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Look Up!

Planetary Treats
Jupiter's Great Red Spot and Its Companions
The Phoenix Has Landed!
Several Saturns!
Earthlings Lose Sight of Mercury and Venus
Celestial Delights
Sirius, Good-Bye!
The Festival of Goodwill and the Galactic Heart
Plus ...
Sky Lights
Printable Date Tables
Moon Dances 5/5- 6/3
Moon Dances 6/3-7/2
The Night Sky ~ Home Page

 

Planetary Treats

View of Jupiter - May 10, 2008
Find the Great Red Spot and Its Two Companions
Where's Io?

Image: spaceweather.com from Paul Haese / Adobe Photoshop

Note: South is at the top.

Amateur astronomer Paul Haese in Blackwood, South Australia took this picture of Jupiter May 10, 2008 with his peltier cooled 14-inch Celestron telescope. "I'm a happy camper, says Haese. "This is my best picture of Jupiter yet." Original Image / Additional Images

This labeled image shows the three red spots and Io. The Great Red Spot remains the largest. It's hundreds of years old and twice as wide as Earth. Red Jr. the next largest, seen at the top was originally known as Oval BA. It formed in 2000 and first appeared white after three smaller spots collided and merged. It turned red in 2006. "Little Red Spot" a newcomer, may only be around 3 months old. See this image taken by amateur astronomer Mike Salway of Australia March 17, 2008. Little Red's history and two 4/11/08 photos can be found here. Io is one of Jupiter's four largest moons with the innermost orbit.

Jupiter's moon Io appears in the foreground not as a dimensionless point of light, but a true 3D orb. The Great Red Spot, a hurricane twice as wide as Earth, reveals its inner swirls while two companion red spots turn nearby ... The overall detail is simply breathtaking. Full Article

The red spots are anticyclones, HUGE planetary storms. Why are they red? One popular theory is that an intensifying storm dredges up "chromophores" (color-changing compounds) from deep inside Jupiter. These reach the cloud tops and sunlight sets off a chemical reaction that creates red by-products. What the chromophores are and what the chemical reaction is remains a "growing" a mystery!

BTW: The Great Red Spot can usually be seen every other night from any location. Transit Times of Jupiter's Great Red Spot

The March 2008 Astronomy Magazine says:

… The planet's cloud belts have shown dramatic changes during the past 12 to 18 months, and it will be fascinating to see how long this turmoil lasts.

Last year, Jupiter's dark North Equatorial Belt appeared more prominent than the South Equatorial Belt, and both the latter belt and its neighbor, the South Tropical Zone, underwent major changes. Now that Jupiter has reappeared after solar conjunction, backyard observers will be keen to follow what's happening in 2008.

Jupiter Observing Guide

Locating Jupiter's 4 Largest Moons

Jupiter now rises in the late evening sky at 11:30pm in the beginning of Gemini and by its end at 10:00pm. Gemini offers the first opportunity for evening viewers to be awestruck by its brilliant beacon of light. Best telescopic views occur around 4:00am, when the planet culminates in the south and is free from atmospheric turbulence.

The giant planet shines brighter and bigger every month, as it nears Earth reaching opposition 7/9/08. During Gemini from May 15 - June 15, the planet's magnitude increases from -2.5 to -2.7, its disk size grows from 43.0" (arcseconds) to 46.3" (max.= 47") and its distance from our planet shrinks an additional 31 million miles, placing it at 396 million miles (638 million km) from Earth.

Brilliant Jupiter, located at the eastern border of the constellation Sagittarius, outshines any nearby stars or planets. The planet is retrograde (5/9 - 9/6) and thus remains in eastern Sagittarius throughout 2008. 6/10 11:30pm Sky Chart On a moonless night look for the Sagittarian teapot asterism east of Jupiter; it lies in the bulging heart of the Milky Way.

May 22-26, brilliant Jupiter in the vicinity of the Moon is a planetary treat for night owls and early birds. To learn more about this waning Moon, to view a map and ponder reflections click Moon Dances.

The Phoenix Has Landed!
Mars Lander at the North Arctic Planes of Mars

Image: Corby Waste / JPL

The above rendition of the Phoenix Lander was created by Corby Waste, the Mars program artist. The lander is shown on the arctic planes of Mars with its solar arrays, its life support system, wide open, just as it has begun to dig a trench through the upper soil layer. The polar ice cap is shown in the far distance.

May 25, 2008 NASA's Phoenix Mission spacecraft, after 5 years of testing and a near 10-month journey, flawlessly landed at the north polar region of Mars. This lander (not a rover) will spend 3 months digging 5-6 inches beneath the surface soil with its robotic arm, gathering up water ice and putting it into a set of experiments to determine whether conditions favor life in the present or past.

Phoenix uses hardware from a spacecraft built for a 2001 launch that was canceled in response to the loss of a similar Mars spacecraft during a 1999 landing attempt. Researchers who proposed the Phoenix mission in 2002 saw the unused spacecraft as a resource for pursuing a new science opportunity. Phoenix Newsroom 5/25/08

The lander acts as a weather station examining clouds, winds and atmosphere. It is a geologist distinguishing rock shapes, soil and ice-formed patterns. It is also a science lab equipped with a microscope, a water system to determine salination, and a set of ovens to bake and release gasses. After 3 months of active duty the Martian winter darkness will starve the lander of electrical power and the atmospheric carbon dioxide will powder the craft in "dry ice". The instruments aboard the Phoenix are unlikely to survive these extreme conditions.

Learn more about the Phoenix Mission from this easy to listen to, informative, 22-minute audio interview with Peter Smith the Mission's Principal Investigator: Science Friday 5/23/08

Presently NASA is bubbling with excitement and images from the Phoenix are rolling in. Latest News

A Spacecraft First ~ Listen to the Descent ~ Phoenix Descent Photo

BTW: The lander communicates through and is observed by 3 Mars orbiters, the Mars Odyssey, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Mars Express.

Note: Three craft are now present and active on the surface of Mars: the two Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, that have far out-lived their expectancy and the Phoenix, which has just landed!

All Missions to Mars

Mars can be spotted in the west as deep twilight descends. It is moving southeast away from the Gemini Twins toward Leo the Lion's eye-catching duo, Regulus and Saturn. 9pm 6/10 Sky Chart

During Gemini watch Mars close in on Regulus, while Saturn separates from this star with its own southeasterly movement. The Red Planet's closest approach to Regulus, Leo's heart star, occurs June 30. Notice the different hues of the fluid trio, Mars is orangey-red, Saturn is yellowish and Regulus is blue-white. Saturn outshines the three and Mars is slightly dimmer than Regulus.

Mars sets around 12:45am at the beginning of Gemini and by its end at midnight. Saturn sets around 60-30 minutes later during the sign. As both planets sink in the west, look east to see brilliant Jupiter on the rise! 6/10 11:30pm Sky Chart

Rouge-gold Mars remains a conspicuous treat for unaided eye observers. However, it is diminishing in size and brightness, as the Earth's faster orbit separates the two about 90º. Orbital Motions of Earth and Mars  The apparent diameter of Mars is now only 5" (arc seconds) and its magnitude 1.5. At its recent closest approach December 19, 2007 it measured 15.9" and glowed at a magnitude of -1.6. Mars changes size!

Mark your calendar!

June 7, Monday, Mars pairs up with the waxing Crescent Moon, while Regulus and Saturn lie beautifully above. Map Stay tuned for a Moon Dance link with reflections to ponder.

Note: The Moon is in exact conjunction with Mars June 7 at 9:06pm PDT; 04:06 UT 6/8 and occults the planet for viewers in New Zealand. See IOTA.

June 8, Tuesday, the Crescent Moon moves above Mars and nestles with Saturn and Regulus forming a striking triangle. Clear skies!

Date Table

In July the Red Planet moves beyond blue-white Regulus toward yellow-gold Saturn. July 10 Mars is in exact conjunction with Saturn 11:12am PDT; 18:12 UT.

Several Saturns Show the Closing Rings

Image: Herb Bubert / Astronomy.com Picture of the Day

Herb Bubert captured each of these Ringed Planet views from Derry, New Hampshire using an 11-inch Starmaster telescope, Nikon Coolpix 4500 digital camera, and 10mm Radian eyepiece.

Saturn is awesome, when viewed through a telescope because of its rings. In 2008 the planet's ring system is closing up to nearly edge-on by year's end. The narrowing of the ring tilt reveals more of the globe. A wider ring tilt provides more of a reflective surface and a brighter apparition of the planet.

Saturn's Ring Tilt ~ 2003-2017

Why Are Saturn's Rings Disappearing?

Compute the current view of Saturn as seen from the Earth (choose 30% of the image).

Observers can get an extra thrill by identifying Saturn's larger moons through a telescope. Titan, the largest moon, is an easy target in any scope. You can find it due south of Saturn June 5, 21 and due north of Saturn June 13, 29. Tethys, Dione, and Rhea show up nicely in a 4" to 6" scope. Seeking Saturn’s Moons

Saturn pierces through the western sky's deep evening twilight. It's yellowish orb pairs up with blue-white Regulus, the heart star of Leo Lion also known as the Lawgiver. During Gemini the Red Planet approaches this eye-catching duo from the west.

The yellow, blue and red hues of these three celestial bodies are worthy of your attention. Saturn outshines the three and Mars is slightly dimmer than Regulus. As Mars nears Regulus, Saturn moves further away from the star. Make note of their distances as Gemini unfolds. Mars and Regulus are at their closest June 30.

Saturn sets at 2:00am in the beginning of Gemini and by its end at 12:30am. Regulus precedes Saturn by 15 minutes. Mars sets the earliest around 12:45am at the beginning of Gemini and by its end at midnight. As Mars and Saturn sink in the west, Jupiter rises in the east. 6/10 11:30pm Sky Chart

Mark your calendar!

June 7, Monday, Saturn and Regulus lie beautifully above Mars and the waxing Crescent Moon. Map Look Up!

Note: The Moon is in exact conjunction with Mars on this day at 9:06pm PDT; 04:06 UT 6/8 and occults the planet for viewers in New Zealand. See IOTA.

June 8, Tuesday, the Crescent Moon nestles with Saturn and Regulus forming a striking triangle. May you be blessed with clear skies!

Date Table

Stay tuned for a Moon Dance link with reflections to ponder.

BTW: Mars is in exact conjunction with Saturn July 10 11:12am PDT; 18:12 UT.

The portion of the orbit above the plane of the Earth's orbit (ecliptic) is drawn in blue, the portion below in green. Most planets' orbits are only slightly inclined to this plane; notable exceptions are Mercury, 7 degrees and Pluto, a whopping 17.2°.

The above view of inner solar system and the view for the entire solar system for June 7 show some very potent alignments with our central luminary. Three planets (Venus, Mercury, Earth) and the Sun form one short arm of a cross, while three planets (Saturn, Mars, Uranus) and the Sun form the other long arm.

The emanations of Mercury and Venus bring a spark of divinity to Earth's humanity. Mercury illuminates the higher mind, linking the soul and personality. Its retrograde motion (5/26-6/18) supports a shift in direction. Venus promotes diplomacy, linking the lower mind to the higher mind, ultimately fostering the universal mind known as Buddhi, true love. The Sun in conjunction with these two planets radiates their qualities throughout the solar system with the Earth in an auspicious direct alignment.

Note: In the entire solar system view Jupiter (gold) and Pluto (gray) add their qualities somewhat to this arm of the cross, Jupiter its beneficent and expansive qualities for the heart and mind, Pluto a cathartic shift in consciousness.

When examining the long arm of the cross (review entire solar system), it's as if Saturn Lord of Karma and the gatekeeper to the more expansive realms is administering tough karmic tests, while Mars provides plenty of action and interaction with opposing forces and the evolutionary and revolutionary qualities of Uranus free our spirit for the expression of more inclusiveness.

BTW: Neptune (white trident), supporting spiritual rebirth and just beginning its close approach to Earth, is adding its "current" stronger spiritual impulse to the Earth and three outer planets (Uranus, Jupiter, Pluto).

It is important to note that a new lunar cycle begins June 3, 2008 and the solar system view varies negligibly from June 3-7. The planetary qualities and relationships mentioned above are a doorway to and an influence for the entire lunar cycle that culminates with the Festival of Goodwill. (see Celestial Delights below)

Click Moon Dances to see a New Moon map and ponder reflections.

Click Moon Dances to find out who the Moon is dancing with June 7-9.

The Planets
Is it a planet? ... What planet? When you look up at the night sky, how do you know you are looking at a planet? Click here.

 

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Celestial Delights

So Long, Sirius ~ Good-Bye Until August!
The Christ Star Disappears May 24, 2006

Image: Classical Astologer

Sirius, Good-Bye! See you again at the beginning of August. Sirius, the brightest star in the heavens, is sinking very low on the west-southwest horizon as Gemini begins. Sirius reaches its heliacal setting in San Francisco May 23.

... the heliacal setting: the last visible setting of a star in the evening twilight. On the following evening, the star will pass below the horizon while there is still too much sunlight for it to be seen. Index to Time and Calendars / Rising and Setting of Stars

Sirius our spiritual Sun, which is sometimes referred to as the star of the Christ, disappears into the Sun’s glowing embrace and is no longer seen soon after the celebration of the second Wesak Festival May 19. It’s as if the emanations of this star are aligning with our central luminary to flood the solar system with the Christ consciousness during the June 18 Goodwill Festival of Humanity . (see Goodwill Festival below) The "christening" of humanity is inherent during this cycle with the outpouring and inflowing energies.

Heliacal setting times for Sirius vary in different locations and over time. The heliacal setting for Sirius occurs, when the Sun is at the altitude of 0 degrees on the horizon and Sirius is at the altitude of 7 degrees. Sirius at an altitude of less 7 than degrees is hidden from our view by the Sun’s light. See Heliacal Rising & Setting of Sirius.

Heliacal Setting of Sirius in San Francisco
The Last Sighting of Sirius Until August 7, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008 – Western Horizon at Sunset
Sun’s Altitude 0 Degrees ~ Sirius’ Altitude 7 Degrees

Image: Distant Suns / Adobe Photoshop

* Printable Image *

Curved yellow line across the bottom of the image represents the western horizon.

Sirius visibly rises again in the east August 7, 2008. Stay tuned for these details and how Sirius relates to the Dog Days of Summer in a future Night Sky.

... the heliacal rising: the first visible, though brief, appearance of a star on the eastern horizon before sunrise. On the previous morning, sunlight made the star invisible. When the rising of a star is spoken of, it is usually the heliacal rising that is meant. In ancient Egypt, the heliacal rising of Sirius coincided with the annual rising of the Nile at Memphis. Index to Time and Calendars / Rising and Setting of Stars

 

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The Festival of Goodwill, which occurs at the time of the Full Moon on Wednesday, June 18 at 10:30am PDT; 17:30 UT, inaugurates the third of the Three Major Planetary Festivals. The energies released at the Goodwill Festival are forces of the Divine Will that affect the nations of the world. These reconstructive energies can increase the aspect of national life or they can increase the potency of the objectives of world unity, peace and progress. With the keynotes of goodwill and "humanity, aspiring to God," this festival is also observed as the Festival of the Spirit of Humanity, the Christ Festival, the Festival of Unification and World Invocation Day.

The Goodwill Festival Links Us to the Heart of our Galaxy!
APOD: April 11, 2004 — Journey to the Center of the Galaxy

Image: MSX / IPAC / NASA

What wonders lie at the center of our Galaxy? Astronomers know of some of the bizarre objects that exist there, like vast cosmic dust clouds, bright star clusters, swirling rings of gas, and even a super massive black hole. Much of the Galactic Center is shielded from our view in visible light by the intervening dust and gas, but it can be explored using other forms of electromagnetic radiation as those used to create this image and described in APOD’s Full Explanation.

What would our Milky Way Galaxy look like with its bright central bulging heart, if we weren’t stuck inside and could see through the opaque dust with our normal vision? Nobody knows for sure. Milky Way Illustrated and Barred Spiral Milky Way, however, are two good guesses based on many different types of observations. The Very Large Array of Radio Telescopes (VLA image) allow astronomers to map and understand the heart our Galaxy. Current Astronomy Picture of the Day

Galaxy Update ~ June 3, 2008

Current findings show two major arms and two minor arms, not 4 major arms. In addition the stars and material of our galaxy, rather than neatly circling the galactic center as previous maps assumed, they are surprisingly tracing an elliptical orbit. A 180-foot poster, the largest picture of the Milky Way is unveiled! Tour the Poster

Gemini’s Annual Festival in the Heavens
The Heart of our Galaxy Blesses the Earth

This Christ festival is as old as the earth itself. At the time of the solstice full moon a special festival is held in the spirit realms, a ceremony at which Christ the Sun comes among His disciples and pours a special blessing, a tremendous outpouring of love upon the earth, which is light and truth and beauty, which is in fact spiritual food. Grace Cooke guided by White Eagle / White Eagle on the Great Spirit

During Gemini with each Goodwill Festival there is a festival in the heavens. It occurs as the Full Moon enters the white ether of the Milky Way.

The white ether is the level of consciousness where all souls can hold communion with the Son of God, the Cosmic Christ. White Eagle On Festivals and Celebrations

This is the place of reunion, of true kinship, the place of cosmic consciousness. It is a place within the galactic magnetic field. It is from here that we receive an exceptional spiritual outpouring into our hearts from the spiritual Sun, Sirius. This galactic magnetic field carries this blessing to ALL on Earth during this time. Its highest effect is world unity. Audio Version (1:16 minutes)

Each Goodwill Festival Sagittarius, the centaur archer, points his arrow at both Antares, the red heart star of Scorpius, and the Goodwill Full Moon positioned at the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, the family of 200 billion stars to which we and our Sun belong. Image The Milky Way is widest in Sagittarius and Scorpius because the great bulging central hub, the heart of our galaxy, also known as the galactic center, is in this direction.

... the Galactic Center surges like a Roman candle of infrared energy. Emanations of infrared energy (IFR) blast down upon us and perform two primary functions on our awareness.

First, IFR opens up the subconscious mind. This opening asks us to release and forget emotional trauma.... Second, IFR blasts open the root chakra in the energy system. This chakra releases the old, regenerates our energy, and lifts us off our duffs with renewed inspiration and a sense of real progress.

The Galactic Center acts like a satellite dish, directing divinely inspired information straight to the potentially receptive gray matter of our brains. If you believe in God, this might be the voice you hear. Regardless, within this connection you have the ability to pull down wild information which you would otherwise have no way of knowing. Phil Sedgwick The Astrology of Deep Space

Click Moon Dances for a Full Moon map and reflections.

Goodwill to All ...
... and to All, the Will-to-Good

Mars and Saturn pierce through the western sky's deep evening twilight. During Gemini watch the Red Planet move closer and closer to Leo the Lion's eye-cathching duo, Regulus and Saturn. Mars officially enters the Lion's den 6/10 and is the closest to Regulus, Leo's heart star 6/30. Notice the different hues of each, Mars is orangy-red, Saturn is yellowish and Regulus is blue-white. Saturn outshines the three and Mars is slightly dimmer than Regulus. As Mars nears Regulus, Saturn moves further away from the star. Mars sets around 12:45am at the beginning of Gemini and by its end at midnight. Saturn sets later at 2:00am in the beginning of Gemini and by its end at 12:30am. Regulus precedes Saturn by 15 minutes. As Mars and Saturn sink in the west, Jupiter rises in the east. 6/10 11:30pm Sky Chart Saturn's rings are closing toward their 2009 edge-on view.

Jupiter is brilliant as it ascends above the southeastern horizon, outshining any nearby stars or planets. It rises at 11:30pm in the beginning of Gemini and by its end at 10:00pm. As it nears Earth and opposition 7/9/08, Jupiter grows bigger and brighter in our sky. Jupiter remains located at the eastern border of the constellation Sagittarius throughout 2008 and is retrograde (5/9 - 9/6). 6/10 11:30pm Sky Chart

Venus is too deep in the solar glare to be seen; it reaches superior conjunction 6/9. Look for Venus to pop through the twilight glow of sunset during mid-July.

Mercury grows fainter and sinks toward the Sun and the western horizon as the month of May comes to an end. The planet is retrograde 5/26-6/18 and reaches inferior conjunction 6/7. Look for Mercury to pop up in the morning twilight during the last few days of June.

Capella is the very bright star in the northwest setting around 11:45am in the beginning of Gemini and at 10:15am by its end. It is the brightest star seen the most often. Spring Star Map

Arcturus, is the bright golden star, high in the east at sunset. Use the handle of the Big Dipper to arc down to Arcturus from there spike down to blue-white Spica in the south. The westward movement of Arturus and the Big Dipper can be observed until sunrise. Big Dipper Navigation Notice the seasonal position of the Big Dipper's bowl.

Scorpius the cosmic scorpion, a sprawling j-shaped constellation, is seen in the southeast at sunset. It's a summer constellation that's on the rise! Track Bunny's footprints in Scorpius throughout the year.

The Summer Triangle is also on the rise! Begin Looking for this stellar right triangle high in the northeast at sunset. Vega is the brightest star and western point, Deneb the dimmest star and eastern point, Altair is the southern point.

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Printable Date Tables

Lunar cycle 5/5/08-6/3/08

Lunar cycle 6/3/08-7/2/08

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Susan Sun

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