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Wednesday, July 29, 2020

 

Sky This Week - Thursday July 30 to Thursday August 6

The Full Moon is Tuesday, August 4. Four bright planets are visible in the morning skies. Venus is in the horns of Taurus the Bull below the bright star Aldebaran. Mars is rising before midnight. Jupiter and Saturn are easily visible in the evening sky. The waxing Moon is between Jupiter and Saturn on August 2. Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE is visible in binoculars. 

The Full Moon is Tuesday, August 4. 

Evening sky at 19:01 ACST (90 minutes after sunset) on Saturday, August 1 facing east as seen from Adelaide. Jupiter and Saturn are high above the Eastern horizon.




Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset), click to embiggen.



Morning sky on
Monday, August 3 showing the eastern sky as seen from Adelaide at 5:41am ACST (90 minutes before sunrise). Crescent Venus is below the red star Aldebaran, the eye of Taurus the Bull, and is closest to one of the stars that define the tip of the horns of the Bull.  

 

Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise), click to embiggen.


Morning sky on
Saturday, August 1 showing the whole sky as seen from Adelaide at 5:41 am ACST (90 minutes before sunrise).


Four bright planets are visible stretching west to east. Jupiter, Saturn Mars and Venus. Venus is below the bright star Aldebaran.

Similar views will be seen elsewhere at the equivalent local time (90 minutes before sunrise)  click to embiggen.



Evening sky at 18:31 ACST (60 minutes after sunset) on Saturday, August 1 facing north-west as seen from Adelaide.

Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE has been entrancing viewers in the northern hemisphere and is now visible in our skies. It is difficult to make out in the twilight and may require binoculars to see. It will look like a fuzzy dot and a small tail might be visible if we are lucky.

Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset), click to embiggen.


Four bright planets grace the morning sky. 


Pluto Neptune and Uranus are also part of this line-up, but unable to be seen with the unaided eye.

Mercury is lost in the morning twilight.

Venus is below the bright red Aldebaran (the eye of the Bull). Venus is closest to one of the stars that define the tip of the horns of the Bull on August 3. 

 Mars is visible high in the morning sky to the north, east of Jupiter and Saturn. It enters the evening sky shortly before midnight but is still low to the horizon.
 
Jupiter is lowering in the morning sky and now can be readily seen in the early evening sky. Jupiter and Saturn stay around a hand-span apart during the week. Jupiter was at opposition, when it was biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on July the 14th, but is still an excellent sight. The waxing Moon is between Jupiter 

Saturn is also lowering in the morning sky near Jupiter drawing away from Mars. It too is now visible in the early evening skies. Saturn was at opposition, when it was biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on July the 21st, but is still an excellent sight.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.




Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/

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Monday, July 20, 2020

 

Sky This Week - Thursday July 23 to Thursday July 30

The First Quarter Moon is Monday, July 27. Four bright planets are visible in the morning skies. Venus is in the head of Taurus the Bull below the bright star Aldebaran. Mars is rising before midnight. Jupiter and Saturn are easily visible in the evening sky. Comet C/2020 NEOWISE is visible from the 28th. Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower on the morning of the 29th.

The First Quarter Moon is Monday, July 27.   The Moon is at perigee, when it is closest to the Earth on the 25th.


Evening sky at 18:57 ACST (90 minutes after sunset) on Saturday, July 25 facing east as seen from Adelaide. Jupiter and Saturn are high above the Eastern horizon.

The insets shows the telescopic views of Jupiter and Saturn at the same scale at this time.



Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset), click to embiggen.


Morning sky on Saturday, July 25 showing the eastern sky as seen from Adelaide at 6:18 am ACST (60 minutes before sunrise). Crescent Venus is below the red star Aldebaran, the eye of the Bull, heading towards the tip of the horns of the Bull. The inset shows the telescopic view of Venus at this time. 

Mercury is low to the horizon. below Betelgeuse.

Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise), click to embiggen.

Morning sky on Saturday, July 25 showing the whole sky as seen from Adelaide at 5:47 am ACST (90 minutes before sunrise).


Four bright planets are visible stretching west to east. Jupiter, Saturn Mars and Venus. Venus is below the bright star Aldebaran.

Similar views will be seen elsewhere at the equivalent local time (90 minutes before sunrise)  click to embiggen.



Morning sky on Wednesday, July 29 showing the northern sky as seen from Adelaide at 3:00 am ACST after Moonset when the radiant is still high and meteor rates are best. The radiant of the Southern delta Aquariids is shown with a starburst.
The Southern Delta-Aquariids meteor shower runs from 12 July to 23rd August, peaking on Wednesday, July 29. The number of meteors you will see depends on how high the radiant is above the horizon, and how dark your sky is. This shower is fairly faint, with the highest rate of around a meteor every 4 minutes.

Similar views will be seen elsewhere at the equivalent local time.

Evening sky at 18:30 ACST (60 minutes after sunset) on Tuesday, July 28-30 facing north-west as seen from Adelaide.

Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE has been entrancing viewers in the northern hemisphere, and from July 28 we get to see it. Sadly by the time it enters our skies, it will have faded to possibly magnitude 4, around as bright as epsilon Crucis (the fifth brightest star in the Southern Cross). It will be difficult to make out in the twilight and may require binoculars to see. It will look like a fuzzy dot and a small tail might be visible if we are lucky. The chart shows the position of NEOWISE on the 28th (lower circle) and 30th (upper).

Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes after sunset), click to embiggen.


Four bright planets grace the morning sky (Five, although Mercury is hard to see).


Pluto Neptune and Uranus are also part of this line-up, but unable to be seen with the unaided eye.

Mercury is difficult to see low in the morning twilight.

Venus is below the bright red Aldebaran (the eye of the Bull). Venus is heading towards the tip of the horns of the Bull.

 Mars is visible high in the morning sky to the north, east of Jupiter and Saturn. It enters the evening sky shortly before midnight but is still low to the horizon.
 
Jupiter is lowering in the morning sky and now can be readily seen in the early evening sky. Jupiter and Saturn stay around a hand-span apart during the week. Jupiter was at opposition, when it was biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 14th, but is still an excellent sight.

Saturn is also lowering in the morning sky near Jupiter drawing away from Mars. It too is now visible in the early evening skies. Saturn was at opposition, when it was biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 21st, but is still an excellent sight.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.




Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to current time.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/

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Tuesday, July 14, 2020

 

Sky This Week - Thursday July 16 to Thursday July 23

The New Moon is Tuesday, July 21. Four bright planets are visible in the morning skies. Venus is in the head of Taurus the Bull below the bright star Aldebaran. The crescent Moon is close to Venus on the 17th. The thin crescent Moon and Mercury are close low in the twilight on the 19th.  Mars is rising before midnight. Jupiter and Saturn are easily visible in the evening sky. Saturn is at opposition, when is is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 21st.

The New Moon is Tuesday, July 21.  The Moon is at perigee, when it is closest to the Earth on  the 25th.


Evening sky at 18:55 ACST (90 minutes after sunset) on Tuesday, July 21 facing east as seen from Adelaide. Jupiter and Saturn are high above the Eastern horizon. Saturn is at opposition, when is is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth.

The insets shows the telescopic views of Jupiter and Saturn at the same scale at this time. Io is crossing the face of Jupiter.

Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset), click to embiggen.


Morning sky on Friday, July 17 showing the eastern sky as seen from Adelaide at 5:51 am ACST (90 minutes before sunrise). Crescent Venus is in the Hyades cluster (the head of Taurus the Bull) below the red star Aldebaran, the eye of the Bull, and close to the crescent Moon. The inset shows the telescopic view of Venus at this time. 




Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise), click to embiggen.

Morning sky on Sunday, July 19 showing the whole sky as seen from Adelaide at 6:21 am ACST (60 minutes before sunrise).


Four bright planets are visible stretching west to east. Jupiter, Saturn Mars and Venus (and Mercury, just). Venus is below the bright star Aldebaran. The Moon is close to Mercury low on the horizon. 

Similar views will be seen elsewhere at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise)  click to embiggen.


Four bright planets grace the morning sky (Five, although Mercury is hard to see).

Mercury is difficult to see low in the morning twilight and is close to the Moon on the 19th..

Venus  moves through the Hyades (the head of Taurus the Bull) and is below the bright red Aldebaran (the eye of the Bull). Venus is close to the crescent Moon on the 17th.

 Mars is visible high in the morning sky to the north, east of Jupiter and Saturn. It enters the evening sky shortly before midnight but is still low to the horizon.
 
Jupiter is lowering in the morning sky and now can be readily seen in the early evening sky. Jupiter and Saturn stay around a hand-span apart during the week. Jupiter was at opposition, when it was biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 14th, but is still an excellent sight.

Saturn is also lowering in the morning sky near Jupiter drawing away from Mars. It too is now visible in the early evening skies. Saturn is at opposition, when is is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 21st.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.




Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to current time.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/

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Wednesday, July 08, 2020

 

More Bright ISS passes (9-13 July, 2020)

The ISS as seen from Sydney on the evening of Saturday 11 July  at 17:52 AEST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot), click to embiggen.The ISS  as seen from Adelaide on the evening of Friday 10 July at 18:08 ACST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot), click to embiggen.The ISS as seen from Perth on the evening of Thursday 9 July at 18:59 AWST. Simulated in Stellarium (the ISS will actually be a bright dot)click to embiggen.
All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Saturday 11 July  for Sydney.All sky chart showing local  times from Heavens Above for Friday 10 July for Adelaide.All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for Thursday 9 July for Perth.

Over the next few days there are a series of  bright ISS passes in the early evening. The outstanding passes are when the ISS passes above the Southern Cross or the pointers, or very close to these bright stars.

The following tables are from data provided from Heavens Above.

Passes from Adelaide (ACST)


Date Brightness Start Highest point End Pass type
(mag) Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az.
08 Jul-2.318:04:0610°SSW18:06:5122°SSE18:08:4215°ESEvisible
08 Jul-1.019:40:3410°WSW19:41:4418°WSW19:41:4418°WSWvisible
09 Jul-3.518:52:4810°SW18:56:1370°NW18:57:1740°NNEvisible
10 Jul-3.718:05:1410°SW18:08:3962°SE18:12:0110°ENEvisible
10 Jul-0.419:44:2010°WNW19:45:0110°NW19:45:4110°NWvisible
11 Jul-0.918:55:0410°W18:57:3619°NW19:00:0610°Nvisible
12 Jul-1.918:06:5710°WSW18:10:0735°NW18:13:1610°NNEvisible
14 Jul0.118:10:3510°WNW18:11:1911°NW18:12:0310°NWvisible

Passes from Brisbane (AEST)


Date Brightness Start Highest point End Pass type
(mag) Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az.
08 Jul-1.618:37:4210°SSW18:38:4217°S18:38:4217°Svisible
09 Jul-2.017:50:4210°S17:53:0517°SE17:54:1315°ESEvisible
09 Jul-0.519:26:5210°WSW19:27:1612°WSW19:27:1612°WSWvisible
10 Jul-3.418:39:0010°SW18:42:2464°NW18:43:1842°NNEvisible
11 Jul-3.717:51:2510°SW17:54:4959°SE17:58:1010°NEvisible
12 Jul-0.618:41:4010°W18:43:4415°NW18:45:4710°NNWvisible
13 Jul-1.517:53:1310°WSW17:56:1530°NW17:59:1510°Nvisible

Passes from Darwin (ACT)


Date Brightness Start Highest point End Pass type
(mag) Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az.
10 Jul-1.519:45:4510°S19:46:2314°S19:46:2314°Svisible
11 Jul-1.818:59:2410°SSE19:00:5813°SE19:02:3110°ESEvisible
11 Jul-1.020:34:5210°WSW20:36:1919°W20:36:1919°Wvisible
12 Jul-3.119:46:4810°SW19:50:0756°NW19:53:2510°NNEvisible
13 Jul-3.718:59:1210°SSW19:02:3357°SE19:05:5110°NEvisible
14 Jul-0.219:50:2010°WNW19:51:2811°NW19:52:3410°NWvisible
15 Jul-0.919:01:0710°WSW19:03:5524°NW19:06:4210°Nvisible
16 Jul-0.406:43:2410°NNE06:45:3216°NE06:47:4110°Evisible

Passes from Hobart (AEST)


Date Brightness Start Highest point End Pass type
(mag) Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az.
08 Jul-3.018:33:4410°WSW18:37:0752°NW18:38:4227°NNEvisible
09 Jul-3.717:46:0610°WSW17:49:3486°NW17:53:0010°NEvisible
09 Jul-0.519:24:3910°WNW19:25:5212°NW19:27:0510°NNWvisible
10 Jul-0.918:35:5710°W18:38:2919°NW18:41:0010°Nvisible
11 Jul-1.717:47:5610°WSW17:51:0231°NW17:54:0510°NNEvisible
13 Jul-0.217:50:5810°WNW17:52:1312°NW17:53:2810°NNWvis

Passes from Melbourne (AEST)


Date Brightness Start Highest point End Pass type
(mag) Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az.
08 Jul-3.718:34:1010°SW18:37:3457°SE18:38:4236°Evisible
09 Jul-3.017:46:4310°SW17:49:5534°SSE17:53:0610°Evisible
09 Jul-1.619:23:4610°WSW19:26:3624°NW19:27:1622°NNWvisible
10 Jul-2.518:35:5010°WSW18:39:0843°NW18:42:2310°NNEvisible
11 Jul-3.617:48:0810°SW17:51:3581°NW17:54:5910°NEvisible
12 Jul-0.518:38:3510°W18:40:2414°NW18:42:1310°NNWvisible
13 Jul-1.017:50:0710°WSW17:52:5724°NW17:55:4610°Nvisible

Passes from Perth (AWST)


Date Brightness Start Highest point End Pass type
(mag) Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az.
08 Jul-1.918:08:0710°S18:10:2216°SSE18:11:4313°ESEvisible
08 Jul-0.819:44:0310°WSW19:44:4515°WSW19:44:4515°WSWvisible
09 Jul-3.918:56:2210°SW18:59:4988°SSE19:00:1962°NEvisible
10 Jul-3.418:08:5410°SSW18:12:1344°SE18:15:2910°ENEvisible
10 Jul-0.619:47:1110°W19:48:4012°NW19:49:2812°NWvisible
11 Jul-1.218:58:2710°WSW19:01:1423°NW19:04:0010°Nvisible
12 Jul-2.518:10:2710°WSW18:13:4445°NW18:16:5910°NNEvisible
14 Jul-0.218:13:2710°W18:14:5912°NW18:16:3010°NNWvisible


Passes from Sydney (AEST)


Date Brightness Start Highest point End Pass type
(mag) Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az. Time Alt. Az.
08 Jul-3.318:35:5310°SW18:38:4249°S18:38:4249°Svisible
09 Jul-2.917:48:3010°SSW17:51:4033°SE17:54:1314°Evisible
09 Jul-0.819:25:4610°W19:27:1617°WNW19:27:1617°WNWvisible
10 Jul-2.218:37:3910°WSW18:40:5036°NW18:43:1815°NNEvisible
11 Jul-3.417:49:5210°SW17:53:1872°NW17:56:4110°NEvisible
12 Jul-0.118:41:2910°WNW18:42:0410°NW18:42:4010°NWvisible
13 Jul-0.617:52:0610°W17:54:3919°NW17:57:0910°Nvisible

When and what you will see is VERY location dependent, so you need to use either Heavens Above or CalSky to get site specific predictions for your location, a small difference in location can mean the difference between the ISS passing over a star or planet or missing it completely. As always, start looking several minutes before the pass is going to start to get yourself oriented and your eyes dark adapted. Be patient, there may be slight differences in the time of the ISS appearing due to orbit changes not picked up by the predictions. Use the most recent prediction for your site.

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Sky This Week - Thursday July 9 to Thursday July 16

The Last Quarter Moon is Monday, July 13. Four bright planets are visible in the morning skies. Venus is in the head of Taurus the Bull and is close to the bright star Aldebaran on the 12th and 13th. Mars is rising before midnight and is close to the waning moon on the evening of the 11th, morning of the 12th. Jupiter and Saturn are easily visible in the evening sky. Jupiter is at opposition, when is is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 14th.

The Last Quarter Moon is Monday, July 13.  The Moon is at apogee, when it is furthest from the Earth on  the 13th..


Evening sky at 18:51 ACST (90 minutes after sunset) on Tuesday, July 14 facing east as seen from Adelaide. Jupiter and Saturn are high above the Eastern horizon. The Moon forms a line with Jupiter and Saturn.

The insets shows the telescopic views of Jupiter and Saturn at the same scale at this time. Ion is crossing the face of Jupiter and will soon exit.



Similar views will bee seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset), click to embiggen.


Morning sky on Sunday, July 12 showing the eastern sky as seen from Adelaide at 6:23 am ACST (60 minutes before sunrise). Crescent Venus is in the Hyades cluster (the head of Taurus the Bull) and closest to the ed star Aldebaran, the eye of the Bull. The inset shows the telescopic view of Venus at this time. 

Mercury is low on the horizon and difficult to see without binoculars.


Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise), click to embiggen.
Morning sky on Sunday, July 12 showing the whole sky as seen from Adelaide at 5:53 am ACST (90 minutes before sunrise).




Four bright planets are visible stretching west to east. Jupiter, Saturn Mars and Venus. Mars is just below the almost last quarter Moon and Venus is close to the bright star Aldebaran. Similar views will be seen elsewhere at the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise)  click to embiggen.


Mercury is difficult to see low in the morning twilight.

Four bright planets grace the morning sky.


Venus  moves through the Hyades (the head of Taurus the Bull) and is closest to the bright red Aldebaran (the eye of the Bull) on the 12th and 13th.

 Mars is visible high in the morning sky to the north, east of Jupiter and Saturn.It enters the evening sky shortly before midnight but is still low to the horizon. Mars is close to the waning Moon on the evening of the 11th and the morning on the 12.
 
Jupiter is lowering in the morning sky and now can be readily seen in the early evening sky. Jupiter and Saturn stay around a hand-span apart during the week. Jupiter is at opposition, when is is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 14th.

Saturn is also lowering in the morning sky near Jupiter drawing away from Mars. It too is now visible in the early evening skies.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.




Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to current time.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/

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