|
Tue 1st
|
Mercury reaches greatest western
elongation (22°). It's
visible as a morning object. > Mars passes Regulus,
(Alpha Leonis; mag. +1.3), by around 40 arcminutes. >
Comet 2006 OF˛ Broughton lies about 4.5° southeast of the beautiful
double star Almach (Gamma Andromedae; mag. +2.1) |
|
Thu 3rd
|
New Moon ia at 02h 19m. |
|
Fri 4th
|
The Earth is farthest from the
Sun in its orbit at 08h 00m, a point refferred to as aphelion.
At this time the Earth's distance from the Sun will be 152,104,290
km and the Sun's apparent diameter in the sky will be arcminutes
and 27.6 arcseconds. |
|
Sat 5th |
Photo Opportunity: Saturn,
Mars and Regulus form a line in the western sky, visible shortly
after sunset. Follow the line down and to the right to
meet a (10% illuminated) waxing crescent Moon. |
|
Sun 6th |
Photo opportunity: The (18%)
waxing crescent Moon lies 4° to the south of
Mars and Saturn. Both planets are separated by just over 2°. |
|
Tue 8th |
First peak of the Capricornids
meteor shower (ZHR 5). |
|
Wed 9th |
Jupiter is at opposition. |
|
Thu 10th |
Photo opportunity; Mars
passes within 40 arcminutes of Saturn. Both should be
visible in the west in the same low-powered telescope field.
> The Moon reaches first quarter phase at 04h 35m. >
The (56%) waxing gibbous Moon lies just under 4.5°
south of Spica (Alpha Virginis; mag.+1.0). |
|
Sun 13th
Mon 14th |
The Moon passes through Scorpius.
On the 13th the (82%) waxing gibbous Moon can be found held in the
Scorpions's claws. On the following night the 89%
illuminated Moon lies 5° to the east of Antares
(Alpha Scorpii; mag. +1.0). |
|
Tue 15th |
Second peak of the
Capricornids meteor shower (ZHR 15) |
|
Wed 16th |
The almost full Moon (97% waxing
gibbous) sits in the lid of the teapot asterism in Sagittarius. |
|
Thu 17th |
The full Moon lies just over
5.5° southwest of brilliant Jupiter (mag.
-2.6) in Sagittarius. |
|
Fri 18th |
The full Moon is at 07h 59m. |
|
Mon 21st |
First peak of the weak (ZHR 5)
Alpha Cygnids meteor shower, which runs until 20th August.
The peak occurs next month on the 12th. |
|
Wed 23rd |
Start of the Perseids meteor
shower, which runs until 20th August The peak occurs next month on
the 12th. |
|
Fri 25th |
The Moon reaches last quarter
phase at 18h 42m. |
|
Sat 26th |
Comet 6P/d'Arrest lies less than
a degree to the west of the Cepheid variable star Eta
Aquilae in the constellation of Aquila, the Eagle. >
Third and final peak of the Capricornids meteor shower (ZHR 5). |
|
Mon 28th |
The (24%) waning crescent Moon
lies to the east of the beautiful Pleiades open cluster (M45).
Both are visible in the eastern morning sky just before dawn. |
|
Tue 29th |
First peak of the moderate (ZHR
20) Southern Delta Aquarids meteor shower. |
|
Thu 31st |
A delicate (2% illuminated) old
crescent Moon can be glimpsed in the morning dawn. Look to
the east-northeast from 03h 10m until sunrise. > Peak
of the week (ZHR 5) Piscid Australids meteor shower. |
