I know a lot of people love daylight saving time. I do too, but it’s tough on stargazers. As of tonight we’re back on standard time. Stargazers and amateur astronomers love standard time because it gets dark enough for stargazing as early as 6 p.m.
Without a doubt, we’re entering the best stargazing season of the year. Bundle up and take in the best show in your universe.
The brightest shiner in the Northwest evening sky is the very bright planet Jupiter, which is absolutely dominating the eastern sky even before the end of twilight. Late last month Jupiter and Earth reached a position that astronomers call opposition.
It’s dubbed that because Jupiter and our sun are at opposite ends of the sky, and we get to bask under the light of the great planet all night long as it rises at sunset and sets at sunrise. Not only is Jupiter pulling an all-nighter, but it’s also at its closest approach to Earth this year at just 370 million miles away.
Even with the smallest of telescopes or a decent pair of binoculars you can see up to four of Jupiter’s moons depending on where they are in their orbits. They look like tiny little stars on either side of Jupiter.
If your scope is powerful enough, and it’s really clear, you should also be able to spot some of the clouds bands that stripe Jupiter. Next week in Starwatch I’ll have more on the great Jupiter show that continues through most of the winter.
Late in the evening this month, around 8 or 9 p.m., you will notice that there are a lot of bright stars on the rise in the eastern sky. I call this part of the sky “Orion and his Gang” because the majestic constellation Orion the Hunter is the centerpiece.
Orion is up by 10 p.m., but before then you’ll see the Pleiades, the best star cluster, which looks like a miniature Big Dipper. You’ll also see Saturn, the prettiest planet in the solar system.
Over in the western sky there are still a few summer constellations hanging in there. Cygnus the Swan, Lyra the Harp, Aquila the Eagle, Delphinus the Dolphin and a few others are slowly migrating west a little more each night, making their slow exit.
Also in the southwestern sky, for a short time after sunset, you can see the very bright planet Venus, which will slip below the horizon around 7:30 p.m.
Mike Lynch is an astronomer and professional broadcast meteorologist for WCCO Radio in Minneapolis and is author of the book, “Washington Starwatch,” available at bookstores. Check his website, www.lynchandthestars.com.
The Everett Astronomical Society: www.everettastro.org/.
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