Nippy November Nights

Where has 2009 gone? Suddenly, it's time to fall back and check the battery in ye ol' smoke detector. And with the passage of time comes new seasonal constellations to occupy our evening star gazing.

High overhead after sunset is the Great Square of Pegasus. Officially, this shape represents the body and wings of Pegasus the flying horse. Truth is, while the square is fairly easy to spy in the sky, the flying horse is easier to see on the star chart than among the stars.

The two curving lines of stars that look like they should be the hind legs of Pegasus are actually Andromeda the princess. On a clear, dark, moonless night, keen observers should be able to spot the Andromeda Galaxy, M-31, a smudge of light just west of Andromeda.

A pretty little cluster of stars lies about halfway between the eastern horizon and the zenith, the highest point in the sky above your head. The cluster looks like a tiny little dipper or a small kite, but it's actually the Pleiades star cluster, M-45. Check it out with binoculars!

Closer to the horizon than the Pleiades is Aldebaran, a reddish-orange star that marks the eye of Taurus the bull. The V-shape of stars nearby represents the face of the bull. The stars at the tips of the Taurus' horns are not very bright, but the Pleiades clearly stand out as riders on the jutting shoulder blade of the bull.

Most people will be thrilled to see mighty Orion the hunter return to the evening sky along with neighboring bright stars and patterns that will dominate our winter sky.

At midmonth, you'll need a fairly clear horizon to see all of Orion before 10 or 11 PM. The same is true for Gemini the twins appearing just to the left and north of Orion. If you can't stay out long enough for Orion to clear the trees, wait until December, when Orion will take his rightful place as master of the early evening skies.

Summer is long past, and the three stars of the Summer Triangle are racing toward the western horizon shortly after sunset. For the best chance to see them, start looking as soon as the sunset glow has faded.

Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is the brighter of the two bright points of light hanging low in the southwest this month. The other bright object is a star in the constellation of Pisces Austrinus, the southern fish. The name Fomulhaut is pronounced just like "foam a lot". The rest of the stars in this constellation are too faint to even include on this star chart.

Mars wasn't much to look at this summer. Small and distant, it was unimpressive even in telescopes. The reddish-orange planet will next be worth observing in January 2010 when the Earth and Mars pass each other in their orbits.

For those people who get up before the Sun, Venus is spectacularly brilliant in the east just before sunrise. In December, Venus will be too close to the Sun to be seen at all. Saturn is also rising before dawn, but you need a telescope to see more than just a pale yellow dot.

Look at the front of this chart to find references to M-objects that can be seen through binoculars. The "M" is for Charles Messier, a French astronomer who was searching for comets in the early 1800s. Messier developed a list of 110 objects that could be mistaken for comets. Even though Messier discovered a number of comets, he is most famous for his catalog of non-comets.

All I Want For Christmas Are Astronomy Presents

November 19, 2009 at 7:30 pm

Thinking of buying a telescope for a friend this Christmas? How and where do you buy one? How do you avoid junk without breaking the bank? Dr. Spencer Buckner of Austin Peay State University will address these questions and more during his presentation, All I Want For Christmas Are Astronomy Presents.

There are lots of great gifts you can give to your favorite amateur astronomer with prices ranging from $20 to $10,000. Selecting the right gift that fits your budget and the recipient can seem like a daunting task.

Dr. Buckner will explain the basic types of telescopes and mounts along with their pros and cons. He will also include suggestions on where to find good equipment at reasonable prices and sales people knowledgeable about the products they sell.

Get Your Own Galileoscope

The Galileoscope is a cornerstone project of the International Year of Astronomy. It's a good quality yet inexpensive telescope anyone can use. You can read more about the Galileoscope at galileoscope.org

You can buy a Galileoscope in the Science Center Gift Shop for just $25 -- cheaper than ordering online, even when you include sales tax. Even better, your purchase helps Adventure Science Center!

Upcoming Star Parties

The next two FREE public star parties are Saturday, November 21 from 8:00-10:00 PM at Shelby Bottoms Nature Center, and Saturday, December 12 from 7:30-9:30 PM at the special events field in Edwin Warner Park.

Members of the Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society will be on hand with telescopes to provide you with a close up view of the night sky. Please remember that it may be very cold, so dress warmly!

Star parties may be cancelled due to poor weather. If the weather is questionable, visit our web site or call AstroLine at (615) 401-5092 before leaving home.