EYE IN THE SKY: JUPITER AND SATURN CLOSER TO VIEW

Save the bridge? A golf course? River overlook? These have been some of the suggested uses for the area freed up when the new bridge is completed.

My suggestion? A science center, of course!

Area school systems not wanting to spend the money and time to go to St. Louis will come to Cape Girardeau to visit the center. We could have a nice hands-on children's museum, an astronomical planetarium, a space exploration display, a river education display, and of course, a gift shop. Not only would the science theme bring a nice complement to the Center for the Performing Arts, but would genuinely add tourist dollars to the downtown Cape area. With the correct design we could have a science of golf exhibit and a deck to look over the Mississippi River, too!

This month the planets retake the sky, both at night and early in the morning. Just after sunset the planet Jupiter leaps from the horizon shining brightly in the east. About 40 minutes later, Saturn will take its turn. This month both Jupiter and Saturn are in opposition, which means they are opposite the sun. It also means we are closer to them during this 'line up' of the planets.

But don't worry, the gravitational effects of even the best of planetary lineups pales in comparison to the effects of the moon. The gravity of the moon causes the bedrock of the Earth to rise and lower about 8 inches every high and low tide. If that does not make earthquakes, no other gravity pull will ether. Because the orbits of Jupiter and the Earth are slightly elliptical, some oppositions put us closer together than others. This year, Jupiter is closer and brighter than it has been for 12 years. Even binoculars can easily see its brightest four moons.

Jupiter's moons have become some of the most interesting objects to study in the solar system. Of the four brightest moons, Io circles the closest to the planet and was the first solar system object to show us volcanoes, besides those on the Earth. The second moon Europa, is described as having '..doodles and freckles, creamy plains and crypto-icebergs..' in this month's Scientific American magazine. It appears that Jupiter's tidal forces are enough to keep oceans of water circulating deep under Europa's frozen surface. This causes large ice flows similar to those found near the poles on Earth.

In a modest sized telescope, you may even be able to watch the shadows of these moons on the planet itself as they transit in front of the sun.

Saturn is never as bright as Jupiter since it is farther away, but it puts on a fine show never the less. Nothing compares to the first time you see its exquisite ring system.

Early morning observers will have no trouble finding the planet Venus. It burns a hole in the predawn sky and is only outdone by the moon and the sun in brightness. In a small telescope it should appear as a crescent shape. By month's end it is as high as the planet ever gets above the sun.

I have had several requests from readers wanting to know if it is legal and legitimate to have stars named after people. While some private companies will 'sell' you a star and even show you a star map with its location, the truth is that no one can own a star and only an international committee 'officially' names astronomical objects. On the other hand, I need some money for that new science center by the river, so send me your dollar and I will sell you a star and we will hang it in the lobby.

~Dr. Michael Cobb is an astronomer and chairman of the physics department at Southeast Missouri State University.