Idaho Skies Transcript for September 20th and 21st.

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for September 20th and 21st. We’re your hosts, Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
Venus and Regulus continue their celestial dance for the next few days.

RACHEL
Venus is the Morning Star, and very bright in the low east at 6:30 AM.

PAUL
Regulus is the heart of Leo the Lion and the constellation’s brightest star.

RACHEL
To see them, look in the low east at around 6:30 AM before the light of dawn gets too bright.

PAUL
Stargazers will see the pair change their positions relative to each other very dramatically every morning.

RACHEL
Venus is on its way to the other side of the solar system.

PAUL
That means its growing fainter and smaller.

RACHEL
And its phase is becoming closer to full every day.

PAUL
However, Venus is small enough that its phase is not usually observable except through a telescope.

RACHEL
If you have one, then aim it at Venus once the sky has brightened.

PAUL
This way the glare of Venus won’t overwhelm your eyes.

RACHEL
And the planet will appear as a tiny white globe.

PAUL
The moon reappears in the evening sky on the 21st.

RACHEL
It will have the shape of an incredibly thin crescent in the low west.

PAUL
If you have trouble finding it at 8:30, then look for Jupiter.

RACHEL
Jupiter is the bright star in the low west.

PAUL
And the moon will be just a little right of Jupiter.

RACHEL
Get your binoculars out, for this will be a cool sight.

PAUL
Because the moon will be 46 hours past new.

RACHEL
Since people don’t see the moon until its three days old, you’ll have bragging rights after seeing the moon this young.

PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 20th and 21st of September.

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.