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sky_highlights [2015/10/13 20:39]
edose add October 2015, remove September
sky_highlights [2017/01/15 16:42]
admin [SKY EXTRAS in December 2016]
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-====== Sky Highlights and NEKAAL Events for OCTOBER 2015 ====== +====== Sky Highlights and NEKAAL Events for DECEMBER 2016 ====== 
-  * October 4   --  ​Last Quarter ​(moon absent from evening sky)\\ +  * December 7   --  ​First Quarter 
-  * October 10  ​--  ​OPEN HOUSE at Farpoint Observatory,​ JOIN US beginning 7:30 pm\\ +  * December 13  ​--  ​Full Moon 
-  * October 12  ​--  ​__**New Moon**__\\ +  * December 20  ​--  ​Last Quarter 
-  * October 20  ​--  ​First Quarter\\ +  * December 29  ​--  ​New Moon 
-  * October 12  ​--  ​NEKAAL ​General Meeting, Topeka Library, ​JOIN US at 7:00 pm\\ +  * January 26, 2017  ​--  ​first General Meeting ​of New Year, Topeka Library, 7 pm.
-  * October 27  --  Full Moon+
  
-===== PLANETS in October 2015 =====+===== PLANETS in December 2016 =====
 Evening Sky: Evening Sky:
-  * **Saturn**  -- in southwest ​until ~ Oct 15. +  * **Mercury**   -- in southwest 
-  * **Uranus** ​ -- in east +  * **Venus** ​  -- in southwest 
-  * **Neptune** -- in southeast+  * **Mars** ​   -- in south 
 +  * **Uranus** ​ -- in southeast 
 +  * **Neptune** -- in south
  
 Midnight: Midnight:
-   * **Neptune** -- in southwest +  * **Uranus** ​ -- in west
-   * **Uranus** ​ -- in south+
    
 Morning Sky: Morning Sky:
-  * **Uranus**  -- in west +  * **Jupiter** -- in southeast 
-  * **Mercury** -- in east +  * **Saturn**  -- in southeast, starting late in December
-  * **Venus** ​  -- in east +
-  * **Mars** ​   -- in east +
-  * **Jupiter** -- in east+
  
-===== CONSTELLATIONS well placed in evening during ​October 2015 ===== + 
-North to South, at 9-11 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   * **Cepheus**,​ the King of Ethiopia
-  * **Lyra**, the Lyre +  * **Cassiopeia**, the wife of King Cepheus 
-  * **Cygnus**, the Swan +  * **Lacerta**, the Lizard 
-  * **Delphinus**, the Dolphin+  * **Perseus**, vanquisher of Medusa and rescuer of Andromeda 
 +  * **Andromeda**,​ the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia 
 +  * **Pegasus**,​ the Winged Horse 
 +  * **Triangulum**,​ yes, the triangle 
 +  * **Aries**, the Ram 
 +  * **Taurus**, the Bull
   * **Sagitta**,​ the Arrow   * **Sagitta**,​ the Arrow
-  * **Aquila**, the Eagle +  * **Cetus**, the Sea Monster 
-  * **Capricorn**, the Sea-Goat+ 
 +===== 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 Decemberone 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 October 2015 ===== 
-  * The Summer Triangle continues nearly straight overhead (near the zenith) in the evenings. 
-  * No bright planets in the second half of this month'​s evenings. But you can't miss extremely brilliant **Venus** in the morning twilight! 
-  * No comets visible in binoculars from Kansas this month. Best telescope bet this month is comet **PANSTARRS (C/2014 S2)**, visible in Cepheus at magnitude 11-12 and brightening slowly. Should be in Ursa Minor (little dipper) by Halloween. You'll probably need a 6" telescope or larger. You might also still find comet **Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2)** moving from Corona Borealis into Hercules, high in the sky after evening twilight. 
-  * The **Orionids meteor shower** peaks on the night of October 21. The moon sets about midnight, which is ideal as the Orion constellation and the meteor shower'​s radiant will be high enough in the sky after about 2 am, and the maximum rate will be 4-6 am. Look in the southeastern sky. 
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