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July 2008

For the first couple of weeks of July you can see Mercury in the morning sky. Use binoculars to look low in the east-northeast at about 4:30 AM. The planet is down and to the left of Aldebaran, and down and to the right of Capella.

On Tuesday, July 1, about 9:15 PM, you can see Mars less that 1 degree from Regulus. Look very low in the west. Saturn is a few degrees up and to the left. On Sunday, July 6, the Moon joins the trio. This is a particularly good time to look at features near the Moon's eastern limb (toward the setting sun) as libration tips that part toward us. By Thursday, July 10, Mars has moved close to Saturn.

On Wednesday, July 2, it is new Moon and you can hunt for faint fuzzies all night.

On Sunday, July 6, around 11 PM, you can see some events with Jupiter's moons. At 11:09 PM Europa's shadow falls on the planet. 5 minutes later Europa itself moves in front of the planet. 13 minutes after that Io appears from behind the planet, just south of Europa.

On Wednesday, July 9, it is first quarter phase of the Moon, so you will probably be happier observing it than deep sky objects.

On Thursday, July 10, about 10 PM, you can see the northern part of the Moon at its best. For the next few days, libration tips that part toward us.

On Saturday, July 12, about 10 PM, you can see Jupiter's 4 main satellites on the East side of the planet in order of their actual distance from it.

On Thursday, July 17, at 7:53 PM (11 minutes after sunset) the full Moon rises, spoiling any chance of deep sky observing for the whole night.

On Monday, July 21, starting just before 9 PM, you can watch the passage of Io in front of Jupiter. Here is the schedule:

   9:55 PM Io moves in front of the planet

  10:14 PM Io's shadow falls on the planet

  12:12 AM Io moves from in front of the planet

  12:31 PM Io's shadow leaves the planet

On Friday, July 25, the Moon is at last quarter phase and doesn't rise till 11:39 PM.

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August 2008

On Friday, August 1, it is new Moon and you can hunt for faint fuzzies all night. If you were in Mongolia, you could see a total eclipse of the sun during the day.

On Saturday, August 2, about 8:00 PM, you can see a grouping of objects. With binoculars look very low in the west for Venus. Also strung out up and to the left are the star Regulus, the thin crescent Moon, Saturn, and Mars. As the month progresses, Mercury joins the group. Mercury, Venus, and Saturn really get close starting about August 11. This month's dance takes place low in twilight, so it is not the best view. As the month progresses, the sun sets a little earlier each day.

On Monday, August 4, you can see some events with Jupiter's moons. Here is the schedule:

  8:17 PM Ganymede moves from in front of Jupiter.

          It's not really dark yet.

          Ganymede's shadow is already on the planet.

          Callisto is in front of the planet, just above Ganymede's shadow.

 10:55 PM Ganymede's shadow leaves the planet.

 11:05 PM Callisto moves from in front of the planet.

  1:22 AM Callisto's shadow falls on the planet.

  1:26 AM Io moves in front of the planet.

  2:04 AM Io's shadow falls on the planet. (2 shadows)

  3:30 AM Jupiter sets

On Friday, August 8, it is first quarter phase of the Moon, so you will probably be happier observing it than deep sky objects.

On Saturday, August 9, about 9:00 PM, you can see the northern part of the Moon at its best. Although the Moon is pretty low in the sky, libration tips the north pole slightly toward us. The lighting should be good to look for small craterlets in the floor of the big crater Plato. It takes a very good telescope to see them.

On Tuesday, August 12, after moonset (1:33 AM) and before morning twilight (4:15 AM), you have your best chance to see some Perseid meteors. The radiant is high in the northeast, but the meteors can appear anywhere in the sky. Dress warmly.

On Saturday, August 16, at 7:16 PM (same time as sunset) the full Moon rises, spoiling any chance of deep sky observing for the whole night. If you were in the middle east, you could see a partial eclipse of the moon.

On Saturday, August 23, the Moon is at last quarter phase and doesn't rise till 11:07 PM.

On Sunday, August 24, about 4:00 AM, you can see the crater Clavius on the Moon at its best. Libration tips it toward us, the Moon is pretty high in the sky, and the lighting is good. If it weren't for the time of night, it would be perfect. Clavius is unusually interesting because it has lots of different sized craters in it.

On Friday, August 29, you can see some events with Jupiter's moons. Here is the schedule:

  6:59 PM Sun sets.

  7:43 PM Io moves in front of the planet.

  8:09 PM Callisto disappears behind the planet.

  8:34 PM Ganymede appears from behind the planet.

  8:48 PM Io's shadow falls on the planet.

  9:59 PM Io moves from in front of the planet.

 11:04 PM Io's shadow leaves the planet.

 11:59 PM Callisto appears from behind the planet.

On Saturday, August 30, it is new Moon and you can hunt for faint fuzzies all night.