Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Planets Sparkle in Morning Sky

A Good Reason to Wake Up at Dawn




July 3, 2012: Summer is a good time to relax, sleep late, enjoy a break from school or work.  Waking before sunrise is just not done.

This summer is a little different.  To find out why, set your alarm for dawn.

Every morning this July, the two brightest planets in the solar system will put on a show before sunrise.  Look out any east-facing window to see Venus and Jupiter, shining side by side, so close together you can hide them behind your outstretched palm.  It's a great way to start the day.

Wake Up (splash)
A new ScienceCast video previews the July 2012 sunrise sky show. Play it!
 
On the 4th of July, Venus will be passing dead-center through the Hyades cluster, a loose grouping of stars 153 light years from Earth.   Using binoculars, scan around the bright planet; you'll see dozens of stars scattered across the velvety-black sky. The temporary addition of Venus will make it seem that a supernova has gone off in the cluster.
MORE: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/03jul_wakeupatdawn/

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
  < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
  < http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
  < http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
  < http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
  < http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >

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