Monthly Night Sky Report: January 2021

    It's hard to believe that another year has passed by already!  Perhaps that's a good thing since 2020 was such a bad year for many people.  As far as astronomy was concerned, 2020 was a fantastic year.  We were able to see Comet NEOWISE, which some people are calling the "comet of the century."  I'm hopeful that we will be able to see a more spectacular comet, similar to Hale-Bopp in 1996.  A fortunate few people were able to witness a total solar eclipse this year.  The opposition of Mars offered many people great views of the red planet.  At the end of the year, many people were able to witness the close conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.  I was unable to get any pictures through my telescope to share, but the views were amazing!  Many images can be found online by searching for "great conjunction of 2020."  

    

    This new year will bring the return of your favorite summer night sky objects.  A few of my favorites include the Beehive Cluster, the Hercules Cluster, and the Ring Nebula.  Perhaps this new year will bring a never-before-seen, naked-eye comet!  Two major events taking place this year include Perseverance landing on Mars in February, and hopefully the launch and deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope near the end of the year.  

    The astronomy forecast for January shows the return of the Quadrantid Meteor Shower, a close pairing of Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, and the Moon during the early part of the month, and a conjunction with Saturn and the Sun, followed by yet another conjunction of Jupiter and the Sun near the end of the month.  These conjunctions will not be as exciting as the one between Jupiter and Saturn in December.       

    

Mercury

   Mercury will be a hard target during the first week of the month since it quickly gets lost in the evening glow of sunset.  As Mercury moves further from the Sun from our vantage point, it will become easier to see as it moves closer to Saturn and Jupiter.  These three planets will change places with each passing day.  On the 7th, Mercury can be found below Saturn, by the 10th, the innermost world will be about halfway between the gas giants and to the east (left) creating a planetary triangle.  Two sunsets later, Mercury will be the last of this trio to sink below the western horizon.  On the 13th, the 1% lit Moon will join these planets, but will be hugging tight to the horizon after sunset.  The following night, the Moon can be found higher in sky, be 4% illuminated, and will follow the curve that Saturn, Jupiter, and Mercury seem to create in the evening sky.  On the 23rd, Mercury will reach its greatest eastern elongation, meaning it will be be as high in the sky that it will get during its current orbit around the Sun.  If you continuously observe Mercury at the same time throughout the month, you will notice it climbing higher in the sky until the 23rd were it reaches its maximum altitude.  The following night, Mercury will begin to fall closer to the Sun.            

  

Venus

  Our sister planet, Venus, will rise approximately an hour and ten minutes before the Sun as the month begins.  As we march through the first month of the year, Venus will appear to move closer to the Sun, rising a little bit later with each passing day.  By the end of the month, Venus rises about 30 minutes before the Sun and may be hard to spot in the bright sunrise.  In early February, Venus will be too close to the Sun for Earthbound observers to view.  Currently, Venus is located on the far side of the Sun from the Earth, meaning that observers using binoculars or a telescope will be able to see a nearly "full" phase of Venus, at 98%, on the 31st.  On the 11th, a thin crescent Moon will be found near Venus.  This crescent Moon will have about 3% of the lunar surface lit by the Sun from our vantage point.

    

Mars

    The distance between the Earth and Mars will continue to increase.  If you have a large telescope, you should still be able to pick up some Martian detail, although it won't be as clear and prominent as it was in October when Mars was at opposition.  The red planet will still be easy to detect with unaided eyes due to its brightness and contrast to the surrounding stars.  The fourth planet from the Sun will be found in the constellation of Aries for the majority of the month, which can be found nearly overhead after sunset.       

Jupiter

Saturn

    Jupiter and Saturn did not disappoint observers in December with their conjunction.  Unfortunately, they will not stay above the western horizon for long after sunset, meaning you will want to get your telescope set up before sunset to observe this pair of planets.  As mentioned, the pair will be joined by Mercury, creating an excellent shot for those into astrophotography.  If you want to view these two gas giants, you will want to do so in the early part of the month, as they appear to be rapidly approaching the Sun.  

    Jupiter will likely be the first point of light to be seen after sunset.  With each passing sunset, this gas giant will be found closer and closer to the western horizon as it approaches its conjunction date with the Sun on the 28th.  By the third week of the month, Jupiter will be hard to spot in the brightness of sunset.

    Saturn will have a similar demise as Jupiter, which will happen earlier in the month.  The ringed world, which shines less brightly and is found closer to the Sun from our point of view, will likely be lost in the sunset by the second week of the month.  The conjunction between Saturn and the Sun will occur on the 23rd.         

   

Neptune

Uranus

    The outer two planets are best viewed through a telescope but can still be seen through a pair of binoculars.  Uranus can be found to the left (east) of Mars as the month begins.  The eastward motion of Mars in our night sky will bring it closer to Uranus until the 20th, when Uranus can be found almost directly below the red planet.  On this date, the Moon can be found to lower right of Uranus.  Neptune will continue to be found in the constellation of Aquarius throughout the month.  On the 16th, the Moon can be found directly below the most distant planet in our solar system.

Meteor Shower

   The Quadrantid Meteor Shower returns this month!  Under Moon-free conditions, an observer can expect to see up to 120 meteors/hour.  Unfortunately, this year brings an 80% lit Moon in the sky, which will drown out all but the brightest of meteors.  If you want to brave the cold for this shower, head away from city lights on the 3rd of the month and look towards the constellation of Bootes (contains the bright star Arcturus) around 5 in the morning.  By this time, the constellation will be nearly overhead, placing it in an ideal location for viewing.   

Spot Me....🕵️  

    I've had you try to spot quite a few different objects in the night sky, most of which require a telescope. During the cold month of January, I won't encourage you to stay outside for long or suggest objects that require a telescope.  As the two gas giants move closer to the Sun for their respective conjunctions, I do urge you to give them a glance this month before they disappear from our evening sky.  They will reappear in the morning sky around the middle of February, however.  I also urge you to look at the Moon this month.  The amount of craters that you can see on its surface changes daily as the amount of sunlight reflecting off of the lunar surface changes.  If you are the type of person that wants to get out your telescope so you can see as much surface detail as possible or you received a new moon filter that you are itching to try out, be sure to dress warm!

  

    As always, leave a comment to let us know what you see!

Monthly Breakdown

    January 03:  Quadrantid Meteor Shower Peaks

    January 06:  Last Quarter Moon 🌗

    January 11:  Moon passes within 2° of Venus

    January 11:  Mercury and Jupiter pass within 2°

    January 13:  New Moon 🌑

    January 14:  Moon passes within 2° of Mercury

    January 17:  Moon passes within 4° of Neptune

    January 20:  First Quarter Moon 🌓

    January 21:  Moon passes within 5° of Mars and Uranus

    January 21:  Mars and Uranus pass within 2°

    January 23:  Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation

    January 23:  Saturn and Sun conjunction

    January 28:  Jupiter and Sun conjunction

    January 28:  Full Moon 🌕 

    

Think About This....💡

   

    During the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on the 21st, I was able to take out my telescope to witness this great event.  I was also able to share it with many others that joined me during the evening.  As mentioned, I was unable to get a good image through my telescope, but my niece was able to capture one that same night that she has allowed me to share!  I was able to get a shot of the Moon through my telescope with my phone, so I will also share that with you as well.  

    While viewing the conjunction, I heard many people (not in my group!) complain that the two planets weren't brighter during conjunction.  I took that to mean that they were expecting the shine from both planets to be combined, making them brighter.  I think these people forgot that Saturn is further out from the Sun than Jupiter is.  Since this is the case, if Jupiter and Saturn were perfectly aligned to the Earth, we would only be able to see Jupiter since it would block the view of Saturn!

Jupiter and Saturn conjunction taken by my niece.  

    

Moon through telescope.

Great Conjunction taken by Damian Peach and submitted to Astronomy Picture of the Day.

    The above image is similar to what I was able to see through my telescope.  Notice the 4 Galilean Moons of Jupiter spanning the top portion of the image, and Saturn's moon, Titan near the bottom center.  If you look closely, you can also see the Great Red Spot at the top left of Jupiter.  

     

    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.

    

Midmonth Check-In: December 2020

     I hope this mid month check-in post finds all of you doing well, staying safe, and keeping warm!  Within the past month or so, there have been a couple more asteroids that came close to Earth and a few fireballs seen above various countries due to larger meteors burning up in the atmosphere.  There have also been two rocket launches to the ISS, one carrying new crew and the other carrying supplies for those staying on the ISS.  I was also able to watch the launch of Sentinel-6 on NASA TV whose purpose is to monitor global sea levels.  Construction has also begun on the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket at NASA which is designed to take humans back to the Moon and potentially to Mars.  

    There will be some exciting events from NASA taking place in 2021 with the latest Mars mission due to arrive at the red planet in February.  Later in the year, there is also the chance of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) being launched.  This mission has been pushed back several times due to budget cuts and other missions taking precedence over it.  The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) consists of one mirror that is slightly taller than an average human.  The HST primarily looks at objects in the visual and UV range of the electromagnetic spectrum.  The JWST will consist of 18 mirrors which are approximately the same size as the single mirror in the HST!  This telescope will be able to see even more detail than HST due to its much larger size.  It will primarily study objects using the visual and the infrared end of the spectrum.  The JWST will be placed at about 1.5 million kilometers (approximately 930,000 miles) from the Earth in a location known as L2 or Lagrange Point 2.  This is an area in space where the gravity of the Earth and Sun cancel each other out so the telescope can "float" in place with minimal adjustments to its orbit.  Hubble is a mere 570 kilometers (approximately 350 miles) above the surface of the Earth.  

    While on the topic of telescopes, many of you may have likely heard about the failure of the main telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.  Due to hurricanes and a limited budget, the main telescope was destroyed, which was the largest telescope of its kind.  You may be familiar with a reflecting telescope, like mine pictured below, which uses a large mirror (primary mirror) to collect light, and a smaller mirror (secondary mirror) to direct the light to your eyepiece.  In my telescope, the primary mirror is located at the bottom of the telescope (near the red chair on the right) while the secondary mirror is located just behind the focuser (protruding part near the top on the otherwise smooth "cannon"), near the top of the telescope.    

My telescope, as well as most other amateur telescopes, allows the user to see objects in the visible part of the EM spectrum.  Instead of collecting visible light, the Arecibo telescope collects radio waves into a large dish consisting of nearly 40,000 panels made of aluminum.  These panels then reflect the radio waves to a single point which focuses them before they are analyzed by computers.  Just as creating a larger mirror will collect more light and be able to show fainter objects in the visual range, a large radio telescope can collect fainter radio signals to be analyzed.  Unlike optical telescopes, several radio telescopes can be built and set up in arrays to act as a single large telescope instead of many smaller instruments.  

    Objects in the universe emit many different wavelengths of light.  These include the visible range which humans are most familiar with as well as several others which you have likely heard of, such as infrared, microwaves, X-rays, and ultraviolet rays.  The visible range makes up a tiny part of the spectrum of light waves.  Radio waves also make up a small section of the EM spectrum, which radio telescopes are able to pick up.  These are the same type of waves that radio antennas pick up so that you can listen to the radio in your car or home.  Radio waves in the universe can be emitted by stars, galaxies, and black holes, among other things.  Arecibo was used to detect these faint waves and was also used by SETI to potentially detect radio waves from other civilizations.  Below is an image of Arecibo taken by the National Science Foundation before it was damaged.

The radio waves would be collected by the large dish and focused to a single point above the center of the dish which is just below the scaffolding in the image.  Once the data is focused, it is sent to a computer where the data can be analyzed.  The cables that can be seen connecting the three towers to the central scaffolding failed, causing the central area to collapse onto the dish below.  As of this post, there are no plans to reconstruct this telescope but hopefully some group will take interest and be able to make Arecibo operational once again.

The following image is of the Very Large Array Observatory in New Mexico.  This image was also taken by the NSF and was featured on the Astronomy Picture of the Day.  As you can see, this observatory is made up of many smaller radio telescopes which when used together, act as a much larger telescope.  Optical telescopes are best used away from interfering light caused by city lights and other nearby light sources.  Similarly, radio telescopes work best when they are far away from radio wave sources such as cities, cell phone towers, and the like.  

Currently, the world's largest and fully steerable radio telescope is located at Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia.  Since this telescope is steerable, it is able to be aimed at any part of the sky to detect radio waves.  The dish of this telescope measures about 300 feet, which is larger than a football field!  This telescope is so sensitive that no radio signals of any kind are allowed within 50 miles of it.  This includes cordless phones, cell phones, wi-fi and even gas-powered cars!  Visiting this area is like stepping back into the 1950's.  Below is an image of the Green Bank Telescope taken by the NSF.  

    We have just passed the peak date of the Geminid Meteor Shower.  If you were unable to view them on that date, you should still be able to see quite a few meteors as the Earth continues to plow through the ice and dust that contributes to this shower.  

Over the past few weeks, I have been watching Jupiter and Saturn moving closer together.  The great conjunction between these planets is just around the corner!  This will occur on the 21st and will feature both Jupiter and Saturn in a single field of view with a pair of binoculars or by using an eyepiece with a wide field of view in a telescope.  This conjunction can be viewed as soon as you are able to see Jupiter with the unaided eye.  Be sure to dress warmly!  The winter solstice will occur on the same day as the conjunction, meaning that we will now have more daylight in the northern hemisphere as the tilt of the Earth's axis slowly wobbles towards the Sun.  

As we begin a new year, you can again look at the wonders of the night sky, such as star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies, that you viewed in 2020 or perhaps you will find a new favorite object.  Stay warm and stay safe for the remainder of the year and don't forget to get outside and look up!           

Now get outside and look up!

Monthly Night Sky Report: December 2020

    November seemed warmer than usual but still had many cloudy nights (and days) here in Utah.  As is usually the case, it seemed that the weather knew which days would work best for my personal schedule for stargazing and decided to be cloudy during those times.  Nevertheless, I was still able to witness a few of the astronomical highlights for the month.  Towards the end of the month, the 21st to be exact, I was able to view Mercury rising over the mountains just before the brilliance of the Sun drowned out twinkle of this tiny planet.  I was also able to see Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars nearly every clear night and Venus on the clear mornings.  The Moon was also a welcome sight, as it is to me every winter when the nights are clear.  Orion was easy to spot creeping over the mountains at night and again sinking towards the western horizon in the morning. 

    

    December will likely bring more clouds as well as less free time to stargaze due to the holidays.  However, this month offers many great astronomical treats for those able and willing to brave the colder temperatures.  December offers one of the best meteor showers of the year which will peak with a Moon-free sky.  The 21st this month marks the Winter Solstice, the period in the Earth's orbit when the Northern Hemisphere has the longest night.  There will be a conjunction (close encounter of two objects in our night sky) between two planets this month as well, the like that has not been seen for nearly 400 years!  This month also offers a total solar eclipse for those that live in or are willing to travel to South America.    

    

Mercury

   Mercury will be a hard target to spot throughout December.  Your best chance of seeing the innermost planet will be during the first week of the month.  At this time, Mercury will be further from the Sun so you may catch a glimpse of it before the sunrise glow outshines this tiny world.  Mercury will then be too close to the Sun to view until January 2021, at which time this planet will be found in the evening instead of the predawn sky.    

  

Venus

  The second planet from the Sun can be found in the morning sky.  At the beginning of the month, Venus will rise about two and a half hours before the Sun.  As our sister planet continues its orbit around the Sun, it will rise later and later, causing it to peak above the Rocky Mountains nearly an hour later by the 31st.  During the second week of the month, a crescent Moon will join Venus in the morning sky.  

Mars

    The Earth-Mars distance has been increasing throughout November and will continue to do so.  As the distance increases, the magnitude and the amount of Martian detail that can be seen diminishes.  This planet can still easily be seen in the night sky due to its rusty-red color contrasting the other points of light in the sky, the brightness that it shines, as well as its location in the night sky.  It can be found approaching the southeastern sky at sunset and will follow Jupiter and Saturn towards the western horizon.     

Jupiter

Saturn

    Jupiter will be an easy target to spot in the night sky shortly after sunset due to its magnitude.  It can be found in the southwest with Saturn becoming visible roughly 30-45 minutes later.  As the month marches on, Jupiter and Saturn will move closer together until finally reaching a spectacular conjunction on the 21st.  When using binoculars or a telescope, the two planets and their visible moons will appear in one field of view.  How awesome it will be to see the cloud bands of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn together!  These two planets have a conjunction roughly every 20 years, however, they have not been this close for nearly 400 years!  The last time these two giant planets were this close was the time when Galileo used his telescope to discover the Galilean Moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn!  During conjunction, the two planets will be approximately 0.1° apart which is about 1/5 of the diameter of the full Moon in our night sky.  Leading up to the 21st, the Moon can be found just 3° below this pair of gas giants on the 16th.  

   

Neptune

Uranus

    The outer two planets are best viewed through a telescope but can still be seen through a pair of binoculars.  Uranus can be found chasing after Mars in the constellation of Aries the Ram throughout the month and will be joined by the Moon on the 24th.  In January, Mars' eastward motion will bring the pair of planets close together from our point of view.  The most distant planet, Neptune, can be found in the constellation of Aquarius throughout December.  The Moon will also be found in the constellation of Aquarius on the 20th, bringing it close to Neptune.  

Meteor Shower

    December brings the return of the Geminid Meteor Shower.  This is one of the best, if not the best meteor shower of the year.  Unfortunately, it is likely one of the least viewed meteor showers due to the inclement weather and cold temperatures.  This shower is active between December 4th and the 17th meaning that you will likely see some meteors from this shower if viewing between these dates.  The peak date is the night of the 13th and morning of the 14th at which time you may be able to see up to 150 meteors per hour!  As mentioned in the introduction, the Moon will not be in the sky which will increase your chances and the number of meteors that you can see.  If you are able to get away from city lights, you should be able to see even the faintest meteors.  These meteors will appear to radiate from the constellation of Gemini which can be found to the left (east) of Betelgeuse, the left shoulder of Orion.  

Spot Me....🕵️  

    I've had you try to spot quite a few different objects in the night sky, most of which require a telescope. During 2020, we have been able to see a few comets, most notable was NEOWISE.  I have included pictures of NEOWISE in my August Monthly Sky Report from this year if you would like to look at them again.  This month, take out your telescope or binoculars to view the great conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn, you will be glad you did!  If weather permits, you should also try to view the Geminid Meteor Shower since it is one of the best of the year.  Be sure to dress warm, use hand warmers, and have a nice mug of hot chocolate with you!  

  

    As always, leave a comment to let me and others know what you see!

Monthly Breakdown

    December 07:  Last Quarter Moon 🌗

    December 12:  Moon passes within 1° of Venus

    December 13:  Geminid Meteor Shower Peaks

    December 14:  New Moon 🌑

    December 16:  Moon passes within 3° of Jupiter and Saturn

    December 20:  Moon passes within 5° of Neptune

    December 21:  Jupiter and Saturn conjunction

    December 21:  Winter Solstice

    December 21:  First Quarter Moon 🌓

    December 22:  Venus passes within 6° of Antares

    December 23:  Moon passes within 6° of Mars

    December 24:  Moon passes within 3° of Uranus

    December 29:  Full Moon 🌕 

    

Think About This....💡

   

    As 2020 comes to a close, remember all of those around you that you have to be thankful for.  You should also be thankful for everything that you have.  While we may look at others and how fortunate they seem to be, don't forget that there may be some less fortunate looking to you and admiring all that you seem to have.  This year has been a rough one for many people, but remember to take time and show kindness to those around you.  Showing a little kindness and gratitude can go a long way!

    Unfortunately, I do not have any new pictures to share this month, but will hopefully have something for you next month!  

 

    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.

    

Midmonth Check-In: November 2020

    Starting this month, I thought I would add a new monthly post.  The intentions of these posts are to remind you about the things that you can see for the remainder of the month and to also discuss recent findings related to astronomy, physics principles, or other similar topics.  I will also bring to your attention astronomy events for the month that I may have forgotten to include in the monthly night sky report!

    For November, I thought I would talk about asteroids since the Earth had a close encounter, astronomically speaking, at the beginning of the month.  Before talking about asteroids, I should remind you of the difference between meteoroids, meteors, meteorites, comets, and asteroids. As you might guess from the object names, meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites are all related.  A meteoroid is a small pebble sized object, typically a small piece of an asteroid or comet.  When a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere, it burns up creating a streak of light across the sky.  When this happens, we call them meteors or "shooting stars".  As you have learned from reading my blog, we have many meteor showers throughout the year.  These showers are caused by the Earth passing through the debris left by a comet as it approaches the Sun, then accelerates back to the outer solar system.  A meteorite is what we call a meteor that does not completely burn up in the atmosphere and makes it to the surface of the planet.  Many meteorites are made up of large quantities of iron, such as a small one that I have that came from the Sikhote-Alin Mountains in Russia.  This meteorite fragment is from a much larger meteorite which fell to the Earth in 1947.  

    Comets come from the outer solar system and are typically made up of rock and ice.  They have earned the name of "dirty snowballs" for this reason.  As the comet approaches the Sun, the heat and solar wind cause a tail to form, such as the tail that can be seen in my pictures of NEOWISE from earlier this year.  This tail, called a dust tail, is usually the brightest tail that can be seen on a comet.  A dimmer tail, called the ion tail, usually has a blue color and is formed by the ultraviolet light from the Sun interacting with gas from the comet.  The gas is not exhaust fumes!  The gas can be formed when the ice sublimates (solid form to gas form) as the solar wind and heat from the Sun warms the comet.  The ion tail points straight out from the Sun, while the dust tail can sometimes curve as the comet moves around the Sun.  

    Asteroids are large chunks of iron and rock.  They come in all shapes and sizes like a potato.  In fact, sometimes asteroids are referred to as "space potatoes!"  When an asteroid impacts the Earth, it leaves a large crater, which you can see using Google Earth or other satellite images.  A famous one that is located close to Utah, is Meteor Crater in Arizona.  This was caused by a 150 foot asteroid exploding just before impacting the Earth.  Meteor Crater is one of the most well preserved impact craters on Earth, mostly due to its young age of only 50,000 years, and the dry climate in Arizona.

    While on the topic of impact craters, Meteor Crater is fairly small in size, but may seem large if you were to visit it.  The diameter of this crater is less than a mile and can be difficult to see from the International Space Station which orbits at about 250 miles above the Earth.  From Earth, an observer can easily see the craters on the Moon.  Perhaps the easiest one to see is Tycho Crater at the "bottom" of the Moon.  Tycho Crater is about 53 miles in diameter, which is still small compared to the largest crater on the Moon, known as South Pole-Aitken basin.  This crater has a diameter of roughly 1,600 miles!  This is currently the largest known crater in the solar system and is, unfortunately, located on the far side of the Moon.  Below are a couple of images taken through my telescope with my phone.  The first shows the entire illuminated Moon from the particular night it was taken. On the left you can see Tycho Crater, the bright, white crater.  The second image is using a higher power eyepiece just to show the many craters on this particular area of the Moon.  This was also taken on the same night.  

    Some day in the future, the Earth will be impacted (again) by an asteroid.  Hopefully it will be a small impact over an unpopulated area of the Earth.  NASA and other space agencies around the world are on the lookout for asteroids that have the potential to cause harm to those of us on Earth.  These and other teams are working on ways to help divert these potentially hazardous objects so it will completely miss the Earth.  Perhaps some of my young readers will grow up and join the team that helps find these objects and keep them safely away from Earth!

    I want to remind you to look for Comet Howell.  Beginning on the 15th, this comet can be found below Jupiter.  Each passing night, the comet will move eastward so if looking for the comet later in the month, you will want to scan the sky southeast of Jupiter. Don't forget to watch for the Leonid Meteor Shower which peaks on the 17th.  Hopefully my readers outside of Utah will have a better chance of seeing this shower as meteorologists are predicting cloudy skies in Utah.  More notably, there is the lunar eclipse on the 30th which will peak at 2:45 AM Utah time.  Hopefully the clouds won't interfere!!  Remember that this is not a total lunar eclipse so that only part of the Moon will pass through the shadow of the Earth.  

    Check back in a couple of weeks for my next monthly sky report! 

Monthly Night Sky Report: November 2020

  October was a more eventful month for getting the telescope out under the stars.  I was able to meet with my niece and her telescope during the middle of October.  We were able to look at Jupiter's cloud bands and the Galilean Moons, Saturn, its rings, and Titan, Mars and Valles Marineris, as well as Uranus and Neptune, which was a first for both of us.  While looking at Jupiter, I witnessed one of the Galilean Moons move behind Jupiter and later reemerge on the opposite side of the planet.  We also looked at the Double Cluster and Andromeda Galaxy, both of which were easily visible but offer much more detail under less light polluted skies.  I was also able to view the Pleiades which were still close to the eastern horizon so were a bit hazy.  

    Later in the month, I was able to try using some colored filters to bring out surface detail on Mars and Jupiter, but did not have much luck.  I believe this was caused by the cold ambient temperature and the warmth from my eye fogging up the eyepiece.  There was also the possibility of my telescope becoming uncollimated with the drop in temperature.  I'm excited to try using the filters again in the near future. 

    November will bring much colder nights.  This will force many stargazers to stay inside, but I still encourage you to look up as often as you are able.  November offers the Leonid Meteor Shower which will peak under a Moon free sky.  This month will also bring the return of all of the planets to the sky even if just for a short window during the month.  A stargazer may also be able to view Comet 88P/Howell, which can be found below Jupiter and Saturn during the middle of the month.  This will require a telescope to see but will be worth the effort!       

    

Mercury

   The innermost planet, Mercury, can be found in the morning sky throughout November.  If an observer scouts for Mercury every morning during the month and makes a mental note of where it can be found in the sky, they will notice this tiny planet climb higher on the eastern horizon until the 10th, and then sink lower throughout the rest of the month.  On the 10th, Mercury reaches its greatest elongation from the Sun, from our Earthly point of view.  An observer may also notice one of the 20 (number 16 to be exact) brightest stars in the night sky, Spica.  Spica is actually a binary star system, meaning that two stars are orbiting each other.  This system lies about 250 light years from us.  During the early part of November, Mercury and Spica will shine at about the same magnitude.  As Mercury passes its greatest elongation, it will continue to brighten and should obtain a magnitude of -0.5 which will make it much easier to see.  On the morning of the 13th, a thin crescent moon can be found just above the planet.  By the end of the month, Mercury will likely be too hard to see since it will be lost in the morning glow of the rising Sun.  If weather permits, see how many days of the month you can see Mercury!          

  

Venus

  Venus will continue to be the "morning star" throughout November.  If an observer were to watch Venus all month, they would notice that on the first morning of the month, Venus can be found high in the sky.  With each passing morning, the observer would notice Venus not quite as high in the sky as it was the previous day.  Venus is slowly moving closer to the Sun from our point of view.  On the 12th, a slim crescent moon can be found floating above Venus.  An observer may also use a pair of binoculars or telescope to see the phases of Venus.  Throughout the month, it will be between 80-90% lit, meaning it is nearly "full" like a full Moon!

Mars

    Mars reached opposition in October and will still offer great telescopic views during the early part of November.  Mars is quickly moving away from the Earth, meaning that its brightness will decrease as well as the surface detail that can be viewed through a telescope.  On the 25th, a nearly Full Moon will be found close to the red planet.  The magnitude of Mars is similar to that of Jupiter and when comparing the two, an observer will easily be able to see the color difference between them.       

Jupiter

    Jupiter will remain visible throughout November but will sink below the western horizon earlier each night.  If an observer with a telescope is only able to view a few objects at night before the cold forces them indoors, I recommend Jupiter as one of the targets.  The observer will be able to see the four Galilean Moons and depending on the size of the telescope, they may be able to make out cloud bands and the Great Red Spot.  They may also be able to witness one of the moons moving in front of or behind the giant planet.  If weather permits, an observer can point their telescope towards Jupiter on the 18th and be able to easily view this giant planet as well as Saturn and a thin crescent moon by moving their telescope very little.  The distance between the Earth and Jupiter is increasing due to the positions the planets are in their orbit around the Sun.  This means that Jupiter will begin to dim this month and the cloud bands may be harder to see with a telescope.  

Saturn

  Saturn will continue to follow Jupiter this month.  The ringed world is another target I would highly recommend to an observer to view with their telescope before moving indoors to escape the cold.  The larger the telescope, the more magnificent the rings will look.  I prefer the look of Saturn through a lower power eyepiece which gives me a great field of view of the planet and the surrounding stars.  On the 19th, the Moon can be found to the east of Saturn (and Jupiter) which should make it easy to view the trio in one night before retreating to the warmth of your house.    

Neptune

Uranus

    The outer two planets are best viewed through a telescope but can still be seen through a pair of binoculars.  Uranus, the closest to the Sun of these two ice giants, reached opposition on the 31st of October.  This means that it will be rising in the east shortly after the Sun has set in the west.  Using a telescope should reveal the blue-green color of this planet.  However, with my limited experience viewing this planet, I thought the color was comparable to that of Saturn, a yellowish color.  This could have been because of viewing this planet while it was close to the horizon, through thin clouds, and through an eyepiece that would fog up when placing my eye close to it. 

    Neptune will be found in the constellation of Aquarius all month.  When using a pair of binoculars or a telescope, an observer should notice the bluish color of this world.  It will also appear as a round disk shape instead of the pin point shape of a star.  When I recently viewed Neptune, I could easily see the bluish color, although it was still quite blurry due to the thin clouds and my warm eye fogging up the lens of the cold eyepiece.  

    As this was my first time out in weather this cold with the telescope, I have learned some valuable tricks that I will try next time I'm out in the cold weather to prevent the fogging up of the eyepieces.  Since colder air is less turbulent, it is the best time for observing with a telescope or binoculars.  I hope to do some observing this winter as long as the weather cooperates!      

Meteor Shower

    November brings the return of the Leonid Meteor Shower.  This shower will peak on the morning of the 17th and a Moon-free sky should allow observers to see as many meteors as the weather allows!  Although this shower peaks on a Tuesday, an observer should still be able to catch this meteor shower on the weekend before or after this date.  The number of meteors on the peak date is approximately 15 per hour.  While this is a small number compared to the Geminid and Perseid showers, the Leonids produce meteors that have a higher velocity so they tend to leave a longer streak across the sky.  The best time to view is when the constellation of Leo the Lion is high in the sky.  This constellation creeps above the mountains around 3 in the morning Utah time, with meteors being visible until the morning glow of the Sun washes them out. 

    Meteor showers are caused by the Earth flying through the debris (ice, rock, and dust) left behind by a comet as it moves inwards towards the Sun.  Think of it like a car driving through a snowstorm or cloud of dust from a dirt road.  The snowflakes or dust particles that hit the windshield are like the small particles that burn up in the Earth's atmosphere, creating a meteor shower.  

Spot Me....🕵️  

    I've had you try to spot quite a few different objects in the night sky, most of which require a telescope. During 2020, we have been able to see a few comets, most notable was NEOWISE.  I have included pictures of NEOWISE in my August Monthly Sky Report from this year if you would like to look at them again.  This month, Comet Howell can be seen passing below Jupiter and Saturn in our night sky.  These planets, as well as dwarf planet Pluto, can be found in the southern sky after sunset, with Jupiter being one of the first points of light to shine through the evening glow of the Sun.  Comet Howell will appear to move eastward throughout the month as opposed to the planets which move westward.  At the beginning of the month, Howell can be found near the southern Milky Way band, to the right of the the giant planets.  At this position, it may be hard to spot the comet because of the brightness of the Sun.  As the month progresses, it will become easier to see as it moves away from our glaring star.  On the night of the 15th, Howell can be found approximately 4° below Jupiter and Saturn.  On the 18th, the Moon will be in the vicinity and will wash out the dim glow of comet Howell.  By the 20th, Howell will be found further east than Saturn as it moves from the constellation of Sagittarius to the stars belonging to Capricornus.  Unfortunately, comet Howell shines at an approximate magnitude of 8.5, which means you will need a large pair of binoculars or a telescope to see it.  If using a telescope near the 15th, use your lowest power (large mm) eyepiece to find Jupiter and aim your telescope slightly below and scan the sky for this visitor.  There are a few star clusters in this region of the sky.  M55 can be found below Jupiter and Saturn and shines more brightly than Howell.  If you can see this star cluster on the 15th, you have moved your telescope to far down.  To the east (left) of Saturn, you may see M75 which has a similar magnitude to Howell.  

    

    There is also a penumbral lunar eclipse that we should be able to see in North America.  This type of eclipse happens when the Moon passes through part of the shadow of the Earth, causing part of the Moon to go dark.  This will occur on November 30th with the start time around 12:30 AM Utah time.  The peak will occur at approximately 2:45 AM and the Moon will move out of the Earth's shadow at about 5 in the morning.  While this event won't be as spectacular as a total lunar eclipse, it will still be worth seeing for those willing to brave the cold!

  

    As always, leave a comment to let me and others know what you see!

Monthly Breakdown

    November 08:  Last Quarter Moon 🌗

    November 10:  Mercury at greatest western elongation

    November 12:  Moon passes within 3° of Venus

    November 13:  Moon passes within 2° of Mercury

    November 15:  New Moon 🌑

    November 15:  Venus and Spica within 4°

    November 17:  Leonid Meteor Shower peaks

    November 19:  Moon passes within 3° of Jupiter and Saturn

    November 21:  First Quarter Moon 🌓

    November 23:  Moon passes within 5° of Neptune

    November 25:  Moon passes within 5° of Mars

    November 27:  Moon passes within 3° of Uranus

    November 30:  Full Moon 🌕 

    November 30:  Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, peak at 2:45 AM Utah time

Think About This....💡

    As a person with an interest in astronomy, you have likely heard about the asteroid that will pass close to Earth on November 2nd.  Many news agencies and others have said that the asteroid will impact Earth.  While this is possible, there is an extremely small chance of this happening, less than 1 percent!  This asteroid is estimated to be about the size of a refrigerator and would likely burn up if it did enter the atmosphere of Earth.  It is estimated that this asteroid will come within 260,000 miles of Earth, which is greater than the Earth-Moon distance.  You can keep your eye on the known asteroids at https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch/.  For a table of Near Earth Objects (NEO's), click here!

    With that out of the way, please enjoy these pictures taken during October from a light polluted sky!  They are all edited to try to combat the effects of light pollution on the night sky.      

Milky Way from bottom right to top center

Jupiter (bright center star) and Saturn (upper left of Jupiter)

 Cassiopeia (Center), Andromeda (to the right of Cassiopeia), Pleiades (Lower right)

 

Big Dipper through the power lines and Polaris (right of top center)

Jupiter and Saturn taken with my phone

 

    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: October 2020

    Like previous months, September went by much too quickly for me and I was unable to do some serious stargazing.  The week I was planning on taking out the telescope, I ended up getting a cold and unable to go.  At the beginning of the month, I was able to go on a camping trip on the backside of Mount Timpanogos in Utah and was able to capture a few images.  As in previous posts, I will share the best images at the end.

    October will likely be the last month of the year for many to take out their gear.  The tenth month usually brings much cooler temperatures and even snow in Utah.  I hope to have one more outing with the telescope in the early part of the month before the cold sets in.  During the month, we will find Mars reaching opposition, a Blue Moon, which is the second Full Moon in the span of a month, and the return of the Orionid Meteor shower.

    

Mercury

   Mercury can be viewed in the early part of the month just after sunset.  Mercury will shine at magnitude 0 on the first evening of the month and will grow dimmer (positive magnitude!) with each passing day as it moves closer to the Sun from our Earthly view.  By the end of the first week, Mercury will be too close to the Sun to view until November, when the innermost planet can be found rising before the morning Sun.

  

Venus

  Venus will continue to be an easy object to see.  It rises a few hours before the Sun and shines at magnitude -4.0 on the first morning of the month.  Venus can still easily be seen as the glow of the morning Sun creeps above the eastern mountains.  During the first 3 mornings or so of October, Venus will be found close to Regulus in the constellation of Leo.  Ordinarily, this star would be easy to spot but with bright Venus near, it may be harder than usual.  As the month progresses, Venus will rise later as it approaches the Sun from our vantage point.  During this trek, Venus will pass from Leo into the constellation of Virgo.  Using a telescope or a pair of binoculars, an observer will notice the phase changes of Venus as the month progresses and our sister planet moves closer to the Sun.     

Mars

    After much anticipation, Mars will finally reach opposition on the 13th.  This will be the best chance for many Northern Hemisphere observers to view the red planet.  In 2018 when Mars was at opposition and close to the Earth, a planet-wide dust storm blocked our Earthly view of any surface detail.  I also recall taking the telescope out to the desert to view Mars, but the skies were filled with smoke from California and Utah wildfires.  Hopefully this year will provide better viewing conditions.  Granted that seeing conditions are favorable, we will not have such a grand view of the red planet for another 15 years, until 2035 when it will again make a close approach to the Earth.  This year however, Mars will make its closest approach to Earth on October 6th, bringing it to less than half of the Earth-Sun distance.  As you may recall, the distance to the Sun from Earth is known as one Astronomical Unit (AU) and is approximately 93 million miles.  

    On the first evening of the month, Mars and the Full Moon will rise together after sunset.  Towards the end of the month, on the 29th, the pair will again be found rising together.  The best time to view Mars, or any object, is when it lies high in the sky instead of close to the horizon.  The second half of the month will bring the volcanic region of Mars to view and towards the end of the month observers may be able to spot Valles Marineris.  I hope to the have the chance to spot one or both of these features this month.          

Jupiter

    Jupiter should continue to be one of your first targets with your telescope after sunset.  It will likely be the first object noticed in the southern sky.  A telescope will easily show the four Galilean Moons and may even reveal the cloud bands and Great Red Spot.  An observer may also witness the transit of one of these moons and/or its shadow across the surface of this giant planet.  On the 21st and 22nd of the month, the Moon can be found close to Jupiter and Saturn which will likely obscure most detail an observer would want to see.  

Saturn

   After viewing Jupiter, aim your telescope slightly to the upper left to view Saturn.  Most telescopes will easily reveal the rings which inspire awe in many people.  Through a telescope, an observer may also notice Titan, the largest moon in our solar system.  Those with a larger telescope may also notice Tethys, Dione, and Rhea, a few of the larger, brighter moons of Saturn.  The Earth's Moon will join Saturn in the sky on the 22nd.  After viewing Jupiter and Saturn, move your telescope to view Mars, as it should be high enough in the sky for excellent viewing.       

Neptune

Uranus

    The outer two planets are best viewed through a telescope but can still be seen through a pair of binoculars.  On the 31st, Uranus will also reach opposition this month.  A telescope won't provide any surface detail as is possible with Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, but it will show the blue-green disk of the planet.  Uranus can be found in the constellation of Aries and will be joined by the Moon on the 3rd and again on the 30th.  If trying to star hop to find Uranus, wait until the Pleiades rise above the mountains around 10:30 or 11.  You can then draw a line connecting Mars and the Pleiades.  About halfway between the pair, you should be able to spot Uranus.  As October progresses, Mars will be moving away from the Pleiades so Uranus will no longer be found precisely at the midpoint, but closer to the star cluster.  If you are having trouble, pull out your favorite star chart or star app to help you find this planet!

    Neptune will be harder to spot as there are no bright objects to help locate our most distant planet.  The best chance for finding Neptune is to use your lowest power eyepiece and a star chart or star app.  Compare what you see in your telescope to what you see in your references and try to find Neptune in this way.  It will appear as a blue disk in your telescope instead of a pinpoint object like a star.  The Moon can be found close to Neptune on the 26th, which may help in locating this planet.     

Meteor Shower

    This month brings the return of the Orionid Meteor Shower.  It will peak on the 21st under a nearly Moon-free sky.  This will allow more meteors to be seen, especially if you are able to get away from city lights.  The Orionid meteor shower will appear to radiate from the constellation of Orion, so find yourself a spot where this constellation is easily visible.  The best time to watch is when Orion is higher in the sky, which will be around 4 in the morning.  Don't forget that if you are unable to view the meteor shower on the peak date, the days leading up to and a few days after will also be decent viewing opportunities.  On the peak date, an observer may see up to 20 meteors per hour.     

Spot Me....🕵️  

    I've had you try to spot quite a few different objects in the night sky, most of which require a telescope.  Before the cold sets in this winter, I encourage everyone to go outside and try to see all of the planets that you can.  For those with unaided eyes, you should be able to see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.  For those with a telescope, you will also be able to see Uranus and Neptune.  All of them are visible during the first week of October with only Mercury dropping off the list by the second week of the month.  The Moon will also be a great target this month.  If you don't own a telescope, use a pair of binoculars and you will be amazed at the detail you can see on our nearest neighbor.  For those wanting to see a deep sky object, try using a pair of binoculars or a telescope on the Orion Nebula.  This will have to be done in the early morning hours since Orion does not rise above the mountains until after midnight.  Orion will rise earlier with each passing day and will soon be visible all night.  When this happens, I will again encourage you to look at the Orion Nebula.  Even a pair of binoculars will show you things that you can't see with the unaided eye.  

  

    As always, leave a comment to let me and others know what you see!

Monthly Breakdown

    October 01:  Full Moon 🌕

    October 02:  Venus and Regulus less than 1° separation

    October 02:  Moon passes within 0.7° of Mars

    October 04:  Moon passes within 3° of Uranus

    October 06:  Mars closest to Earth until 2035

    October 09:  Last Quarter Moon 🌗

    October 13:  Mars at opposition

    October 13:  Moon passes within 4° of Venus

    October 16:  New Moon 🌑

    October 17:  Moon passes within 7° of Mercury

    October 21:  Orionid Meteor Shower peaks

    October 22:  Moon passes within 3° of Jupiter and Saturn

    October 23:  First Quarter Moon 🌓

    October 27:  Moon passes within 4° of Neptune

    October 29:  Moon passes within 3° of Mars

    October 31:  Moon passes within 3° of Uranus

    October 31:  Uranus at opposition

    October 31:  Full Moon 🌕 (Blue Moon)

Think About This....💡

    I wasn't able to take very many pictures during September, however, below you will find my favorites.

 

    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.