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September Skygazers Treated To Tight Planet Grouping
by: Jon Spargo, Tech Astronomy Cluib
For The Mountain Mail
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Our planet parade begins the month at dusk Monday through Wednesday with Venus, Mercury, Mars and a crescent moon all hugging the western horizon.
Apart from the moon, Venus and Mercury will be the easiest to find, as compared to Mars, at magnitude 1.7. To catch the grouping of planets, a pair of binoculars will come in handy, especially if you want to see Mars.
Look to the west-southwest about 30 minutes after sunset. Mercury will be about 3.5 degrees to the left and slightly below Venus.
Mars will be about four degrees above and to the left of Mercury. For the first three days of the month all three planets will fit within a five-degree circle.
That tight grouping will amazingly last for more than half of the month and all three planets will fit within a 3.75-degree circle from Sept. 6 through Sept. 13.
Giant Jupiter begins each evening high in the sky just above the handle of the Teapot (Sagittarius), where it will remain for most of the month.
At magnitude -2.5, Jupiter will be quite a sight in a small- to medium-sized telescope. Interestingly, there is something strange going on in Jupiter’s atmosphere.
For some time now there has been a second red spot, dubbed “Red Junior,” not far from the Great Red Spot.
Recently, a third red spot has appeared and astronomers are at a loss for an explanation.
Many amateur astronomers are assisting the professionals by monitoring the progress of development of Red III.
There is some speculation that the color is related to chemicals being dredged up from the lower atmosphere by these rotating storms.
The latter half of the month will see Saturn reappear from behind the sun in the early morning sky.
By the end of the month, it will appear a full two hours before the sun comes up. On Sept. 27, look for it about five degrees to the left of the waning crescent moon.
The sun will reach the autumnal equinox at 9:44 a.m. on Sept. 22 as we officially begin fall in the northern hemisphere.
The moon will be first quarter on Sept. 7, full on Sept. 15, last quarter on Sept. 22 and new on Sept. 29.
This year, September in Socorro brings us the 15th annual Enchanted Skies Star Party. For a list of events, fees and schedules, visit the Web site at enchantedskies.org or call the City of Socorro Visitor Center at 835-8927.
This year’s ESSP has an exciting lineup of events, including an observing session at 10,000 feet on Magdalena Ridge, an insider’s tour of the Very Large Array and the legendary chuck wagon dinner and entertainment at the El Camino Real International Heritage Center.
The grand prize this year is a night’s observing at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona. |
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