* Astronomy

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: August 2007


L

Posts: 131433
Date:
RE: August 2007
Permalink  
 


Mercury: at magnitude -1.0, starts the month in the constellation Gemini. The planet is best seen from 4.0h - 4.6h UT. On the 4th August the planet is at perihelion. The planet is in conjunction on 15th August. Mercury is close to Regulus (1.3deg) on the 19th. The planet is in conjunction with Saturn: only 27.9' separated, on the 18th.
(On August 1st, RA= 7h40m08s Dec=+21°38.7' (J2000) Distance=1.140AU Elongation= 15° Phase k=75% Diameter=5.9")

Venus: is an evening morning star of magnitude -4.5, The planet is in constellation Sextans at the start of the month. Venus is at aphelion on the 9 August 18.5 UT, and in conjunction on the 18 August. It is best seen from 8.1h -21.2h UT.
(On August 1st, RA=10h10m30s Dec= +5°56.6' (J2000) Distance=0.329AU Elongation= 24° Phase k=9% Diameter=50.7")

spacer.gif Moon Phase Now!

Moon Phase Now!

Earth: was at aphelion on July 7 at 12 noon. There is a Total Lunar Eclipse on the 28th.

The Moon is at Perigee on the 4th August 00:58.0 UT, and at apogee on the 19th, at 4:30.6 UT. The Moon is 0.7 degree from Antares on the 22nd, (An occultation will be seen from Antarctica and New Zealand).

Mars: at magnitude 0.5 starts the month in the constellation Taurus. Mars is close to Aldebaran (4.6deg) on the 22nd August. On the 7th Mars is 5.2 degrees from the Pleiades. The planet is best seen from 0.3h - 4.5h UT. On the 24th, Mars is 5 degrees from Aldebaran.
(On August 1st, RA= 3h34m55s Dec=+18°02.3' (J2000) Distance=1.322AU Elongation= 73° Phase k=86% Diameter=7.1")

Jupiter: is still bright at magnitude -2.4 in the constellation Ophiuchus and close to the bright star, Antares. The planet is best seen from 21.1h - 0.9h. Jupiter is stationary: getting prograde on the 7th August.
(On August 1st, RA=16h33m15s Dec=-21°24.3' (J2000) Distance=4.698AU Elongation=122°)

The planet Jupiter is a source of huge radio storms. Click the link to hear the live audio stream.
The radio outbursts are in the frequency range 18 - 32 MHz. Sensitive receivers translate Jupiter's radio waves to audio sounds.
Click! For alternative listening site.
click here! for Great RedSpot Transit times.
Click! Check forum for Satellite predictions.

Saturn: at magnitude 0.6 sits in the constellation Leo. Saturn is in conjunction on 22nd August.
The planet is best seen from 22.6h -23.6h UT.
(On August 30th, RA=10h08m11s Dec=+12°52.0' (J2000) Distance=10.236AU Elongation= 7°)

click here! for interactive Saturn moon calculator .

Uranus is in the constellation Aquarius, near Lambda Aquarii, magnitude 3.7. Uranus at magnitude 5.8, has a bluish-green hue and appears 3.7 arcseconds wide. On the 29th Uranus is 2 degrees from the Moon. The planet is best seen from 22.8h - 3.6h UT.
This month the planet is located 1.5 degrees away from the 4th magnitude star Phi Aquarii. On the 24th the planet is just 15' north of Phi.
(On August 2nd, RA=23h16m54s Dec= -5°30.5' (J2000) Distance=19.272AU Elongation=143°)

Neptune: in the constellation Capricornus less than 3 degrees northeast of the 4.3 mag star Iota Capricornii. A telescope will usually show a tiny bluish dot, only 2.5 arcseconds wide (mag 8.0). Neptune is best seen from 1.0h - 1.1h UT. Neptune is at opposition, and closest to the Earth on the 13th August.
(On August 1st,
RA=21h33m17s Dec=-14°48.6' (J2000) Distance=29.051AU Elongation=168°)

Pluto is in the constellation Sagittarius (mag 13.9) is not visible in the southern sky this month. Normally, a finder chart is necessary to help in identifying the 0.1" diameter dwarf planet. On the 19th June the planet was at opposition . The dwarf planet is best seen from 0.9h - 1.1h UT.
(On August 1st, RA=17h45m40s Dec=-16°29.6' (J2000) Distance=30.562AU Elongation=138°)

The Sun enters the zodiac sign Virgo on the 23rd August, 13:08 UT.

Asteroid 4 Vesta, at magnitude 7.2, passes 0.4 degree from Jupiter on the 29th.



__________________


L

Posts: 131433
Date:
Permalink  
 

Aug ?? - Selene 1/Micro-Labsat 2/R-Star/V-Star H-2A Launch 
Aug ?? - Tansuo 2 KT-1 Launch
Aug ?? - Cosmos-Oko N88 Molniya M Launch
Aug ?? - Shi Jian 9 CZ-2D Launch
Aug ?? - Beidou 2-B (Compass M-2) CZ-3A Launch
Aug ?? - Sumbandila/ Vulcan/Compass 3 (2N) Shtil-2.1 Launch
Aug 01 - Alpha Capricornids Meteor Shower Peak
Aug 02 - Progress M-61 Soyuz U Launch (International Space Station 26P)
Aug 02 - Comet C/2007 M1 (McNaught) Closest Approach To Earth (6.874 AU)
Aug 02 - Asteroid 622 Esther Occults HIP 111398 (6.5 Magnitude Star)
Aug 02 - 40th Anniversary (1967), Lunar Orbiter 5 Launch
Aug 03 - Phoenix Delta 2 Launch (Mars Lander)
Aug 04 - Asteroid 40 Harmonia At Opposition (9.3 Magnitude)
Aug 04 - Asteroid 1443 Ruppina Occults HIP 19388 (5.5 Magnitude Star)
Aug 04 - Asteroid 3784 Chopin Closest Approach To Earth (1.645 AU)
Aug 04-05 - Summer Meeting of Croatian Astronomers 2007, Split, Croatia
Aug 05 - updated.gif Moon Last Quarter, 22:19.6 UT
Aug 05 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Manoeuvre #123 (OTM-123)
Aug 05 - Asteroid 10389 Robmanning Closest Approach To Earth (0.923 AU)
Aug 05 - Asteroid 6336 Dodo Closest Approach To Earth (1.394 AU)
Aug 05 - Asteroid 13681 Monty Python Closest Approach To Earth (1.830 AU)
Aug 05 - Asteroid 5035 Swift Closest Approach To Earth (1.986 AU)
Aug 06 - Southern Iota Aquarids Meteor Shower Peak
Aug 06 - Asteroid 4 Vesta Occults HIP 79431 (11.4 Magnitude Star)
Aug 06 - Asteroid 6433 Enya Closest Approach To Earth (1.341 AU)
Aug 06 - Asteroid 5143 Heracles Closest Approach To Earth (1.454 AU)
Aug 06 - Asteroid 8084 Dallas Closest Approach To Earth (2.682 AU)
Aug 06-10 - Conference: Dynamics of Galaxies, St. Petersburg, Russia
Aug 06-10 - Summer School: Galaxy Populations, Kloster Seeon, Germany
Aug 06-17 - Workshop: Massive Stars, Leiden, The Netherlands
Aug 07 - STS-118 Launch, Space Shuttle Endeavour, S5 Truss Segment (ISS 13A.1)
Aug 07-10 - 9th International Colloquium on Atomic Spectra, Lund, Sweden
Aug 08 - Asteroid 2002 CB19 Near-Earth Flyby (0.044 AU)
Aug 08 - Asteroid 24101 Cassini Closest Approach To Earth (1.959 AU)
Aug 08 - Asteroid 2421 Nininger Closest Approach To Earth (2.113 AU)
Aug 08 - 30th Anniversary (1977), Salyut 5 Space Station Burnup
Aug 09 - Phoenix, Trajectory Correction Manoeuvre #1 (TCM-1)
Aug 09 - Comet Shoemaker-Levy 1 Closest Approach To Earth (1.363 AU)
Aug 09 - Asteroid 14702 Benclark Closest Approach To Earth (1.682 AU)
Aug 09-12 - Saskatchewan Summer Star Party, Cypress Hills, Canada
Aug 09-13 - Starfest 2007, Mount Forest, Canada
Aug 10 - Comet C/2006 VZ13 (LINEAR) Perihelion (1.015 AU)
Aug 10 - Comet 125P/Spacewatch Perihelion (1.524 AU)
Aug 10 - Asteroid 2000 PN8 Near-Earth Flyby (0.092 AU)
Aug 10 - Asteroid 6471 Collins Closest Approach To Earth (1.721 AU)
Aug 10 - 35th Anniversary (1972), Daylight Fireball (Utah, Canada)
Aug 11 - Asteroid 7958 Leakey Closest Approach To Earth (0.878 AU)
Aug 11 - 45th Anniversary (1962), Vostok 3 Launch
Aug 12 - 45th Anniversary (1962), Vostok 4 Launch
Aug 12-17 - Conference: 40 Years of Pulsars, Montreal, Canada
Aug 12-18 - International Conference on Modern Problems, Odessa, Ukraine
Aug 13 - updated.gif New Moon, 0:02.5 UT
Aug 13 - Perseids Meteor Shower Peak
Aug 13 - Neptune At Opposition
Aug 13 - Asteroid 17196 Mastrodemos Closest Approach To Earth (1.888 AU)
Aug 13 - Asteroid 7231 Porco Closest Approach To Earth (1.945 AU)
Aug 13-17 - Workshop on Dark Matter and Dark Energy, Beijing, China
Aug 14 - Spaceway 3/ B-Sat 3A Ariane 5 Launch
Aug 14 - Asteroid 4 Vesta Occults TYC 6210-00395-1 (11.5 Magnitude Star)
Aug 14 - Asteroid 1069 Planckia Closest Approach To Earth (2.391 AU)
Aug 14 - Asteroid 588 Achilles Closest Approach To Earth (4.603 AU)
Aug 15 - Comet P/2007 H3 (Garradd) Perihelion (1.829 AU)
Aug 15 - Asteroid 4846 Tuthmosis Occults HIP 17026 (6.5 Magnitude Star)
Aug 15 - Asteroid 6223 Dahl Closest Approach To Earth (1.499 AU)
Aug 15-22 - 14th International Symposium (ISVHECRI 2006), Weihai, China
Aug 16 - Uranus Ring Plane Crossing
Aug 16 - Asteroid 194 Prokne At Opposition (9.6 Magnitude)
Aug 16 - Asteroid 40656 (1999 RY191) Occults HIP 78933 (3.9 Magnitude Star)
Aug 16 - Asteroid 2005 CN61 Near-Earth Flyby (0.048 AU)
Aug 16-18 - 11th Paris Cosmology Colloquium 2007, Paris, France
Aug 17 - Comet C/2007 H1 (McNaught) Perihelion (2.281 AU)
Aug 17 - Asteroid 2004 KE1 Near-Earth Flyby (0.073 AU)
Aug 17 - Asteroid 1814 Bach Closest Approach To Earth (1.360 AU)
Aug 17 - Asteroid 2404 Antarctica Closest Approach To Earth (1.914 AU)
Aug 18 - Asteroid 3940 Larion Occults HIP 83342 (6.7 Magnitude Star)
Aug 18 - Kuiper Belt Object 2006 SQ372 Closest Approach To Earth (23.225 AU)
Aug 19 - Asteroid 2246 Bowell Closest Approach To Earth (3.242 AU)
Aug 19-24 - European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC 2007), Potsdam, Germany
Aug 19-24 - Goldschmidt 2007 Conference, Cologne, Germany
Aug 19-25 - International Workshop: Multi-Wavelength Surveys, Xining, China
Aug 20 - Asteroid 5000 IAU Closest Approach To Earth (1.107 AU)
Aug 20 - Asteroid 2742 Gibson Closest Approach To Earth (1.875 AU)
Aug 20 - 30th Anniversary (1977), Voyager 2 Launch
Aug 20-24 - Conference: Interacting Binary Stars, Odessa, Ukraine
Aug 20-24 - HELAS II International Conference: Goettingen, Germany
Aug 20-24 - Multiwavelength Surveys of Star Formation, Xining, China
Aug 20-25 - National Astronomy Meeting (JENAM-2007), Yerevan, Armenia
Aug 21 - updated.gif Moon, First Quarter, 0:54.2 UT
Aug 21 - Asteroid 2 Pallas Occults HIP 111529 (11.2 Magnitude Star)
Aug 21-25 - Cosmos 07 Conference, Brighton, United Kingdom
Aug 23 - Asteroid 7367 Giotto Closest Approach To Earth (2.459 AU)
Aug 24 - Asteroid 334 Chicago Closest Approach To Earth (2.816 AU)
Aug 24-26 - International Forum: Human Presence in Space, Split, Croatia
Aug 25 - Wideband Gapfiller Satellite (WGS) F-1 Atlas 5 Launch
Aug 25 - Insat 4C-R GSLV Launch (India)
Aug 25 - Northern Iota Aquarids Meteor Shower Peak
Aug 25 - Asteroid 2005 QQ87 Near-Earth Flyby (0.079 AU)
Aug 25-26 - Southern Sky Star Party 2007, Sumedang, West Java, Indonesia
Aug 25-31 - MODEST-7a Workshop: Simulating Stellar Systems, Split, Croatia
Aug 26-30 - SPIE Conference: Optical Engineering, San Diego, California
Aug 26-31 - Time and Matter Conference, Bled, Slovenia
Aug 27 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Manoeuvre #124 (OTM-124)
Aug 27 - 45th Anniversary (1962), Mariner 2 Launch
Aug 27-31 - SOHO 20 - Transient Events on the Sun, Ghent, Belgium
Aug 27-31 - Conference: A Century of Cosmology, Venice, Italy
Aug 27-31 - TeV Particle Astrophysics 2007, Venice, Italy
Aug 27-31 - 2nd Conference on Earth System Modelling, Hamburg, Germany
Aug 28 - updated.gif Full Moon, 11:35.1 UT
Aug 28 - Total Lunar Eclipse
Aug 28 - DSP-23 Delta 4 Heavy Launch
Aug 28 - Asteroid 2004 TD10 Near-Mercury Flyby (0.021 AU)
Aug 28 - Asteroid 9016 Henrymoore Closest Approach To Earth (1.170 AU)
Aug 29 - Asteroid 78577 JPL Closest Approach To Earth (1.974 AU)
Aug 29 - Asteroid 48300 Kronk Closest Approach To Earth (1.987 AU)
Aug 29-Sep 01 - 8th Asia-Pacific International Conference On Gravitation, Nara, Japan
Aug 29-Sep 02 - Cefalu 2007: XXI Century Challenges for Stellar Evolution, Sicily, Italy
Aug 30 - Cassini, Rhea Flyby
Aug 30 - Asteroid 2 Pallas At Opposition (8.9 Magnitude)
Aug 30 - 15th Anniversary (1992), David Jewitt's & Jane Luu's Discovery of (1992 QB1)
Aug 31 - Cassini, Titan Flyby
Aug 31 - Asteroid 33342 (1998 WT24) Near-Mercury Flyby (0.049 AU)

__________________


L

Posts: 131433
Date:
Permalink  
 

Sagittarius and the Galactic Centre.
For northern observers, the Teapot of Sagittarius should be dashing across the southern horizon. Observe the lower western corner, which lies immediately above the stinger of Scorpio, the scorpion. You are now looking straight toward the heart of the galaxy, the galactic centre. The actual centre is not visible to us due to the unimaginable amount of dust and stars blocking the way, but we do know something about it thanks to both radio and infrared radiation that is not so easily blocked.

Summer triangle
The Summer Triangle is what is known in the trade as an "asterism", or a portion of a constellation. Asterisms are simply convenient grouping of stars which may lie within a single constellation or stretch across several, and frequently reflect local culture. For instance, what some people call the Big Dipper since it looks somewhat akin to a large spoon or water ladle, the Scottish refer to as The Plough.
The Summer Triangle is made up of the three stars Vega in Lyra, Altair located in Aquila, and Deneb which is found in Cygnus the Swan. Vega is the brightest of the three and at .04 magnitude, the fifth brightest star in the sky. As with all bright stars it has its share of myth and lore tightly bound to it.
The Greeks called it "Cithara," the Babylonians named it "Dilgan" and it was "Allore" to the Arabs. And it is toward this part of the sky that our solar system is rushing (the "Solar Apex"), at 12 miles-per-second. At this rate it will take us 450,000 years to reach the vicinity of Vega. But what a view we will have then! Vega, about 27 light years away, is 58 times the luminosity of the Sun and 3 1/2 times the diameter.
Over toward the east is Deneb, the tail of the swan. Deneb is one of the furthest of the bright stars, and one of the most luminous. Deneb is a "supergiant," and represents one of the greatest known. With a luminosity equal to 60,000 suns, it has an absolute magnitude of -7.1 and lies 1600 light years away.
Below Cygnus is Aquila the Eagle, home of Altair the 11th brightest star in the sky at magnitude 0.76. It is also one of the closest, nine times more luminous than the Sun and 1 1/2 times the size. Altair has one of the fastest rotations known, making a complete spin in only 6 1/2 days, compared to over 25 days for the Sun. Because of this it must be rather flattened, with an equatorial diameter nearly twice the polar diameter.

Epsilon Lyrae
The beautiful constellation of Lyra, the Lyre, contains one of the most acclaimed and spectacular multiple star systems. Known as Epsilon Lyrae this grouping is actually made of four stars sometimes called the "double double". The two brighter ones may be easily split in a pair of binoculars, and each of them have a dimmer companion that a small telescope should reveal.
The constellation also contains most enchanting of all deep-sky objects, the Ring Nebula. The Ring is what is called a "planetary nebula" formed largely from an expanding shell of material cast off by a star as it ages. M57 is one of the brightest and best of these. Unlike many deep-sky objects that often require just a bit of imagination to make out, this comes close to actually looking like the photographs. A stark, slightly elongated loop of material standing out against the darkness of the sky, the ninth magnitude ring is very easy to find, located right in between the two end stars of the constellation.
Located about 1400 light years distant the Ring is estimated to be about 1/2 light year in diameter, expanding at 12 miles per second. The central star that illuminates the material is a real challenge for amateur telescopes. Shining at a feeble 15th magnitude, it is well beyond the range of smaller instruments.

Whirlpool Galaxy, M51

M51 is better known as the "Whirlpool Galaxy" due to its pronounced spiral form, and is located right below the handle of the "Plough". This was the first ever to be seen as a spiral in the mid-19th century. While visible in the smallest instruments, its twisted nature will not show in anything less than an eight-inch telescope, while a 12-inch is recommended. Its galactic arms loop around the central core three times. With a luminosity of 10 billion suns and a diameter of 100,000 light years, M51 is roughly equivalent to M31, the great Andromeda galaxy and in turn, our own Milky Way.
The Whirlpool is about 35 million light years away and glows at a genial eighth magnitude. In the sky it is seen face on and is about 1/3rd of the visual width of the Moon. It should be visible as a dim fuzzy patch in a pair of binoculars in a very dark sky. If you are lucky in that regard, step outside and see what you can see tonight.

__________________


L

Posts: 131433
Date:
Permalink  
 

Objects in orbit that are forecasted to decay and re-enter the Earths atmosphere
Catalogue Number Name International
Designator
Country
Decay
Date
RCS
471 THOR ABLESTAR DEB 1961-015FH US 2007-08-03 0.04
29708 DELTA 4 DEB 2006-050BW US 2007-08-05 0.02
31599 DELTA 2 R/B 2007-023B US 2007-08-07 8.58
29632 DELTA 4 DEB 2006-050BT US 2007-08-09 0.01
31865 OICETS DEB 2005-031M JPN 2007-08-10 0.02
31105 H-2A DEB 2007-005H JPN 2007-08-13 0.03
17650 THOR ABLESTAR DEB 1961-015LK US 2007-08-17 0.0800001
30618 FENGYUN 1C DEB 1999-025AMZ PRC 2007-08-20 0.01
29542 DELTA 4 DEB 2006-050G US 2007-08-21 0.05
31050 FENGYUN 1C DEB 1999-025BEU PRC 2007-08-22 0
25647 PEGASUS R/B 1999-011B US 2007-08-26 2.6


__________________


L

Posts: 131433
Date:
Permalink  
 

Shower Activity Period Maximum Radiant Velocity ZHR
    Date R.A. Dec. km/s  
S. Delta-Aquariids
July 14-Aug 18
30th July
3.9h
-51.8d
14 km/s
11.2
Gamma Aquarids   2 August        
Alpha Ursa Majorids   10 August        
Northern Iota Aquariids   12 August        
Kappa Cygnids   12 August 18.6h 46.2° 29.7km/s 5.8
Piscids   13 August        
Perseids   13 August 3.2h 58.1° 59.3km/s 79.9
Alpha Capricornids   15 August 21.2h -5.8° 17.5km/s 11.7
Cygnids   18 August        
Ypsilon Pegasids   18 August 1.1h 53.4° 34.8km/s 4.7
Alpha Ursa Majorids   25 August 12.3h 65.8° 35.0km/s 3.7
Alpha Aurigids   26 August        
   
     
Yes, click this! for UK (A.Smith)

Radio Meteor Observation Station Track



__________________


L

Posts: 131433
Date:
Highlights
Permalink  
 


August 1 is the date of an ancient Pagan festival of Lammas or Lughnasadh (LOO-nah-sah). It marks the beginning of the last quarter of the Celtic year. The festival is associated with the god Lugh, or Samildanach, which means "he of many gifts".

The Perseids Meteor Shower Peaks on August 13th

Albireo
Probably the most colorful double star in the night sky can now be found nearly overhead at 11:30 p.m. local daylight time, in the constellation of Cygnus the Swan, also known as the Northern Cross. Albireo supposedly marks the swans beak.
A small telescope, or even a pair of steadily held binoculars, will readily split Albireo into two tiny points of light of beautiful contrasting colors: the brighter one a rich yellowish-orange, the other a deep azure blue, both placed very close together. An absolutely stunning view will come with a telescope magnifying between 18 and 30 power.

Sagittarius and the Galactic Centre.
For northern observers, the Teapot of Sagittarius should be dashing across the southern horizon. Observe the lower western corner, which lies immediately above the stinger of Scorpio, the scorpion. You are now looking straight toward the heart of the galaxy, the galactic centre. The actual centre is not visible to us due to the unimaginable amount of dust and stars blocking the way, but we do know something about it thanks to both radio and infrared radiation that is not so easily blocked.

Total lunar eclipse for some on the 28th

__________________


L

Posts: 131433
Date:
RE: August 2007
Permalink  
 


Britain is well placed to enjoy the best of this year's Perseids meteor shower, which peaks under moonless skies on the morning of 13 August. Of course, our weather will have the last word and we can only hope for an improvement after the recent dismal spell.
Elsewhere in our August skies, Venus and Saturn have disappeared at last into our evening twilight to leave Jupiter as our only prominent evening planet. It lies very low in the south-west at our map times as the Summer Triangle (Vega, Deneb and Altair) dominates our high southern sky and the "W" of Cassiopeia stands high in the north-east.
Mars is climbing and brightening during the morning hours while Mercury may be glimpsed before dawn during the coming week. Venus becomes a morning star at the month's end, when, on the 28th, there is also a total eclipse of the Moon.

Read more
2007 08 03  5:00 UT    Mercury at greatest illuminated extent (morning)
2007 08 04 0:00 UT Moon at perigee, 368,891 km
2007 08 13 5:00 UT Meteor shower peak -- Perseids
2007 08 13 18:00 UT Neptune at opposition
2007 08 19 3:00 UT Moon at apogee, 404,618 km
2007 08 28 10:00 UT Total lunar eclipse -- totality lasts from 09:52 UT to 11:23 UT
2007 08 31 0:00 UT Moon at perigee, 364,171 km


__________________


L

Posts: 131433
Date:
Permalink  
 

Aug073

__________________


L

Posts: 131433
Date:
Permalink  
 

Aug07

__________________
«First  <  1 2 | Page of 2  sorted by
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.



Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse
Powered by ActiveBoard