New York asteroid eclipse will be visible to millions [2:07 a.m. EST March 20th]

[Earth_First]

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25251-new-york-asteroid-eclipse-will-be-visible-to-millions.html?utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=SOC&utm_campaign=hoot&cmpid=SOC%7CNSNS%7C2013-GLOBAL-hoot

Late tonight, millions living around New York City may witness the best stellar disappearing act ever seen in North America.Lucky sky-watchers with clear skies across parts of the Northeast will observe a bright star momentarily wink out early Thursday morning.

Beginning at 2:07 a.m. EDT, the 45-mile-wide (72-kilometer-wide) asteroid named 163 Erigone will slip in front of the bright star Regulus, located in the constellation Leo, the Lion, causing the star to become invisible for up to 14 seconds.

This celestial disappearing act should be visible along a very narrow, 45-mile-wide corridor that stretches from metropolitan New York City through parts of Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, and up toward the northwest through the towns of Utica and Oswego, in upper New York State, reaching into Canada near the city of Kingston, Ontario.

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/03/19/watch-asteroid-eclipse-star-tonight/

[Fumesucker]

1. Usually these occultations are of some dim star not even visible to the naked eye

http://www.ibtimes.com/asteroid-occultation-live-stream-watch-45-mile-wide-asteroid-cause-cosmic-black-out-regulus-here

The best place to view the asteroid occultation will be on the east coast of the United States. Depending on one’s location, the occultation could last up to 14 seconds. During that time, Regulus will be blacked out by the asteroid, a rare event and the brightest star to be occulted in 2014.

Bob Berman, a Slooh astronomer, said in a statement, “It's rare for a truly bright star to be eclipsed. And even when this happens, the shadow of the asteroid is usually cast over some remote piece of ocean or wilderness. In my entire 40 years as a professional astronomer, I've never witnessed a star as bright as Regulus -- Leo's "alpha" luminary -- being blocked as seen along a populated Earthly path in an easily accessible region. That's what will happen early Thursday morning.”

[magical thyme]

2. you can't even see bright stars from NYC

Too many lights on all night.

You've got to get well away from the city to see any sky.

[adirondacker]

3. Light pollution is one of the few things I don't miss about living in a city. Cloudy and snowy night

ahead, so upstate peeps won't be seeing this all too well.

[hrmjustin]

4. Its raining here in nyc.