MENU

Sections

More

October 4, 2024

Chestertown Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown

9 Brevities

August 2021 Sky-Watch

by

Share

The night of August 12/13 brings us the peak of one of the best Meteor Showers of the year; the annual PERSEIDS. Meteor activity will begin between 10 and 11 pm on August 12th, but the best time to look will be from midnight to 4 am on the 13th.

Though meteors may be seen any night of the year sky-watchers go out to observe, our chances of seeing them increase during meteor showers. Meteor showers exist because periodic comets drop debris that stays behind as their orbits bring them close to the Sun. In the case of the Perseids, it is Comet Swift Tuttle; and when Earth’s orbit takes it through this debris field, we see more meteors than normal.

Perseid meteors all come from the region of the sky (northeast) where the constellation PERSEUS if found (hence the name). This spot is called the radiant. Perseids average one meteor per minute, though we never know exactly when one will appear. So get comfortable —– in a lawn chair perhaps —- and slowly scan the northeast sky. Perseids are fact moving; 37 miles per second; they last for one to three seconds; and some get as bright as the North Star (Polaris). The meteor material are as small as grains of sand or tiny pebbles, and are vaporized in Earth’s atmosphere while still 45 to 60 miles above the ground. The Perseids are a summer, sky-watching treat, so turn out for it, and bring the family.

Meanwhile both Saturn and Jupiter reach opposition this month. This means they are opposite the Sun in the sky as seen from Earth. Saturn is first; rising in the East as the Sun sets in the West on August 2nd. Up 15 degrees in the east by 10 pm, Saturn will be 30 degrees up at 10 pm by August 31st. Easy to spot among the dim stars of zodiac Capricornus, its beautiful ring system pops out to see even in small telescopes.

Brighter Jupiter reaches opposition on August 19th, and it is very bright, left of Saturn, and also in Capricornus. Look for Jupiter just above the Full Moon on August 21st. Jupiter is a wonderful object with a wealth of surface features from its colored cloud bands to be seen in telescopes. Binoculars will reveal Jupiter’s 4 largest Moons as tiny jewels arranged around it. Look on successive nights to see how these Moons re-arrange themselves as they orbit the giant planet.

Jupiter and Saturn will remain in view for us for the rest of the summer and into the fall and early winter.

The western evening sky will be dominated by Venus. Brilliant Venus, even brighter than Jupiter, will be easily seen just after sunset and as twilight deepens just over the western horizon. The 3 day old crescent Moon will be nearby on the night of August 10th.

It will be a full month for Sky-watchers!

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

July 2021 Sky-Watch

by

Share

Longer daylight hours in summer mean that our skies do not become dark enough for real sky-watching until after 9 pm in July. Nevertheless, planets highlight what we may see this month.

VENUS and MARS will appear to meet up between July 11th and 13th. On the 13th they will be separated by less than the diameter of the Full Moon on July 13th. The thin crescent Moon will be seen near the pair of planets on July 11th and 12th. Venus and Mars will become visible in the western sky 45 minutes after sunset and will themselves set about an hour later. Venus is easier to spot, dazzling white, and 190 times brighter than Mars. Wait for twilight to fade to look for Mars just below and left of Venus. Binoculars and telescopes will have them both in the same field of view.

Saturn is just a month away from its August 2nd opposition, when it will be closer to Earth than it has been in just over one year. Now it rises in the eastern sky around 10 pm on July 1st, and two hours earlier by July 31st. Its best placing for viewing this month will be between midnight and 3 am.

Jupiter also rises in the East, around 11 pm on July 1st and by 9 pm on July 31st. Best views of Jupiter will be after midnight to dawn. Jupiter dominates its place in the sky among the dim stars of Aquarius and Capricornus because at magnitude –2.8, it is very bright. Saturn’s magnitude +0.1 is dimmer, but still bright, and is some 20 degrees west (right) of Jupiter.

This month’s Full Moon is on July 23rd. On July 24th the slightly less Full Moon will be below Saturn, and on the 25th just below Jupiter.

The Summer Triangle, an asterism, composed of three 1st magnitude stars: Deneb in Cygnus; Vega in Lyra (the brightest of the 3); and Altair in Aquila lies high above us, straddling the zenith during July. The “summer Milky Way” can be seen from the southern horizon running up through the zenith and down to the northeast. On clear July nights, away from street lights, this glowing path of stars and gases can be seen. Follow the path through binoculars from south to northeast for a startling and beautiful sight!

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

June 2021 Sky-Watch

by

Share

Venus is the first planet to emerge after sunset this month, low in the western sky and bright enough to be seen even in late twilight. It will not set until after 10 pm local time. Look for a slender crescent Moon just beneath Venus on June 11th.

Mars begins the month near Gemini’s 2 brightest stars, Castor and Pollux, low in the western sky, but it appears to move into Cancer the crab later. On June 13th the 3 day old crescent Moon will be left of Mars.

On June 22nd and 23rd Mars will appear to pass through an open star cluster known as the Beehive Cluster or M44. Look at Mars with binoculars or small telescope to see the red planet contrasting nicely with the white stars of this neat cluster. Look early though; Mars sets by 11 pm.

Right after midnight on June 1st, Saturn will appear above the eastern horizon, and by month’s end will be up by 10 pm. Saturn will brighten all month. Gibbous-phased Moons may be seen near Saturn on June 1st and again on June 27th (just to the left of the ringed planet).

Jupiter comes up in the eastern sky about an hour after Saturn. It is far brighter than Saturn. The giant planet reaches a high altitude of 40 degrees above the horizon this month, which is its highest in 4 years. This translates to greater brightness and clarity especially when it is viewed through a telescope. Jupiter and Saturn both offer much to be seen for sky-watchers with telescopes or binoculars.

Spring constellations are at their peak this month while summer stars begin appearing in the East after 10 pm. Spring favorites are Leo the lion high in the western sky, Virgo the maiden, largest of the Zodiac constellations across the southern sky, and Bootes, the oddly-named herdsman almost overhead.

Summer constellations looking east include tiny Lyra the harp (only 6 stars); Cygnus the swan, also called the Northern Cross; and Aquila the eagle. Next month all three of these will appear higher and nearly overhead.

Full Moon this month is on June 24th. Summer solstice, the 1st day of summer, when the Sun is at its highest noon altitude for the entire year is on June 20th.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

May 2021 Sky-Watch

by

Share

Three inner planets light up the western evening sky in May, while Jupiter and Saturn gain some prominence in the eastern sky before dawn. Unfortunately we sky-watchers in the eastern and central time zones will miss a total eclipse of the Moon. The timing is just not right for us.

The best views of this month’s total lunar eclipse will be in western North and South America, Hawaii, Australia, and eastern Asia. Eclipses of the Moon occur when the Moon is full and passes into Earth’s shadow. But on the east coast, the Moon enters Earth’s shadow at 5:44 am (4:44 am Central time), and that is also when the Full Moon is setting. Sad that we will miss the chance to see this great event.

Mars is dim now but still bright enough for us to watch it appear to move through Gemini, ending the month up near the top of the twins. Mercury reaches its best evening view for 2021; which is to say it appears farthest from the Sun and therefore higher in the western sky. From May 17th through May 28th, much brighter Venus will help us find Mercury.

On May 20th, Venus will be below and right of Mercury. The distance between them will close and on the 23rd, Mercury will be between the horns of Taurus the bull. By May 28th, the planets will be so close to each other that both can be seen within the same telescopic field of view. Mercury and Venus then will be up for an hour after sunset.

Earlier in the month, on the May 12th, Venus will be just above the thin crescent Moon right after sunset. The next night, the Moon will be close to Mercury, and since they do not set until an hour after Venus, the darker sky will make them easier to see.

By mid-May Saturn will be high enough above the eastern horizon for viewing 1 to 2 hours before early morning dawn. Later into June and July it will rise before midnight giving us more time to see it. Already it makes a great sight through telescopes.

Jupiter, much brighter than Saturn, will be found below the ringed planet, and will provide sky-watchers with telescopes, 90 minutes of time before dawn to see its cloud belts by the end of May. The Moon may be seen just below Jupiter in the early morning eastern sky on May 4th; and it will be just below Saturn on May 30th.

The Eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks in the early morning hours of May 6th. Look east around 4 am, just left of where Saturn and Jupiter are found, and we may be rewarded with many very fast moving meteors; many with persistent trains caused by the debris left by Comet 1P/Halley, the orbit of which Earth crosses twice each year; in May and again in October.

May’s Full Moon is May 26th; the night of the eclipse.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

April 2021 Sky-Watch

by

Share

Most of our planet viewing this month will be before sunrise, but Mars will be found in our evening western skies trailing through Taurus and into Gemini. A nice meteor shower will also draw our attention in mid-April.

Look for Mars high in the western sky after sunset between the “horns” of Taurus the Bull, and in front of Aldebaran, Taurus’ brightest star. Compare the reddish-orange color of Mars with the reddish glow of Aldebaran, a “cooler” star with a surface temperature of 6500 degrees. (Our Sun, a yellow, hotter star, has a surface temperature of 11,000 degrees). On April 17th the crescent Moon will be seen just below Mars. Also if you have binoculars look at Mars around 10 or 11 pm and you will see a lovely open star cluster called M 35 just to the lower left of Mars in the same field of view!

The rest of this month’s planet action will be in the eastern sky before sunup, though Mercury and Venus will be just above the western horizon at the very end of April just after sunset; but will be hard to see. The visibility of both planets will improve greatly for us in May.

Both Saturn and Jupiter rise between 4 and 5 am local time but will also be fairly low to the eastern horizon until the end of the month. The two gas giant planets will continue to gain altitude each month into the summer which will make seeing them much easier.

However on the morning of April 6th, lets look for the crescent Moon just below Saturn, with Jupiter just to the left of the Moon one hour before sunrise in the southeastern sky.

The annual springtime LYRID METEOR SHOWER peaks on morning of April 22nd. Its radiant is in the small constellation Lyra the harp which is in the east-northeast sky about 20 degrees above the horizon by local midnight. When the Moon sets around 4 am darker skies will allow us to look up toward the zenith for Lyra, where 18 to 22 meteors per hour may be seen. Always find your darkest location away from street lights to find meteors and watch until the dawn lightens the sky.

Full Moon is on April 26th.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

February 2021 Sky-Watch

by

Share
Mars will be the only “easy” planet to see in our evening skies in February, high up in the west.  On February 23rd, the red planet will be just below the blue-white star cluster called the Pleiades, (M 45).  Because Mars is now 3 times farther away from Earth than it was at its October opposition, it is much dimmer, though it remains easy to spot.  It is as bright as any of the brightest stars.  Telescope views of Mars will not yield as much detail either.
            Four planets congregate in our pre-dawn eastern skies, though for the most part this month, they will be too close to the Sun to be seen except in twilight.  However, on February 20th (Saturday morning), three of the four planets will form a triangle shape. 
            Saturn and Mercury rise at 5:40 am local time, just 4 degrees apart; with Jupiter rising to the left of Saturn and below Mercury about 20 minutes later.  Best time to look for this trio of planets would be about 30 minutes before sunrise, looking East.
            On moonless nights in February, March, and April it is possible to find the zodiacal light.  This subtle glow in the sky arises from sunlight reflected from meteorite dust that lies in the plane of our solar system.  During the next 3 months the ecliptic (Earth’s orbital plane around the Sun) becomes more steeply inclined to the horizon.  So we look for a faint, cone-shaped glow along the ecliptic reaching from the western horizon up through Pisces, Aries, and Taurus (at its narrowest).  The first two weeks of February are best for looking for the zodiacal light as the Moon will be in the morning sky. 
            It will be hard to find the zodiacal light from cities or towns (too much stray light),  but it is easier when looking in more rural or country sites with skies dark to the west.  Cast your eyes west and gradually raise them up toward the zenith right about the time when twilight is ending.
            A crescent Moon will be just below the planet Uranus on February 17th, but binoculars will be needed to spot this very dim and distant planet as a greenish-blue dot.  Worth a try though!
            Full Moon is one day before February ends; on the night of the 27th.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

January 2021 Sky-Watch

by

Share
Since December 21st, when we thrilled at the close conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in our southwest evening skies, sky-watchers have watched the gradual separation of the two planets.  But in early January, we will get an added bonus of Mercury forming a neat triple conjunction with these two gas giant planets
            In January’s first week Saturn and Jupiter extend their distance apart with Saturn then below and right of brighter Jupiter.  Om January 7th Mercury joins them low in the southwestern twilight sky.  On January 9th, Mercury will be below Saturn; while on the 10th, the three planets will appear to form a neat triangle.  On January 11th, Mercury will be below and right of Jupiter.  Try to spot the 3 planets within 30 minutes after sunset because they will be low to the horizon and will set by 6:15 pm local time.
            Mercury will reach its peak altitude on January 23rd, but Saturn and Jupiter will be nearly lost in the glare of the Sun by then.  We will see them again in the morning eastern sky later this year. Mercury however, will not set until 90 minutes after sunset on the 23rd, before beginning its apparent dip toward the Sun.  Its relatively small orbit swings it out away from the Sun for only a short time, from our line of sight on Earth.
            Mars will remain a great object to see all through January.  It is well up in the southern sky as soon as darkness falls each night.  Uranus may be spotted if one swings binoculars toward Mars around January 21st.  Uranus will be just below Mars.  A star about as bright as Uranus looks will be to the right of Mars.  Do not confuse it for Uranus.
            Venus is still seen, though lower his month, rising about 90 minutes before the Sun on New Year’s Day in the southeastern sky.  On January 11th the thin crescent Moon rises just to the right of Venus.
            Earths reaches perihelion in its orbit around the Sun on January 2nd.  This is the point where Earth is closest to the Sun (91.4 million miles).  Aphelion, the farthest point in its orbit occurs in July, when Earth is over 94 million miles from our Sun.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

October 2020 Sky-Watch

by

Share

Mars comes into OPPOSITION on October 13th opening up wonderful opportunities for sky-watchers to see Mars at its best since 2018. Mars oppositions, unlike those of Saturn and Jupiter, which occur each year, happen only every other year. At opposition, a planet is opposite the Sun in the sky. Mars will rise in the East as the Sun sets in the West on October 13th.

Mars was actually a little closer to Earth at its 2018 opposition, but this year’s opposition puts Mars higher in the sky. The greater altitude means the light from Mars passes through our atmosphere along a shorter path, providing a better image. Best views of Mars will be in the couple of hours before and after midnight when the planet will be at its peak altitude. Among the stars of the zodiac constellation, Pisces, Mars will be brighter than Jupiter has been all summer. Mars will remain a commanding object in the southern sky until Thanksgiving, when it will still be brighter than Sirius, the brightest star in our sky as seen from Earth.

Telescope views of Mars will reveal its South Polar Cap (mostly frozen carbon dioxide and some water ice). Various plains and highlands will be revealed too as dark and light areas. Mars rotates in 24 hours and 37 minutes, so watching it over several nights around the same time each night would allow one to notice the shift of these features to the west (left).

The Full Moon of October 1st rises just a few degrees in front of Mars, while the nearly Full Moon of October 29th will be seen just below it.

Do not overlook Saturn and Jupiter now over in the southwestern sky. Saturn appears even closer to Jupiter this month, and though both have faded a bit as our distance between them grows, they remain very bright. Both planets do not set until after 11 pm.

Venus rises on the morning of October 1st in the eastern sky around 4 am local time, alongside Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. Regulus ranks as the 20th brightest star we see, yet Venus is 145 times brighter! The pair will appear even closer together on October 2nd and 3rd. On October 13th and 14th, look for a crescent Moon just above Venus before dawn.

October 2020 has two Full Moons; October 1st and October 31st. We call the 2nd Full Moon in the same calendar month a “Blue” Moon; as in something happening “once in a blue Moon.” Actually 2 Full Moons in the same month is not all that rare. It happens about every 3 or 4 years.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

September 2020 Sky-Watch

by

Share

Perhaps the best known constellation to most people is the BIG DIPPER. But the truth is the Big Dipper is not a constellation at all. It is an ASTERISM. Asterisms are unofficial groups of stars recognized mostly by amateurs. Since 1930 the International Astronomical Union has recognized 88 official constellations with professional astronomers around the world in agreement. Asterisms may be made up of several stars from a single constellation, or they may pull stars from several different constellations.

The familiar Big Dipper shape is the 7 brightest stars from the constellation Ursa Major (Big Bear), which has 88 stars. In September the Big Dipper is easily seen low in the northwest sky. Nearly straight overhead we can find VEGA in Lyra the harp, the sky’s 4th brightest star. Looking east (left) of Vega is the bright star DENEB in Cygnus the Swan; and then down and below these two is bright ALTAIR in Aquila the eagle. Connect these three stars with imaginary lines and we form the asterism known as the SUMMER TRIANGLE. As we move into fall the Summer Triangle will gradually appear to shift to the western sky and remain visible almost to Christmas.

The eastern sky has another asterism; the GREAT SQUARE OF PEGASUS. It is a nearly perfect square of 4 bright stars which often reminds me of a baseball diamond. Asterisms may be found in all seasons of the year and include the famous 3 belt stars in the center of the winter constellation ORION, and they are fun to look for.

Our planet show continues in September with Jupiter and Saturn appearing due south all month. Jupiter is 8 degrees in front of Saturn and brighter. On September 25th and 26th watch the 1st Quarter Moon pass just below the two planets. A wealth of detail can be seen by those of us with telescopes; binoculars also give great views. But just seeing them and realizing that we are looking out 400 to 700 million miles into the solar system is amazing in itself.

Mars grows ever closer to us throughout September reaching its closest approach to Earth in 2 years in October. By the end of the month it will be as bright as Jupiter. Best viewing time for Mars this month is after midnight when it is nicely up in the southeastern sky. A bright waning gibbous Moon may be seen very close of Mars on September 5th.

Venus remains unmistakably bright in the eastern sky before dawn. Venus rises around 3 am among the stars of Gemini. A waning crescent Moon will be just left of Venus one hour before sunrise on September 14th. September’s Full Moon comes on September 2nd.

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

August 2020 Sky-Watch

by

Share

A summer long planet bonanza continues in August with Saturn and Jupiter dominating the southern sky from sunset to dawn. Only 8 degrees apart (Jupiter in front and brighter), the two planets are at their best for viewing all month; and indeed, they are at their best for all of 2020. The Full Moon will stand near both planets on August 1st and 2nd, and then re-visit them on August 28th and 29th in its waxing gibbous phase.

Those sky-watchers with telescopes will get a wealth of details from both Saturn and Jupiter —- sights that always draw exclamations of “wow,” “oh my God,” or “that is not real,” whenever I share my telescope with others. I think actually seeing planets like this, (and these backyard telescope views are not as big or detailed as those we see from major telescopes in books or on-line), captures our imagination kin special unique way. I never tire of it.

Meanwhile Mars continues to brighten as it approaches its own close encounter with Earth in October. This month the Red planet rises just before midnight on August 1st, and by 10 pm at month’s end. Mars brightens considerably too. The best time to observe Mars this month is around 4 am when it is at its highest in our southern skies. Mars will be at its peak viewing time from October to mid-December. On August 9th look for the waning gibbous Moon just below Mars in the pre-dawn southern sky.

Venus is also brilliant in the east pre-dawn sky all month, appearing among the stars we normally see during winter evenings; that is Taurus, Orion, and Gemini. On August 15th the waning crescent Moon may be seen just a bit below Venus, making a beautiful morning sight of the two brightest sky objects we can see, after the Sun.

The famous Perseid meteor shower peaks on August 12th with best viewing being in the pre-dawn north-eastern skies. This year the last quarter Moon may hinder the fainter meteors, but the brighter ones should not be effected. Bright Perseids often leave persistent glowing trails across the sky. Meteors hit our atmosphere at 36 miles/second and burn up by friction in fiery bursts of light. The Perseid meteors are the debris left over by Comet 109P Swift-Tuttle, which completes a Sun orbit once every 133 years.

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.