Perseid meteors seem to fall like rain above Mojave Nationwide Protect in California throughout this 3.5-hour timelapse.
Credit score: Jim Vajda (Flickr)
Friday, August 11
Asteroid 9 Eunomia is sliding via Sagittarius, tonight showing to type the apex of a triangle whose base is marked by the globular clusters M22 and NGC 6642.
You’ll discover Sagittarius within the south after sundown — see should you can find the well-known Teapot asterism, its spout tilted barely towards the horizon. Eunomia is positioned simply off the tip of the Teapot’s lid, marked by Third-magnitude Kaus Borealis (Lambda [λ] Sagittarii). From this star, slide about 3° northeast to land on magnitude 9.5 Eunomia, seen with binoculars or a small telescope.
About 40′ to Eunomia’s southeast is Fifth-magnitude M22, a shiny, dense cluster of stars. At about 10,000 light-years away, M22 is kind of shut and covers a big space of sky: about half a level. As a result of it’s so shiny and massive, it’s straightforward to search out and a very good object to get pleasure from underneath magnification.
Subsequent, roughly 1° to Eunomia’s southwest is NGC 6642, a a lot fainter Ninth-magnitude globular that lies greater than twice so far as M22. In consequence, this cluster solely spans about 1/3 of M22’s obvious width. It can thus seem a lot smaller and its stars are more durable to resolve; it might look extra like a condensed ball of fuzz with a barely brighter middle.
Dawn: 6:08 A.M.
Sundown: 8:02 P.M.
Moonrise: 1:23AM
Moonset: 5:23 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (19%)
*Occasions for dawn, sundown, moonrise, and moonset are given in native time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. native time from the identical location.
Saturday, August 12
The Sq. of Pegasus is a well-known asterism (an unofficial sample of stars not thought-about one of many official 88 constellations) seen within the night sky tonight. Look east after darkish for a square-shaped sample of 4 shiny stars slowly rising over time. These are magnitude 2.4 Scheat (which seems highest within the sky), magnitude 2.5 Markab (to Scheat’s decrease proper), magnitude 2.8 Algenib (instantly beneath Scheat as Pegasus rises), and magnitude 2.1 Alpheratz (to Scheat’s decrease left).
That brightest star within the Sq., Alpheratz, really belongs to Andromeda, the constellation instantly north and east of Pegasus. The opposite stars, nonetheless, do belong to the Winged Horse, whose neck and head seem southwest of the sq., emanating from Markab. Image Pegasus because the entrance half of a horse flying upward from the horizon along with his neck outstretched; the 2nd-magnitude star Enif marks his nostril. Because the evening progresses, Pegasus rises up after which makes a flip towards the north, showing to arc over the North Celestial Pole and the North Star, Polaris, within the early hours of the thirteenth, after midnight.
Should you’re outdoors stargazing this night and significantly should you’re up late, be sure to maintain a watch out for Perseid meteors, which needs to be plentiful because the extremely energetic bathe peaks early on Sunday morning. Try the subsequent entry for extra particulars.
Dawn: 6:08 A.M.
Sundown: 8:01 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:12 A.M.
Moonset: 6:14 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (12%)
Sunday, August 13
The Perseid meteor bathe peaks this morning, with the very best charges of meteors occurring within the few hours main as much as native daybreak. The bathe’s radiant in Perseus is highest at the moment, some 60° excessive within the east and simply 2.5° northeast of the 4th-magnitude star Miram (Eta [η] Persei). When you’ve discovered the radiant’s location, nonetheless, look away from it by not less than 40° on both aspect — that is the place the meteors with the longest trains will seem, streaking throughout the background sky.
Observers can count on charges of about one meteor per minute — although that is a median, so typically you’ll see plenty of meteors in a row and typically you might go a number of minutes with out seeing any. Though the height happens this morning, you may also step outdoors once more tonight after darkish to catch loads of taking pictures stars as the speed tapers off over the few days after the height.
With no night moonlight and solely a skinny crescent Moon early within the morning, this bathe is ready as much as be spectacular. No tools is required, and the nice climate means you possibly can spend a number of time outdoors having fun with the present. Discover extra particulars for viewing or photographing the Perseids here.
Dawn: 6:09 A.M.
Sundown: 8:00 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:08 A.M.
Moonset: 6:58 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (7%)
Monday, August 14
The solar system’s standout gas giant, Jupiter, dominates the early-morning skies from its perch in Aries, simply above the pinnacle of Cetus the Whale. Zoom in on the magnitude –2.5 planet with a telescope this morning to catch a small, darkish blot of shadow slip onto the disk from the east and start touring west, beginning round 3:20 A.M. EDT.
That shadow belongs to Europa, which sits east of the planet’s disk. Hold watching and also you’ll see the moon shut in on the limb, led by its shadow, although the 2 by no means cross the cloud tops on the identical time. Europa’s shadow slips off the western fringe of the seen disk simply earlier than 5:40 A.M. EDT, however the moon has not but reached the jap aspect of the planet. Europa lastly begins its personal transit simply after 5:10 A.M. CDT (be aware that that is primarily dawn for a lot of the East Coast, so observers there gained’t be capable of watch this happen).
Should you occurred to catch the same transit of Io earlier this month, you might discover there’s a longer hole this morning between the looks of Europa’s shadow on the cloud tops and the start of the moon’s transit. That’s as a result of Io’s orbit is smaller in comparison with Europa’s and the previous sits nearer to Jupiter, and so the time between shadow and moon transits is much less.
Dawn: 6:10 A.M.
Sundown: 7:58 P.M.
Moonrise: 4:08 A.M.
Moonset: 7:34 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (3%)
Tuesday, August 15
Rising within the east because the evening progresses is Andromeda the Princess. Tonight, we’re homing in on her beta star, magnitude 2.1 Mirach. Flip a telescope on this sun and also you’ll see a faint, fuzzy “ghost picture” of the star simply 7′ to its northwest. Is that this a mirrored image in your optics? No! It’s the galaxy NGC 404, additionally known as the Ghost of Mirach due to its proximity to the brilliant star.
After all, the 2 usually are not shut in space — the galaxy lies 10 million light-years past our personal, whereas Mirach sits squarely within the Milky Way, simply 200 light-years from Earth. However the resemblance is uncanny, significantly in images, because the galaxy’s growing older stellar inhabitants offers its gentle an amber-red glow just like the colour of Mirach. It’s an enchanting pair, however tonight, there’s one thing distinctive occurring.
A second “ghost” has joined the get together, about 1° north. That is Comet 103P/Hartley 2, magnitude 13 (or thereabouts) and brightening on its manner towards the interior solar system. With cautious statement or via images, you might discover that this specific ghost is greenish, due to the diatomic carbon that makes up the comet’s coma.
Dawn: 6:11 A.M.
Sundown: 7:57 P.M.
Moonrise: 5:10 A.M.
Moonset: 8:04 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (1%)
Wednesday, August 16
New Moon happens at 5:38 A.M. EDT this morning. Simply over two hours later the Moon reaches apogee, the farthest level from Earth in its orbit, at 7:54 A.M. EDT. At the moment, our satellite will sit 252,671 miles (406,635 kilometers) away.
This timing is necessary. Chances are you’ll do not forget that the Moon reached perigee, the closest level to Earth in its orbit, proper across the time of the final Full Moon on the first. This coincidence rendered that Full Moon a Tremendous Moon. Now, at New Moon, our satellite is at its farthest. These cycles will nonetheless be lined up sufficient that the subsequent two Full Moons will additionally be Tremendous Moons: on August 30 (additionally a Blue Moon, because it’s the second Full Moon in a single calendar Month) and September 29.
Proper now, although, New Moon is the right time to catch one other comet. Comet C/2023 E1 (ATLAS) is barely brighter than yesterday’s cometary goal. Lately previous perihelion, when it got here closest to the Solar, ATLAS is beginning to fade because it makes its manner again towards the outer solar system on its 85-year orbit. ATLAS is now round magnitude 10 and positioned in southeastern Cygnus, passing simply ¼° northwest of magnitude 5.7 79 Cygni tonight. It lies about two-thirds of the best way on a line drawn from Deneb to 4th-magnitude Pi (π) Pegasi.
Southeastern Cygnus additionally incorporates two common observing targets. NGC 7000, often known as the North America Nebula, lies simply southeast of Deneb. And the Veil Nebula Complex, an enormous supernova remnant containing NGC 6960, NGC 6992, and NGC 6974, sits close to the border of Cygnus and Vulpecula, about midway between Zeta (ζ) and Epsilon (ϵ) Cygni. Whereas the sky is darkish and moonless, it’s a good time to get pleasure from these favorites as nicely.
Dawn: 6:12 A.M.
Sundown: 7:56 P.M.
Moonrise: 6:12 A.M.
Moonset: 8:29 P.M.
Moon Part: New
Thursday, August 17
The constellation Libra is slowly setting within the west as darkness falls right now of yr. The Stability hosts no Messier objects however incorporates a wealth of different deep-sky targets, together with NGC 5897, typically known as the Ghost Globular.
This historic cluster of stars shines at magnitude 8.4, making it a simple catch for binoculars or any small scope for just a few hours after sundown. It’s positioned in the course of the constellation, about 11.5° due south of Zubenesch, Libra’s magnitude 2.6 beta star. Iota (ι) Librae, a magnitude 4.5 star, can function a better jumping-off level: NGC 5897 is simply over 1.5° southeast of this star.
The Ghost Globular spans about 12.6′ on the sky. Chances are you’ll discover that its middle is pretty sparse, a departure from the “ordinary” look of globular clusters, which are typically very dense and concentrated within the center. You may additionally discover the colours of a few of its brightest stars — significantly in images, the distinction between the cluster’s cooler orange stars and warmer blue stars is quickly seen.
Dawn: 6:13 A.M.
Sundown: 7:54 P.M.
Moonrise: 7:13 A.M.
Moonset: 8:51 P.M.
Moon Part: Waxing crescent (2%)
Friday, August 18
The Moon passes 1.1° north of asteroid 2 Pallas at 7 A.M. EDT. On the identical time, our satellite passes 7° north of the planet Mercury. Twelve hours later, the Moon passes 2° north of Mars at 7 P.M. EDT, shortly earlier than you possibly can catch the planetary get together within the night sky.
Look west about half-hour after sundown to attempt to catch magnitude 0.7 Mercury first. It’s the bottom of the bunch, simply 2° excessive at the moment. Except you’ve gotten a really clear horizon freed from bushes and buildings (and any clouds), you might not see it. Scanning the horizon slowly with binoculars after the Solar units could assist, however take care to not use any optics till the Solar is totally beneath the horizon out of your location.
Pallas is just a little larger than Mercury, however way more difficult due to its magnitude of 9.1. Wait till not less than 45 minutes after sundown, then see should you can spot magnitude 2.1 Denebola, the tip of Leo’s tail. From there, drop straight down towards the horizon to search out 4th-mangitude Iota Leonis. 4.5° south of this star is 4th-magnitude Sigma (σ) Leonis, which sits simply 1° southeast of Pallas. Should you can middle Sigma in your subject of view, Pallas also needs to be seen. Once more, although, the scene is sinking quick and you might lose it earlier than the background grows darkish sufficient to your optics to indicate the asteroid.
By no means concern, although — we’ve saved the perfect for final. Magnitude 1.8 Mars sits in far western Virgo, nonetheless south (to the decrease left) of the less-than-three-day-old Moon. Binoculars or a telescope ought to reveal the tiniest sliver of the Moon’s sunlit crescent within the lunar east. The darkish, almost round splotch of Mare Crisium could even be seen within the northeast. Take your time analyzing the terrain right here — with such a small portion of the disk illuminated, options alongside the limb ought to stand out in stark distinction, providing a novel view.
Underneath magnification, Mars will exhibit a tiny 4″-wide disk. The Pink Planet now lies almost 228 million miles (366.5 million km) from Earth.
Dawn: 6:14 A.M.
Sundown: 7:53 P.M.
Moonrise: 8:13 A.M.
Moonset: 9:12 P.M.
Moon Part: Waxing crescent (5%)
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