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Astronomy
Several planets give a flashy January show
By DARYL L. SCHRADER
Published December 31, 2005
Venus is as good as it gets on Sunday, when it is to the right of the crescent moon in the southwest at dusk. It will be visible for another week in the evening sky and then move to the predawn sky around Jan. 16. Venus will then get a little higher in the sky each morning until it rises more than two hours before sunrise at the end of January.
Mars starts bright orange and high in the southeast at the beginning of the new year. Look for Mars to the upper right of the moon, at dusk, on Jan. 8. Mars will continue to fade in brightness as the days march on.
Saturn will be opposite the direction of the sun on Jan. 27. Saturn will be visible all night long. By 10 p.m. Saturn will be high enough in the east-northeast to be easily seen, and toward the west in the morning.
Jupiter shines brightly high to the southeast before dawn. Notice Jupiter is to the upper left of the moon Jan. 23 and to the upper right of the moon Jan. 24.
At the planetariums
SCIENCE CENTER OF PINELLAS COUNTY, 7701 22nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg: The Science Center is offering planetarium shows at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturdays. The current show is Legends of the Night Sky: Orion.
Wine Under the Stars fundraiser is at 6 p.m. Jan. 28. The cost for this adults-only event is $30 per person. Please RSVP for tickets. There will be wine tastings, food, music, planetarium shows and telescope viewing.
Learn how to build a telescope at the ongoing classes from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays in the optical laboratory in the annex building behind the main building. The St. Petersburg Astronomy Club meets at the Science Center the fourth Friday of every month at 8 p.m. Visit their Web site at www.tampabayastronomy.com For more information call (727) 384-0027 or visit www.sciencecenterofpinellas.com
ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGE, Fifth Avenue and 69th Street N, St. Petersburg: The planetarium at the Gibbs campus will offer free planetarium shows Friday nights at 7 and 8:15 starting Jan. 13.
When the skies are clear, telescopes will be set up after the second show.
Call (727) 341-4320 for more details.
GULFPORT: Telescopes will be set up at dusk Friday and Jan. 21 on the corner of Beach Boulevard and 31st Avenue S for astronomical viewing if the skies are clear.
ST. PETE BEACH: Telescopes will be set up at dusk Jan. 7 for viewing on Corey Avenue in front of the Beach Memorial Funeral Home, if skies are clear. BISHOP PLANETARIUM, 210 10th St. W, Bradenton: The Bradenton planetarium is showing Passport to the Universe, Search for Life: Are We Alone? and The Secret of the Cardboard Rocket. The South Florida Museum also offers an array of exhibits and collections. For information, call 941 746-4131 or visit www.southfloridamuseum.org
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY, 4801 E Fowler Ave., Tampa: The planetarium is showing More then Meets the Eye and the Tonight Show on the current night sky. The IMAX Dome Theater presents The Human Body and Top Speed.
Call 813 987-6100 or visit www.mosi.org for more events.
Sky calendar
SUNDAY: Happy New Year! Venus is to the right of a thin crescent moon in the southwest at dusk.
WEDNESDAY: Earth nearest (perihelion) the sun at 91.4-million miles.
FRIDAY: Telescopes set up for viewing in Gulfport at dusk. First quarter moon.
JAN. 7: Telescopes set up for viewing in St. Pete Beach at dusk. Mars to the left of the moon in the southeast after dusk.
JAN. 8: Look to the southeast to find Mars to the upper right of the moon after dark.
JAN. 9: Moon near the Pleiades star cluster.
JAN. 13: Venus in inferior conjunction - between us and the sun. First planetarium show for the new year at St. Petersburg College.
JAN. 14: Full moon. In the morning sky the two stars to the right of the moon are Pollux and Castor. Saturn directly below the moon in the east-northeast after dusk.
JAN. 15: Look to the west an hour before dawn to see Saturn to the lower left of the moon. You can again find Saturn to the upper right of the moon toward the east-northeast a couple of hours after dusk.
JAN. 17: Moon is farthest (apogee) from us at 252,205 miles.
JAN. 21: Telescopes set up for viewing in Gulfport at dusk.
JAN. 22: Last quarter moon.
JAN. 23: Jupiter to the upper left of the crescent moon before sunrise.
JAN. 24: Jupiter to the upper right of the crescent moon before dawn.
JAN. 25: Look before dawn to the south-southeast to find the reddish bright star, Antares, near the moon.
JAN. 26: Mercury in superior conjunction - on the other side of the sun.
JAN. 27: Saturn in opposition - the planet will be up from dusk to dawn.
JAN. 28: Wine Under the Stars at the Science Center of Pinellas County.
JAN. 29: New moon.
JAN. 30: Moon is closest (perigee) at 222,313 miles.
- Daryl L. Schrader is an astronomy and mathematics professor at St. Petersburg College and teaches astronomy at the University of South Florida.
[Last modified December 30, 2005, 08:46:05]
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