Transcript for the First Week of December

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

PAUL
...and Paul.

RACHEL
December’s second meteor shower peaks on the 22nd.

PAUL
Meteors from the Ursid meteor shower appear to originate from the north and are at their best before the moon rises at 10:00 PM.

RACHEL
You can expect to see about a dozen faint meteors per hour from this shower.

PAUL
However, it has surprised astronomers with significantly higher rates on occasion.

RACHEL
When the moon rises on the morning of the 25th, look for a slightly orangish star to its left.

PAUL
That’s Mars.

RACHEL
Unfortunately, this is not a good time to view Mars through a telescope as it’s too far away and too small in diameter to show any detail.

PAUL
Every two years this changes however, so be patient.

RACHEL
The moon is last quarter on the 25th.

PAUL
So if you got a new telescope for Christmas, you can test it on the moon.

RACHEL
That is if you can wait until it rises after 2:00 AM on the 26th.

PAUL
Want to try out your new telescope on Saturn?

RACHEL
You can easily find Saturn on the morning of the 28th if you find the crescent moon first.

PAUL
It’s located in the low east.

RACHEL
At 6:00 AM, Saturn is the creamy-yellow star to the moon’s lower left.

PAUL
You will need a magnification of at least 25 times to see its rings.

RACHEL
But less magnification is required to see its largest satellite, Titan.

PAUL
Titan will appear star-like in your telescope

RACHEL
And it’s to Saturn’s upper right.

PAUL
Much closer to the moon is a star named Zubenelgenubi.

RACHEL
This star is a wide double star and it’s easy to split into two stars through binoculars.

PAUL
A thin crescent moon, just two days from new, appears in the morning sky on the 30th.

RACHEL
To see it, use binoculars and begin sweeping the low southeast at 6:45 AM.

PAUL
The moon will be less than a binocular’s field of view above the horizon.

RACHEL
But you’ll need to work quickly though.

PAUL
That’s because by 7:15 AM, the sky will begin brightening enough to make it difficult to see the moon.

RACHEL
Looking any later is dangerous too because you might sweep up the sun in your binoculars.

PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the last week of December. Join us next month for the space and astronomy events for Idaho.

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.