Mars rises in the east shortly after 4:00 AM, followed by Jupiter shortly before 6:00 AM. Venus rises around 6:30 AM, and quickly vanishes with the dawn’s light
Eastern sky before sunrise, Nov. 22, 2017. Credit: Stellarium / Bob Trembley.Saturn is just above the treetops to the southwest after sunset, and is visible for less than a half hour before it sets; a waxing crescent Moon sets a short while afterwards. The Moon should be an fairly good observing target on the evening of Thanksgiving day at 24% illumination. The Moon will be at first quarter on the 26th.
Southwestern sky after sunset, Nov. 22, 2017. Credit: Stellarium / Bob Trembley.The Sun
The sunspot group that I mentioned last week made it about half way around the face of the Sun before it faded from view. I created this video using two different frequencies from the Solar Dynamics Observatory – it shows that although the sunspot does seem to “evaporate,” the magnetic disturbance associated with it continues to rotate around the face of the Sun.
Several prominences dance on the Sun’s limb in 304 angstroms from the Solar Dynamics Observatory. You can also see a large “C” shaped filament off-center in the image – this is a prominence seen straight-down against the face of the Sun, instead of on the limb and against the blackness of space.
The Sun in 304 angstroms showing several prominences – Nov. 22, 2017. Image courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.Only a faint ghost of the south-reaching coronal peninsula in the northern region remains this week, the southern coronal hole has diminished greatly in size, and the equatorial coronal hole has barely changed in position at all. SpaceWeather.com says: “Earth is beginning to exit a narrow stream of solar wind that arrived only a little more than 24 hours ago. NOAA forecasters say there is a 40% chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms on Nov. 22nd, decreasing to 20% on Nov. 23rd. Arctic sky watchers should remain alert for auroras tonight before the solar wind wanes.”
The Sun in multiple frequencies – Nov. 22, 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, 6:00 PM Nov. 22 2017. Credit: Stellarium / Bob Trembley.The Inner Solar System
This is the position of the planets in the inner solar system simulated using NASA Eyes on the Solar System.
The Inner Solar System, Oblique View, Nov. 22 2017. Credit: NASA Eyes on the Solar System / Bob Trembley.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.
Sorry this post is a day late … I’ve been helping with the VOF’s #GivingTuesday campaign, and time got away from me.
