Current Solar X-rays: Current Geomagnetic Field: |
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Orion, “...throwing a leg up over our fence of mountains,” as Robert Frost once wrote, is easily visible by 9 p.m. Map by Gary A. Becker using Software Bisques's The Sky... |
Map by Gary A. Becker using Software Bisques's The Sky... |
On the threshold of yet another Christmas, the heavens seem to be again adding their own rendering of Yuletide sparkle to the southwestern sky after sundown. This is not the gathering of two planets, similar to last year’s spectacular conjunction when Jupiter and Saturn were positioned only 1/10th degree apart on the winter solstice, but rather a string of four pearls, three of which are visible right now, and the fourth to make its debut most likely on Christmas Eve or Christmas. • Yes, two of the four worlds are the same performers that brightened last Christmas, Jupiter and Saturn. One year later, however, faster orbiting Jupiter has progressed well ahead of Saturn and now leads the ringed world in its eastward travels by just over 18 degrees. Jupiter’s brightness is still impressive, but both planets have faded somewhat since their greatest brilliancy in August because the Earth-to-planet distances have increased by nearly 200 million miles. Stunning Venus, the third planet currently visible, makes even Jupiter look a little dull. It is rapidly approaching inferior conjunction on January 8 when it will be positioned between the Earth and the sun, like the moon when it is new. Each day that passes brings the Goddess of Beauty closer to being in alignment with the sun and closer to the horizon, until just beyond New Year’s Day when Venus should disappear in the glare of Sol. • If you want to complete the Holiday roster by Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, a nearly perfect southwestern horizon, free from blocking trees and buildings will be required. You’ll have to be at your observing location 30 minutes after sundown by 5:10 p.m. for southeastern PA. I would also suggest bringing along a pair of binoculars because the sky will be relatively bright. With a little luck you will catch the fourth player, Mercury, lurking about three degrees above the horizon. • The good news is that Mercury will be gaining altitude each day, so if you miss it at Christmas, it will be easier to spot the following week. The best three days for seeing all four planets are December 30 through January 1, when Mercury will climb ahead of Venus. I would be at my observing site 35 minutes after sundown. Locally, that’s about 5:20 p.m. The lineup from closest to highest above the horizon will be Venus, Mercury, Saturn, and Jupiter. As always, binoculars will aid in the location of the planets, especially Saturn if sky conditions are still too bright for easy identification with the unaided eye. Maps for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day can be found below. • Don’t forget, the winter solstice is just around the corner too! The sun reaches its lowest noontime altitude, its greatest southerly rise and set positions, and the shortest time above the horizon on December 21 for the Northern Hemisphere. Happily, after the winter solstice, it is all uphill for the sun until summer begins early on the morning of June 21, 2022. Keep your eyes on the sky this Holiday Season! Ad Astra!
Here is how the planets line up on Christmas Day. Dwarf planet Pluto will be impossible to see, but near Venus. Map by Gary A. Becker using Software Bisques's The Sky... |
Venus (bottom), Saturn (middle) and Jupiter (top) were imaged on the exceptionally clear evening of December 22. There was no Mercury. Photography by Gary A. Becker... |
The Planets on New Year's Day. Map by Gary A. Becker using Software Bisques's The Sky... |
Comet Leonard was photographed on December 5 using the wide-field camera of the Mars Desert Station Robotic Observatory. At this time Leonard was a morning object in the constellation of Bootes the Herdsman. Image by Peter K. Detterline.. |
Comet Leonard was photographed on windy, cold, December 19, four days after an outburst that increased its brightness by five-fold. However, by the 19th the comet had faded to its predicted fifth magnitude. The exceptionally clear weather on December 19 allowed the comet to be photographed as it approached the treetops which were about four degrees above the true horizon. Leonard's tail was visible through 10x50 binoculars, but no evidence of the comet was seen with the unaided eye. The nearly full moon was in the ENE, opposite to the comet. Venus gleamed in the upper right of the digital photo over 4000 times brighter than Leonard. The limiting magnitude near the comet was +9.6, a tribute to the clarity of the atmosphere that evening. Image by Gary A. Becker... |