Mar
20
Fri
Vernal Equinox (Spring)
Mar 20 @ 4:45 pm – 5:45 pm

The date (near March 21 in the northern hemisphere) when night and day are nearly the same length and Sun crosses the celestial equator (i.e., declination 0) moving northward. In the southern hemisphere, the vernal equinox corresponds to the center of the Sun crossing the celestial equator moving southward and occurs on the date of the northern autumnal equinox. The vernal equinox marks the first day of the season of spring.

http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/astronomy/VernalEquinox.html

Mar
21
Sat
C.M. Crockett Public Night and Messier Marathon @ C.M. Crockett Park
Mar 21 @ 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm

 

Please read the C.M. Crockett Page for park details. Details will be updated for the Messier Marathon too!

 

Mar
27
Fri
☽ First Quarter Moon
Mar 27 @ 1:43 am – 1:43 am
Apr
4
Sat
Total Lunar Eclipse
Apr 4 @ 4:15 am – 7:45 am

The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North America, South America, eastern Asia, and Australia.

⚪ Full Moon
Apr 4 @ 6:06 am – 6:06 am
Apr
11
Sat
Great Meadow Public Night @ Great Meadow
Apr 11 @ 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm

See front page of NOVAC Site for changes to event. More information about Great Meadow including directions and parking visit the Great Meadow Site page.

☾ Last Quarter Moon
Apr 11 @ 9:44 pm – 9:44 pm
Apr
12
Sun
Monthly Meeting @ George Mason University
Apr 12 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Our meetings on the second Sunday of the Month except in May when it would fall on Mother’s Day. The events are normally held evening at 7:00 pm in Research Hall Room 163 on the campus of George Mason University. Our web page, http://www.novac.com/meetings/, has directions and additional details.
For February 8th 2015 we will be in Observatory Tower Showcase instead of the usual Rm. 163 

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday evenings!

 

 

 

 

Apr
18
Sat
âš« New Moon
Apr 18 @ 12:57 pm – 12:57 pm
Apr
21
Tue
Lyrids Meteor Shower
Apr 21 – Apr 22 all-day

The Lyrid meteor shower will reach its maximum rate of activity. Some meteors will be visible each night from 16 Apr to 25 Apr, but the best show will be after midnight on April 22. The maximum number of meteors expected to be visible from a dark location is around 10 per hour (ZHR). The 2nd quarter moon will wash out some meteors, but the brightest ones will shine through.