Moon Occults Saturn Oct 25th 2014

[Frank Ryan]

Hi all.
I took a look at Stellarium for this one and if the weather is good it will be a challenging but very rewarding observation!
We had a lovely occultation of Venus a few years back which we observed from the Burren you may recall.


Here are the details of the upcoming one.
http://frankryanjrastrophotography.weeb ... vents.html

It's on a Saturday. Do we want to get together somewhere with a good SW horizon for this?

[Dave Lillis]

Yip, let's go for it, a good SW horizon, hmm where would you have in mind ?

[Frank Ryan]

Decent SW is tough!
The car park on the hill in Lahinch is SW facing.
https://www.google.ie/maps/@52.9293757, ... nUPVHQ!2e0

[Dave Lillis]

Tbh I wouldn't fancy lahinch. Too far for me.
Wouldn't somewhere on gallows hill be good for this?
What time is sunset and what time is this setting, also isn't that comet passing by Mars this weekend, some people are going to try view it apparently, I think that's going to be a tough one tbh

[Frank Ryan]

Aye. Closer to home the better. Gallows/Cratloe is the closest highest ground.
I had a very quick look a few days ago and couldn't find a good SW vista .. must look in the morning
I'll be up there for a walk.

The sliding springs comet is passing closest to mars on 19th.
it'll be interesting to have a look see.

[Dave Lillis]

ok, I had a look at starrynight and I pinned down some times for this.

The occultation starts at 4.53.53pm on Saturday the 25th of october, the moon fully obscures the planet+rings by 4.55.10pm, so it takes the Moon 1 minute 17 seconds to cross the planet, the entire things happens at an altitude of 15 degrees above the SW horizon, not the easiest thing to see, and it broad daylight too, but a scope will show it.
The planet (ring edge first) begin to re-emerge on the right hand side of the moon at 6.00.17pm and is fully free of the moon at 6.01.37pm, this happens at 8 degrees above the horizon, the sun is beginning to set by then. I think this section of the occultation is more interesting as Saturn re-imerges next to the crescent itself.

So the only thing now is a site for this, and of course the weather.

[Frank Ryan]

Interesting, check out the times I got from Stellarium

Here are the details of the upcoming one.
http://frankryanjrastrophotography.weeb ... vents.html

[Dave Lillis]

Lol, would there be that much difference between limerick and shannon??, I must check my times again when I get a chance