USPS Star Calendar for 31 May-6 June 24 May 2015
Posted by amedalen in June 2015, May 2015.Tags: Antares, full moon, Gemini Twins, Pollux, Sagittarius, Saturn, Teapot, Venus
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31 May Saturn is less than 4 finger-widths to the moon’s lower left tonight.
1 Jun This evening Saturn is two finger-widths to the moon’s upper right.
2 Jun Tonight Venus is a little more than 2 finger-widths to the left of Pollux, forming a straight line with the Gemini Twins. Antares and the moon rise a few minutes after sunset.
4 Jun Before dawn, the moon is above the dome of the Teapot constellation, Sagittarius.
5 Jun Only three days past full, the moon rises shortly before midnight and is low in the southwest at first light.
USPS Star Calendar for 3-9 May 26 April 2015
Posted by amedalen in May 2015.Tags: Antares, Big Dipper, full moon, gibbous moon, greatest elongation, Mercury, Sagittarius, Saturn, Spica, Teapot
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3 May High in the east at midnight, the full moon is midway between Spica, 2 fist-widths to the upper right, and Saturn, to the lower left.
4 May The moon rises shortly after sunset and is followed a little more than a half-hour later by Saturn.
5 May Rising late, the moon, Saturn and Antares are low in the east at midnight. Saturn is 3 finger-widths to the moon’s upper right while Antares is 4 finger-widths to the lower right.
6 May Early this morning, the moon, Saturn and Antares travel low in the south and are low in the southwest at first light.
7 May At its greatest elongation 21.2 degrees east of the sun, Mercury sets an hour after sunset.
8 May The waning gibbous moon rises to the upper left of the dome of the Teapot, Sagittarius.
9 May Tonight and the next few nights, the moon rises after midnight, making for good stargazing in the evening. Look in the north for the Big Dipper, which is upside down and nearly overhead.
USPS Star Calendar for 5-11 April 29 March 2015
Posted by amedalen in April 2015.Tags: Antares, Arcturus, Big Dipper, North Star, Polaris, Sagittarius, Saturn, Scorpion, Scorpius, Spica, Teapot
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5 Apr Only one day past full, the moon rises 1½ hours after sunset.
7 Apr Just before midnight, the moon rises less than a half-hour before Saturn.
8 Apr Low in the west before dawn, the moon and Saturn are in the head of the Scorpion, Scorpius. Saturn is less than a finger-width to the moon’s lower left. Antares is 4 finger-widths to Saturn’s lower left.
10 Apr This morning the moon is above the dome of the Teapot constellation, Sagittarius. Mercury is in superior conjunction, passing on the opposite side of the sun as seen from Earth.
11 Apr With the moon rising in the early morning, we have dark evening skies for stargazing. High in the northeast, the Big Dipper is nearly upside down. Follow the pointer stars at the end of the handle 3 fist-widths to the lower left to Polaris, the North Star. Then follow the handle’s arc 3 fist-widths to the lower right to Arcturus. Continue along the arc another 3 fist-widths to Spica. “Arc to Arcturus, then speed on to Spica.”
USPS Star Calendar for 8-14 March 11 March 2015
Posted by amedalen in March 2015.Tags: Alkaid, Antares, Arcturus, Big Dipper, Boötes the Herdsman, Cassiopeia, Daylight saving time, Polaris, Sagittarius, Saturn, Spica, Teapot
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8 Mar The bright star 2 finger-widths to the moon’s right is Spica, normally found by beginning with the Big Dipper, arcing to Arcturus and speeding on to Spica. Working backward from Spica, look 3 fist-widths to the upper left to Arcturus in the constellation Boötes, the Herdsman. Measure another 3 fist-widths to Arcturus’ upper left to the last star in the dipper’s handle, Alkaid. The Big Dipper’s bowl is to the upper left. Can you find Polaris? How about Cassiopeia? Daylight saving time begins at 0200. Spring forward.
10 Mar Tonight the moon rises just after midnight. It is low in the south before first light, with Saturn 1 fist-width to the left.
12 Mar Just before dawn, Saturn is 1 finger-width to the moon’s lower right, and Antares is 4 finger-widths to its lower left.
14 Mar The moon is above the dome of the Teapot in the constellation Sagittarius.
USPS Star Calendar for 11-17 January 4 January 2015
Posted by amedalen in January 2015.Tags: Antares, Mercury, Saturn, Scorpion, Scorpius, Spica, Venus
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11 Jan Low in the west at dusk, Mercury passes within 0.6 degrees of Venus. Look quickly with binoculars, because the pair set 1½ hours after the sun.
13 Jan Before dawn, the moon is 1 finger-width to Spica’s upper left.
14 Jan At its greatest elongation east, Mercury sets more than 1½ hours after the sun. Look for Venus ½ finger-width to the left.
16 Jan Using binoculars, look low in the east before dawn to see Saturn ½ finger width to the moon’s right.
17 Jan The waning crescent moon rises 3 hours before the sun. Antares, the heart of the Scorpion, Scorpius, is 1 fist-width to the moon’s lower right. Saturn is 1½ fist-widths to the upper right.
USPS Star Calendar for 14-20 December 7 December 2014
Posted by amedalen in December 2014.Tags: Antares, Jupiter, Saturn, Spica
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14 Dec Having moved closer to Spica, the moon is about midway between Jupiter and Spica.
16 Dec The moon is 3 finger-widths to Spica’s upper right. About one-third of the moon’s surface is illuminated.
17 Dec This morning, the moon is to Spica’s lower left, and Saturn is 3 fist-widths to the moon’s lower left.
18 Dec The waning crescent moon lies midway between Spica, nearly 2 fist-widths to the upper right, and Saturn, nearly as far to the lower left this morning. The moon is about 20 percent illuminated.
19 Dec The moon rises less than 3 hours before the sun this morning. Saturn rises a half hour after the moon. They can be seen low in the east before first light, Saturn 2 finger-widths to the lower left of the moon.
20 Dec Only a small sliver of the moon is illuminated as it rises about 1½ hours before the sun. Saturn is 1 fist-width to the moon’s upper right. Before the sky brightens, you may catch a glimpse of Antares 4 finger-widths to the moon’s lower right.
USPS Star Calendar for 26 October-1 November 19 October 2014
Posted by amedalen in November 2014, October 2014.Tags: Altair, Antares, first-quarter moon, Fomalhaut, gibbous moon, greatest elongation, Mars, Mercury, Spica
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26 Oct Antares is 4 finger-widths to the moon’s lower left just above the horizon at dusk. The moon is only 5 percent illuminated.
27 Oct Low in the southwest at sunset, magnitude 0.9 Mars is less than 1 fist-width to the lower left of the thin waxing crescent moon. About 10 percent of the moon’s surface is illuminated.
28 Oct Mars sets 3 hours after the sun. The moon, now to Mars’ upper left, follows an hour later.
29 Oct The bright star 2½ fist-widths above the moon at dusk is magnitude 0.9 Altair.
31 Oct The first-quarter moon lies midway between magnitude 0.9 Altair, 3 fist-widths to the upper right, and magnitude 1.3 Fomalhaut, to the lower left.
1 Nov In the southeast at sunset, magnitude 1.3 Fomalhaut is 2½ fist-widths below the waxing gibbous moon. Magnitude –0.5 Mercury reaches its greatest elongation of the year, 18.7 degrees west of the sun. Rising more than 1½ hours before the sun, Mercury is followed a few minutes later by magnitude 1.2 Spica to the lower right.
USPS Star Calendar for 19-25 October 12 October 2014
Posted by amedalen in October 2014.Tags: Antares, Big Dipper, Jupiter, partial solar eclipse, Saturn
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19 Oct Two fist-widths below Jupiter, the moon rises 4 hours before the sun and is 20 percent illuminated.
20 Oct Before first light, the Big Dipper stands on its handle, far to the left of the thin waning crescent moon low in the east.
21 Oct Two days before new, the moon is just a thin sliver low in the east before dawn.
23 Oct A partial solar eclipse will be visible across the U.S. this afternoon. More of the sun will be covered for those in the northern latitudes than for those farther south. Remember not to look directly at the sun.
25 Oct Only two days old, the moon is low in the east at dusk, setting less than 1½ hours after the sun. You may catch a glimpse of magnitude 0.6 Saturn, 2 finger-widths to the lower right. Magnitude 1.1 Antares is 1½ fist-widths to the left.
USPS Star Calendar for 28 September-4 October 21 September 2014
Posted by amedalen in October 2014, September 2014.Tags: Altair, Antares, first-quarter moon, Fomalhaut, gibbous moon, Mars, Sagittarius, Saturn
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28 Sep The moon is to Saturn’s upper left, Mars is 1 fist-width to the moon’s left, and Antares is a little more than 1 finger-width to Mars’ lower left. Look at them through binoculars to compare the colors of the red planet and the red star.
29 Sep The moon, Mars and Antares line up this evening. Mars is 3 finger-widths below the moon, and Antares is about 1½ finger-widths below Mars.
30 Sep Mars and Antares are close together, far to the moon’s lower right.
1 Oct The first-quarter moon is above the dome of the Teapot constellation, Sagittarius, low in the south tonight. Mars and Antares are 3 fist-widths to the lower right.
2 Oct The bright star 2½ fist-widths above the moon is magnitude 0.9 Altair.
3 Oct The waxing gibbous moon lies between Altair, 2½ fist widths to the upper right, and magnitude 1.3 Fomalhaut, 3½ fist-widths to the lower left.
USPS Star Calendar for 21-27 September 14 September 2014
Posted by amedalen in September 2014.Tags: Antares, autumnal equinox, Big Dipper, Jupiter, Mars, new moon, Regulus, Saturn, Venus
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21 Sep The moon and Regulus rise 2½ hours before the sun. Jupiter is 1½ fist-widths above the moon, which is about 10 percent illuminated.
22 Sep The autumnal equinox occurs at 1029 EDT.
23 Sep The thin waning crescent moon rises a half hour before the sun. Venus is 2 finger-widths to the upper left. Less than 5 percent of the moon’s surface is illuminated.
24 Sep The new moon makes the next few days perfect for exploring the evening sky. In the south, Mars is 2 finger-widths to the upper right of Antares.
25 Sep In the north tonight, the Big Dipper appears horizontal at dusk, rotates counterclockwise and is near the horizon at midnight.
26 Sep You can catch a quick glimpse of the thin waxing crescent moon low in the west at dusk. The moon sets two hours after the sun. The moon’s surface is less than 5 percent illuminated.
27 Sep Magnitude 0.6 Saturn is 1 finger-width to the moon’s upper left low in the west as the sky darkens.
