(meteorobs) Capella rising ...

[Bruce McCurdy]

After a miserable August the clouds lifted just in time for the first of this week's two western North America specials, the total lunar eclipse, which I was able to observe from first umbral contact to fourth at our public observatory here in Edmonton. For the next three days the weather held, and each night I watched Capella rising in the northeast, twinkling madly as it always does this time of year and winking ominously/mischievously/conspiratorially/balefully/invitingly at me. (As astrologers know, you can read anything you want into the stars.) 

Alas, the weather forecast throughout has been for clouding over by Friday afternoon, a forecast which has proven depressingly accurate as our sky has gone to pot in the last 10 hours. Our preferred location at Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve, which would have been excellent last night, is out of the question. Nonetheless, Alister Ling, my intrepid observing buddy and local weather expert, and I are soon heading off in pursuit of a sucker hole, with contingency plans to drive southeast as far as Lethbridge (>500 km) or northwest towards Fox Creek/Valleyview (~300 - 400 km) depending on the very latest satellite imagery. Either way we'll be driving roughly parallel to the terminator, with a slightly later sunrise (7 minutes) in the Fox Creek direction and even smaller difference (2 minutes) between onset of nautical twilight, which will occur just before the projected peak in both locations. The plan is to observe from ~0300 MDT (0900 UT) right through until  daylight, and with luck at least catch the rise of activity leading towards the peak. 

The thrill of the chase promises adventure either way, but it sure would be nice to get lucky for a second time this week.  We'll keep you posted.  

Bruce
*****