Idaho Skies Transcript for January 22nd and 23rd

RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for January 22nd and 23rd. We’re your hosts, Rachel...

PAUL
...and Paul.

RACHEL
Twenty years ago, the United States and Russia where flying international space missions to the Mir space station.

PAUL
One of them was Space Shuttle flight STS-89, which NASA launched on January 22nd, 1998.

RACHEL
Mir was an aging Russian space station and the Space Shuttle was transferring supplies and astronauts with the station.

PAUL
The  United States hoped that this exercise would create a sense of cooperation between the two competing space powers.

RACHEL
And eventually, lead to the International Space Station that’s in operation today.

PAUL
Unfortunately, the age and generally poor condition of Mir resulted in the lost of several American experiments.

RACHEL
Some of the American experiments became inaccessible after the collision between an unmanned Russian resupply mission and MIR.

PAUL
Hey stargazers, the seventh planet is easily observable through binoculars.

RACHEL
The problem in seeing Uranus is knowing where to point those binoculars.

PAUL
Fortunately, the moon comes to our rescue on the 23rd.

RACHEL
The distance between the moon and Uranus is five degrees or 2/3rds of the way across a binocular’s field of view.

PAUL
So aim your binoculars at the moon at around 7:30 PM.

RACHEL
Then place the moon on the edge of your field of view in the 7:00 position.

PAUL
Uranus will be the last star you’ll see in the upper right of your view.

RACHEL
The planet is bright enough that you’ll be able to see it in town.

PAUL
However, it will be easier if you get out from under street lights and away from house lighting.

RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 22nd and 23rd of January.

PAUL
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @IdahoSkies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps.

For Idaho Skies this is Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
Dark skies and bright stars.