[Friends_of_SSASTROS] Are You Waking Up Tomorrow...

[Stephen LaFlamme]

Thanks for the heads-up Mike!!
I looked out at 3:30am, and again at 4:30am, and it was mostly cloudy.
Not seen from our area.
Steve L.






> On Apr 24, 2025, at 12:04 PM, Mike McCabe <cartech2000 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> ...with a smile?    
> 
> Some of you have surely seen the graphic below being shared around on the social media platforms and in the mainstream media;
> 
> <1745509296124blob.jpg>
> 
> But is it real? Well, as usual, there's a fair amount of exaggeration going on here, but there's also a kernel of truth to it too. Check out the graphic below for the reality of the situation.
> 
> <1745509406894blob.jpg>
> 
> Here's the deal: Yes, the Moon, Venus and Saturn will be arranged in such a way that it could be interpreted as a smiley face, but unlike the promotional graphic going around the 'face' is tipped to one side and the crescent of the Moon is much smaller and further away than implied.
> 
> Still, it will be a cool sight for those inclined to get out there and chase it, but know this; The Sun rises tomorrow at 5:45am, so that means that the eastern sky will be quite bright in the hour before that...we all know that. The smiley face trio will only be a few degrees about the horizon at 45 minutes before sunrise, so to have any chance of seeing this you'll need a 0° eastern horizon (think oceanside here) and of course it will need to be clear down to that horizon - that's where things always get sticky with these ventures.
> 
> So is it worth your effort, or do you just pull up the covers and smile to yourself as you grab some more Z's? That depends. Our seaside dwellers might be well served to take a little jaunt to a vantage point and enjoy a unique arrangement of celestial bodies, but those who have to put in a big effort to get there might think twice. Let's look at the forecast from three specialty apps for astronomers;
> 
> <1745510042115blob.jpg>
> <1745510059050blob.jpg>
> <1745510071965blob.jpg>
> 
> All three of them, the first being AstroGeek's Clear Sky Chart, the second being Astropherics, and the third being Clear Outside all are in agreement that the transparency will NOT be ideal for the task at hand. The actual level of cloud cover forecast for 5am tomorrow morning varies a little bit between them, but honestly it's not a very promising forecast. Still, if it's convenient for you or if it really floats your boat, then go for it! And if you happen to see something really cool then why not share it with the rest of us? Take pictures!
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Mike M.
> <1745509296124blob.jpg><1745509406894blob.jpg><1745510042115blob.jpg><1745510059050blob.jpg><1745510071965blob.jpg>

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