`SKYWATCH
by Jarrett DuBois.

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Hydrogen Alpha Solar Surface.

Photo by: Jarrett DuBois

 

Andromeda Galaxy.

Photo by: Jarrett DuBois
Click on Chart to enlarge.



by: Jarrett DuBois
 


To use the accompanying chart, go out within an hour of the times listed and hold the chart above your head. Make sure that you have North on the chart lines up with North at your location. The chart will now be oriented to the night sky and the stars on the chart will closely match those seen in the sky. The chart is printed for 42 degrees north latitude. If you are located north of this latitude, stars in the southern horizon will be lower. If you are far south of this latitude, the opposite is true. All times are listed in the Central Time Zone. Add or subtract the appropriate number of hours from the listed times for your time zone.

Library of Images by Mr. Jarrett DuBois immediately available from FPINS International and Foto Expression.

 


WEEKLY SKYWATCH

By Jarrett DuBois

Down to Earth Astronomy

November 9 - 15, 2008

Planets – Venus is low in the southwestern sky during early evening. Jupiter is in the south/southwestern sky during early evening. Saturn is low in the eastern predawn sky.

Moon – Last Quarter Moon: 11/19.

Comets - none visible to the unaided eye.

Deep Space – The brightest star in our night time sky, Sirius, more commonly known as the “Dog Star”, is in the east/southeastern sky late in the evening.

 Meteor Showers – The major meteor shower, the Leonids, peaks on 11/17-18.
Keep looking up. You never know what you'll observe and enjoy in the night sky!


The November 2008 Sky. ( 394 words)

The dark, cool nights of November are a great time to enjoy the evening sky. There are two bright planets in the evening sky this month and the familiar and dazzling winter constellations are starting to show during prime time viewing hours.

            There are two evening planets this month, Jupiter and Venus. Jupiter can be found in the southwestern sky during evening. On November 3, Jupiter will be above the moon. During early evening twilight Venus will be in the southwestern sky. On November 1, Venus will be to the right of the moon. On the 30th Venus, the moon and Jupiter join up low in the early evening sky in the southwest.

            Saturn is in the southeastern predawn sky. Saturn will be above and a little to the left of the moon on 11/21.

            The phases of the moon for this month are as follows: 11/5 – First Quarter Moon,

11/13 – Full Moon, 11/19 – Last Quarter Moon, 11/27 – New Moon.

            The major meteor activity this month is the Leonids  ..................

................ the Pleiades Cluster, can be seen without any optical instrument, but is best enjoyed with a pair of binoculars that will define its small dipper-like pattern. Another beautiful deep space object within Taurus is M1, the Crab Nebula. The Crab Nebula is a remnant of a star that exploded as a super nova in 1054, and can only be seen on a clear and dark night through a telescope.

The featured area of sky this month is the constellation Taurus, which is in the east/southeastern during mid-evening sky.

Holiday Shopping List.

Once again it’s that time of year when the holiday shopping is in full force, and many people are interested in astronomy equipment as holiday gifts. One of the hot products this season is the personal handheld planetarium, such as the Meade Instruments MySky or the Celestron Sky Scout. There are many new products available this year for amateur astronomy, so here are some tips to help you make the most of your holiday purchase of astronomy equipment.

            Binoculars are a great way for all to get a start in astronomy. A good all-purpose pair of binoculars is the 10x50, where 10 is the magnification and 50 is the diameter of the front lens in millimeters. They can also be used for bird/nature studies and sporting events. For night sky viewing you should avoid the fixed focus type. Fixed focus binoculars are OK for bird watching or sporting events, but when you use them for astronomy, objects appear fuzzy because the image is beyond their range of focus. Also, look to see if the binoculars will accept an L-bracket for mounting to a tripod. This accessory is a must if you would also like to use your binoculars for nature studies and bird watching. Binoculars get heavy and hard to hold steady. By mounting them to a tripod, you will get the best views and save your arms from getting tired.

            If you are interested in purchasing a telescope, there are a few key questions that will help you narrow your choices and make the best selection. The main question is cost and how much you can afford to spend on an instrument. Once you have a price range in mind, the other important questions include: How much will you use it? How easy is it to set up and use? Can you get accessories? One of the best places to start is by looking at one of the astronomy publication like Sky & Telescope or Astronomy. Many of your questions will be answered by reading the ads and by calling or visiting the websites of the manufacturers listed in the magazines. There are numerous companies that advertise in these magazines and they are always helpful answering questions and giving suggestions.

            Happy Holidays, good luck with your purchase, and have fun as you search the night sky for those celestial delights.


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