Are there any astronomical phenomena at the end of 2009 and 2010?

The night sky in the last January of 2009 did not appear deserted due to the arrival of severe winter. Wonderful celestial phenomena will come one after another. Missing the cold weather cannot stop the enthusiasm of astronomy enthusiasts. Of course, enthusiasm alone is not enough, you must take measures to protect yourself from the cold. December 22nd is the winter solstice, which means the longest period of darkness in the northern hemisphere. Here I also hope that everyone will arrange their observation time reasonably, pay attention to rest, and avoid being too tired. On the last night of this year, that is, from the night of December 31st to the early morning of January 1st next year, there will also be a partial lunar eclipse. Since the entire lunar eclipse will occur next year, Beijing time, we will provide you with detailed information in the next weather forecast. Analysis, please pay attention.

The Geminid meteor shower is huge on December 14th

It is precisely because of the Geminid meteor shower that the night sky in December never lacks bright spots. Together with the Quadrantid meteor shower and the Perseid meteor shower, the Geminid meteor shower is known as the three major meteor showers in the northern hemisphere. It is not only large in flow, but also very stable. At the same time, it also has the characteristics of large bright flux, good observation effect, and long maximum time. For our mid-latitude areas in the northern hemisphere, the radiant point of this meteor shower is visible almost all night during the maximum period, and the horizon altitude is above 70 degrees at midnight. It can be regarded as one of the best meteor viewing conditions throughout the year. At this time, in the southern hemisphere, the night itself is relatively short, so there is only a short period of time when observation conditions are better. The active period of the Geminid meteor shower is not too long. We are likely to see this group of meteors on the nights between December 7 and 17 this year. According to the International Meteor Organization's forecast, this year's most likely event will occur around 13:00 on the 14th, Beijing time, with a ZHR value of around 120. Through observations of the Geminid meteor shower in the past 20 years, we have found that its maximum lasts for more than two hours. Moreover, for relatively faint meteors, the larger flow can even last for about a day. Therefore, for astronomy enthusiasts from all over the country, the two nights of the 13th and 14th are more favorable observation times, and the peak of this year’s Geminid meteor shower coincides with the 27th and 28th of October in the lunar calendar, and the dawn will not rise until The waning moon will not affect observations. According to our analysis of the observation results of the Geminid meteor shower the year before, there was basically no moonlight effect in 2007, and there were outbursts above ZHR150. Although the moonlight was severely affected in 2088, we still observed hundreds of meteors in one night, so this meteor shower is worth observing.

Next let’s talk about how to actually observe the Geminid meteor shower. First of all, check the weather forecast two or three days in advance to confirm that it will be sunny before making observation preparations. The place to observe the meteor shower should be in the suburbs with a higher altitude and away from urban light pollution during the day, which requires us to pay attention to safety. Second, pay attention to keeping warm from cold. You can find a farmhouse with a relatively open surrounding, preferably with heating facilities for rest. If you mainly made visual observations in the previous meteor showers, you can take beautiful photos of the meteors in the Geminid meteor shower. The equipment required for photographic observation is mainly a digital SLR camera and wide-angle lens, a tripod, a shutter release cable, and sufficient batteries and memory cards. First we can use the bright star to adjust the focus. After attaching the tripod, we can then frame the shot. Framing is very knowledgeable, and it is naturally best to place the radiant point in the field of view, and it is also a good choice to take some natural scenery. Of course, it is best to have some lighting on the landscape, otherwise it will not appear bright enough in the photo. Next, we adjust the shooting parameters. My experience is that the maximum aperture of the lens is closed by one stop or not, the maximum sensitivity of the camera is reduced by two to three stops, the white balance is adjusted to daylight, and the exposure time is 10 to 20 seconds. As long as the shot is taken, The background skylight should not be too bright. Of course, the most important thing is to set the camera to continuous shooting mode and lock it with the shutter cable to shoot continuously. Facing the fleeting meteor, we can only "wait and wait".

Mercury’s Eastern Great Elongation on December 19th

This year’s last great elongation of Mercury will also be staged this month, which will also bring a successful conclusion to the seven great elongations of this year. Mercury's eastern elongation on December 19 is already the fourth eastern elongation this year. The angular distance between Mercury and the Sun that day is about 20 degrees, and the declination is slightly lower than the Sun. Therefore, taking an area around 40 degrees north latitude as an example, Mercury's altitude above the horizon at sunset that day is about 12 degrees. In such a location, whether the observation conditions are good or not is a matter of opinion.

If the weather is fine, the atmosphere is very transparent, and you can find a very open area in the west for observation, since the brightness of Mercury can reach magnitude -0.5, it should not be a problem to see Mercury in the dusk.

It is worth mentioning that although Mercury’s eastward elongation occurs on the 19th, as it moves thereafter, the declination will gradually increase, and the maximum horizon height at sunset will occur on the 21st. day. Therefore, we will have a chance to see Mercury for several consecutive days after the 19th. Observing Mercury at a large distance is relatively simple if you use photos or telescopes, but it is more challenging to find Mercury directly with the naked eye. Opportunities are rare, but luck is also important. Not afraid of everyone’s jokes, so far, the author has only seen Mercury three times with the naked eye.

The Ursids meteor shower will be huge on December 22.

Compared with the Geminid meteor shower, the Ursid meteor shower is much less famous. Of course, the degree of attention a meteor shower receives is directly proportional to its flow. Normally, the ZHR value of the Ursid meteor shower is only 10. If there is a larger burst, it can only reach about 50. In the past 70 years, there have only been explosions in 1945 and 1986, and two meteor showers in 2006 and 2007. Due to the serious impact of moonlight on observations, the ZHR value was only around 35.

The active period of the Ursid meteor shower is from December 17th to 26th, and there may be a larger flow on the 22nd Beijing time. However, due to the low temperature and low level of attention, there are very few observations of the Ursid meteor shower. It is very difficult for us to define it in any way or make accurate forecasts. There are several different forecasts regarding the maximum time of this meteor shower this year: The first theory is that the maximum will occur from 21:30 to 24:00 on the 22nd, Beijing time. If this is true, it will definitely be a A good thing. Because the radiant point of the Ursid meteor shower is located near the North Celestial Pole, it can be observed all night long, and the moon phase is close to the first quarter moon that day. The moon will set in the first half of the night, which will have little impact on the observation. The second theory is that the Ursid meteor shower forecast model given by scientists Tinn and Jeremi believes that the parent comet 8P Tuttle returned to perihelion in January 2008, which has a very important impact on the outbreak of this year's meteor shower. The 2006 and 2007 outbursts have also been shown to be related to the return of comets. The forecast points out that the maximum is likely to occur around 15:00 on the 22nd, Beijing time. The ZHR is greater than 14 and is very short-lived. Compared with the first forecast maximum, this one is obviously more suitable for observers in North America and the North Pacific. .

On January 15, 2010, there was an annular solar eclipse, and the annular eclipse belt passed through Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei, Henan, and Shandong.

On January 29, 2010, Mars opposed the sun, and the small Opposition, brightness -1.3 magnitude

On March 22, 2010, Saturn opposed the sun, near the vernal equinox, brightness +0.5 magnitude

On June 26, 2010, partial lunar eclipse, The eclipsed moonrise is visible in most parts of my country

On July 11, 2010, there was a total solar eclipse, but it was not visible in my country

On August 20, 2010, the eastern elongation of Venus was - 4.3 magnitude, near Mars with a brightness of +1.5 magnitude

On September 21, 2010, Jupiter was in opposition to the sun, near the vernal equinox, with a brightness of -2.9 magnitude!

On December 21, 2010, there was a total lunar eclipse, and the eclipse moonrise was visible in most parts of my country