Abrams Planetarium
SKYWATCHER'S DIARY: December 1996
NOTE: Includes January 1-13, 1997
To the reader
The Skywatcher's Diary for December 1996 has been prepared by Robert C.
Victor. Sometimes you can see next month's in advance
by looking in our archives. Credit to
Abrams Planetarium,
Department of Physics and Astronomy at
Michigan State University, together with mention of our Sky Calendar, would be appreciated.
A sample back issue of Sky Calendar is available over the Internet. It
can be viewed via a World-Wide Web browser such as Netscape or
Mosaic, directly at URL:
http://www.pa.msu.edu/abrams/skycal.html
If you would like a printed sample, send a long, self-addressed stamped
envelope to:
December Sky Calendar
Abrams Planetarium
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
Each month, the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Michigan
State University also makes Skywatcher's Diary available over the
Internet. It can be accessed via a World-Wide Web browser such as
Netscape or Mosaic, directly at URL:
http://www.pa.msu.edu/abrams/diary.html
The Skywatcher's Diary is also available via anonymous ftp at:
www.pa.msu.edu in the directory /pub/swd
ftp://www.pa.msu.edu/pub/swd/
Moon, Planets, and Comet Hale-Bopp in December
Morning Planets: Brilliant Venus rises ahead of the Sun, by 2 to
2-1/2 hours on December 1, and just over 1-1/2 hours on Dec. 31.
One hour before sunrise, Venus is low in SE, while reddish Mars is
high in S to SSW. On Christmas morning, Venus will lead the eye
to Antares emerging 6 degrees to its lower right, and Mars will be
midway between Regulus and Spica, 27 degrees from each. For a
related astrophotography project point your Web browser to:
http://www.pa.msu.edu/abrams/mars97retro.html
A waning crescent Moon forms pretty morning groupings with
planets and stars December 3-9. Remember that morning events in
the Diary are described on previous day.
Evening planets: Bright Jupiter is sinking into SW twilight glow;
during Dec. 1-31 it sets over 2-1/2 hours to barely one hour after
Sun. Mercury is a fairly easy target for binoculars to lower right of
Jupiter at dusk in December's 2nd and 3rd weeks. Look for
Mercury 14 degrees to Jupiter's lower right Dec. 8, shrinking to 4
degrees on Dec. 21-22. A young crescent Moon passes these two
planets on Dec. 11 and 12. Saturn is in SE to S at dusk; a telescope
shows the rings tipped only 3 to 3.5 degrees from edgewise, the
narrowest view of the ring system we'll get until the approach of
their next edgewise aspect in 2009. The Moon appears near Saturn
on evenings of Dec. 16 and 17.
The Moon has a close encounter with Aldebaran in the late afternoon
or evening of December 22. The exact circumstances of their
meeting depends on your location. From some areas, the Moon will
occult, or cover, Aldebaran. A map showing the southern limit of
the region where this occultation can be observed appears on page
77 of January 1996 Sky & Telescope. In the minute beginning 5:25
p.m. EST, the southern edge of the Moon's "shadow" (considering
Aldebaran as the light source) passes through southeastern Michigan
-- southern Hillsdale, central Lenawee, northwest Monroe,
southeast Washtenaw, and southern Wayne Counties. In the
roughly 2-mile-wide "graze zone" passing through those counties,
an observer equipped with a telescope would see Aldebaran
alternately disappear behind lunar mountains and reappear in lunar
valleys. Seen from north of that line in our state, Aldebaran will be
hidden by the Moon for several minutes; the farther north you are,
the longer the star will be hidden. Seen from south of that line, the
Moon narrowly misses the star. For additional information, see
Website for International Occultation Timing Association,
http://www.sky.net/~robinson/iotandx.htm
and Dec. 22 in Skywatcher's Diary below.
Comet Hale-Bopp may attain first magnitude in March-April 1997.
During December 1996, it may brighten slowly to mag 3.5 (use
binoculars). Until it sinks into twilight glow late this month, best
time to see comet remains just before end of twilight, or about 1-1/4
hours after sunset. Best dates this month to observe Hale-Bopp:
Dec. 1-17; the earlier this month you look, the higher and easier it
will be to find. For Dec 1-6, see box on our November Sky
Calendar showing positions until Dec 6. For Dec. 7-17, see our
December Sky Calendar for a chart plotting the comet's position on
those dates.
The Comet may brighten from mag 4.5 to 3.5 in December. As
comet nears conjunction 28° due N of Sun Dec 30, it gets very low
in WSW to W at nightfall. If its brightness follows this prediction, it
will become hard to see. To find Comet Hale-Bopp one and a
quarter hours after sunset, begin with Summer Triangle: Vega, the
Triangle's brightest star, well up in WNW; Deneb, atop the
Triangle, above Vega; and Altair, the south point of the Triangle, in
WSW. Next, locate the 2nd-mag star Rasalhague, or Alpha in
Ophiuchus, low in W. Marking the head of Ophiuchus the Serpent-
bearer, Alpha Oph stands out as it completes a nearly equilateral
triangle, 30 to 34 degrees on each side, with Vega and Altair. Dec
7-17: Comet is some 25° lower right of Altair and 15° left of Alpha
Oph. On Dec 26, comet is very low in W, but if unexpectedly
bright, could still be seen on that date 19° lower right of Altair, and
on morning of Dec 31, very low in E 18° lower left of Alpha Oph
and 11° right of Zeta in Aquila.
For more on Comet Hale-Bopp, try these Websites:
Comet Observation Home Page (JPL/NASA):
http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/
Sky Online's Comet Page:
http://www.skypub.com/comets/comets.html
Press Info on H-B: http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfa/ps/HaleBopp.html
-
- On Monday an hour before sunup, Moon is high in SSW and just
over half full. Regulus is within 5 degrees to Moon's upper right,
and reddish Mars about 15 degrees to Moon's left. Look again
Tuesday to see Moon near Mars. One week from today the Moon
will pass Venus, the brilliant planet low in ESE to SE.
-
- An hour before sunrise on Tuesday, Moon is high in south and just
under half full. Reddish Mars is 5 degrees to Moon's upper left. If
you look before dawn brightens, note 4th-mag star Sigma in Leo
about a degree to Mars' lower left. On Thursday morning Mars will
pass within half a degree from Sigma. Look daily to follow Mars'
motion, now just under half a degree per day. Mars has been in
the news lately, with the successful launching of NASA's Global
Surveyor on Nov. 6. For more information, visit the Mars Global
Surveyor homepage at: http://mgs-www.jpl.nasa.gov/ Although
NASA's Mars Pathfinder is planned to be launched today, it will
arrive at Mars first, on July 4, 1997.
-
- An hour before sunup on Wednesday the fat crescent Moon is well
up in SSE to S, with Mars 9 or 10 degrees to its upper right. Some
27 degrees sunward (lower left) of the Moon is first-magnitude
Spica in Virgo. Mars will pass that star on the evening of August 3,
1997. Between now and then, Mars will trace out a looping path
among the stars of Leo and Virgo. More tomorrow. For ideas for an
astrophotography project demonstrating Mars' motion against the
stars, point your Web browser to:
http://www.pa.msu.edu/abrams/mars97retro.html
-
- At dawn's first light on Thursday, about 1-1/2 hours before sunrise,
the Moon is well up in SE with Mars some 20 degrees to Moon's
upper right. Using binoculars if necessary, look carefully within
half a degree lower right of Mars for the 4th-magnitude star Sigma
in Leo. Spica is within 15 degrees to Moon's lower left, and the
3rd-mag star Gamma in Virgo is 3 degrees to Moon's upper left.
It'll be interesting to follow Mars for the next several months. In the
morning sky in early February 1997, the brightening red planet will
stop 4 degrees short of Gamma in Virgo and then begin to go back
toward Sigma in Leo! After reaching greatest brilliance in mid-
March when it's also visible all night, Mars will make a tight loop
around Sigma Leo in the evening skies of April-May. In late April
Mars will resume its normal eastward motion against the stars,
finally passing Gamma in Virgo in early July and Spica in early
August.
-
- An hour before sunup on Friday, find the waning crescent Moon in
SE with Spica about 3 degrees to its lower right. Mars is high in S
35 degrees to Spica's upper right. Brilliant Venus is low in ESE to
SE, 23 degrees to Spica's lower left. Can you predict where the
Moon will appear on Sunday morning?
-
- An hour before sunup on Saturday, the crescent Moon is in SE with
Spica 12 degrees to its upper right and Venus about same distance to
Moon's lower left. Don't miss the beautiful close pairing of the two
brightest nighttime objects Sunday morning. More tomorrow.
-
- Don't miss Sunday morning's pairing of Venus and the crescent
Moon! Begin about two hours before sunrise, when they're very
low in ESE. For Michigan skywatchers Venus is then just 1.3
degrees to lower right of the Moon's southern cusp, or lower right
point of the crescent, and the gap shrinks to 1.0 deg by sunrise and
remains the same for the next hour. Wherever you are, watch the
Moon's sunward motion relative to Venus. The farther west you are
in the U.S., the earlier will be the time of closest approach of Moon
and Venus. From the West Coast they're closest as they rise.
-
- An hour before sunrise on Monday, the last thin crescent old Moon
of the current lunar cycle is a few degrees above ESE horizon, some
12 degrees lower left of brilliant Venus. As dawn brightens
Monday, follow the Moon with your unaided eye for as long as you
can and record the time you last see it. How many hours and
minutes before New will you last see the Moon? New Moon will
occur on Tuesday at 11:56 a.m. EST (8:56 a.m. PST).
-
- Moonwatchers in southern Asia have the best chance to make the
last sightings of the very thin old Moon rising shortly before sunrise
Tuesday. They'll catch it on ESE horizon about 20 degrees lower
left of Venus 30 minutes before sunrise. From eastern China Moon
will be nearly 19 hours before New and should be visible to unaided
eye. From Karachi, Pakistan Moon will be about 15 hours before
New and a naked-eye sighting would set a new record. By the time
the Moon rises in the U.S. Tuesday, it's not visible by any means.
-
- The Moon is New today at 11:56 a.m. EST and is not visible this
morning or this evening from anywhere in North America. Using
optical aid, skilled observers at the Observatory atop Mauna Kea in
Hawaii may have a chance to spot the exceedingly thin, short lunar
crescent soon after sunset this evening. If they succeed, the Moon
will be just over 11 hours past New and just 7 degrees from the
Sun, setting new records.
A few hours later, moonwatchers in Japan, where the Moon's age
will be nearly 16 hours, or in east Asia, or on other islands in the
western Pacific have a better chance at being first to see the young
Moon on Wednesday evening, Dec. 11 local date.
The youngest Moon ever seen was spotted by observers in Arizona
on Jan. 20, 1996; see "In Quest of the Youngest Moon," in
December 1966 Sky & Telescope, pp. 104-106.
-
- Early this evening, North Americans have their first chance to see
the Moon since Monday morning. Shortly after sunset, look for the
thin young crescent low in SW. Within half an hour after sunset
Jupiter is prominent 15 degrees to Moon's upper left. As sky
darkens for another quarter-hour look for Mercury 11 degrees lower
right of Jupiter and 7 or 8 deg lower left of Moon (or to Moon's left
in Florida). Nearly 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours after sunset, as Moon is
about to set, look 20 degrees upper right of Moon, 25 degrees lower
right of Altair, and 16 degrees left of 2nd-mag Alpha in Ophiuchus
for Comet Hale-Bopp. It should be visible in binoculars as a fuzzy
patch of about 4th magnitude.
For more on Comet Hale-Bopp, try these Websites:
Comet Observation Home Page (JPL/NASA):
http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/
Sky Online's Comet Page:
http://www.skypub.com/comets/comets.html
Press Info on H-B: http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfa/ps/HaleBopp.html
-
- About 45 minutes after sunset, crescent Moon is in SW with Jupiter
4 degrees to its lower left. Mercury is near horizon 10 degrees to
Jupiter's lower right. In five days the Moon will pass Saturn Look
nightly.
Geminid meteors are expected to be most plentiful tonight and
Friday night, from late evening (10:30 p.m.) until first light of
dawn. Compared to meteors from most other showers, the
Geminids are noticeably slower, entering Earth's atmosphere at a
"liesurely" 78,000 miles per hour, versus 159,000 miles per hour
for the Leonids in November and 134,000 miles per hour for the
Perseids in August. For more information about meteor showers see
Sky Online's Meteor Page at:
http://www.skypub.com/meteors/meteors.html
-
- About 45 minutes after sunset, look for Jupiter low in SW about 15
degrees lower right of the waxing crescent Moon. Mercury is within
9 deg lower right of Jupiter.
-
- About 45 minutes after sunset, the crescent Moon, about 25 percent
illuminated, is in SSW with Jupiter low in SW about 30 degrees to
Moon's lower right. Mercury is now another 8 degrees lower right
of Jupiter. To Moon's right as sky darkens is the first-magnitude
star Altair, forming a nearly equilateral triangle with Moon and
Jupiter. As darkness falls, Comet Hale-Bopp is low, just south of
due west, and 24 deg lower right of Altair.
-
- About 45 minutes after sunset, bright Jupiter is low in SW, with
Mercury 7 degrees to its lower right. Mercury is now at its farthest
angular distance from the Sun during this evening appearance, 20
degrees. Locate Saturn high in SSE. Tonight Moon appears over
three-fifths of the way from Jupiter toward Saturn.
-
- Moon, just short of half full, stands high in southern sky one hour
after sunset. Within a few days before or after half full, Moon
viewing is at its best: Binoculars and telescopes show spectacular
detail near Moon's terminator (day-night boundary).
-
- Moon is high in SSE an hour before sunset, with Saturn glowing
within 3 or 4 degrees to its lower right. With a telescope enjoy the
Moon's craters and Saturn's rings, tipped just over 3 degrees from
edge-on.
-
- Forty-five minutes after sunset, Jupiter is low in SW with Mercury
5 degrees lower right. Binoculars give fine views of the two planets
within the same field until Christmas. The waxing gibbous Moon,
two-thirds full, has Saturn 16 degrees to its right.
-
- About two hours after sunset, face east to see the rising of
magnificent Orion, the Hunter. Reddish Betelgeuse, his bright
shoulder, is in the east. Within 19 degrees to the right is bluish
Rigel, marking the Hunter's upraised foot. About midway between
thes two bright stars lies his belt, consisting of three stars in a nearly
vertical line.
-
- Winter begins Saturday at 9:06 a.m. EST, when the Sun stands
directly over the Tropic of Capricorn in the South Atlantic Ocean off
the coast of South America. From North America, tonight is the
longest night, and Saturday the shortest day.
-
- Low in southwest tonight and Sunday, about 45 minutes after
sunset, Mercury appears just 4 degrees lower right of Jupiter. As
sky darkens, watch for the Pleiades star cluster 9 deg to Moon's
upper left, and first-magnitude Aldebaran, eye of Taurus, 12 deg to
Moon's lower left. An unusual event involving Moon and Aldebaran
will take place on Sunday.
-
- Late this afternoon or early evening, the rugged southern edge of the
Moon grazes the star Aldebaran as seen along a very narrow track --
only about 1.5 miles wide --from central Missouri to the St.
Lawrence River Valley. If you're in that zone looking through a
telescope, you can see a "grazing occultation" in which the star will
alternately be hidden by lunar mountains -- some as high as 2 miles -
- and reappear within valleys on the Moon's edge as our satellite's
orbital motion carries it past the star. The "graze path" crosses
central Illinois before sunset, northwest Indiana around sunset,
southeast Michigan a few minutes after sunset, and into Canada,
passing through Toronto. In Michigan, the graze occurs near
Hudson at 5:25 p.m. EST, followed within the next minute by
locations within a mile or two of Adrian, Milan, New Boston, and
River Rouge. The graze moves into Canada at Windsor, Ontario at
5:26 p.m., near London at 5:27 p.m., and through Toronto just after
5:29 p.m. A map of the graze path appeared in January 1996 Sky &
Telescope, page 77. If you're located SE of the grazepath, the Moon
misses Aldebaran. Seen from NW of the graze path, the Moon will
occult (cover) the star; for example, from Chicago, Moon covers
star from 4:17 to 4:34 p.m. CST.
For more information on this occultation, see the Website for the
International Occultation Timing Association, at:
http://www.sky.net/~robinson/iotandx.htm
-
- This is the last evening of the current cycle to observe the Moon just
before sunset. At nightfall, about 1-1/2 hours after sunset, look for
Aldebaran to Moon's upper right, and Betelgeuse, shoulder of
Orion, a similar distance to Moon's lower right.
-
- On Christmas Eve, the Full, Long Night Moon, or Moon Before
Yule, rises in ENE within 25 minutes after sunset as seen from
southern Michigan. [From southern U.S. the waiting time is
shorter.] Two hours after sunset, when Moon has risen higher, look
for Betelgeuse 13 deg to right of Moon, and the Gemini twins,
Pollux below Castor, about 21 deg to Moon's left.
On Christmas morning an hour before sunup, Moon will be in
WSW with Pollux and Castor side-by-side above the Moon.
Brilliant Venus is in SE with Antares rising 6 degrees lower right.
Binoculars help locate the twinking red star. On each successive
morning, Antares appears higher, and Venus a little lower.
-
- Tonight Moon rises in ENE about 1 to 1-1/4 hours after sunset. As
it rises, look for the Twins, Pollux below Castor, to Moon's upper
left. An hour before sunup on Thursday, Moon is in west, about
midway between Pollux and Procyon, the Little Dog Star.
-
- Three hours after sunset, Moon is in ENE with Procyon 12 degrees
right. An hour before sunup on Friday, Moon is in W with Procyon
14 deg below, and the Gemini Twins, Pollux and Castor, to Moon's
right.
-
- If you look at just the right time, from a vantage point with
unobstructed views toward east and west, you can see the Summer
and Winter Triangles simultaneously. As evening sky darkens, look
for bright Vega in NW with Deneb 24 degrees to its upper left.
Altair, the southernmost star of the Summer Triangle, is in W, 34
deg to Vega's lower left.
As Altair gets low, about 2 hours after sunset from southern U.S., 3
hours after sunset from northern U.S., find Orion in ESE. Reddish
Betelgeuse, the Hunter's shoulder, marks the top of the Winter
Triangle. Follow Orion's belt downward toward the horizon where
Sirius is about to rise. Procyon, in the east to lower left of
Betelgeuse, completes the nearly equilateral Winter Triangle.
-
- An hour before sunup on Sunday, the waning gibbous Moon is in
WSW with Regulus, heart of Leo, 4 degrees above. Bright Mars is
in SSW, 30 deg to Moon's upper left.
-
- An hour before sunup on Monday, Moon is in SW. Regulus, Leo's
brightest star, is 11 deg to Moon's right, and Mars 18 deg to
Moon's upper left.
-
- On Tuesday an hour before sunrise face SSW to find Mars 7
degrees to Moon's upper left. Compare color of Mars to that of
Spica, 25 deg to Mars' upper left.
-
- An hour before sunup on New Year's morning, the Moon, just over
half full, is in SSW. Find Mars 6 deg to Moon's upper right, and
Spica in south, 19 deg to Moon's lower left.
-
- An hour before sunup on Thursday, face south to find Spica 7
degrees to Moon's lower left. The Moon is just under half full. Mars
is in SSW 17 deg to Moon's upper right.
-
- In the predawn hours of Friday, the Quadrantid meteors may reach a
strong peak. An hour before sunup, face south for Spica 7 degrees
to Moon's right. Look very low in SE for bright Venus with
Antares, heart of the Scorpion, 13 deg to its upper right.
-
- From now until late March, Comet Hale-Bopp is a morning object.
About 1-1/2 hours before sunrise, locate bright Vega in ENE.
Comet H-B is very low in E, 33 degrees lower right of Vega, 20
degrees lower left of the 2nd-mag star Alpha in Ophiuchus, and 9
degrees lower right of the 3rd-mag star Zeta in Aquila. Use
binoculars. From one morning to the next, Comet Hale-Bopp now
shifts its position against the stars by half a degree per day. Getting
a little higher each morning, and possibly brightening through 3rd
mag this month, Comet H-B may soon become a naked eye object
for billions of viewers in Earth's northern hemisphere.
-
- An hour before sunrise on Sunday, look SE for a beautiful crescent
Moon with Antares twinking 15 degrees lower left. Bright Venus is
15 degrees lower left of Antares.
-
- On Monday an hour before sunrise, the crescent Moon is in SE.
Look for Antares, "rival of Mars," 8 degrees to Moon's lower right,
and bright Venus 15 deg to Moon's lower left. In three months, on
April 2, Venus will be almost directly behind the Sun.
-
- Last easy chance to view the old Moon! On Tuesday an hour before
sunrise, look very low in ESE to SE for the thin crescent with
Venus just 4 degrees to its lower right.
-
- Forty to 30 minutes before sunrise on Wednesday, try for the very
old Moon rising in ESE. First locate Venus, then, using binoculars,
look for faint 1.5-mag Mercury 7 degrees to its lower left. From the
East Coast, the hairline-thin crescent is 5 degrees lower left of
Mercury and 16 to 17 hours before New. From the West Coast, the
more difficult Moon is 7 degrees lower left of Mercury and only 13
to 14 hours before New. Bagging the old Moon is easiest in
Southeast U.S., most difficult in the Northwest. When you last spot
the Moon, note the time and calculate the time interval remaining
until New. The New Moon (its conjunction with Sun) occurs today
at 11:26 p.m. EST (8:26 p.m. PST).
Will anyone see the "opposing crescents", of Wednesday morning
and Thursday evening? Note the times of your last sighting of the
morning crescent and first sighting of the evening crescent,
instruments used, and send a report to: Moonwatch Jan. '97, c/o
Abrams Planetarium, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
48824.
To prime yourself for these delicate Moons, see the following
articles in Sky & Telescope: "Sighting the Opposing Crescents" in
May 1995, page 105; and
"In Quest of the Youngest Moon" in December 1996, page 104.
-
- On Thursday about 45 minutes before sunup, locate Venus very low
in SE sky. Mercury (mag +1.2) is visible in the same 7-power
binocular field, 5.5 degrees to Venus' lower left. Mercury is getting
higher and brighter each morning, and will pass 4 degrees left of
Venus on Jan. 10, and within 3 degrees upper left of Venus on Jan.
12.
-
- Within half an hour after sunset, the very young Moon is very low
in WSW, and likely to be seen with unaided eye. Its age (time
elapsed since New) is less than 18 hours from the Northeast U.S.,
about 19 hours from Florida, and 21 hours from the West Coast.
For the 48 states, this is an easier sighting than the very old Moon of
Wednesday morning.
This month's young Moon is of special significance to a quarter of
the world's population. The first glimpse of the slender crescent
marks the beginning of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan.
-
- Tonight's nearly 2-day-old crescent is very easy to see, low in SW
to WSW at dusk. The Moon sets in a dark sky, over two hours after
sunset. Very low in SE 45 minutes before sunrise Saturday through
Monday, Mercury is 3 degrees upper left of Venus.
Within the next few months, a lunar eclipse, Comet Hale-Bopp, and
Mars are all slated to put on a fine display in the evening sky.
Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus come along later in the year. Beginning
tonight, our new show, Celestial Preview 1997, gives tips on how
to view these and other phenomena, using Abrams Planetarium's
Digistar projector. You'll emerge with an increased enjoyment and
appreciation of the ever-changing sky scene. Celestial Preview 1997
is presented two weekends only, January 10-12 and Jan. 17-19, on
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 4 p.m.
-
- On Sunday, very low in SE 45 minutes before sunup, Mercury
passes 2.7 degrees upper left of Venus. This is their closest visible
pairing with each other until August 1998.
-
- Note the large, nearly isosceles triangle formed by Arcturus, Mars,
and Spica these mornings. Look for it low in eastern sky 6 hours
before sunrise, and high in southern sky one to two hours before
sunup. The Big Dipper's curved handle leads directly to Arcturus at
the northern apex of the triangle. For the next several weeks, the
triangle changles little in shape, with Arcturus about 33 degrees
from both Spica and Mars. But watch Mars increase in brilliance,
outshining zero-magnitude Arcturus by month's end.
-
- Locate the waxing crescent Moon well up in SSW at dusk. The first-
magnitude "star" a few degrees left of the Moon is Saturn. A
telescope reveals the rings, still tipped less than 4 degrees from
edgewise.
Very low in Tuesday's SE morning sky, three-quarters of an hour
before sunup, Mercury stands within 3-1/2 degrees above Venus.
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