An asteroid will eclipse one of the brightest stars this week.

Happyflowerlady

Happyflowerlady

Vagabond Flowerchild
Location
Northern Alabama
If you like to watch the stars at nite (and I do when it is not so cold outside as right now), then there is an unusual treat in store this week, happening late at nite on the 20th of March.
We have a large asteroid that will pass between us and one of the brightest stars, and it will be able to be seen with the naked eye, so you don't have to have a telescope to enjoy this. However, it happens about 2AM, EDT, so it will be late for some of us, and not visible to those who live anywhere besides America.

http://www.space.com/25108-rare-asteroid-star-eclipse-observing-tips.html
 

I love to watch the stars, especially when we're out in the woods far away from artificial lights. Thanks for the heads up, if I have trouble sleeping I may go out in the yard and see if I can view it. Otherwise, usually at 2am, I'm in lala land. :p Thanks for the heads-up Happyflowerlady!
 
Unfortunately, where I live the only thing you can see in the night sky is the searchlights from the prison. :cool:
 

SifuPhil said:
Unfortunately, where I live the only thing you can see in the night sky is the searchlights from the prison. :cool:
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Well, here is a picture for you, so you can at least pretend to be watching it..... and you don't even have to stay up late to do that !

From the map they have posted here, it looks like that only a very small part of North America is going to be able to see this.
You may actually be one of the ones that live close enough to get a glimpse if the sky is clear enough; so you should at least do your duty for the group, and go out and TRY to spot the eclipse.

I am sure you can provide us with a spectacular rendition of what it looked like, regardless......

http://www.space.com/25101-rare-asteroid-star-eclipse-this-week.html
 
Happyflowerlady said:
Well, here is a picture for you, so you can at least pretend to be watching it..... and you don't even have to stay up late to do that !

From the map they have posted here, it looks like that only a very small part of North America is going to be able to see this.
You may actually be one of the ones that live close enough to get a glimpse if the sky is clear enough; so you should at least do your duty for the group, and go out and TRY to spot the eclipse.

I am sure you can provide us with a spectacular rendition of what it looked like, regardless......

http://www.space.com/25101-rare-asteroid-star-eclipse-this-week.html
Click to expand...

Okay, I looked at the picture - thank you!

If I were to go outside and look up at the sky I'd probably end up with a slit throat, or the cops would arrest me for loitering - you just don't DO those kinds of things around here.

And our sky is never clear - this is the cloudiest city I have EVER lived in.

But if you insist, I'll work on a rendering of what I saw ... here's what I see in the spot where the occultation will occur ...

east sky.jpg
 
Living at the vineyard on top of a ridge with a wonderful unobstructed view, often enjoyed watching the sky late at night. This will be something amazing to witness.
 
I want to try and see it. I am closer to the East Coast of Florida. I think it would be fun to stay up with my son and observe. Sifu, I was taken you seriously until you showed the other side and made me laugh at myself for being so gullible.
 
Happyflowerlady said:
If you like to watch the stars at nite (and I do when it is not so cold outside as right now), then there is an unusual treat in store this week, happening late at nite on the 20th of March.
We have a large asteroid that will pass between us and one of the brightest stars, and it will be able to be seen with the naked eye, so you don't have to have a telescope to enjoy this. However, it happens about 2AM, EDT, so it will be late for some of us, and not visible to those who live anywhere besides America.

http://www.space.com/25108-rare-asteroid-star-eclipse-observing-tips.html
Click to expand...

Oh I love this stuff, I hope I can stay up long enough!! I'll go check the link now, thanks HFL!! Denise
 
SeaBreeze said:
I love to watch the stars, especially when we're out in the woods far away from artificial lights. Thanks for the heads up, if I have trouble sleeping I may go out in the yard and see if I can view it. Otherwise, usually at 2am, I'm in lala land. :p Thanks for the heads-up Happyflowerlady!
Click to expand...

Metoo, would sooooooo love to see it!
 
Mirabilis said:
I want to try and see it. I am closer to the East Coast of Florida. I think it would be fun to stay up with my son and observe. Sifu, I was taken you seriously until you showed the other side and made me laugh at myself for being so gullible.
Click to expand...

You'll get used to me - I'm like gator burgers - an acquired taste. ;)
 
We've got 32 and clear. I have to go back and read though because I realized I didn't know if that was 2 Eastern or 2 Pacific, doi;)

Oh man:( EST, so that means, so that means 5 or 6 a.m. here? I think? Oh that could be good since I get up at 5 or 6!! No wait, that's not right:( I can't think, sec. Ok, you EST folks get to 2 a.m. first, so then it will be about 11 here, ohhhhhhh perfect, I think. Anybody is welcome to jump in and hep me. In the meantime I'll go look at timezone map;)
 
When I posted the first link, the article said that the eclipse would be visible in North America, so I thought that at least most of us would be able to watch for it if we were up late at night.
However, with the second link that I posted, it actually shows a map of the area where it can be seen from, and it is only a narrow little swath going through Eastern Canada and the top of the US.
Since it would appear that most of the readers have not noticed the map, I am reposting the link for that page again.
NWL, you are earlier out there than we are on the Eastern part of the United States, so it would be not as late at night for you to look, however, it would appear that you might not be able to see it anyway if this map is correct....sorry.

link to map :
http://www.space.com/25101-rare-asteroid-star-eclipse-this-week.html
 
Happyflowerlady said:
When I posted the first link, the article said that the eclipse would be visible in North America, so I thought that at least most of us would be able to watch for it if we were up late at night.
However, with the second link that I posted, it actually shows a map of the area where it can be seen from, and it is only a narrow little swath going through Eastern Canada and the top of the US.
Since it would appear that most of the readers have not noticed the map, I am reposting the link for that page again.
NWL, you are earlier out there than we are on the Eastern part of the United States, so it would be not as late at night for you to look, however, it would appear that you might not be able to see it anyway if this map is correct....sorry.

link to map :
http://www.space.com/25101-rare-asteroid-star-eclipse-this-week.html
Click to expand...

That's ok, I posted a "fire" story I thought was happening in the NW somewhere, this was on Facebook, and one of my friends said "Denise, look at the date on that newspaper article" it was like 3 years prior:lofl:and besides that, I read those articles and they weren't super clear, not your fault, but I do hope the sky will be "super clear" for you guys;) Then you can tell us about it tomorrow!! I'm still betting they'll have pics online too;) That's another thing on my "bucket list" visiting a real observatory high on some hill, wowee wow;) Denise
 
Apparently not, Warrigal. At least no one has posted here, saying that they did . While it would have been interesting to observe, it was apparently also not an easy thing to do. They said in the article that there was only a narrow swath running through North America where it would be visible, and the map showed it only on the extreme east coast of the US. With all the storms that have hit that area all winter, and now into spring; even that little area might have had a hard time seeing it.
The first article that I read said it would be visible in North America; but that was misleading.
Also, the eclipse was only visible for a maximum of 14 seconds, so you would have had to been in just the right place watching for it, and not blinked or sneezed at the wrong time.
 
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By the way we stayed up until 3: 30 am est and did not see it. Just realized we were told this on March 20th so, it had already happened :confused:
 

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