Mon Dec 30, 2024 MORE TELESCOPE HELP
If you can’t find anything with your new telescope, you probably need to align its finder scope - that's that small tube mounted on the side of the main tube. When you look through the finder you'll see the crosshairs - two lines which cross each other. First you look through the finder and put the crosshairs over the object you're trying to zoom in on. But when you look through the main tube's eyepiece, it’s not there! To align the finder with the main scope, start by putting any distinctive, far away landmark into view through the eyepiece of the main tube. Clamp down the telescope, then you need to twist the little bolts on the finder that hold it in place so that the object is on the crosshairs. Now you're aligned, and everything else will be easier to find.
Tue Dec 31, 2024 NEW YEAR’S AVATAR
Often the outgoing year is portrayed as a very old man known as Father Time. Father Time in turn is based on the Greek mythological god Kronos, whom the Romans associated with Saturn, an agricultural god. The planet Saturn takes 29 years to orbit the sun, so to sky-watchers of long ago, it seemed as if this slow-moving, unhurried planet must somehow be associated with time. In late December great festivals like the Saturnalia were held in honor of Saturn. Gifts were exchanged, homes and streets were decorated, and everybody was in a happy party mood. After this came the solstice and celebrations of the sun, then another holiday for Janus, the Roman god of new beginnings, and for whom the month of January is named.
Wed Jan 1, 2025 THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF SKYWATCH
Tomorrow marks the thirtieth anniversary of Skywatch, which was first broadcast on January 2nd, 1995. Before this I did similar programs on WGH and WHRO radio in Virginia, and before that I handled the telephone sky information service at the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium. I have put together a list that guides me for these spots each day. Highest priority goes to current sky events - eclipses and meteor showers, comet apparitions, conjunctions of the moon with bright stars and planets, changes of the seasons, as well as any breaking news in astronomy. Next come any historical events such as discovery dates and the births and deaths of famous astronomers. After that I talk about stars and constellations that can see in the current evening sky, or astronomy concepts and general sky phenomena.
Thu Jan 2, 2025 THE QUADRANTIDS
Tonight, as we make our closest approach to the sun, we also have a meteor shower going on, called the Quadrantids. Most meteor showers are the result of comets passing through our part of outer space; they deposit ice and debris in our path and the earth sweeps it up as it orbits the sun. the Quadrantids seem to come from an asteroid – in this case, 2003EH1, which has a five and a half year orbit (and some astronomers think it may actually be a burned-out comet!) This is not a very big shower, but it’s always nice to see a “shooting star” on a crisp winter night. This shower is best seen after midnight, but there will also be good viewing in late evening. Face toward the northeast and look up toward the top of the sky.
Fri Jan 3, 2025 NAME THAT CONSTELLATION - JANUARY
Can you identify the 10th largest constellation? It is bordered on the north by Delphinus, Equuleus, Pegasus and Pisces; on the south by Capricornus, Piscis Austrinus and Pictor; on the west by Cetus and Pisces again; and on the east by Aquila and Capricornus again. This mythological figure sometimes represents Ganymede, the cup bearer of the gods. There are no bright stars in it, but a few stars near the top of the constellation represents a jug of water. Tonight the planets Venus and Saturn can be found along either side of the waxing crescent moon within its borders. Can you name this star figure, the eleventh constellation of the zodiac? The answer is Aquarius, the Water Carrier, visible in the southwestern sky after sunset.
