Transcript for March 17 - 23

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

RACHEL
…and Rachel

PAUL
A nice grouping of Jupiter, the moon, and two star clusters occurs on the night of the 17th.

RACHEL
Jupiter is the bright star above the moon. Jupiter and the moon are nearly immersed in the Hyades star cluster.

PAUL
The second star cluster is the Pleiades, which is further to the west.

RACHEL
The 17th also marks the 55th anniversary of the launch of Vanguard 1.

PAUL
Vanguard was the first satellite project of the United States.

RACHEL
Its goal was to launch the world’s first artificial satellite into Earth orbit, as one of America’s many contributions to the International Geophysical Year.

PAUL
The International Geophysical Year was an international collaboration of researchers whose goal was to better understand the Earth.

RACHEL
Vanguard 1 was just a grapefruit of a satellite. It was six inches in diameter and only weighed three pounds.

PAUL
It did however accomplish something that no previous satellite had; it operated a radio transmitter from solar power.


RACHEL
This was the first use of solar cells in space, which satellites commonly use today.

PAUL
Solar power allowed Vanguard’s radio to transmit data for seven years, as opposed to only days that batteries would allow.

RACHEL
By tracking the satellite’s position via its radio signal, scientists determined the Earth’s shape is neither a perfect sphere nor a squashed sphere

PAUL
The changing orbit of Vanguard 1 indicated that Earth was actually closer to pear-shaped.

RACHEL
The Idaho Falls Astronomical Society meets on the 19th.

PAUL
The club holds its meeting at the Skyline Activity Center in Idaho Falls at 7 PM.

RACHEL
After it gets dark on the 19th, go outside with your binoculars.

PAUL
Then give your eyes twenty minutes to adapt to the dark before seriously scanning the skies.

RACHEL
If you look approximately one binocular field of view above the moon, you will see a cluster of stars.

PAUL
This is M-35, an open cluster in Gemini. The cluster is 2,800 light years away and spans 11 light years across.

RACHEL
Spring begins this week.

PAUL
The Vernal Equinox occurs at 5:02 AM on the 20th.

RACHEL
At the equinox, the sun stands directly over Earth’s equator from our perspective. This makes the day and night equally long.


PAUL
The moon is below the Beehive star cluster on the night of the 22nd.

RACHEL
The separation between them is a little greater than the field of view in your binoculars.

PAUL
To find the Beehive, point your binoculars at the gibbous moon around 9 PM and then scan directly upward.

RACHEL
Don’t forget the planetarium at BYU Idaho this week.

PAUL
The presentation is on black holes and is given on the evening of the 21st.

RACHEL
The planetarium is located in room 107 of the Romney Science Building.

PAUL
Doors open at 6:30 and the show begins at 7 PM

RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the third week of March. The moon is our guide to several bright stars next week. One of them is among the largest stars in the Milky Way galaxy.

PAUL
Be sure to 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 dot blogspot dot com For Idaho Skies this is Rachel…

PAUL
and Paul.

RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.