Monthly Night Sky Report: October 2019

September seemed to fly by for me this year, probably due to a busy school schedule.  There seemed to be many clear nights this month to get out and enjoy the stars.  I wasn't able to take out any of my equipment, but I was able to glance starward several times throughout the month.  I especially noticed Orion climbing higher into our morning sky.

October's nights will continue to grow longer and cooler, hopefully increasing your time under the stars if your schedule allows.  This month will also bring the opposition of Uranus, the Orionid Meteor Shower, the return of Venus to the evening sky, and the return of Mars to the morning sky.

Mercury

Throughout the month, Mercury can be found in our western sky just after sunset.  While it is visible all month, your best chance to view the innermost planet will come towards the end of the month when it will be a little further from the Sun, making it easier to see from our perspective.  Venus will be found in Mercury's proximity and will be easier to spot.  Using Venus as a guide, throughout most of the month, Mercury can be found to the left of the brighter planet.  As the month comes to a close, the remaining couple of days these two planets will have moved with Mercury now below Venus.  On the 28th, the thin crescent Moon can be found near the pair but may be lost in the brightness of the Sun.  On the following evening, the Moon will be above the pair and should be easier to see.  Mercury goes through phases just like the Moon and Venus, but are harder to see since the planet is much smaller, closer to the Sun, and does not reflect as much sunlight as Venus.  You might be able to see these phases with a pair of binoculars but will likely need a larger instrument.  As always, when using an optical device and looking in the direction of the Sun, be careful!  Don't look directly at the Sun without the correct filters installed properly on your device. 

Venus

As mentioned, Venus can be found in the western sky after sunset near Mercury.  It should be easy to spot since it shines so brightly, but if you are having trouble, towards the end of the month Venus will be a little further from the Sun and easier to spot.  Also as mentioned, the crescent Moon will join the innermost planets on the 28th and 29th, with the 29th being an easier evening to spot the Moon.  Don't forget that you can use a pair of binoculars or larger instrument to view the phases of Venus.  As it changes position in its orbit around the Sun, more or less of its surface will be hit by sunlight from our vantage point.

Mars

Mars returns to our sky this month!  However, it will now rise before the Sun throughout October.  It will likely be hard to spot at the beginning of the month.  Mars will rise earlier and earlier with each passing day which will allow this planet to get away from the Sun's glow, making it easier to spot.  The red planet is in a place in its orbit which takes it far from the Earth so using a telescope won't reveal any surface detail.  On the morning of the 26th, the Moon can be found to the upper left of Mars which might help you spot this planet a little easier.

Jupiter

As in the previous months, Jupiter will again be easy to spot in the southern sky after sunset.  Jupiter will likely be the first "star" that you see since it shines brighter than anything else in the sky other than the Sun, Moon, and Venus right now.  As with any other time Jupiter is in the sky, you can use a pair of binoculars to spot the 4 Galilean Moons.  Using a larger instrument will also easily show the Galilean Moons as well as revealing the cloud bands on this giant planet and possibly seeing the Great Red Spot and even the shadow of one of the moons as it transits Jupiter.  Our nearest neighbor, the Moon, will join Jupiter in the evening sky on the 3rd creating quite the pairing.  The 31st will bring a similar pairing.  Don't forget that if you want to see the Milky Way, you can use Jupiter and Saturn as a guide once you are at a dark sky location.  It will be sandwiched between these two planets.         

Saturn

To the East (left) of Jupiter, you should easily be able to spot the next planet in our solar system, Saturn.  I have been able to use a pair of binoculars to reveal the rings, although it is much easier to see them with a telescope.  You will also be able to see Titan, Saturn's largest moon in your field of view with a telescope.  I have enjoyed going out in the evenings and viewing both Jupiter and Saturn since they are so easy to find in the sky right now.  After the Moon has its rendezvous with Jupiter on the 3rd, it will slide eastward towards Saturn creating a similar pairing on the 5th.  By the 31st, the Moon will return to this region of the sky and can be found between Jupiter and Saturn, but will lie closer to Jupiter.  As mentioned above, you can use Jupiter and Saturn to locate the Milky Way once you are in a dark sky location.   

Uranus

Neptune

The outer two planets are best viewed through a telescope but can still be seen through a pair of binoculars.  Uranus will rise over our Utah mountains around 9 PM at the start of the month and by the end of the month, it will be over the mountains before the Sun sets.  Uranus reaches opposition on the 28th.  On the 14th, Uranus can be found to the upper left of the Moon. 

Neptune reached opposition last month, so it will be above the eastern horizon during sunset.  Our most distant planet will be found in the constellation of Aquarius all month.  On the 10th, the Moon will join Neptune in the sky. 

Meteor Shower

This month will bring the Orionid Meteor Shower.  As you can probably guess, these meteors will appear to radiate from the constellation of Orion.  The peak date of this shower is the night of the 21st/morning of the 22nd.  Orion won't rise above our mountains until after midnight (morning of 22nd), but the best time to view meteors is when the radiant point is high in the sky.  This will mean around 2 in the morning (or later) for us in Utah.  On this date, the crescent Moon will be rising over the mountains at this time so that may wash out most of the dim meteors.  The active dates of this shower are between October 2 and November 7.  This means that you may still see some meteors from this shower between these dates so if you can't make it to a dark sky location on the peak date, try a day or two around that.  On the peak date, you may see up to 20 meteors per hour, but with the Moon in the sky, that number will likely be less. 

Spot Me....🕵️  

So far, I've had you try and spot M44 - Beehive Cluster, M13 - Hercules Cluster, M19 - Globular Cluster, and the Galilean moons of Jupiter as well as some surface details of this giant planet.  I also had you look at the rings of Saturn, a comet, the double cluster (NGC 896 and NGC 884), and the Andromeda Galaxy (M31).  Last month I had you try to spot the comet Africano.  I hope that you have been able to view a few of these awesome sights.  If not, please try to do so!

Since the nights are getting cooler and many of us have busy schedules that don't allow us to spend long hours under the stars, I will continue with just one target this month.  Since October in Utah typically still has clear skies, I want you to try and watch the meteor shower, or at least see some meteors this month.  As mentioned above, the peak date of the Orionid Meteors is the night of the 21st/morning of the 22nd.  You can still see these meteors for two weeks before and after the peak date.  All you need is a dark sky location and patience to spot meteors.  Be sure to look in the direction of Orion, even if it hasn't cleared the eastern horizon yet.  Good luck!

As always, let me know what you see!

Monthly Breakdown

October 03:  Moon and Jupiter pass within 2°
October 05:  First Quarter Moon 🌓
October 05:  Moon and Saturn pass within 0.5°
October 10:  Moon and Neptune pass within 4°
October 13:  Full Moon 🌕
October 14:  Moon and Uranus pass within 4°
October 21:  Last Quarter Moon 🌗
October 21/22:  Orionid Meteor Shower Peaks
October 26:  Moon and Mars pass within 5°
October 27:  New Moon 🌑
October 28:  Uranus reaches opposition
October 29:  Moon, Mercury, and Venus found close together
October 30:  Venus and Mercury within 3°
October 31:  Moon and Jupiter pass within 2°

Think About This....💡

As promised, here are a few astrophotography pictures that were taken during the first part of June at a new location (to me) in the Utah west desert.  None of these images have been edited in anyway except for their size so they fit on my blog!  I hope you find them enjoyable and will encourage you to do some stargazing!

This first image is of Jupiter rising in the east.  If you look closely, you should be able to make out the constellation of Scorpio to the right of Jupiter. 

Jupiter and constellation of Scorpio

This image is similar to the first but it's later in the night so Jupiter is higher in the sky and it's darker out.

Jupiter, Scorpio, and stars!

This image shows Jupiter and the Milky Way band rising over the snow capped mountains.

Jupiter and Milky Way

This image might be best viewed on a computer or something with a large screen.  Near the top, just left of center is an Iridium Flare.  Just below that is a light trail from a satellite.  You might be able to zoom in with your phone to see them as well. 

Satellite trail, Iridium Flare, and stars

I liked this image because of the clouds mixed with the stars.  This is looking north.  The Big and Little Dippers should be in this image. 

Clouds, stars, terrestrial lights

I just thought this was a cool picture. 

Jupiter, Scorpio, and Milky Way behind the sign 

This is another image of Jupiter, the Milky Way, and snow capped mountains.  It was taken later in the night so the stars are a little higher than previous pictures. 

Jupiter and Milky Way above snow capped mountains

Stay tuned for more exciting news and events!                      

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos taken by Jeff Greenland.

Monthly Night Sky Report: September 2019

I hope that you were able to get out under the stars in August!  Hopefully you were able to catch the Perseid Meteor Shower, which I heard was pretty good despite the Full Moon around the peak date.  I wasn't able to do much stargazing until the second half of August.  From the 21st until the 25th, I was able to travel to southern Utah to enjoy the dark skies that are offered there.  The night of best seeing occured on the 23rd at Kolob Canyon.  From here, the Milky Way band could easily be seen.  I was able to take quite a few pictures but mostly enjoyed the night under the stars.  I did not take the telescope but did take the binoculars and was able to view the moons of Jupiter.

During the month of September, the temperatures in Utah typically begin to fall making the evenings a little more pleasant for me.  Unfortunately, this month will also start to get busier with school work, my two jobs, and whatever else might come up that needs to be squeezed in.  Astronomically,  Neptune will reach opposition this month, the zodiacal light will be visible and you'll also have the chance to see a comet.   

Mercury

You will be hard pressed to see Mercury this month.  Your best chance of viewing the innermost planet will come towards the end of the month when it will shine at magnitude -0.2.  Mercury will be found so close to the Sun, that you might have to use a pair of binoculars to see it just before the Sun pops up above the mountains. 

Venus

You will have difficulty viewing Venus this month.  The best chance also comes at the end of the month when it rises about 30 minutes before the Sun.  Venus will be a little easier to spot than Mercury since it will shine at a magnitude of nearly -4.0.  The following month, Venus will be much easier to see.

Mars

We will be unable to see Mars during September since it lies so close to the Sun from our vantage point.  October will bring the return of Mars to our skies, at which time it will be found rising before the Sun.

Jupiter

Jupiter will once again be easy to spot throughout the month.  It can be found in the southern region of the sky, outshining all nearby stars.  As previously mentioned, you can use Jupiter to try to detect the Milky Way band, which will lie to the left of this gas giant.  If you haven't had the chance, be sure to use a pair of binoculars to detect the four Galilean Moons of Jupiter.  If you have access to a telescope, you can use it to view the cloud bands, the Great Red Spot, and may even see the shadow of a moon transit the cloud tops.  On September 5th, the Moon will make a close approach to Jupiter.     

Saturn

Saturn will also continue to be a great target and easy to see throughout September.  It can also be found in the southern region of the sky, but slightly more eastward than Jupiter.  Saturn does not shine as brightly as Jupiter, but still shines brighter than the surrounding stars.  If you are having trouble picking out Saturn from the neighboring stars, remember that stars will appear to twinkle while planets do not.  The faint band of the Milky Way can be found to the right of Saturn.  The Moon will pass close by on the evenings of the 7th and 8th this month.  If you have access to a telescope, be sure to look at the rings of Saturn.     

Uranus

Neptune

The outer two planets are best viewed through a telescope but can still be seen through a pair of binoculars.  Uranus will rise above the Rocky Mountains around 11 p.m.  By the end of the month, Uranus will poke above the mountains nearly 2 hours earlier.  Using a pair a binoculars will help find this dim planet since there are no bright neighboring stars to help you find it.  You can of course use an app on your mobile device to assist you.  The Moon will be found below Uranus on the evening of the 17th, which you can use to help find this planet.

Neptune will reach opposition on the 9th and remain visible all night. Locating our most distant planet will also be a challenge.  On the 13th, you can use the Moon to help you locate it.  At this time, Neptune can be found to the upper right of the Moon.   

Meteor Shower

We won't have any major meteor showers this month, but a couple of minor ones.  However, you will have the chance to see the zodiacal light around the 27th of September when the Moon will be out of the eastern sky..  You should still be able to see this light until the Moon returns to the eastern sky which will be around the 11th of October.  During this time period, try to make it to a dark sky site before sunrise to witness this phenomenon.  Special equipment is not required to view this, but if you would like to take pictures, you will want to use the same or nearly the same settings as photographing the Milky Way.  Before sunrise, look to the east to see if you can detect this bright glow.  It will look like the Sun is rising, but it's actually sunlight reflecting off fine dust particles in our solar systems plane.  This is often referred to as "false dawn" since it looks like the Sun is rising.  If I get the chance, I will try to take some images of the zodiacal light to share in a future post.     

Spot Me....🕵️  

So far, I've had you try and spot M44 - Beehive Cluster, M13 - Hercules Cluster, M19 - Globular Cluster, and the Galilean moons of Jupiter as well as some surface details of this giant planet.  I also had you look at the rings of Saturn and a comet.  Last month I had you find the double cluster (NGC 869 and NGC 884) and the Andromeda Galaxy (M31).  I hope that you have been able to view at least one of these awesome sights.  If not, please try to do so!

Since September is a busier month for me as it is for most of you since school has started back up, I will have you try and spot just one object this month.  We have another comet passing close to Earth!  This comet is named Comet Africano (C/2018 W2) and can be seen anytime this month, but the views will be best towards the final week as Africano brightens and the New Moon is out of its region of sky.  At the beginning of the month, Africano will glow around 11th magnitude and can be found in the constellation of Perseus.  It will remain visible all night and can be found nearly overhead just before sunrise.  Towards the end of September, Africano will brighten to 9th magnitude and can be found traveling through the edge of the constellation Andromeda (September 22nd) and into Pisces (September 24th - 30th).  Since this comet has a dim glow, you will need a pair of binoculars or telescope to view it.

As always, let me know what you see!

Monthly Breakdown

September 05:  First Quarter Moon 🌓
September 06:  Moon and Jupiter pass within 2°
September 08:  Moon and Saturn pass within 0.5°
September 10:  Neptune reaches opposition
September 13:  Moon and Neptune pass within 4°
September 14:  Full Moon 🌕
September 17:  Moon and Uranus pass within 5°
September 21:  Last Quarter Moon 🌗
September 23:  Autumnal Equinox
September 28:  New Moon 🌑

Think About This....💡

When I was young, I remember hearing the question, "Why is the sky blue?"  Perhaps some of the parents have been asked this question by their offspring or even my younger readers may have wondered about this.

The two incorrect answers that I have heard most frequently are:
1) The color of the ocean reflecting off particles in the atmosphere
2) The amount of nitrogen in our atmosphere

The ocean idea doesn't make sense because there are several places in the world that are not even close to the ocean, like Utah!  Yes we have the Great Salt Lake, but the only thing it's good at giving off is a bad smell.

The nitrogen idea is partially correct, but not in the way that you are imagining.  Nitrogen, oxygen, and all the other tiny gas particles that make up the atmosphere contribute to scattering the light that is given off by the Sun.  If you recall a few months ago when I explained the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum, we can only see a small part of the spectrum known as the visible range.  The whole range of the EM spectrum travels at the speed of light in a vacuum, such as space, but when light travels through a medium, such as water or Earth's atmosphere, different parts of the spectrum travel at different speeds.  While these speeds are still extremely fast and cannot be detected by the human eye, they do indeed vary.  Blue light travels more slowly than any of the other colors in the visible range so it gets scattered less by the gas molecules in our atmosphere.  You may notice that if you look in different areas of the sky, some places might appear less blue than others.  In fact, if you look west after sunrise earlier in the morning, you might notice that the sky in this region appears to be more white.  This is caused by the sunlight traveling through more of the atmosphere so the already scattered blue light is scattered even more, combining all of the colors to make white.

You have no doubt noticed that the sunset contains red, orange, and yellow colors.  During this time, the Sun's light travels through more atmosphere which in turn scatters even more of the blue light, leaving the red, orange, and yellow colors.  Clouds, smoke, and other forms of pollution enhance the red colors which create the beautiful sunsets that many of us enjoy.
     
For the remaining posts of 2019, this section will include some astrophotography images that I have taken over the summer.  I hope that you will find them enjoyable and motivate you to get out under the stars!

Stay tuned for more exciting news and events!                      

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos taken by Jeff Greenland.

Monthly Night Sky Report: August 2019

July turned out to be a spectacular month of stargazing for me in Utah.  I was able to go out to my favorite new dark sky site a couple of times as well as host a star party in honor of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 and the Moon landing.  At the star party, we were able to view Jupiter, the Great Red Spot, and its 4 moons.  We also looked at Saturn and its rings, a few star clusters including M7 (Ptolemy's Star Cluster), M13 (Hercules Globular Cluster), NGC 869 and NGC 884 (The Double Cluster), M92 (Globular Cluster similar to M13), and M57 (The Ring Nebula).  Thank you to everyone who was able to attend this star party and making it a great experience for me and everyone that was there!  I plan to do future star parties so be prepared to cancel all of your plans so you can attend!

August nights will continue to be warm making stargazing easier for those that don't enjoy the cold.  This month will bring the return of Mercury to the morning sky, the Perseid meteor shower, as well as the continued reign of Jupiter and Saturn throughout the night.

Mercury

Mercury will return to our morning sky this month, if only for a short time.  Mercury will rise about 45 minutes before the Sun on the 9th.  At this time, Mercury will shine at 0.0 magnitude, which is brighter than the nearest stars (Castor and Pollux), making it easier to spot.  As the month progresses, Mercury will sink closer to the Sun but will increase in magnitude.  By the 17th, Mercury will glow at -0.9 magnitude.  While waiting for Mercury to rise in the east before the Sun, you may notice the familiar stars of Orion.  For northern hemisphere stargazers, Orion heralds in the coming days of fall and winter.  By the end of the month, Mercury will once again be lost from our earthly view.   

Venus

Venus will be lost from our view during August, but will return in October just before sunset.

Mars

Like Venus, Mars will be lost from view throughout August but will return to view in October in our morning sky.

Jupiter

Jupiter will again be visible throughout most of the night during August.  It will shine brightly in the southeast and make its trek westward as each night marches on.  Jupiter will be found on the edge of the Milky Way band.  If you are lucky enough to have skies dark enough where you live or if you go to a dark sky site, use this giant planet as a guide to detect the faint band.  Be sure to check out the Galilean Moons of Jupiter which can easily be seen with a pair of binoculars and any size of telescope.  If you have a larger telescope, you can view the bands of Jupiter and even the Great Red Spot as well as the shadow of one of the moons as it transits this gas giant.  The crescent Moon will join Jupiter on the evening of the 9th this month.

Saturn

Saturn reached opposition in early July and will continue to be a great target for telescopes.  After viewing Jupiter for an hour or so, move over to the next largest planet in our solar system and get lost in the splendor of its rings.  Recall that Saturn will mark the other edge opposite of Jupiter of the Milky Way band that can be visible from a light polluted free sky.  The crescent Moon will join the ringed planet on the evening of the 11th.

Uranus

Neptune

The outer two planets can be best viewed through a telescope but can still be seen through a pair of binoculars.  Uranus should clear our Utah mountains around 1 in the morning Mountain Time.  It's best to view this planet slightly before dawn paints the sky, that way it will be high enough in the sky to focus on a little easier with your binoculars or telescope.  Uranus will rise slightly earlier with each passing night.

Neptune will clear the Utah mountains around 11 at night, but it's best to wait a few hours for this most distant planet to climb high in the sky before viewing.  Neptune will rise earlier with each passing night as the month ticks on.
 

Meteor Shower

This month brings the return of the Perseid meteor shower, one of the best meteor showers of the year.  Unfortunately, this year the Full Moon will be just two days after the peak date, washing out all but the brightest meteors.  The Perseid meteor shower produces more fireballs than any other meteor shower, so keep your eyes open for them!  The peak date is August 13th, but you can still try to catch this shower a day or two before the peak when the Moon will set earlier in the night.  To increase the number of meteors you see, get away from city lights and other forms of light pollution.  These meteors will appear to radiate from the constellation of Perseus which rises in the northeast around 1:30 in the morning Mountain Time.  This constellation can be found to the upper left of the Pleiades. 

Spot Me....🕵️  

So far, I've had you try and spot M44 - Beehive Cluster, M13 - Hercules Cluster, M19 - Globular Cluster, and the Galilean moons of Jupiter as well as some surface details of this giant planet.  Last month I had you look at the rings of Saturn and a comet.  I hope that you have been able to view at least one of these awesome sights.  If not, please try to do so!

Towards the end of July, I was able to look at the double cluster NGC 869 and NGC 884.  With a wide enough eyepiece, you can see both of these in the field of view.  These can be found in the constellation of Perseus where the Perseid meteor shower appears to radiate from.  You can use the constellation of Cassiopeia to help find the area of sky that contains the double cluster.  Draw an imaginary line using the middle star (Navi) and the bright star next to it (Ruchbah) on the funny part of the "W" in this constellation.  Follow this line towards Perseus which will be rising in the north-northeast just after sunset.  If you reach the star Miram (magnitude 3.77 star in Perseus) then you have gone too far.  This double cluster is about 7500 light years away.  The double cluster can be seen by the unaided eye if you get away from city lights.  Any size of telescope will bring out the stars in each of these star clusters.

Since we are already using Cassiopeia to star hop to find the double cluster, let's continue to use this constellation to find our nearest neighboring galaxy, Andromeda (M31).  This galaxy is 2.5 million light years from Earth and is the furthest object that can be seen by the unaided eye.  You will have to be at a place free of light pollution to detect it, but you have to use inverted vision to see it.  This means that you can't look directly at its location but just off to the side.  It will appear as a fuzzy blob, like most deep sky objects.  Use the two stars in Cassiopeia that make up the funny part of the "W" and follow them towards the constellation of Andromeda, which is rising in the northeast just after sunset.  August is a prime time to try to catch a glimpse of this neighbor since it is still warm outside at night and most people are still out of school and wanting to enjoy the remaining summer.  Take a look at my picture at the end of this post; "Andrew vs. the Cosmos."  The brightest object in the sky is Andromeda! 

As always, let me know what you see!

Monthly Breakdown

August 07:  First Quarter Moon 🌓
August 09:  Moon and Jupiter pass within 2°
August 12:  Moon and Saturn pass within 0.5°
August 13:  Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks
August 15:  Full Moon 🌕
August 17:  Moon and Neptune pass within 4°
August 21:  Moon and Uranus pass within 5°
August 23:  Last Quarter Moon 🌗
August 30:  New Moon 🌑

Think About This....💡

Since August brings about one of the best meteor showers of the year, when not obscured by the moon's brightness, I thought I would talk about these meteor showers, why we have them, and how we can predict when they occur.  On a related topic, asteroids have been in the news more frequently when they have a "close encounter" with the Earth.  I will also discuss the reasons why these asteroids go undetected until after they zip by our planet.

While you are out stargazing, you have likely noticed a "shooting star" and have probably thought "Ohh, pretty!" or shout out to your friends, "There's one!" but you may have never wondered what they actually are, where they come from, or why on some nights you see more shooting stars than on other nights.  These "shooting stars" are actually small pieces of dust or dirt that are usually no bigger than a grain of sand burning up in the atmosphere.  Occasionally, a larger chunk of material will enter the atmosphere to burn up, creating a large fireball in the sky.  The Perseid meteor shower this month is famous for producing more of these fireballs than any other meteor shower.  There are many videos online of these fireballs such as this one, recorded over Australia earlier this year.

On a typical night, you can see an average of 5 to 10 meteors per hour.  This number increases, sometimes dramatically, during a meteor shower.  The Perseid meteor shower for example, has a maximum rate of 110 meteors per hour if the Moon does not interfere and you are able to get to a dark sky site.   As a comet travels towards the inner solar system, it heats up and begins to melt (it is a dirty snowball afterall), leaving a trail of dirt, rock, and dust.  This rate goes up because during a meteor shower, the Earth is traveling through the debris left behind from a comet.  The parent comet to the Perseid meteor shower this month is Swift-Tuttle.  Since it is known how the Earth travels around the Sun and where the debris from the comet tail resides in the orbit, each meteor shower can be predicted with ease.

NASA and other agencies are always on the lookout for comets, asteroids, and other objects close to Earth.  These are known as near Earth objects, or NEO's.  Detection of comets is much easier than the detection of asteroids.  As a comet moves closer to the Sun, it begins to heat up and melt, giving off gases which creates a tail that can be easily seen by telescopes.  Comets can also be seen by the unaided eye when they pass close enough to Earth, creating quite a spectacle to look at.

Asteroids on the other hand are much harder to detect.  Many times, they are detected as they fly by the Earth or even after it has passed us by.  Asteroids are typically smaller than comets, at least the ones that are classified as NEO's.  Since they are small, usually less than 20 meters in diameter, they have to be very close to the Earth to see.There are even times when the asteroid is on the daylight side of the Earth, making it impossible to see until it is too late.  The larger the asteroid is, the sooner it can be detected and the more advanced the warning can be.                   

Stay tuned for more exciting news and events!                      

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos taken by Jeff Greenland.

Monthly Night Sky Report: July 2019

Last month turned out to be a pretty good month for taking the telescope out.  There were a few cloudy and stormy days, which is typical in Utah for the month of June.  I found a new location that is a little bit closer than Area 62 with potentially a night sky that will be just as dark.  As of this writing, I have made 2 trips to this new location.  The first trip was a week before the full moon.  I was able to easily make out the band of the Milky Way.  With the aid of Hercules, I was also able to see many star clusters and the Ring Nebula as well as Jupiter.  The second trip was the following week which was a full moon.  There were also a lot of patchy clouds on this particular night.  I was able to see a few star clusters, the Ring Nebula, and Jupiter, all of which lacked the detail as the previous week due to the full moon.  I hope to make a future trip to this new site to see how it truly ranks compared to Area 62.  Stay tuned for a future post with images taken at this new site.

July is here and so are the rising temperatures.  I thought June was hot enough in the mid-80's and even the low 90's.  I'm really not looking forward to the heat that is typical for July in Utah.  I am looking forward to the hopefully clear skies however.  Saturn will reach opposition this month, which is something else I have been looking forward to.  We will also be able to watch a decent meteor shower this month that will peak under a moon-free sky.  July this year also marks the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing mission. 

Mercury

Mercury will be found in our evening sky during the early part of July.  Mars will be found close by while these planets are visible this month.  The moon will join the pair on the 3rd, hopefully making it easier to spot these two planets.  Around the 10th this month, these two planets will move too close to the Sun and be lost in the bright evening glow.  Be sure to catch a glimpse of Mercury before it's gone!   

Venus

Venus will also disappear from view this month.  Your best chance of viewing our sister planet will be on the morning of July 1st when it will lie about 5° above the eastern horizon before the Sun's brilliance overcomes it. Venus will return in August. 

Mars

Mars will follow in the footsteps of Mercury and Venus and be lost from view in July.  Mars can be found in the western sky after sunset close to Mercury.  As mentioned, the Moon will join Mercury and Mars on the 3rd, possibly aiding in finding these two planets.   

Jupiter

While we will lose 3 planets from view early this month, Jupiter recently reached opposition last month and will be visible throughout most of the night.  Jupiter can be found on the right side border of the Milky Way from our vantage point.  Be sure to use a pair of binoculars so you can spot the 4 Galilean moons.  If you own a telescope, use this instrument to see the cloud bands and maybe even catch a glimpse of the Great Red Spot and the shadow of one of the moons as it transits the surface of the planet. 

Saturn

Saturn will reach opposition on July 9th, rising in the east as the Sun sets in the west.  This will be a great time to view this planet through a telescope.  You will surely see the rings but may even be able to detect the cloud bands of Saturn.  Saturn will be found on the left side of the Milky Way band, causing our closest gas giants to Earth to sandwich the glow.  If you haven't seen Saturn through a telescope with your own eyes, be sure to arrange an opportunity to do so.  I find it to be very inspiring! 

Uranus

Neptune

The outer two planets can be best viewed through a telescope but can still be seen through a pair of binoculars.  Uranus will rise around 3 in the morning Mountain Time at the beginning of the month and nearly two hours earlier by the final day.  You can use Saturn and Jupiter to form a line towards the east to help find this dim planet.

Neptune will rise before Uranus at around 1 in the morning m\Mountain Time and a full two hours earlier by month's end.  Views through a telescope will show the blue-gray disk of this most distant planet. 
   

Meteor Shower

This months meteor shower, the Southern Delta Aquariids, will peak under a moon free sky this year.  This shower offers up to 25 meteors per hour if you are in the right location.  The further south you are, the more meteors you will be able to see since the constellation of Aquarius never passes directly over for people in the northern hemisphere.  The best time to watch is between 3 and 4 in the morning when Aquarius reaches its highest point in Utah skies.  Around this time in the morning, Aquarius can be found in the south about 35° high in the sky.  The Aquariids is one of the longest running showers of the year starting in mid-July and lasting all the way through the 23rd of August with the peak date falling on July 30th.   

Spot Me....🕵️  

So far, I've had you try and spot M44 - Beehive Cluster, M13 - Hercules Cluster, M19 - Globular Cluster, and the Galilean moons of Jupiter as well as some surface details of this giant planet.  I hope that you have been able to view at least one of these awesome sights.  If not, please try to do so!

This month, I would like you to try to see the rings of Saturn.  These can be viewed through any size of telescope and even a larger pair of binoculars.  If you do not have a telescope, I would be happy to arrange for a star party to show you the rings of Saturn.  I would also be happy to show you any other astronomy sights you are interested in seeing.

Four our second target this month, we will try to spot a comet.  This comet is known as Comet 168P/Hergenrother.  It passes through the inner solar system nearly every 7 years but rarely brightens above 12th magnitude.  This means you will need a pair of binoculars or a telescope to spot this dirty snowball.  Hergenrother can be found in the predawn sky between Pisces the Fish and Cetus the Whale during the first 2 weeks of July.  The best times to view will be between 4 and 5 in the morning Mountain Time when this region is highest in the eastern sky.  Use your binoculars to scan this region of sky.  A comet will look almost like a cloud through binoculars, but should have a round shape.  With any luck, this comet might brighten as it passes closer to the Sun, hopefully becoming an unaided eye comet!         

As always, let me know what you see!

Monthly Breakdown

July 02:  New Moon 🌑
July 04:  Moon and Mercury pass within 3°
July 04:  Moon and Mars pass within 0.1°
July 07:  Mars and Mercury pass within 4°
July 09:  First Quarter Moon 🌓
July 09:  Saturn at opposition
July 13:  Moon and Jupiter pass within 2°
July 16:  Full Moon 🌕
July 16:  Moon and Saturn pass within 1°
July 20:  50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing
July 21:  Moon and Neptune pass within 4°
July 24:  Last Quarter Moon 🌗
July 25:  Moon and Uranus pass within 5°
July 30:  Southern Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower Peaks
July 31:  New Moon 🌑

Think About This....💡

This month brings about the 50th anniversary of the historical event of the first man on the Moon.  Many failures and even a few casualties took place before the successful landing.  The training program for the astronauts was also quite intense, ensuring that the candidates were in top shape of both body and mind.

The spacecraft, unlike the space shuttle that most of us are familiar with, worked in three stages.  The first stage consisted of 5 enormous engines, that are still the largest and most dependable engines ever built.  After reaching an altitude of 38 miles above the surface of the Earth, the first stage fell away from the second and third stages and burned up in the atmosphere as it fell back to Earth.

The second stage also consisted of 5 engines which were smaller than the 5 on the first stage.  These engines pushed the astronauts to an altitude of 115 miles above the surface of the Earth before being jettisoned.  This second stage also burned up in the atmosphere as it fell back to Earth.

The third stage is then used to propel the astronauts to the Moon.  The third stage is then discarded before the lunar and command modules reach the orbit of the Moon.  Once orbit is achieved, the lunar module detaches from the command module and descends down to the surface of the Moon.  The first landing occurred on what is known as the Sea of Tranquility.

After spending a total of around 21 hours on the surface of the Moon.  Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin returned to the command module with Michael Collins orbiting the Moon.  When all 3 astronauts were safely onboard the command module, the lunar module was then discarded before making a final burn to return to Earth.  The astronauts spent a total of 8 days in space before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24th, 1969.   

Stay tuned for more exciting news and events!                      

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos taken by Jeff Greenland.

Monthly Night Sky Report: June 2019

May has been unusually wet over much of Utah.  As of this writing, I was finally able to take the telescope out for one night this month.  I'm hopeful for another chance, but it's dependent on the weather.  The first outing this year wasn't very good.  We traveled to Antelope Island, which during this time of year is infested with biting bugs.  There are also bison all over the island, which in the past have been hard to find.  After finding a suitable location, unloading the car, and setting up all of the equipment (telescope, chairs, camera, etc.), we still had about an hour left until astronomical twilight.

Antelope Island sunset.

It was about this time that we noticed a bison, which was taller than I am and probably weighed more than our car.  We decided for our safety, and the safety of all of our equipment, we should pack up and leave. 

Bison at Antelope Island

When we arrived home about an hour later, we decided to set up the telescope and look at the moon which was quite spectacular.  Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of the views to share.

I hope that June will be a less cloudy month so that I can take out the telescope and other gear more.  Especially since this month will bring the opposition of Jupiter, a close approach between Mars and Mercury, the Summer Solstice, Pallas the asteroid, and maybe even a comet.  The latter two will require a telescope and likely a star chart so you can see which "star" is Pallas and the comet.  I know a few of my readers have been looking forward to the opposition of Jupiter, as have I.

Mercury

Mercury can be found in the western sky after sunset throughout May.  After sunset on the first, Mercury can be found shining brightly at magnitude -1.0.  By the 4th, a sliver of moon can be seen close by the most inner planet.  As the month progresses, Mercury will climb higher in the evening sky as Mars sinks lower, creating a close approach between the pair on the 17th.  This approach is smaller than the size of the full moon in our night sky.  On the following evening, this distance decreases, making this planetary conjunction the closest between the pair in 13 years.  Perhaps these two planets don't like being this close together because by the end of the month, the distance increases to about 4° between them.  Be sure to catch this conjunction before it's gone!     

Venus

At the opening of June, Venus and the moon will have a close encounter.  The pair will be about 6° apart on the morning of the first.  Venus will dip closer to the Sun as the month moves on and will soon pass on the far side of the Sun, out of view for us on Earth.  Venus will return to view later on this year.   

Mars

Mars will be found in the southwestern sky during June.  Mercury should be the first planet you try to spot after sunset followed by Mars.  As mentioned above, the closest conjunction between this pair of planets in 13 years will occur on the 18th.  Be sure to check it out!  Mars can be found closer and closer to the western horizon as the month marches on, making this planet harder to spot in the twilight glow of the setting Sun.  By mid July, Mars will be too close to the Sun to see, so if you want to see this planet before then, give it a look.       

Jupiter

Jupiter will reach opposition on the 10th of June, increasing the detail that can be seen on this giant world.  Like a few of my readers, I have been looking forward to this opposition for a couple of months.  I'm excited to get the telescope out so I can try to see the Great Red Spot, the cloud bands, and of course the 4 major moons of Jupiter.  Since Jupiter is at opposition, it will rise in the east as the Sun sets in the west.  The best time to view the Jupiter, or any object, is when it lies higher in the sky, providing less atmospheric interference.  Don't forget that you can use a pair of binoculars to see the Galilean Moons.  On the evenings of the 15th and 16th, the Moon can be found close to Jupiter as it rises.         

Saturn

Saturn will rise just 2 hours after Jupiter.  On the 19th, the Moon and Saturn will make a close approach.  A telescope will reveal the rings of Saturn as well as the largest moon, Titan.  With a larger telescope, you can even pick out a few of the smaller moons orbiting Saturn.  Be sure to wait until Saturn is high in the sky for the best views.  If you wait another month, Saturn will reach opposition, increasing the detail you can see.   

Uranus

Neptune

Uranus rises around 5 in the morning and will be hard to spot during the first part of June.  By the 30th however, Uranus will rise about 2 hours sooner, giving it the chance to get away from the Sun's bright morning glow, making it easier for astronomers and stargazers to spot.  Uranus will poke above the horizon almost directly to the east all month.

Neptune on the other hand will rise around 3 in the morning at the beginning of the month and nearly two hours earlier by the 30th.  This outermost ice giant will rise in the east and travel towards the southern sky.  The Moon will join Neptune on the 23rd and 24th, passing within 10° or so.  Binoculars and a telescope will greatly enhance your views of these outermost planets.   
     

Meteor Shower

There are no major meteor showers in June, but there is always the chance to spot a stray meteor.  On a typical night, you should be able to see about 6 meteors per hour.  However, in June you may have the chance to spot some pearly noctilucent clouds.  These occur when tiny ice crystals attach themselves to dust particles in the upper atmosphere.  These clouds are best viewed during twilight when the Sun's fading light still glows.  This light will reflect off of these clouds, which are nearly 50 miles above the surface of Earth.

Spot Me....🕵️  

Last month, I had you try to spot an open star cluster (M44 - The Beehive Cluster) and a globular cluster (M13 - Hercules Globular Cluster).  Star clusters are one of my favorite things to look at since they typically show up pretty well in all sizes of telescopes.  Since Jupiter reaches opposition this month, I think you should try to see the Galilean Moons.  This should be easy, even with a pair of binoculars.  If you have a telescope, I encourage you to try and spot the cloud bands of Jupiter and the transit of one of its moons.  If your telescope is large enough, be sure and try to pick out the Great Red Spot.

If you enjoyed looking at the Hercules Globular Cluster last month, see if you can spot the globular cluster M19.  It can be found in the constellation of Ophiuchus which is where Jupiter will be all month.  Using Jupiter and Antares as a guide, M19 will be nearly straight to the right of Jupiter.  If you draw an imaginary line down from Antares, M19 will be about halfway between Jupiter and Antares.

As always, let me know what you see!

Monthly Breakdown

June 01:  Moon and Venus pass within 3°
June 03:  New Moon 🌑
June 04:  Moon and Mercury pass within 4°
June 05:  Moon and Mars pass within 2°
June 10:  First Quarter Moon 🌓
June 10:  Jupiter at opposition
June 16: Moon and Jupiter pass within 2°
June 17:  Full Moon 🌕
June 18:  Mars and Mercury pass within 1°
June 18:  Moon and Saturn pass within 1°
June 21:  Summer Solstice
June 23:  Moon and Neptune pass within 4°
June 25:  Last Quarter Moon 🌗
June 27:  Moon and Uranus pass within 5°

Think About This....💡

Nearly 60 years ago, in June of 1963, a cosmonaut named Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space.  She spent about 3 days in space, circling the Earth 48 times.  The 3 days she spent in space outnumbered the time of all of the American astronauts combined up to this point in history.  It would be another 19 years before the next woman would fly in space - in 1982, another cosmonaut named Svetlana Savitskaya.

The following year, in June of 1983, Sally Ride became the first American astronaut to fly in space aboard the space shuttle Challenger.  She had a total of two flights aboard the Challenger before she retired from NASA in 1987.  Sally Ride went on to work at Stanford University and the University of California for many years before passing away in July 2012.

As we roll into the month of June, I felt it was important to highlight the first women in space.  I found it interesting that the Soviet Union allowed a woman to go into space only two years after the first man went to space, but the Americans took over 20 years until they sent a woman into space.  I strongly encourage women (and men) to get involved in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) classes at an early age to help the advancement and understanding of our universe.   

Stay tuned for more exciting news and events!                      

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos taken by Jeff Greenland.