Skywatching Calendar January 01 – March 31 2020

The Morien Institute - The events of July 16th to 22nd 1994, when the remnants of a fragmenting comet, P/Shoemaker-Levy 9, bombarded the surface of Jupiter causing fireballs many times the size of our own planet, were an abrupt wake-up call even for those who were aware of them. The historical sciences generally, and archæology in particular, have collectively painted a picture of the past as if our planet stands alone in empty space. Nothing could be further from reality. Our resilient planet exists in a solar system that has experienced a very dynamic history over the past 20 to 30 millennia, and it is only from this wider solar system perspective that the true history of human civilisation will ever be fully understood. The Morien Institute archive therefore contains relevant material from many disciplines.

an image of a meteor flashing through the sky

Image of a revolving globe showing current sea levels since the end of the last ice age, before which many ancient societies like Atlantis flourished all over planet Earth on the continental shelves that were inundated by the rising sea levels caused by the melting ice sheets.



text translation service for many worldwide languages

 

 


This year
The Morien Institute Skywatching Calendar will be much reduced compared to previous years

 


Skywatching Calendars for:


April – June 2020 |
July – September 2020 |
October – December 2020


 



For Your Safety When Daytime Skywatching Please Visit These Websites:


Safe SunWatching |
Observing Eclipses Safely |
Safely Viewing Sunspots

Safety In Sight |
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory



Useful Websites for Skywatchers:



Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series



Space Weather Radio



NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Archive 1996 to present



António Cidadão’s Practical Advice for Astrophotography & CCD Imaging



Phil Plait’s Bad Astronomy Website debunks astro-nonsense



How do I translate Universal Time (UT) into my time?



As of January 01 2020

according to Near-Earth Asteroid (NEO) monitoring groups there were

2018



KNOWN Potentially Hazardous Asteroids

in Earth-crossing orbits


Why Does This Number Go Up, Then Sometimes Go Down?


Book an Educational Visit to the UK SpaceGuard Centre



The National Near Earth Objects Information Centre

is located in Knighton, Powys, LD7 1LW, Wales, United Kingdom

It is open for Public Tours (suitable for ages 9+), and also for

School Tours (suitable for primary & secondary schools)



They are are easily accessible – See Map and directions



Impact Craters on Earth, our Moon
and the other planets in our Solar System



NASA JPL Asteroid Watch

 


The 3,600 year-old Nebra Sky Disc



The Nebra Sky Disc


Made of bronze, with gold decorations of the Sun, Moon and Pleiades

click the image to find out more

 

 



Free Open Source Planetarium

For Your Computer


– Enjoy –

 

 


 Today is

Thursday, February 23, 2023 


SpaceWeather Information & Resources


Getting Ready for the Next Big Solar Storm


NASA Living With a Star


NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
|

The Australian Space Weather Agency


Space Weather Radio
|

ESA Space Environment Information System


Space weather influences on atmospheric electricity


Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery


Realtime Comet Photo Gallery


a solar wind image link to the australian spaceweather agency home page


Heliophysics is a fast-developing scientific discipline that integrates studies of the Sun’s variability,

the surrounding heliosphere, and the environment and climate of planets

Over the past few centuries, our understanding of how the Sun drives space weather and climate

the Earth and other planets has advanced at an ever increasing rate

 


January 2020 Celestial Events & Space Research News


January 2020 SkyMaps & Sky Guides will not be available until January 1st


The Astronomy Picture of the Day feature will not be available until that date

It is updated daily using Universal Time (UT) which is the same as GMT

 


January 2020 –
SkyMaps & Celestial Guides
…..


BBC The Sky at Night – January 2020


Meteorite Times Magazine – January 2020
usually available middle of the month


Radio Jove – Solar & Planetary Radio Astronomy for Schools


At the start of January 2020 the Sunspot Number is 11


January 01 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Apollo Asteroid 2019 YK Near-Earth Flyby (0.036 AU)

 


January 02 2020 – 01:30 UT


Moon at Apogee


(furthest from the Earth = 404,580 km)

 


January 02 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 AP1 encounter – miss distance 0.9 LD, size = 4 metres


Asteroid 2020 AC1 encounter – miss distance 2.1 LD, size = 7 metres


Asteroid 2020 AD encounter – miss distance 2.3 LD, size = 13 metres


Asteroid 2020 AC encounter – miss distance 3.4 LD, size = 17 metres


Apollo Asteroid 2019 YH2 Near-Earth Flyby (0.019 AU)

 


January 03 2020 – 04:46 UT

First Lunar Quarter

 


January 03 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Quadrantids (QUA) Meteor Shower Peak – IMO Details
watch after midnight hours


Quadrantids Meteor Shower


“Crater found from asteroid that covered 10% of Earth’s surface in debris”


“Solar and Lunar Eclipses in 2020”


January 04 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 AN1 encounter – miss distance 2.6 LD, size = 25 metres


Asteroid 2019 YB4 encounter – miss distance 3.3 LD, size = 16 metres


2020 Quadrantid meteor shower
watch in pre-dawn hours


Quadrantids meteor shower peak
watch in pre-dawn hours


“Meteors from a Shattered Comet: the Quadrantids”


“It’s Snowing Iron Near the Earth’s Core”

 


January 05 2020 – 07:48 UT


Earth at Perihelion


(closest to the Sun = 0.983 AU)

 


January 05 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“The Moon’s Magnetosphere Used to be Twice as Strong as the Earth’s”


“Lunar Eclipses for Beginners”


January 06 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“The length of a day on Venus keeps changing”


January 07 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“NASA telescope discovers its first planet orbiting two stars”


January 08 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


January 09 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 AT1 encounter – miss distance 2.5 LD, size = 11 metres


“The Sky This Week centred on Australasia January 09 – January 16”


“With more Starlink satellites, astronomers keep voicing concerns”

 


January 10 2020 – 19:23 UT


Full Wolf Moon

 


January 10 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
……


Astronomy Picture of the Day


10–11 January 2020 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse


2020 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse


Asteroid 2019 YF4 encounter – miss distance 3.7 LD, size = 14 metres


Apollo Asteroid 2019 UO Near-Earth Flyby (0.030 AU)


Apollo Asteroid 2019 YV Near-Earth Flyby (0.044 AU)


“Maya Guide to Astronomy Thought to Be the Oldest Book Written in the Americas”


“Penumbral lunar eclipse”


January 11 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Apollo Asteroid 2019 WC5 Near-Earth Flyby (0.016 AU)


Comet 289P/Blanpain


Near-Earth Flyby (0.091 AU)


Comet 384P/Kowalski


At Opposition (0.605 AU)


“Meet 2020 AV2, the first asteroid found that stays inside Venus’s orbit!”


“Our glowing orange ‘Wolf’ Moon”


January 12 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Royal Astronomical Society’s 200th Birthday (1820)


Asteroid 2020 AB2 encounter – miss distance 3.8 LD, size = 15 metres


“Lunar Eclipse Photo Gallery”

 


January 13 2020 – 20:20 UT


Moon at Perigee


(closest to the Earth = 365,964 km)

 


January 13 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“Scientists find meteorite pieces older than the solar system”


“Almost 800,000 Years Ago, an Enormous Meteorite Struck Earth”


“Venus dazzles at dusk and closes in on Neptune”


January 14 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 BH encounter – miss distance 2.7 LD, size = 8 metres


“Grains of stardust found in meteorite that landed in Victoria”


January 15 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Aten Asteroid 2017 RZ15 Near-Earth Flyby (0.031 AU)


Aten Asteroid 2011 EP51 Near-Earth Flyby (0.050 AU)


“Second terrestrial planet found around closest star to the Sun”


“Comets to Catch in 2020”


January 16 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Apollo Asteroid 2019 YD3 Near-Earth Flyby (0.018 AU)


“The Sky This Week centred on Australasia January 16 – January 23”


“After a Century, Geologists Find Crater Responsible for Meteorite Mystery”


“An Asteroid has been Found that Orbits the Sun Closer than Venus”

 


January 17 2020 – 13:00 UT

Third Lunar Quarter

 


January 17 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 BN1 encounter – miss distance 3.4 LD, size = 11 metres


Apollo Asteroid 2019 YG1 Near-Earth Flyby (0.045 AU)


Amor Asteroid 2019 YQ3 Near-Earth Flyby (0.047 AU)


Comet 321P/SOHO


Perihelion (0.049 AU))


“ESA Recruits Amateur Astronomers Ahead of Hera Asteroid Mission”


“Bolide Event Over Puerto Rico”


January 18 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Aten Asteroid 2009 BH2 Near-Earth Flyby (0.037 AU)


“More Mysterious Space Blobs Have Been Found Near the Center of the Milky Way”


January 19 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


January 20 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 BK3 encounter – miss distance 0.8 LD, size = 15 metres


Apollo Asteroid 2013 DU Near-Earth Flyby (0.038 AU)


“Astronomers date an ancient Milky Way collision”


“The Continued Unprecedented Fading of Betelgeuse”


January 21 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 BB encounter – miss distance 2 LD, size = 7 metres


Asteroid 2020 BP encounter – miss distance 3.7 LD, size = 27 metres


Atira Asteroid 2017 YH


Closest Approach To Earth (0.144 AU)


“Meteorite impact 2 billion years ago may have ended an ice age”


January 22 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 BB5 encounter – miss distance 0.7 LD, size = 4 metres


“The Evidence is Leaning More and More Towards an Asteroid Ending the Dinosaurs”


“The ancient Earth atmosphere may have been mostly carbon dioxide”


January 23 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 BB1 encounter – miss distance 2.6 LD, size = 8 metres


“The Sky This Week centred on Australasia January 23 – January 30”


“See Ancient ‘North Stars’ Eclipse Each Other”


“This is Probably Sandstone Layers on Mars. Absolutely Beautiful”


“Superluminous Supernova, Explained?”

 


January 24 2020 – 21:44 UT

New Moon

 


January 24 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“Giant Planets Could Form Around Tiny Stars in Just a Few Thousand Years”


“Rosetta Saw the Building Blocks of Life on Comet 67P”


January 25 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Chinese New Year


Asteroid 2020 BH6 encounter – miss distance 0.2 LD, size = 7 metres


Comet P/2002 S7 (SOHO)


Perihelion (0.049 AU)


Comet P/2002 S7 (SOHO)


Closest Approach To Earth (0.937 AU)


January 26 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“China Releases New Pictures From the Surface of the Moon”


January 27 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 BA13 encounter – miss distance 0.5 LD, size = 6 metres


January 28 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 BJ7 encounter – miss distance 1.2 LD, size = 8 metres


Asteroid 2020 BK13 encounter – miss distance 1.5 LD, size = 7 metres

 


January 29 2020 – 21:28 UT


Moon at Apogee


(furthest from the Earth = 405,390 km)

 


January 29 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 BZ13 encounter – miss distance 0.3 LD, size = 4 metres


“The Latest on Betelgeuse, Plus a Bright Supernova and New Comet Iwamoto”


January 30 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Apollo Asteroid 2018 AL12 Near-Earth Flyby (0.047 AU)


“The Sky This Week centred on Australasia January 30 – February 06”


“This is the Highest Resolution Image Ever Taken of the Surface of the Sun”


January 31 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“Destructive Super Solar Storms Hit Us Every 25 Years Or So”

 

an image of a meteor flashing through the sky

 


SpaceWeather Information & Resources


Getting Ready for the Next Big Solar Storm


NASA Living With a Star


NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
|

The Australian Space Weather Agency


Space Weather Radio
|

ESA Space Environment Information System


Space weather influences on atmospheric electricity


Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery


Realtime Comet Photo Gallery


a solar wind image link to the australian spaceweather agency home page


Heliophysics is a fast-developing scientific discipline that integrates studies of the Sun’s variability,

the surrounding heliosphere, and the environment and climate of planets

Over the past few centuries, our understanding of how the Sun drives space weather and climate

the Earth and other planets has advanced at an ever increasing rate

 


February 2020 Celestial Events & Space Research News


February 2020 SkyMaps & Sky Guides will not be available until February 1st


The Astronomy Picture of the Day feature will not be available until that date

It is updated daily using Universal Time (UT) which is the same as GMT


February 2020 –
SkyMaps & Celestial Guides
……


BBC The Sky at Night – February 2020


Meteorite Times Magazine – February 2020
usually available middle of the month


Radio Jove – Solar & Planetary Radio Astronomy for Schools


At the start of February 2020 the Sunspot Number is ?


February 01 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 CW encounter – miss distance 0 LD, size = 1 metre


Asteroid 2020 BN12 encounter – miss distance 3.4 LD, size = 24 metres


“Let Venus be your guide to Mercury at its best in February”

 


February 02 2020 – 01:43 UT

First Lunar Quarter

 


February 02 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 CA encounter – miss distance 0.6 LD, size = 4 metre


Apollo Asteroid 2018 BU1 Near-Earth Flyby (0.049 AU)


February 03 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 BT14 encounter – miss distance 0.5 LD, size = 10 metres


Asteroid 2020 CK encounter – miss distance 1.4 LD, size = 8 metres


“Legal action could be used to stop Starlink ruining telescope images”


“Flapping ‘Bat Wing’ Could Reveal Secrets of Planet Formation”


February 04 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 CQ1 encounter – miss distance 0.2 LD, size = 6 metres


Asteroid 2020 CR encounter – miss distance 2.6 LD, size = 13 metres


February 05 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 CC encounter – miss distance 1.9 LD, size = 9 metres


“Scientists chart the shifting colors of a comet’s ‘seasons'”


February 06 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 CR1 encounter – miss distance 2.4 LD, size = 14 metres


Asteroid 2020 BF10 encounter – miss distance 2.9 LD, size = 13 metres


“The Sky This Week centred on Australasia February 06 – February 13”


“The Sun’s death could mean new life in the outer solar system”


“A Meteor Smashed Into Mars in 2005, Making this Crater”


February 07 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


February 08 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day

 


February 09 2020 – 07:34 UT


Full Snow Moon

(SuperMoon)

 


February 09 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“Solar Orbiter set to launch in mission to reveal Sun’s secrets”


“Gazing at the stars”

 


February 10 2020 – 20:31 UT


Moon at Perigee


(closest to the Earth = 360,464 km)

 


February 10 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Mercury


At Its Greatest Eastern Elongation (18°)
as seen from Earth


Asteroid 2020 BK10 encounter – miss distance 1.9 LD, size = 21 metres


February 11 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 CF2 encounter – miss distance 1.4 LD, size = 11 metres


February 12 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“800-year-old spiral rock carvings marked the solstices for Native Americans”


“Hackers could shut down satellites — or turn them into weapons”


February 13 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Comet 321P/SOHO


Closest Approach To Earth (0.227 AU)


“The Sky This Week centred on Australasia February 13 – February 20”


“Most distant object ever seen helps us understand origin of our planet”


February 14 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 CQ2 encounter – miss distance 0.4 LD, size = 7 metres


“When Betelgeuse goes supernova, what will it look like from Earth?”

 


February 15 2020 – 22:19 UT

Third Lunar Quarter

 


February 15 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Apollo Asteroid 63373 (2002 PZ39) Near-Earth Flyby (0.039 AU)


February 16 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 CR2 encounter – miss distance 3.1 LD, size = 12 metres


“The Changing Shape of Betelgeuse”


February 17 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 CG2 encounter – miss distance 2.3 LD, size = 47 metres


Aten Asteroid 2018 CW2 Near-Earth Flyby (0.015 AU)


February 18 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 DA1 encounter – miss distance 0.5 LD, size = 4 metres


Asteroid 2020 DW encounter – miss distance 0.6 LD, size = 3 metres


Asteroid 2020 DD encounter – miss distance 2.5 LD, size = 69 metres


“Meteors Traveling at a Fraction of the Speed of Light When They Hit the Atmosphere”


February 19 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 DJ2 encounter – miss distance 2.8 LD, size = 19 metres


“ESA is Considering a Mission to Give Advanced Warnings of Solar Storms”


February 20 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 DZ encounter – miss distance 1.5 LD, size = 7 metres


“The Sky This Week centred on Australasia February 20 – February 27”


“Proxima Centauri: The closest exoplanet to Earth”


“Japan Is Sending a Lander to Phobos”


February 21 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“Could alien life hitchhike to Earth on space rocks from other stars?”


February 22 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day

 


February 23 2020 – 15:33 UT

New Moon

 


February 23 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 DN3 encounter – miss distance 1.3 LD, size = 16 metres


Asteroid 2020 DO3 encounter – miss distance 3 LD, size = 12 metres


Amor Asteroid 2011 DR Near-Earth Flyby (0.038 AU)


Amor Asteroid 2011 DR Near-Earth Flyby (0.038 AU)


“Solar Orbiter is Already Starting to Observe the Sun”


February 24 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“NASA’s InSight lander detects 174 ‘marsquakes,’ proving Mars is seismically active”


February 25 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 DV3 encounter – miss distance 1.1 LD, size = 10 metres


Comet 289P/Blanpain


At Opposition (0.372 AU)


“The Fall and Rise of Betelgeuse”


“Betelgeuse Is Brightening Again”

 


February 26 2020 – 11:35 UT


Moon at Apogee


(furthest from the Earth = 406,277 km)

 


February 26 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Apollo Asteroid 2012 DS30 Near-Earth Flyby (0.031 AU)


“China’s Chang’e-4 mission peers beneath the lunar farside’s surface”


“Meet the Pleiades, the Seven Sisters”


February 27 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“Astronomers Discover a Tiny New Temporary Moon for the Earth”


February 28 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Apollo Asteroid 2015 BK509 Near-Earth Flyby (0.047 AU)


“The Sky This Week centred on Australasia February 27 – March 05”


February 29 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 DM3 encounter – miss distance 3.2 LD, size = 21 metres


SpaceUp Wales
Rhyl, North Wales, UK

 

an image of a meteor flashing through the sky

 


SpaceWeather Information & Resources


Getting Ready for the Next Big Solar Storm


NASA Living With a Star


NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
|

The Australian Space Weather Agency


Space Weather Radio
|

ESA Space Environment Information System


Space weather influences on atmospheric electricity


Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery


Realtime Comet Photo Gallery


a solar wind image link to the australian spaceweather agency home page


Heliophysics is a fast-developing scientific discipline that integrates studies of the Sun’s variability,

the surrounding heliosphere, and the environment and climate of planets

Over the past few centuries, our understanding of how the Sun drives space weather and climate

the Earth and other planets has advanced at an ever increasing rate

 


March 2020 Celestial Events & Space Research News


March 2020 SkyMaps & Sky Guides will not be available until March 1st


The Astronomy Picture of the Day feature will not be available until that date
It is updated daily using Universal Time (UT) which is the same as GMT


March 2020 –
SkyMaps & Celestial Guides
…….


BBC The Sky at Night – March 2020


Meteorite Times Magazine – March 2020
usually available middle of the month


Radio Jove – Solar & Planetary Radio Astronomy for Schools


At the start of March 2020 the Sunspot Number is 0


March 01 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Apollo Asteroid 2017 BM123 Near-Earth Flyby (0.027 AU)


“What is a Generation Ship?”

 


March 02 2020 – 19:58 UT

First Lunar Quarter

 


March 02 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 DD4 encounter – miss distance 2.6 LD, size = 8 metres


Asteroid 2020 DZ3 encounter – miss distance 3 LD, size = 28 metres


March 03 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


March 04 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 DA4 encounter – miss distance 2.5 LD, size = 26 metres


March 05 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“The Sky This Week centred on Australasia March 05 – March 12”


March 06 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“Ancient Earth may have been a ‘water world’ with no dry land”


“Curiosity Finds Organic Molecules That Could Have Been Produced by Life on Mars”


March 07 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“Our superginormous black hole is hungry again”


“Researchers find evidence of a cosmic impact that caused destruction of one of the world’s earliest human settlements”


March 08 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day

 


March 09 2020 – 17:48 UT


Full Worm Moon

(SuperMoon)

 


March 09 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day

Venus
Passes 2.7° From
Uranusas seen from Earth with a suitable telescope

 


March 10 2020 – 06:33 UT


Moon at Perigee


(closest to the Earth = 357,123 km)

 


March 10 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Apollo Asteroid 2018 RF6 Near-Earth Flyby (0.029 AU)


Apollo Asteroid 535844 (2015 BY310) Near-Earth Flyby (0.036 AU)


“Gas and Dust Stop Planets From Eating Their Moons”


March 11 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Aten Asteroid 2008 UB95 Near-Earth Flyby (0.047 AU)


“Astronomers find an exoplanet where iron rains from the sky”


March 12 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“Over a Hundred New Large Objects Found in the Kuiper Belt”


“Gravitational Waves Put Ruler to Neutron Stars”


“The Sky This Week centred on Australasia March 12 – March 19”


March 13 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


March 14 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 FD2 encounter – miss distance 0.9 LD, size = 26 metres


Asteroid 2020 FK1 encounter – miss distance 1.5 LD, size = 12 metres


“Geologic evidence supports theory that major cosmic impact event occurred approximately 12800 yrs ago”


“Five Space and Astronomy Activities to do at Home During the Coronavirus Outbreak”


March 15 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Daylight Saving – Set Clock Ahead 1 Hour
USA


Aten Asteroid 2018 GY Near-Earth Flyby (0.016 AU)

 


March 16 2020 – 09:35 UT

Last Lunar Quarter

 


March 16 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Asteroid 2020 FC2 encounter – miss distance 2 LD, size = 9 metres


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Comet 124P/Mrkos)


Closest Approach To Earth (0.785 AU)


“The Intense Heat from the Sun Helps Ice Form on Mercury. Wait… What?”


“Comet ATLAS is Brightening Faster than Expected”


“New Study Shows the Earth and Moon are not so Similar After All”


March 17 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Comet 249P/LINEAR


At Opposition (0.830 AU)


“Dawn Patrol: Following this Month’s ‘March of the Planets’”


March 18 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 FD encounter – miss distance 0.7 LD, size = 10 metres


Asteroid 2020 FD encounter – miss distance 1.4 LD, size = 9 metres


March 19 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 FA2 encounter – miss distance 1.4 LD, size = 11 metres


“The Sky This Week centred on Australasia March 19 – March 26”

 


March 20 2020 – 03:50 UT


Alban Eilir

Vernal (Spring) Equinox

 


March 20 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day

Mars
Passes 0.7° From
Jupiteras seen from Earth


“Planets put on a show for earliest March equinox in 124 years”


March 21 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


March 22 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 FF1 encounter – miss distance 1.9 LD, size = 9 metres


March 23 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“Another Incredible Picture of Mars From a Region Just Outside Valles Marineris”


“Celestial Cold Case: Why an Old Mystery Remains Unsolved”

 


March 24 2020 – 09:29 UT

New Moon

 

an image of a meteor flashing through the sky

 


March 24 2020 – 15:23 UT


Moon at Apogee


(furthest from the Earth = 406,690 km) M

 


March 24 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Mercury


At Its Greatest Western Elongation (28°)
as seen from Earth


Venus


At Its Greatest Eastern Elongation (46°)
as seen from Earth


“The three-body problem shows us why we can’t accurately calculate the past”


March 25 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Asteroid 2020 FJ4 encounter – miss distance 0.7 LD, size = 5 metres


“Following Comet Y1 ATLAS: the ‘Lost Comet’ of Spring”


“Comet ATLAS may soon be visible to the naked eye”


March 26 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Apollo Asteroid 4581 Asciepius


Near-Earth Flyby (0.070 AU)


“The Sky This Week centred on Australasia March 26 – April 02”


“The Sun: Extremely loud and incredibly hot”


March 27 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Apollo Asteroid 2012 XA133 Near-Earth Flyby (0.045 AU)


“How to explore the universe while you’re stuck at home”


“The heliosphere looks a lot weirder than we originally thought”


March 28 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


“2020 Star Parties Update”


March 29 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


European Summer Time – Set Clock Ahead 1 Hour
European Union


Aten Asteroid 2010 GD35 Near-Earth Flyby (0.039 AU)


March 30 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day


Aten Asteroid 2006 FH36 Near-Earth Flyby (0.029 AU)


“Unlike Earth, Mars might not have had a global ocean of magma”


March 31 2020 –
Today’s Celestial Events & Space Exploration News
…..


Astronomy Picture of the Day

Mars
Passes 0.8° From
Saturnas seen from Earth


To understand why the Skywatching Calendar is sometimes late here is some information about Fibromyalgia

 


Skywatching Calendars for:


April – June 2020 |
July – September 2020 |
October – December 2020


 



For Your Safety When Daytime Skywatching Please Visit These Websites:


Safe SunWatching |
Observing Eclipses Safely |
Safely Viewing Sunspots |
Safety In Sight


 



Google


 


Web
The Morien Institute









 


From July 16 – 22 1994, more than 20 fragments of


Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9

orbited the Sun and crashed into the surface of Jupiter



Comets, Asteroids and SpaceGuard Projects

 

 


the Morien Institute supports:


click here for the International Dark Sky Association

 

 


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Marine Archaeology News 2020 |
Astro-Archaeology News 2020


The Morien Institute

1996-2020