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Blazar CTA 102

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Normally shining at magnitude 17, 8 billion LY-distant quasar CTA 102 commenced a spectacular outburst in November 2016, rising 250-fold in brightness to mag 11.2 in this image of Dec 28, 2032 UT. Never in the history of observational astronomy has a comparable level of sustained brightness been manifested by an object at such vast distance. With (A) mag 9.7 TYC 1154-141-1 in Pegasus.

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41P/ Comet Tuttle–Giacobini–Kresák

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Mar 25 2017, 2156 UT; est mag 7.5. Distance 13.5 million miles, apparent diameter ~ 10 arcminutes, perihelion April 12. This year’s apparition represents the closest approach to Earth since discovery in 1858. With (a) mag 7.2 HIP 57284 in Ursa Major. [19th observed comet] Below: exiting the body of the Plough, same night.

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Venus – Narrowing Crescent 2017

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March 11, 1718 UT; 7% illumination, 22° elongation

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March 14, 1820 UT; 5% illumination, 18° elongation

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March 16, 1818 UT; 3.8% illumination, 16° elongation in more turbulent air

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March 24, 1632 UT – 20 hours before inferior conjunction, sunset 1855 UT; 1.0% illumination, 8.5° elongation.

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Supernova 2017 eaw

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22 million LY distant, light from a record-extending 10th supernova (Type IIP) in the Fireworks Galaxy, NGC 6946, reached Earth on May 14 2017. The closest and brightest N Hemisphere supernova since SN 2014J in M82. Est mag 12.8, with (a) mag 10.1 TYC 4246-221-1 in Cygnus. Image size 15×11′. May 19 2017, 0059 IST.

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Nova Lyrae 2017

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ISS Lunar Transit

ISS Lunar Transit Jul 12 2017, 040057 UT from Finbarr C on Vimeo.

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Perseid Meteor

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Aug 13 2017, 0040 IST. Adjacent is mag 2.9 gamma Persei.

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Asteroid (3122) Florence

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Discovered by Schelte Bus in 1981, the 4th largest Near Earth Asteroid passes 4.4 million miles from the home planet on Sep 1 2017, 0112 IST. It is the largest asteroid to approach this closely since the original NEO discovery over a century ago, and will not be closer until 2500. Est mag 8.9; with (a) HIP 103932 in Aquarius. Below: the 30,000 mph velocity is apparent in these images taken 12 minutes apart –

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