Sky's Up Global Astronomy Magazine December 2020 | Page 38

Let the sky drive your observing

By DAVID H . LEVY

Editorial Board Member

After several years of hiatus , Sky ’ s Up has risen again . Its goal is what it always was : to inspire its readers to enjoy the sky . And it is about time ! Mars shines from almost overhead these evenings ; Jupiter is high in the southwest , and Saturn with its exquisite rings is just to Jupiter ’ s east . Whatever you want to look at , the night sky has waiting for you . You may begin with a list of things you want to observe , and go through the objects one by one , or you may do it my way . When I begin observing , I point the telescope somewhere in the western sky and look . Then I move the telescope to field of view after field of view , letting the sky show me whatever it wants to--- a cluster of stars , a cloud of gas and dust , a distant galaxy , or , on several occasions , a comet . Whatever is there I want to see it . From Wendee , who came up with the name “ Sky ’ s Up !” and me , may you enjoy the sky as much as we have over the years .

a guide to the sky

It is possible to observe five planets with the naked eye : Mercury , Venus . Mars , Jupiter and Saturn . Many civilizations in human history have followed the movement of planets in the firmament . Nowadays with sensational technological resources available to everyone , it is easy to obtain information regarding the locations of these planets in the sky . Apps for smartphones and softwares simulate the view of the sky where we are and whenever we want . Despite all the resources at our disposal , a large part of the population living in large cities is not motivated to observe the beauties of the night sky , due to their increasingly arduous daily tasks and also due to the influence of intense artificial lighting . The Mayans are among the civilizations of the past that stood out in their reports of observing the sky . Over the next few pages , we will present information about the Astronomy of the Mayans and data to help you to locate the planets vissible with naked eyes and observe some beautiful phenomena , such as eclipses , meteor shower and the conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn described in detail in an article written by the astronomer Kazuya Ayani , former director of the Bisei Astronomical Observatory , Japan .

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