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sky_highlights [2016/03/17 20:28] edose add March 2016, remove February |
sky_highlights [2017/01/15 16:42] admin [SKY EXTRAS in December 2016] |
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| - | ====== Sky Highlights and NEKAAL Events for MARCH 2016 ====== | + | ====== Sky Highlights and NEKAAL Events for DECEMBER 2016 ====== |
| - | * March 8 -- __**New Moon**__\\ | + | * December 7 -- First Quarter |
| - | * March 15 -- First Quarter\\ | + | * December 13 -- Full Moon |
| - | * March 23 -- Full Moon | + | * December 20 -- Last Quarter |
| - | * March 24 -- General Meeting, Topeka Library, 7 pm. Join us! | + | * December 29 -- New Moon |
| - | * March 31 -- Last Quarter | + | * January 26, 2017 -- first General Meeting of New Year, Topeka Library, 7 pm. |
| - | ===== PLANETS in March 2016 ===== | + | ===== PLANETS in December 2016 ===== |
| Evening Sky: | Evening Sky: | ||
| - | * **Mercury** -- in west | + | * **Mercury** -- in southwest |
| - | * **Uranus** -- in west | + | * **Venus** -- in southwest |
| - | * **Jupiter** -- in east | + | * **Mars** -- in south |
| + | * **Uranus** -- in southeast | ||
| + | * **Neptune** -- in south | ||
| Midnight: | Midnight: | ||
| - | * **Jupiter** -- in south | + | * **Uranus** -- in west |
| Morning Sky: | Morning Sky: | ||
| - | * **Neptune** -- in east | + | * **Jupiter** -- in southeast |
| - | * **Venus** -- in east | + | * **Saturn** -- in southeast, starting late in December |
| - | * **Mars** -- in south | + | |
| - | * **Jupiter** -- in west | + | |
| - | * **Saturn** -- in south | + | |
| - | ===== CONSTELLATIONS well placed in evening during March 2016 ===== | + | |
| - | North to South, at 9-10 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 | ||
| - | * **Camelopardalis**, the Giraffe | + | * **Cepheus**, the King of Ethiopia |
| - | * **Perseus**, the King of Mycenae and slayer of monsters | + | * **Cassiopeia**, the wife of King Cepheus |
| - | * **Auriga**, the Charioteer | + | * **Lacerta**, the Lizard |
| - | * **Gemini**, the Twins | + | * **Perseus**, vanquisher of Medusa and rescuer of Andromeda |
| - | * **Canis Minor**, the smaller dog | + | * **Andromeda**, the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia |
| - | * **Orion**, the Hunter | + | * **Pegasus**, the Winged Horse |
| - | * **Canis Major**, the bigger dog | + | * **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 March 2016 ===== | ||
| - | * Vernal Equinox, the astronomical beginning of Spring, is at 11:30 pm on March 19. For you astronomy wonks: this is when the sun's Right Ascension is exactly Zero. | ||
| - | * Around midnight, March 21, very bright Jupiter and the even brighter moon pass within 2 degrees of each other. | ||
| - | * Also on March 21, from twilight to about 10:30 pm, Jupiter will show shadows of two of its major moon. You'll need at least a small telescope, but around 10 pm Jupiter will be high in the sky for great viewing. | ||
| - | * Comet **Catalina C/2013 US10** will fade rapidly but will still be visible in binoculars all month of March, relatively high in early evenings, in the constellation Camelopardalis. | ||
| - | * No great meteor showers this month. | ||
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