as a small bright spot along the planet’s edge\, as well as the dark Aurorae Planum\, Acidalia Planitia\, Meridiani Planum\, Terra Sabaea\, Syrtis Major Planitia regions\, and the lighter-toned Chryse Planitia and Arabia Terra regions. Mars oppositions occur approximately every 25.5 months.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/mars-at-opposition-all-night/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250117T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250117T220000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250113T152647Z
UID:19053-1737140400-1737151200@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Venus Kisses Saturn (evening)
DESCRIPTION:After several months of courtship\, the motion of the bright planet Venus will pass only a generous thumb’s width (or 2 degrees) from 200 times fainter Saturn on Friday evening\, January 17. The duo will be close enough to share the view in binoculars and backyard telescopes (orange circle) using a low magnification eyepiece. Try to view the conjunction after dusk\, as the planets will be dropping into the trees around 8 p.m. local time. If Saturday is cloudy\, you can see them a bit more widely separated on the surrounding nights.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/venus-kisses-saturn-evening/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jan17-2025-at-745-pm-Venus-Kisses-Saturn.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250121T043000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250121T063000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19054-1737433800-1737441000@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Crescent Moon nears Spica (wee hours to sunrise)
DESCRIPTION:Early risers on Tuesday morning\, January 21 can see the pretty\, waning crescent moon shining in the southeastern sky just below (or celestial east of) Virgo’s brightest star\, Spica. If you view the pair at sunrise\, or in westerly time zones\, the moon will be farther from the star. Observers in a zone covering the South Atlantic Ocean\, the Cape Verde Islands\, and parts of western and southern Africa can watch the moon occult Spica in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. The event can be observed with unaided eyes\, binoculars\, and any backyard telescope. The start and end times vary by location\, so use an app like Starry Night or Sky Safari to determine your own circumstances.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/crescent-moon-nears-spica-wee-hours-to-sunrise/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250121T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250121T220000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193153Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200939Z
UID:19055-1737486000-1737496800@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Third Quarter Moon (at 20:31 GMT)
DESCRIPTION:The moon will complete three quarters of its orbit around Earth\, measured from the previous new moon\, on Tuesday\, January 21 at 3:31 p.m. EST or 12:31 p.m. PST\, or 20:31 GMT. At the third (or last) quarter phase the moon appears half-illuminated\, on its western\, sunward side. It will rise around midnight local time\, and then remain visible until it sets in the western daytime sky in early afternoon. Third quarter moons are positioned ahead of the Earth in our trip around the Sun. About 3½ hours later\, Earth will occupy that same location in space. The week of dark\, moonless evening skies that follow this phase are ideal for observing fainter deep sky targets.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/third-quarter-moon-at-2031-gmt/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250122T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250123T050000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193153Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200938Z
UID:19056-1737576000-1737608400@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Mars Close to Pollux (all night)
DESCRIPTION:From mid-January to mid-April Mars’ retrograde loop will carry it through the stars of Gemini. On Wednesday\, January 22\, the bright red planet will pass only 2.4 degrees from Gemini’s bright\, white star\, Pollux. The planet and the star will be less than two finger widths apart for several days\, and binoculars close (orange circle) for several weeks. After dusk the pair will be located low in the eastern sky. They’ll climb high\, due south\, by midnight and set in the west just before sunrise. After Wednesday\, Mars will continue to travel into central Gemini.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/mars-close-to-pollux-all-night/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250124T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250124T000000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T192900Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200938Z
UID:18976-1737676800-1737676800@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Moon Attacks the Scorpion (pre-dawn)
DESCRIPTION:In the southeastern sky before dawn on Friday morning\, January 24\, the waning crescent moon will be shining among the medium-bright stars that form the claws of Scorpius\, barely missing an occultation of the southernmost star\, Pi Scorpii. The moon’s easterly orbital motion (by about its own diameter every hour) will produce an occultation of Scorpius’ brightest star Antares on Saturday morning for observers located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar\, including Mauritius and Reunion Islands.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/__trashed-5/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250125T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250126T050000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193153Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200938Z
UID:19058-1737835200-1737867600@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:The Spectacular Orion Nebula (all night)
DESCRIPTION:The bright stars of mighty Orion\, the Hunter\, shine in the southeastern sky during evening in January. Orion’s sword\, which covers an area of 1.5 by 1 degrees (about the end of your thumb held up at arm’s length)\, descends from Orion’s three-starred belt. The patch of light in the middle of the sword is the spectacular and bright nebula known as the Orion Nebula (or Messier 42 and NGC 1976). While binoculars will reveal the fuzzy nature of this object\, medium-to-large aperture backyard telescopes (green circle) will show complex veils of gas and dark dust lanes\, and the Trapezium Cluster\, a tight clump of young stars that formed from the nebula’s collapsing gas. The nebula and its internal stars are located approximately 1\,350 light-years from the sun in the Orion arm of our Milky Way galaxy.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/the-spectacular-orion-nebula-all-night/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250129T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250129T193000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193153Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200938Z
UID:19059-1738171800-1738179000@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:New Moon (at 12:36 GMT)
DESCRIPTION:The moon will reach its new phase on Wednesday\, January 29 at 7:36 a.m. EST\, 4:36 a.m. PST\, or 12:36 GMT. At that time our natural satellite will be located in Capricornus and 4.6 degrees south of the sun. While new\, the moon is travelling between Earth and the sun. Since sunlight can only reach the far side of the moon\, and the moon is in the same region of the sky as the sun\, the moon becomes unobservable from anywhere on Earth for about a day (except during a solar eclipse). On the evenings following the new moon phase\, Earth’s planetary partner will return to shine in the western sky after sunset.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/new-moon-at-1236-gmt/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250130T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250130T220000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193208Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200845Z
UID:19060-1738263600-1738274400@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Uranus Stands Still (evening)
DESCRIPTION:On Thursday\, January 30\, the motion of the distant\, blue-green planet Uranus through the background stars of eastern Aries will slow to a stop – completing a westward retrograde loop that it began in early September. After tonight\, the planet will begin to creep eastward again. At magnitude +5.7\, Uranus can be seen in binoculars and backyard telescopes\, and even with unaided eyes under dark skies. In mid-evening\, the planet’s small\, blue-green dot will be shining less than a fist’s diameter to the lower right (or 8 degrees to the celestial southwest) of the bright Pleiades star cluster\, Messier 45. Place the medium-bright star Botein (Delta Arietis) in the upper right part of your binoculars  field of view (orange circle) and Uranus will be the dull blue “star” positioned about half the field to that Botein’s lower left. Once you have identified Uranus\, enlarge the planet with your telescope.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/uranus-stands-still-evening/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250131T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250131T200000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20241229T193208Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241229T200818Z
UID:19061-1738342800-1738353600@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Crescent Moon Shines with Saturn and Venus (early evening)
DESCRIPTION:The western sky on Friday\, January 31 after sunset will offer a pretty sight and photo opportunity when the slim crescent of the waxing moon will shine below Saturn\, with much brighter Venus gleaming above them. The moon and Saturn will be close enough to share the view in binoculars (orange circle). Hours later\, observers in northeastern Russia can see the moon occult Saturn for the second time in January\, at about midnight local time.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/crescent-moon-shines-with-saturn-and-venus-early-evening/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jan31-2025-at-6-pm-Crescent-Moon-Shines-with-Saturn-and-Venus.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250201T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250201T200000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20250203T004637Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250203T005147Z
UID:19306-1738429200-1738440000@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Crescent Moon with Brilliant Venus and Faint Neptune (early evening)
DESCRIPTION:The western sky after sunset on Saturday\, February 1 will offer a pretty sight when the slim crescent moon will shine close to the brilliant planet Venus\, while the medium-bright\, yellowish dot of Saturn shines about a fist’s diameter below them (or 10 degrees to their celestial southwest). After the sky darkens fully\, around 6:30 p.m. EST\, the faint\, blue speck of distant Neptune might be glimpsed one lunar diameter to the moon’s lower left (or 0.7 degrees to its celestial south). The moon and the two planets will form a line that easily fits within the field of view of binoculars (inset\, orange circle)\, but a telescope will be needed to see Neptune well. Due to the moon’s orbital motion\, by about its own diameter every hour\, the moon will move above Neptune and to Venus’ left in more westerly time zones.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/crescent-moon-with-brilliant-venus-and-faint-neptune-early-evening/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Feb01-2025-at-7-pm-EST-Crescent-Moon-with-Brilliant-Venus-and-Faint-Neptune.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250203T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250204T050000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20250203T004637Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250203T005253Z
UID:19307-1738612800-1738645200@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Jupiter Completes a Retrograde Loop (all night)
DESCRIPTION:On Monday\, February 3\, the very bright planet Jupiter will temporarily cease its motion (dotted line) through the background stars of central Taurus – marking the end of a westward retrograde loop that it began in early October. The planet will be gleaming high in the southern sky every evening. After tonight\, Jupiter will resume its regular eastward motion and travel between the horns Taurus. Retrograde loops occur when Earth\, on a faster orbit closer to the sun\, passes more distant solar system objects “on the inside track”\, making them appear to move backwards across the stars for a period of time. Jupiter’s loop covered about a fist’s diameter\, or 10 degrees\, of the ecliptic.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/jupiter-completes-a-retrograde-loop-all-night/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Feb03-2025-at-8-pm-Jupiter-Completes-a-Retrograde-Loop.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250205T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250205T220000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20250203T004637Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250203T005429Z
UID:19308-1738782000-1738792800@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:First Quarter Moon (at 08:02 GMT)
DESCRIPTION:The moon will complete the first quarter of its 29.53-day journey around Earth on Wednesday\, February 5 at 3:02 a.m. EST\, or 12:02 a.m. PST\, or 08:02 GMT. At first quarter\, the moon’s 90-degree angle from the sun causes us to see it half-illuminated on its eastern side. First quarter moons always rise around mid-day and set around midnight\, so they are also visible in the afternoon daytime sky. The evenings surrounding first quarter are the best ones for seeing the spectacular lunar terrain when it is lit by low-angled sunlight\, especially along the terminator\, the pole-to-pole boundary that separates the moon’s lit and dark hemispheres.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/first-quarter-moon-at-0802-gmt/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Feb05-2025-at-0802-GMT-First-Quarter-Moon.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250205T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250206T050000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20250203T004637Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250203T005505Z
UID:19309-1738785600-1738818000@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Moon Crosses the Pleiades (overnight)
DESCRIPTION:On Wednesday night\, February 5\, skywatchers in North America west of Winnipeg\, Manitoba and Kansas City\, Missouri can watch the orbital motion (green dotted line) of the bright\, 60%-illuminated\, waxing gibbous moon carry it through the Pleiades star cluster (aka Messier 45\, Subaru\, and the Seven Sisters). In the Central Time zone\, the moon will be getting ready to set in the west when it first contacts the cluster around 1 a.m. CST. In the Mountain Time zone the moon will reach the centre of the cluster when it sets around 2 a.m. MST. Lucky observers in the Pacific Time zone will see the entire event in the western sky between about 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. PST. While bright moonlight overwhelms fainter objects\, viewing the encounter through binoculars (orange circle)\, will show the “sisters” well\, but not the blue nebulosity shown here. Skywatchers in other parts of the world will see the moon shining close to the cluster.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/moon-crosses-the-pleiades-overnight/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Feb05b-2025-at-11-pm-PST-in-Seattle-Moon-Crosses-the-Pleiades.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250206T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250206T200000
DTSTAMP:20260417T010538
CREATED:20250203T004637Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250203T005549Z
UID:19310-1738861200-1738872000@www.hamiltonrasc.ca
SUMMARY:Moon Shines above Jupiter (evening)
DESCRIPTION:As the sky darkens after sunset on Thursday evening\, February 6\, the bright planet Jupiter will shine less than a palm’s width below (or 5 degrees to the celestial south of) the waxing gibbous moon high in the southern sky – close enough to share the view in binoculars (orange circle). By early evening\, the bright stars of winter will appear around them\, particularly yellowish Capella well to their upper left (or celestial north) and reddish Aldebaran just to their lower right (celestial south). Those stars are part of the huge winter hexagon asterism. The moon and Jupiter will culminate due south around 8 p.m. local time and set in the west in the wee hours of Friday morning.
URL:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/event/moon-shines-above-jupiter-evening/
CATEGORIES:Astronomical Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.hamiltonrasc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Feb06-2025-at-645-pm-Moon-Shines-above-Jupiter.jpg
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