Astronomical Observing at Fishcreek Observing Site
Friday - 11/27/2009 at 7:00 PM
 would have started in:  

 

UPDATE: Thursday 11/12/09 at 3:40 PM

This event has been CANCELLED
Another scheduled event at Fishcreek School
will prevent our use of the field due to the
brightness of the required parking lot lights.
 


Click HERE for a printer-friendly version of the information on this page.

Click HERE for general Information you should know about our events - Q&A of Where, When and What.
Click HERE for satellite passes during this event. 

Tonight, we have a 79% illuminated waxing gibbous Moon rising at 1:50pm that will be with us until it sets at 3:26am Saturday.  The faint DSOs (Deep Space Objects) will be difficult for us due to the brightness of the Moon.  Jupiter will be beautiful with several Galilean Moon events tonight.  Take a look at the information for Jupiter, below.  We have the colorful double stars, open clusters made up of hundreds of stars, the globular clusters comprised of hundreds of thousands of stars, planetary nebula formed by dying stars, diffuse nebula and emission nebula where stars are being born.  Galaxies will be a challenge, but M31 - the Andromeda Galaxy - our closest neighboring island universe - should be visible even with the bright Moon.  Bring binoculars if you have a pair and we'll show you how to find the Andromeda Galaxy with them!  Also, we'll show you how to find the beautiful "Coat hanger" cluster which is best seen in binoculars.  Kemble's Cascade will be high enough in altitude for us to see as well.

Click HERE for a list of DeepSky Objects that will be available to us this session.

We hope to see you here for a night under the stars - now in our fifteenth year!

 Quick links:
    Inner Solar System     Outer Solar System

Note: All times are shown in EST (Eastern Standard Time (UT-5)) as seen from Stow, Ohio

Longitude:

 W 81° 25' 38.4"
Latitude: N 41° 11' 11.1"
Altitude:

 337m

The following Sun, Moon and planet detail was calculated as it will be
on Friday 11/27/2009 at 6:03:24pm EST (nautical twilight)
Source: Guide8 software available from www.projectpluto.com
Above Horizon Below Horizon Constellation Mag Rises Sets
  Sun Scorpius -26.7 07:24 17:02
  Mercury Ophiuchus -0.6 08:33 17:37
  Venus Libra -3.9 06:28 16:29
  Mars Cancer 0.0 22:03 12:28
Jupiter   Capricornus -2.3 12:21 22:39
  Saturn Virgo 1.0 02:04 14:20
Uranus   Aquarius 5.8 13:39 01:24
Neptune   Capricornus 7.9 12:27 22:58
Pluto   Sagittarius 14.3 09:08 19:05
Moon   Pisces -11.3 13:50 03:26
Click HERE for information on the planets such as orbital and rotational periods, velocities, distances, etc. not listed in the detail provided below.

 

Sun data
 
Rises:

  7:24am
Transits:

12:13pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

  5:02pm
Constellation:

Scorpius
Distance:

0.98662372 AU = 147,596,808 km = 91,712,406 miles = 8.22 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-26.7
Apparent size:

32.42 arcminutes in angular diameter

Twilight ends...
Civil:

 5:29pm - Sun is   6° below the horizon
Nautical:

 6:03pm - Sun is 12° below the horizon
Astronomical:

 6:36pm - Sun is 18° below the horizon
Fall began:

at the Autumnal Equinox which occurred on Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 at 5:19pm
Winter begins:

at the Winter Solstice which will occur on Monday Dec 21, 2009 at 1:47pm
Next Solar Eclipses in Stow, Ohio:
    Partial eclipse (>80%) on Monday August 21, 2017 2:30pm EDT
    Total eclipse (an amazing sight!) on Monday April 8, 2024 2:15pm EST (3:15pm EDT)
On 11/27/2009 at 6:03:24pm the Sun will be 12º below the west-southwest horizon
Click HERE for additional data on the Sun
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Moon data
 
Rises:

1:50pm
Transits:

8:32pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
Sets:

3:26am - Nov 28
Constellation:

Pisces
Phase:

78.58% illuminated (waxing gibbous)
Distance:

0.0025713 AU = 384,661 km = 239,017 miles = 1.29 light-seconds
Magnitude:

-11.3
Apparent size:

31.05 arcminutes in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

124.74° (evening sky)
Age:

11d 3h 50m since last New Moon
Prior Phase:

First Quarter on Tuesday Nov 24, 2009 at 5:39pm
Next Phase:

Full Moon on Wednesday Dec 2, 2009 at 3:30am
Next Lunar eclipse:

Total eclipse (100%) on Sunday Sept 27, 2015 at 10:10pm EDT

On 11/27/2009 at 6:03:24pm the Moon will be 43.8º above the east-southeast horizon
and will look like this at very low power* in our telescopes...

*How do we change the "power" (magnification) of our telescopes?
Simple!  By changing the eyepiece to one of a longer or shorter focal length.
If the eyepiece is of shorter focal length, the "power" (magnification) is higher,
If he eyepiece is of longer focal length, the "power" (magnification) is lower.
By how much?  Here's the formula:

Magnification =F focal length of telescope objective lens (or mirror)
focal length of eyepiece being used      

Note: All graphics are correct-image representations.  A telescope will reverse this left-right and possibly invert up-down depending on type of equipment being used.

Click HERE for additional data on the Moon
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Mercury data
 
Rises:

8:33am
Transits:

1:05pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

5:37pm
Constellation:

Ophiuchus
Phase:

93.88% illuminated
Distance:

1.35889229 AU = 203,287,393 km = 126,316,931 miles = 11.32 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-0.6
Apparent size:

4.95 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

12.68° (evening sky)
Next maximum elongations...
Evening:

Friday, December 18, 2009 (20° 17' 43")
Morning:

Wednesday, January 27, 2010 (24° 45' 10")

On 11/27/2009 at 6:03:24pm Mercury will be 5.3º below the southwest horizon
Click HERE for additional data on Mercury
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Venus data
 
Rises:

  6:28am
Transits:

11:29am - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

  4:29pm
Constellation:

Libra
Phase:

98.32% illuminated
Distance:

1.66788117 AU = 249,511,471 km = 155,039,242 miles = 13.89 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-3.9 (extremely bright, visible in the morning before sunrise)
Apparent size:

10.00 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

10.85° (morning sky)
Next maximum elongations...
Evening:

Friday, August 20, 2010 (45° 57' 59")
Morning:

Saturday, January 8, 2011 (46° 57' 24")

On 11/27/2009 at 6:03:24pm Venus will be 18.1º below the west-southwest horizon
Click HERE for additional data on Venus
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Mars data
 
Rises:

10:03pm
Transits:

  5:15am - Nov 28 - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

12:28pm - Nov 28
Constellation:

Cancer
Phase:

90.58% illuminated
Distance:

0.97087609 AU = 145,240,996 km = 90,248,572 miles = 8.09 light-minutes
Magnitude:

0.0
Apparent size:

9.64 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

109.16° (morning sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Mars is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Monday Dec 24, 2007 at 2:29pm

Next:

Friday Jan 29, 2010 at 3:21pm
Next close approach:

Friday Jan 29, 2010

On 11/27/2009 at 6:03:24pm Mars will be 29.8º below the north horizon

No, Mars was *not* be "as big as a Full Moon on August 27!"
Please see the following links for more information about this annual 'Mars Hoax'
    Sky & Telescope article
    Snopes.com article
    Hoax-slayer article
    Universe Today article
Click HERE for additional data on Mars
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Jupiter data
 
Rises:

12:21pm
Transits:

  5:30pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

10:39pm
Constellation:

Capricornus
Phase:

99.09% illuminated
Distance:

5.18200686 AU = 775,217,192 km = 481,697,637 miles = 43.16 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-2.3
Apparent size:

38.04 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

74.64° (evening sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Jupiter is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Friday Aug 14, 2009 at 1:44pm

Next:

Tuesday Sep 21, 2010 at 7:28am

Next transit of the Great Red Spot: Tonight at 10:07pm (The Red Spot transits about every 10 hours 56 minutes)
GRS longitude: 140.7º
Jupiter moons activity (during darkness):
       Io transit begins tonight at 6:17pm when Jupiter is 32.2° above the horizon
       Io shadow transit begins tonight at 7:35pm when Jupiter is 26.3° above the horizon
       Io transit ends tonight at 8:35pm when Jupiter is 19° above the horizon
       Ganymede transit begins tonight at 8:49pm when Jupiter is 17° above the horizon
       Io shadow transit ends tonight at 9:52pm when Jupiter is 7.1° above the horizon

On 11/27/2009 at 6:03:24pm Jupiter will be 32.7º above the south horizon
In the image below, notice Callisto far to Jupiter's east, Io and Ganymede about to pass in front of Jupiter and Europa to Jupiter's west:
 

In the close-up image below, notice no GRS in sight.  Ganymede and Io are about to pass in front of Jupiter and create the events listed above.
Yes, we can actually SEE the shadow of Jupiter's moons moving across the face of Jupiter in our telescopes!


Note: All graphics are correct-image representations.  A telescope will reverse this left-right and possibly invert up-down depending on type of equipment being used.

Information on Jupiter's Galilean moons:

  Io  -  mag 5.8
      Orbits Jupiter in 1.8 days = 42.5 hours
      Mean orbital radius = .00281822 AU = 421,600 km = 261,970 miles = 1.41 light-seconds
      Radius: 105% of our Moon
      Mass: 122% of our Moon

  Europa  -  mag 5.9
      Orbits Jupiter in 3.6 days = 85.2 hours
      Mean orbital radius = .00448469 AU = 670,900 km = 416,878 miles = 2.24 light-seconds
      Radius: 90% of our Moon
      Mass: 65% of our Moon

  Ganymede  -  mag 5.3
      Orbits Jupiter in 7.2 days = 171.7 hours
      Mean orbital radius = .00715251 AU = 1,070,000 km = 664,867 miles = 3.57 light-seconds
      Radius: 150% of our Moon
      Mass: 200% of our Moon

  Callisto  -  mag 6.6
      Orbits Jupiter in 16.7 days = 400.5 hours
      Mean orbital radius = 0.01258708 AU = 1,883,000 km = 1,170,042 miles = 6.29 light-seconds
      Radius: 138% of our Moon
      Mass: 146% of our Moon
Click HERE for additional data on Jupiter
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Saturn data
 
Rises:

2:04am
Transits:

8:12am - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

2:20pm
Constellation:

Virgo
Phase:

99.78% illuminated
Distance:

9.8701055 AU = 1,476,546,766 km = 917,483,636 miles = 1.37 light-hours
Magnitude:

1.0
Apparent size:

16.84 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

63.11° (morning sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Saturn is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Sunday Mar 8, 2009 at 3:44pm

Next:

Sunday Mar 21, 2010 at 8:28pm

On 11/27/2009 at 6:03:24pm Saturn will be 38.9º below the northwest horizon
Click HERE for additional data on Saturn
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Uranus data
 
Rises:

1:39pm
Transits:

7:31pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

1:24am - Nov 28
Constellation:

Aquarius
Phase:

99.94% illuminated
Distance:

19.78896597 AU = 2,960,387,172 km = 1,839,499,330 miles = 2.75 light-hours
Magnitude:

5.8
Apparent size:

3.56 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

106.86° (evening sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Uranus is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Thursday Sep 17, 2009 at 5:34am

Next:

Tuesday Sep 21, 2010 at 12:51pm

On 11/27/2009 at 6:03:24pm Uranus will be 40.8º above the southeast horizon
Click HERE for additional data on Uranus
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Neptune data
 
Rises:

12:27pm
Transits:

  5:43pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

10:58pm
Constellation:

Capricornus
Phase:

99.97% illuminated
Distance:

30.21510397 AU = 4,520,115,217 km = 2,808,669,417 miles = 4.19 light-hours
Magnitude:

7.9
Apparent size:

2.26 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

78.00° (evening sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Neptune is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Monday Aug 17, 2009 at 4:47pm

Next:

Friday Aug 20, 2010 at 5:59am

On 11/27/2009 at 6:03:24pm Neptune will be 34.6º above the south horizon
Click HERE for additional data on Neptune
(back to 'Quick Links')

 

Pluto (Dwarf Planet aka Asteroid 134340) data
 
Rises:

9:08am
Transits:

2:07pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

7:05pm
Constellation:

Sagittarius
Phase:

100.00% illuminated
Distance:

32.62328718 AU = 4,880,374,297 km = 3,032,524,033 miles = 4.53 light-hours
Magnitude:

14.3
Apparent size:

0.10 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

26.73° (evening sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Pluto is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Tuesday Jun 23, 2009 at 3:49am

Next:

Friday Jun 25, 2010 at 2:59pm

On 11/27/2009 at 6:03:24pm Pluto will be 9.2º above the southwest horizon
Click HERE for additional data on Pluto
(back to 'Quick Links')


Inner Solar System - the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars
(Created using Software Bisque's TheSky software)
Notice that Earth is catching up with Mars.  Of course, we have an inside lane!

 (back to 'Quick Links')
 

Outer Solar System - the Sun, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto
(Created using Software Bisque's TheSky software)
   

(back to 'Quick Links')
 

Click HERE for event status.

Click HERE for a printer-friendly version of the information on this page.

Click HERE for general Information you should know about our events - Q&A of Where, When and What.
Click HERE for satellite passes during this event. 
Click HERE for a list of DeepSky Objects that will be available to us this session.

Very sincerely yours,
Dave Jessie
"Time spent observing the heavens is not deducted from your life span"
(back to 'Quick Links')

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