Idaho Skies Transcript for November 15th and 16th

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for November 15th and 16th. We’re your hosts, Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
Mars is currently located on the other side of the solar system.

RACHEL
Since it’s such a small planet, this means it doesn’t appear very bright and might be difficult to locate.

PAUL
Its color, which is pale orange, doesn’t help much when it’s so faint.

RACHEL
In fact, it’s quite easily mistaken for a star right now.

PAUL
So it’s nice of the moon to help stargazers locate this little world.

RACHEL
On the morning of the 15th, look for the very thin crescent moon in the low east-southeast.

PAUL
Mars is the yellowish-orange star to the moon’s upper right.

RACHEL
And the brighter white star below the moon is the star Spica.

PAUL
The distance between Earth and Mars will decrease until mid-summer next year.

RACHEL
That’s when Mars will be an unmistakable reddish-orange beacon in our sky.

PAUL
Mars is not the only planet to look for.

RACHEL
Look of for the moon on the morning of the 16th when it will stand just above Jupiter and Venus.

PAUL
The moon will be an incredibly thin crescent, so you might need binoculars to see it at around 8:00 AM.

RACHEL
However, brilliant Venus will still be easy to spot below the moon.

PAUL
Jupiter will glow with a cooler light between Venus and the moon.

RACHEL
While your binoculars are handy, take a quick peek at Jupiter.

PAUL
You’ll see a star to the planet’s upper right.

RACHEL
That’s Ganymede, the largest satellite in the solar system.

PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 15th and 16th of November.

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.