Tonight – November 3, 2015 – you have to be a night owl or early bird to view the waning crescent moon coupling up with Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion. That’s true over the next few nights as well. If you’re not one to stay up past the midnight hour, then watch for the moon and Regulus before dawn – on November 4 and 5 – when the two luminaries will be highest up for the night. You might catch some meteors then, too! And the moon will be meeting up with the planets in the eastern, predawn sky – Venus, Jupiter and Mars – on the mornings of November 6 and Venus on November 7. See chart below.
Watch for Taurid fireballs this week!
Regulus is the only first-magnitude star to sit almost squarely on the ecliptic – the sun’s annual path in front of the constellations of the Zodiac. In our day and age, the sun’s yearly conjunction with Regulus happens on or near August 23. That’s about two months after the June solstice, or one month before the September equinox.
Ancient astronomers once thought the sun literally moved through the constellations of the Zodiac, while the Earth remained at rest at the center of the universe. Of course, we now know that the Earth revolves around the sun, and that the sun resides at the center of our solar system. We now know that the sun’s apparent motion is front of the backdrop stars is really a reflection of Earth revolving around the sun.
The ecliptic is actually the Earth’s orbital plane projected onto the constellations of the Zodiac.
Because the planets orbit the sun, and the moon orbits Earth, on nearly the same plane that Earth circles the sun, the moon and planets are always found on or near the ecliptic. Use the moon, the star Regulus and the three morning planets – Jupiter, Venus and Mars – to help you envision the ecliptic with the mind’s-eye over the next several days.
Chart of the morning planets and moon, later this week …
Early risers get to enjoy a superb view of the moon and planets throughout the first week of November, 2015. The green line depicts the ecliptic – Earth’s orbital plane projected onto the great dome of sky.
Bottom line: See the waning crescent moon near Regulus from late night until dawn this week. Best for early risers on the mornings of November 4 and 5, 2015. Then watch for the moon to meet up with Jupiter on November 6 and Venus on November 7.
Astronomy events, star parties, festivals, workshops for September-December, 2015
EarthSky lunar calendars are cool! They make great gifts. Order now. Going fast!
Donate: Your support means the world to us
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1l5FblC
Tonight – November 3, 2015 – you have to be a night owl or early bird to view the waning crescent moon coupling up with Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion. That’s true over the next few nights as well. If you’re not one to stay up past the midnight hour, then watch for the moon and Regulus before dawn – on November 4 and 5 – when the two luminaries will be highest up for the night. You might catch some meteors then, too! And the moon will be meeting up with the planets in the eastern, predawn sky – Venus, Jupiter and Mars – on the mornings of November 6 and Venus on November 7. See chart below.
Watch for Taurid fireballs this week!
Regulus is the only first-magnitude star to sit almost squarely on the ecliptic – the sun’s annual path in front of the constellations of the Zodiac. In our day and age, the sun’s yearly conjunction with Regulus happens on or near August 23. That’s about two months after the June solstice, or one month before the September equinox.
Ancient astronomers once thought the sun literally moved through the constellations of the Zodiac, while the Earth remained at rest at the center of the universe. Of course, we now know that the Earth revolves around the sun, and that the sun resides at the center of our solar system. We now know that the sun’s apparent motion is front of the backdrop stars is really a reflection of Earth revolving around the sun.
The ecliptic is actually the Earth’s orbital plane projected onto the constellations of the Zodiac.
Because the planets orbit the sun, and the moon orbits Earth, on nearly the same plane that Earth circles the sun, the moon and planets are always found on or near the ecliptic. Use the moon, the star Regulus and the three morning planets – Jupiter, Venus and Mars – to help you envision the ecliptic with the mind’s-eye over the next several days.
Chart of the morning planets and moon, later this week …
Early risers get to enjoy a superb view of the moon and planets throughout the first week of November, 2015. The green line depicts the ecliptic – Earth’s orbital plane projected onto the great dome of sky.
Bottom line: See the waning crescent moon near Regulus from late night until dawn this week. Best for early risers on the mornings of November 4 and 5, 2015. Then watch for the moon to meet up with Jupiter on November 6 and Venus on November 7.
Astronomy events, star parties, festivals, workshops for September-December, 2015
EarthSky lunar calendars are cool! They make great gifts. Order now. Going fast!
Donate: Your support means the world to us
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1l5FblC
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