On September 2, moon edges closer to Spica
4 comments Print Me Email to FriendTonight is Tuesday, Sep 02 2008
Yesterday, we pointed out some planets low in the western twilight, near the waxing crescent moon. Brilliant Venus, plus fainter Mercury and Mars, are now so near the sunset that you might not notice them before they slip beneath the western horizon, following the sun. But yesterday moon might have pointed the way, and today you’ll find the planets to the right of the moon along the western twilight horizon.
In contrast to yesterday, today’s moon has moved – as it always does – in orbit around Earth. That lunar motion in orbit has translated to a movement of the moon on our sky’s dome. It has carried the moon a bit farther from the sun-Earth line, and thus tonight’s moon is farther from the sunset. Still, autumn is nearly upon us in the northern hemisphere. And the autumn months bring an ecliptic – or path of the sun, moon and planets – that makes a very narrow angle with the sunset horizon. The whereabouts of the ecilptic in our sky is related to Earth’s orbit around the sun. Are you getting an idea of cycles upon cycles in the celestial sphere? You should, because that’s the reality. Earth’s tilt on its axis – which carries the sun low in winter and high in summer – also keeps autumn planets near the sunset from being easily visible.
But, as we said, the moon is always on the move, farther from the sunset each night. You’ll see it one night soon, if you don’t see it tonight. The little star near tonight’s moon is Spica in the constellation Virgo.
I think our world is so cool. And do you know what I would love to go to space one day and see all the different plants. And mybe discover some new plants.Two 11 year old girls who would like to make a diffence.
I think our world is so cool. And do you know what I would love to go to space one day and see all the different plants. And mybe discover some new plants.Two 11 year old girls who would like to make a diffence.
I think our world is so cool. And do you know what I would love to go to space one day and see all the different plants. And mybe discover some new plants.Two 11 year old girls who would like to make a diffence.
I think our world is so cool. And do you know what I would love to go to space one day and see all the different plants. And mybe discover some new plants.Two 11 year old girls who would like to make a diffence.