Welcome to this issue of Qué tal. Here you will find useful observing information
about the visible planets, our Moon and other
moons, the Sun, as well as various 'things' celestial.
Among
these web pages you will find monthly star maps for either the northern
or southern hemisphere that are suitable for printout. Animated
images are utilized to illustrate celestial motions such as orbital
motions of the planets, and other solar orbiting objects or apparent
and real motions along the ecliptic and the local horizon. Regular
features include plotting the monthly positions of the visible planets
using heliocentric coordinates; following moon phases; conjunctions; the sun's
apparent motion and the Earth's real motion along the ecliptic.
This month the planet viewing action is split between evening and morning with Mars and Jupiter as morning
planets and Saturn and Mercury as the evening counterparts. Venus will have moved behind the Sun as it heads toward
superior conjunction in a month or so. Neptune completes its first orbit around the Sun since its discovery, Earth
reaches aphelion, it's most distant point from the Sun, the Dawn spacecraft reaches asteroid Vesta, and there are two new Moons this month. Sigh! Can
it get any better??
Starting this month look on the reads page for a link to some interesting reading courtesy of the Issuu web site.
On the Calendar page look for a banner link to download the Qué tal Community Tool Bar. If downloaded and installed this will
add a toolbar to your browser that includes a direct link to Qué tal, as well as links to a few relevant web sites to support your monthly viewing.
The toolbar does not cost except some space in your browser.
Once installed you may customize the toolbar for your home location, as well as add your own tools.
It works with no problem in Firefox and Internet Explorer but not yet in the Google Chrome browser.
One thing the toolbar does is allow for me to send updates as I have in the past, however they are now called notifications and they come via the toolbar rather than
e-mail.
Dark Matter Returns! Fly with us to the edge of the atmosphere this fall! And attend a live performance this winter at Union Station/Gottleib Planetarium. This community-based project is funded in
part by a Rocket Grant from the Charlotte Street Foundation and Spencer Museum of Art.
Do you teach High School in the Kansas City metropolitan area? We are looking for a few students to work with us and our partners.
Contact us via the Dark Matter web site if you would like more information about the project or to reccomend a student.
Click here to watch the official teaser trailer for "Dark Matter presents 'Ascent'.".
Click here to go to the Dark Matter web site for more information.
Tell someone about Qué tal?
in the Current Skies. Click here.
