August 2018 Sky Calendar
Aug 11, 2018 15:57:53 GMT
Post by Joe on Aug 11, 2018 15:57:53 GMT
CVAS Monthly Sky Calendar for August 2018
Mercury – At the start of the month Mercury is in the evening western sky but as it approaches inferior conjunction with the Sun on the 9th, it is too close to the Sun to see. But by months end it will be visible in the eastern morning sky low on the horizon. At the end of the month it is up for 1 ½ hours, being 16° high by sunset. From mid-month to the end of the month, its phase will go from 6% up to 57%, it size from 10.2 arc-seconds to 6.7 arc-seconds and it magnitude from 3.0 to -0.6.
Venus – Venus can be found in the western/southwestern evening skies after sunset. It sinks lower as the month goes on with it being up close to 2 hours and 20° high at sunset to start the month, but only up 1 ½ hours 15° high at sunset at months end. Its phase for the month will go from 57% to 41%, its size going from 20.4 to 28.8 arc-seconds, and a magnitude goes from -4.3 to -4.6 during the month.
Jupiter – Jupiter can be found in the southern western evening skies right after sunset. It is up for only 4 to 3 hours this month after sunset, so It is best to view it right after it gets dark enough to see it when it is highest up during the night. During the month the size goes from 37.8 to 34.8 arc-seconds with a magnitude going from -2.2 to -2.0.
Saturn- This month Saturn is nicely placed in the southern evening skies after it gets dark out for the whole month. This is still up a good bit of the night with being up for around 7 to 6 for the month after sunset. The size of Saturn itself goes from 18.0 arc-seconds to 17.3 arc-seconds with a magnitude going from 0.2 to 0.4 during the month. The tilt of the rings are still near the maximum, being at tilted over 26 degree to our line of site.
Mars – This is still a good month to view Mars with it being at opposition at the end of last month. It is best to view it in the beginning of the month when it is still relatively large. Due to its southern declination, it is best to try to see it when it is highest up in the southern skies. To start the month it due south around 1:00AM, at month end it due south around 11:00PM. It is now up between 9 to 7 hours before sunrise for the month. It is size during the month goes from 24.3 and 21.0 arc-seconds with it dimming a bit with its magnitude decreasing during the month going from -2.8 to -2.1.
Neptune – As Neptune is approaching opposition early next month it is now up for most of the night, being up from 8 to 10 ½ hours this month. It is best to view it when it is in the southern skies when it is highest up. To start the month it is rising around 10PM with it being due south around 4AM. By month end it will be rising close to 8PM with it being due south around 2AM. During the month its size will be around 2.3 arc-seconds with a magnitude of around 7.8. This is good time to try to see it largest moon Trition. At opposition, Trition itself will be around magnitude 13.4 and is 12 to 17 arc-seconds from Nepture.
Uranus –Uranus is now rising around midnight to start the month, by month’s end it rises at around 10PM. It is best viewed nearer to morning when it is highest up in the southern morning skies. To start the month it is up over 6 hours and 60° high at sunrise, by month’s end it is up for close to 9 hours before sunrise. During the month, its magnitude will around 5.7 with a diameter of 3.6 arc-seconds.
A finder chart for Neptune and Uranus can be found at www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/WEB_UrNep18.pdf
Perseid Meteor Shower
This year the shower is predicted to peak in the evening on August 12th, so the morning hours of August 12th or August 13th would be the best time to try to view them. Usually after midnight until dawn is the best time to view them. The moon will be at or near it new phase, so this year should be a good year to try to view this shower. At a darker site with an open sky you can expect to see a meteor every minute or two in the dawn hours. This shower actually starts to produce meteors starting in mid July and continues for a week or so afterwards.