Sunday, December 1, 2013

Sky Events December 2013



Moon Phases


Monday, Dec. 2, 7:22 p.m. EST


New Moon


The Moon is not visible on the date of New Moon because it is too close to the Sun, but can be seen low in the east as a narrow crescent a morning or two before, just before sunrise. It is visible low in the west an evening or two after New Moon.



Monday, Dec. 9, 10:12 a.m. EST


First Quarter Moon


The First Quarter Moon rises just after noon and sets just after midnight. It dominates the evening sky.



Tuesday, Dec. 17, 4:28 a.m. EST


Full Moon


The Full Moon of December is known as the Oak Moon, the Cold Moon, or the Long Nights Moon. It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, the only night in the month when the Moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the Moon spends at least some time in the daytime sky. This will be the smallest full moon in 2013.



Wednesday, Dec. 25, 8:48 a.m. EST


Last Quarter Moon


The Last Quarter Moon rises around midnight and sets around noon. It is most easily seen just after sunrise in the southern sky.





Observing Highlights


Sunday, Dec. 1, before sunrise


Saturn, Mercury, and the Moon


On the morning of December 1, half an hour before sunrise, the 28-day-old crescent Moon will be flanked by the planets Saturn and Mercury: Saturn above and Mercury below. Seeing this will require a low southeastern horizon, very clear skies, and careful timing: before the light of dawn erases the view but after the three objects have risen sufficiently to clear horizon mists. Half an hour before sunrise should be about right, and binoculars will help.



Friday, Dec. 6, 2 p.m. EST


Venus at greatest brilliance


When Venus is fully illuminated, it is on the far side of its orbit, and so is dimmed by distance. When it is closest to Earth it is lit from behind, so also dim. Today is the “just right” point in its orbit where distance and angle of illumination balance to present the greatest possible illuminated area, and hence its brightest light. At magnitude –4.9 it outshines everything in the sky except the Sun and Moon. If you look 7 degrees below the Moon on the previous afternoon, Thursday Dec. 5, you should be able to easily see Venus in the daytime sky.



Saturday, Dec. 21 12:11 p.m. EST


Winter Solstice


The Sun halts its southward migration and pauses briefly before moving north again. This is the shortest day of the year, followed by the longest night. As happened last year (and every year) the Sun will be close to the direction of the center of the Milky Way, and once again the World will not end.



Wednesday–Sunday, Dec. 25–29, 10:08–10:14 p.m. EST


The Moon goes visiting


Over the next five mornings, just before dawn, the Moon will pass by two planets and a bright star. It will be just west of Mars on Christmas morning:



Between Mars and Spica on Dec. 26:



Just east of Spica on Dec. 27:



Just west of Saturn on Dec. 28:



And just below Saturn on Dec. 29:



East and west in the sky are the reverse of east and west on Earth maps because we are looking up rather than looking down. Notice how the Moon’s crescent shrinks over the five mornings, and how the stars and planets rise 4 minutes earlier each morning.

Planets




Mercury is well placed in the morning sky for observers in the northern hemisphere for the first ten days of December.





Venus is at greatest brilliance on December 6, low in the southwestern sky just after sunset.





Mars continues to brighten in Virgo in the morning sky.





Jupiter rises in the northeast about an hour and a half after sunset and shines brightly in Gemini the rest of the night. The Great Red Spot is easier to see than in many recent years, showing a distinct orange color.





Saturn is low in morning twilight all month long, in the constellation Libra.





Uranus is visible all evening, setting around 1 a.m. It spends most of the month in Pisces, but makes a brief excursion into Cetus from Dec. 10 to 20.





Neptune, in Aquarius, is visible in the early evening and sets around 10 p.m.





Geoff Gaherty

Starry Night Software Support

All graphics © 2013 Starry Night Software

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Sky Events October 2013

 

Moon Phases

Fri., October 4, 8:34 p.m. EDT

New Moon

The Moon is not visible on the date of New Moon because it is too close to the Sun, but can be seen low in the east as a narrow crescent a morning or two before, just before sunrise. It is visible low in the west an evening or two after New Moon.


Fri., October 11, 7:02 p.m. EDT

First Quarter Moon

The First Quarter Moon rises around 2:00 p.m. and sets around 12:30 a.m. It dominates the evening sky.

Fri., October 18, 7:38 p.m. EDT

Full Moon

This is the first Full Moon following the Harvest Moon last month, and so is known as the Hunter’s Moon. It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, the only night in the month when the Moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the Moon spends at least some time in the daytime sky.

Sat., October 26, 7:40 p.m. EDT

Last Quarter Moon

The Last Quarter Moon rises around 11:30 p.m. and sets around 2:00 p.m. It is most easily seen just after sunrise in the southern sky.


Observing Highlights

Thu.–Thu., October 3–17, before morning twilight

Zodiacal Light

This faint light reflected from countless pieces of interplanetary material will be visible in dark skies for the next two weeks. It rises in a conical shape along the ecliptic before morning twilight.

Thu., October 3, 10 a.m. EDT

Uranus at opposition

The planet Uranus will be in opposition to the Sun, and visible all night.

Sun., October 6, evening twilight

Saturn, Mercury, and the Moon

A triple conjunction low in the southwest just after sunset.

Wed., October 9, evening twilight

Mercury at greatest elongation east

Mercury will be at its greatest elongation east of the setting Sun, but this will be an unfavorable opposition because of the low angle of the ecliptic to the horizon. Saturn will be 5 degrees above Mercury.

Fri./Sat., October 11/12, 12:32–1:37 a.m. EDT

Triple shadow transit on Jupiter

It is very rare that three of Jupiter’s moons cast their shadows on Jupiter simultaneously. This will be visible tonight in telescopes with at least 90 mm. aperture. Later, the moons themselves will transit Jupiter’s disk. Some events will happen before Jupiter rises in your location (around midnight). This event is only visible in its entirety in eastern North America, taking place before  Jupiter rises on the West Coast.

EDT    CDT            MDT            PDT
11:12   10:12            9:12            8:12          Callisto’s shadow enters
11:24   10:24            9:24            8:24          Europa’s shadow enters
12:32   11:32           10:32           9:32          Io’s shadow enters
1:37     12:37           11:37          10:37         Callisto’s shadow leaves
1:48     12:48           11:48          10:48         Io begins transit
2:01     1:01            12:01           11:01         Europa’s shadow leaves
2:02     1:02            12:02           11:02         Europa begins transit
2:44     1:44            12:44           11:44         Io’s shadow leaves
4:02     3:02            2:02            1:02            Io ends transit
4:42     3:42            2:42            1:42            Europa ends transit

Sat., October 12, 10 p.m. EDT

Juno and the Moon

The 9th magnitude asteroid Juno will be just north of the 9-day-old gibbous Moon, and close to the two wide double stars in western Capricornus, Algedi and Dabih.

Tue., October 15, before dawn

Comet ISON, Mars, and Regulus

An unusual grouping of a comet, a planet and a star, as Comet ISON puts in an early appearance. This image is based on early estimates of ISON’s brightness. It now is known to be nowhere as bright as shown, but may be visible in binoculars.

Wed., October 16, after sunset

Venus and Antares

Look just below Venus for the red giant star Antares. If you look carefully, you may also be able to spot Mercury and Saturn.

Wed./Thu., October 16/17, 4:57–7:09 a.m. PDT

Double shadow transit on Jupiter

Observers on the West Coast will have the best chance of seeing this event, which mostly takes place after sunrise in the East.

EDT    CDT            MDT            PDT
6:30     5:30            4:30            3:30            Ganymede’s shadow enters
7:57     6:57            5:57            4:57            Io’s shadow enters
9:13     8:13            7:13            6:13            Io begins transit
9:27     8:27            7:27            6:27            Ganymede’s shadow leaves
10:09   9:09            8:09            7:09            Io shadow leaves

Fri., October 18, 7:50 p.m. EDT

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

The Moon will pass through the edge (penumbra) of the Earth’s shadow just after moonrise on the East Coast of North America. This eclipse is very slight, so you will have to look closely so as not to miss it. Look for a shading on the lower half of the Full Moon. It will also be visible in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

Fri./Sat., October 18/19, 2:25–4:37 a.m. EDT

Double shadow transit on Jupiter

Most of this event will be visible all across North America.

EDT    CDT            MDT            PDT
2:00     1:00            12:00          11:00          Europa’s shadow enters
2:25     1:25            12:25          11:25          Io’s shadow enters
3:41     2:41            1:41            12:41          Io begins transit
4:37     3:37            2:37            1:37            Europa’s shadow leaves
4:37     3:37            2:37            1:37            Europa begins transit
4:38     3:38            2:38            1:38            Io’s shadow leaves

Fri./Sat., October 25/26, 4:37–6:31 a.m. EDT

Double shadow transit on Jupiter

All of this event will be visible all across North America.

EDT    CDT            MDT            PDT
4:18     3:18            2:18            1:18            Io’s shadow enters
4:37     3:37            2:37            1:37            Europa’s shadow enters
5:32     4:32            3:32            2:32            Io begins transit
6:31     5:31            4:31            3:31            Io’s shadow leaves
7:10     6:10            5:10            4:10            Europa begins transit
7:14     6:14            5:14            4:14            Europa’s shadow leaves
7:46     6:46            5:46            4:46            Io ends transit


Planets


Mercury is well placed in the evening sky for observers in the southern hemisphere, but very low for northern observers.


Venus is now a bright “evening star” setting just after the sun.


Mars is now a bright object in Leo in the morning sky. Mars will have a close encounter with Comet ISON on October 15.


Jupiter is the brightest object in the morning sky all month. It is located in Gemini. There are several double shadow transits this month, plus a very rare triple shadow transit on October 11/12.


Saturn vanishes into evening twilight this month.


Uranus is in opposition on October 3. It is visible in Pisces all night.


Neptune is visible in Aquarius most of the night, setting around 3 a.m.


Geoff Gaherty
Starry Night Software Support
All graphics © 2013 Starry Night Software

Monday, September 9, 2013

Sky Events September 2013


Moon Phases

Thu., September 5, 7:36 a.m. EDT

New Moon

The Moon is not visible on the date of New Moon because it is too close to the Sun, but can be seen low in the east as a narrow crescent a morning or two before, just before sunrise. It is visible low in the west an evening or two after New Moon.


Thu., September 12, 1:08 p.m. EDT

First Quarter Moon

The First Quarter Moon rises around 2:30 p.m. and sets around 12:20 a.m. It dominates the evening sky.

Thu., September 19, 7:13 a.m. EDT

Full Moon

The Full Moon of September is the Full Moon closest to the equinox on September 22, so is called the Harvest Moon. It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, the only night in the month when the Moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the Moon spends at least some time in the daytime sky.

Thu., September 26, 11:55 p.m. EDT

Last Quarter Moon

The Last Quarter Moon rises around 11:50 p.m. and sets around 3:00 p.m. It is most easily seen just after sunrise in the southern sky.


Observing Highlights

Tue.–Tue., September 3–17, before morning twilight

Zodiacal Light

This faint light reflected from countless pieces of interplanetary material will be visible in dark skies for the next two weeks. It rises in a conical shape along the ecliptic before morning twilight.

Sun., September 8, sunset

Venus and the Moon

The thin waxing crescent Moon passes just south of the bright planet Venus, low in the western sky just after sunset. Spica is to their right and Saturn is to their left.

Mon., September 9, before morning twilight

Mars in the Beehive

The planet Mars appears against a glittering background of stars as it poses in front of the Beehive star cluster, Messier 44.

Thu., September 19, just after sunset

Saturn and Venus

Saturn and Venus will be in conjunction, best seen shortly after sunset. Spica and Mercury will probably be lost in twilight for northern observers, but will be better placed in the southern hemisphere.

Sun., September 22, 4:44 p.m. EDT

Equinox

The Sun crosses the celestial equator moving from north to south, heralding the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere.


Wed., September 25, just after sunset

Mercury and Spica

Observers in the southern hemisphere will see Mercury pass close to the bright star Spica about half an hour after sunset. Venus and Saturn ride high above them.


Planets


Mercury is well placed in the evening sky for observers in the southern sky, but very low for northern observers.


Venus is now a bright “evening star” setting just after the sun.


Mars is now a bright object in the morning sky. Mars is in Cancer, passing in front of the Beehive cluster on September 9.


Jupiter is the brightest object in the morning sky all month. It is located in Gemini.


Saturn is low in the southwestern sky as dusk falls, and sets around 9 p.m. It is located in Libra all month.


Uranus is in Pisces, heading for opposition on October 3. It is visible most of the night.


Neptune, just past opposition, is visible in Aquarius all night.


Geoff Gaherty
Starry Night Software Support
All graphics © 2013 Starry Night Software