If you ever needed an excuse to go out and look up at the night sky, this week is it . In fact, astronomy is so hot right now, you can even stay inside and enjoy many of this week’s events right from your computer!
Moon-less Nights … First, the frosting on the cake (I always did like dessert, first) … We had a New Moon last Saturday evening! That means a lovely crescent Moon at sunset and “moon-less” nights for darker skies! Perfect timing for a week full of astronomy opportunities!
Moons You’ll Like … Jupiter’s Galilean satellites are putting on a show this week, with three occultations for eastern North America. No doubt you’ve noticed Jupiter as that brightest “star” on your south horizon after sunset. Even smaller binoculars will reveal the giant planet’s four largest moons, but you will need a telescope to fully appreciate the occultation events.
Shooting Stars … Those aren’t stars – they’re comet debris! Heralding in this exciting week, the Orionids Meteor Shower is in full display right now. Maximum occurs over the next three mornings, with peak expected on Oct. 21st (late Tuesday night / early Wednesday morning.) Named for its apparent point of origin – the radiant is just east of Orion’s Betelgeuse – this shower is the second of two yearly passes through the debris trail of Comet Halley. Currently, Orion rises around 11pm local time, so your best observing will be after midnight. While the Orionids is not an especially prolific shower (20-30 zhr,) it is consistent and the streaks are distinctively quick and bright. This year should offer an especially nice show with those moon-less nights.
Counting Stars … The Great World Wide Star Count winds down this week. Counting stars is another activity best done on a moon-less night. This citizen science event is a fun and easy way to learn more about the night sky, raise awareness about light pollution, and participate in the International Year of Astronomy 2009.
A Sky Full of Stars … On Wednesday evening, Rob and I will host a special edition of A Sky Full of Stars on AFM*Radio. We’ll feature guests Adrian West, of the Newbury Astronomical Society (@NewburyAS), and young astronomer-extraordinaire Elias Jordan (@ksastro) to talk about some exciting upcoming astronomy events, including this year’s second Twitter MoonWatch and the IYA 2009′s Galilean Nights. The live show airs Oct. 21st at 8pm EDT (Oct. 22nd, 00:00 UTC) – we’ll post the podcast version here and at Astronomy.FM.
Star-Filled Nights … Speaking of Galilean Nights, Astronomy.FM is celebrating with two special events this week. First, they want to help you capture the stars with free imaging sessions from Global-Rental-A-Scopes. Then, on Saturday evening, the Marleen Bryan and I will feature all things Galileo, with a special Galilean Nights edition of the DeepSkyDivas. If you haven’t yet checked out Astronomy.FM, this is a good time to do it. AFM offers an enthusiastic international community, a members forum, radio events, a daily Amateur Astronomer Picture of the Day (AAPOD), and regularly-updated space and astronomy news. The DeepSky Divas airs, live, Oct. 24th at 9pm EDT (Oct. 25th, 01:00 UTC).
A Red Planet … While you’re out watching for meteors, see if you can spot the planet Mars, directly beneath Gemini’s Castor and Pollux. Currently, Mars rises around midnight, about an hour behind Orion. As you look at Mars, consider this – there are currently five crafts exploring our red neighbor. Three crafts are orbiting the planet and another two are roaming its surface.
Morning Planets … Venus and Saturn grace the morning sky this week. You’ll find the two together on your east horizon in the hour before sunrise. Take advantage of this opportunity to see Venus before it leaves the morning sky next month.
Close Calls … Last but least – this event is one that you can’t see, but it is something you’ll probably find very interesting. Seventeen near-Earth-objects (NEO) will be passing our planet this week; thirteen were discovered just this year. Seven of the seventeen will pass within just 10 lunar distances (LD) – the closest of those passed at a mere 2.5 LD last night! Most of this week’s NEOs are smaller objects, measuring tens of meters wide. Only two are considered larger objects, with the largest being 1.7 km – 3.8 km.
So, there you have it – opportunities to Look Up, Log In, and Listen – all with an eye on the stars!
Spring is just around the corner, and so, too, is that time when we get outside and count the stars!
Guest author, Thomas Kennedy, features a twice-monthly series, Quantum Leap, wherein he guides readers through the fascinating world of quantum mechanics. This is issue 004.
