Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday January 15th and 16th, 2024 written by Joe Slomka
This is the Dudley Observatory Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday January 15th and 16th, written by Joe Slomka.
The Sun sets at 4:46 PM; night falls at 6:27. Dawn breaks at 5:43 AM and ends with sunrise at 7:23.
Monday’s southwestern Moon inhabits Aquarius, rises at 10:12 AM, appears 26% illuminated, 32 arc-minutes in size, 41° high and sets at 10:06 PM. Tuesday’s Moon migrates to northeastern Pisces, rises at 10:34 AM, at 5 PM it is 50° high in the South, same size, 31% lit and sets at 11:21 PM.
Evening planets rise during daytime. Southwestern Saturn continues as first planet visible and slowly approaches the Sun. It is now 39° from the Sun, shines with 1st magnitude, 15 arc-seconds in size, 10° high at 7 PM and sets at 8 PM. Neptune trails Saturn by 21° and occupies Pisces all year; it glows with 8th magnitude, 2 arc-seconds, 29° high at 7 PM and sets at 9:47 PM. Monday evening, Neptune lies 1° North of the Moon.
Jupiter shares southern Aries with Uranus. Jupiter glistens with minus 2nd magnitude, 42 arc-seconds, 59° high at 7 PM and sets at 1:20 AM, making it a prime evening target. On Tuesday, the Great Red Spot (a giant storm) can be spotted at 12:39 AM and 8:31 PM. Uranus tails Jupiter by 13° shining with 5th magnitude, appears 3 arc-seconds, 64° at 7 PM, 26° at midnight and sets at 2:20 AM.
Dawn planets lie in the Southeast and set during daytime. Venus still leads the parade, only 34° from the Sun and slowly closing. Venus blazes with minus 4th magnitude, rises at 5:01 AM, 82% lit, and 16° high at 7 AM. Mars and Mercury share Sagittarius. Mercury shadows Venus by 11° shimmering with minus zero magnitude, 6 arc-seconds, 71% lit, 9° high at 7 AM and rises at 5:52 AM. Mars follows 6° behind Mercury, only 17° from the Sun, sparkles with 1st magnitude, 4 arc-seconds, 82% lit and rises at 6:29 AM.
Comet 4Vesta is still visible in Taurus, shines with 7th magnitude, 0.4 arc-seconds, 27°high at 7 PM, 68° highest at 9:48 PM and sets at 5:21 AM.
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is almost an Earth twin, about the same size and slightly less mass. Early telescopic observers noted its complete cloud cover and speculated that Venus was a lush, tropical planet. As science obtained better instruments, rude shocks came. Venus did not rotate in 24 hours like Earth; its day lasts 243 earth-days. Russian and US probes landed on Venus; pictures showed a rock filled wasteland. Those same probes recorded a toxic atmosphere with true acid rain. Since Venus is closer to the Sun, it gets twice the solar radiation. Temperatures approach the melting point of lead and atmospheric pressure is 90 times that of Earth. Its slow rotation and lack of axis tilt means no seasons or weather. Most planetary scientists now think that Venus is an example of uncontrolled global warming. Any oceans boiled off, leaving an atmosphere of 96 percent carbon dioxide. Without oceans, there was no water to capture the carbon dioxide into limestone rocks, as on Earth.
Space probes revealed some strange behavior. Its mid-latitude winds race around the planet in four days. Russian and Japanese independent observations found that winds sped up from 180 MPH to 250 in six years. Japanese researchers also discovered that the winds vary about 45 MPH over 250 days, while the Venusian year is only 225 days. No one can explain these variations.
Clear Skies Joe Slomka