Looking Back

Abstract

Keywords::

• Astronomy
• Space Science
• gravitational waves
• Lunar Eclipse
• Solar Eclipse
• NASA

ONLINE RESOURCES

Annular solar eclipse, October 14, 2023—https://tinyurl.com/4d6kanze

Artemis 2 missions—www.nasa.gov/artemis-ii

ASTHROS—www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/asthros

Astronomy Acronyms—https://tinyurl.com/3juvfsjw

Boeing Starliner-1—https://tinyurl.com/5n8pcmcj

Bust of Janus—https://tinyurl.com/5n6sczfj

Chandrayaan-3—https://tinyurl.com/3krkb7zp

EscaPADE—https://tinyurl.com/ypjp97t3

ESO discovery of planet in habitable zone—eso.org/public/news/eso1629/?lang

Europa Clipper—https://tinyurl.com/bdd7k6mc

Gravitational waves—https://tinyurl.com/5252ynhf

Gravitational waves—https://tinyurl.com/5n7tjj8k

Hera—https://tinyurl.com/2ujmdy32

Hybrid solar eclipse, April 20, 2023—https://tinyurl.com/5apb7be8

Lunar eclipse list—moonblink.info/Eclipse/when/lunars

NISAR—nisar.jpl.nasa.gov/

OSIRIS-Rex sample return—https://tinyurl.com/mrky7kxn

PACE—pace.oceansciences.org/home.htm

2023 headlines—www.sciencedaily.com/news/space_time/

SpaceX Crew-8 launch—https://tinyurl.com/5n8pcmcj

Total solar eclipse, April 8, 2024—https://tinyurl.com/j4hb9raa

VIPER Moon Rover Mission—www.nasa.gov/viper

For students

1. Explain what, in your opinion, is the most significant space news from 2023?

2. Here is a “think about it” idea: Gravitational waves are a force we cannot feel, yet we are able to detect their effects. As these waves travel across space/time, is there a universal equivalent to shorelines like we have on Earth? On Earth, once a wavelength is less than the depth, a wave “breaks.” Could this also be the situation with gravitational waves—that somewhere in the universe there is a shoreline of sorts marking the edge of the universe?

3. “CIAO” may be Spanish for goodbye, but to NASA it is a creative acronym for the Chandra Interactive Analysis of Observations. Can you think of a space exploration acronym?

Visible planets

Mercury will be at its greatest western elongation on January 12 as a visible morning planet. Over the next month or so, Mercury will catch up with the Sun and move into superior conjunction, opposite side of the Sun, by the end of February.

Venus will be shining brightly in the evening sky over the southwest horizon throughout January and February, reaching its greatest brilliancy on February 16.

Mars will be visible in the predawn skies over the southeast horizon but will steadily move eastward toward the Sun. Watch for a close conjunction with the waning crescent Moon on February 8.

Dwarf planet Ceres is above the eastern horizon in the hours before sunrise but has an apparent magnitude making it too dim to be seen without some optical assistance. With binoculars it may be possible to see a close conjunction between Venus and dwarf planet Ceres on the morning of January 16.

Jupiter is visible high above the southeastern horizon at sunset local time and remains visible through the rest of the night hours.

Saturn is visible but low over the western horizon at sunset local time as it moves toward solar conjunction by the end of February.

January

01 Moon at apogee: 251,525 miles (404,911 km)

02 Earth at perihelion: 0.98330 AU (91,376,191 miles; 147,099,586.22 km)

03 Last quarter Moon

04 Quadrantid meteor shower

Moon at descending node

Moon–Spica conjunction

08 Moon–Antares conjunction

10 Moon–Mars conjunction

11 New Moon

12 Mercury at greatest western elongation

Mars autumnal equinox

13 Moon at perigee: 225,033 miles (362,264 km)

14 Moon–Saturn conjunction

15 Galileo Day

16 Dwarf planet Ceres–Venus conjunction

17 Moon at ascending node

First quarter Moon

18 Moon–Jupiter conjunction

20 Moon–Pleiades conjunction

24 Moon–Pollux conjunction

25 Full Moon

27 Moon–Mercury conjunction

Moon–Regulus conjunction

29 Moon at apogee: 252,065 miles (405,781 km)

31 Moon at descending node

February

02 Mercury at aphelion

Last quarter Moon

04 Moon–Antares conjunction

08 Moon–Mars conjunction

09 New Moon

10 Moon at perigee: 224,439 miles (358,088 km)

Moon–Saturn conjunction

13 Moon at ascending node

15 Moon–Jupiter conjunction

16 First quarter Moon

Moon–Pleiades conjunction

20 Moon–Pollux conjunction

22 Moon–Venus conjunction

23 Moon–Regulus conjunction

24 Full Moon

25 Moon at apogee: 252398 miles (406,316 km)

27 Moon at descending node

28 Mercury at superior conjunction

Moon–Spica conjunction

Saturn in conjunction with Sun

Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation—Science Scope

Act of August 12, 1970; Sec. 3685. Title 39, United States Code). Frequency of issues, 6 per year. Publication and general business office, 405 E Laburnum Ave Ste 3, Richmond, VA 23222. Publisher, National Science Teaching Association. 405 E Laburnum Ave Ste 3, Richmond, VA 23222. Editor, Patricia McGinnis; Managing Editor, Caroline Barnes. Owner, National Science Teaching Association. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders, none. Circulation: (1) average number of copies each issue during the preceding 12 months, and (2) single issue nearest to filing date. Total number of copies printed, (1) 3611, (2) 2876; total paid circulation, (1) 3273, (2) 2644; free distribution (1) 338, (2) 232; total number of copies distributed (1) 3298, (2) 2656; left over (1) 0, (2) 0; total (1) 3298 (2) 2656.Erika Shugart, Executive Director, NSTA

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bob Riddle

Bob Riddle ([email protected]) is a science educator in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Visit his astronomy website at https://currentsky.com.