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“What’s Up” Galileo and the 400th Anniversary of the Telescope N however you need to catch it just after sunset and it will only be seen as a small reddish dot. The moon will be rising in the south east and will be almost full. Exercise: ( Did you notice that the moon and all the planets fall on the same line in the sky? What is this line call and why is this true? What other planets appear in the sky at this time?) C W E Go outside after dark and point this astronomical chart toward North. S b The phases of Venus may also be seen in a small telescope or binoculars. A “phase” would be the portion of Venus which is lit by the Sun and which faces the Earth. Everyone is familiar with the phases of the Moon. Sometimes the moon appears as a thin crescent, and sometimes the Moon is completely full; well the same thing happens with Venus. Exercise: (See if you can identify the current phase of Venus. Why can’t you see any features on Venus with your telescope?) Pictured to the right, Galileo’s drawings of the phases of Venus A view of the evening sky for Friday January 9, 2009 at about 5pm is shown in the following drawing. Venus will be the brightest star seen in the south west and it may be easily observed with either a telescope or binoculars. Jupiter will be the second brightest object in the south west and will only be briefly visible after sunset and very close to the horizon. Trees or buildings may make it unobservable. You may also be able to see Mercury, the smallest planet and the closest to the Sun, For more information about the RASC or the International Year of Astronomy please go to www.rasc.ca/stjohns. Answers to the questions in parentheses can be found by clicking on 'Galileo's Universe' or the NIE icon. If you make any of the observations suggested in this article, even identifying the planets with the unaided eye, this counts as an IYA 2009 Galileo Moment. The Canadian national goal is through the promotion of astronomy to inspire one million Galileo Moments during 2009. Also, if you register for a Galileo Moment on the Canadian national website for IYA 2009 (http://www.astronomy2009.ca/ ) you will get your name launched into space during a future Canadian Space Agency mission! Greg Baggs Education/ IYA Director RASC, St. John’s Centre ACTIVITIES 1. In The Telegram you can find the time of sunrise and sunset for that day. See if you can find where that information is located in the newspaper. 2. During the month of January, check the Weather Map in The Telegram to determine nights that may be good for astronomical observations. For more activities go to www.thetelegram.com and click on Brought to you by Moon Waxing First Quarter Full Last Quarter Waning New Jan. 2 Jan. 4 Feb. 2 Jan. 11 Feb. 9 Jan. 18 Feb. 16 Jan. 20 Feb. 18 Jan. 26 Feb. 25 2009 will have its largest full moon on Jan. 10 . The Moon is at perigee (closest) 357,497 km from Earth. On Jan. 11 the Moon passes nearby open cluster “The Beehive” by 1.5º Comet Viewable in a pair of Binoculars or small telescope C/2007 N3 ( Lulin ) Low in the southern sky during morning twilight. Look for it with binoculars in the constellation Libra. In early February the comet will move higher into the sky into the constellation Virgo and will be a naked eye object. Use the chart to the right. North is up. LIBRA N m of co Path et Illustration by: Shawn Martin tr Illus n atio Mercury - (January) Low in the southwest after sunset, to the lower right of Venus. (Mid Feb.) Can be viewed in the morning sky, meeting with Jupiter and Mars. Venus - (January) The dazzling "Evening Star" in the southwest during and after twilight. On Jan. 22 Uranus will be just over 1º from Venus to the south west. Mars - (January) Remains hidden deep in the glare of sunrise. (Mid Feb.) Will be viewable in the morning sky, meeting with Jupiter and Mercury. Jupiter - (January) Sinking below the horizon far to Venus's lower right, and a little to the lower right of Mercury. (Mid. Feb.) Can be viewed in the morning sky, meeting with Mars and Mercury. Saturn - (January) Can be seen late evening near the constellation Leo. Saturn’s rings are now tilted to their minimum and the thinnest you can see them until 2038! Uranus and Neptune - (January) Are in the constellations Aquarius and Capricornus, seen in the southwest right after dark. Neptune is near Venus. Uranus will be just over 1º to the south west of Venus on Jan. 22. Vi rg o y: S ha wn M artin Illustration by: Shawn Martin Planets Viewable in a pair of Binoculars or small telescope WARNING!“ When using a telescope or binoculars, always be sure NEVER TO LOOK AT THE SUN! This can cause serious and permanent eye damage. To be safe, always make sure the Sun is fully set below the horizon before going outside with your telescope or binoculars.” n pe pa news pe r s. Open m in ds O Some of the most important things Galileo discovered during 1609 with his telescope were the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, and the phases of Venus and craters on the moon. These observations began the human exploration of the Universe with the aid of telescopes and the modern science of Astronomy. With even the smallest telescope, or possibly an ordinary pair of binoculars, you may be able to see the four largest moons of Jupiter. These moons have been called the Galilean Satellites in honour of Galileo. They appear as very faint stars, often in a row and very close to the planet. Jupiter can easily be identified in a telescope or binoculars by two large stripes across the middle which make it look a bit like a rubber ball. Exercise: (What are the names of these four moons of Jupiter? On which of these moons is there thought to be a sea of liquid water under a cover of ice?) ar Newspaper In Education THE TELEGRAM 0-3433148 Galileo is a very important person in the history of science, known for many significant contributions but possibly best known as the inventor of the Galilean Telescope. This was not the very first type of telescope as spyglasses were invented shortly before 1609, but Galileo designed the first telescope with enough magnification power for astronomy and he was the first person ever to do astronomy with the aid of a telescope. t rS e nt t har Wi This year has been declared the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) by the United Nations, with over 100 nations participating. The reason that 2009 has been chosen for IYA is that it marks the 400th Anniversary of the invention of the telescope and the first astronomical observations made during 1609 by Galileo Galilei. January 9 - Mid February Shawn Martin Observing Director RASC, St. John’s Centre