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sky_highlights [2015/07/04 09:49] edose add July 2015, remove May and June |
sky_highlights [2016/12/04 08:47] edose add December 2016, remove November |
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| - | ====== Sky Highlights and NEKAAL Events for JULY 2015 ====== | + | ====== Sky Highlights and NEKAAL Events for DECEMBER 2016 ====== |
| - | * July 1 -- Full Moon (the "Thunder Moon" or "Hay Moon")\\ | + | * December 7 -- First Quarter |
| - | * July 8 -- Last Quarter (moon absent from evening sky)\\ | + | * December 13 -- Full Moon |
| - | * July 11 -- OPEN HOUSE at Farpoint Observatory, JOIN US beginning 9:00 pm\\ | + | * December 20 -- Last Quarter |
| - | * July 15 -- __**New Moon**__\\ | + | * December 29 -- New Moon |
| - | * July 18 -- possible OPEN HOUSE at Farpoint Observatory, 9:00 pm - (check later)\\ | + | * January 26, 2017 -- first General Meeting of New Year, Topeka Library, 7 pm. |
| - | * July 23 -- First Quarter\\ | + | |
| - | * July 23 -- NEKAAL GENERAL MEETING, Topeka Library, 7:00 pm\\ | + | |
| - | * July 31 -- Full Moon (a "Blue Moon", 2nd full moon in same month) | + | |
| - | ===== PLANETS in July 2015 ===== | + | ===== PLANETS in December 2016 ===== |
| Evening Sky: | Evening Sky: | ||
| - | * **Venus** -- in west, very bright | + | * **Mercury** -- in southwest |
| - | * **Jupiter** -- in west, very bright | + | * **Venus** -- in southwest |
| - | * **Saturn** -- in south | + | * **Mars** -- in south |
| + | * **Uranus** -- in southeast | ||
| + | * **Neptune** -- in south | ||
| Midnight: | Midnight: | ||
| - | * **Saturn** -- in southwest | + | * **Uranus** -- in west |
| - | * **Neptune** -- in southeast | + | |
| Morning Sky: | Morning Sky: | ||
| - | * **Mercury** -- in northeast | + | * **Jupiter** -- in southeast |
| - | * **Uranus** -- in southeast | + | * **Saturn** -- in southeast, starting late in December |
| - | * **Neptune** -- in south | + | |
| - | ===== CONSTELLATIONS well placed in evening during July 2015 ===== | + | |
| - | North to South, at 10-11 pm: | + | ===== CONSTELLATIONS well placed in evening during December 2016 ===== |
| + | North to South, at 8-10 pm: | ||
| * **Ursa Minor**, the Little Bear, also the Little Dipper | * **Ursa Minor**, the Little Bear, also the Little Dipper | ||
| - | * **Draco**, the Dragon | + | * **Cepheus**, the King of Ethiopia |
| - | * **Hercules** | + | * **Cassiopeia**, the wife of King Cepheus |
| - | * **Lyra**, the Lyre | + | * **Lacerta**, the Lizard |
| - | * **Corona Borealis**, the Northern Crown | + | * **Perseus**, vanquisher of Medusa and rescuer of Andromeda |
| - | * **Ophiuchus**, the Serpent Handler | + | * **Andromeda**, the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia |
| - | * **Scorpio**, the Scorpion | + | * **Pegasus**, the Winged Horse |
| + | * **Triangulum**, yes, the triangle | ||
| + | * **Aries**, the Ram | ||
| + | * **Taurus**, the Bull | ||
| + | * **Sagitta**, the Arrow | ||
| + | * **Cetus**, the Sea Monster | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== SKY EXTRAS in December 2016 ===== | ||
| + | * Still LOTS of evening planets in December ! Check out the planet list above. Uranus is easily visible in binoculars, even visible naked-eye with deep dark-vision adaptation, from very dark skies. Mars is readily visible, but don't mistake it for its visual twin, the red star Antares. | ||
| + | * The great Geminid meteor shower peaks December 13, unfortunately right at full moon, which will wash out this year's show. | ||
| + | * Comet fans: we're coming into a 6-8 month period offering lots of comets. Already late in December, one evening comet should be visible in binoculars: periodic comet 45P, with the unlikely name of Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova. Look fairly low in the western sky in evening twilight, best late in the month within the constellation Capricorn. | ||
| + | |||
| - | ===== SKY EXTRAS in July 2015 ===== | ||
| - | * Jupiter and Venus still make a brilliant, close pair in early July. | ||
| - | * And it's Saturn season. The next few months give the best evening views of the ringed planet, so get a look through binoculars or better still, a telescope (hint: if the sky is clear at our Open House, someone will have his telescope pointed at Saturn--you're guaranteed to get a good look). | ||
| - | * Venus will show a nice phase--half-lit, half-dark--through any small telescope this month. Look for it early July low in the western sky. | ||
| - | * The Summer Triangle of stars is back, too. In July evenings, look high in the eastern sky. | ||
| - | * Comet C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) has faded too much to be visible in binoculars. It's moving from Ursa Major into Draco this month, still fading. Catch it in the early evenings if you can. | ||
| - | * Though you won't be able to see it, don't forget about New Horizon's encounter with Pluto July 14. | ||
| - | * No bright meteor showers to speak of this month. August will be better. | ||
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