This is the Saint Louis Science Center’s NIGHT SKY UPDATE for the week of Jan. 30, 2012. All times are given as local St. Louis time (Central Standard Time).
Information updated weekly or as needed.
Join us for our next star party, Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, held in association with the St. Louis Astronomical Society. For details, see the information at the bottom of this page.
The Sun and the Moon
Sunrise is at 7:09 a.m. on Monday, January 30, setting at 5:19 p.m., providing us with 10 hours and 10 minutes of daytime. The days continue to get longer, by two minutes each day. By Monday, February 6, we will have 10 hours and 24 minutes of daylight.
The sun continues to display some very active sunspots, some of which have been developing into moderate to severe solar flares. For more information and images, visit: http://spaceweather.com/
First Quarter Moon is on Monday, January 30 at 10:11 p.m. On the 30th, look for the moon between the Pleiades Star Cluster and the Hyades Cluster in Taurus.
International Space Station (ISS) Observing
There are several opportunities to view ISS flying over St. Louis this week, all of them in the early morning hours. The best one appears to be February 1st when it will fly practically straight overhead.
| Date |
Mag
|
Starts
|
Overhead |
Ends |
| Time |
Alt. |
Dir.
|
Time |
Alt. |
Dir. |
Time |
Alt. |
Dir. |
| 30 Jan |
-0.5 |
05:09:28 |
11 |
NNE |
05:09:28 |
11 |
NNE |
05:10:19 |
10 |
NE |
| 30 Jan |
-2.4 |
06:42:51 |
10 |
NW |
06:45:58 |
42 |
NE |
06:49:05 |
10 |
ESE |
| 31 Jan |
-1.4 |
05:47:10 |
16 |
NNW |
05:48:51 |
23 |
NNE |
05:51:32 |
10 |
E |
| 1 Feb |
-0.4 |
04:52:32 |
14 |
NE |
04:52:32 |
14 |
NE |
04:53:36 |
10 |
ENE |
| 1 Feb |
-3.3 |
06:24:55 |
10 |
NW |
06:28:09 |
85 |
NE |
06:31:24 |
10 |
SE |
| 2 Feb |
-2.3 |
05:30:18 |
33 |
N |
05:31:04 |
39 |
NNE |
05:34:08 |
10 |
ESE |
| 3 Feb |
-0.1 |
04:35:45 |
14 |
ENE |
04:35:45 |
14 |
ENE |
04:36:26 |
10 |
E |
| 3 Feb |
-2.9 |
06:08:07 |
19 |
WNW |
06:10:07 |
44 |
SW |
06:13:13 |
10 |
SSE |
| 4 Feb |
-2.7 |
05:13:38 |
55 |
ESE |
05:13:38 |
55 |
ESE |
05:16:17 |
10 |
SE |
| 5 Feb |
-1.8 |
05:51:35 |
21 |
SW |
05:51:51 |
22 |
SW |
05:54:23 |
10 |
S |
For information about ISS flyovers and other visible satellites, visit www.heavens-above.com.
Alt. (Altitude) = The angle of an object in the sky measured upwards from the observer's horizon. An object on the horizon has an altitude of 0° and one directly overhead has an altitude of 90°.
Mag (Magnitude) = A measure of the brightness of an object in the sky. The lower the number, the brighter the object, so magnitude -4 is brighter than magnitude 0, which is in turn brighter than magnitude +4.
Additional information regarding all unmanned exploration of our universe, missions past, present and planned, can be found at Jet Propulsion Laboratories: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov
The Planets Visible Without a Telescope
Mercury
Mercury is no longer visible in the morning sky. It rises about the same time as the sun and is lost in the glare of sunrise.
Venus
Venus has been climbing higher in the sky during the past weeks and is easily spotted in the western sky right after sunset. It becomes visible a little after 5 p.m. and sets below the western horizon by 8 p.m.
Mars
The Red Planet rises in the east around 8:30 p.m. Mars is currently in the constellation Leo, just below the tail star of the lion, Denebula.
Jupiter
The solar system’s largest planet is easily spotted practically straight over head at twilight. It is located between the constellations of Pisces and Taurus. Jupiter sets in the west around midnight
Saturn
The ringed planet is starting to make its appearance in the eastern sky in the early morning. It rises about 11:30 p.m. and can be spotted just to the left, or north, of the bright star Spica in Virgo.
Our next Star Party will be held on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, from dusk until 10 p.m.
Weather permitting, the St. Louis Astronomical Society and the Science Center will set up a number of telescopes outdoors and be on-hand to answer your questions.
Regardless of the weather on Feb. 3, join us indoors in our Planetarium Theater for “The Sky Tonight”. Showtime is at 7 p.m.
This free, indoor star program will introduce you to the current night sky, the planets, and the seasonal constellations. Doors open 15 minutes before showtime. Shows begins at 7 p.m. Sorry, no late admissions due to safety issues in the darkened theater.
The St. Louis Astronomical Society hosts the monthly Star Parties at the Science Center which are held on the first Friday of each month. Our Monthly Star Parties are open to the public and free of charge.
For more information on astronomy and space exploration, contact the Saint Louis Science Center’s Astronomical Inquiry Line at 314.286.4616 or send an e-mail to spacequestions@slsc.org