STAR WATCH for Fall, 2013

                                                                                  

The WCSU Observatory and Planetarium facility is open again for Public Nights. During September,

while the drive system of our 20-inch telescope is under repair, portable telescopes will be available

for sky viewing.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS to the WCSU Observatory and Planetarium:

        The facility is located on the WCSU Westside Campus, which is off Exit 4 (Lake Avenue) of Interstate 84. After exiting the Interstate, travel about 0.7 mile west on Route 6 to the main campus entrance, then another 0.7 mile up the main campus road, University Boulevard. You will pass Centennial Hall (new dormitory) on your left; continue straight. At the new Campus Center, turn left and proceed a short distance to the observatory road, which will be on your left and facing the Pinney Hall dormitory. SLOWLY turn onto the road--preferably coming in from an angle--as the entrance apron is steep; we don't want you to bottom out!

        Parking is very limited (4 to 6 vehicles) atop the hill where the facility stands, but more is available on University Boulevard (the main Westside Campus road).


       Link to map of WCSU Westside Campus
      Link to National Weather Service -- Danbury Weather Forecast


PUBLIC NIGHT SCHEDULE for Fall, 2013:

All Public Nights are on Saturdays. Planetarium shows will be held rain or shine unless severe storms or hazardous driving conditions are predicted.
Telescopic sky viewing cannot be held if skies are cloudy or precipitating. Call (203) 837 – 8671 for more information.

 

September 14

Planetarium show, 7 p.m. - HELD

Sky viewing: 8 – 10 p.m. - CLOUDY

Moon near First Quarter; summer sky objects
September 21

Planetarium show, 7 p.m. - HELD 

Sky viewing: 8 – 10 p.m. - CLOUDY

Moon near Full; summer sky objects
October 5

Planetarium show, 6:30 p.m.

Sky viewing: 7:30 – 9:30 p.m

 Summer, early autumn sky objects
October 19

Planetarium show, 6 p.m.

Sky viewing: 7 – 9 p.m.

 Moon past Full; summer, early autumn sky objects
November 9

Planetarium show, 5 p.m. 

Sky viewing: 6 - 8 p.m.

 Venus; Moon near First Quarter; autumn sky objects
November 23

Planetarium show, 4:30 p.m. 

Sky viewing: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. 

 Venus; autumn sky objects
December 7

Planetarium show, 4:30 p.m. 

Sky viewing: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.  

 Moon near First Quarter; autumn sky objects; Jupiter
December 14

Planetarium show, 4:30 p.m. 

Sky viewing: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. 

 Gibbous Moon; autumn/winter sky objects; Jupiter

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION about the planetarium and observatory:

  • Public Nights are free, but we do accept donations in the planetarium and in the hyperbolic funnel ("black hole") in the lobby.
  • Planetarium shows will be held as scheduled, rain or shine, unless severe storms or hazardous driving conditions are predicted. The telescope cannot be used if skies are cloudy or precipitating. (Use the National Weather Service link, above, to see the forecast for any scheduled Public Night date.)
  • Parking is very limited (4 to 6 vehicles) atop the hill where the facility stands, but more is available on University Boulevard (the main Westside Campus road).
  • The planetarium has a seating capacity of 40. The telescope chamber can accommodate 6 to 8 at one time, with additional standing space on the stairs.
  • Planetarium shows usually last about one hour and are geared to adults and families with preadolescent and older children; i.e., older than baby or toddler. Younger children may be disturbed by the dimming of lights in the planetarium and other special effects.
  • It is requested that people attending planetarium shows turn off mobile phones, digital cameras and other electronic devices, as their use during the show is disturbing to others. The same request holds for flashlights, lighted sport shoes and other sources of illumination.
  • The observatory houses a 20-inch f/8.1 Ritchey-Chretien reflecting telescope that is used for public observing and astronomy research by WCSU students and faculty. It has a German-type equatorial mounting (the telescope has counterweights) and a computer controlled pointing and tracking system.

 

PLANET INFORMATION

MERCURY is visible low in the WSW twilight during September and October, but the appearance is much better for Southern Hemisphere observers. It vanishes into the Sun's glare during late October but reappears in the ESE predawn sky in November; its greatest western elongation from the Sun (19 degrees) occurs on November 17. Thereafter, Mercury closes with the Sun and vanishes back into its glare by late December.
VENUS is a brilliant object low in the WSW to SW sky after sunset. Its appearance as an "evening planet" is higher and better for Southern Hemisphere observers. Greatest eastern elongation (47 degree from the Sun) occurs on November 1. During December, Venus's separation from the Sun rapidly decreases; its appearance (observable in telescopes) during the Fall season will change from smallish and gibbous, to larger and like a tiny First Quarter Moon (around the time of greatest elongation), to a large crescent.
MARS is an inconspicuous object (magnitude +1.6 to +1.0) in the ENE to E predawn ("wee hours") sky. It gradually moves from Cancer through Leo and into Virgo.
JUPITER, at magnitude -2.1 to -2.7 in Gemini, , is a very noticeable object in the ENE late evening to evening sky.
SATURN, at magnitude +0.7 to +0.6 in Libra, is visible low in the SW evening sky during September. It vanishes into the Sun's glare during October and November but reappears low in the SE predawn sky during December.

 

 

 

 

 

 

NIGHTLY CALENDAR for Fall, 2013

      * or !     Interesting to very interesting events
           !!     EXCEPTIONALLY interesting events (must-see!)
           E     Important geometrical or calendar events

Sept. 26

Last Quarter Moon

Oct. 3  

*

The planet Uranus reaches opposition (visible all night) at magnitude +5.7 (readily visible in binoculars and telescopes) in Pisces. Its greenish disk is only 3.7” in angular size; Jupiter looks ten times larger.

4

New Moon

5

*

Free PUBLIC NIGHT at the WCSU Observatory and Planetarium on the Westside campus. Planetarium show starts at 6:30 p.m., followed at 7:30 p.m. (if skies are mostly clear) by viewing of celestial objects through the 20-inch telescope (which we hope will have its repaired drive system in place) or through an

8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain portable telescope.

9

*

Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation at 25 degrees from the Sun; look low in the WSW after sunset.

11

First Quarter Moon

18

!

FULL Hunter’s MOON. A deep penumbral eclipse occurs between 5:50 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. EDT. For half an hour on either side of mid-eclipse (7:50 p.m.), the southern part of the Moon should appear to have a dusky shading.

19

*

Free PUBLIC NIGHT at the WCSU Observatory and Planetarium on the Westside campus. Planetarium show starts at 6:00 p.m., followed at 7:00 p.m. (if skies are mostly clear) by viewing of celestial objects through the 20-inch telescope.

26

Last Quarter Moon

Nov. 1

*

Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation 47 degrees from the Sun; look SW after sunset. A telescope aimed at Venus tonight will show a “quarter moon” shape for the planet, but it will have a diameter of only 25”; the quarter Moon appears about 70 times larger.

3

E, !!

  • Eastern Standard Time resumes; set your clocks back one hour after 2 a.m.
  • New Moon.
  • A partial solar eclipse will be briefly visible between local sunrise (around 6:26 a.m.) and 7:10 a.m. EST. The main eclipse, a rare annular/total one, crosses the middle Atlantic and Africa.

9

*

Free PUBLIC NIGHT at the WCSU Observatory and Planetarium on the Westside campus. Planetarium show starts at 5:00 p.m., followed at 6:00 p.m. (if skies are mostly clear) by viewing of celestial objects through the 20-inch telescope.

10

First Quarter Moon

17

*
  • FULL Beaver MOON, smallest-looking Full Moon of 2013.
  • Mercury reaches greatest western elongation 19 degrees from the Sun; look ESE before sunrise.

23

*

Free PUBLIC NIGHT at the WCSU Observatory and Planetarium on the Westside campus. Planetarium show starts at 4:30 p.m., followed at 5:30 p.m. (if skies are mostly clear) by viewing of celestial objects through the 20-inch telescope.

25

Last Quarter Moon

Dec. 2

New Moon. Expect large ocean tides, as the Moon reaches perigee about 34 hours later.

6

*

Venus, again closing with Sun, is a brilliant crescent at 40” apparent size and magnitude -4.9, getting larger
but thinner as it also comes nearer to Earth.

7

*

Free PUBLIC NIGHT at the WCSU Observatory and Planetarium on the Westside campus. Planetarium show starts at 4:30 p.m., followed at 5:30 p.m. (if skies are mostly clear) by viewing of celestial objects through the 20-inch telescope.

9

First Quarter Moon

14

*

Free PUBLIC NIGHT at the WCSU Observatory and Planetarium on the Westside campus. Planetarium show starts at 4:30 p.m., followed at 5:30 p.m. (if skies are mostly clear) by viewing of celestial objects through the 20-inch telescope.

17

FULL Cold MOON

21

E

The winter solstice (Sun farthest south) occurs at 12:11 p.m. EST.

25

Last Quarter Moon


STAR WATCH is brought to you by the Earth & Planetary Sciences program at WCSU.

Thanks for connecting! For more information, please call Dr. Dennis Dawson at (203) 837 - 8671.