64 ASTRONOMY • JANUARY 2020OBSERVING BASICS
Welcome to 2020, the Year of the Optometrist.
Get it? 20/20? Perfect vision? Oh well. Now
you know why I’m an astronomy writer and
not a stand-up comedian.
The approach of the new year is an exciting time for
backyard astronomers, myself included. As with years
past, 2020 promises another 12 months of must-see
cosmic happenings and must-attend astro-
nomical conventions. It also brings the risk
that you might wake up one day and realize
that you forgot about last night’s meteor
shower or a st ronomy club me et i ng. I n rec ent
years, I’ve cut down on these mishaps by
creating a personalized astronomy calendar.
If you want to make one of your own, here’s
what to do.
Around year’s end, go to your local office
supply store and purchase a 16- by 20-inch
desk calendar for the new year. Once you’re
back at home, fill in the various date boxes
with everything astronomical that you don’t
want to miss. Sounds like a tall order, but the
task is easy if you follow these steps.
Begin by jotting down only the year’s key
celestial events — biggies like eclipses, meteor showers,
and planetary oppositions. These can be found in the
special “Sky Guide 2020” pull-out at the center of this
month’s issue. Once those are logged, add anything that’s
of special interest to you. I note the opposition dates for
asteroids I’ve yet to snare with my 3-inch f/10 ref lector
(Edmund Scientific’s classic Space Conqueror). Sincespotting Vesta in 1971, the little scope has bagged 121.
Here’s hoping I can conquer a few more in 2020!
Up next are “astro-social” dates of importance. These
would include astronomy club activities, conventions, and
outreach events. Are you scheduled to present a talk at an
upcoming club meeting or convention? Write it in as well!
With the year mapped out, it’s time to roll up your
sleeves and fill in specific details for each month. A go-to
resource for these updates is the Sky This Month section,
found in this and every issue of Astronomy. On the cal-
endar’s January page, where I’ve already noted the
Q u ad r a nt id mete or shower (e ven i ng of Ja nu a r y 3/4) a nd
a January 9 meeting of my astronomy club, I’ll add the
dates and times of the Moon’s phases, as well as viewing
opportunities for the planets and any currently visible
comets or asteroids. I’ll cap things off by adding this
month’s Observer’s Challenge to the top of the page. I
wrote about this neat observing program in the January
2016 issue (“New month, new target”). For January 2020,
the challenge is the ref lection nebula NGC 1999 in Orion.
What celestial events will I focus on in 2020? I’ve
decided that this will be the Year of the Meteor Shower.
I’ll start by checking out the aforementioned Quadrantid
meteors. I’ve never seen a Quadrantid meteor before, so
this could be a first. Other meteor showers largely unaf-
fected by bright moonlight will be the Lyrids (April
22/23), Perseids (August 12/13), Orionids (October
21/22), Leonids (November 17/18), and — saving the best
for last — the Geminids (December 13/14). There’s noth-
ing more relaxing than sinking into a reclining lawn chair
and watching a dazzling display of nature’s fireworks.
Of course, sometimes one safety net isn’t
enough. As a backup, I’ll place the 2020 edi-
tion of Astronomy’s Deep Space Mysteries
calendar on the wall. With one calendar on
my desk and one on my wall, it’ll be hard to
miss any important dates!
On an unrelated note: Ladies, I need your
help. I’m planning a women-in-astronomy-
clubs-themed Observing Basics column to
run in a future issue, but I need feedback from
female readers who are current (or past)
members of an astronomy club. What got you
interested in astronomy? Why did you join an
astronomy club? What can astronomy clubs
do to increase their number of female mem-
bers? What advice would you give to a woman
considering joining an astronomy club? Your
email responses (positive or negative) are welcome!
Questions, comments, or suggestions? Email me
at [email protected]. Next month: Planning an
evening observing session. Clear skies!Set yourself up for 2020 by creating a personalized
astronomy calendar.New year, new sky
The first major meteor
shower each year is
the Quadrantids,
which should be
particularly visible
in 2020 thanks to
its peak falling just
a few days before
New Moon. This
composite image
captures multiple
streaking meteors
during the Quadrantids
in 2019. BREE BARSON
What
celestial
events will
I focus on
in 2020?
I’ve decided
this will be
the Year of
the Meteor
Shower.BY GLENN CHAPLE
Glenn has been an
avid observer since
a friend showed
him Saturn through
a small backyard
scope in 1963.BROWSE THE “OBSERVING BASICS” ARCHIVE
AT http://www.Astronomy.com/Chaple