2024 celestial events: Long Islanders can see comets, meteors

Sky watchers might just glance up this year and spot a star they couldn’t see before.

It’s a nova — a star explosion — that happens about every 80 years in a two-star system called T Coronae Borealis, about 3,000 light years away. As a white dwarf and its red giant companion orbit each other, the small one’s gravity pulls hydrogen emitted from its big companion. This buildup of pressure and heat on the white dwarf’s surface triggers a thermonuclear explosion that sends the hydrogen hurtling out.

The brightness of this explosion early this fall will make the white dwarf visible through the naked eye for several days and by binoculars for about a week, astronomers say.

"You probably get one chance this time around to see it," says Alfredo Viegas, president of the Manhattan-based Amateur Astronomers Association. "It’s a great manifestation of the tremendous powers involved in the universe."

It’s prime time to watch as budding astronomers anticipate another notable celestial event this fall and winter — seasons considered by many to be the best times for looking up.

Eyes are trained on Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, or Comet TA, discovered last year. It’s expected to swing by in October, when it might be visible to the naked eye.

On its way here, scientists report, Comet TA has sported a good-sized tail, but whether it’ll be visually dramatic or a dud when it hits our solar system has been a source of debate. Much of it depends on how close it gets to the sun and what it’s made of, such as rock or ice. Some scientists think the comet is dying, its core fragmenting.

"No one can ever predict if a comet has a big tail or not," says Steven Bellavia, an aerospace engineer and a volunteer at the Custer Institute and Observatory in Southold. "They can try but they often fail. ‘Oh this is going to be the best comet ever,’ and then it comes by and it’s a dud."

Bellavia rates fall as his favorite time with the universe, with many planets clearly visible high up in the sky again.

"The outside temperature is pleasant, and often with less or no biting insects," he notes.

It can be fascinating to watch the changing views of celestial objects over the seasons, such as Saturn, whose rings will look their best in October, then almost disappear at winter’s end.

"Saturn’s rings are going edgewise in March," says Larry Gerstman, who teaches astronomy in the Long Beach school district’s adult education program. "When they go edgewise, you can’t see the rings. We get it back when we get into next summer."

While Long Island has several observatories open to the public, many Long Island backyards away from light pollution will do fine for skywatchers, says Tom Lynch, of Lynbrook, who runs the library telescope program for the Amateur Observers’ Society, which focuses on bringing astronomy to Long Islanders.

The program encourages libraries to buy certain telescopes for patrons to borrow, with society members modifying them for easier transport and use. So far, the society has focused on Nassau, where at least 11 libraries have telescopes.

"It’s really designed for somebody who’s brand new to this," says Lynch, who teaches people to use the telescopes. "Kids take to it really fast. I teach them how to look at the moon, and once you do that, it’s just a matter of finding other things."

SKY EVENTS

Early fall

• The thermonuclear explosion from the T Coronae Borealis star system will make its white dwarf star visible to the naked eye.

Sept. 20

• Neptune, the farthest planet in our solar system, will be opposite the sun from Earth’s perspective, which means its blue-green or teal color will be at its brightest.

Oct. 14-31

• Newly discovered Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, or Comet TA for short, might be visible just above the New York horizon shortly after sunset.

Oct. 21

• The Orionids, some of the fastest and brightest meteors in our region, will peak during its annual shower, but a moon approaching its full brightness will make it harder to see.

September to late December

• Andromeda, our closest galactic neighbor at 2.5 million light years away, will be visible.

Nov. 6-30

• Leonid meteor showers will be visible starting about 11 p.m., with the best displays expected just before dawn and peak on Nov. 17-18.

Dec. 4-17

• Geminid meteor showers, an annual favorite due to its prolific number of "shooting stars," will peak around Dec. 13-14, but the light of the moon approaching full phase will make it harder to see.

Dec. 6-7

• Jupiter, our solar system’s largest planet, will be closest to the Earth and also opposite the sun, making it appear the largest and brightest all year.

Dec. 12-Jan. 12

• Quadrantid meteor showers provide one of the best sky shows and are expected to peak close to Jan. 3, without interference from moonlight.

Jan. 12-15

• Next-door neighbor Mars will be at its closest to Earth and opposite the sun, bathed by the solar light, making it the most visible all year.

March 14

• A total eclipse of the moon will start shortly after 1 a.m. and end just before 5 a.m. in the southwest sky, with the entire moon in Earth’s shadow about 2:30 a.m. Without the sun’s rays on it, our satellite appears orange-red, dubbed the Blood Moon.

March 23

• Saturn’s rings will almost disappear from Earth’s view as the big planet’s tilt shows them on their edge.