SKYWATCH – JANUARY
PERIHELION
The Earth is at its closest to the Sun this month. It is winter because the northern hemisphere is turned away from the Sun, and as the closest part of the orbit is also the fastest, our winters are shorter than our summers.
PLANETS
Jupiter and Venus, the two brightest planets, are well placed in the southern and south-western sky this month as dusk falls. As the furthest planet, Neptune is usually hard to find, but it is so close to Venus now it should be easier to locate. Uranus is also here, and looks very similar to Neptune. Working up from the western horizon, Venus, Neptune, Uranus and Jupiter are evenly spaced. Venus is climbing further from the Sun and by the 12th will be changing places with Neptune. There is little to see on the two distant planets, but it is satisfying to find them. Venus is much closer and shows a shape similar to the phases of the Moon when observed at dusk (or later if using a moon filter to take away the glare). Jupiter is also a splendid sight, with stripy atmospheric bands and storms. The largest storm is the famous Red Spot, and is observable sometimes. Always visible are at least two of Jupiter’s four main moons; and with a large enough telescope the shadow of the closest moon, Io, can be seen on the surface of the planet.
CONSTELLATIONS
Orion the Hunter is higher in the sky now (he is due south at midnight), and following him are his two hunting dogs. These are Canis Major, the big dog, and Canis Minor, the little dog. Both have just one very bright white star and several much fainter ones. Sirius, the famous ‘dog star’ is in Canis Major, and is the brightest star of all those visible from Earth. This is because of its relative closeness (at 8.6 LY away). It is a double star whose binary companion, officially called Sirius B, has an orbital period of 50 years. It is a faint white dwarf and is commonly known as ‘Pup’. The alpha star of Canis Minor is called Procyon, 11.4 LY away, and also has a white dwarf companion, which orbits it over 41 years.
BEGINNERS’ COURSE
We are running another 4 week evening class from Tuesday 17th January, 7-9pm, cost £40.
OBSERVING GROUP
As usual, we will meet inside The Red Lion in Kilmington on the first Wednesday of the month, from 8pm; with viewing afterwards on White Sheet Hill.
Article supplied by MC2 Telescope Shop, 57 Catherine Street, Frome
SKYWATCH – JANUARY
PERIHELION
The Earth is at its closest to the Sun this month. It is winter because the northern hemisphere is turned away from the Sun, and as the closest part of the orbit is also the fastest, our winters are shorter than our summers.
PLANETS
Jupiter and Venus, the two brightest planets, are well placed in the southern and south-western sky this month as dusk falls. As the furthest planet, Neptune is usually hard to find, but it is so close to Venus now it should be easier to locate. Uranus is also here, and looks very similar to Neptune. Working up from the western horizon, Venus, Neptune, Uranus and Jupiter are evenly spaced. Venus is climbing further from the Sun and by the 12th will be changing places with Neptune. There is little to see on the two distant planets, but it is satisfying to find them. Venus is much closer and shows a shape similar to the phases of the Moon when observed at dusk (or later if using a moon filter to take away the glare). Jupiter is also a splendid sight, with stripy atmospheric bands and storms. The largest storm is the famous Red Spot, and is observable sometimes. Always visible are at least two of Jupiter’s four main moons; and with a large enough telescope the shadow of the closest moon, Io, can be seen on the surface of the planet.
CONSTELLATIONS
Orion the Hunter is higher in the sky now (he is due south at midnight), and following him are his two hunting dogs. These are Canis Major, the big dog, and Canis Minor, the little dog. Both have just one very bright white star and several much fainter ones. Sirius, the famous ‘dog star’ is in Canis Major, and is the brightest star of all those visible from Earth. This is because of its relative closeness (at 8.6 LY away). It is a double star whose binary companion, officially called Sirius B, has an orbital period of 50 years. It is a faint white dwarf and is commonly known as ‘Pup’. The alpha star of Canis Minor is called Procyon, 11.4 LY away, and also has a white dwarf companion, which orbits it over 41 years.
BEGINNERS’ COURSE
We are running another 4 week evening class from Tuesday 17th January, 7-9pm, cost £40.
OBSERVING GROUP
As usual, we will meet inside The Red Lion in Kilmington on the first Wednesday of the month, from 8pm; with viewing afterwards on White Sheet Hill.
Article supplied by MC2 Telescope Shop, 57 Catherine Street, Frome
SKYWATCH – JANUARY
PERIHELION
The Earth is at its closest to the Sun this month. It is winter because the northern hemisphere is turned away from the Sun, and as the closest part of the orbit is also the fastest, our winters are shorter than our summers.
PLANETS
Jupiter and Venus, the two brightest planets, are well placed in the southern and south-western sky this month as dusk falls. As the furthest planet, Neptune is usually hard to find, but it is so close to Venus now it should be easier to locate. Uranus is also here, and looks very similar to Neptune. Working up from the western horizon, Venus, Neptune, Uranus and Jupiter are evenly spaced. Venus is climbing further from the Sun and by the 12th will be changing places with Neptune. There is little to see on the two distant planets, but it is satisfying to find them. Venus is much closer and shows a shape similar to the phases of the Moon when observed at dusk (or later if using a moon filter to take away the glare). Jupiter is also a splendid sight, with stripy atmospheric bands and storms. The largest storm is the famous Red Spot, and is observable sometimes. Always visible are at least two of Jupiter’s four main moons; and with a large enough telescope the shadow of the closest moon, Io, can be seen on the surface of the planet.
CONSTELLATIONS
Orion the Hunter is higher in the sky now (he is due south at midnight), and following him are his two hunting dogs. These are Canis Major, the big dog, and Canis Minor, the little dog. Both have just one very bright white star and several much fainter ones. Sirius, the famous ‘dog star’ is in Canis Major, and is the brightest star of all those visible from Earth. This is because of its relative closeness (at 8.6 LY away). It is a double star whose binary companion, officially called Sirius B, has an orbital period of 50 years. It is a faint white dwarf and is commonly known as ‘Pup’. The alpha star of Canis Minor is called Procyon, 11.4 LY away, and also has a white dwarf companion, which orbits it over 41 years.
BEGINNERS’ COURSE
We are running another 4 week evening class from Tuesday 17th January, 7-9pm, cost £40.
OBSERVING GROUP
As usual, we will meet inside The Red Lion in Kilmington on the first Wednesday of the month, from 8pm; with viewing afterwards on White Sheet Hill.
Article supplied by MC2 Telescope Shop, 57 Catherine Street, Frome
