RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for November 4th, 5th, and 6th. We’re your hosts, Rachel…
PAUL
…and Paul.
RACHEL
The moon travels between Venus and Mars by the 4th.
PAUL
Venus is the brilliant star to the moon’s lower right…
RACHEL
…and Mars is the fainter yellow-orange star to the moon’s upper left.
PAUL
Both Venus and Mars are rocky worlds like Earth.
RACHEL
However, Venus is slightly smaller than Earth…
PAUL
…and Mars is only half the size of Earth.
RACHEL
Those are mild differences compared to the differences in their atmospheres.
PAUL
An atmosphere 90 times denser than Earth’s enshrouds Venus.
RACHEL
Compare this to Mars, which has an atmosphere less than 1/100th as dense as Earth’s.
PAUL
Why the huge difference between two rocky worlds with sizes not all that different?
RACHEL
Good question. We know Mars once has a more substantial atmosphere because of the signs that liquid water once flowed over its surface.
PAUL
Astronomers suspect that the small size of Mars is probably an important factor.
RACHEL
That’s because small planets tend to cool faster than large planets.
PAUL
And planets with cold planetary cores lose their protective magnetic fields.
RACHEL
Without a planet-wide magnetic field, solar wind begins stripping away the planet’s atmosphere.
PAUL
So over time, the atmosphere of Mars went to nearly zero, along with most of the planet’s water.
RACHEL
Except for any water safely frozen below its surface.
PAUL
Which was first seen by the Mars Phoenix lander in 2008.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 4th, 5th, and 6th of November.
PAUL
Be sure to read our blog for additional information. It’s at idahoskies.blogspot.com.
For Idaho Skies this is Paul…
RACHEL
…and Rachel.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Transcript for November 2nd and 3rd
PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for November 2nd and 3rd. We’re your hosts, Paul…
RACHEL
…and Rachel.
PAUL
The planets Venus and Saturn are located below the moon on the evening of the 2nd.
RACHEL
You can’t miss Venus; it’s the brightest star in the low west.
PAUL
Saturn and the moon are so close together that stargazers can see both together through binoculars.
RACHEL
Unfortunately, Venus is just a little too far away from the moon to be seen at the same time in binoculars.
PAUL
Look for Venus, Saturn, and the moon between 7:30 and 8:00 PM.
RACHEL
That’s after the sky gets dark and before Saturn sets.
PAUL
Stargazers should be on the lookout for earthshine starting on the 3rd…
RACHEL
…although they’ll have several nights to catch earthshine.
PAUL
Earthshine appears as a faint illumination on the dark portion of the moon.
RACHEL
The brightness of the illuminated moon creates enough glare that it’s often easier to see earthshine through binoculars.
PAUL
The earthshine moon is also called the old moon in the arms of the young moon.
RACHEL
The young moon, in this case, is the brightly illuminated the young crescent moon.
PAUL
And the old moon is the fainter gibbous moon.
RACHEL
People have also called earthshine ashen light.
PAUL
It’s not difficult for stargazers to identify many lunar maria in earthshine.
RACHEL
That’s because earthshine is quite bright, considering Earth appears 50 times brighter than the full moon.
PAUL
The challenge is to identify craters in earthshine.
RACHEL
Large craters like Tycho and Grimaldi are visible in earthshine.
PAUL
But small ones will be difficult because they don’t cast shadows.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 2nd and 3rd of November.
PAUL
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @IdahoSkies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps.
For Idaho Skies this is Paul…
RACHEL
…and Rachel.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Welcome to Idaho Skies for November 2nd and 3rd. We’re your hosts, Paul…
RACHEL
…and Rachel.
PAUL
The planets Venus and Saturn are located below the moon on the evening of the 2nd.
RACHEL
You can’t miss Venus; it’s the brightest star in the low west.
PAUL
Saturn and the moon are so close together that stargazers can see both together through binoculars.
RACHEL
Unfortunately, Venus is just a little too far away from the moon to be seen at the same time in binoculars.
PAUL
Look for Venus, Saturn, and the moon between 7:30 and 8:00 PM.
RACHEL
That’s after the sky gets dark and before Saturn sets.
PAUL
Stargazers should be on the lookout for earthshine starting on the 3rd…
RACHEL
…although they’ll have several nights to catch earthshine.
PAUL
Earthshine appears as a faint illumination on the dark portion of the moon.
RACHEL
The brightness of the illuminated moon creates enough glare that it’s often easier to see earthshine through binoculars.
PAUL
The earthshine moon is also called the old moon in the arms of the young moon.
RACHEL
The young moon, in this case, is the brightly illuminated the young crescent moon.
PAUL
And the old moon is the fainter gibbous moon.
RACHEL
People have also called earthshine ashen light.
PAUL
It’s not difficult for stargazers to identify many lunar maria in earthshine.
RACHEL
That’s because earthshine is quite bright, considering Earth appears 50 times brighter than the full moon.
PAUL
The challenge is to identify craters in earthshine.
RACHEL
Large craters like Tycho and Grimaldi are visible in earthshine.
PAUL
But small ones will be difficult because they don’t cast shadows.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 2nd and 3rd of November.
PAUL
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @IdahoSkies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps.
For Idaho Skies this is Paul…
RACHEL
…and Rachel.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Transcript for October 31st and November 1st
RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 31st and November 1st. We’re your hosts, Rachel…
PAUL
…and Paul.
RACHEL
Stargazers should be looking for Saturn this now.
PAUL
That’s because it leaves the evening sky this month and won’t be visible again for a few months.
RACHEL
How can stargazers find Saturn?
PAUL
Well, they’ll find it in the low west-southwest, as it’s getting dark.
RACHEL
Saturn appears as a pale yellow-white star.
PAUL
It’s one of the brightest stars in this region of the sky…
RACHEL
…although it’s far dimmer than brilliant Venus.
PAUL
Saturn is named after the father of Jupiter, the king of the Roman pantheon of gods.
RACHEL
The planet is 36,000 miles across, or four and a half times larger than Earth.
PAUL
Its rings are five times wider than the planet or 180,000 miles across.
RACHEL
And they are incredibly thin at less than a mile thick.
PAUL
That means that when a sheet of paper is scaled to the size of Saturn’s rings…
RACHEL
…that sheet of paper is ten times thicker than the rings.
PAUL
The rings consist of a swarm of snow balls, some nearly a mile across.
RACHEL
How old are Saturn’s rings? I mean, are they as old as the solar system or are we just lucky to see them today?
PAUL
Computer simulations indicate that they formed around 100 million years ago.
RACHEL
And probably from the collision of two moons or when a single moon got too close the Saturn’s strong gravity.
PAUL
That means the early dinosaurs would have seen a Saturn with more moons and no rings.
RACHEL
Sure, that is if the dinosaurs knew how to build a telescope.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 31st of October and 1st of November.
RACHEL
Be sure to read our blog at idahoskies.blogspot.com for additional information.
For Idaho Skies this is Rachel…
PAUL
…and Paul.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 31st and November 1st. We’re your hosts, Rachel…
PAUL
…and Paul.
RACHEL
Stargazers should be looking for Saturn this now.
PAUL
That’s because it leaves the evening sky this month and won’t be visible again for a few months.
RACHEL
How can stargazers find Saturn?
PAUL
Well, they’ll find it in the low west-southwest, as it’s getting dark.
RACHEL
Saturn appears as a pale yellow-white star.
PAUL
It’s one of the brightest stars in this region of the sky…
RACHEL
…although it’s far dimmer than brilliant Venus.
PAUL
Saturn is named after the father of Jupiter, the king of the Roman pantheon of gods.
RACHEL
The planet is 36,000 miles across, or four and a half times larger than Earth.
PAUL
Its rings are five times wider than the planet or 180,000 miles across.
RACHEL
And they are incredibly thin at less than a mile thick.
PAUL
That means that when a sheet of paper is scaled to the size of Saturn’s rings…
RACHEL
…that sheet of paper is ten times thicker than the rings.
PAUL
The rings consist of a swarm of snow balls, some nearly a mile across.
RACHEL
How old are Saturn’s rings? I mean, are they as old as the solar system or are we just lucky to see them today?
PAUL
Computer simulations indicate that they formed around 100 million years ago.
RACHEL
And probably from the collision of two moons or when a single moon got too close the Saturn’s strong gravity.
PAUL
That means the early dinosaurs would have seen a Saturn with more moons and no rings.
RACHEL
Sure, that is if the dinosaurs knew how to build a telescope.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 31st of October and 1st of November.
RACHEL
Be sure to read our blog at idahoskies.blogspot.com for additional information.
For Idaho Skies this is Rachel…
PAUL
…and Paul.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Monday, October 24, 2016
Transcript for October 28th through 30th
PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 28th, 29th, and 30th. We’re your hosts, Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
A very nice astronomical treat waits stargazers on the morning of the 28th.
RACHEL
That morning Jupiter, a very thin moon, and a star named Porrima are a compact trio.
PAUL
The trio is ideal for viewing through your binoculars because it only takes up half the field of view.
RACHEL
The moon is the bottom of the trio’s narrow triangle.
PAUL
Jupiter is the upper right of the triangle and fainter Porrima the upper left.
RACHEL
Many of our listeners are probably wondering what is Porrima.
PAUL
Porrima is a star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden.
RACHEL
Its astronomical name is Gamma Virginis and its 39 light years away.
PAUL
Through amateur telescopes, the star appears as a double star.
RACHEL
Be sure to direct your attention to Jupiter before you finish observing the trio.
PAUL
Its second largest satellite, Callisto is visible above the planet.
RACHEL
And it appears as if a second Jovian satellite is visible below Jupiter.
PAUL
It’s actually a star in Virgo and not a satellite.
RACHEL
To see the remaining Jovian satellites will require a telescope.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 28th, 29th, and 30th of October.
RACHEL
Be sure to 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.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 28th, 29th, and 30th. We’re your hosts, Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
A very nice astronomical treat waits stargazers on the morning of the 28th.
RACHEL
That morning Jupiter, a very thin moon, and a star named Porrima are a compact trio.
PAUL
The trio is ideal for viewing through your binoculars because it only takes up half the field of view.
RACHEL
The moon is the bottom of the trio’s narrow triangle.
PAUL
Jupiter is the upper right of the triangle and fainter Porrima the upper left.
RACHEL
Many of our listeners are probably wondering what is Porrima.
PAUL
Porrima is a star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden.
RACHEL
Its astronomical name is Gamma Virginis and its 39 light years away.
PAUL
Through amateur telescopes, the star appears as a double star.
RACHEL
Be sure to direct your attention to Jupiter before you finish observing the trio.
PAUL
Its second largest satellite, Callisto is visible above the planet.
RACHEL
And it appears as if a second Jovian satellite is visible below Jupiter.
PAUL
It’s actually a star in Virgo and not a satellite.
RACHEL
To see the remaining Jovian satellites will require a telescope.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 28th, 29th, and 30th of October.
RACHEL
Be sure to 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.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Transcript for October 26th and 27th
RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 26th and 27th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
Stargazers will remember that Jupiter disappeared back in late July or early August.
PAUL
The exact day depended on their western horizon and amount of smoke in the sky.
RACHEL
Now Jupiter is reappearing.
PAUL
That’s right. And below it you’ll find a very thin moon on the morning of the 27th.
RACHEL
To see Jupiter, look for the moon in the low east at about 6:45 AM.
PAUL
Stargazers might find binoculars helpful in seeing the moon on account of its thinness.
RACHEL
Below the moon, you’ll see a bright spark of light.
PAUL
That’s the giant planet Jupiter.
RACHEL
Jupiter is ten times larger than Earth and over 300 times as massive.
PAUL
It orbits five times farther from the sun than Earth.
RACHEL
Than means sunlight at Jupiter is only 4% as bright as it is from Earth.
PAUL
Jupiter has a much more intense magnetic field than Earth.
RACHEL
Its powerful magnetic field traps more radiation emitted from the sun than Earth can.
PAUL
And this results in a very intense radiation belt surrounding the planet.
RACHEL
It’s so intense in fact that it could kill an unprotected astronaut within minutes.
PAUL
Spacecraft, like Juno currently orbiting Jupiter have shielding surrounding their electronics.
RACHEL
Without that protection, Jupiter’s radiation belt would render the spacecraft’s electronics inoperable in minutes.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 26th and 27th of October.
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.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 26th and 27th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
Stargazers will remember that Jupiter disappeared back in late July or early August.
PAUL
The exact day depended on their western horizon and amount of smoke in the sky.
RACHEL
Now Jupiter is reappearing.
PAUL
That’s right. And below it you’ll find a very thin moon on the morning of the 27th.
RACHEL
To see Jupiter, look for the moon in the low east at about 6:45 AM.
PAUL
Stargazers might find binoculars helpful in seeing the moon on account of its thinness.
RACHEL
Below the moon, you’ll see a bright spark of light.
PAUL
That’s the giant planet Jupiter.
RACHEL
Jupiter is ten times larger than Earth and over 300 times as massive.
PAUL
It orbits five times farther from the sun than Earth.
RACHEL
Than means sunlight at Jupiter is only 4% as bright as it is from Earth.
PAUL
Jupiter has a much more intense magnetic field than Earth.
RACHEL
Its powerful magnetic field traps more radiation emitted from the sun than Earth can.
PAUL
And this results in a very intense radiation belt surrounding the planet.
RACHEL
It’s so intense in fact that it could kill an unprotected astronaut within minutes.
PAUL
Spacecraft, like Juno currently orbiting Jupiter have shielding surrounding their electronics.
RACHEL
Without that protection, Jupiter’s radiation belt would render the spacecraft’s electronics inoperable in minutes.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 26th and 27th of October.
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.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Transcript for October 24th and 25th
PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 24th and 25th. We’re your hosts, Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Start looking for earthshine for the next several mornings beginning the 24th.
RACHEL
Stargazers will find the moon in the low east as they drive to work.
PAUL
Binoculars make it easier to see sunlight reflecting off Earth illuminating the moon’s dark hemisphere.
RACHEL
But please, don’t use your binoculars while you drive.
PAUL
There’s a bright star above the moon on the 25th.
RACHEL
Its name is Regulus and it’s the brightest star of Leo the Lion.
PAUL
Did you know that Regulus is 79 light years away?
RACHEL
So if you know someone 79 years old this year, the light you see from Regulus left the year they were born.
RACHEL
Regulus appears as one star, but it’s actually two pairs of stars.
PAUL
This is to say it’s a multiple star system.
PAUL
Wait, explain that.
RACHEL
Regulus consists of two pairs of stars orbit each other.
PAUL
Oh, and then the pairs are orbiting each other.
RACHEL
That’s right, so it’s a double-double star.
PAUL
I wonder why it isn’t just four stars orbiting each other.
RACHEL
Because that creates unstable orbits that don’t last very long.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 24th and 25th of October.
RACHEL
Be sure to 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.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 24th and 25th. We’re your hosts, Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Start looking for earthshine for the next several mornings beginning the 24th.
RACHEL
Stargazers will find the moon in the low east as they drive to work.
PAUL
Binoculars make it easier to see sunlight reflecting off Earth illuminating the moon’s dark hemisphere.
RACHEL
But please, don’t use your binoculars while you drive.
PAUL
There’s a bright star above the moon on the 25th.
RACHEL
Its name is Regulus and it’s the brightest star of Leo the Lion.
PAUL
Did you know that Regulus is 79 light years away?
RACHEL
So if you know someone 79 years old this year, the light you see from Regulus left the year they were born.
RACHEL
Regulus appears as one star, but it’s actually two pairs of stars.
PAUL
This is to say it’s a multiple star system.
PAUL
Wait, explain that.
RACHEL
Regulus consists of two pairs of stars orbit each other.
PAUL
Oh, and then the pairs are orbiting each other.
RACHEL
That’s right, so it’s a double-double star.
PAUL
I wonder why it isn’t just four stars orbiting each other.
RACHEL
Because that creates unstable orbits that don’t last very long.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 24th and 25th of October.
RACHEL
Be sure to 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.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Monday, October 17, 2016
Transcript for October 21st to 23rd
RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 21st, 22nd, and 23rd. We’re your hosts, Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
Hey, the Gemini Twins must be soccer players.
PAUL
That’s because stargazers will find the moon near the feet of Gemini on the 21st.
RACHEL
And you’ll swear it looks like Gemini is about to score a goal.
PAUL
Of course, stargazers will need to picture Gemini as the legs of a soccer player...
RACHEL
...rather than as twins standing side by side.
PAUL
A very attractive star cluster keeps company with the moon on the 23rd.
RACHEL
To see it, stargazers will need a pair of binoculars on account the proximity of the bright moon to the cluster.
PAUL
However, when the moon’s not near by, stargazers can see the cluster by the eye alone in dark skies.
RACHEL
To see this splashy star cluster, go outside at around 3:00 AM on the morning of the 23rd.
PAUL
Next, place the moon in the lower right of the binoculars’ view.
RACHEL
The Beehive star cluster will then appear as a tight clump of stars to the upper left.
PAUL
For a better view of the star cluster, move your binoculars to center the Beehive and remove the moon from your view.
RACHEL
You’ll notice that the Beehive has a strong resemblance to a bees swarming around their hive.
PAUL
Did you know that the Beehive was one of the few star clusters that ancient star-observing cultures were aware of before the invention of the telescope?
RACHEL
It appeared as a small hazy patch in the dark skies that were common over a thousand years ago.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd of October.
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.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 21st, 22nd, and 23rd. We’re your hosts, Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
Hey, the Gemini Twins must be soccer players.
PAUL
That’s because stargazers will find the moon near the feet of Gemini on the 21st.
RACHEL
And you’ll swear it looks like Gemini is about to score a goal.
PAUL
Of course, stargazers will need to picture Gemini as the legs of a soccer player...
RACHEL
...rather than as twins standing side by side.
PAUL
A very attractive star cluster keeps company with the moon on the 23rd.
RACHEL
To see it, stargazers will need a pair of binoculars on account the proximity of the bright moon to the cluster.
PAUL
However, when the moon’s not near by, stargazers can see the cluster by the eye alone in dark skies.
RACHEL
To see this splashy star cluster, go outside at around 3:00 AM on the morning of the 23rd.
PAUL
Next, place the moon in the lower right of the binoculars’ view.
RACHEL
The Beehive star cluster will then appear as a tight clump of stars to the upper left.
PAUL
For a better view of the star cluster, move your binoculars to center the Beehive and remove the moon from your view.
RACHEL
You’ll notice that the Beehive has a strong resemblance to a bees swarming around their hive.
PAUL
Did you know that the Beehive was one of the few star clusters that ancient star-observing cultures were aware of before the invention of the telescope?
RACHEL
It appeared as a small hazy patch in the dark skies that were common over a thousand years ago.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd of October.
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.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Transcript for October 19th and 20th
PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 19th and 20th. We’re your hosts, Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
The Orionid meteor shower peaks on the night of the 20th and morning of the 21st.
RACHEL
It was given the name Orionid because its meteors appear to originate within the boundary of Orion the Hunter.
PAUL
Unfortunately, the moon is third quarter on the 20th.
RACHEL
That means the moon appears in the sky at the same time as Orion.
PAUL
As a result of the moon’s interfering light, gazers will not see as many meteors as usual from this shower.
RACHEL
However, the brighter ones will still be visible.
PAUL
So stargazers still might want to make a night of observing this shower.
RACHEL
Especially since it’s the last one of the year before the nights start getting really cold.
PAUL
Did you know the source of the Orionids is Halley’s Comet?
RACHEL
The meteoroids of this shower were once a part of the dusty surface of the comet’s tiny nucleus.
PAUL
Gases produced as the comet neared the sun carried away some of that dust.
RACHEL
Then when Earth’s orbit carried it through the orbit of Halley’s Comet, the dust slammed into the atmosphere.
PAUL
Dust from Halley’s Comet enters the atmosphere at speeds around 150,000 miles per hour.
RACHEL
Needless to say, the tiny grains of dust can’t do this without suffering some serious damage.
PAUL
The result is the fiery, but beautiful death of dust grains the size of the head of a pin.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 19 and 20th of October.
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.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.October 19th and
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 19th and 20th. We’re your hosts, Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
The Orionid meteor shower peaks on the night of the 20th and morning of the 21st.
RACHEL
It was given the name Orionid because its meteors appear to originate within the boundary of Orion the Hunter.
PAUL
Unfortunately, the moon is third quarter on the 20th.
RACHEL
That means the moon appears in the sky at the same time as Orion.
PAUL
As a result of the moon’s interfering light, gazers will not see as many meteors as usual from this shower.
RACHEL
However, the brighter ones will still be visible.
PAUL
So stargazers still might want to make a night of observing this shower.
RACHEL
Especially since it’s the last one of the year before the nights start getting really cold.
PAUL
Did you know the source of the Orionids is Halley’s Comet?
RACHEL
The meteoroids of this shower were once a part of the dusty surface of the comet’s tiny nucleus.
PAUL
Gases produced as the comet neared the sun carried away some of that dust.
RACHEL
Then when Earth’s orbit carried it through the orbit of Halley’s Comet, the dust slammed into the atmosphere.
PAUL
Dust from Halley’s Comet enters the atmosphere at speeds around 150,000 miles per hour.
RACHEL
Needless to say, the tiny grains of dust can’t do this without suffering some serious damage.
PAUL
The result is the fiery, but beautiful death of dust grains the size of the head of a pin.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 19 and 20th of October.
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.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.October 19th and
Transcript for October 17th and 18th
RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 17th and 18th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
Stargazers will find the evening sky graced with a trio of astronomical objects late on the evening of the 17th.
PAUL
The trio is made up of the nearly full moon and two splashy star clusters.
RACHEL
So look in the east for the moon at around 10:00 PM.
PAUL
Stargazers will find the Pleiades star cluster to the upper left of the moon.
RACHEL
And they’ll find the Hyades to the lower left of the moon.
PAUL
The moon will be too full to show more than just lunar seas through your binoculars.
RACHEL
However, the Pleiades and Hyades will each show around two dozen stars in binoculars.
PAUL
The Pleiades forms a tight grouping of stars with more glitter than the larger and sparser Hyades do.
RACHEL
When you observe the Hyades, don’t be fooled by the bright star orange star.
PAUL
Its name is Aldebaran and it’s only half as far away as the Hyades.
RACHEL
Hey! Stargazers will find the moon inside the Hyades star cluster on the night of the 18th.
PAUL
Even better, stargazers can also watch the moon drift past the bright orange star Aldebaran over the course of an hour.
RACHEL
Point your binoculars at the moon at 11:00 PM and notice how close Aldebaran is the upper left edge of the moon.
PAUL
Look again thirty minutes later and you’ll find Aldebaran nearly above the moon.
RACHEL
Thirty minutes later still, or around midnight, Aldebaran appears to the upper right of the moon.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 17th and 18th of October.
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.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 17th and 18th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
Stargazers will find the evening sky graced with a trio of astronomical objects late on the evening of the 17th.
PAUL
The trio is made up of the nearly full moon and two splashy star clusters.
RACHEL
So look in the east for the moon at around 10:00 PM.
PAUL
Stargazers will find the Pleiades star cluster to the upper left of the moon.
RACHEL
And they’ll find the Hyades to the lower left of the moon.
PAUL
The moon will be too full to show more than just lunar seas through your binoculars.
RACHEL
However, the Pleiades and Hyades will each show around two dozen stars in binoculars.
PAUL
The Pleiades forms a tight grouping of stars with more glitter than the larger and sparser Hyades do.
RACHEL
When you observe the Hyades, don’t be fooled by the bright star orange star.
PAUL
Its name is Aldebaran and it’s only half as far away as the Hyades.
RACHEL
Hey! Stargazers will find the moon inside the Hyades star cluster on the night of the 18th.
PAUL
Even better, stargazers can also watch the moon drift past the bright orange star Aldebaran over the course of an hour.
RACHEL
Point your binoculars at the moon at 11:00 PM and notice how close Aldebaran is the upper left edge of the moon.
PAUL
Look again thirty minutes later and you’ll find Aldebaran nearly above the moon.
RACHEL
Thirty minutes later still, or around midnight, Aldebaran appears to the upper right of the moon.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 17th and 18th of October.
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.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Monday, October 10, 2016
Transcript for October 14th to 16th
PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 14th, 15th, and 16th. We’re your hosts, Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Stargazers with binoculars will find the planet Uranus in the same field of view at the moon on the evening of the 15th.
RACHEL
On account of its great brightness, Uranus will be much easier to see than Neptune was on the 12th.
PAUL
However, stargazers who want to see Uranus are advised to at least leave downtown for darker skies.
RACHEL
From a location with reasonably dark skies, aim your binoculars at the moon.
PAUL
Then place the moon at the bottom of your binoculars.
RACHEL
You’re now looking for an upside down L shape of four stars.
PAUL
The upside down L starts at the upper left of the moon.
RACHEL
And it continues nearly straight up and then turns to the right above the moon.
PAUL
Uranus will be the star at the end of the L.
RACHEL
Listeners will find a helpful star map on our Twitter account, @IdahoSkies.
PAUL
Do you want to learn to identify the constellation of Aries the Ram?
PAUL
Then look for the moon at 9:00 PM the night of the 16th.
RACHEL
Aries is the small curve of three stars located twice as high above the horizon as the moon.
PAUL
Its brightest star is the one on the right end of the constellation.
RACHEL
Astronomers call it Alpha Arietis, but its friends just call it Hamal.
PAUL
Over 2,000 years ago, Hamal marked the location of the sun on the first day of spring.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 14th, 15th, and 16th of October.
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.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 14th, 15th, and 16th. We’re your hosts, Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Stargazers with binoculars will find the planet Uranus in the same field of view at the moon on the evening of the 15th.
RACHEL
On account of its great brightness, Uranus will be much easier to see than Neptune was on the 12th.
PAUL
However, stargazers who want to see Uranus are advised to at least leave downtown for darker skies.
RACHEL
From a location with reasonably dark skies, aim your binoculars at the moon.
PAUL
Then place the moon at the bottom of your binoculars.
RACHEL
You’re now looking for an upside down L shape of four stars.
PAUL
The upside down L starts at the upper left of the moon.
RACHEL
And it continues nearly straight up and then turns to the right above the moon.
PAUL
Uranus will be the star at the end of the L.
RACHEL
Listeners will find a helpful star map on our Twitter account, @IdahoSkies.
PAUL
Do you want to learn to identify the constellation of Aries the Ram?
PAUL
Then look for the moon at 9:00 PM the night of the 16th.
RACHEL
Aries is the small curve of three stars located twice as high above the horizon as the moon.
PAUL
Its brightest star is the one on the right end of the constellation.
RACHEL
Astronomers call it Alpha Arietis, but its friends just call it Hamal.
PAUL
Over 2,000 years ago, Hamal marked the location of the sun on the first day of spring.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 14th, 15th, and 16th of October.
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.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Transcript for October 12th and 13th
RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 12th and 13th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
Hey, Neptune is within binocular shot of the moon on the night of the 12th.
PAUL
Here’s how you can see the 8th planet through binoculars.
RACHEL
First, you need a location with dark skies. So leave town.
PAUL
In dark skies, point your binoculars at the moon.
RACHEL
Then look for a triangle of stars below and left of the moon.
PAUL
The two brightest stars of this triangle are below the moon and to the upper left of the moon.
RACHEL
The third member of the triangle is to the lower left of the moon and only about half as bright the other two.
PAUL
That faint star is Neptune.
RACHEL
You’ll find a star map on our twitter account, @IdahoSkies.
PAUL
Neptune has only been visited by one spacecraft so far, Voyager 2.
RACHEL
Images from Voyager 2 showed Neptune to be a beautiful blue world.
PAUL
The moon’s above a bright star on the 12th.
RACHEL
That star is much closer to the horizon than the moon.
PAUL
And it’s the only bright star in this dim portion of the sky.
RACHEL
In fact, stargazers might even say it’s a solitary star.
PAUL
The star is named Fomalhaut has it has a history of being called the Solitary One for this very reason.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 12th and 13th of October.
PAUL
Be sure to read our blog for additional information. It’s at idahoskies.blogspot.com.
For Idaho Skies this is Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 12th and 13th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
Hey, Neptune is within binocular shot of the moon on the night of the 12th.
PAUL
Here’s how you can see the 8th planet through binoculars.
RACHEL
First, you need a location with dark skies. So leave town.
PAUL
In dark skies, point your binoculars at the moon.
RACHEL
Then look for a triangle of stars below and left of the moon.
PAUL
The two brightest stars of this triangle are below the moon and to the upper left of the moon.
RACHEL
The third member of the triangle is to the lower left of the moon and only about half as bright the other two.
PAUL
That faint star is Neptune.
RACHEL
You’ll find a star map on our twitter account, @IdahoSkies.
PAUL
Neptune has only been visited by one spacecraft so far, Voyager 2.
RACHEL
Images from Voyager 2 showed Neptune to be a beautiful blue world.
PAUL
The moon’s above a bright star on the 12th.
RACHEL
That star is much closer to the horizon than the moon.
PAUL
And it’s the only bright star in this dim portion of the sky.
RACHEL
In fact, stargazers might even say it’s a solitary star.
PAUL
The star is named Fomalhaut has it has a history of being called the Solitary One for this very reason.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 12th and 13th of October.
PAUL
Be sure to read our blog for additional information. It’s at idahoskies.blogspot.com.
For Idaho Skies this is Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Transcript for October 10th - 11th
PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 10th and 11th. We’re your hosts, Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Capricornus is not one of the easiest constellations to find.
RACHEL
And that’s despite the fact that it’s a rather large constellation.
PAUL
The reason why it’s difficult for the average stargazer to find Capricornus is because it consists of dim stars.
RACHEL
Fortunately, it is a sign of the zodiac.
PAUL
Meaning solar system objects like the sun, moon, and planets often travel through the constellation.
RACHEL
That means that on the 10th, the moon will be the friend of stargazers looking for Capricornus.
PAUL
That’s when they’ll find the moon at the top center of this constellation.
RACHEL
The constellation has a shape a lot like a big grin.
PAUL
And that makes the moon look like a bright glint of sunlight reflecting off the lips of a grinning Capricornus.
RACHEL
The constellations of the Zodiac where very important to ancient people.
PAUL
Because they formed a calendar for these early farmers.
RACHEL
The Zodiac contained 12 constellations when the ancients created it over 2,000 years ago.
PAUL
Today there are actually 13 constellations the sun passes through in the course of one year.
RACHEL
Why an extra constellation? Did astronomers create a new one?
PAUL
Nope. It’s because the course of the sun across the sky has changed due to the wobble of Earth’s axis.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 10th and 11th of October.
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.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 10th and 11th. We’re your hosts, Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Capricornus is not one of the easiest constellations to find.
RACHEL
And that’s despite the fact that it’s a rather large constellation.
PAUL
The reason why it’s difficult for the average stargazer to find Capricornus is because it consists of dim stars.
RACHEL
Fortunately, it is a sign of the zodiac.
PAUL
Meaning solar system objects like the sun, moon, and planets often travel through the constellation.
RACHEL
That means that on the 10th, the moon will be the friend of stargazers looking for Capricornus.
PAUL
That’s when they’ll find the moon at the top center of this constellation.
RACHEL
The constellation has a shape a lot like a big grin.
PAUL
And that makes the moon look like a bright glint of sunlight reflecting off the lips of a grinning Capricornus.
RACHEL
The constellations of the Zodiac where very important to ancient people.
PAUL
Because they formed a calendar for these early farmers.
RACHEL
The Zodiac contained 12 constellations when the ancients created it over 2,000 years ago.
PAUL
Today there are actually 13 constellations the sun passes through in the course of one year.
RACHEL
Why an extra constellation? Did astronomers create a new one?
PAUL
Nope. It’s because the course of the sun across the sky has changed due to the wobble of Earth’s axis.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 10th and 11th of October.
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.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Monday, October 3, 2016
October Idaho Skies
October 1 – 7
Look for the thin crescent moon above the Evening Star on
the evening of the 3rd. Look in the low south-southwest around 8:00
PM.
Because of the changing perspective created by the orbital
motions of Earth and Mars, we can observe Mars moving eastward relative to a
star in Sagittarius. The star is called Kaus Borealis and it’s the star at the
top of the teapot asterism forming the core of the Sagittarius constellation.
Watch Mars and its position relative to Kaus Borealis on the
nights of the 5th, 6th, and 7th. Mars will
move from the right of Kaus to its left in a space of three nights. This is a
great chance to detect the motions of the planets.
The nearly first quarter moon is surrounded by star clusters
and nebulae on the night of the 7th. Get you binoculars out and scan
the regions above and below the moon for small hazy clouds and tiny sprinkles
of stars.
October 8 – 14
Capricorns is not one of the easiest to find constellations
on account of its large size and large number of faint stars. The moon will
definitely help you locate this constellation on the night of the 10th.
Stargazers will find the moon at the top center of this constellation. The
constellation looks a lot like a grin, making the moon look like a sparkle of
light off the lips surrounding Capricornus’ grin.
The moon’s above a bright star on the 12th. That
star is very low and the only bright star in this dark portion of the sky, in
fact, you might say it’s solitary. Fomalhaut has a history of being called the
Solitary One for this reason.
October 15 – 21
Stargazers with binoculars will find the 7th
planet, Uranus in the same field of view at the moon on the 15th.
Uranus will be much easier to see than Neptune
was on the 12th. Place the moon at the bottom center of your
binoculars and then identify the upside down L shape of four stars. Uranus is
the star at the end of the L.
Want to learn to identify Aries the Ram? Then wait no later
than 9:00 PM the night of the 16th. Aries is the small hook of three
stars located twice as high above the horizon as the moon. Its brightest star
is called Hamal.
The evening sky is graced with a grouping of the nearly full
moon and two large and bright star clusters late on the evening of the 17th.
Look for the moon in the east around 10:00 PM and there stargazers will also
find the Pleiades to the upper left of the moon and the Hyades to the lower
left of the moon. The moon will be too full to show more than just lunar seas
through binoculars, but the Pleiades and Hyades will show around two dozen
stars each. The Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters, form a tight
grouping that shines more than the larger and sparser Hyades star cluster. What
a contrast. Don’t be fooled by the brightest star in the Hyades. It’s a giant
orange star called Aldebaran and only half as far away as the Hyades.
Stargazers will find the moon inside the Hyades star cluster
on the night of the 18th. Even better, stargazers with binoculars
can watch the moon drift past the bright star Aldebaran over the course of an
hour. Point binoculars at the moon at 11:00 PM and notice how Aldebaran appears
very close to the upper left edge of the moon. Thirty minutes later, Aldebaran
appears nearly above the moon and by midnight, Aldebaran is located to the
upper right of the moon. You might try taking pictures of this with a digital
camera zoomed in about six magnification (use an optical zoom, not digital).
Pictures taken every minute will let stargazers make a time lapse movie of the
event.
The Orionid meteor shower peaks on the night of the 20th
and morning of the 1st. Unfortunately for 2016, the moon is third
quarter, so it appear in the sky at the same time as the shower’s radiant. This
means star gazers will not see as many meteors from this shower, however, the
brighter ones will still be visible. Stargazers still might want to make a
night of observing this shower since it’s the last one of the year before the
nights start getting really cold.
The Gemini Twins must be soccer players. On the 21st
you’ll find the moon near the feet of Gemini and stargazers will swear it looks
like Gemini is about to score a goal. Of course, stargazers will have to
picture Gemini as the legs of a soccer player than a twins standing side by
side.
October 22 – 31
A very attractive star cluster keeps
company wit the moon on the 23rd. To see it, stargazers will need a
pair of binoculars and to wait until nearly 3:00 AM. Place the moon in the
lower right of the binoculars and the Beehive star cluster will appear as a
tight clump of stars to the upper left. Now move your binoculars to center the
Beehive and to remove the moon from your view. The Beehive has a strong
resemblance to a bees swarming around their hive. The Beehive was one of the
few star clusters that ancient star-observing cultures were aware of before the
invention of the telescope.
Start looking for earthshine on mornings beginning the 24th.
The moon will be in the low east as your drive to work.
The bright star above the moon on the 25th is
named Regulus. Regulus is the brightest star of Leo the Lion and 79 light years
away. It actually consists of two pairs of stars, which each pair orbiting each
other. Leo the Lion has two distinct parts, the head appearing as a question
mark of six stars and a triangle to stars representing the lion’s hind
quarters. In drawings, Leo sits like the Sphinx in Egypt .
Jupiter disappeared back in late July or early August,
depending on your western horizon and amount of smoke in the sky. Now Jupiter
is reappearing. You’ll find it below a very thin moon on the morning of the 27th.
To see it, look for the moon in the low east at about 6:45 AM. Stargazers might
find binoculars helpful in seeing the moon. Below the moon is a bright spark of
light. That’s the giant planet Jupiter.
A more satisfying astronomical treat waits stargazers on the
morning of the 28th. That morning Jupiter, a very thin moon, and a star names
Porrima form a small grouping ideal for binoculars. The moon forms the bottom
of the triangle, Jupiter the upper right, and fainter Porrima the upper left.
Porrima is a star in Virgo the Maiden.
This Month’s Sources
Astronomical Phenomena of the Year 2016, The Nautical
Almanac Office and Her Majesty’s Nautical Almanac Office
Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events for Calendar Year
2016, http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calender-2016.html
Hamal: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamal
Night Sky Explorer
Regulus, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulus
Dark Skies and Bright
Stars,
Your
Interstellar Guide
October Idaho Skies
October 1 – 7
Look for the thin crescent moon above the Evening Star on
the evening of the 3rd. Look in the low south-southwest around 8:00
PM.
Because of the changing perspective created by the orbital
motions of Earth and Mars, we can observe Mars moving eastward relative to a
star in Sagittarius. The star is called Kaus Borealis and it’s the star at the
top of the teapot asterism forming the core of the Sagittarius constellation.
Watch Mars and its position relative to Kaus Borealis on the
nights of the 5th, 6th, and 7th. Mars will
move from the right of Kaus to its left in a space of three nights. This is a
great chance to detect the motions of the planets.
The nearly first quarter moon is surrounded by star clusters
and nebulae on the night of the 7th. Get you binoculars out and scan
the regions above and below the moon for small hazy clouds and tiny sprinkles
of stars.
October 8 – 14
Capricorns is not one of the easiest to find constellations
on account of its large size and large number of faint stars. The moon will
definitely help you locate this constellation on the night of the 10th.
Stargazers will find the moon at the top center of this constellation. The
constellation looks a lot like a grin, making the moon look like a sparkle of
light off the lips surrounding Capricornus’ grin.
The moon’s above a bright star on the 12th. That
star is very low and the only bright star in this dark portion of the sky, in
fact, you might say it’s solitary. Fomalhaut has a history of being called the
Solitary One for this reason.
October 15 – 21
Stargazers with binoculars will find the 7th
planet, Uranus in the same field of view at the moon on the 15th.
Uranus will be much easier to see than Neptune
was on the 12th. Place the moon at the bottom center of your
binoculars and then identify the upside down L shape of four stars. Uranus is
the star at the end of the L.
Want to learn to identify Aries the Ram? Then wait no later
than 9:00 PM the night of the 16th. Aries is the small hook of three
stars located twice as high above the horizon as the moon. Its brightest star
is called Hamal.
The evening sky is graced with a grouping of the nearly full
moon and two large and bright star clusters late on the evening of the 17th.
Look for the moon in the east around 10:00 PM and there stargazers will also
find the Pleiades to the upper left of the moon and the Hyades to the lower
left of the moon. The moon will be too full to show more than just lunar seas
through binoculars, but the Pleiades and Hyades will show around two dozen
stars each. The Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters, form a tight
grouping that shines more than the larger and sparser Hyades star cluster. What
a contrast. Don’t be fooled by the brightest star in the Hyades. It’s a giant
orange star called Aldebaran and only half as far away as the Hyades.
Stargazers will find the moon inside the Hyades star cluster
on the night of the 18th. Even better, stargazers with binoculars
can watch the moon drift past the bright star Aldebaran over the course of an
hour. Point binoculars at the moon at 11:00 PM and notice how Aldebaran appears
very close to the upper left edge of the moon. Thirty minutes later, Aldebaran
appears nearly above the moon and by midnight, Aldebaran is located to the
upper right of the moon. You might try taking pictures of this with a digital
camera zoomed in about six magnification (use an optical zoom, not digital).
Pictures taken every minute will let stargazers make a time lapse movie of the
event.
The Orionid meteor shower peaks on the night of the 20th
and morning of the 1st. Unfortunately for 2016, the moon is third
quarter, so it appear in the sky at the same time as the shower’s radiant. This
means star gazers will not see as many meteors from this shower, however, the
brighter ones will still be visible. Stargazers still might want to make a
night of observing this shower since it’s the last one of the year before the
nights start getting really cold.
The Gemini Twins must be soccer players. On the 21st
you’ll find the moon near the feet of Gemini and stargazers will swear it looks
like Gemini is about to score a goal. Of course, stargazers will have to
picture Gemini as the legs of a soccer player than a twins standing side by
side.
October 22 – 31
A very attractive star cluster keeps
company wit the moon on the 23rd. To see it, stargazers will need a
pair of binoculars and to wait until nearly 3:00 AM. Place the moon in the
lower right of the binoculars and the Beehive star cluster will appear as a
tight clump of stars to the upper left. Now move your binoculars to center the
Beehive and to remove the moon from your view. The Beehive has a strong
resemblance to a bees swarming around their hive. The Beehive was one of the
few star clusters that ancient star-observing cultures were aware of before the
invention of the telescope.
Start looking for earthshine on mornings beginning the 24th.
The moon will be in the low east as your drive to work.
The bright star above the moon on the 25th is
named Regulus. Regulus is the brightest star of Leo the Lion and 79 light years
away. It actually consists of two pairs of stars, which each pair orbiting each
other. Leo the Lion has two distinct parts, the head appearing as a question
mark of six stars and a triangle to stars representing the lion’s hind
quarters. In drawings, Leo sits like the Sphinx in Egypt .
Jupiter disappeared back in late July or early August,
depending on your western horizon and amount of smoke in the sky. Now Jupiter
is reappearing. You’ll find it below a very thin moon on the morning of the 27th.
To see it, look for the moon in the low east at about 6:45 AM. Stargazers might
find binoculars helpful in seeing the moon. Below the moon is a bright spark of
light. That’s the giant planet Jupiter.
A more satisfying astronomical treat waits stargazers on the
morning of the 28th. That morning Jupiter, a very thin moon, and a star names
Porrima form a small grouping ideal for binoculars. The moon forms the bottom
of the triangle, Jupiter the upper right, and fainter Porrima the upper left.
Porrima is a star in Virgo the Maiden.
This Month’s Sources
Astronomical Phenomena of the Year 2016, The Nautical
Almanac Office and Her Majesty’s Nautical Almanac Office
Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events for Calendar Year
2016, http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calender-2016.html
Hamal: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamal
Night Sky Explorer
Regulus, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulus
Dark Skies and Bright
Stars,
Your
Interstellar Guide
Transcript for October 7 - 9
RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 7th, 8th, and 9th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
What is a nebula?
PAUL
A nebula is a cloud of dust and gas in interstellar space.
RACHEL
Did you also know that there are two kinds?
PAUL
Sure, astronomers call them emission and reflection nebulae.
RACHEL
An emission nebula appears red in astronomical photographs.
PAUL
The red color comes from hydrogen gas, which is their main constituent.
RACHEL
Stars in or near the nebulae are hot enough to ionize hydrogen gas and cause it to fluoresce like a neon light.
PAUL
The second kind of nebulae, which astronomers call a reflection nebula, appears blue in astronomical photographs.
RACHEL
The blue color comes from starlight.
PAUL
That’s because with a reflection nebula, stars aren’t hot enough to ionize the nebula’s gas.
RACHEL
So instead, the dust and gas reflects starlight.
PAUL
On the night of the 7th, the moon will help you locate several nebulae.
RACHEL
And all you need is a pair of binoculars to see them.
PAUL
On the 7th, scan the region above and below the moon with your binoculars from a dark location.
RACHEL
And look for small hazy clouds
PAUL
You might notice that some of them also contain tiny sprinkles of stars.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 7th, 8th, and 9th of October.
PAUL
Be sure to read our blog for additional information. It’s at idahoskies.blogspot.com.
For Idaho Skies this is Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 7th, 8th, and 9th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
What is a nebula?
PAUL
A nebula is a cloud of dust and gas in interstellar space.
RACHEL
Did you also know that there are two kinds?
PAUL
Sure, astronomers call them emission and reflection nebulae.
RACHEL
An emission nebula appears red in astronomical photographs.
PAUL
The red color comes from hydrogen gas, which is their main constituent.
RACHEL
Stars in or near the nebulae are hot enough to ionize hydrogen gas and cause it to fluoresce like a neon light.
PAUL
The second kind of nebulae, which astronomers call a reflection nebula, appears blue in astronomical photographs.
RACHEL
The blue color comes from starlight.
PAUL
That’s because with a reflection nebula, stars aren’t hot enough to ionize the nebula’s gas.
RACHEL
So instead, the dust and gas reflects starlight.
PAUL
On the night of the 7th, the moon will help you locate several nebulae.
RACHEL
And all you need is a pair of binoculars to see them.
PAUL
On the 7th, scan the region above and below the moon with your binoculars from a dark location.
RACHEL
And look for small hazy clouds
PAUL
You might notice that some of them also contain tiny sprinkles of stars.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 7th, 8th, and 9th of October.
PAUL
Be sure to read our blog for additional information. It’s at idahoskies.blogspot.com.
For Idaho Skies this is Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Transcript for October 5 - 6
PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 5th and 6th. We’re your hosts, Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Mars is currently the closet planet to Earth.
RACHEL
One benefit is that skygazers can easily watch Mars change its position relative to the stars.
PAUL
In fact, Mars changes its position in the evening sky more quickly than any planet this month.
RACHEL
So tonight, look for Mars in the low south.
PAUL
It appears with a pale orangish tint.
RACHEL
The planet is located at the top of the teapot-shaped portion of Sagittarius.
PAUL
Your binoculars will show that Mars has a companion star for the next three nights.
RACHEL
The star’s name is Kaus Borealis and it’s the top star of the teapot.
PAUL
On the night of the 5th, Mars is just to the right of Kaus.
RACHEL
Then on the 6th, Mars is just below Kaus.
PAUL
And on the 7th, Mars is just to the left of Kaus.
RACHEL
This is a great chance to detect the motions of a planet in just three days.
PAUL
By the way, Mars was first visited by a spacecraft on July 14th, 1965.
RACHEL
The spacecraft was the American Mariner 4.
PAUL
And it was the first spacecraft to return an image of another planet.
RACHEL
Unfortunately, it only returned images covering 4% of the Martian surface.
PAUL
And that 4% was among the more boring regions of Mars.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 5th and 6th of October.
PAUL
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @IdahoSkies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps.
For Idaho Skies this is Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 5th and 6th. We’re your hosts, Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Mars is currently the closet planet to Earth.
RACHEL
One benefit is that skygazers can easily watch Mars change its position relative to the stars.
PAUL
In fact, Mars changes its position in the evening sky more quickly than any planet this month.
RACHEL
So tonight, look for Mars in the low south.
PAUL
It appears with a pale orangish tint.
RACHEL
The planet is located at the top of the teapot-shaped portion of Sagittarius.
PAUL
Your binoculars will show that Mars has a companion star for the next three nights.
RACHEL
The star’s name is Kaus Borealis and it’s the top star of the teapot.
PAUL
On the night of the 5th, Mars is just to the right of Kaus.
RACHEL
Then on the 6th, Mars is just below Kaus.
PAUL
And on the 7th, Mars is just to the left of Kaus.
RACHEL
This is a great chance to detect the motions of a planet in just three days.
PAUL
By the way, Mars was first visited by a spacecraft on July 14th, 1965.
RACHEL
The spacecraft was the American Mariner 4.
PAUL
And it was the first spacecraft to return an image of another planet.
RACHEL
Unfortunately, it only returned images covering 4% of the Martian surface.
PAUL
And that 4% was among the more boring regions of Mars.
RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 5th and 6th of October.
PAUL
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @IdahoSkies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps.
For Idaho Skies this is Paul...
RACHEL
...and Rachel.
PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Transcript for October 3 - 4
RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 3rd and 4th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
Is there really such a thing as the Evening Star?
PAUL
Sure, it’s Venus.
RACHEL
Oh, so when I can see Venus after sunset, it’s called the Evening Star.
PAUL
That’s right, and stargazers can see the Evening Star tonight if they would like.
RACHEL
Even better, when they find the Evening Star on the 3rd, they’ll find another visitor just above Venus.
PAUL
That visitor is the thin crescent moon.
RACHEL
And they’ll make an attractive sight for your binoculars.
PAUL
You’ll find them in the low south-southwest at around 8:00 PM.
RACHEL
Hey! Just why is Venus so bright?
PAUL
The first reason is because it’s close to Earth.
RACHEL
Oh, so that is why it was the first planet visited by spacecraft.
PAUL
Yep. And the spacecraft was named Mariner 2.
RACHEL
That was way back on December 14th, 1962.
PAUL
Did you know that Mariner 2’s flyby of Venus was the first time the United States could claim a space first?
RACHEL
Prior to the flyby, the Soviet Union was the nation responsible for every space age first.
PAUL
During its flyby, Mariner 2 verified that the surface of Venus is far too hot to support life.
RACHEL
And those result helped us understand the risks of a run-away greenhouse effect.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 3rd and 4th of October.
RACHEL
Be sure to read our blog at idahoskies.blogspot.com for additional information.
For Idaho Skies this is Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
Welcome to Idaho Skies for October 3rd and 4th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
Is there really such a thing as the Evening Star?
PAUL
Sure, it’s Venus.
RACHEL
Oh, so when I can see Venus after sunset, it’s called the Evening Star.
PAUL
That’s right, and stargazers can see the Evening Star tonight if they would like.
RACHEL
Even better, when they find the Evening Star on the 3rd, they’ll find another visitor just above Venus.
PAUL
That visitor is the thin crescent moon.
RACHEL
And they’ll make an attractive sight for your binoculars.
PAUL
You’ll find them in the low south-southwest at around 8:00 PM.
RACHEL
Hey! Just why is Venus so bright?
PAUL
The first reason is because it’s close to Earth.
RACHEL
Oh, so that is why it was the first planet visited by spacecraft.
PAUL
Yep. And the spacecraft was named Mariner 2.
RACHEL
That was way back on December 14th, 1962.
PAUL
Did you know that Mariner 2’s flyby of Venus was the first time the United States could claim a space first?
RACHEL
Prior to the flyby, the Soviet Union was the nation responsible for every space age first.
PAUL
During its flyby, Mariner 2 verified that the surface of Venus is far too hot to support life.
RACHEL
And those result helped us understand the risks of a run-away greenhouse effect.
PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 3rd and 4th of October.
RACHEL
Be sure to read our blog at idahoskies.blogspot.com for additional information.
For Idaho Skies this is Rachel...
PAUL
...and Paul.
RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.
October's Star is Hamal
This month look for Hamal, the brightest star of Aries the
Ram. Hamal is one of the brighter stars in the sky and quite easily found,
especially when the moon is located near Aries. There are four stars in the
constellation or Aries, but most people only notice three of them. Astronomers
give Hamal an official name of Alpha Arietis.
Hamal, which comes from the Head of the Ram in Arabic, is 66
light years away from the solar system. Hamal is a star 50% heavier than the
sun and orange in color compared to the sun’s yellow color. It’s old enough to
have used up its original supply of hydrogen fuel. Now that it’s becoming a red
giant, the star has expanded to a diameter 15 times greater the sun’s diameter.
Its surface temperature is cooler than the sun’s, but its larger size means it
still radiates 91 times more light than the sun. It appears Hamal is orbited by
a companion, a planet heavier than Jupiter.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)