STAR WATCH for July and August, 2008

The WCSU Observatory and the Midtown Observatory are now closed for the summer season. The fall schedule will be posted on this web site later in the summer.Thank you for your patronage! Celestial happenings will be updated on this site throughout the summer.

NIGHTLY CALENDAR for July and August, 2008

      * or !     Interesting to very interesting events
           !!     EXCEPTIONALLY interesting events (must-see!)
           E     Important geometrical or calendar events

July 18
FULL Buck MOON
25
Last Quarter Moon
29
The waning crescent Moon reaches perigee at 363,883 km [226,106 miles] from Earth's center.



Aug. 1
New Moon (there are TWO this month!)
8
First Quarter Moon
10
The waxing gibbous Moon reaches apogee at 404,556 km [251,379 miles] from Earth's center.
11/12
 !
 The waxing gibbous Moon should  interfere only slightly with viewing of the Perseid meteor shower; look NE around midnight and in the hours following. The Perseid shower is an "old reliable," so get a lawn chair, a blanket, a thermos of something hot and a red flashlight and go watch Perseids! An observer from a dark location (away from most direct lighting, and after moonset) should be able to see dozens of swift meteors per hour.
13
 !
 Look low in the W after sunset for a close conjunction of brilliant VENUS with SATURN.
15
 !
 Look low in the W after sunset for a close conjunction of MERCURY and SATURN. Mercury will be the brighter of the close pair.
16
FULL Sturgeon MOON; the rising Moon may look slightly dimmer than usual because (from our location) it is emerging from a partial eclipse, visible in its entirety from eastern portions of Africa and Europe. The Moon will leave Earth's penumbral (outer) shadow at 7:55 p.m., only 8 minutes after rising (as seen from Danbury).
22
 !
 Look low in the W after sunset for a close conjunction of MERCURY and much-brighter VENUS. Mercury will reach its greatest eastern elongation (best visible as an evening planet) on the evening of Sept. 10.
23
Last Quarter Moon
26
The waning crescent Moon reaches perigee at 368,696 km [229,097 miles] from Earth's center.
30
New Moon




PLANETARY INFORMATION

MERCURY —
 is visible before dawn low in the E sky in July, having reached greatest western elongation on July 1. By the end of July, it has vanished again into the Sun's glare. In August, Mercury emerges as an evening planet (look W after sunset) and is near Venus and Saturn around mid-month.
VENUS — gradually emerges from the Sun's glare into the evening twilight sky, during late July and through August. It will dominate the evening sky throughout the fall. Mark the evenings of November 30 and December 1 on your calendars now! There will be two striking gatherings then, of Venus, Jupiter and the crescent Moon.
MARS —
in Leo during July, moving into Virgo during August, is visible in the early evening western sky.
JUPITER — reached opposition on July 9, rising in the SE at sunset and visible low in the southern sky thereafter. It rises (and sets) a little earlier during August but is still conspicuous in the southern evening sky.
SATURN — is low in the W sky after sunset during July and begins to vanish into the Sun's glare after mid-August. It will reappear in the E pre-dawn sky during late September.

STAR WATCH is brought to you by WCSU Astronomy. Thanks for connecting! For more information, please call the Observatory line at (203) 837 - 8672
or Dr. Dennis Dawson at (203) 837 - 8671.