Downloadable version of the newsletter in PDF Format
(Right click and select "Save target as" to begin download.)
(Always check the PDF link above if the web page is not updated.
I always publish the PDF before I upload the web page.) PDF updated 1st of every month!
For amateur radio operators and scanner enthusiasts around the world, please join the Colorado Astronomy Net on the Rocky Mountain Radio League'sK1DUN repeater on 449.450 MHz or other digital and analog repeaters, Allstar nodes, Echolinks, DMR and internet links connected to the SKYHUBLINK system. The net meets on Tuesday nights at 7 P.M. Mountain Time (US) (Wednesday at 0200 GMT). Connecting to the SkyHubLink system has expanded our coverage in the U.S., Canada and internationally. All Amateur radio operators worldwide are welcome. Anyone may listen to the net. The RMRL provides a "Live Audio Feed" using Broadcastify.
Obtain your Amateur Radio (Ham) License or your General Radio Operator's License (GROL)! Visit the South Metro VE Team website for more information. The South Metro VE Team provides test sessions by appointment only. Check the website for current information. All others interested in Amateur Radio, check out the Amateur Radio Relay League website to find out more information about becoming an Amateur Radio operator.
Donate to the IAAS!
Your contributions are tax deductible.
Thank you for your support!
Excerpts from JPL mission updates are provided as a public service as part
of the JPL Solar System Ambassador/NASA Outreach program.
For special JPL programs and presentations in your area visit the JPL Solar System Ambassador website.
(Click on the logo to link to the JPL SSA homepage.)
"The eclipsed Sun stands in the sky above the Grand Tetons during the 2017 total solar eclipse. This month totality swill again carve a path across the U.S." Astronomy Magazine, April 2024, p. 28. - Alan Dyer
Planetary Reports generated by "TheSkyX" software. These reports provide predicted data for the planets for the first of each month for the current year. The rise and set times for the Sun and the Moon for each day of the month as well as meteor shower radiants are also included in the reports. These reports have been optimized for the Denver, Colorado location, however, the times will be approximate for other locations on Earth.
(Times are Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) unless otherwise noted. Times will vary slightly depending on your location.)
"…There's an array of planets visible all month, as Jupiter and Uranus lie close together in a conjunction, with Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks located a few degrees from the pair. Venus is sliding behind the Sun, but Saturn and Mars grow in visibility in the pre-dawn sky. They are joined by Mercury, which switches from east to west of the Sun during the month." Astronomy Magazine, April 2024, p. 28.
Is stationary on the 1st. Mercury sets at 8:42 p.m. on the 1st. Mercury is in inferior conjunction on the 11th. After conjunction, Mercury returns to the morning sky, rising about 5:10 a.m. by month's end. Mercury is stationary again on the 24th. Look for Mercury in the evening sky very low on the western horizon about 30 minutes after sunset during the first week of the month and then about 30 minutes before sunrise during the last week of the month. Mercury is in the constellation of Pisces shining at magnitude 1.3 on the 1st.
Rises at 6:12 a.m. on the 1st and about 5:42 a.m. by month's end. Look for Venus low to the east about 30 minutes before sunrise. Venus moves from the constellation of Pisces into Aries shining at magnitude -3.9 on the 1st.
Rises at 5:27 a.m. on the 1st and about 4:25 a.m. by month's end. Look for Mars low on the eastern horizon before sunrise. Mars moves from the constellation of Aquarius into Pisces shining at magnitude 1.2.
Sets at 10:16 p.m. on the 1st and about 8:53 p.m. by month's end. By the time the Sun sets, Jupiter is visible low in the west. Jupiter is in the constellation of Aries shining at magnitude -2.0.
Rises at 5:45 a.m. on the 1st and about 03:54 a.m. by month's end. Observe Saturn just before sunrise, low to the southeast. Saturn is in the constellation of Aquarius shining at magnitude 1.0.
Sets at 10:34 p.m. on the 1st and about 8:45 p.m. by month's end. Uranus follows just a few minutes behind Jupiter, visible in the southwest soon after sunset. Uranus is in the constellation of Aries shining at magnitude 5.9.
Rises at 6:16 a.m. on the 1st and about 4:21 a.m. by the end of the month. Look for Neptune before sunrise, low on the eastern horizon after mid-month. Neptune is in the constellation of Pisces shining at magnitude 7.8.
Rises at 2:52 a.m. on the 1st and about 1:18 a.m. by month's end. Ceres is visible in the early morning sky to the southeast. Ceres is in the constellation of Sagittarius shining at magnitude 8.7.
Rises at 3:55 a.m. on the 1st and about 1:58 a.m. by month's end. Pluto is visible to the southeast before dawn. Pluto is in the constellation of Capricornus shining at magnitude 15.3.
As always, good luck at spotting Neptune, Ceres and Pluto, a large telescope and dark skies will be needed.
Constellation information provided by Go Astronomy.
The Lyridsmeteor showers are typically visible between April 16 and 25. Maximum occurs during April 21-22. Although the maximum rate is about 10, there have been instances during the last 200 years when rates were near or over 100 per hour. The average magnitude of the meteors is near 2.4 and the speed is described as rapid. About 15% of the meteors leave persistent trains.
For more information about Meteor Showers, visit Gary Kronk's
Meteor Showers Online web page.
Meteor Scatter (or Meteor burst communications) - "is a radio propagation mode that exploits the ionized trails of meteors during atmospheric entry to establish brief communications paths between radio stations up to 2,250 kilometres (1,400 mi) apart." Tune your shortwave or your HF amateur radio to 54.310 MHz SSB and see if you can hear any pings. Try other frequencies as well... 6m FT8 digital - 50.313 Mhz & 50.276 Mhz, JP-65 digital mode and the carrier frequencies of the lower VHF bands for TV channels 2, 3 & 4.
Comet12P/Pons-Brooks passes through the constellation of Aries and Taurus, visible about 60 minutes after local sunset. On the 10th, 12P/Pons-Brooks shares the early evening sky with Jupiter, Uranus and a thin crescent Moon, as well as the Pleiades (M45). It may brighten to 4th magnitude.
Comet C/2021 S3 (PanSTARRS) is visible at 7th magnitude in the southeast passing through the constellation of Cygnus before sunrise.
For information, orbital elements and ephemerides on observable comets, visit
Observable Comets.
For more information about Comets, visit Gary Kronk's
Cometography.com webpage.
"It's here at last! The April 8 total eclipse of the Sun is visible from a narrow track spanning North America from southwest to northeast. While the majority of people across the U.S. will see a partial eclipse of varying degrees, millions will travel to be in that special location inside totality for the spectacle of seeing the corona surrounding the intensely black disk of the Moon as it covers the Sun, an apparent hole in the sky. So sudden is the drop in light during the last 30 seconds leading up to the event — an effect missed from all the partial zones — that totality observers often shout in joy and delight. While a partial eclipse is nice, a total one is the epitome of awe." Astronomy Magazine, April 2024, p. 28.
"The April 8, 2024, solar eclipse will be visible in the entire contiguous United States, weather permitting. People along the path of totality stretching from Texas to Maine will have the chance to see a total solar eclipse; outside this path, a partial solar eclipse will be visible."
Credits: NASA
In this section I will post meteor, fireball, etc sightings that have been published on the American Meteor Society's web site. I want to make this an active section of the web pages and newsletter and would like to publish the links to member sightings. If you have any published sightings, please provide me with the links and I will post them here for all to enjoy.
I have created a web page containing images taken and submitted by subscribers to the email newsletter, check-ins to the Colorado Astronomy Net and readers of the online newsletter. Any one wishing to submit their own images to the gallery, please let me know. The images must be taken by the submitter and be astronomy related. Please include a description and your information so that I can give proper credit to your work.
Featured Images
Solar Eclipse, August 2017
"Corona", "Bailey's Beads" and the "Diamond Ring"
Image Courtesy of Burness Ansell (KIØAR) Taken: August 21, 2017 Location: Guernsey, WY Camera: Nikon D80, with 400mm telephoto lens
"A gantlet of tests prepared the spacecraft for its challenging trip to the Jupiter system, where it will explore the icy moon Europa and its subsurface ocean.
In less than six months, NASA is set to launch Europa Clipper on a 1.6-billion-mile (2.6-billion-kilometer) voyage to Jupiter's ocean moon Europa. From the wild vibrations of the rocket ride to the intense heat and cold of space to the punishing radiation of Jupiter, it will be a journey of extremes. The spacecraft was recently put through a series of hard-core tests at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California to ensure it's up to the challenge."
Read the latest news and discoveries from JPL's dozens of active space missions exploring Earth, the solar system and worlds beyond.
"Editor's Note: This article was updated March 13, 2024, to clarify the likelihood that chemicals found around IRAS 2A were present in the first stages of development of our solar system.
What do margaritas, vinegar, and ant stings have in common? They contain chemical ingredients that NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has identified surrounding two young protostars known as IRAS 2A and IRAS 23385. Although planets are not yet forming around those stars, these and other molecules detected there by Webb represent key ingredients for making potentially habitable worlds."
"The ice-covered Jovian moon generates 1,000 tons of oxygen every 24 hours — enough to keep a million humans breathing for a day.
Scientists with NASA's Juno mission to Jupiter have calculated the rate of oxygen being produced at the Jovian moon Europa to be substantially less than most previous studies. Published on March 4 in Nature Astronomy, the findings were derived by measuring hydrogen outgassing from the icy moon's surface using data collected by the spacecraft's Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) instrument."
"The discovery: Two giant planets comparable to our own system's Saturn orbit a star not unlike our Sun some 700 light-years away. The outer planet has the longest year — 483 days — of any found so far by NASA's TESS (the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite). It's also among the coldest.
Key facts: The two planets, TOI-4600 b and c, could prove important to astronomers who investigate how large, gaseous planets form and evolve. And they begin to fill a gap in knowledge between gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn in our solar system, and "hot Jupiters" (as well as "warm Jupiters") elsewhere in our galaxy.
Details: The decades-long hunt for exoplanets — planets around other stars — has so far yielded more than 5,500 that are confirmed to be scattered across the Milky Way, which likely contains hundreds of billions. But the prevailing detection method turns up relatively few "long period" planets, those with years lasting 50 days or more. This method, seeking "shadows," much more easily reveals planets orbiting their stars closely, with far shorter years. The search for shadows, called the transit method, captures the tiny dip in starlight as an orbiting planet crosses the face of its star."
For more information on the TESS mission, visit the Latest Tess Stories page.
Mars on the Go! NASA Be A Martian Mobile App
If you want the latest news as it happens, try out the "Be A Martian" app.
Download on Mobile Devices Android | iPhone | Windows Phone
JMARS is an acronym that stands for Java Mission-planning and Analysis for Remote Sensing. It is a geospatial information system (GIS) developed by ASU's Mars Space Flight Facility to provide mission planning and data-analysis tools to NASA's orbiters, instrument team members, students of all ages, and the general public.
"In February, the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) hosted the Chancellor's Parent Leadership Society (CPLS) Board for their spring meeting, which included a presentation about LASP's work, students, and history, as well as a tour of the institute's facilities. LASP began celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2023.
The Parent Leadership Society is a group of donors who serve as university ambassadors and lead the CU Boulder parent community. To kick off the meeting, the new CPLS Board Chairs, Carlos and Marci Hamilton, and Vice Chairs, Chris and Katharine Roth, introduced Dr. Philip P. DiStefano, Chancellor of the University of Colorado Boulder, who last fall announced he will step down this year after holding the position since 2009."
"In December 2022, NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) mission observed the dramatic and unexpected "disappearance" of a stream of charged particles constantly emanating off the Sun, known as the solar wind. This was caused by a special type of solar event that was so powerful, it created a void in its wake as it traveled through the solar system.
Due to this event, MAVEN's measurements at Mars showed that the number of particles making up the solar wind dropped significantly. Without the pressure of the solar wind, the Martian atmosphere and magnetosphere expanded by thousands of kilometers. MAVEN is the only asset currently at Mars able to simultaneously observe both the Sun's activity and the response of the Martian atmosphere to these solar influences."
"Perseverance has continued its traverse west through the Margin unit. As the rover drives, images and data are obtained using instruments such as Mastcam-Z, Navcam, and SuperCam to track any changes in the chemistry or appearance of the rocks.
Along the way, the science team used these images to pick out an exciting rock named Bunsen Peak. This rock was intriguing because it stands tall among the surrounding terrain and has some interesting surface texture on its left face, as seen in the image above. Another feature of the rock that stood out in the image was the near vertical face directly in front of the rover. A vertical face piques the interest of the science team for a couple of reasons: first, a vertical face of a rock could give a cross-sectional view of any chemical or physical layering that might be occurring in the rock. Second, a vertical face is usually less dust-covered, which is good news for our scientific instruments!"
"Videos from the rover show its shadow moving across the Martian surface during a 12-hour sequence while Curiosity remained parked.
When NASA's Curiosity Mars rover isn't on the move, it works pretty well as a sundial, as seen in two black-and-white videos recorded on Nov. 8, the 4,002nd Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The rover captured its own shadow shifting across the surface of Mars using its black-and-white Hazard-Avoidance Cameras, or Hazcams."
"On Jan. 16, 2020, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured this image of two types of sand dunes on Mars: barchan and linear dunes.
The small dots are called barchan dunes, and from their shape we can tell that they are upwind. The downwind dunes are long and linear. These two types of dune each show the wind direction in different ways: the barchans have a steep slope and crescent-shaped "horns" that point downwind, while the linear dunes are stretched out along the primary wind direction. Linear dunes, however, typically indicate at least two different prevailing winds, which stretch out the sand along their average direction.
Barchan and linear dunes aren't just a Martian phenomenon — we can also see them on Earth. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have snapped photos of them occurring in Brazil and Saudi Arabia."
"The Odyssey orbiter captured clouds and dust in the Red Planet's skies, along with one of its two tiny moons.
Astronauts often react with awe when they see the curvature of the Earth below the International Space Station. Now Mars scientists are getting a taste of what that's like, thanks to NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter, which completed its 22nd year at the Red Planet last month.
The spacecraft captured a series of panoramic images that showcases the curving Martian landscape below gauzy layers of clouds and dust. Stitched end to end, the 10 images offer not only a fresh, and stunning, view of Mars, but also one that will help scientists gain new insights into the Martian atmosphere."
Colorado Springs Astronomical Society - The Colorado Springs Astronomical Society (CSAS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the enjoyment of the nighttime sky.
Denver Astronomical Society - The Deep Space Exploration Society is a Colorado based nonprofit organization dedicated to practical astronomy and space science education for students, the general public, and society members.
Deep Space Exploration Society - Promotes the enjoyment and understanding of astronomical phenomena, history and lore by providing educational and observing opportunities for our members, general public, and outreach activities at the University of Denver's historic Chamberlin Observatory, schools, and nature centers.
Little Thompson Observatory - Begin or sustain your interest in astronomy at LTO! The night sky is wondrous, filled with countless swirling galaxies, the planets, the moon and so much more. Many of these sights are easily visible from Earth, but few people have witnessed them personally.
The Little Thompson Observatory can change that for you. Our mission is to help people of all ages learn about the universe by offering a first-hand experience with astronomy...
Northern Colorado Astronomical Society - The Northern Colorado Astronomical Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the science of astronomy and to encourage and coordinate activities of amateur astronomers.
SkyWatchers - Coal Creek Canyon Sky Watchers - Coal Creek Canyon Sky Watchers is an astronomy and space exploration group that features expert presenters on topics such as the exploration of the Moon, Mars and other planets, international space exploration missions, as well as other astronomy topics. We established Sky Watchers in 2014 and usually have about 35 attendees at our meetings.
Southern Colorado Astronomical Society - The Southern Colorado Astronomical Society, CSU-P and the Pueblo Nature and Raptor Center welcomes everyone to participate in the discovery of our night sky.
Star Light-Star Bright Observatory - The observatory is part of the nonprofit National Space Science & Technology Institute's education and public outreach program.
The goal of the Star Light—Star Bright Observatory, is to put the universe within reach of primary grade students and their teachers; along with being an educational asset for the community. The observatory is an educational project that was established in 2004 to serve young and old alike and provides the only free access to viewing the universe in the Pikes Peak Region.
AMSAT - The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, or AMSAT, is a worldwide group of Amateur Radio Operators (Hams)... AMSAT's goal is to foster Amateur Radio's participation in space research and communication.
Radio JOVE Project - Radio JOVE students and amateur scientists observe and analyze natural radio emissions of Jupiter, the Sun, and our galaxy.
Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers - The Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA) is an international society of dedicated enthusiasts who teach, learn, trade technical information, and do their own observations of the radio sky.
"TheSky" - Astronomy Software by Software Bisque. It's where discoveries are made. Where astronomers unravel the mysteries and reveal the beauty of space. At the heart of this search lies Software Bisque and its family of precision-crafted robotic telescope mounts, astronomy software solutions and embedded systems. Tools that help quench the astronomers' thirst for scientific breakthrough and personal enrichment the world over.
A Sea of Stars - Voyages of a Merchant Mariner & Amateur Astronomer - I'm a retired Navy veteran, currently sailing with the US Navy's Military Sealift Command as an Operations Chief. My dominant interests are science (esp. astronomy), history and photography, and I enjoy naval and military wargaming WHEN I can find the time.
A Short Guide to Celestial Navigation - Celestial navigation is the art and science of finding one's geographic position by means of astronomical observations, particularly by measuring altitudes of celestial objects — sun, moon, planets, or stars.
American Meteor Society - Provides amateur observers a place to learn about and report meteor, fireball and related sightings.
AstroBackyard - Welcome to the AstroBackyard Backyard of the Week! This is a place where we honor the hard work and dedication put into building an astrophotography rig to capture the glorious night sky. There are many ways to tackle this hobby, with varying types of telescopes, cameras, and mounts with one thing in common — they produce results!
Astrogirl Homepage - Astrogirl.org exists to educate, encourage and promote the hobby of amateur astronomy to people of all ages. It is the goal of this site to provide relevant information and resources to the amateur astronomer as an aid in their enjoyment of the night sky. It is a family-friendly, educational site and has been rated as a safe site for all ages.
Astronomia - Online web applications that use catalogues of astronomical objects. Applications and their description are also prepared in English.
Astronomy Picture of the Day - Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
Citizen Science - Citizen Science Projects - NASA's citizen science projects are collaborations between scientists and interested members of the public.
Clear Skies Observing Guides - CSOG, short for Clear Skies Observing Guides is a new concept in visual amateur astronomy. It is a digital publication that will enable observers to target all deepsky objects and carbon stars within reach of their equipment.
The Constellations of the Night Sky - Good site for finding out more about the 88 constellations and their associated stars. Links to the constellations mentioned in the newsletter can be found on this page.
CosmoQuest - The place where you map other worlds, explore out universe and contribute to science.
iTelescope.net - iTelescope.Net is the world's premier network of Internet connected telescopes, allowing members to take astronomical images of the night sky for the purposes of education, scientific research and astrophotography.
JPL Solar System - Jet Propulsion Laboratory information on our solar system.
K8JTK.ORG - Welcome to the home page of Jeffrey Kopcak. You will find pages and posts I wrote about my hobbies, interests, projects, and things I'm involved in.
Meade Advanced Products Users Group - Mapug-Astronomy Topical Archive & information resource, containing a massive 335 page archive of discussions about Meade equipment, and much more: observatories, observing lists, permanent piers, equatorial wedges, remote operations, software, eyepieces, etc.
NASA - Lunar and Planetary Science - General information, Missions to Comets, Data, Press Releases, Meteors and Meteorites, Other topics of Interest.
NASA Science News - NASA missions, updates, astronomy news, excellent resource.
National Archives info on space exploration - Archives Library Information Center (ALIC) - Space Exploration - Information about the United States' space flight programs, including NASA missions and the astronauts who participate in the efforts to explore space.
Phys.org - Science News including Nanotechnology, Physics, Earth, Astronomy & Space, Technology, Chemistry, Biology and Other Sciences.
SKY-MAP.ORG - The main purpose of SKY-MAP is to consolidate astronomical, astrophysical and other information about different space objects and astrophysical facts.
Space.com - Interesting space and astronomy articles.
SpaceLinks/Space Careers - SPACELINKS is a specialist staffing consultancy sourcing and supplying high caliber professionals for a wide range of world class organizations in the Space and Defense industry.
"SpaceRef.com" - SpaceRef's 21 news and reference web sites are designed to allow both the novice and specialist alike to explore outer space and Earth observation.
Space Weather - Check out what the sun is doing as seen from space.
The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Astrophotography - Looking up into the night sky with just your eyes and maybe a telescope is amazing on its own. But it can be even better when you photograph and record it for your memories.
Ultimate Resource Guide for Astronomy - The resources we have provided below cover everything from discussing what astronomy is all the way to social media groups that focus on this popular and interesting topic. Use this resource guide for finding some great sites on astronomy whether you are a teacher looking for lesson plan ideas, a student wanting to brush up on their knowledge, a college student looking for a career or you just love the stars and want the most from your experiences.
UniverseToday - Short, interesting articles about space and related topics.
Wildcat Astronomy - Astrophotography by James Paulson - Planetary and Deep Sky imaging at its best. Check out the Blog as well as the images for tips and tricks of astrophotography.
Much of the information in this newsletter is from
Astronomy® Magazine
(Kalmbach Publishing), JPL mission status reports, the Internet, "Meteor Showers - A descriptive
Catalog" by Gary W. Kronk, Sky & Telescope web pages, and other astronomical sources that I have stashed on my bookshelves.
The author will accept any suggestions, constructive criticisms, and corrections. Please feel free to send me any new links or articles to share as well. I will try to accommodate any reasonable requests. Please feel free to send questions, comments, criticisms, or donations to the email address listed below. Enjoy!
Home of KIØAR
created by Burness F. Ansell, III, Email me IAAS - COO, Director of Aerospace Technologies JPL Solar System Ambassador, Colorado last modified: April 01, 2024