Transcript for December 15 to 21

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

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
On the evening of the 15th, the moon is next to the Hyades star cluster.

RACHEL
The Hyades is the large star cluster that forms the face of Taurus the Bull.

PAUL
Because of the size of the Hyades, this is an event for your binoculars and not a telescope.

RACHEL
The moon is full on the night of the 17th.

PAUL
Also, there are two important historical events on the 17th that helped create today’s space and astronomy world.

RACHEL
We begin with the first heavier than air flight.

PAUL
One hundred and ten years ago, Orville and Wilbur Wright flew their airplane, the Wright Flyer for 12 seconds.

RACHEL
The flight took place at a sand dune named Big Kill Devil Hill and the airplane only flew 120 feet.

PAUL
Even though the flight was shorter than the wing span of a Boeing 747, it ushered in the age of flight.

RACHEL
Today astronomers use airplanes to carry astronomical telescopes high above water vapor in the air.

PAUL
Airplanes are also being used to replace the first stage of rockets.

RACHEL
Fifty-five years ago in 1958, NASA created Project Mercury.

PAUL
Project Mercury had three basic goals.

RACHEL
First was to place an astronaut in orbit around Earth.

PAUL
Second was to observe how an astronaut performed in the weightlessness of space.

RACHEL
Third was to recover the astronaut and spacecraft safely in one piece after the mission.

PAUL
There were a total of six manned Mercury missions between 1961 and 1963.

RACHEL
Jupiter is the bright star to the moon’s upper left on the 18th.

PAUL
If you prop your binoculars on something steady, you may be able to make out all four of its Galilean Satellites.

RACHEL
A small telescope definitely will show them.

PAUL
In binoculars, you will see from lower left to upper right, the satellites are Ganymede, then Jupiter, followed by Io, Europa, and Callisto.

RACHEL
A telescope reverses this order.

PAUL
Io, Europa, and Callisto are close enough together that it may be difficult to cleanly separate them in your binoculars - steadiness is beneficial.

RACHEL
The moon passes very close to the M-67 star cluster on the evening of the 20th.

PAUL
Use binoculars and scan an area just to the moon’s upper right.

RACHEL
The cluster appears more impressive if you shift the binoculars to take the moon out of the field of view.

PAUL
Winter begins on December 21st at 10:11 AM.

RACHEL
At that time, Earth’s South Pole is facing directly towards the sun.

PAUL
This results in 24 hours of darkness for anyone living north of the Arctic Circle.

RACHEL
It is also the Northern Hemisphere’s shortest day.

PAUL
From now until summer, the days will begin growing longer and the nights shorter.

PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the third week of December. Next week is Christmas and we’ll give you a few targets for that new telescope.

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.