Download Davis Planetarium

Davis Planetarium
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November/December 2013
TO USE MAP:
Hold the map in front of you so that the direction you are facing is on the
bottom. The stars on the lower half on the map will match up with the stars in
the sky. The center of the map is directly overhead in the sky. Constellation and
star pattern names are all capitalized. Names of stars have only the first letter
capitalized. The map is valid within an hour of:
7:30pm Mid-Nov. EST
5:30pm Mid-Dec. EST
601 Light Street • Baltimore’s Inner Harbor
410.685.5225 • www.marylandsciencecenter.org
MAGNITUDE is a measure of a star’s brightness.
The lower the number, the brighter the star
• 1st or brighter magnitude star
• 2nd magnitude star
• 3rd magnitude star
• 4th or fainter magnitude star
ECLIPTIC:
The imaginary path of the Sun through the year.
Constellations of the Zodiac surround the Ecliptic
and the Moon and planets appear along it.
Davis Planetarium
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November/December 2013
IN THE November/December Sky
Nov. 3
New Moon
Daylight Saving Time ends
See Celestial Highlights
Nov. 6
Saturn in
conjunction with Sun
Moon near Venus
Dec. 9
First quarter Moon
Dec. 14 Geminid meteors peak
Nov. 17
Full Moon
Leonid meteors peak
Dec. 18 Moon near Jupiter
Nov. 25
Last Quarter Moon
Dec. 21 Winter Solstice
See Celestial Highlights
Nov. 24-27
Mercury near Saturn
Dec. 25
Last Quarter Moon
Moon near Mars
Nov. 27
Moon near Mars
Nov. 28
Comet ISON in
conjunction with Sun
See Celestial Highlights
Daylight Saving Time ends and Eastern Standard
Time returns, November 3 – don’t forget to turn your
clocks back one hour before you go to bed on Saturday,
November 2!
Comet ISON in conjunction with the Sun,
November 28 – You’ll likely hear more about this
comet as it makes its way around the Sun. Comet
ISON is new to our sky and the show it may put on is
completely unpredictable. You’ll have to see for yourself
to decide if it’s a spectacular sight or not. The time
windows to look for Comet ISON will be brief, but
could prove to be worth the effort of planning. Mid
to late November, look low in the eastern sky around
6:15am. Come mid to late December, look low in the
northern sky around 5:15pm. For updates and more
information, keep an eye on this website
http://www.isoncampaign.org
Winter Solstice, December 21 – is the shortest day of
the year for the Northern Hemisphere. The Sun takes its
lowest path across the sky and results in the fewest hours
of daylight of any day all year (only 9 hours). Enjoy a
nice cup of hot cocoa and think of how the days will
start to get longer.
SPECIAL EVENT AT MSC
Dec. 17
Full Moon
Nov. 21
Moon near Jupiter
Mercury
When:
From November 10
until December 13 before sunrise
Where:
East
Constellation:
Virgo, Libra, Scorpius
Dec. 3
New Moon
Dec. 5
Moon near Venus
Nov. 10
First Quarter Moon
Nov. 29
Moon near Spica
Dec. 1
Moon near Saturn
CELESTIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Dec. 26 Moon near Spica
Dec. 29 Moon near Saturn
ISON and the Sun: Cool Comet, Hot Plasma;
November 22, 11am-3pm
Explore Comet ISON and its relationship with the
Sun. Solar scientists join MSC staff for a fun-sun-filled
day including ‘comet making’ demonstrations, sun and
comet crafts, sky tours and, weather permitting, safe
telescopic views of the Sun.
The bi-monthly STARMAP is available on the web at
http://marylandsciencecenter.org/pdf/Planetarium/
STARMAP.pdf
CROSBY RAMSEY MEMORIAL OBSERVATORY INFO
410-545-2999 Free public observing nights are held Friday evenings,
weather permitting. Observatory hours on Friday,
November 1st are 7:00 - 10:30 p.m. Starting Friday,
November 8th, Observatory hours are 5:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Please call after 5:00 p.m. on Friday for observing
conditions.
= Observatory nights
Venus
When:
After sunset
Where: Southwest
Constellation:
Sagittarius
Mars
When:
Morning Sky
Where: West
Constellation:
Leo, Virgo
Jupiter When:
Evening
Where:
East-Northeast
Constellation:
Gemini
Saturn When:
Before sunrise
starting late
November
Where:
East-Southeast
Constellation:
Libra