Idaho Skies Transcript for August 13th and 14th

RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for August 13th and 14th. We’re your hosts, Rachel...

PAUL
...and Paul.

RACHEL
The moon is returning to our evening skies.

PAUL
Shortly after sunset on the 13th, you’ll find it as a very thin crescent in the low, low west.

RACHEL
Around 10:00 PM in fact will be a good time to look for it.

PAUL
But what will pop into view first is the Evening Star, or Venus.

RACHEL
So if you have difficulty locating the moon, just look to the right of Venus.

PAUL
Unfortunately, their separation will be a little too large to see both together in binoculars.

RACHEL
Besides, the moon will be too thin to show any surface detail.

PAUL
But your binoculars will be useful the next night.

RACHEL
After it gets dark on the 14th, look in the low southwest for Jupiter.

PAUL
Since planets orbit the sun, they drift eastward across the sky relative to the fixed stars.

RACHEL
One of those fixed stars is the double star, Zubenelgenubi.

PAUL
Which is the star just below Jupiter on the 14th.

RACHEL
Their separation is half a degree, or the angle subtended by the moon.

PAUL
In your binoculars, you’ll see Jupiter and one of its moons.

RACHEL
That moon is Callisto.

PAUL
And then below them will be the two stars making up Zubenelgenubi.

RACHEL
The spacing between Jupiter and Callisto will be close to the same distance between the stars of Zubenelgenubi.

PAUL
Continue watching over the next several nights to detect Jupiter’s motion relative to Zubenelgenubi.

RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 13th and 14th of August.

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.