The Night Sky for August 2009

The Perseid Meteor Shower and a Chance at Noctilucent Clouds

© Kelly Whitt

Jul 17, 2009

August's warm nights brings many outdoors to stargaze. Here is a sample of the best targets for August 2009.

Noctilucent Clouds Reported

Reports are streaming in (July 2009) from northern Europe and North America of the electric blue clouds known as noctilucent clouds. Noctilucent clouds are a rare phenomenon that most often occurs in summer months. The clouds are a beautiful and elusive sight that is only visible a little after sunset or a little before sunrise. Noctilucent clouds may also be a sign of global warming. Learn more about how these clouds form, how to see them, and what they might signal about Earth's climate.

The Moon for August 2009

August's full moon occurs on the 5th at 8:55 pm EDT. The next night, August 6, the moon appears close to sparkling Jupiter. New moon is on August 20. This month, the first visible crescent after new moon will mark the start of Ramadan. Most observers in the United States will see this crescent on August 21. On the 23rd, the moon appears to the lower right of Spica, and on August 26 and 27 the moon will pass Antares.

Perseid Meteor Shower

Summer's best meteor shower is the Perseids, which appear to come from the constellation Perseus. Although Perseid meteors can be seen from July 25 to August 18, the shower peaks around August 12. The comet Swift-Tuttle left behind the dusty debris that is responsible for the shower, which can reach 80 meteors an hour at maximum.

NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office is predicting a possible surge to twice the normal meteor rate between 0800 and 0900 UT (1 and 2 am PDT) on August 12. That is when Earth is expected to pass through a filament of comet dust that has drifted into Earth's path.

Jupiter and Saturn in August

Jupiter is a great observing target for the entire month. The planet reaches opposition on August 14, when it rises at sunset and sets at sunrise, appearing opposite the sun. A good pair of binoculars or a modest telescope will show four points of light circling the planet over the course of the night. These are the Galilean moons, Jupiter's largest satellites. Sometimes not all moons can be seen because they are transiting in front of or passing behind the giant planet. Jupiter is the brightest point of light in the evening sky.

Saturn is less bright than usual because it is continuing to tilt its rings directly at Earth, narrowing its width and reflecting less sunlight. On August 10, Saturn's rings are edge-on to the sun. Some observers may see a dark line across Saturn's surface that is the unlit face of the rings. Early next month Saturn will turn its rings edge-on as seen from Earth; however, by that time Saturn will be low on the horizon at sunset, too close to the sun for a good view.

Mars Appears as Large as the Full Moon?

This e-mail hoax has now been circling for years. Originally when Mars made its close approach to Earth, it made for a good observing opportunity for those with large telescopes to see the surface of Mars. But often the text of the e-mail has been edited to read the current year and that the planet appears large to the unaided eye. Unfortunately, Mars never gets close enough for such a view. If you go out on the evening of August 27 (the date usually listed in the e-mail), you won't see Mars at all. It does not rise until well after midnight, and at that time it appears the same as it always does, as a reddish point of light.

Jupiter and Its Moons

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