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Image Credit: BBC Sky at Night
Stargazing with Torbay Astronomical Society
September sees the start of the new season of meetings of the Torbay Astronomical Society at the Torquay Boys Grammar School. This season we begin with a welcome return visit from Mr Gary Poyner FRAS, AAVSO, who will talk about “T Corona Borealis – The Jewel in the Crown”.
As for observing evenings, the darker skies will make fainter, interesting objects such as nebulae, star clusters and galaxies more easily visible, and the potential nova, T Corona Borealis, is still, yet to explode into view.
T Corona, also known as “The Blaze Star” is a type of object known as a “recurring Nova”. The star dims and then brightens significantly over a period of around 80 years. Outbursts have been observed and well recorded twice – in 1866 and 1946 with previous suspected outbursts recorded historically. However, the currently predicted outburst is already about a year late So Mr Poyner’s talk should be very timely.
Sky Notes
Sky Schedule
Please note all times given in this article are in GMT so remember to add an hour to get the time in BST which started on Sunday 29th March.
Sun: From the beginning to the end of the month the period of dark sky increases from 6.5 to 8.5 hours. The Autumnal Equinox, when night and day are of equal length, occurs on 23rd. The longer period of darkness provides a good opportunity to view the summer constellations and the Milky Way that runs through them. The Milky Way is actually our view through the spiral arms of our Galaxy which we see as a faint band of light caused by millions of distant stars.
Mercury: Mercury is too close to the Sun to be visible this month.
Venus: Venus is an evening object seen low in the Western sky after sunset against the background stars of Virgo. Venus reaches its greatest brightness on 22nd.
Mars: Mars is a morning object best seen before dawn in the Eastern sky, lying in the constellation of Gemini. Mars lies close to the Moon on 6th.
Jupiter: The largest planet is also a morning object best viewed before dawn against the background stars of Cancer. Jupiter will be close to the waning crescent Moon on 8th. The coloured bands and zones on the surface of the planet can be distinguished with small telescopes as can the Great Red Spot, a colossal hurricane, greater in diameter than the planet Earth. The Galilean moons can be seen with a good pair of binoculars or a small (bird-spotting) telescope. DSLR images of the planet will also pick up the moons.
Saturn: The ringed planet can be seen all night long, although it remains low in the sky. Saturn can be seen against the background stars of Pisces. The rings are now beginning to open out from our point of view and are becoming increasingly spectacular to see. Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, can usually also be seen. On 26th, the Full Moon will be close to Saturn.
Uranus and Neptune: Uranus is not visible this month, as it sets below the horizon before darkness falls. Neptune can also be found in the constellation of Pisces and very close to Saturn. At magnitude 7.7 it will require large binoculars or a small telescope to find it. Neptune displays a smaller and truly blue disc compared to that of Uranus although it will appear only as a bluish star to most small instruments.
Meteor Shower: There are no bright meteor showers due in September .
Comets: There are no bright comets expected this month.
Moon: The Last Quarter Moon occurs on September 4th with New Moon following on 11th . First Quarter then occurs on 18th. Full Moon follows on 26th September. This Full Moon is the “Harvest Moon”, so called because it rises as the Sun is setting thereby extending the illuminated part of the day for bringing in the harvest, before the days of mechanisation. Saturn will also lie close to the Full Moon on this night.
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