Sky Tour: August 2010
3 Aug 2010, 08:58 UTC
Astronomy a Go Go! August Sky Tour
This tool displays the approximate Moon phases for a given month(images are close approximations). For official phase times and dates for this month and past months are available from the U.S. Naval Observatory.
Astronomical Online Glossary
Download this month's sky map!
Skymaps.com is our favorite monthly skymap provider. Download either the Northern hemisphere, Equatorial, or Southern Hemisphere sky map so you can follow along with our viewing sessions. Creator: Kym Thalassoudis
Southern Hemisphere Additional Information
As Astronomy a Go Go! finds its home in the higher Northern latitudes those of you who live south of the equator will benefit from these two Southern Hemisphere sites: Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand's Southern Hemisphere Calendar RASNZ site (absolutely outstanding) and Southern Sky Watch.
August Planets (click images to enlarge)
Mercury- Following the setting Sun in the west for the beginning of the month, greatest elongation on the 7th. Views improve as you move south 0.2 mag (1st) to 1.3 (21st)
Venus- Beautiful in the western evening sky and brighter than last month! Observe frequently to watch Venus' phases change. Moving quickly eastward, greatest elongation on the 10th. Together with Mars and Saturn this trio makes for wonderful twilight viewing. -4.3 mag (1st) to -4.3 mag (21st)
Mars- Small and moving quickly eastward along with Venus and Saturn. Try pulling Mars out of focus to glimps polar caps. 1.5 (1st) to 1.5 mag (21st)
Jupiter- Rising just before midnight in Pisces and the brightest object in the eastern sky sans the Moon or Sun -2.7 mag (1st) to -2.7 mag (21st) Finder for Jupiter's moons: Sky and Telescope
Saturn- Placed in the western evening sky and delightful to see. Visible before full dark and racing eastward along with Venus and Mars. The Sun is creeping closer and Saturn will slowly disappear into twilight as it heads towards solar conjunction in October. 1.0 mag (1st) to 1.0 mag (21st) Finder for Saturn's Moons: Sky and Telescope
Uranus- Rises late, just before Jupiter in Pisces 5.9 mag (1st) to 5.9 mag (21st)
Neptune- Rising later near the Aquarius-Capricornus border 7.9 mag (1st) to 7.9 mag (21st) Finder charts for Uranus and Neptune: Sky and Telescope
Astronomical Highlights for August 2010
Days and Times in UT: (help with time) Observations are for 10 pm for Northern Hemisphere and 8 pm for the Southern Hemisphere. Today's sunrise and sunset times or plan ahead using the US Naval Observatory Website
Occultation information can be found at the IOTA website!
Day Event
3
- Last Quarter Moon
4
- Moon near Pleiades (M45) eastern sky early, early morning
5
- AAGG at Jazz Under the Stars Pacific Lutheran University
6
- Jupiter 0.5 deg S of Uranus
7
- Mercury at greatest elogation E (27 deg)
- Moon 0.05 deg S of M35 (at the toe of Castor in Gemini)
8
- Mercury at aphelion
10
- Venus 3 deg S of Saturn
- New Moon (3:08 UT)
- Moon at Perigee (357857 km) expect large tides (18 UT)
12
- Mercury 2 deg N of Moon
- AAGG at Jazz Under the Stars Pacific Lutheran University
12-13
- Perseid meteor shower peak. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Perseus. The thin, crescent moon will be out of the way early, setting the stage for a potentially spectacular show. For best viewing, look to the northeast after midnight.
13
- Double shadow transit on Jupiter (10:12 UT)
- Waxing crescent moon with Venus, Mars and Saturn
16
- First Quarter
20
- Venus greatest elongation E (46 deg)
- Double shadow transit on Jupiter (12:06 UT)
- Neptune at opposition
24
- Full Moon - Smallest in 2010
- Moon at apogee (406386 km)
27
- Double shadow transit on Jupiter (15:50 UT)
- Moon near Jupiter in the morning sky
31
- Venus together with Spica and Mars in the early evening sky
Date information courtesy of: RASC Observer's Handbook, Skymaps.com, Astronomical Calendar 2010, CalSky. sunrise and sunset times for your home* Comparative lengths of day and night
Bright(er) Comets for August 2010
C/2009 R1 McNaught: ~6 mag - on the Pisces-Pegasus border
More comet information at Seiichi Yoshida's comet website, especially his bright comet page. Also checkout Gary Kronk's comet and meteor pagesSkyhound Comet pages
Historical and Current Events
...Did you know?
Mark has developed his own website so let's all trot on over and see the pages of wonderful history he has for us this month!
Help us out by leaving a donation in the ol' PayPal hat
or write us a favorable review in iTunes of Podcast Pickle or iPodder!
Music B.D. Lenz -"Lazy Bones" Gred Federico- "Beneath the Stars" Great Big Sea- "Eavesdropper's/Both Meat and Drink/Off We Go"
Great Astronomy Activities!
Citizen Sky
For those in Northern Hemisphere, Capella, the "She Goat" in Aurigae, is circumpolar. At my 47 deg North, Capella disappears behind the tree line, and into the light polluted horizon, but she pops up in a few hours and is easy to find. Also easy to find are epsilon Aurigae (al Maaz the Billy Goat) and "The Kids" which make a small, long, triangle of stars just to the Southwest of Capella.
Epsilon Aurigae and some unknown dark partner, rotate around a common center of mass and every 27 years that dark companion eclipses the giant F-type star. Last August marks the anticipated beginning for that eclipse which will last for 714 days, dimming from 3.0 mag to about half of its brightness.
So why am I calling this a great astronomy activity? Epsilon Aurigae has some definite quirks and more eyes are needed to help scientist figure out what Epsilon Aurigae's invisible partner really is! We need help...WE NEED YOU!! Anyone can participate; we need people to observe epsilon Aurigae, folks to look at the data for quirks, patterns, or voids, artist to help present the data to the public, friends willing to get the word out to others! To find out more visit:
The Citizen Sky Project
AAVSO page on Epsilon Aurigae
