raben.com

The following is a discussion of just a few of the many fascinating astronomical objects to view this week, Oct. 5 to Oct. 11, 2008.

Sun

Sun. Oct.5 sunrise is at 7:03 am and sunset is at 6:39 pm mdt
Sat. Oct. 11 sunrise is at 7:09 am and sunset at 6:29 pm mdt

There are no active regions visible on the solar disk as of Sunday. For more information about the Sun and space weather, see www.swpc.noaa.gov

Moon

Sunday evening the moon is at lunation 6.7
First quarter is Tuesday at 3:04 am mdt.
Saturday the moon is at lunation 12.7

Planets

Venus can be seen naked eye, low in the west. It sets just before 8 pm this week. It very bright at -3.8 magnitude and its disk is 12.6 arc sec across.

Jupiter is straight south around 7:45 pm. It is magnitude -2.1 in brightness and the disk is 38.4 arc sec across. Jupiter sets from 11:44 to 11:23 pm this week. Jupiter's great red spot crosses center of the disk at the following times:

Oct 6 at 8:20 pm
Oct 8 at 9:59 pm
Oct 11 at 7:29 pm

Neptune is in constellation Capricornus; it is magnitude +7.9 in brightness; its disk is 2.3 arc sec across.

Uranus is in constellation Aquarius. It is magnitude +5.8 in brightness and the disk is 3.8 arc sec across as seen from telescopes on earth.

Saturn rises 4:48 to 4:27 am in constellation Leo. It is currently magnitude +1.2 in brightness and the planet's disk is 16.3 arc sec across.

Meteors

Activity from the Orionid meteor hour increases this week. Several minor radiants are active such as the Draconids, Delta Aurigids, and October Camelopardalids. Watch for them early in the morning this week after moonset.

The Orionids radiant is located 6 degrees northwest of Betegeuese. Orionid meteors move very fast. They peak on Oct. 21st but unfortunately the moon will interfere.

International Space Station

There are great passes of the International Space Station visible in the early evening this week:

Sun Oct 5 ISS appears in NNW at 8:13 pm and disappears in the earth shadow in the NNW at 8:16 pm (magnitude -1.6)

Mon Oct 6 ISS appears in the NNW at 7:05 pm and disappears in the East at 19:10 pm (magnitude -1)

Tues Oct 7 ISS appears in the NW at 7:30 pm and disappears in the earth shadow in the ESE at 7:35 pm (magnitude -2.4)

Wed. Oct 8 ISS appears in the WNW at 7:57 pm and disappears in the earth shadow in the South at 8:01 pm (magnitude -0.3)

Thur Oct 9 ISS appears in the NW at 6:47 pm and siapppears in the SE at 6:53 pm (magnitude -2.3)

Summary

This week you can view some bright passes of the International Space Station in the evening; view dazzling Venus low in the west after sunset; and watch the Orionids meteor shower. With a telescope you can watch Jupiters moons and view craters on the moon.