Astroblog

 

Evening sky on Saturday, July 12 showing the western sky as seen from Adelaide at 18:22 ACST (60 minutes after sunset). Venus is close to both Mars and the thin crescent Moon. 

 

 

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

 

The July edition of Southern Skywatch is now up.

This month the planetary action is mostly in the evening skies, Earth is aphelion, Saturn and Jupiter readily visible in the late evening skies, Venus has some interesting encounters and is close the beehive cluster. Mercury is good in the morning sky, "Blue" Last Quarter Moon and the Southern Delta Aquarids meteor shower.

July; Last Quarter Moon, 3 July; Venus in the Beehive cluster. 6 July; Earth at aphelion. July 6; apogee Moon. July 8; Mercury close to the thin crescent Moon. July 10; New Moon. July 12; thin crescent Moon, Mars and Venus close. July 13; Mars and Venus close. July 17; First Quarter Moon, July 21; perigee Moon. July 21; Venus near Regulus. July 24; the Moon close to Saturn. July 24; Full Moon. July 26; the waning moon is near Jupiter. July 30; Mars near Regulus. July 31; "Blue" Last Quarter Moon.

 Mercury Mercury climbs higher the the morning twilight and is highest on the 5th, then it sinks back to the horizon and is lost by mid-month. On the 1st Mercury is two hand-spans from the horizon half an hour before sunrise and at magnitude 1 should be readily visible a hand-span below distinct red Aldebaran. Mercury is close to the thin crescent Moon on the 8th. On the 15th Mercury is just over a hand-span from the horizon half an hour before sunrise. By the the 30th Mercury is lost in the twilight.

Venus is now easily visible in the evening sky 30 minutes after sunset (I can see it as early as 15 minutes after sunset). Venus begins to dominate the early evening twilight and come closer to Mars. On the 3rd Venus passes the outskirts of the Beehive cluster, unlike Mars’s encounter last month the brilliance of Venus will make the cluster hard to see even in binoculars. On the 12th Venus and Mars are a finger-width apart and Venus is a mere 3 finger-widths from the crescent Moon. On the 13th Venus and Mars are half a finger-width apart. On the 21st and 22nd Venus is nearly to finger-widths from the bright star Regulus.

Earth is at aphelion on July 6 when it is furthest from the Sun.

Mars Mars is low above the western horizon, best seen an hour to an hour and a half after sunset. At the beginning of the Month Mars moves closer to Venus. On the 12th Mars and Venus are a finger-width apart and Venus is a mere 3 finger-widths from the crescent Moon. On the 13th Mars and Venus are half a finger-width apart. On the 30th Mars is less than a finger-width from the bright star Regulus.

Jupiter Jupiter is readily visible around 11 pm local time and continues to climb into the late evening sky. On the 25th the waning Moon is between Saturn and Jupiter. On the 26th the Moon is close to Jupiter

Saturn rises well before midnight from the beginning of the month but is still best seen telescopically in the morning for the first hald of the month. On the 24th the waning moon is above Saturn and Jupiter. On the 25th the Moon is between Saturn and Jupiter. On the 26th the moon is near Jupiter, then on the 27th the waning moon again forms a line with Jupiter and Saturn.

The Southern Delta-Aquarids meteor shower runs from from 12 July to 23rd August, peaking on Friday July the 30th. 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 faint, with the highest rate of around a meteor every 7 minutes

Apogee June 6; Moon at perigee June 21.

Labels: southern skywatch

The Last Quarter Moon is Friday, July 2. Earth is at aphelion on the 6th. Saturn and Jupiter are visible late in the evening sky. Venus is readily visible in the evening twilight and is coming closer to Mars. Venus is in front of the Beehive cluster on July 3. Mercury rises higher in the morning sky and is close to the crescent Moon on the 8th.

The Last Quarter Moon is Friday, July 2. Earth is at aphelion on the 6th, when it is furthest from the Sun. The Moon is also at apogee, when it is furthest from the Earth, on the 6th as well.

Evening sky on Saturday, July 3 showing the eastern sky as seen from Adelaide at 23:00 pm ACST (just before midnight). Saturn and Jupiter form a line in the late evening sky

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Whole sky at 18:44 ACST  (90 minutes after sunset), on Saturday, July 3 as seen from 
Evening twilight sky on Saturday, July 3 looking north-west as seen from Adelaide at 18:15 ACST (60 minutes after sunset). Venus is low above the horizon. Venus is coming closer to Mars and is in front of the Beehive cluster on the 3rd. You will require binoculars to see this. The inset shows the approximate binocular view of Venus and the beehive at this time 

Labels: weekly sky

The Earths Umbra, the darkest part of Earths  shadow advancing over the moon. This is 19:24 10 minutes after the eclipse starts	19:45 just over 30 minutes into the eclipse and almost half the Moon covered. Cloud clone and go ut  good view of he eclipse still.	20:49, 1 Minute  after maximum totality. The Moon lows a dull red in scattered earth light. initially visible through the thin cloud, eventually the cloud became too thick to se the last of totallity.
21:25 Near 30 minute after the end of totality the cloud clears for a bit and I catch the first sliver to the illuminated Moon with the diffuse earth light.	22:00.The Moon is still playing hide and see with the clouds. 22 minutes away fom the end of the eclipse.	22:10, just 12 minutes from the end, aftr this the clouds and encroaching drizzle finally put an end to the show.

The Night of the Wednesday, May 26 was the night of first total lunar eclipse in Australia since 2018. This was also a perigee Moon.

 It was of course cloudy, but intermittent cloud that allowed a view of the Moon. I set up both telescopes set up (the 8" Newtonian with tracking and the 4" Newtonian non-tracking). And friends and neighbors, as well as the family joined me in the cold to watch to progress of the eclipse. Beers and hot tea and coffee circulated as the glowing sliver of Moon diminished ad the reddish earth shine began to dominate.

The images taken here were using  Xperia Mobile phone attached to  25 mm Plossl lens on the 8" guided scope.  Exposure ranged fro ISO-200 for 1/4000 second to iso 1600 and 1 second depending of eclipse depth and cloud cover. 

We got to see totality in all its glory through thin cloud, then the cloud thickened and everyone went home. Well except me, as I was home, but I had another cuppa and waited to see if the cloud cleared. 

It did and I was able to get more shots in before the cloud finally won and the drizzle started, with the resultant dash to get the scopes under cover. All in all an excellent eclipse.

 

The entire eclipse sequence as one image

 Below is  animation of the eclipse sequence, a little wobbly but rather nice.

animation

Unexpected occultation of of the 6.4 magnitude star HIP 79788. Normally a full moon would be too bright to see the occultation of the relatively dim star, but this turned out to be quite easy to follow.

 

Overlay of the May 26 perigee Moon with January 21 apogee First Quarter Moon. The size difference is clear in telescope images. (click to embiggen)

The sky was too cloudy to get the surrounding stars during totality, but in a break in the cloud post totality I was able to get the Moon against the stars of Scorpius. ISO 1600, 1 second exposure(click to embiggen and to see the dimer stars more easily.)

Labels: astrophotography, eclipse, Moon, perigee

Approximate binocular view of Mars and the Beehive cluster on Wednesday June 23, 2021 (click to embiggen)	Approximate binocular view of Mars and the Beehive cluster on Thursday June 24, 2021 (click to embiggen)
Evening twilight sky on Wednesday, June 23 looking north-west as seen from Adelaide at 18:44 ACST (90 minutes after sunset).	Evening twilight sky on Thursday, June 24 looking north-west as seen from Adelaide at 18:44 ACST (90 minutes after sunset).

Over the next two days there will be a really lovely event. Mars will pass over the beehive cluster in the constellation of Cancer. While the beehive cluster is technically visible to the unaided eye, it is at the very threshold and the cluster and Mars will be only 13 degrees above the horizon (about two hand-spans) in the horizon murk.

However, the cluster and Mars will early fit within a binoculars or medium field of view telescope eye piece, so it will be a magnificent sight in even small instruments. Finding Mars above the horizon is easy as the relatively bright reddish object over the horizon, and in binoculars the cluster will be obvious.

Even if you miss these two days (looks at rain bucketing down) Mars will  be within a binocular field of th cluster for another tw days at least.

Labels: Beehive cluster, binocular, Mars

The Full Moon is Friday, June 25. Saturn and Jupiter are visible late in the evening sky and are visited by the waning Moon on the 27th and 28th, with lineups on the 26th and 29th. Venus is readily visible in the evening twilight and is coming closer to Mars. Mars is in front of the Beehive cluster on June 24. Mercury rises higher in the morning sky.

The Full Moon is Friday, June 25.

Evening sky on Sunday, June 27 showing the eastern sky as seen from Adelaide at 23:00 pm ACST (just before midnight). Saturn and Jupiter form a line in the late evening sky with the waning Moon close to Saturn. On the 26th the Moon forms a line with the pair, on the 28th the Moon is close to Jupiter and on the 29th the three are in a line again.

Whole sky at 18:44 ACST  (90 minutes after sunset), on Saturday, June 26 as seen from 

Evening twilight sky on Saturday, June 26 looking north-west as seen from Adelaide at 18:13 ACST (60 minutes after sunset). Venus is low above the horizon. Venus is coming closer to Mars.

Labels: weekly sky

The ISS as seen from Sydney  on the evening of  Monday 21 June  at 17:38 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  Saturday 19 June at 18:43 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  Sunday 20 June at 17:38 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 Monday 21 June for Sydney.	All sky chart showing local  times from Heavens Above for Saturday 19 June for Adelaide.	All sky chart showing local times from Heavens Above for  Sunday 20 June for Perth.

If it is not bucketing down rain where you are, over the next few days there are a series of  bright ISS passes in the late evening twilight/early evening. The ISS passes close to Mars and Venus and close to the Southern cross and pointers. As well there a number of passes close to bright stars. 

The following tables are from data provided from Heavens Above. Particularly impressive passes are highlighted.

Passes from Adelaide (ACST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.
17 Jun	-2.2	18:38:35	10°	N	18:40:54	23°	NE	18:40:54	23°	NE	visible
18 Jun	-1.5	17:52:29	10°	NNE	17:54:05	13°	NE	17:55:42	10°	E	visible
18 Jun	-1.4	19:27:13	10°	WNW	19:28:51	25°	WNW	19:28:51	25°	WNW	visible
19 Jun	-3.8	18:39:41	10°	NW	18:43:06	86°	NE	18:43:43	57°	SE	visible
20 Jun	-3.1	17:52:29	10°	NNW	17:55:42	44°	NE	17:58:30	13°	ESE	visible
20 Jun	-1.0	19:30:07	10°	W	19:31:29	16°	WSW	19:31:29	16°	WSW	visible
21 Jun	-2.2	18:42:03	10°	W	18:45:06	29°	SW	18:46:12	24°	S	visible
22 Jun	-3.0	17:54:16	10°	WNW	17:57:35	50°	SW	18:00:51	11°	SE	visible
23 Jun	-1.2	18:45:35	10°	WSW	18:47:22	13°	SSW	18:48:25	12°	S	visible
24 Jun	-1.6	17:57:10	10°	W	17:59:43	19°	SSW	18:02:17	10°	SSE	visible

Passes from Brisbane (AEST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.
17 Jun	-3.0	18:40:40	10°	NNW	18:43:47	35°	NE	18:43:54	35°	NE	visible
18 Jun	-1.9	17:54:03	10°	N	17:56:29	19°	NE	17:58:51	10°	E	visible
18 Jun	-1.4	19:30:03	10°	WNW	19:31:50	23°	W	19:31:50	23°	W	visible
19 Jun	-3.3	18:42:17	10°	WNW	18:45:37	56°	SW	18:46:42	37°	SSE	visible
20 Jun	-3.7	17:54:49	10°	NW	17:58:12	73°	NE	18:01:29	11°	SE	visible
20 Jun	-0.7	19:33:50	10°	WSW	19:34:28	11°	SW	19:34:28	11°	SW	visible
21 Jun	-1.5	18:45:12	10°	W	18:47:44	19°	SW	18:49:11	15°	S	visible
22 Jun	-2.2	17:57:06	10°	WNW	18:00:10	30°	SW	18:03:15	10°	SSE	visible
24 Jun	-1.1	18:00:55	10°	WSW	18:02:24	12°	SSW	18:03:54	10°	S	visible

Passes from Darwin (ACT)

None in this time frame

Passes from Hobart (AEST) 

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.
18 Jun	-1.3	18:25:09	10°	NNE	18:25:51	12°	NNE	18:25:51	12°	NNE	visible
19 Jun	-1.3	19:12:32	10°	NW	19:13:43	20°	NW	19:13:43	20°	NW	visible
20 Jun	-2.9	18:25:22	10°	NNW	18:28:30	37°	NE	18:28:30	37°	NE	visible
21 Jun	-2.1	17:38:31	10°	N	17:41:14	22°	NE	17:43:13	14°	E	visible
21 Jun	-1.5	19:14:29	10°	WNW	19:16:12	26°	W	19:16:12	26°	W	visible
22 Jun	-3.8	18:26:57	10°	WNW	18:30:22	81°	SSW	18:30:51	63°	SE	visible
23 Jun	-3.5	17:39:35	10°	NW	17:42:57	62°	NE	17:45:27	17°	ESE	visible
23 Jun	-1.2	19:16:57	10°	W	19:18:25	20°	WSW	19:18:25	20°	WSW	visible
24 Jun	-2.7	18:29:11	10°	W	18:32:25	37°	SSW	18:32:58	34°	S	visible
25 Jun	-3.2	17:41:31	10°	WNW	17:44:53	52°	SSW	17:47:28	16°	SE	visible
25 Jun	-0.8	19:19:35	10°	WSW	19:20:26	14°	SW	19:20:26	14°	SW	visible
26 Jun	-2.0	18:31:46	10°	WSW	18:34:37	23°	SSW	18:34:55	23°	S	visible

Passes from Melbourne (AEST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.
17 Jun	-1.4	19:09:47	10°	NNW	19:10:55	18°	N	19:10:55	18°	N	visible
18 Jun	-2.0	18:23:09	10°	N	18:25:34	18°	NE	18:25:51	18°	ENE	visible
19 Jun	-1.3	17:37:52	10°	NE	17:38:21	10°	NE	17:38:51	10°	ENE	visible
19 Jun	-2.6	19:11:16	10°	NW	19:13:43	43°	WNW	19:13:43	43°	WNW	visible
20 Jun	-3.6	18:23:55	10°	NW	18:27:16	60°	NE	18:28:30	34°	ESE	visible
21 Jun	-2.7	17:36:50	10°	NNW	17:39:55	32°	NE	17:43:02	10°	ESE	visible
21 Jun	-1.9	19:13:44	10°	W	19:16:12	26°	SW	19:16:12	26°	SW	visible
22 Jun	-2.8	18:25:55	10°	WNW	18:29:12	43°	SW	18:30:51	24°	SSE	visible
23 Jun	-3.6	17:38:19	10°	NW	17:41:43	74°	SW	17:45:10	10°	SE	visible
23 Jun	-1.1	19:17:00	10°	WSW	19:18:25	14°	SSW	19:18:25	14°	SSW	visible
24 Jun	-1.6	18:28:47	10°	WSW	18:31:23	20°	SSW	18:32:58	15°	S	visible
25 Jun	-2.1	17:40:47	10°	W	17:43:46	28°	SSW	17:46:48	10°	SSE	visible
26 Jun	-1.1	18:32:28	10°	SW	18:33:46	12°	SSW	18:34:55	10°	S	visible

Passes from Perth (AWST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.
17 Jun	-3.0	18:40:40	10°	NNW	18:43:47	35°	NE	18:43:54	35°	NE	visible
18 Jun	-1.9	17:54:03	10°	N	17:56:29	19°	NE	17:58:51	10°	E	visible
18 Jun	-1.4	19:30:03	10°	WNW	19:31:50	23°	W	19:31:50	23°	W	visible
19 Jun	-3.3	18:42:17	10°	WNW	18:45:37	56°	SW	18:46:42	37°	SSE	visible
20 Jun	-3.7	17:54:49	10°	NW	17:58:12	73°	NE	18:01:29	11°	SE	visible
20 Jun	-0.7	19:33:50	10°	WSW	19:34:28	11°	SW	19:34:28	11°	SW	visible
21 Jun	-1.5	18:45:12	10°	W	18:47:44	19°	SW	18:49:11	15°	S	visible
22 Jun	-2.2	17:57:06	10°	WNW	18:00:10	30°	SW	18:03:15	10°	SSE	visible
24 Jun	-1.1	18:00:55	10°	WSW	18:02:24	12°	SSW	18:03:54	10°	S	visible

 
Passes from Sydney (AEST)

Date	Brightness	Start			Highest point			End			Pass type
	(mag)	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.	Time	Alt.	Az.
17 Jun	-1.2	19:09:41	10°	NW	19:10:54	21°	NW	19:10:54	21°	NW	visible
18 Jun	-3.6	18:22:22	10°	NNW	18:25:41	55°	NE	18:25:51	54°	ENE	visible
19 Jun	-2.5	17:35:23	10°	NNW	17:38:21	28°	NE	17:40:43	14°	ESE	visible
19 Jun	-1.0	19:12:17	10°	W	19:13:43	18°	WSW	19:13:43	18°	WSW	visible
20 Jun	-2.7	18:24:23	10°	WNW	18:27:37	40°	SW	18:28:30	33°	S	visible
21 Jun	-3.6	17:36:45	10°	NW	17:40:09	75°	SW	17:43:13	12°	SE	visible
22 Jun	-1.4	18:27:35	10°	WSW	18:29:48	16°	SSW	18:30:51	14°	S	visible
23 Jun	-1.9	17:39:20	10°	W	17:42:12	24°	SW	17:45:04	10°	SSE	visible
25 Jun	-1.0	17:43:28	10°	SW	17:44:31	11°	SSW	17:45:33	10°	S	visible

 

When and what you will see is VERY location dependent, so you need to use  Heavens Above  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.

Labels: ISS, Satellite, unaided eye

The First Quarter Moon is Friday, June 18. Earth is at solstice on the 21st. Saturn and Jupiter are visible late in the evening sky. Venus is visible in the evening twilight and is coming closer to Mars. Mars is in front of the Beehive cluster on June 23 and 24. Mercury enters the morning sky.

The First Quarter Moon is Friday, June 18. The Moon is at perigee, when it is closest t the Earth, on the 23rd. Earth is at solstice on the 21st, when the day is shortest.

Evening sky on Saturday, June 19 showing the eastern sky as seen from Adelaide at 23:00 pm ACST (just before midnight). Saturn and Jupiter form a line in the late evening sky.

Whole sky at 18:42 ACST  (90 minutes after sunset), on Saturday, June 19 as seen from 
Evening twilight sky on Saturday, June 19 looking north-west as seen from Adelaide at 18:11 ACST (60 minutes after sunset). Venus is low above the horizon. Venus is coming closer to Mars.

Labels: weekly sky