So here begins the June 2020 roundup. This month is a bit of a random collection of the moon, satellite passes, star trails and an inner Solar system planetary conjunction!
Moon
Almost Full Moon 5th May 2020
Moon with Bird, taken 2020-05-05 at 19:28:56 UT
Here we have a static tripod shot of the moon with the addition of a bird flitting past at the same time. Taken with the (new to me) Canon EOS 550D with a Sigma 70-300mm lens at ƒ/14.0, 263.0 mm. Exposure 1/1600 of a second, ISO 6400. Moon phase is 96.2%, Moon age is 12.9 days.
Flower Moon 6th May 2020
The full Moon in the month of May is known, amongst other names, as the “Flower Moon”.
Flower Moon and telescope, taken 2020-05-06 20:48:00 UT
Canon EOS 550D with a 19-35mm lens at ƒ/11.0, 32.0 mm. Exposure 30 seconds at ISO 200. Moon phase is 99.4%, Moon age is 14.1 days.
Star Trails
Here is the first light output from the Raspberry Pi powered DSLR controller I began building back at the beginning of May 2020.
Testing the new astropi-DSLR - Star Trails 2020-05-13
The star trails above were captured in a single session starting at 22:35:32 UT with the last frame shot at 00:57:47 UT. This is a total of 70 exposures, 120 secs each at ISO 800. Total integration time of 140 minutes (2 hours 20 minutes .)
Venus and Mercury Conjunctions
Night 1, 21st May
Venus and Mercury will be in close conjunction this evening, approx 1.5 degrees apart and 15 degrees altitude (for Venus) as the Sun set
Venus and Mercury Conjunction, taken 2020-05-21 at 20:55:05 UT
Measure degree separation in Stellarium
Night 2, 22nd May
Venus and Mercury will be in close conjunction this evening, approx 1.5 degrees apart and 15 degrees altitude (for Venus) as the Sun sets
Venus and Mercury Conjunction, taken 2020-05-22 at 20:45:22 UT
ISS and Associated Passes
The International Space Station has made a number of bright passes in the evening skies of May.
Static Exposure of ISS Pass #1 22nd May 2020
ISS Pass #1 2020-05-22
ISS Pass in 24 frames, 10 seconds each, taken 2020-05-22 from 21:07:23 UT to 21:12:48 UT. Canon EOS 450D with 8mm Fisheye lens at ISO 100
Static Exposure of HTV-9 Pass on 22nd May 2020
Kounotori 9 (こうのとり9号機), also known as HTV-9 is the 9th flight of the H-II Transfer Vehicle, a robotic cargo spacecraft to resupply the International Space Station.
It was launched on 20 May 2020, at 17:31:00 UTC.
HTV-9 Supply Vehicle Pass 2020-05-22
HTV-9 Supply Vehicle Pass in 7 frames, 20 seconds each, taken 2020-05-22 from 22:01:43 UT to 22:04:01 UT. Canon EOS 450D with 8mm Fisheye lens at ISO 400
Static Exposure of ISS Pass #2 22nd May 2020
ISS Pass #2 2020-05-22
ISS Pass in 14 frames, 30 seconds each, taken 2020-05-22 from 22:41:23 UT to 22:49:10 UT. Canon EOS 450D with 8mm Fisheye lens at ISO 400