I980 PLAN 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     S 
     
    
   
   
    
     A spectacular array of planets adorns the 1980 winter skies. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Our old friend Venus is prominent in the west at sunset, about halfway to the 
     
    
   
   
    
     zenith. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In the southeast and well up in the sky about 10:00 p.m. is a whole handful of 
     
     planets. Extend your arm, spread your fingers, and you can cover all three - 
     
    

    
     Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn. In early January their relative position could be 
     
    

    
     likened to a hockey stick with the blade—end up. At the tip of the blade is 
     
    
   
   
    
     Jupiter; at the heel the reddish planet Mars; 
     
    
   
   
    
     (Fig. l). 
     
    
   
   
    
     and at the end of the handle Saturn 
     
    
   
   
    
     Mars is on a leftward course. In the late autumn Mars was just to the right of 
     
     Jupiter (Fig. 2). 0n the night of December 13, 1979, there was an occultation 
     
     of Mars and Jupiter - that is, Mars passed in front of Jupiter and became 
     
     invisible. Unfortunately the skies here were overcast and the occurrence could 
     
    
   
   
    
     not be observed. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Mars . .Jupiter 
     
    
   
   
    
     Saturn 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Fig. I. 
     
    
   
   
    
     On the next clear night we saw Mars 
     
     to the left of Jupiter (Fig. l). 
     
    
   
   
    
     The leftward motion of Mars is 
     
    

    
     noticeable from week to week; that 
     
     hockey stick had become very long 
     
     in the blade in February (Fig. 3). 
     
    
   
   
    
     Along with the trio of planets is 
     
     the bright star Regulus, at the end 
     
     of the handle of the Sickle in the 
     
     constellation Leo. 
     
    
   
   
    
     To see the lesser stars of Leo, you 
     
     will need to be away from city 
     
     lights 
     
    
   
   
    
     by Margaret E. Mallett, Charlottetown. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     0 _ 
     
     Saturn 
     
     rig. 2. 
     
     I —- '\ 
     
     / ' o 
     
     'Slckle of 
     
     0 Leo 
     
     Regulus 
     
     ' 9 
     
     Mars Jupiter 
     
     ' Saturn