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WHAT'S UP
© 2002 Vernon Whetstone
For the week of
Sept 9-15
We are at a
difficult time of the year, all the good stuff for non-optical viewing (without binoculars
or telescope) happens in the wee hours of the morning and since I am not a morning
astronomer, it is kind of difficult to see the “good stuff.”
However, there are a few things to watch this coming week. Let’s start with the Moon.
Luna is just starting the monthly cycle so it is a very pretty slim crescent in the west
in the evening just after sunset. In addition, since it is just starting the cycle we are
in a good position for another “grand parade” of the Moon passing by celestial
objects.
Let’s start on Monday, September 9. The slightly visible Moon will be just up and to
the right from Venus; the Moon is also just above Spica. If you have really good eyes or a
very good pair of binoculars or a telescope look to the far lower right (a little more
than one fist length held at arms length) for tiny, dim Mercury just emerging from the
Sun’s glow.
Over the next few days after passing Venus, the Moon will pass Antares in Scorpius on the
12th and the top star of the “teapot” constellation Sagittarius two nights
later.
Now is also a good time to get out the optical aids and follow the Moon night by night.
See what new things you can see on the surface and watch the shadows cross the crater
walls and central peaks as the Sun rises on them.
On Friday, we will have the opportunity to enjoy one of this year’s two Friday the
13ths. Having two of them is normal, on a rare occasion there will be three, but we are
“lucky” this year to have only two.
If you are the early morning type astronomer, there are some good things to look at.
Saturn is up to viewable altitude by 1 am followed by the goodies in Orion and Gemini by
2:30 am, and Jupiter by 4 am. An extra-added attraction for Jupiter is M44 also called the
“Beehive.” M44 is a very nice star cluster for binoculars or telescope. Jupiter
is just below M44.
Now, if you are good about getting up and being outside before 4 am, look very close to
the northwest horizon for a small comet called “Swan” or C/2002 06. There is
only a 30-minute viewing frame for the comet before the light of the rising Sun wipes it
out. Binoculars are an absolute necessity and a large telescope if you have one.
Until next time, clear skies and happy viewing.
Information used to prepare this article came from one or more of the
following sources: Astronomy Magazine Published by Kalmbach Publishing Co.; August Sky
Calendar, published by the Abrams Planetarium; Sky & Telescope's Skyline; Sky Watch by
Fred Schaaf; United States Navel Observatory; North American Skies from the Denver
Astronomical Society; Star Trak by Hal Kibbey of Indiana University; Earth and Sky on
National Public Radio; Distant Suns software by Mike Smithwick; Starry Night Backyard
software by Siennasoft; Stargazing for Beginners by John Mosley published by Roxbury
Park/Lowell House, 365 Starry Nights by Chet Raymo published by Fireside books and
Nightwatch by Terrence Dickinson published by Camden House Publishing; Burnham's Celestial
Handbook by Robert Burnham, Jr. published by Dover Publications, Inc., New York.
P.S. Don't forget to get your star chart for September at www.skymaps.com.
They are free, and easy to
download and print on your own printer.
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