Caribbean Sky - June 29 - July 5

Today, June 29, the moon is in first quarter and speaking of the moon the United States has returned to the moon with an interesting spacecraft. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is now in a 200km high polar orbit of the moon. In this orbit the moon is basically spinning under the orbiter as the orbiter goes round and round in a north south plane allowing it to map the entire terrain of the moon to incredible detail. Should be able to see the peanut shells that Neil Armstrong left behind.

Take a look at the moon on Tuesday. That bright star just off to the right is Spica in the constellation Virgo. One of the brightest stars in the sky.


(Click on the pic for larger version.)




On Friday the 3rd the earth will be at aphelian. That’s the point in it’s orbit where it is the farthest from the sun. Yes this happens now and not in winter! Seasons are controlled by the angle of the sun and not how far away it is.




IF you’re up early on the 4th you’ll see a nice grouping in the eastern sky just before sun rise. The brightest thing you see is Venus. Just above it is Mars and to the left is the good old Pleides or seven sisters the most famous of the star clusters. The bright star just below Venus is Aldebaran the bright start in the Taurus constellation. NASA's Pioneer 10 spacecraft, which flew by Jupiter in 1973 will reach and pass by Aldebaran in about two million years. Mark your calendars!

Wow, if the Pleides are rising again I guess we’re sneaking up on being in Grenada for about a year since I featured the Pleides in an early report.