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October 2003

Mars still dominates the early evening sky, but those who want a little variety in their planet watching have a couple more options after midnight. Watch for a late October meteor shower and get ready for a total lunar eclipse in early November.
Download this month's star chart!

Mars, Shmars

By now, hopefully you've taken at least a few minutes to view Mars in the early evening sky. If you haven't, go out a little after sunset and you'll find a bright, orange-colored, star-like object in the southeast. Mars is not as bright as it was in late August, but it's still quite a sight and among the brightest things in the night sky.

With all the media hoopla in the last two months, you might be sick of Mars, and we wouldn't blame you. It's been Mars, Mars, Mars, Mars, Mars, and more Mars. Isn't there anything else to look at?

If you don't mind staying up a little later, the answer is YES! Ringed Saturn rises at 11:00 PM around the middle of the month. That means observers at midnight or 1 AM can catch Saturn low in the east, nestled in the middle of the constellation Gemini the Twins.

Or, if you don't care to stay out late, get up early instead. Face south in the hour before sunrise and you'll find Saturn high in the western sky. Earlybirds get an extra bonus - brilliant Jupiter shining in the east.

Both planets are excellent targets for small telescopes. Saturn reveals its beautiful rings, while Jupiter shows off cloud bands as well as its four largest moons.

If you don't want to stay up late or get up early, just wait until December and January, when Jupiter and Saturn will appear much earlier. In the meantime... there's always Mars!

October Showers in the Wee Hours

The evening of October 21 and before sunrise on the 22nd will be the peak of the annual Orionid Meteor Shower. Facing a low eastern horizon, under reasonably dark skies, you might see as many as a dozen meteors per hour. For the best view, go out between midnight and 4 AM, give your eyes time to adjust to the dark, check out Saturn and Jupiter, relax, and enjoy the show.

Solar vs. Lunar

Eclipses are the result of shadows in our solar system. Solar eclipses occur when the Moon blocks the light from the Sun, casting a shadow on the Earth. Unfortunately, only people in a narrow path on the surface of the Earth would be in that shadow and would get to see the Sun being obscured by the Moon.

In the case of lunar eclipses, it's the Earth that's blocking the direct sunlight. The Earth casts a shadow that can cover the entire Moon. Next month, there will be a total lunar eclipse on November 8th. During a lunar eclipse, everyone on the night side of the Earth can see the event IF they have good weather.

Now You See It, Now You Still See It

As Earth's shadow creeps across the lunar surface, the Moon darkens and takes on a reddish color. The Moon doesn't disappear completely because the Earth's atmosphere scatters the Sun's light, deflecting mostly red light toward the Moon.

There are actually two different shadows that cross the lunar surface. One is called the penumbra, which is the lighter, outer shadow. The umbra, or inner shadow, is the darker shadow. A lunar eclipse officially begins when the penumbra starts to cover the Moon, but the penumbra is very difficult to notice. The visible action really begins when the umbra starts to move in.

For observers in Nashville (and most of the rest of the U.S.) the penumbral part of the total lunar eclipse on November 8th will begin before the Moon rises. The Moon will be above the horizon in time for us to see the umbral portion begin.

Saturday, November 8, 2003
(Times are Central Standard Time - CST.)

penumbral eclipse begins: 4:15 PM
Moon rises (Nashville): 4:40 PM
umbral eclipse begins: 5:32 PM
total eclipse begins: 7:06 PM
total eclipse ends: 7:30 PM
umbral eclipse ends: 9:04 PM
penumbral eclipse ends: 10:21 PM

Just how dark the Moon gets during a lunar eclipse depends on the amount of dust in our planet's atmosphere and how deeply the Moon passes through Earth's shadow. This particular eclipse may appear bright orange because the Moon will slide just inside the edge of the umbra. The exact color and darkness of any lunar eclipse is unpredictable. There's no way to know ahead of time what the Moon will look like when our planet's shadow blankets the lunar surface.

Lunar eclipses are perfectly safe to view, and no special equipment is needed. Telescopes and binoculars add to the fun of watching the Earth's shadow sweep across the features of the Moon's surface. All you really need to enjoy a lunar eclipse are your eyes and good weather. And there's no rule that says you have to watch the whole thing. Just get out and watch; even if only for a few minutes.

For those who want a closer look, there will be a Lunar Eclipse Observing Session at the model airplane field at Edwin Warner Park Saturday, November 8 from 5:00 - 8:00 PM. Members of the Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society will have telescopes available for viewing the celestial sight. Make reservations by calling the Warner Park Nature Center at 615-352-6299. This gives us an idea of how many to expect.

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