Welcome to SkyEye, your guide to this month's celestial events. All dates are based on Universal Time (UT).
Brief Calendar of Events
| 4 |
Mon |
Neptune at opposition |
| 5 |
Tue |
First Quarter Moon |
| 6 |
Wed |
Moon at perigee |
| 9 |
Sat |
Delta Aquariids meteor shower |
| 12 |
Tue |
Full Moon |
| 13 |
Wed |
Perseids meteor shower |
| 14 |
Thu |
Mercury at greatest elongation east |
| 18 |
Mon |
Venus at superior conjunction |
| 19 |
Tue |
Moon at apogee |
| 20 |
Wed |
Last Quarter Moon |
| 22 |
Fri |
Jupiter at conjunction |
| 24 |
Sun |
Uranus at opposition |
| 27 |
Wed |
New Moon |
| 28 |
Thu |
Mars at opposition |
| 31 |
Sun |
Moon at perigee |
The Sun and Moon
There are no eclipses this month.
As seen from the Earth, the Sun is moving from the constellation Cancer to the constellation Leo.
The Planets
The word planet is derived from the Greek word for "wanderer." Unlike the background stars, planets seem to move around the sky, keeping mostly to a narrow track called the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the stars.
- Mercury
- For southern hemisphere planet spotters, Mercury rises high above the western horizon after sunset this month. However, northern hemisphere observers will have a much harder time trying to find this this elusive planet in the constellation Leo.
- Venus
- Venus reached superior conjunction on 18 August and is lost in the glare of the Sun for most of the month. The "morning star" disappears early in the month and the "evening star" reappears very low on the western horizon by the end of the month. It will be difficult to spot in the constellations Cancer and Leo.
- Mars
- The red planet is the last of three planets reaching opposition this month. Along with Uranus, it is up all night in the constellation Aquarius.
- Jupiter
- Because it reaches conjunction with the Sun on 22 August, Jupiter cannot be seen this month in the constellation Leo.
- Saturn
- Rising just after midnight in the constellation Gemini, the ringed planet is a morning sky object this month.
- Uranus
- Because Uranus reaches opposition on 24 August, it is up all night in the constellation Aquarius.
- Neptune
- Neptune is the first of three planets to reach opposition on this month, arriving on 4 August. Use optical aids to locate this faintest of gas giants in the constellation Capricornus.
- Pluto
- Pluto sets just after midnight in the constellation Ophiuchus. However, because it is so small and faint, a large telescope is always needed to see it.
Minor Planets, Comets and Meteors
- Minor Planets
- A number of interesting minor planets populate the solar system.
- Comets
- There are no naked-eye comets visible this month.
- Meteors
- The waxing gibbous Moon ruins the northern branch of the Delta Aquariids meteor shower and the nearly Full Moon likewise washes out the famous Perseids meteor shower.
The Celestial Sphere
Constellations are patterns of stars in the sky. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognises 88 different constellations. The brightest stars as seen from the Earth are easy to spot but do you know their proper names? With a set of binoculars you can look for fainter objects such as nebulae and galaxies or some of the closest stars to the Sun.
Descriptions of the sky for observers in both the northern and southern hemispheres are available for the following times this month. Subtract one hour from your local time if daylight savings time is in effect. (Note: These times are approximate.)
Northern Hemisphere : 45° N
- 1730 hours (1830 hours daylight savings)
- 1930 hours (2030 hours daylight savings)
- 2130 hours (2230 hours daylight savings)
- 2330 hours (0030 hours daylight savings)
- 0130 hours (0230 hours daylight savings)
- 0330 hours (0430 hours daylight savings)
- 0530 hours (0630 hours daylight savings)
Southern Hemisphere : 30° S
- 1730 hours (1830 hours daylight savings)
- 1930 hours (2030 hours daylight savings)
- 2130 hours (2230 hours daylight savings)
- 2330 hours (0030 hours daylight savings)
- 0130 hours (0230 hours daylight savings)
- 0330 hours (0430 hours daylight savings)
- 0530 hours (0630 hours daylight savings)
For More Information...
- Consult our online glossary for non-technical explanations of many of the astronomical terms used in these pages.
- Blue moons, eclipses, the dates of Easter and much more can be found at the Interactive Astronomy Pages.
- For more information about the objects and events described in SkyEye, visit these astronomy-related sites.
Credits
Much of this information can be found in this month's issue of your favourite amateur astronomy magazine available in your local bookshop. Another excellent source is the current edition of the Astronomical Calendar by Guy Ottewell and published by the Universal Workshop at Furman University.
The image of the Sun in the SkyEye banner is courtesy of the SOHO/EIT consortium. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA. Used with permission.
Copyright © 1995-2003 by David Harper and L.M. Stockman
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Obliquity
Last modified on 31 July 2003
https://www.obliquity.com/skyeye/archive/2003/aug2003.html