As the sky begins to darken, you might be tempted to make a wish on the first star you see.
If you happen to be out just after sunset, as the sky begiins to darken, you should try to catch Venus low near the west-northwestern horizon. When this 'evening star' appears so low in the twilight, it's not uncommon for people to mistake it for a distant plane or call us about a UFO.
Higher in the west-southwestern sky mighty Jupiter is ruling the night. A good way to tell the difference between the stars and this spectacular planet is to remember that usually, stars twinkle and planets don't. If you see a steady star-like object that's not twinkling and not moving, it's probably a planet.
Venus will drop below the horizon before 10 PM while Jupiter will disappear shortly before midnight. Yet, the planet action is far from over for the night.
Media-savvy Mars rises in the east after midnight and will be shining brightly high in the south-southeastern sky at sunrise. While not as brght as Jupiter at this time, it really stands out against the relatively faint stars of Pisces the fishes. It will continue to brighten over the next few months until it reaches its best position and appearance in late October.
Many people will recall the Mars mania from the summer of 2003 when Mars was closer to Earth than at any time in the last 60,000 years. While that was a great event, Mars will be just as good this summer and fall even if it is a bit farther away. Plan to join to us for Mars observing parties on November 4 and 5, 2005.
Oftentimes, we tell people that the best nights to go out and do astronomy is when there is little or no moonlight. Because of this, many people tend to ignore the Moon. However, Earth's nearest neighbor in space is itself fun to observe.
First, there are the phases, which are noted down in the lower right corner of the front of this chart. To learn more about the cause of the phases, check out this site.
The Moon is also a good target for binoculars or a small telescope. The rugged landscape looks different every day because of the changing angle of sunlight falling across its surface. As the days pass, the shadows change and new features are revealed. It's fun and challenging to learn the names of major landmarks such as the 'seas' and mountain ranges. Plus, there are thousands of craters waiting to be explored. You can find some tips online.
On the evening of July 13, the first quarter Moon will appear close to Jupiter. On the evening of July 17, the Moon will pass just below the red star Antares that marks the heart of Scorpius the scorpion. People in the southern and western reaches of the U.S. will see the Moon pass in front of Antares in what astronomers call an occultation. From Nashville, the Moon will just miss Antares, but they will be at their closest together around midnight. The most beautiful sight will be when the Moon joins the Pleaides (also called 'the Seven Sisters') in the early morning sky on July 2 and 30. Yes, we know. Who wants to get up before sunrise? But if the weather is clear, it may just be worth it!
One of the featured shows in the Sudekum Planetarium this summer is Night Lights. While it focuses attention on the problem of light pollution, it also points out a variety of objects visible through binoculars from dark skies. On this month's star chart, we have included all the objects mentioned in the show that can be seen at this time of year.
When we poll audiences, we find that many families have a pair of binoculars somewhere at home. While they're good for bird watching and football games, your average binoculars are better than Galileo's first telescope. They are also easy to take on vacation and simple enough for even the very youngest astronomers.
As we mentioned before, binoculars are also handy for observing the Moon. Or train them on Jupiter and you can see as many as four of its largest moons. There's plenty to see up there.
One of the best meteor showers of the year peaks on Friday evening August 12. That's why the annual A0ugust Star Party and Perseid Meteor Watch is set for Friday, August 12 from 8:00 to 11:00 PM at the model airplane field in Edwin Warner Park. Weather permitting, members of the Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society will set up their telescopes to provide views of the Moon, Jupiter. double stars, clusters, and more. Bring a lawn chair and a few friends to enjoy the show!
Visit our star parties web page for some important tips for every star party visitor. If the weather is iffy, keep an eye on the planetarium home page for the latest information.
