Transcript for the Last Week of November

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

PAUL
...and Paul.

RACHEL
Since having passed greatest western elongation on the 17th, Mercury is approaching the sun and descending closer to the horizon.

PAUL
At the same time, Saturn is rising higher above the horizon every day.

RACHEL
The two planets pass their closest together on the morning of the 26th.

PAUL
To observe them, you’ll need to be outside between 6:30 AM when they rise and 7:00 when the sky gets too bright to see them.

RACHEL
The planets will appear as two very closely spaced stars low in the east-southeast.

PAUL
Brighter Mercury will be below slightly fainter Saturn.

RACHEL
Seldom are two planets less than one degree apart, so it should be an attractive sight visually and through binoculars.

PAUL
Both planets are too small and too far away to show detail through binoculars though.

RACHEL
However, a small telescope with a magnification of as little as 25 times will show the rings of Saturn.

PAUL
And its largest satellite, Titan.

RACHEL
As a bonus, to right of Mercury and Saturn is the slightly fainter star Zubenelgenubi.

PAUL
Zubenelgenubi is a star that your binoculars will easily resolve into two stars.

RACHEL
The first spacecraft to fly past Mars and return meaningful images was launched 49 years ago on the 28th.

PAUL
The spacecraft was Mariner 4, built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

RACHEL
By chance, Mariner 4 over flew some of the oldest, most boring terrain of Mars.

PAUL
It’s 22 images of the Martian surface lead many space scientists to believe that Mars was similar to the moon, and therefore, without a chance of ever hosting life.

RACHEL
However, the images from Mainer 4 only covered 1 percent of the Martian surface.

PAUL
As later missions like Mariner 9 discovered, Mars has a variety of younger and more interesting terrain.

RACHEL
Some of these include a volcanic plateau called the Tharsis Montes and the largest rift valley in the solar system called Valles Marineris.

PAUL
Today, we even know today that some regions of Mars were carved by running water.

RACHEL
How much water, how long, and when are still open questions.

PAUL
Mars is visible on November mornings.

RACHEL
So look for the orange star located to the to the moon’s left on the morning of the 27th.

PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the last week of November. 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.