Blood moons, planets make 2015 good year for amateur astronomers

The skies should provide a treat this year for Kansas City area amateur astronomers.

Two lunar eclipses, or blood moons, are coming and several planets should put on a good show later this year.

“This year is a good year because we have the lunar eclipse coming up in April and the really good one in September,” said Grant Miller, a NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory solar system ambassador volunteer. He leads astronomy programs at Knob Noster State Park and Powell Gardens.

The eclipses will be the third and fourth blood moons of the lunar tetrad that started last year. The eclipse in September, however, will be particularly rare because it’s a harvest moon lunar eclipse and it’s the closest supermoon of the year.

The moon will appear 14 percent bigger and about 30 percent brighter.

“It’s a Sunday evening, a comfortable time of the year and you don’t have to stay up late,” Miller said. “It’s just about a perfect eclipse for us, unless we get clouded out.”

The summer months also should provide good viewing of Saturn, Jupiter and Venus. Mercury should be making an appearance early this summer.

The Perseid meteor shower in August should also be better than usual because the moon is not going to interfere.

“As much as we love to look at the moon, it brightens the sky and makes all the faint stuff harder to see,” Miller said.

For those interested getting their own telescopes and optical equipment, Miller said now is a good time to buy because prices are good. But equipment isn’t necessary.

“I tell people at all of my programs that you can enjoy this with just your naked eyes and don’t spend any money,” Miller said. “People assume it’s an expensive hobby, but it doesn’t have to be.”

Miller said binoculars are a good first instrument. He suggested to stay above the $100 price range — although $200 is better.

For those looking at telescopes, he suggests a good brand name one, which can be found less than $200.

Miller also recommends getting a beginner’s book like “NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe” by Terence Dickinson.

“Whenever my wife looks at a flower garden, she appreciates it a lot more because she knows what the flowers are, she knows when they should be blooming and all of that stuff,” Miller said. “I just see a bunch of pretty flowers.”

The same goes for looking at the stars. “Just having a little bit of knowledge is the first step,” Miller said.

And with Missouri being in the path of a total solar eclipse in August 2017, this makes this year a good time to start learning about the skies.

Knob Noster State Park

The free events begin at 8:30 p.m. All programs are in the special use area of Knob Noster State Park, about 69 miles east of Kansas City on U.S. 50. In case of rain or cloudy skies, events will be canceled unless otherwise noted.

▪ One Night, Five Planets, Six Moons!, May 23: See five planets, six moons and much more. Stay late to possibly see Saturn during its closest approach to Earth this year. Bad weather date is May 24.

▪ Lions and Dragons and Bears, Oh My, June 6: Learn how to find these constellations in the stars overhead. Also see Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Earth’s orbiting satellites.

▪ 24 degrees in July, July 25: The moon will dominate the evening sky, but Venus and Saturn will be at their best for viewing. An update on NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto also is planned.

▪ Treasures of the Triangle, Aug. 8: No moon this evening means darker skies and more stars. The Summer Triangle will be higher in the sky and will allow viewing of the Cub Scout star, the Ring Nebula, the Double-Double, Saturn with her beautiful rings and maybe even some Perseid meteors.

Powell Gardens

Events run from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m., weather permitting unless otherwise noted. To register, call 816-697-2600. Powell Gardens is about 40 miles east of Kansas City on U.S. 50.

Events cost $10 for adults, $6 for Friends of Powell Garden members and children between 5 and 12 years old. Every fourth registrant is free. For more information go to PowellGardens.org.

▪ No Moon? Dark Sky Delight!, May 16: The dark skies over Powell Garden will be even better for observing planets, star clusters, constellations, moons of other planets, galaxies and “shooting stars.” Register by May 14.

▪ The Solar System: Our Home Neighborhood, June 20: This program will introduce you to the neighbors — the moon, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. Using telescopes to magnified the planets 50 to 200 times, you will see mountains, craters, shadows, rings and belts. Register by June 18.

▪ Conjunction! Twin Crescents and a Giant, July 18: View three solar system bodies as they are gathered close together. Also, Saturn, the “Lord of the Rings,” will be at its best for evening viewing. The planet’s ring system will be tilted at 24 degrees. An update on NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto is planned. Register by July 16.

▪ Treasures of the Triangle, Aug. 15: The Summer Triangle will be in a good position to see the Ring Nebula, the Double-Double, the Coathanger and two “movie stars.” It will be a challenge to spot the young, thin moon. Also, some Perseid meteors (shooting stars) should be visible. Register by Aug. 13.

▪ Special Observing Event of “Supermoon Total Lunar Eclipse,” Sept. 27: North America will be ideally located to view the final of four lunar eclipses. The first was April 15, 2014. This eclipse will be particularly rare because it’s a harvest moon lunar eclipse and the closest supermoon of the year. The program will run from 6:45 to 10:30 p.m. Register by Sept. 25.

This story was originally published March 13, 2015 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Blood moons, planets make 2015 good year for amateur astronomers."