Sky Report

The Griffith Observatory Sky Report
Anthony Cook
Astronomical Observer

This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, September 8. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:

Venus is brilliant but low in the southwest during evening twilight. On Wednesday the 1st, Virgo the Maiden’s bright star Spica is 2 degrees to the upper right of Venus and Mars is in the same line, 5 degrees from Venus. Venus and Mars stay in formation all week, while Spica slides down and to the right, appearing almost 3 degrees below Mars by Tuesday the 7th. Venus appears as a crescent through a telescope, and is nearly at its greatest brilliancy. It is not hard to find with binoculars–or even the unaided eye–in the daytime, if you know where to look. The planet is due south at about 3:30 p.m. this week when it transits 41 degrees above the horizon as seen from the 34-degree-north latitude of Los Angeles.

By the time Venus sets (just before 9 p.m.), bright yellow planet Jupiter is already 10 degrees high in the east. Jupiter is highest at 2 a.m., when it crosses 51 degrees above the southern horizon. Jupiter is currently in the faint constellation of Pisces the Fishes.

The phase of the moon wanes from last quarter on the morning of Wednesday the 1st to new a week later. Deep sky observers will appreciate the fact that the moon’s rising time retreats between 11:57 p.m. on the 1st to 5:38 a.m. on the 7th, when it is last visible in the morning sky.

A trip to dark, light-pollution free skies on Labor Day weekend will provide a chance to scan the Milky Way from Scorpius and Sagittarius low in the south in the early evening, all the way to Auriga the Charioteer in the northeast in the early morning. The early morning hours also are a great time to see the Andromeda Galaxy, an excellent object in binoculars.
Free public viewing of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night, is available through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes until 9:45 p.m., every night–weather permitting–except Mondays. Due to the City budget situation–and until further notice– the Observatory will additionally be closed on Tuesdays starting on September 14.

The next public star party will feature a special 95th birthday tribute to the famous telescope builder John Dobson and will be held in his presence at the Observatory on Saturday, September 18. Free viewing through telescopes will be provided by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society and the Sidewalk Astronomers. Please visit our website for Observatory information, or call (213) 473-0800.

The Sky Report is updated every Wednesday. It can be heard as a recorded phone message by calling (213) 473-0880. From Griffith Observatory, I’m Tony Cook, and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.