* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: August 2014

Blobrana · L

Maximum western lunar libration is at 18:11.5 UT, 4th August. This is the most westerly libration of 2014. The limb is in shadow - (possible Earthshine opportunity?)

Blobrana · L

Bright Asteroids at Opposition

Asteroid (80) Sappho is at Opposition in constellation Aquila on the 4th August.
Magnitude: 9.9
Distance to Earth: 0.946 AU
Distance to Sun: 1.936 AU

Asteroid (16) Psyche is at Opposition in constellation Capricornus on the 7th August.
Magnitude: 9.3
Distance to Earth: 1.688 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.702 AU

Asteroid (14) Irene is at Opposition in constellation Capricornus on the 8th August.
Magnitude: 10.2
Distance to Earth: 1.827 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.829 AU

Asteroid (233) Asterope is at Opposition in constellation Aquarius on the 9th August.
Magnitude: 11.3
Distance to Earth: 1.425 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.423 AU

Asteroid (97) Klotho is at Opposition in constellation Capricornus on the 16th August.
Magnitude: 11.1
Distance to Earth: 1.671 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.681 AU

Asteroid (26) Proserpina is at Opposition in constellation Capricornus on the 18th August.
Magnitude: 10.8
Distance to Earth: 1.603 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.612 AU

Asteroid (584) Semiramis is at Opposition in constellation Aquarius on the 19th August.
Magnitude: 10.4
Distance to Earth: 0.912 AU
Distance to Sun: 1.905 AU

Asteroid (63) Ausonia is at Opposition in constellation Aquarius on the 24th August.
Magnitude: 9.7
Distance to Earth: 1.193 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.204 AU

Asteroid (409) Aspasia is at Opposition in constellation Pegasus on the 31st August.
Magnitude: 11.2
Distance to Earth: 1.622 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.600 AU

Blobrana · L

Meteor Showers

August has one major meteor shower.
The Perseids Meteor Shower that peaks on August 13th.

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		18 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

Blobrana · L

Highlights

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 at 05:00 UT, 13th August 2014.

Albireo
Probably the most colourful 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 colours: 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.

Blobrana · L

Mercury: at magnitude -1.5, starts the month in the constellation of Cancer. Mercury is at superior conjunction on the 8th August.
(On August 1st, RA= 8h10m33s Dec=+21°14.5' (J2000) Distance=1.274AU Phase k=93% Diameter=5.3")

Venus: is at magnitude -3.9. The planet is in the morning skies in the constellation Gemini at the start of the month.
(On August 1st, RA= 7h09m57s Dec=+22°22.7' (J2000) Distance=1.546AU Phase k=92% Diameter=10.8")

Earth: A perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system (Supermoon) on the 10th August 2014.

The Moon: Full moon (perigee-syzygy) at 18:09.4 UT, 10th August (This is the largest full moon of the year.). Lunar perigee (distance 356896.0 km) at 17:49.1 UT, 10th August. Last Quarter Moon is at 12:25.8 UT 17th August. Lunar apogee (distance: 405807.2 km) is at 06:24.0 UT, 24th August. New Moon is at 14:12.8 UT, 25th August. First Quarter Moon at 00:49.7 UT, 4th August, 2014.

Mars: at magnitude 0.4 starts the month in the constellation Virgo. The Moon is close to Mars (Separation 5°) on the 3rd and 31st August. Martian northern autumnal equinox and southern Spring begins on the 17th August. Mars is in conjunction (Separation 3.4°) with Saturn on the 25th August.
(On August 1st, RA=14h03m18s Dec=-13°37.7' (J2000) Distance=1.195AU Phase k=86% Diameter=7.8")

Jupiter: is in the constellation Cancer. At magnitude -1.8, the planet is observable in the morning sky later this month. Mercury is in conjunction (Separation 56.7') with Jupiter on the 2nd August. Venus is in conjunction (Separation 11.9') with Jupiter on the 18th August.

Transit times of the Great Red Spot are posted in a separate thread.
(On August 1st, RA= 8h22m46s Dec=+19°48.9' (J2000) Distance=6.279AU Diameter=31.4")

Saturn: at magnitude 0.5 sits in the constellation Libra. Saturn is about 5.5° from the Moon on the 4th (Occultation of Saturn by the Moon for Australia at ~10:31 UT) and on the 31st August (The Moon occults Saturn in the daytime for the Eastern US at ~18:59 UT, August 31st). There will be a Conjunction of Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon on the 23rd August. Saturn's rings are tilted ~17 degrees to our line of sight.
(On August 1st, RA=14h58m59s Dec=-14°39.5' (J2000) Distance=9.747AU Diameter=17.0")

Uranus: is in the constellation Pisces. Uranus at magnitude 5.8, has a bluish-green hue and appears 3.5 arcseconds wide.
(On August 1st, RA= 1h00m59s Dec= +5°45.7' (J2000) Distance=19.613AU Diameter=3.6")

Neptune: is at magnitude 7.8 in the constellation Aquarius. The planet is best seen in the early hours. Neptune makes its closest approach to the earth (distance 28.962 AU) on the 28th August. Neptune is at Opposition on the 29th.
(On August 4th, RA=22h34m41s Dec= -9°45.8' (J2000) Distance=29.053AU Diameter=2.3")

Pluto: is in the constellation Sagittarius (mag 14.1). Normally, a finder chart is necessary to help in identifying the 0.13" diameter dwarf planet.
(On August 2nd, RA=18h48m33s Dec=-20°25.0' (J2000) Distance=31.809AU Diameter=0.1")

The Sun enters the zodiac sign of Virgo at 04:46 UT on the 23rd August, 2014.