[AstroNet] Planetarium: Moon & Planets tomorrow morning, + events

[Johannesburg Planetarium]

*Moon, Mars, Venus and Aldebaran - early Saturday morning*
If you're up before sunrise tomorrow (Saturday), have a look for the old 
crescent Moon, over in the east (where the Sun rises).  The Moon, Mars, 
and Aldebaran (the eye of Taurus the bull) are roughly lined-up: from 
left to right you'll see the Moon, Mars, and Aldebaran.  Below this 
line-up is Venus, the bright "morning star".  Over in the west is 
another bright "star" - Jupiter.

Best time to look is around 6am (for Gauteng); about half an hour later 
for Cape Town.

A month (one Moon-cycle) ago, early-morning sky-watchers saw the old 
crescent Moon in Aries, this month it's in Taurus, next month it will be 
on the Taurus / Gemini border.  What we're seeing is the apparent 
seasonal movement of the stars - as each month passes, the next 
"star-sign" appears above the rising Sun.  This is why the tradition of 
"star-signs" became popular.  Now we know it happens because our planet 
takes a year to orbit around the Sun, and as we go we look away from the 
Sun at a different group of stars each month. 

*40th anniversary of Apollo 11*
On July 21st 1969, at 4:56am (South African Time), Neil Armstrong took 
his first step onto the Moon (two hours before schedule, as they were 
too excited to sleep!).  Some local media that are celebrating this are:
* Popular Mechanics <http://www.popularmechanics.co.za/> - the July 
edition of this great magazine includes two Apollo articles;
* Carte Blanche <http://www.mnet.co.za/Mnet/Shows/carteblanche> (MNET, 
Sunday)

*Astronomy Events*
Coming up are:

*Public telescope viewing hosted by the Soutpansberg Astronomy Club*
Sat 18th July, after sunset, at the Rondebosch Riding School near 
Makhado (Limpopo)
For directions see 
www.planetarium.co.za/Soutpansberg2009Jul18Directions.jpg 
<http://www.planetarium.co.za/Soutpansberg2009Jul18Directions.jpg>
or e-mail ***elephantcastle at lantic.net <mailto:elephantcastle at lantic.net>**

Boyden Observatory <http://www.assabfn.co.za/friendsofboyden/> Open 
Evening  (Bloemfontein)
*Sat 8th August from 6pm
400 years of astronomical discoveries (multi-media talk in the open-sky 
theatre), with telescope observing.
Booking essential:  051-401-2561

*Lunch-hour Astronomy Movies at Sci-Enza, University of Pretoria*
Wednesday 22 July 2009  12:30 -- 13:30
" The Dream is Alive" narrated by Walter Cronkite. This movie gives an 
insight on the working conditions of astronauts - sharing the delights 
of zero gravity while working, eating and sleeping in orbit around the 
Earth.
Venue: Sci-Enza auditorium, University of Pretoria
Entrance free. Everybody welcome

*Public Talk:  Ikhayalothando Hall (Tembisa)*
Thu Aug 6th 5:30pm:    Lifecycle of Stars by Claire Lee (University of 
Jhb), followed by telescope-viewing.
Organised by Moipone Academy - moiponeacademy at telkomsa.net
Entrance Free

*Waterberg Planetary Festival 2009*  21 - 22 August
see www.foton.co.za/wpf2009.htm <http://www.foton.co.za/wpf2009.htm>

*SA Astronomical Observatory Public Lecture series*
25 July:   Life and death of stars   by Enrico Olivier (SAAO/UWC)     
8 August:  A tour of our sensational Solar System   by  Amanda Gulbis (SAAO)
For more details: www.saao.ac.za <http://www.saao.ac.za/>

*Public Lecture at the Origins Centre, Wits University*
'Things to Do at the Final Frontier' - by Dr. Phil Ferrer
Tuesday 28th July   6 for 6.30pm at the Origins Centre
RSVP ask at origins.org.za   or  tel: 011 717 4700
Entrance: R25
For more info: www.planetarium.co.za/OriginsFerrer2009July.html 
<http://www.planetarium.co.za/OriginsFerrer2009July.html>

*And some Jhb Planetarium news:*
* Next repeat of our Introduction to Astronomy series starts Monday Sept 
21st.
* We are looking for an astronomy educator, with maths / science 
teaching experience, able to communicate in N Sotho and Zulu.
More info on the above: www.planetarium.co.za <http://www.planetarium.co.za>

Regards

Claire Flanagan


Jhb Planetarium
011-717-1390
www.planetarium.co.za

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.saasta.ac.za/pipermail/astronet/attachments/20090717/86ef0de0/attachment.htm>