Star Points for January 2012 by Curtis Roelle
Sky Events for the 2012 New Year

Here is a short roundup of some heavenly happenings coming up in 2012.  Some events may be 
discussed at greater length in future columns closer to the time of their occurrence.

Let's start with the Moon.  No total lunar eclipses occur in 2012.  However, a partial lunar eclipse 
occurs on the morning of June 4.  Unfortunately for those of us in this area, the partial eclipse begins 
shortly after the Moon has set! The only other lunar eclipse of the year, on November 28, isn't even 
worth mentioning. That's because it's a penumbral eclipse and so not all that spectacular. And 
besides, once again, the penumbral eclipse begins shortly after the Moon has set anyway. 

So we struck out with the Moon. Let's move on to the Sun. 

The only solar eclipse visible in the United States is the annular eclipse on May 21. Annular eclipses 
are also known as "ring" eclipses. It's a special kind of partial eclipse because the Moon, being in a 
farther part of its orbit, doesn't block the entire Sun. This leaves a ring of bright sunlight visible 
around the darkened Moon. 

Unfortunately, the eclipse is visible only the western part of the country. However, I mention it 
because its central path intersects some well known park regions including the Grand Canyon in 
Arizona, as well as Bryce Canyon and Mt. Zion in Utah. If you're planning a trip out that way it 
might pay to go early before the summer rush so you can catch the eclipse. But remember not to 
look at the Sun without proper safe filtration or use the pinhole projection technique for viewing. 

So the Sun doesn't work out for us either. Next, let's look at the planets. 

The best times to see Mercury in the evening sky will be in early March and early June. Best time in 
the morning is mid-August and early December.

Mars is currently getting closer to Earth. Technically, it's Earth that's getting closer to Mars, but it's 
the same difference. On March 3 Mars is at "opposition" (opposite from the Sun) and best placed 
for viewing this year. It will be a bright, easily visible, orange-red star in the sky. Through a 
medium-sized telescope Mars appears only a little more than half as large as it did in 2003. 
Telescope owners will definitely want to mark their calendars for Mars.

Jupiter and Saturn both have good appearances during the year. In fact, the year starts out with 
Jupiter well placed high in the sky. It will be well placed once again at the end of 2012 as well. 
Come spring, Saturn will be high in the sky and remains well placed throughout the summer.

The astronomical highlight of the year is the transit of Venus across the face of the Sun on Tuesday, 
June 5. Venus will be in the midst of crossing the face of the Sun when it sets that evening. This is 
the last transit of Venus this century. The next one won't be for another 105 years in 2117. 

The Venus transit of 2004 was viewed by many persons throughout the greater metropolitan region. 
The Sun rose that morning with the transit already in progress. It was the first Venus transit since 
1882 - a period of 122 years. I think it's safe to say that the only people alive who have ever seen a 
transit of Venus probably did so in 2004. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of them. Much of Carroll 
County was socked in by heavy morning fog.

The date December 21, 2012, has been receiving a great deal of publicity. There was even a 
Hollywood movie made about it. It seems that the Mayan calendar runs out on that date and some 
people interpret that as a prophecy for the impending end of the world as we know it. Another 
interpretation is that the Mayan calendar is cyclical, and it's only the end of the current 5,000+ year 
Mayan cycle, much like the new millennium in our western calendar that was celebrated earlier this 
century. A lot has been recently written pointing out in no uncertain terms that our world is doomed. 
Likewise there's been a lot of ink feverishly spilled in a rather shrill and sometimes haughty effort 
to debunk it. 

Suffice it say the only "debunking" necessary is seeing sunrise next December 22. Hope you have a 
happy and wonderful 2012.