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December 2007
Astronomy: MARS: December is the month to study Mars as it will not be this close to Earth again until 2016. Mars
is actually brighter than Sirius the brightest star in the sky. December 23 is a full moon so look for Mars close by.
From December 2007 until April 2008 you will be able to see Mars all night long rather than just the early mornings.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
Astronomy: MARS: December is the month to study Mars as it will not be this close to Earth again until 2016. Mars
is actually brighter than Sirius the brightest star in the sky. December 23 is a full moon so look for Mars close by.
From December 2007 until April 2008 you will be able to see Mars all night long rather than just the early mornings.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
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| ASTRONOMY |
January 2008
The astronomical buzz in January will be all about Mars. Not only is it the brightest planet in the night
sky at the beginning of the month, on January 30 Mars is heading for a collision course with an
asteroid. If asteroid 2007 WD5 impacts with the Red Planet, there is a chance that backyard observers
with large telescopes will be able to see a cloud of dust and debris that is kicked up from the resulting
crater. Mars and the moon appear close together in the sky on January 19. On January 22 the Full
Moon will rise alongside the Beehive Cluster, a pretty little collection of stars in the constellation
Cancer. Two days later on January 24 the moon will rise near Saturn in the east.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
The astronomical buzz in January will be all about Mars. Not only is it the brightest planet in the night
sky at the beginning of the month, on January 30 Mars is heading for a collision course with an
asteroid. If asteroid 2007 WD5 impacts with the Red Planet, there is a chance that backyard observers
with large telescopes will be able to see a cloud of dust and debris that is kicked up from the resulting
crater. Mars and the moon appear close together in the sky on January 19. On January 22 the Full
Moon will rise alongside the Beehive Cluster, a pretty little collection of stars in the constellation
Cancer. Two days later on January 24 the moon will rise near Saturn in the east.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
February 2008
The big event in the heavens this month is the total lunar eclipse. On February 20, 2008, the moon will
slip into Earth's shadow and darkness will slowly cross the face of the full moon. The event begins at
8:43 pm EST and will continue for the next few hours. The moon will be totally in Earth's shadow by 10:01
pm EST and will remain there for approximately 50 minutes. Totality ends at 10:51 pm EST and the moon
will then slowly return to its full brightness by 12:09 am EST. As you are watching the moon, notice the
two bright "stars" on either side. The brighter of the two is Saturn, and the other is the star Regulus.
Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion, which looks a bit like a backward question
mark.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
The big event in the heavens this month is the total lunar eclipse. On February 20, 2008, the moon will
slip into Earth's shadow and darkness will slowly cross the face of the full moon. The event begins at
8:43 pm EST and will continue for the next few hours. The moon will be totally in Earth's shadow by 10:01
pm EST and will remain there for approximately 50 minutes. Totality ends at 10:51 pm EST and the moon
will then slowly return to its full brightness by 12:09 am EST. As you are watching the moon, notice the
two bright "stars" on either side. The brighter of the two is Saturn, and the other is the star Regulus.
Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion, which looks a bit like a backward question
mark.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
March 2008
In the Northern Hemisphere, spring begins in March with the vernal equinox. For those in Europe and on
America's East Coast, spring begins early on March 20. For those on the West Coast of North America,
spring begins before midnight on March 19. During the vernal equinox, the sun rises directly in the East
and sets directly in the West. Another sign of spring in North America is the onset of Daylight Saving
Time. It has been moved up from April to March 9, allowing for more sunlight during evening hours.
Spring is the best time to observe distant galaxies. Use a telescope to scan the skies behind the tail of
Leo the Lion in the constellations of Coma Berenices and Virgo. The light from these galaxies traveled
millions of years to reach your eyes.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
In the Northern Hemisphere, spring begins in March with the vernal equinox. For those in Europe and on
America's East Coast, spring begins early on March 20. For those on the West Coast of North America,
spring begins before midnight on March 19. During the vernal equinox, the sun rises directly in the East
and sets directly in the West. Another sign of spring in North America is the onset of Daylight Saving
Time. It has been moved up from April to March 9, allowing for more sunlight during evening hours.
Spring is the best time to observe distant galaxies. Use a telescope to scan the skies behind the tail of
Leo the Lion in the constellations of Coma Berenices and Virgo. The light from these galaxies traveled
millions of years to reach your eyes.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
APRIL 2008
The first week of April marks the sixth annual National Dark Sky Week. Turn off excess exterior lights and
enjoy a truly dark sky. Astronomy Day is April 21: celebrate by watching the annual Lyrid meteor shower
that night. Your best chance to see some "shooting stars" is to look in the northeast an hour after sunset
until moonrise a couple hours later. April also bring Saturn's rings showing their widest extent for the
year on the 28th. They are slowly tilting until they will be edge-on from our point of view, disappearing in
backyard telescopes in 2009.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
The first week of April marks the sixth annual National Dark Sky Week. Turn off excess exterior lights and
enjoy a truly dark sky. Astronomy Day is April 21: celebrate by watching the annual Lyrid meteor shower
that night. Your best chance to see some "shooting stars" is to look in the northeast an hour after sunset
until moonrise a couple hours later. April also bring Saturn's rings showing their widest extent for the
year on the 28th. They are slowly tilting until they will be edge-on from our point of view, disappearing in
backyard telescopes in 2009.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
| Internet Magazine |
JULY 2008
July 10 brings a conjunction of Saturn and Mars. The two will be less than a degree apart on this
evening and the nights that come before and after. The yellow and red pair will be low in the west after
sunset. Mars has been the subject of great interest lately as a spacecraft has landed on its surface
and uncovered water ice and analyzed soil that could harbor life.
Rising in the east in July is a brilliant point of light that is Jupiter. It will be overhead all evening in July.
Also in the east comes the Summer Triangle. Its points are marked by the stars Vega, Deneb, and
Altair. The Milky Way flows through the triangle.
On the evening of July 28 to 29 a meteor shower known as the Southern Delta Aquarids will pepper
the sky with falling stars.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
July 10 brings a conjunction of Saturn and Mars. The two will be less than a degree apart on this
evening and the nights that come before and after. The yellow and red pair will be low in the west after
sunset. Mars has been the subject of great interest lately as a spacecraft has landed on its surface
and uncovered water ice and analyzed soil that could harbor life.
Rising in the east in July is a brilliant point of light that is Jupiter. It will be overhead all evening in July.
Also in the east comes the Summer Triangle. Its points are marked by the stars Vega, Deneb, and
Altair. The Milky Way flows through the triangle.
On the evening of July 28 to 29 a meteor shower known as the Southern Delta Aquarids will pepper
the sky with falling stars.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
May is the best month all year to spot Mercury. Mercury is the most difficult to see of the five planets
that are visible to the naked eye. Because it is the closest planet to the sun, it never strays far from the
sun's bright rays. During the first three weeks of May, Mercury lingers above the horizon after sunset.
Look in the west for a bright "star" just above where the sun has recently set. Mercury is brightest the
first week of May and dims significantly by the third week.
Leftover dust from Comet Halley crosses the Earth's path around May 5, triggering the Eta Aquarid
meteor shower. The "falling stars" occur during new moon, the best time of month to catch meteors due
to the extra-dark skies.
that are visible to the naked eye. Because it is the closest planet to the sun, it never strays far from the
sun's bright rays. During the first three weeks of May, Mercury lingers above the horizon after sunset.
Look in the west for a bright "star" just above where the sun has recently set. Mercury is brightest the
first week of May and dims significantly by the third week.
Leftover dust from Comet Halley crosses the Earth's path around May 5, triggering the Eta Aquarid
meteor shower. The "falling stars" occur during new moon, the best time of month to catch meteors due
to the extra-dark skies.
Astronomy- What's happening in the night sky:
JUNE 2008
After watching the sunset in June 2008, look a little up and to the left to see reddish Mars and yellow-white Saturn. The
two planets move closer together every night until they meet in July. Through a telescope, the rings of Saturn and its
largest moon, Titan, are easily seen.
Directly overhead in June is the Big Dipper. You can use it to find four other constellations. Trace the curve of its handle
downward to find the bright star Arcturus in Bootes and continue on to the next bright star, Spica, in Virgo. Take the two
farthest bowl stars of the Big Dipper to point northward toward the North Star, Polaris, in Ursa Minor. Between the Big
Dipper (Ursa Major) and the Little Dipper (Ursa Minor) snakes the form of Draco the Dragon.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
JUNE 2008
After watching the sunset in June 2008, look a little up and to the left to see reddish Mars and yellow-white Saturn. The
two planets move closer together every night until they meet in July. Through a telescope, the rings of Saturn and its
largest moon, Titan, are easily seen.
Directly overhead in June is the Big Dipper. You can use it to find four other constellations. Trace the curve of its handle
downward to find the bright star Arcturus in Bootes and continue on to the next bright star, Spica, in Virgo. Take the two
farthest bowl stars of the Big Dipper to point northward toward the North Star, Polaris, in Ursa Minor. Between the Big
Dipper (Ursa Major) and the Little Dipper (Ursa Minor) snakes the form of Draco the Dragon.
Courtesy of Kelly Whitt at Suite101.com
| We would like to give our grateful thanks regarding the wonderful information on 'What's happening in the night sky' which is provided by Kelly Whitt at Suite 101.com: |