What can you expect to see at the Community Observatory this weekend?

This is the weekend closest to the new moon which should make for excellent seeing. Unfortunately, the weather isn’t cooperating with “considerable cloudiness” forecast for both Friday and Saturday night. So, please be sure to check out our website before you make the trip up the hill. We will delay cancelling until it is clear that we won’t have decent seeing. If we are going to close, we will announce that by 3 PM on the day of the event.

You may have heard of the “planetary parade”  or “planetary alignment” on social media. Well, it is partially true but most of the posts are pure hype. Both Mercury and Venus have moved into the evening sky but they will be quite low in the west. Saturn and Neptune are also quite low in the west. Objects close to the western horizon are difficult to see because they are only up when the Sun has recently set and they set soon after the Sun. Jupiter and Uranus are the only ones that will be high in the sky and easily visible in our telescopes. And, of course, Uranus and Neptune are only small blue dots in our biggest telescopes. So, that leaves Jupiter. So much for an awesome “Planetary Alignment.”

Nevertheless, if you want to see Mercury, the next few weeks will be your best bet. Pay attention to the spot where the Sun set. Mercury will follow the same pattern and will set within 80 minutes. That means that by the time it gets dark enough to see, it will be quite low. Make sure you have a clear western view. It will reach its “greatest eastern elongation” on February 19th. That is the date when the time between the sunset and Mercury’ setting will be greatest.

Deep sky? Of course, the winter sky is full of amazing nebulae and star clusters. We are hoping for a clear enough sky that we can show you the amazing Orion or Horsehead nebulae or the Pleiades or Beehive cluster. The image today is the Rosette Nebula which is near the Orion Constellation it was taken from my property which is close to the observatory in Placerville. We have been watching a new supernova in galaxy NGC 4168 but it will be rising too late to view during our public viewing session.

So, cross your fingers. We may be open this Friday and Saturday. Be sure to check communityobservatory.com.

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