Space and Astronomy

The Planets and Special Events

A Total Lunar Eclipse will occur the evening of May 15. The Moon will enter the Umbra, the Earths inner shadow, at 7:28 p.m. and totality occurs at 8:29 p.m. and will last about an hour and a half. Moonrise in the Los Angeles area will be at 7:41 p.m.

Venus (Mag -4.0) can be found in the early morning sky in the southeast. Venus rises at 4:13 a.m. on the 1st and a little later each morning thereafter.

Jupiter (Mag -2.2) can be found in the early morning sky in the east. Jupiter rises at 4:11 a.m. on the 1st and a little earlier each morning thereafter.

Mars (Mag +0.8) rises in the east at 3:32 a.m. on the 1st and a little earlier each morning thereafter.

Saturn (Mag +0.8) rises in the east at 2:39 a.m. and a few minutes earlier each morning aftrer.

Reprinted with permission, the information above is made available in the Griffith Observer , a monthly publication by the Griffith Observatory. For complete information on the Planets and other items related to Astronomy, please visit the Griffith Observatory Web Site.

The theory that our Sun is the center of the universe and our planets revolve around it was first documented by Nicolas Copernicus. The interesting thing is that Copernicus was a Catholic Priest and Philosopher, not an Astronomer. But he believed that God would have made the movements of the planets more simple than the previously documented theory (which was very complex). As we know today, Corpernicus was right !

• Your Place In Space: A nice article by Bill Nye in The Planetary Report featuring one of my photos
• Astronomy Picture Of The Day
• Want to see a Sattelite or the Space Station fly by ?
• Read about Solar Flares and Solar Wind
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration