Inner Meets Outers – In A Triple Conjunction

Posted on February 27, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Sunday morning February 28^th the innermost planet, Mercury, and two of the ringed outer planets, Jupiter and Saturn, will be in a triple conjunction as Mercury moves eastward past Saturn and then Jupiter. Mercury will be about 3-4^o from Saturn and about 2-3^o from Jupiter.
All three will almost fit within the field of view of binoculars and should make for an interesting contrast in apparent magnitudes however Jupiter (-1.97) far outshines Mercury (0.30) and Saturn (0.71).

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

Moon on the Move – Always

Posted on February 24, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Over the next few evenings the waxing gibbous Moon will move eastward passing by the open star cluster known as the Beehive Cluster this evening and then in a couple of days, as a full Moon, will be close to the heart of Leo the Lion the star Regulus.
While the Moon may be close to the open star cluster the waxing gibbous Moon with its considerably greater apparent magnitude will outshine the star cluster making it not visible. Wait a few days and then aim your binoculars or low power eyepiece for a better view.

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

Mercury – Saturn – Jupiter Together Again!

Posted on February 19, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Saturday morning February 20^th in the hour or so before the Sun rises look for the innermost planet Mercury to be about 4-5^o from Saturn and Jupiter. All three should fit within the field of view of binoculars, but the three planets will be low above the horizon.

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

Sun Not In Pisces-2021

Posted on February 18, 2021 by Bob Riddle

According to the pseudoscience of astrology the Sun enters the constellation of Pisces the Fishes on Thursday February 18^th. In fact the actual position of the Sun is still within the boundary of the constellation of Aquarius the Water Bearer, as this graphic shows. The Sun had just entered Aquarius 2 days ago.

Read a little more about how astrology has the Sun incorrectly placed in a previous blog, and in another blog discussing the effects of precession.

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

February Moon at Apogee

Posted on February 17, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Our Moon reaches apogee, (furthest from Earth), for this orbit, on Thursday February 18^th. For this apogee the 7.25-day old waxing crescent Moon will be at a distance of 31.70 Earth diameters, 251,282 miles (404,400 km) from the Earth.

On the date of the apogee Moon the nearly first quarter Moon will be high above the southern horizon and will be within a few degrees from the planet Mars.

the Earth-Moon system
Does our Moon actually go around the Earth as this graphic shows? From our perspective on the Earth the Moon appears to circle around the Earth. However, in reality, the Moon orbits the Sun together with the Earth^*
^*Click here to read my Scope on the Sky column “The Real Shape of the Moon’s Orbit”. (PDF)

Caution: Objects viewed with an optical aid are further than they appear.
Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to go to bobs-spaces.

Also Follow me and other great resources at Feedspot.

The Moon, Mars, and NASA’s Perseverance

Posted on February 17, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Thursday evening February 18^th the 7-day old almost first quarter but still waxing crescent Moon will be about 3^o from the ‘Red Planet’ Mars. Despite the -11.75 apparent magnitude of the Moon Mars, with an apparent magnitude of 0.75, will still be visible.

NASA Perseverance is scheduled to land on Mars on 18 February 2021, at around 20 UT or 2 pm CST.

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

Also Follow me and other great resources at Feedspot.

Moon – Uranus Conjunction

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Wednesday evening February 17^th the 6-day old waxing crescent Moon will be about 3-4^o from the outer and ringed Planet Uranus. While the Moon with an apparent magnitude of -11.5 will certainly be visible, Uranus with an apparent magnitude of 5.81 will not!

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

Also Follow me and other great resources at Feedspot.

Crescent Moon – Neptune Conjunction

Posted on February 12, 2021 by Bob Riddle

   Saturday February 13^th the 2-day old thin waxing crescent Moon will be about 2-3^o from the outer planet Neptune and about 6-7^o to the west from Dwarf Planet Ceres. The Moon will pass by Ceres over the next 24 hours and by about this time tomorrow the Moon will be to the east from Ceres.
   I should point out that Ceres with an apparent magnitude between 8^th and 9^th and Neptune with an apparent magnitude between 7^th and 8^th neither will be visible to the unaided eye.
   However when you are looking toward the Moon you will be looking in the direction of these two distant members of our solar system. This graphic shows the position of the Earth, our Moon, Ceres, and Neptune on February 13^th. From this perspective objects to the left of the Sun will be seen in the evening skies as the Earth rotates.

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

Also Follow me and other great resources at Feedspot.

February Moon at Descending Node

Posted on February 5, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Saturday February 6^th the 25-day old waning crescent Moon crosses the plane of the ecliptic moving south. This is known as the descending node, one of two intersections the Moon’s orbital path (dark green line) has with the ecliptic.

On the date of the descending node the 25-day old thin waning crescent Moon will be over the eastern horizon at sunrise local time.

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

Also Follow me and other great resources at Feedspot.

February Moon at Perigee & Spica Conjunction

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Our Moon reaches perigee, (closest to Earth), for this orbit, on Wednesday February 3^rd. At that time the Moon will be at a distance of 28.8 Earth diameters, 229,986 miles (370,127 km) from the Earth.

Before sunrise on the date of the perigee Moon the 20.4-day old waning gibbous Moon and will be about 7-8^o from the star Spica in Virgo the Harvest Maiden.

Does our Moon actually go around the Earth as this graphic shows? From our perspective on the Earth the Moon appears to circle around the Earth. However, in reality, the Moon orbits the Sun together with the Earth^*
^*Click here to read my Scope on the Sky column “The Real Shape of the Moon’s Orbit”. (PDF)

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to go to bobs-spaces.

Also Follow me and other great resources at Feedspot.

Bob's Spaces

Earth and Space Sciences Education

Category Archives: Lesson Plan

Inner Meets Outers – In A Triple Conjunction

Moon on the Move – Always

Mercury – Saturn – Jupiter Together Again!

Sun Not In Pisces-2021

February Moon at Apogee

The Moon, Mars, and NASA’s Perseverance

Moon – Uranus Conjunction

Crescent Moon – Neptune Conjunction

February Moon at Descending Node

February Moon at Perigee & Spica Conjunction

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