Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Herb Rothschild: A year of conversation ... Quake warning system tested for Northwest ... Inner Peace: Y.E.S. spells Yes, Expect and Share ... Herb Rothschild: A year of conversation ... Quake warning system tested for Northwest ... Inner Peace: Y.E.S. spells Yes, Expect and Share ... Looking Up: Venus, Mars passing each other Comment By Peter Becker More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Peter Becker More Content Now Posted Feb. 6, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Peter Becker More Content Now Posted Feb. 6, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Mars (planet No. 4) is closing in on Venus (planet No. 2), night by night as the curious on Earth (planet No. 3) watch from afar. Jupiter (planet No. 5), to their backs, will follow suit in a few months with its own close encounter with the second planet from the sun. The dynamics of the ever-changing positions of the solar system members play out day and night, visible to us each night the clouds cooperate and provide a window to our neighboring worlds. Earth is part of the grand scheme, as our planet carries us in its orbit concentric to those closer and farther from our star. We have no control over where we go as the solar system revolves; ours is to enjoy the ride and take in the view. This winter and spring, 2015, Venus stands gloriously bright in the glow of dusk. The planet rises higher each night; during February look west-southwest about an hour after sunset, where you have a good view free of obstructions. Look about 10 degrees to the upper left to see Mars. You can make a rough estimate of the span of 10 degrees in the sky by stretching out your arm with a closed fist. Your fist will cover roughly 10 degrees. Mars is less than a hundredth as bright as Venus; if the twilight is not well advanced it may be hard to detect Mars at first. Binoculars will show it readily. Mars will look like a reddish-orange point of light. In late February, Mars and Venus will be very near each other from our point of view, making a close conjunction. They are very close on Feb. 21, with the crescent moon also nearby. Venus is moving up (west to east) in its orbit; Mars is moving down (east to west). Later this spring Venus will stand high in the western sky even after darkness falls, shining brilliantly. Jupiter arrived at opposition this past week, directly opposite the sun and rising in the east-northeast just as the sun descends in the west-southwest. Jupiter shines bright just ahead of the constellation Leo the Lion, and is up all night long. As this planet also makes its rounds, come June, planet No. 5 will be passing Venus in the west, making a wonderful, bright duo. At around 2 or 3 a.m. in February you can look for planet No. 6, Saturn, rising in the southeast. Saturn is well up by dawn. Uranus (planet No. 7) is visible in the southwest after dark, but you will need a finder chart and binoculars. At magnitude +5.8, it is barely visible to unaided eyes in a dark sky. (Try the chart at www.skyandtelescope.com .) Neptune (planet No. 8) and Mercury (planet No. 1) are both lost in the glow of the sun. Oh, yes - planet No. 3 is also visible tonight, but you may need a flashlight. Look under your feet! Don't forget the moon! Last quarter is on Wednesday, Feb. 11, rising around midnight. Send your reports to [email protected]. Keep looking up! By Peter Becker More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Peter Becker More Content Now Posted Feb. 6, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501