What is happening this semester in astronomy

What is happening this semester in astronomy?

Fall 2026

Each semester offers opportunities and events worth your attention. Below are some astronomical news for your current semester.

The following web page offers a great overview of current activities in astronomy - http://skyandtelescope.com/

More on astronomy events at: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy_calendar_current.html

And even more at: http://in-the-sky.org/newsindex.php?feed=DFAN

Robert Bonadurer, director of the MPM Planetarium, sends out a terrific monthly newsletter on astronomy. Email bonadurer@mpm.edu to request and receive his FREE monthly sky map and newsletter.

Planets

Evening Sky - The class starts with Venus on the tail end of a great summer show. Around mid August Venus made its greatest separation with the sun (maximum eastern elongation) at 46 degrees. After that, Venus begins to swing between us and the sun so it quickly gets harder to see after sunset in the western horizon. The good news is Venus is actually at its brightest on September 18th. If you have a small telescope, you should be able to make out Venus in the crescent phase (like when the moon looks like a banana).

As Venus fades with time, Saturn starts making an appearance in the evening sky. Around October look to the east after sunset but don't go to sleep then. On October 4th Saturn reaches opposition (when it is opposite the sun) and this is the very best time to view any superior planet. What does that mean? If you wait until midnight, Saturn will be on the meridian (an imaginary line that runs N - S in the sky). This is the best time to observe anything with a telescope because the light passes through the least amount of our turbulent atmosphere. Saturn will be the closest it comes to earth and it will also be the brightest it ever gets. You can see the rings of Saturn (and even its brightest moon, Titan) even with a cheap telescope. By the end of the class, Saturn will be close to the meridian after sunset.

You have an opportunity to see Mercury on and around October 12. Because Mercury orbits so close to the sun, it never is easy to spot. However, on October 12 it will swing 25 degrees from the sun so you can spot it just above the western horizon during a viewing "sweet spot". You need to wait unit the sun has set and it gets dark enough to see the planet but if you wait too long, Mercury will be too close to the horizon and be setting itself. This give you a short (maybe 15 minute) window to spot this guy. Use a pair of binoculars to help if you have them.

Morning Sky - If you are an early riser you can spot Mars and Jupiter in the east and Saturn in the west when the class begins. Saturn quickly fades from the morning sky but both Mars and Jupiter get better to spot as the class comes to a close. However, Jupiter doesn't reach opposition until February 11. 2027 and Mars reaches opposition on February 19, 2027. This is well past the end of the class but something you will want to look for after you get your A in this class (I hope).

You have another opportunity to see Mercury on and around November 20. Because Mercury orbits so close to the sun, it never is easy to spot. However, on November 20 it will swing 20 degrees west of the sun so you can spot it just above the eastern horizon during a viewing "sweet spot". You need to wait before the sun has risen and it still is dark enough to see the planet but if you wait too long, twilight will wash out any of the night sky. This give you a short (maybe 15 minute) window to spot this guy. Use a pair of binoculars to help if you have them.

Eclipses (as seen from Milwaukee area)

I will be in Reykjavik, Iceland to (hopefully) see a total solar eclipse on August 12th. In Milwaukee, less than 1% of the sun is eclipsed by the moon (no big deal) ...but that is well before the class even starts. However, if you are in the 16 week section there is a partial lunar eclipse on the evening of August 27 ... reaching its maximum at 11:12 pm https://share.google/sA8e2mBBTiDSSDuqZ

Other

On September 22 we reach the fall equinox. The earth reaches a point in its orbit where the sun's rays shine directly over the equator ... giving us 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night.