July Sky Guide

Hi All, I've put together another Sky Guide including the latest on the Sun, Comet and Planets



Enjoy!

Paul.

Hi Paul.

Thank you once again for including us southerners with your latest excellent video.
I was waiting for you to say something about little Mars. But it was probably because you were running out of time. Never mind! There's always next month.
Some of us are planning to bring our scopes to the Sugarloaf car park soon. And if we get clear skies we will observe Jupiter, Saturn and Mars then.
Comet Neowise is bound to be studied too on the same night.

I wish you all in Northern Ireland clear skies, Paul.

Best regards from Aubrey.

Thanks Aubrey, I'm keeping little Mars for next time as it's still a bit little but it's time will come.

A question for you on that one as you have a big sharp refractor - Have you ever seen Phobos and Deimos?

Clear skies,

Paul.

Hello Paul.
I thank you for your question.
But no! I am most sorry I have not observed either Phobos or Deimos over the years.
In 2003, when Mars was closest to the Earth of all time, I had a very large 8.75" Newtonian reflector on an equatorial pillar mount. I used magnifications up to 300X on a very calm and dark night. But there was no sign of either. I had Red Shift 3 and Sky & Telescope at my disposal at the time. Both were giving me the positions of the moons.
Now that I own a William Optics 158 mm apochromatic refractor I can use magnifications up to 374X. I did observe clouds on Mars on the 18th March 2012 at that highest power but there was still no sign of either moon.
I seem to remember a tale about Asaph Hall trying with great keenness trying to see a moon for the first time in the 1870's. He kept trying; but he was giving up hope. His wife encouraged him to try one more time. He succeeded! And subsequently discovered both moons in 1877 when was Mars was very close to the Earth.

Clear skies from Aubrey.