Non-Partisan Planets

Throughout August and September, spotting Venus just above the western horizon shortly after sunset was a bit more difficult than usual. With the hazy skies of Middle Tennessee, the normally bright planet was tough to spot, while people out in drier locales had no trouble finding this spectacular “evening star”. Now as the year progresses, Venus appears higher in the western sky each night, slowly rising above our horizon’s haze, and challenging Jupiter for domination of the evening sky.

A sliver of a Moon will make a pretty companion for Venus early in the evening of October 1. If the weather doesn’t cooperate at just the right time, you’ll get another chance to observe this sight. On Halloween evening, Venus will be a bright point of light with a pretty crescent Moon nearby smiling like a Cheshire Cat. Look for this pair just after the Sun sets around 6:00 PM. Try looking at them with binoculars!

After Venus sets, look for Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, shining in the southwestern sky. There aren’t any other bright stars nearby, so Jupiter stands out. As a general rule stars twinkle and planets don’t, so you should be able to easily identify Jupiter.

Get up early to see Saturn, which rises in the east at 5:00 am at the beginning of October and by 3:00 am by the end of the month. It will appear as a pale yellow star near Leo the lion. Saturn won’t look as bright as usual because we are viewing the rings nearly edge-on.

As Saturn orbits the Sun, our view of the rings changes. At times, the wide, flat surface of the rings is facing Earth. Approximately once every fifteen years, the rings are seen edge-on and seem to disappear. Even though Saturn looks strange without its gaudy rings, astronomers value this observing opportunity to look for new moons orbiting the planet.

Late in October, careful observers may be able to catch Mercury peeking above the eastern horizon just before sunrise. The dawn glow will make it a challenge to find, but binoculars may increase your chance of success.

For those who are fans of Mars, the red planet is now too close to the Sun to see, and won’t be easily visible until 2009. Meanwhile, the Phoenix lander continues to study the Martian surface near the north polar cap. If all goes well, it will continue until the cold Martian winter takes hold. The lander’s solar panels won’t be able generate enough power, and carbon dioxide ice will eventually envelop Phoenix, bringing the mission to a frosty end.

Constellation Candidates

As autumn begins, the sky gets dark early enough for almost everyone to step out and find a few constellations. High in the west are the three stars that form the Summer Triangle. The easiest of the three star patterns to locate Cygnus the swan, diving toward the horizon.

Look to the east of the Summer Triangle for the Great Square of Pegasus among them. Actually, it’s slightly more of a rectangle shape, or perhaps a diamond.

In mythology, Pegasus was a magnificent winged horse, but many observers have a hard time seeing such a creature outlined in the stars. The neck and head of the horse jut out from the western corner of the square like a hockey stick. The front legs coming from the southern corner star look too short. The two long curving lines of stars extending from the eastern corner may look like they should be the hind legs of Pegasus, but they are really the flowing gown of another constellation, Andromeda the princess. If you can’t see a flying horse in the sky, what kind of star picture can you imagine?

Upcoming Star Parties

The next FREE public star party is scheduled for Saturday, October 4, from 8-10 PM at the Visitor Center at Longhunter State Park. Another FREE star party is scheduled for Saturday, November 8, from 8-10 PM at Shelby Bottoms Nature Center.

Telescope targets for both star parties will include the waxing crescent Moon, Jupiter, the Pleiades star cluster, and the Andromeda Galaxy. Members of the Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society (BSAS) will set up their telescopes to provide views of these and more.

Check here for driving directions, and helpful tips for enjoying a star party. If it is cloudy or raining, the star party will be canceled. If the weather is questionable, consult our home page or call Astroline at (615) 401-5092 before leaving home.

Telescope Talk

How do you buy a telescope? Should you buy a telescope? What are the best gifts for an astronomy fan? Dr. Spencer Buckner of Austin Peay State University will address these questions and more at Adventure Science Center on Thursday, November 20, starting at 7:30 PM.

Dr. Buckner’s talk is part of November’s monthly meeting of the Barnard-Seyfert Astronomical Society. You don’t need to be a BSAS member to enjoy his talk, but if you’d like to learn more about joining Nashville’s astronomy club, visit www.bsasnashville.com.