Skylights featured three times on Earth Science
Picture of the Day: 1
, 2
, 3
, 4
.
Photo of the Week.. A silver-lining tryptich, as we
first watch the Sun hide behind clouds, then
peek through, and finally throw
its glory to the sky.
Astronomy news for the week starting Friday, November 21, 2003.
We begin the week with the Moon far into its waning crescent
phase as it prepares to take on the Sun in
eclipse when it passes new on Sunday, November 23. But unless
you are a research scientist, an incredibly dedicated tourist, or
perhaps a
penguin, you will not see it, as the path of totality is
confined to Antarctica
and a small piece of adjoining ocean. At least most of Australia,
New Zealand, and the southern tip of South America will see the
partial phases. Oddly, perigee,
the point of the Moon's closest approach to the Earth (5.5 percent
closer than average), will be passed at the same hour as the new
phase and the eclipse, rendering the time of totality relatively
long (as the shadow spot projected on Earth is the largest). More
significant, for those on the coasts, the combination of lunar
proximity and the new phase will render ocean tides
especially high.
Shortly after Skylights' week begins, the Sun enters the most
southerly constellation of the Zodiac, Scorpius, for its short 5-day stay. Even though the Winter Solstice is in Sagittarius, the classical figure of
Scorpius is more to the south than that of Sagittarius; the
ecliptic just slices Scorpius's most northerly promontory.
After passing new, the Moon will become barely visible in
southwestern twilight the night of Monday, the 24th, while the next
night, Tuesday, the 25th, it will make a very nice evening twilight
pass to the left of Venus, which is
becoming quite noticeable, at least to those with a clear southwestern
horizon. Then if you find Venus, look for elusive Mercury, which will lie down and to
the right of its far more brilliant sister. If you have had enough
of elusiveness, then wait until dark to admire still-bright and
obvious Mars, which is nicely high to the south as night descends.
Then only a few minutes after Mars crosses the meridian to the
south, about 7 PM, Saturn rises in the northwest in Gemini. And then if you wait a few
hours until half an hour after midnight, up comes unmistakable Jupiter
in Leo.
Famed is Pegasus, Perseus's Flying Horse, which is now
high to the south at 8 PM. Hardly known at all is the Little
Horse, Equuleus, made of a small
box of stars that lies off the southeast corner of Pegasus
adjoining the great horse near Enif
(Epsilon Pegasi). Many such tiny constellations are found between
the large, best loved ones. To the northwest of the Great Square of Pegasus, nearly
opposite from Equuleus, find Triangulum, the Triangle, which looks exactly like its
name, the Triangle tucked just south of the sweep of stars that
makes the most prominent part of Andromeda.
