GLENWOOD WASHINGTON
INFO & WEATHER
Glenwood, WA is located
in the northwestern portion of
Klickitat County. It borders Yakima County.
The community is in the Glenwood Valley, formerly known as Camas Prairie. It is part of the Yakama Reservation.
We have a splendid view of Mt Adams.
Even though the mountain appears to be in our back yard,
it is actually in Yakima and Skamania counties.
Lat: 46.0095°N Lon: 121.2715°W
The elevation of my weather station is 1854 ft.
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If you have a question, you can contact Laurene Eldred at glenwoodweather@gmail.com
WHAT'S IN THE SKY?
JIM WHITE IS KLICKITAT COUNTY'S LOCAL ASTRONOMER. HE AND HIS WIFE KATHY LIVE IN TROUT LAKE, WA. EACH MONTH HE WRITES A NEWS ARTICLE INFORMING US WHAT WILL BE ON VIEW IN OUR SKIES
What’s in the Sky
December 2024
Welcome to December!
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The last month of the year normally does not present many clear skies in our part of the country, but we get some great skies to view when they do.
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Earth’s Moon enters December just after its new Moon state. The Moon was new on the last day of November, at about 10: 30pm. December’s new Moon occurs on the 30th. So, we barely miss having 2 new Moons in the same month. Full Moon comes on the 15th. On the 4th, the thin crescent Moon will be located just to the left of Venus after sunset, which should make for a great view. The Moon passes Saturn on the evenings of December 7 and 8. The Moon will pass in front of the star cluster Pleiades on the 13th, but it will occur during daylight here.
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The planets truly take center in December, with every major planet except Mercury in the evening sky. Venus was visible very low in the west in November and it moving higher into the night sky in December, making it easier to see. Venus is unmistakable, a bright beacon in the western sky. Venus is bright enough to see with the naked eye in daylight.
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Saturn is lower in the southwestern sky, but still easily visible in December. Located in the dim constellation Aquarius, Saturn stands out as brighter than any nearby star.
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Jupiter, the solar system’s giant, will make its closest approach to Earth (“Opposition”) on December 7. Look for Jupiter in the eastern sky, in the constellation Taurus, just to the left of the bright star Aldebaran.
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Noticeably reddish Mars enters the December sky after about 9pm early in the month. Mars will grow brighter during December, as it grows closer to us. Mars’ opposition will come in mid-January. Look for Mars in the constellation Cancer, just below the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux.
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The solar system’s two outer planets, Uranus and Neptune, are also in the night sky, although difficult to see. Uranus is located in the constellation Taurus, to the right of the bright star cluster Pleiades. Uranus is bright enough to see with the naked eye under clear, dark skies, but is difficult to tell from nearby stars, requiring a telescope to locate it. Neptune is even fainter than Uranus, and also requires a telescope to locate. Our two outer planets are distant! Uranus is about twice as far away from us as Saturn, and Neptune is much farther, about 2.7 billion miles from us. Neptune takes about 165 years to orbit the Sun.
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The Geminid meteor shower peaks on the night of December 13-14. The Geminids are one of the best showers in the year, but a nearly full Moon will make them difficult to see this year.
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Here is something to try during the Holiday season, assuming we get some clear skies. Find an open area, with good visibility of both the east and west horizons. Look at about 7:30pm. In the southwest, find both Venus and Saturn. High in the southeast, locate bright Jupiter. And low in the east-northeast, find reddish Mars. Other than little Mercury, you will have seen all of the naked-eye visible planets in our sky. Take the time to marvel at the bright constellations of winter rising in the east….Orion, Taurus, and Auriga. Find the square of Pegasus riding high above Saturn. Use the picture with this article for help in locating stars and planets. Most of all, enjoy the night sky and happy Holidays
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What’s in the Sky
November 2024
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November is here! For most, not the most favorite month. The days grow colder and cloudier, and rains return in force. Usually, we are greeted with our first snow in the month. But when the clouds do part, the night sky greets us earlier, and we can get our first look at the coming bright winter constellations in the eastern sky.
Hopefully many of you saw October’s bright comet, C/2023 A3 ((Tsuchinshan–ATLAS), which graced our western evening sky, and is still visible in November. I was able to view it, but did not get any nice pictures. You may have seen many on social media and other internet sites. Troy Carpenter, at the Goldendale Observatory, had a really nice shot that graced the front page of the Goldendale Sentinel.
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Saturn remains nicely visible in November, the brightest object in our southern sky. The famous rings are now not real visible, as we are viewing them pretty much edge-on. The planet is still a treasure to see in a telescope.
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As I mentioned last month, Jupiter is also entering our evening skies this fall. Look for it above the eastern horizon by 8pm in early November, by 5pm at the end of the month. Jupiter is much easier to see than Saturn, being larger and about half as far away as the ringed planet. Jupiter will be at its closest in early December.
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Venus shines bright just after sunset, low in the west. Our neighboring planet is growing closer to us in November, and appears like a half-moon in a telescope. Our other neighbor, Mars, is just peeking above the eastern evening horizon in late November.
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November’s new Moon occurs right at the start of the month – Nov. 1. Full Moon follows on the 15th. This month we’ll have another “supermoon”, slightly closer and larger-appearing than average. While you will likely not notice that the Moon appears larger, you may notice that the landscape appears brighter.
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With a keen eye, binoculars, and a good view of the lower western sky, you may be able to detect the slim waxing crescent Moon just under Venus on November 4, and just to the left of Venus on November 5. Look right after sunset. The Moon will be just to the left of Saturn on November 10, and will be just to the right of the bright star cluster Pleiades on Nov. 15. That one may be difficult to see, as the bright full Moon may “wash out” the view of the Pleiades.
The Leonid meteor shower peaks on the night of Nov. 17-1. Meteors may be difficult to detect this year at the peak, as it will be just a couple of days after full Moon.
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One of my favorite constellations rises in the east on November evenings – Auriga. The “charioteer” may not look like a chariot, but to me is a noticeable semi-circle of fairly bright stars. Brightest among those is Capella, the 6th brightest star in the night sky. Look for Auriga above and to the left of Jupiter in November. Auriga contains three open star clusters, that appear as hazy spots, visible with binoculars. Look for them about ½ way between bright Capella and Jupiter. See if you can locate them!
Enjoy November’s skies…. when the clouds’ part!
What’s in the Sky
October 2024
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Our first full month of fall is here. Saturn rides higher in the evening sky, and Jupiter joins the party late in the month. Darkness falls earlier, a good month to get in some dark sky viewing when skies are clear!
Sunset is coming early, at about 6:45pm at the start of the month. By the end of the month, it will be at about 5:50pm. Sunrise is at about 7:05 am on Oct. 1, 7:45 at the end of the month.
The Moon begins October nestled close to the Sun, difficult to see. Look for it by Oct. 6 low in the southwest, in the constellation Scorpius. On the 9th, the waxing crescent Moon will lie in the “teapot” in the constellation Sagittarius, low in the southern sky. On the 13th, it will be just to the right of Saturn, and the next day will be to the left of Saturn. A good time to locate the ringed planet. The Moon will lie near Jupiter on the 20th and 21st, in the morning sky. The full “hunter’s Moon” will be on the 17th of October. This will be another “super moon” a bit closer than average. Although it is a bit bigger than average, that is hardly noticeable. You may detect that the night sky is a bit brighter though.
The Moon will be near the Sun and out of the evening sky on Halloween, so skies will be dark for trick-or-treaters.
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Saturn will be hard to miss in October. It will lie in the constellation Aquarius, in the southeastern evening sky, due south at 9pm by the end of the month. Saturn will be easy to spot, the brightest object in the southern evening sky (other than the Moon, of course). Saturn appears yellowish to me in the sky.
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Brilliant Jupiter enters the evening sky in late October. Look for it low in the east by 9pm on Halloween. It will make its closest approach in early December. More about Jupiter in the coming months.
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Mars is close behind Jupiter, rising at about 11pm at the end of the month. Early 2025 will be the time to view Mars as it grows closer to us and more prominent in the evening sky.
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An easy to locate constellation in October is Pegasus, with its “great square” of almost equally bright stars. Look for it above Saturn. The dim constellations Aquarius, to the right of Saturn and Pisces, between Saturn and Pegasus, can be picked out as well. Low in the south, below Aquarius, you may detect a bright star, Fomalhaut, in the constellation Piscis Austrinus.
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You may hear of a solar eclipse in October, following the September partial lunar eclipse. Yes, there will be a solar eclipse on October 2. However, it will only be visible in the far southern end of South America, far from here!
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Enjoy October’s night skies!
