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August Observing Guide
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16 years 4 months ago #71855
by Neill
August Observing Guide was created by Neill
Hi all,
August's observing guide is below. Good luck to anyone Russia bound and hopefully we all get to see some sort of eclipse on the 1st.
OBSERVING GUIDE
(Please note all times are BST and are based on an observing location of Belfast)
The Sun
At the start of the month the Sun rises at 05:35 and sets at 21:25. By the end of the month, it rises at 06:30 and sets at 20:15.
There is a total solar eclipse on the 1st with the track passing through the Arctic, Russia, Mongolia and China. Timings for Belfast are 09:23 for the beginning of the eclipse with the maximum eclipse at 10:12 and the eclipse ends at 11:03. Observers will see a 30% partial eclipse, weather permitting! Timings and partial percentages elsewhere in Ireland will differ from the above depending on your location. Always remember to use protective equipment like proper solar filters when observing the sun.
The Planets
Venus and Saturn are within a degree of each other on the evening of the 13th, low down in the West after sunset. On the evening of the 15th, Venus, Saturn and Mercury form an interesting planetary alignment low in the West. Venus is the tip of a triangle with Mercury and Saturn as the base. On the evening of the 20th, Mercury and Venus form the base and Saturn is the tip. A flat western horizon would be very useful if attempting to observe this alignment and remember to wait for the sun to have set before attempting it.
Mercury is an evening object this month; however it is not well placed for observation as it sets less than an hour after the Sun during the entire month.
Venus is an evening object this month; however it is not well placed for observation as it sets less than an hour after the Sun during the entire month.
Mars is very quickly slipping into the evening twilight. It rises during daylight hours and moves from Leo into Virgo during the month. It maintains its brightness at mag +1.7 during the month. By month’s end it sets at 21:00, less than an hour after the Sun.
Jupiter can be found in Sagittarius. At the start of the month, it rises during daylight hours and sets at 03:30. By month’s end, it sets at 01:15. It fades from mag -2.7 to mag -2.5 during the month.
Saturn is lost to the evening twilight this month. It can be found in Leo and sets at 22:20 at the start of the month. By month’s end it sets less than an hour after the sun at 20:30. It maintains its brightness at mag +0.8 during the month.
Uranus can be found in Aquarius. At the start of the month, it rises at 22:30 and by month’s end it rises at 20:30. It is just within naked eye visibility and brightens from mag +5.8 to mag +5.7 during the month. It can be located to the South of the Circlet asterism in Pisces.
Neptune can be found in Capricornus and is at opposition on the 15th. At the start of the month, it rises at 21:40 and by month’s end it rises at 19:40 and sets at 05:00. It can be located by using Gamma and Delta Capricorni. The planet lies to the North of these two stars close to stars 42, 44 and 45 Capricorni (all mag +5 stars). It maintains its brightness at mag +7.8 during the month.
The Moon
The first new moon of the month is on the 1st with the first quarter moon on the 8th. The full moon this month is on the 16th. The last quarter moon is on the 24th with the second new moon on the 30th.
On the evening of the 3rd, a 7% waxing crescent moon can be observed very low in the West after sunset. Saturn lies to the North-West and Venus lies to the West of the moon.
On the evening of the 13th, a 91% illuminated waxing gibbous moon lies close to Jupiter, to the South-East of the planet.
There is a partial lunar eclipse on the evening of the 16th. The moon will be 81% eclipsed at maximum. Only the Northern 19% of the moon will not lie in the Earth’s umbra. The initial penumbral phase starts at 19:23 with the umbral phase starting at 20:35. Moonrise is not until 20:42, so the moon will be partially eclipsed when rising. The maximum eclipse is at 22:10 with the umbral phase ending at 23:44 and the penumbral phase ending at 00:57 on the morning of the 17th. As a bonus Neptune lies within two degrees to the West of the Eclipsed Moon.
On the evening of the 23rd, the last quarter moon occults the Pleiades – M45. Moonrise is at 22:15 in the North-East.
On the morning of the 26th, a 26% illuminated waning crescent moon lies within three degrees to the North of M35 in Gemini.
On the morning of the 28th, a 8% illuminated waning crescent moon lies to the South of M44 – The Beehive Cluster in Cancer.
Meteors
There are eight showers this month. The first one is the Alpha Capricornids. They peak on the 2nd with a ZHR of 5. Lunar conditions are good for this shower with a moonless evening on the 2nd. This shower has been noted to produce long, slow and bright meteors, with fireballs having been observed in the past. The second shower is a double Aquarid peak. The Northern Delta and Iota Aquarids peak on the evening of the 6th with ZHRs of 10 and 8 respectively. Lunar conditions are good for this shower with a 31% illuminated waxing crescent moon setting at 22:20 on the evening of the 6th. These showers are noted to produce faint meteors.
The third shower is the Perseids. They peak on the morning of the 12th with a ZHR of around 100. There may be some lunar interference with a 78% illuminated waxing gibbous moon setting at 00:25 on the morning of the 12th. It could also be worthwhile observing on the evening of the 12th/morning of the 13th. Lunar conditions are not as good as the previous evening with a 84% illuminated waxing gibbous moon setting at 01:25 on the morning of the 13th. This shower is noted to produce fast meteors with a number leaving trains behind them. There is a possibility of enhanced rates this year with the Earth encountering the material laid down by the shower’s parent comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle during its return in 1479. If the enhanced rates do happen, predictions are for the pre-dawn hours on the morning of the 12th.
The fourth shower is the Alpha Ursa Majorids. They peak on the evening of the 13th with a ZHR of 4. There may be some lunar interference with a 91% illuminated waxing gibbous moon rising at 19:50 on the evening of the 13th and setting at 02:35 on the morning of the 14th. The fifth shower is the Kappa Cygnids. They peak on the evening of the 17th with a ZHR of 3. There will be major lunar interference with a 99% illuminated waning gibbous moon rising at 20:55 on the evening of the 17th.
The sixth shower is the Alpha Cygnids. They peak on the evening of the 21st with a ZHR of 5. There will be major lunar interference with a 73% illuminated waning gibbous moon rising at 21:30 on the evening of the 21st. The seventh shower is the Southern Iota Aquarids. They peak on the evening of the 25th with a ZHR of 5. There may be some lunar interference with a 28% illuminated waning crescent moon rising at 23:55 on the evening of the 25th. The eighth and final shower this month is the Alpha Aurigds. They peak on the 31st with a ZHR of 7, although outbursts have occurred in previous years with ZHRs of 30-40. Lunar conditions are good for this shower with a moonless evening on the 31st.
Comets
C/2007 W1 Boattini moves out of Cetus and passes through Aries during August. Its brightness is currently estimated at mag +5.9 and is predicted to slowly fade. On the evening of the 31st, it lies very close to Hamal (Alpha Arietis). The pair will be separated by less than a degree around midnight.
C/2008 J1 Boattini has brightened and current observations estimate its brightness at mag +10. It moves out of Cepheus and into Ursa Minor during August. It will be well placed for observation for the next few months as it moves through the Northern Polar constellations and is predicted to be visible through to October.
15P/Finlay moves out of Auriga and into Gemini during August. It is a morning comet and current observations estimate its brightness at mag +10.
6P/D’Arrest moves out of Aquila and into Capricornus during August. Its brightness is currently estimated at mag +12 and is predicted to brighten to mag +9 in late summer/early autumn.
C/2006 OF2 Broughton moves out of Perseus towards Camelopardalis during August. Its brightness is currently estimated at mag +11 and is predicted to peak at mag +10 later in the year.
19P/Borrelly moves through Gemini during August. Its brightness is currently estimated at mag +10 and it is a morning comet, visible in the pre-dawn skies.
Up to date information and finder charts for comets can be found at www.aerith.net and
www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html
Deep Sky
On the deep sky front this month, galaxies M81 and M82 can be observed in Ursa Major. Check out the constellation Canes Venatici with the globular cluster - M3 and several galaxies including M51 - the Whirlpool Galaxy and M63 - the Sunflower Galaxy. In Hercules, two globular clusters – M92 and the excellent M13 can be observed and in Lyra – M57 – The Ring Nebula can be observed. In Vulpecula – M27 – The Dumbbell Nebula can be found. In Andromeda, M31 – The Andromeda galaxy can be observed along with its satellite galaxies M32 and M110. In Perseus, there is the open cluster M34 and the excellent Double Cluster. Finally in Triangulum, there is the galaxy M33.
For further observing information, check out www.eaas.co.uk/stargazers.html
General Notes
Always keep an eye out for Aurorae. Check out www.stronge.org.uk/spaceweather.html for the most up-to-date information on the aurorae. We have the return to dark skies this month with the end of Astronomical twilight.
Watch out for NLCs - Noctilucent Clouds this month. They are also known as Polar Mesospheric Clouds as they are thought to be due to water ice particles up in the mesosphere. They are mostly visible between the Northern latitudes of 50 to 65 degrees, however sightings have been made as far South as Iran – 38 degrees. Look to the North for a white/silvery glow. They can sometimes be faint, sometimes bright. Other interesting naked eye phenomena to look out for include the Zodiacal Light and the Gegenschein. Both are caused by sunlight reflecting off dust particles which are present in the solar system. The Zodiacal Light can be seen in the West after evening twilight has disappeared or in the East before the morning twilight. The best time of year to see the phenomenon is late-Feb to early-April in the evening sky and September/October in the morning sky -- it's then that the ecliptic, along which the cone of the zodiacal light lies, is steepest in our skies. The Gegenschein can be seen in the area of the sky opposite the sun. To view either, you must get yourself to a very dark site to cut out the light pollution. When trying to observe either of these phenomena, it is best to do so when the moon is below the horizon. If you are observing them when the moon has risen, restrict your efforts to the period 4 days either side of the new moon as otherwise the moonlight will be sufficient to drown them out.
Finally check out www.heavens-above.com for the latest passes of the International Space Station and satellites, details of Space Shuttle launches and passes and for details of Iridium Flare activity.
Clear Skies
Neill McKeown
August's observing guide is below. Good luck to anyone Russia bound and hopefully we all get to see some sort of eclipse on the 1st.
OBSERVING GUIDE
(Please note all times are BST and are based on an observing location of Belfast)
The Sun
At the start of the month the Sun rises at 05:35 and sets at 21:25. By the end of the month, it rises at 06:30 and sets at 20:15.
There is a total solar eclipse on the 1st with the track passing through the Arctic, Russia, Mongolia and China. Timings for Belfast are 09:23 for the beginning of the eclipse with the maximum eclipse at 10:12 and the eclipse ends at 11:03. Observers will see a 30% partial eclipse, weather permitting! Timings and partial percentages elsewhere in Ireland will differ from the above depending on your location. Always remember to use protective equipment like proper solar filters when observing the sun.
The Planets
Venus and Saturn are within a degree of each other on the evening of the 13th, low down in the West after sunset. On the evening of the 15th, Venus, Saturn and Mercury form an interesting planetary alignment low in the West. Venus is the tip of a triangle with Mercury and Saturn as the base. On the evening of the 20th, Mercury and Venus form the base and Saturn is the tip. A flat western horizon would be very useful if attempting to observe this alignment and remember to wait for the sun to have set before attempting it.
Mercury is an evening object this month; however it is not well placed for observation as it sets less than an hour after the Sun during the entire month.
Venus is an evening object this month; however it is not well placed for observation as it sets less than an hour after the Sun during the entire month.
Mars is very quickly slipping into the evening twilight. It rises during daylight hours and moves from Leo into Virgo during the month. It maintains its brightness at mag +1.7 during the month. By month’s end it sets at 21:00, less than an hour after the Sun.
Jupiter can be found in Sagittarius. At the start of the month, it rises during daylight hours and sets at 03:30. By month’s end, it sets at 01:15. It fades from mag -2.7 to mag -2.5 during the month.
Saturn is lost to the evening twilight this month. It can be found in Leo and sets at 22:20 at the start of the month. By month’s end it sets less than an hour after the sun at 20:30. It maintains its brightness at mag +0.8 during the month.
Uranus can be found in Aquarius. At the start of the month, it rises at 22:30 and by month’s end it rises at 20:30. It is just within naked eye visibility and brightens from mag +5.8 to mag +5.7 during the month. It can be located to the South of the Circlet asterism in Pisces.
Neptune can be found in Capricornus and is at opposition on the 15th. At the start of the month, it rises at 21:40 and by month’s end it rises at 19:40 and sets at 05:00. It can be located by using Gamma and Delta Capricorni. The planet lies to the North of these two stars close to stars 42, 44 and 45 Capricorni (all mag +5 stars). It maintains its brightness at mag +7.8 during the month.
The Moon
The first new moon of the month is on the 1st with the first quarter moon on the 8th. The full moon this month is on the 16th. The last quarter moon is on the 24th with the second new moon on the 30th.
On the evening of the 3rd, a 7% waxing crescent moon can be observed very low in the West after sunset. Saturn lies to the North-West and Venus lies to the West of the moon.
On the evening of the 13th, a 91% illuminated waxing gibbous moon lies close to Jupiter, to the South-East of the planet.
There is a partial lunar eclipse on the evening of the 16th. The moon will be 81% eclipsed at maximum. Only the Northern 19% of the moon will not lie in the Earth’s umbra. The initial penumbral phase starts at 19:23 with the umbral phase starting at 20:35. Moonrise is not until 20:42, so the moon will be partially eclipsed when rising. The maximum eclipse is at 22:10 with the umbral phase ending at 23:44 and the penumbral phase ending at 00:57 on the morning of the 17th. As a bonus Neptune lies within two degrees to the West of the Eclipsed Moon.
On the evening of the 23rd, the last quarter moon occults the Pleiades – M45. Moonrise is at 22:15 in the North-East.
On the morning of the 26th, a 26% illuminated waning crescent moon lies within three degrees to the North of M35 in Gemini.
On the morning of the 28th, a 8% illuminated waning crescent moon lies to the South of M44 – The Beehive Cluster in Cancer.
Meteors
There are eight showers this month. The first one is the Alpha Capricornids. They peak on the 2nd with a ZHR of 5. Lunar conditions are good for this shower with a moonless evening on the 2nd. This shower has been noted to produce long, slow and bright meteors, with fireballs having been observed in the past. The second shower is a double Aquarid peak. The Northern Delta and Iota Aquarids peak on the evening of the 6th with ZHRs of 10 and 8 respectively. Lunar conditions are good for this shower with a 31% illuminated waxing crescent moon setting at 22:20 on the evening of the 6th. These showers are noted to produce faint meteors.
The third shower is the Perseids. They peak on the morning of the 12th with a ZHR of around 100. There may be some lunar interference with a 78% illuminated waxing gibbous moon setting at 00:25 on the morning of the 12th. It could also be worthwhile observing on the evening of the 12th/morning of the 13th. Lunar conditions are not as good as the previous evening with a 84% illuminated waxing gibbous moon setting at 01:25 on the morning of the 13th. This shower is noted to produce fast meteors with a number leaving trains behind them. There is a possibility of enhanced rates this year with the Earth encountering the material laid down by the shower’s parent comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle during its return in 1479. If the enhanced rates do happen, predictions are for the pre-dawn hours on the morning of the 12th.
The fourth shower is the Alpha Ursa Majorids. They peak on the evening of the 13th with a ZHR of 4. There may be some lunar interference with a 91% illuminated waxing gibbous moon rising at 19:50 on the evening of the 13th and setting at 02:35 on the morning of the 14th. The fifth shower is the Kappa Cygnids. They peak on the evening of the 17th with a ZHR of 3. There will be major lunar interference with a 99% illuminated waning gibbous moon rising at 20:55 on the evening of the 17th.
The sixth shower is the Alpha Cygnids. They peak on the evening of the 21st with a ZHR of 5. There will be major lunar interference with a 73% illuminated waning gibbous moon rising at 21:30 on the evening of the 21st. The seventh shower is the Southern Iota Aquarids. They peak on the evening of the 25th with a ZHR of 5. There may be some lunar interference with a 28% illuminated waning crescent moon rising at 23:55 on the evening of the 25th. The eighth and final shower this month is the Alpha Aurigds. They peak on the 31st with a ZHR of 7, although outbursts have occurred in previous years with ZHRs of 30-40. Lunar conditions are good for this shower with a moonless evening on the 31st.
Comets
C/2007 W1 Boattini moves out of Cetus and passes through Aries during August. Its brightness is currently estimated at mag +5.9 and is predicted to slowly fade. On the evening of the 31st, it lies very close to Hamal (Alpha Arietis). The pair will be separated by less than a degree around midnight.
C/2008 J1 Boattini has brightened and current observations estimate its brightness at mag +10. It moves out of Cepheus and into Ursa Minor during August. It will be well placed for observation for the next few months as it moves through the Northern Polar constellations and is predicted to be visible through to October.
15P/Finlay moves out of Auriga and into Gemini during August. It is a morning comet and current observations estimate its brightness at mag +10.
6P/D’Arrest moves out of Aquila and into Capricornus during August. Its brightness is currently estimated at mag +12 and is predicted to brighten to mag +9 in late summer/early autumn.
C/2006 OF2 Broughton moves out of Perseus towards Camelopardalis during August. Its brightness is currently estimated at mag +11 and is predicted to peak at mag +10 later in the year.
19P/Borrelly moves through Gemini during August. Its brightness is currently estimated at mag +10 and it is a morning comet, visible in the pre-dawn skies.
Up to date information and finder charts for comets can be found at www.aerith.net and
www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html
Deep Sky
On the deep sky front this month, galaxies M81 and M82 can be observed in Ursa Major. Check out the constellation Canes Venatici with the globular cluster - M3 and several galaxies including M51 - the Whirlpool Galaxy and M63 - the Sunflower Galaxy. In Hercules, two globular clusters – M92 and the excellent M13 can be observed and in Lyra – M57 – The Ring Nebula can be observed. In Vulpecula – M27 – The Dumbbell Nebula can be found. In Andromeda, M31 – The Andromeda galaxy can be observed along with its satellite galaxies M32 and M110. In Perseus, there is the open cluster M34 and the excellent Double Cluster. Finally in Triangulum, there is the galaxy M33.
For further observing information, check out www.eaas.co.uk/stargazers.html
General Notes
Always keep an eye out for Aurorae. Check out www.stronge.org.uk/spaceweather.html for the most up-to-date information on the aurorae. We have the return to dark skies this month with the end of Astronomical twilight.
Watch out for NLCs - Noctilucent Clouds this month. They are also known as Polar Mesospheric Clouds as they are thought to be due to water ice particles up in the mesosphere. They are mostly visible between the Northern latitudes of 50 to 65 degrees, however sightings have been made as far South as Iran – 38 degrees. Look to the North for a white/silvery glow. They can sometimes be faint, sometimes bright. Other interesting naked eye phenomena to look out for include the Zodiacal Light and the Gegenschein. Both are caused by sunlight reflecting off dust particles which are present in the solar system. The Zodiacal Light can be seen in the West after evening twilight has disappeared or in the East before the morning twilight. The best time of year to see the phenomenon is late-Feb to early-April in the evening sky and September/October in the morning sky -- it's then that the ecliptic, along which the cone of the zodiacal light lies, is steepest in our skies. The Gegenschein can be seen in the area of the sky opposite the sun. To view either, you must get yourself to a very dark site to cut out the light pollution. When trying to observe either of these phenomena, it is best to do so when the moon is below the horizon. If you are observing them when the moon has risen, restrict your efforts to the period 4 days either side of the new moon as otherwise the moonlight will be sufficient to drown them out.
Finally check out www.heavens-above.com for the latest passes of the International Space Station and satellites, details of Space Shuttle launches and passes and for details of Iridium Flare activity.
Clear Skies
Neill McKeown
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