This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2022 October 1 – 8 ~by Curt Nason
The Major League Baseball playoff season kicks off, or rather throws out the first pitch, on Friday and they always arrange to have the Great Square of Pegasus form a diamond in the eastern sky for evening games. At home plate is Algenib, the third brightest star of the constellation. Who’s on first? Yes, that is Markab, the brightest star of Pegasus. On second base we have its second brightest luminary, Sheat, which is probably what he mutters when he makes an error. On third is a star brighter than the other three, Alpheratz, who was traded to Andromeda but still likes to whip the ball around the horn with his former teammates.
Trailing off toward the dugout from third is a string of stars that forms the left side of Princess Andromeda. The second in the string is no second string player. Mirach is as bright as Alpheratz and shows a distinct orange colour in binoculars. Raising your binoculars above the string from Mirach will bring M31, the Andromeda Galaxy, into your view, and from a dark sky that is a view you don’t want to miss. It might resemble a pool of champagne on the clubhouse floor of the World Series champions. Go Expos, er, Jays!
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:17 am and sunset will occur at 6:59 pm, giving 11 hours, 42 minutes of daylight (7:22 am and 7:04 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:26 am and set at 6:45 pm, giving 11 hours, 19 minutes of daylight (7:31 am and 6:51 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is at first quarter on Sunday, and it is near Saturn on Wednesday. Mercury is climbing in the morning sky, thanks to the steep angle of the ecliptic on early autumn mornings. Venus, meanwhile, is just a few weeks from superior conjunction and is off the observing list for a couple of months. Saturn is in the south at 10 pm, at which time Mars is appearing above the horizon, and Jupiter in the southeast outshines all but the Moon.
Public observing to celebrate Fall Astronomy Day is scheduled for October 1 at the Irving Nature Park in Saint John. Check the Facebook page for park or the Saint John Astronomy Club website for details.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason.