We’ve all heard of the “supermoon” in recent years. It usually refers to a full or new moon occurring at the same time as when the moon is closest to earth or at perigee. Yesterday’s cresent moon was at perigee so perhaps we can call it a supermoon cresent. Actually, it has an even more interesting name: proxigee moon. The proxigee moon is the year’s nearest perigee moon. Got all that? Here’s an interesting article that appeared at EarthSky.org describing supermoons, perigee moon, and proxigee moons.
And here is what it looked like in the western twilight sky.
The past few weeks have offered a few interesting objects in the night sky + one daytime event.
Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresák has been an easily photographed comet—albeit not a very bright one—in the northern sky. The first image below was taken during the interval 2103–2153 MST 15 April 2017 and is comet-centric which shows its motion amongst the stars over that period. The second image was captured during the interval 2117–2221 MST 16 April 2017.
Earlier in the month the full Moon and planet Jupiter rose together in the sky above the stark—but colorful—landscape of Wupatki National Monument.
Moon and Jupiter rising above Wupatki National Monument.
A few days later the International Space Station (ISS) could be seen rising in the northwest then moving towards the southwest. Along the way, it passed very close to the belt of Orion, then faded away as it entered Earths shadow. The ISS track—and the stars—were reflected in the waters of Lake Mary.
ISS transiting the western sky.
Mars and Pleiades were close together in the evening sky on 21 April 2017. Here they are seen shortly after sunset with some lingering color still present on the western horizon. Mars and Pleiades can also be seen as colorful reflections in the waters of Lake Mary.
Mars and Pleiades in the western sky.
Although I have photographed the International Space Station (ISS) transiting the face of the Moon, this is the first time I’ve tried a solar transit. The ISS moved from the 5 o’clock position towards the 9 o’clock position in just under 1/2 second.
International Space Station transitting the sun.
On 27 April 2017 a crescent supermoon was visible in the western sky. What is a “crescent supermoon?” From SpaceWeather.com…
What made the crescent “super”? Anyone reading NASA press releases in recent years has heard of “supermoons” — full Moons that are extra big and bright because they occur on the perigee side of the Moon’s elliptical orbit. Last night’s sky show was the same phenomenon, writ slender. The crescent Moon of April 27th occurred at perigee, making it as much as 14% wider and 30% brighter than other crescent Moons of the year.
I had hoped for still waters so that I could get a nice reflection but strong and gusty winds continued well into the evening.
