The third issue will come out very soon in a very different look. It will include some out of astronomy topics as Christmas and New Year special.
I'd like to thank Colin Henshaw for his another article related to astrophysics.
The nights are longer these days (with winter solstice a few hours away from now, while I am typing this). Longer nights mean longer time for observation but the cold is at its peak and we have foggy mornings here. Last night, when I woke up to go to the bathroom, I saw a meteor streak past the sky. In fact, I have seen many meteors in the last few days. I think they belong to the Ursids.
About the Geminids, I didn't actually go out to see it because I was very busy with one of my cousin sisters' marriage ceremony and many other wedding parties. In one of the parties, at about 6 in the evening, many of us saw a big fiery dot passing slowy above us. I told people it could be the ISS but I am still not sure because I have not checked any software. What I know for sure is that it was really bright!!! lol ;-) There were just a few stars seen at that time with all the lights in the party.
I hope everybody will have a great time this christmas, and new year...
Merry Christmas!! and Happy New Year!!
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Monday, December 04, 2006
ISSUE II
Issue II of The Astral Journal will be ready for free download by this weekend at www.kosmandu.com/taj.
Text preview from skygazing section:
Like last month the Moon will again occult the Pleiades star cluster (M45). This month this occurs at about 9:30 am Nepali Standard Time on 4th of the month. This means it will not be seen from Nepal. It will be observed from different parts of North America and Europe though it will not be observed from Southern parts of the world.
Mercury rises at 5h08m NST, Mars at 5h41m NST, Jupiter at 6h04m, and Sun at 6h37 on December 1st. Mercury will slowly enter the glare of the sun while Mars will rise earlier making it visible for the rest of the month. Jupiter will rise more than two hours earlier than the sun by the end of December and increase its brightness to magnitude -1.8.
Mercury, Jupiter and Mars will make a very small triangle in the morning of 10th December. Mercury will pass very close to Jupiter (less than one degree) which will be visible from some parts of the pacific (around 20 deg North +165 deg West near Honolulu) right before sunrise. These three planets will make another triangle in the morning of 11th December reaching east of Jupiter.
Venus is the evening star with a very bright magnitude of -3.9 for the month.
Saturn will be two hours earlier by the end of the month from its rise time at 22:42 on the first to 20:42 on the last. It shines at magnitude 0.7 till the end of the month while it nears earth.
Text preview from skygazing section:
Like last month the Moon will again occult the Pleiades star cluster (M45). This month this occurs at about 9:30 am Nepali Standard Time on 4th of the month. This means it will not be seen from Nepal. It will be observed from different parts of North America and Europe though it will not be observed from Southern parts of the world.
Mercury rises at 5h08m NST, Mars at 5h41m NST, Jupiter at 6h04m, and Sun at 6h37 on December 1st. Mercury will slowly enter the glare of the sun while Mars will rise earlier making it visible for the rest of the month. Jupiter will rise more than two hours earlier than the sun by the end of December and increase its brightness to magnitude -1.8.
Mercury, Jupiter and Mars will make a very small triangle in the morning of 10th December. Mercury will pass very close to Jupiter (less than one degree) which will be visible from some parts of the pacific (around 20 deg North +165 deg West near Honolulu) right before sunrise. These three planets will make another triangle in the morning of 11th December reaching east of Jupiter.
Venus is the evening star with a very bright magnitude of -3.9 for the month.
Saturn will be two hours earlier by the end of the month from its rise time at 22:42 on the first to 20:42 on the last. It shines at magnitude 0.7 till the end of the month while it nears earth.
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