Sky for July/August/September

Moon (AEST)


New moon:

3 Jul 12:19

1 Aug 20:13

31 Aug 5:58

29 Sep 18:12

First quarter:

10 Jul 14:35

9 Aug 6:20

8 Sep 0:04

7 Oct 19:04

Full moon:

18 Jul 17:59

17 Aug 7:17

15 Sep 19:13

15 Oct 6:02

Last quarter:

26 Jul 4:42

24 Aug 9:50

22 Sep 15:05

21 Oct 21:55


Perigee:

3 Jun 23:12

(357254.2 km)

Apogee:

17 Jun 3:30

(406225.2 km)

Perigee:

2 Jul 7:26

(359515.4 km)

Apogee:

14 Jul 14:12

(405452.5 km)

Perigee:

30 Jul 9:23

(363885.1 km)

Apogee:

11 Aug 6:19

(404558.1 km)

Perigee:

26 Aug 13:58

(368696.7 km)

Apogee:

8 Sep 1:00

(404213.0 km)

Perigee:

20 Sep 13:30

(368889.6 km)


Penumbra entered 17 Aug 4:23 AEST

Umbra entered 17 Aug 5:34 AEST

Umbra left 17 Aug 8:45 AEST

Penumbra left 17 Aug 9:56 AEST

Lunar eclipse:

This is an early morning partial eclipse and the middle of the eclipse occurs as the Sun is rising and the Moon setting. The combination of the darkening Moon and the thickness of the atmosphere near the ground, should give some interesting colours for the moon.


Mercury

Is an early morning object in July and by August becomes an evening object. Best viewing is just before mid September. Greatest elongation is on the 11th. Venus close 19th-22nd August. Mercury is close to Venus and Mars in mid - later September. (See map to see the shape of a Cross)



Venus

Venus is an evening object. Over September Mars, Venus and Mercury continue to "play musical chairs" or in this case, " dancing planets" as they waltz with each other across the heavens.


Mars

Mars is a long way from Earth and is a small orange dot.


Jupiter

Jupiter will be at opposition on July 9th.It's diameter will be 47.4 arc seconds. Take this opportunity to find Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) using the following table. The GRS is set at approx 104 degrees and this is not fixed but constantly changing. Look for the GRS before and after these times for about 50mins.

1 Jul 20:42

3 Jul 2:29

3 Jul 22:20

5 Jul 4:07

5 Jul 14:02

5 Jul 23:58

6 Jul 19:49

8 Jul 1:36

8 Jul 21:27

10 Jul 3:14

10 Jul 23:05

13 Jul 0:43

13 Jul 20:34

15 Jul 2:21

15 Jul 22:12

17 Jul 3:59

17 Jul 23:50

18 Jul 19:41

20 Jul 1:28

20 Jul 1:19

22 Jul 3:06

22 Jul 22:57

25 Jul 0:35

25 Jul 20:26

27 Jul 2:13

27 Jul 22:04

29 Jul 3:51

29 Jul 23:43

30 Jul 19:34

1 Aug 1:21

1 Aug 21:12

3 Aug 2:59

3 Aug 22:50

5 Aug 4:37

6 Aug 0:28

6 Aug 20:19

8 Aug 2:06

8 Aug 21:58

10 Aug 3:45

10 Aug 23:36

13 Aug 1:14

13 Aug 21:05

15 Aug 2:52

15 Aug 22:44

18 Aug 0:22

18 Aug 20:13

20 Aug 2:00

20 Aug 21:52

22 Aug 3:39

22 Aug 3:30

25 Aug 1:09

25 Aug 21:00

27 Aug 2:47

27 Aug 22:38

29 Aug 4:25

30 Aug 0:17

30 Aug 20:08

1 Sep 1:55

1 Sep 21:47

3 Sep 23:25

6 Sep 1:04

6 Sep 20:55

8 Sep 2:42

8 Sep 22:34

10 Sep 4:21

11 Sep 0:13

11 Sep 20:04

13 Sep 1:51

13 Sep 21:43

15 Sep 3:30

15 Sep 23:21

18 Sep 1:00

18 Sep 20:52

20 Sep 2:39

20 Sep 22:30

23 Sep 0:09

23 Sep 20:01

25 Sep 1:48

27 Sep 3:27

27 Sep 23:18


Saturn

The last views of Saturn as an evening Object are in July, by late August, Saturn is a morning object.


Meteor Showers

July 28 Delta Aquarids: Radiant--near Capricornus. 25 per hour, slow (24 km/sec) with yellow trails. Duration--40 days Rises at 21.24hr 30th June.

July 30 Capricornids: Radiant--near Aquarius. Tough to tell these from Delta Aquarids. 10 to 35 per hour with bolides. Rises 19.39 30th June.

Aug 10 Perseids: Radiant--near Double cluster. 50 to 100 per hour, yellow with trails and bolides. The best modern dependable shower. Duration--5 days. Radiant doesn't rise above horizon in Ballarat but you could still see meteors from this shower in the early hours of the morning.

Aug 20 Kappa Cygnids: Radiant--near Deneb. 12 per hour with many fireballs. Duration--15 days.The radiant won't rise above the horizon (Nth of Vega) but some could stray above the horizon later at night.

Sept 23 Alpha Aurigids: Radiant-- near Capella. 12 per hour, fast with trails.