Skywatch January 2005
 

This is the Skywatch Line for Monday, January 10. The Sun sets tonight at 4:41, with night falling at 6:22.

Dawn breaks at 5:55 AM, with the Sun rising at 7:55.

The Moon turned “new” at 7:03 AM. The Moon is also at its closest to Earth today, only 221,562 miles away. While this means little for us, fishermen and sailors will be wary of extra high tides.

By twilight’s end, Saturn is moderately high below Gemini. In two days, Saturn reaches opposition, which means that Saturn rises at sunset, and sets at sunrise. It also means the Saturn is nearly the brightest and largest it can ever get. A bonus for telescope observers is that two asteroids, Flora and Herculania are in the same neighborhood of the sky.

The major visitor in tonight’s sky is Comet Machholz.

By nightfall, the comet is high between the Pleiades and the long leg of Perseus. The comet climbs higher nightly and will shortly pass near Polaris, the North Star. Comet Machholz is currently naked eye visible in rural locations, and easily spotted in ordinary binoculars. Comets are leftovers from the formation of the Solar System. The late Fred Whipple described them as “dirty snowballs.” As the comet nears the Sun, frozen water and gases evaporate and carry dust bits with them. This is the comet’s tail that we see. If the Earth later crosses a comet’s path, a meteor shower happens. There will be no meteor shower from Comet Machholz; the nearest it comes is 32 million miles, between Earth and Mars.

By dawn, Jupiter is high in the eastern constellation of Virgo, with the bright star Spica just below it.

Jupiter surpasses Saturn in brilliance. Mars is lower in the southeast, just the left of the constellation Scorpius. Note the colors of Mars and Scorpius’ brightest star, Antares. They appear quite similar; in fact the name “Antares” means, “Rival of Mars.”  Mars is rust colored due to its rusty soil, as any photo from the Mars Rovers reveal. Antares is an old, cool, bloated star, and the red color reflects its age.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            &n

Clear Skies

Joe Slomka

This is the Skywatch Line for Monday, January 24. The Sun sets at 4:58 PM, with night falling at 6:37. Dawn breaks at 5:38 AM, with the Sun rising at 7:16.T

As the Sun sets, the Moon rises and becomes a Full Moon overnight; it rises at sunset and sets at sunrise.

If you look to the Moon’s right, you should see Saturn, about nine degrees away. Saturn is one of the few heavenly objects that can withstand proximity to a Full Moon. Saturn was prominent in last week’s news. The probe Huygens successfully landed on Titan, one of Saturn’s moons and the largest moon in our Solar System. As Huygens parachuted through Titan’s atmosphere, it took readings on its composition and wind speeds. Huygens landed on swampy soil and took pictures and readings for several hours. Then Titan’s cold silenced Huygens for good.

Mars rises before first light, next to the constellation Scorpius. Mars, too, was the subject of press releases. The rover Opportunity was directed by its earthbound handlers to examine the heat shield that safely landed it. Scientists became curious about a rock near the heat shield. Examination of the rock revealed that it was not a Mars rock, but a meteorite!

This is the first meteorite ever found outside of Earth! This unexpected bounty provides clues as to the origin of meteors and conditions on Mars.

Another noteworthy object graces our sky, Comet Machholz. By nightfall, it is well overhead, next to the head of Perseus.  Comet Machholz is far enough from our Moon to withstand its brilliance. All one needs is a pair of warm underwear and binoculars. Perseus resembles a stick figure of a person, with one shorter leg. The comet lies near the head, virtually overhead. In binoculars, the comet resembles a fuzzy object. Tonight is especially important, since the comet is closest to the Sun, at 112 million miles. Unlike other comets, the Earth will never cross its path. If tonight is cloudy, there is plenty of time. The comet is slowly making its way past the North Star and to the Big Dipper.

Clear Skies

Joe Slomka

The Moon is now approaching Full, and bright moonlight will dominate the evening sky over the weekend.  If you look toward the east around 6:00 PM on Friday night, you will find the Moon about 46 degrees above the horizon.  By looking at the Moon's position each night over the weekend you will clearly see how it moves eastward among the stars as it travels around our planet.

On Saturday night, it will be lower, appearing 37 degrees above the horizon, and farther to the north.  Sunday night will find it even farther north and only 27 degrees above the horizon.

On Sunday night, the Moon will be in the constellation Gemini, the Twins.

At 6:00 PM Castor and Pollux, the brightest stars in Gemini, will be to the left of the Moon.  The highest of the pair is Castor.  You will also find a bright star below and somewhat right of the Moon.  This is actually the planet Saturn, now slowing moving through Gemini.  Any modest telescope providing a magnification of about 30 is capable of showing Saturn's rings.

Although the bright Moon will hamper the view, you can still catch a glimpse of Comet Machholz in binoculars.  To find the comet, go outside between 7:00 and 7:30 PM and look toward the north.  Due north you will find Polaris, the North Star, about 43 degrees above the horizon.  Polaris marks the end of the Little Dipper's handle.  The handle and the bowl of the Little Dipper will be tilted downward toward the horizon, and with the bright Moon, you may only see Polaris and the two stars that mark the front of the bowl.

About the same distance above Polaris as Polaris is above the horizon, you'll see a fairly bright star.  It is almost overhead, and this star, Mirfak, is the brightest star in the constellation Perseus, the hero.  The brighter stars in Perseus form a rough "Y," with its top highest in the sky in the early evening.

Over the weekend, Comet Machholz will just to the left of Mirfak.  If you look at Mirfak with your binoculars, place Mirfak in the right side of you field of view, and then Comet Machholz should be near the center of your view appearing as a faint, fuzzy glow.  If you don't see it, scan slightly upward and downward until you find it.

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