Astronomy – Celestial pairings

Last year will go down as one of the most exciting years in astronomy. Both Saturn and Mars were at their closest points to Earth which made them very easy to spot in the night skies. New planets were discovered in another galaxy, the moon met Venus and a comet graced our skies. And who can forget the string of planets across the sky?
So what can we expect for 2019?

On Feb 19 we will see a Super Moon. The full moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated, making it appear brighter and bigger than usual.

One of the most beautiful celestial pairings takes place on April 23, when the Moon and Jupiter meet in the sky and travel together for most of the night. Spectacular with the naked eye, but something truly special when viewed with binoculars.

If you are up early on the morning of May 6, you will be able to see one of the most spectacular meteor showers in the Southern Hemisphere – Eta Aquarids. This shower occurs when the Earth passes through the debris left behind from the famous Haley’s Comet. At the peak you can expect up to 60 meteors an hour.

June is the month to spot Mercury and Mars. They will be very close together on June 18 in the dusk sky. Many people never get to see Mercury, so this may be a good time to look for it! Look for red Mars just after sunset and Mercury will be right next to it.

There are three comets due to arrive this year, however none are bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. A small telescope, or good binoculars should reveal comet 322P/SOHO which is due around August 31.

The best time to see another galaxy is on December 12 when the Large Magellanic Cloud will reach its highest point in the skies above the coast. Easily seen with the naked eye, this galaxy is probably best viewed with a pair of good binoculars for the full effect.

Another beautiful celestial pairing sees the crescent Moon and Venus meet on December 28 at dusk. You will even be able to see this event in downtown Auckland with all the light pollution!

One of the most exciting things about astronomy is that the heavens will always surprise you. Even though we can predict certain things, bright comets appear with not much prior warning, bright meteors draw lines of light across the sky, and aurora can always flare up unannounced.

If you go out at night, spend a few minutes looking up at the stars. Who knows what you may see!

Originally from South Africa, James has lived in various parts of the world before calling New Zealand home seven years ago. He has always had a deep interest in astronomy, as well as amateur radio, so naturally was drawn to radio astronomy. However, he never lost the awe of looking at the stars through a regular telescope. James saw a need for an astronomy club in the north of Auckland for those who shared an interest in stargazing.

With the help of the Hibiscus Coast Radio Society, he set up the Hibiscus Coast Astronomy Club in Red Beach, which caters for those new to astronomy, as well as those who are a bit more advanced. The club meets every first and third Thursday of the month at the Faithfull Funeral Services hall at 7.30pm. You can also find the club on Facebook: hibiscuscoastastronomy. James’ column will feature monthly in Hibiscus Matters.