Monthly Night Sky Report: January 2018

Introduction 

This new year will bring about a few changes to my blog.  As mentioned last month, I will no longer include a "history report" since I have been doing that for about a year and things will start getting repetitive.  Instead, I will report on some of the latest astronomical discoveries.  I think many of you will find this a little more fascinating.

I am also working on a redesign for my blog!  This will be implemented in the near future, most likely before my next post. 

I will still continue the monthly night sky reports and more lengthy posts on topics I find interesting.  This will include my stargazing adventures and astrophotography.  I hope that you will continue to follow my blog and find these things as fascinating as I do.

Night Sky Report

As the title says, this is the monthly night sky report for January, so let's get started!  This month will bring most of the naked eye planets to the morning sky, so if you are an early-riser, be sure to look to the East to see if you can see the four planets.  There will also be two full Moons this month.  The second of which is referred to as a "Blue Moon".  There is also a nice meteor shower that really isn't worth mentioning since the first full Moon of the month will be present in the sky during the peak dates.  Since the Moon will limit the meteors we see this month, it will more than make up for it by  offering most observers in North America a Total Lunar Eclipse.

Mercury

Our inner most planet, like some of us, will be a late riser when it comes to the 4 naked eye planets visible this month.  It will be the last to rise just before sunrise which will make it one of the more difficult planets to spot this month.  Mercury will rise about 30 minutes before the Sun, but its altitude will decline as the month wears on, bringing the planet closer to the Sun from our vantage point.On the morning of the first, Mercury can be found in close proximity to Antares which shines red.  Don't confuse this star with Mars!  Remember that stars twinkle.  Looking at Mercury with binoculars or a telescope won't show any surface detail but will show the different "phases" of the planet, like phases of the Moon.  If you are interested in seeing this, the early part of the month will be the best time for viewing.

Venus

Venus will be the planet that is missing from our morning planetary line-up this month.  On January 8, our sister planet reaches superior conjunction which places it on the opposite side of the Sun from our perspective.  It will return to our evening sky just before Spring, so stay tuned!  The absence of this planet from our sky might help find the less luminous planets in the morning as your eyes won't be drawn to the brightness of Venus.

Mars

Next up, is the red planet, Mars.  It will rise about 4 hours before the morning Sun at the start of the month and will rise slightly earlier with each passing morning.  It can be found just west of Jupiter, which will shine brighter than Mars, but the red planet should be easy to spot due to its color.  These two planets will appear to get closer together until the 7th when they lie closer than they have for nearly 20 years.  These planets will lie so close in the sky, that with a telescope, if you use the right eyepiece, you can see both planets in the same field of view.  Just four short mornings later, the Moon will join these two to create a triple conjunction!  As the month goes on, Mars will travel through the constellation of Libra and into Scorpius by the 31st.  At this time, Mars will lie close to the brightest star of this constellation, Antares, which as previously mentioned, is a red star.  So try not to confuse the two.  This year, many astronomers will have their attention on Mars as it will reach opposition in July, so stay tuned!

Jupiter

Following Mars, is our closest gas giant neighbor, Jupiter.  As mentioned, it will create the closest conjunction with the red planet in nearly 20 years or the morning of the 7th.  Just 4 short mornings later, the Moon will join the pair which will create quite the naked eye celestial body experience.  Since Jupiter lies further from the Sun than Mars, it orbits more slowly, and will be found in the constellation of Libra all month  By using binoculars, you can see the four brightest Jovian moons.  If you are able to use a telescope, you will see the same, and more!  You may be able to see two of the moons, Io and Europa, fade and then disappear as they pass into the shadow of Jupiter.  This will occur on the morning of the 10th.  A telescope  will also offer views of the cloud bands of Jupiter and with the appropriate filters, you can enhance the detail seen.

Saturn

Our final naked eye planet will be hard to spot.  This is our world famous ringed planet, Saturn.  It will be hard to spy this planet at the opening of the month because it does not shine very brightly and lies lower in the eastern sky, bringing it closer to the Sun from our view.  As the month goes on, Saturn will rise earlier and climb higher into the morning sky and become slightly easier to see.  It will be found in the constellation of Sagittarius to the southeast.  Since Saturn lies so low in the sky, it will not make a very good telescope target until later in the year when Saturn will rise high enough that the atmosphere won't ruin your view.  The highlight for Saturn this month will be on the morning of the 13th when it lies less than a degree away from Mercury.  Mercury will shine more brightly, so look for the innermost planet first, and then you should be able to spot the distant ringed world. 

Uranus and Neptune

Neptune and Uranus will both require a pair of binoculars or a larger instrument to spot.  Uranus will be found in the constellation of Pisces which can be found nearly 2/3 of the way to the zenith (straight up) in the southern sky.  Neptune will lie lower in the sky as darkness falls and should be your first target of the night if you want to see our most distance ice giant.  It will be found further west than Uranus in the constellation of Aquarius.  While binoculars can help you find these distance worlds, a telescope will help reveal the colors more easily.

The Moon

The real observational eye candy this month will be the Moon.  As mentioned, there will be two full Moons this month.  The first, occurring on the 1st, will also mark the first "Super Moon" of the year.  This is when the Moon makes its closest approach to the Earth during its orbit and coincidentally, this will be the closest approach for 2018.  The second full Moon, aka "Blue Moon" will be on the last day of the month, the 31st.  During this full Moon, the Earth will pass between it and the Sun, casting a shadow on the lunar surface, which results in a lunar eclipse.  This will turn the Moon into a orangish-red color.  Totality will occur around 5:52 A.M. Mountain Time.  If the sky is clear, be sure to watch this event!

Meteor Shower

There will also be a meteor shower this month.  Normally this is one of the better showers for the year, offering up to 110 meteors per hour.  Unfortunately, as mentioned, the first full Moon of the year will hinder the number of meteors that can be seen.  The peak date is the night of the 3rd, morning of the 4th, which is just 2 days after the full Moon.  If you still want to try to catch a peak of these elusive meteors this year, they can be found to radiate from the direction of the Big Dipper.  This shower is called the Quadrantids.

Monthly Breakdown

January 01:  Full Moon;  Moon makes closest approach to Earth of 2018
January 03:  Quadrantid Meteor Shower, look towards the Big Dipper
January 07:  Mars and Jupiter conjunction
January 10:  Europa and Io hide in the shadow of Jupiter
January 11:  Mars, Jupiter, and the Moon conjunction
January 16:  New Moon
January 31:  Full Moon - "Blue Moon", Total Lunar Eclipse

Review of 2017

To kick things off with this new section, I thought I would highlight a few of the more memorable discoveries and achievements of 2017.  This year marked the end of the Cassini Space mission which was studying Saturn and its moons.  The Cassini probe spent 13 years exploring the ringed world and its companions.  The mission ended in September as the probe was intentionally sent to burn up in the atmosphere of Saturn.  You can find much more information, including some exceptional pictures taken by the craft, on the official website which can be found by clicking HERE.

The spacecraft Juno arrived at Jupiter in 2017 and has returned many stunning images of the giant planet.  Its mission is to study the atmosphere, magnetic and gravitational fields of the planet as well as return many images, which the general public greatly appreciates.  This mission is still returning many images and valuable scientific data.  If interested, you can find many images and much more information HERE.

We can't forget about the total solar eclipse that millions of Americans, including me, were able to witness.  This was truly and amazing sight to see for me, as I'm sure it was for many of the observers.  While the next total solar eclipse of the United States won't happen for years to come, these events happen nearly every year, and can be seen if you are willing to travel to the path of totality.

Visually, the above three are what most people are most fascinated with this year.  However, from a scientific standpoint, the discovery of gravitational waves is arguably the most fascinating discovery of the year.  Many new and more precise instruments for detecting these waves are being designed and assembled right now.  The future of astronomy lies here!  If you would like to learn more about gravitational waves, you can look back at a previous post of mine, or click HERE for the LIGO mission.  The LIGO mission webpage will have more information as well as some cool animations to show how these waves are thought to be created.

Finally, who can forget the discovery of not one or two Earth-sized planets, but seven orbiting a nearby star?!  These planets orbit a red dwarf star which has been named TRAPPIST-1.  All seven of these planets lie in what is known as the habitable zone or the "Goldilocks" zone.  This is the area where the planet is not too close to the parent star so it's too hot for life and liquid water to exist, but also not too far away where liquid water would turn to ice and the temperature would be too cold for life.  TRAPPIST-1 is much smaller and cooler than our own Sun so the planets must lie closer to be in the habitable zone.  The innermost planet takes only one and a half Earth-days to orbit the star while the outermost takes under 19 days.  For more information about this system, you can click HERE.

There will surely be many more great discoveries this coming year as well as many sights to see in the sky.  Make a New Years resolution to stargaze more!

Now get outside and look up!

A Couple of Nights Under the Stars

I was able to take Hercules out to Area 62 the last week of August.  This was likely the last night under the stars Hercules will have until I get a break from school.  I was also able to make a quick trip to Cedar Breaks National Monument (CBNM) in early October but only took my camera.

- Area 62

The weather in August was fantastic and I was able to see many galaxies, star clusters, nebulae, double stars, and a couple of planets.  After setting up my gear, my first target was the Moon.  I had recently bought a couple of moon filters, which I probably didn't need on this particular night since the Moon was less than half illuminated.  I wanted to try them out anyway and they worked as I expected!  I'm excited to use them again when the Moon is reflecting more of the Sun's light.

The Moon with smart phone and Hercules.

The Moon with smart phone and Hercules.

The Moon with smart phone and Hercules

After the Moon, I had Hercules target Jupiter which was just to the upper left of the Moon from our perspective.  It was low in the sky so I couldn't make out as much planetary detail as I was hoping for.  After my short views of Jupiter, I located Saturn.  The ringed system looked as amazing as I was hoping for.  I was able to get a few pictures with my phone that are a little blurry, but you should get the idea.

Saturn with smart phone and Hercules.

Saturn with smart phone and Hercules.

I spent the next several hours looking at the Andromeda Galaxy, many star clusters and double stars, and a few nebulae.  Everything that I could see looked great!  I took many pictures at Area 62, but I feel like I'm sharing things that I have already posted here.  So I will share just my favorites.

Panorama of Area 62

The Moon setting and some campers.

The Pleiades and city glow.

Star Trails.

The Pleiades again.

- Cedar Breaks National Monument

We arrived at Cedar Breaks National Monument less than an hour before sunset.  I quickly set up my camera and started firing off shots almost immediately.  I think we were there for close to 2 hours and I took over 250 pictures.  There was a slight breeze on this night, and a little bit of smoke on the western horizon.  We were about 10,000 feet in elevation and it was cold.  The sky looked spectacular as CBNM is a national dark sky park.  The Milky Way was easily seen shortly after sunset.  I felt like I could see millions of more stars here than I can at Area 62.  The pictures also lacked the reddish color of the sky glow that I capture in my images from Area 62.

Most of the pictures looked absolutely amazing on the camera's view finder.  After getting home and looking at the pictures on a larger screen, nearly all of them are blurry!  So I am only going to share a few of them.

View to the Southwest at CBNM.

View to the South at CBNM.

Sunlight on the rocks.

Sunlight on the rocks.

Sunset at CBNM.  Notice the smoke.

Ursa Major (The Big Dipper).

Stars through the trees.

Milky Way and stars through the trees.

- Conclusion

As mentioned earlier, I really like the atmosphere and images I was able to capture at CBNM.  I just wish they weren't blurry!  There's always next time though.

You know what to do.....

Now get outside and look up!

Monthly Night Sky Report: November 2017

I hope that you were able to get out and see some of the things I talked about last month.  October wasn't too terribly cold during the night.  Please let me know what you saw!

The cold temperatures have arrived for Utah and probably for most of my readers.  November will likely bring snow and icy conditions making the nights miserable.  I hope that you will still find the time, maybe just a couple of minutes, to go out and take a look at the stars.  Perhaps when you take the garbage out at night or while you are waiting for your car to warm up in the morning, take a look at the wonders above you.

November will bring planetary conjunctions, a meteor shower, a comet, and another asteroid.  Jupiter will return to our view and Mars will brighten, making it easier to see in the morning sky.

-Mercury

For most of my readers, Mercury will be visible in the western sky after sunset.  The innermost planet will reach high enough and shine bright enough for viewers to easily see it in the twilight glow.  By mid-month, Mercury will be found passing closely by the red star, Antares.  The last week of November will have Mercury reaching its greatest eastern elongation, which is the furthest eastern point Mercury reaches in its orbit of the Sun from our earthly perspective.  During this week, Mercury can be found approximately 3 degrees south of Saturn.

-Venus

Our sister planet is having a hard time rising before the morning Sun.  During the first week of November, Venus will rise about 90 minutes before the Sun and shine brightly, making it easily visible.  On the first, the star, Spica, can be found just south of Venus, which is about 100 times dimmer than Venus, from our perspective.  By the 2nd week, Venus and Jupiter will pair up in the morning sky lying less than a degree apart in our sky.

-Mars

Our most studied planet in the solar system will continue to be found in our morning skies.  The first week of the month, Mars will rise about 3 hours before sunrise in the East.  By month's end, this time will increase to 4 hours before sunrise.  The view of Mars through binoculars will increase the brightness and reddish glow.  The view through a telescope will be much the same.  Don't expect to see much detail until next year, when Mars will reach opposition in July.  I will remind you around that time, but this will be the best opposition of the red planet in 15 years!

-Jupiter

As mentioned, Jupiter will also be found in the morning sky with Mars and Venus.  It will continue to rise earlier each week and make it higher in the eastern sky before the Sun's glow wipes it from view.  On the 13th, Jupiter and Venus will create the best planetary conjunction of 2017.  If you have the chance, be sure to look!  If you have a telescope and don't mind the cold, both planets can be found in the same field of view.  You will also be able to see the Galilean Moons of Jupiter.  On the 16th, the Moon will join the two planets.

-Saturn

The ringed planet will be lost in the evening twilight by month's end. It can be found in the southwestern sky after sunset at approximately 15° above the horizon.  The best views, will of course be through a telescope early in the month.  Unfortunately, it was last month when the rings were at maximum tilt for us Earthly observers.

-Uranus

Uranus can be found in the constellation of Pisces the Fish, which is the constellation just east of Aquarius, where Neptune can be found.  Uranus shines nearly 8 times brighter than Neptune, so if you are able to get away from all of the light pollution, you should be able to spot this planet with your unaided eyes.  Uranus can be found high in the east after sunset and will travel to the southwest as the night continues.  This puts the planet in prime position for views through binoculars or a telescope.  For astrophotographers, you should be able to easily capture this planet in your images.

-Neptune

Our most distant known planet can be found in the constellation of Aquarius all month.  It will be found high in the southern skies after sunset.  You will need at least a pair of binoculars to view this planet.  Through a telescope, Neptune will appear as a blue-gray disk.

-The Moon

I thought I would add an extra section for my readers that are interested in observing the Moon.  On the night of the 5th, our closest celestial neighbor will be found in Taurus the Bull.  You may notice that the brightest star, Aldebaran, of this constellation will be missing!  The Moon will be blocking this star from view.  If you continue watching, you can watch Aldebaran reappear as the Moon continues its orbital motion.  This should happen at around the time the Moon rises in the east (approximately 7:00 P.M.) for my readers in Utah.  If you have a pair of binoculars or a telescope, just target the Moon's dark edge and watch.

I always find it fascinating to look at the Moon through a telescope or binoculars.  The extra light gathering power can enhance the views of the craters, mountains, and plains of the Moon.  Each night, the terminator line, the part where the bright area and dark area meet, changes and is the best place to look at the details.  Please be sure to give this area a look if you get the chance.

-Meteor Shower

The meteor shower this month peaks under a Moon free sky.  It will appear to radiate from the constellation of Leo the Lion, hence the name of the Leonid meteor shower.  It will peak on the 17th with an average rate of 10 meteors per hour.  The best viewing time is 3:00 A.M. until the rising Sun's glow gets too bright to view the meteors.

-Monthly Breakdown

As the heading states, here is your breakdown for the month of November.

November 04:  Full Moon.
November 05:  The Moon will block Aldebaran.  Look to the East as the Moon rises (for Utah).
November 12:  Mercury can be found close to Antares.
November 13:  Jupiter and Venus conjunction.  Best of 2017!
November 14:  Mars and the Moon have a close encounter.
November 16:  Jupiter and the Moon have a close encounter.
November 17:  Venus and the Moon have a close encounter.
November 17:  Leonid meteor shower peak.  Look east around 3:00 A.M.
November 18:  New Moon.
November 20:  The Moon visits Mercury and Saturn.
November 23:  Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation.
November 27:  Mars passes close to Spica.
November 28:  Mercury and Saturn can be found close together.

-History Report

With only a couple of topics from years past, November is another quiet month for my History Report.  I will start with November 12, 1980.  On this day, the space probe, Voyager 1, flew past Saturn and returned the first images of this planet that were not taken from Earthly based cameras.  I knew that Voyager's 1 and 2 were launched to take a "tour" of our solar system by visiting the outer planets.  What I did not know, but it does make sense, is that the planets had to be in just the right position for this to happen.  Each craft had to use the gravity of the outer planets to reach their next target.  For example, when Voyager 1 reached Jupiter, it had to swing around the planet to help hurtle itself towards Saturn.  Then do this same thing around Saturn to reach Uranus, and so on.  As mentioned in an earlier post, both of these missions started in 1977 and have continued until the writing of this post.  The Voyager missions discovered the ring systems on all of the outer planets, excluding Saturn, the volcanic activity of Io, a moon of Jupiter, and the discovery of more moons around all of the outer planets then was previously known, among other things.  Voyager 1 also returned images of Earth from the outer solar system.  You can read more about the Voyagers by clicking here!

My next topic is the landing of Apollo 12 on the Moon.  This happened on November 19, 1969.  This is just a day shy of 4 months after the famous Apollo 11 mission.    Apollo 12 launched on the 14th and consisted of three astronauts.  They were, the Commander, Charles Conrad Jr., the Lunar Module Pilot, Alan Bean, and the Command Module Pilot, Richard Gordon Jr.  The purpose of this mission was to collect additional lunar samples, set up some equipment to detect seismic activity and other scientific data over a long period of time.  The astronauts returned safely to Earth on the 24th by landing in the Pacific Ocean.  If you would like to read more about this mission, please click here!

Stay tuned for a quick post in a few days!

Now get outside and look up!

Monthly Night Sky Report: October 2017

The spooky month of October is here.  With it, the days become shorter and the nights longer, as well as much cooler weather, typically.  The longer nights are great for stargazing, but the colder temperatures make it more difficult for observers to spend the night under the stars.

Astronomically, October will bring a decent meteor shower without interference from the Moon, a planet reaching opposition, a dim comet, an asteroid that can be viewed through binoculars, and even a disappearing star!

Beginning with the planets, as usual, Mercury will not be visible until months end, as it will reach a point in its orbit called superior conjunction.  This places the planet behind the Sun from our point of view on Earth.  When Mercury returns, it can be found in the southwestern sky approximately 30 minutes after the Sun sinks below the horizon.  I hope that you will be able to catch a glimpse when Mercury returns.

Venus will continue to impress the early-risers with its luminosity.  It can be found the eastern, morning sky and will remain visible until shortly before sunrise.  By the 8th, Venus will pass from the constellation of Leo the Lion into the constellation of Virgo.  

Mars will join Venus in the morning sky.  On the first morning of the month, Mars and Venus will appear very close in our sky.  In fact, this will be closest they have been since 1995.  So be sure to look if you have a clear sky.  Mars will follow Venus from Leo into Virgo four days after Venus, on the 12th.  The Moon will join these two planets on the 17th, creating quite a sight.

If you want to see Jupiter this month, you will have to be quick.  After the first week, Jupiter will be below our horizon before it is dark enough to see it.  It can be found in the west about 30 minutes after sunset, but that time will shorten as the opening week of October progresses.  Jupiter will pass behind the Sun on the 26th from our vantage point.  Stay tuned for its reemergence in early November.

Saturn's earthly companion, Cassini, dived below the clouds mid-month last month, ending its 20-year mission.  But don't let that stop you from giving Saturn your attention this month.  If you have a telescope, or know someone that does, be sure to take a look at this ringed planet mid-month while its ring system is at its maximum tilt for Earth.  The last time the rings were at this position was 14 years ago and it won't happen again for another 15 years.  This tilt of the rings offers excellent views.

The planet that reaches opposition this month is Uranus.  This happens on the 19th, making it visible all night.  This will be the brightest the planet will shine for earth-bound observers.  If you are able to get to a dark sky, you should be able to see it with unaided eyes.  Using binoculars and a telescope will greatly enhance your views as well as the blue-green color of Uranus.

Neptune can be found in the southeastern sky after sunset.  However, you will need binoculars or a telescope to spot this planet.  It will appear blue-gray in color and should be easy to tell apart from the background stars in your field of view.  For those in the northeastern United States or eastern Canada, you can view a rare event if you have a 6 inch or larger telescope.  On the 5th, Triton, a moon of Neptune, will pass directly in front of the planet so be sure to look if you have a clear sky.  On this same night, Triton will pass in front of a star, blocking it from our view.  This star has an impressive name of 4U 410-143659.  As mentioned, you will need a telescope to view this event.

The Orionid meteor shower will peak on the 21st with a maximum rate of 20 meteors per hour.  These meteors will appear to radiate from the constellation of Orion the Hunter so be sure this constellation is in clear view when you go out to watch.  The Moon will not interfere with this shower like it has for other showers earlier this year.

If you are able to get to dark sky between the 17th and November 2nd, try to see if you can spot the zodiacal light.  It will be visible in the eastern morning sky before sunrise.  This light is caused by sunlight reflecting off of dust particles, called cosmic dust, in the solar system.  While you can see this light year round if you can get away from all light pollution, the best time is close to the spring and autumn equinox.

Comet PANSTARRS (C/2015 ER61) can be found slightly below the Pleiades star cluster during the first night of October.  However, the Moon will interfere with views until after the 10th.  Unfortunately, you will need a 4-inch or larger telescope to view this comet.

The asteroid, Iris, will be visible this month as well.  If you are able to get to dark sky, you should be able to spot it with unaided eyes, but even if you live in the suburbs, you can still see it with a pair of binoculars.  It can be found in the constellation of Aries the Ram near its brightest star, Hamal.  This constellation can be found high in the eastern sky by mid-evening.  Iris will reach opposition on the 29th, causing it to shine slightly brighter.

Here is the breakdown for October.

October 05:  Mars and Venus make their closest approach since 1995 in the morning sky.
October 05:  Triton transits Neptune and makes a star "disappear".
October 17:  Mars, Venus, and the Moon appear close together.
October 19:  New Moon; Uranus at opposition.
October 21:  Orionid meteor shower peaks.
October 29:  Asteroid Iris is at opposition.  Look in Aries.

October is another quiet month astronomically speaking as far as history goes.  It is still an impressive month nonetheless as you will hopefully see.

Starting off the history lesson, on October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union was the first to launch a man-made satellite.  You have probably heard its name before, but perhaps did not realize it was the first satellite ever launched.  The launch of this satellite, designated as Sputnik 1, which means "fellow traveler", started the space age, as well as the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.  The Sputnik program consisted of the first 5 missions which involved sending plants and animals into orbit to see what effects were caused by being in space.

Next on my list is another first by the Soviet Union.  On October 7, 1959 the space probe Luna 3 returned the first ever images of the far side of the Moon.  This was the first time that any human had seen the far side since the Moon is tidally locked with the Earth, meaning that only one side of the Moon ever faces the Earth.  These images showed that the far side is heavily cratered compared to the side that we see.  This shows astronomers that the Moon is less active volcanically on the far side than it was on the near side during the formation.

Now get outside and look up!

August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse Part 2

I neglected to add a time lapse of the Total Solar Eclipse that my brother was able to take.  We accidentally left the flash on, but it shows you how dark it really was during totality.  My brother was in a blue-green shirt and I was wearing a red shirt.  You may be able to spot us next to the plane peaking through the binoculars and solar glasses.

Now get outside and look up!

Monthly Night Sky Report: September 2017

I hope you were all able to see the solar eclipse last month!  It was truly an amazing sight to see even for those not interested in astronomy.

September may not seem as exciting compared with August and the Total Solar Eclipse, but it is still nice to get out under the stars before the weather turns too cold.

Mercury can still be found in the morning hours just before the Sun rises.  It reaches its highest point in the morning sky on the 12th which should make it easier to spot, especially if you don't have a flat eastern horizon.  Mercury lies in the constellation of Leo the Lion.

Venus will also be visible in the morning hours.  It will be much easier to spot due to its brightness.  After the 10th, it will join Mercury in the constellation of Leo.

Mars will return to the sky this month, however it will be in the morning sky with Mercury and Venus.  It will join with the previously mentioned planets in the the constellation of Leo, creating quite the trio of morning planets.  If three planets weren't enough, the Moon will join the trio from the 17th until the 18th.  Be sure to give the morning sky a look on these dates!

Jupiter will remain in the evening sky but not for much longer.  As the month goes on, Jupiter will set earlier and earlier each night.  The surface details, such as the cloud bands and the Great Red Spot will be harder to spot since it will lie lower in the sky.  With binoculars, you should still be able to see Jupiter's largest four moons.

Saturn will be visible all month but will set by 12:30 a.m. during the first week.  By months end, it will set by 11:00 p.m.  The rings will be tilted to offer great telescopic views.  You should even be able to see a few of its largest moons including Titan.

Uranus will rise a couple of hours after sunset during September.  You can see this distant planet with the naked eye if you can get away from light pollution.  It also shows up nicely in a pair of binoculars.

Finally, Neptune will reach opposition this month, which means it will rise in the East as the Sun sets in the West.  It will reach opposition on the 4th but competes with the full Moon on this night.  However, Neptune will still still shine at the same magnitude all month.  You will need a pair of binoculars or a telescope to spot this world.

September will bring the Aurigid Meteor Shower.  This isn't as spectacular as the Perseids from last month but will hopefully still be worthwhile to view.  It will peak during the first night of the month which offers approximately 6 meteors per hour.  Wait until the Moon sets to increase your viewing experience.  This shower appears to radiate from the constellation of Auriga which can be found between Orion and Ursa Major.

Comet PANSTARRS (C/2015 ER61) will be visible this month if you have a telescope.  It can be found near the Pleiades star cluster which rises in the East around midnight.  If you are able to wait a few more hours or if you wake up early in the morning, you will be able to see Orion returning to our skies.

Additionally, there are many great globular clusters, galaxies, and other wonders of the Milky Way that can be viewed.  One of my favorite things to do before owing a telescope was to point my binoculars to the Milky Way band.  It's amazing how many more stars you can see!  If you are able to get to a dark sky, you should even be able to see the Andromeda Galaxy, our closest neighboring galaxy, with your naked eyes.  Using a pair of binoculars on this target will enhance your view while a telescope should be able to reveal some of the dust lanes.

Here is the breakdown for September:

September 01:  Aurigid Meteor Shower peaks; look between Orion and Ursa Major
September 05:  Neptune at opposition
September 06:  Full Moon
September 12:  Mercury reaches highest point in eastern sky
September 17:  Moon lies close to Venus, Mars, and Mercury
September 20:  New Moon

The history report for this month will be fairly short.  This month was mostly filled with space probes making flybys.  On the first, in 1979, the Pioneer 11 probe was the first probe to fly by Saturn.  We currently have another mission there named Cassini.  Sadly, this mission will come to an end this month on the 15th.  The mission started in 2004.  For more information and to read about the great discoveries and achievements of Cassini, click here.

On September 3, 1976, Viking 2 landed on Mars.  This mission returned many images from the orbit and the surface of Mars.  The lander was shut down in 1980 due to failing batteries.

On the 21st in 1974 the Mariner 10 spacecraft completed its second fly by of the planet Mercury  Mariner 10 was the first spacecraft that used the gravity from another planet (Venus) to assist it to get to another planet (Mercury).  It was also the first spacecraft to visit two planets.  It returned the first ever close up images of Venus and Mercury.  

To end this months history report, on the 23rd in 1846, Neptune was discovered.  The discovery of the outer most planets, Uranus, Neptune, and the dwarf planet Pluto, take a couple of weeks or longer.  Images or drawings have to be done of the stars in the field of view of the telescope and must be compared to each other over a long period of time.  The people that discovered these planets had to be looking in the right place at the right time and be very dedicated.

Now get outside and look up!

August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse

Millions of people watched the Total Solar Eclipse on the 21st.  Many more people saw just a partial solar eclipse, which is still fascinating to see.

As you probably know by now, a Total Solar Eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, casting a shadow over a small part of the Earth.  They only happen about once every 100 years if you stay in the same place.  Many people will travel around the world to see as many Total Solar Eclipses as possible.

As mentioned in an earlier post, I was able to travel to witness totality.  My brother was kind enough to fly me to a little farming town in Idaho called Mud Lake.  They have a very small airport there, which is basically a large field with a runway, mainly used for crop dusting.  The radio was abuzz with other pilots and air traffic controllers for the whole trip there, which was approximately an hour and a half.  It seemed that others had the same idea to skip the traffic of driving and fly.  With the airport being so small, I was getting nervous that we would not be able to land and park the plane to watch the eclipse.  We didn't arrive until shortly after the eclipse had begun but the air traffic controller for Mud Lake, an older man standing at the end of the runway, let us land and directed us to a parking area.

The plane, binoculars, and camera.

The plane with others in the background.

Planes and people.

Panorama with my brother and the Moon's shadow approaching.

I'm estimating that there was over 50 airplanes and other types of aircraft that had landed.  There was a row of airplanes facing the runway with another row behind them which were backed in so that the tail of the craft was between the wings of two others.  My brother and I quickly set up our gear, two cameras and my binoculars with solar filters as well as two chairs, that didn't get used much.  My pictures taken with my camera on a tripod did not turn out, but my brother was able to do a time lapse that I hope turned out well.  I also tried taking pictures with my smartphone through my binoculars which also were disappointing, but I will share one or two of those.  Surprisingly, my best pictures came during totality.  

This was my first Total Solar Eclipse and I was not left disappointed.  After setting up all of our gear, and after letting a few nearby people take a look through the binoculars, the temperature and the daytime brightness started to drop.  We were even able to seen sunspots through the binoculars.  By the time totality arrived, it felt like the temperature had dropped at least 15 degrees.  The landscape went completely dark and I could even see Venus and Sirius in the sky, as well as other bright stars.  Totality looked just like the pictures that many people have seen with the corona of the Sun easily visible.  This felt like the shortest two minutes of my life!  After the Moon moved away from the Sun, I had to wear eye protection again because it was too bright with just 1% of the Sun shining down on Earth.  At this time, I noticed a couple of evening birds flying for cover that must have come out while the shadow of the Moon was over us.  The airport landing lights automatically came on during this time as well.  

View through binoculars just before totality.

Totality with smartphone, auto mode.

Totality with smartphone, manual mode.

This is called the Diamond Ring.

View through binoculars after totality.

I felt astonished and privileged to have been able to witness this event.  It completely took my breath away perhaps in the same way as people feel when first visiting the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, or any other National Park.  

If you have never witnessed a total solar eclipse, you need to make a point of seeing one.  You will likely have to travel to see it, but it is totally worth it.

Now get outside and look up!

Monthly Night Sky Report: August 2017

The hot days and warm nights of August have arrived.  With it, the summer will come to an end and people will begin to head back to school, including me.  The summer Milky Way will be visible  throughout the night.  Many people have never seen the Milky Way, so get away from the bright city lights and be sure to look up to view it.  This month will also bring an exciting total solar eclipse to North America.  Much of North America will be able to see at least a partial total solar eclipse with most places being within driving distance to see totality.  More on this later!

I will start with the tiny planet, Mercury.  It can be found in the west but will only be visible for about 30 minutes after the sun dives below the horizon.  You will need to be quick to spot it.  Binoculars can help as Mercury will dim as the month passes by.  

Following Mercury, Venus will still be easy to spot in the morning sky.  It rises over 2.5 hours before the Sun in the east.  On the 19th, the Moon will join Venus in the morning sky.  They can be found within a few degrees of each other.  

Mars will be lost from view during the month of August but will return to our sky next month.  Stay tuned!

Jupiter will remain in prime position for binocular and telescopic views for most of the month.  Be sure to take a look because by months end, Jupiter will lie too low in the sky to reveal much detail.  Jupiter can be found in the southwest sky after sunset.  It will shine brightly, making it easy to spot against the background stars.  Using binoculars, you will be to make out the four largest moons of Jupiter, while using a telescope, you can also see these moons as well as cloud bands and even the Great Red Spot.  Using filters for your eyepieces will help enhance the detail.  Jupiter will set around 11 local time at the beginning of the month and slightly earlier with each passing night.

Saturn will be visible all month giving you a great opportunity to view it through a telescope.  The rings look amazing and you should also be able to see a few of its moons.  Saturn can be found in the southeast sky after sunset and will, of course, travel towards the southwest as the night goes on.  It appears slightly more yellow than the surrounding stars if you are viewing with the naked eye.  

Uranus will rise in the east 2 hours after sunset.  It can be found in the constellation of Pisces the Fish.  You should be able to see it through binoculars and if you can get to a dark sky site, you will be able to see it with the naked eye.  You may need to use a star chart or an app on your phone to help you locate this faint world.  The best chance of viewing Uranus will be a couple of hours before the morning Sun glow washes out the stars.

About 2 hours before the rise of Uranus, Neptune will be visible in the southeastern sky.  You will need a pair of binoculars or a larger instrument to view this most distant planet.  It may be hard to determine which point of light is Neptune through a pair of binoculars, but should be much easier through a telescope.  It will appear blue-gray in color.  Neptune will reach opposition in September, so if you have a hard time spotting it, wait until next month and give it another try.

One of the best meteor showers of the year will occur this month.  The Perseid shower will peak on August 12 with a typical average of 150 meteors per hour.  Unfortunately, the Moon will interfere slightly this year, dropping this average to around 25 meteors per hour.  If you are able, be sure to check back nightly after this peak night to catch a glimpse of these meteors.  Your chance of seeing them diminishes as the month approaches the 24th.

If any of my readers are outside of the United States, or if you are planning on visiting Europe, Asia, Africa, or Australia, you will be able to see a partial lunar eclipse on the night of the 7th.  If you are lucky enough to be in the right place to view this eclipse, be sure to check with the locals to find out what time you will be able to see this.

Comet PANSTARRS (C/2015 ER61) will still be visible in the sky this month, but will require a pair of binoculars or telescope to spot it.  It can be found near the Pleiades, which is also a great target for binoculars.  If you want to view this comet, be sure to look when the Moon is not near to being fully illuminated.  This will help your chances of spotting it.  Remember, it will appear as a fuzzy cloud in your field of view.  If you are able to make it to a dark sky site and are into photography, you may be able to get an image of the comet by using a long exposure setting.

As promised, here is some more information about the total solar eclipse this month!  If you live in North America, you will be fortunate enough to view at least a partial solar eclipse on August 21st.  The last time the United States saw a solar eclipse was in 1979 through the northwestern states.  The next time will be in 2024 and will be visible from Texas to Maine. The next Total Solar Eclipse to go from coast-to-coast will be in 2045 and will pass through Florida to California.  So be sure to check out the one this month!  You will want a pair of eclipse glasses, solar filters, or even welding glass while looking at this eclipse.  If you don't have a pair, be sure to order or buy a pair soon.  For those of you in my home state of Utah, you will be able to see approximately 90% of the Sun covered by the Moon.  That's not too bad, but if you are able to drive north to Wyoming or Idaho you can witness totality.  I am planning on flying up to Idaho to witness this amazing event and will hopefully be able to catch some decent pictures to share.  Click here for an interactive map of the path the Moon will take and the areas that will experience totality.  Be sure to get as close to this center line (the red one) as possible for the longest time of totality.  The eclipse times will vary, so be sure to ask around.  For those in Utah, the eclipse will start at approximately 10:15 AM and end at 1:00 PM.  The peak time will be approximately 11:33 AM, so be sure to look at the Sun (with proper eye protection) at this time!

Here is the breakdown for August:

August 07:  Full Moon; Partial Lunar Eclipse in the eastern hemisphere
August 12:  Perseid Meteor Shower peaks
August 21:  New Moon; Total Solar Eclipse, be sure to look up!

I will keep the history lesson short this month so that you have time to get out and see the solar eclipse.  In 1877, Asaph Hall, an American astronomer, discovered the two moons of Mars.  The first, Deimos, was discovered on the 11th of August.  Not even a week later, on the 17th, he discovered Phobos.  On August 6th 2012, 135 years after the discovery of the two moons, the Curiosity rover landed on Mars.  It is still in operation today, 5 years after having landed  on the red planet.

I talked briefly about the Voyager 2 probe last month.  This month, in years past, Voyager 2 flew past Saturn on the 26th in 1981.  Nearly 8 years later, on August 24th, 1989 Voyager 2 flew past Neptune.  Nearly 30 years later, it is still the only probe to have flown past and returned images of Neptune.

Now get outside and look up!

Monthly Night Sky Report: July 2017

Another warm month has arrived for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere.  For me, June had many clear nights.  Hopefully July will continue this trend so the stargazers among us can enjoy the night sky!

Lets start the month off with our inner most planet, Mercury.  It will be found in the west after the Sun sets but it may be hard to spot for the first few nights of the month while it lies low on the horizon.  Early in the month, your best chance of seeing Mercury will be on higher ground so nothing blocks your horizon.  By the 9th, Mercury will have nearly doubled its altitude in our sky and will be found in the Beehive Star Cluster, which is one of the star clusters that I have been able to view many times.  However, the sky will likely be much to bright to view the pair through a telescope.  Around the 23rd and 24th of the month, Mercury and the Moon will be found in close proximity from our perspective.  The pair will join the bright star, Regulus, part of the constellation Leo the Lion, on these dates.  Mercury will be visible all month.

Venus, the next closest planet to the Sun, and the closest planet to the Earth, will still be found in the morning sky.  It will rise above the eastern horizon around 3 in the morning, so you early risers should be sure to take a look!  It will be VERY hard to miss brilliant Venus.  As the Sun creeps closer to the eastern horizon, Venus will be found near another one of my favorite star clusters, the Pleiades.  If you own a pair of binoculars, be sure to give Venus and the Pleiades your attention.  By the middle of July, Venus will be found by yet another favorite star cluster, the Hyades.  You may even notice the bright star Aldebaran, which appears noticeably more orange than the other stars in the sky.  By the 20th, the Moon will join Venus in the morning sky which always makes a great pair, in my opinion.  

Massive Jupiter will be easily found in our southern sky after sunset.  As I have mentioned several times, if you have a pair of binoculars or a telescope, be sure to give Jupiter a look.  You will be able to see the four Galilean Moons and if using a telescope, you will be able to make out the cloud bands.  Since Jupiter is high in the sky, it's in a great spot for observations.  Jupiter will fall below the western horizon close to 1 in the morning at the beginning of the month and will set earlier each night.  Jupiter will be visible throughout the month.

Since Saturn reached opposition in June, it will now rise in the east a short time before the Sun sets in the west.  If you are able to stay out late, after Jupiter sets, be sure to point your observing device towards Saturn.  The rings make a spectacular view through a telescope of 4 inches or larger.  You will also be able to view Saturn's largest moon, Titan, as well as a few of the larger moons through a 4 inch or larger telescope.  Saturn will also be visible month long.

Uranus will also be visible this month towards the southeast.  If you are under a dark sky, you should be able to see it with the naked eye.  The views will be enhanced through binoculars or a telescope.  It will be found the constellation of Pisces the Fish and will have a distinctive blue-green glow.  

Neptune will rise shortly before midnight as July begins.  You will need a pair of binoculars or a telescope to spot it among the stars of Aquarius.  A dark sky will also help you find our most distant known planet.  It will appear blue-gray in color.

Everyone's favorite dwarf planet, Pluto, will reach opposition this month which will make it brighter in the sky.  You will need at least an 8 inch telescope to spot it however.  It will be found in the constellation of Sagittarius and may require a few nights of observations to recognize this distant world.  If you have the required equipment, sketch the stars in your eyepiece.  Over the course of a few nights, you will notice that one has changed position.  This is Pluto!

July brings the Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor shower.  This shower will peak on the 30th but you can always see the meteors a week before and after the peak date.  These appear to radiate from the constellation of Aquarius in the southern sky.  You may be able to see up to 20 meteors per hour but this rate may go up if you are able to get to a dark sky site.  Stay tuned for one of the better meteor showers of the year next month!!

Comet Johnson (C/2015 V2) will still be visible during the month of July.  It reached it's closest approach to the Sun as well as the Earth during June.  It can be found near the bright star Spica on the 1st and will travel through the constellations of Virgo, Hydra, and Centaurus throughout the month.  Be sure to get out your binoculars to view this comet.  It will appear as a fuzzy ball in your field of view.  The view improves with larger instruments.

Here is your monthly breakdown.

July 03:  Earth at aphelion (farthest point from the Sun) - 94.5 million miles
July 09:  Full Moon
July 10:  Pluto at opposition
July 23:  New Moon
July 30:  Peak of the Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor shower

Many remarkable discoveries and achievements have occurred during the month of July in years past.  I will only mention a few of these and go into a little more detail on the events that I have found the most fascinating in hopes that you will find them interesting as well.

In the year 1054, the supernova that has created the Crab Nebula was seen on July 4th.  This nebula is over 6,500 light years away from the Earth.  This means that the star actually went supernova 6,500 years before it was seen in 1054.  I have yet to view this nebula through my telescope, but the pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope and others are amazing!  I encourage you to find a few and tell me what you think.  For those with a telescope, the Crab Nebula can be found in the constellation of Taurus the Bull.

On July 9, 1979 the spacecraft, Voyager 2, flew past Jupiter.  This spacecraft is now approximately 115 AU from the Sun.  This distance is 115 times the distance the Earth is from the Sun.  Voyager 2 is on the verge of entering interstellar space, the space between the stars.  Voyager 1 entered this area in 2012 and is still sending information back to Earth.  The smartphone that you use today is much more powerful than the technology used to build and operate both of the Voyager spacecraft.

Very recently, the New Horizons spacecraft made its historic flyby of Pluto.  This occurred on July 14, 2015.  We have received very many pictures and data from Pluto, changing our understanding of it dramatically.  For comparison, it took the Voyager spacecraft over 12 years to reach the distance Pluto is from the Sun, which is about 40 AU from the Sun.  It took New Horizons only 9.5 years to reach this distance.  New Horizons mission is not over yet.  It is currently flying to another target in the Kuiper Belt and is expected to reach it sometime in 2019.

Who could forget about the historic moon landings?!  Apollo 11 touched down on the Moon on July 20, 1969.  The crew consisted of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins.  While Neil and Buzz landed on the Moon, Michael stayed in the spacecraft that was used to rendezvous with the lunar module and return the three astronauts safely home.  They splashed down on Earth 4 days later and were welcomed home as heroes.

The space shuttle program came to an end when Atlantis touched down on July 21, 2011.  I made a trip to the Kennedy Space Center a year or so before this time to watch the last mission of the Discovery shuttle, but unfortunately it was pushed back to later date.  I still had a great time at the space center and if given the chance, I would definitely go again.  Atlantis is currently on exhibition at the Kennedy Space Center.  NASA has been relying heavily on Russia and their space program to take astronauts to and from the ISS.

A few final noteworthy happenings from the month of July are the discovery of dwarf planet Eris on the 29th in 2005, the deployment of the Chandra X-ray observatory in orbit around the Earth on the 23rd 1999, and finally the founding of NASA on the 29th in 1958.  Where would we be today without NASA and the technological contributions that they have made?

Now get outside and look up!

Jupiter

It's about time that I talk about more than your monthly night sky report.  I decided this post should be all about Jupiter since it was recently at opposition in May, and is now a perfect target for binoculars and telescopes, or even the naked eye.

Jupiter was first viewed through a telescope by Galileo in 1610.  He saw the four largest moons, Io, Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto (AKA: The Galilean moons) orbiting Jupiter and used this as evidence to prove that the solar system was heliocentric and not geocentric as was the popular belief during this time.  I encourage you to purchase an inexpensive pair of binoculars to view the Galilean moons.  I own a pair of astronomy binoculars which are 25 X 100 and require a tripod to hold them steady.  A smaller pair such as 7 X 50 or even 7 X 35 can reveal the Galilean moons and are much easier to hold steady with nothing more than your hands.  I had a hard time giving up the view through my binoculars to others during my first time looking at Jupiter.  You can obviously use the binoculars for many other things such as bird watching, but I would recommend using them to look at other astronomy related targets such as the Moon and Venus.

For other details of Jupiter, such as the cloud bands, the Great Red Spot, or seeing the moons transit the surface, you will need a telescope.  I have been able to see all of this with my telescope and enjoy the views every time.  The views can be enhanced with color filters and different eyepieces which I am excited to try in the future.

Jupiter is composed mostly of gas but may contain a small core.  The atmospheric pressure of Jupiter is so great that nothing would be able to reach the center before being crushed.  The cloud bands give off different colors due to the elemental composition of each band.  These colors are typically tan-brown to orange-red in color.

The Great Red Spot of Jupiter is a giant storm that is large enough for 2-3 Earth's to fit inside.  The Great Red Spot has been visible since the 1830's.  The existence is still a mystery as well as its slowly shrinking size.  Many other storms have formed on Jupiter and have since died away, so perhaps the Great Red Spot is slowly disappearing as the storm weakens.

Jupiter has many natural satellites such as the Galilean moons and many smaller sized objects.  Each year, the number of known satellites increases as our instrumentation gets better.  Currently there are 69 known satellites orbiting Jupiter.  They range in size with Ganymede being the largest, which is larger than the planet Mercury and some smaller than the size of a city at approximately 3 miles.  A few of these satellites are actually captured asteroids from the asteroid belt.  Astronomers know this because they are orbiting Jupiter in the opposite direction of the other satellites.

Many objects appear to produce light from reflecting the light from the Sun, such as the Moon and Venus.  Certain objects have a higher degree of reflectivity due to their composition.  Venus is covered by a thick cloud layer which reflects nearly all of the light that it receives from the Sun.  This causes Venus to be the third brightest object in the sky with the Sun and the Moon being the only objects that are brighter.  Jupiter was a mystery for many years because it was giving off twice as much energy than it received from the Sun.  I use the word "energy" here because to see this, you need to look at Jupiter in the infrared instead of visible wavelengths.  It was once thought that perhaps Jupiter was completely radioactive.  By doing some calculations, which I did recently in an astrophysics class and will not bore you with, if the entire planet of Jupiter was radioactive, it would still not give off as much energy as it does.

So what is the cause of Jupiter's energy emission?  The current hypothesis is that Jupiter is actually shrinking!  The difference in size would hardly be noticeable to us.  It would have to shrink by only 500 kilometers (approximately 311 miles) every billion years for it to radiate the amount of energy that it does.  Our solar system is estimated to be approximately 4.7 billion years old.  This would mean that over the life of the solar system, Jupiter would have only had to shrink by about 2300 kilometers (1430 miles).  The average person drives ten times this amount in one year!

As mentioned in an earlier post, there is currently a space mission at Jupiter.  The spacecraft, Juno, was launched in 2011 and arrived at Jupiter in 2016.  Juno is studying the composition, gravity field, and magnetic field, among other things, of Jupiter.  You can learn more about this mission and see stunning photos of Jupiter by clicking here.

Monthly Night Sky Report: June 2017

During the last weekend of May, I made two trips to my favorite local dark sky site.  The first night, I only took out the telescope.  I didn't plan on the night being so cold and the hordes of moths, so the night wasn't as long as I was hoping for.  The second night, I took out my camera, and binoculars, and was more prepared for the cold.

I was able to see Jupiter, the cloud bands on Jupiter, and a few of its moons with ease.  The crescent moon was a very nice target as well, showing lots of detail near the terminator (where the light and the dark parts of the moon meet).  Saturn was low on the eastern horizon, so I wasn't able to see any of the cloud bands, but the rings looked great!  Saturn looked more orange than yellow due to it lying so low on the horizon.  June will bring better views however.

I was also able to see a few deep space objects (DSO's), such as the Beehive Cluster, the Ring Nebula, the Sombero Galaxy, and of course the Hercules Cluster.  It's amazing how big of a difference a dark sky makes versus a light polluted sky.  All of these targets showed up much better in the eyepiece.

On the first night out, I saw some strange clouds in the sky, but did not have my camera to take any pictures.  I learned a lesson there!  That's why I went out the second night, to hopefully catch the strange phenomenon again and to be able to take some pictures to share.  Unfortunately it did not make a repeat appearance the second night.  I initially thought it could have been one of the comets that I had mentioned in my previous post, but upon further research, I've decided it was most likely noctilucent clouds.  These are caused by meteor dust mixing with clouds that are high in the atmosphere.  It causes the clouds to have a silvery-blue color to them when light from the Sun or the Moon reflects off of them.  During past trips out to this same site, the clouds that are in the sky can not be seen unless they are in a long exposure picture.  There are no city light illuminating the bottom part of the clouds, so they can not be seen with the naked eye.

Hercules, ready for action.

Moon image taken with phone through eyepiece.

Jupiter image with phone through eyepiece.

Moon and a few stars at Area 62.

Scorpius in the lower center.

A few stars at Area 62.

The Moon and more stars at Area 62.

The nights are getting much warmer during the month of June.  Hopefully it will be more pleasant and easier for you to get out under the stars to see some amazing sights.  Planning a camping trip to a dark sky site, such as a national park, would be a great summer activity.

To start this month off, Venus will again shine brightly in the morning hours before sunrise.  On the 20th and 21st, Venus and a crescent Moon will be found near each other, which creates a great photo opportunity.  On the 30th, the Pleiades will be found close to Venus which will make another great photo opportunity.  The phases of Venus will change all month, so be sure to give it a look if you can with a pair of binoculars or a telescope.

Mercury will again be visible in the morning just before sunrise.  However, by around the 21st, it will be lost from view due to the Sun's glare and to positioning of Mercury in it's orbit relative to the Earth.

Neptune will be visible all month, but will not rise until later in the night.  It can be found in the constellation of Aquarius and can be seen through binoculars or a larger instrument.

Uranus will be found near Venus in the morning sky and will likely be too difficult to spot until later in the month.  Uranus will rise earlier as the month of June ticks by.

Mars will be found on the north-western horizon and will likely require binoculars to see since it will be in the glare of the setting Sun.  By the second week of June, Mars will be lost from view and will not return until September.

Jupiter will shine brightly all night and should be easy to spot.  It will be the brightest object in the night sky, except for the Moon of course.  Jupiter reached opposition last month, but will still offer great binocular and telescope views.  You should also be able to see the Great Red Spot easily if you have a telescope.  I'm hoping to catch a glimpse this month!

The "star" this month will be Saturn.  It will reach opposition on the 15th.  The rings will offer spectacular views.  You should even be able to see some of Saturn's larger moons with a telescope.  The best time to view Saturn, as well as any object in the sky, is when it lies high in the sky so there is less atmosphere distorting the view.

June also offers three comets.  Comet Johnson will make its closest approach to Earth on the 5th, and could brighten enough to be seen with the naked eye.  It can be found near the constellation of Virgo.  Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak will be slightly dimmer than what the naked eye can see, so use a pair of binoculars and look towards Ophiuchus to try and spot this comet.  Finally, Comet PANSTARRS (C/2015 ER61) can be found in the morning sky in the constellation of Pisces.  This comet will also require a pair of binoculars to view.

Here is your monthly breakdown.

June 09:  Full Moon
June 15:  Saturn at opposition
June 20:  Moon and Venus close encounter
June 21:  Summer solstice
June 23:  New Moon

On June 30th, 1908 there was a large explosion that flattened approximately 770 square miles of forest in Siberia.  This event has become known as the Tunguska event and was likely caused by a meteoroid explosion in the atmosphere.  This is the largest impact event in recorded history.  Studies are still being conducted to find out the true cause of this explosion.

On June 22, 1978, Charon, a moon of the dwarf planet Pluto, was discovered by James Christy.  Charon is about half the size of Pluto.  It was discovered using photographic plates, which are similar to digital pictures, today, only these "pictures" were on metal plates and would have to be examined one by one, by a person or group of people, to find a moving object against the background stars.  Charon completes one orbit of Pluto about every 6.5 Earth days.  In comparison, it takes our moon about 28 days to complete one orbit of the Earth.

On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space.  She flew on the space shuttle Challenger twice before leaving NASA.  She is still currently the youngest person to ever have flown to space.  Sally Ride died on July 23, 2012.

On June 30, 2004, the spacecraft Cassini, reached Saturn.  Cassini has returned many photos and lots of data on Saturn, its moons, and its ring system.  It has been orbiting Saturn for nearly 13 years.  Cassini's mission will likely end on September 15 of this year by the spacecraft diving into the atmosphere of Saturn.

Now get outside and look up!