Astro News (ON TOPIC)

Friday, September 8
With summer on the wane, the rich fields of the
Sagittarius Milky Way will soon be departing for
the season. This week the Teapot star pattern
of Sagittarius puffs its steam a bit west of
due south right after dark.

Chi Cygni is fading. This long-period red variable
star, high overhead, reached an unusually bright
maximum at about magnitude 3.8 in late July and
early August. It's now down to about 4.8, according
to reports in the last few days to the American
Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO).

Saturday, September 9

You know it's back-to-school season when the
Big Dipper is lower in the northwest after nightfall
than Cassiopeia is in the northeast. Look a little
above the midpoint between them for
2nd-magnitude Polaris.

Sunday, September 10

Arc to Arcturus: This is also the time of year when
the Big Dipper's famous relationship to Arcturus is,
displayed at its best. You'll find the
Dipper in the northwest after nightfall. Its curving
handle points leftward in an arc toward bright Arcturus
shining at about the same height in the west, a
little more than a Dipper-length away.

Monday, September 11

Jupiter is quite close to the wide binocular double
star Alpha Librae all week. They appear closest this
evening and tomorrow evening, about ½° apart, with
Alpha Librae to Jupiter's south (lower left).

Tuesday, September 12

If Chi Cygni has whetted your appetite for variable
stars, start checking in on T Ursae Minoris near the
bowl of the Little Dipper. This is a strange red
giant in the midst of a long, slow internal upheaval.

Wednesday, September 13

This is the time of year when bright Vega shines
almost straight overhead as the stars come out at
twilight (if you live in mid-northern latitudes).
Vega passes exactly overhead if you're at
latitude 39° north: Washington DC, Cincinnati,
Kansas City, Sacramento.

Thursday, September 14

Last-quarter Moon.

This Week's Planet Roundup

Mercury is hidden in the glow of sunset.

Venus is getting ever lower in the dawn. Look for it
just above the east-northeast horizon before sunrise,
below or lower left of Saturn.

Mars is lost in the sunset.

Jupiter shines low in the southwest at dusk, getting
lower every week. It sets shortly after dark. Binoculars
show the wide double star Alpha Librae close to Jupiter this week.

Saturn, glows moderately low in the east before and during
dawn (far above Venus and a little to the right).
Saturn is rapidly getting higher day by day.





--
The Lone Sidewalk Astronomer of Rosamond

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