7/30/2019 Heavenly Highlights

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THE ROANOKE TIMES SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

Binocularview

5 A.M.

SEP

8

EVENT

5

Mars

Beehive star

cluster

Mars tangles with a swarm of beesMars denitely does not deliver a commandperformance in 2013, but it still provides aninteresting encounter in the early morning ofSept. 8 and 9. The Red Planet, which appearsonly slightly brighter than the stars formingthe Big Dipper, crawls in front of the 580-light-year-distant Beehive star cluster in centralCancer. Binoculars easily reveal the planet

adrift among a swarm of stellar bees.

8 P.M.

OCT

18

EVENT

6Very

bright

Not asbright

A temporary darkeningof the full moonThe full moon on Oct. 18 challengesskywatchers to notice something unusualabout it. For an hour beginning at 8 p.m., largeportions of the southern half of the moonsorb, which is normally glaringly bright, exhibitsa subdued glow. It is in the middle of partialpenumbral eclipse, causing it to dim slightly.

NOV

38 A.M.

EVENT

7

E.

Sun

Take a bite out of the sunAs the sun rises on Nov. 3, it does not presenta round ball, but one with a bite along its edgeclosest to the horizon. People using propersolar lters can see that missing piece themoon become smaller and smaller untilthe full solar disk returns just 15 minutes aftersunrise.

S.W. 6:30 A.M.NOV

6

EVENT

8

Venus

M8

A mysterious glowThe crescent moon and Venus act asbookends for a mysterious object that glowsfaintly between them. The 4,000-light-year-distant star forming nebula M8 can normallybe seen, albeit just barely, with the naked eye,but with the glaring moon so close, binocularswill be needed to spot this.

Binocularview

6:30 A.M.

DEC

28

EVENT

9

Saturn

Zuben.

A strange star in Libra receivesfamiliar companyOver the last two years, Saturn has beenlurking near the bright star Spica in Virgo.Now, the ringed planet slides along theecliptic near the strangely named star in Libra,Zubenelgenubi. This moderately bright star,dimmer than Saturn, is joined by Mercury onNov. 26. Aim binoculars on Zubenelgenubi fora surprise. You will plainly see that it is notone star, but two. On Dec. 28, Zubenelgenubiis again joined by Saturn and this time the

crescent moon.

NOV

23E.-S.E.

EVENT

10

6:15 A.M.

Saturn

CometISON

Below the horizon

12/1

12/8

11/23

Predictably unpredictablecelestial visitors, part 2When the comet C/2012 S2 ISON was discov-ered in September 2012, it lay beyond Jupiterin the depths of space, but was already quitebright for its great distance. It passes clos-est to the sun on Thanksgiving, then swingsaround it, and if it survives that close encoun-ter it may give absolutely incredible morningviews for skywatchers in Virginia. The mostoptimistic predictions have Comet ISON beingvisible in the daytime and, at night, have its

enchanting tail stretch across much of the sky.

Predictably unpredictablecelestial visitors, part 1You never know what youre going to get

with a passing comet. Astronomers are ableto predict most celestial events to a tee,but cometary apparitions are another issueentirely. 2013 features two passing cometswith the rst possibly being the brightestone since Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997. C/2011L4, otherwise known as Comet PanSTARRS,scoots across our early evening westernskies beginning on March 6 and lasting untilit fades as it swings north about March 21. Itsgossamer tail extends skyward just to the leftof the very thin crescent moon on March 12.

W. 8 P.M.

EVENT

1

MAR

12

Comet

PanSTARRS

CrescentMoon

Illuminating the moons dark sideOn April 11 and 12 the crescent moon climbsthe western sky and, on the following evening,

perches between the Pleiades and Hyadesstar clusters creating a magical scene. Themoon all the while sports a heavenly glow,dimly lighting its dark side. As a bonus, Jupiterlingers in the area, making for a remarkableview. Morning viewers can witness a similarscene on July 2 and 3 at 4:45 a.m. whenthe crescent moon slides down the easternsky, returning on July 4 to its April positionbetween the Pleiades and Hyades. This time,the heavenly lunar glow dimly illuminates itsopposite side. Jupiter will have drifted by thesedates much farther to the east and will be lostin the brightening eastern twilight.

APR

11W. 8 P.M.

EVE

NT

2Pleiades

Hyades

Jupiter

Orion

4/14

4/13

4/12

4/11

Planetary huddleJust about every year, people who preachdoomsaying want to ascribe a deeper, oftenmore sinister meaning to this formation whenit is merely a planetary positioning dictated bywell-known laws of physics. May 25, 26, and27 nd Mercury, Venus and Jupiter huddlingclosely together low in the western sky 45minutes after sunset. The bright twilight may

require binoculars for a clearer view.

MAY

26W. 9 P.M.

EVENT

3

VenusJupiter

Mercury

Planetary lineupMorning viewers see a lineup of planets inearly August. The gently glowing crescentmoon joins elusive Mercury, modest Mars andbright Jupiter at 5:30 a.m. on Aug. 3 and 4.Always being on the move, they change theirpositions slightly each morning.

5:30 A.M.AUG

4E.

EVENT

4Jupiter

Mercury

Mars

HEAVENLYHIGHLIGHTSWe live in a universe where our heavenly viewchanges constantly. Take advantage of this over

the next 12 months to witness these remarkable

sky offerings: celestial alignments and clusterings,

unusual eclipse sightings and intriguing visitors. All

these await those who make the effort to enjoy them.

2013

Meteor showers

2013 promises one major meteor shower that wont be adversely affected by bright moon-

light. Falls Orionids and Leonids, and the reliable and abundant Geminids all have their visible

numbers drastically reduced by a gibbous or full moon. The Perseids, on the other hand, with

the rst quarter moon setting as the shower begins, promises a good showing with 60

meteors per hour. Look to the northeast after 1 a.m. on Aug. 12 and again on Aug. 13.

PERSEIDS Aug. 12 and 13, after 1 a.m., in the northeast, 60 meteors per hour.

ORIONIDS Oct. 21, after 11 p.m., in the east, about 20 meteors per hour, waning gibbous

moon washes out the sky.

LEONIDS Nov. 17, after 1 a.m., in the east, only 15 meteors per hour, full moon washes out the

sky.

GEMINIDS Dec. 13, after 8 p.m., more than 60 meteors per hour, waxing gibbous moon

washes out the sky.

Roanokes best planetary views in 2013

PLANET DATESBESTSEEN TIMEBESTSEEN APPEARANCEANDLOCATION

MERCURY Nov. 10 6:30 a.m. Very low in the southeastern

as a morning star to 25 twilight.

MERCURY Feb. 5 6:30 p.m. Very low in the western

as an evening star to 25 twilight.

VENUS Jan. 1 6:30 a.m. Very bright, low in the

as a morning star to 15 southeastern twilight.

VENUS October Hour after Brilliant star in the west.

as an evening star to December sunset

MARS October Two hours Unremarkable, appearing in the

to December before sunrise east, likely needing a map to

conrm.

JUPITER January, Visible all night Brightest star in the east after

February sunset, high in south at midnight,

and December and in the west before dawn.

SATURN April to July Visible all night Bright in the east after sunset,

in the south at midnight, and in

the west before dawn.

MORECELESTIALEVENTS

By John Goss | Special to The Roanoke Times

Illustratio ns by GRANT JEDLINSKY I The Roanoke Times

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