Astronomical Observing at the Fishcreek Observing Site
Friday - 9/3/2010  9:00 pm

This event was Cancelled due to high winds
which were expected to worsen during the night

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 this evening. 

Tonight, we're essentially Moon-free for nearly the entire session.  We have a 22% illuminated (waning crescent) Moon that won't rise until 2:03am Saturday morning.  This is one of those nights we wait for since all the faint DSOs (Deep Space Objects) will be visible due to the absence of the Moon.  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, including M31 - the Andromeda Galaxy - our closest neighboring island universe - will be ours for the asking if you stay late enough.  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.

How about the planets...which ones can we see tonight? 

    Sun is obviously unavailable to us, it IS night time after all. ;^)
    Mercury is no longer visible in the evening. It will soon be a morning object.
    Venus, with a waning crescent phase, is sinking lower and lower in the west. Still extremely bright!
    Earth is what you'll be standing on as you look up. ;^)
    Mars is 5.0° to Venus' upper right. Note that Mars appears far dimmer than Venus.
    Jupiter is now rising early enough for us and will be visible just after 10:00pm.  It's HUGE!
    Saturn is very low in the west now and just about gone for the year as an evening object.
    Uranus is now rising early enough for us and will be visible just after 10:00pm.
    Neptune is now easily visible after dark and for the entire night.
    Pluto is up tonight, but so incredibly small and dim that we can't see a thing in our telescopes!
    Moon is not visible tonight, unless you wait until 3:30am!

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!

- - - - - - Our location - - - - - -

Longitude:

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

 337m

Note: All times are shown in EDT (Eastern Daylight Time (UT-4)) as seen from Stow, Ohio
 .
 

The following Sun, Moon and planet detail was calculated as it will be
on Friday 9/3/2010 at 8:56:52pm (nautical twilight)
Source: Guide8 software available from www.projectpluto.com
Above Horizon Below Horizon Constellation Mag Rises Sets
  Sun Leo -26.7 06:51 19:58
  Mercury Sextans 4.8 07:00 19:36
Venus   Virgo -4.4 10:47 21:24
Mars   Virgo 1.5 10:23 21:32
Jupiter   Pisces -2.9 20:36 08:38
  Saturn Virgo 1.0 08:48 21:00
Uranus   Pisces 5.7 20:29 08:32
Neptune   Capricornus 7.8 19:11 05:48
Pluto   Sagittarius 14.2 15:47 01:43
  Moon Gemini -8.9 00:55 16:40
Click HERE for information on the planets such as orbital and rotational periods, velocities, distances, etc. not listed in the detail provided below.

Quick links:
    Inner Solar System     Outer Solar System
.

Sun data
 
Rises:

6:51am
Transits:

1:25pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

7:58pm
Constellation:

Leo
Distance:

1.00859697 AU = 150,883,959 km = 93,754,947 miles = 8.4 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-26.7
Apparent size:

31.72 arcminutes in angular diameter

Twilight ends...
Civil:

8:23pm - Sun is   6° below the horizon
Nautical:

8:57pm - Sun is 12° below the horizon
Astronomical:

9:32pm - Sun is 18° below the horizon
Summer began:

at the Summer Solstice which occurred on Monday Jun 21, 2010 at 7:29am
Fall begins:

at the Autumnal Equinox which will occur on Wednesday Sep 22, 2010 at 11:10pm
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 9/3/2010 at 8:56:52pm the Sun will be 12° below the west horizon
Click HERE for additional data on the Sun

 (back to 'Quick Links')

.

Moon data
 
Rises:

0:55am - Sep 3 (next rises at 2:03am - Sep 4)
Transits:

8:50am (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
Sets:

4:40pm
Constellation:

Gemini
Phase:

25.84% illuminated (waning crescent)
Distance:

0.00250041 AU = 374,056 km = 232,428 miles = 1.25 light-seconds
Magnitude:

-8.9
Apparent size:

31.93 arcminutes in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

60.98° (morning sky)
Age:

24d 21h 50m since last New Moon
Prior Phase:

Last Quarter on Wednesday Sep 1, 2010 at 1:22pm
Next Phase:

New Moon on Wednesday Sep 8, 2010 at 6:30am
Next Lunar eclipse:

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

On 9/3/2010 at 8:56:52pm the Moon will be 26.5° below the north-northwest horizon
and would look like this in our telescopes at very low power* when it clears the trees to the east of the observing field at 3:50am:
   

*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:

7:00am
Transits:

1:17pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

7:36pm
Constellation:

Sextans
Phase:

0.84% illuminated
Distance:

0.6354726 AU = 95,065,348 km = 59,070,869 miles = 5.29 light-minutes
Magnitude:

4.8
Apparent size:

10.58 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

3.90° (morning sky)
Next maximum elongations...
Morning:

Sunday, September 19, 2010 (17° 52' 13")
Evening:

Wednesday, December 1, 2010 (21° 27' 14")

On 9/3/2010 at 8:56:52pm Mercury will be 15.9° below the west horizon
Click HERE for additional data on Mercury

 (back to 'Quick Links')

.

Venus data
 
Rises:

10:47am
Transits:

  4:06pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

  9:24pm
Constellation:

Virgo
Phase:

39.97% illuminated
Distance:

0.56686509 AU = 84,801,810 km = 52,693,402 miles = 4.72 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-4.4 (extremely bright, the brightest thing in the evening sky except for the Moon)
Apparent size:

29.44 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

45.02° (evening sky)
Next maximum elongations...
Morning:

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

Tuesday, March 27, 2012 (46° 02' 27")

On 9/3/2010 at 8:56:52pm Venus will be 3.8° above the west-southwest horizon
and will look like this in our telescopes at high power at the time of Civil Twilight...

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

.

Mars data
 
Rises:

10:23am
Transits:

  3:58pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

  9:32pm
Constellation:

Virgo
Phase:

95.17% illuminated
Distance:

2.16220602 AU = 323,461,417 km = 200,989,609 miles = 18.01 light-minutes
Magnitude:

1.5
Apparent size:

4.33 arcseconds in angular diameter - about 1/500th the apparent diameter of the Moon!
Elongation from Sun:

41.38° (evening sky)

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

Previous:

Friday Jan 29, 2010 at 2:21pm. Distance: 99,400,435 km. Size: 14.08 arcseconds.

Next:

Saturday Mar 3, 2012 at 3:52pm. Distance: 100,839,728 km. Size: 13.88 arcseconds.
Click HERE:

For a table of close encounters with Mars from 1969 to 2052

On 9/3/2010 at 8:56:52pm Mars will be 5.4° above the west-southwest horizon

Question: Will Mars be "as big as a Full Moon on August 27!" ???
  Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
Question: Will there be "Two Full Moons in the Sky!" ???
  Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
Mars was the closest in recorded history on August 27, but that was only in 2003, not every year!
At that time, it appeared to be 1/75th the apparent diameter of the Moon!  NOT the "same size as the Full Moon".

Please check these respected sites for their stories on the "Mars hoax" by clicking on the links below:
    Sky & Telescope
    Snopes.com
    Hoax-slayer
    Universe Today

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

.

Jupiter data
 
Rises:

8:36pm
Transits:

2:37am - Sep 4 - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

8:38am - Sep 4
Constellation:

Pisces
Phase:

99.89% illuminated
Distance:

3.99627369 AU = 597,834,035 km = 371,476,852 miles = 33.29 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-2.9
Apparent size:

49.33 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

160.73° (morning 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: Saturday Sep 04, 2010 at 1:26am (The Red Spot transits about every 9 hours 56 minutes)
GRS longitude: 146.2º
Jupiter moons activity (during darkness):
         None tonight before 3:30am Saturday Sep 4, 2010

On 9/3/2010 at 8:56:52pm Jupiter will be only 2.7° above the east horizon
but will look like this with its four moons at 10:02:43pm when it clears the trees to the east of the observing field:


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

.

Saturn data
 
Rises:

8:48am
Transits:

2:54pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

9:00pm
Constellation:

Virgo
Phase:

99.96% illuminated
Distance:

10.46840737 AU = 1,566,051,452 km = 973,099,270 miles = 1.45 light-hours
Magnitude:

1.0
Apparent size:

15.88 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

23.16° (evening sky)

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

Previous:

Sunday Mar 21, 2010 at 8:28pm

Next:

Sunday Apr 3, 2011 at 7:48pm

On 9/3/2010 at 8:56:52pm Saturn will be 0.5° below the west horizon
 but will look like this with five of its moons in our telescopes at high power at the time of Civil Twilight...

 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 Saturn
(back to 'Quick Links')

.

Uranus data
 
Rises:

8:29pm
Transits:

2:31am - Sep 4 - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

8:32am - Sep 4
Constellation:

Pisces
Phase:

99.99% illuminated
Distance:

19.13031687 AU = 2,861,854,670 km = 1,778,274,071 miles = 2.66 light-hours
Magnitude:

5.7
Apparent size:

3.68 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

162.10° (morning 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 9/3/2010 at 8:56:52pm Uranus will be 4° above the east horizon

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

.

Neptune data
 
Rises:

7:11pm
Transits:

0:30am - Sep 4 - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

5:48am - Sep 4
Constellation:

Capricornus
Phase:

100.00% illuminated
Distance:

29.04005031 AU = 4,344,329,691 km = 2,699,441,353 miles = 4.03 light-hours
Magnitude:

7.8
Apparent size:

2.35 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

165.48° (evening sky)

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

Previous:

Friday Aug 20, 2010 at 5:59am

Next:

Monday Aug 22, 2011 at 7:18pm

On 9/3/2010 at 8:56:52pm Neptune will be 16.8° above the east-southeast horizon

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

.

Pluto (Dwarf Planet aka Asteroid 134340) data
 
Rises:

3:47pm
Transits:

8:45pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

1:43am - Sep 4
Constellation:

Sagittarius
Phase:

99.98% illuminated
Distance:

31.51144077 AU = 4,714,044,442 km = 2,929,171,452 miles = 4.37 light-hours
Magnitude:

14.2
Apparent size:

0.10 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

111.32° (evening sky)

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

Previous:

Friday Jun 25, 2010 at 2:59pm

Next:

Tuesday Jun 28, 2011 at 1:23am

On 9/3/2010 at 8:56:52pm Pluto will be 30.2° above the south 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)
You can see that Mercury has now become a morning object and the Venus has passed greatest eastern elongation (on August 20, 2010)
Also, see how far away Mars is - and getting farther and smaller all the time!
 (back to 'Quick Links')

Outer Solar System - the Sun, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto
(Created using Software Bisque's TheSky software)
You can see that Neptune has passed opposition
and both Jupiter and Uranus approaching opposition which will occur on September 21, 2010

(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 this evening. 

Very sincerely yours,
Dave Jessie
"Time spent observing the heavens is not deducted from your life span"
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