Friday, August 2
The constellation Hercules stands excessive within the japanese sky after darkish tonight. Though it’s well-known for the well-known globular cluster M13, the Strongman is residence to many different deep-sky treasures, together with NGC 6210, the Turtle Nebula.
This Ninth-magnitude planetary nebula is achievable in even small scopes as a result of it’s compact and has a excessive floor brightness. It’s positioned 4° northeast of Hercules’ beta star, Third-magnitude Kornephoros. Roughly ellipsoidal in form (its resemblance to a turtle could also be considerably subjective), the brighter interior area of the nebula is simply 14″ throughout, whereas the fainter outer portion spans practically an arcminute. Attempt dropping in an Oxygen-III filter to assist improve the distinction of the nebula towards the background sky.
Like all planetaries, the Turtle Nebula is generated as a dying Solar-like star blows off its outer layers. The core of that star lies on the heart of the nebula, glowing white-hot as a Thirteenth-magnitude white dwarf.
Dawn: 6:00 A.M.
Sundown: 8:12 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:44 A.M.
Moonset: 7:37 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (3%)
*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 3
Tonight, we’re trying south after darkish, towards the massive, round constellation Ophiuchus. To the left of Ophiuchus is Aquila, residence to the intense star Altair, one of many three stars anchoring the well-known Summer time Triangle. Between these two constellations lies Serpens Cauda, residence to tonight’s goal: Graff’s Cluster (IC 4756)
This open cluster is seen to the bare eye, with a magnitude of 4.6. Its younger suns sprawl throughout practically a level of sky some 4.5° west of Fifth-magnitude Alya (Theta [θ] Serpentis). A small telescope affords a wonderful view, displaying off some 50 of the cluster’s stars.
IC 4756 lies alongside the aircraft of the Milky Way, which runs proper up by means of Aquila (and the middle of the Summer time Triangle). Our galaxy’s aircraft is the place most open clusters are discovered, as that is the place many of the star-forming fuel and dust in our spiral galaxy is positioned.
Dawn: 6:01 A.M.
Sundown: 8:11 P.M.
Moonrise: 4:49 A.M.
Moonset: 8:13 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (1%)
Sunday, August 4
Mercury is stationary at 4 A.M. EDT. Along with Venus, the tiny planet is seen within the constellation Leo, which is sinking within the west after sundown within the night sky.
Additionally positioned in Leo is the Moon, which reaches its New phase at 7:13 A.M. EDT. Throughout this phase, our satellite is actually invisible from Earth, as its nearside is totally in shadow.
Moreover, Venus passes 1.1° north of Regulus, Leo’s alpha star, at 6 P.M. EDT. To catch the pairing, you’ll have to be fast and have an observing web site with a transparent western horizon. A little bit of elevation above the encompassing space will even be useful.
Thirty minutes after sundown, Venus and Regulus are a mere 3° excessive. Venus is blazingly vibrant at magnitude –3.9, far outshining the star, which is magnitude 1.4. The planet sits simply to the higher proper of the star; for those who can’t simply spot Regulus, strive utilizing a pair of binoculars or a small telescope to carry out its gentle towards the slowly falling nightfall.
Far to Venus’ decrease left, barely 1° excessive presently, is Mercury, glowing at magnitude 1.2. Once more, you might want a telescope or binoculars to identify it. If you could find it, although, you’ll simply discover the planet is in a crescent phase, with simply 20 p.c of its floor lit. Nevertheless, its obvious measurement is kind of respectable: 10″, the identical as Venus. Against this, Venus reveals off an almost full face that’s 96 p.c lit.
Dawn: 6:02 A.M.
Sundown: 8:10 P.M.
Moonrise: 5:56 A.M.
Moonset: 8:42 P.M.
Moon Part: New
Monday, August 5
Immediately holds one thing for everybody, whether or not you’re an early riser or desire post-sunset observing.
Mars passes 5° north of the intense star Aldebaran at 3 P.M. EDT. You may catch the magnitude 0.9 Crimson Planet within the east, standing to the star’s higher left within the few hours earlier than daybreak and forming a second, equally ruddy “eye” for Taurus the Bull. Aldebaran (magnitude 0.9) is a purple large, showing to the attention as an orangey-red level of sunshine within the sky as a result of it’s comparatively cool. Mars, in the meantime, has a closely oxidized (rusty) floor, which displays daylight and reveals off its purple coloration once we view it from Earth.
Mars isn’t the one vibrant planet in Taurus, both. Magnitude –2.1 Jupiter far outshines both Mars or Aldebaran; the gas giant is positioned to Mars’ decrease left, maybe proper the place Taurus’ brow could be and forming a mystical third eye for the Bull.
Within the night sky, the fragile crescent Moon passes 1.7° north of Venus at 6 P.M. EDT after which, two hours later, the Moon passes 7° north of Mercury at 8 P.M. EDT. Twenty minutes after sundown within the Midwest, the Moon seems to face instantly above Venus, permitting you to make use of the intense planet to tease out the slim, barely 3-percent-lit crescent above it. The pair is roughly 6° excessive. To their decrease left, once more, is Mercury, now 0.1 fainter than yesterday and a couple of° excessive presently.
Ten to twenty minutes later, Mercury is misplaced from sight however Regulus ought to begin to come out towards the twilit sky, now instantly beneath Venus and the Moon.
Dawn: 6:03 A.M.
Sundown: 8:08 P.M.
Moonrise: 7:01 A.M.
Moonset: 9:07 P.M.
Moon Part: Waxing crescent (2%)
Tuesday, August 6
Asteroid 16 Psyche reaches opposition at 2 A.M. EDT. Situated in northern Capricornus, you’ll discover it within the southwestern sky within the early-morning hours main as much as daybreak. (In case you desire night observing, you’ll be able to as an alternative discover Capricornus within the southeast after sundown, and due south round 1 A.M. native daylight time.)
Psyche sits just below 2° north-northwest of magnitude 4.1 Theta Capricorni. The asteroid at present glows at magnitude 9.6. Psyche is a very unusual, metallic physique some 173 miles (280 kilometers) throughout at its widest. It’s the goal of the not too long ago launched NASA mission of the identical title, which set off from Earth Oct. 13, 2023, and can attain its goal in mid-2029.
In case you draw a line from the star to Psyche, then proceed it in the identical course one other 3°, you’ll land smack dab on M73, a small, Ninth-mangnitude asterism of 4 stars peculiarly in contrast to Messier’s extra well-known, “fuzzy” non-cometary objects.
Mercury passes 6° south of Venus at 11 A.M. EDT. You may attempt to catch the pair about 20 minutes after sundown, with Mercury (now magnitude 1.5) simply 1° above the horizon, to vibrant Venus’ decrease left.
Asteroid 7 Iris additionally reaches opposition right this moment in Aquarius, which happens at 4 P.M. EDT. We’ll go to this space rock — and close by planet Saturn — tomorrow evening.
Dawn: 6:04 A.M.
Sundown: 8:07 P.M.
Moonrise: 8:03 A.M.
Moonset: 9:28 P.M.
Moon Part: Waxing crescent (5%)
Wednesday, August 7
The constellation Aquarius lies simply east of Capricornus within the sky. Early this morning, each constellations are seen within the south. The Water-bearer at present hosts Saturn, glowing at magnitude 0.7. The ringed planet will quickly start brightening much more, because it’s approaching opposition subsequent month.
Saturn is in japanese Aquarius, about 1.3° east-southeast of 4th-magnitude Phi (ϕ) Aquarii. By a telescope, the planet reveals off its 19″-wide disk, with rings stretching roughly 43″ from finish to finish. Its largest and brightest moon, Eighth-magnitude Titan, lies about 2.3′ west of the planet, with Tenth-magnitude Dione midway between them. To Saturn’s east, Tenth-magnitude Tethys and Rhea cluster shut collectively; doubtlessly seen to these with giant scopes are additionally Hyperion (14th magnitude close to Tethys and Rhea) and Mimas (Thirteenth magnitude, close to the japanese fringe of the rings).
Asteroid 7 Iris, which reached opposition yesterday, lies over in western Aquarius, close to its border with Capricornus and Aquila. The Eighth-magnitude asteroid could be noticed in binoculars or any telescope; it’s positioned simply 1.3′ northeast of magnitude 4.7 Mu (μ) Aquarii right this moment.
And talking of Saturn, roughly 3° southeast of Iris’ place is the Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009), a well-known planetary nebula additionally nicely inside attain of medium-sized beginner optics, at magnitude 8. Stretching about 25′ on its longer finish, this oval-shaped nebula will get its title from the best way its blown-off gases give it the tough define of the planet Saturn. Like all planetary nebulae, NGC 7009 has a scorching white dwarf star on the heart; this one glows at magnitude 11.5. See for those who can find it.
Dawn: 6:05 A.M.
Sundown: 8:06 P.M.
Moonrise: 9:04 A.M.
Moonset: 9:48 P.M.
Moon Part: Waxing crescent (10%)
Thursday, August 8
The Moon reaches apogee, the farthest level from Earth in its orbit, at 9:31 P.M. EDT. At the moment, our satellite will sit 251,840 miles (405,297 km) away.
Just a few hours earlier than midnight, the Nice Sq. of Pegasus is rising within the east. This huge asterism — formed like a sq., as its title implies — is bounded by 4 stars. Beginning on the high and transferring clockwise, they’re magnitude 2.4 Scheat, magnitude 2.5 Markab, magnitude 2.8 Algenib, and magnitude 2.1 Alpheratz. That final star is technically throughout the boundaries of Andromeda the Princess, serving as its alpha star.
Proper close to Alpheratz, some 1.5° to the star’s south-southwest and barely throughout the border of the Nice Sq., is the very first entry within the New Normal Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars: NGC 1. This difficult spiral galaxy is roughly magnitude 13 and spans 2′. It lies lower than 2′ due north of NGC 2, a good fainter (magnitude 15) galaxy about 1.5′ throughout. Though the 2 seem as neighbors on the sky, they aren’t bodily shut in space — they’re separated by greater than 100 million light-years, with NGC 2 a lot farther from Earth than NGC 1. Nonetheless, amateurs with giant scopes can seize each collectively, and so they make a fantastic begin for anybody able to make the leap from the Messier catalog to the NGC.
Dawn: 6:05 A.M.
Sundown: 8:05 P.M.
Moonrise: 10:03 A.M.
Moonset: 10:07 P.M.
Moon Part: Waxing crescent (16%)
Friday, August 9
Let’s return to Taurus within the early-morning sky, however this time concentrate on the Bull’s different vibrant resident planet: Jupiter. Situated roughly 7.5° northeast of Aldebaran, Jupiter is now additionally simply over 2.5° east of Mars. The Crimson Planet seems to be transferring rapidly, closing in for a conjunction with Jupiter in lower than every week.
This morning, Jupiter’s largest moon, Ganymede, transits the planet’s southern pole, transferring from east to west. The occasion begins at 3:38 A.M. EDT — be aware that the planet hasn’t but risen for the western U.S. Ganymede takes roughly two hours to cross in entrance of Jupiter, sliding away from the disk at 5:36 A.M. EDT.
On the similar time, Callisto is beginning to slide fully beneath the planet, additionally transferring from east to west. This moon misses the pole solely, with some 5″ of clearance mid-journey. Though Jupiter’s Galilean moons orbit in a comparatively flat aircraft across the planet’s equator, the lean of the gas giant relative to Earth causes the moons to look staggered, somewhat than specified by a flat aircraft. Europa and Io, which each orbit nearer to Jupiter than Callisto and Ganymede, seem rather more consistent with the gas giant’s center. Europa sits to the east of Jupiter this morning, and Io to the west.
Dawn: 6:06 A.M.
Sundown: 8:04 P.M.
Moonrise: 11:02 A.M.
Moonset: 10:26 P.M.
Moon Part: Waxing crescent (23%)
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