The Sky this Month (August, September)
On Wednesday, August 7, Chris Vaughan presented the Sky. Below are the events he discussed. At the bottom of the page you will also find a PDF with maps.
News
Space Exploration – Public and Private. Ref. http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
- August 3 – Launch of Japanese H-2B from Tanegashima Space Center, unmanned ISS re-supply
- August 6 – Launch of GSLV rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Center, India, payload GSAT 14 comsat
- August 7-8 – Launch of Delta 4 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, payload WGS 6 comsat
- August 22 – Launch of Kosmotras Dnepr rocket from Dombarovsky, Russia, payload Korean KOMPSAT 5 Earth
- observation satellite.
- August 22 – Launch of Japan's Epsilon rocket from Uchinoura Space Center, Japan, payload, SPRINT-A satellite
- with a small space telescope to observe Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter.
- August 24 – Launch of Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, payload, Eutelsat 25B & GSAT 7 comsats.
- August 28 – Launch of Delta 4-Heavy rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, payload, NROL-65 US
- National Reconnaissance comsats.
This Month in History (a sampling)
Ref. http://astroplanet.org/next.php
- August 1, 1785 – Caroline Herschel becomes the first woman to discover comets, including Comet
- 35P/Herschel-Rigollet
- August 2, 1880 – Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is officially adopted by Parliament in the UK
- August 3, 1596 – David Fabricius discovered variability of Mira, the first star to be identified as a variable star
- August 11 & 17, 1877 – Asaph Hall discovers Phobos and Deimos (aka Gods of Fear and Dread, respectively)
- August 11, 3114 BCE – Beginning of Creation according to the Maya civilization
- August 13, 1642 – Christiaan Huygens discovered the Martian south polar cap
- August 15, 1977 – WOW! signal is detected by the SETI program using The Big Ear radio telescope. The 72
- second long signal is never duplicated
- August 23, 1966 – Earth is photographed for the first time from lunar orbit by Lunar Orbiter 1
- August 24, 2006 – International Astronomical Union demotes the planet Pluto to a dwarf planet or "trans-
- Neptunian object".
- August 29, 1541 – Nicolaus Copernicus's book "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" ("On the Revolutions of
- the Celestial Spheres") goes to the printer
Star Parties
Ref: http://ontariostargazing.ca/astronomy-star-parties-events-ontario/
- “RASC Dark Skies Observing”, Long Sault, ON – window opens September 2
- “RASC City Skies Observing”, Bayview Village Park, Toronto – window opens August 12
- “Starfest”, Mount Forest, ON – Aug 8-12 (www.nyaa.ca/starfest.htm)
- “Manitoulin Star Party”, Gordon’s Park Dark Sky Preserve, Manitoulin Island – Aug 9-12 (www.gordonspark.com)
- “L & A Perseid Meteor Watch”, Lennox & Addington County Dark Sky Area – Aug 12 (www.darkskyviewing.com)
- “Perseids Meteor Star Party”, Gordon’s Park Dark Sky Preserve, Manitoulin Island – Aug 12-14 (www.gordonspark.com)
- “New Eyes Old Skies Dark Skies Observing”, Tottenham/Ronan Aerodrome, ON – window opens August 26
- “Charleston Lake Astronomy Night”, Charleston Lake Provincial Park (near Brockville), ON – Aug 31 (Tel: 613- 659-2065)
- “The 16th Annual Algonquin Adventure Star Party”, Mew Lake Campground (in Algonquin Provincial Park), ON – Sep 5-8 (E-mail: bobandlil14@gmail.com)
Observing
Sun/Sunrise/Sunset
- August 1st sunrise at 6:12 am, August 31st sunrise at 6:46 am
- August 1st sunset at 8:36 pm, August 31st sunset at 7:51 pm (yay!)
Moon - Phases
- August 6 at 4:51 pm EDT – New Moon
- August 14 at 5:56 am EDT – 1st Quarter Moon (sets around midnight)
- August 20 at 8:45 pm EDT – Full Moon
- August 28 at 4:35 am EDT – 3rd Quarter Moon (rises around midnight)
Moon - Conjunctions
- On the early morning of August 1, the Moon will be situated only 3 degrees west of (above) Aldebaran!
- On the early morning of August 3, the Old Moon sits about 6 degrees southwest (to the upper right) of Jupiter.
- On the early morning of August 4, the Old Moon sits about 6 degrees south (to the lower right) of Mars.
- On the early morning of August 5, the Old Moon sits about 5 degrees south (to the lower right) of Mercury.
- On the evening of August 9, the New Moon sits about 5.5 degrees south (to the lower left) of Venus.
- On the evening of August 11, the waxing crescent Moon sits about 5 degrees west (to the lower right) of Spica.
- On the evening of August 12, the 1st Quarter Moon sits about 5 degrees southwest of (below) Saturn.
- On the evening of August 13, the 1st Quarter Moon sits about 1 degree south (to the lower left) of double star
- Zubenelgenubi (alpha Libra).
- On August 31, the Old Moon sits about 6 degrees southwest (to the right) of Jupiter.
Moon - Orbit
- Apogee on August 3rd at 4:53 am EDT
- Perigee on August 18th at 9:26 pm EDT
- Apogee on August 30th at 7:46 pm EDT
Planets and Dwarf Planets
- July 30th – Mercury’s reached Greatest Western Elongation, nicely visible for morning viewing during the first week of August, showing a lovely crescent, then rapidly descends towards the Sun. Superior conjunction on
- August 24th. Venus never climbs very high during this summer/autumn elongation. It sets at 10:07 pm on August 1 (83% illum) in Leo and 9:19 pm on August 31 (74% illum) in Virgo.
- Mars is visible in early mornings – about 2 hours before sunrise on August 1 and three hours before on August 31. On Sept 8th and 9th, Mars will traverse the Beehive (M44)!
- Jupiter rises at 3:33 am on August 1st and at 2:02 am on August 31st. All month in Gemini, it climbs away from
- Mars in the pre-dawn sky. Beautiful lunar conjunctions on August 3rd and 31st.
- Saturn, in Virgo, becomes limited to early evening viewing. Sets at 12:10 am on August 1 and at 10:16 pm on
- August 31. The moons all cluster on the East side on August 23rd!
- Uranus, in Pisces, best observable in the middle of the night, rises at 11:06 pm on August 1 and at 9:07 pm on August 31.
- Neptune, in Aquarius, rises at 9:39 pm on August 1 and at 7:40 pm on August 31. It reaches opposition on August 27, making it a good late evening target.
- Pluto, above Sagittarius’ teapot about 2 degrees SE of M25 all month, resides in a very star-filled part of the sky, and is well positioned for evening viewing.
- Ceres and Vesta are near superior conjunction, Juno is observable north of Capricornus.
Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) Update
Ref. http://www.aerith.net/comet/catalog/2012S1/2012S1.html
On August 7th, it sits about midway between Pollux and The Beehive, rises at 4:40 am. By August 31st, rises at 3:46 am and sits one degree north of Gamma Cancri (Asellus Borealis) (Sunrise at 6:42am).
Meteor Shower(s)
- Perseids - Active period July 17 – Aug 24, peaking before dawn on August 12th. Moon only ~25% illuminated, setting around 11 pm on Aug 11th. Radiant point is between Camelopardalis and Perseus in the NE sky – and nearly overhead by dawn (RA 3h 04m, Dec. +58°). Source of material was comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle (130 year period). Usually 60-80 per hour at the peak, many of a fireball nature.
Asteroids
Ref. http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/ca/
- Juno at opposition on August 3rd at 9 pm EDT
- Iris at opposition on August 16th at 9 pm EDT
- Aug 05 - Asteroid (2013 LF7) (diam. 100m - 230m) within 10.6 Lunar distances
- Aug 09 - Asteroid 277475 (2005 WK4) (diam. 260m - 580m) within 7 8.1 Lunar distances
- Aug 23 - Asteroid 1999 CF9 (diam. 1100 m) within 24.7 Lunar distances
- Aug 31 - Asteroid 2002 JR9 (diam. 1400 m) within 63.5 Lunar distances
- Aug 28 - Asteroid (2007 CN26) (diam. 170m - 380m) within 11.9 Lunar distances
Satellites
- ISS passes continue until August 26th. Some higher/brighter ones include:
- 07 Aug -2.7 21:49:58 10° WSW 21:53:17 61° NNW 21:56:38 10° NE
- 08 Aug -3.3 21:01:20 10° SW 21:04:41 84° SSE 21:08:03 10° ENE
- 16 Aug -2.3 22:37:24 10° NW 22:40:26 43° NNE 22:40:26 43° NNE
- 18 Aug -2.5 22:36:37 10° WNW 22:39:15 52° WNW 22:39:15 52° WNW
- 19 Aug -3.0 21:47:54 10° NW 21:51:14 60° NNE 21:52:15 38° E
- 20 Aug -2.4 20:59:12 10° NW 21:02:24 41° NNE 21:05:18 12° E
- 21 Aug -3.0 21:47:07 10° WNW 21:50:25 56° SW 21:51:15 41° SSE
- 22 Aug -3.3 20:58:19 10° WNW 21:01:40 87° NNE 21:04:22 15° ESE
- Iridium Flares most frequent evening passes occur between 9 and 11 pm.
- Local occurrences info at www.heavens-above.com, phone/tablet apps, Chris Vaughan’s Skylights (email, www.astrogeoguy.tumblr.com)
Occultations/Eclipses
Ref: http://www.asteroidoccultation.com/ (additional links on the following URLs open track maps)
- 01 Aug 2013 at 07:45 UT – asteroid 78 (568) Cheruskia (mag 14.1) occults star TYC 1732-01826-1 (mag 11.7) - visible in GTA/Hamilton - drops 2.5mags for 10.5secs, alt. 79° http://www.asteroidoccultation.com/2013_08/0801_568_30006.htm
- 11 Aug 2013 at 03:50 UT - asteroid 98 (173) Ino (mag 11.7) occults star 2UCAC 27906819 (mag 11.8) - visible north of Lake Huron - drops 0.7mags for 17.4secs, alt. 61° http://www.asteroidoccultation.com/2013_08/0811_173_30033.htm
- 18 Aug 2013 at 08:09 UT - asteroid 55 (1208) Troilus (mag 16.6) occults star TYC 1239-00009-1 (mag 11.0) - visible from Georgian Bay south to Windsor - drops 5.6mags for 8.4secs, alt. 42° http://www.asteroidoccultation.com/2013_08/0818_1208_30060.htm
Constellations on the Meridian (Annually in August)
- Scorpio and Sagittarius, Ophiuchus, Serpens, and Scutum, Aquila, Sagitta and Vulpecula, Cygnus, Lyra, and
- Hercules (Late night: Capricornus, Microscopium, Delphinus)
Star party Skylights (Annually in August)
- Summer Triangle (image from http://www.astropixels.com/milkyway/MilkyWayMos12-03.html) (eye)
- Milky Way (eye)
- Coathangar (eye / binoculars)
- Summer Globs – M13, M92 (Her), M5 (Ser), M4 (Sco) etc. (telescope)
- Summer Blobs – Lagoon, Trifid (Sag), Veil, N American, Crescent (Cyg), etc. (telescope)
- Summer Knobs – Ring (Lyr), Dumbbell (Vul), Blinking Planetary (Cyg), Cat’s Eye (Dra) (telescope)
- Seeing Doubles – Albireo (Cyg), Eps (Lyr), Marfik (Her/Oph) (telescope)
- Hit Singles - Antares (Sco), Vega (Lyr), Arcturus (Boo), Herschel’s Garnet Star (Ceph) (eye, binoculars, telescope)
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