From Superstition to Science:
How the Opposition of Mars Helped Spark the Scientific Revolution

Presentation by John Attewell

High in the winter sky is the bright planet Mars above Orion in the constellation Gemini. Mars will be in aphelion opposition on January 16, 2025. Perihelion oppositions are perhaps more interesting because Mars has a larger angular diameter. However, each Mars opposition is an opportunity to review how Kepler actually used Mars’ opposition to determine its elliptical orbit. And to define Kepler’s laws.
In this lecture, we will also discuss the loop Mars describes between the constellations of the winter sky.

John Attewell, PhD. is a vice president of the Rochester Astronomy Club. John is a retired statistician and he observes the sky with a Newtonian telescope on an equatorial mount. He is an officer of the North Central Region of the Astronomy League (NCRAL) and he is a Representative to the National Council of the Astronomy League.

Observing

Public Sky Observing of the young Moon – 8.0 days after New Moon, planets Venus Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune bright stars, double stars, and more by telescope with guidance members of the Rochester Astronomy Club.

NASA and Astroleague have prepared an observing challenge for the general public on the 35th anniversary of the Hubble launch. To earn a silver certificate, you must do some outreach (on the web or in person) and observe at least one featured object each month and take a photo or draw it. Submit no later than the end of the following month. See more at Astroleague, NASA – January  M42, M1, M43, M78, M79, C46.

What to expect at Public Sky Observing – click here.

Reload this page before you leave for the event. Event can be cancelled in case of cloudy weather or another reason.

Moon on Friday January 10 evening

Credit: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio

Resources: In the Sky January/2025, Phases of the Moon 2025, Planets rise and set 01/10, Sun and Moon 01/10, Sun today, Holidays 2025
Moon Features You Can See From Earth,
Messier list, Caldwell list, Double stars list, Carbon stars list

☿ – Mercury, ♀ – Venus, ♂ – Mars, ♃ – Jupiter, ♄ – Saturn, ⛢ – Uranus, ♆ – Neptune

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