Friday's Challenge: Sky Wheel

On each Friday, we present a fixed Orrery, ready to use to find interesting objects in the sky. Included is the RA and declination, as well as the magnitude of the objects.

What is this week's challenge? See below.

September 9th:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The summer triangle (Vega, Altair and Deneb)

September 16th:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The summer triangle (Vega, Altair and Deneb)

September 23rd

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The Andromeda Galaxy M31

September 30th:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The summer triangle (Vega, Altair and Deneb)

  • Appearances (2) of the ISS overhead - time of transit

October 7th:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The Draconids Meteor Shower

  • 3 Messier objects of choice (in sky, bright)

October 14th:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The Orionids Meteor Shower

  • The moon

October 21st:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The Orionids Meteor Shower

  • The Pleiades

October 28th:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The Pleiades

  • 3 Messier objects of choice (in sky, bright)

November 4th:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The Pleiades

  • The Orion Nebula M32

  • 3 NGC objects of choice (in sky, bright)

November 11th:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The Taurid Meteor Shower

  • The Leonid Meteor Shower

  • The moon

November 18th:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The Andromedids Meteor Shower

  • The moon

  • 3 Messier objects of choice (in sky, bright)

November 25th:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The Andromedids Meteor Shower

  • The moon

December 2nd:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

December 9th:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The Geminids Meteor Shower

  • The moon

  • 3 Messier objects of choice (in sky, bright)

December 16th:

  • The sun

  • All planets of the solar system

  • The general location of the Milky Way

  • The Ursids Meteor Shower

  • The moon


One Orrery this fall needs to be used to share astronomy with others (family or friends)

The summer triangle: Vega, Altair and Deneb.


The Orion Nebula


The moon