[NatureNS] Upcoming Night Sky Highlights - 14 - 22 December

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From: Blake Maybank <bmaybank@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2012 07:46:21 -0400
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Courtesy of Nelson Poirier:

*This Week's Sky at a Glance*

*Night sky sights for December 14 =96 22***



*Orion *stands centered between two bright lights this year. High above it
during evening shines dazzling Jupiter (with its orange sidekick *Aldebaran=
*).
A similar distance below Jupiter, *Sirius *rises around 9 p.m.   Sirius,
just 8.6 light-years away, is the brightest star in the night sky. It's
also the *closest* star beyond the Sun that's ever visible to the unaided
eye.



In early evening, the =91Summer Star=92 *Vega *is still the brightest thing=
 in
the northwestern sky, though it's moving ever lower.



During early evening this week, *Cassiopeia *stands at its very highest in
the north like a flattened M. The *Milky Way* runs through it, stretching
all the way down to the east horizon on one side and the west horizon on
the other.



On Wednesday, December 19 the *Moon *will go into its First Quarter Phase
meaning it will rise at noon and set at midnight.



During the Christmas season, the star *Sirius *rises in the east-southeast,
far below Orion, around 8 p.m.  When Sirius is still low, binoculars often
show it twinkling in vivid colors. All stars do this when low, but Sirius
is the brightest, making the effect more pronounced.



On Saturday, December 15, the *Sun *rose at 7:56 a.m. and will set at 4:41
p.m. On Saturday, December 22, the sun will rise at 8:00 a.m. and set at
4:44 p.m.


*This Week's Planet Roundup*



*Mercury*, *Venus*, and *Saturn* form a long diagonal line in the southeast
as dawn begins to brighten. Venus is by far the brightest, at magnitude
=963.9. Look far to its upper right for Saturn, magnitude +0.7, and farther
on for the star Spica, magnitude +1.0. Look lower left of Venus for
Mercury, magnitude =960.5, now moving a little lower each day. The whole li=
ne
of four points is now about 45=B0 long.


*Mars* (magnitude +1.2) still remains low in the southwest in evening
twilight.


*Jupiter* (magnitude =962.8) is already gleaming in the east as twilight
fades. It climbs to dominate the eastern and high southeastern sky into the
evening, with orange Aldebaran 5=B0 below it. Jupiter is highest in the sou=
th
around 11 p.m.


Blake's pick(s) of NASA daily photos this week:


* Time-Lapse: A Total Solar Eclipse<http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap121210.html=
>
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap121210.html

**Umbra World <http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap121214.html>
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap121214.html

**Milky Way Over Quiver Tree Forest
<http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap121212.html>
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap121212.html
*
--=20
Blake Maybank <bmaybank@gmail.com>
White's Lake, Nova Scotia


My Blog:  *CSI: Life* <http://blakemaybank.com>
My Photos: *Fine Art
America*<http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/blake-maybank.html>
Organiser, *Maritimes Nature Travel Club* <http://tinyurl.com/naturetravel>

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<font size=3D"4"><font face=3D"tahoma,sans-serif"><font size=3D"4"><font si=
ze=3D"4">Courtesy of Nelson
Poirier:</font><br><br></font></font></font><font size=3D"4"><font face=3D"=
tahoma,sans-serif"><font size=3D"4">

</font></font></font><p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-top:7.5pt;margi=
n-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.75pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:normal"><span =
style=3D"font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><b><span style=3D"font-size:24pt">T=
his
Week&#39;s Sky at a Glance</span></b></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-bottom:7.5pt;line-height:normal"><sp=
an style=3D"font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><font size=3D"4"><b><i>Night sky
sights for December 14 =96 22</i></b></font><b><span style=3D"font-size:12p=
t"></span></b></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal">=
<span style=3D"font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><font size=3D"4">=A0</font></=
span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"line-height:normal"><span style=3D"font-fam=
ily:tahoma,sans-serif"><font size=3D"4"><span style=3D"color:rgb(51,51,255)=
"><b>Orion
</b></span>stands centered between two bright lights this year. High above =
it during
evening shines dazzling Jupiter (with its orange sidekick <span style=3D"co=
lor:rgb(51,51,255)"><b>Aldebaran</b></span>). A similar
distance below Jupiter, <span style=3D"color:rgb(51,51,255)"><b>Sirius </b>=
</span>rises around 9 p.m.=A0=A0 Sirius,
just 8.6 light-years away, is the brightest star in the night sky. It&#39;s=
 also
the <i>closest</i> star beyond the Sun that&#39;s ever visible to the unaid=
ed eye. </font></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal">=
<span style=3D"font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><font size=3D"4">=A0</font></=
span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal">=
<span style=3D"font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><font size=3D"4">In early eve=
ning, the =91Summer Star=92 <span style=3D"color:rgb(51,51,255)"><b>Vega </=
b></span>is
still the brightest thing in the northwestern sky, though it&#39;s moving e=
ver
lower. </font></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal">=
<span style=3D"font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><font size=3D"4">=A0</font></=
span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal">=
<span style=3D"font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><font size=3D"4">During
early evening this week, <span style=3D"color:rgb(51,51,255)"><b>Cassiopeia=
 </b></span>stands at its very highest in the north
like a flattened M. The <span style=3D"color:rgb(51,153,153)"><b>Milky Way<=
/b></span> runs through it, stretching all the way down
to the east horizon on one side and the west horizon on the other. </font><=
/span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal">=
<span style=3D"font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><font size=3D"4">=A0</font></=
span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal" style=3D"margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal">=
<span style=3D"font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><font size=3D"4">On
Wednesday, December 19 the <span style=3D"color:rgb(51,51,255)"><b><font si=
ze=3D"4">M</font>oon </b></span>will go into its First Quarter Phase meanin=
g it
will rise at noon and set at midnight.</font></span></p>

<p class=3D"MsoN