Astronomy / Looking Up / The Sky Report: Sept 20 -Oct 19

SKY REPORT Looking UP

SEPT 20 – OCT 19 By Greg Smith

From late September through the middle of October, the weather can start changing to full autumn mode. If it is clear, the evening can be cool to downright chilly. Now is the time when jackets and coats will start to be needed. So, what’s up this time of the year?

The Evening Sky

The very bright star Vega is basically straight overhead at the end of twilight and is headed west. The summer triangle is still the dominant asterism in the evening sky, with three bright stars in three constellations: Vega in Lyra, Deneb, the tail in Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in Aquila. In late September, the constellation Pegasus, the flying upside-down horse, begins its command of the eastern sky. It brings along the rescued princess Andromeda. In the eastern sky they carry our closest large galactic neighbor. To see this, look for two lines of stars on the northeastern end of the large square that marks the body of Pegasus. They look like the hind legs of Pegasus but are actually the body of Andromeda. At its middle, follow three stars up and at the third star you will find the fuzzy smudge of light. This is the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), visible by naked eye in a very dark sky, or by binoculars in town. All we can see is the bright center of the galaxy, but with a telescope you can see more of the outlying arms. Of course, the bigger the scope, the more you will see. If you know how to attach a camera to your scope and get a long shutter opening of about 20 seconds, you will see even more in the photo you just took. In late September, Venus disappears just after sunset, and Jupiter and Saturn take control of the southern sky. They are at their best viewing, since they are already visible in the southern evening sky just as the other stars come out. You can view them in binoculars, but the rings of Saturn will need a telescope. A small one will bring the rings visible Longview resident Greg Smith is past president of Friends of Galileo. Meet him and other club members at monthly meetings in Longview. For more info about FOG, visit friendsofgalileo.com. to your eyes. 10x50 binoculars will reveal the four major moons of Jupiter as a great sight. Again, a small telescope will bring these moons into great view. If you keep watching the moons over a period of time, you will notice their movement as they orbit the banded planet. If we get a couple of clear nights in a row, you will see them change places and disappear from view as they cross in front of

Jupiter or go behind it. Check the Internet for the placement of the moons on various days. Have fun keeping track of the moons as they swing through their orbits.

Night Sky Spectacle:

If you like the double star in the middle of the handle of the Big Dipper, you will love the double stars around the bright star Vega in Lyra, that sits overhead. This a good area to watch as you lean back in your lawn chair with a pair of binoculars.

Just to the left of Vega is a visual star (Epsilon

Lyrae), but with binoculars, it is a double star (Epsilon1 and Epsilon2), known as the doubledouble. That is because these two stars are in fact double stars, as well. A 4” scope will bring out the extra stars.

Also, at the point of the little triangle there is another double star (Delta Lyrae) as seen in the diagram. Now for a treat. At least a 4”telescope is a must to see the Ring Nebula (M57) as marked in the chart. This will be a very faint circle. You will be seeing the remains of a star that blew up a long time ago, located 2,000 light years away.

Moon Phases

Full: Sept. 20th, Mon 3rd Qtr. : Sept. 20th, Mon New : Oct. 6th, Wed 1st Qtr. : Oct. 12th, Tue

End of twilight - when the stars start to come out.

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