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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, May 22, 2013. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:

The planets Jupiter and Venus are visible in the west-northwest sky starting about 30 minutes after sunset. The higher object is Jupiter, and the lower, brighter object is Venus. This week, the apparent distance between the planets closes from 15 degrees to 6 degrees. The planet Mercury will appear 2 degrees to the lower right of Venus on the 22^nd, setting the stage for an interesting grouping of these three planets next week.

As the sky darkens, the planet Saturn, in Virgo the Maiden, will become noticeable in the southeast in the part of the sky opposite of Jupiter and Venus. Saturn is visible most of the night, and is highest in the south at 11:30 p.m. This is a great time to see the rings of the planet and several of its moons through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes.

The moon’s appearance waxes from crescent to gibbous this week, appearing in first quarter phase on Friday the 17^th. The lighting is ideal for evening observations of the nightly changes in the appearance of craters, mountains and shadows along the sunrise terminator, the dividing line of darkness and light on the moon’s disk. Moonset occurs about 35 minutes later each night, changing from 11:17 p.m. to 2:46 a.m. between the 15^th and the 22^nd.

The best of several morning appearances of the International Space Station over Los Angeles should occur before dawn on Saturday, May 18. The ISS should emerge from earth’s shadow high in the southwest at 4:17 a.m. and cross nearly overhead before reaching the northeast horizon three minutes later. The giant satellite, now with an international crew of three astronauts, will outshine any other object in the sky at that time.

In addition to the free views of the sky that we provide day and night (until 9:30 p.m.) when weather permits except for Mondays, Griffith Observatory also hosts public star parties nearly every month. Along with the Observatory telescopes, dozens of telescopes from the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and The Planetary Society are also set up on the Observatory’s front lawn for free observation, from 2:00 p.m. until closing. The star party provides a great chance to observe the sun, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, the moon, and a variety of deep-sky objects. The star party also provides a chance to learn about telescopes and the hobby of amateur astronomy. The public star party for May is on Saturday the 18^th. Please see our homepage for notices about street work below the Observatory on the 18^th that could affect your trip here.

From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.

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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:

Look to the west, 30 minutes after sunset, to see the two brightest planets. Jupiter is the higher of the two, 20 degrees above the western horizon, while Venus, deep in the twilight glow, is only 5 degrees high in the west-northwest–to the lower right of Jupiter. The two planets will appear closer to each other day by day.

Golden planet Saturn, crossing the border from Libra the Scales to Virgo the Maiden on the 13^th, appears low in the southeast, to the lower left of Virgo’s bright star Spica as darkness falls, and is visible nearly all night long. The best time to observe Saturn is when it is highest above the horizon, when it transits 45 degrees high in the south, at 11:45 p.m. Saturn sets in the west southwest during dawn. A telescope is needed to see Saturn’s spectacular system of rings, now tilted 18 degrees in our direction. Several of the moons of Saturn can also be seen, appearing like stars scattered around the planet.

The moon is new on the afternoon of Thursday the 9^th, causing an annular solar eclipse–unseen from Los Angeles–visible only along a narrow path stretching across parts of Australia, Indonesia, and the equatorial Pacific Ocean. The waxing crescent moon emerges into the evening sky on Thursday night, first appearing two degrees to the lower left of Venus. It is between Venus and Jupiter on Friday, and to the upper left of Jupiter on Saturday. By Tuesday the 14^th, the moon will be visible until it sets at 11:40 p.m., P.D.T.

Comet Lemmon C/2012 F6 has moved into the morning sky after putting on a good show in the Southern Hemisphere earlier this year. The comet is visible through binoculars, slowly fading from 6^th to 7^th magnitude this month. Observed from rural dark sky sites, the comet is easy to locate, close to the eastern (lower) side of the Great Square of Pegasus shortly before dawn. A finder map is provided on our special comet Lemmon webpage.

Free views of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night, are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes Tuesday-Sunday before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for our schedule. The next public star party held by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place at the Observatory on Saturday, May 18 from 2:00-9:30 p.m.

From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.

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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, May 8, 2013. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:

The brightest planet, Venus, is above the west-northwest horizon up to 30 minutes after sunset this week, and will gradually become easy to see by month’s end. Venus has just emerged into the evening sky after passing around the far side of the sun. Through a telescope it appears as a tiny, fully lit disk.

Bright planet Jupiter, in Taurus the Bull, is in the western sky as darkness falls and sets in the west-northwest at about 10:15 p.m. Time is drawing short to enjoy evening telescopic observation of the motions of Jupiter’s cloud features and of its four largest moons.

Golden planet Saturn, in Libra the Scales, is now visible all night, making its appearance low in the southeast as darkness falls. Saturn is highest and straight south at 12:30 a.m., and sets in the west-southwest during the dawn. A telescope will show the northern face of the planet’s spectacular ring system, now tilted 18 degrees in our direction, as well as several of Saturn’s moons.

The moon changes phase from last quarter to waning crescent this week. The time of moonrise advances from 1:33 a.m. to 5:05 a.m. between the 2^nd and the 8^th.

The annual eta Aquarid meteor shower is expected to reach its maximum on the early morning of Sunday, May 5. The shower begins to be visible at 2:20 a.m., about two hours before dawn. The meteors will seem to stream from a point in the east-southeast near the “Water Jar” of Aquarius the Water Carrier. The light of the slender waning crescent moon, which will rise at 3:21 a.m., should not interfere with observations made from desert or mountain wilderness locations free from light pollution.  The shower, which is considered major in the southern hemisphere, usually produces about 20 meteors per hour from the latitude of Los Angeles. This month’s eta Aquarid shower and the Orionid meteor shower in October are both produced by streams of particles shed by comet Halley centuries ago, still traveling along the comet’s orbit. Comet Halley, last seen in 1986, will return in 2061.

Free views of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night, are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes Tuesday-Sunday before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for our schedule. The next public star party on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, hosted by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place on Saturday, May 18.

From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.

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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, May 1, 2013. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:

The phase of the moon waxes from gibbous to full on Thursday, April 25. The traditional name for April’s full moon is the Full Pink Moon, and refers to the color of a type of flower that blooms in early spring. On following nights, the moon’s phase is waning gibbous through the start of May.

The full moon appears close to a bright object on Thursday and Friday night–the planet Saturn. Saturn will be opposite the sun in the sky–at opposition–on the night and early morning of Saturday and Sunday, April 27/28. Saturn, in Libra the Scales, will be visible all night long, rising above the east-southeast horizon at sunset, and setting in the west-southwest at sunrise. Saturn is 818 million miles away–its closest to us this year. A telescope will show the northern face of the planet’s spectacular ring system tilted 18 degrees in our direction. The rings appear unusually bright at opposition. This is because of ice crystals in the rings that selectively reflect light back towards the sun (and the aligned earth) much as the special paint used in traffic signs reflects headlight illumination back toward a driver at night.

The brightest planet, Venus, should become visible after sunset just above the west-northwest horizon sometime this week as it re-enters the evening sky for the first time since last June’s transit. If you want to be among the first to see its return to the evening sky, scan the horizon with binoculars between 10 and 30 minutes after sunset.

The bright planet Jupiter, in Taurus the Bull, is easily seen in the west-northwest as darkness falls. The giant planet sets at about 10:30 p.m.

Comet PANSTARRS C/2011 L4 has faded and is no longer visible from light polluted regions. The comet, however, is still visible through small telescopes when observed from wilderness locations shortly before dawn. Comet PANSTARRS is circumpolar, meaning that it is above the horizon all night, but is best seen in the early morning in the hour before dawn.  The comet moves north from Cassiopeia the Queen to Cepheus the King on April 30. A finder chart is available on our special comet PANSTARRS page.

The International Space Station should outshine Jupiter during its two expected passes over Los Angeles this week. The first will take place on Wednesday the 24^th between 9:01 and 9:05 p.m., P.D.T. The space station will rise from the northwest horizon to a point 65 degrees above the northeast horizon a few seconds before vanishing into earth’s shadow. On Saturday the 27^th, the ISS will be visible between 8:05 and 8:12 p.m., P.D.T., crossing the sky from northwest to southeast, and passing overhead at 8:09 p.m.

Free views of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night, are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes Tuesday-Sunday before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for our schedule. The next public star party held by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place at the Observatory on Saturday, May 18 from 2:00-9:30 p.m.

From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.

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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:

The moon brightens the evening sky this week. The moon’s phase changes from crescent to first quarter on Thursday the 18^th, and shows its waxing gibbous phase through the 24^th. Binocular and telescope users will be able to get a good view of the large crater Copernicus along the terminator, the dividing line of night and sunrise on the moon, on Saturday evening, the 20^th. Moonset occurs about 36 minutes later from one night to the next this week, advancing from 12:02 a.m. to 4:15 a.m. between the 17^th and the 24^th.

The brilliant planet Jupiter, in Taurus the Bull, appears midway between the western horizon and overhead as darkness falls. Jupiter sets at about 11:00 p.m. this week.

When evening twilight ends, at 9:00 p.m., look just above the southeastern horizon to see the golden planet Saturn, in Libra the Scales.  Saturn climbs in the sky until it is 44 degrees high in the south at 1:30 a.m., and then slowly sinks until it is low in the southwest at dawn. A telescope will show the northern face of Saturn’s ring system tilted 18 degrees in our direction.

Comet PANSTARRS C/2011 L4 has faded and can no longer be easily seen from light polluted regions. Comet PANSTARRS, however, is still visible through binoculars and telescopes when observed from wilderness locations shortly before dawn. The comet is circumpolar, meaning that it is above the horizon all night, but is best seen in the early morning, from 2:10 a.m. to 4:50 a.m., when it is between 5˚ and 22˚ above the north-northeast horizon.  The comet is located in western Cassiopeia the Queen, close to the upper part of the imaginary “W” when observed before dawn. A finder chart is available on our special comet PANSTARRS page.

Saturday, April 20 is this month’s public star party on the front lawn of Griffith Observatory. The star party, usually held each month on the weekend closest to the first-quarter moon, is when the local astronomy clubs assist Griffith Observatory to provide views of the sky and information about the hobby of astronomy to our visitors, free of charge. Dozens of telescopes provided by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society allow you to safely view the sun during the day (starting at about 2:00 p.m.) and the moon, planets, and objects beyond our solar system at night until 9:30 p.m.. Please remember that the telescopes set up on the grounds of Griffith Observatory have been approved for public use, so please do not bring your own. Future star party dates are listed on our website.

Free views of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night, are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes Tuesday-Sunday before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for our schedule.

From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.

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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, April 17, 2013. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:

After the new moon on the morning of the 10^th, the crescent moon will emerge into the evening sky on Tuesday the 11^th. It can then be found above the western horizon starting 30 minutes after sunset. The waxing crescent moon appears higher in the sky for a longer time on following nights, and by Wednesday the 17^th, the moon is visible until it sets at 1:02 a.m.

The brilliant planet Jupiter, in Taurus the Bull, is in the western sky after sunset this week. The planet sets in the west-northwest at 11:15 p.m. The moon will appear close to Jupiter on Sunday the 14^th. Because Jupiter appears lower and lower in the sky on successive nights, the year’s opportunity to observe Jupiter in the evening will draw to a close in a couple of weeks.

The planet Saturn, in Libra the Scales, makes its appearance above the east-southeast horizon at 8:20 p.m. The ringed planet is well placed for telescopic viewing by 11:00 p.m. Saturn is at its highest, 44 degrees above the southern horizon, at 1:44 a.m.

Comet PANSTARRS C/2011 L4 has faded and can no longer be easily seen from areas with urban or suburban light pollution. Comet PANSTARRS, however, is still putting on a good show through binoculars and telescopes when observed from wilderness locations shortly before dawn. The comet is low in the northeast sky, and appears between the Andromeda galaxy and the upper edge of Cassiopeia the Queen. A finder chart is available on our special comet PANSTARRS page.

Free views of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night, are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes Tuesday-Sunday before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for our schedule. The next public star party on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, hosted by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place between 2:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 20^th.

From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.

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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, April 10, 2013. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:

The planet Jupiter is the brightest evening object. It can be found high in the western sky after sunset, close to the orange star Aldebaran of Taurus the Bull. Jupiter sets in the west-northwest at about 11:45 p.m.

The planet Saturn, in Libra the Scales, rises before 9:00 p.m., and is well placed for telescopic viewing by midnight. A telescope will reveal Saturn’s spectacular ring system and several moons. Saturn is highest and transits in the south at 2:20 a.m.

The moon is visible in the early morning in waning crescent phase until April 8^th when it will appear 7 degrees above the eastern horizon at 6:00 a.m., and will be only 7 degrees to the upper left of the planet Mercury. The moon is new on Wednesday morning, the 10^th.

Comet PANSTARRS C/2011 L4 has faded too much to be seen from areas with urban or suburban light pollution, but can still be observed through binoculars or telescopes from mountain or desert wilderness locations just before dawn. The comet is low in the northeast sky, and is close to the Andromeda galaxy. A finder chart is available on our special comet PANSTARRS page.

Free views of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night, are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes Tuesday-Sunday before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for our schedule. The next public star party on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, hosted by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place between 2:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 20^th.

From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.

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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, April 3, 2013. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:

The moon is full on Wednesday, March 27. The traditional name for the March full moon is the Full Worm Moon, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. After the 27^th, moonrise happens after sunset. By Wednesday, April 3, the moon does not make its appearance until 1:06 a.m.

With the moon clearing out of the evening sky, we will be able to see comet PANSTARSS in a dark sky for the first time starting on Friday, March 29. The comet is receding from the sun and fading, but is still bright enough to be an interesting binocular or telescopic object in the right observing conditions. The comet is in the northwest sky, and is about 8 degrees high (roughly equal to one binocular field-of-view) at 45 minutes after sunset, or just before 8 p.m. The comet appears as a star with a hazy glow that sprouts upward–the tail. The comet’s tail will appear longest from mountain wilderness areas that offer a clear view of the horizon. Starting on the morning of the 29^th, the comet is visible both in the evening and in the morning. It is is actually a little higher at the start of dawn, in the northeast at 5:45 a.m. The moon, however, will brighten the sky in the morning, so the darker evening sky may still offer the better view until the moon leaves the morning sky next week. On April 3^rd, comet PANSTARRS will be less than 3 degrees to the upper right of the Andromeda Galaxy–M31.The two objects should make an interesting pair as seen through binoculars or in images taken through telephoto lenses.

Jupiter, in Taurus the bull, is next to the brightest star of Taurus, orange Aldebaran, and is high in the west when darkness falls. Binoculars reveal the planet’s four brightest moons, while a telescope can let you see Jupiter’s banded cloud features, the oval Red Spot, and other storms. Jupiter sets in the west-northwest at midnight.

By 11:00 p.m., the planet Saturn in Libra the Scales is easy to see low in the southeast. Saturn appears at its highest in the south at 3:00 a.m. Through a telescope, Saturn’s spectacular ring system and several of the planet’s moons are visible. Our moon appears below Saturn on Thursday night, March 28.

The double star beta Scorpii will be occulted on the morning of March 31. From Los Angeles, telescope-equipped observers will see the two stars covered by the moon’s bright limb within 18 seconds of each other at 12:03 a.m., P.D.T. The brightest star of the pair is itself a pair of stars that are too close to easily split with a telescope, but the individual stars may be revealed by the bright star’s disappearance in two steps. Beta Scorpii will re-appear at 12:55 a.m., P.D.T. at the top edge of the moon’s dark limb. The visible pair of stars will then re-appear within 18 seconds of each other.

The International Space Station will pass directly over Los Angeles at dawn on Wednesday, April 3. The brilliant satellite will cross the sky from northwest to southeast between 5:52 a.m. and 5:59 a.m., P.D.T., and will pass directly overhead at 5:55 a.m.

Free views of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night, are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes Tuesday-Sunday before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for our schedule. The next public star party on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, hosted by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place between 2:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 20^th.

From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.

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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:

Spring began at 4:02 a.m., P.D.T. on Wednesday, March 20. This was the moment that the sun appeared to cross the celestial equator, moving from south to north. Spring will end with the start of summer on June 20. A special observance marking the season will take place at sunset on the 20^th. This will occur at the inscribed seasonal sunset lines on the walkway outside the western side of the Observatory.

Comet PANSTARRS C/2011 L4 is now at its best in the northwest evening sky. The best time to view the comet starts about 30 minutes after sunset and continues until about 8:20 p.m. Comet PANSTARRS is visible through binoculars, appearing as a hazy star with a softly glowing tail that streams to the upper left. The tail becomes most visible shortly before the comet sets, when the sky is nearly dark. From mountain locations, far from city lights, up to 1 ½˚ of the tail (equal to the length spanned by three full moons, side-by side) can be seen, and the comet is visible to the unaided eye. Finder charts and position information is available on our special web page. The comet is featured between 7:30 and 8:15 p.m. through the public telescopes at Griffith Observatory when weather permits.

The moon’s phase changes from waxing gibbous to full on the morning of Wednesday, the 27^th. The traditional name for a full moon in April is the Full Pink Moon.

Jupiter, in Taurus the Bull, remains the brightest evening planet, and is high in the western sky when darkness falls. The bright orange star to the lower left (or south) of Jupiter is Aldebaran, the brightest star of Taurus. Jupiter sets in the west-northwest at 12:25 a.m.

The ringed planet Saturn, in Libra the Scales, is visible as a bright golden object in the southeast sky after it rises at 10:00 p.m. Saturn transits 43 degrees above the southern horizon at 3:25 a.m. The planet will become an evening object in about a month.

Experienced telescope users might want to observe when the dark limb of the moon crosses over the rich–but faint–open star cluster M67 in Cancer the Crab on Friday night, March 22. The moon will take an hour to cover the cluster between 9:52 and 10:53 p.m., P.D.T. Clear weather, large aperture, clean optics, and high power will be key to provide a chance to see this event, called an occultation. The right conditions and equipment could lead to an interesting view of dozens of stars blinking out of view as the moon covers (or occults) them, but the faintness of the individual cluster stars and the brilliance of the sunlit portion of the moon may make this event all but impossible to see.

Free views of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night, are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes Tuesday-Sunday before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for our schedule. The next public star party on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, hosted by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place between 2:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 20^th.

From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.

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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, March 20, 2013. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:

Comet PANSTARRS C/2011 L4 is now at its best in the evening sky. The comet can be found about 12 degrees above the western horizon starting 30 minutes after sunset this week. Comet PANSTARRS is easy to see in binoculars, appearing as a star, sprouting a hazy tail that streams to the upper left. The tail tends to become most visible shortly before the comet sets, when the sky is nearly dark. So far, only the brightest ½ degree of tail is visible, but the tail may appear longer as the comet moves away from the sun. You can see comet PANSTARRS from Wednesday to Sunday between about 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 through telescopes and binoculars at Griffith Observatory this week. On Wednesday, March 13^th, the crescent moon will appear 11 degrees above the comet. Charts and other information to help you find comet PANSTARRS appears on our special comet web page. (Photograph by Anthony Cook, Griffith Observatory, March 12, 2013)

The waxing moon will change phase to first quarter on Tuesday the 19th, and will appear waxing gibbous starting on the 20^th.

Jupiter, in Taurus the Bull, remains the brightest evening planet, and is high in the western sky when darkness falls. Jupiter sets in the west-northwest at 12:45 a.m. The moon will pass less than 2 degrees south of Jupiter on Sunday the 17th.

The ringed planet Saturn, in Libra the Scales, is visible as a bright golden object in the southeast sky after it rises at 10:20 p.m. Saturn transits 43 degrees above the southern horizon at 3:45 a.m.

Early-risers can see the International Space station pass over Los Angeles on the morning of March 15. The brilliant satellite will emerge from earth’s shadow, to the upper right of Saturn, at 5:46 a.m., P.D.T., while 46 degrees high in the southwest. It will be nearly overhead a minute later, and will reach the northeast horizon at 5:49 a.m.

Spring begins at 4:02 a.m., P.D.T. on Wednesday, March 20. This is the moment that the sun appears to cross the celestial equator, moving from south to north. Spring will end with the start of summer on June 20. Special observances of solar noon and sunset will take place on the 20^th at Griffith Observatory.

Free views of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night, are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes Wednesday-Sunday before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for our schedule. The next public star party on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, hosted by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place between 2:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 16^th. Remember to arrive before 7:00 p.m. to see comet PANSTARRS.

From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.