Learn more about your telescope and the night sky!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 ...