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Look Up!

Planetary Treats
Venus Beneath Its Clouds
Saturn in the Limelight!
Journey to Jupiter’s Belt-Zone Boundary
Where are the M & M Planets?
Celestial Delights
Which Way Is the Sun Headed?
Plus ...
Sky Lights
Printable Date Tables
Moon Dances 1/25-2/24
Moon Dances 2/24-3/26
The Night Sky ~ Home Page
Pisces Navigation Page

Planetary Treats

Venus Beneath Its Clouds ... Like a Young Earth!?
The Goddess Gets Thinner & Fatter Simultaneously!?

Image: Magellan Mission / Arecibo radar

 

Venus Beneath Its Clouds ... Like a Young Earth!?

The following description comes from Space.Com.

The Magellan spacecraft imaged more than 98% of Venus during its four year mission before scientists sent it crashing into the planet's atmosphere in October, 1994. A mosaic of the Magellan images forms the base of this image with gaps in the coverage filled with images from the Earth-based Arecibo radar.

Venus, the second planet from the Sun, bakes under twice as much solar radiation as Earth, often reaching temperatures of 895 degrees Fahrenheit (480 degrees Celsius). That, combined with the planet's sulfuric acid atmosphere and a human-crushing surface pressure 95 times greater than Earth's, makes it a lot less hospitable for humans than, say, Mars. Another uncomfortable Venusian feature is the thick cloud cover that, unlike Earth, rotates around Venus much faster than the planet itself -- about once every four days. [see slow mover]

Yet below that tumultuous atmosphere is a planet that looks a lot like a very young Earth. Beneath the clouds we see a planet that is evolving much in the same way as our home planet did. With valleys and mountains -- including Maxwell Montes, a mountain taller than Mount Everest -- and giant eruptions that shape the surface of the planet, Venus is still growing up.

The Goddess Gets Thinner & Fatter Simultaneously!?

When Venus is far from Earth, we telescopically see an apparently smaller planet that is fully illuminated by the Sun, like a Full Moon. As this Goddess of Love moves closer to Earth, she appears bigger with a noticeably "fatter" disk size. However, when viewed telescopically her illuminated phase is thinner.

From March 1-20 the disk size of Venus grows from 45" [arcseconds] to 58" and her phase thins from a 19% crescent to a 3% lit crescent. Helpful Image BTW: Try seeing the crescent phase with binoculars. Some say they can see this with their unaided eye!

Venus is closest to Earth at inferior conjunction, when the planet's orbital motion positions itself between the Earth and Sun (Earth–Venus–Sun). As Venus nears this solar conjunction, it disappears from our view in the glowing embrace of our Sun. Inferior conjunction and this close approach occurs March 27, 2009 at 12:00pm PDT; 19:00 UT.

Animated Phases of Venus
Watch Venus increase in size as it moves
from its full phase to its crescent phase.
Another Phase Animation

Generate Phase & Apparent Disk Size of Venus
for any given date and time from 1700–2030.

Venus continues to command our attention with her dazzling brilliance. Observe her radiant beauty above the western horizon, until she sinks out of sight around 9:00pm during Pisces. Venus remains at her greatest brilliancy for this apparition, magnitude -4.8, until March 1. By March 20 the planet's magnitude decreases to -4.3 because its Sun-illuminated phase diminishes from a 19% crescent to a 3% lit crescent. However, the drop in illumination is imperceptible to our eyes.

On a clear, dark, moonless night Venus casts a shadow and creates a glow on a body of water similar to the Moon. Look for these delights about an hour after sunset, when Venus is at her highest.

A slim Crescent Moon rises up to meet Venus and pass the planet February 25-28. Luna graces Venus with her closest approach February 27. The view promises to be exquisite. 2/27 7pm Sky Chart Click Moon Dances for an additional map and meditative reflections.

BTW: Venus and the Moon are in exact conjunction 2/27 at 3:57pm PST (23:57 UT).

Venus, Pisces, Pegasus

This gorgeous planet currently transits the faint constellation Pisces found south of Pegasus. Venus retrograde (3/6 - 4/16) remains in the vicinity of Algenib, the wing of Pegasus the Flying Horse. Use this 2/19 6:30pm Map for orientation.

… fortuitous Algenib of the Great Square of Pegasus. Algenib, the wing of Pegasus, inspires us to lift ourselves above the emotional dramatics of the mortal world which feed our fear and keep us entrapped. Nick Fiorenza

The ancient Babylonians called the Square of Pegasus "The Doorway to Paradise." Today astronomers travel through this doorway or "window" to the edge of our Milky Way Galaxy and go beyond to other galaxies!

Venus brings the Love Principle to emerging new Life and harmonizes humanity with the gifts of understanding, wise love, unity, creativity and beauty. The emanations of this planet help one begin to understand the causes and conditions of harmony and conflict. They thereby lovingly and wisely promote diplomacy and establish right human relations between all people and between nations. The qualities of Venus, when incorporated into the life give birth to the sons and daughters of God, the self-consecrated human beings who manifest their Divinity on Earth.

Pisces is the constellation of the World Savior. The energies emanating from this constellation fuse the soul and form producing the Incarnated Christ, the fully liberated Divine Human Being, the Light of the World. These energies reveal the light of life itself, a light that ends forever the darkness of matter.

Venus, Pisces and Pegasus the Flying Horse have the innate capacity for spiritualization and for inverting evil into good. This is an auspicious planetary transit for humanity's spiritual evolution.

Open to the ongoing and combined emanations of Venus, Pisces and Pegasus the Flying Horse. Transform evil into good. Foster right human relations. Ride the wings of your soul toward the Light and through the gates of Paradise. The Light returns through you, a self-consecrated human being who manifests Divinity on Earth.

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Saturn in the Limelight ~ Closest and Brightest for 2009
Saturn’s Slim Rings Show off its Satellites
Planet Saturn, Comet Lulin and Dwarf Ceres
All Three at Their Closest Earth Approach Make the Lion Roar!
Cosmic Coincidence? A Full Moon Joins Saturn Too!

Image: NASA, ESA, E. Karkoschka (University of Arizona) and G. Bacon (STScI)

This August 6, 1995 Hubble image shows two of Saturn’s satellites and the shadow of one of them. To the far right is Titan’s shadow, followed by Titan. Tethys is seen on the slim, nearly edge-on rings to the far left.

You’ve gotta see the 15 second movie related to the above image and the two additional Saturn movies: several transiting satellites and the Southern Hemisphere close-up. Enjoy!

 

Saturn’s Slim Rings Show off its Satellites

This closed ring tilt of Saturn happens once every 15 years and when it does the planet’s moons can be seen transiting its globe. These transits are usually hidden by Saturn’s expansive rings. The last time this tilt occurred was in 1995 and 1996; the alignment is once again occurring in 2009.

2009's Last 4 Titan Transits Occur During Pisces!

This type of transit is so rare, the last time it happened was in 1995, says Go. After March 12th, the next one will be in the year 2025. The last four transits of this season will be on 1/23, 2/8, 2/24 and 3/12. The March 12th transit is the rarest as it will feature both Titan and it's shadow. SpaceWeather.com / Archive 1/18/09

These Titan transits are visible through a small telescope for observers along the Pacific coast of North America, Alaska, Hawaii, Australia and east Asia. Spectacular Photo-op on Saturn

Transit times of Saturn's dimmer satellites can be generated using the link below.

Seeking Saturn’s Moons
Sky & Telescope’s JavaScript utility helps
locate Saturn’s five brightest satellites anytime
between January 1900-December 2100.

BTW: Saturn's maximum ring tilt of 27º occurred in 2003; February 21 Saturn's rings tilt around 1.8º. The rings gradually open to 4° by late May, then close to exactly edge-on in September, when the planet is out of sight in conjunction with the Sun.

View Saturn’s Ring Tilt
Using the Solar System Simulator choose:
Saturn seen from Earth
any month/day/year at anytime UTC
body 30%—no options chosen—run simulator.
Compare annual ring tilt by viewing years 2003-2009.

Saturn during Pisces is opposite the Sun and out all night long, shining at its brightest for 2009! The planet reaches "exact" opposition March 8. The planet rises in the east at sunset and sets in the west at sunrise.

Saturn retrograde (12/31/08 - 5/15/09) lies near Denebola, Leo the Lion's tail star. The planet at magnitude 0.5 is about twice as bright as Regulus, the Lion's blue-white heart star, which shines at magnitude 1.35. Saturn's golden glow is prominent among the stars of the cosmic Lion.

Planet Saturn, Comet Lulin, Dwarf Ceres
All Three at Their Closest Earth Approach ...
Make the Lion Roar!

Comet Lulin

February 23/24, Monday/Tuesday night, find Saturn and you'll see Comet Lulin nearby.The comet's closest approach occurs before dawn. On this date Lulin shines at magnitude 5.0, which means you should be able to see it with the unaided eye in a dark sky. Binoculars can be helpful and a special treat when spotting the comet. Map / Article

February 27, Friday evening, Lulin fades to magnitude 6.0 and lies very near Regulus. Moonlight starts interfering around February 28.

Hmmm ... this comet is surprising astronomers because it is traveling backwards along the ecliptic, the path of the planets.

Could this really be just be a coincidence? The comet's nearly parabolic orbit indicates that it has never much interacted with the planets at all. Sky & Telescope / Comet Lulin

Some astrological considerations regarding Comet Lulin for the Lunar Month of February 24-25, 2009. Comet Lulin is opposite the New Moon. Comet Lulin lost its tail. The Comet is moving east to west around the Sun (through the ecliptic), in the opposite direction of planetary movement. This is Earth's precessional direction, more related to the evolutionary path of the soul collective. Nick Fiorenza / Comet Lulin

Dwarf Planet Ceres

February 25, Wednesday evening, the dwarf planet Ceres is at its closest Earth approach since 1857. It passes north of Saturn above the back of Leo the Lion. Map/Article

It [Ceres] won't be this close again until the year 3000 at least, and probably not for many millennia afterward. Slight gravitational tugs from the planets conspire to make Ceres' orbit more circular during the coming cen-turies, preventing Ceres from dipping as close to Earth. Astronomy Magazine 3/08

From mid-February until the first week of March, Ceres shines at magnitude 6.9, requiring binoculars and a dark sky. Look Up!

Ceres along with Saturn and Leo the Lion encourage us to become aware of that which truly nurtures the soul's expression on Earth. Saturn in Leo is presenting humanity with tests of honesty, integrity and leadership.

Cosmic Coincidence?
A Full Moon Joins Saturn Too!

March 8, Sunday, Daylight Saving Time begins and the "fulling" Moon leads us to Regulus, on its way toward Saturn. 8pm Map,

March 9, Monday, Luna approaches Saturn from the west.

March 10, Tuesday, the almost Full Moon conjoins Saturn at 3:26pm PDT (22:26 UT); the exact Full Moon occurs about 4 hours later at 7:38pm PDT (02:38 UT 3/11). 9pm Map

Click Moon Dances for an additional map and meditative reflections for the above dates.

Journey to Jupiter’s Belt-Zone Boundary

Image: NASA  / JPL

This false color image of Jupiter was captured by NASA's Galileo spacecraft November 5, 1996. Not many large images were taken as Galileo orbited the planet. This photograph is a mosaic of many images stitched together, showing an area of Jupiter's equator, the boundary between a zone and a belt. It was taken at a range of 1.2 million kilometers (.75 million miles). The camera used is called a Solid-State Imaging (SSI) instrument.

Launched in October 1989, Galileo entered orbit around Jupiter on December 7, 1995. The mission conducted detailed studies of the giant planet, its largest moons and the Jovian magnetic environment. The spacecraft was deliberately destroyed, by plunging it into Jupiter's crushing atmosphere on September 21, 2003. Full Image Description

BTW: NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are cooperatively planning the Next Big Planetary Mission: To Jupiter and Its Moons. Each will build an orbiter. These probes will launch in 2020 on two separate launch vehicles from different launch sites. The orbiters will reach the Jupiter system in 2026 and spend at least three years conducting research. Full Article

 

Jupiter a morning planet is a guide to faint Mercury and Mars also found in the predawn sky during the beginning of Pisces. See Triple Planetary Treat 2/16-22. Jupiter rises at 5:45am and can be seen ascending out of the Sun's glaring light as the weeks unfold.

Mercury and Jupiter are at their closest the final week of February, with an exact conjunction February 23 at 10:53pm PST (06:53 UT 2/24). Jupiter is brilliant and easy to see at magnitude -2.0. Use binoculars to see much dimmer Mercury. February 24 - March 1 view the close dance and changing choreography of Jupiter, Mercury and Mars. Binoculars are needed to view both Mercury and Mars. 2/24 6:30am Sky Chart ~ 3/1 6:30am Sky Chart Mercury sinks into the Sun's glowing embrace and disappears from our view by March 4.

A slim Crescent Moon joins Jupiter March 22, low on the southeastern horizon. 3/22 6:00am Sky Chart Click Moon Dances for an additional map and meditative reflections.

Mercury and Mars are a challenge to see in the predawn sky. Brilliant Jupiter helps one find them during the beginning of Pisces. See Triple Planetary Treat 2/16-22. February 24 - March 1 view the close dance and changing choreography of Jupiter, Mercury and Mars. Mars pretty much stays in the same location, while Jupiter rises above the horizon and Mercury sinks toward it. This makes for a dynamic predawn planetary performance with Mercury first conjoining Jupiter February 23 and then Mars March 1. 2/24 6:30am Sky Chart ~ 3/1 6:30am Sky Chart

Use binoculars to see these challenging observations of Mercury and Mars; a clear flat horizon, and right twilight timing are also needed. Mercury is noticeably brighter than Mars. Mars requires keen eyes or an optical aid to see it 30 minutes before sunrise low on the east-southeastern horizon. Mars rises between 6:00am - 6:15am during Pisces.

Mercury sinks out of sight by March 4 and gloriously reappears in April's evening sky, giving its best show for 2009. Better views of Mars occur at the end of the year.

A slim Crescent Moon guides us to the dim Red Planet March 24. 3/24 6:30am Sky Chart Click Moon Dances for an additional map and meditative reflections.

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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? Learn what a plutoid is. Click here.

Celestial Delights

The Spring or Vernal Equinox occurs
the exact moment in time when the Sun,
heading from the south to the north,
appears in the sky at the point where
the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator.

2009 March Equinox, Comet Lulin, Mayan Calendar

Image: HyperPhysics

The Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere occurs Friday, March 20, at 4:44am PDT (11:44 UT). It refers to an instant in time at which the Earth is tilted neither toward nor away from the Sun.

March Equinox, Comet Lulin
and the Mayan Calendar

The following quote is by Aluna Joy. Click the link that follows to read her entire article, Dream of the Green Star.

This comet [Lulin] will be passing close to Earth just as we enter portal and core days in the Maya calendar . . . including a rare core day falling on Equinox! Portal days thin the veils between dimensions. The core days act like the Kundalini of the solar system and have been historically proven to be extremely powerful days. … Two other comets have been within eyesight on Equinoxes in years past, but this is the first green comet that falls on a core day! This Equinox, March 20, 2009, is potentially the most powerful and transforming event that we will have ever experienced in recorded history.

A Dream, Green Star, Great Shift, Comet Lulin, Zuvuya, Equinox
Does a 1980’s Mt. Shasta dream portend our current times?

Learn about Comet Lulin above.

This is an excellent time to participate in a global meditation for the March equinox. Click the first link below for a list of these meditations. Click the second link for spiritual reflections related to the spring equinox.

The Spring Equinox
Surprise your friends with equinox facts!
Participate in equinox global meditations.

Spring Equinox
A new balance comes into play.

May Your Springtime
Bring Emerging Opportunities
and Blessed Beginnings.

Printable Date Tables

Lunar cycle 1/25/09-2/24/09

Lunar cycle 2/24/09-3/26/09

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I'd like to know your thoughts about The Night Sky and
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May your Night Sky traveling always be filled
with Celestial Delights and Treats!
Susan Sun

Getting Started in Astronomy
Includes a downloadable Moon map and bimonthly star charts.

At Skymaps.com download a current monthly guide, evening sky map & calendar.

Link to Sky and Telescope's This Week's Sky at a Glance.

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