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May 13, 2024Radio: Today’s Episode
Beta Pictoris
Planets, debris, and a cat’s tail
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Radio: Yesterday’s Episode
Moon and Twins
Close encounters with the “twins”
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Stargazing
Head Cases
The star Rasalhague represents the head of Ophiuchus the serpent bearer, while Rasalgethi is the head of Hercules. Rasalhague climbs into good view in the east by 10 p.m., with fainter Rasalgethi above it by about the width of three fingers held at arm’s length.
Moon and Twins
The Moon passes especially close to the star Pollux tonight – the brighter “twin” of Gemini. The star stands just to the right of the Moon at nightfall. The other twin, Castor, is farther along the same line.
Crowning the Crown
Corona Borealis, the northern crown, stands half-way up the eastern sky as darkness falls this evening. It is a small semicircle of moderately bright stars that opens to the left. It is crowned by a binary star system known as Alphecca.
Moon Phases
At the new Moon phase, the Moon is so close to the Sun in the sky that none of the side facing Earth is illuminated (position 1 in illustration). In other words, the Moon is between Earth and Sun. At first quarter, the half-lit Moon is highest in the sky at sunset, then sets about six hours later (3). At full Moon, the Moon is behind Earth in space with respect to the Sun. As the Sun sets, the Moon rises with the side that faces Earth fully exposed to sunlight (5).
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