Saturn hasn't quite reached opposition -- that time when it is directly
opposite the Sun in the night sky. That will come in late January.
When it does, as you might expect, Saturn rises at about the same time
as the Sun sets.
But right now Saturn rises around 8:00 p.m. a bit north of due east, and
is easily visible by 9:00. (Low eastern horizons are pretty rare around
here!) Each evening it will rise just a little earlier, as Earth
continues circling the Sun.
This weekend the waning Moon passes near Saturn in the sky from our
perspective on Earth, and it serves as a convenient guidepost to find
the beautiful ringed planet.
Here's a short feature from the JPL Saturn Cassini web site that
includes a chart for finding Saturn relative to the Moon over this
coming weekend:
<http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/image-details.cfm?imageID=1907>
Best regards,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Jane and I have a month full of travel and family plans that will keep
us away from the sidewalk, but there is some fun astronomy to be had.
Today an article about Jane and observing Mars appeared on the NASA web
site, and it has some great tips about how to find Mars in the sky over
the next couple of days. The Moon will be passing nearby and serve as a
nice signpost:
<http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/mars_mer_feature_20051209.h…>
In late January, Saturn will reach opposition and return to the evening
sky. We'll certainly be planning some outings for the occasion!
Have a great holiday season!
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Norm wrote to ask:
> So, does anyone know what the planet is just below the moon tonight?
> It’s small but obvious.
That's Mars. Go have a look, it's a nice combination.
Tomorrow the Moon should be on the other side of Mars, below it in the
early evening.
They're in the west right now (early evening). If you turn almost all
the way around to your right and look to the southeast, you might still
be able to catch brilliant white Venus before it sets.
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
No telescope viewing of moon and Mars tonight in Pasadena after all.
The clouds did not dissipate. We arrived at 6:00 p.m. and found a
parking spot near Pasadena Avenue, but after an hour and a half of
looking up, walking and sipping a latte/extra foam we gave up and came
home. We saw the moon peek out just a few times, but never long enough
to actually set up the telescopes. Hopefully, Monrovia will be better
tomorrow night.
Jane and Mojo
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Jane and I plan to be on the sidewalks in Pasadena and Monrovia this
weekend, and it looks like the weather is cooperating -- for the most part!
This week our weather was influenced by a pesky system called a "cutoff
low" over the Pacific -- so-called because it is cut off from the jet
stream, and its motion is difficult to predict. As we saw in last
year's record rainy season, a cutoff low can sit stationary off the
coast for days sucking tropical moisture into the LA basin.
That low has now moved southeast over northern Mexico, which causes our
winds to shift to offshore. That should bring us drier desert air and
clearer skies for several days. Early next week they're forecasting
very warm temperatures with the expected Santa Ana wind conditions.
When that dry air flows down the mountain slopes into the basin, it
heats up and gives us those indian summer conditions in November.
Tonight the conditions are not perfect -- we're still sitting in some
cool moist air from this week's weather system. Here in the San Gabriel
Valley we have some lingering marine layer clouds. We'll be able to see
the Moon and Mars okay, but the early part of the evening we'll be
looking up through layers of air at very different temperatures and
moisture content. Each of those layer boundaries give a slight
refraction to the light passing through, and makes for a shimmery view
obscuring much of the subtle detail on difficult objects like Mars.
So the moral of my rambling story -- the best views for Mars will be
Saturday evening in Monrovia. Join us there at Myrtle & Lime in Library
Park, from 6:00 'til 9:00 p.m.
But even with less than perfect conditions, we'll be in Old Town
Pasadena this evening from about 6:30 'til 9:30, on Colorado Blvd. near
Delacey, somewhere on the two-block stretch from Fair Oaks to Pasadena Ave.
Hope to see you there!
Best regards,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Just a note to our fellow sidewalk astronomers on the list ...
Please let me know if you're planning to join us tonight in Monrovia!
You can help with or without a telescope, talking to visitors or helping
operate one of our telescopes. If you let me know you're coming, I'll
make a name badge for you.
Telescopes on tripods may be best set up in the park grass field along
Lime. It's important that we leave clearance on the sidewalk especially
near the handicap ramp and wheelchair turn-around areas.
Best regards,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Tonight's a big night! It's Mars closest approach, and we'll be out in
force in Old Town Monrovia tonight. Library Park, Myrtle & Lime, 9:00
p.m. 'til midnight.
If you haven't read the article in the Pasadena Star-News this morning,
Jane and I were featured on the front page in the Mars article:
<http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_3162189>
The weather forecast for tonight looks near perfect. Jane and I plan to
bring out our best Mars telescope tonight, a rare Astro-Physics 7.1-inch
refractor. Here are some pictures from a visit in April to Library Park
for this telescope: <http://www.otastro.org/2005-04-monrovia/>
If you're wondering about the later than usual hours for this occasion,
it's because the best viewing of the planet comes as it's highest in the
sky. If you're looking for the best view, plan to visit the telescope
as close to midnight as you can. Besides letting Mars get high in the
sky, the lines at the telescopes should be shortest then!
If you miss seeing Mars tonight, don't despair -- it won't be much
further away on our next trip to the sidewalks on November 11 and 12.
For the next couple of months, Mars will be close enough for interesting
looks.
In addition to November 11 and 12, Jane and I will be travelling to the
Borrego Springs Resort on Saturday November 5 in Anza Borrego State
Park, and plan to set up for Mars viewing right there at the lovely
desert resort.
Jane's Mars information page on the Mars opposition has more links,
pictures, and events: <http://www.otastro.org/Mars2005/>
Best regards,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
The Old Town Astronomers are featured in an article in this week's
Pasadena Weekly: <http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/arspopuli/arspop.html>
They got it mostly right. :)
By the way, you might be interested in joining us to help show the Moon
and Venus at Wild Rose Elementary tonight, but not have a telescope to
bring. We plan to have a couple extra telescopes with us, and would be
glad to have you "person" one of them!
Best regards,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
The Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers are attending a PTA family picnic
tonight at Wild Rose Elementary school in Monrovia. They're expecting
about 250 people for the event.
If you have a telescope and would like to join us there from 6:00 'til
about 8:00, we'd be delighted. We could use another telescope or two.
Targets tonight will be the late gibbous Moon and Venus.
If you can join us, drop me a note and I'll send instructions. Or call
my cell phone at 626-755-5415.
Best regards,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
There might be clear sky where you are, but here it's thick! No
telescopes tonight in Monrovia.
But see Jane's observing report from our trip to the Oregon Star Party
last month, right here: <http://www.otastro.org/2005-10-oregon/>
Best regards,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
