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| - | ====== Sky Highlights and NEKAAL Events for NOVEMBER 2016 ====== | + | ====== Sky Highlights and NEKAAL Events for DECEMBER 2016 ====== |
| - | * November 8 -- First Quarter | + | * December 7 -- First Quarter |
| - | * November 14 -- Full Moon | + | * December 13 -- Full Moon |
| - | * November 21 -- Last Quarter | + | * December 20 -- Last Quarter |
| - | * November 17 -- General Meeting, Mater Dei Catholic School, 7 pm. Join us! | + | * December 29 -- New Moon |
| - | * November 19 -- **Open House** at Farpoint Observatory, 7:30 pm to ? Join us! | + | * January 26, 2017 -- first General Meeting of New Year, Topeka Library, 7 pm. |
| - | * November 29 -- New Moon | + | |
| - | ===== PLANETS in November 2016 ===== | + | ===== PLANETS in December 2016 ===== |
| Evening Sky: | Evening Sky: | ||
| * **Mercury** -- in southwest | * **Mercury** -- in southwest | ||
| * **Venus** -- in southwest | * **Venus** -- in southwest | ||
| * **Mars** -- in south | * **Mars** -- in south | ||
| - | * **Saturn** -- in southwest | + | * **Uranus** -- in southeast |
| - | * **Uranus** -- in east | + | * **Neptune** -- in south |
| - | * **Neptune** -- in southeast | + | |
| Midnight: | Midnight: | ||
| - | * **Uranus** -- in southwest | + | * **Uranus** -- in west |
| - | * **Neptune** -- in west | + | |
| Morning Sky: | Morning Sky: | ||
| * **Jupiter** -- in southeast | * **Jupiter** -- in southeast | ||
| + | * **Saturn** -- in southeast, starting late in December | ||
| - | ===== CONSTELLATIONS well placed in evening during November 2016 ===== | + | ===== 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 wife of King Cepheus | * **Cassiopeia**, the wife of King Cepheus | ||
| - | * **Draco**, the Dragon | ||
| * **Lacerta**, the Lizard | * **Lacerta**, the Lizard | ||
| - | * **Cygnus**, the Swan | + | * **Perseus**, vanquisher of Medusa and rescuer of Andromeda |
| - | * **Sagitta**, the Arrow | + | * **Andromeda**, the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia |
| * **Pegasus**, the Winged Horse | * **Pegasus**, the Winged Horse | ||
| - | * **Delphinus**, the Dolphin | + | * **Triangulum**, yes, the triangle |
| - | * **Aquarius**, the Water Bearer | + | * **Aries**, the Ram |
| - | * **Capricornus**, the Sea-Goat | + | * **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 2016 ===== | ||
| - | * Still LOTS of evening planets in November! 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. Jupiter's back with us, but you'll have to see it in the morning now, low in the eastern twilight. | ||
| - | * Best evening comet should still be C/2016 A8 (LINEAR), fairly high in the southern sky and large but fading slowly, so you'll need a scope of at least 8" aperture, an eyepiece giving low magnification...and patience. | ||
| - | * The Leonids meteor shower peaks November 17, but a nearly full moon once again washes out the show. | ||
| - | * And speaking of bright moons--the November 14 full moon is only 2.5 hours after the closest perigee (approach to earth), so this will be the largest full moon of 2016. | ||
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