Return of the King
Jupiter returns to the evening sky this month, appearing low in the east an hour or two after sunset. Jupiter currently appears in the constellation Virgo the Maiden, not far from the bright star Spica, but Jupiter will be a lot brighter. In fact, it will outshine any other celestial object in the night sky - except for the Moon. Then, there is stunning Saturn, high overhead in the early evening, just south of Gemini the Twins. Both planets are great binocular and telescopic targets. Earlybirds watching an hour or two before sunrise might catch a glimpse of the red planet Mars low on the southeastern horizon.
Amazing Race
Go to your files and pull out your stash of old Sudekum Planetarium star charts. We know you've been saving them, haven't you? OK, maybe you haven't. But if you were to look at the position of Saturn, you'd see that it has been hanging around in the same region of the late winter/early spring sky over the last four years.
Saturn appeared in Taurus the Bull in 2001, finally moving into the next constellation, Gemini, by late 2003. It will finally reach Cancer the Crab this year by late fall. Saturn's pokey pace is due to the fact that, of the five planets visible to the naked eye, it's the furthest from the Sun and the slowest moving. It takes more than 29 years for Saturn to orbit the Sun just once!
Compare that to the relatively quick travels of Mars which takes a little less than two Earth years to orbit the Sun. From our perspective, Mars can zip through an entire constellation in a month! For example, since January, Mars has crossed through Scorpius the Scorpion, passed Sagittarius the Archer, and by the end of March will lie right in the middle of Capricornus the Seagoat.
Even faster moving are the two inner planets Mercury and Venus. From our perspective on Earth, these two always stay relatively close to the Sun - rising shortly before sunrise or setting just after sunset.
TN Spring Star Party
March 11-13, 2005
Enjoy a weekend of astronomy activities at Fall Creek Falls State Park: view through telescopes, listen to a variety of speakers, and share a love of the night sky. Call 1-800-250-8610 for more information and a special lodging package.
Astronomy Day
April 16, 2005
Space awaits! The first launch of the Space Shuttle since the Columbia tragedy is scheduled for May 2005. Dramatic pictures and fascinating information are streaming to Earth from a variety of spacecraft such as Cassini at Saturn and the rovers on Mars. Plans are in development for human and robotic exploration of the Moon and Mars over the next three decades. Begin your journey to the final frontier on Astronomy Day at the Adventure Science Center with representatives from NASA, JPL, and the Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society. Watch our web site for schedules and more information!
Upcoming Star Parties
April brings not one, but two local star parties! First, join us and the Barnard Seyfert Astronomical Society for our next FREE public star party, set for Saturday, April 2, from 8:00 to 10:00 PM at the model airplane field at Edwin Warner Park. Weather permitting, we'll have prime views of Saturn and Jupiter!
Next, we'll be right in front of the Adventure Science Center from 8:00 to 10:00 PM on April 16 to wrap up our annual Astronomy Day celebration. Yes there's light pollution close to downtown, but that won't stop us from getting good close-up looks at Jupiter, Saturn, the Moon, and more!
Remember both star parties are weather permitting. Check our home page or call AstroLine if the weather is iffy. And be sure to bundle up - even in the spring it can be chilly!