{"id":33638,"date":"2022-07-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-20T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=33638"},"modified":"2022-07-21T14:33:26","modified_gmt":"2022-07-21T14:33:26","slug":"august-highlights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/2022\/07\/20\/august-highlights\/","title":{"rendered":"August highlights"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Your guide to the night sky this month<\/p>\n\n

All month<\/h4>\n\n

August represents the last chance to see brightening Comet C\/2017 K2 PanSTARRS from the UK. The comet starts the month in southern Ophiuchus, ending August near the claws of Scorpius and continuing to brighten all the while before reaching perihelion in December.<\/p>\n\n

Monday 1<\/h5>\n\n

The first opportunity to take our Deep-Sky Tour <\/a>occurs in the first week of August before the bright Moon interferes. The second opportunity occurs starting on 20 August through to the end of the month. This month we\u2019re looking at objects around Sagitta.<\/p>\n\n


Tuesday 2<\/h5>\n\n

The mag. +5.8 planet Uranus appears just 1.3\u00ba north of mag. +0.2 Mars this morning. The pair are located about 20\u00ba above the eastern horizon at 02:30 BST (01:30 UT). Binoculars may give a view of dim Uranus.<\/p>\n\n


Wednesday 3<\/h5>\n\n

Magnitude \u20130.3 Mercury is roughly 1\u00ba from mag. +1.3 Regulus on 3 and 4 August, making it a possible telescope target for daytime viewing. If you try, however, take care as the Sun will be just 18\u00ba to the west.<\/p>\n\n

Thursday 4<\/h5>\n\n

The clair-obscur effects known as the lunar X and V will be visible on the terminator of this afternoon\u2019s 42%-lit waxing crescent Moon. The effects will be formed around 19:20 BST (18:20 UT) when the Moon is just to the west of south in the daytime sky.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Sunday 7<\/h5>\n\n

With just a week to go before Saturn reaches opposition, this is the time to start noting the relative brightness of the planet\u2019s rings compared to its disc. Over the next evenings, the rings will slowly brighten to a peak at opposition on 14 August.<\/p>\n\n


Thursday 11<\/h5>\n\n

Moonwatch this month takes in the albedo feature Reiner Gamma, a bright swirl on the surface of Oceanus Procellarum. Unlike relief features, which require oblique lighting to see at their best, albedo features are best seen around full Moon.<\/p>\n\n


Friday 12<\/h5>\n\n

The full Moon lies 5.1\u00ba south of mag. +0.3 Saturn in the early hours of this morning. Catch the pairing as darkness falls on 11 August until closest just before moonset at 05:30 BST (04:30 UT) on 12 August.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Saturday 13<\/h5>\n\n

This morning plays host to the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. However, the presence of a just-past-full Moon in Aquarius will render this year\u2019s visual peak unfavourable.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Sunday 14<\/h5>\n\n

The planet Saturn reaches opposition today, a time when its rings should appear at their brightest due to the so-called \u2018opposition effect\u2019.<\/p>\n\n


Monday 15<\/h5>\n\n

This morning\u2019s 87%-lit waning gibbous Moon lies 6\u00ba from mag. \u20132.6 Jupiter.<\/p>\n\n


Friday 19<\/h5>\n\n

Magnitude 0.0 Mars sits 5.7\u00ba south of the Pleiades open cluster this morning. As the sky begins to brighten, the last quarter Moon will also be nearby, sitting a fraction less than 4\u00ba from Mars.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Saturday 20<\/h5>\n\n

A 41%-lit waning crescent Moon,<\/p>\n\n

magnitude 0.0 Mars and the Pleiades form an isosceles triangle this morning, an attractive sight if you have clear skies.<\/p>\n\n


Tuesday 23<\/h5>\n\n

Minor planet 4 Vesta reaches opposition at mag. +6.0. For more details and a full chart, see our Comets and Asteroids section<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
Thursday 25<\/h5>\n\n

A 4%-lit waning crescent Moon sits 3\u00ba north of the Beehive Cluster, M44, very low above the east-northeast horizon just before dawn. View from around 04:00 BST (03:00 UT). 40 minutes later, mag. \u20133.8 Venus appears.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Friday 26<\/h5>\n\n

A 1%-lit waning crescent Moon lies 4.5\u00ba northeast (left as seen from the UK) of mag. \u20133.8 Venus this morning. Catch them together from 05:00 BST (04:00 UT).<\/p>\n\n

Sunday 28<\/h5>\n\n

Catch a very thin and beautiful 2%-lit waxing crescent Moon low above the west horizon just after sunset this evening. The Moon sets approximately 50 minutes after the Sun.<\/p>\n\n

<\/div>
\n

Family stargazing <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Noctilucent clouds (NLCs) are excellent targets for youngsters to look out for. Typically seen 90\u2013120 minutes after sunset low above the northwest horizon, or a similar time before sunrise low above the northeast horizon, they just require a flat, clear horizon and keen eyes. They shine with a white\/blue-white colour and have a fine wispy structure. Any regular clouds in the area will appear dark against NLCs \u2013 high altitude ice-sheet clouds, which are so high that they can reflect sunlight at night even though the Sun is below the horizon for us on the ground. bbc.co.uk\/cbeebies\/shows\/stargazing<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

NEED TO<\/strong> KNOW<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

The terms and symbols used in The Sky Guide<\/p>\n\n

Universal Time (UT) and British Summer Time (BST)<\/strong>
Universal Time (UT) is the standard time used by astronomers around the world. British Summer Time (BST) is one hour ahead of UT<\/p>\n\n

RA (Right ascension) and dec. (declination)<\/strong>
These coordinates are the night sky\u2019s equivalent of longitude and latitude, describing where an object is on the celestial \u2018globe\u2019<\/p>\n\n

Naked eye<\/strong>
Allow 20 minutes for your eyes to become dark-adapted<\/p>\n\n

Photo opp<\/strong>
Use a CCD, planetary camera or standard DSLR<\/p>\n\n

Binoculars<\/strong>
10×50 recommended<\/p>\n\n

Small\/ medium scope<\/strong>
Reflector\/SCT under 6 inches, refractor under 4 inches<\/p>\n\n

Large scope<\/strong>
Reflector\/SCT over 6 inches, refractor over 4 inches<\/p>\n\n

<\/div>
\n
GETTING STARTED<\/strong> IN ASTRONOMY<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re new to astronomy, you\u2019ll find two essential reads on our website. Visit http:\/\/bit.ly\/10_easylessons<\/a> <\/strong>for our 10-step guide to getting started and http:\/\/bit.ly\/buy_scope<\/a> <\/strong>for advice on choosing a scope<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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