1. What’s Up Jan 2008 – Feb 2008 Sa-sa-na Loft Astro Society

2. Mars Rover Update Mars Rove Update Mars Rove Update –NASA announces 2009 contract extension –Opp – exploring interior of Victoria Crater –Spirit – Racing against energy to get to its Winter Home on Mars.  New software added to improve efficiency getting to location  For every day of travel, a day of charging  Panels still dusty  If it doesn’t get to North facing spot, may not survive winter.

3. Astronomical Events 1/21 – Mercury at Greatest Elongation 1/21 – Mercury at Greatest Elongation 2/6 New Moon 2/6 New Moon 2/20 – Full Moon – TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE 2/20 – Full Moon – TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE 1 st Week of February – Sporadic Meteors 1 st Week of February – Sporadic Meteors –Up to 5 per hour at times.

4. Asteroids and Comets 17P/Holmes 17P/Holmes –In Perseus Comet 8P/Tutle Comet 8P/Tutle –Crest at mag 5.5 –Last week in Dec to Jan 10 –Heading between Cetus and Pisces –Jan 26 th – Closest to Sun Comet 46P Wirtanen Comet 46P Wirtanen –Heads from Pisces to Aires –8 th Magnitude –1 st week of February 1 Ceres Cruises through Cetus at 8.3 mag 1 Ceres Cruises through Cetus at 8.3 mag –On Jan 6th, Ceres and Tutle will lie in the same field of view. –Considered a Dwarf Planet not an asteroid. 6 Hebe treks through Cancer 6 Hebe treks through Cancer –Beelines toward M44 Beehive Cluster –9 th magnitude – opposition 2/6

5. Comet 17P/Holmes Heart and Soul Nebula in Cassiopeia Heart and Soul Nebula in Cassiopeia

6. Solar Activity Coronal holes are vast regions where the sun's magnetic field opens up and allows solar wind to escape. A million mile-per-hour wind stream is spewing from this coronal hole and heading toward Earth. Coronal holes are vast regions where the sun's magnetic field opens up and allows solar wind to escape. A million mile-per-hour wind stream is spewing from this coronal hole and heading toward Earth.

7. Solar Cycle 24 Predictions

8. Favorite APODs The Milky way Galaxy M51 – Whirlpool Galaxy

12. My Current Target List Andromeda Galaxy (M31, M32, M110) Andromeda Galaxy (M31, M32, M110) NGC 404 – Ghost of Mirach NGC 404 – Ghost of Mirach M33 - Triangulum/Pin Wheel Galaxy M33 - Triangulum/Pin Wheel Galaxy NGC 672/IC 1727 – Interacting Galaxies NGC 672/IC 1727 – Interacting Galaxies 17P/Comet Holmes 17P/Comet Holmes NGC 7662 - Blue Snowball NGC 7662 - Blue Snowball Mars Mars Orion and M42 Orion and M42 M41 OC and NGC 2362 Tau Cluster M41 OC and NGC 2362 Tau Cluster Herschel h3945 – Winter Albireo Herschel h3945 – Winter Albireo NGC 869 - Double Cluster NGC 869 - Double Cluster Stock 2 – Muscle Man Cluster Asterism Stock 2 – Muscle Man Cluster Asterism NGC 457 – Open Cluster NGC 457 – Open Cluster NGC 2264 – Christmas Tree Cluster NGC 2264 – Christmas Tree Cluster NGC 2261 – Hubble’s Variable Nebula NGC 2261 – Hubble’s Variable Nebula NGC 2237, 2238,2246 Rosette Nebula NGC 2237, 2238,2246 Rosette Nebula NGC 2244 – Open Cluster NGC 2244 – Open Cluster NGC 2329 – Eskimo Nebula NGC 2329 – Eskimo Nebula NGC 2371/2372 – Planetary in Gemini NGC 2371/2372 – Planetary in Gemini M35 and NGC 2158 in Gemini M35 and NGC 2158 in Gemini M50 Open Cluster M50 Open Cluster M46 Open Cluster and NGC 2438 – Planetary Nebula M46 Open Cluster and NGC 2438 – Planetary Nebula IC 418 – Spiro-graph Nebula IC 418 – Spiro-graph Nebula M79 – Globular Cluster M79 – Globular Cluster Saturn Saturn All gold items are new and recommended by Robert Werkman, Keith’s brother! Items in bold italics will be inserted next month

13. The Andromeda Galaxy (M31)

14. Ghost of Mirach – NGC 404 Magnitude 10 Magnitude 10 Elliptical Galaxy Elliptical Galaxy In Andromeda In Andromeda

15. Interacting Spirals – NGC 672/IC 1727 NGC 672 NGC 672 –Magnitude 10.7 –Spiral Galaxy –In Triangulum IC 1727 IC 1727 –Mag 11.4 –Spiral Galaxy Interacting Interacting

16. Comet 17P Holmes

17. The Blue Snowball (NGC 7662) Magnitude 8.3 Magnitude 8.3 Planetary Nebula Planetary Nebula Andromeda Andromeda

18. Mars and Pleiades

19. Orion and the Crab

20. M41 OC and NGC 2362 Tau Cluster

21. NGC 869, 743 and Stock 2

22. NGC 457 – Open Cluster Mag 6.4 Mag 6.4 Open Cluster Open Cluster Owl Cluster Owl Cluster Dragonfly Cluster Dragonfly Cluster ET Cluster ET Cluster.5 deg across.5 deg across

23. NGC 2264 - Christmas Tree Cluster Mag 4.1 Mag 4.1 Open Cluster Open Cluster Contains Conus Nebula Contains Conus Nebula 2-3 deg across 2-3 deg across

24. NGC 2261 – Hubble’s Variable Nebula Mag 30 Mag 30 Nebula Nebula Go Wide Field Go Wide Field OIII required OIII required

25. NGC 2237,2238,2246 and 2244 Rosette Nebula and Friends Rosette Nebula and Friends Mag 30/blue mag 4 Mag 30/blue mag 4 Nebula Nebula Go Wide Field Go Wide Field OIII required OIII required

26. NGC 2329 – The Eskimo Nebula Castor Mag 1.6 Mag 1.6 Double Blues Double Blues Easily split Easily split Mag 9.1 Mag 9.1 Planetary Nebula Planetary Nebula NGC2371/2372 Double Bubble Double Bubble Mag 11.2 Mag 11.2 Planetary Neb. Planetary Neb.

27. M50 - Open Cluster M50 M50 Mag 5.9 Mag 5.9 Open Cluster Open Cluster.5 deg across.5 deg across

28. M46 - Open Cluster M46 M46 Mag 6.1 Mag 6.1 Open Cluster Open Cluster.75 deg across.75 deg across NGC 2438 NGC 2438 Mag 10.3 Mag 10.3 Planetary Nebula Planetary Nebula.1 deg across.1 deg across

29. Saturn and its Moons Titan – 8.4 Titan – 8.4 Rhea – 9.8 Rhea – 9.8 Dione – 10.2 Dione – 10.2 Tethis – 10.3 Tethis – 10.3 Encilidus – 11.8 Encilidus – 11.8 Mimas – 11.3 Mimas – 11.3 Hyperion – 14.5 Hyperion – 14.5

30. New Toys