NWS Pacific Northwest Sector Area Radar

Navigation

NWS National Enhanced Radar Image Loop

Mobile Weather

NWS National Graphical Forecast Elements

Printable Links

NWS National Hydrologic Information

NOAA Wx Radio

NWS National Satellite

External Links

NWS Climate Services

Local Links

NWS Air Quality Forecast

Forecast Box


Find Your Local Forecast By:

NWS Warnings and Forecasts

USA Extremes


Past 24 hours
 
High Temp
85° Harlingen, TX
 
Low Temp
-18° West Yellowstone, MT
 
Precipitation
3.13" Alexandria, LA


NWS National Maps

News Box



Get Your News Widget

Style Options




    

Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Map

Affiliations


SkyWarn Spotter

Weather Underground
Citizen Weather Observer Program

SkyWarn Spotter

PWS Weather

Weather For You


Anything Weather

Rss Wx Feed

PWS Weather

U.S. Weather Group

Chester Wx Guestbook

**Astronomy Information**


Sun

Moon
Sun Waxing Gibbous, Moon at 11 days in cycle
Sunrise: 7:10am
Sunset: 5:26pm
Daylight: 10:16
( What's a CCD Bakeout? ) 		Moonrise: 3:38pm (05-Feb-2012)
Moonset: 5:24am (05-Feb-2012)
Waxing Gibbous Moon
92% illuminated


First Quarter Moon Full Moon Last Quarter Moon New Moon
First Quarter Moon Full Moon Last Quarter Moon New Moon
Mon, 30-Jan-2012 8:10pm PST
04:10 UTC 31 January 2012		 Tue, 07-Feb-2012 1:54pm PST
21:54 UTC 7 February 2012		 Tue, 14-Feb-2012 9:04am PST
17:04 UTC 14 February 2012		 Tue, 21-Feb-2012 2:35pm PST
22:35 UTC 21 February 2012


Vernal Equinox
Start of Spring		 Summer Solstice
Start of Summer		 Autumn Equinox
Start of Fall		 Winter Solstice
Start of Winter
Start of Spring First day of Summer First day of Fall First day of Winter
Mon, 19-Mar-2012 10:15pm PDT
05:15 UTC 20 March 2012		 Wed, 20-Jun-2012 4:09pm PDT
23:09 UTC 20 June 2012		 Sat, 22-Sep-2012 7:50am PDT
14:50 UTC 22 September 2012		 Fri, 21-Dec-2012 3:12am PST
11:12 UTC 21 December 2012

The four seasons are determined by changing sunlight (not heat!)—which is determined by how our planet orbits the Sun and the tilt of its axis.

At the start of spring—The Spring Equinox—day and night are approximately 12 hours long and the Sun is at the midpoint of the sky. Our north pole tilts towards the Sun.

At the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, the Sun is at its most northern point in the sky. After this date, the days start getting shorter.

Fall begins at the Autumn Equinox. Day and night are about 12 hours long and the Sun is at the midpoint in the sky. The north pole moves away from the Sun.

The start of winter begins with the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, when the Sun is at its most southern point in the sky. From then on, the days start getting longer.

Seasons of 2012:
SPRING EQUINOX March 19, 10:14 P.M. PDT
SUMMER SOLSTICE June 20, 4:09 P.M. PDT
FALL EQUINOX September 22, 7:49 A.M. PDT
WINTER SOLSTICE December 21, 3:12 A.M. PST

Click Here for Astronomical Info from The USNO.

**Moon and Season Info**

  Moon Details from Weather-Display

Additional Moon facts from Weather-Display

**The Full Moon For February**

February 7th, 1:54 p.m. PST -- (Full Snow Moon) Since the heaviest snow usually falls during this month, native tribes of the north and east most often called February’s full Moon the Full Snow Moon. Some tribes also referred to this Moon as the Full Hunger Moon, since harsh weather conditions in their areas made hunting very difficult.


CURRENT MOON

**Moon Links**


**Lunar Encounters For The Month**

February 1 - Nearly full moon located between the star Aldebaran and the Pleiades star cluster (Southwest, after sunset)

February 9 - Nearly full moon positioned to the right of of Mars (East, after sunset)

February 22 - Extremely thin crescent moon to the right of Mercury (West, after sunset)

February 24 - Thin crescent moon to the lower right of Venus (West, after sunset)

February 25 - Crescent moon located to the upper right Venus (West, after sunset)

February 26 -Crescent moon to the right of Jupiter (West, after sunset)

**Current Sunlight (Day and Night) Maps**




Click Here for a Printable California Cities Custom Sunrise Sunset Calendar



**Current Star Chart**



Today's Star Chart


**The New "Star Gazer"**



February 04, 2012

The Winter Circle is one of the largest asterisms in the sky — a pattern of stars that doesn’t form a constellation. It incorporates stars from six constellations and spans a swath of the sky that’s six times the width of your fist held at arm’s length.

Visit EarthSky Tonight - (Night Sky News Updated Daily)



The above chart, is a astronomer's forecast. At a glance, it shows when it will be cloudy or clear for up to the next two days. It's a prediction of when Lake Almanor, CA, will have good weather for astronomical observing. The forecast data comes from those very cool guys at the Canadian Meteorological Center. CMC's numerical weather forecasts are unique because they are specifically designed for astronomers. But they have 763 forecast maps. It can be a chore to find the one you want.

The script here, generates the images like the one above which summarizes CMC's forecast images just for Lake Almanor/Chester, CA and the surroundings out to about 9 Miles.

There are also charts for 4021 other locations.

Click on the Chart above for the Lake Almanor Clear Sky Chart legend page to learn how to read it!


**Sky Calendar -- February 2012**


This Week's Sky at a Glance
Tonight's Sky
Audio MP3 Tour Of This Months Sky
This Week In Astronomy
This Weeks - Sky Week
Astronomy Picture of the Day


This Month's Celestial Highlights

2/7/2012 - Full "Snow" moon rises in east at dusk

2/25/2012 - Brilliant Venus near crescent moon in west-southwest at dusk

2/26/2012 - Jupiter near moon in west-southwest at dusk

2/29/2012 - First quarter moon in south at dusk

NOTE:All events and times are tabulated for the western U.S. (Pacific Time).

Venus floats higher each day as evening twilight ends. Use binoculars to find it to the right of green Uranus on the 9th. (It's a close conjunction.)

Jupiter, in Aries, is halfway up the southwestern sky at nightfall and remains visible for a few hours. Mars, brightening explosively, retrogrades through Leo. At midmonth, the Red Planet rises at around 8:00 P.M., while Saturn rises at 11:00 P.M. Mercury, very low in the evening twilight, is to the left of the crescent Moon on the 22nd.

The Moon passes closely above Venus on the 25th and to the right of Jupiter on the 26th. Leap Day, the 29th, shifts the calendar so that 2012's equinoxes and solstices occur earlier than in any year since 1896.

This month's highlight: The farthest thing you've ever seen.

If you normally do your sky gazing from a town or city, you owe it to yourself to occasionally get away from all that light pollution and observe the wonders of the heavens away from city lights. It's the only way you'll ever see this month's highlight, the Great Spiral Galaxy in the constellation Andromeda. It is the farthest thing most of us will ever see with our unaided eyes.

The Andromeda Galaxy, also known by the designation M31, is a grand collection of stars similar to our own Milky Way Galaxy. By some estimates, Andromeda may contain as many as one trillion stars. In photographs made with large telescopes, the galaxy has a spiral shape, like an emmense whirlpool. Andromeda and our Milky Way are the largest members of The Local Group, a group of more than 50 galaxies that are loosely bound to one another by gravity. "Local" is a relative term. The Andromeda Gallaxy is about 2.5 million light-years from Earth. Its light has taken 25,000 centuries to reach us. Interestingly, it's getting closer all the time. The Andromeda Galaxy and the Milky Way are rushing toward one another at about 75 miles per second. Don't worry, though; any possible collision is billion of years in the future!

To see the Andromeda Galaxy with your own eyes, you need to get away from bright lights and give your eyes 20-30 minutes to adapt to the darkness. It takes that long for your night vision to be at its best. At the location shown on this month's sky map, look for a hazy patch of sky, like a small oblong cloud. The faint cloud is the combined light of Andromeda's countless stars. Andromeda is larger than you might expect for something so far away. Its width is about that of the full Moon. It is its faintness due to distance that makes the Andromeda Galaxy difficult to see. Once you have spotted Andromeda for the first time, you will discover it easier to find in the future, even from not-so-dark locations. Knowing what to look for makes all the difference.

We can't look upon the western sky this month without noting the bright planets Venus and Jupiter. Venus is dazzlingly bright, the brightest of all the planets in fact. Venus never ventures too far from the Sun, so she is visible for only a few hours after sunset and at other times of the year, only a few hours before sunrise. For much of the year, Venus is too close to the Sun to be seen at all, so make the most of this opportunity. Giant Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and is normally considered quite bright, but it pales in comparison to brilliant Venus.

Explore the night Sky from your own backyard. A printable black and white map is provided Here!

What's Up for February 2012?

Mars gets closer and two comets delight viewers.

**This Week's Planet Roundup**

Mercury is hidden in the glare of the Sun.

Venus (magnitude –4.0, crossing the Aquarius-Pisces border) is the brilliant “Evening Star” shining in the southwest during and after dusk. It doesn't set now until more than 1½ hours after dark. Venus will continue to appear a bit higher, and stay up later, all winter. In a telescope Venus is still a small gibbous disk, 15 arcseconds in diameter and 75% lit.

Mars (about magnitude –0.5, at the Leo-Virgo border) rises in the east around 8 or 9 p.m., far beneath Regulus and the Sickle of Leo. It's 8° or 9° south (lower right during evening) of 2nd-magnitude Denebola, Leo's tail. Mars is brightening rapidly now as it approaches Earth. It shines highest in the south, in best telescopic view, around 3 a.m.

In a telescope Mars grows to 12 arcseconds wide this week, close to the 13.9? it will display when closest to Earth in early March. It's only slightly gibbous now: 96% lit.

Jupiter (magnitude –2.5, still at the Aries-Pisces border) shines high in the south-southwest at dusk, moves lower toward the southwest as evening advances, and sets in the west around midnight. In a telescope Jupiter has shrunk to 40 arcseconds wide.

Saturn (magnitude +0.6, in Virgo) rises in the east around 11 or midnight and is high in the south before dawn. Spica, a bit fainter at magnitude +1.0, is 7° to its right or upper right. Saturn's rings are now tilted a generous 15° from our line of sight.

Uranus (magnitude 5.9, near the Circlet of Pisces) is still in the southwest right after dark.

Neptune is lost in twilight.

NOTE: All descriptions that relate to your horizon — including the words up, down, right, and left — are written for the world's mid-northern latitudes. Descriptions that also depend on longitude (mainly Moon positions) are for North America. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) equals Universal Time (also known as UT, UTC, or GMT) minus 4 hours.

**Yearly Major Meteor Showers**


Name Dates Approximate Peak Appearance
Quadrantids Early January 2-4 January Moderately bright, medium speed
Alpha Aurigids Early February 6-9 February up to 10 per hour expected and no moon helps
Virginids and Alpha Virginds - 10-13 April peak 12th
Lyrids Mid April to late April 21-23 April Fast and bright with some trains
Alpha Scorpiids late April 28th April sparse
Aquarids Mid April to late May 4-6 May Fast and bright with many trains
Eta Aquarids 5th May - peak - orbital association with Halley
Alpha Scorpiids - 13th May second maximum
Ophiucids - 10th and 20th June Double maximum
Aquarids (south) Mid July to mid-August 26-28 July Medium speed but faint
Perseids Mid July to late August 11-13 August Fast, bright, and colourful with many trains
Alpha Aurigids Late August to early September 31 August to 2 September Fast and bright
Piscids - 19th and 21st September Double maximum
Delta Aurigids Mid Sept to mid Oct 27-30 September Fast but faint
Piscids - 13th October Third maximum
Orionids Early October to early November 20-22 October Fast and sometimes bright with some trains
Taurids - 3rd and 13th Novemeber Double maximum
Leonids Mid November 16-18 November Very fast and very bright with most leaving trains
Alpha Monocerotids Mid November to late November 20-22 November Very fast with some quite bright
Geminids Mid December 13-15 December Average speed but very colourful
Ursids Mid December to late December 21-23 December Average speed and faint

**NEO - Near Earth Objects**
Near Earth Objects: - Our solar system is teeming with asteroids and comets, some of which periodically pass close to Earth.
These space rocks, called near-Earth objects, provide good opportunities for study and can also be potentially dangerous to Earth.

Ask the dinosaurs !!!

WISE Finds Fewer Asteroids near Earth

New observations by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, show there are significantly fewer near-Earth asteroids in the mid-size range than previously thought.

For a complete list of recent NEO's go here

Potential future Earth impact events that the JPL Sentry System has detected based on currently available observations


**January 28-February 3, 2012**

February offers the meteor observer in the northern hemisphere a couple of weak showers plus falling sporadic rates. This may not seem too exiting but you never know when surprises are in store. An errant earthgrazer from the Centaurid complex may shoot northward. Better yet, a bright fireball may light up the sky. February is the start of the fireball season, when an abundance of fireballs seem to occur. This lasts well into April and seems to occur mostly during the early evening hours.

Observers in the southern hemisphere are treated to the Alpha Centaurid peak on the 8th plus the entire Centaurid complex of radiants is active all month long. Sporadic rates also peak this month south of the equator this month adding to the celestial show.

During this period the moon reaches its first quarter phase on Tuesday January 31st. At this time the moon will be located ninety degrees east of the sun and will set near 0100 local standard time (LST) for observers located in the mid-northern latitudes. This weekend moonlight will be restricted to the evening hours, allowing the more active morning hours to be free from interfering moonlight. The estimated total hourly rates for evening observers this week is near two for observers in the northern hemisphere and three for those south of the equator. For morning observers the estimated total hourly rates should be near nine as seen from mid-northern latitudes and fifteen from mid-southern latitudes. The actual rates will also depend on factors such as personal light and motion perception, local weather conditions, alertness and experience in watching meteor activity. Evening rates are reduced this week due to moonlight.

The radiant (the area of the sky where meteors appear to shoot from) positions and rates listed below are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning January 28/29. These positions do not change greatly day to day so the listed coordinates may be used during this entire period. Most star atlases (available at science stores and planetariums) will provide maps with grid lines of the celestial coordinates so that you may find out exactly where these positions are located in the sky. A planisphere or computer planetarium program is also useful in showing the sky at any time of night on any date of the year. Activity from each radiant is best seen when it is positioned highest in the sky, either due north or south along the meridian, depending on your latitude. It must be remembered that meteor activity is rarely seen at the radiant position. Rather they shoot outwards from the radiant so it is best to center your field of view so that the radiant lies at the edge and not the center. Viewing there will allow you to easily trace the path of each meteor back to the radiant (if it is a shower member) or in another direction if it is a sporadic. Meteor activity is not seen from radiants that are located below the horizon. The positions below are listed in a west to east manner in order of right ascension (celestial longitude). The positions listed first are located further west therefore are accessible earlier in the night while those listed further down the list rise later in the night.

The following showers are expected to be active this week:

The large Antihelion (ANT) radiant is currently located at 09:28 (142) +13. This position lies in western Leo, ten degrees northwest of the bright first magnitude star Regulus (Alpha Leonis). Due to the large size of this radiant, Antihelion activity may also appear from Cancer, Sextans, and northwestern Hydra as well as Leo. This radiant is best placed near 0100 LST, when it lies on the meridian and is located highest in the sky. Rates at this time should be near two per hour no matter your location. With an entry velocity of 30 km/sec., the average Antihelion meteor would be of slow velocity.

The last of the December Leonis Minorids (DLM) are seen this week from a radiant located at 13:04 (196) +16. This position lies in southern Coma Berenices, two degrees southwest of the fourth magnitude star Diadem (Alpha Comae Berenices). These meteors are best seen near 0500 local standard time (LST) when the radiant lies highest above the horizon. This shower peaked on December 20th so current rates would be less than one per hour no matter your location. At 64 km/sec. the December Leonis Minorids produce mostly swift meteors.

The Alpha Centaurids (ACE) are now active from a radiant located at 13:20 (200) -57. This position lies in southeastern Centaurus, five degrees southwest of the second magnitude star Epsilon Centauri. The radiant is best placed during the last dark hour before dawn, when it lies highest above the horizon in a dark sky. At this position, these meteors are only visible south of 35 degrees north latitude. The further one is located south (down to 60S) the better the radiant is situated in the sky. Current rates from the southern hemisphere is near one per hour. At 56km/sec. the Alpha Centaurids would produce mostly swift meteors.

As seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45N) one would expect to see approximately seven sporadic meteors per hour during the last hour before dawn as seen from rural observing sites. Evening rates would be near one per hour. As seen from the mid-southern hemisphere (45S), morning rates would be near twelve per hour as seen from rural observing sites and two per hour during the evening hours. Locations between these two extremes would see activity between the listed figures. Evening rates are reduced this week due to moonlight. Clear Skies!


To Learn More, Go To: American Meteor Society
Click Here for The 2012 Meteor Shower List.

**2012 Skywatching Highlights**


The year 2012 promises to be a dazzling one for skywatchers!!!

February 7 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 21:54 UTC.

February 21 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 22:35 UTC.

March 3 - Mars at Opposition. The red planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. This is the best time to view and photograph Mars.

March 8 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 09:39 UTC.

March 14 - Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. The two bright planets will be within 3 degrees of each other in the evening sky.

March 20 - March Equinox. The March equinox occurs at 05:14 UTC. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the northern hemisphere and the first day of fall (autumnal equinox) in the southern hemisphere.

March 22 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 14:37 UTC.

April 6 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 19:19 UTC.

April 15 - Saturn at Opposition. The ringed planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. This is the best time to view and photograph Saturn and its moons.

April 21 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 07:18 UTC.

April 21, 22 - Lyrids Meteor Shower. The Lyrids are an average shower, usually producing about 20 meteors per hour at their peak. These meteors can produce bright dust trails that last for several seconds. The shower usually peaks on April 21 & 22, although some meteors can be visible from April 16 - 25. With no moon to get in the way this year, this really should be a good show. Look for meteors radiating from the constellation of Lyra after midnight.

April 28 - Astronomy Day Part 1. Astronomy Day is an annual event intended to provide a means of interaction between the general public and various astronomy enthusiasts, groups and professionals. The theme of Astronomy Day is "Bringing Astronomy to the People," and on this day astronomy and stargazing clubs and other organizations around the world will plan special events. You can find out about special local events by contacting your local astronomy club or planetarium. You can also find more about Astronomy Day by checking the Web site for the Astronomical League.

May 5, 6 - Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Eta Aquarids are a light shower, usually producing about 10 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower's peak usually occurs on May 5 & 6, however viewing should be good on any morning from May 4 - 7. The full moon will probably ruin the show this year, washing out all but the brightest meteors with its glare. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Aquarius. Best viewing is usually to the east after midnight, far from city lights.

May 6 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 03:35 UTC.

May 20 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 23:47 UTC.

May 20 - Annular Solar Eclipse. The path of annularity will begin in southern China and move east through Japan, the northern Pacific Ocean, and into the western United States. A partial eclipse will be visible throughout parts of eastern Asia and most of North America. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)

June 4 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 11:12 UTC.

June 4 - Partial Lunar Eclipse. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of Asia, Australia, the Pacific Ocean, and the Americas. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)

June 5, 6 - Transit of Venus Across the Sun. This extremely rare event will be entirely visible throughout most of eastern Asia, eastern Australia, and Alaska. A partial transit can be seen in progress at sunrise throughout Europe, western Asia, and eastern Africa. A partial transit can be seen in progress at sunset throughout most of North America, Central America, and western South America. The next transit will not take place until the year 2117. (NASA Transit Information | NASA Transit Map)

June 19 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 15:02 UTC.

June 20 - June Solstice. The June solstice occurs at 23:09 UTC. The North Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its northernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer at 23.44 degrees north latitude. This is the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the northern hemisphere and the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the southern hemisphere.

July 3 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 18:52 UTC.

July 19 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 04:24 UTC.

July 28, 29 - Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Delta Aquarids can produce about 20 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower usually peaks on July 28 & 29, but some meteors can also be seen from July 18 - August 18. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Aquarius. The near first quarter moon will set shortly after midnight, leaving dark skies for what should be a good show. Best viewing is usually to the east after midnight.

August 2 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 03:27 UTC.

August 6 - Curiosity Rover at Mars. NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) is scheduled to land on the red planet between August 6 and August 20, 2012. Officially named Curiosity, it is an autonomous rover similar to the Spirit and Opportunity rovers that previously visited Mars. This much larger rover will carry many more instruments and experiments than its previous cousins. Curiosity’s high definition color cameras will photograph the Martian surface while a host of instruments will sample the soil and air and search for organic compounds.

August 12, 13 - Perseids Meteor Shower. The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower's peak usually occurs on August 13 & 14, but you may be able to see some meteors any time from July 23 - August 22. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Perseus. The near last quarter moon will be hanging around for the show, but shouldn’t bee too much of a problem for a shower with up to 60 meteors per hour. Find a location far from city lights and look to the northeast after midnight.

August 17 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 15:54 UTC.

August 24 - Neptune at Opposition. The blue planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. This is the best time to view Neptune. Due to its distance, it will only appear as a tiny blue dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.

August 31 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 13:58 UTC. Since this is the second full moon in the same month, it is known as a blue moon. This rare calendar event only happens once every few years, giving rise to the term, “once in a blue moon.”

September 16 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 02:11 UTC.

September 22 - September Equinox. The September equinox occurs at 14:49 UTC. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of fall (autumnal equinox) in the northern hemisphere and the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the southern hemisphere.

September 29 - Uranus at Opposition. The blue-green planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. This is the best time to view Uranus. Due to its distance, it will only appear as a tiny blue-green dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.

September 30 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 03:19 UTC.

October 20 - Astronomy Day Part 2. Astronomy Day is an annual event intended to provide a means of interaction between the general public and various astronomy enthusiasts, groups and professionals. The theme of Astronomy Day is "Bringing Astronomy to the People," and on this day astronomy and stargazing clubs and other organizations around the world will plan special events. You can find out about special local events by contacting your local astronomy club or planetarium. You can also find more about Astronomy Day by checking the Web site for the Astronomical League.

October 15 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 12:02 UTC.

October 21, 22 - Orionids Meteor Shower. The Orionids is an average shower producing about 20 meteors per hour at their peak. This shower usually peaks on the 21st, but it is highly irregular. A good show could be experienced on any morning from October 20 - 24, and some meteors may be seen any time from October 17 - 25. The first quarter moon will set by midnight, leaving a dark sky for what should be a good show. Best viewing will be to the east after midnight. Be sure to find a dark location far from city lights.

October 29 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 19:49 UTC.

November 13 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 22:08 UTC.

November 13 - Total Solar Eclipse. The path of totality will only be visible in parts of extreme northern Australia and the southern Pacific Ocean. A partial eclipse will be visible in most parts of eastern Australia and New Zealand. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)

November 17, 18 - Leonids Meteor Shower. The Leonids is one of the better meteor showers to observe, producing an average of 40 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower itself has a cyclic peak year every 33 years where hundreds of meteors can be seen each hour. The last of these occurred in 2001. The shower usually peaks on November 17 & 18, but you may see some meteors from November 13 - 20. The crescent moon will set early in the evening leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent show. Look for the shower radiating from the constellation Leo after midnight, and be sure to find a dark location for viewing.

November 27 - Conjunction of Venus and Saturn. These two bright planets will be within 1 degree of each other in the morning sky. Look to the east around sunrise.

November 28 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 14:46 UTC.

November 28 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of Europe, eastern Africa, Asia, Australia, the Pacific Ocean, and North America. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)

December 3 - Jupiter at Opposition. The giant planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. This is the best time to view and photograph Jupiter and its moons.

December 13 - New Moon. The Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 08:42 UTC.

December 13, 14 - Geminids Meteor Shower. Considered by many to be the best meteor shower in the heavens, the Geminids are known for producing up to 60 multicolored meteors per hour at their peak. The peak of the shower usually occurs around December 13 & 14, although some meteors should be visible from December 6 - 19. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Gemini. This year the new moon will guarantee a dark sky for what should be an awesome show. Best viewing is usually to the east after midnight from a dark location.

December 21 - December Solstice. The December solstice occurs at 11:12 UTC. The South Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its northernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.44 degrees south latitude. This is the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the northern hemisphere and the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the southern hemisphere.

December 28 - Full Moon. The Moon will be directly opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 10:21 UTC.


Click for Chester, California Forecast


If you find the Chester/Lake Almanor Weather Website useful to you, please consider making a small donation to help offset the routine expenses of operation of this website.
Thanks for your kind support!