Mon Jan 31, 2022 THE GREAT ORION NEBULA
A medium-power telescope can show you four tiny stars buried within the Great Orion Nebula. These stars are called the Trapezium, because they’re arranged in the geometric form of a trapezoid. The brightest of these Trapezium stars lights up the cloud, and ultraviolet radiation ionizes the nebula gas, illuminating it like a giant neon sign. The gas is mainly hydrogen and helium, but it contains a whole chemistry set of elements and compounds in smaller amounts too. The Orion Nebula is about 1300 light years, or 7,800 trillion miles away. So it’s not exactly next door. The cloud is trillions of miles across, and inside it, stars are being made as gravitational contraction heats the hydrogen and helium in the cloud. With the Hubble Space Telescope, we can even see places where solar systems are forming.
Tue Feb 1, 2022 CHINESE NEW YEAR, CANDLEMASS DAY
Welcome to the year of the Tiger. Today is the Chinese New Year, which occurs with the second new moon following the beginning of winter. Technically, yesterday was the new moon, but in the old days the new moon referred to that very slender crescent that appeared low near the west horizon at sunset. Tomorrow is the first cross-quarter day of the year, or Candlemass Day. It’s the midpoint of the winter season, which is also Groundhog's Day. According to folklore, if a woodchuck sees his shadow tomorrow, we get six more weeks of winter. Which of course is untrue, because winter does not officially end until 11:33 am, Eastern Daylight Time, on March 20th, when the sun's rays fall most directly on the earth's equator. Anything else you hear is just a lot of groundhogwash.
Wed Feb 2, 2022 MOON AND JUPITER IN AQUARIUS
Today at sunset you should be able to see the new crescent moon, low near the western horizon, weather permitting of course. You may also be able to see that phenomenon known as earthshine, which in the old days was called, “the old moon in the new moon’s arms.” Although the moon will appear as a very slender crescent, the rest of the round moon will also be very faintly visible. What’s happening is that light reflected off the earth shines on to the moon, even the dark part, and is then re-reflected back so we can see it. This evening you will also be able to see the planet Jupiter, just to the north of the moon, appearing as a bright, star-like object. Both the moon and Jupiter are within the boundaries of the constellation Aquarius tonight, below that part of it known as the water jug.
Thu Feb 3, 2022 NAME THAT CONSTELLATION – FEBRUARY
Can you identify the 14th largest constellation? It is bordered on the north by Pegasus, Andromeda, Triangulum and Aries; on the south by Aquarius the Water Carrier and Cetus the Whale; on the west by Pegasus and Aquarius again; and on the east by Triangulum, Aries and Cetus again. There are no bright stars in it, but within its borders is M74, a beautiful spiral galaxy seen face-on, that’s a little over 20 million light years away. This mythological figure is said to represent the goddess Venus and her son Cupid, who transformed themselves in order to swim away from a dangerous dragon. The waxing crescent moon can be found here this evening, just below the western fish. Can you name this star figure, the twelfth constellation of the zodiac? And of course the answer is Pisces, the Fish, well-placed in the southwestern sky after sunset.
Fri Feb 4, 2022 ASTRONOMY DAY
The Treasure Coast Astronomical Society will host Astronomy Day at Indian River State College tomorrow, February 5th - from 3 pm until 9 pm, at the Planetarium and Science Center. There will be meteorite displays, telescope clinics, safe, filtered guided views of the sun, weather permitting, plus guest speakers, including a NASA spokesman – that will be at 4 pm – and much more. Bring your telescope to the telescope clinic and the Treasure Coast Astronomical Society will show you how to make it work! And when it gets dark that evening, we hope to provide telescopic views of the moon, as well as a few stars and deep sky objects. This astronomy day event is free, no tickets are necessary. Just dress warm, bring a lounge chair for viewing the sky and come on out to the Hallstrom Planetarium and the IRSC Science Center at 30th Street and Virginia Avenue on the Fort Pierce campus.
