Astroblog

The First Quarter Moon is Saturday, December 11.  Three bright planets are seen forming a line in the early evening sky. Venus forms a line with Saturn and Jupiter  in the western evening sky with Jupiter dominating once Venus has set. The crescent Moon has been climbing the ladder of planets and is closest to Jupiter on the 9th. Geminid meteor shower peaks morning 14 December. Comet C/2021 A1 Leonard may be visible on the 16th.

The First Quarter Moon is Saturday, December 11. 

Morning sky on December 11 looking east as seen from Adelaide at 5:10 ACDST (45 minutes before sunrise). Mars is low in the twilight, you may need binoculars to see Mars clearly.  

 

 

Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at the equivalent local time (45 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

 

Evening sky on December 9 looking west as seen from Adelaide at 22:07 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset).  Venus forms a line with Saturn and Jupiter. The waxing Moon is within binocular range of Jupiter

 

 The insets shows the telescopic views of Venus, Saturn and Jupiter at this time. Venus is a distinct crescent now. Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). 

Whole sky showing the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn and Venus in a line , December 11, 22:07 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen). Orion, Taurus and the Pleiades can be seen above the eastern horizon.

 

 

  Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar planetary line up that the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).  

Geminid radiant seen facing north from Brisbane at 2:00 am AEST, December 14.The radiant is marked with a starburst (click to embiggen).

The Geminids are a fairly reliable meteor shower, with rates of about a meteor per minute at their best. This is a good year for Geminids, as the waxing Moon sets before the best rates.. 

The radiant doesn't rise until just before midnight (daylight saving time) in most of Australia, so you will have to disturb your sleep for this one. At 1.00 am in the morning AEDST (midnight, AEST) Castor (alpha Geminorum) is about two hand-spans above the horizon and 10 hand-spans to the left of due north. Pollux, the other twin, is less than a hand-span to the left again. The radiant is just below Castor. 

The Geminids have a broad peak and will normally show good activity well before and after the peak, and on the day before and after. Australians should see a meteor every 2-3 minutes under dark skies in the early morning of the 14th, between 2:00 am and 4:00 am. for more details see my Geminid 2021 page.

Comet C/2021 A1 Leonard as seen looking west from Adelaide at 21:32 ACDST (60 minutes after sunset) on 16 December. Similar views will be seen in elsewhere in Australia 60 minutes after sunset.

Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) is this years “Christmas comet”. While not as spectacular as the “searchlight comet” Comet C/2011 W3 Lovejoy, it will be a nice little binocular object. It is predicted to reach magnitude 4 at its brightest but it will be too close to the sun to see, the earliest we can expect to see it in the southern hemisphere is around the 16th, low in the twilight. As it climbs higher we will get better views but it will fade rapidly.

Mercury  is lost in the morning twilight.

Venus is visible in the early evening when the sky is fully dark.  I have been able to see Venus from just after sunset and it is easily seen over 3 hours after sunset, longer if you have a clear western horizon.  Venus is at its greatest brilliance, forming a line with Saturn and Jupiter. It is now a distinct crescent in even small telescopes.

Labels: weekly sky

The northern horizon at 3:00 am ACDST as seen from Adelaide on Tuesday December 14 when the Geminid radiant is highest. The Geminid radiant is marked with a starburst. Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at  a similar latitude and the equivalent local time. (click to embiggen).	The northern horizon at 2:00 am AEST as seen from Brisbane on Tuesday December 14 when the Geminid radiant is highest. The Geminid radiant is marked with a starburst. Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at  a similar latitude and the equivalent local time. (click to embiggen).

The Geminids are unusual meteor shower in that their parent body is 3200 Phaethon, an asteroid, rather than a comet. It is speculated though that Phaeton is actually a "gassed out" comet, and so the debris that makes up the Geminids may still be cometary particles, but is more likely broken rock fragments from its close approach to the sun.

The Geminids are usually a fairly reliable meteor shower and with the waxing Moon setting before the radiant is at its highest rates should be very good.

The Geminids have a broad peak and will show good activity well before and after the peak on the day before and after. The peak is December 14, 07h UT. That is 18:00 am AEDST December 14 in Australia.  Despite the peak being during daylight hours, the best viewing will be from around 3-4 am AEDST (2-3 am AEST) on the morning of the 14th in Australia. As the radiant doesn't rise until just before midnight (daylight saving time) in most of Australia, and the Moon doesn't set until around 2:00 am you will still have to disturb your sleep for this one.

Northern Australians should see a meteor every 2 to 3  minutes under dark skies in the early morning of the 14th between 1:00 am and 4:00 am local time. Obviously under suburban skies you will see fewer.

It is best to wait until moon set before watching so the meteors will not be washed out.

You can find predictions for your local site at the meteor flux estimator (choose 4 Geminids and date 13-14 December, don't forget to change the date to 2021). You will have to enter your local latitude and longitude for your site. I have also made a table for major cities below.

Unfortunately, both Chrome and Firefox have changed their security settings to prevent plugins from running, and the flux estimator only runs under Internet Explorer now.
You can follow the progress of the shower at the IMO Geminids Live page.

At 1.00 am in the morning AEDST (midnight, AEST) Castor (alpha Geminorum) is about two hand-spans above the horizon and 10 hand-spans to the right of due north. Pollux, the other twin, is less than a hand-span to the right again. The radiant is just below Pollux. The best rates is when the radiant is highest,when it is due north, distinctive Castor and Pollux will be your guide still.

When you get up, allow at least 5 minutes for your eyes to adjust and become dark adapted (even if you have stumbled out of bed in the dark, here's some hints on dark adaption of your eyes so you can see meteors better). 

Labels: geminids, Meteors, unaided eye

Western Evening sky on Tuesday, December 7 looking west as seen from Adelaide at 21:57 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset).  Venus is close to the Crescent Moon and forms a line with Saturn and Jupiter. 

 

 

The inset shows the telescopic view of Venus. Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

The December edition of Southern Skywatch is now up. 

This month the planetary action remains mostly in the evening skies, with 3 bright planets visible after the sky is fully dark at the beginning of the month, then Mercury joins the line up later in the month. Venus blazes in the west not far from the pair of Saturn and Jupiter in the north-west. Mercury is low the evening twilight. Mars climbs higher in the morning sky. The Moon does a planet dance with bright Venus, Saturn and Jupiter. The Geminid meteors are good this year. Possible binocular comet C/2021 A1 Leonard. Occultation of Mars on Mew Years day.

December 3; the thin crescent moon near Mars, low in the morning twilight. December 4; New Moon. December 4; perigee Moon. December 6; Crescent moon forms a line with Venus, Saturn and Jupiter. December 7; Venus is close to the crescent Moon. December 8; Moon between Saturn and Jupiter. December 9; waxing Moon close to Jupiter. December 10; waxing Moon forms a line with Jupiter, Saturn and Venus. December 11; First Quarter Moon. Morning December 14; Geminid meteor shower peaks. December 16-25; Comet C/2021 A1 Leonard visible. December 18; apogee Moon. December 19; Full Moon (apogee ”mini” moon). December 27; Last Quarter Moon. January 1 2022; Morning occultation of Mars .

  Mercury  is low in the evening twilight from the middle of this month of this month and encounters Venus. On the 27 Venus and Mercury can been seen low in the twilight half an hour after sunset together, and the pair are at their closest on the 29th (with Venus below).

Venus is easily visible at the beginning of the month in the evening sky from 30 minutes after sunset (I can see it as early as 5 minutes after sunset) until well after the sky is fully dark. Venus, Saturn and Jupiter make a nice line in the evening sky in December. Venus is at its greatest brilliance on the 4th, then rapidly moves to the horizon. Venus is a very obvious crescent in even small telescopes and will get thinner as it heads towards the horizon, by the end of the Month it may be visible as a crescent in binoculars.  

Earth is at solstice on Wednesday the 22nd, when the day is longest.

Mars is low in the twilight until late in the month. On the 3rd the thin crescent moon is close to Mars. On January 1, 2002 Mars is occulted by the thin crescent Moon.

Jupiter is readily visible from astronomical twilight and is now lowering into the western evening sky. Jupiter still bright and an excellent object in even small telescopes, but the window for telescopic observation is closing. At the beginning of this month at astronomical twilight, we can enjoy the sight the sight of bright Venus in the west forming a line with Saturn and bright Jupiter in the north-west. Once Venus has set Jupiter dominates the night sky. by the end of the Month Mercury has replaced Venus.

Saturn can be easily seen from nautical twilight (an hour after sunset) during December. Saturn is telescopically best at astronomical twilight, when the sky is fully dark, but from mid-month it is too close to the horizon for good telescopic observation.

The moon visits the bright planets in Turn, Venus on the 7th, Saturn on the 8th then Jupiter on the 9th. The Moon will be close enough to Jupiter for the pair to fit in the field of view of 10x50 binoculars. The sight of the three bight planets together with the Moon will be particularly beautiful.

Moon: Perigee December 4 and at apogee December 18

Labels: southern skywatch

The New Moon is Saturday, December 4.  The thin crescent Moon is near Mars low in the morning twilight.  Three bright planets are seen forming a line in the early evening sky. Venus is readily visible in the early evening sky forming a line with Saturn and Jupiter  in the western evening sky with Jupiter dominating once Venus has set.Venus is at its greatest brilliance on the 4th. The crescent Moon visits Venus on the 7th and Saturn on the 8th.

The New Moon is Saturday, December 4. The Moon is at perihelion, when it is closest to the earth, at this time.

Morning sky on December 3 looking east as seen from Adelaide at 5:25 ACDST (30 minutes before sunrise). Mars is close to the thin crescent Moon low in the twilight, you may need binoculars to see Mars clearly.  

 

 

Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at the equivalent local time (30 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

Evening sky on Saturday December 4 looking west as seen from Adelaide at 21:53 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset).  Venus is at its greatest brilliance and is forming a line with Saturn and Jupiter.

 

 The insets shows the telescopic views of Venus, Saturn and Jupiter at this time. Venus is a distinct crescent now. Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). 

Evening sky on Tuesday December 7 looking west as seen from 21:57 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset). Venus is close to the Crescent Moon and forms a line with Saturn and Jupiter. The insets shows the telescopic view of Venus.

 

The inset shows the telescopic view of Venus at this time. Venus is a distinct crescent now. Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen).

Whole sky showing Jupiter, Saturn and Venus in a line, Saturday December 4, 21:53 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen). Orion, Taurus and the Pleiades can be seen above the eastern horizon.

 

 

 Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar planetary line up that the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).  

 

Mercury  is lost in the morning twilight.

Venus is visible in the early evening when the sky is fully dark.  I have been able to see Venus from just after sunset and it is easily seen over 3 hours after sunset, longer if you have a clear western horizon.  Venus is at its greatest brilliance, forming a line with Saturn and Jupiter. It is now a distinct crescent in even small telescopes.

Labels: weekly sky

I graphed the data from the abstract, it doesn't support the claims, basically, the inflammatory markers are not elevated. Look at the error bars, they are very wide and overlap substantially between pre- and post- vax measures, which means there is no meaningful difference between the figures, indeed for IL-16 there is a possibility that the real postvax value is actually lower than prevax). 

Labels: Science Blogging, vaccines

The Last Quarter Moon is Saturday, November 27.  Three bright planets are seen forming a line in the early evening sky. Venus is readily visible in the early evening sky above the  handle of the teapot of Sagittarius. Saturn and Jupiter are visible in the western evening sky with Jupiter dominating once Venus has set.

The Last Quarter Moon is Saturday, November 27.

Evening sky on Saturday, November 27 looking west as seen from Adelaide at 21:53 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset).  Venus is above the handle of the "teapot" of Sagittarius forming a line with Saturn and Jupiter.

 The insets shows the telescopic views of Venus, Saturn and Jupiter at this time. Venus is a distinct crescent now and Ganymede is coming out from behind Jupiter. Similar views will be seen throughout Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). 

Whole sky showing Jupiter, Saturn and Venus in a line , November 27, 21:53 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen). Orion, Taurus and the Pleiades can be seen above the eastern horizon.

 

 

 

 Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar planetary line up that the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).  

Mercury  is lost in the morning twilight.

Venus is visible in the early evening when the sky is fully dark.  I have been able to see Venus from just after sunset and it is easily seen over 3 hours after sunset, longer if you have a clear western horizon.  Venus is above the handle of the teapot of Sagittarius, forming a line with Saturn and Jupiter. It is now a distinct crescent in even small telescopes.

You may have heard of people offering "Detoxes" to"remove" the COVID vaccines. These range from "Detox" baths of Epsom salts and/or Borax, to snake venom removal kits, to the ancient technique of cupping.

None work, some are dangerous and all are based on a complete misunderstanding of how vaccines work.

The currently available vaccines are mRNA vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna), and adenovirus vector vaccines (AstraZeneca, Jannsen). In the first two, the mRNA from the spike protein is encapsulated in a lipid shell, in the latter two this is carried in a viral particle.

Labels: science matters, vaccines