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Skywatch for the week of December 9, 2024

Skywatch Monday 12-9-2024.mp3

Mon Dec 9, 2024 MOON’S RETURN TO OUR EVENING SKIES

The moon has returned to our evening skies; it’s now well-placed in the south at sunset. This is a great time to look at the moon through binoculars or telescopes, because you can see lots of details near the moon's terminator, the line that separates daytime from nighttime on the moon. The shadows here are very long, just as they are near the earth's terminator, after sunrise or before sunset. You can also find smooth, flat, dark area on the moon - these are the maria, or seas - not really oceans of water, but dark basaltic rock, similar to the basalts we find on the earth's ocean floor. A lot of these maria are fairly round, with mountain chains encircling them. They are the result of giant asteroid impacts that happened long ago.

 

Skywatch Tuesday 12-10-2024.mp3

Tue Dec 10, 2024 SUNRISE, SUNSET, AND SEASONS

We speak of the sunrise in the east and sunset in the west, but there are only two times during the year when this occurs – at the beginning of spring and at the beginning of autumn. After the spring equinox, the sun rises to the north of east and sets to the north of west, and after the autumnal equinox, the sun rises to the south of east and sets to the south of west. In the summer, the sun’s path across the sky is long and high, the daylight period is longer than the night, and the weather turns warm. But at winter’s beginning, the sun’s path is very short and low; the daylight period is short, the night is long. Less direct sunlight and a shorter amount of daylit hours lead to a drop in air temperatures as the weather turns cold.

 

Skywatch Wednesday 12-11-2024.mp3

Wed Dec 11, 2024 GIOTTO AND THE STAR OF WONDER

In the year 1301, the Italian artist Giotto di Bondone saw a comet. It was bright and glorious, but it had no name; centuries later it would be called Halley’s comet. In 1305, Giotto painted a fresco called, “the Adoration of the Magi,” which can still be viewed in the Arena Chapel in Padua, Italy. Above the Creche, Giotto painted Halley’s comet, portraying it as the nativity star. Could the comet have been the star? This weekend Indian River State College’s Hallstrom Planetarium will investigate, in its 32nd annual presentation of “Star of Wonder.” Shows are on Friday night at 7 and 8:30 pm, and on Saturday afternoon at 1 and 3 pm. Call the IRSC Box office at 462-4750, between 11 am and 3 pm today through Friday.

Skywatch Thursday 12-12-2024.mp3

Thu Dec 12, 2024 SUMMER TRIANGLE IN WINTER/THE NORTHERN CROSS

The Summer Triangle has three bright stars: Vega, Altair, and Deneb. Vega is in the constellation Lyra the Harp; Altair is in Aquila the Eagle; and Deneb is in Cygnus the Swan. It’s hard to recognize most constellation figures, so we come up with easier shapes to find. In the constellation of Cygnus the Swan, there is a simpler pattern called the Northern Cross. The tail of Cygnus, the star Deneb, marks the top of the cross; while the bird’s beak, the star Albirio, is at the foot of the cross; and the wings of Cygnus form the crosspiece. In the summer and the early fall, Cygnus is overhead. But now as winter approaches the swan has moved toward the horizon, and the Northern Cross now stands upright in the west after sunset.

 

Skywatch Friday 12-13-2024.mp3

Fri Dec 13, 2023 THE MOON, JUPITER AND VENUS, AND STAR OF WONDER

The nearly full moon can be found just above or to the east of the planet Jupiter this evening. On the opposite side of the sky in the southwest where the sun has set, you should find another planet – Venus. All of these worlds will be featured in tonight’s Hallstrom Planetarium show, “Star of Wonder,” which will be presented at 7 and 8:30 pm. This traditional program discusses the star of the Nativity and delves into the history of the event as well as looking for possible candidates for the star. And if skies are clear tonight, the Treasure Coast Astronomical Society will also be on hand to show you these objects through their telescopes. You can call Indian River State College’s box office at 772 462 4750 for tickets.