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Tue, 1 January 2008
Astronomical Online
Glossary
Download this month's sky map!
Northern hemisphere sky
map
Southern hemisphere sky
map
Creator: Kym Thalassoudis
Southern Hemisphere Additional Information
James
Barclay's site
Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand's Southern
Hemisphere Calendar RASNZ
site
Southern
Sky Watch.
Planets for January 2008
- Mercury- visible in evening twilight higher and brighter as the month
progresses. Mercury reaches its greatest elongation east on the 22nd (19deg) on
the 23 (4UT) Mercury will be .3 deg North of a very dim Neptune -0.9 mag (1st)
to -0.7 mag (21st)
- Venus- Venus is the queen of the morning all month, rising 3 hours
before the Sun at the beginning of the month but only 2 hours before the sun at
the end of the month. Watch Venus and Jupiter throughout the month as they get
closer, about 1 deg a day, until the 31st when they are only 1 deg apart. -3.9
mag (1st) to -3.9 mag (21st)
- Mars- Just past its December opposition Mars is visible almost all
night. Officially in Taurus it appears to be closer to the leg of Castor of
Gemini the twins. Mars moves into a nice orange/red triangle with Betelgeuse and
Aldebaran before becoming stationary on the 20th and returning to direct
(eastward) motion for the rest of the month. -1.5 (1st) to -0.9 mag (21st)
- Ceres-
- Jupiter- Jupiter has been hiding behind the sun now reappears in the
morning sky climbing higher in the sky. By mid-month Jupiter rises 9 deg above
the horizon before sunrise, by the end of the month Jupiter and Venus are 1 deg
apart. -1.8 mag (1st) to -1.8 mag (21st)
- Saturn- In Leo all year Saturn rises mid-evening at the beginning of
January. The tilt of Saturn's rings increases from 6.7 deg to 9.9 deg in early
May before beginning to close again at the end of 2008. 0.7 mag (1st) to 0.6 mag
(21st)
- Uranus-In Aquarius all year 5.9 mag (1st) to 5.9 mag (21st)
- Neptune-In Capricorn 8.0 mag (1st) to 8.0 mag (21st)
Click
on thumbnail for full sky image 
Key Dates for January 2008
Days and Times in UT: (help with
time)
Observations are for 10pm for the mid-southern latitudes and for
8pm for the mid-northern latitudes.
Today's sunrise and sunset times or
plan ahead using the US Naval Observatory
Website
Occultation information can be found at the IOTA website!
Astronomical Highlights
January
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| 1 |
- Ceres stationary |
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- Watch for comet 8P/Tuttle
moving from Aries to Cetus
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- Algol at minimum (15:15 UT) |
| 2 |
- Earth at perihelion (147096448 km) our closest point to the Sun in Earth's
orbit. (23h UT) |
| 3 |
- Moon at apogee (405331 km) furthest point away from Earth in its
orbit |
| 4 |
- Quadrantid
meteor shower peak named after an extinct constellation, Quadrans Muralis or the
mural quadrant an astronomical tool similar to a astrolab or
clinometer. |
| 5 |
- Antares 0.5 deg N of Moon check the IOTA pages for
occultations (S.S.America, part of Antarctica) |
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- Latest sunrise at latitude 40 deg North* |
| 8 |
- New Moon (11:37 UT) |
| 11 |
- Neptune 0.4 deg N of Moon, check the IOTA pages for
occultations (S tips of Australia, part of Antarctica, New Zealand) |
| 15 |
- First Quarter Moon (19:46 UT) |
| 16 |
- Vesta 1.9 deg SSE of Mercury in evening sky |
| 18 |
- Moon 1.1 deg N of Pleiades (M45) (7 UT) |
| 19 |
- Moon at perigee (366430 km) (9 UT) |
| 20 |
- Mars 1.1 deg S of Moon, check the IOTA pages for
occultations (N.Russia, Arctic regions, NW Tip of N. America) |
| 22 |
- Mercury at greatest elongation E (19 deg) (5 UT) |
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- Full Moon (13:35 UT) |
| 23 |
- Moon 0.3 deg N of Beehive (M44) |
| 24 |
- Regulus 0.7 deg N of Moon, check the IOTA pages for
occultations (S. Indonesia, Australia, part of Antarctica |
| 30 |
- Last Quarter Moon (5:03 UT) |
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- Mars stationary |
| 31 |
- Moon at apogee (404533 km) |
The Dark Days of
Winter
sunrise
and sunset times for your home*
Comparative lengths of
day and night
This month on the tour we will be attempting several of the most difficult
objects in the Catalog, a small faint planetary nebula, and a pair of face on
spiral galaxies. Also featured this month is a small, but fairly bright galaxy
and three open clusters. You will need binoculars and a telescope to fully enjoy
the January tour.
- M33 - This is a very
large (about the size of the full moon) face on spiral galaxy in the
constellation Triangulum. The total light from M33 is about magnitude 5.3, but
when spread out over its large area it yields a very low surface brightness. The
best and easiest views of M33 can be found with a pair of binoculars. Look for a
large, round hazy patch of light with little detail at first glance. M33 can be
glimpsed with the naked eye in dark clear skies. Finding M33 in a telescope can
be a challenge because of its size. Use the widest field eyepiece you have and
look for a change in light level to identify the galaxy.
- M103 - This is a fairly
small, sparse open cluster in Cassiopeia. Look for a tight group of stars in
binoculars, being careful not to mistake it for several other clusters in the
same area. Through a telescope the cluster is very sparse, four bright stars
amidst the slight glow of much fainter companions.
- M52 - M52 - This rich
open cluster in Cassiopeia is fairly easy to see in binoculars as a faint smudge
of light. A small to mid telescope will begin to resolve this cluster. Look for
a triangular patch of light with some stars clearly resolved, but most of the
cluster members provide only a hint of graininess.
- M76 - Known as the
little dumbbell, this planetary nebula in Perseus is one of the dimmest objects
in the Catalog. Look for a small, faint, oblong patch of light. Not a very
obvious object, if you don't see it at first try varying magnifications in an
attempt to bring it out. Fortunately M76 is located near a bright star which
aids in locating the correct field to search.
- M34 - This is a large
and bright, but sparse open cluster located in Perseus. Visible as a faint patch
of light to the naked eye, it is very obvious and easy to resolve in binoculars.
In fact, binoculars provide a better view of this cluster than most telescopes.
- M74 - This galaxy in
Pisces is a smaller and fainter version of M33, a face on spiral galaxy with low
surface brightness. M74 is arguably the most difficult object to find in the
Catalog. You will need very dark, clear skies to easily see it, anything less
than perfect conditions will make M74 nearly impossible to find. Look for a very
faint fuzzy star, which is the bright central condensation, surrounded by a very
faint glow. Try all of your tricks on this one; star hop to the correct field,
try varying magnification, tap the scope to detect the galaxy through its
motion. If all of the above fail, try again another night or seek darker skies.
- M77 - This is a small
faint galaxy in Cetus. Possible to see in binoculars, but very difficult, look
for a faint fuzzy star. Through a telescope look for a fuzzy, oval shaped patch
of light, bright in the center, fading towards the edges.
From the Astronomical
Connection and the Moncton Center in Canada
Comets for January 2008
Gary Kronk's comet and
meteor pages
Skyhound
Comet pages
Historical and Current Events...Did you know?
Mark has developed his own website so
let's all trot on over and see the pages of wonderful history he has for us this
month!
Help us out by leaving a donation in the ol' PayPal hator write us a
favorable review in iTunes of Podcast Pickle or iPodder!
Music Scottish Guitar
Quartet -"Romance within you"
Three
Blind Mice- "Watchstar"
Friction
Bailey - "Auld Lang Syne"
Astronomical Highlights for 2008
Earth's major motions for 2008
| Perihelion |
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Jan 3 00h(UT) |
| First Cross Quarter Day |
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Feb 2-6 |
| Equinox |
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Mar 20 05:48(UT) |
| Second Cross Quarter Day |
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May 4-7 |
| Solstice |
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June 20 23:59(UT) |
| Aphelion |
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July 4 08h (UT) |
| Third Cross Quarter Day |
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Aug 5-8 |
| Equinox |
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Sept 22 15:44(UT) |
| Fourth Cross Quarter Day |
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Nov 5-8 |
| Solstice |
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Dec 21 12:04(UT) |
Planet Positions for 2008
| 2008 |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| Venus |
Sgr |
Cap |
Aqr |
Psc |
Tau |
Gem |
Cnc |
Vir |
Vir |
Sco |
Sgr |
Cap |
| Mars |
Tau |
Tau |
Gem |
Gem |
Cnc |
Leo |
Leo |
Vir |
Vir |
Vir |
Sco |
Oph |
| Jupiter |
Sgr |
Sgr |
Sgr |
Sgr |
Sgr |
Sgr |
Sgr |
Sgr |
Sgr |
Sgr |
Sgr |
Sgr |
| Saturn |
Leo |
Leo |
Leo |
Leo |
Leo |
Leo |
Leo |
Leo |
Leo |
Leo |
Leo |
Leo |
Interesting Planet Pairing for 2008
- January (first two week) - Mars, Betelgeuse and Aldebaran -
Mars will be moving westward into this red triangle, pausing at the end of the
month and then returning to regular Eastward motion at the beginning of
February.
- February 1 (start watching in early January) - Jupiter and
Venus - Start this early in January with Jupiter just off the horizon and
watch as they creep closer and closer. On the 1st of Feb early in the morning,
about one hour before sunrise in the east, Jupiter and Venus are less than one
degree apart in the constellation Sagittarius. They will be outstanding and you
could imagine all sorts of symbolism that could be associated with this
conjunction.
- February 27 - Mercury and Venus - Rising just one hour before
the Sun in the East in the constellation Capricornus. Venus and Mercury will be
just over one degree apart and then Venus will speed off, with Mercury in hot
pursuit.
- March 24 - Mercury and Venus...again - Mercury catches up to
Venus again, this time less than one degree apart and in the constellation
Aquarius. They will also be rising above the horizon only a half hour before the
sun, so seeing them will be quite a challenge.
- July 10 - Mars and Saturn - In the constellation Leo
yellowish-white Saturn and reddish Mars will be less than one degree from each
other. The pair is still up two hours after sunset and are bright so it should
be easy to see.
- August 13 - Venus and Saturn - Less than one degree apart in
the constellation Leo. Venus will be the brighter of the two.
- August 14 (watch from 10-16th)- Venus, Mercury, and Saturn -
Just after sunset a triple conjunction! The three planets will be less than
three degrees apart in the constellation Leo and almost in a line. Venus will be
the highest and brightest Saturn the middle object and Mercury will be the
lowest of the three but surprisingly brighter than Saturn. If you want to make
this even more interesting look for Mars 16 degrees to the SW the trio.
- August 19-21 - Venus and Mercury - The two planets will be
about one degree apart for three days. VERY low on the western horizon at
sunset.
- September 11 (watch from 5-18)- Venus and Mars - Venus will
come right next to the Red Planet, with the two less than one degree apart
Mercury lying three and a half degrees away from the pair and shining brighter
than Mars. The whole group will set just one hour after sunset.
- December 1 - Venus and Jupiter - All within Sagittarius, the
two planets will be two degrees apart and they don't set until three hours after
sunset. As a bonus, a 15%-lit moon will lie three degrees away from Venus.
- December 31 - Jupiter and Mercury - After sunset a little more
than one degree apart in Sagittarius. Pull out the binos and telescopes because
Mercury will be a mere 15 arcminutes from the globular cluster M75. All three
will be together in one field of view in most home binoculars.
2008 Phases of the Moon
Universal Time NEW MOON FIRST QUARTER FULL MOON LAST QUARTER
d h m d h m d h m d h m
JAN. 8 11 37 JAN. 15 19 46 JAN. 22 13 35 JAN. 30 5 03
FEB. 7 3 44 FEB. 14 3 33 FEB. 21 3 30 FEB. 29 2 18
MAR. 7 17 14 MAR. 14 10 46 MAR. 21 18 40 MAR. 29 21 47
APR. 6 3 55 APR. 12 18 32 APR. 20 10 25 APR. 28 14 12
MAY 5 12 18 MAY 12 3 47 MAY 20 2 11 MAY 28 2 57
JUNE 3 19 23 JUNE 10 15 04 JUNE 18 17 30 JUNE 26 12 10
JULY 3 2 19 JULY 10 4 35 JULY 18 7 59 JULY 25 18 42
AUG. 1 10 13 AUG. 8 20 20 AUG. 16 21 16 AUG. 23 23 50
AUG. 30 19 58 SEPT. 7 14 04 SEPT. 15 9 13 SEPT. 22 5 04
SEPT. 29 8 12 OCT. 7 9 04 OCT. 14 20 02 OCT. 21 11 55
OCT. 28 23 14 NOV. 6 4 03 NOV. 13 6 17 NOV. 19 21 31
NOV. 27 16 55 DEC. 5 21 26 DEC. 12 16 37 DEC. 19 10 29
DEC. 27 12 22
Eclipses for 2008
February 07 - Annular Solar Eclipse ( see
map, times, and animation!): The first
solar eclipse of 2008 occurs at the Moon's ascending node in Capricornus. An
annular eclipse will be visible from a wide track, that traverses Antarctica and
southern regions of the Pacific Ocean. A partial eclipse will be seen within the
much larger path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes the southeastern
third of Australia, all of New Zealand and most of Antarctica.
August 1 - Total Solar Eclipse ( see
map, times, and animation!): On Friday,
2008 August 01, a total eclipse of the Sun is visible from within a narrow
corridor that traverses half the Earth. The path of the Moon's umbral shadow
begins in Canada and extends across northern Greenland, the Arctic, central
Russia, Mongolia, and China. A partial eclipse is seen within the much broader
path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes northeastern North America,
most of Europe and Asia. Special website with extra information and links to
live eclipse webcasts can be found at the NASA
Eclipse Website for the August 1st Eclipse
February 20th - Total Lunar Eclipse ( see
map, times.): The first lunar eclipse of 2008 is perfectly placed for
observers throughout most of the Americas as well as western Europe. The eclipse
occurs at the Moon's descending node, midway between perigee and apogee. During
the eclipse, Saturn lies about 3° northeast of the Moon and shines brightly (mv
= +0.2) because it is near opposition. Special website with live broadcast can
be found at the NASA
Eclipse Website
August 16 - Partial Lunar Eclipse ( see
map, times): The last eclipse of 2008 is a partial lunar eclipse at the
Moon's ascending node in Capricornus. It is visible primarily from the Eastern
Hemisphere as well as eastern South America
Eclipse information from: NASA Eclipse
Homepage, Eclipses Online (HM
Nautical Almanac Office, UK in coordination with the U.S. Naval
Observatory)
Meteor Showers for 2008All times are UT
| Quadrantids |
January 4, 7h |
Waning Crescent |
| Lyrids |
April 22, 4h |
almost Full |
| Eta Aquarids |
May 5, 18h |
New Moon |
| Perseids |
August 12, 11h |
Waxing Gibbous |
| Orionids |
October 21, 4h |
Last Quarter |
| Leonids |
November 17, 10h |
Waning Gibbous |
| Geminids |
December 13, 23h |
Full Moon |
Information from the "Observer's Handbook 2008" RASC
Direct download: AAGG_sky_tour_Jan_08.mp3 Category: Sky Tours -- posted at: 12:01 PM |
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