STAR GAZER
THE INTERNATIONAL EDITION
Lorain County JVS NASA CORE / 15181 Route 58 South / 440/775-1400
/ FAX 440/775-1460 / nasaco@leeca.org / http://core.nasa.gov
Horkheimer : Greetings, greetings fellow star gazers and you know
every spring we can look back in time using the most famous and
best loved star pattern of all, the Big Dipper because then it
is at its highest and easiest to find. Let me show you: O.K.,
Go outside any clear night in April or May after it gets dark
out and look due north where you'll find the north star and riding
high above it, 4 bright stars which trace out a cup and 3 bright
stars which trace out a handle, the 7 stars we call the Big Dipper.
Now since I was a kid I've always been fascinated with the concept of time travel and although actually traveling through time may never be possible, nevertheless there is a form of time travel which we can do right now because whenever we look at the stars we are actually looking back in time because the stars are so far away that the light we see now actually left them a long time ago, the exact time depending on how far away each star is. We measure the distance to stars in the time it takes light to reach us. It takes only 8 1/3 minutes for light to travel from the closest star which is our sun so we say that it is 8 and 1/3 light minutes away which means we never see the sun as it actually exists but always as it existed 8 and 1/3 minutes ago.
The next closest star, Alpha Centauri is so far away that it takes 4 1/3 years for its light to reach us so we do not see Alpha Centauri as it exists now but always as it existed 4 and 1/3 years ago. Knowing this, many years ago I thought it would be fun to find out the distance to each star in the Big Dipper so I'd know how far back in time I was seeing each star. And this is what I found: the closest star, the star at the bend in the handle, is 60 light years away which means we see it as it actually existed 60 years ago. We see the star next to it and one of the cup stars as they existed 62 years ago; and the star where the handle attaches to the cup as it existed 65 years ago. The 2 remaining cup stars we see as they existed 75 years ago. And if you look real close at the star in the bend of the handle you'll see a slightly dimmer star which we see now as it existed 80 years ago.
So we see all of the stars of the Big Dipper
with the exception of the star at the end of the handle as they
existed 60 to 80 years ago which means that these stars, which
are the very first stars most of us learn about as children, we
don't actually see them as they really existed back then until
we reach the last years of our lives, between 60 and 80 years
of age. Indeed, even though they were shining brightly on the
night we were born we have to wait a lifetime to see them as they
actually existed way back then. Isn't that poetic? Isn't that
wonderful? Oh, and what about that star at the end of the handle?
Well that's the exception. It's 110 light years away which gives
us all a star to grow on. I'm Jack Horkheimer, Keep Looking Up!
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Horkheimer: Whenever we look
at the stars we see them not as they exist now, but as they existed
some time in the past, depending on how far away they are. For
instance, each star of the Big Dipper is between 60 to 80 light
years away which means we see each star as it existed between
60 to 80 years ago. Which further means that these stars which
are the very first stars most of us learned about as children,
we don't actually see as they really existed back then until we
reach the last years of our lives, with the exception of the star
at the end of the handle which is 110 light years away which gives
us all a star to grow on. I'm Jack Horkheimer, Keep Looking Up!
How did you like this episode?
Please give us your comments. (Click
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* This week's Sky At A Glance and
Planet Roundup from Sky & Telescope.
This week's Sky At A Glance displays current week only.
Starry Night Deluxe was used to produce this episode
of Star Gazer
Lorain County JVS NASA CORE / 15181 Route 58 South / 440/775-1400 / FAX 440/775-1460 / nasaco@leeca.org / http://core.nasa.gov
Horkheimer : Greetings, greetings fellow star gazers. What some astronomers call the best gathering of the 5 naked eye planets in almost 2 decades is about to begin and from now through the middle of May you'll be able to watch a true spectacle as the 5 brightest planets not only line up in a row in early evening skies, but also perform an exotic cosmic dance as they move toward each other, meet each other and then change positions in the heavens. And you can see it all with just the naked eye.
O.K., we've got our skies set up for this Sunday, April 14th just after sunset at dusk, facing west where you will see an exquisite pairing of a 2 day old slender sliver of a crescent Moon with the brightest planet of them all, a planet the same size as our earth and our nearest planet neighbor, 8,000 mile wide Venus. And believe me whenever a crescent Moon cuddles up close to Venus they make a picture you will not soon forget. Indeed, such pairings of these 2 have long been depicted in art as far back as the cave man.
So planet number 1 in our great planetary lineup is Venus. And just above it and very close to the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades, is a much smaller, dimmer, and farther planet, 4,000 mile wide Mars. And if you have trouble finding it on Sunday, you will have no trouble finding it on Monday because then an even slightly fatter crescent Moon will be huddle right next to it. What a picture! Then if you look just above Mars you will see a planet which is now at its best for viewing in over 10 years, 75,000 mile wide Saturn. And if you have a hard time finding it Monday night, then simply go ut on Tuesday night the 16th when a slightly fatter Moon will be just above Saturn. Wow!
Then if you go out 2 nights later, Thursday
the 18th, an almost first quarter Moon will be parked right next
to the king of the planets, 88,000 mile wide Jupiter. And if you
look carefully you'll notice that all the planets seem to be lined
up like pearls on a string, the string being the path of the planets.
Don't miss this! 4 planets, each one visited by the Moon next
week and setting the stage for the great 5 planet lineup. So where's
number 5 you ask? Well that's Mercury and it will make its appearance
during the 3rd week of April and we'll keep you posted. Once again,
the Moon parks along side 4 naked eye planets next week, Sunday
the 14th, Monday the 15th, Tuesday the 16th and Thursday the 18th.
A fabulous planet show, and one that's going to get even better
and more exciting as the planets start to change places in a game
of planetary pin ball. I'm Jack Horkheimer, Keep Looking Up!
How did you like this episode?
Please give us your comments. (Click
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Horkheimer: The best gathering of the 5 naked
eye planets in almost 20 years is about to begin. Sunday you'll
see an exquisite pairing of a crescent Moon and 8,000 mile wide
Venus. On Monday it will visit 4,000 mile Mars and on Tuesday
it will be right above 75,000 mile wide Saturn. Plus on thursday
it will be parked right next to 88,000 mile wide Jupiter. 4 planets,
each one visited by the Moon next week. But where's planet number
5? It's on its way and will make its appearance the 3rd week of
April. Once again: Sunday, Monday ,Tuesday and Thursday. A moon
and planet show you'll not soon forget. I'm Jack Horkheimer, Keep
Looking Up!
How did you like this episode?
Please give us your comments. (Click
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* This week's Sky At A Glance and
Planet Roundup from Sky & Telescope.Starry Night Deluxe was used to produce this episode
of Star GazerLorain County JVS NASA CORE / 15181 Route 58 South / 440/775-1400 / FAX 440/775-1460 / nasaco@leeca.org / http://core.nasa.gov
Horkheimer : Greetings, greetings fellow star gazers and mark this Saturday, April 20th as one of the best National Astronomy Days ever because by this weekend all 5 of the planets which will participate in the best planetary lineup in 2 decades will be visible. Let me show you:
O.K., we've got our skies set up for just after sunset, at dusk, last Sunday April 14th facing west where you would have seen an exquisite crescent Moon parked next to the brightest planet Venus. Directly above it, Mars; directly above Mars, Saturn and directly above Saturn, Jupiter. And you would have noticed that all 4 planets were lined up on an imaginary line like pearls on a cosmic string, a pathway astronomers call the ecliptic which is the path along which the planets travel.
Now depending on whether you're seeing this episode early or late this week, you saw or will see the Moon visit each planet. On Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. And as I mentioned these planets are getting ready to be joined by yet one more planet in the best gathering of the 5 naked eye planets in almost 20 years! And ta da! just coincidentally the 5th planet becomes visible this weekend when we celebrate National Astronomy Day! Indeed, this Saturday, April 20th Mercury will be peeking just above the horizon right along that great planetary pathway. And astronomy clubs and planetariums all across the nation will have their telescopes set up free for viewing making this National Astronomy Day and weekend one you'll never forget.
We might even say that this weekend officially opens the great 5 planetary lineup because during the next 3 weeks it will get even better as the planets move closer and closer to each other and Mercury climbs higher and higher above the horizon for even better viewing. In fact, starting this weekend if you go out every clear night for the next several weeks you will be able to watch what looks like an incredible planetary pin ball game as the planets move closer to each other and in some cases have very close meetings with each other and then pass each other and change their positions in the sky. And we'll keep you posted on the dates when the planets reach their closest to each other.
So start watching the great
planetary lineup and cosmic dance starting this Saturday, National
Astronomy Day. And while you're watching you may want to make
a mental note of each planet's size and distance on Astronomy
Day. Mercury is 3,000 miles wide; Venus 8,000; Mars 4,000; Saturn
75,000 and ta da! Jupiter, the biggest, 88,000 miles wide. Mercury
is 109 million miles; Venus is 142 million miles away; Mars 212
million; Jupiter 509 million and ta da! the farthest, Saturn 908
million miles away. Wow! What a great way to celebrate National
Astronomy Day! Gentlemen, start your telescopes. I'm Jack Horkheimer,
Keep Looking Up!
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Horkheimer: National Astronomy Day is this
Saturday, April 20th and it will be one of the best ever because
all 5 naked eye planets will be visible in the best planetary
lineup in almost 2 decades. To see them look west just after sunset
and they'll be lined up in a row like pearls on a string, but
it gets even better because during the next 3 weeks they will
play a game of planetary pin ball and change their positions from
night to night, sometimes having very close meetings with each
other. And while you're looking at them this Saturday you may
want to make a mental note of each planet's distance from super
close Mercury to incredibly distant Saturn. I'm Jack Horkheimer,
Keep Looking Up!
How did you like this episode?
Please give us your comments. (Click
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* This week's Sky At A Glance and
Planet Roundup from Sky & Telescope.Starry Night Deluxe was used to produce this episode
of Star GazerLorain County JVS NASA CORE / 15181 Route 58 South / 440/775-1400 / FAX 440/775-1460 / nasaco@leeca.org / http://core.nasa.gov
Horkheimer : Greetings, greetings fellow star gazers and right now the 5 brightest planets are congregated in what some are calling the greatest planetary lineup and gathering in almost 2 decades. And as night after night goes by you can watch these planets change their position with respect to one another, in a kind of planetary pin ball game. And believe me this is so exciting I just can't urge you enough to watch these planets if not every night, at least 2 or 3 nights a week because you'll be astonished at how quickly they move and change places. Let me show you:
O.K., we've got our skies set up for Monday this week, the 22nd, just after sunset, at dusk facing west where you'll see, lined up in a row, like pearls on an imaginary string, the 5 brightest planets: lowest to highest, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. And for good measure we'll add the bright red star which marks the eye of Taurus the Bull, Aldebaran which, as you regular viewers know, is currently accompanied by Saturn as a temporary second eye. But to make it even more interesting Mars is also visually close to Aldebaran which gives you a chance to compare the reddish orange color of Mars with the reddish-orange color of Aldebaran. Indeed, if you look carefully you'll actually be able to see the reddish-orange coloration in these two.
At any rate, for simplicity's sake and to remove clutter in our moving images we're going to re-label Aldebaran and the planets with just 1 or 2 letters: Me for Mercury, V for Venus, Ma for Mars, A for Aldebaran, S for Saturn and J for Jupiter so that as we move forward in time night after night we'll be able to see how dramatically these planets change position. And pay particular attention to Saturn, Mars and Venus because the way they move from night to night is absolutely remarkable.
O.K., let's go: Tuesday the 23rd, the 24th,
the 25th, the 26th, the 27th, the 28th, the 29th and the 30th.
And pay close attention to Venus, Mars and Saturn as they move
into a very close triangle pattern. May 1st, May 2nd, May 3rd,
May 4th, and ta da! on the 5th Venus, Mars, and Saturn form a
tight triangle! Don't miss this! In fact, this would be a perfect
time to get out the binoculars or a small telescope. Once again,
April 22, 23, 24 ,25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, May 1, 2, 3, 4, and
ta da! May 5th a super planetary triangle celebrating my cousin
Mark Cody's birthday. So get ready, get set and go for the most
outrageous game of planetary pin ball in this greatest of planetary
line ups in almost 20 years. It's amazing and it's fun. I'm Jack
Horkheimer, Keep Looking Up!
How did you like this episode?
Please give us your comments. (Click
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Horkheimer: Right now the 5 brightest plantets
are congregated in the greatest planetary line up in almost 2
decades and you can watch them play planetary pin ball night after
night. Monday they are lined up in a row like pearls on a string.
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter and we'll even add Taurus'
red eye star Aldebaran. Now watch as they rapidly change position.
The 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th. May 1st,
May 2nd, May 3rd, May 4th, and ta da! On May 5th Venus, Mars and
Saturn form a super tight triangle, so tight all 3 will fit into
the field of view of a pair of binoculars. I'm Jack Horkheimer,
Keep Looking Up!
How did you like this episode?
Please give us your comments. (Click
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* This week's Sky At A Glance and
Planet Roundup from Sky & Telescope.
This week's Sky At A Glance displays current week only
Starry Night Deluxe was used to produce this episode
of Star Gazer
Lorain County JVS NASA CORE / 15181 Route 58 South / 440/775-1400 / FAX 440/775-1460 / nasaco@leeca.org / http://core.nasa.gov
Horkheimer : Greetings, greetings fellow star gazers and as most of you viewers know, from the middle of April through the middle of May we are experiencing one of the greatest planetary gatherings for many years to come and it's going to get even better. Let me show you:
O.K., we've got our skies set up for this Sunday May 5th just after sunset at dusk, facing west, where you will see a super tight huddle of 3 planets, one of the most intense bunchings of planets you'll ever see ... 3 planets forming a wonderful triangle. 8,000 mile wide Venus, 75,000 mile wide Saturn and 4,000 mile wide Mars. And if you have a pair of binoculars you will be absolutely astonished because they will all fit into the same field of view. Then up to their left you will see the king of the planets, 88,000 mile wide Jupiter. And that's not all because if you look below the triangle you will see 3,000 mile wide Mercury at its very best for viewing for the entire year. 5 planets in a super gathering which means you just have to get out your binoculars or a small telescope, although they're all easily seen with just the naked eye.
But this picture will change from night to night and you'll be able to watch the great planet pin ball game, a real planetary shuffle as Venus, Mars and Saturn change their positions in respect to one another. To make it easy we'll just use abbreviations for the planets so you can really see how dramatically they change positions from night to night. Monday night, May 6th the triangle changes its shape and on both Monday and Tuesday Venus and Saturn are at their closest to each other, only 2 degrees apart which means that we could fit only 4 full moons between them. But Venus is even closer to Mars and closing in. Indeed, on Wednesday Venus is only 2 full moon widths away from Mars, on Thursday only 1 moon width away and ta da! on Friday only half a full moon would fit between them. A super conjunction! And even the cheapest department store telescope will show the two of them side by side in a picture you'll never forget!
On Saturday they're still very close and on Sunday still close but obviously Venus is now moving away from Mars, right on a path for Jupiter while Mars, Saturn and Mercury continue their slow descent toward the horizon. And although I'm saving a really big one for next week I just have to give you a preview because one of the best nights of the entire planetary gathering will occur Tuesday May 14th when Venus and a crescent Moon will be so close it will absolutely take your breath away.
Once again: Sunday May 5th, a super triangle of planets, May 6th, May 7th, May 8th. Then Venus and Mars super close on May 9th and May 10th after which Venus pulls away from Mars and on the 14th is joined by the Moon in a spectacular pair. Don't miss any of this because it's not going to happen again for many years, many years. I'm Jack Horkheimer, Keep Looking Up!
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Horkheimer: Right now one of the greatest planetary
gatherings for many years to come is taking place. This Sunday
you will see a super tight huddle of 3 planets forming a wonderful
triangle. 8,000 mile wide Venus, 75,000 mile wide Saturn and 4,000
mile wide Mars, a gathering so tight all 3 will be visible at
the same time in a pair of binoculars. Above them 88,000 mile
wide Jupiter, below 3,000 mile wide Mercury at its best viewing
for the year. And night after night you can watch as they change
their positions and Venus zeroes in on Mars. May 8th, May 9th,
and ta da! on May 10th less than half a full moon could fit between
them. Wow! I'm Jack Horkheimer, Keep Looking Up!
How did you like this episode?
Please give us your comments. (Click
Here)
* This week's Sky At A Glance and
Planet Roundup from Sky & Telescope.
This week's Sky At A Glance displays current week only
Starry Night Deluxe was used to produce this episode
of Star Gazer
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