Earth visit of big, dark asteroid widely observed with all means

Only a fraction of the scientific data recorded with everything from big radar dishes to a 10-meter telescope with adaptive optics to the large IR satellite Herschel have been reported yet, but it can already be stated 2005 YU55 will probably be the best studied minor planet (not directly visited by a spacecraft) ever: a live-blog tracked the news from Nov. 6 til 10 and has many pictures, videos and links; since wrapping I've seen more videos here, here, here, here and here - also an improved radar movie, a late wire story and a simulation of what would have happened had YU55 impacted Earth.

In other planetary system news a long press release on a meteorite found by a Missouri farmer - a 17-kilogram pallasite! - and pictures of a bright Dutch bolide of Nov. 12. • Another - very faint - detection of (ex-)Elenin on Nov. 8, a great picture of comet Garradd of Oct. 30 - and C/2010 S1 (LINEAR) approaching the Bubble Nebula on Nov. 12. • How Venus & Mercury were easy - when you were in Australia. • Some selected Jupiter images of Nov. 13, Nov. 6 (more) and Oct. 23 - and a breathtaking animation of Jupiter images taken with the Pic du Midi 1 m telescope in October!

The huge sunspot group 1339 is almost history after - despite breathless articles like here, here and here - crossing the solar disk w/o further incidents: some selected pictures of a fine prominence today, the white and H-Alpha Sun (more) and a huge filament on Nov. 12, the white Sun full of spots on Nov. 11, a spotted sunrise on Nov. 10, the full disk + detail on Nov. 9, the group at the center on Nov. 8, the group and a spotty sunset (another one = an APOD) on Nov. 7, the full disk, detail, H-Alpha and spotty sunset on Nov. 6, detailled drawings of Nov. 5 (also a photo) of Nov.5 and earlier drawings of AR 1339. • Plus no superflares (more), strange jumping sundogs - and the likely end of the leap second.

Biggest sunspot group in years crossing the disk; already one X flare seen

The new activity region 1339 - a full-disk view of today and another close-up - is now crackling with M-class flares as it approaches the center of the disk. Just after arriving around the limb it had fired off an X-class flare ("Ein Flare der ...") on Nov. 3 that made some headlines but not another one - thus geophysical effects of AR 1339 have so far been absent. • Also some truly great aurora images (in the picture stream, both directions), the anatomy of a geomagnetic storm, a detailled report and 3 videos from the German outburst of Oct. 24/25 (also a Canadian view) and a solar cycle primer. Plus a paper on the solar corona and how and why visual and photographic impressions differ so much.

Elsewhere in the Galaxy the Epsilon Aurigae eclipse is not completely over, with lingering spectroscopic effects; also the 9th campaign newsletter. And some recent images of M 101 and its fading supernovae; some science results (also about the one in M 51) can be found linked here. • Back in the solar system Venus & Mercury on Nov. 5th and Oct. 27, Jupiter's Io covering its shadow and unusual events around opposition (more, more and more). • An amateur non-detection (but great 2006 pics!) of the bright Uranus spot (more and more). • The full paper on Eris' diameter, a press release and yet more stories here, here and here.

The most unusual event of the month - with few other highlights - is the close approach of the 400-meter asteroid 2005 YU55 which already being tracked with radar by Goldstone, supporting planned Herschel observations: more previews of the hard-to-observe event here, here, here, here (earlier), here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. Also recordings of two related chats here and here and articles in German hier, hier and here, plus more media reax. • Also La Palma crossing M 31 again, the stones from 2008 TC3 and a CBET on the Draconids, a rare visual observation and images of Nov. 1 (animated) and Oct. 27 (processed and explained), a looong rant about and Indonesian coverage of ex-Elenin - and Garradd on Oct. 30.

Bright spot emerges on Uranus - can amateurs track it (and thus help Hubble)?

Observations with one of the Gemini 8-m telescopes show a very bright spot that has suddenly appeared on Uranus and is at least 3 times brighter than the remote planet's disk: "If this is a convectively driven white feature it may evolve to larger size and brighter appearance on the next few days," says an unusual alert message distributed via The Astronomer network earlier today. Moreover amateur images of Uranus are now considered "essential to study this feature and its precise drift rate to assist possible observation with other highly-priority telescopes such as the HST." Uranus subtends 3.7" in the sky, and the bright cloud feature is at least 0.33 arc seconds making this feature potentially accessible to relatively modest telescopes. On 2011 October 26 at 08:06 UTC when the linked picture was taken the spot was at 323° west longitude and 22.5° north; the current estimate for the rotation period of this feature is 17.24 hours. • A slightly easier target is Jupiter, now in opposition: selected images from Oct. 24 (46 cm scope), Oct. 22 (20 cm - animation), Oct. 13 (1 meter), Oct. 3 (25 cm) and Sep. 26 (23 cm).

Comet Elenin has been recovered after all, now that the Moon is out of the way, but only as an extremely diffuse dust cloud with not one individual fragment brighter than 22.5 mag.: reports on the hunt and what one can see (or rather image) from Oct. 25, Oct 24 (more), Oct. 23 (more), Oct. 21 and Oct. 15, pictures of Oct. 24, Oct. 23 (more, more and with just 8 cm aperture), Oct. 22 (more), Oct. 21 (negative), Oct. 15 (positive after looking hard) and Oct. 14 (negative), another claimed visual observation (why such a small 'coma' size?), a long essay on visual comet observing - and a very stupid NASA press release asking for Elenin to "be forgotten". Rather forget such dumb advice and observe the most unusual ... thing that Elenin has turned into while it's still possible (it's now receding from both Sun and Earth).

In other comet news the first Jupiter Trojan comet has been found - and Bressi may be interesting. • Pictures of Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova from Oct. 15, Oct. 7 and Sep. 30 (with a mountain) and Garradd - which now has a nice plasma tail as well! - of Oct. 23 (more), Oct. 17 (more), Oct. 15 (more) and Oct. 14 (more). • Another - smaller - comet hit the Sun on Oct. 19 (earlier, still earlier), a video on the Oct. 1 case and 5 years of comets observed by the STEREO mission. • The physics of impacts on Earth, an observing guide for and JPL Release about coming NEO 2005 YU55, an asteroid crossing M 31 (movie) - where it was mistaken for a nova! - and a Subaru Release about Scheila's outburst.

In other solar system news Venus and Mercury low in the evening sky on Oct. 24 (USA) and Oct. 22 (Australia and - w/o Mercury - Austria) - the new evening apparition of Venus will end with the solar transit next June! • The equal diameters of Eris & Pluto also discussed here, here, here, here, hier, hier, hier and earlier here. • The Orionids delivered a nice show, only a maximum ZHR of 50, but it looked great for some (another and another night); also an all-sky sum image, a spectrum (more) and a picture. • From the Draconids a detailled story with pictures from the NE German campaign, another video from the NL, observations by ESA, a German video (AVIS2), the radiant from 6 video cameras and a Spanish composite image and report. • Also a night with 5 showers, no evidence for interstellar meteoroids and a German fireball. • This month's full moon was the smallest of the year: a comparision with the biggest one (alt.) and a list of big ones.

In other news there was an aurora outburst Oct. 24/25 over e.g. Germany and the U.S.: a great German timelapse video, a fine gallery, pictures from all over Germany, Alabama (w/video) and N. Germany and coverage here, here, here, here and here. The CME that caused it was launched on Oct. 22 as was another one that headed towards Mars; there was a lot to see on the Sun that day. • Weird NLC-like looking clouds may have been caused by the 1st S. American Soyuz launch, and a picture of Spektr R deep in space. • A German press release on that rare triple rainbow (with the full paper) - and a double rainbow with a stupid caption (as if it stretches from one place to another). • And then there was a bizarre paper on things in front of the Sun in 1883 which some rightly attacked (mehr) but others found at least intriguing. And as if ordered: a mystery crossing the solar disk just this month ...

Comet Elenin gone for good (though some still claim detections, even sightings)

With this negative report, setting tough upper limits on the brightness of whatever may be left of much-expected/hyped/feared comet C/2009 X1 (Elenin) on Oct. 9 and 10 the hunt seemed to be over - yet there are claims that the STEREO satellites can still see it (they probably did in the 2nd half of September; see also this and this tweet) and even of a visual sighting right when the big scopes saw exactly nothing. How could that be? A major mystery right now that puzzles even leading comet gurus ... anyway, this alleged detection of Elenin by Elenin himself (also reported e.g. here [earlier] and here) was probably just noise. Now the Moon is spoiling the view in the morning where the comet - or rather its theoretical positing - is quickly climbing higher; by about Oct. 23 deep observations will again be possible and should settle the issue for good.

In other comet news the plasma tail of comet H-M-P continued to amaze: big picture collection and shots of Oct. 11, Oct. 6 (wider), Oct. 5, Oct. 4, Oct. 3 (b/w), Oct. 2 and Oct. 1. • Comet Garradd on Oct. 10, Oct. 3 and Sep. 29 and the comets C/2011 P1 (McNaught) and C/2011 S2 (Kowalski). • The fate of the Great Kreutz Comet of 2011 - and some funny sungrazer/CME statistics (not proving much yet). • The outburst of Scheila modelled - and modelled again. • The Draconids outburst was covered by a huge live-blog with numerous links; a nice persistent train and meteor. • A meteorite hit a house near Paris in the summer (more, more, mehr), and the complex origin of 2008 TC3 and its meteorites.

In other small bodies news a NEO discovery by amateurs 'working for' ESA's Awareness, a call for observations for an upcoming NEO passage, observations of a past one - and more astrometry of Apophis (strangely missing from the JPL analysis of impact risk). • The moons of Minerva (more and more) and an extremely tilted KBO contact binary (more). • The star occultation's outcome was that the diameter of Eris is just like Pluto's (also covered here and here - after some some embargo problems that suddenly evaporated) - and the temperatures on Makemake.

In other news Jupiter on Aug. 18 til Oct. 4, Oct. 3, Oct. 2/3 (map) and Oct. 2 (more). • Solar eclipses causing wakes in the atmosphere. • The AAVSO is 100 (from there a 100a of SS Cyg video from this source) and private lightcurves of the SN in M 101. • A quadruple rainbow makes headlines here, here, here, here and here. • A story about Damian Peach, the solar system photographer. • Observing NanoSail D in hi-res. • A summary brochure of the Decadal Survey. • The world's largest clock dial in Mekka. • And the smallest full moon was obviously smaller than others (more and more) - don't let them tell you that the effect isn't clear to the naked eye!

Best aurora of the cycle yet caused by impressive sunspot group

Solar activity is now clearly on the rise, as are space weather effects right here on Earth - and the Activity Regipn 1302 which crossed the disk in recent days (more pictures here, here and here) drove the message home: mainly with a major flare on Sep. 24 that caused a strong geomagnetic storm on Sep. 26 (also discussed here, here, here, here, here and elsewhere). And this, in turn, led to the best aurora of the current cycle, beating the brief August show: some summaries are here (incl. a crappy picture by yours truly; the aurora is the reddish glow on the right), here (more), hier (table) and hier. Further pictures, videos and reports from NRW in Germany (best pix from Bonn) and elsewhere in Germany (more, more, more and more), Austria, Norway (more, more and more), the Netherlands (more), Slovenia, Sweden, Finland, the Outer Hebrides, the U.K. (more, more) and the U.S. (more). There had been another flare on Sep. 22 (more, more and a CME series Sep. 18/9; also the 'secret lives' of flares and a timelapse aurora video from Finland.

Elsewhere in the solar system IR Keck images of Neptune and Uranus (more and more), amateur images of Jupiter of Oct. 1, Sep. 26 (also w/8" - and structure on Ganymede!) and Sep. 22, and Mars on Sep. 26. • NEOWISE has revised the statistics of NEOs (alt., ident.; coverage here, here, here, here and hier) and the history of the Chicxulub impactor (covered here, here, here, here, hier and hier); the latter's role in the dino death is still under debate, by the way. • Among comets there were a bright Kreutz, lots of structure in 45P/H-M-P's tail & Jupiter near-crash (H-M-P today), new main belt comet P/2010 R2 (La Sagra), further fragmentation in 213P/van Ness (more, more), new comet Gibbs, no LASCO sighting of damaged Elenin and a naked-eye sighting of Garradd (which did not fade afterwards); also picture of Sep.30, Sep. 26(!), Sep. 24 and Sep. 21.

Sky highlights in October - see overview articles here, hier and here - include:

• Oct. 1-2: Mars passes Praesepe, the star cluster.
  
  
• Oct. 8 (around 20:00 UTC): Possible outburst of the Draconids (more, more), but the predictions remain confusing - and the event coincides with Observe the Moon Night which is not a good night for meteor watching ...
  
  
• Oct. 21-22: Peak of the Orionids; less lunar interference than with the Draconids, so worth a look.
  
  
• Oct. 27/8: Conjunction of Moon, Venus and Mercury low in the evening, invisible in higher N latitudes.
  
  
• Oct. 29: Jupiter in opposition with -2.9 mag.; it's awfully bright already now (closest to Earth on Oct. 27 already).

Meanwhile the supernova in M 101 has faded a full magnitude from the peak, to 10.9 mag. - and the hunt is on for Snoopy from the unsung Apollo 10 mission ...

After Elenin's rapid decay: will anything be seen again

when the comet or rather its debris cloud - now impossible to observe from the ground - will make an appearance in the field of view of SOHO's coronagraph LASCO 3 a week from now? Despite a brightness enhancement of its dust due to forward scattering - the comet is practically between us and the Sun - the SOHO comet experts are pessimistic, given the apparently complete decay of Elenin beginning August 20. The most diligent observer of its fate was an Australian: His pictures document the dramatic change of the comet's appearance as well as its sudden break in the light curve - by September 14 it had fallen below 10th magnitude again. The comet had also been followed by the STEREO spacecraft (images of Sep. 10 [enhanced], Aug. 25, Aug. 23 and Aug. 21), another Australian and radio astronomers; stories about the decay also here, here (earlier), here, here (earlier), hier, hier and hier.

In other comet news van Ness may also have fragmented again (more, more). • Garrad continues to be tracked widely as the comet passes numerous deep sky objects: many pictures, esp. from the 'coathanger' visit and selected images of Sep. 10 (more), Sep. 7, Sep. 6, Sep. 3 (more, more, more and more), Sep. 2 (more, more and more), Aug. 29, Aug. 28, Aug. 27 (more and more), Aug. 26 (more, more, more, more, more, more, more and more) and Aug. 25. • Also new comets from Russia (media report), PanSTARRS and SWAN.

In further small bodies news thoughts on color diversity in the Kuiper Belt and tectonics on and oceans in icy worlds. • Hailing the outcome of the Antiope occultation. • Everyone wants a satellite to hunt for NEOs. • A major bolide over the SW U.S. on Sep. 14: video & analysis, NASA statement (alt.) and early stories here, here, here, here and here; also an earlier bolide over Atlanta (more) - and details about the meteorite rain in Kenya.

On the Sun a series of flares kept observers on edge: there were X flares on Sep. 7 (video, pictures, story, follow-up, aurorae, pictures) and Sep. 6 (video, story, more and an M flare on Sep. 5. Also insights into late flare phases (more, more, more, more and mehr), fast substorms, linked solar eruptions, climate (non-)effectsand old Mariner solar wind data (and the usual fear-mongering about the Sun). • The 2017 solar eclipse 'megamovie' ideas gets also advertised here, here and here. • There is now a Zeta Aur campaign (not for visual observers) and a Nova Sco 2011 #2 - while the developments with SN 2011fe in M101 - just past a peak at 9.9 mag. vis. - are covered here and here with numerous links.

In other news there was once more major confusion about Ramadan's end as observers struggled with the lunar crescent. • Another ridiculous contrail mistaken for a bolide, also discussed here, here and hier. • A huge flare from a satellite and hi-res images of NanoSail D from August and earlier. • The winners of Astronomy Photographer 2011 get covered e.g. here, here and here. • And finally the sky highlights for September - besides Garradd and the supernova - consist mainly of the opposition of Uranus on Sep. 25 when the planet reaches 5.7 mag. Dwarf planet (1) Ceres is in opposition today, but has only 7.7 mag.

Closest Type Ia supernova in decades explodes in galaxy Messier 101, brightening rapidly, should reach 10-11 mag. soon

It was discovered very early in its lightcurve, and - as hectic reports indicate - brightened by several magnitudes over just the first day, reaching some 13 mag. right now: early pictures of the galaxy with the SN - no proper number yet - can be seen here, here and here while the situation regarding a progenitor isn't quite clear yet. What is clear is that a Ia supernova that close is a great opportunity for science as also reflected in quick press releases from LBL and UCSB; more early stories here, here and here. If a typical case, the brightness of the SN in M 101 should climb to 11 or even 10 mag. in the coming days, easily surpassing the SN in M 51 some weeks ago.

On the Sun the evolution of a spot group and a weird prominence on Aug. 19. • CMEs can now be tracked all the way to Earth by STEREO: press material here, here, here, here, here and here. • Speculation about solar storms in future decades (complex relationships). • A method to detect sunspots before they're seen: press material here, here and here = here and stories here, here, here, hier, hier, hier and hier plus in a video. • A proposal for a 2017 eclipse megamovie, also hailed here, the TSI of the past and an Aug. 23 aurora.

Regarding comets some solar forward scatter math for Elenin which may be decaying though; also STEREO pictures of Aug. 19, Aug. 16 and Aug. 15 and another anti-hoax video. • Garradd on Aug. 22, Aug. 21 (more and more), Aug. 20 (more, more and more), Aug. 18 and Aug. 16. • Van Ness on Aug. 22 (fragment B still there) and a new comet PANSTARRS. • There could/should be meteors after an August 8 event in the U.S. (more), and from a Kenyan fall widely reported in July impressive specimen are in.

In other news from the Perseids - the peak stayed at a meager 63 - a report from the Provence and video stills plus a video with analysis of the ISS case. • A report on the Target NEO study and stats from the La Sagra NEO Hunt. • A Caltech Release, the final part of the story and another one on strange KBO 2007 OR10. • More sober and combative thoughs by plus an interview with Mike Brown on dwarf planets, a press release on wide KBO binaris and what happened 5 years ago. • The best image yet (I know) of NanoSail D and its blinking pattern, plus a fine image of doomed ROSAT. • Finally a nice timelapse movie and another one.

Full moon-lit Perseids weak even after correcting: ZHRmax ~ 70

Initial poor Impressions of the strength of the 2011 Perseids, heavily bathed in moonshine, have since been confirmed: The zenithal hourly rate reached only about 70 just before noon UTC on Aug. 13 (and this includes corrections for the depressed limiting magnitude). Still - as every year - photographers could get happy with the show: a collage of many perseid streaks and individual ones here, here, here, here and here. Not many are seen in this video, while another one contains many insects ... The most talked-about Perseid image was one taken from the ISS, of course: My research into earlier similar successes is also acknowledged here while different versions of the image are seen here, here and here. • In other meteor news a Dutch expedition to Namibia yielded 2000 meteors, detailled papers and more about the upcoming Draconids is linked here, and there's a strange report from Japan ...

In other small bodies news comet Garradd on Aug. 15, Aug. 14, Aug. 10, Aug. 9 (also an animation), Aug. 7 (more) and Aug. 6. • 45P/H-M-P close to Earth was covered here, here and hier. • Split comet 214P/van Ness on Aug. 9 and Aug. 7 (more) - the 2nd nucleus was seen as early as July 12, by the way. • Comet Elenin on Aug. 13 and in the FOV of a STEREO satellite (movie included!); also an observing guide and a NASA FAQ about Elenin BS which later spawned a JPL Press Release and stories here and here. • And another McNaught discovery ... • A long list of dwarf planet candidates, the case of Kuiper belt object 2007 OR10 (also as a story here and here, KBO hunting for New Horizons and a prediction of a Pluto ring.

Elsewhere in the Universe a small but cute Jupiter of Aug. 12. • A lot of solar activity: a new AR - 1271 - has appeared at the limb, prominence movies of Aug. 16 and Aug. 10 and the biggest solar flare of the cycle on Aug. 9, causing lots of coverage but few effects as it happened at the limb. Future ones may be more effective: solar flare primers as a video and a story. Plus a paper on new scientific insights from solar eclipse observations in the past 5 years. • A possible Nova in Lupus has been confirmed, the progenitor of the SN in M 51 (the claims here are questioned, BTW), and a call for continued monitoring of Eps Aur. • The Aug. 6 aurora from Scotland, Germany (a review) and Canada (a twilight video). • NLCs in the U.K. on Aug. 3 and Finland on July 21. • Some candidates for astrophotographer of the year, some pretty space pics (big!) and NanoSail D flashing over Europe.

Solar action week culminates in aurorae over Europe and North America

First three major sunspot groups were crossing the disk simultaneously, then a barrage of coronal mass ejections moved towards Earth in a complex pattern, and finally a nice auroral storm occured last night with a show - where clear ... - from Germany to the U.K. to the U.S. and Canada: solar activity is on the rise, the drought is over! From the aurora show reports and pictures from Germany (where Kiel had the best view), the U.K. (same; more and more; same), from Minnesota in the U.S. and Canada (also a timelapse video). The solar flares and CMEs responsible were amply discussed before, like here, here, here, here, here, here and here. And the sunspots themselves were observed widely, e.g. on August 2 at sunset (same; more) or on Aug. 1, July 31 and July 30 (public event).

In the world of comets Garradd (more, more, more and mehr general reports) was widely observed passing near globular cluster Messier 15 on August 1 and 2: images of Aug. 4, Aug. 3 and 2 (more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more and more), Aug. 1 (more and more) July 31 (high contrast; more, more and more), July 30 (more) and July 29. • Comet 213P/van Ness has split and also displays a nice antitail: a report (earlier), more observations here and here, here, more pictures and an MPEC. • The STEREO B spacecraft has observed comet Elenin from close: more, more, more and an animation, plus an Aug. 2 ground-based image. • A 5 arc min conjunction of 2 comets, both extremely faint.

Elsewhere in the Universe Several new Kuiper Belt Objects were found in the Southern skies, including 3 potential dwarf planets, another KBO has a weird spectrum, and there is now considerable effort to find suitable KBOs for New Horizons to visit after Pluto. • A great animation shows how chaotic the orbit of Earth Trojan 2010 TK7 is; the small asteroid is also observed by amateurs (more, more) - and the Faulkes scopes are useful anyway for discoveries. • Pictures of Jupiter on August 5, the day Juno was launched to the planet, and July 31. • The young Moon on Aug. 1 in the U.S. and - with Mercury - Australia. • Currently there are two novae of 17 mag. in Messier 31. • NLCs on Aug. 2 in Germany and Aug. 1 in Norway and Germany. • And an observation of NanoSail D on July 31 in Finland.

What the comets Elenin, Garradd and PANSTARRS will (perhaps) look like in your sky

Three comets are approaching right now that could be good or even really good: Elenin in 2011, Garradd in 2012 and PANSTARRS in 2013. Here are general visibility conditions calculated for Bonn (51°N), La Palma (28°N) and Jo'burg (26°S), with the brightness based on current visual observations (available only for Elenin and Garradd) and further behavior as assumed by the JPL's HORIZONS on-line solar system data and ephemeris computation service which is also used for the topocentric situation. In a nutshell: Elenin this October will never be easy and/or impressive but fine for specialists, Garradd coming February will be very easy but only at +6 mag. - and PANSTARRS (the orbit is still improving every few days) should cross the zero magnitude boundary but will be close to the horizon whereever you are.

• C/2010 X1 (Elenin) - Bonn:
  • Early til mid-September: extremely low at dusk at 5 to 4 mag., then lost
    
  • Ca. October 3: rapid reappearance at dawn at 4.5 mag., better each day
    
  • October 6: Already 10° high when astronomical twilight begins; still 4.5 mag., no Moon
    
  • October 9 (best view): At 20° when twilight begins; 4.5-5.0 mag., Moon just set
    
  • October 10-15: at 30-45° when twilight starts, 5.0 mag., bright Moon interferes!
    
  • October 21: already at 30° when waning crescent rises, 5.5 mag.
    
  • October 25-30 (pretty good): transits at 69° just before twilight begins, Moon gone, 6.0-6.5 mag.
• Elenin - La Palma:
  • Early September: about 5° high in nautical evening twilight at 5 to 4 mag., window disappearing by mid-month
    
  • Ca. October 3: rapid reappearance at dawn at 4.5 mag., better each day
    
  • October 5: at 10° when astronomical twilight begins, 4.5 mag.; no Moon
    
  • October 10 (best view): at 25° when twilight stars, 5.0 mag. just no Moon which interferes later
    
  • October 25 (pretty good): comet near zenith, no Moon, 6.0 mag.
• Elenin - Jo'burg:
  • September 3-13: up to 20° in nautical evening twilight at 5 to 4 mag., but with brightening Moon always present
    
  • October 10: morning reappearance at 10° with 5.0 mag.
    
  • October 25-30: transits without Moon at 30° with 6.0-6.5 mag.
  
  
• C/2009 P1 (Garradd) - Bonn (situation similar but altitude lower when farther to the South):
  • January 19-29, 2012: rising from 0° to 50° in the 2nd half of the night, 6.5 mag., no Moon
    
  • February 15-25: rising from 15° to 70° through the night, 6.0 mag., no Moon
    
  • March 14-28: setting from 70° to 40° through the night, 6.5-7.0 mag., no Moon
  
  
• C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS) - Bonn:
  • March 10, 2013: at 3° in bright evening twilight, but with -0.6 mag. = maximum brightness
    
  • March 13: at 6° in bright twilight, with -0.3 mag.
    
  • March 16: at 6° in deep evening twilight, with +0.3 mag.
    
  • late March: at 10° without twilight, with 2 to 3 mag. but bright Moon interference
    
  • March 31: at 10° in dark sky, with 3.5 mag., Moon just gone
• PANSTARRS - La Palma:
  • March 6, 2013: 3° in bright dusk, but at -0.3 mag.
    
  • March 8: 3° in bright dusk, at -0.5 mag.
    
  • March 10: 5° in bright dusk, at -0.6 mag. = maximum brightness
    
  • March 15: 6° in dusk, at 0 mag.
    
  • March 20: 7° in dusk, at +1.5 mag.
• PANSTARRS - Jo'burg:
  • March 15, 2013: deep in evening twilight with 0 mag., little improvement til end of March

Speaking of comets, there is another Elenin now (more), pictures of 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova of July 27 (more) and July 26, a visual report and pictures of Garradd of July 30, July 29 (more, more and more), July 28, July 26 and July 25 (more), SOHO observations of fading Hartley 2 - and a paper and CBET on a new meteor shower that may indicate an unknown comet threat. • Stories about a meteorite fall in Kenya, a fireball in Texas and a big meteorite (more, more) in China.

Turning to asteroids the campaign to observe a star occultation by double asteroid (90) Antiope in the US was a major success, as these chords demonstrate; more reports here and here, plus a lightcurve. • The first Trojan of the Earth has been found: a paper, animations, an extrapolation, press releases here, here, here and here and stories here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, hier, hier and hier. An alleged Uranus Trojan (which would also be a first) is pretty dubious, though (more).

• A fourth satellite of Pluto has been found in HST images - and its correct name is S/2011 (134340) 1 and not "P4": a CBET, press releases here, here and here and stories here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and hier. (Before someone asks: Having one or more satellites has nothing whatsoever to do with an object being a planet, dwarf planet or minor planet - just look at the long table of minor planet moons already found!) Also more on the star occultation by Pluto and Haumea's ice. The Moon & Mars from Oz on July 28. And the successful demonstration of the elliptical orbit of the Moon!

In other news on the Sun there are 3 nice groups right now (with an M9 flare on July 30), and there was a cool eruption, while science-wise TSI measurements are problematic, the GIOVE satellites watch for radiation and Alfvén waves are again blamed for coronal heating effects: press releases here and here and stories here, here, here, hier, hier, hier und hier. Plus aurora observations during STS-135. • Amateurs found yet another planetary nebula (more, more - and a weird story ...). • More NLCs from Germany on July 26, the UK on July 23, the UK and Finland on July 22 and the UK on July 18.

• The fiery return of STS-135, Atlantis' final Sun transit (more), many ISS pics in front of the Sun, the ISS in daylight, the ISS & Atlantis over Oz (more, more) and the docked pair crossing the Sun. • Highlights of August 2011 include a - not that - close approach by (3103) Eger on Aug. 4, the Opposition of (4) Vesta on Aug. 5 (with Ceres in the vicinity, too), the Moon-swamped Perseids on Aug. 13, a close approach of comet 45P on Aug. 15, Neptune's opposition on Aug. 23 and the conjunction of (15) Eunomia and 42 Per on Aug. 25.