Winter begins on Wednesday, December solstice, when the sun reaches its southernmost point among the stars.
On this day, the sun will rise from the southernmost point in the southeast as it does all year round, take its lowest path across the sky in the northern hemisphere (people in the southern hemisphere will see the sun take its highest path), and then will set at the southernmost point in the southwest all year round. south end.
Since the sun’s rays hit the Earth (Northern Hemisphere) at the shallowest angle, this is the lowest solar flux of the year. The December solstice is also the shortest time the sun rises above the horizon, so this day marks for us the sun’s least cooking power and cooking time. There is still some residual heat from the warm summer months, so our coldest days may come a little later in the winter.
Tips for Buying a Telescope
This is probably the busiest time of year for shopping, and that includes buying telescopes. One of the chapters in my online Astronomy Notes textbook is on telescopes – types of telescopes, their powers and limitations, and the effect of the atmosphere on light from distant objects.
At the end of the chapter, I offer some suggestions for buying a telescope for yourself or a loved one, and then give pointers to review sites that will detail the specifics of the particular telescope that caught your attention.
There are three things you should consider when buying a telescope. The first is the quality of the optics, especially the “objective”, which is the large mirror at the back of a reflecting telescope or the large glass lens at the front of a refracting telescope.
The objective lens determines the two most important capabilities of the telescope: light-gathering capability and resolving power. The magnification is the least important magnification of the telescope, which can be changed with different eyepieces.
The second is the stability and sturdiness of the stand. You don’t want the telescope to wobble when you touch it, and this wobble is more noticeable at higher magnifications.
Last but not least, how easy it is to transport and set up the telescope when you’re out and about. Difficult-to-install binoculars lose their charm quickly and tend to be stored in a closet or garage.go astronomynotes.com/telescop Learn more about telescopes.
Actually, another piece of advice about telescopes is to meet the helpful folks at the local astronomy club, the Kern Astronomical Society. Ask for their opinion at an open star party, or bring your binoculars to one of the club parties. They love to share the night sky with others.access kernastro.org More details on KAS.
in the night sky
On the night of the winter solstice (December 21), Mercury will be at its greatest separation from the Sun in our evening sky. After that, it will start to move closer to the sun, and will be between us and the sun on January 7th. Venus slowly climbs away from the sun.
On Christmas Eve, Venus, Mercury, and a very thin waxing crescent Moon will form a beautiful triangle low in the southwest. The whole triangle is a bit too big for the field of view of binoculars, but you can see two objects at the same time.
On December 28, a fatter new moon will appear near Jupiter. Also, on that night, Mercury and Venus will pass each other within the width of your thumb.
A week later, on January 3, the waxing gibbous Moon will be next to Mars in Taurus. Mars is slightly dimmer compared to mid-December, but it’s still one of the brightest spots in the sky.
ok start programming
Artemis-1’s Orion capsule landed as scheduled on Dec. 11. It’s a good start for the Artemis program, which will eventually land in the lunar south pole region, where there is evidence of deposits of water ice in the permanent shadow of the crater walls. This should happen sometime in 2025.
The mission is an uncrewed test run of all the equipment, so it’s a more leisurely pace to and from the moon. Solar panels and cameras inside the capsule give us a glimpse of what the astronauts will see on the next few missions.
The Artemis-2 mission with four astronauts on board will travel from low Earth orbit to the Moon sometime in the spring of 2024 in just four days. Artemis-2 will test everything except actually landing on the moon. The landing will take place on Artemis-3.
looking to the future
Bakersfield College will be closed for the next two weeks. The William M. Thomas Planetarium wrapped up a successful fall schedule with a sold-out “Season of Light,” which has become a holiday tradition for at least a few families.The spring schedule will be posted on the planetarium website in mid-January bakersfieldcollege.edu/planetarium.
I hope you have a great 2023!
