Idaho Skies Tranmscript for January 27 to February 2

RACHEL

Welcome to Idaho Skies for the last week of January. We’re your hosts, Rachel…

PAUL

…and Paul.

RACHEL

Beginning on the 29^{th, the Zodiacal light becomes visible in the west after dark.}

PAUL

The Zodiacal Light is the reflection of sunlight off of dust orbiting around the sun.

RACHEL

The dust orbits within the inner solar system and originates from comet tails and colliding asteroids.

PAUL

You’ll know you’re seeing the Zodiacal Light because it appears as bright as the last light of dusk. However, the Zodiacal Light extends upward rather than hugging the horizon.

RACHEL

The Zodiacal light will remain visible for the next two weeks until the evening moon begins interfering with its faint light.

PAUL

The American Space Age began 55 years ago on the 31st.

RACHEL

The United States launched it first satellite, Explorer 1, a cylindrical satellite 80 inches long and weighing 31 pounds

PAUL

The battery required to operate the satellite’s experiments and radio accounted for 40% of that weight.

RACHEL

It was the third satellite in Earth orbit, after Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2. However, Explorer 1 remained in orbit far longer than either of its predecessors and didn’t reenter the atmosphere until 1970.

PAUL

Unlike either of the Sputniks, Explorer 1 carried instruments to measure cosmic radiation in space.

RACHEL

Because the satellite did not carry a tape recorder, data from its Geiger counter experiments could not be recorded for later playback.

PAUL

The result was spotty and initially confusing measurements of the cosmic ray flux.

RACHEL

At times, the geiger counters recorded a low background flux of energetic particles around Earth and at other times, they detected no cosmic rays at all.

PAUL

Dr. James van Allen eventually realized that the geiger counters on Explorer 1 produced no data because they were swamped with very high cosmic counts.

RACHEL

In other words, the flux wasn’t zero; it was actually too high for the Geiger counters to handle.

PAUL

This observation led to the first major discovery of the Space Age, the belt of trapped radiation around Earth. Today we call the belt the Van Allen Belt.

RACHEL

Over 800 active satellites are orbiting Earth today.

PAUL

You can see many satellites and spent rocket boosters on a clear night, not long after sunset.

RACHEL

They will appear as stars slowly drifting across the sky. They won’t blink or flash colors like airplanes.

PAUL

The best way to know when and where to see a satellite is to visit the Heavens Above website.

RACHEL

That’s heavens-above.com.

PAUL

Once at the website, click on the configuration option and select cities from its database.

RACHEL

Type Boise as the search string and you’ll find there are three cities named Boise within the United States.

PAUL

After selecting Boise, Idaho, bookmark this page.

RACHEL

Then you can select satellites like the International Space Station and Iridium flares.

PAUL

isit our blog for the link to Heavens Above and information on observing satellites.

RACHEL

Our blog is idahoskies.blogspot.com.

PAUL

That’s Idaho Skies for the last week of January.

RACHEL

Follow us on Twitter at Idaho Skies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps. For Idaho Skies this is Rachel…

PAUL

and Paul.

Idaho Skies is a production of NearSys and Radio Boise 89.9 FM Caldwell/Boise and 93.5 FM downtown, K228EK Garden City.

RACHEL

Dark skies and bright stars.

Idaho Skies Transcript for January 20th to 26th

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for the fourth week of January. We’re your hosts, Paul…

RACHEL
…and Rachel.

PAUL
On the 21st, the moon passes very close to the planet Jupiter.

RACHEL
Because of its closeness to Earth, the moon appears 36 times larger than Jupiter.

PAUL
However, Jupiter’s actual diameter is 41 times larger than the moon’s diameter.

RACHEL
When you look at the moon and Jupiter with your binoculars or telescope, imagine that the moon is really Jupiter and Jupiter is really the moon.

PAUL
Then you’ll get a perspective on their real relative proportions.

RACHEL
The moon appears at its smallest diameter in the sky on the night of the 22nd.

PAUL
That’s because the moon is at its greatest distance from Earth, or at the apogee of its orbit.

RACHEL
The center of the moon is 251,848 miles from the center of Earth. That makes the moon 28,125 miles farther away from Earth than it was two weeks ago at perigee.

PAUL
That’s a little over three earth diameters farther away.

RACHEL
The moon is full on the night of the 26th.

PAUL
The full moon in January is called the Wolf Moon.

RACHEL
The name is given to the moon because people heard packs of hungry wolves at night in January.

PAUL
While we attribute this name to Native Americans, the Algonquins did not refer to the moon by this name.

RACHEL
Instead, they named it the sun has no strength to thaw. Other tribes refer to the full moon of this month as frost in the teepee.

PAUL
While it is cold on January nights in Idaho, on the moon’s surface, the temperature is over 220 degrees Fahrenheit.

RACHEL
That’s hot enough to boil water.

PAUL
So the spacesuits of the Apollo astronauts protected them from more than the vacuum of space, it also protected from them from the high temperatures present on the moon.

RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the fourth week of January. Next week, in celebration of the launch of the first American satellite, we’ll tell you how you can observe satellites passing over Boise.

PAUL
Be sure to 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.

Idaho Skies Transcript for January 13 - 19

^{RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for the third week of January. We’re your hosts, Rachel…}

^{PAUL
…and Paul.}

^{RACHEL
The Idaho Falls Astronomical Society meets on the 15th at 7 PM.}

^{PAUL
The club meets at Skyline Activity Center in Idaho Falls, 1575 N. Skyline Dr.}

^{RACHEL
Closer to Boise, you can learn about some of the wonders of the universe at the Faulkner planetarium in Twin Falls.}

^{PAUL
This Saturday, the planetarium will dazzle you with their show, the greatest sights in the universe. The show begins at 4 PM.}

^{RACHEL
On the 18th, the moon reaches first quarter.}

^{PAUL
Take the opportunity to observe its many craters and mountains with binoculars or a telescope.}

^{RACHEL
The largest craters you can see are over 120 miles across.}

^{PAUL
Most lunar craters formed between 4.1 to 3.8 billion years ago.}

^{RACHEL
Astronomers refer to this time as the late heavy bombardment.}

^{PAUL
Some astronomers believe that the gravity of Jupiter and Saturn caused them to change their positions within the solar system.}

^{RACHEL
As a result, the planets’ gravity caused asteroids to deviate from their orbits.}

^{PAUL
This placed some asteroids on new orbits intersecting Earth and the moon. The result was a large increase in the number of large meteoroids impacting the planets in the inner solar system.}

^{RACHEL
If these astronomers are correct, many of the large craters you see on the moon where from a time where environmental conditions were extreme on Earth and the moon.}

^{PAUL
The name given to this geologic era on Earth is the Hadean, so named because conditions on Earth remind geologists of the Greek underworld, Hades.}

^{RACHEL
It’s believed that the impacts of large asteroids were so frequent that Earth was sterilized of life on an average of once every one hundred years.}

^{PAUL
Since then, the solar system has been more peaceful and large impacts have become far less frequent.
    
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the third week of January. Next week you can compare the moon’s and Jupiter’s real sizes with binoculars.}

^{PAUL
Follow us on Twitter at Idaho Skies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps.}

^{RACHEL
Be sure to read our blog for additional information. It’s at idahoskies.blogspot.com.}

^{For Idaho Skies this is Rachel…}

^{PAUL
and Paul.}

^{Idaho Skies is a production of NearSys and Radio Boise 89.9 FM Caldwell/Boise and 93.5 FM downtown, K228EK Garden City.}

^{RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.}

Idaho Skies Transcript for January 6 - 12

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for the second week of January. We’re your hosts, Paul…

RACHEL
… and Rachel.

PAUL
The Faulkner Planetarium is presenting a new show this month about the astronomical origins of astrology. Show times are Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7 PM.

RACHEL
The Faulkner Planetarium is located at the Herrett Center at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls. Tickets are $3.50 for seniors, $4.50 for adults, and $1 for children.

PAUL
After midnight on the 6th, Saturn will be the closest bright star near the moon. They will be too far apart however, to be seen at the same time in binoculars.

RACHEL
You’ll need a telescope, even a small one, to see Saturn’s rings. Binoculars are sufficient to enjoy the moon’s larger craters.

PAUL
The very thin crescent moon passes close to Venus on the morning of the 10th.

RACHEL
Finding the moon will be difficult that morning because it is only one day from new.

PAUL
Use binoculars and point them at Venus, the brightest star low in the east. Then move your binoculars slightly to the left to position Venus in the right side of your field of view.

RACHEL
The thin crescent moon will then be visible in the left side of your binoculars.

PAUL
Also on the 10th, the moon is at perigee, or it’s closest to earth.

RACHEL
The distance between the center of Earth and the moon will be 223,723 miles.

PAUL
The Boise Astronomical Society meets at the Discovery Center of Idaho on Friday the 11th at 7 PM.

RACHEL
The club meets in the classroom at the back of the building. Look for the BAS sign at the southwest corner.

PAUL
If you got a telescope for Christmas, then this is the meeting for you to attend.

RACHEL
That’s because the Boise Astronomical Society’s first meeting of the year is specifically designed to help new telescope owners.

PAUL
Did you know that Idaho has more than one astronomy club?

RACHEL
One of the others is the Magic Valley Astronomical Society.

PAUL
They meet this month on the 12th. They hold their meetings at the Herrett Center at College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls.

RACHEL
Meetings are open to the public and begin at 7 PM. The meeting is followed by a star party upstairs at the Herrett Center’s observatory.

PAUL
Speaking of the Herrett Center, their planetarium is presenting a second show this month called Lifestyles of the Stars beginning on the 12th.

RACHEL
The planetarium show illustrates how stars are born, live, and die.

PAUL
Show times are at 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, and 4:30 PM.

RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the second week of January. Listen next week and we’ll tell you about the formation of moon craters that you can see through your binoculars.

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.

Idaho Skies is a two to three minute astronomy program that plays on Radio Boise, 89.9 FM Boise/Caldwell and 93.5 FM downtown, K228EK Garden City.

You can hear the program at the following days and times
Tuesday at 3:30 pm
Wednesday at 3:30 pm
Thursday at 7:30 pm
Friday at 10:30 am and 10:30 pm
Sunday at 8:30 pm