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sky_highlights [2015/12/05 09:27] edose add December 2015, remove November |
sky_highlights [2016/12/04 08:47] edose add December 2016, remove November |
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| - | ====== Sky Highlights and NEKAAL Events for DECEMBER 2015 ====== | + | ====== Sky Highlights and NEKAAL Events for DECEMBER 2016 ====== |
| - | * No NEKAAL Events for December--happy holidays! | + | * December 7 -- First Quarter |
| - | * December 3 -- Last Quarter (moon absent from evening sky)\\ | + | * December 13 -- Full Moon |
| - | * December 11 -- __**New Moon**__\\ | + | * December 20 -- Last Quarter |
| - | * December 18 -- First Quarter\\ | + | * December 29 -- New Moon |
| - | * December 25 -- Full Moon | + | * January 26, 2017 -- first General Meeting of New Year, Topeka Library, 7 pm. |
| - | * January 28, 2016 -- First General Meeting of the New Year, Topeka Library, 7 pm. | + | |
| - | ===== PLANETS in December 2015 ===== | + | ===== PLANETS in December 2016 ===== |
| Evening Sky: | Evening Sky: | ||
| - | * **Mercury** -- low in southwest | + | * **Mercury** -- in southwest |
| + | * **Venus** -- in southwest | ||
| + | * **Mars** -- in south | ||
| * **Uranus** -- in southeast | * **Uranus** -- in southeast | ||
| * **Neptune** -- in south | * **Neptune** -- in south | ||
| Midnight: | Midnight: | ||
| - | * **Jupiter** -- in east | ||
| * **Uranus** -- in west | * **Uranus** -- in west | ||
| Morning Sky: | Morning Sky: | ||
| - | * **Saturn** -- in southeast | + | * **Jupiter** -- in southeast |
| - | * **Venus** -- in southeast | + | * **Saturn** -- in southeast, starting late in December |
| - | * **Mars** -- in southeast | + | |
| - | * **Jupiter** -- in south | + | |
| - | ===== CONSTELLATIONS well placed in evening during December 2015 ===== | + | |
| - | North to South, at 7-9 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 | ||
| * **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 |
| - | * **Aries**, the ram | + | * **Pegasus**, the Winged Horse |
| - | * **Pisces**, the fishes (who had been Aphrodite and Eros) | + | * **Triangulum**, yes, the triangle |
| - | * **Cetus**, the sea monster | + | * **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 December 2015 ===== | ||
| - | * **Venus** puts on a show in December's pre-dawn hours, in the southeast sky, spending some time near bright star Spica. Look a little higher for orange-red **Mars**, and higher still for bright yellow-white **Jupiter**. | ||
| - | * **Mercury**'s back in the evening sky, late in December. Look above the southwestern horizon just after sunset. Binoculars help--by the end of the month it may well be visible naked-eye on very clear evenings. | ||
| - | * The **Geminid meteor shower** will be moonless this year, peaking early morning December 14. Look at 1-3 am, in a wide region almost directly overhead. | ||
| - | * Comet **Catalina C/2013 US10** will be visible in binoculars all month, rising through the eastern sky during December. Look in Virgo, moving into Bootes by month end. | ||
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