Nan at Night by Nancy Hoyt
-Thursday the 3rd: The moon will be full at 9:03 a.m. tomorrow. It is known as the Fruit Moon or Corn Moon. Most years, September’s full moon is also the Harvest Moon. This year, however, it’s too far from the fall equinox, so October’s full moon gets the honor.
-Friday the 4th: The rings of Saturn stand edge-on to Earth today, which happens once every 15 years. Unfortunately, the planet appears so near the Sun that it is hidden in the Sun’s glare. Saturn will return to view in the morning sky early next month.
-Saturday the 5th: Pegasus stretches above the moon this evening. Four moderately bright stars form the Great Square, which represents this body. Streamers of stars above and to the right of the square form his head and forelegs.
-Sunday the 6th: The long, skinny constellation Vulpecula, the fox, is about halfway between two of the stars of the Summer Triangle: Deneb, which is high in the east at nightfall, and Altair, which is in the southeast.
-Monday the 7th: Even though summer ends in just a couple of weeks, the Summer Triangle stands high overhead as night falls throughout September. Its three points are Vega, which is almost directly overhead; Deneb, in the northeast; and Altair in the southeast.
-Tuesday the 8th: Altair, the brightest star of the constellation Aquila, the eagle, is high in the southeast at nightfall, forming a point of the Summer Triangle. It shines pure white, indicating that it is much hotter than our own star, the Sun.
-Wednesday the 9th: Rise early and look to the east, there you will find two brilliant planets blazing in the predawn sky. Higher and at the feet of Gemini the Twins, you will find Mars glowing with an eerie red tone. Venus is lower in the eastern sky and shining a radiant white.
It is always fun to try to find “your” constellation up in the night sky. By that I mean your astrological “sign” that we read occasionally for a heads-up as to what our destiny may portend. Of course there are those who can’t walk out of the door without this information, so I acknowledge their beliefs. I just tire of the mix-up between Astronomy and Astrology, as they are very different venues. But, this is where they do connect, in the sky. The astrological constellations all fall upon an imaginary line called the “ecliptic”, which is a “projection” of the Earth’s equator up into the night sky. The planets of our solar system also travel along this line. Currently, you will find the constellations in the sky pertaining to those born in October through April. Facing south you may follow this path from west to east, low in the horizon. Start by looking to the southwest and you may be able to glimpse the kite shaped form of Libra the Scales. Next, going east you will find the stunning figure of Scorpius the Scorpion with his blazing orange-red heart Antares. The teapot asterism within Sagittarius the Archer follows. Then, three constellations are residing in an area known as “the Water,” “the Sea,” or “the Sky Sea,” they include Capricornis the Sea Goat, looking much like a large sail, Aquarius the Waterbearer and Pisces the Fish. You can find Jupiter within the “sail” of Capricornis around 10 p.m. The last visible astrological constellation at this time is Aries the Ram away on the eastern horizon. Taurus the Bull will rise in late October bringing with him the great Orion rising to the eastern sky as Scorpius sets in the west.
