Contents 2 Jan

Skyby Martin Ratcliffe Guide and Richard Talcott 2013

contents 2 Jan. 2013 Meteors battle the Moon in 2013 3 Feb. 2013 Spend evenings with Mercury 4 March 2013 A bright comet in evening twilight 5 April 2013 Running rings around Saturn 6 May 2013 When the Sun and Moon align 7 June 2013 An active Sun means observing fun 8 July 2013 Under a changing light

9 Aug. 2013 Perseids receive a Hero’s welcome Saturn puts on a great show when it reaches 10 Sept. 2013 A bright year for asteroids opposition in late April. Observers on Earth can see many of the planet’s features, although not to the 11 Oct. 2013 Icy giants for chilly autumn nights extent seen here by the Cassini spacecraft. NASA/JPL/SSI 12 Nov. 2013 On safari for totality 13 Dec. 2013 Venus’ brilliant evening return

14 Jan. 2014 Jupiter gleams high in the sky Martin Ratcliffe provides professional 15 2014 Preview Looking ahead to next year planetarium development for Sky-Skan, Inc., from his home in Wichita, Kansas. Richard Talcott is a 16 Spacecraft A year of exploration senior editor of Astronomy.

© 2012 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form A supplement to Astronomy magazine 618276 without permission from the publisher. www.Astronomy.com 2013 Jan Meteors battle the S M T W T F S 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 Moon in 2013 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 very new year begins URSA MINOR 27 28 29 30 31 URSA MAJOR with a bang — at least if you’re a dedicated meteor Radiant BOÖTES observer. One of the Arcturus 3 Quadrantid meteor Emost prolific annual showers shower peaks ramps up to a sharp peak dur- 5 The Moon passes ing the year’s initial week, CORONA 0.6° south of Spica, BOREALIS 3 p.m. EST bringing dozens if not 100 or more meteors per hour under DRACO 6 The Moon passes good conditions. The 2013 4° south of Saturn, Vega HERCULES 8 p.m. EST Quadrantid meteor shower 10 The Moon passes reaches its maximum the 10° 3° north of Venus, morning of January 3. 7 a.m. EST Unfortunately, a waning January 3, 4 A.M. Looking east-northeast 13 The Moon passes gibbous Moon shares the pre- 6° north of Mars, dawn sky with this display of 7 a.m. EST Meteors will streak across the early morning sky January 3 as the “shooting stars.” Our satellite’s Quadrantid shower reachesASY-SM0112_12 its annual peak. Astronomy: Roen Kelly 14 The Moon passes bright light will wash out 6° north of Nep- ASY-PB0113_20 tune, noon EST fainter meteors and render the brighter ones less dramatic. try to position yourself where Many of 2013’s other major 16 The Moon passes 5° north of Uranus, Not all is lost, however. The a tree or building blocks the meteor showers also fight midnight EST Quadrantids typically produce Moon and reduces its glare. bright moonlight. A waxing 18 Mercury is in supe- anywhere from 60 to 200 Quadrantid meteors form gibbous Moon remains in the rior conjunction, meteors per hour. Even if the when small dust particles strike sky almost until twilight 4 a.m. EST Moon cuts the number in half, Earth’s atmosphere and vapor- begins at the April 22 peak of 21 The Moon passes a reasonable estimate because ize from the heat of friction. the Lyrid shower. The Orio- 0.5° south of Jupi- the shower generates a high These meteors travel at 25 nids in October and the Leo- ter, 10 p.m. EST percentage of bright streaks, miles per second (41 kilome- nids in November fare even this shower should still rank ters per second) and appear to worse, with a nearly Full Moon Events that can be viewed among 2013’s best. radiate from a point in north- in the sky all night for both with the naked eye You can improve your ern Boötes. The shower gets showers. And the Geminids, Events that can be viewed meteor viewing with a couple its name from the now-defunct which peak December 14, have with binoculars of simple tricks. First, observe constellation Quadrans Mura- a single hour of darkness Events that can be viewed from a dark site — you don’t lis, which occupied this area between moonset and the with a telescope want city sky glow or a neigh- of sky when observers first beginning of twilight. On a bor’s bright security light to described the shower during happier note, the waning cres- add to the Moon’s glare. Next, the 19th century. cent Moon won’t interfere with the Eta Aquarid peak the night Meteor showers in 2013 of May 5/6. But the year’s best meteor Moon Phases Name Peak date Moon’s phase Prospects display promises to come Quadrantids Jan. 3 Waning gibbous Fair during the Perseid shower. A First Quarter Lyrids April 22 Waxing gibbous Fair waxing crescent Moon sets by Full Moon Eta Aquarids May 5 Waning crescent Good 11 p.m. local daylight time Perseids Aug. 12 Waxing crescent Excellent Last Quarter August 11, leaving the prime Orionids Oct. 21 Waning gibbous Poor viewing hours after midnight New Moon Leonids Nov. 17 Full Moon Poor free from its illumination. See Geminids Dec. 14 Waxing gibbous Fair page 9 for more on this great summer shower.

2 Sky Guide 2013 2013 Spend evenings Feb S M T W T F S 1 2 with Mercury 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 ou can catch also plays a role — build- 24 26 27 28 your first glimpse ings, trees, or hills can of Mercury this year obstruct your view. shortly after the Sun Mercury makes five sets in February. The other appearances during Yinnermost planet pulls away 2013. It puts on a similarly 1 The Moon passes 0.3° south of Spica, from our star during the good evening show in late 9 p.m. EST month’s first week. On the May and early June, although 3 The Moon passes 1st, Mercury shines brightly the company it keeps then far 3° south of Saturn, (magnitude –1.1) and sets outshines the glow Mars offers 5 a.m. EST nearly an hour after the Sun. in February. From May 24 Mercury’s pockmarked surface 8 Mercury passes If you watch during twi- to 28, Mercury, Venus, and displays circular craters, deep 0.3° north of Mars, light the next two weeks, Jupiter lie within 4° of one basins, bright rays, and maybe 4 p.m. EST you’ll see the planet climb another. (Venus is the bright- water ice to the sharp eyes of 11 The Moon passes progressively higher. On Feb- est of this trio and Mercury NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. 5° north of Mer- NASA/JHUAPL/CIW ruary 8, Mercury passes just the faintest.) After Mercury cury, 1 p.m. EST 0.3° north of Mars. The inner reaches greatest elongation 13 The Moon passes 4° north of Uranus, planet then shines at magni- June 12, it heads back toward Mercury’s worst appearances 11 a.m. EST tude –1.0 — eight times the Sun and passes just 2° come around greatest elonga- 16 Mercury is at brighter than its ruddy com- from Venus on the 20th. tion March 31 (morning sky) greatest eastern panion. You’ll likely need The innermost planet’s best and October 9 (evening sky). elongation (18°), binoculars to catch Mars’ morning appearance of 2013 Solar system geometry then 4 p.m. EST dim glow against the bright for Northern Hemisphere favors viewers south of the 18 The Moon passes twilight. Three nights later, observers occurs around the equator. For observers at 30° 0.9° south of Jupi- a slender crescent Moon time of its November 17 great- south latitude in late March, ter, 7 a.m. EST appears some 5° to Mercury’s est western elongation. It the planet appears some 20° 21 Neptune is in upper right. then lies 12° high in the east- above the eastern horizon conjunction with the Sun, 2 a.m. EST The planet reaches the southeast 30 minutes before 30 minutes before sunrise. peak of this evening appari- sunrise. It appears nearly as At October’s greatest elongation at greatest elongation high before dawn in late July. tion, Mercury climbs equally February 16. It then lies 18° For viewers who live at high in the west a half-hour east of the Sun and stands mid-northern latitudes, after sunset. 11° above the western horizon 30 minutes after sunset for observers at mid-northern PEGASUS latitudes. Afterward, Mercury sinks into the solar glare as quickly as it rose, disappearing from view by month’s close. Moon Getting a clear look at the innermost planet depends on several factors. Because it Mercury Enif never strays far from the Sun, AQUARIUS Mars Mercury appears only low in the west after sunset or in the 5° east before sunrise. It climbs February 11, 30 minutes after sunset highest around the times of Looking west

greatest elongation, but not all : Roen Kelly Astronomy such configurations are cre- Mercury puts on a niceASY-PB0113_21 show in February’s evening sky. On the 11th, ated equal. Your local setting the innermost planet lies between the Moon and Mars.

www.Astronomy.com 3 2013 March A bright comet in S M T W T F S 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 evening twilight 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 dazzling comet can rapidly eastward during Febru- 24 25 26 28 29 30 N ignite a viewer’s ary. Early morning observers 9 31 γ passion better south of the equator will find M31 April 4 than almost any it passing through southern ANDROMEDA other celestial Sagittarius, Corona Australis, 1 The Moon passes 30 Path of Comet Aobject. Those flames could Microscopium, Grus, and β 0.1° south of Spica, C/2011 L4 burn bright this month for Piscis Austrinus. 2 a.m. EST seasoned observers and nov- The comet pushes north- 25 β 2 The Moon passes α ices alike — astronomers ward during March, whenα it 3° south of Saturn, ARIES 10 a.m. EST forecast Comet C/2011 L4 becomes visible in theE eveningβ E PEGASUS 20 4 Mercury is in (PanSTARRS) will glow sky for Northern Hemisphere inferior conjunc- brighter than any comet in the observers. The earliest views α tion, 8 a.m. EST past six years. And for those in should come around March 6 γ 10 The Moon passes the Northern Hemisphere, this or 7, when it appears a degree PISCES 15 6° north of Nep- could be the brightest easy-to- above the western horizon 30 tune, noon EDT view comet since the 1990s. minutes after sunset. Each fol- 17 The Moon passes Researchers discovered this lowing day, the comet climbs 1.5° south of comet June 6, 2011, on images 1° to 2° higher, which dramati- March 10 Jupiter, 9 p.m. EDT taken through the 1.8-meter cally improves its visibility. By 20 Equinox (northern 5° spring/southern Panoramic Survey Telescope the time it reaches perihelion autumn begins), and Rapid Response System (its closest approach to the ThisASY-PB0113_22 spring’s best comet cuts 7 a.m. EDT (PanSTARRS) on Haleakala Sun) March 9/10, C/2011 L4 through Pisces and Andromeda during March as it comes into 24 Jupiter passes 5° in Hawaii. At the time, the lies 7° high in the west 30 min- view after sunset. Astronomy: Roen Kelly north of Aldebaran, object glowed dimly at 19th utes after sunset and should 2 p.m. EDT magnitude. But its time as an shine at magnitude 0. As dusk 28 The Moon passes inconspicuous visitor from soaks up the Sun’s rays and the to north. Depending on how 0.005° north of the distant Oort Cloud will sky darkens, the comet’s ethe- much dust the comet pro- Spica, 11 a.m. EDT soon be over. real tail should come into view. duces, this could create a nice Venus is in superior conjunc- If predictions hold true From perihelion to the end broad dust tail to go along tion, 1 p.m. EDT — never a sure thing when it of March, the comet moves with a finer, straighter gas tail. Uranus is in con- comes to comets making their almost due north through The comet should fade to junction with the first trip through the inner Pisces and Andromeda while 4th magnitude by early April, Sun, 9 p.m. EDT solar system — C/2011 L4 will its brightness drops by about which would make the 29 The Moon passes become a superb object when a magnitude every five days. extended object visible only 3° south of Saturn, viewed through binoculars and The tail of PanSTARRS swings through binoculars or a tele- 4 p.m. EDT probably an impressive naked- through 90°, turning from east scope. It passes 2.5° west of the 31 Mercury is at eye sight. It could peak as Andromeda Galaxy (M31) on greatest western bright as magnitude 0 during the 3rd, then crosses into Cas- elongation (28°), 6 p.m. EDT the first half of March. siopeia on the 9th. Southern Hemisphere As good as C/2011 L4 could observers will have the best be, it might be only the second- views during January and Feb- best comet of 2013. As this ruary. In 2013’s first month, issue was going to press, astron- the comet should reach 7th omers were predicting that magnitude as it crosses Scor- C/2012 S1 (ISON) could peak pius and Corona Australis and Henry Hsieh/PS1SC as bright as magnitude –12 in Comet C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) appears low in the east before late November. To learn more glowed at 19th magnitude when dawn. It brightens consider- astronomers discovered it in June about this potentially great ably — perhaps to 2nd mag 2011. It should be a fine sight in comet, see the article in the nitude — and tracks more the evening sky during March. January 2013 Astronomy.

4 Sky Guide 2013 2013 Running April S M T W T F S 1 2 4 5 6 rings 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 around Saturn 28 29 30 NASA/ESA/Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Team NASA/ESA/Hubble Heritage Saturn’s rings open wider this aturn appears Saturn continues to rise year. At opposition in late April, magnificent from earlier and grow more promi- the rings tilt 18° to our line of 6 The Moon passes sight and appear stunning even 6° north of Nep- January through nent as it approaches its April through small telescopes. tune, 9 p.m. EDT September, but it 28 opposition. The planet then 8 The Moon passes reaches its peak shines at magnitude 0.1 and 7° north of Mer- Swhen it lies opposite the Sun easily surpasses its stellar should be able to spot the cury, 6 a.m. EDT in our sky in late April. At neighbors. When viewed semitransparent C ring that 14 The Moon passes opposition, any outer planet through a telescope, Saturn’s lies closest to Saturn as well. 2° south of Jupiter, rises near sunset and remains disk spans 19" across its equa- After opposition, the 2 p.m. EDT visible all night. But more tor and 17" through the poles ringed planet remains promi- 17 Mars is in conjunc- importantly, the planet then — a difference that’s easy to see nent throughout the spring tion with the Sun, lies closest to Earth, so it through any size instrument. and summer. Unlike other 8 p.m. EDT shines brighter and appears This assumes, of course, bright planets, Saturn doesn’t 19 Mercury passes 2° south of Uranus, larger when viewed through that you aren’t totally change its appearance much 5 p.m. EDT a telescope than at any other enthralled with the planet’s as it moves away from peak 22 Lyrid meteor time of the year. gorgeous ring system. At visibility. Its brightness varies shower peaks Saturn begins the year opposition, the rings span 43" by just 0.6 magnitude during 24 The Moon passes among the relatively faint and tilt 18° to our line of sight. 2013, and the rings look beau- 0.004° north of background stars of Libra. They haven’t appeared this tiful at almost any scale. Spica, 8 p.m. EDT This region rises around open since 2006, which makes Saturn’s westward motion 25 Partial lunar 2:30 a.m. local time and lies this a great year to explore relative to the background eclipse, 4 p.m. EDT high in the southeast as twi- their structure. You easily will stars carries it into Virgo in The Moon passes light begins. But Saturn pokes see the 2,900-mile-wide Cas- mid-May. The planet spends 4° south of Saturn, above the horizon a few min- sini Division that separates the most of June and July in the 10 p.m. EDT utes earlier every day. By mid- outer A ring from the brighter company of 4th-magnitude 28 Saturn is at opposi- February, you can find it low B ring. On nights with steady Kappa (κ) Virginis before it tion, 4 a.m. EDT in the eastern sky at midnight. viewing conditions, you loops back eastward. It returns to Libra in early September. N As Saturn dips toward the western horizon in September, it passes 4° from brilliant Saturn reaches κ opposition April 28 Venus on the 19th. Three June 1 July 1 weeks later (October 10), the May 1 ringed planet appears 5° from E April 1 Mercury, although the pair will be low enough in evening March 1 λ VIRGO twilight to prevent good μ views. These two have a better LIBRA conjunction after they move into the morning sky. On November 26, Mercury passes α just 0.3° from Saturn in the 1° predawn twilight. Saturn The ringed planet resides in western Libra at its peak this year, not far closes out the year shining from the constellation’sASY-PB0113_23 border with Virgo. Saturn shines noticeably conspicuously in the southeast brighter than the nearby background stars. Astronomy: Roen Kelly before dawn.

www.Astronomy.com 5 2013 May When the Sun and S M T W T F S 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 Moon align 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 ome of the most cuts across Queensland north- beautiful sky events west of Cairns. People on the 26 27 28 29 30 involve shadow play center line in Queensland will — either when the witness more than four min- Moon casts its utes of annularity. Although Sshadow onto Earth or our November’s eclipse immersed 4 The Moon passes planet blocks sunlight from Cairns in totality, some of the 6° north of Nep- reaching the Moon. Five same regions northwest of tune, 3 a.m. EDT The Sun will look like a ring of such eclipses occur in 2013, there lie within both tracks. fire at the peak of this month’s Eta Aquarid meteor 5 eclipse. The ring will appear shower peaks although the solar variety After the Moon’s shadow (when our satellite lies leaves Australia, it crosses the slightly thinner than during this 6 The Moon passes May 2012 eclipse. Ruben Kier 4° north of Uranus, between the Sun and Earth) southeastern tip of Papua New 8 p.m. EDT perform significantly better Guinea and some of the Solo- 9 Annular solar than the lunar type (when our mon Islands before heading spectacular. On November 3, eclipse, 8 p.m. EDT world plays the central role). across the Pacific. Although the Moon fully blocks the Sun 10 Asteroid Pallas is On May 9/10, an impressive the annular eclipse makes no for people along a narrow path in conjunction with solar eclipse will cover a simi- other significant landfall, many that cuts across central Africa. the Sun, 5 p.m. EDT lar stretch of land as last islands experience a partial For details on this total eclipse, 11 Mercury is in November’s eclipse. This time, eclipse. People on the southern see page 12. superior conjunc- however, the Moon lies farther coast of Hawaii’s Big Island This year’s three eclipses of tion, 5 p.m. EDT from Earth than average, so it will see the Moon cover 50 the Moon pale in comparison 12 The Moon passes doesn’t completely cover the percent of the Sun at 3:52 p.m. to its solar eclipses. On April 3° south of Jupiter, 9 a.m. EDT Sun. This leaves a ring of sun- HST May 9. Those in Hono- 25, residents of Europe, Asia, light visible to people situated lulu will witness 44 percent of Africa, and Australia can see 18 Venus passes 6° north of Aldebaran, along the central track, creat- the Sun disappear at 3:48 p.m. a slim partial lunar eclipse. 6 a.m. EDT ing an annular eclipse as HST. Because the Moon never The Full Moon’s northern limb 20 Mercury passes 7° opposed to the total one six completely covers the Sun dur- dips into Earth’s dark umbral north of Aldebaran, months earlier. ing this eclipse, viewers will shadow for 27 minutes. At 9 p.m. EDT The path of annularity need to use safe solar filters. maximum (20h07m UT), just 22 The Moon passes begins at sunrise May 10 in Nearly six months later, 1.5 percent of the Moon’s 0.005° north of Western Australia, crosses the 2013’s second solar eclipse diameter lies in the shadow. Spica, 7 a.m. EDT Northern Territory, and then promises to be even more And this stands as the year’s 23 The Moon passes best lunar eclipse. On May 4° south of Saturn, PAPUA NEW GUINEA 6 a.m. EDT 24/25 and October 18/19, the SOLOMON Moon slides through Earth’s 24 Mercury passes ISLANDS 1.4° north of Darwin lighter penumbral shadow. Venus, midnight Path of annularity The first of these will be essen- EDT Eclipse begins Cairns tially undetectable, with only 2 at sunrise Penumbral lunar percent of our satellite entering eclipse, midnight NORTHERN the shadow’s fringe. EDT QUEENSLAND TERRITORY North American observers 27 Mercury passes 2° WESTERN might glimpse the second pen- north of Jupiter, AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA Brisbane 6 a.m. EDT umbral eclipse the evening of Perth October 18. The Moon slides 28 Venus passes 1.0° Sydney north of Jupiter, into the shadow starting at 5:51 5 p.m. EDT p.m. EDT. By 7:50 p.m., about 31 The Moon passes 0 500 miles Melbourne three-quarters of our satellite 6° north of Nep- lies in the shadow. Sharp-eyed 1000 km tune, 10 a.m. EDT observers should see the Moon’s southern limb darken Australia is the place to ASY-PB0113_24 be as the Sun rises May 10. Viewers with clear skies will witness an impressive annular eclipse. Astronomy: Roen Kelly slightly around the peak.

6 Sky Guide 2013 2013 An active Sun means June S M T W T F S 1 observing fun 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 f predictions hold true, blemishes standing astride the 17 18 19 20 21 22 our star will reach its solar equator. Sunspots appear 24 25 26 27 28 29 highest level of activity dark because they are some in a decade sometime 2000° Fahrenheit cooler than this spring or summer. the rest of the Sun’s surface. IObservers saw little activity Other signs of solar activity from 2008 into 2010, and sev- to look for include white-light 3 The Moon passes 4° north of Uranus, eral months went by with no flares and, if you view through 4 a.m. EDT sunspots. But sunspot num- a Hydrogen-alpha filter, bright 10 The Moon passes bers on our local star have prominences along the solar 5° south of Venus, been rising these past couple limb and dark filaments pro- 7 a.m. EDT of years and seem poised to jected against the solar disk. The Moon passes peak in 2013. (Solar scientists Although scientists predict the 6° south of Mer- won’t know when maximum number of spots in this cycle cury, 7 p.m. EDT occurs until after the number The Sun will display many will be significantly lower than 12 Mercury is at of sunspots starts to fall.) sunspots and other activity as normal, don’t let that discour- greatest eastern our star reaches the peak of its Observing the Sun can be age you — astronomer Rich- elongation (24°), 11-year cycle. Jim Lafferty 1 p.m. EDT exciting, but you have to be ard Carrington observed the 18 The Moon passes cautious. Sunlight can quickly largest white-light flare ever 0.1° north of Spica, and painlessly injure your reti- equatorial regions take about recorded in 1859 during a 4 p.m. EDT nas, possibly leading to blind- 25 days to spin once around similar level of solar activity. 19 Jupiter is in con- ness, particularly if you view the Sun’s axis, you’ll record a Solar activity also can have junction with the through a telescope. (The period about two days longer effects closer to home. Strong Sun, noon EDT intense light can damage because Earth’s orbital motion flares and coronal mass ejec- The Moon passes optics, too.) If you want a changes our perspective. Our tions can expel enough high- 4° south of Saturn, direct view of the Sun, you star’s gaseous nature causes energy particles to damage 1 p.m. EDT must use a safe solar filter that higher latitude regions to orbiting spacecraft and power- 20 Mercury passes fits over your scope’s front rotate more slowly. line transmissions. And for 1.9° south of Venus, 2 p.m. EDT end. The most common are During the approximately observers, these particles 21 Solstice (northern white-light and specialized 11-year solar cycle, sunspots pump energy into Earth’s summer/southern Hydrogen-alpha filters. migrate from relatively high to magnetosphere, creating stun- winter begins), Alternatively, you can lower latitudes. With their ning auroral displays. So, even 1 a.m. EDT project the Sun’s image. Draw- numbers now peaking, don’t if you prefer your observing at 22 Venus passes 5° ing a circle a few inches in be surprised to see two nearly night, this year’s solar maxi- south of Pollux, diameter on a card lets you parallel belts of these dark mum holds great promise. 9 p.m. EDT plot the positions of sunspots 27 The Moon passes and forms a nice record of 6° north of Nep- tune, 5 p.m. EDT your observations. Use a telescope no larger than 4 inches 30 The Moon passes 4° north of Uranus, in aperture to reduce heat 11 a.m. EDT buildup and a basic eyepiece that has few optical elements — the adhesives in some modern eyepieces can melt with prolonged solar viewing. If you record sunspot positions every day, you’ll soon discover that the Sun rotates. Observe long enough and you’ll discern our star’s period Northern skywatchers should look for aurorae this year as the Sun of rotation. Although the bombards Earth’s magnetosphere with charged particles. Marvin Nauman

www.Astronomy.com 7 2013 July Under a changing S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6

7 9 10 11 12 13 N light μ 14 16 17 18 19 20 λ 21 23 24 25 26 27 ξ stronomy offers sev- ν 28 30 31 α eral enticing deep- γ sky pursuits. Some δ CETUS observers prefer viewing splashy E Mira 1 Pluto is at opposi- Astar clusters, many appreciate tion, 8 p.m. EDT ζ glowing nebulae, and still oth- θ ι 6 The Moon passes ers hunt down faraway galax- η 4° south of Mars, 8 a.m. EDT ies. Although they usually don’t get the attention heaped on τ 9 Mercury is in infe- their flashier cousins, variable rior conjunction, 5° β 3 p.m. EDT stars also excite lots of skygazers. It’s easy to identify many of 10 The Moon passes Mira varies from 3rd to 10th magnitude during a 332-day period. It 7° south of Venus, these stars and estimate their should reach its peakASY-PB0113_25 in late July. Astronomy: Roen Kelly 7 p.m. EDT brightnesses, and in some cases 15 The Moon passes it takes only a minute or two. 0.3° north of Spica, The summer sky has a few typically ranges from 3rd to Its brightness ranges from 5th midnight EDT bright ones to get you started. 10th magnitude over a 332-day to 13th magnitude over a 407- 16 The Moon passes Two famous long-period vari- period, though it occasionally day period. Near its maximum, 3° south of Saturn, 9 p.m. EDT able stars — Mira (Omicron grows even brighter. As it Chi changes the appearance of [ο] Ceti) and Chi (χ) Cygni nears maximum this summer, Cygnus the Swan by adding a 22 Venus passes 1.2° north of Regulus, — reach their peak this season. it changes the appearance of star to the bird’s neck. It should 1 a.m. EDT And Delta (δ) Cephei, a star Cetus the Whale. You can find glow brightest in early June Mars passes 0.8° important for its historic role the variable approximately 10° and remain visible to naked north of Jupiter, in measuring cosmic distances, southwest of a conspicuous eyes in July and August. 2 a.m. EDT is on view every clear evening. circle of stars that forms the Our final star, Delta Cephei, 25 The Moon passes Let’s begin with Mira, Whale’s head. lies near the southeastern cor- 6° north of Nep- which should reach maximum Summer evenings feature ner of Cepheus the King. Delta tune, 2 a.m. EDT light in late July. It then lies two other bright variables. Chi sits at the eastern apex of a 27 The Moon passes one-third of the way to the Cygni, a pulsating variable small triangle it forms with 3° north of Uranus, ζ ε 6 p.m. EDT zenith in the southeastern sky similar to Mira, lies nearly Zeta ( ) and Epsilon ( ) Cep, a in the hour before dawn. Mira overhead around midnight. pair of stars separated by two 30 Mercury is at greatest western elon- Full Moon-widths. gation (20°), N Delta varies between mag- 5 a.m. EDT 36 nitudes 3.5 and 4.4 over a 5.4- 26 α η day period. This makes it ideal CEPHEUS for a quick estimate every clear night, and you can witness its entire cycle within a week. 45 ν δ 36 ζ Zeta and Epsilon Cep nearly E ε span Delta’s brightness range, 42 with Zeta shining at magnitude 3.6 and its neighbor at magnitude 4.2. Variables like 46 β Delta pulsate with regular periods, and their luminosities LACERTA correlate with their periods. 2° This behavior makes such stars Delta (δ) Cephei changesASY-PB0113_26 brightness by 0.9 magnitude every 5.4 days. ideal for measuring distances (Numbers are magnitudes with decimal points left out.) Astronomy: Roen Kelly throughout the local universe.

8 Sky Guide 2013 2013 Perseids receive a Aug S M T W T F S 1 2 3 Hero’s welcome 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 lthough this is a better than the following 25 26 27 29 30 31 down year for morning. The number of meteor showers meteors visible on succeeding overall, the Per- nights falls until Earth exits seids are a nota- the debris stream around Able exception. While the other August 24. 3 The Moon passes 4° south of Jupiter, major showers share the sky Throughout this period, 6 p.m. EDT with the Moon, the Perseids the Milky Way arches nearly Asteroid Juno peak under Moon-free condi- overhead during the predawn is at opposition, tions the morning of August hours. This is a favorite back- 9 p.m. EDT 12. From mid-northern lati- drop for viewers to scan for 4 The Moon passes tudes, the five-day-old cres- meteors and photographers 5° south of Mars, cent Moon sets shortly after to capture the bright streaks. 7 a.m. EDT

10 p.m. local daylight time on Many Perseids leave a persis- Rowell Tony Mercury passes 7° the 11th. As always, you’ll see tent train — a glowing tunnel This bright Perseid meteor south of Pollux, more meteors at a viewing site of ionized gas in the atmos highlighted the 2012 shower. A 11 p.m. EDT far from artificial lights. phere created by a particularly waxing crescent Moon sets well 5 The Moon passes before midnight at this year’s 4° south of Mer- It actually takes a few bright meteor. peak, leaving a dark predawn sky. cury, 5 a.m. EDT weeks for our planet to cross The Perseids get their 9 The Moon passes the broad trail of debris name from the constellation 5° south of Venus, ejected over millennia by Perseus. All of the meteors before twilight begins, keep 10 p.m. EDT Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. appear to emanate from a watching as the sky starts 12 The Moon passes Each time the comet enters region near the border to brighten. By this time, 0.6° north of Spica, the inner solar system (a feat between this constellation and the radiant lies nearly over- 5 a.m. EDT it performs every 133 years), its neighbor, Cassiopeia. This head and you’re on the part Perseid meteor the Sun’s heat evaporates some is purely a perspective effect of the planet heading straight shower peaks of the ices in the nucleus, — the meteors travel on paral- into the dusty debris stream. 13 The Moon passes which liberates plenty of dust. lel paths, but our location on The meteors then hit the 3° south of Saturn, 4 a.m. EDT This debris eventually spreads Earth creates the illusion of atmosphere at top speed — along the comet’s entire orbit. diverging trails. some 37 miles per second — 17 Asteroid Ceres is in conjunction with Perseid meteors result when Although observers will and consequently appear the Sun, 9 p.m. EDT Earth plows through this see more meteors in the hours especially bright. 19 Mars passes 6° debris and friction with the south of Pollux, atmosphere vaporizes the 8 a.m. EDT dust particles. 21 The Moon passes Our planet encounters the 6° north of Nep- CASSIOPEIA tune, 11 a.m. EDT leading edge of this trail in Polaris ANDROMEDA mid-July. The number of 24 The Moon passes meteors gradually rises until Radiant 3° north of Uranus, 3 a.m. EDT the peak night, when rates top ARIES out at up to 100 meteors per Mercury is in PERSEUS superior conjunc- hour. These high rates can last tion, 5 p.m. EDT 10 hours, providing excellent Capella Pleiades 26 Neptune is at views for observers across a AURIGA opposition, wide range of longitudes. 10° 10 p.m. EDT That helps North Americans 31 The Moon passes this year because the peak August 12, 1 A.M. 4° south of Jupiter, Looking northeast 1 p.m. EDT should occur around noon : Roen Kelly Astronomy August 12, leaving the pre- The Moon sets before the 2013 Perseid meteor shower peaks, allowing dawn hours of the 12th a little viewers under a clear, darkASY-PB0113_27 sky to see up to 100 meteors per hour.

www.Astronomy.com 9 2013 Sept A bright year S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 for asteroids 15 16 17 18 20 21

22 23 24 25 27 28 NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA ore than Johann Parisa first detected 29 30 NASA’s Dawn spacecraft captured 100,000 aster- 324 Bamberga in February this portrait of Vesta during its oids lurk 1892, one of 122 asteroids the 14-month asteroid reconnaissance. The probe is now heading toward between the Austrian astronomer discov- a rendezvous with Ceres in 2015. orbits of Mars ered. The space rock begins 2 The Moon passes Mand Jupiter. Because of Jupiter’s September glowing at magni- 6° south of Mars, gravitational influence, these tude 8.3 inside the familiar that reach opposition in 2013, 6 a.m. EDT objects failed to coalesce into Circlet asterism in western 1 Ceres and 4 Vesta are worth 5 Venus passes 1.8° north of Spica, a full-fledged planet during Pisces, just below the Great targeting early in the year. Both 9 a.m. EDT the solar system’s earliest days. Square of Pegasus. By opposi- reached opposition in Decem- 8 The Moon passes A few of the largest of these tion, Bamberga brightens to ber 2012 and remain 7th- 0.8° north of Spica, protoplanets now orbit the Sun magnitude 8.1 and lies even magnitude objects in Taurus 11 a.m. EDT in the company of a vast num- closer to Pisces’ northwestern during January. To find them, The Moon passes ber of smaller bodies created corner. The asteroid shines see the map on page 43 of 0.4° south of Venus, by subsequent collisions. brightly enough to show up Astronomy’s January 2013 issue. 5 p.m. EDT Although this so-called through binoculars, though a Ceres passes 2° south of 9 The Moon passes asteroid belt holds many tempt- telescope makes it somewhat magnitude 1.7 Beta Tauri early 2° south of Saturn, ing targets, backyard observers easier to track down. in the month. It then heads a 1 p.m. EDT tend to concentrate on four Englishman John Russell few degrees west before looping 17 The Moon passes 6° north of Nep- — Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Hind discovered 7 Iris in back and coming even closer to tune, 7 p.m. EDT Vesta — that were the first ones August 1847. At opposition the star in early March. Vesta 19 Venus passes 4° discovered. But 2013 holds a this year, the asteroid glows lies in a more crowded region south of Saturn, surprise: The two brightest at magnitude 7.9 and appears — near the striking V-shaped 8 p.m. EDT asteroids to reach opposition within 1° of the magnitude 2.9 Hyades star cluster — some 10° 20 The Moon passes and peak visibility rarely appear star Beta (β) Aquarii. By Sep- to 15° southwest of Ceres. Dur- 3° north of Uranus, on viewers’ radar screens. Bam- tember, Iris has faded slightly ing January’s final week, Vesta 11 a.m. EDT berga is at its best September 13 and lies among the background remains nearly stationary just 22 Equinox (northern while Iris appears finest August stars of western Aquarius. 3° north of 1st-magnitude autumn/southern spring begins), 16 and remains a nice sight well Although Bamberga and Aldebaran and 1° east of mag- 5 p.m. EDT into September. Iris are the brightest asteroids nitude 3.5 Epsilon (ε) Tau, the 24 Mercury passes star that marks the Hyades’ N 0.8° north of Spica, PEGASUS northeastern tip. 3 p.m. EDT Ceres and Vesta continue to ρ 28 The Moon passes be newsmakers for more than 5° south of Jupiter, their visibility. NASA’s Dawn 5 a.m. EDT spacecraft orbited Vesta from July 2011 to September 2012. Oct 1 The probe discovered a series Bamberga reaches 26 opposition September 13 of equatorial grooves, analyzed E 21 the asteroid’s diverse composi- 16 tion, and mapped a giant cra- 7 11 ter and mountain peak at the 6 PISCES object’s south pole. Dawn is now making its way to Ceres, Sept 1 β which it should reach in early 2015. Observations from Earth γ 1° show Ceres to be icier than Asteroid Bamberga reachesASY-PB0113_28 opposition and peak visibility in rocky Vesta. In a few years, September, when it glows at 8th magnitude. The object then planetary scientists should resides among the stars of western Pisces. Astronomy: Roen Kelly know for sure.

10 Sky Guide 2013 2013 Icy giants for chilly Oct S M T W T F S 1 2 3 5 autumn nights 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 he outermost Uranus is easier to locate. It 27 28 29 30 31 major planets spends 2013 wandering in a come to opposition sparse region near the border within several between Pisces and Cetus. The weeks of each planet shines at magnitude 5.7 Tother in 2013. Uranus reaches at opposition, bright enough 1 The Moon passes 7° south of Mars, its peak October 3, less than to show up to naked eyes from 2 a.m. EDT six weeks after its more distant a dark site. It’s much easier to 3 Uranus is at opposi- sister planet, Neptune. Both view through binoculars, tion, 10 a.m. EDT will be easy to find and fasci- however. Uranus lies in the 6 The Moon passes nating to observe these fall same binocular field as the 3° north of Mer- evenings. Simply seeing the magnitude 4.4 star Delta (δ) cury, 6 p.m. EDT light from these worlds at the Piscium. At opposition, the The Moon passes solar system’s edge evokes planet lies 5° south-southwest 1.9° south of Sat- mystery and wonder. of the star. On October 14, urn, midnight EDT Although planetary scien- Uranus moves within 7' of a 8 The Moon passes 5° north of Venus, tists now use the term ice giant Observatory) (Paris Lamy NASA/ESA/Laurent magnitude 6.4 sun. Crank up 8 a.m. EDT to describe these outer worlds, Uranus’ bluish color stands out the magnification, and you’ll don’t think of them as massive through backyard telescopes as see the planet’s 3.7"-diameter 9 Mercury is at greatest eastern balls of frozen ice. The well as in this Hubble image. The blue-green disk. white spot at top is an aurora in elongation (25°), description caught on as a You’ll need a bit more per- the ice giant’s atmosphere. 6 a.m. EDT way to differentiate Uranus severance to track down Nep- 10 Mercury passes and Neptune from their larger tune. Although this distant 5° south of Saturn, cousins, the gas giants Jupiter almost entirely of hydrogen world reaches opposition 3 p.m. EDT and Saturn. By “ice,” scientists and helium. The large number August 26, it lies so far from 14 Mars passes 1.0° mean Uranus and Neptune of exoplanets with masses Earth (some 2.7 billion miles) north of Regulus, have relatively high abun- similar to Uranus and Nep- that its appearance hardly 6 p.m. EDT dances of substances such as tune discovered in the past changes during the next sev- 15 The Moon passes 6° north of Nep- water and methane while both several years shows the impor- eral months. It remains at its tune, 2 a.m. EDT Jupiter and Saturn consist tance of this class of planet. peak magnitude of 7.8 until 16 Venus passes 1.6° mid-October and doesn’t fade north of Antares, N below magnitude 7.9 until noon EDT 2014. It also stands higher 17 The Moon passes in the evening sky during 3° north of Uranus, ζ δ PISCES autumn than in late summer. 5 p.m. EDT ε You’ll need binoculars or a 18 Penumbral lunar ω telescope to spot Neptune. It eclipse, 8 p.m. EDT resides among the background 21 Orionid meteor Uranus shower peaks E stars of Aquarius, roughly midway between Sigma (σ) 25 The Moon passes Aquarii (magnitude 4.8) and 5° south of Jupiter, 6 p.m. EDT 38 Aqr (magnitude 5.4) throughout the summer and 29 The Moon passes 20 6° south of Mars, fall. These two stars lie 5° CETUS 9 p.m. EDT apart and will appear in the same binocular field. Turn a 2° telescope on Neptune and Uranus lies in southern Pisces,ASY-PB0113_29 near the border with Cetus, when it boost the magnification to see reaches opposition October 3. The magnitude 5.7 planet appears in the its tiny blue-gray disk, which same binocular field as 4th-magnitude Delta (δ) Piscium. Astronomy: Roen Kelly measures just over 2" across.

www.Astronomy.com 11 2013 Nov On safari for totality S M T W T F S 1 2 he year’s preemi- 4 5 6 7 8 9 nent eclipse arrives 11 12 13 14 15 16 November 3, when 18 19 20 21 22 23 the Moon passes between the Sun 24 26 27 28 29 30 Tand Earth and casts its shadow on our planet. This solar eclipse is special because it belongs to the rarest class. 1 Venus is at greatest Only about 5 percent of all eastern elongation eclipses are hybrids — annular (47°), 4 a.m. EDT along part of the central track Mercury is in inferior conjunction, and total along the rest. 4 p.m. EDT The Sun and Moon appear nearly the same size in our The Sun’s pearly white corona streams away from the Moon’s pitch- 2 The Moon passes black disk during a total solar eclipse. This year’s only such eclipse 0.8° north of Spica, sky, about 0.5° in diameter. occurs November 3. Jeff Buell 3 a.m. EDT But neither the Moon’s orbit 3 Total solar eclipse, around Earth nor ours around 8 a.m. EST the Sun is perfectly circular, so But during the next couple of the Sun as the pair rises 6 Saturn is in con- their dimensions change hours, the Moon moves about around 6:20 a.m. EST. The junction with the slightly during the course of 300 miles closer to Earth and eclipse ends about 50 minutes Sun, 7 a.m. EST the month and year. When the the shadow falls on a point later. People farther south and The Moon passes three objects line up precisely more directly beneath the west will see less of our star 8° north of Venus, 8 p.m. EST and the Moon appears a hair Moon and — voilà — totality! blocked. (Remember to use smaller than the Sun, as it does The central path begins in a safe solar filter to view any 11 The Moon passes 6° north of Nep- May 9/10, we see an annular the Atlantic Ocean about 600 partial eclipse.) tune, 6 a.m. EST eclipse. If the Moon looks a bit miles due east of Jacksonville, Less than 300 miles east- 13 The Moon passes bigger than our star, observers Florida. Although few, if any, southeast of where the annular 3° north of Uranus, see a total eclipse. people will travel there to wit- phase starts, the eclipse turns 10 p.m. EST On November 3, the Moon ness annularity (which lasts total and remains that way 17 Leonid meteor and Sun are exactly the same just four seconds on a path along the rest of the path. Max- shower peaks apparent size for a brief sec- 2.5 miles wide), residents imum eclipse occurs in the Mercury is at ond. At the start of the central along North America’s East Atlantic some 200 miles south- greatest western eclipse, the Sun looms a tiny Coast can see a partial eclipse west of Liberia, where totality elongation (19°), 10 p.m. EST fraction larger and observers at sunrise. From Boston, for lasts 1 minute and 39 seconds. on the center line see the ring example, the Moon will cover The Moon’s shadow makes 21 The Moon passes 5° south of Jupiter, of fire of an annular eclipse. slightly less than two-thirds of no landfall until it reaches the midnight EST African coast in Gabon north 25 Mercury passes 0.3° of Port-Gentil. On the center south of Saturn, line there, totality lasts 1 min- 11 p.m. EST ute and 8 seconds. The Moon’s 27 The Moon passes AFRICA shadow continues east and 6° south of Mars, slightly north, rushing across 11 a.m. EST Eclipse ends narrow sections of Gabon, at sunset 29 The Moon passes ETHIOPIA Congo, the Democratic 0.9° north of Spica, LIBERIA Republic of the Congo, north- noon EST totality SOMALIA Path of UGANDA Greatest ern Uganda and Kenya, and GABON DEM. REP. eclipse OF CONGO KENYA southern Ethiopia before end- CONGO ing at sunset in Somalia. The 0 1000 miles duration of totality falls as the

1000 km eclipse sweeps across equatorial Africa, dropping to less Africa will be the center ofASY-PB0113_30 the astronomical world November 3 than 25 seconds by the time when the Moon totally blocks the Sun from view. Astronomy: Roen Kelly it reaches Uganda.

12 Sky Guide 2013 2013 Venus’ brilliant Dec S M T W T F S 1 3 4 5 6 7 evening return 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 lthough Venus 29 30 31 reaches its greatest Altair

elongation from AQUILA the Sun on November 1, it Moon Aappears significantly higher 1 The Moon passes 1.3° south of in the evening sky in early CAPRICORNUS Saturn, 5 a.m. EST December. The extra altitude Venus 5 The Moon passes makes it even more conspicu- 8° north of Venus, ous when it shines brightest 7 p.m. EST SAGITTARIUS (magnitude –4.9) December 6. 6 Venus is at Venus’ upward trend arises 5° greatest brilliancy, through solar system geom- December 6, 1 hour after sunset 2 p.m. EST etry. The ecliptic — the Sun’s Looking southwest 8 The Moon passes apparent path across the sky 6° north of Nep- that the planets follow closely Venus appears highest and brightest for Northern Hemisphere tune, noon EST observers on evenings in earlyASY-PB0113_31 December. Astronomy: Roen Kelly — makes a shallow angle to the 11 The Moon passes 3° north of Uranus, western horizon during early 2 a.m. EST autumn from mid-northern in bright twilight, make an Sagittarius, it slides 3° south of 14 Geminid meteor latitudes. So, Venus’ elongation effort to view it during the the Lagoon Nebula (M8) on shower peaks from our star translates more month’s final week. On the November 5 and 6. The 6th 19 The Moon passes into distance along the hori- 28th, it passes 1° north of likely offers the finest view 5° south of Jupiter, zon and less into elevation. Jupiter. Venus then shines at because a slim crescent Moon 2 a.m. EST But during November and magnitude –3.9, two full mag- stands nearby. Use binoculars 21 Solstice (northern December, the ecliptic’s angle nitudes brighter than Jupiter. to see the Moon 7° north of winter/southern steepens sharply, more than As a bonus, Mercury lies 3° Venus, with the Lagoon and summer begins), offsetting the planet’s smaller from the pair. Trifid (M20) nebulae midway noon EST solar elongation. On Novem- Venus has several close between. The group lies low in 25 The Moon passes 5° south of Mars, ber 1, Venus appears 11° high encounters with bright stars the southwest as darkness falls, 10 p.m. EST in the southwest an hour after during the summer and fall. It so view from a dark site with 26 The Moon passes sunset; by December’s first cruises 1.2° north of Regulus an unobstructed horizon and 1.1° north of Spica, week, it stands 15° high. in Leo on July 21, 1.8° north of hope for clear skies. 10 p.m. EST Venus first emerges into Spica in Virgo on September 5, A telescope reveals dra- 28 The Moon passes the evening sky during May. and 1.6° north of Antares in matic changes on Venus during 0.9° south of Sat- Although the planet lies low Scorpius on October 16. the year’s final two months. On urn, 8 p.m. EST By the time it reaches great- November 1, the inner planet 29 Mercury is in supe- est elongation November 1, displays a 25"-diameter disk rior conjunction, Venus lies against the backdrop that appears half-lit. At the 1 a.m. EST of the Milky Way just 2° north time of greatest brilliancy of the galaxy’s center. The sec- December 6, Venus shows a ond planet from the Sun then disk 41" across and one-quarter shines at magnitude –4.5 and lit. By New Year’s Eve, the appears 47° east of our star. As planet has swelled to 60" in Venus continues its trek across diameter while its phase has waned to a thin sliver just 4 percent lit. It then appears less Venus’ thick clouds stand out than 10° above the horizon 30 in this ultraviolet image from the European Space Agency’s minutes after sunset; it will Venus Express spacecraft. succumb to the Sun’s glare by ESA/MPS/DLR-PF/IDA the end of January’s first week.

www.Astronomy.com 13 2014 Jan Jupiter gleams high S M T W T F S 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 in the sky 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 upiter dominates the stunning object 26 27 28 29 31 night sky in early for much of 2014. It reaches oppo- 2013. As Janu- sition and peak visibil- ary begins, its ity January 5, when it vital stats — 1 Pluto is in shinesJ at magnitude –2.7 and a magnitude conjunction with appears 47" across through a of –2.7 and the Sun, 2 p.m. EST telescope. Even better for an equatorial 3 Quadrantid meteor shower peaks Northern Hemisphere observ- diameter of 47" ers, the giant planet resides — match those in 4 The Moon passes 5° north of Nep- among the stars of Gemini, January 2014. The tune, 9 p.m. EST so it passes nearly overhead planet graces the con- 5 Jupiter is at opposi- around midnight local time. stellation Taurus in early tion, 4 p.m. EST This is as high as it’s been for 2013, lying between the Hya- 7 The Moon passes northern observers in 12 years. des and Pleiades star clusters. Bright zones, dark belts, and the 3° north of Uranus, Jupiter doesn’t reach oppo- After nearly all-night visibility Great Red Spot highlight Jupiter’s 8 a.m. EST sition in 2013. This omission during the winter and evening atmosphere. The Cassini probe 11 Venus is in inferior does not happen often for the views during spring, Jupiter took this image when it flew past the gas giant in 2000. NASA/JPL/SSI conjunction, solar system’s largest planet. sets soon after twilight in May. 7 a.m. EST The period between opposi- It has a fine conjunction with 15 The Moon passes tions runs 399 days, or about Venus May 28, when the two up around midnight in early 5° south of Jupiter, 1 a.m. EST 13 months. A simple calcula- brightest planets appear 1° October as it ushers in a return tion shows that if Jupiter lies apart with Mercury 3° away. to the late-evening sky. 23 The Moon passes 4° south of Mars, opposite the Sun in our sky in Jupiter reappears in the The gas giant moves east- 1 a.m. EST December (as it did December morning sky during July. It ward relative to the starry 25 The Moon passes 2, 2012), it rules out an opposi- meets Mars on July 22, when background until November 7, 0.6° south of tion the following year. The the two lie less than 1° apart when it becomes stationary Saturn, 9 a.m. EST next year void of a Jupiter against the backdrop of Gem- and then starts traveling west- 28 Mars passes 5° opposition is 2025. ini. The giant planet rises ear- ward. As it loops through cen- north of Spica, Despite the lack of peak lier each night through late tral Gemini, Jupiter twice 3 p.m. EST viewing conditions, Jupiter is a summer and autumn, coming passes close to magnitude 3.5 The Moon passes Delta (δ) Geminorum. On 2° south of Venus, N 10 p.m. EST October 3/4, the planet skims 7' north of the star; on Decem- 31 Mercury is at greatest eastern ber 10/11, 15' separate the pair. elongation (18°), When viewed through a 5 a.m. EST ε telescope, Jupiter offers a stun- ω ning array of atmospheric fea- E Jupiter reaches opposition January 5 tures and four bright moons. Feb 15 Jan 15 March 15 The best views come during moments of good seeing, when δ Dec 15 Nov 15 Earth’s image-distorting atmosphere steadies and the ζ GEMINI planet’s disk sharpens. These moments happen most often 1° when Jupiter lies high in the sky, so observers throughout Jupiter’s brilliance dominates the sky nearly all night during the Northern Hemisphere December 2013 and JanuaryASY-PB0113_32 2014. The giant planet then lies should have spectacular views among the background stars of central Gemini. Astronomy: Roen Kelly in late 2013 and early 2014.

14 Sky Guide 2013 2014 preview Looking ahead to next year...

The first total lunar No one has seen a total eclipse of the eclipse in nearly three Moon since December 2011, but the long drought years arrives April 14/15, ends with a veritable flood in 2014. On the night of April 14/15, the 2014, when the Moon will glow with a ruddy hue. Randy Brewer Full Moon dips deeply into Earth’s shadow. People throughout North America will have ringside seats for the entire show. The eclipse’s partial phases begin at 1:58 a.m. EDT. For the next hour or in the country’s northern states and in Canada will see more than so, the Moon darkens as totality approaches. This peak stage lasts 60 percent coverage. Maximum eclipse occurs in northern Canada, from 3:06 a.m. to 4:25 a.m. Our satellite should appear orange-red where 81 percent of the Sun will be hidden from view. during totality as sunlight filters through Earth’s atmosphere. The Planet-watchers can look forward to a dramatic appearance of partial phases wrap up at 5:33 a.m. Mars in the spring. The Red Planet reaches opposition April 8, As if one encounter with totality isn’t enough, the Moon returns when it shines at magnitude –1.3 and spans 15" when viewed to Earth’s shadow the morning of October 8. This event’s partial through a telescope. It hasn’t appeared this big and bright since phases commence at 5:14 a.m. EDT with totality following at 6:24 2007. Meanwhile, Saturn looks gorgeous for a few months on either a.m. After 60 minutes immersed completely in our planet’s shadow, side of its May 10 opposition, and Jupiter reigns supreme around the Moon re-emerges at 7:24 a.m. Residents of western North its early January peak. Watch for brilliant Venus to put on an America will have the best view of this eclipse, although even those impressive show before dawn in late winter and spring. on the East Coast will see at least some of totality. After a down year in 2013, meteor observers have better pros- No total solar eclipses grace our skies in 2014, but a partial pects in 2014. Although August’s Perseids must battle a nearly Full eclipse takes place across most of North America the afternoon Moon, January’s Quadrantids have no lunar competition. And no of October 23. People in most of the United States will see the other major meteor shower faces worse than a half-lit Moon. All Moon block more than 40 percent of the Sun’s disk while those in all, 2014 is shaping up as a stellar year for backyard skygazers.

Mars comes to opposition in April 2014, when it puts on Hinrich Basemann Bernard its best show in more than six years. ESA/MPS/OSIRIS Team North Americans can witness a partial solar eclipse October 23, 2014.

www.Astronomy.com 15 A year of exploration

Since its launch in March 2009, NASA’s Kepler probe has been staring at more than 100,000 stars in the constellations Cygnus and Lyra. As of October 2012, it had discovered some 2,300 planet candidates orbiting other stars and confirmed 77 of them. For scientists to ver- ify a discovery, the spacecraft must observe a candidate transit its parent star three times — which means finding an Earth-like planet in an Earth-like orbit around another star requires three to four years of observations. So, 2013 could mark astronomers’ first detection of a planet with earthly charac teristics elsewhere in the cosmos. Such a discovery undoubtedly would be one of the top science stories of 2013, but NASA and the European Space Agency The Kepler spacecraft will continue to hunt exoplanets during 2013. This artist’s impression (ESA) have dozens of other missions push- depicts Kepler-47, a system with two planets orbiting a binary star. NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle ing back the frontiers of science. The vener- able Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory report new discoveries every month. And Although deep space holds great allure for most astronomers, newer instruments such as the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, planetary scientists get just as excited about missions closer to NuStar (the first detector designed to focus X-rays), and Planck home. The biggest discoveries in 2013 likely will come from (ESA’s mission to explore the cosmic microwave background) NASA’s Curiosity rover, which landed on Mars in August 2012. continue to study the universe in great detail. The mobile science lab has started exploring its home in Gale Cra- ter and soon will venture into the layered deposits of Mount Sharp. Mission scientists hope Curiosity will find evidence that Mars once had habitats with the potential to support life. Curiosity has plenty of company at Mars. As of late 2012, the Opportunity rover, Mars Express, Mars Odyssey, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter all were still operating on or above the Red Planet. The other planets don’t tend to make as much news as Mars, but they remain under close scrutiny. Venus Express continues to explore our neighbor’s thick atmosphere while MESSENGER studies innermost Mercury. Farther from the Sun, Cassini keeps returning stunning images of Saturn, its rings, and its moons. Other planetary probes are set for future stardom. The Juno spacecraft will fly past Earth in October 2013 to get a gravity assist as it heads toward a 2016 rendezvous with Jupiter. Dawn has started its trek from the asteroid Vesta to dwarf planet Ceres, where it will arrive in 2015. That year also will witness New NASA’s Curiosity will explore Mars’ Gale Crater throughout 2013. The rover Horizons’ arrival at Pluto for the first close-up observations of will traverse Mount Sharp, whose layered base appears here. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS this intriguing world at the solar system’s edge.

16 Sky Guide 2013