Chart for Bloemfontein tonight 20:30 (25 January 2017)

ASSA Bloemfontein

Photo: Hannes Pieterse (ASSA Bloemfontein)

A Star Party in the warm heart of Central South Africa

23 - 25 June 2017 (Friday - Sunday)

Prepairing for the FS Star Party

About Scope covers
- Scope covers 1
- Scope covers 2
- Scope cover 3

ASSA Deepsky 100 Observing List - Created for the FS Star party (18:57 - 0546)

- They are all visible - Try a Deepsky Marathon

Download ASSA 100 Observing list

A comet in your eypiece (24 June 2017 - already visible)

On this night C/2015 V2 (Johnson) is best visible between 18:34 and 00:10, with the optimum view at 20:24. Look for it in Virgo, high in the sky in complete darkness. It is obvious visually in the Orion SkyQuest XT10 Dob. Use the Ultima 2" LX 17 mm 2.0x for optimum visual detection. It is magnitude 8 with a diameter of 9.6'.
- Chart of the comets position (24June 2017) Make a printout and bring along.

To dew or not to dew

Keep it simple

How to find the South Celestial Pole (SCP)

Keep it red:

Are your cellphone glued to the palm of your hand? Use Twilight for Android!

Where
On the farm Gansvlei close to Brandfort (13km)
GPS Coordinates: 28°47'48.63"S 26°28'25.66"E Gansvlei Information (Pdf) Booking via Shaun Staats - assabfn@gmail.com

GPS Coordinates 28°47'48.63"S 26°28'25.66"E
Google Earth - Gansvlei - FS Star Party

Observation site

Storage room close to observing site during night/day.
Separate astro photography site available not to disturb serious observers.
Electricity available for telescope and electronic equipment (No kettles or heaters).
Observers must bring their own leads to get power from a central point in the veld.
Bring covers if you want to leave your equipment in the veld during the day.

- Have respect for your fellow observers. Use your headlight sparingly. You are blinding someone next to you. No bright white/red lights when observing starts.
- Cell Phone addiction. Make a red cover.
- Computers: Screen not to face your neigbours.

Deep-sky Marathon
ASSA Bloemfontein did the first Deep-sky Marathon on Gansvlei in 2014 . (ASSA Top-100 Observing List). It is based on the very popular Messier Marathon. It was customized for deep sky objects visible in Southern-Africa.

Visit the ASSA Marathon web page Sections > Deep-sky Section > Nebulae > Clusters>
Deep-Sky Marathons

Download Observing lists for the Free State and Karoo Starparties
- Scroll down to Observing Lists for the Southern Hemisphere
( ASSA Deepsky 100, Lacaille and Messier)

The FS Star Party is not about marathons alone. It is also an event where astro friends will do some serious observing, astro photography and relax with hot coffee and serious braaiing.

Weather
2016 2°C (23:00 Friday); 10°C (00:00 Saturday; with wind and clouds moved over late in the evening. Clear early morning, with wind)
2015 dew caused havoc. Bring your dew heaters. Come prepared!
2014 Extreme – We measured -7°C during the first night. Prepare with warm clothing and bedding.

Meals
Bring your own food according to your dietary preferences.
Hot beverages will be available during the night at a Coffee point close to the observing point.
Central braai area available. We braai early to be ready for the nights observing.
Brandfort - 13 km
- Branfort Slaghuis/Butchery is the place to buy your meat (14 Voortrekker St, Brandfort)

Bloemfontein 52 km

Provisional Programme

Friday – 23 June 2017
Afternoon: Arriving and setting up at observing point
Evening - Early Morning: Observing

Saturday – 24 June 2017
Morning: Visit Brandfort or sleep late; (No official programme).
Evening - Early Morning: Observing

Sunday – 25 June 2017
Breakfast and we all leave!

General

2017
1. Registration fee – R100 p/p

2. Accommodation costs

Per night Tariff:
R100 per person per night. Include bed, hot shower, kitchen

Camp in own tent:
R80 per person per night. Include bed, hot shower, kitchen (Bring your own bedding. It is deep winter – be prepared.

- Wood for barbeque (Friday/Saturday afternoon) available.

- Venue available for Friday and Saturday night (23/24 June 2017)

Cash payment on arrival.
Contact Shaun Staats – via assabfn@gmail.com

To book
Cut and paste the info below and email your information to assabfn@gmail.com

Name / Surname:
ASSA Centre / Other:
Number of people:
Email:
Cell no: (Will add to Whatsapp group)
Bed in Room (Number):    (No single/double Rooms available)
Camp site:

Other accommodation
Various
Ou Pastorie
Lekkeslaap – Near Brandfort

June is Deepsky Marathon Month at the Free State Star Party - Helpful links

Deep-Sky Marathons (ASSA Website)
(Dunlop Catalogue and Lacaille List available on this page)
Article in Nightfall "Birth of a Deep-Sky Marathon"
Deep-Sky Observer's Companion Database – DOCdb
ASSA Top-100 Deep-Sky Observing List
Saguaro Astronomy Club's 2015 All Arizona Messier Marathon
Free State Star Party
Stellarium software
Cartes du Ciel software
Jet stream predictions for Southern Africa
Deep-Sky Hunter Star Atlas

ASSA Bloemfontein

Click to enlarge

Iridium 58 satellite (Flare: Mag -8) moving through the constellation Musca with Crux to the left.
Photo: Hannes Pieterse, ASSA Bloemfontein

Date: 17 April 2017
Time: 19:19:43
Brightness: -8
Altitude: 41°
Azimuth:157°
Satellite: Iridium 58
Distance to satellite: 1122 km
Angle off flare centre-line: 0.1°
Distance to flare centre: 2 km
Flare producing antenna: right
Sun altitude: -19.3°
Angular separation from Sun: 120.7°

Iridium 58
Launch

Date (UTC)	30 March 1998 06:02
Launch site	Vandenberg AFB, United States
Launch vehicle	Delta 7920-10C

Photo information
Canon 30D
50mm lens
ISO 400
89 exposures
30 second
f2.8

Tripod and Canon TC-80N3 Remote Timer

Stacked in Starstax
Final Editing in Photoshop

ASSA Bloemfontein

First Contact 17:10; Maximum 18:08, Last Contact - Not visible

Photo Gallery

Photos: Hannes Pieterse, ASSA Bloemfontein

Animation of the Eclipse (Click on Image)

ASSA Bloemfontein

Several Amateur Astronomers observed the sporadic flashes in the night sky the last couple of days. (January 2017). Greg Roberts (Cape Town, South Africa), international acclaimed satellite hunter identified the mysterious flashes as a failed communication satellite, Telkom 3.

Telkom 3 (Wiki information)
Telkom-3 is an Indonesian communications satellite which was lost due to a launch failure on 6 August 2012. It was built by ISS Reshetnev for Indonesian telecommunications provider PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia. It was based on the Ekspress-1000 bus and had 32 C band transponders and 16 Ku band transponders. It was due to be located in geosynchronous orbit at 118° east above the equator,
^{Read more,,,}

Some images by Hannes Pieterse, Bloemfontein, South Africa. 26th January 2017.
Time: 21:27:46 - 21:31:56

Click on the images to enlarge!

The final image. The eight stable dots are Telkom 3 moving slowly below Sirius in then constellation Canis Major. 26th January 2017. Time: 21:27:46 - 21:31:56. Seven (7) Images were stacked in Startrails; No dark frame subtraction; Tweaked in Photoshop. Canon 40D with a Canon Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3, 17-55mm f2.8. 800 ISO; 30 sec exposures. Camera mounted on tripod; City light pollution, clouds and trees hampering the imaging process.

The red dots point to the primary flashes and the yellow arrows to the secondary flashes. Greg Roberts our satellite guru in South Africa reckons Telkom 3 is rotating, from there the secondary flashes.

Do some homework before you set up to take the photographs. Heavensat software.

Upload an image to Astrometry.net and identify the sky, stars, constellations etc. to confirm the satellite's position in the sky.

Telkom 3

Telkom-3S later replaced the failed Telkom 3.
Read more...

ASSA Bloemfontein

The satellites still very close to each other on this chart (marked in red). They will eventually spread out like the other Iridium satellites.

Chart for Bloemfontein tonight 20:30 (25 January 2017)

The latest Iridium satellites should be visible tonight. Use binoculars. About Magnitude 5 - 7.

Iridium Announces Successful First Launch of Iridium NEXT Satellites

MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:IRDM) announced today the successful launch of its first ten Iridium NEXT satellites. The satellites were delivered into low-Earth orbit approximately one hour after the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 9:54:39 a.m. PST. Iridium NEXT is the company’s next-generation satellite constellation, replacing and enhancing its existing network of low-Earth orbit satellites spanning the entire globe – the largest commercial satellite constellation in space.

Nova confirmed ! TCP J18102829-2729590

Visit page
A confirmation spectrum of TCP J18102829-2729590, a galactic nova in Sagittarius. The target, setting rapidly in the west, was imaged using the Alpy 600 under challenging conditions, providing confirmation as a classical nova in the optically thick stage. The resulting ATel (kindly prepared by Steve Shore, University of Pisa) can be found here. Additional spectra at both high and low resolution have been acquired and made available via the ARAS spectral database.

____________________________

In Bloemfontein South Africa it was clearly visible with a 20 X 80 Celestron Skymaster binocular in the Western sky. Guesstimate magnitude when compared to stars close by, about magnitude 8.

Sky Quality meter reading: 18.94 (26°C) (Brightness of the night sky in magnitudes per square arcsecond)

(Hannes Pieterse - ASSA Bloemfontein)

Download Skytools 3 map to help you find it

ASSA Bloemfontein

Photos: Hannes Pieterse, ASSA Bloemfontein

ScopeX 2016
Annual Telescope and Astronomy Expo
Johannesburg
15 October 2016

View Gallery

ASSA Bloemfontein

New Horizons: Painting a portrait of Pluto

Public talk by leading NASA engineer

Place / Plek: Naval Hill Planetarium

Date / Datum: Monday / Maandag 3/10/2016

Time / Tyd: 18:15 for 18:30

Free - No booking required / Gratis - Geen bespreking is nodig nie

Launched in 2006, the New Horizons spacecraft was sent on a decade-long trek to gather data from Pluto, one of the most endeared and debated bodies in our Solar System. After swinging past Jupiter for a gravity boost, the tiny spacecraft gained enough speed to make its closest approach of Pluto on 14 July 2015, and conducted a six-month-long reconnaissance flyby study of the (now) exoplanet and its moons. Because of the distance from Pluto to Earth (five billion kilometres), the massive amount of data collected from the fly-by continues to stream back, offering new insights into Pluto and the space environment at the Solar System’s outermost regions. So what have scientists learned about the enigmatic Pluto? And what does the future hold for the tiny spacecraft? Join NASA Deputy Chief Technologist (Retired), Jim Adams, to find out.

Jim Adams

NASA Deputy Chief Technologist, Retired

Jim Adams retired as NASA’s Deputy Chief Technologist in September 2016 to focus on the development of young and emerging innovators and entrepreneurs by encouraging creative processes and innovative thinking. He served in NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC from 2012, where he was responsible for the management of the technology strategy and innovation initiative across the entire agency.

Jim’s more than 25-year career at NASA saw him work on over 30 successful space missions. He was also the recipient of three NASA medals recognising exceptional service, including NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Medal.

Mr Adams’ travel is provided by SKA Africa in support of 2016 World Space Week, 4-10 October 2016.

Jim holds a BSc in Physics from Westminster College and a MSc in Electrical Engineering from Villanova University.

Apparently, he bakes a mean apple pie, but this is yet to be confirmed by a reputable judge in South Africa.

ASSA Bloemfontein

Today, sky watchers in more than 50 African countries witnessed a solar eclipse. On Thursday, 1 |September 2016, the new Moon passed in front of the sun, covering as much as 97% of the solar disk. This is how the sun looked from Bloemfontein, Free state, South Africa at almost maximum partial eclipse.

Visible sunspots are 2581 (left) 2585 (right).

Photographer: Hannes Pieterse
A single image trough an Celestron 11GPS telescope and F/6.3 reducer with Astro solar filter (ND 3.8)
Camera: Canon 40D
Exposure Time: 1/2000
ISO: 400
Date Taken: 2016:09:01 10:55:34
Conditions: Mild Cloud cover.

Links to the Solar Eclipse (1 September 2016)

ASSA Bloemfontein

What will I see?

Simulated view of the eclipse. Diagrams by Claire Flanagan

A solar eclipse is a rare opportunity to see the solar system in action.

For a short time, the Moon will pass between us and the Sun, and instead of seeing the Sun as a round disc, it will have a “bite” out of it. This “bite” is the Moon, and the size of the “bite” changes as the Moon slowly moves along.

Visit the the ASSA website for detailed information

ASSA Bloemfontein

Click on image to Enlarge (Source: NASA - Chandra X-Ray Observatory )

The simplest method of measuring the field of view relies on the use of a star chart.

Knowing north and east in the sky, you can easily turn your star chart so that the image in the eyepiece corresponds to the chart. Look for two stars that just fit in your field of view, and locate these stars on the star chart. You can now measure this distance on the map and compare it with the scale on the margin of the map to convert your linear measurement to degrees or arc minutes.

Remember that 1 degree (°) = 60 arc minutes (60′) = 3600 arc seconds (3600″). Binoculars typically have fields larger than 4degrees , and telescopes normally give a view smaller than 2degrees.

It is essential to be able to judge angular distances in the sky. The following table lists some angular estimates:

Solar / lunar diameter: ½°
Width of index nail at arms length: 1°
Orion’s Belt: 3°
Short arm of Crux: 4½°
Long arm of Crux: 6°
Width of clenched fist at arm’s length: 10°
Long arm of Diamond Cross: 10°

   Everyday objects can also serve as angular gauges. To determine the apparent angular size of anything in degrees, divide its linear width by its distance from your eye, then multiply by 57. For example, a 30cm ruler held one metre from your eye measures 30 ÷ 100 x 57 = 17°.

   A more accurate method to determine the diameter of your field of view involves measuring the time it takes for a star to drift across your field along the east-west line.

   This method is only useful for telescopes, since a star will take ages to cross the large field offered by binoculars. Choose any bright star, preferably far from the south pole – a star in Orion’s belt would be a good choice.

   Centre the star in your field of view, turn off the drive, and place the star just outside the eastern edge of the field. As the star drifts into view, start your stop-watch. When the star dis appears at the western edge, stop the watch and note down the elapsed time. Repeat this measurement several times and take the average.

   If this average time, T, is measured in minutes, then: field of view in arc minutes = 15 x T x cosine( D ), where D is the declination of the star (taken from a star catalogue, or estimated from a starmap).

   For example, suppose you measure several transits of Canopus and calculate the average time to be 3.5 minutes. Canopus’ declination is roughly –52.7°. The field of view is then 15 x 3.5 x cos(–52.7) = 15 x 3.5 x 0.6 = 31.5 arc minutes. Thus the field of view is roughly half a degree across.

   Make a note of the size of each eyepiece in your logbook, since a given eyepiece used on a specific telescope has a fixed field of view.

Source
- Download - Deepsky Observer's Companion (Pdf)
Deepsky Observer’s Companion (P 13)
Auke Slotegraaf
Director: Deepsky Observing Section,
Astronomical Society of Southern Africa

ASSA Bloemfontein

Skytools 3 view of the carbon star, DY Cru (feint red dot) with 10" Dobsonian and 10mm eyepiece.

DY Cru. The little red dot that could!

At the 2016 Free State Star Party Johan Smit (ASSA Pretoria) "exposed" us to a feint red dot in the constellation of Crux.

Most observers use beta Crucis as a beacon to find nearby NGC 4755, the ‘Jewel Box’ (Kappa Crucis Cluster, NGC 4755, Caldwell 94).

Therefore we miss out on this ruby of the 9th magnitude carbon star within its glow. Nicknamed 'Ruby Crucis. (aka DY Cru, NSV 19481, CCCS 2031, EsB 365)

From ICEINSPACE

little red star near beta crux

"Ok, given up trying to find the name of the star. It is a little red star near beta crux. You can;t see it with the nude eye but through my 8" Dob it is there. You don;t really notice it unless you are looking for it but in a 12.5mm EP it should be in the same FOV as beta crux. I hope one of you knows which this is."

Go and find it...

Links to explore this little red gem and other carbon stars

ASSA Bloemfontein

Looking South at the FS Star Party in windy conditions.

Photo: Hannes Pieterse. ASSA Bloemfontein.

More images

ASSA Bloemfontein

#FSstarparty

How to fight the dew from the top? Start a fan club.

Will it work? Maybe to much vibration? Will find out soon.

Heatwaves in the tube? Is "bad seeing" not better than "no seeing" at all?

It is a small 60mm fan right behind the secondary mirror. I plan to add an on/off switch and a variable resistor to bring down the speed or turn it off if there is to much vibration.

Dew on the secondary mirror was a bigger problem then dew on the primary mirror, during the previous star party (2015).

And the white wiring? That is a nichrome heater (harvested from an old electric blanket) to heat up the air a wee bit. Maybe some airflow (fan) will do the trick.

* Plan B is to mount the fan on the edge of the scope tube and point it in the direction of the secondary mirror. What next?

Some links with more ideas

How to install R-Sky dew heater on secondary mirror&nbsp Mabybe the best idea?
Secondary dew heater / preventer for 12" Orion dob Some interesting facts to ponder about.

ASSA Bloemfontein

#FSstarparty
Dealing with dew at the Free State Star Party.
Maybe it will help. Some amateur astronomers are skeptical (3rd link). Maybe a disk at the back to force more air onto the mirror as suggested by the author..

Will use the fan in combination with heater made from nichrome wire (old electric blanket).
- Eyepiece area
- Secondary mirror

I will give feedback after the weekend.

Hannes Pieterse

Some links to helpfull web sites:
Using fans with Newtonian telescopes

Attaching a Cooling Fan to Newtonian Telescope

A simple telescope fan installation

ASSA Bloemfontein

Get your dewing in place for the Free State Star Party 3-5 June 2016

Image sourced from Deep-sky watch

Some "How dew you dew?" web pages:
Dealing With Dew - By: Alan MacRobert | July 28, 2006 - Sky and telescope
Don't "Dew" This With Your Telescope… April 29, 2010 by Brian Ventrudo - One Minute Astronomer
Fighting Dew - Telecope.com
Dealing With Dew
Dew Prevention
Telescope and dewing - Astro Tom

Get practical

Dew Busters Controls
- Resistor heaters
- Nichrome heaters
- Star Diagonal heater

ASSA Bloemfontein

Photo: Hannes Pieterse

Students from the Department of Physics from the University of the Free State watch the Mercury transit projected by the 20 cm Coelostat (Solar Telescope) at Boyden Observatory, Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Photo Gallery of the Mercury transit

Sunspots AR 2542 and 2543 are clearly visible on the gallery images without cloud interference.

ASSA Bloemfontein

Photo: Frans Human (ASSA Bloemfontein)

A Stary Party in the warm heart of Central South Africa

3 - 5 June 2016 (Friday - Sunday)

Where
On the farm Gansvlei close to Brandfort (13km)
GPS Coordinates: 28°47'48.63"S 26°28'25.66"E Gansvlei Information (Pdf) Booking via Shaun Staats - assabfn@gmail.com

GPS Coordinates 28°47'48.63"S 26°28'25.66"E
Google Earth - Gansvlei - FS Star Party

Observation site
Storage room close to observing site during night/day.
Separate astro photography site available not to disturb serious observers.
Electricity available for telescope and electronic equipment (No kettles or heaters).
Observers must bring their own leads to get power from a central point in the veld.
Bring covers if you want to leave your equipment in the veld during the day.

- Have respect for your fellow observers. Use your headlight sparingly. You are blinding someone next to you. No bright white/red lights when observing starts.

Deep-sky Marathon
ASSA Bloemfontein did the first Deep-sky Marathon on Gansvlei in 2014 . (ASSA Top-100 Observing List). It is based on the very popular Messier Marathon. It was customized for deep sky objects visible in Southern-Africa.

Visit the ASSA Marathon web page Sections – Deep-sky Section > Nebulae > Clusters >
- Deep-Sky Marathons

The FS Star Party is not about marathons alone. It is also an event where astro friends will do some serious observing, astro photography and relax with hot coffee and serious braaiing.

Weather
Extreme – In 2014 we measured - 7°C during the first night. Prepare with warm clothing and bedding. In 201 5 dew caused havoc. Bring your dew heaters. Come prepared!

Meals
Bring your own food according to your dietary preferences.
Hot beverages will be available during the night at a Coffee point
Central braai area available. We braai early to be ready for the nights observing.
Brandfort - 13 km
- Branfort Slaghuis/Butchery is the place to buy your meat (14 Voortrekker St, Brandfort)

Bloemfontein 52 km

Provisional Programme

Friday – 3 June 2016
Morning/Afternoon: Arriving and setting up at observing point
Evening - Early Morning: Observing

Saturday – 4 June 2016
Morning: Visit Brandfort or sleep late; (No official programme)
Evening - Early Morning: Observing

Sunday – 5 June 2016
Breakfast and we all leave!

General

Cost (2016)
1. Registration fee – R100 p/p

2. Accommodation costs

Per night Tariff:
R100 per person per night. Include bed, hot shower, kitchen

Camp in own tent:
R80 per person per night. Include bed, hot shower, kitchen (Bring your own bedding. It is deep winter – be prepared.

- Wood for barbeque (Saturday afternoon) available.

- Venue avaiulable for Friday and Saturday night (3/4 June)

Cash payment on arrival.
Contact Shaun Staats – via assabfn@gmail.com

To book
Cut and paste the info below and email your information to assabfn@gmail.com

Name / Surname:
ASSA Centre / Other:
Number of people:
Email:
Cell no:
Bed in Room (Number):    (No single/double Rooms available)
Camp site:

Other accommodation
Various
Ou Pastorie
Lekkeslaap – Near Brandfort

June is Deepsky Marathon Month at the Free State Star Party - Helpful links

Deep-Sky Marathons (ASSA Website)
(Dunlop Catalogue and Lacaille List available on this page)
Article in Nightfall "Birth of a Deep-Sky Marathon"
Deep-Sky Observer’s Companion Database – DOCdb
ASSA Top-100 Deep-Sky Observing List
Saguaro Astronomy Club’s 2015 All Arizona Messier Marathon
Free State Star Party
Stellarium software
Cartes du Ciel software
Jet stream predictions for Southern Africa
Deep-Sky Hunter Star Atlas

ASSA Bloemfontein

In the last week of January and into the first week of February, all six naked-eye planets - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the Earth - will be visible at the same time.

Starting late-January, in the morning sky shortly before sunrise, six planets will be visible at the same time. The trickiest planet to catch will be Mercury, which - as the planet nearest the Sun and thus never moving too far from our bright star - will be low in the east before sunrise.

Start looking on the morning of January 23, when super-low Mercury may be visible before sunrise. It gets easier each morning afterwards.

From January 26 to about February 07, the Moon joins the sextet, waning to a beautiful slender crescent on February 06, when it makes a spectacular grouping with Venus and Mercury - this is not to be missed!

ASSA Bloemfontein

Zodiacal Light in the Free State sky during the 2015 Free State Star Party (Photo: Hannes Pieterse)

A Bucket List to die for! Auke Slotegraaf, Section Director, Deep-sky Section (Astronomical Society of Southern Africa) created the list.

A Southern hemisphere astronomy bucket list

Category A: Earth and the solar system

The Earth’s shadow
A geostationary satellite
A –8 mag. Iridium flare
Structure in the International Space Station
The zodiacal light & the gegenschein
The green flash
Complete list...

- Visit psychohistorian.org to see the rest and start observing to complete the list.
- Free State Star Party 3 - 5 June 2016

ASSA Bloemfontein

The International Space Station (ISS) can easily be spotted with the naked eye. Because of its size (110m x 100m x 30m), it reflects a large amount of sunlight.
The best time to observe the ISS is when it is nighttime at your location, and the Space Station is sunlit. Often, such a viewing situation occurs in the morning before sunrise, or in the evening after sunset.

- View over Bloemfontein

ASSA Bloemfontein

VVV's oor Kaapstad? Nee, maar foto's van ongewone wolkformasies oor Tafelberg en die Skiereiland het die afgelope paar...
Posted by Die Burger on Tuesday, 10 November 2015

ASSA Bloemfontein

Thursday 1 June 2017

Prepairing for the FS Star Party

Provisional Programme

Monday 17 April 2017

Sunday 26 February 2017

Saturday 28 January 2017

Wednesday 25 January 2017

Chart for Bloemfontein tonight 20:30 (25 January 2017)

The latest Iridium satellites should be visible tonight. Use binoculars. About Magnitude 5 - 7.

Iridium Announces Successful First Launch of Iridium NEXT Satellites

Sunday 11 December 2016

Wednesday 23 November 2016

Wednesday 16 November 2016

Tuesday 25 October 2016

Nova confirmed ! TCP J18102829-2729590

Sunday 16 October 2016

Monday 3 October 2016

Thursday 1 September 2016

Sunday 28 August 2016

What will I see?

Wednesday 6 July 2016

Saturday 18 June 2016

Sunday 5 June 2016

Wednesday 1 June 2016

Tuesday 31 May 2016

Monday 23 May 2016

Monday 9 May 2016

Tuesday 3 May 2016

Provisional Programme

Saturday 30 January 2016

Tuesday 5 January 2016

Saturday 28 November 2015

Thursday 22 October 2015