On A Clear Night
December 2003
It is about time for us to let Mars go. It has been a historical view of a neighboring planet, but the image is shrinking a little more each night. In a few months, it will be back to its usual size in a night time sky. But several other planets are ready to take up Mars’ place for special viewing. Just after sunset, Venus and Mercury can be seen on the western horizon. As the months go on, Venus will be seen higher and higher in the west as the Evening Star. Mercury is nearby, but much harder to see. A pair of binoculars helps in this case. In December, the constellation Gemini will be rising above the eastern horizon with an extra bright point of lit inside it - the planet Saturn. On New Year’s Eve, Saturn will be at opposition, larger and brighter than any other time of the year. Jupiter is also big and bright, best seen early in the morning since it rises, with the constellation Leo, above the eastern horizon around midnight. Before dawn, it will have climbed well up into the eastern sky.
December boasts two meteor showers of its own. The Geminid Shower lasts from December 7 to December 17, with its peak on Saturday, December 13. Unfortunately a full moon will rise several hours after sunset. This will wash out many of the meteors, although the Geminid shower tends to have meteors that leave a glowing trail which is easier to see. The radiant of the other meteor shower is in Ursa Minor, not too far from the North Star. The Ursid meteor shower peaks during the evening of December 22. This shower isn’t as busy as the Geminid, but the viewing might be very good. The radiant is in a circumpolar constellation and so should be above the horizon all night long, and it will be a new moon , with darker skies.
Looking toward the southern sky, the Zodiac constellations of Gemini, Taurus, Aries, Pisces, and Aquarius stretch from the east to the west. Look overhead and slightly to the west and find the Great Square of Pegasus; oddly enough, it really is very square. This asterism forms the body of the winged horse, Pegasus. Turn around and look to the north (putting Pegasus overhead and slightly to your left). The entire set of constellations coming from the Greek legends of Andromeda and Perseus stretches from Pegasus in the west, through the "A" of Andromeda, Cepheus, and squashed "W" of Cassiopeia, and Perseus above the eastern horizon.
The PNGISD Planetarium has scheduled its Christmas show, "A Planetarium Christmas" for December 15 and 16, at 6:30 P.M. both nights. While all Planetariums have Christmas shows, not all of the Christmas shows are the same. This year, the Planetarium will look at the different types of Christmas shows, and the stars that will be overhead on Christmas Eve.
The Planetarium will begin a new series of activities after Christmas, a monthly "Indian Star Party", held inside the Planetarium (no mosquitoes!) the first Tuesday of every month, beginning with January 6, 2004. This will be a more in-depth look at the stars, constellations, deep space features, and astronomical events of that month. If anyone feels the need to be outside, the Planetarium will be happy to supply them with spiders and mosquitoes, humidity, and funny smells.
For more information, please call the Planetarium at 729-7644, Extension 133, or go to the website at www.geocities.com/pngplanetarium.