Moving on to the next sky-sights

Now that we have survived all the excitement from the recent total lunar eclipse, we can move on to other night time goodies the sky has to offer.

If you missed the eclipse because you forgot or were clouded out -- something we here in southwest Nebraska didn't suffer from -- not to worry. There will be another one on Oct. 8. in fact, there will be three more, all part of the 2014-15 lunar eclipse tetrad.

The parade of planets is still in fine view in the evening and early morning sky, with giant Jupiter leading the charge in the west after sunset. It will do so until leaving the sky in June.

Jupiter is followed by Mars and Saturn in the northeast. Both planets remaining in view until later in the year.

In the morning sky bright Venus is now making a good showing, and will have a nice two-day meeting with a slender crescent moon on the mornings of April 25 and 26. Look in the east, just above the horizon for the pair.

If we are fortunate to have clear, unobstructed skies we may have an opportunity for a glimpse of the outer gas giant planet Neptune located about 10-degrees to the moon's right. Picking it out with binoculars may be possible, but a telescope will render better success.

Later, in early May, Venus will pass another of the outer gas planets, Uranus, so stay tuned for further details.

On another front, just how dark are your skies? Light pollution, the encroaching of artificial lighting on the skies, is rendering any attempt to view astronomical objects almost impossible in some places, especially urban areas.

Living in the northwest suburbs of Denver, I am well aware of the problem. Only the brightest of objects are visible. I can see Sirius, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, and a few other bright stars, but that is often about it.

I can forget any attempt at viewing the Milky Way.

Even the smaller, more rural cities changing over to sodium vapor lighting has worsened the problem. The SV lights do give more lighting, but when out-dated housings allow light to escape out to the sides and upward it causes problems for anyone wishing to view the sky.

There are more modern housings available -- called full cut-off housings -- that contain the light and direct in downward where it will do what it is suppose to, and not allow it upward where it will do what it isn't supposed to.

Now, where was I, oh yes, how can you measure just how polluted are your skies. Well, the good folks at Globe At Night have put together a plan that will let you see just how bad the situation is.

They have developed an observation guide using various constellations and comparison charts that will give you an idea as to just how polluted your skies are. The first session is from April 20 to 29. Another session will be held in June.

Point your favorite browser to www.globeatnight.org and download their sky charts and observing guides and directions for measuring your sky. Then just return your report to them. That would be your good deed for the cause of dark skies.

SKYWATCH: Third-quarter moon tonight, Wednesday, April 23. There will be an annular eclipse of the Sun on Tuesday, April 29, but it will only be visible in Antarctica where a bunch of penguins will have a ringside seat.

NEXT WEEK: More astronomical blathering.