{"id":43539,"date":"2023-04-05T07:32:12","date_gmt":"2023-04-05T07:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/?p=117659"},"modified":"2023-04-05T07:32:32","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T07:32:32","slug":"see-star-alniyat-disappear-behind-the-gibbous-moon-this-monday","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/see-star-alniyat-disappear-behind-the-gibbous-moon-this-monday\/","title":{"rendered":"See star Alniyat disappear behind the gibbous Moon this Monday"},"content":{"rendered":"

A bright gibbous Moon covers star Alniyat on the morning of 10 April. Find out how to see the lunar occultation. <\/p>

By Pete Lawrence\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 05 April 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

On the morning of 10 April, a bright 83%-lit waning gibbous Moon<\/a> occults mag. +2.9 Alniyat (Sigma (\u03c3<\/span>) Scorpii).<\/p>\n

The event, known as a lunar occultation<\/a>, starts around 03:33 BST (02:33 UT) when the Moon sits 11\u00b0 above the southern horizon as seen from central UK, the Moon\u2019s southwest limb hiding the star.<\/p>\n

Reappearance occurs when the Moon is due south, Alniyat reappearing from the Moon\u2019s dark southeast limb at 04:30 BST (03:30 UT).<\/p>\n

Read our beginner\u2019s guide and find out how to observe a lunar occultation<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

The times above are given for the centre of the UK and may vary by a few minutes depending on location, so it\u2019s worth observing the event early to capture the full spectacle.<\/p>\n

Observing lunar occultations of bright stars is rewarding. Watching the star through an eyepiece<\/a> before disappearance helps you appreciate how fast the Moon\u2019s apparent motion is in the sky.<\/p>\n

A lunar occultation of a star happens quickly. Lose concentration or blink at the wrong time and the airless Moon and point source star will disappear from view in a lost instant.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The location of star Alniyat in Scorpius. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

You should aim to start observing from 03:00 BST (02:00 UT)<\/p>\n

Reappearance is just as quick, compounded by the doubt that you may not be looking at precisely the correct part of the Moon\u2019s limb to see it.<\/p>\n

Alniyat is one of the two stars that flank the bright-red supergiant Antares<\/a> (Alpha (\u03b1<\/span>) Scorpii). Shining at mag. +1.0, Antares sits 2\u00b0 to the east-southeast of Alniyat.<\/p>\n

Did you manage to observe or photograph the lunar occultation of Alniyat? Let us know by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

This guide originally appeared in the April 2023 issue of <\/strong><\/em>BBC Sky at Night Magazine<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n

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