The Perseverance Rover Landing on Mars in Indian Standard Time (IST)

 

Perseverance Rover Credit:NASA

Mars Perseverance Rover is all set to start the landing sequence and explore Mars from February 18^th. The 1025kg rover which will weigh only 384kg on mars is equipped with scientific instruments to take readings and samples of the Martian surface to answer the question, "Did life exists on Mars at some point in the past". The descent to Martian surface will start on February 18^th and here are the sequence of events that are planned.

The Perseverance Rover Landing on Mars in Indian Standard Time (IST)

For USA it will be 18th but for India it will 19th Morning

 Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The red planet's atmosphere is very thin compared to earth, about 1% in volume, mainly made up of carbon dioxide. Even at this thin atmosphere, the heat shield protecting the rover will experience a temperature of 1300 centigrade during descent. The atmosphere breaking will slow the spacecraft descent to 1000km/h and when  at this speed the parachute is deployed, it will slow down the spacecraft further.

  Atmosphere breaking. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

When the spacecraft is slowed down to 320km/h the parachute is detached, the instruments on the spacecraft guides, using radar and camera to safely land the rover on the Martian surface.

You can watch the events Live from NASA's YouTube channel.

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Venus and Mars Conjunction

In the evening twilight after sunset, we find Venus shining bright in the western sky. These days we find a red star very close to Venus, in fact this is not a star but red planet Mars. On 22^nd of February these two planets come closest to each other, at just below half a degree. Our moon measures half a degree in the sky.

If we continue observing these planets for few days more, we can see that Venus is moving up in the sky and Mars is getting closer to Sun.

Hope you all get a chance to see this during the weekend.

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Mars and Spica so close yet so far

Mars and Spica will be just one degree apart today evening. We can see the red planet mars and Spica shining bright in the southwest sky after sunset. The pair is easy to spot due to their colour difference, mars will be red and south west of mars will be blue-white star Spica. Although they appear just one degree apart from each other, the closeness ends there.

 

The distance from earth to these two celestial bodies are truly immense.  Mars after coming close earth on April 14^th, it is slowly moving away from us and now mars is close to one AU.  Spica is at a distance of 15810494 AU form us, one AU is the distance between earth and Sun, which is 150 million kilometres. As we can see, the difference is immense. If the skies are clear, in the evening, we will enjoy the view and now we know they are so close yet so far.

 

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Planets for the Month of September

Morning Planets:

Mercury:

Mercury will reach superior conjunction on September 10^th and it will towards the end of the month that Mercury will be placed well for observing.

Jupiter:

Jupiter is well placed for observations in the constellation of Taurus. The giant planet rises early at 11:45pm and has a magnitude of -2.4.  

Venus:

Morning star Venus is well placed of observations through out the month. Venus rises at 3am in the constellation of Cancer shining at a magnitude of -4.2. The planet will just 2 degrees from M44 or beehive cluster as popularly known, on September 14^th making it a fantastic view in binoculars. Seen through the telescope Venus will appear just more than half phase, moving towards gibbous phase as days go by.

Evening Planets:

Mars:

Mars is in the evening twilight in the constellation of Libra. The red planet is at a magnitude of 1.2 and will set at 9:20pm.

Saturn:

Saturn is also placed low in the Western horizon, in the constellation of Virgo. The planet sets early at 8pm.

Uranus:

Uranus is well placed for observetion through out the month. Uranus rises early at 7pm giving full night for observations. This planet is visible through a pair of binoculars is at a magnitude of 5.7. Uranus will reach opposition on September 29^th.

Neptune:

Neptune is also well placed for observations through out the month in the constellation of Aquarius. Neptune has a magnitude of 7.8.

Moon Phases:

Last quarter: 08-Sep-2012

New moon: 16-Sep-2012

First quarter: 22-Sep-2012

Full moon: 30-Sep-2012

Sun:

On September 22^nd Sun will reach autumnal equinox, when Sun's declination becomes zero and Right Aessionsion(RA) becomes 12 h. The Sun will reach this co ordinates at 9pm IST on September 22. Although this point is called First point of Libra, the Sun will be in Virgo constellation.

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Mars in Beehive cluster

On 1st and 2nd October morning the red planet Mars will be in Beehive cluster in the constellation of Cancer. Mars rises at 2am and by 3:30am will be in good position to observe and photograph. Grab the binoculars and enjoy the Mars stay in Beehive cluster. Beehive cluster or M44 as its known, is 3rd magnitude open cluster visible easily as hazy patch to unaided eye. Binoculars and telescope will help in resolving the cluster.

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Planets for the Month

Mercury:

Mercury will reach inferior conjunction on September 3^rd. It will be lost in the Sun's glare in the first week of September. During second week, Mercury will be too close to eastern horizon at around 8 degrees at 6am. After 15^th the planet Mercury will be little easy to spot if there is a clear horizon. Mercury will reach greatest elongation on 19^th September, the angular separation from the Sun will be 18degrees. Mercury will be in the constellation of Leo all month.

Date	Rise
1st Sep	06:35:00 AM
8th Sep	05:35:00 AM
15th Sep	05:02:00 AM
22nd Sep	04:59:00 AM
29th Sep	05:15:00 AM

Venus:

Venus will continue to dominate the evening western sky all this month. On 11^th September, Venus and crescent Moon will be close to each other at a separation of just 1 degree.

Date	Set
1st Sep	08:53:00 PM
8th Sep	08:43:00 PM
15th Sep	08:31:00 PM
22nd Sep	08:16:00 PM
29th Sep	07:57:00 PM

Venus and Mars

Mars:

The red planet will be in the constellation of Virgo all month. Mars can be spotted in the western sky evening sky 6 degrees north of Venus.

Date	Set
1st Sep	08:50:00 PM
8th Sep	08:38:00 PM
15th Sep	08:26:00 PM
22nd Sep	08:15:00 PM
29th Sep	08:04:00 PM

Jupiter:

Jupiter is well placed for observations as it rises early in the evening. The giant planet will the brightest “star” in the region at -2.5 magnitude.

On 19^th September, Jupiter and Uranus will be close each other at an angular separation of 48 minutes of arc. An 8 inch f/8 telescope with 32mm eyepiece will show the giant planet and Uranus in single field.

Jupiter will reach opposition on September 21^st , this means, the planet Jupiter, Earth and the Sun will be the straight line. As a result, Jupiter will rise as the Sun sets, giving observers chance to study the planet all night.

Date	Rise
1st Sep	07:41:39 PM
8th Sep	07:11:24 PM
15th Sep	06:40:56 PM
22nd Sep	06:10:22 PM
29th Sep	05:39:48 PM

Field in binocular

Saturn:

Saturn, now low in the western horizon is getting difficult to spot. In the constellation of Virgo, the planet Saturn will be lost in the Sun's glare towards the end of the month.

Date	Set
1st Sep	07:58:32 PM
8th Sep	07:33:42 PM
15th Sep	07:08:56 PM
22nd Sep	06:44:14 PM
29th Sep	06:19:33 PM

Uranus:

Uranus can be easily be seen through a 10X50 binoculars. Now its easier as Jupiter can be taken as reference. Pick up the binoculars and point it towards Jupiter and keep the Jupiter at the center of field. Just 1 degrees west to Jupiter you will find 5.7^th magnitude Uranus.

Uranus will also reaches opposition on 21^st of September, same day as Jupiter.

Date	Rise
1st Sep	07:34:44 PM
8th Sep	07:06:20 PM
22nd Sep	06:09:28 PM
29th Sep	05:41:02 PM

Neptune:

Neptune will be in the constellation of Capricornus in the month of August. Planet Neptune can be found at 4 degrees NE of delta Capricorni. Neptune is at magnitude of 7.8. Neptune will be just 1 degree NE of mu Capricorni

Date	Rise
1st Sep	05:44:39 PM
8th Sep	05:16:30 PM
15th Sep	04:48:22 PM
22nd Sep	04:20:17 PM
29th Sep	03:52:15 PM

Pluto:

Pluto still is in the rich star field of constellation Sagittarius at 14^th Magnitude.

Phases of Moon:

New moon: 08 Sep 2010

First quarter: 15 Sep 2010

Full moon: 23 Sep 2010

Last quarter: 01 Oct 2010

Sun:

Sun will be in the constellation of Leo till middle of September and move to Virgo.

Equinox:

On 23^rd September at approximately 8:40am the Sun reaches RA of 12h and Dec of 0 degress, this is Autumnal Equinox. This point is also called as First point of Libra.

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Venus at Greatest Elongation today

This evening the planet Venus, the bright evening star, reaches Greatest Elongation. That means the angular separation between the Sun and the planet Venus will be at maximum of 46 degrees, as observed from Earth. After this day the angular separation between the Sun and Venus starts decreasing

If observed through telescope, we can notice that Venus one half lit by reflected light from the Sun and the other half in dark. As the days progress, planet Venus will move from Half phase to Crescent phase, making the planet little more brighter.

Seen through the telescope the planet Venus will slowly increase in size, angular diameter, as the days pass. Now its around 24 seconds of arc and the planet will slowly increase to a diameter close to a minute of arc before reaching inferior conjunction in late October.

Venus is well placed for observations in the western evening sky through out this month.

This evening the red planet Mars will be 1° 57' NE of bright Venus.

Hope the skies will be clear...

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Astro News: Saturn, Mars and Venus line up in June sky

As darkness falls at the beginning of June, three planets will form a long line in the western sky. Saturn will be at the upper left, Mars in the middle and Venus at the lower right.

Sky map for June 6

Venus will form a straight line with the bright stars Pollux and Castor of the constellation Gemini the Twins on June 11 fairly low in the west-northwest. On June 19 and 20, the brilliant white planet will pass just north of the Beehive star cluster. Binoculars will show the stars twinkling while the planet gleams steadily.

Venus on June 19th at 7pm

To Venus's upper left (south) will be red-orange Mars, making a colorful contrast with nearby blue-white Regulus, the brightest star of the constellation Leo the Lion. The colors will appear most vivid through binoculars. Mars and Regulus will be closest on June 6, but they will remain near each other for the first half of the month.

Saturn will materialize high in the southwest at dusk, setting around 1:30 a.m. local time at the start of the month and by midnight at month's end. Saturn's rings will appear to open slightly this month as seen from Earth, after being tilted nearly edgewise in late May. Mars and Venus will close in on Saturn from the lower right (west) as the month advances.

While Saturn is setting in the west, Jupiter will be rising in the east. Jupiter is a favorite target of observers with telescopes, because its rapid rotation causes its features to change position noticeably in as little as 10 minutes. Its four largest moons -- Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto -- will be visible in binoculars or any telescope, changing positions from night to night as they patrol east and west of the planet in their orbits. Occasionally one or more of them will disappear as they pass in front of Jupiter or behind it. These moons are bright enough that you could see them without optical aid if it weren't for Jupiter's brilliance. The planet will climb higher in the southeast during June, and views of it will improve quickly.

Mercury will be close to the eastern horizon a half hour before sunrise in early June, difficult to find in the bright sky of dawn.

Provided by IU

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Omicron Leonis occultation

On 20th, Thursday 2010, Constellation Leo will be good area to observe.

Planet Mars is in the constellation of Leo and on 20th, the planet is 6 degrees to the north of the Moon.

Moon will occult the 3.5 magnitude star omicron leonis, Subra, on 20th May 2010. The Moon will be at half phase and Subra is occulted from dark side of the Moon.

Here is a list of timings of occultation for few places in India.

Location	Disappears	Reappears
IST = UT + 5:30	UT	UT
Agra	14h 36m 16s	15h 29m 49s
Amritsar	14h 26m 56s	15h 15m 40s
Bangaluru	14h 49m 56s	16h 3m 0s
Hyderabad	14h 45m 13s	15h 55m 9s
Jaipur	14h 30m 43s	15h 30m 12s
Kolkata	15h 3m 1s	15h 43m 30s
Lucknow	14h 44m 8s	15h 30m 47s
New Delhi	14h 33m 45s	15h 25m 13s
Srinagar	14h 27m 27s	15h 6m 41s
Location	Disappears	Reappears

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