Transcript: May Week 3

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies on Radio Boise. This is the third week of May. We’re your hosts, Paul..

RACHEL
..Rachel..

KRIS
..And Kris

PAUL
The moon is full on the 19th.

RACHEL
The full moon in May is often called the Flower Moon.

KRIS
This month’s full moon occurs less than a day before the moon reaches apogee, or its greatest distance from earth.

RACHEL
As a consequence, this month’s full moon is the smallest full moon of the year.

KRIS
The moon’s greatest distance from earth this month is 252,500 miles.

PAUL
On the 20th, the red giant lucida of Scorpius, Antares, is to the upper right of the moon.

RACHEL
How different these two astronomical objects are.

KRIS
That’s right. The moon is a cold dead world less than 250,000 miles away and just over 2,000 miles across.

RACHEL
Antares is a warm red giant star 1,400 times larger than the sun and 600 light-years away.

KRIS
Perhaps within a million years the massive Antares will die in a spectacular supernova explosion and leave the scorpion heartless.

PAUL
The 20th also marks the 30th anniversary of the launch of Pioneer Venus 1.

RACHEL
In 1978 this spacecraft was the first spacecraft to orbit Venus.

KRIS
Previous Venusian spacecraft were flybys, direct descent landers, or atmospheric probes.

RACHEL
Pioneer Venus 1 was one of two Venusian spacecraft the United States launched that year

KRIS
The spacecraft spent 12 years in Venusian orbit where it recorded data on the atmosphere and ionosphere of Venus.

RACHEL
It used it dish antenna as a simple radar system to make topographical maps of the cloudy planet’s surface.

KRIS
In addition, the spacecraft carried a gamma ray detector. Astronomers hoped the detector would indicate whether the mysterious gamma ray bursts that satellites had discovered a decade earlier originated close to the solar system or in distant space.

RACHEL
At the end of its mission, Pioneer Venus 1 was allowed to enter the scorching Venusian atmosphere and burn up.

PAUL
Here’s a neat treat, on the 22nd Mars passes through the fringes of the Beehive star cluster.

KRIS
If you’re familiar with the Beehive, then on the 22nd you’ll see what looks like a new bright orange member to the cluster.

RACHEL
This is the kind of astronomical event you should watch for a few days before and after as Mars travels through the cluster.

KRIS
Be sure to use your binoculars for the best view and look for them low in the west.

PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the third week of May. Next week’s show is about the Phoenix lander and the Ocean of Storms.

For Idaho Skies this is Paul…

KRIS
..Kris..

RACHEL
.. and Rachel.