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sky_highlights [2015/11/10 20:57] edose add November 2015, remove October |
sky_highlights [2017/01/15 16:42] admin [SKY EXTRAS in December 2016] |
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| - | ====== Sky Highlights and NEKAAL Events for NOVEMBER 2015 ====== | + | ====== Sky Highlights and NEKAAL Events for DECEMBER 2016 ====== |
| - | * November 3 -- Last Quarter (moon absent from evening sky)\\ | + | * December 7 -- First Quarter |
| - | * November 7 -- OPEN HOUSE at Farpoint Observatory, JOIN US beginning 7:30 pm\\ | + | * December 13 -- Full Moon |
| - | * November 11 -- __**New Moon**__\\ | + | * December 20 -- Last Quarter |
| - | * November 19 -- First Quarter\\ | + | * December 29 -- New Moon |
| - | * November 19 -- NEKAAL General Meeting, Topeka Library, JOIN US at 7:00 pm\\ | + | * January 26, 2017 -- first General Meeting of New Year, Topeka Library, 7 pm. |
| - | * November 25 -- Full Moon | + | |
| - | ===== PLANETS in November 2015 ===== | + | ===== PLANETS in December 2016 ===== |
| Evening Sky: | Evening Sky: | ||
| - | * **Saturn** -- very low in southwest, only early in November | + | * **Mercury** -- in southwest |
| - | * **Uranus** -- in east | + | * **Venus** -- in southwest |
| - | * **Neptune** -- in southeast | + | * **Mars** -- in south |
| + | * **Uranus** -- in southeast | ||
| + | * **Neptune** -- in south | ||
| Midnight: | Midnight: | ||
| - | * **Uranus** -- in southwest | + | * **Uranus** -- in west |
| - | * **Neptune** -- in west | + | |
| Morning Sky: | Morning Sky: | ||
| - | * **Mercury** -- in east | ||
| - | * **Venus** -- in southeast | ||
| - | * **Mars** -- in southeast | ||
| * **Jupiter** -- in southeast | * **Jupiter** -- in southeast | ||
| + | * **Saturn** -- in southeast, starting late in December | ||
| - | ===== CONSTELLATIONS well placed in evening during November 2015 ===== | + | |
| + | ===== CONSTELLATIONS well placed in evening during December 2016 ===== | ||
| North to South, at 8-10 pm: | 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 | ||
| * **Cepheus**, the King of Ethiopia | * **Cepheus**, the King of Ethiopia | ||
| - | * **Cassiopeia**, the Queen of Ethiopia | + | * **Cassiopeia**, the wife of King Cepheus |
| * **Lacerta**, the Lizard | * **Lacerta**, the Lizard | ||
| - | * **Andromeda**, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia | + | * **Perseus**, vanquisher of Medusa and rescuer of Andromeda |
| - | * **Pegasus**, the winged horse | + | * **Andromeda**, the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia |
| - | * **Pisces**, the fishes (who had been Aphrodite and Eros) | + | * **Pegasus**, the Winged Horse |
| - | * **Cetus**, the sea monster | + | * **Triangulum**, yes, the triangle |
| - | * **Aquarius**, the water carrier, or god of rain | + | * **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 November 2015 ===== | ||
| - | * The Summer Triangle now shines in the west, early in November's evenings. | ||
| - | * No bright planets in this month's evenings. But all the good planets are in the morning twilight--you can't miss extremely brilliant **Venus**! | ||
| - | * No even comets visible in binoculars from Kansas this month, but comet **Catalina C/2013 US10** may be visible in binoculars late in November, very low in the eastern sky just at morning twilight--might even be visible naked eye. Look in Hydra, moving into Virgo by month end. | ||
| - | * Best small telescope comet bet this month is **PANSTARRS (C/2013 X1)**, visible in Perseus at magnitude 11 and brightening slowly, moving into Andromeda by month's end. Look right overhead about 10-11 pm, or high in the east before that. | ||
| - | * The **Leonids meteor shower** peaks on the night of November. The moon sets in the late evening, which is ideal as the meteor shower's radiant will be high enough in the sky after about 4 am, and the maximum rate will be 4-6 am. Look in the southeastern sky. | ||
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