Watching Planets Move: focus on Mars and Jupiter

Jupiter, Mars and Moon on 6 March

I love watching planets move. So did the ancient Greeks and they named these wandering objects 'planetes' and to this day, the name stuck. The planets normally move in a graceful arc across our night sky, slipping from one Zodiac constellation to the next, bringing a change in composition to the tapestry of the night sky, modifying the normal patterns of the constellations. And showing us just how extraordinary our Solar System really is, a collection of planets orbiting a star alongside us on Earth, and creating a window into the universe of how systems emerge around our galaxy and the universe. 

Right now, Mars and Jupiter are extremely well placed in the night sky. They both are occupying the 'Winter Hexagon' which is a rich span of winter sky that includes many of the brightest stars in the night sky. At the moment, Mars and Jupiter are nicely bookending the circle of stars in the hexagon, Mars on the east side of the circle and Jupiter on the west side. Both planets are moving gradually eastward and the pattern we see now will change over the coming weeks. In particular, Mars will form very interesting patterns with the twin starts of Gemini, something you can watch and enjoy from night to night. 

My latest podcast for the Volkssternwarte München in the Translunar series features this alignment and part of the night sky. Give it a listen on a night when you have clear skies and you will make discoveries on your own. 

Image courtesy of SkySafari. 

The Real Planetary Parade

I love to see planets in our night sky. They are wonderful. They are wanderers. In motion, always gently sweeping across the sky, often the brightest objects in the sky and certainly some of the most colorful and interesting, both to the naked eye and in a telescope. I've recorded a podcast for the Translunar series to share some ideas of what you can see right now and for the next few months, with a Mars challenge built in.

And for those of you looking for a big “Planetary Parade” on January 25th, well, I am sorry to say, January 25th will look a lot like January 24th, and 26th, and the 27th, and so on. It’s just hype and to be honest, I think it is just something someone created to drive clicks to their website. But don’t be disappointed: the reality behind the hype is that there really are lovely planets spread across the night sky and there are wonderful things to see and enjoy for the coming weeks and months. Have a listen to my podcast and you will get a clear and thoughtful explanation of the planets, what to see, and what to look for night after night. 

Planetary Exploration

Viking Lander on Mars 1976

We humans have come a long way, evolving into a technologically advanced species. Over the past 60 years we have mastered the ability to send robotic spacecraft throughout the Solar System, getting a close up look at all of the worlds, even landing on some of them. As a young person in Los Angeles in the 1970s, I would regularly ride my bicycle to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and pick up the latest pictures from the Solar System, from the first landing on Mars in 1976, throughout the entire Voyager missions and fly-bys in the late 70s through the end of the 80s. I am personally moved to watch and learn as we (NASA, ESA, other space agencies) push the frontier and travel farther and wider in our own home solar system. 

I recently recorded a podcast for the Translunar series talking about Planetary Exploration. You can listen here. And for those of you in and around Munich, Germany, I will be delivering talks in English and in German at the Volkssternwarte München on the same topic in November 2024. 

NASA and the Planetary Society have amazing stories, reports and photos from these missions. If you like learning about our Solar System, you will be happy to find endless resources on their websites. 

Image courtesy of NASA. 

Spooky Astronomy

The Face on Mars (1976)

It's that time of year when pumpkins begin appearing everywhere and darkness arrives earlier in the evening. We humans generally enjoy being spooked a bit, to be scared of things we do not fully understand or cannot fully explain. And looking up into the night sky, imaginations can run wild.  In 1976 the Viking landers took this iconic picture of the Martian landscape and many people saw a face in the picture. Since then, much better resolution images have come from Mars landers and orbiters and we now know that this is an optical illusion, a unique view that was fortuitous timing and also due to the fairly rudimentary camera that were on that early Mars mission. This is but one of many things people see in the sky, including UFOs and aliens, asteroids and comets, that strike fear into those seeing these objects. 

Several years ago I prepared a Halloween lecture called Spooky Astronomy that I have presented at the Munich Public Observatory (Volkssternwarte München). In this lecture, I share many more such examples of optical illusions, of real and less-real things we see in the sky, and talk about the science behind them. I have updated the talk and will present it again this week, in costume. It's fun, it's playful, it's a bit serious too, and bottom line, it's about learning. I have created a podcast version of this for the Observatory's podcast series, Translunar. You can hear it here. 

Image courtesy of NASA. 

Space Weather

Between the Earth and the Sun are 93 Million Miles (150 Million Kilometers) of empty space. Or is it really empty? Actually, there is a lot going on in that vast expanse and we call that Space Weather. We live, astronomically speaking, quite close to a fairly ordinary star and thank goodness, because a 4 billion year old star that rarely changes its output has allowed life to emerge and thrive on Earth. But the Sun still has its moments and causes surprisingly regular phenomenon on Earth, much more than just warming the atmosphere.

I have recorded a podcast, in which I explain in detail what kind of space weather the Sun creates for us, and how you can learn more about these phenomena, including sunspots, northern lights, and solar flares. 

The website Spaceweather.com is an excellent resource for tracking the outbursts and phenomenon that are driven by the cycles and episodes of our own home star.

Image credit: SDO/HMI

Perseid Meteor Shower 2024

The Perseids in 2024 promise a favorable viewing on the nights of August 11th and 12th. This meteor shower is quite reliable in providing a dazzling display of beautiful meteors, but you need to stay up late if you want the full effect. And you will want to find a dark location with little to no ambient light or city lights, if possible. Finally, you will want to dress well, because even on a warm day the evening can cool down quickly and make viewing unpleasant. 

I have just published a podcast that outlines in detail the origin of the Perseids, the best way to view them, and other tips about this annual meteor shower. It is just a little over 20 minutes long and I think you will enjoy it. You can read more about the Perseids in this excellent article from Sky and Telescope. There are many online resources for more information, but you don't need to overcomplicate viewing of the meteor shower. The most important factors are a dark location, comfortable clothing, a place to sit or lie, a few good friends, and patience. You will see them, I can assure you. 

Give a listen to my Translunar Podcast here for more tips and inspiration. Wishing you clear skies and happy viewing. 

Image courtesy Sky & Telescope. 

Tour the Summer Sky

You are invited to dress reasonably warm, go outside in the evening, and listen to this podcast on your earbuds or headphones. I will guide you on a tour of the night sky where you will discover many constellations, from scorpions to swans. Summer is not only the time of the summer triangle, it also has a very diverse collection of different constellations to offer and invites with its mild nighttime temperatures to stargaze until dawn!

"Tour the Summer Sky with Paul" from the Translunar Podcast series. 

Read more: this writeup from the Celestron Telescope Company is an excellent summary of what you can see in the summer night sky. 

Image courtesy of Panos Zoulakis / Wikimedia Commons

The Marvels of Polaris, the North Star

Polaris, our North Star, is one of the most well-known stars in the night sky. But why is it so well known? What are its special characteristics that make it so special? It is far from being the brightest star in the night sky (it’s the 48th brightest), yet it has an amazing reputation. I've recorded a podcast to talk about the special place that Polaris inhabits right now, and how this will change over the very long-term. 

"Guiding Light: The Marvels of Polaris, the North Star" on the Translunar Podcast. 

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons