SkyTips: October 2012
Stargazing Summary
With the nights getting longer and cooler, October is one of the best months for some skywatching. The evening sky offers such treats as Andromeda and her famous galaxy, M31, as well as several other constellations associated with her mythological story, and the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters in Taurus. Jupiter is dominating the evening sky, with Mars beginning to bow out. Venus rules the early mornings, passing almost over the top of the heart of the lion early in the month.
More stargazing information »
More stargazing information »
Orionid Meteor Shower
The next meteor shower is the Orionids on the night of October 20. The shower should be at its best the nights of Saturday, October 20, and Sunday, October 21. The Moon sets by around midnight, so it won't pollute the sky with light during the peak meteor-watching hours.
Meteor shower viewing tips »
Meteor shower viewing tips »
Radio Program Highlights
Support StarDate: Help us keep our date with the stars by making a tax-deductible donation to StarDate.
October 1-7 - Anniversaries: A couple of golden anniversaries are coming up this week. One commemorates the start of a major observatory, while the other marks the arrival of a piece of Mars. Join us for this plus Venus and the heart of the lion.
October 8-14 - Moon meanderings: The Moon passes by the brilliant planet Venus and the heart of the lion in this week's morning skies, and we'll have details. And we'll talk about one of the oddest critters in the sky — the sea-goat.
October 15-21 - Doomed planets: The outer layers of some "dead" stars are polluted by a rain of rocky debris — the pulverized remains of Earth-like planets. We'll have details. We'll also talk about a "dwarf" planet in our own solar system.
October 22-28 - Black holes: Astronomers have discovered what could be the biggest black hole yet found — a behemoth many times the size of our entire solar system. Join us for that, plus what could be the smallest black hole and much more on these dark monsters.
October 29-31 - A "ghoulish" star: A star that both amazed and frightened long-ago skywatchers highlights the sky on this Halloween week, and we'll tell you what gave it such a fearsome reputation. Join us for this and much more about the night sky.
October program schedule »
Hear StarDate every day on more than 300 radio stations nationwide. Find an affiliate »
October 1-7 - Anniversaries: A couple of golden anniversaries are coming up this week. One commemorates the start of a major observatory, while the other marks the arrival of a piece of Mars. Join us for this plus Venus and the heart of the lion.
October 8-14 - Moon meanderings: The Moon passes by the brilliant planet Venus and the heart of the lion in this week's morning skies, and we'll have details. And we'll talk about one of the oddest critters in the sky — the sea-goat.
October 15-21 - Doomed planets: The outer layers of some "dead" stars are polluted by a rain of rocky debris — the pulverized remains of Earth-like planets. We'll have details. We'll also talk about a "dwarf" planet in our own solar system.
October 22-28 - Black holes: Astronomers have discovered what could be the biggest black hole yet found — a behemoth many times the size of our entire solar system. Join us for that, plus what could be the smallest black hole and much more on these dark monsters.
October 29-31 - A "ghoulish" star: A star that both amazed and frightened long-ago skywatchers highlights the sky on this Halloween week, and we'll tell you what gave it such a fearsome reputation. Join us for this and much more about the night sky.
October program schedule »
Hear StarDate every day on more than 300 radio stations nationwide. Find an affiliate »
Coming Up in StarDate Magazine
In November/December, StarDate will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first spacecraft encounter with another planet: the 1962 Mariner 2 flyby of Venus. And freelance writer Nick D'Alto brings us the story of the earliest known globe, made by Renaissance astronomers and used by Christopher Columbus to prepare for his legendary voyage.
Subscribe today »
Subscribe today »
Astronomers measure largest-ever magnetic field around massive starA group of astronomers led by Gregg Wade of the Royal Military College of Canada has used the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) at The University of Texas at Austin's McDonald Observatory and the Canada-France Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) on Hawaii's Mauna Kea to measure the most magnetic massive star yet. Their work is published in the September 11 issue of the research journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Show Your Support for Science Education
Your membership in the Friends of McDonald Observatory will help us serve thousands of K-12 students and teachers a year through engaging, inquiry-based science programs, and will extend the wonder of astronomy and space science to millions of others in the U.S. through our public education and outreach programs and StarDate Radio broadcasts.
Join the Friends of McDonald today »
Join the Friends of McDonald today »
Get Social with Us
Keep up with all the news and video from McDonald Observatory on all your favorite social media platforms. "Like" us on Facebook, "follow" us on Twitter, and subscribe to our YouTube channel!
Like us on Facebook: McDonald Observatory | StarDate
Follow us on Twitter: McDonald Observatory | StarDate
Subscribe on YouTube: McDonald Observatory | StarDate
Like us on Facebook: McDonald Observatory | StarDate
Follow us on Twitter: McDonald Observatory | StarDate
Subscribe on YouTube: McDonald Observatory | StarDate
The truth is out there.
No comments:
Post a Comment