In the eastern predawn sky, Mars continues its weeks-long conjunction with the star Spica, and Jupiter tags along, lower towards the horizon.
Conjunction in the eastern predawn sky, Dec. 5, 2017. Credit: Stellarium / Bob Trembley.Orion sets in the west at 6:00 AM; the waning gibbous Moon, one day after full, sets around 9:00 AM. Both the Moon and Orion rise in the east around 10 PM. The Moon will be at third quarter on the 10th.
The waning gibbous Moon and Orion rising in the east, 8:00 PM Dec. 5, 2017. Credit: Stellarium / Bob Trembley.From the southern hemisphere, the Moon and Orion’s orientation appear flipped to what residents in the northern hemisphere see.
The northwestern predawn sky at 4:00 AM on Dec. 5, 2017 – seen from Perth Observatory, in the southern hemisphere. Credit: Stellarium / Bob Trembley.Mercury and Saturn are almost completely lost in the glare of the setting Sun to the southwest.
Mercury and Saturn LOW in the sky at 5:30 PM Dec. 5, 2017. Credit: Stellarium / Bob Trembley.From Perth, the light of the dawn starts shortly after 4:00 AM, with sunrise around 5:00 AM. The sky to the southeast before sunrise from Perth is spectacular! From the U.S., sunrise is shortly before 8:00 AM, and sunset is shortly after 4:30 PM.
The southeastern sky at 4:00 AM on Dec. 5, 2017 – seen from Perth Observatory, in the southern hemisphere. Credit: Stellarium / Bob Trembley.The constellations Ursa Major (including the Big Dipper asterism) and Leo are almost directly overhead in the predawn sky.
Ursa Major and Leo directly overhead, 6:00 AM, Dec. 5, 2017. Credit: Stellarium / Bob Trembley.The Sun
Once again, the Sun does not have a single sunspot visible.
The Sun – Dec. 5, 2017 – Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI). Image courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.The Sun blew off several of these pillar-shaped prominences on Nov. 30th.
A pillar-type prominence on the Sun, Nov. 30, 2017 at 2:43 PM. Image credit: NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.The northern coronal hole has extended another south-reaching peninsula; SpaceWeather.com says “Solar wind flowing from the indicated coronal hole is expected to reach Earth today… NOAA forecasters say there is a 70% chance of polar geomagnetic storms today.”
The Sun in multiple frequencies – Dec. 5, 2017 – Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) 211, 193, and 171 angstroms. Image courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.You can view the Sun in multiple frequencies, in near real-time here: SDO-The Sun Now
The Sky Overhead
The Sky Overhead, 8:00 PM Dec. 5 2017. Credit: Stellarium / Bob Trembley.The Solar System
The Inner Solar System, Oblique View, Dec. 5 2017. Credit: NASA Eyes on the Solar System / Bob Trembley.
The Outer Solar System, Oblique View, Dec. 5 2017. Credit: NASA Eyes on the Solar System / Bob Trembley.This is the position of the planets in the inner and outer solar system simulated using NASA Eyes on the Solar System.
Apps used for this post:
Stellarium: a free open source planetarium app for PC/MAC/Linux.
NASA Eyes on the Solar System: an immersive 3D solar system and space mission app – free for the PC /MAC.
