THE YEAR 2002.
THE YEAR 2002.
THE ECLIPSES
In 2002 there are five eclipses.
1) May 26th 2002. A 'minor' penumbral lunar eclipse, in Sagittarius, opposite Mercury, belonging to a very old Saros series. Visible from Australia
2) June 10th 2002. An annular solar eclipse, conjunct Saturn in Gemini, in mid Saros, visible from the Pacific Ocean.
3) June 24th 2002. A very slight penumbral lunar eclipse, unaspected in Capricorn, only the second eclipse in this new Saros, visible in telescopes from Africa, Europe and western Asia.
4) November 20th 2002. A fairly deep penumbral lunar eclipse, in Taurus square Uranus, a member of a Saros now waning, visible from Europe, Eastern America and Western Africa.
5) December 4th 2002. A total solar eclipse, weakly conjunct Pluto in Sagittarius, visible from southern Africa and the southern Indian ocean. Totality lasts for just over two minutes.
THE OCCULTATIONS AND CLOSE PLANETARY CONJUNCTIONS.
The current 'string' of occultations on a monthly basis of Saturn and Jupiter by the Moon continue well into 2002.
In January 2002 these occultations occur on the 24th (Saturn) and 26th (Jupiter) but are not visible from the UK.
In February 2002, A very close conjunction of Venus and Uranus occurs on 7th, at 24 degrees Aquarius, the Saturn occultation occurs on 21st, on 23rd a lunar occultation of Jupiter occurs visible from the UK. On 24th February a close conjunction of Mercury and Neptune occurs at 9 degrees Aquarius.
In March occultations of Saturn on 20th, and Jupiter on 22nd occur, both not visible from the UK.
In April on 16th an occultation of Saturn occurs visible from the UK, the occultation of Jupiter occurs on 19th not visible from the UK.
In May Venus and Mars are in very close conjunction on 10th at 18 degrees Gemini, the final occultation of Saturn occurs visible from the UK on 14th, also on that day the Moon passes within a degree of Mars in Gemini. There is not such occultation of Saturn visible from the UK until 2007.
In June the Moon passes close to Saturn on the 6th, close to Mars in Cancer on the 12th and close to Venus also in Cancer on the 13th.
In July Mercury passes wuthin a quarter of a degree of Saturn on 2nd. On the next day Mars passes close to Jupiter. On 8th the Moon passes within a degree of Saturn and on the 9th within a degree of Mercury. On 25th July Mercury and Mars are closely conjunct at 8 degrees Leo.
In August on the 5th the Moon passes within a degree of Saturn (for the last time for a few years).
There are no close conjunctions until the Moon passes within a degree of Mercury in early Scorpio on November 4th 2002.
In December the Moon closely conjuncts Venus in Scorpio on the 1st, occults Mercury in Sagittarius on the 5th and conjuncts Mars in Scorpio on 30th.
All of these images are form www.skypub.com
Date Planet Diam. Star Mag. Dur. Area of visibility
Apr. 9 Jupiter 37.0" SAO 78519 9.6 128m S. America, Caribbean, Newfoundland, west Africa, west Europe
July 1 Pluto 0.1" TYC 5651 1553 11.7 2m Europe Aug. 15 Venus 22.6" SAO 138809 8.3 9m Southeast Asia, Indonesia
Sept. 19 Saturn 18.3" TYC 1324 2107 10.1 185m Caribbean, Ecuador, N. America
Oct. 12 Jupiter 35.1" SAO 98362 7.8 97m Asia, Indonesia Nov. 16 Jupiter 38.7" SAO 98512 9.1 267m S. and east N. America, west Africa, west Europe
Dec. 24 Saturn 20.5" TYC 1310 2402 10.6 101m Hawaii, N. and S. America, east Siberia For these events, the maximum duration in minutes refers to locations where the planet passes centrally over the star.
STAY WITH THE DAZE IN 2002!