9.3
Major Skywatching Events in 2003-2004
J. Kelly Beatty, Sky & Telescope magazine, Cambridge, MA
The impressive Leonid meteor showers of the past two years, together with the appearance of Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997, have rekindled widespread public interest in viewing the night sky. While almanacs note the dates of eclipses and other celestial events, they rarely describe an event�s appearance or how to prepare audiences to view it. Among the best upcoming skywatching events are a historically unprecedented close approach of Mars in late August, a total lunar eclipse on November 8th (observable throughout North America), and a rare transit, or passage, of Venus across the Sun�s disk in June 2004. Descriptions of where and how to view these events will be augmented by simple techniques for using a telescope, binoculars, or the unaided eye for backyard skygazing.
Session 9, Becoming the station scientist. What resources are available?
Monday, 11 August 2003, 1:00 PM-1:44 PM
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