STAR GAZERS SG 1818-5M APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2018 THE BRIGHTEST PLANETS (NEW SHOW WITH ELEMENTS FROM 1626 AND 1706) GREETINGS STAR GAZERS. I M JAMES ALBURY, DIRECTOR OF THE KIKA SILVA PLA PLANETARIUM IN GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA. AND I M DEAN REGAS, ASTRONOMER FOR THE CINCINNATI OBSERVATORY. WE RE HERE TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR WAY AROUND THE SKY. WE ALWAYS LIKE TO SHOW YOU THE BIGGEST AND BRIGHTEST ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS. THINGS THAT YOU CAN EASILY SEE FROM ANYWHERE. AND THIS WEEK WE RE GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW TO IDENTIFY THE BRIGHTEST OF THE BRIGHT: THE TWO PLANETS THAT WILL LIGHT UP THE NIGHT. VENUS IS THE BRIGHTEST PLANET YOU CAN SEE FROM EARTH BECAUSE IT IS RELATIVELY LARGE AND CLOSE TO US.
JUPITER, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS JUST PLAIN BIG. EVEN FROM OVER 400 MILLION MILES AWAY JUPITER STANDS OUT AMONG THE STARS. PLANET HUNTING THIS MONTH IS A PIECE OF CAKE. AND THERE IS NOTHING COOLER THAN BEING ABLE TO SHOW YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY THE PLANETS. LET S SHOW YOU! (STOP DROP) OK, WE HAVE OUR SKIES SET UP FOR ANY NIGHT THIS WEEK AT 9PM FACING WEST. THE SUN HAS JUST SET AND AS THE SKY DARKENS YOU LL SEE ONE REALLY BRIGHT STAR LIGHTING UP THE TWILIGHT BEFORE ANY OTHERS A SUSPICIOUSLY BRIGHT STAR. THIS IS VENUS AND THERE IS NOTHING QUITE LIKE IT IN THE EARTHLY SKIES. IT WILL BE THERE IN THE WEST EVERY EVENING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. LET S FLY IN FOR A CLOSER LOOK. (STOP FLY) IN SPACE LIKE 1706 AS WE APPROACH, WE CAN SEE THAT THIS PLANET IS ABOUT 7,500 MILES IN DIAMETER - ALMOST THE SAME SIZE AS EARTH. IT'S OFTEN CALLED OUR SISTER PLANET FOR THIS VERY REASON.
HOWEVER, THAT IS WHERE THE SIMILARITIES END BECAUSE UNDER A THICK BLANKET OF CARBON DIOXIDE CLOUDS LIES A BATTERED, SWELTERING SURFACE THAT IS 900 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. YIKES! HELP ME! ALSO THE AIR PRESSURE, UNDER ALL THAT ATMOSPHERE, WOULD BE SO INTENSE THAT IT WOULD SQUISH YOU FLAT. I DON'T FEEL SO GOOD AND FINALLY WHEN IT RAINS ON VENUS OH NO IT RAINS SULFURIC ACID. SO, THAT WOULD LEAVE ANY VISITOR TO VENUS, LIKE JAMES OVER THERE, A MELTED, SQUISHED, ACIDY PILE OF GOOP. I M READY TO GO BACK TO EARTH PLEASE! GOOD IDEA! (STOP) ON HORIZON LIKE 1626
WE RE SAFE AND SOUND BACK ON EARTH AND FACING SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 10PM THIS WEEK. THERE S JUPITER - THAT REALLY BRIGHT, STAR-LOOKING THING. PLANETS TWINKLE MUCH LESS THAN STARS. SO, JUPITER LOOKS LIKE A BRIGHT STEADY LIGHT. JUPITER WILL REACH ITS CLOSEST POINT TO THE EARTH ON MAY 9 WHEN IT WILL LOOK THE BIGGEST AND BRIGHTEST. SO NOW WE RE GOING TO CROSS OVER 400 MILLION MILES AND TAKE YOU IN FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT THE GIANT PLANET AND ITS MANY, MANY MOONS. (STOP) IN SPACE LIKE 1626 FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT, WE RE APPROACHING JUPITER. THERE ARE MOST OF ITS 69 KNOWN MOONS LOOKING LIKE LITTLE FIREFLIES CIRCLING THE PLANET. IMAGINE IF WE HAD 69 MOONS IN OUR SKY. AS WE GET CLOSER WE START TO SEE THE PLANET ITSELF AND ITS TELLTALE DARK AND LIGHT STRIPES MARKING LINES OF LATITUDE ON JUPITER. AND COMING AROUND THE SIDE IS THE GREAT RED SPOT.
THE GREAT RED SPOT IS A HUMONGOUS CYCLONE OF GASES THAT WELL UP FROM THE INSIDE AND CHURN THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE PLANET. IT HAS BEEN THERE FOR AT LEAST 140 YEARS THOUGH MANY OTHER SPOTS HAVE POPPED UP FROM TIME TO TIME. RIGHT NOW THE GREAT RED SPOT IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF TWO EARTHS - ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN SHRINKING LATELY. IF THIS CONTINUES, THE RED SPOT MAY BE TOUGH TO SEE, TURN PALE IN COLOR, OR DISAPPEAR ALTOGETHER. BUT DEAN, DON T GET TOO CLOSE. YOU LL GET SUCKED IN! OH NO, NOT AGAIN! AAAAAHHHH! (STOP) CLOSE UP ENDING WELL THAT WAS FUN! I GOT SQUISHED AND MELTED ON VENUS AND YOU FELL INTO JUPITER S GREAT RED SPOT. AND WE SURVIVED TO TELL THE TALE! BUT FOR YOU EARTH-BOUND STAR GAZERS OUT THERE, YOU CAN STILL SEE OUR TWO BRIGHTEST PLANETS, VENUS AND JUPITER IN THE NIGHT SKY.
AND IT S FUN AND EASY TO DO! LOOK FOR VENUS JUST A LITTLE NORTH OF WEST AFTER SUNSET AROUND 9PM. THEN STAY UP A LITTLE LATER TO WATCH JUPITER RISE HIGHER IN THE SOUTHEASTERN SKY AROUND 10PM. SINCE YOU CAN T VISIT THESE PLANETS IN PERSON THANKFULLY LET YOUR IMAGINATION TAKE YOU THERE AS YOU BOTH: KEEP LOOKING UP! ---