Bootleg Astronomers

The Bootleg Spring Star Party Registration Form is available HERE (pre-registration deadline is May 31st, 2025) 12th)

*** Due to the number of people doing imaging at the Bootleg Star Parties, Bootleg Management is indicating that Green Lasers will not be permitted starting one hour after sunset ***

1	Asteroid 4 Vesta at opposition at 12h UT. Mag. 5.7.
1	Moon near M35 Cluster at 12h UT (51° from Sun, evening sky).
2	Moon near Castor at 19h UT (evening sky).
3	Moon near Pollux at 1h UT (evening sky).
4	Moon, Mars and Beehive Cluster (M44) within circle 2.6° diameter at 1h UT (evening sky). Mag. 1.0.
4	First Quarter Moon at 13:52 UT.
5	Mars 0.6° NNE of Beehive Cluster (M44) at 14h UT (evening sky). Mag. 1.0.
5	Moon near Regulus at 21h UT (evening sky).
5	Eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks. Most active for 7 days around this date. Associated with Comet Halley. Very fast, bright meteors, up to 50 per hour. Best seen from the tropics and southern hemisphere a few hours before dawn. Viewing conditions are ideal in 2025 for this major meteor shower. • Eta Aquariids (Wikipedia) • AMS Meteor Shower Calendar 2024-2025 (IMO)
10	Moon near Spica at 6h UT (evening sky). Occultation visible from southern Pacific Ocean. • Lunar occultation of Spica (In-The-Sky)
11	Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 1h UT (distance 406,244km; angular size 29.4').
12	Full Moon at 16:57 UT.
14	Moon near Antares at 2h UT (morning sky). Occultation visible from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and the Falkland Islands. • Lunar occultation of Antares (In-The-Sky)
14	Asteroid 3 Juno at opposition at 6h UT. Mag. 10.1.
20	Last Quarter Moon at 11:59 UT.
22	Moon near Saturn at 16h UT (morning sky). Mag. 1.1.
23	Moon near Venus at 19h UT (morning sky). Mag. −4.4.
26	Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 1:32 UT (distance 359,022km; angular size 33.3').
27	New Moon at 3:03 UT. Start of lunation 1267.
28	Moon near Jupiter at 14h UT (20° from Sun, evening sky). Mag. −1.9.
28	Moon near M35 Cluster at 22h UT (25° from Sun, evening sky).
30	Mercury at superior conjunction with the Sun at 4h UT (not visible). The innermost planet passes into the evening sky.
30	Moon near Castor at 4h UT (evening sky).
30	Moon near Pollux at 10h UT (evening sky).
31	Moon near Beehive Cluster (M44) at 11h UT (evening sky).

>>> All times Universal Time (UT). USA Central Standard Time = UT-6 hours. (DST = UT-5 hrs,)

Zodiacal Light is caused by sunlight reflected off meteoric dust in the plane of the solar system. Choose a clear, moonless night, about 1-2 hours after sunset, and look for a large triangular-shaped glow extending up from the horizon (along the ecliptic). The best months to view the Zodiacal Light is when the ecliptic is almost vertical at the horizon: March and April (evening) and October-November (morning); times reversed for the southern hemisphere.
• Zodiacal Light (Wikipedia)
• Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)
• Photographing the Zodiacal Light (Weatherscapes)