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--=====================_94899875==.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable ** This week's sky at a glance. On, Sunday, tomorrow, the MOON [Lune] goes into=20 its new phase, meaning that it will rise and go=20 down with the sun to leave some very dark nights. On Tuesday, December 7, the sunset is the=20 earliest sunset of the year, if you live near 40=B0=20 north latitude. This is true even though the=20 longest night of the year doesn't come until=20 December 21st (the winter solstice). The=20 difference is balanced out by the year's latest=20 sunrise coming on January 4th, a similar period following the solstice. As a heads up, make plans for the total eclipse=20 of the Moon, visible mainly in North America, on=20 the night of December 20-21. The Moon will be high in the late-night sky. This week's planet roundup: MERCURY [Mercure] remains in view, low near the=20 southwest horizon during evening twilight. Look=20 about 40 minutes after sunset. Mercury fades from=20 magnitude -0.4 to +0.1 this week. VENUS [V=E9nus] blazes in the southeast before and=20 during dawn. It's still at its maximum brightness=20 (magnitude -4.8 or -4.9) and nearly at its=20 maximum height. In fact, it's now rising a good=20 two hours before the first glimmer of dawn. MARS, at magnitude +1.3, is basically lost in bright evening twilight. JUPITER, at magnitude -2.5, shines in the south=20 to southwest during evening, the brightest star-like point in the sky. SATURN, at magnitude +0.9, rises around 3 a.m.,=20 and glows in the southeast before and during=20 dawn, about 20=B0 to the upper right of brilliant=20 Venus. The best time to observe Saturn with a=20 telescope is during early dawn, when the planet=20 will be the least blurred by low-altitude=20 atmospheric turbulence. Saturn's rings have widened to 9=B0 or 10=B0 from= edge-on. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D ----------------------------------------------------------------------------= - Blake Maybank maybank@ns.sympatico.ca 902-852-2077 Editor, "Nova Scotia Birds" http://nsbs.chebucto.org Organiser, Maritimes Nature Travel Club http://tinyurl.com/naturetravel author, "Birding Sites of Nova Scotia" http://tinyurl.com/birdingns Downloadable Nova Scotia Maps for inside front and back covers: http://tinyurl.com/mr627d White's Lake, Nova Scotia, Canada =20 --=====================_94899875==.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html> <body> ** This week's sky at a glance.<br><br> On, Sunday, tomorrow, the MOON [Lune] goes into its new phase, meaning that it will rise and go down with the sun to leave some very dark nights.<br><br> On Tuesday, December 7, the sunset is the earliest sunset of the year, if you live near 40=B0 north latitude. This is true even though the longest night of the year doesn't come until December 21st (the winter solstice). The difference is balanced out by the year's latest sunrise coming on January 4th, a similar period following the solstice. <br><br> As a heads up, make plans for the total eclipse of the Moon, visible mainly in North America, on the night of December 20-21. The Moon will be high in the late-night sky. <br><br> <br> This week's planet roundup:<br><br> MERCURY [Mercure] remains in view, low near the southwest horizon during evening twilight. Look about 40 minutes after sunset. Mercury fades from magnitude -0.4 to +0.1 this week. <br><br> VENUS [V=E9nus] blazes in the southeast before and during dawn. It's still at its maximum brightness (magnitude -4.8 or -4.9) and nearly at its maximum height. In fact, it's now rising a good two hours before the first glimmer of dawn. <br><br> MARS, at magnitude +1.3, is basically lost in bright evening twilight. <br><br> JUPITER, at magnitude -2.5, shines in the south to southwest during evening, the brightest star-like point in the sky. <br><br> SATURN, at magnitude +0.9, rises around 3 a.m., and glows in the southeast before and during dawn, about 20=B0 to the upper right of brilliant Venus. The best time to observe Saturn with a telescope is during early dawn, when the planet will be the least blurred by low-altitude atmospheric turbulence. Saturn's rings have widened to 9=B0 or 10=B0 from edge-on. <br><br> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<br> <br> <x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------= -<br> Blake Maybank<br> maybank@ns.sympatico.ca<br> 902-852-2077<br><br> Editor, "Nova Scotia Birds"<br> <a href=3D"http://nsbs.chebucto.org/" eudora=3D"autourl"> http://nsbs.chebucto.org<br><br> </a>Organiser, Maritimes Nature Travel Club<br> <font color=3D"#0000FF"><u> <a href=3D"http://tinyurl.com/naturetravel" eudora=3D"autourl"> http://tinyurl.com/naturetravel</a></u></font> <br><br> author, "Birding Sites of Nova Scotia"<br> <font color=3D"#0000FF"><u> <a href=3D"http://tinyurl.com/birdingns" eudora=3D"autourl"> http://tinyurl.com/birdingns<br> </a></u></font>Downloadable Nova Scotia Maps for inside front and back covers:<br> <a href=3D"http://tinyurl.com/mr627d" eudora=3D"autourl"> http://tinyurl.com/mr627d</a> <br><br> White's Lake, Nova Scotia, Canada </body> </html> --=====================_94899875==.ALT--
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