Host
Brandie Carter
Podcast Content
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On January 29th, the southeastern morning sky was dominated by brilliant Venus and the bright star Antares. A tiny crescent moon visited the southeastern sky just before dawn. On January 15th, a few days before the new moon, Venus still dominated the southeastern morning sky but was joined by Mars and several bright stars. By evening, Venus had disappeared from the sky while Mars made its way to visit the planet Mars in the southeastern evening sky.
The full moon occurred on the 30th, with the first quarter moon rising in the early evening sky just a few days later. The new moon occurred on the 23rd, and the last quarter was in the middle of the way. The third quarter was on the morning of the 30th. The Moon rises mid-day and sets early morning, appearing in different parts of the sky each night.
On a night with a clear sky, the Moon makes the night seem almost as bright as day. As the Moon moves, it rotates around other stars and reveals itself in different phases such as new moon, first quarter, and full moon. The brightest nights are during a full moon, but some of the best times to observe the night sky are during a new moon or first quarter when it is at its darkest. During these times you can see stars that you may not be able to see on nights with a brighter sky. The Milky Way galaxy is much easier to spot when there is no Moonlight to interfere. And of course don’t forget about the North Star which never moves from its position in the Northern sky!
The Milky Way can be seen in the night sky with its bright complex core, but it’s only visible in fairly dark skies. The stars can also be noticed with the naked eye, and from a distance you can even see it in its hazy form. When taken a photo of at early April you can really appreciate how beautiful it is! Certain months of the year, those at around 30 degrees north and south latitude, are best for seeing the Milky Way. To find your way around the night sky without getting lost you need to take into account that as we orbit around earth each year, the stars move 15 degrees every time. That’s why different constellations appear during different times of the month.
If you observe the night sky, you will notice faint background stars, and a few of the brightest stars making up patterns constellations. There is a star map that shows the major star patterns, showing simplified sky charts of the night sky and the planets. On particular nights, you can even see the moon in different phases. If you look out your window in January, you can find an evening star.
The celestial night sky is full of stars, planets, and other celestial phenomena. But in many urban areas, the sky is washed out by light pollution from sources like streetlights, buildings, and cars. When the sun sets in the western evening sky, dusk begins and light pollution becomes even more prevalent. You can often see a faint crescent moon shining in the sky, with bright orange star Aldebaran marking its southerly eye. You may also be able to spot Mars as a reddish crescent in the night sky. Unfortunately, light pollution makes it difficult to see many stars and planets; this is especially true if you live in an urban area where light pollution is particularly intense. Even Aldebaran may not be visible due to all of the wash of light from modern cities.
But on Saturday, April 9th, 2023, an event that may not be seen again for thousands of years is due to occur in the constellation Draco. The pass of comet C/2022 E3 will light up the sky like a dim star. On this night you should be able to use binoculars to spot the red circle that is Edasich and the constellation Camelopardalis in the celestial south. As darkness falls and the sky is darkened, train your binoculars on Edasich and watch it grow brighter as it moves through its orbit. This magnitude will be visible for about half an hour before sunset, so don't miss out!
Where Is The Sky is a great way to meet the bright stars and ztf maximum brightness of stars and planets. The sky charts help you visits different constellations to gain maximum brightness. Depending on the magnitude of each star, it might be visible with the naked eye or not. When you reach the limit, pay attention to your reading because this is when you will be able to see the same night sky in February as you did two months ago. The E3 is an earth-based system that allows people to reach the limit of their own sky and pay attention to what they are reading.
On a cold Tuesday evening in January, the star of the evening is Comet C/2022 E3, which is going to pass by planet Mercury. It will be visible in the southwestern horizon and will show up as a medium bright star with faint magnitude and can be seen at 8 pm. The moon is in its waxing gibbous phase and it's a perfect night to look out for other celestial objects like asteroids or constellation Ursa Minor. Though you may see some bright stars twinkling in the sky, you can use this opportunity to gain knowledge about astronomy and learn about different stars that come together to create a way for the universe. As midnight approaches, you may even find yourself looking at more distant galaxies from Ursa Minor that are above the southwestern horizon.
As the sun rotates around the sky, the dippers have rotated and shifted to a different location in the evening sky. Compare this same scene in January to see how much the dippers have changed. In January, you can find Ursa Minor in approximately the same place relative to the North Star. Look closely and you may even be able to notice its change in position throughout the night.