1. www.falak-online.net Astronomical Events 2004 SHAHRIN HAJI AHMAD www.falak-online.net

2. www.falak-online.net Transit of VENUS Venus 8 JUN 2004 Only 81 transits between 2000 BC to 4000 AD LAST : 1882 (122 years ago!) NEXT : June 2012 Whole passage will take 6 hours 12 minutes. Process of entering & exiting 20 minutes! Starts : 1.13 PM Max : 4.20 PM Ends : 7.20 PM Visible from MALAYSIA

3. www.falak-online.net Transit of VENUS 8 JUN 2004 NEVER EVER LOOK DIRECTLY TO THE SUN WITHOUT ANY PROPER SOLAR FILTER!!!

4. www.falak-online.net Total Eclipse - MOON 5 MAY 2004 Visible from MALAYSIA Enters PENUMBRA : 1.50 AM Enters UMBRA : 2.48 AM TOTALITY : 3.51 AM till 5.08 AM (max at 4.30 AM) Leaves UMBRA : 6.12 AM

5. www.falak-online.net Total Eclipse - MOON 5 MAY 2004

6. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions 2 or more Solar System bodies located in one small area GREAT photography opportunity

7. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions EVENING EVENTS 23-24 APR – Moon, Mars, Venus & Saturn 10 May – Venus, Mars & Saturn 21-23 May – Venus, Moon, Mars & Saturn 10 Jul – Mercury & Mars 20-22 Jul – Mercury, Mars, Moon & Jupiter 18 Aug – Moon & Jupiter 23-24 APR – Moon, Mars, Venus & Saturn

8. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions EVENING EVENTS 23-24 APR – Moon, Mars, Venus & Saturn 10 May – Venus, Mars & Saturn 21-23 May – Venus, Moon, Mars & Saturn 10 Jul – Mercury & Mars 20-22 Jul – Mercury, Mars, Moon & Jupiter 18 Aug – Moon & Jupiter 10 May – Venus, Mars & Saturn

9. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions EVENING EVENTS 23-24 APR – Moon, Mars, Venus & Saturn 10 May – Venus, Mars & Saturn 21-23 May – Venus, Moon, Mars & Saturn 10 Jul – Mercury & Mars 20-22 Jul – Mercury, Mars, Moon & Jupiter 18 Aug – Moon & Jupiter 21-23 May – Venus, Moon, Mars & Saturn

10. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions EVENING EVENTS 23-24 APR – Moon, Mars, Venus & Saturn 10 May – Venus, Mars & Saturn 21-23 May – Venus, Moon, Mars & Saturn 10 Jul – Mercury & Mars 20-22 Jul – Mercury, Mars, Moon & Jupiter 18 Aug – Moon & Jupiter 10 Jul – Mercury & Mars

11. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions EVENING EVENTS 23-24 APR – Moon, Mars, Venus & Saturn 10 May – Venus, Mars & Saturn 21-23 May – Venus, Moon, Mars & Saturn 10 Jul – Mercury & Mars 20-22 Jul – Mercury, Mars, Moon & Jupiter 18 Aug – Moon & Jupiter 20-22 Jul – Mercury, Mars, Moon & Jupiter

12. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions EVENING EVENTS 23-24 APR – Moon, Mars, Venus & Saturn 10 May – Venus, Mars & Saturn 21-23 May – Venus, Moon, Mars & Saturn 10 Jul – Mercury & Mars 20-22 Jul – Mercury, Mars, Moon & Jupiter 18 Aug – Moon & Jupiter 18 Aug – Moon & Jupiter

13. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions 20 Jan – Moon & Mercury 17 May – Moon & Mercury 14 Jul – Moon & Venus 11 Oct – Venus, Moon 10 Sep – Moon, Venus & Saturn 5 Nov – Venus, Jupiter 12 Aug – Moon, Venus & Saturn 10 Nov – Venus, Moon & Jupiter 9 Dec – Jupiter, Moon, Mars & Venus MORNING EVENTS 20 Jan – Moon & Mercury

14. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions 20 Jan – Moon & Mercury 17 May – Moon & Mercury 14 Jul – Moon & Venus 11 Oct – Venus, Moon 10 Sep – Moon, Venus & Saturn 5 Nov – Venus, Jupiter 12 Aug – Moon, Venus & Saturn 10 Nov – Venus, Moon & Jupiter 9 Dec – Jupiter, Moon, Mars & Venus MORNING EVENTS 17 May – Moon & Mercury

15. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions 20 Jan – Moon & Mercury 17 May – Moon & Mercury 14 Jul – Moon & Venus 11 Oct – Venus, Moon 10 Sep – Moon, Venus & Saturn 5 Nov – Venus, Jupiter 12 Aug – Moon, Venus & Saturn 10 Nov – Venus, Moon & Jupiter 9 Dec – Jupiter, Moon, Mars & Venus MORNING EVENTS 14 Jul – Moon & Venus

16. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions 20 Jan – Moon & Mercury 17 May – Moon & Mercury 14 Jul – Moon & Venus 11 Oct – Venus, Moon 10 Sep – Moon, Venus & Saturn 5 Nov – Venus, Jupiter 12 Aug – Moon, Venus & Saturn 10 Nov – Venus, Moon & Jupiter 9 Dec – Jupiter, Moon, Mars & Venus MORNING EVENTS 12 Aug – Moon, Venus & Saturn

17. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions 20 Jan – Moon & Mercury 17 May – Moon & Mercury 14 Jul – Moon & Venus 11 Oct – Venus, Moon 10 Sep – Moon, Venus & Saturn 5 Nov – Venus, Jupiter 12 Aug – Moon, Venus & Saturn 10 Nov – Venus, Moon & Jupiter 9 Dec – Jupiter, Moon, Mars & Venus MORNING EVENTS 10 Sep – Moon, Venus & Saturn

18. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions 20 Jan – Moon & Mercury 17 May – Moon & Mercury 14 Jul – Moon & Venus 11 Oct – Venus, Moon 10 Sep – Moon, Venus & Saturn 5 Nov – Venus, Jupiter 12 Aug – Moon, Venus & Saturn 10 Nov – Venus, Moon & Jupiter 9 Dec – Jupiter, Moon, Mars & Venus MORNING EVENTS 11 Oct – Venus, Moon

19. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions 20 Jan – Moon & Mercury 17 May – Moon & Mercury 14 Jul – Moon & Venus 11 Oct – Venus, Moon 10 Sep – Moon, Venus & Saturn 5 Nov – Venus, Jupiter 12 Aug – Moon, Venus & Saturn 10 Nov – Venus, Moon & Jupiter 9 Dec – Jupiter, Moon, Mars & Venus MORNING EVENTS 5 Nov – Venus, Jupiter

20. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions 20 Jan – Moon & Mercury 17 May – Moon & Mercury 14 Jul – Moon & Venus 11 Oct – Venus, Moon 10 Sep – Moon, Venus & Saturn 5 Nov – Venus, Jupiter 12 Aug – Moon, Venus & Saturn 10 Nov – Venus, Moon & Jupiter 9 Dec – Jupiter, Moon, Mars & Venus MORNING EVENTS 10 Nov – Venus, Moon & Jupiter

21. www.falak-online.net Planetary Conjunctions 20 Jan – Moon & Mercury 17 May – Moon & Mercury 14 Jul – Moon & Venus 11 Oct – Venus, Moon 10 Sep – Moon, Venus & Saturn 5 Nov – Venus, Jupiter 12 Aug – Moon, Venus & Saturn 10 Nov – Venus, Moon & Jupiter 9 Dec – Jupiter, Moon, Mars & Venus MORNING EVENTS 9 Dec – Jupiter, Moon, Mars & Venus

22. www.falak-online.net Comets of 2004 Bright comets in the sky – a rare phenomena Predicting brightness – very very unreliable! The last bright comets – HYAKUTAKE & HALE-BOPP Will reach NAKED-EYE visibility COMET C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) – discovered in Sep 2002 COMET C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) – discovered in Aug 2001 SPECTACLE SHOW mid-May 2004. BOTH visible in the evening sky For 2004 – 2 moderately bright COMETS will appear C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) & C/2001 Q4 (NEAT)

23. www.falak-online.net Comets of 2004 C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) – discovered by Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking team at NASA JPL During its closest approach – will travel 5 deg per day, almost 2 Moon diameter PER HOUR!!! May 14 – Very very close to Beehive Cluster, M44. Photography opportunity C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) & C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) – discovered by MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory Near Earth Asteroid Research project.\ Will be in the same sky with C/2001 Q4 NEAT during MAY.

24. www.falak-online.net Comets of 2004 C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) & C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) C/2002 T7 C/2001 Q4 23 MAY 2004. Looking WEST around 8 PM

25. www.falak-online.net Comets of 2004 C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) & C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) Beehive Cluster C/2001 Q4 14 MAY 2004

26. www.falak-online.net Viewing Mars MARS will slowly glide away from EARTH. Remain a BRIGHT evening ‘star’ until middle of 2004 Apparent Size will be only 1/3 compared to during opposition August 2004.

27. www.falak-online.net Viewing VENUS Now till APRIL 2004 – will be the BRIGHTESS object (apart from Moon) after SUNSET Look WEST – will slowly glide towards NORTH until APRIL. In MAY 2004, drop FAST towards horizon, increase in apparent Size (Will appear as crescent moon in telescope) In Mid-JUNE till JULY, will suddenly appear in the MORNING sky! SUPERB target, remains bright and easy till END OF 2004. Busy year for VENUS

28. www.falak-online.net Viewing JUPITER EASY target for small telescope. SPECTACULAR target for big ones Rises in JAN 2004 around MIDNIGHT. Mid FEB 2004 – rises around 9 PM 3 rd MARCH – reaches OPPOSITION. Will remain in the sky the whole night. Rises when the SUN sets By JUNE 2004 – Overhead when SUN sets

29. www.falak-online.net Viewing SATURN 31 st Dec 2003 – reaches OPPOSITION. Will remain in the sky the whole night. Rises when the SUN sets NEVER EVER REFUSE an offer to look at Saturn through ANY telescope.!! SUPERB target, remains bright and easy till mid of 2004. By APRIL 2004 – Overhead when SUN sets

30. www.falak-online.net THE CELESTIAL WONDERS OF THE NIGHT SKY IS ALWAYS THERE WAITING FOR US TO LOOK AT; THE JOY OF SHARING SUCH SPECTACLE WILL ONLY BE LIMITED BY OUR IMAGINATION. LET US BE PART OF THE UNIVERSE BY APPRECIATING THESE HEAVENLY PHENOMENA. BEST OF ALL… IT’S ALL FREE! ;-) SHAHRIN HAJI AHMAD