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Science October morning sky fills with planets
Science October morning sky fills with planets | October morning sky fills with planets |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Monday, 05 October 2009 | |
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Science DiscussionsAbout forty-five minutes before dawn on October 8, 2009, look east into the slowly brightening sky for Venus (highest in the sky, and the brightest of the three planets). Below it, the planets of Saturn and Mercury are only about a third degree apart (with Mercury to the right of Saturn). Venus (commonly called the “Morning Star”) is the first of the three planets to rise in the morning sky, about two hours before the Sun appears over the horizon. Mercury will appear about forty-five minutes before dawn on the eighth of October (and about a half hour before sunrise on the sixth). Saturn will appear about twenty minutes before sunrise, to complete the trio in the morning sky.  [Image of Saturn: 1981 Voyager 2 image of Saturn shows the planet’s ring system, along with three small icy satellites and the shadow of a fourth one. Image courtesy of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (http://www.photoshopsupport.com/resources/stock-photos/nasa-planets.html#nasa-saturn).] Venus will be shining brightly at a magnitude of -3.9 throughout October. Page two continues with further skywatching activities of these three planets in the morning sky. |
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