Sky Events – Page 60 – A Darker View

Fall Equinox

Fall equinox occurs today at 04:49HST. Today there will be little difference between the length of the night compared to number of daylight hours. This is the first day of fall as marked by many cultures in the northern hemisphere.

2012 Solstices and Equinoxes

	UT		HST
Perihelion	Jan 5	03:59UT	Jan 4	17:59HST
Spring Equinox	Mar 20	05:14UT	Mar 19	19:14HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 20	23:09UT	Jun 20	13:09HST
Apehelion	Jul 4	23:59UT	Jul 4	13:59HST
Fall Equinox	Sep 22	14:49UT	Sep 22	04:49HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 21	11:12UT	Dec 21	01:12HST

Source: USNO Data Services Website and the NASA Sky Calendar

Mercury in the Sunset

Mercury is beginning its third and final evening apparition of the year. Today the planet will be over 10° from the Sun, rising a little further each day until maximum elongation on October 26th. The planet will pass Saturn around October 4th and have a very close conjunction with the Moon on October 16th.

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The Moon and Mars

A crescent Moon will be about 4.5° from Mars tonight. Look below the Moon for a reddish, 1st magnitude object to find Mars.

New Moon

Young Moon — A very young moon over Waikoloa, this is only 26 hours after new, visible to the unaided eye as a sliver in the fading glow of sunset

New Moon will occur today at 16:11HST.

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The Moon and Venus

A brilliant planet and a thin crescent Moon will pair up in the dawn tomorrow morning, September 12th. Venus will be a bit under 4° from the Moon. The planet will make a nice pair with a 14% illuminated Moon. Look for the pair to rise about 03:00HST and be over 40%deg; above the horizon at sunrise.

Mercury at Superior Conjunction

Today Mercury passes through superior conjunction, passing behind the Sun as seen from the Earth. It will appear in the sunset later in the month, reaching maximum elongation on October 26th.

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The Moon and Jupiter

Tonight will see the Moon and Jupiter rise together around midnight. The pair will be just under 1° apart. The 51% illuminated Moon competing with Jupiter shining at -2.4 magnitude.

Full Moon

Full Moon will occur today at 03:58HST.

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Mercury Exits the Dawn

This week Mercury will be exiting the dawn sky, sliding closer to the Sun in our sky each day. It will pass through superior conjunction on September 10th, heading for an evening apparition beginning in the final days of September.

Neptune at Opposition

Neptune will pass through opposition at 00:54HST today. Observers will know that opposition places a planet nicely for convenient observation, rising at sunset, transiting near midnight, and setting at dawn.