We are looking forward to a mostly moonless weekend, with the new Moon having just occurred yesterday. Here a just a few things you might look for this weekend if you find yourself outside under the starry sky.
Zodiacal Light – check out our article posted earlier in the week to see what it is and how to find it.
ISS Pass – check out our article posted earlier in the week for full details on the International Space Station pass tonight.
Galactic Center – check out our article posted earlier in the week for tips on when to view the center of our galaxy before it slips below the horizon for the winter.
Other things to look for are the planets Saturn and Jupiter, visible about 30° above the horizon in the southern sky after sunset. The planet Mars is steadily getting brighter, heading for its close encounter with us on October 13. You can see the red planet Mars about 10° above eastern horizon a couple of hours after sunset. Venus rises in the east in the wee hours of the morning, and by an hour before sunrise it will be about 30° above the horizon. Venus is easy to pick out because it is the brightest object in that part of the sky. If you need a reminder of how to measure distances in the sky, check out our previous article that describes how to measure distances in the sky using your hands.
Enjoy your weekend!
M. Colleen Gino, MRO Assistant Director of Outreach and Communications