Space and Astronomy

The Planets and Special Events

Summer comes to an end (astronomically) and Autumn begins on Sunday September 22 at 5:44 a.m. when the Sun crosses the Celestial Equator from North to South. This event called the Autumnal Equinox also signals the beginning of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere. The daylight and nightime are almost equal and the days willl continue to get shorter until the Winter Solstice on December 21. .

Venus (Mag -3.9) sets in the west at 8:25 p.m. on the 1st. .

Jupiter (Mag -2.4) rises in the east-northeast at 12:15 a.m. on the 1st.

Mars (Mag +0.6) rises in the East at 12:49 a.m. on the 1st.

Saturn (Mag +0.6) rises in the East at 7:37 p.m. on the 1st.

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 !

• Your Place In Space: A nice article by Bill Nye in The Planetary Report featuring one of my photos
• Astronomy Picture Of The Day
• Want to see a Sattelite or the Space Station fly by ?
• Read about Solar Flares and Solar Wind
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration