Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Thursday August 1 to Thursday August 8
The New Moon is Sunday, August 4. Mercury is visible in the evening twilight, near Regulus forming a line with Venus. Venus comes closer to Regulus and is closest on the 5th. On the 6th the crescent Moon, Regulus, Mercury and Venus form a triangle in the evening twilight. Saturn enters the evening sky around 8:30 pm, but is still best in the morning. Mars forms a second “Eye” for Taurus the Bull at the beginning of the week and comes closer to Jupiter over the week.
The New Moon is Sunday, August 4.
Mercury is well above the western horizon at the end of civil twilight, and is still visible at astronomical twilight an hour and a half after sunset. Mercury has moved away the bright star Regulus and Venus is coming closer, forming a triangle with Mercury and Regulus.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (45 minutes after sunset).
Mercury is well above the western horizon at the end of civil twilight, although fading it is still visible at astronomical twilight an hour and a half after sunset. Venus is just past its closest to the bright star Regulus. The crescent Moon forms a triangle with the three.
The eastern sky at 23:00 ACST Saturday, August 3with Saturn rising. Saturn is now reasonably high above the horizon for viewing.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time.
The inset shows the telescopic view at the time. (click to embiggen).
Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).
Mercury starts to dim in the evening sky, it starts the week above Regulus, forming a line with Venus. On the 6th the crescent Moon, Regulus, Mercury and Venus form a triangle in the evening twilight.
Venus is higher in the evening twilight. Venus starts the week forming a triangle with Mercury and Regulus. Venus comes closer to Regulus and is closest on the 5th. On the 6th the crescent Moon, Regulus, Mercury and Venus form a triangle in the evening twilight.
Mars is rising in the morning sky but is heading towards Jupiter.
Jupiter is rising in the the morning twilight sky. Jupiter is below the red star Aldebaran.
Saturn climbs higher in the late evening sky.
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/
Labels: weekly sky
Monday, July 29, 2024
Occultation Pleiades 30 July 2024.
Morning
sky on Tuesday, July 30 as seen from Adelaide at 5:10 ACST, (click
to embiggen). The moon is just about to cover the star Celaeno in the
Pleiades. The inset is the binocular view of the moon at this time (click to embiggen). | Morning sky on Tuesday, July 3 as seen from Melbourne at 6:05 AEST, (click to embiggen). The moon is just about to cover the star Taygeta in the Pleiades. The inset is the binocular view of the moon at this time (click to embiggen). | Evening sky on Tuesday, July 3 as seen from Perth at 3:03 AWST, (click to embiggen). The moon is just about to cover the star Celaeno in the Pleiades. The inset is the binocular view of the moon at this time. (click to embiggen). |
Celaeno DB | Celaeno RD | Taygeta DD | Taygeta RD | Sterope DB | Sterope RD | |
Adelaide ACST | 5:10 | 5:43 | 5:17 | 6:26 | 5:43 | *- |
Brisbane AEST | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Canberra AEST | - | - | 6:14 | *- | - | - |
Darwin ACST | 4:38 | 6:00 | 5:26 | 6:14 | 5:50 | -* |
Hobart AEST | - | - | 6:24 | 6:45 | 6:47 | - |
Melbourne AEST | - | - | 6:05 | *- | 6:32 | *- |
Perth AWST | 3:03 | 4:09 | 3:26 | 4:28 | 3:47 | 4:53 |
Sydney AEST | - | - | 6:19 | *- | - | - |
DB - disappear bright limb, RD - reappear dark limb.
* Occurs in twilight
It’s best to set up around 30 minutes before the occultation so you can get oriented in the sky and don’t miss the beginning while fussing with equipment.
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/
Labels: binoculars, Moon, Occultation, Pleiades, telescope