| Observatory |
What's Up...
Some observing hilights
to look forward to...
The following tips on current and upcoming astronomical events
have been assembled for our Okanagan region by Dave Gamble
with the objective of giving OC RASC members a heads-up on
special personal astro-experiences to look forward to.
Mon. Aug. 3 – For those looking for a telescope challenge, early this morning waning gibbous Luna will provide a fingerpost to the small blue dot that is the outer ice giant Neptune. Luna will be among the faint stars of Pisces with Saturn just off to her left. After you’ve have your fill of exploring the beauties of the ringed planet, move a little less than the Moon – Saturn separation, but this time to Luna’s lower right, and you should find your quarry.
Wed. Aug. 5 – This is Last Quarter Moon night. You’ll find the neatly divided lunar disk high in the eastern sky in the early morning hours among the faint stars of Aries. Adding to the scene will be Saturn off to her right, quietly making its way further into the night sky toward the ringed planet’s opposition on October 4.
Fri. Aug. 7 – Those who are up in the early morning hours this morning will have a treat waiting for them. The waning crescent Luna will adorn the eastern sky just to the left of the Pleiades open star cluster, a harbinger of the coming fall/winter celestial sky show. For those interested in getting out with their telescope, the small green dot of Uranus, the inner ice giant planet, will be found lurking just off to the right of a line joining Luna to the Hyades.
Sun. Aug. 9 – Another tempting attraction will be in store for early risers this morning as the very thin lunar crescent will rise with Mars just to her right. Our outer neighbour will be playing a leading role in our fall and winter skies as telescopes reveal the growing size of the ruddy disk as Mars heads toward its next opposition on February 19.
Mon. Aug. 10 – We’re coming to another dark sky period which holds the possibility of catching a glimpse of the Zodiacal Light in the pre-dawn sky. As mentioned last month, the Zodiacal Light is most often mentioned in the spring when it appears in the western sky, however in fall it makes its appearance in the pre-dawn eastern sky. The ghostly Zodiacal light arises when the Sun illuminates dust particles in the equatorial plane of the solar system. A dark sky location with a low eastern horizon will be needed.
Wed. Aug.12 – This will be the start of a potentially exciting astronomical day, beginning with a partial solar eclipse… well, sort of. From the Okanagan Luna will be seen taking just a very thin slice off the upper edge of the Sun. But for those who are game, you can look for this… with proper eye protection of course! … to start happening close to 9.15am in the Okanagan. Mid partial eclipse will be reached at 9.29am and the whole thing will be over 14 minutes later at 9.43am. For the record, this will be a proper total eclipse of just over two minutes duration just off the coast of Iceland.
Wed. Aug. 12 – Hey, we were owed! The Perseid Meteor Shower will peak tonight, and instead of Luna interfering, this is actually New Moon night, so with the weatherman’s cooperation we can get set to enjoy one of the main annual meteor showers without Luna interfering! Since the Perseids is an extended shower, it would be worthwhile to look for members throughout August. This annual shower is produced by particles released from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle burning up in the atmosphere, and in a dark sky about up to 90 meteors per hour might be expected without Luna’s interference.
Sat. Aug. 15 – This season hasn’t seen Venus giving best performance as the Evening Star, mainly because at this time of the year the ecliptic path runs low along the southwest horizon. Be that as it may, this evening marks our inner neighbour’s current greatest eastern elongation. If you have a low western horizon, the brilliant spark will be seen low in the west after sunset.
Mon. Aug. 17 – It was an important time in ancient Egypt when astronomers and agriculturists looked for the first sign of Sirius rising in the east–southeast morning sky. In the epoch of the Egyptian empire it was the signal for the coming of the annual flood of the Nile. In our time and location Sirius’ appearance takes place about 20 minutes before sunrise around mid August. If you should wake early and spy the helical rising of the sky’s brightest star, it could be taken as signaling the coming approach of our Okanagan apple harvest!
Wed. Aug. 19 – This is First Quarter Moon night, and our neighbour is having the same problem as Venus has had with the evening ecliptic path hugging the southwest horizon. So, to enjoy the charms of Luna’s half illuminated sphere this month, we’ll have to look low in the south-southwest sky as twilight darkens.
Fri. Aug. 21 – If you have a low southern horizon, or can get to one, tonight the payoff will be seeing the waxing gibbous Moon peering over the southern horizon. Off to her right will be brilliant Antares in Scorpius, one of the largest stars visible to the naked eye which would, if it replaced the Sun, have it’s outer edge located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
Thurs. Aug. 27 – This will be Full Moon night, and following up on our partial Solar eclipse of August 12 we can look forward to seeing a partial Lunar eclipse taking place tonight! This will happen because Luna will again be crossing the ecliptic path, a point referred to as a ‘node’ which allows a line up the Sun, the Earth and the Moon. Luna will encounter the cone of shadow cast by Earth at 6.22pm which won’t do us any good here since she will not yet have risen in the Okanagan. Depending on how low your eastern horizon is, the Moon could peak over the mountains before the mid eclipse time of 9.12pm however. Technically this will be a partial lunar eclipse only because a thin crescent of penumbrially lit limb will remain on Luna’s upper right edge. The lunar disc will then gradually begin to move out of the inner umbral shadow, reaching full penumbral stage at 10.52pm, and finally fully exiting the shadow at 12.03am.
Mon. Aug. 31 – To wind up the last day of what may be considered the last month of summer, the waning gibbous Moon will survey how things are going in the Okanagan in the pre-dawn hours, looking down from the faint fall stars of Pisces. Adding to the scene will be brilliant Saturn, just below her.