During this period the moon wanes from nearly half illuminated down to only a few percent by the end of the week. This weekend the waning crescent moon will rise during the early morning hours and will cause interference with viewing meteor activity. This can be overcome by observing areas of the sky free of lunar glare. By the end of the week the moon will not be a factor as it becomes slender and rises just before dawn.
Read MoreDuring this period the moon reaches its last quarter phase on Friday September 23rd. At that time the half illuminated moon will rise near midnight local summer time (LST). This weekend the nearly full moon will be in the sky...
Read MoreDuring this period the moon reaches its full phase on Friday September 16th. This weekend the half-illuminated moon will set during the early morning hours, allowing the remainder of the night to be moon-free and dark for meteor viewing. This window of darkness will decrease as the week progresses until the bright moon remains above the horizon all night long.
Read MoreDuring this period the moon waxes from a very thin crescent phase to nearly half-illuminated by the end of the period. This week will be the best time of the month to view meteor activity as the moon will not interfere with morning observing.
Read MoreI had an unexpected night off of work so I thought I would take advantage of the clear skies and try to view some meteors. After a 3 hour nap I woke and headed east to darker skies. Unfortunately the sky was clear all the way to...
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