After a long winter, many are eager to soak up the spring sunshine and catch some refreshing vitamin D. But when the sun goes down and most find an indoor escape from the looming darkness, a vibrant galaxy of moons, planets and stars is revealed.
“I’ve been to some pretty amazing places,” said Tom O’Grady, instructor of astronomy at Ohio University. “But some of the most striking nights I’ve seen have been here in Athens.”
ETA AQUARID METEOR SHOWER
In tomorrow’s early hours, around 4 a.m., debris from Halley’s Comet will hit Earth’s atmosphere at 148,000 mph, creating a spectacular light show in the night sky. The Eta Aquarid is the third of eight annual meteor showers and the last one until August.
A meteor shower occurs when particles of interplanetary rock and debris form a trail that intercepts with Earth’s orbit. When the particles hit Earth’s upper atmosphere, they burn and create streaks of light across the sky, commonly called meteors or shooting stars.
Eta Aquarid meteors will not reach the ground, as they are too small to make the journey through Earth’s atmosphere. Any celestial object that survives the trip through the atmosphere and the impact of hitting Earth is called a meteorite.
PLANETARY SPECTER
In the past week, Mercury, Mars, Venus and Jupiter, which are usually spread out over the night sky, have been moving closer together. This rare sight is most vivid just before dawn at about 5:30 a.m.
“It is said in Greek mythology that when the gods and goddesses get together, they’re always conspiring against mortals,” O’Grady said. “So you wouldn’t want to have that little gathering going on in the night sky right over your shoulder.”
For the past couple years, spring has also offered a rare sight of Saturn, as Earth passes between it and the sun.
“It’s the ultimate eye candy,” said Eberts.
Last night, Eberts set up a seven-inch telescope on the OU golf course to show a group of Adams Hall residents the unusual sight. With their eyes glued to the scope, they marveled at the planet’s vibrant colors and distinct rings.
HALLEY'S COMET
Every Eta Aquarid meteor that crosses the sky is born from a comet about the size of Manhattan. Halley’s Comet is the only short-period comet that can be seen with the naked eye and is only visible every 76 years. Nicknamed “dirty snowballs,” comets are a mixture of ice and dust that, for reasons unknown, did not affix to planets when the solar system was formed.
The last time Halley’s Comet crossed the Earth’s atmosphere, a large group of people gathered on the roof of the Research and Technology Center, where a gigantic telescope is housed in a shed. But George Eberts, an instructor in OU’s astronomy department, called the sight “lame” and said the next time it appears, “it will rip the sky in half.” Halley’s Comet may not be visible from Earth again until 2061, but every May and November, its fiery particles shower the night sky.
LEGENDS OF THE HEAVES
Eta Aquarids’ radiant — or point of origin in the sky — is located in the Aquarius constellation, which is actually most visible during fall. The location of the radiant changes depending on the season.
Aquarius is one of 88 constellations, all visible in the United States. The International Astronomical Union divided the night sky into these 88 constellations in 1930, but not all can be seen year-round. Spring offers the best view of eight constellations in particular: Gemini, Virgo, Orion, Canes Venatici, Boötes, Ursa Major and Leo.
“Back in ancient times, when it got dark, everybody focused on the light, and the only light in those days was the campfire or the stuff in the sky,” O’Grady said. “They had a lot of time to look up and a lot of questions, so they looked to the sky for answers.”
From Leo — the lion that was defeated by Hercules — to the twins of Gemini — who are thought to represent the relationship between the sun and moon — each of the eight constellations bear extraordinary stories that add to their legends.
LOCAL EVENTS
The Southeast Ohio Astronomical Society, based in Athens, hosts many events with OU every year. The Department of Physics and Astronomy will set up telescopes on College Green Saturday night for “Sidewalk Astronomy,” a public celebration of National Astronomy Day.
CELESTIAL VIEWING
“The sky is like a neighborhood of patterns that most people aren’t familiar with because they haven’t looked at it very often,” O’Grady said. “The more frequently you go around the block, the more it becomes familiar.”
Eberts and O’Grady, who have been friends and astronomy buddies since they were in high school, suggest finding a open and elevated place free from light pollution for the ultimate sky view.
“The best place is where you will do it most often, even if that’s your backyard,” Eberts said.
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