Space and Astronomy

The Planets and Special Events

The Orionid Meteor Shower reaches it's peak on the morning of Saturday October 21. Best viewing is just before dawn. The Moon will not interfere.

A Public Star Party with telescopes provided by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society and the Los Angeles Sidewalk Astronomers will take place on the front lawn of the Griffith Observatory from 2 p.m. until 9:45 pm on Saturday October 21.

Venus (Mag -3.9) rises in the East around 5:00 a.m.

Jupiter (Mag -1.7) is still hidden by the Sun this month.

Mars (Mag +1.8) is very low on the eastern horizon at sunset.

Saturn (Mag +0.5) is in the Southwest as darkness falls. This month (October 16 to be exact) Saturn's Ring System will be tilted the most it will be for the next 30 years. Excellent opportunity for viewing.

Reprinted with permission, the information above is made available in the Griffith Observer , a monthly publication by the Griffith Observatory. For complete information on the Planets and other items related to Astronomy, please visit the Griffith Observatory Web Site.

The theory that our Sun is the center of the universe and our planets revolve around it was first documented by Nicolas Copernicus. The interesting thing is that Copernicus was a Catholic Priest and Philosopher, not an Astronomer. But he believed that God would have made the movements of the planets more simple than the previously documented theory (which was very complex). As we know today, Corpernicus was right !

• Want to see a Sattelite or the Space Station fly by ?
• Read about Solar Flares and Solar Wind
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Astronomy Picture Of The Day