<p>On September 20th, 2016, Victor Buso was testing his camera mounted on his 40-cm Newtonian telescope when he captured the first moments of a supernova. He was observing NGC 613, a spiral galaxy at a distance of 26.4 Mpc, because at that time it was located near the zenith. The exposure time was 20 s. An analysis of his images show remarkably fast rise rate in brightness of 43 ± 6 mag d<span class="math-container">$^{−1}$</span>. This paper in Nature gives all the details. Bersten, M., Folatelli, G., García, F. et al. A surge of light at the birth of a supernova. Nature 554, 497–499 (2018). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25151" rel="noreferrer">https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25151</a></p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/0tnrB.gif" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/0tnrB.gif" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-02331-4" rel="noreferrer">https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-02331-4</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-17T16:14:12.003Z
Welcome to Astronomy SE. Can you please add some more details?
WarpPrime
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-17T18:43:33.297Z
That's so crazy.
Firsh - justifiedgrid.com
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-18T18:50:00.830Z
Excellent answer! Photo of Buso and telescope here: [Does this amateur observation hold a record even including robotic searches for supernovae?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/25229/7982)
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-17T15:59:05.270Z
2021-05-17T16:29:47.787Z
2021-05-17T16:29:47.787Z
D Duck
<p>Many stars are double, and some orbit each other fast enough and far enough for amateurs to be able to detect them and measure them, and see the change in positions over the course of a few years.</p>
<p>On the scale of years to months to weeks to sometimes days, are also variable stars. James K did mention Algol in his answer, but there are literally thousands of variable stars. I suggest visiting the website of the American Association of Variable Star Observers—despite the name, it has members from around the world. <a href="https://aavso.org" rel="noreferrer">https://aavso.org</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-17T15:45:18.403Z
This is a great point! I think these are too slow to count but it's worth an honorable mention: [Are there any double stars that I can actually see orbit each other?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/32624/7982)
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-17T01:31:41.283Z
2021-05-17T01:31:41.283Z
Pierre Paquette
<p>If you have even a modest pair of binoculars and can hold them steady or support them against something so you can watch the four bright Galilean moons of Jupiter than you can watch them blink off and on again as the eclipse each other, i.e. pass through each others shadows!</p>
<p>This happens about twice every 12 years (Jupiter's orbital period) as the plane that contains Jupiter's satellites passes through Earth.</p>
<h3>And you are in luck for this!</h3>
<p>These are happening RIGHT NOW! See answers to <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/23477/7982">When will the next series of mutual eclipses of Jupiter&#39;s moons begin?</a></p>
<p>Actually the Moon occults bright planets at irregular but fairly frequent intervals. You can consult websites that predict occultations to find out more, but for fun see answers to <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/40532/7982">Does a lunar occultation of Mars happen twice a year?</a></p>
<p>As <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/43831/7982">@JamesK's answer</a> points out you need a telescope to see pulsars blinking, but you also need to find a pulsar that blinks slowly enough that your eye can detect it. The Crab Nebula pulses at about 30 Hz and some people can notice it, but it would be better to choose one with a somewhat lower frequency. For more on that see answers to</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://hsm.stackexchange.com/q/11298/7982">Who first reported the Crab pulsar's pulsing but was dismissed by an astronomer?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/34561/7982">How bright is the Crab Pulsar&#39;s 30 Hz modulation in visible light? What color is it?</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>What about near Earth asteroid passes?</h3>
<p>Answer(s) to <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/35976">Has a near earth object in heliocentric orbit ever been bright enough to be visible to the unaided eye?</a> suggest we will be able to see some near Earth asteroids (NEOs) as they pass near Earth. In particular, from <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/36084/7982">here</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>99942 Apophis (2004 MN4) has an apparent magnitude between 1.7 and 2.7 based on these estimates. Its close approach date is April 13 2029.</p>
</blockquote>
<h3>But out of luck for transits of Mercury and Venus any time soon:</h3>
<ul>
<li>The next <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit_of_Mercury#Past_and_future_transits" rel="nofollow noreferrer">transits of Mercury</a> are in 2032, 2039, 2049 and 2052...</li>
<li>The next <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit_of_Venus#Past_and_future_transits" rel="nofollow noreferrer">transits of Venus</a> are in 2125, 2247, 2255 and 2360...</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-16T23:41:59.897Z
2021-05-18T11:41:16.287Z
2021-05-18T11:41:16.287Z
uhoh
<p>If it moves or flashes it isn't astronomy, it is meteorology or technology.</p>
<p>There are only a few exceptions to this:  Meteors are an atmospheric phenomenon, and a meteor will appear to move rapidly across the sky. But because they &quot;come from space&quot; and occur well above the clouds they are often considered to be part of astronomy.</p>
<p>As you note, eclipses and occultations happen quickly enough for the changes to be visible. The moons of Jupiter do move notably during the night, and when one moves into or out of shadow, it can <a href="https://skyandtelescope.org/wp-content/plugins/observing-tools/jupiter_moons/jupiter.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">appear or disappear over the course of a couple</a> of minutes: easily noticeable.</p>
<p>A supernova could brighten quickly enough for the variation to be visible over a night's observation:  You wouldn't see it suddenly appear, but over the course of a night it could appear brighter at the end of the night than at the beginning.</p>
<p>Similarly, Algol will fade from magnitude 2 to 3.5 over a few hours. It isn't quick enough to notice the change in the moment, but it is quite clear if you are observing over a few hours.</p>
<p>Pulsars are too dim to be seen with normal equipment even the bright nearby crab pulsar has a magnitude of 16.5 (and at one flash in 33 milliseconds, it is too quick to see by eye)</p>
<p>GRB 080319B was an exceptional object. It was a gamma-ray burst. It gave a flash of gamma rays that lasted a little over a minute.  If you had happened to know exactly where to look you could, (marginally with the naked eye, but easily with binoculars) have seen the optical counterpart to the gamma-ray burst.  This was created by the formation as a massive early star collapsed to a black hole producing a jet of energy that happened to point our way.</p>
<p>The sun is changing and on a small scale it does change on the scale of minutes, but it is hard to see any movement at that scale with basic equipment.  If you can get your hands on a Hydrogen-alpha solar telescope you will, be able to see prominances that change over a period of hours.</p>
<p>Rarely an asteroid will pass so close so as to be visible.  Apopsis will have a close approach in 2029 and will appear as a slowly moving star.</p>
<p>Jupiter is active at radio frequencies.  You can tune in to Jupiter with the right equipment and hear it changing at rates from a few fractions of a second to a few seconds, see e.g. <a href="http://www.radiosky.com/rjcentral.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">radiosky.com &gt; Jupiter Central</a></p>
<p>These are exceptions.  In general, it is rare for anything so big and powerful that it can be seen over a distance of many light-years to be able to change fast enough that those changes can be noticed by our eyes.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-16T23:33:05.787Z
[Who first reported the Crab pulsar's pulsing but was dismissed by an astronomer?](https://hsm.stackexchange.com/q/11298/3869)
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-17T02:03:40.130Z
Fainter GRB optical counterparts are accessible to amateurs https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/amateur-discovers-gamma-ray-burst-afterglow/
John Doty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-17T12:00:28.910Z
On the Crab Pulsar in particular, it’s too quick to _differentiate_ individual pulses by eye, but ~30 Hz is slow enough for some people to notice that it’s flickering. Of course, you still need a very big telescope (~550mm or larger aperture IIRC) to actually observe it, but there then are plenty of amateur astronomy societies that own observatories with big enough telescopes for that purpose.
Austin Hemmelgarn
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-17T12:14:38.603Z
Aren't we glad that GRB 080319B was billions of light years away. Aren't we, not only glad, but overall: We are, aren't we.
Peter - Reinstate Monica
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-24T01:52:32.647Z
An observing method for occultations, which allow amateurs to make real contributions to scientific knowledge:
  https://www.rasc.ca/asteroids/occultations
Tai Viinikka
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-16T13:47:58.880Z
2021-05-19T08:33:14.180Z
2021-05-19T08:33:14.180Z
James K
<p>What I mean is an event unfolding that is viewable by naked eye or telescopes, and doesn't take comparing days of footage to see moving pixels. Apart from satellites, is there something that moves or happens so quickly that humans could sense it within a reasonable time? The whole sky is like a still painting, I'd love to see parts of it being &quot;animated&quot;. Things on my mind are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Crescent moon occulting a star (revealing or hiding it)</li>
<li>Solar and Lunar eclipses</li>
</ul>
<p>Or more exotic things like:</p>
<ul>
<li>Stars exploding (catching that as it happens, is it even possible?)</li>
<li>Other planets' moons moving a reasonabl/detectable amount in 30 minutes perhaps</li>
<li>Slow pulsar blinking (they are still super fast afaik)</li>
<li>Star changing its brightness and not blinking due to haze/turbulence</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-17T05:12:39.587Z
[Exoplanet transit](https://forum.skygems-observatories.com/d/40-we-also-do-science)
Keith McClary
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-17T08:33:38.633Z
Of course you can see with the naked eye planets and stars rising or setting (and more generally, moving across the sky, but it may be less obvious) as the Earth rotates.
jcaron
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-18T05:55:58.197Z
With an ordinary DSLR with a decently long zoom lens, such as around 300mm or longer, you can see the moon move across the frame if you watch in live view. Not super spectacular but it's easy to see.
whatsisname
<amateur-observing><time-domain-astronomy>
Can you see something active in the sky apart from satellites? Can there be amateur time-domain astronomy?
Firsh - justifiedgrid.com
# Can you see something active in the sky apart from satellites? Can there be amateur time-domain astronomy?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-05-16)

What I mean is an event unfolding that is viewable by naked eye or telescopes, and doesn't take comparing days of footage to see moving pixels. Apart from satellites, is there something that moves or happens so quickly that humans could sense it within a reasonable time? The whole sky is like a still painting, I'd love to see parts of it being "animated". Things on my mind are:

* Crescent moon occulting a star (revealing or hiding it)
* Solar and Lunar eclipses

Or more exotic things like:

* Stars exploding (catching that as it happens, is it even possible?)
* Other planets' moons moving a reasonabl/detectable amount in 30 minutes perhaps
* Slow pulsar blinking (they are still super fast afaik)
* Star changing its brightness and not blinking due to haze/turbulence

**Tags:** amateur-observing, time-domain-astronomy
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: [Exoplanet transit](https://forum.skygems-observatories.com/d/40-we-also-do-science)  
> **username_2**: Of course you can see with the naked eye planets and stars rising or setting (and more generally, moving across the sky, but it may be less obvious) as the Earth rotates.  
> **username_3**: With an ordinary DSLR with a decently long zoom lens, such as around 300mm or longer, you can see the moon move across the frame if you watch in live view. Not super spectacular but it's easy to see.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_8 on 2021-05-16. Score: 23 | Accepted answer

If it moves or flashes it isn't astronomy, it is meteorology or technology.

There are only a few exceptions to this: Meteors are an atmospheric phenomenon, and a meteor will appear to move rapidly across the sky. But because they "come from space" and occur well above the clouds they are often considered to be part of astronomy.

As you note, eclipses and occultations happen quickly enough for the changes to be visible. The moons of Jupiter do move notably during the night, and when one moves into or out of shadow, it can [appear or disappear over the course of a couple](https://skyandtelescope.org/wp-content/plugins/observing-tools/jupiter_moons/jupiter.html) of minutes: easily noticeable.

A supernova could brighten quickly enough for the variation to be visible over a night's observation: You wouldn't see it suddenly appear, but over the course of a night it could appear brighter at the end of the night than at the beginning.

Similarly, Algol will fade from magnitude 2 to 3.5 over a few hours. It isn't quick enough to notice the change in the moment, but it is quite clear if you are observing over a few hours.

Pulsars are too dim to be seen with normal equipment even the bright nearby crab pulsar has a magnitude of 16.5 (and at one flash in 33 milliseconds, it is too quick to see by eye)

GRB 080319B was an exceptional object. It was a gamma-ray burst. It gave a flash of gamma rays that lasted a little over a minute. If you had happened to know exactly where to look you could, (marginally with the naked eye, but easily with binoculars) have seen the optical counterpart to the gamma-ray burst. This was created by the formation as a massive early star collapsed to a black hole producing a jet of energy that happened to point our way.

The sun is changing and on a small scale it does change on the scale of minutes, but it is hard to see any movement at that scale with basic equipment. If you can get your hands on a Hydrogen-alpha solar telescope you will, be able to see prominances that change over a period of hours.

Rarely an asteroid will pass so close so as to be visible. Apopsis will have a close approach in 2029 and will appear as a slowly moving star.

Jupiter is active at radio frequencies. You can tune in to Jupiter with the right equipment and hear it changing at rates from a few fractions of a second to a few seconds, see e.g. [radiosky.com > Jupiter Central](http://www.radiosky.com/rjcentral.html)

These are exceptions. In general, it is rare for anything so big and powerful that it can be seen over a distance of many light-years to be able to change fast enough that those changes can be noticed by our eyes.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: [Who first reported the Crab pulsar's pulsing but was dismissed by an astronomer?](https://hsm.stackexchange.com/q/11298/3869)  
> **username_9**: Fainter GRB optical counterparts are accessible to amateurs https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/amateur-discovers-gamma-ray-burst-afterglow/  
> **username_10**: On the Crab Pulsar in particular, it’s too quick to _differentiate_ individual pulses by eye, but ~30 Hz is slow enough for some people to notice that it’s flickering. Of course, you still need a very big telescope (~550mm or larger aperture IIRC) to actually observe it, but there then are plenty of amateur astronomy societies that own observatories with big enough telescopes for that purpose.  
> **username_11**: Aren't we glad that GRB 080319B was billions of light years away. Aren't we, not only glad, but overall: We are, aren't we.  
> **username_12**: An observing method for occultations, which allow amateurs to make real contributions to scientific knowledge:   https://www.rasc.ca/asteroids/occultations  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2021-05-17. Score: 9

On September 20th, 2016, Victor Buso was testing his camera mounted on his 40-cm Newtonian telescope when he captured the first moments of a supernova. He was observing NGC 613, a spiral galaxy at a distance of 26.4 Mpc, because at that time it was located near the zenith. The exposure time was 20 s. An analysis of his images show remarkably fast rise rate in brightness of 43 ± 6 mag d$^{−1}$. This paper in Nature gives all the details. Bersten, M., Folatelli, G., García, F. et al. A surge of light at the birth of a supernova. Nature 554, 497–499 (2018). <https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25151>

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/0tnrB.gif)](https://i.sstatic.net/0tnrB.gif)

<https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-02331-4>

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Welcome to Astronomy SE. Can you please add some more details?  
> **username_0**: That's so crazy.  
> **username_6**: Excellent answer! Photo of Buso and telescope here: [Does this amateur observation hold a record even including robotic searches for supernovae?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/25229/7982)  

---

### Answer by username_7 on 2021-05-17. Score: 7

Many stars are double, and some orbit each other fast enough and far enough for amateurs to be able to detect them and measure them, and see the change in positions over the course of a few years.

On the scale of years to months to weeks to sometimes days, are also variable stars. James K did mention Algol in his answer, but there are literally thousands of variable stars. I suggest visiting the website of the American Association of Variable Star Observers—despite the name, it has members from around the world. <https://aavso.org>

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: This is a great point! I think these are too slow to count but it's worth an honorable mention: [Are there any double stars that I can actually see orbit each other?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/32624/7982)  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2021-05-16. Score: 7

If you have even a modest pair of binoculars and can hold them steady or support them against something so you can watch the four bright Galilean moons of Jupiter than you can watch them blink off and on again as the eclipse each other, i.e. pass through each others shadows!

This happens about twice every 12 years (Jupiter's orbital period) as the plane that contains Jupiter's satellites passes through Earth.

### And you are in luck for this!

These are happening RIGHT NOW! See answers to [When will the next series of mutual eclipses of Jupiter's moons begin?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/23477/7982)

Actually the Moon occults bright planets at irregular but fairly frequent intervals. You can consult websites that predict occultations to find out more, but for fun see answers to [Does a lunar occultation of Mars happen twice a year?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/40532/7982)

As [@JamesK's answer](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/43831/7982) points out you need a telescope to see pulsars blinking, but you also need to find a pulsar that blinks slowly enough that your eye can detect it. The Crab Nebula pulses at about 30 Hz and some people can notice it, but it would be better to choose one with a somewhat lower frequency. For more on that see answers to

* [Who first reported the Crab pulsar's pulsing but was dismissed by an astronomer?](https://hsm.stackexchange.com/q/11298/7982)
* [How bright is the Crab Pulsar's 30 Hz modulation in visible light? What color is it?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/34561/7982)

### What about near Earth asteroid passes?

Answer(s) to [Has a near earth object in heliocentric orbit ever been bright enough to be visible to the unaided eye?](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/35976) suggest we will be able to see some near Earth asteroids (NEOs) as they pass near Earth. In particular, from [here](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/36084/7982):

> 99942 Apophis (2004 MN4) has an apparent magnitude between 1.7 and 2.7 based on these estimates. Its close approach date is April 13 2029.

### But out of luck for transits of Mercury and Venus any time soon:

* The next [transits of Mercury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit_of_Mercury#Past_and_future_transits) are in 2032, 2039, 2049 and 2052...
* The next [transits of Venus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit_of_Venus#Past_and_future_transits) are in 2125, 2247, 2255 and 2360...


---

