Europe, Jan. 30: 5 mag. star to be occulted by small asteroid!

A rare occultation of a (faintly) naked-eye star (5.7 mag.) by a small (18 km) asteroid will be visible in several European countries on the evening of Jan. 30: Since the track uncertainty is greater than the asteroid diameter, many observers will miss this rare event, but the more people look, the more likely someone will see the star disappear (for at most 1.2 seconds). See these maps for the world, all of Europe and Germany (where everyone not in the deep red zone should look at the critical time) for details!

Possible - and faint - dwarf nova in Hydra

The Electronic Telegram No.1225 of the IAU CBAT reports about "a variable star (mag 13.3) [...] at R.A.=8h45m55s.08, Decl.=+3o39'29".7", found on Jan. 19. "An image on Jan. 25.516 [...] shows that the star had faded to mag about 14.2." Further details were given earlier by the AAVSO.

29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann in outburst: a tiny Holmes

After an outburst last Dec. 29 the comet - which experiences one or more outbursts in brightness nearly every year - is showing a tiny coma, still visible on Jan. 25, that looks like a miniature copy of 17P/Holmes in the days after its October outburst.

13 mag. dwarf nova in Canis Minoris

A recently discovered dwarf nova has been observed "during a ~4 h run from 2008 Jan 24.812 to 24.976, during which the average magnitude was 13.03 (CCD unfiltered). This showed 0.15 mag superhumps with a period of 0.0572 d," according to THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2415 of 2008 Jan 26 12.20UT.

2007 TU24 already resolved by radar: it's double

Since two days ago the Goldstone radar is seeing the NEO, helping to refine its orbit (no Earth impact possible for hundreds of years) and vaguely resolving it into two objects.

Mercury: amateurs vs. MESSENGER

Some of the large-scale features on the hemisphere of Mercury that Mariner 10 missed but MESSENGER saw during its first flyby this month can also be imaged by amateurs. Let alone professionals using similar videoastronomical techniques.

Comet Holmes' coma could still be detectable one year from now

So calculates Richard Miles in The Astronomer 44 #525 [2008 January] 234: CCD cameras should be able to pick out a coma with some 4° diameter and a surface brightness roughly 3.5 mag. lower than now when Holmes is again in opposition around Dec. 2008/Jan. 2009. Amazing thought ...

Process your own New Horizons pix from the Jupiter system!

The original data from one year ago have now been released publicly - and allow for image processing experiments.

Unusual approach of a (not too) big asteroid

Now JPL and NASA are reporting on the upcoming Earth flyby of NEO 2007 TU24 that has some less well-informed people worried. Should reach 10th magnitude in the night January 28/29!

(This blog has now been relaunched with a new name and language)

Perseiden-Liveprofil wieder online!

Bei der IMO entsteht nun wieder "live" ein Profil der Aktivitätsentwicklung aus laufend eingehenden visuellen Beobachtungen: Es geht bereits kräftig bergauf!

Neuer Weisser Fleck auf dem Jupiter!

Er ist im nördlichen gemäßigten Band aufgetaucht und könnte noch weiter wachsen.