Idaho Skies Transcript for February 27th and 28th

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for February 27th and 28th. We’re your hosts, Paul...

RACHEL
...and Rachel.

PAUL
What’s the star below the moon on the morning of the 27th?

RACHEL
Early-risers Wednesday morning will see a bright star one and a half degrees beneath the moon. Since this star won’t twinkle, you can be certain that it will be a planet and not a real star. And since it will be bright and slightly mellow-white in color, it must be Jupiter. But just to be sure, aim your binoculars or small telescope at it.   

PAUL
Your binoculars will show you at least one Jovian satellite and possibly two others close to the planet. However, if you use a telescope you’ll see all four of Jupiter’s major satellites. From left to right in a telescope that doesn’t invert images; you’ll see Europa, Io really close to Jupiter, Jupiter itself, Ganymede, and finally Callisto. Binoculars will let you at least see Callisto on the far right.

RACHEL
Stargazers looking at the western horizon shortly after sunset will see a different planet on the 28th. This planet is Mercury, our solar system’s innermost planet. Mercury will appear fainter than Jupiter and purer white in color. This planet never appears very far away from the sun, so stargazers will only have a few days to see it. 

PAUL
Mercury and Jupiter are dramatically different worlds. Mercury is rocky like Earth and less than half its diameter. Jupiter is mostly gas and 11 times larger than the earth. Since Mercury is rocky, its surface is scarred with craters. Jupiter, on the other hand swallows up meteors. Only the largest impacts leave their mark on Jupiter. But these dark stains in its atmosphere usually disappear in days to weeks.   

RACHEL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 27th and 28th of February.

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.