dipper@utastro.UUCP (Debbie Byrd) (10/01/84)
Look for the first quarter moon high overhead in the evening sky. More on what else is up there -- right after this. October 1 The First Quarter Moon Monday evening the moon is at first quarter -- it's one quarter of the way through its monthly orbit around Earth. The moon at first quarter is half a sky-dome away from the sun -- which means that when the sun sets in the west, the moon is overhead. Monday's moon happens to be near in the sky to some interesting objects. For one thing, there are some planets in this part of the sky -- Jupiter and Mars. Jupiter is the bright object nearest Monday night's moon. Mars is less bright -- but still noticeable -- a reddish object located westward from the moon and Jupiter. When we say westward, we mean closer to the western horizon. Besides the planets and the moon, there's something else in this part of the sky -- something you can't really SEE, but that you can try to imagine. Monday night, the moon is located in front of the stars of Sagittarius -- in whose direction lies the center of our Milky Way galaxy. If the moon weren't in the way, and if you were out in the country, you'd see in this region of the heavens the richest part of the hazy starlit trail of the Milky Way -- the pathway of stars that outlines the disk of the galaxy. Both the moon and city lights will obscure the starlit trail -- but it's interesting to think as you gaze at the moon Monday night that you're standing on a planet, orbiting a star on the outskirts of the galaxy -- looking toward the galactic center. Script by Deborah Byrd. (c) Copyright 1983, 1984 McDonald Observatory, University of Texas at Austin