|
1st |
Look towards the east during
the early hours and you'll see the waning crescent Moon (70%lit)
close to brilliant Jupiter. > Later on, Venus, Mars
and Saturn form an isosceles triangle in the sky, low down in
the west following sunset. Catch them from around 21:30
BST (20:30 UT) |
|
2nd |
As Jupiter climbs to its highest
point in the sky due south at around 04:30 BST (03:30 UT), the
Great Red Spot should be close to the planet's central meridian.
It's visible through a scope in the southern half of the disc.
It's also a great time to note the disappearance of the South
Equatorial Belt. |
|
4th |
The crescent Moon lies close
to the Pleiades Open Cluster, visible in the eastern part of the
sky before sunrise. On the morning of the 4th, the lunar
crescent (41% lit) is visible to the west of the Pleiades, while
on the 5th, a 31% lit crescent lies to the east of the cluster.
View after 02:00 BST (01:00 UT) |
|
5th |
Comet Temple 2 passes 19
arcminutes to the east (left) of the mag. +3.5 star Eta Ceti this
morning. The comet's predicted magnitude at this time is
+10.2, meaning you should be able to see it with a small scope. |
|
6th |
Jupiter's Galilean moons are
visible to the east of the planet this morning. At 02:30
BST (01:30 UT) viewed from the planet outwards, the moons are
Ganymede, Io, Europa and Callisto. > The Iota Aquariid
Meteor Shower reaches its peak tonight with a peak rate of 8
meteors per hour. |
|
7th |
Mercury reaches greatest eastern
elongation today. > The delicate waning crescent Moon
(12% lit) lies just over a degree to the southeast of the open
cluster M35. See the pair from 03:00 BST (02:00 UT). >
Another good opportunity to see the Great Red Spot central on
Jupiter occurs at around 03:00 BST (02:30 UT) this morning,
Make sure you also look out for a possible reappearance of the
South Equatorial Belt. |
|
8th |
This is the start of August's
dark period, when the Moon is largely out of the way and not
reducing your chance to spot a faint deep-sky object like M27.
The Moon doesn't start to make its presence known again until
the 16th. |
|
9th |
Venus, Mars and Saturn from a
right-angled triangle, low in the west after sunset. View
from around 21:20 BST (20:20 UT) onwards. |
|
12th |
The Perseids reach their peak
tonight and the prospects are good for a decent display. >
Jupiter's Great Red Spot crosses the central meridian of the
planet at 02:40 BST (01:40 UT) this morning. |
|
14th |
Jupiter's moon Europa transits
the planet in the early hours, and if you own a big telescope
you're in for a treat as it will pass over the Great Red Spot.
Europa crosses the planet's central meridian at 03:57 BST (02:57
UT). |
|
18th |
The weak Kappa Cygnid Meteor
Shower reaches its peak tonight. Although the shower only
has a maximum rate of three meteors per hour, the occasional
bright, slow fireball makes it worth watching. > Mars
and Venus are at their closest for the month, separated by less
than 2° in the western evening twilight
following sunset. |
|
19th |
At 03:25 BST (02:25 UT) Jupiter
will be at it's highest point in the sky, due south. Look at
the planet through a telescope and you should see the Great Red
Spot on the central meridian at this time. |
|
20th |
Venus reaches greatest eastern
elongation, when it's separated from the Sun by 46°.
Look for it in the evening sky after sunset. > Neptune
reaches opposition in Capricornus. Spot this mag. +7.8
planet with binoculars 2° northwest of the star Iota Aquarii. |
|
26th |
The almost full Moon (95% lit)
rises just over 7° to the north of the Mag.
-2.7 Jupiter. View the pair low in the east at around 21:15
BST (20:15 UT). The Moon continues to close in on Jupiter,
lying less than 6° from the planet at 02:00 BST (01:00 UT on the
27th. |
|
29th |
Jupiter's Great Red Spot crosses
the giant's central meridian at 02:39 BST (00:39 UT) |
|
31st |
Uranus and Jupiter are separated
by just 1.7°. Spot the pair below the
Circlet in Pisces. Uranus is barley visible to the naked eye
at mag. +5.7. > The Great Red Spot crosses Jupiter's
central meridian at 03:17 BST (02:17 UT) |
