You might think that autumn is a strange time to look for the Summer Triangle, but this actually is a great time to find it. During the summer, the bright trio of stars rises as the sun sets - so you have to stay up a little late to look for it. In the fall, the Triangle is directly overhead as the sky darkens. Even under light-polluted skies, these three stars easily stand out.
Each star is part of its own separate constellation. The three stars are called Vega, in Lyra the Harp, Deneb, in Cygnus the Swan, and Altair, in Aquila the Eagle. While the three corner stars are easy to see, the details of the constellations are much fainter, and difficult to catch without good, clear and dark skies.
This month, watch for brilliant Venus low in the west shortly after sunset. Even before the sky gets completely dark, this bright planet will easily stand out. Venus is, of course, moving through space as it orbits the Sun, and the Earth also is orbiting the Sun. But it seems that for now these two motions nearly cancel each other out. Venus will stay virtually in the same location above the horizon every night until mid-December, when it will finally start to approach the Sun, sinking into the glow of sunset.
Meanwhile, early risers can catch a glimpse of Saturn, currently located near the heart of the Y-shaped constellation Cancer the Crab. It rises about 2:00 am at the beginning of October, and around midnight by the end of the month. As usual, it helps to wait an hour or two after a planet rises so that it can be seen over your local horizon. Those of us uninterested in early-morning observation can get a more convenient view this winter.
Saving the best for last, we arrive at... Mars!
It's been just over two years since Earth last swung past Mars in its orbit. Right on schedule, it's about to happen again! Every twenty-six months, Earth catches up with the slower-orbiting Mars. When that happens, the two planets are relatively close to each other, giving astronomers a prime view of the red planet.
The last time this happened, in August of 2003, Mars was actually closer to Earth than it had been in sixty thousand years - but only by a little bit. This time around Mars won't be quite as close, but it still should be a good show. With the naked eye you may see a bright orange-colored dot rising in the east soon after the Sun sets in the west.
The closest approach of Mars and Earth occurs on October 30, but anytime this or next month will be a great opportunity to get a good look at Mars. Through a good backyard telescope, you might even be able to see a hint of the polar ice cap, and maybe even some grey markings on the otherwise rust-colored surface. Most of the time, Mars is just too far away for us to detect those details, even in large ground-based telescopes.
To learn more about Mars, don't forget to visit Sudekum Planetarium for its brand-new Mars Update program! We'll provide a brief history of the Red Planet, and follow up with some of the most recent images sent back to earth from our robotic explorers. Check our web site for the full program schedule.
Join us for a FREE star party on Saturday, November 5, from 8-10 pm in the upper parking lot at Adventure Science Center. Members of the Barnard Seyfert Astronomical Society (BSAS) will be on hand with telescopes fixed on Mars, and plenty of other celestial sights.
Remember that star parties are always WEATHER PERMITTING. If it's very cloudy or worse, the star party will be cancelled. If the weather is iffy, watch our web site or call AstroLine at 615-401-5092 for last-minute information.
Interested in astronomy? Want to see Mars close up? Want to check out different telescopes? Ever wonder what a star party is like? Come on out to the Tennessee Star Party (TNSP) October 7-9 at beautiful Camp Nakanawah, located near Crossville, Tennessee.
The Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society (BSAS) sponsors TNSP every year, attracting amateur astronomers from middle Tennessee and beyond. This year features half a dozen distinguished speakers plus stargazing every night! Camp Nakanawah offers rustic but comfortable cabins, good meals, and dark skies well away from Nashville's light pollution. The event is inexpensive (basic admission is only $20) and a great way to meet other people interested in astronomy.
For more information about TNSP, visit the BSAS web site!
BSAS meets the third Thursday of every month at 7:30 pm at Adventure Science Center. October's guest will be William Keel from U of AL on relativity. In November, Jeff Moersch from UT-Knoxville will talk about Martian geology and the incredible Mars Exploration Rovers.
