2022 Martian Opposition

[Christopher K.]

It's almost time for easy views of the Red Planet. In the meantime, from 5:15am to 5:45am Friday--if you have a low southeastern horizon and don't mind sopping humidity--you can catch an early glimpse of the 2022 Martian Apparition. Mars will be in Sagittarius.

[Christopher K.]

Sky & Telescope and Astronomy are reporting the tonight is Earth's closest approach to the Red Planet. What a crisp, clear night for it! According to NOAA humidity stays under eighty percent and cloud cover stays under ten percent. According to Danko, the transparency is above average and the seeing improves to average from 11pm to 5am. Additionally the waxing gibbous Moon dips below fifteen degrees at 11pm, the Pleiades culminates at about 11:15pm, and the Orion Nebula culminates at 1am.



More information:
https://astronomy.com/observing/sky-thi ... december-2
https://astronomy.com/observing/sky-thi ... december-2

[Christopher K.]

Sunset is was 5:03pm CST. Twilight ends at 6:29pm CST. The front gate and main building will be open at 7:35pm. Below is the NOAA forecast for HRPO's planned viewing time of 8pm to 12am...
precipitation potential, 3%
sky cover, 17%
relative humidity, 86%
temperature, 23˚C
surface wind, S 3 km/h
Danko's Clear Dark Sky states that during HRPO's viewing time both the transparency rating and the seeing rating will be "average" (3 out of 5).

NOAA has issued a Dense Fog Advisory for the HRPO area from 9pm to 10am tomorrow. According to NOAA's pinpoint forecast for Village Saint George, fog will be present beginning at 11pm. Therefore, HRPO will close by 11pm, earlier if dense fog comes earlier. Please do not drive through fog to get to HRPO.

Also, please keep in mind that the 20OGS will be closed tonight; only front pad telescopes will be in use. Mars will be in a tight conjunction with the Moon.

The 7 December 2022 evening rating is...
EXCELLENT
VERY GOOD
GOOD
FAIR
POOR
BAD

[Christopher K.]

Mars visited the Pleiades during this past apparition. There’s only a couple of weeks left to view the Red Planet before it’ll be too close to the Sun.

30 December 2022 APOD:
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221230.html