SLC obs opps: Weekend 8/12 and 8/13 and Monday 8/14 It looks like a overcast weekend for Salt Lake but here's a list anyway. I) Supernova in NGC 5587 (Boo) mag 14.5 Low probability of seeing due to altitude. Supernova 2006dy, a rising Type Ia sn in galaxy NGC 5587 in Boo, has brightened to mag 14.5 and presents an astrophotography opportunity. I am hesitant to list it because at 9:30pm, NGC5587 is at about 43 deg alt from SLC in the western sky. Extinction as the target sets may prevent reaching this target. The details are: Galaxy NGC5587 Constellation: Bootes Dimension: 2.9' Magnitude: 14.00 Surface Brightness: 16.05 J2000 RA: 14h22m12.00s DE:+13°55'00.0" Date RA: 14h22m31.06s DE:+13°53'12.2" NGC5587 is about 4 degrees in R.A. west sweep from zet Boo and is about 1 deg northeast of 18 Boo. Per the Puckett Supernova Search page at: http://www.rochesterastronomy.org/supernova.html#2006dy 2006dy, IAUC 8736 discovered 2006/07/22.22 by Koichi Itagaki Found in NGC 5587 at R.A. = 14h22m11s.55, Decl. = +13°55'13".8 Located 10" east and 9" north of the center of NGC 5587 (Discovery image) Mag 14.5 and rising, Type Ia (References: CBET 586 587) Discovered by Koichi Itagaki (Japan). This one is a nicely placed type Ia found on the rise. We have a DSS Photometry reference image made by Odd Trondal. Icon generated from the discovery image. The following is a list of images of this SN, in chronological order. Koichi Itagaki image 2006/07/22.22 16.6 C Discovery LOSS image 2006/07/26.20 16.5 C José Hernandez image 2006/07/26.885 16.53 C color Koichi Itagaki image 2006/07/29.45419 15.2 C Koichi Itagaki image 2006/07/30.46493 14.9 C Rodrigo Losada image 2006/07/31.896 14.8 CR José Hernandez image 2006/07/31.907 14.84 C Lode Stevens image 2006/08/02.847 C Koichi Itagaki 2006/08/04.45384 14.5 C II) Mon 8/14/2006 at 9:56 PM 8/15/2006 3:56 UTC Galileo Project lunar astrophoto opportunity. European amateur Jim Mosher has an extensive website regarding his project to obtain photographs that replicate Galileo's first telescopic wash drawings of the Moon from the 1600s. Since all of the lunar positions to replicate the drawings cannot be reached from one point on the Earth, he has solicited help from amateurs to take photos of the Moon at specific dates and times. This event is one listed at the "Reliving Galileo" website that is accessible to North American observers: http://www.pacifier.com/~tpope/Reproducing_Observations.htm My impression from Jim's web posts is that he is happy to get any whole Moon photographs taken at the proper date and time. Super high quality whole Moon lunar imaging is not a prerequisite. III) Mercury Mercury continues brighting through 8/16. I viewed it rising over the Wasatch on Thursday morning at about 6:05am. It barely visible to the naked eye, but is easily seen in scope or binos. IV) ISS overpasses from Calsky. In addition to the obvious Perseid Meteor shower peak, this weekend begins 9 straight days of ISS overpasses. Three days will have double overpasses. Sat 8/12/2006 5:36am May have nautical twilight interference Appears 5h36m15s 1.9m az:311.2d NW Transit 5h41m01s 0.4m az: 29.3d NNE h:33.4d dist:587.3km alt:342.4km Disappears 5h45m44s 3.4m az:107.4d ESE Sun 8/13/2006 6:03am -2.1m Possible sunrise interference Appears 5h58m28s 1.7m az:305.1d NW Transit 6h03m20s -2.1m az:217.8d SW h:78.8d dist:346.1km alt:341.1km Disappears 6h08m08s 2.7m az:130.2d SE Mon 8/14/2006 4:50AM 0.4m Appears 4h48m05s 0.9m az:324.9d NW h:12.1d Transit 4h50m25s 0.4m az: 28.9d NNE h:32.0d dist:606.7km alt:342.8km Disappears 4h55m07s 3.0m az:106.4d ESE Time uncertainty of about 2.4 seconds V) Ongoing previously posted: A) AG Dra eruptive symbiotic variable is at maximum brightness. B) chi Cyg is at maximum brightness and is nearly the second brightest star in the constellation Cyg. - Canopus56 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com