The Night Sky for July 2009
Jupiter, Saturn, a Solar Eclipse and a Meteor Shower this Month
Jun 13, 2009
Many more people observe the night sky in the summer months than any other time of year. Their outdoor activities leave them outside as it gets dark and they notice the stars around their camp fires and wonder what they are seeing. One of the most common questions in the summer months is "What is that bright star by the moon?" Here are some answers.
The Bright Star by the Moon in July
On July 3, the moon sits near Antares in Scorpius. Observes in Hawaii can watch the moon pass in front of Antares around midnight. The full moon occurs on July 7 at 5:21 am EDT, therefore it will appear more than 99% lit as it rises on both July 6 and 7. On July 9 and 10, Jupiter is the bright "star" near the moon. Just after sunset on July 22, look for a slender crescent moon close to the horizon and the planet Mercury. On July 23, the moon is near Regulus while the next night, July 24, the moon is near Saturn. The moon slips to the other side of Saturn on July 25. On July 27, the moon is near Spica. The moon ends the month on July 30 and 31 near Antares, where it began this month.
Jupiter and Saturn in July 2009
The two largest giant planets in the solar system appear together for July on opposite sides of the evening sky. Saturn is in the west, sinking soon after the sun. Because Saturn is tilting so that its rings are nearly invisible this year, it is dimmer than usual with less light reflecting off the giant rings toward Earth. From the beginning to the end of the month Saturn will gain on the sun. Jupiter rises in the east a few hours after sunset in the beginning of the month and less than an hour after the sun at the end of July. It will be a bright beacon at magnitude -2.8.
The Night Sky on the Fourth of July 2009
As spectators are waiting for the sky to get dark on Saturday, July 4, 2009, they can entertain themselves by watching the stars come out. The first thing to notice is the moon rising in the south-southeast. It will be 95% lit, just a few days away from full phase. The stars of the Big Dipper appear close to overhead. Follow the arc of the handle to reach the bright star Arcturus, and then continue toward the horizon to find Spica. The bright star nearly overhead is Vega, part of the Summer Triangle. The two other stars of the triangle are closer to the eastern horizon, with Deneb to the northeast and Altair to the southeast. Back toward the moon, look to its left to find the teapot shape in Sagittarius and to the right and curled under the moon are the stars of Scorpius. Saturn is setting in the west just behind the star Regulus.
Total Solar Eclipse July 22, 2009
A total solar eclipse crosses Asia and into the Pacific Ocean on July 22, 2009. Read the following article to know where to position yourself for a spectacular sight.
Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower in July
The Southern Delta Aquarid meteors appear to radiate from the star Delta in the constellation Aquarius. The meteors rain down from July 15 to August 15, with the peak of activity overnight from July 28/29. Expect about 19 meteors an hour during maximum. Delta Aquarii rises in the east about two hours after sunset.
 |
