The Curious Skywatcher

"Use that 'Scope!"

2012-01-31T10:47:00.003-05:00

"Use that 'Scope!" -- Saturday, February 4, 9:00 a.m .to noon, Moomaw Center, main campus Dabney Lancaster Community College, Clifton Forge. $20. Instructor: John Goss. Get a new telescope for Christmas and not sure how to use it? Learn how to use your new 'scope to find fun sky objects. Be sure to bring your telescope with you! To register, contact:

Judy Clark
Public Relations and Non-Credit Coordinator
Dabney S. Lancaster Community College
PO Box 1000
Clifton Forge, VA 24422
(540) 863-2863
(540) 863-2928 (Fax)
(540) 460-0187 (cell)

Such is our view from Earth...

Watch Mars March

2012-01-29T15:13:00.002-05:00

Every twenty-six months or so, Mars makes a bright appearance in our early evening sky. The Red Planet can be found climbing above the eastern horizon two hours after sunset. It is the brightest object in that part of the sky, almost matching Sirius, which shines in the south. During the next three months, Mars slowly moves westward through the constellation Leo, towards its bright star Regulus. After the middle of April, it reverses its apparent direction and begins moving away from Regulus.

Find the time to spot Mars as it marches through Leo!

Such is our view from Earth...

Our moon approaches Jupiter

2012-01-27T17:53:00.002-05:00

Over the next few nights, the moon climbs higher, leaving Venus behind, and approaches Jupiter. On the 29th, the first quarter moon lies just to the west of the giant planet, and on the following night, it lies to the east of Jupiter. Bring out binoculars to look at the scene more closely. You will be able to see craters on the moon and the four large moons of Jupiter. Hold them steady and you may be rewarded with these interesting sights!

Such is the view from Earth...

Crescent Moon greets brilliant Venus

2012-01-25T23:15:00.003-05:00

The moon and Venus always make a pretty combination. Tomorrow night, January 26, presents a great opportunity to see the two brightest evening objects come together in our western sky. Look to the west 45 minutes after sunset for their pairing. The moon will be sporting Earthshine, the back reflected sunlight off the nearly full Earth. This makes the lunar crescent appear dimly full. Use binoculars for a more magical effect!

Such is the view from Earth...

December 2012, Doomsday, and the Mayan Calendar

2012-01-15T11:43:00.001-05:00

It is 2012 on Planet Earth and all is well in the Celestial Neighborhood

There are fanciful stories floating on the Internet claiming that the Earth will face destruction in December 2012, more specifically on the winter solstice date of December 21. Three general causes are usually given, none of them have any validity and none of them make much sense.

1. The favorite reason maintains that a large, mysterious celestial body either will collide with the Earth destroying life as we know it, or will closely pass our planet causing catastrophic earthquakes.

2. A more bizarre assertion is that on the winter solstice the sun aligns with the center of the Milky Way galaxy causing the sun and the Earth to enter into a "galactic beam," possibly dragging the sun — with the Earth in tow — towards the center of the galaxy.

3. A third absurd claim contends that there will be an alignment of the planets resulting in upheavals on Earth caused by either devastating gravitational or strange magnetic forces, or by massive solar flares.

There is no scientific evidence to support any of these claims.

Here is what the scientific evidence does support:

A. No large body is approaching the Earth. No new large body has appeared in the solar system. No new body can be seen during daylight hours in the southern hemisphere — or the northern hemisphere, for that matter.

B. The sun does not align with the center of the Milky Way on December 21, 2012. The sun's position on the celestial sphere lies closest to the direction of the galactic center on December 18, not on the winter solstice, just as it has been over the past several decades. The position of the winter solstice on the celestial dome will never come into direct alignment with that of the galactic center. While the winter solstice point and the galactic center are located in the same general area of the sky, they are still over 6º apart — about thirteen apparent full moon widths. In any case, the sun and the galactic center are located nowhere near each other in space with the sun on December 21 being about 91.5 million miles from Earth and the galactic center situated two billion times farther at 27,000 light-years away.

C. There are no unusual alignments of the planets in 2012. Planets sometimes appear close to one another in the sky, but viewed in three dimensional space, they are tens of millions to hundreds of millions of miles apart. While the sun has entered one of its periodic active phases, there is no reason to expect unprecedented solar disruptions.

Furthermore, there are claims that Earth’s imminent destruction by celestial agents is known to the governments of the world and that they are concealing this information for their own purposes. That assertion just doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. There are well over 100 professional observatories and over 10,000 amateur astronomers located across the globe who constantly search the skies for new and unusual celestial phenomena. No large approaching body could escape their attention. No government could silence them all.

A few outspoken people contend that the end of the world on December 21, 2012 was foretold by the ancient Mayans because, according to these people, the Mayan calendar ends on that date. Some professional archeologists who specialize in studying the Mayan civilization have concluded that one of the calendar's very long counting cycles, the 144,000 day "baktun," ends on December 21, 2012. (Not all authorities agree on this date, however.) This has prompted certain purveyors of doom to link the end of the thirteenth baktun to their own unsupported predictions that the world ends in December 2012. They ignore the fact that the calendar continues, without interruption, when the fourteenth baktun begins on the very next day after the thirteenth ends.

Such is our view from Earth...

Can you see Comet Levy?

2012-01-13T13:18:00.001-05:00

Tonight before moonrise at 10:30 p.m., binocular uses can spot something a little different. 19 million mile distant Comet Levy lies about one binocular field of view below bright Jupiter. (Jupiter is the brightest object shining high in the southwest.) The comet should appear as a dim smudge. View it again on Saturday and Sunday nights. It will have moved.

The moon moves in our sky near Mars tonight. Then on Monday morning, the moon, sporting a third quarter phase, lies next to Saturn and Spica, forming a tight triangle with them. Saturn appears to its left while the similarly bright Spica sits just above the lunar half disk.

Such is our view from Earth...

Where are the planets?

2012-01-09T11:05:00.003-05:00

The appearance of the celestial dome is always changing. Here is brief rundown of where the moon and the planets lie in the sky above us.

Moon: Just past full, it is a waning gibbous phase. As the week progresses, its "fattness" becomes less. It moves near Mars as they rise on the 12th and 13th.

Mercury: Rises an hour before the sun, and remains very low in the southeast just before sunrise. It will be difficult to spot.

Venus: Very bright starlike object in the west an hour after sunset. If it is clear, you can't miss it.

Mars: Appears as a bright star in the east after 11 pm. Can you notice its orange-red color?

Jupiter: As the sun sets, Jupiter lies very high in the south. It is easily the brightest object in that area of the sky.

Saturn: Won't rise in the east until 2 am. It sits to the left of a slightly dimmer object, the star Spica. Bright Mars lies far to their upper right.

As a bonus celestial sight: The ever popular constellation Orion with its two bright stars, Betelgeuse and Rigel, can be found after 7 p.m. climbing in the east.

Such is our view from Earth...

Perihelion today

2012-01-05T13:04:00.003-05:00

Our Earth moves in an elliptical orbit around the sun. It may seem strange with our recent cold winter weather, but today our planet reaches its annual minimum distance to the sun — called perihelion. Our distance now is about 91.4 million miles, which about 3 million miles closer, or about 3% closer, than in July. Therefore, the January sun appears a little brighter in our sky than the July sun! Odd.

such is our view from Earth...

Quadrantid Meteor Shower: 1/04/12 after 2 am

2012-01-03T14:20:00.004-05:00

The waxing gibbous moon tonight sits just to the east of bright Jupiter. As they set around 2 a.m., the Quadrantid Meteor Shower takes hold in the northeastern sky. (The center of the radiant is located just south of the tip of the handle of the Big Dipper.)

From a dark location, upwards of 60 meteors per hour might be seen under good conditions. Keep warm and relax in a comfortable chair while watching for these swift streaks of light. Binoculars are not necessary, nor even useful. How many do you count?

...such is the view from our Earth

Mercury joins Jupiter in the evening sky

2011-03-14T11:34:00.002-04:00

The smallest planet in the solar system, Mercury, joins Jupiter, the largest planet. On Sunday night, Mercury appeared to bright Jupiter's lower right. On Wednesday around 8 p.m., Mercury climbs to Jupiter's right. As the evenings pass, Mercury rises higher while Jupiter sinks lower, eventually disappearing by March 22. Mercury should remain visible until March 27 before it, too, disappears in the bright evening twilight.

Such is our view from Earth...

Astronomy conference in Greensboro that never disappoints!

2011-02-19T16:53:00.001-05:00

Here is an amateur astronomy event in Greensboro that never disappoints!

*Tri*Star*
Saturday, 5 March 2011

A Day of Astronomy Speakers & Displays
Presentation Topics Include Galaxy Mergers & Evolution, Supernovae, and the Geology of Titan

Triad Starfest, *Tri*Star* for short, is a gathering of astronomers of all types, from novice to professional, for a full day of presentations, displays, and observing. The event allows astronomy enthusiasts to share ideas, learn about a range of astronomical topics, get together with old friends, and make new ones. The event will draw astronomers from North Carolina and surrounding states.
The upcoming edition of *Tri*Star* will take place on Saturday, 5 March 2011 in the Percy H. Sears Applied Technologies Center on the campus of Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown, NC. In addition to a series of speakers scheduled throughout the day, there will be a wide range of astronomical displays, assorted astronomy-related vendors, prize drawings, "how-to" help for astronomy beginners, an astrophotography exhibition, and daytime and nighttime observing sessions (weather permitting).

*Tri*Star* Speaker Schedule – Saturday, 5 March

9:00 *Tri*Star* Opens
10:00 Mike Malaska, Organic Chemist, SCYNEXIS, Titan's Earthlike Landscape
11:30 Stephen van Vuuren, Local Filmmaker, Outside In – Saturn Flyby film clip
2:00 Stephen Reynolds, NC State Univ., Supernova remnants, Cosmic Rays, and Cosmology
3:30 Sheila Kannappan, UNC-Chapel Hill, Galaxy Evolution by Mergers
4:30 Prize Drawings and Final Announcements
Note: there will not be a pre-*Tri*Star* Friday lecture this year.

Information about *Tri*Star* is posted at http://www.gtcc.edu/services/observatory/triStar/index.html

Such is our view from Earth...

The 14th member of the zodiac

2011-02-02T13:01:00.003-05:00

It may come as a surprise to many people, but the sun passes through 13 officially recognized constellations on its annual trek across the celestial dome. The 13th constellation is Ophiuchus, in which the sun spends nearly three weeks in December. There is another constellation in which the sun just nicks its boundary, Cetus, the Whale. Only 10% of the disk of the sun crosses into it and its partial border incursion lasts only twelve hours or so. Here are the dates and times that this relatively unknown event occurs:

Year Incursion begins Incursion ends
2010 3/27, 4:10 pm EDT 3/28, 5:40 am EDT
2011 3/27, 10:20 pm EDT 3/28, 11:45 am EDT
2012 3/27, 4:20 am EDT 3/27, 5:50 pm EDT
2013 3/27, 10:40 am EDT 3/28, 12:10 am EDT
2014 3/27, 4:50 pm EDT 3/28, 6:20 am EDT
2015 3/27, 10:50 pm EDT 3/28, 12:20 pm EDT

Keep in mind that the constellation boundaries are artificial constructs created by the International Astronomical Union about eighty years ago. They wanted to divide the sky into standardized sections so when an object in a particular spot in the sky was discussed, all astronomers would know where they were referring.

Such is our view from Earth...

Total Lunar Eclipse, 12/21/2010

2010-12-18T22:16:00.001-05:00

Partial phase begins: 1:32 a.m.
Total phase begins: 2:40 a.m.
Total phase ends: 3:54 a.m.
Partial phase ends: 5:02 a.m.

Tuesday morning, our moon enters the Earth’s shadow becoming totally eclipsed. The entire lunar face is enveloped in darkness beginning at 2:40 a.m. and lasting until 3:54 a.m. Then, a silver sliver emerges from the shadow’s edge eventually growing into the bright full moon by 5:02.

During the eclipse, the moon will be difficult to see since it lies, not in sunlight, but in the same shadow that gives us our night. We happen to stand within its first few feet, while the moon moves 230,000 miles away in the shadow’s gently tapering cone.

Take particular note of the color of the dark orb. Due to the small amount of sunlight refracting through the Earth’s atmosphere, the moon won’t be black, but a shade of dark red. It will likely show a subtle 3D effect, making an eerie scene.

All of this can be much more easily seen through binoculars. When the darkened moon reaches totality, look at the region immediately around it. To its upper left, a dimly glowing patch of light can be glimpsed. That is the galactic star cluster M35, which will be quite invisible once the brightening moon begins to exit the shadow.

As astronomical events go, total lunar eclipses aren’t particularly rare, but they aren’t common, either. The next total lunar eclipse visible from southwest Virginia is April 15, 2014 at 3:00 a.m.

Such is our view from Earth...

The crescent of Venus

2010-09-05T12:42:00.001-04:00

Each evening, Venus drops a little closer to the horizon as it approaches the sun. By the end of October, Venus will be positioned between the Earth and the sun so that it appears directly next to the sun in our daytime sky.

Look at this bright planet this evening in the southwest right after sunset. Through a very steadily held pair of binoculars, a small crescent shape can be discerned. If the planet’s glare is overpowering, wear sunglasses. During the next few weeks, while Venus remains visible, its crescent shape will become thinner and larger.

To the right of Venus, Mars can be seen passing just north of Spica over the next few evenings. If the atmosphere isn’t very clear, binoculars will help greatly in seeing this event.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Venus has two companions

2010-08-31T08:42:00.003-04:00

The closest planet to our Earth is currently Venus. This similarly sized world as our own is shining brightly in the west-southwest directly after sunset. Tonight it will have two companions with it: the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, Spica, and the red planet Mars. Spica will be just above Venus while reddish Mars lies to its right. Wait until 8:40 p.m. when the sky is dark enough before viewing them. Otherwise, the twilight will be too bright, obscuring the dimmer Spica and Mars.

On the evening of September 1, Venus will be just to the lower left of Spica. Mars remains to their right.

Such is our view from Earth...

Bright Jupiter and much dimmer world

2010-08-28T20:59:00.002-04:00

The end of August and the beginning of September sees bright Jupiter climbing in the east as evening darkness falls. By 10 p.m. it is an unmistakable object. For a bonus, aim a pair of binoculars at the bright planet. Half way towards the edge of the field of view to the upper right lies a star. A star it is not. That is Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun.

If you look closely, you will notice that Jupiter shows a tiny disk, while Uranus is mere a pinpoint. That is because Uranus is about five time farther away and only one-third as wide.

Such is our view from Earth.

The Sky: Week of April 11, 2010

2010-04-11T10:07:00.003-04:00

Watch Mercury, the thin, thin crescent Moon, and Mars crossing the Beehive this week!

At about 8:80 p.m., Mercury is visible in the west just to the right and slightly below Venus. As the nights pass, this little planet will grow dimmer and drop closer to the horizon at the same time each evening. On the night of April 15, Mercury is involved with a close encounter with the Moon. Look to the lower right of Venus near the horizon line for the Moon's very thin crescent. To its lower left shines Mercury. Both of them may be difficult to see due the bright background sky glow and both are fairly close to the horizon. If you can't see them, use binoculars. If you succeed, be proud because not many people have seen our Moon as thin as this.

The photo, taken on April 10, shows Venus and Mercury at 8:45 p.m.

Mars passes just north of the Beehive (M44) star cluster this week. The Beehive is a naked eye object, but Mars' glow may prevent you from spotting it without binoculars. With binoculars, the Beehive appears as a couple of dozens twinkling lights. Red, bright Mars hovers above it, between the skep and the swarm.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Your chance to see Mercury

2010-04-01T22:09:00.003-04:00

This week, if the weather is clear, is a great time to spot Mercury just after sunset. Look to the west for brilliant Venus at about 8:20 p.m. Just to its lower right lies Mercury. Each evening the tiny planet's position noticeably changes as it orbits the sun. For the next week it appears to move closer to Venus before fading in the bright evening twilight.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Good time to spot Mercury

2010-03-31T17:14:00.001-04:00

Mercury joins brilliant Venus in our evening sky at about 8:30 p.m. Look to the west just below and to the right from Venus. A dim "star" should appear — Mercury!

Such is our view from Earth ...

The Sky: Week of March 28, 2010

2010-03-28T09:42:00.002-04:00

Evening Sky:

1. Venus is low in the west at 8:30 p.m. setting just after 9:00. It is easily the brightest object in that part of the sky.
2. Mercury shines much dimmer to the lower right of Venus. During the week, it climbs higher each evening to nearly catch Venus on April 4th.

Because Venus and Mercury are so low above the horizon, they tend to twinkle, especially if the earth's atmosphere is turbulent. Venus normally doesn't twinkle at all, but it might this week.

3. Mars is almost overhead at sunset. Look for it nearly centered among the bright stars Procyon, Pollux, and Regulus. It currently lies 1-binocular field of view to the northwest of the Beehive star cluster.

4. Saturn shines in the east-southeast at 9:00 pm. Just after midnight, it lies high in the south.

5. The near full moon lies directly next to the bright star Spica in Virgo. It will be difficult to spot due to the moon's glaring light.

6. Look to the southwest after 9:00 p.m. for the winter constellations and bright stars, especially Orion and the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius.

Morning Sky:

1. Jupiter is difficult to spot this week because it rises shortly before the sunset. By next Sunday, though, it should have climbed high enough in the east to be spotted by 6:30 a.m.

2. The pretty summer constellations of Scorpius and Sagittarius stand in the south at 5:30 a.m. If you have binoculars, scan that region of the sky.

Such is our view from Earth ....

A winter solstice treat: the Moon and Jupiter

2009-12-20T10:57:00.002-05:00

Monday evening, December 21, the Moon will be positioned next to bright Jupiter in the southwest sky just after sunset. Try viewing this combination through binoculars. What can you see? The binoculars should reveal larger craters on the lunar surface along with mountains. Jupiter will show three starlike moons right next to it (one on its left and two on the right) before 7:20 and four after 7:20. Its moon Io, which is slightly smaller than our Earth's moon, moves out of eclipse at 7:20. It take a few minutes to come into view on the left side of Jupiter.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Bright Jupiter and dim Neptune

2009-12-14T16:05:00.003-05:00

This week, easy-to-find Jupiter slides past distant Neptune. You'll need binoculars to see this event, though. Look towards the south-southwest at 7:00 p.m. for bright Jupiter. It is easily the brightest object in that area of the sky.

Neptune is dim, fainter than the three stars that lie almost in a row near Jupiter's position on the 16th. On December 21, Jupiter is at its closest approach to Neptune. The moon may interfere with observations on the 20th and succeeding nights, so try spotting the planetary pair before this Saturday.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Elusive Mercury

2009-12-04T09:49:00.003-05:00

Without a doubt, the most difficult to spot of the "bright" planets is little Mercury. It is always close to the sun, most times lost in the solar glare either directly after sunset or right before sunrise. For most of December, curious skywatchers who have a low southwestern horizon can find Mercury close to the horizon at about 5:40 p.m. The best dates to try are those around December 18. On the 18th, the thin crescent Moon floats just above the elusive world. Bring out the binoculars for a better view.

A couple days after Christmas, Mercury drops rapidly towards the sun. By January 4th, it passes between the Earth and the Sun.

Such is our view from Earth ...

The ISS and Shuttle Atlantis passes. Look again tonight!

2009-11-26T09:42:00.004-05:00

Last night, the Shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Shuttle passed over Southwest Virginia. They were separated by 7 seconds in this 15 second time exposure. Their actual separation was about 30 miles and they were over 220 miles away. The image shows the pair as they are either entering or are about to enter the Earth's shadow. Pesky air traffic give the other streaks.

Atlantis is scheduled to pass this evening. Look low in the west-northwest at 6:42 p.m. It sweeps to the southwest and by 6:46 it disappears in the Earth's shadow low in the south. It passes just below bright Jupiter at about 6:45.

Such is our view from Earth ...

ISS/Shuttle Atlantis update

2009-11-25T09:20:00.002-05:00

At the moment, it looks like the shuttle will land before Friday's pass of the International Space Station. This evening, though, should give an interesting configuration. Very possibly, the ISS and the Shuttle will each be visible with one of them following the other by a few seconds. So far, their predicted passing time has not changed.

Such is our view from Earth ...

The International Space Station — Space Shuttle Atlantis

2009-11-24T08:18:00.005-05:00

This week sees several passes of the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle Atlantis. The two best opportunities for people in southwest Virginia to view this orbiting duo are on Wednesday and Friday evenings.

Wednesday's pass begins at 6:18 p.m. Look low in the northwest for a slow moving starlike object. As it moves high in the northeast (not quite overhead), it brightens significantly becoming much brighter than the planet Jupiter. (Jupiter is the bright object far in the south.) It passes then through the "W" shaped constellation, Cassiopeia. By 6:21, it moves high in the east where it enters the Earth's shadow and subsequently disappears.

Friday's pass follows a similar path as Wednesday's. Beginning at 5:33 p.m., look low in the northwest, again for a slowly moving starlike object. Follow it high in the northeast as it brightens, again becoming brighter than Jupiter. It disappears from view as it sinks low in the east-southeast at 5:33 p.m.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Mars passes the Beehive

2009-10-25T12:36:00.003-04:00

All this week and all next week, binocular users will watch a treat with Mars slowly crossing the field of the Beehive star cluster. This passage has no trick!

The Beehive, aka M44, is a star cluster in central Cancer. Every so often, planets appear to move through it. However, on all occasions, each particular planet is only a few tens of millions or a few hundreds of millions of miles away. The Beehive is much, much farther — close to 500 light years distant or 500 x 5.9 trillion miles.

Mars and the Beehive rise about 12:30 a.m., so you should wait an hour or two for them to inch high enough above the horizon to give a decent view. Telescopes will magnify the image too much, destroying the cluster effect of the many dim stars of the Beehive. Binoculars show a field that is just right!

Such is our view from Earth ...

Here come the Orionids!

2009-10-18T12:00:00.005-04:00

On Wednesday night, Our planet plows through the center of the debris trail left many years ago by the famous Comet Halley. This results in the Orionid Meteor Shower, which actually spans a few weeks. Sometime during the overnight on October 21st, the shower's peak is reached giving upwards of 25 meteors per hour as viewed from a dark sky site. The meteor streaks are the sand size pieces of the comet's tail quickly entering our upper atmosphere.

Begin observing after 11:00 p.m. when the "club" portion of the constellation Orion rises directly east. At this time, both the bright stars Betelgeuse and Rigel lie near the horizon. As the night proceeds, this grouping of stars rises higher making more meteors visible.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Saturn just misses Mercury and Venus

2009-10-07T08:54:00.003-04:00

Over the next week, three planets can be found close to the eastern horizon in the morning twilight. The brightest, Venus is also the highest, at least initially. Saturn rises higher each morning, catching Mercury on the morning of October 8. A pair of binoculars will help see these two planets clearly.

As the mornings pass, Saturn continues moving higher, leaving Mercury behind and approaching Venus. On the 13th, Saturn and Venus lie closely together. Again, binoculars help separate the planetary pair. Saturn, then, moves higher, pulling away from Venus.

On the morning of the 16th, the thin crescent moon hangs just to the right of Venus and Saturn, making an interesting celestial triangle. The moon will be awash with earthshine. Now, that should be an empyreal sight!

Such is our view from Earth ...

Mars slides past Castor and Pollux

2009-10-06T11:00:00.002-04:00

The Red Planet, Mars, moves across the constellation Gemini this month. It is currently creeping below its brighter stars, Castor and Pollux, taking several days to eventually form a straight line with them. Mars will be the brightest of the three. The moon moves into the area on October 11 and 12, helping to positively identify Mars.

Look high in the south at 6:00 a.m. for this scene. Over the next three months, Mars grows brighter and rises much earlier. By January it will be one of the brightest objects in the evening sky.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Saturn, Mercury, and Venus begin their dance

2009-10-03T19:01:00.002-04:00

For the next several mornings, Saturn, Mercury, and Venus all appear close together in the east 45 minutes before sunrise. As the mornings progress, Saturn rises higher and passes Mercury, then it catches bright Venus. For a better view, use binoculars.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Moon identifies Jupiter

2009-09-27T11:25:00.003-04:00

On this Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the moon glides next to bright Jupiter, giving a positive ID of the giant planet. Simply look to the southeast at 8 pm just when darkness is falling. Look at Jupiter with binoculars. How many tiny moons in a row do you see? Don't be confused by the star just to the lower left of the planet. The moons hug the planet much closer than the star which is called Iota Capricorni.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Early morning, late September

2009-09-20T16:33:00.002-04:00

Planets roam the brightening morning sky. By the time twilight begins, Mars is high in the east near the bright stars Castor and Pollux in Gemini. The Red Planet slowly creeps through that constellation while rising slightly earlier each morning. Venus, on the other hand, is low in the eastern twilight. Each morning, it very slightly moves closer to the horizon, taking a few more months to reach it. Both Saturn and Mercury are currently obscured by the sun. In a couple of weeks, they will appear, inching out of the solar glare.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Our morning sky

2009-09-13T11:09:00.003-04:00

This week, the moon moves between Mars and Venus. On the morning of September 14, the waning moon hovers just below reddish Mars. Twenty-four hours later, it lies near the distant star cluster known as the Beehive. This is an interesting sight through binoculars contrasting the bright 240,000 mile distant moon with the dim stars of the 500 light-year distant Beehive.

On the 16th, the thin crescent moon sits next to brilliant Venus, making an intriguing sight. Earthshine, which is back reflected sunlight off the Earth, really enhances the scene. This will be a great way to start the day!

To see these sights, simply look to the east about 6 a.m.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Stargazing for the Curious Skywatcher

2009-09-13T09:59:00.000-04:00

"Stargazing for the Curious Skywatcher," a six-week non-credit adult education course, will be offered at the Greenfield Education and Training Center in Daleveille on Thursdays from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. beginning September 24. The instructor is Master Observer John Goss of Fincastle, an amateur astronomer. Students will experience the wonders of the Milky Way including star forming nebulae, newly born star clusters, and the ejected shells of dying stars. They will learn to recognize early fall bright stars and constellations. They will spy craters on our Earth's moon, and watch the large moons of Jupiter shuttle around that giant planet. They will see the famous Andromeda Galaxy that lies almost 3 million light-years away. The cost of the course, which is sponsored by Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, is $85. The textbook and planisphere may be purchased the first night of class; a telescope is not needed. Call Non-Credit Coordinator Judy Clark at (540) 863-2863 or email jclark@dslcc.edu to register.

Venus encounters the "Beehive"

2009-08-30T09:45:00.002-04:00

One of the prettiest star clusters viewed through binoculars is M44 in Cancer, otherwise known as the "Beehive." This week brilliant Venus just misses sliding through the Beehive. On September 1 and 2, the brilliant planet passes directly south of the star cluster. Observe this with binoculars after 5:30 a.m. Compare their distances from Earth: Venus currently orbits 120 million miles — or 11 light-minutes — away and the dim stars of the Beehive lie 500 light-years from our little blue world!

Such is our view from Earth ...

Mars is sliding next to a mysterious glow

2009-08-27T14:32:00.002-04:00

Over the next several nights, Mars shines brightly in the constellation Gemini. For binocular observers, the Red Planet is positioned near a dim cluster of stars known as M35. Watch each night as the bright Mars scoots by the 2800 light year distant cluster. As the weeks progress, the planet grows brighter. Now it is about equal to the bright star in Taurus, Aldebaran.

Look low in the northeast after 2 a.m. or high in the east after 4 a.m. to see this sight.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Perseid Meteor Shower 2009

2009-08-11T12:28:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow morning the annual Perseid Meteor Shower reaches its peak. Tonight and tomorrow night will see perhaps 60 meteors streaking across our skies. Most likely, though, far fewer meteors will be seen due to the bright third quarter moon washing out the dark sky.

After 11:30 tonight and tomorrow night, look from a dark location to the northeast. It may take a few seconds or ten minutes before you see your first meteor. Happy hunting!

Such is our view from Earth ...

Your name on Mars

2009-06-09T10:01:00.002-04:00

NASA is taking names for its 2011 mission to Mars. No, not people, just their names. If you want your name to be transported to Mars on a microchip in 2011, then now is the time to sign up!

http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/participate/sendyourname/

Such is our view from Earth ...

Our busy morning sky

2009-05-17T10:28:00.003-04:00

Over the next several weeks, our morning sky is active with planetary sights. The thinning crescent moon slides between Jupiter and Venus on May 18. Three mornings later, the moon catches Venus, forming an intriguing pair with it and the much dimmer Mars.

For the rest of May, Mars rises with brilliant Venus, lying just to its left. Observe this before 5:15 so morning twilight won't interfere with the conjunction of these two planets.

Another interesting sight awaits those Skywatchers armed with binoculars. Look at Jupiter and use the chart to distinguish the very dim Neptune to Jupiter's upper left. Jupiter is represented by the yellow bar and text, Neptune by the white. The star directly to the west Jupiter, perhaps partially concealed in its glare, is Mu Capricorni. Neptune is to Mu's left. Neptune lies nearly 3 billion miles away, over 6 times farther than bright Jupiter! Look for these two worlds before 4:30 a.m. as Neptune needs dark skies to be visible.

Such is our view from Earth ...

See the Moon and Saturn this Sunday

2009-04-24T12:57:00.003-04:00

On Sunday evening, there will be telescopes set up at Greenfield in Botetourt for the public to view the crescent Moon and the ringed-planet Saturn. The event will begin at 8:45 and end around 9:45. Go to the end of International Parkway to the turn-around.

Everyone is welcome!

Such is our view from Earth ...

Moon and Jupiter and Venus and Mars

2009-04-18T07:25:00.004-04:00

Over the next five mornings, the crescent Moon slides by bright Jupiter, brilliant Venus, and dim Mars. This is a great time to positively ID these distant worlds. Tomorrow morning at 6, look to the south-southeast for the thinning crescent Moon glowing next to Jupiter. The following two mornings, our Moon moves to the east catching Venus on April 22. Look at Venus and the Moon through binoculars. A steady hand reveals Venus' tiny, thin crescent which points towards the not-yet-risen sun. The binoculars show many craters on our Moon.

The following morning, the Moon glides to Venus' east becoming even thinner. It may be difficult to see.

What about Mars? The fourth planet from the Sun, lies to the lower right of Venus. It certainly doesn't stand out in the brightening dawn sky. Over the next nine months it slowly becomes more prominent and by Christmas, it will be nearly as bright as Jupiter.

Such is our view from Earth ...

The Moon below, then above the Pleiades

2009-03-29T08:41:00.003-04:00

The crescent moon is always a pretty sight. Tonight and tomorrow night, it joins the Pleiades star cluster in the western sky directly after sunset. Can you see the Earthshine (sunlight reflected off the Earth and cast on to the moon)? How many stars can you see belonging to the Pleiades?

Such is our view from Earth ...

A pairing at dawn

2009-03-21T08:44:00.002-04:00

Our moon glides next to Jupiter in the sky 60 minutes before sunrise tomorrow. Look to the southeast for this and you'll see the crescent moon seemingly full with Earthshine just to the giant planet's right. Jupiter is 40 times bigger than our moon, but 2000 times farther away.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Final call for Venus

2009-03-19T10:59:00.003-04:00

Over the next several nights, Venus sinks quickly in the western sky directly after sunset. This is your best chance to view through binoculars our nearest planetary neighbor. With a steady hand, you should have no trouble seeing its very thin crescent phase. By next Thursday, the planet will be very difficult to spot because it will be very close to the western horizon as the sun sets.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Count the stars

2009-03-17T09:33:00.002-04:00

If you would like to help the understanding of light pollution, Last night began a study of the night sky in which people can participate. The Globe at Night program aims to measure sky glow around the globe by comparing the number of stars seen from many, many locations on our planet. You can observe the number of stars you see in the constellation Orion and submit your results to the GaN folks who will compile all the recordings from across the globe. See Globe at Night for all the details on how you can participate in the fun, but important planet-wide project.

http://www.globe.gov/GaN/

Such is our view from Earth ...

The closest planet

2009-02-24T14:39:00.003-05:00

You can't miss Venus shining in the west right after sunset until it sets about 8:30 p.m. If you aim binoculars at this brilliant world, you will see a tiny crescent caught in the glare of the planet. Wear sunglasses for a better view. Over the next few weeks, Venus moves between the Earth and the sun, which it finally does so on March 27. Up until then, the apparent size from tip to tip of the crescent will grow while the thickness of the crescent becomes thinner.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Learn more about your telescope and the night sky!

2009-01-28T10:37:00.001-05:00

Stargazing for the Curious Skywatcher – Tuesdays, Feb. 17-March 24, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., $85, plus cost of book and planisphere. Tour the universe and learn how to see lunar craters , planets and their moons. Room 122, Greenfield Education and Training Center at Daleville. Instructor: John Goss. (PYSC 1100-G1N, #74487)

"Use that 'Scope!" -- Saturday, Jan. 31, 9:00 a.m .to noon, Moomaw Center, main campus, Clifton Forge. $20. Instructor: John Goss. Get a new telescope for Christmas and not sure how to use it? Learn how to use your new 'scope to find fun sky objects. Be sure to bring your telescope with you! Inclement weather date: Feb. 7. (PHSC 1101-M1K, #74706).

Changing Planets

2009-01-11T09:12:00.005-05:00

The planetary players in our southwestern sky have changed over the past month. Jupiter is now too close to the horizon in the bright evening twilight to be seen. Mercury still can be found low about 30 minutes after sunset. It drops below the horizon around 6:30.

Venus reaches is greatest angular distance from the sun on January 14. It is at its highest in the western sky this year when it is first spotted which, for careful skywatchers, is just before the sun drops below the horizon. As darkness falls, Venus glows brilliantly, often being confused for an approaching airplane, or even a UFO. From a dark location, Venus is so bright that it can cast a shadow!

Such is our view from Earth ...

Moon passes Jupiter and Mercury

2008-12-30T11:18:00.002-05:00

Last night, the Moon passed Jupiter and Mercury, which were very low in the southwestern sky at 6:00 p.m. Tonight, the Moon will be situated half way between brilliant Venus and twinkling Jupiter. If you look closely, you will see a dimmer Mercury directly to the left of Jupiter.

New Year's Eve evening, the Moon will be next to Venus and Mercury will be next to Jupiter.

Such is our view from Earth ...

The evening southwestern horizon

2008-12-29T12:59:00.003-05:00

If skies are clear this week, there are three planets visible in our southwestern evening sky. As it has been doing all month, Venus climbs higher and becomes brighter. Jupiter has dropped closer to the horizon and tiny Mercury pushes slightly higher than Jupiter.

Tonight, the thin crescent moon sits just above the Jupiter - Mercury duo. Binoculars help give a better view.
By New Year's Eve, the moon moves next to Venus, giving a striking combination.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Astronomically, winter is here

2008-12-21T07:55:00.001-05:00

Today the Earth reaches the point in its orbit where its polar axis reaches its most extreme angle with respect to the position of the sun. Our planet's north pole is tilted at its greatest angle away from the sun, and our south pole is tilted at its greatest angle towards the sun. In other words, it is the first day of winter in the northern hemisphere and the first day of summer in the southern hemisphere.

Also, the time that the sun is above the horizon is the least for the next 365 days, being 9 hours 36 minutes for Roanoke. Compare this with the time on the first day of summer which is 14 hours 44 minutes.

Such is our view on Earth ...

Line Up

2008-12-07T08:35:00.003-05:00

Four planets and the Sun arrange themselves in a line up this week. Mars, on the far side of its orbit, is situated behind the Sun and so is Mercury. Because they appear close to the Sun, they can not be seen. Jupiter sets about 7:45 p.m. and can be found in the southwest 30 minutes after sunset. Venus, quite a bit brighter than Jupiter, follows it to the horizon setting around 8:00 p.m.

This time every year the Sun is located not in a familiar constellation of the zodiac, but a relatively unknown one, Ophiuchus. It drifts eastward through it until December 18 when it crosses the border into Sagittarius.

The final "bright" planet, Saturn, rises in the east about 11:45 p.m. in Leo. By dawn, it is high in the south. The 3rd quarter Moon is close to it on the 18th and 19th.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Position of Jupiter and Venus

2008-12-03T17:48:00.003-05:00

From our point of view on Earth, Venus and Jupiter have appeared near each other over the past couple of weeks. Jupiter happens to lie almost on the ecliptic, which is the plane of the Earth's orbit projected onto the celestial sphere. Venus is a couple of degrees below it.

Monday evening's close triple conjunction had the Moon also 2º below the ecliptic. About 1 pm on that day, the Moon occulted Venus, ie., it appeared to move in front of it. It was daytime here in Virginia, but it was early evening in London. They must have had a spectacular sight!

Such is our view from Earth ...

Best Celestial Sight of 2008

2008-11-30T09:35:00.003-05:00

The early evening sky on December 1st holds something special. Jupiter and Venus are approaching each other and will be at their closest separation on that date. It is made even more remarkable by the addition of the thin crescent Moon, full with Earthshine. These three bodies in our solar system fit in the same field of view of a pair of binoculars giving a spectacular arrangement.

Even though they look like they are right next to one another, they are nowhere near each other in space. The Moon glows 250,000 miles away, while Venus and Jupiter respectively lie 93,000,000 and 540,000,000 miles from Virginia.

This all adds up to be the prettiest celestial sight of the year. Look to the southwest between 5:30 and 7:15 p.m. and you won't be disappointed!

Venus rises to greet Jupiter

2008-11-28T18:13:00.003-05:00

The two brightest planets in our evening sky are getting together. Venus rises higher each night approaching Jupiter in the southwestern sky. They are next to each other on December 1. Don't miss viewing them over the next few nights, if the weather permits!

Such is our view from Earth ...

For a good view of the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Endeavor ...

2008-11-18T11:50:00.001-05:00

On Thursday and Saturday evenings, people in the Roanoke area have good opportunities to see the International Space Station with the Space Shuttle Endeavor docked to it as they pass directly overhead. They will appear together as a single bright star, growing to the brightness of Jupiter, which lies in the southwest as darkness falls.

At about 6:12 p.m. on Thursday, look to the southwest just to the right of bright Jupiter and brilliant Venus. The station-shuttle pair appears as a star moving upwards in the sky. It takes three minutes to advance overhead, brightening all the while. Another minute passes before they disappear in the Earth's shadow high in the northeast.

The pair appears again on Saturday evening, this time beginning at 5:30 p.m in a brighter sky. Look to the upper right of Venus and Jupiter for this moving pair which appears as one starlike object. By 5:32, it is directly overhead, and three minutes later, it disappears from view as it enter the Earth's shadow.

When they are overhead, the pair are at their closest to us, some 225 miles above our heads.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Spot the launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavor

2008-11-12T17:40:00.002-05:00

Friday's launch of the space shuttle Endeavor gives observers along the Blue Ridge Parkway an interesting sight. Since it is scheduled to take off at 7:55 p.m., the shuttle rocket exhaust can be seen from this part of Virginia. Five to seven minutes after it lifts off in Florida it passes off Virginia Beach as it flies over the ocean. If we have clear skies to our southeast and east, the shuttle can be spotted as a swiftly moving "star" low above the horizon. It will pass below the Pleiades star cluster. Then it should approach the bright star Aldebaran in Taurus. The shuttle should be brighter, though. As it moves up the East Coast, it will pass the gibbous Moon before it disappears.

Keep your fingers crossed for a clear eastern sky!

Such is our view from Earth ...

Jupiter slides towards Venus

2008-11-09T10:31:00.003-05:00

As night falls in the western sky, two cloud covered worlds can be easily seen. One moves higher each evening, the other moves lower.

Venus, the third brightest object in the sky behind the Sun and the Moon, shines brilliantly above the horizon. Each evening it appears to be slightly higher and a little more distant from the Sun.

Jupiter, while not as bright as Venus, is easy to see, nonetheless. As November progresses, it slides towards the brighter Venus. By the end of the month, they lie next to each, giving a fascinating combination.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Mercury and the Moon

2008-10-22T10:45:00.003-04:00

For the next week, Mercury makes an appearance in the morning sky 40 minutes before sunrise. Look to the east at 6:50 a.m. for a starlike object hovering low above the horizon. This is Mercury. On October 26, the moon is to its upper right and above the moon shines Saturn. (One morning earlier the moon sat to the right of Saturn.) This is the year's best opportunity to see little Mercury since it is so close to the sun most of the time.

Such is our view from Earth ...

The Great World Wide Star Count

2008-10-20T09:24:00.002-04:00

If you ever think about light pollution and how it affects your area, there is an event beginning today which will help map the light pollution problem. The Great World Wide Star Count is an effort to measure the darkness of the skies around the world by comparing the stars that you see with those on designated star charts.

The activity is simple:
1. Observe the constellation Cygnus, which appears nearly overhead this time of year around 9 pm.
2. Compare the stars that you see with the stars on a series of maps. Choose the map that most accurately represents the stars in Cygnus.
3. Report your observations to the GWWSC headquarters.

All the information you need can be found at www.starcount.org

This a great stargazing activity that anyone, from ages 8 to 80, can do anyplace, in the city or country.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Mercury revealed

2008-10-17T13:49:00.002-04:00

Of the five bright planets, Mercury is the most elusive because it never strays far from the sun When it can be seen, it is found in the bright twilight, either before sunrise or after sunset. For the next ten mornings, this little world rises high enough by 6:45 a.m. that it can be easily seen — if the sky is clear and the horizon is unobstructed. Look directly east for a starlike object above the horizon — that's Mercury. To its left, in the east northeast, shines the star Arcturus. About an equal distance away from Mercury, but above it, lies Saturn.

Follow Mercury over the next 10 mornings and you'll quickly notice that it does move with respect to the background stars. It should because it takes only 90 days to make one complete revolution around the sun.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Special Observing at Williamson Rd Library

2008-10-03T21:12:00.003-04:00

See the Moon and Planets!

Join us to discover the wonders in the sky! See the craters on the Moon, the clouds of brilliant Venus, and the moons of mighty Jupiter.

Members of the Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society will provide telescopes for you to look at these amazing sights.

Everyone of all ages is invited to this FREE event!

Monday October 6, 7:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. on the lawn of the Williamson Road Public Library. If it's cloudy or raining, the event will be October 8.

******************************
¡Vean la Luna y los Planetas!

Juntémosnos para descubrir las maravillas del cielo! Observemos los cráteres de la Luna, el brillante planeta Venus y las lunas del imponente Júpiter. Miembros de la RVAS (Sociedad Astronómica del Valle de Roanoke) tendrán sus telescopios.

¡Todos están invitados al evento gratuito! Lunes, el 6 de octubre, a las 19h00 hasta las 20h00 en el césped de la biblioteca Williamson Road Public Library. Si está nublado o llueve, el evento será miércoles, el 8 de octubre.

***************************************
Quan sát Mặt Trăng và các Hành Tinh!
Xin mời cùng chúng tôi khám phá những kỳ quan trên
không gian! Xem những hố trũng trên Mặt Trăng, những
vầng mây của hành tinh Vệ Nữ sáng chói, và các mặt trăng
của Mộc Tinh vĩ đại.
Những hội viên của Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society
sẽ cung cấp viễn vọng kính để các bạn xem các quang cảnh
gây sửng sốt này.
Xin mời các bạn không giới hạn tuổi tác đến tham dự buổ i
quan sát MIỄN PHÍ này!

Moon approaches Jupiter

2008-10-02T19:57:00.002-04:00

As our moon orbits the Earth, it passes all the planets, at least as viewed from Earth. Tonight, it appeared to the left of Venus. On October 6th, it hangs just below Jupiter.

Such is our view from Earth ...

9/29 - 10/4 — The view from Earth: The first 1 billion miles

2008-09-28T09:22:00.001-04:00

Sun: As seen from our earthly perspective, our parent star lies in Virgo.

Mercury: The solar system’s smallest planet is moving between the Earth and the Sun. It can not be seen after sunset because appears too close to the Sun.

Venus: This bright Earth-sized world shines low in the west 30 minutes after sunset. It is swinging away from the Sun as it slowly catches up to the Earth, which it won’t do until late March 2009.

Moon: On October 2nd, the crescent Moon and Venus are separated by 10º, which is the same apparent distance that your fist has on your outstretched arm. In other words, your fist fits between Venus and the Moon.

Mars: The Red Planet is moving behind the Sun and won’t be visible again until March 2009.

Jupiter: At 7:30 p.m., the giant planet hangs low in the southern portion of our sky in eastern Sagittarius.

Saturn: This ringed world rises directly east at 6:00 a.m. It is in Leo.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Learn about stargazing from the Curious Skywatcher

2008-09-09T09:45:00.002-04:00

Adult Education Courses
Fall 2008, Botetourt County
Sponsored by Dabney S. Lancaster Community College
To register, contact NonCredit
Coordinator Judy Clark at (540) 8632863
or email
jclark@dslcc.edu. Toll free: (877) 73DSLCC, ext. 2863.
Greenfield Education and Training Center
57 S. Center Drive, Daleville, VA
Astronomy
Stargazing for the Curious Skywatcher
Tuesdays, Sept. 23 – Oct. 28, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., $85, Room 122. Instructor John Goss. Tour
the universe and learn how to see lunar craters, planets and their moons, constellations, star
clusters, etc. Book & planisphere may be purchased first night. (PHSC 1100G1N,
#77508)

ID Jupiter

2008-09-08T09:44:00.002-04:00

Our Moon points out Jupiter on the evening of September 9.

The gibbous Moon lies just below the bright planet in our early evening sky. Look at Jupiter through binoculars. If you hold them steady, just to Jupiter's right are four dim objects, all in a row. The planet's glare may prevent you from seeing all of them, but the one farther to the right should be visible. These are Jupiter's four largest moons. The one to the far right is Callisto. The other three proceeding towards the planet are Europa, Io, and Ganymede. Ganymede is the solar system's largest moon — larger than the planet Mercury. If you look on the following night, the moon will have rearranged themselves as they orbit the giant planet.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Venus and Mars are all right tonight

2008-09-07T13:41:00.002-04:00

This week Venus and Mars can be found low in the west shortly after sunset. Every night, Venus appears slightly higher in the western sky while Mars drops lower.

Look to the west about 8:00 p.m. If you have a low unobstructed horizon, you should see a bright "star" near the horizon. That is Venus, our solar system's second planet from the sun. Through binoculars you may glimpse Mercury below Venus.

Tonight, Mars will be to the upper left of Venus. You'll probably need binoculars to catch it in the bright twilight. Over the next 4 nights, Venus and Mars grow closer. On September 11, Venus finally passes Mars when they will be practically bump into each other. You'll need binoculars to see this.

No doubt about it, this will be a tough sight to see because of the twilight and low altitude of these two planets.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Venus has returned

2008-08-29T22:35:00.002-04:00

Over the past 3 months, Venus has swung around the far side of the sun and appears now in our western sky just after sunset. In June it was positioned behind the sun and was impossible to see. Now, it has moved away from the sun so it can be glimpsed in the bright evening twilight.

Look tonight to the west about 8:15 p.m. You should see a steady "star" — Venus — close to the horizon. Look at it again, this time through binoculars. At the lower left edge of the field lies another object, Mercury. By 8:30 at both Mercury and Venus begin to hug the horizon, dimmer Mars pops into view to Mercury's upper left. There you have the first four planets in our solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth (you are standing on it) and Mars. Directly south glows bright Jupiter, number 5 from the sun.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Venus meets Saturn

2008-08-13T10:51:00.002-04:00

Tonight and tomorrow night just after sunset, the planets Venus and Saturn get together. From our point of view, they lie next to each other very low above the western horizon. You may be unable to spot them because of the mountain ridges. If you have a clear western horizon, scan the area with binoculars about 8:45. Venus will be the brighter of the pair — Saturn may be difficult to see.

Good luck!

Such is our view from Earth ...

Mid-Summer Classic: Perseid Meteor Shower

2008-08-11T15:49:00.002-04:00

Tonight and tomorrow night is the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower. On both nights, the bright Moon will wash out the sky. But after it sets, prime meteor watching begins! Tonight, after 1:30 a.m. (8/12), begin observing from a dark spot away from city lights. Tomorrow night begin about 2:30 a.m. (8/13). If the weather cooperates, you may see several dozen meteors per hour. The published rates are higher because those values take into account the unobserved meteors streaking behind you and the dimmer meteors that are difficult to spot.

Good luck!

Such is our view from Earth ...

Demanding Jupiter

2008-08-09T08:01:00.003-04:00

For the rest of August and into much of September, bright Jupiter demands our attention in the southeast just after sunset. By midnight the mighty planet moves low in the south. By 3 a.m. it begins to set in the southwest.

Extend your left arm, spread your left hand, and place your little finger over Jupiter. Your hand covers the "teapot" asterism of the constellation Sagittarius. Look closely, the group of stars really do resemble a teapot! This is a great area of the sky to scan with binoculars, revealing many fuzzy features. You are really seeing star forming nebulae, giant clusters of stars, and dark lanes amid star fields. You are gazing toward the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way, some 26,000 light years distant. The star fields you see aren't nearly that far — only 6000 light years away! More distant objects are blocked by interstellar galactic gas and dust.

Look again at the solar system's largest planet — 10 times the diameter of our Earth — this time with binoculars. If your focus is sharp and your hands are steady, you can discern a small round disk with 1, 2, 3, or 4 "stars" in a row close to the planet. Those aren't stars but Jupiter's four largest moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Io and Europa will be the most difficult to spot since they always appear very close to the planet, but a small telescope can pick them out quite easily.

Jupiter currently is the brightest object, other than the Moon, in our night sky. Later this year, Venus plays a bigger, i.e., brighter, role. Now, however, Venus sets just after the sun and is difficult to spot above the mountain ridges.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Fall Class: Stargazing for the Curious Skywatcher

2008-08-06T09:03:00.002-04:00

If you would like to learn more about the fascinating avocation of stargazing, here is a class for you!

Fall 2008
Sponsored by Dabney S. Lancaster Community College
To register, contact NonCredit
Coordinator Judy Clark at (540) 8632863
or email
jclark@dslcc.edu. Toll free: (877) 73DSLCC, ext. 2863.
Greenfield Education and Training Center
57 S. Center Drive, Daleville, VA
Astronomy
Stargazing for the Curious Skywatcher
Tuesdays, Sept. 23 – Oct. 28, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., $85, Room 122. Instructor John Goss. Tour
the universe and learn how to see lunar craters, planets and their moons, constellations, star
clusters, etc. Book & planisphere may be purchased first night. (PHSC 1100G1N,
#77508)

This will be a great opportunity to learn about our autumn sky.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Partial Solar Eclipse before sunrise on 8/01

2008-07-29T09:22:00.004-04:00

The sun will be partially blocked (about 25%) by the Moon on August 1. For people in Roanoke, though, the sun will still be far below the eastern horizon and, therefore, they will miss out on this event. But this is not so on other parts of our planet. People in Europe, where is sun has been above the horizon for a couple of hours, will catch this partial eclipse, if their weather permits.

Observers in China and Siberia will see this event as a rare total eclipse when the Moon passes directly in front of the sun. When it does that, stars and planets can be seen near the sun. The planet Mercury shines to the lower left of the eclipsed sun and the star cluster M44 in Cancer is just above the sun/Moon pair. Venus, which is not shown on the drawing, lies to the far lower left of Mercury.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Mars says goodbye to Saturn

2008-07-13T14:25:00.002-04:00

For the past month, Mars has been approaching the bright star Regulus and Saturn. It has now passed both of them. In the image above, Mars is to Saturn's left while Regulus is far below both of them. Mars continues moving away from the Ringed Planet as they both slowly descend lower in the western sky each evening. Saturn's role is just about over for this summer. Mars will stay with us for another month or so.

Look to the southeast after twilight ends for Jupiter. It is easily the brightest object in the night sky, other than our familiar moon.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Mars meets Saturn

2008-07-10T17:13:00.002-04:00

The solar system's second smallest planet moves next to the second largest planet. Tonight around 10 p.m. look to the west for these two worlds appearing close to each other. Mars may be closer to the Earth, but Saturn is much larger making it appear brighter than the Red Planet. Saturn lies over 900 million miles from us, while Mars sits 200 million miles away. Saturn is roughly 16 times the diameter of little Mars.

Tomorrow night, Mars will begin to move away from Saturn.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Mars greets Regulus

2008-06-30T08:20:00.002-04:00

Tonight, Mars reaches its closest apparent distance to the bright star Regulus in Leo. In the image above, Mars and Regulus are the two starlike objects near the bottom of the scene. Mars can be seen as being the redder of the two.

Tomorrow night, Mars will have moved slightly above Regulus as it begins its approach to Saturn on July 10. Saturn is the bright object to Mars and Regulus' upper left.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Early morning scene

2008-06-28T11:37:00.002-04:00

Monday morning, before dawn brightens in the east, the Moon floats next to the Pleiades star cluster. Look to the east after moonrise at 3:30 a.m. The Moon, full with Earthshine, glows just to the lower left of the Pleiades as they rise higher. Use binoculars to pick out the cluster's individual stars popping out behind the Moon's dark side. Does the Lunar light overpower the tiny cluster? By 5:15, the brightening twilight washes out the Pleiades, leaving only the crescent Moon.

This is the same Pleiades cluster that Mercury was position near just two months, but in the early evening sky. Since then, the Earth has moved 1/6 around the sun, giving us a slightly different perspective in relationship to the sun's location on the celestial dome.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Mars on the move, 6/23

2008-06-24T12:56:00.004-04:00

From our perspective on Earth, Mars is moving through the constellation Leo approaching the bright star Regulus. In the image above, Mars is to the lower right of Regulus. Saturn is to the upper left of Regulus. Can you notice that the color of Mars is ruddy? Keep looking over the next two to three weeks to see Mars pass Regulus, then Saturn.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Mars moving toward Regulus

2008-06-22T11:23:00.003-04:00

Over the next few weeks in our western sky after twilight ends, Mars approaches the bright star Regulus, then Saturn. Tonight, Mars will be equidistant from Regulus as Saturn is but on Regulus's opposite side. The Red Planet will not be as bright as Regulus, which is not as bright as Saturn. By June 30 Mars moves next to Regulus and by July 10 it passes Saturn.

Look about 10:30 p.m. in the west for this trio.

Such is our view from Earth ...

International Space Station and Shuttle, together again

2008-06-03T14:26:00.005-04:00

On Friday June 6 beginning at 10:21:15, the International Space Station — with the Space Shuttle attached — can be seen as a starlike object in the northwest. It will appear to the right of the cresent Moon and will brighten signifcantly as it passes nearly overhead at 10:24:11, near the bright star Arcturus. At this point, it will be brighter than any object in the sky, except the Moon. It should be as bright as Jupiter, which rises in the southeast at 11:30 p.m. The ISS/Shuttle disappears into the Earth's shadow 14 seconds after passing Arcturus.

On Sunday June 8, the ISS/Shuttle combination can be seen again, this time in brighter skies. Look to the northwest for them to come into view at 9:30:17 p.m. They reach maximum brightness when they are overhead at 9:33:10. They disappear after 9:35 as they near the southeastern horizon to the left of Antares.

When they are at their maximum brightness near the star Arcturus, they are only about 225 miles above you.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Inner planets align

2008-05-30T10:17:00.004-04:00

Two weeks ago, Mercury was found in our low western sky just after sunset. Today, it is gone from view. Two months ago, Venus shone brightly in our eastern sky in the morning twilight. Today, it is gone from view. Both of these worlds have moved in their orbits so that they are slowly approaching the sun, at least from our viewpoint.

On June 7, Mercury is at its farthest from the sun as it can be. It is also passing between the sun and the Earth, which means that Mercury is as close to the Earth as it can come — 51 million miles.

On June 8, Venus is on the opposite side of the sun from the Earth, lying 161 million miles away.

These two inner planets are there, they just can't be seen by viewers on Earth. They are in near alignment with each other and the sun.

Such is our view from Earth...

Mars amid the Bees

2008-05-22T23:07:00.003-04:00

Tonight and tomorrow night, Mars slides through the Beehive cluster in the heart of Cancer. A pair of 10 x 50 binoculars easily show the event.

In the image: to the lower right of Mars are the stars Pollux and Castor in Gemini. To the upper left of Mars shines Regulus and Saturn, with Saturn being the brighter of the two. The Beehive is the dim blurry bundle just to the Mars' left. Both Mars and the Bees are nearly centered within the diamond shaped skep.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Mars meets M44

2008-05-18T11:43:00.002-04:00

Earlier this month, Mars drifted past Pollux and Castor in Gemini. Over the next 10 days, Mars moves through the heart of Cancer and across the star cluster M44. Bring out the binoculars to see this event in the western sky at 10 p.m between May 18 and 26. On May 19, the Red Planet will be next to the dim star Eta Cancri. You need to look carefully, as they will be quite close. Mars' glare may overwhelming, but it's worth a try.

On May 22 and 23, Mars moves just above M44. This whole scene is contained in a box of stars: Gamma, Eta, Theta, and Delta Cancri. At this time, Mars will be only 167,000,000 miles from our little blue world while the stars of M44 will be 500 x 5,900,000,000,000 miles away.

Such is our view from Earth ...

Moon passes Mercury

2008-05-07T07:26:00.002-04:00

Last night, the Moon hovered just to the upper right of Mercury. From 8:50 p.m. until they sank below the wnw ridgeline, they gave an enchanting sight.

Tonight the crescent Moon will be quite a bit above the little planet, perhaps 25 of its diameters above it. Be sure to use binoculars for a better view.

Such is our view from Earth...

Mercury: A Challenge, Mars: Continues Marching

2008-05-05T22:46:00.003-04:00

Shortly after sunset, the small planet Mercury is visible very low in the wnw. If the air is clear, it is surprising how bright it is. Just to Mercury's left is the brightest star in Taurus, Aldebaran. See the image above.

On Wednesday after 8:45 p.m. the crescent moon is to the right of Mercury. For the next 10 days or so, the little planet climbs higher each evening becoming easier to spot. By the third week of May, though, it rapidly drops from view as it moves between the Earth and the sun.

Mars continues its journey past Castor and Pollux. The "triplets" are easily seen in the image above.

Such is our view from Earth..

Mercury Moves in May

2008-05-03T13:31:00.002-04:00

Our solar system's smallest planet makes its best evening appearance for 2008. Mercury can be found after 8:50 p.m. and before 9:20 p.m. in the wnw. Every night until May 14th, it rises higher as it swings in its orbit away from the sun. Mercury can be seen, if the horizon is low enough and the air is clear enough, as a starlike object just above the horizon. Binoculars greatly help in the hunt.

On the evening of May 6, our thin crescent moon is placed just to Mercury's upper right. This should allow for an easier time identifying this little world.

Such is our view from Earth...

Gemini, the triplets?

2008-04-23T21:26:00.004-04:00

The last week of April and the first week of May find Mars moving past the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux. On April 27, the Red Planet forms an interesting squashed isosceles triangle with those two similarly bright objects. A straight line can then be drawn from Pollux through Mars to the brighter star Procyon in Canis Minor. On May 3, Mars moves to form a straight line with Castor and Pollux. All three objects form the "triplets of Gemini" but only for 1 night.

Such is our view from Earth...

Moon occults the Pleiades

2008-04-06T14:41:00.002-04:00

Tuesday April 8 brings the Curious Skywatcher an enchanting sight. After darkness settles, the thin crescent moon hovers serenely in the west. It glows almost magically with Earthshine. Just above it glitters the diminutive dipper-shaped cluster of stars, the Pleiades. Beginning about 9:30 the moon slowly moves in front of the Pleiades' northern edge.

Look through binoculars at this pretty scene until it sets shortly after 11 p.m. Some stars disappear behind the moon's disk, some stars pop out from behind the crescent's rim. The moon moves!

Such is our view from Earth...

Mars is on the move

2008-03-24T14:31:00.002-04:00

After several months of lurking near the Gemini-Taurus-Auriga borders, Mars makes its move to the east. On March 28, 29, and 30, the Red Planet glows next to the not-so-bright star Mebsuta in Gemini. Try using binoculars to separate the pair. By April 16, it sits next to another little known star, Wasat. Again, bring out the binoculars to split them.

An isosceles triangle is formed on April 27 when Mars begins to pass Pollux and Castor. All three of these objects have about the same brightness. Mars continues for another week when it then lines up with the twins, making for a triplet!

Such is our view from Earth...

The Inner Planets, pt. 2

2008-03-02T07:52:00.003-05:00

Mercury is often difficult to spot, but not now — if the skies are clear. In the first part of March, the solar system's smallest planet appears in our dawn sky close to the-easily-viewed Venus. Look to the southeast at about 6:10 to 6:15 a.m. for bright Venus poking above the horizon. Much dimmer Mercury lies to its upper right. Binoculars will help you discover this diminutive world.

Good hunting!

Such is our view from Earth...

The Two Inner Planets

2008-02-28T15:20:00.002-05:00

Mornings during the seven days or so offer the skywatcher a chance to glimpse our solar system's two inner planets, Mercury and Venus. Their angular separation from the sun isn't great so they rise shortly before sunrise. Try looking very low in the east at 6:20 a.m. for bright Venus with dimmer Mercury above it. On March 5, the thin crescent moon joins them, but all three may be lost in the brightening twilight.

Such is our view from Earth...

Eclipse and clouds

2008-02-20T18:59:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately, the weather in southwest Virginia includes a generous amount of clouds during the total eclipse of the moon tonight. Therefore, the public observing near Explore Park session is cancelled. This certainly does not rule out people looking up on their own! Give it a try!

Even if it is cloudy, the backlit clouds resulting from the full moon, will be absent during totality. Between 10 and 11 pm, the clouds should be dark, except for any up-lighting from city lights below.

Such is our view from southwest Virginia...

Public viewing of the eclipse

2008-02-20T08:57:00.002-05:00

If the skies are clear tonight, the total eclipse is for all to see!
Partial phase begins — 8:43 p.m.
Total phase begins — 10:01
Total phase ends — 10:52
Partial phase ends — 12:09 a.m.

The Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society will hold a special observing session in honor of the Total Eclipse of the Moon.
When — Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Time — 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Where — First overlook on the Explore Park spur off the Blue Ridge Parkway
Telescopes will be focusing on the moon, Saturn, and other objects of interest.
The public is welcome! The event is free.
Of course, this public observing event occurs only if the skies are clear!

Such is our view from Earth...

Enjoy the total eclipse of the moon!

2008-02-19T09:05:00.002-05:00

On Wednesday evening the bright full moon moves into the Earth's shadow becoming completely eclipsed. The show begins at 8:43 p.m. EST as the moon slides into darkness. By 10:01 it moves entirely into our planet's shadow and the stars come out. To the moon's lower left is the ringed planet, Saturn while above it shines Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo.

How dark will the moon appear? What color will it appear? Usually, it is not so dark that it can't be seen and its color is a dark coppery red. But none of this is definite!

Use binoculars to view a dim star near the moon's lower left edge. As the minutes pass, the moon moves closer to it, finally occulting it at 10:27. The star pops out the other side at about 11:17. By then totality is long over and the star may be difficult to spot in the increasing moonlight.

Totality ends at 10:52 p.m. A thin sliver of light spills from the dark disk's lower edge. Our sky grows brighter, quickly blotting out the dimmer stars. By 12:09 a.m. the partial phase ends as the moon moves completely out of the Earth's shadow. This is the same shadow that causes our "night." We happen to stand in the first few feet of our planet's shadow.

Such is our view from Earth...

Moon passes the Pleiades and Mars

2008-02-09T18:27:00.000-05:00

From 2/13 through 2/17, the moon passes several notable celestial objects. First, on the evening of February 13 the nearly first quarter moon sits to the west of the Pleiades star cluster. The following night, it jumps east of the Pleiades. On the 15th, the glaring orb is next to bright Mars. By February 17 the moon is in a fat gibbous shape shining to the lower right of the stars Pollux and Castor in the constellation Gemini. Why not follow it on its journey across the celestial dome?

Such is our view from Earth...

The moon joins Venus and Jupiter

2008-02-05T14:35:00.000-05:00

Over the past week, Venus dropped past Jupiter. On Monday morning, our moon joined them in the early morning sky. As the days and weeks pass, Venus continues its decent, soon becoming lost in the solar glare. Jupiter, on the other hand, slowly becomes brighter as it rises earlier. By dawn it is well up in the southeast.

The image above was taken on February 4 at 6:35 a.m.

Such is our view from Earth...

Venus passes Jupiter, part 5

2008-02-03T09:23:00.000-05:00

What turned into an ice storm moved into southwest Virginia early Friday morning. The result for skywatchers was that the close approach of the two brightest planets was completely and utterly obscured by clouds. No conjunction for us! However, Saturday morning's scene was very pretty.

The shot above was taken at 6:35 a.m. Saturday, February 2. Venus is on the left.

Such is our view from Earth...

Venus and Jupiter, part 4

2008-01-31T09:29:00.000-05:00

The two morning planets, Venus and Jupiter, are almost at their closest to one another. Tomorrow morning, they'll be nearly on top of each other. Be sure to use binoculars for a more detailed view.

The shot above was taken Thursday at 6:35 a.m.

Such is our view from Earth...

Venus mingles with Jupiter, pt. 3

2008-01-29T10:54:00.001-05:00

Venus continues its slow slide towards Jupiter. In this image which was taken Monday morning at 6:39, Venus is the bright object in the upper right. By Friday, both planets appear next to each other. Now, we just need to worry about the weather!

Such is our view from Earth...