ALERT NEWSLETTER – October 2022

Hi everyone and welcome to the October ALERT Newsletter.

As we enjoy the cool clear weather of early fall, our hearts and minds turn to our neighbors to the South and East as they deal with the destruction left by Hurricane Ian.

While we work with weather and have a fascination and grudging admiration of the power of nature, we absolutely loath the heartaches that these storms, whether hurricanes or tornadoes, cause.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Florida and South Carolina.

And, our eyes still look towards the Gulf, as this season is far from over.

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ALERT & National Night Out

National Night Out is an annual community-building event that brings together local law enforcement agencies, other first responders, and neighborhoods for a night of fun and camaraderie.

ALERT is planning to have a presence Sylvan Springs event at the Sylvan Springs Community Center the evening of October 4 at 5:30pm.

This is a free event, family friendly, and you get to see the “cool stuff” that will be on site at the community center.

ALERT’s Objectives / Scope for this event are:

1. Participate as a Weather Ready Nation Ambassador, promoting weather preparedness in our community.

2. Promote Skywarn Storm Spotter Training.

3. Promote Amateur Radio, especially to existing storm spotters who might not have a way to contact NWS when other communications might fail.

4. Make friends in our community and have some fun!

At the ALERT table there will be a candy bowl, crayons for kids and coloring items for the kids, from NWS materials.

Middle school age kids get a book and smaller kids get coloring sheets.

Ronnie King’s Hambulance will be there and is providing support for marketing to the public and will have a looping presentation display.

Expect more information on the ALERT email loop and on ALERT’s Facebook page.

Hope to see you there!

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Birmingham NWS Fall 2022 Spotter Courses

The Birmingham NWS will be offering several online and in person Basic and Advanced Spotter Courses this fall. These classes are FREE and allow individuals to complete these courses in the comfort of their own home or office as well as in a traditional format.

By attending any course, which runs about 2 hours, an individual or a group of individuals will become SKYWARN Spotters.

In following COVID-19 guidelines, the NWS is not conducting in-person classes at this time.

Unless you’d like to or are in need of a refresher, you do not need to attend more than one Basic SKYWARN Course, as the material covered is the same; however, it is required that you attend at least one Basic SKYWARN Course before taking the Advanced SKYWARN Course. These courses are two-way, meaning you will be able to interact with the meteorologist leading the training. You will be muted while training is in-progress, but you may use the built-in chat feature to ask questions.

To attend the Online Spotter Class:

1. Via the schedule below, register by clicking the link
corresponding to the class you’d like to attend.
2. Select the ‘join webinar’ button on the registration page or
in your confirmation email and follow the prompts.
3. Enjoy the class and ask questions.

To avoid being hurried, give yourself at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the class to complete the above process.

The current schedule is as follows:
Online:

Basic Class Tuesday, October 18 at 1:00 PM Class Registration Link:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/574936154743649803
Basic Class Wednesday, October 19 at 6:30 PM Class Registration Link:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6526067029337090059
Basic Class Monday, October 24 at 6:30 PM Class Registration Link:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7418981521765621259
Basic Class Thursday, November 3, at 6:30 PM Class Registration Link:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/929822224306089231
Advanced Class Tuesday, November 8 at 6:30 PM Class Registration Link:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3483737046983672077

In Person:

Basic Class Tuesday, October 25 at 2:00 PM Auburn University Campus
Campus Safety & Security Building
543 W. Magnolia Avenue, Auburn, AL
Basic Class Tuesday, October 25 at 6:00 PM Opelika Fire Department Training Center
1601 Talladega St. Opelika, AL
(Located in the red building at the end of
Talladega Street)
Basic Class Tuesday, November 3, at 6:00 PM Northport Public Safety Building
3721 26th Avenue, Northport, AL

These classes will help you provide the NWS the vital “ground truth” information they need to verify radar indications, target their attention and help you relay reports in a clear manner to the NWS, either directly via 205-664-3010 and pressing 2, online at https://www.weather.gov/bmx/submit_storm_report
or via chat or amateur radio. This knowledge helps Skywarn Net Control stations filter reports, by giving them knowledge of what reporting stations are trying to describe. This way they can tell if the report is a valid report, an invalid report by an overly excited operator or a valid, but poorly described report, which without this knowledge would be mistakenly dismissed.

For further information on these classes visit: http://www.weather.gov/bmx/skywarnschedule

A PDF of the September 20, 2018 Basic presentation may be found at:
https://www.weather.gov/media/bmx/skywarn/BasicSpotterGSAT.pdf

A PDF of the April 4, 2019 Advanced presentation may be found at:
https://www.weather.gov/media/bmx/skywarn/Gerald_Satterwhite_Advanced_WEBPAGE.pdf

The NWS in Norman, OK have numerous YouTube videos worth exploring at:
https://www.youtube.com/user/NWSNorman/playlists

Other useful resources:

ABC33/40 Basic Storm Spotter Training
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_MzKUTfUKA

ABC 33/40 Storm Spotter Extreme Part 1 – April 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOE69nsaKWE

ABC 33/40 Storm Spotter Extreme Part 2 – April 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8hT7gCCQB0

ABC 33/40 Storm Spotter Extreme Part 3 – April 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKHsAxNzqEM

For information on online training visit:
https://www.meted.ucar.edu/training_course.php?id=23

Note this online course IS NOT intended to replace the courses offered by the NWS offices. The local meteorologists will know factors and variations in the area microclimate that may need to be considered in assessing the observed phenomena. Consider this online course as supplemental information.

 

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Ham Radio Testing Opportunities

Radio has always held a fascination for me. That I can hear signals from hundreds if not thousands of miles away or that someone far away can hear my puny signals sent from an antenna that could easily double as a clothesline, never ceases to amaze me.

As a child I remember hearing strange bleeps, blurps and voices from my brother’s ham radio. He, K4FHX, was getting out of the hobby, his interest fading after serving in the Air Force and he gave me his equipment. But I was 5 years old, and I did what any normal 5 year old would do – I tore everything to pieces. Everything except a Speed-X Morse code key which somehow survived my shenanigans and is what I use at WD4NYL today.

Three years later Santa brought me an AM transistor radio & I accidently discovered that after dark distant stations would drift in. That radio led to a three band AM/FM/Police radio, and then an 11 band Shortwave radio.

One stormy day in 1973, I rediscovered Amateur Radio as I listened to hams handling a tornado outbreak on the “police band” radio. Soon I found that they talked during sunny weather also. I remember it was 1973 because everyone would say “73” at the end of a conversation. I figured there was some sort of strange rule requiring you to give the year when signing off. Stranger laws do exist, you know, such as it being illegal in Alabama to put an ice cream cone in your back pocket. I was even more mystified when 1974 came in and everyone still said “73”.

The more I listened the more I wanted to become a ham operator. I told my mom so, and she said, “that’s fine, just promise me you don’t go chasing tornadoes.” This was easy to promise since I was 14 and had no car.

I ordered a ham radio course book from AMECO and later the ARRL Novice course. But that was as far as I could go, for I had no idea how or who could help me get a license. In 1975 the Internet did not exist and “google” was Encyclopedia Britannica and though I did know there was a club in Birmingham, I didn’t know where or when it met or how accepting they would be to some random kid just showing up.

My brother got a CB radio and soon my sister had one also and since I didn’t know how to get into ham radio, but did know how to get into CB radio, in 1976 I finally got on the air.

The first callsign the FCC required you to use, until they granted the permanent call, was “K” followed by your initials and ZIP Code. So, in November 1976 I became KMW35224. A few weeks later the FCC dubbed me KAJD8693.

Technically, per the current FCC rules I can still claim to be KAJD8693, for I never left CB radio when I became a ham. I never “misbehaved” either. I always have used legal power, legal frequencies and tried to go by the book. I believe most people do behave, but as in most cases in life, the those who don’t behave always get the attention.

Some hams mercilessly ridicule CBers, lumping them all as ne’re-do-wells, and some CBers loath hams, for acting schmucky towards CBers. Truth be told, an awful lot of hams have, use, and appreciate both realms, enjoying the best of both worlds.

I still wanted to become a ham. But, how?

In the fall of 1977, I was at UAB and saw a car parked which sported a ham tag. I was and am an Introvert, yet here I was leaving a note on his car “CBer needs help becoming a ham. Please call Mark 787-6304” and halfway hoping he would tear the note up.

But he, Sam WA4LVC, didn’t. He called, encouraged me and recommended Jim Bonner K4UMD who become my Elmer or mentor, who explained the world of ham radio and how I could become licensed.

To get a Novice license in 1977 the volunteer examiner would write to the FCC in Gettysburg, and they would send the test. I passed (barely) the 5 WPM Morse Code exam. I then took the written test and Jim looked it over and said he “thought” I had passed and then mailed it back to the FCC so they could grade it and then the waiting period began. Did I pass or did I fail? Only time would tell.

One month later on December 26, 1977 an oblong envelope from the FCC arrived and on the outside it said “WD4NYL”, and WD4NYL I remain to this day.

To upgrade you had to sit before the Angelo Ditty’s FCC staff from Atlanta. They would come to Birmingham three times a year. At the Birminghamfest, which then was in May, and some undisclosed date in March and September.

We knew the May date, but since they would not publish the March and September dates until a week or two before the test, either you studied too quickly and grew cold, or you had to cram like crazy and hoped you passed. If you failed, you had to wait 30 days before testing anywhere and neither the tests nor the answers were published.

Sometimes hams would go to the Atlanta FCC field office to take the test. The Atlanta office staff was unusual in one regard. I took exams with the New Orleans and Dallas FCC examiners and whether you passed or failed they were always upbeat and encouraging. “Aw man, you almost passed. Try again in 30 days. You’ve got this! You can do it!” “You passed your General, here try the Advanced too. You never know till you try!”

With the Atlanta staff, however, there was a young dark haired lady I called Lucy, for reasons which I will explain. She seemed to get enormous pleasure out of telling folk they failed. Practically saying “how pathetic you are…remove yourself from my presence, worm!” If you passed though, she seemed to take it personally. “You pass…..wait, SIT BACK DOWN!” Then she would reread the answers twice before angrily stamping the forms and sighing “ you…passed.”

But that was Lucy…Lucifer’s twin sister.

Thankfully this is no longer the case. Today there are many testing opportunities given by sympathetic encouraging hams and getting into ham radio is easier than ever.

If you have never gotten your ham radio license, which you need to legally transmit on a ham radio, and to gain the knowledge of how things do and do not work and how to communicate effectively, there are several opportunities which are available to you.

Amateur radio license examinations will be held on the following dates, with more details to follow:

October 1, by LAUREL VEC & the Central Alabama Radio Club in Columbiana.
October 8, ARRL/VEC and Walker County ARES in Jasper, AL
October 9, by the Amateur Radio Advancement Group in Hoover.
October 15, LAUREL VEC & the KF4IOC Fellowship ARC in Helena.
October 15, Pell City VEC Team, Pell City AL.
October 22, by CAVEC in Pinson.
November 5, by LAUREL VEC & the Central Alabama Radio Club in Columbiana
November 12, ARRL/VEC and the Blount County Amateur Radio Club in Snead, AL.
November 12, ARRL/VEC and Walker County ARES in Jasper, AL
November 13, by the Amateur Radio Advancement Group in Birmingham.
November 19, LAUREL VEC & the KF4IOC Fellowship ARC in Helena.
November 19, Pell City VEC Team, Pell City AL.
November 26, by CAVEC in Pinson.
December 11, by the Amateur Radio Advancement Group in Hoover.
December 17, by CAVEC in Pinson.
December 17, LAUREL VEC & the KF4IOC Fellowship ARC in Helena.
December 17, Pell City VEC Team, Pell City AL.
December 19, ARRL/VEC and Walker County ARES.

The Amateur Radio Advancement Group will hold tests October 9 at their Hoover location, November 13 at their Birmingham location and December 11 at their Hoover location.

For more information go to:
Amateur Radio Advancement Group Calendar of Events (aragroup.org)

ARRL/VEC and the Blount County ARC will hold an exam November 12 in Snead AL. For more information go to: https://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/snead-al-35952-9643-11

ARRL/VEC and Walker County ARES will hold exams October 8, November 12 & December 19 in Jasper. For more information go to:
https://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/jasper-al-35501-5425-211 for the October 8 session.
https://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/jasper-al-35501-5425-212 for the November 12 session
https://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/jasper-al-35501-5425-213 for the December 19 session.

CAVEC will be holding tests on October 22, November 26, & December 17 at their Pinson exam site.

For more information go to:
Pinson, AL Exam Site Info – CAVEC TESTING INFORMATION (cavechamexam.com)

CAVEC also hold exams in Huntsville, Mobile, Tennessee and Georgia. See: Testing Schedule – CAVEC TESTING INFORMATION (cavechamexam.com)

LAUREL VEC and the Central Alabama Radio Club will hold exams on October 1 & November 5 in Columbiana. For more information
visit: https://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/columbiana-al-35051-19 for the October 1 session &
https://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/columbiana-al-35051-20 for the November 5 session

LAUREL VEC and the KF4IOL Fellowship ARC will hold exams October 15, November 19 & December 17 at the Helena Spots Complex. For more information see: https://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/helena-al-35080-18 for the October 15 session
https://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/helena-al-35080-19 for the November 19 session
https://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/helena-al-35080-20 for the December 17 session

The Pell City VEC Team will hold tests October 15, November 19 & December 17 in Pell City. For more information go to:
https://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/pell-city-al-35128-3211-57 for the October 15 session.
https://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/pell-city-al-35128-3211-58 for the November 19 session.
https://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/pell-city-al-35128-3211-59 for the December 17 session.

The Tuscaloosa County VE Group (not affiliated with TARC) is currently scheduling test sessions on an “as needed” basis.

If you are interested in testing, whether to obtain a new Technician license or to upgrade your existing license, contact us Allan or Bridget Thompson via email ks4yt@yahoo.com or telephone at 205-919-7505.

For information on exams near you if you are not in the Jefferson Shelby County areas see:
Find an Amateur Radio License Exam in Your Area (arrl.org)

Becoming a ham operator is one of the wisest decisions I made.

Whether you become a ham due to interests in radio technology, severe weather or emergency preparedness, I invite you to join the fun.

And, with all these testing opportunities available why wait?

For more information see:

Getting Licensed (arrl.org)

I hope to see you on the air!

 

 

 

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Mark’s Almanac

The tenth Month, October is so named because it is the eighth month on the Roman calendar. To the Slavs of Eastern Europe it is called “yellow month,” from the fading of the leaves, while to the Anglo-Saxons it was known as Winterfylleth, because at this full moon (fylleth) winter was supposed to begin.

By whichever name you call it, October is a mild and dry month, the driest of the year, in fact. And it is a sunny month with the amount of possible sunshine reaching the ground in the 60% or greater range.

Weather shifts from autumn pattern to revisiting the summer pattern and back again. The Azores-Bermuda High shifts eastward into the Atlantic, but leaves weakened high pressure centers over the Virginias, which still try to block out approaching fronts.

October is usually a quite month for tornadoes, with a 40% decrease in activity. Nationwide an average of 28 tornadoes occur in October and those tornadoes are usually weak.

Our Hurricane threat continues, with hurricane activity increasing during the first half of the month, concentrating in the Caribbean, both from formation in the Caribbean and from the long track Cape Verde hurricanes, which enter the Caribbean. And, we still have the little “gifts” that the Gulf of Mexico occasionally will provide.

Florida, due to its low latitude, becomes especially vulnerable to hurricanes. Since 1851, Florida has endured 31 October hurricane landfalls, nearly triple the next highest state — Louisiana, which has had eight. Also, about 60 percent of all U.S. hurricanes that made landfall after September 26 have done so in Florida. One factor being the cold fronts of Fall penetrating the Gulf and then deflecting storms towards the West coast of Florida.

Luckily after the second half of the month the activity will begin a steady decrease.

28% of the year’s hurricanes occur in October.

From 1851 – 2021 there have been 364 Tropical Storms and 217 hurricanes, 60 of which made landfall in the United States.

Some notable October hurricanes are:

The Great Hurricane of 1780, also known as Huracán San Calixto, the Great Hurricane of the Antilles, and the 1780 Disaster, the deadliest Atlantic hurricane, which killed between 20,000 to 22, 000 people in the Lesser Antilles as it passed through from October 10 – 16, 1780. It is possible that it had winds in excess of 200 MPH when it reached Barbados.

Hurricane Hazel struck the Carolinas in 1954. Weather satellite did not yet exist, and the Hurricane Hunters were unable to observe the core of the storm until it neared land on October 15. Hazel made landfall just west of the North Carolina/South Carolina border slightly northeast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with a Category 4 intensity of 130 mph.

Hurricane Wilma still holds the record as the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin. In 24 hours, Wilma went from a Category 1 storm on October 18 to a Category 5 storm with 185 MPH Maximum Sustained Winds. She weakened to Category 4 and struck the Yucatan, then restrengthened and struck Cape Romano Florida as a Category 3 storm on October 24, 2005.

Hurricane Mitch became a Category 1 hurricane on October 24, 1998, and within 48 hours grew to Category 5 intensity, and though he weakened to Category 1 before making landfall, he became the second deadliest hurricane on record killing over 11,000, with nearly that number missing in Central America due to intense rainfall and mudslides. He would eventually reach the United States making landfall near Naples Florida on November 5.

Hurricane Michael formed near the Yucatan Peninsula on October 7, 2018, and in 72 hours grew from a Tropical Depression to a Category 5 hurricane striking struck Mexico Beach Florida.

Beware of October hurricanes, for as Wilma, Mitch and Michael have demonstrated, they can experience explosive growth.

 

October Tropical Cyclone Breeding Grounds

This is the month for Alabama’s version of “Indian Summer’s” arrival.

Technically speaking Indian Summer doesn’t occur until “Squaw Winter” or the first frost arrives, but exact date when Indian Summer arrives varies with latitude.

We live in Alabama, and while the earliest frosts have been known to occur by October 17, they usually wait until November. So, we, in our milder climate call the first warm up after the first cool down “Indian Summer”.

The Yellow Giant Sulphur Butterflies are very noticeable as they continue to drift South-Southeast on their migration towards Florida. They prefer red things & if you have red flowers, they will zero in on them.

The Monarchs also will be seen gliding by in their migration towards Central America.

Fall colors will become prominent & by late October & early November the leaves will be reaching their peak fall colors.

Days rapidly grow shorter as the Sun’s angle above the noonday horizon steadily decreases from 53.2 degrees at the beginning of the month to 42.3 degrees at the month’s end. Daylight decreases from 11 hours 50 minutes on October 1 to 10 hours 51 minutes on October 31.

Sunrise and sunset times for Birmingham are:

October 1 Sunrise 5:41 AM Sunset 6:32 PM
October 15 Sunrise 6:51 AM Sunset 6:14 PM
October 31 Sunrise 7:05 AM Sunset 5:56 PM

Looking skyward, at the beginning of the month, the Sun, magnitude -26.7 is in Virgo, The Virgin.

Mercury, magnitude 2.4 in Virgo, The Virgin, is emerging from the glow of the Sun, having just passed in front of the Sun at inferior solar conjunction and will reach his highest point in the morning sky, or “Greatest Western Elongation” on October 8.

Venus, magnitude –3.9 in Virgo, The Virgin, is lost in the glow of the Sun and will pass behind the Sun or be at “Superior Conjunction” on October 22.

Mars, with his moons Phobos and Deimos, magnitude -0.6 in Taurus, The Bull, is approaching “Opposition”, or his closest approach to the Earth and is a morning object. He rises around 11 PM and reaches his highest point in the sky around 5:30 AM and then fades into the twilight 45 minutes later above south-western horizon.

Dwarf Planet Ceres shines at magnitude 8.8 in Leo, The Lion.

Jupiter, and his 79 moons and ring, at magnitude –2.9, is in Pisces, The Fish, just passed Opposition and dominates the Eastern sky after sunset and is highest around midnight and is at his maximum width.

Saturn, his 82 moons and extensive debris ring system, shining at magnitude +0.5, in Capricornus, is an early evening object becoming visible around 7 PM in the Southeastern sky and riches the highest point in the sky around 10 PM and will be observable until around 2 AM, when he below the Southwestern horizon.

Uranus, his 27 moons and ring, glow at magnitude 5.7, in Aries, The Ram as a morning object. He becomes visible around 10 PM and reaches his highest point in the sky around 3 AM.

Neptune, his 14 moons and ring, at magnitude 7.7 in Aquarius, The Water Bearer, is approaching opposition and is visible as a morning object, becoming visible around 8 PM and reaches his highest point in the sky at midnight

Dwarf Planet Pluto, with his five moons shines at a dim 14.4 in Sagittarius, The Archer.

Dwarf Planet 136108 Haumea, her ring and moons Hiʻiaka and Namaka, shines at a faint magnitude of 17.4 in Bootes, The Herdsman.

Dwarf Planet 136472 Makemake with his moon S/2015 (136472) faintly shines at magnitude 17.2 in Coma Berenices or “Berenices Hair”.

Dwarf Planet 136199 Eris and her moon Dysnomia is barely visible in the most powerful telescopes at magnitude 18.6 in Cetus the Sea Monster.

At least five additional bodies with the preliminary criteria for identifying dwarf planets, and though not “officially” declared as such, are generally called dwarf planets by astronomers as well.

90482 Orcus, and his moon Vanth shines at magnitude 19.1 between Hydra and Serpens, The Snake.

50000 Quaoar,and his moon Waywot shines at magnitude +18.6 in Ophiucus,, The Serpent Bearer,

90377 Sedna, the coldest, and at one time, the most distant known place in the Solar System, glows faintly at magnitude +20.9 in Taurus, The Bull.

225088 Gonggong, and his moon Xiangli glows dimly at +21.5 magnitude in Aquarius, The Water Bearer.

2014 UZ224 nicknamed “DeeDee” for “Distant Dwarf” is 8.5 billion miles from the Sun, at magnitude +23.1 in Eridanus, The River.

Currently the most distant observable known object in the Solar System, Asteroid 2018 AG37, nicknamed “FarFarOut”, which is 12.4 billion miles or 18.5 light hours from Earth, glows at a barely detectable +25.5 magnitude in Lynx.

5171 planets beyond our solar system have now been confirmed as of September 21, per NASA’s Exoplanet Archive http://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/

First Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Western side illuminated, will occur October 2 at 7:17 PM CDT or 00:17 UTC October 3.

During a Quarter Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -10.0.

The Moon will be at Perigee or her closest approach to Earth on October 4, when she will be 229,494 miles from Earth

The Draconid Meteor Shower will peak on October 7. This minor shower is produced by dust grains left behind by Comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner, which was discovered in 1900. This shower, which runs from October 6 – 10, is unusual in that it is best observed in the early evening, instead of the early morning hours as with most other showers.

A near full moon will block out all but the brightest meteors this year. If you are patient, you may still be able to catch a few good ones. Best viewing will be in the early evening from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Draco but can appear anywhere in the sky.

October’s Full Moon will occur October 9. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 20:55 UTC or 5:55 PM CDT. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Hunters Moon because at this time of year the leaves are falling, and the game is fat and ready to hunt. This moon has also been known as the Travel Moon and the Blood Moon. This full moon is also known as the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the September equinox each year.

The Moon will be at Apogee or its farthest distance from Earth on October 17, when she will be 251,239 miles from Earth.

The Orionid Meteor Shower peaks on October 21 & 22. The Orionids is an average shower producing up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak This shower, which runs from October 2 to November 7, is produced by the broad debris trail of Halley’s Comet.

The thin, crescent moon will leave mostly dark skies for what should be a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Orion, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

New Moon occurs October 25 at 5:49 AM CDT or 10:49 UTC, when the Moon will on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.

There will be a Partial Solar Eclipse on October 25.

A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon covers only a part of the Sun, sometimes resembling a bite taken out of a cookie. A partial solar eclipse can only be safely observed with a special solar filter or by looking at the Sun’s reflection. This partial eclipse will be best seen in parts of western Russia and Kazakhstan. It will be best seen from central Russia with over 80% coverage.

Southern Taurids Meteor Shower occurs October 29 & 30. The Southern Taurids is a long-running minor meteor shower producing only about 5-10 meteors per hour. This shower is, however, famous for producing a higher than normal percentage of bright fireballs. The Southern Taurids is produced by debris left behind by Comet 2P Encke. The shower runs annually from September 10 to November 20. It peaks this year on the night of the 29th and morning of the 30th.

The thin, crescent moon will leave mostly dark skies for what should be a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Taurus but can appear anywhere in the sky.

This is the time of year when the rich star clouds of the Milky Way in Cygnus crosses the zenith, looking like a ghostly band overhead in the hour after nightfall is complete. The Milky Way now rises straight up from the southwest horizon, passes overhead, and runs straight down to the northeast. Later at midnight, Orion the Hunter and the stars of winter rise over the eastern horizon, reminding us to enjoy the mild weather while it is here, for this season, as all seasons, is but a fleeting moment in the never-ending waltz of time.

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This month’s meeting will be on October 11 at 7PM at the NWS Forecast Office in Calera.

Hope to see you there!

Mark / WD4NYL
Editor
ALERT Newsletter