Skywatch February & March 2010
For all of 2010, the Earth will be closest to the Sun on January 3rd, when there will be "only" 91,403,215 miles (147,099,216 kilometers) between you and the Sun. The Earth's orbit around the Sun is not a circle, but rather an ellipse. Thus, the distance from the Earth to the Sun is constantly changing. Obviously, the distance from the Earth to the Sun has nothing to do with the seasons. Sure, if you come from up north it is winter, but if you come to the islands from the southern hemisphere, it is summer - and both hemispheres are the same distance from the Sun.
As the Earth orbits the Sun its axis is tiled; when the North Pole is pointed away from the Sun the South Pole is pointed toward the Sun and vice versa. When the North Pole (and thus the northern hemisphere) is tilted away from the Sun, the Sun's rays come in at a shallower angle and it is colder. At the same time the South Pole (and thus the southern hemisphere) is tilted toward the Sun, the Sun's rays come in at a more direct angle and it is warmer.
Also on January 3rd, it is the maximum of the Quadrantid meteor show. Look between midnight on the 3rd and dawn on the 4th and you may see some 50 or more "shooting stars" per hour. Meteors are flashes of light that happen so quickly that by the time you tell a friend "look there", the meteor will be gone. Meteors are caused by pebble sized bits of rock burning up as they pass through the air some 50 miles above the Earth. At various times during the year the Earth passes through clouds of dust left behind by various comets. When we do, we experience a meteor shower. But be warned, the peak of this particular shower is very brief and moonlight will overpower fainter shooting stars.
Once the beautiful Island day becomes another wonderful Island night look somewhat low in the east for a bright red star-like object - this is the planet Mars. On January 29th the Earth will be between the Sun and Mars, what astronomers call opposition. Mars will also be at it closest to the Earth, "only" some 61,750,596 miles (99,377,951 kilometers) away. Around 10:00 p.m. the planet Saturn will rise in the east. If you wait a few hours the turning Earth will cause Saturn to climb higher and higher in the eastern sky and make the bright planet easier to spot.
High in the eastern sky is one of the best known constellations, Orion the Hunter. Orion is easy to find, its seven bright stars form the outline of the Hunter's body: two mark his shoulders, two his knees and three his belt. With clear dark skies you may be able to see the jewels in Orion's sword, hanging from his belt. Just to the north of Orion are the zodiacal constellations of Taurus, the Bull, and the Gemini Twins. The bright red star Aldebaran marks the red right eye of the Bull and the heads of the Twins are marked by two stars of about the same brightness, Castor and Pollux. East of Gemini are the faint stars of Cancer, the Crab. Cancer is easy to locate now because the bright planet Mars is seen against the background stars of Cancer.
