Page 5 - Curiosity_Sep2020

The sky map is prepared as per the coordinates of Nagpur (21.09°N, 79.09°E). It includes constellations and the brighter stars. For viewers south of Nagpur, con- stellations of the southern sky will appear higher up in the sky and those of the northern sky will appear nearer the northern horizon. Similarly, for viewers north of Nagpur, constellations of northern sky will appear higher up in the sky and those of the southern sky will appear nearer the southern horizon.
THE MAP CAN BE USED AT 10 PM ON 1ST SEPTEMBER, AT 9 PM ON 15TH SEPTEMBER AND AT 8 PM ON 30TH SEPTEMBER.
Vipin Singh Rawat
Astronomical Events of
SEPTEMBER 2020
SEPTEMBER 2
FULL MOON
This phase occurs at 10:53 AM (IST). This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Corn Moon because the corn is harvested around this time of year.
SEPTEMBER 11
NEPTUNE AT OPPOSITION
Neptune will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be towards the Sun which makes it brighter than any other time of the year. On this date, Neptune will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photo- graph Neptune. Due to its extreme distance from the Earth, it will only appear as a tiny blue dot even if we look through the most powerful telescopes.
SEPTEMBER 17
NEW MOON
This phase occurs at 04:30 PM (IST). This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
SEPTEMBER 22
SEPTEMBER EQUINOX
The September equinox occurs
at 07:00 PM (IST). The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal durations of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day
of fall (autumnal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.
The author is Technical Assistant at Vigyan Prasar. Email: vipin@vigyanprasar.gov.in
Sky Map
FOR SEPTEMBER 2020
September 2020
5