RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for the first week of December. We’re your hosts, Rachel…
PAUL
… and Paul.
RACHEL
This week, you won’t want to miss an attractive alignment of three planets.
PAUL
Look in the east-southeast in the morning at about 6:30 AM. Starting from the horizon and going up, you will see the planets Mercury, Venus and Saturn.
RACHEL
Mercury will be the most difficult to see because it sits close to the horizon. You will need a clear view of the horizon in order to spot this elusive planet.
PAUL
You can be certain that you are seeing Mercury because it will be the brightest star forming a line with Saturn and Venus.
RACHEL
This month, Saturn is climbing higher above the horizon. Meanwhile, Venus is approaching closer to the horizon and will soon be located on the opposite side of the solar system.
PAUL
Jupiter is at opposition on the 3rd.
RACHEL
That means the planet is at its closest to Earth. In Jupiter’s case, that’s 370 million miles.
PAUL
At 70 miles per hour, it would take your car over 600 years to reach Jupiter on the night of December 3rd.
RACHEL
Whenever a planet is at opposition, it appears the largest and brightest in our sky.
PAUL
That makes opposition the best time to view the solar system’s outer planets and their satellites, or moons.
RACHEL
Mercury reaches its highest elevation above the horizon on the morning of the 4th.
PAUL
Although Mercury can be seen all week, along with Saturn and Venus, the best time to view it is on the morning of the 4th.
RACHEL
Up close, Mercury looks like a larger version of our moon.
PAUL
With its close proximity to the sun, the surface temperature of Mercury at noon is about 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
RACHEL
That’s hot enough to melt metals like zinc and tin.
PAUL
At night, Mercury cools down to about minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit. That gives Mercury the largest change in temperature over the course of one day.
RACHEL
In Mercury’s case, one day lasts 58 Earth days.
PAUL
During the course of one day on Mercury, a person could experience three sunrise/sunset cycles.
RACHEL
If you stood on the surface of Mercury, the sun would first rise and then set in the same direction in the sky. Then it would rise again, move across to the opposite end of the sky, and set.
PAUL
Then it would rise a third time and set in the same direction at the opposite end of the sky.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the first week of December. Next week, you can see a great meteor shower.
PAUL
Follow us on Twitter at Idaho Skies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps. For Idaho Skies this is Paul…
RACHEL
and Rachel.
Idaho Skies is a production of NearSys and Radio Boise 89.9 FM Caldwell/Boise and 93.5 FM downtown, K228EK Garden City.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
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