Sunrise     1st:   05.24           31st:   06.16

Sunset      1st:   21.04           31st:   20.00

Astronomical Darkness

1st:   00.35  to  01.55             31st:  22.13  to  04.04

Day Length:  

1st:  15.39.37                 31st:  13.43.57

New Moon:  8th at 14.51, when the Moon passes 4 degrees 40’ north of the Sun.

Full Moon:  22nd at 13.01.  Angular diameter 31’ 29”

Lunar perigee:  17th at 10.15. (distance 369126 Km,  angular diameter 32’ 21”,  74% waxing)

Lunar apogee:   2nd at  08.35   (distance 404410 Km, angular diameter 29’ 31”, 29% waning)

                         30th at  03.22   (distance 404098 Km, angular diameter 29’ 33”,  47% waning) 

The August full Moon is a Blue Moon using the original definition of the third full Moon in a season which has 4.  This is much less common than the more widely used definition of the second full Moon in a calendar month, the next one won’t be until August 2024.

Because August has only one full Moon, the other names for it also apply.

The most common name is the Old Farmer’s Almanac’s Sturgeon Moon, so called because the fish were said to be caught easily at this time.  Other names are the Colonial American Dog Days Moon, the Medieval English Corn Moon and the Neo Pagan Lightning or Lightening Moon (mis-spelling or different meaning?).  The Chinese have their Harvest Moon at this time and the Inuit call it the Swan Flying Moon. It’s the Celtic and Medieval English Dispute Moon - did the warm weather make them more argumentative?  

Among the dozens of Indigenous American names given in various sources are the Hopi Joyful Moon, the Choctaw Women’s Moon, the Cherokee Fruit Moon or Drying Moon, the Sioux Black Cherries Moon, the Ojibwa Rice Making Moon and the Dakota Sioux Moon When all Things Ripen.

Highlights

Jupiter is very bright, reaching opposition on 20th, about 9 degrees higher than last year.  The full Moon passes close by on the morning of 22nd.  In early August Saturn is at opposition, much fainter and a few degrees lower but well worth observing through a scope as the rings are much brighter around this time. For those with a very dark sky site and good binoculars the distant ice giants are a good target, especially towards the end of the month.  We have one of the best meteor showers of the year, moonlight free, and another, usually minor, shower may produce an outburst right at the end of the month.  For a change, this month’s showers favour northern observers.

And, astronomical darkness is increasing - 80 minutes on 1st, up to almost 6 hours on the night of 31st/Sept 1st.

Planets

Mercury:  in Cancer, mag -2.1

Very bright at the start of the month but, unfortunately, not visible as it is at superior conjunction on 1st, when it passes 1 degree 41’ north of the Sun at 15.14.  It then becomes an evening object but remains very low.  It moves into Leo on 6th, when it sets at 21.17 and appears only 5 degrees from the Sun.  On 19th, now down to mag -0.5, it is only 4’ south of Mars at 04.00, however on the evenings of 18th and 19th it is on the horizon at dusk, setting around 21.00. It reaches its (very low) highest point in the evening sky on 21st, still only 4 degrees above the horizon at sunset, but one degree below by the time the sky darkens.  It is in Virgo from 27th and on 31st sets at 20.32, only half an hour after the Sun. 

Venus:  in Leo, mag -3.9

Also very low in the evening sky, setting not long after Mercury - about an hour on 1st, down to 30 minutes by month end - but much easier to see as it is so bright. On 1st it is 4 degrees above the horizon at dusk, setting at 22.12, visible for a short time to observers with a low, clear western horizon. On 11th, when it moves into Virgo, the Moon passes 4 degrees 19’ north at 07.59.  They are separated by about 9 degrees after sunset on 10th,when the Moon is 5% lit, and 6 degrees on 11th, with the Moon now 11%. On 31st Venus is still 4 degrees above the horizon in twilight and sets at 21.02. 

Mars:  in Leo, mag 1.8

Not visible this month as it is so low in the evening sky, setting in twilight. On 1st it sets at 21.53 and is 5 degrees below the horizon by the time the sky darkens. On 19th it is just 4’ north of Mercury at 5am, a few degrees apart on the evenings on 18th and 19th, but much too low to be seen in the evening twilight and too close to the Sun for safe binocular viewing. On 31st Mars sets at 20.25, only 40 minutes after the Sun, apparent separation 12 degrees. 

Jupiter:  in Aquarius, mag -2.8

Bright enough to be seen before midnight, despite being quite low in the sky.  On 1st it rises at 21.47 and reaches 7 degrees in the SE by 23.00, culminating, 23 degrees in the south, at 02.40 and remaining visible until dawn.  On 19th, when it crosses into Capricorn, its moons Io and Ganymede are only 2” apart as the planet is lost to the morning twilight.  If looking at these through a scope or binoculars take great care to stop before sunrise. The following day it is at opposition, visible from dusk till dawn and reaching its highest point, 22 degrees in the south, at 01.14.   On the morning of 22nd the full Moon passes just under 4 degrees to the south at 05.56, a few arcseconds closer at 08.11. The separation is around 6 degrees at midnight of the 21st/22nd.  On the evening of 22nd Ganymede, Europa and their shadows cross the planet as it is rising for UK observers. On 31st it rises at 19.42 and gets to 8 degrees in the SE by 9pm, culminating at 00.27 and visible until around 5am, as dawn breaks.

Saturn: in Capricorn, mag 0.2

Much fainter than Jupiter and quite low in the sky but well worth observing through a scope. On 1st it rises at 21.05 and is at 10 degrees by 22.45, culminating, 18 degrees in the south, at 01.23.  It will remain visible until the end of astro darkness at 4am, when it is down to 10 degrees in the SW.   It is at opposition on 2nd, culminating at 01.18.   For a few days around this time the rings appear noticeably brighter, this is known as the Seeliger effect - see July’s notes for an explanation. On 20th the 98% Moon is 3 degrees 42’ south of the planet at 23.15, about 45 minutes before it culminates at 17 degrees in the south.  The two are marginally closer at 00.39.  On 31st Saturn rises at 18.56, and gets to 10 degrees above the SE horizon around 20.45.  It culminates, 7 degrees higher, at 23.10 and sinks to 10 degrees in the SW by 2am.

Uranus:  in Aries, mag 5.8

Its position improves during the month, on 1st it rises a few minutes before midnight and should be visible from 02.30, with the 35% Moon 2 degrees 30’ to the south, until dawn, when it reaches 31 degrees.  On 20th it begins retrograde motion, appearing to move from east to west across the sky. On this day it is visible from 1am and gets to 47 degrees by dawn.  On 28th, the Moon, now at 60%, again passes close by - 5 degrees to the SW at 2am.  On 31st, now very slightly brighter at mag 5.7, Uranus rises at 21.48 and is high enough for observing soon after midnight, getting to 47 degrees by 04.15, when the sky begins to brighten.   It could possibly be seen with the naked eye from a very dark sky site, especially in the later part of the month when it gets quite high in darkness.  It should be an easy binocular target but a scope is needed to show the small blue/green disc. 

Neptune: in Aquarius, mag 7.9

Also improving its position during August, though it doesn’t get as high as Uranus.  On 1st it rises at 22.24 and should be observable soon after 1am, reaching 31 degrees before it gets lost in the brightening sky around 03.30.  After the first week in the month it culminates in darkness - on 7th it becomes visible before 1am and reaches its highest point, 33 degrees, at 03.42, a couple of minutes before fading from view as the sky brightens. On 24th the waning gibbous Moon passes 4 degrees to the south at 3am, half an hour before the planet culminates.  On 31st Neptune rises at 20.25,  observable soon after 23.00, when it is at 23 degrees in the SE.  Highest point, 32 degrees, is at 02.05 down to 22 degrees in the SW by dawn.  If conditions and eyesight are good enough to see Uranus without optical aid, it should also be possible to observe Neptune using binoculars, but the rich blue coloured disc can only be seen through a scope.  

Dwarf Planets

Ceres:  in Taurus, mag 9.2

The closest dwarf planet, the only one orbiting in the (relatively) nearby Asteroid Belt, is not at its best this month.  On 1st it rises at 01.03 and is still only 19 degrees by dawn - not quite high enough for telescopic observing.   After the first few days it is briefly high before fading from view as the sky brightens, on 4th it reaches 22 degrees at 03.30.  On 31st, now at mag 8.9  it rises at 22.20 and is observable from soon after 2am, reaching 23 degrees in darkness.

Pluto:  in Sagittarius, mag 14.9

Still too low for imaging, maximum 13 degrees above the horizon.  Anyone wanting to have a try at imaging it any time in the next few years will have to travel much further south.

Haumea:  in Bootes, mag 17.4

Now too low in the west after sunset for successful imaging.

Makemake:  in Coma Berenices, mag 17.3

Slightly higher, but only for a very short time in the first few days in August.

Eris:  in Cetus, mag 18.8

The most distant, and faintest, of the five officially designated dwarf planets is a difficult target for even the very best astrophotographers.  It is high enough for a short time at the start of the month,  half an hour on 1st, up to about 4 hours by 31st. 

Asteroids at opposition

43 Ariadne: in Aquarius, mag 9.6

Opposition on 19th at 20.10.  Observable from 22.37 when it reaches 21 degrees in the SE.  It culminates at 01.10, when it is at 30 degrees in the south, and is down to 21 degrees in the SW by 03.45.

89 Julia:  in Aquarius, mag 9.0

Opposition on 24th at 15.22.  Observable from 10pm, when it is at 23 degrees in the SE, reaching 36 degrees in the south at 01.07.  By 04.30 it has sunk to 21 degrees in the SW.

Comets

67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko:  in Pisces, mag 11.1

Still very faint but reaching a reasonable altitude by dawn.  On 1st it rises at 23.34 and should be high enough for imaging from 2am, reaching 31 degrees in the SE before the sky gets too bright around 03.30.  It moves into Cetus on 11th, now at mag 10.7,  observable from 01.36 and reaching 39 degrees in the SE by dawn.  It is in Aries from 23rd, when it is at 44 degrees in the SE before fading from view and on 31st, now at mag 10, rises at 22.15, becoming observable just before 1am and reaching 48 degrees in the SE in darkness.

It is predicted to peak at mag 8.3 in early November, when it will be visible for most of the night, culminating at 63 degrees.

15P/Finlay:  in Taurus, mag 9.0

Very low in the pre dawn sky in early August.  On 1st it only reaches 18 degrees by the time the sky brightens.  A week later it gets to 22 degrees a few minutes before dawn. It is in Gemini from 17th, now at mag 9.6 and high enough for imaging for about half an hour, getting to 26 degrees in the east before fading from view.  On 31st it is observable from 03.30 and reaches 34 degrees in the east in darkness but has faded to mag 10.2.

Meteor Showers

We have one of the best showers of the year this month - and it won’t be spoiled by moonlight.  Fingers crossed for clear skies!

Perseids:  active 17th July to 24th August, peak on the night of 12th/13th, ZHR could be as high as 150 - though some sources say around 110 or even as low as 50 to 70.  We could see almost peak rates from the darkest areas around Manchester.  Rates are said to be quite low for most of the period of activity but quite high for a day or so either side of the peak. 

The radiant is circumpolar, highest at 07.00, so the shower is best seen in the hours before dawn. However the peak time is given as 20.00 on 12th, so it’s also worth looking after dusk on that day, though the radiant at that time is low in the north.  

Perseids are fast moving meteors, around 60 Km/sec, often leaving trails.  Many are extremely bright so visible even from light polluted areas. There may also be some fireballs.  The peak is close to the new Moon, so there won’t be any interference. Parent comet is 109P/Swift-Tuttle.

Kappa Cygnids:  active 3rd to 25th August, peak on the night of 17th/18th, ZHR 3 (2 from Manchester).

The radiant, in Draco, is circumpolar, highest around 22.00.  This shower is said to be unpredictable because the dust cloud responsible is very diffuse.  The exact time of the peak is often regarded as uncertain, though one source does give it as 01.00 on 18th, not long after the Moon has set. The shower showed higher activity in 2007 and 2014 but nothing is forecast for this year.   

These are very slow moving meteors, 25 Km/sec, parent body not known for sure, could be minor planet 2008 ED9.

Aurigids:  active 28th August to 5th September, peak on the night of 31st/1st, ZHR usually around 6 but occasionally 50 or more.  An outburst in 2007 had a ZHR of 130 - but only for 20 minutes.  There could be good activity this year around 22.30 on 31st.  The bad news is that, at this time, the radiant is only 10 degrees above the NE horizon.  The best time to see this shower is usually in the pre dawn hours, when the radiant is high, however the gibbous Moon rises soon after 11pm on 31st so will interfere at this time. They are fast moving meteors, 66 Km/sec, parent comet C/1911/Kiess.

There could be some activity on 12th at 05.22, unfortunately only 20 minutes before sunrise, from the dust trail of comet C/1852 (Chacornac),   The radiant is in Cetus, much lower than that of the Perseids which also peak around this time, so they should be easily distinguishable.

There could be one or two meteors from the Antihelion Source, but it isn't at its best in August. 

https://www.imo.net/resources/calendar/

https://www.timeanddate.com

Sunrise       1st:  04.44           31st:   05.23

Sunset        1st:  21.40           31st:   21.06  

Astronomical darkness.    None till 30th:   01.06 to 01.24      31st:  00.46 to 01.44

Astronomical twilight.       1st:  00.04 to 02.21

Day length  1st:   16.55.52     31st:   15.43.07

Earth is at aphelion at 23.27 on 5th, when it will be 1.02 AU from the Sun, which will have an angular diameter of 31’ 27”

New Moon:    10th at 02.16   (passes 3 degrees 10’ north of the Sun)

Full Moon:     24th at 03.36  (angular diameter 32’ 20”)

Lunar apogee:    5th at 14.49   (405341Km,  angular diameter 29’ 27”)

Lunar perigee:   21st at 10.31  (364519Km,  angular diameter 32’ 45”)

July’s full Moon is most commonly known as the Buck Moon, because this is the time when deer are growing new antlers. Other names given in the Old Farmers Almanac are the Wort Moon, the Salmon Moon and the Thunder Moon.

It was the Colonial American Summer Moon, the Medieval English Mead Moon, the old English/Anglo Saxon Hay Moon and the Celtic Corn Moon or Claiming Moon - tried Googling that one to find out what they were claiming at this time, but all I could find was ‘Who owns the Moon?’ articles, the fact that 20% of Americans still claim that the Moon landings were faked - and a Scottish butcher who was over the Moon when his sausages claimed first prize in a competition.

The Neo Pagan name is the Rose Moon and for the Chinese it’s the Hungry Ghost Moon (not the Hungary Moon, as given in one site).  The Inuit called it the Dry Moon - it doesn’t say whether this refers to the weather or their alcohol consumption.  

Among the many Indigenous American names are the Cherokee Ripe Corn Moon, the Cree’s Feather Moulting Moon and the Algonquin and Ojibwa‘s Raspberry Moon.

The Dakota name is The Moon when the Chokecherries are ripe.  These are a species native to N America, so called because the fruit, though edible, is very sour.   

Highlights

We have some astronomical darkness at the end of July - 18 minutes on the night of 30th/31st and nearly an hour on the following night. The days are getting shorter, good news for astronomers as, of course, that means the nights are getting longer.   Jupiter and Saturn are reasonably high in the morning sky,  Jupiter very bright, Saturn much less so.  However, at the end of July Saturn’s rings will appear much brighter as it approaches opposition in early August.  Uranus and Neptune start the month very low in the pre dawn sky but both reach around 30 degrees in darkness by month end.   

The one reasonably active meteor shower will, unfortunately, be marred by moonlight and the fact that the radiant is very low when seen from the Manchester area. There are some bright late evening passes of the International Space Station from 15th to 25th.

But, if any experienced astrophotographers want to have a go at imaging a comet which was in the news not so long ago, it might be worth trying at the end of July, when 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko should be around mag 11 and reaching 30 degrees by dawn.

And 12th is the 60th anniversary of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin’s day in Manchester - the only place outside London which he visited on his trip to the UK.

Constellations

The Summer Triangle asterism (made up of Vega in the constellation of Lyra, Deneb in Cygnus and Altair in Aquila) is now quite high in the southern half of the sky. Cygnus, with its Northern Cross asterism, and Lyra are particularly prominent.

At the start of the month Pegasus, followed by Andromeda, is rising in the early hours.

As always during the summer months, it isn't the best time to see the zodiac constellations or planets as the ecliptic never gets very high in the sky.  However, if you do happen to visit a dark sky site over the next few months you should be rewarded with good views of the Milky Way high overhead running through Cygnus and down to Sagittarius just above the southern horizon.

Planets

Mercury:  in Taurus, mag 0.8

Very low in the pre dawn sky, so difficult to spot throughout July.  On 1st it is still a couple of degrees below the horizon as the sky begins to brighten, rising almost an hour before the Sun, at 03.56.  On 5th it is at greatest western elongation, 21 degrees 35’ from the Sun but, because of the very shallow angle of the ecliptic at this time, still failing to clear the horizon by dawn, and only reaching 10 degrees by sunrise.  On 8th the very thin crescent Moon passes 3 degrees 45’ north of the planet at 05.39 but they are only 20 degrees from the Sun, with Mercury 2 degrees above the horizon at dawn.  It is briefly in Orion on 11th and 12th, when it is at its highest point in the morning sky - still only getting to 4 degrees in relative darkness.  It moves into Gemini on 13th, now at mag -0.5, and is at perihelion, 31AU from the Sun, on 24th brighter at mag -1.4 but down to 3 degrees as the sky brightens.  When it moves into Cancer on 28th it appears only 5 degrees from the Sun, down to 2 degrees on 31st.  It’s a pity we won’t be able to see it as it will be at its brightest - mag -2.1.  

Venus:  in Cancer, mag -3.9

Very low in the evening sky but, because of its brightness, should be visible from a site with a clear western horizon. On 1st it is 6 degrees above the horizon as the sky darkens, setting at 23.06.  On 12th, now in Leo, the 8% Moon passes 3 degrees 15’ north of the planet at 10.09.  At dusk the pair are separated by about 5 degrees.  Mars is also close by, just over half a degree from Venus, but hardly visible as it is so much fainter.  The 2 planets are a few arcminutes closer on the evening of 13th, with the Moon now further to the east.  On 21st Venus passes just over one degree north of Regulus, Alpha Leonis, at 21.30 and on 31st is still only 5 degrees above the horizon at dusk, setting at 22.14.

Mars:  in Cancer, mag 1.8

Close to Venus in the first half of the month, 6 degrees separation on 1st but, because it is so much fainter, much more difficult to spot in the still bright sky. By the time it is dark enough Mars has sunk below the horizon. It sets at 23.21 on 1st and on 11th, when it moves into Leo, is 2 degrees below the horizon at dusk.  It is closest to Venus, less than half a degree apart, on 13th.

If you do decide to try to find it through binoculars, REMEMBER - make sure that the Sun has completely set before looking in that direction.  You don’t want Mars to be the last thing that you ever see.

 It is also at aphelion on this day, at a distance of 1.67AU from the Sun.  By 31st it is 5 degrees below the horizon as the sky darkens, setting at 21.57.

Jupiter:  in Aquarius, mag -2.7

Shining brightly in the morning sky.  On 1st it rises at 23.52 and should be high enough to be easily seen by 1am.  It reaches 24 degrees in the south as the sky brightens soon after 4am. After the first week in July it culminates in relative darkness, on 9th it reaches 7 degrees in the  SE by 00.22 and culminates at 04.15, a few minutes before dawn.  On this day the two smaller Galilean moons, Io and Europa, are only 3” apart at 02.43, a little to the west of the planet.  On the morning of 26th the 92% Moon passes 4 degrees 10’ to the south at 02.21, slightly closer, 3 degrees 55’, at 04.49 as Jupiter fades from view in the brightening sky.  On 31st it culminates at 02.41, slightly lower at 23 degrees, and should be easily visible until dawn breaks at around 5am, now down to 18 degrees in the SW.

Saturn:  in Capricorn, mag 0.4

Now around 20 degrees west of Jupiter.  On 1st it rises at 23.10 and reaches 10 degrees in the SE by 1am, culminating at 03.31, when it is 18 degrees above the southern horizon, and remaining visible for a short while longer.  On 24th the full Moon passes 3 degrees 48’ to the south at 17.38.  When Saturn becomes visible around 11pm, the separation is just over 5 degrees, with the Moon to the SE.  On 31st, now slightly brighter at mag 0.2, it is 10 degrees in the east at 11pm, culminates at 01.27 and is down to 10 degrees by dawn.   By this time Saturn is just a couple of days from opposition so the rings will appear noticeably brighter as the Sun shines directly on to them, reflecting almost all of the light back towards us, also the shadows of the small bodies which compose the rings are directly behind them at this time, rather than to the side, causing a dimming effect.  The rings are tilted towards Earth by 18 degrees, making them a beautiful sight in even a fairly small telescope.

Uranus:  in Aries, mag 5.8

Not visible until late July. On the morning of 5th the crescent Moon is 5 degrees 30’ to the west at 3am, but the planet will be very low, having risen at 01.27 and reaching only 3 degrees by dawn.  On 19th, when it rises at 00.34 and gets to 18 degrees by dawn, mag 11.6 (maybe) comet 4P/Faye is just 1 degree north of the planet in the pre dawn sky.  On 31st Uranus rises at 23.48 and becomes visible around 02.20, reaching 30 degrees before becoming lost in the brightening sky at 03.30. 

Neptune:  in Aquarius, mag 7.9

Another morning object, high enough for observing or imaging from mid month.  On 1st it rises at 00.26 but only reaches 11 degrees in darkness. On 13th it rises at 23.38 and should be high enough for a short while just before 02.30, when it reaches 22 degrees in the SE. On 28th the gibbous Moon passes 5 degrees SE of the planet at 1am, both quite low in the sky.  On 31st it rises at 22.28 and is high enough for imaging or telescopic observation from 01.15 until dawn, when it will be at 31 degrees in the south.

Dwarf Planets

Ceres:  in Aries, mag 9.3

Very low in the morning sky, on 1st it is still 7 degrees below the horizon at dawn and on 7th, when it moves into Taurus, it is 2 degrees below.  It gets higher during the month, on 31st it rises at 01.07 but only gets to 19 degrees before the sky brightens.

Pluto:  in Sagittarius, mag 14.9

Is at opposition on 18th but is still too low for successful imaging or telescopic observing.  It culminates at 01.16 but is only 13 degrees above the southern horizon.

Haumea:  in Bootes, mag 17.4

Well placed for imaging for a couple of hours in early July.  On 1st it is at 32 degrees in the west as the sky gets dark soon after midnight, sinking to 22 degrees as it begins to brighten again. By 31st it is only well placed for less than an hour from around 11pm, when it is at 28 degrees in the west.

Makemake:  in Coma Berenices, Mag 17.2

Slightly lower than Haumea, on 1st it is at 27 degrees in the west as the sky gets dark enough at around 00.35, remaining high for only 30 minutes and setting at 04.04.  By 31st this is down to only 15 minutes from 23.00, setting at 02.06.

Eris:  in Cetus, mag 18.8

Very faint, but within the reach of the best amateur astrophotographers at the end of July.  On 1st it is still 5 degrees below the horizon at dawn, but by 31st it should be high enough for imaging for about 20 minutes after 03.00, when it reaches 24 degrees in the SE.

Asteroids at Opposition

6 Hebe:  in Aquila, mag 8.4

At opposition on 19th, when it is 1.27AU from Earth.  Visible from 23.43, when it is at 23 degrees in the south, culminating a couple of degrees higher at 01.43 and down to 22 degrees in the SW by dawn.

12 Victoria:  In Aquila, mag 8.8

Opposition on 30th at 0.834AU from Earth.  It will be visible throughout the hour of darkness.  It is at 30 degrees in the SE as the sky darkens soon after 11pm,  culminating, 35 degrees in the south, at 01.02, sinking to 25 degrees in the SW by dawn.

Comets

Still nothing spectacular predicted but, at the end of July, good astrophotographers will have their first chance of imaging a comet, well known since it was visited by a spacecraft in 2014.  

67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko:  in Cetus, mag 12.2

Predicted to reach mag 8.8 in November, when it will be high in the sky, but is very faint and very low at the moment.  On 1st it rises at 01.05 but is only 5 degrees above the horizon by dawn.   Towards the end of the month it will be reasonably high in the morning sky for a short time. On 20th, now in Pisces, it rises at 00.05 and is at 22 degrees in the SE for a few minutes from 02.47 until the sky brightens.  By 31st, now at mag 11.2, it rises at 23.39 and will be high enough for imaging from 02.15, reaching 31 degrees in the SE by dawn, a little over an hour later.

C/2020 T2 (Palomar):  in Bootes, mag 10

Only high enough for imaging during the first few days in July.   On 1st it should be observable for a few minutes, soon after 00.30, when it will be at 23 degrees in the west, setting at 03.23.  By 7th, when it moves into Virgo, it is only 21 degrees at dusk, setting at 02.50.  It is at perihelion, 2.05 AU from the Sun, on 10th but is only 18 degrees at dusk.  By 31st, down to mag 10.4, it is 13 degrees in the west as the sky darkens, setting at 00.45.

15P/Finlay:  in Aries, mag 8.7

Its position is improving but not enough yet for successful imaging. At the start of July it is still below the horizon at dawn.  It goes into Taurus on 10th and is at perihelion on 14th at a distance of 1 AU from the Sun, but still only 7 degrees at dawn.  On 31st, now slightly fainter at mag 9, it rises at 00.58 and gets to 18 degrees in reasonable darkness.

4P/Faye:  in Aries, mag around 12

Only worth mentioning because it is close to Uranus, about 1 degree to the north, on 19th. However on this night they are both too low for imaging, Faye rises at 00.29 and reaches 19 degrees by dawn. By 31st, when it reaches 22 degrees by 3am, the separation is 8 degrees.

Meteor Showers

Three showers have their peak at the end of July but all have low radiants and are better seen from further south.

Piscis Austrinids

Active July 3rd to August 15th, peak 28/29th, ZHR 5  (from Manchester, maybe 1 - if you’re lucky)

These are fairly slow moving, quite bright, meteors, best chance of seeing one or two is before dawn on 29th.

Alpha Capricornids

Active July 3rd to August 15th, peak 29/30th,  ZHR 5 (from Manchester maybe 2)

The radiant is highest at 1am so the shower is best seen before dawn on 30th.  They are slow moving meteors, worth looking out for because the shower often includes bright fireballs. Parent comet 169P/NEAT.

Southern Delta Aquarids

Active July 13th to August 12th,  peak on the night of 29/30th but often shows good rates for about a week centred on that date,   ZHR 25  (from the darker areas of Manchester, around 8). The radiant rises at 22.44 and culminates at 03.00, so this is another shower best seen just before dawn.   These are faint, medium paced meteors with no trails.  Parent comet P/2008 Y12 (SOHO)

All these showers, especially the faint S Delta Aquarids, will be affected by the gibbous Moon, which rises before midnight on 28th and 29th.

The Antihelion Source (ANT)

Meteors not attributed to any specific shower, having a radiant close to the ecliptic directly opposite the position of the Sun. 

It is active in July ZHR 2-3.  The radiant is close to that of the Capricornids but the meteors are easily distinguishable as the Capricornids are much slower moving.  

https://www.imo.net/resources/calendar/

https://www.timeanddate.com

Sunrise          1st:   04.46       30th:  04.44

Sunset           1st:   21.27       30th:  21.41

Earliest sunrise:     17th at 04.39

Latest sunset:        24th at 21.42

Day length       1st:    16.40.54         30th:   16.56.58

Longest day:  21st:    17.01.52

21st is the Summer Solstice, when the Sun reaches its most northerly point in the sky and is overhead at local noon along the Tropic of Cancer. It is also the first day of astronomical summer, forecasters are predicting a heatwave around this time - fingers crossed they are right, if we have to have such short nights, at least let us have some warm days. 

Partial solar eclipse visible from Manchester:  10th between 10.06 and 12.26.  Maximum, 25%, at 11.15. See Highlights for more details. 

Astronomical darkness:  none

Astro twilight     1st:  23.39 to 02.36     30th: 00.05 to 02.19

                        21st:  00.10 to 02.10

New Moon:     10th at 11.52       

Full Moon:       24th at 19.39  (angular diameter 33’ 01”)

Lunar Apogee:       8th at 03.28  (406228 Km, angular diameter 29’ 24”)

Lunar Perigee:     23rd at 10.59  (359959 Km, angular diameter 33’ 10”)

The June Full Moon is most commonly called the Strawberry Moon, as this is the time when the ripening fruit is gathered.  This name was also used by the Algonquin and Ojibwa tribes of N America.  Other names given in the Old Farmers Almanac are the Birth Moon, the Blooming Moon, the Egg Laying Moon, the Hatching Moon, the Hot Moon and the Hoer Moon - this one because now is the time when newly sprouting plants need lots of attention.

Celtic names are the Horses Moon and the Mead Moon, it’s the Chinese Lotus Moon, the Neo Pagan’s Planting Moon, the Medieval English Dyan Moon and the Inuit’s Hunting Moon.  It was the Colonial American Rose Moon and among the many names used by Indigenous American people were the Cherokee Green Moon, the Choctaw Windy Moon and the Dakota Sioux Moon When the June Berries are Ripe.

Highlights

Astronomers are currently suffering from an excess of light - no astronomical darkness throughout June, and not even a great deal of astro twilight.  It begins around midnight and only lasts 3 hours at the start of the month, down to 2 hours around the time of the solstice on 21st.

The upside to this is that there is a chance of seeing some noctilucent clouds, when the Sun is between 6 and 16 degrees below the horizon, 60 to 90 minutes after sunset and before sunrise.  As the sky is not completely dark, these wispy silver or blue coloured clouds are best seen away from light polluted towns and cities. The most likely time for spotting some is said to be in the morning nautical twilight, ideally when the Sun is 10 degrees below the horizon.

Jupiter is now higher in the morning sky, reaching 24 degrees by dawn at month end, Saturn is much fainter and a little lower but should also be visible.  Venus is an evening object, very low, but very bright, in the twilight sky. 

And, if anyone does have radio or radar equipment, June is the best time for daytime meteor showers. 

The real highlight this month is the annular solar eclipse on 10th, visible from parts of E Canada, Greenland, Siberia and the North Pole. Because the Moon will be close to apogee at this time, it will appear smaller than average, not big enough to completely cover the Sun’s disc, so a thin ring - known as the Ring of Fire - remains visible round the Moon.

Because it is so far north, the path of annularity crosses many inaccessible, sparsely populated areas with only a 50% chance of cloud free sky.  Add to that the current restrictions on travel and it is estimated that no more than 20,000 people will actually witness it. 

In the UK we will (weather permitting) see a partial eclipse.  From Manchester the Sun will be 25% obscured at the maximum, from London only 20%. Observers up in the Shetland Isles fare better, from there the Moon will cover nearly 40% of the Sun.  

Warning:  Do not look directly at the Sun, even when it is partly eclipsed.  Special eclipse glasses, which cut out most of the light, are available and will enable you to see it safely.

Sunglasses are not dark enough, your eyes could still be damaged. 

Planets

Mercury:  in Taurus, mag 3.0

Very difficult to see this month as it appears so close to the Sun. On 1st they both set around the same time and appear separated by 13 degrees.  Mercury is at aphelion on 10th, 0.47AU from the Sun, separated by only 3 degrees and down to mag 6.1. The following day it reaches inferior conjunction, passing south of the Sun. On 30th, now at mag 1.0, it is still below the horizon as the sky brightens, rising at 03.47, about an hour before sunrise.

Venus:  in Taurus, mag -3.9

An evening object but very low in the sky after sunset. Despite its low altitude, because it is so bright, it should be visible to observers with a low, clear NW horizon. On 1st it is at 5 degrees as the sky darkens, setting at 00.53. It moves into Gemini on 3rd and on 12th at 06.30 the very thin crescent Moon is only 42’ from the planet.  The pair are separated by 5 degrees after sunset on 11th but the Moon is lower than Venus and only 1% lit so is unlikely to be visible. On 12th the Moon, now at 4%, is higher and to the left, separated by about 6 degrees.  Venus sets at 23.10, the Moon at 23.50.  It is at perihelion on this day, at a distance of 0.72AU.  It moves into Cancer on 26th, still only 6 degrees at dusk, and is no higher on 30th when it sets at 23.10. 

Mars: in Gemini, mag 1.7

Now low in the WNW at dusk. On 1st it is only 10 degrees as the sky darkens, setting at 00.35.  It moves into Cancer on 9th, when it is only 6 degrees in the twilight. On 13th the 13% Moon passes 2 degrees 48’ directly north at 20.52.  They are slightly closer, 2 degrees 46’, at 22.11 in civil twilight, when Mars will be 14 degrees above the horizon but too faint to be seen in the still bright sky.  It will be down to 5 degrees when the sky darkens, setting at 00.06.  From 22nd to 24th it passes through the Beehive Cluster very low in the WNW soon after sunset.  On 30th, now at mag 1.8, it is on the horizon at dusk, setting at 23.21.

Jupiter:  in Aquarius, mag - 2.5

Now becoming very prominent in the morning sky.  On 1st the 54% Moon passes 4 degrees 21’ to the south at 12.56.  The pair should be visible, separated by 7 degrees, at 03.00, down to 7 degrees by dawn when the planet will have reached 17 degrees.  It begins retrograde motion (appearing to move from east to west) on 20th, when it rises soon after midnight and reaches 22 degrees in the SE by dawn.  On 28th it is again close to the Moon, which is now at 76% and passes 4 degrees 27’ to the south at 19.41, on the morning of 29th they are separated by 5 degrees.  On 30th Jupiter rises at 23.56, becomes visible around 1am and reaches 24 degrees in the SE by dawn. 

Saturn:  in Capricorn, mag 0.6

Slightly lower and much fainter than Jupiter but should be visible in the morning sky.  On 1st it rises at 02.12, high enough to be seen by 3am and reaching 15 degrees in the SE as the sky brightens a little before 4am.  On 27th the 87% Moon passes 4 degrees 01’ to the south at 10.26. On this day the planet should be visible from 01.00, when the Moon is 8 degrees to the SW, until dawn breaks at around 4am, with Saturn at 18 degrees in the SW.  On 30th it rises at 23.14 and is high from 01.00, and visible until the sky gets too light at around 03.45.  The planet’s north pole is currently tilted towards us by 18.3 degrees, so the rings show well when viewed through a scope.  

Uranus:  in Aries, mag 5.9

Not visible this month.  On 1st it is still 11 degrees below the horizon as the sky begins to brighten, rising at 03.38, just over an hour before the Sun.  On 30th it rises at 01.46 in astro twilight but is still very low when dawn breaks.

Neptune:  in Aquarius, mag 7.9

On 1st it is still just below the horizon at dawn, rising at 02.21.  It begins retrograde motion on 25th, when it reaches 5 degrees in a fairly dark sky.  On 30th it rises at 00.30 and only gets to 10 degrees before the sky brightens.

Dwarf Planets

Pluto:  in Sagittarius, mag 15

Still too low for imaging, despite rising at 00.38 on 1st and 22.43 on 30th.  It is currently quite far south and, because it takes so long to orbit the Sun, it moves very slowly around the sky and, for Manchester observers, won’t get up to 20 degrees for another 40 years.

Haumea:  in Bootes, mag 17.4

Best placed for imaging in early June.  On 1st it is at 50 degrees in the west as the sky darkens around midnight, remaining high throughout astro twilight.  By 30th it is only at 32 degrees as the sky fades before 1am, down to 23 degrees by dawn.

Makemake:  in Coma Berenices, mag 17.2

On 1st it is at 49 degrees in the SW as the sky fades around midnight, remaining reasonably high until dawn.  On 30th it is at 27 degrees in the west at 00.40 and only high enough for imaging for about half an hour.

Eris:  in Cetus, mag 18.8

Still below the horizon at dawn throughout June.

Asteroids

3 Juno: in Ophiuchus, mag 10.1

Reaches opposition on 6th, when it rises at 19.42 and culminates, 32 degrees in the south, at 01.22.  High enough for imaging from 00.17 until dawn.

30 Urania: also in Ophiuchus, mag 11.1 

Opposition on 14th.  Much lower than Juno, despite being in the same constellation.  Culminates at 01.17 but only reaches 10 degrees in the south.

Comets

Still nothing spectacular - or even fairly reasonable.

18P/Finlay is at perihelion on 18th, predicted mag 8.7, but is below the horizon during the hours of darkness for UK observers.

C/2020 T2 (Palomar) in Bootes, mag 10.1

Fainter but better positioned. On 1st it is high in the sky from midnight, reaching 52 degrees in the SW before the sky brightens. By the end of June it is only high for a very short time, 23 degrees in the west from 00.40 to 00.54.

Meteor Showers

Nothing spectacular this month, we have a few showers which may (or may not) provide a few meteors.

June Bootids:  active June 22nd to July 2nd, peak June 27th.

ZHR given as variable - could be anything from zero to 30, very occasionally more - in 1998 a peak of around 100 was observed. Peak activity predicted for 11am on 27th. The radiant is circumpolar, highest at 22.00 so the shower is best seen after midnight when the sky is reasonably dark.  They are very slow moving, long lasting meteors, parent comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke.  The gibbous Moon will interfere, rising just before midnight on 27th.

June Lyrids:  active 10th to 21st, peak 15th/16th ZHR 8.

This shower was first detected in 1966 and was active for a few years but hasn’t shown much activity recently.  They were medium paced, mainly faint, blue coloured meteors with a few brighter ones which left trails.  This shower isn’t mentioned in this year’s IMO calendar.

Beta Taurids:  active June 5th to July 18th, peak June 28th, ZHR weak.

Again, not in the IMO calendar.   This shower is notable only because the 1908 Tunguska meteor is thought to be associated with it.

Antihelion Source  (ANT) active in early and late June, however the radiant, in Sagittarius, is very low.   ZHR 2 to 4.

There is still some daytime activity - meteors detectable with radio or radar equipment.

Daytime Arietids:  active May 14th to June 24th, peak June 7th, ZHR 30

The radiant of these is only 30 degrees west of the Sun, however a few meteors might be spotted visually in the morning twilight of 7th.  Better seen from further south, where the sky is a little darker.

Zeta Perseids: active May 20th to July 5th, peak 9th or 13th (?) 

This shower was first detected in 1947 by radio astronomers working at Jodrell Bank.  Parent comet 2P/Encke

https://www.imo.net/resources/calendar/

https://www.timeanddate.com

Sunrise        1st:   05.34          31st:   04.47

Sunset         1st:   20.39          31st:   21.26

Astronomical darkness

1st:   23.27 to 02.43    31st:   none

Astro darkness ends at 01.25 on 13th and that’s it until 30th July.  Even astronomical twilight is getting shorter, by month end it only lasts from 23.38 to 02.36.

Day length   1st:   15:04:57     31st:   16:38:48

New Moon:  11th at 19.59       

Full Moon:    26th at 12.15  (angular diameter 33’ 24”)

Lunar apogee:    11th at 22.55   (406511 Km,   angular diameter 29’ 22”)

Lunar perigee:    26th at 02.53   (357309 Km,  angular diameter 33’ 25”)  

There will be a total lunar eclipse on 26th, visible from Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, parts of New Guinea and most of the Pacific Ocean.  Observers in Eastern Asia and Western Canada & USA will be able to see part of it.

This month’s full Moon occurs 9 hours 24’ after perigee so will appear slightly larger and brighter than average - a Supermoon. 

The Old Farmers Almanac name for the May full Moon is the Flower Moon - for obvious reasons.  Other names are the Corn Planting Moon, the Frog Moon and the Moon of Shedding Ponies. The Colonial American name was the Milk Moon and it was the Celtic Bright Moon or  Dyan Moon (though some sources give that one for June).  For the Chinese it was the Dragon Moon, to the Medieval English, the Hare Moon and the Neo Pagan name was the Grass Moon.  Among the Indigenous American names are the Cherokee’s Planting Moon, the Choctaw’s Panther Moon and the Ojibwa tribe’s Budding Moon. The Dakota Sioux called it the Moon when Leaves are Green - quite mundane compared with some of their other names!

Highlights

Still nothing spectacular predicted. Jupiter and Saturn’s positions in the morning sky are improving but, as they are in the most southerly part of the ecliptic, remain quite low.  We’re losing Mars, by the end of May it is only 12 degrees above the horizon at dusk.  Venus is also very low in the evening sky, Mercury is higher for most of the month, early to mid May is the best time this year to see it in the evening.  The downside is that as it gets higher, it also gets fainter.  There is one reasonable meteor shower but the radiant is so low that it is better seen from further south.  However a few may be visible just before dawn.

From mid month we lose astronomical darkness but, as the Sun doesn’t get more than 18 degrees below the horizon, we may see some Noctilucent Clouds.  These wispy silvery or bluish white clouds are formed when the Sun shines on ice crystals in the mesosphere, about 50 miles above the Earth, so high that they are still in daylight when the Sun has set for observers on the ground.  They are most likely to be seen at latitudes between 50 and 70 degrees north.  They also occur in the southern hemisphere but are not reported as often because there isn’t much land mass at the right latitudes.

Constellations

As the sky darkens at the start of the month Lyra and Cygnus are rising in the north east, followed a couple of hours later by Aquila.  In the later part of the night the Summer Triangle formed by Vega, Deneb and Altair, the brightest star in each of these three constellations, should be easily visible. By the end of the month Aquila will be above the horizon by around 11pm. The brightest part of the Milky Way visible to us in the UK runs through the Summer Triangle and down through Scutum and Sagittarius.

The Plough is still very high in the sky for most of the night, standing on its handle, so Cassiopeia, the W shaped 'Lady in the Chair',  on the opposite side of the Pole Star is very low down in the north.

Bootes, the herdsman, is now riding high although only Arcturus, the brightest star in the celestial northern hemisphere, is above magnitude 2, so its kite asterism may not be easily visible in our light polluted skies. Arcturus is easy to find though - just follow the arc of the Plough's handle down to the south until you come to Arcturus.  Carry on the arc a bit further and you come to the star Spica, the brightest star in Virgo.

At this time of year when you look up to the south you are looking out of the plane of our Milky Way galaxy instead of along it like you do in winter and summer, so there aren't many bright stars, open star clusters and nebulae. However, if you've got a telescope this is a good time of year to hunt down globular clusters like M13, the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules, and faint galaxies like the many galaxies lying in the bowl of Virgo and into Coma Berenices.

Planets

Mercury:  in Aries, mag -1.1

Early to mid May is the best time this year to see it in the evening twilight.  On 1st it is 6 degrees above the horizon as the sky darkens, setting at 22.02.  It moves into Taurus on 2nd and the following day should be visible for a few minutes, soon after 9pm, when it is 8 degrees in the NW.  On 13th the thin crescent Moon passes 2 degrees 08’ to the south at 18.58, the pair are separated by 2 degrees 40’ at 21.40 when Mercury is 9 degrees above the horizon.  It reaches its highest point in the evening sky on 15th, when it will be at 15 degrees at sunset but down to 9 degrees by the time the sky darkens, and considerably fainter at mag 0.1.  It is at greatest eastern elongation on 17th, when it appears 22 degrees from the Sun but still only 9 degrees above the horizon at dusk.  On 29th, now faded to mag 2.3, it is just 25’ south of Venus at 06.34.  The pair are quite close on the evenings of 28th, about 30’, and 29th, about 1 degree.  However they will be very difficult to spot, almost on the horizon in twilight.  On 31st Mercury appears only 14 degrees from the Sun, setting at 22.35.

Venus:  in Aries, mag -3.9

Not visible at the start of May.  On 1st it is only 2 degrees above the horizon at dusk, setting at 21.25.  It moves into Taurus on 4th and on 12th the very thin, relatively small (29’ 24” - only a day past apogee) crescent Moon passes 42’ to the south at 23.03.  The separation at 21.00 is about 2 degrees but Venus is only 3 degrees above the NW horizon as the sky darkens, setting at 22.04, ten minutes after the Moon.  On 28th Venus is close to Mercury and might be visible, 5 degrees above the horizon, in twilight.  Mercury, much fainter, is unlikely to be seen. 

REMEMBER:  if trying to see the pair using binoculars, wait until the Sun has fully set.  

On 31st Venus is still only 5 degrees above the horizon at dusk, setting at 22.52.

Mars:  in Gemini, mag 1.6

An early evening object in the first part of the month.  On 1st it should become visible around 21.45, when it is 29 degrees above the western horizon. By midnight it will be too low to be seen easily, setting at 01.31.  On the nights of 15th and 16th the crescent Moon passes north of the planet, closest at 05.15 on 16th.  As the sky darkens on 15th, the separation is around 5 degrees, slightly more the following day when the Moon is to the east.  By the end of May, Mars will be difficult to spot, on 31st it is only 11 degrees above the horizon at dusk, setting at 00.35.

Jupiter:  in Aquarius, mag -2.2

Now becoming more prominent in the pre-dawn sky. On 1st it rises at 03.41 and reaches 10 degrees in the SE by 04.45.  On the morning of 5th the 35% Moon is just under 6 degrees SSE of the planet in the morning twilight.  They are closest, 4 degrees 21’, at 00.55 while still below the horizon.  Jupiter now reaches 11 degrees before the sky brightens. It gets higher as the month progresses, on 31st it is visible from 3am and reaches 17 degrees in the SE by dawn.

Saturn:  in Capricorn, mag 0.7

Another pre dawn object but much fainter and harder to see than big brother Jupiter. On 1st it rises soon after 3am and reaches 9 degrees by dawn.  On 3rd the 45% Moon passes 4 degrees 09’ to the south at 17.58.  On the morning of 3rd they are separated by 8 degrees at 5am, with Saturn reaching 10 degrees in relative darkness. The pair are slightly closer, 6 degrees, on the morning of 4th with Jupiter about 15 degrees to the left, so the three form a triangle.   On 23rd Saturn appears to stand still for a short while before changing direction and moving from east to west against the background stars - retrograde motion.  On 31st it rises at 01.16 and is again close to the Moon, which passes 4 degrees 10’ south at 02.18 while the planet is still too low to be seen, becoming visible around 3am, when it will be 15 degrees in the east.  They are closest, 4 degrees 03’, soon after 4am as the sky begins to brighten.  

Uranus:  in Aries, mag 5.9

Not visible this month following solar conjunction at the end of April.  On 1st it is only 1 degree from the Sun.  By month end it is still 10 degrees below the horizon by dawn, rising about an hour before the Sun.

Neptune:  in Aquarius, mag 7.9

Also not visible in May.  It is below the horizon at dawn throughout the month. 

Dwarf Planets

Ceres:  in PIsces, mag 9.2

Another one which appears very close to the Sun this month.  On 1st the separation is 15 degrees.  It moves into Cetus on 13th and on 31st is still below the horizon at dawn, rising only half an hour before the Sun.

Pluto:  in Sagittarius, mag 15.4

Still much too low in the morning sky for imaging or telescopic observation.

Haumea:  in Bootes, mag 17.3.  Makemake:  in Corona Borealis, mag 17.2.

Both high in the sky for most of the night.  If any experienced astrophotographers fancy having a try at imaging these, exact positions can be found in in-the-sky - details at the end of these notes.

Eris:  in Cetus, mg 18.3

It is too close to the Sun for imaging, following April’s solar conjunction.

Comets

No bright comets again this month.

C/2020 R4 (ATLAS) in Canes Venatici

Predicted to end April at around mag 8.4, but failed to live up to expectations.  Now expected to start May at around mag 10, but is still above the horizon for most of the night.  On 1st it reaches its highest point, 69 degrees, at 00.35.  It fades quite rapidly and gets lower in the sky as the month progresses, on 7th, down to mag 10.9, it moves into Coma Berenices and culminates at 22.48, soon after the sky darkens enough for it to be seen.  It spends 12th & 13th in Ursa Major then goes into Leo for the rest of May.  On 31st, predicted mag now 13.8, it is at 32 degrees in the west at dusk, high for just over an hour and setting soon after qam.

Meteor Showers

Eta Aquarids:  active April 19th to May 28th, peak around 3am on 6th, but with good rates for about a week centred on this date. ZHR is given as 50 but the radiant is so low that the shower is much better seen from the southern hemisphere.  From the Manchester area the best that we can expect is about 10.  They are fast moving meteors, often leaving persistent trails, and are best seen between 02.30 and dawn.  The waxing crescent Moon doesn’t rise until 04.25 on 6th, so won’t interfere.  It is one of 2 showers associated with Comet 1P/Halley.

Eta Lyrids:  active May 3rd to 14th, peak 8th, ZHR 3

These are medium speed meteors, parent comet C/1983 H1 (IRAS-Araki-Alcock) 

The Antihelion Source (ANT) has a ZHR of 2 - 4 in May. The radiant moves through northern Scorpio and into Ophiuchus during the month.

May, especially the later part of the month, is good for daytime showers, which have a radiant so close to the Sun that they can’t be observed visually.  They are detectable only with radio or radar equipment.

Epsilon Arietids:  active April 24th to May 7th, peak May 9th.   Rates given as low (numbers not given for any of these)

May Arietids:  May 4th to June 6th, peak May 16th.  Again rates are low.

Omicron Cetids:  active May 5th to June 2nd, peak May 20th.  This one is slightly better - rates given as medium.

More active are the daytime Arietids, beginning May 14th but not peaking until mid June.  Rates for this shower are expected to be high.

Sunrise     1st:   06.42       30th:   05.36

Sunset      1st:   19.44       30th:   20.37

Astronomical Darkness

1st:      21.50 to 04.33       30th:    23.23 to 02.48

Day Length  1st:  13:02:32  30th:  15:01:07

New Moon:  12th at 03.33

Full Moon:    27th at 04.33 (angular diameter 33' 23")

Lunar apogee:   14th at 18.48  (406119 Km, angular diameter 29' 41")

Lunar perigee:   27th at 16.25  (357378 Km, angular diameter 33' 25")

Because this month's full Moon is only 12 hours before perigee, the second closest of this year, it will appear slightly larger and brighter than average - a Supermoon.  It is also known as a perigee-syzygy Moon, a syzygy being 3 or more astronomical objects (in this case the Sun, Earth and Moon) in a straight line.

The most common name for the April full Moon is the Old Farmer's Almanac’s Pink Moon.  It's no more likely to appear pink than last month's was to resemble a worm, the name comes from the colour of phlox flowers, one of the first blossoms to appear in Spring.

Other names include the Colonial American Planters Moon, the Celtic Growing Moon or Hare Moon, the Medieval English Seed Moon, the Neo Pagan Awakening Moon and the Old English/Anglo Saxon Egg Moon. For the Chinese it was the Peony Moon and, as always, Indigenous Americans had their own, descriptive, names.  It was the Cherokee Flower Moon, the Choctaw called it the Wildcat Moon and it was the Ojibwa tribe's Sap Running Moon.  The Dakota Sioux were a little more precise - The Moon when Geese Return in Scattered Formation.  They seem to be a little behind some other tribes, whose geese returned last month.

Highlights

Again, rather more lows than highs.  Jupiter is low in the dawn sky for much of April, but might be visible in the morning twilight towards month end.  The fainter Saturn is more difficult to see despite being slightly higher.  Mercury, Venus and Uranus all appear close to the Sun for most of the month, but might be spotted in the evening sky - Uranus at the start of April, the other two right at the end of the month.  Only Mars is high enough to be seen easily, but is getting lower in the evening sky as the month progresses.

We have one comet, high in the sky, not expected to reach naked eye visibility, starting the month around mag 6.8, fading to 8.3 by late April.

At last we have a reasonably active meteor shower, the Lyrids, but the bad news is that the gibbous Moon is above the horizon for most of the peak night.

And the nights are getting shorter (and starting later, thanks to BST), on 1st we have 6hrs 47 minutes of astro darkness, about half that by the end of April.

There are also a couple of events with astronomical connections.

On 12th, it will be 60 years since Yuri Gagarin became the first human to go into space, albeit for just one orbit lasting 108 minutes. His Soyuz capsule reached 327 km above Earth - by accident.  It was intended to orbit at 230 km but an engine failing to cut out took it much higher.  He came down 300km from the intended landing site, his parachute landing was watched by a farmer and her daughter.  He told them that he was a Soviet citizen who had descended from space and must find a telephone to call Moscow.

The site is now a memorial park, Gagarin Field, with a 25 metre stylised rocket shaped monument and a statue of the first cosmonaut.

And, at the start of the month we have Easter.  There is a tenuous astronomical connection in that Easter Day is the Sunday after the first full Moon on or after the Vernal Equinox.  In reality it's a bit more complicated, the date of the equinox is always taken as March 21st, even when it occurs on a different day, and the Eccelsiastical Full Moon date is used, rather than the actual one.  This is calculated using the Metonic Cycle, a 19 year period, divided into 235 months of 29 or 30 days. The first day of each month is the Ecclesiastical New Moon, the Full Moon is 14 days later.

The earliest date for Easter Sunday is March 22nd.  This happens when there is a full Moon on Saturday March 21st.  It is very rare - the last time was in 1818, it won't happen again until 2285

The latest possible date, April 25th, occurs when there is a full Moon on March 20th, the day before the equinox, and the next one is on Sunday April 18th, making Easter Day a week later.  This is a bit more frequent, the last time was in 1943, the next in 2038. 

Planets

Mercury:  in Aquarius, mag -0.4

Not easily seen this month.  On 1st it is 4 degrees below the horizon at dawn. It moves into Pisces on 3rd, Cetus on 8th and back into Pisces on 11th.  It closes in on the Sun quite rapidly over the next week, reaching superior solar conjunction on 19th, when it passes 34' to the south at 02.36.  It moves into Aries the following day and on 25th is only 1 degree 12' NNW of Venus, very low in the evening sky, both set only 40 minutes after the Sun.

If you do attempt to see the pair through binoculars make sure that the Sun has completely set before trying to spot them.

On 27th Mercury reaches perihelion, 0.31AU, and by 30th, now at mag -1.2, is 5 degrees above the horizon at dusk, setting at 21.49, about 75 minutes after the Sun.

Venus:  in Pisces, mag -3.9

Appears too close to the Sun to be seen during most of April, following superior solar conjunction in late March. On 1st it sets 15 minutes after the Sun and is separated from it by just one degree. On 15th, when it moves into Aries, the separation has increased to 5 degrees. On 30th it is 3 degrees 30' in the WNW 20 minutes after sunset, but down to 1 degree by the time the sky darkens, setting at 21.21.

Mars:  in Taurus, mag 1.3

Still the only major planet which is high in the sky, though only in the early part of the night.  On 1st it will be at 43 degrees in the west, as the sky darkens around 20.30, visible until a little after midnight and setting at 02.02.  On 17th the waxing crescent Moon passes 7’ to the south at 13.08.  Observers in parts of India and SE Asia will be able to see an occultation. From the Manchester area they will be visible in the dusk sky from 21.15, with Mars 36 degrees above the western horizon, the Moon almost 4 degrees to the east. Mars moves into Gemini on 25th, when it is 32 degrees in the west as the sky fades, setting at 01.40.  On 30th, down to mag 1.5, it is at 29 degrees in the darkening sky at 21.40 and should be high enough to be easily visible until nearly midnight, setting at 01.30.

Jupiter: in Capricorn, mag -2.1

Bright but very low in the morning sky. On 1st it rises at 05.31 and reaches 5 degrees by dawn.  On 7th the waning crescent Moon passes 4 degrees 23’  to the south at 08.18.  On this day Jupiter rises at 05.10 and gets to 6 degrees by dawn.  When the Moon rises at around 05.30 the separation is 5 degrees.  By 18th the gas giant reaches 8 degrees in the SE by 05.40 as the sky brightens.  It is in Aquarius from 26th, when it rises at 04.01 and gets to 9 degrees by dawn. By the 30th it should be more easily visible to observers with a clear ESE horizon, it rises at 03.44 and is at 10 degrees soon after 5am, as dawn breaks. 

Saturn: in Capricorn, mag 0.8

Slightly higher than Jupiter in the morning sky but not so easy to spot as it is much fainter.  On 1st it rises at 05.06 and only reaches 5 degrees by dawn.  On the morning of 6th the rising 31% Moon passes 5 degrees 30’ to the south at 05.00, closest, 3 degrees 57’, in daylight at 09.30. Jupiter is 12 degrees to the east of the pair. On 30th Saturn rises at 03.13 and gets to 9 degrees before the sky gets too bright for it to be seen.

Uranus: in Aries, mag 5.9

On 1st it is only 8 degrees above the horizon at dusk, setting at 22.20. It moves closer to the Sun, by 15th they appear separated by 14 degrees, with Uranus setting at 21.28.  It is at solar conjunction on 30th, when it is 24’ to the south at 2055, about 20 minutes after the planet has set.

Neptune:  in Aquarius, mag 8.0

Very low in the morning sky following March’s conjunction. On 1st it rises at 06.20 but appears only 20 degrees from the Sun - much too close for safe binocular or telescope observing.  On 30th it is still 5 degrees below the horizon as the sky begins to brighten, rising at 04.29.

Dwarf Planets

Ceres: in Cetus, mag 9

Too close to the Sun to be seen in April. On 1st they appear separated by only 8 degrees.  It is at solar conjunction on 7th, when it passes 6 degrees 30’ to the south.  When it moves into Pisces on 22nd, the separation is 10 degrees. On 28th it is in conjunction with Eris, passing it 4 degrees 54’ to the south. Ceres is still only 13 degrees from the Sun, so the conjunction wouldn’t be visible - even if you could see the much more distant, almost 10,000 times fainter Eris.  On 30th Ceres rises at 06.01 still  only 14 degrees from the Sun.

Pluto:  in Sagittarius, mag 15.1

Much too low for imaging or telescopic observation, as it will be for many years yet - at least for anyone in the northern hemisphere. 

As you probably know, it’s highly elliptical orbit crosses that of Neptune, so it spends almost exactly 20 years of each 165.4 year period closer to the Sun than the ice giant, the last time being from Feb 7th 1979 to Feb 11th 1999.  

However, because the 2 bodies are in resonance - Pluto makes 2 journeys round the Sun in the same time that Neptune does 3 - they will never collide, never even come close. Pluto actually gets much closer to Uranus (11AU) than it does to Neptune (14AU).

The other two Kuiper Belt Dwarf Planets are high in the sky, but so faint that they are only targets for the most experienced astrophotographers.

Haumea:  in Bootes, mag 17.3

High enough for imaging for most of the night.  On 1st it is 21 degrees in the east when the sky darkens, culminating, 52 degrees in the south, at 02.57 and still 43 in the SW at dawn.  It is at opposition on 18th, when it is 30 degrees in the east as the sky gets dark, 52 degrees in the south at 01.51 and 41 degrees in the SW when the sky begins to brighten.  On 30th it is 41 degrees at dusk, 52 degrees in the south at 01.01 and 40 degrees in the SW at dawn.

Makemake:  in Coma Berenices, mag 17.1

Also high enough for imaging throughout the hours of darkness. On 1st it is 31 degrees in the east as the sky darkens, soon after 9pm, culminating at 01.46 when it reaches 59 degrees. By the time the sky gets bright at around 05.15 it is still high - 40 degrees in the west.  On 30th it is 56 degrees in the SE as darkness falls, 59 degrees south at 23.46 and 35 degrees in the west at dawn.

Eris:  in Cetus, mag 18.8

Appears very close to the Sun throughout April.  On 1st, when it sets at 20.13, the separation is 17 degrees. It is at solar conjunction on 14th, when it rises at 07.28, sets at 19.22 and appears 11 degrees south of the Sun,  The separation at conjunction is much higher than the major planets because Eris’ orbit is inclined to the ecliptic by 44 degrees. On 30th it rises at 06.25, almost an hour after sunrise, still only separated by 18 degrees.

Asteroid 9 Metis

Discovered on April 25th 1848 by Andrew Graham.  Its main claim to fame is that it was the first one found by observations made in Ireland. It contains half a percent of the total mass of the asteroid belt and was named after a Titaness, the mother of prudence and wisdom.  It shouldn’t be confused with Jupiter’s innermost moon, also named Metis, which wasn’t found and named until over 100 years later.

Metis takes 3.69 years to orbit the Sun at a distance ranging from 2.1 AU to 2.68 AU.

It begins April in Virgo, at mag 9.5, rising at 19.38, reaching 21 degrees in the east soon after 22.15 and culminating, 37 degrees in the south, at 01.45.  It remains high enough for observation for the rest of the night. It is at opposition on 5th, reasonably high throughout the hours of darkness, culminating at 10.13, when it is 37 degrees above the southern horizon. By 30th, down to mag 10.1, it is higher than 21 degrees between 22.25 and 03.00, highest point, 38 degrees, at 23.22. 

Comets

C/2021 A1 (Leonard) in Ursa Major.

Still very faint, now around mag 17.8, but high in the sky for most of the night, well positioned for anyone ambitious enough to try imaging it before it gets so bright (we hope) that everyone is having a go.

It is currently circumpolar, on 1st it is 56 degrees in the NE at dusk, highest point, 82 degrees above the northern horizon (or, if you prefer, 98 degrees in the south) at 01.23 and down to 58 degrees in the NW by dawn.  On 30th it is 81 degrees in the north when the sky gets dark, dropping to 47 degrees in the NW by daybreak.

C/2020 R4 (ATLAS)

Those of you who saw Dave Bell’s February talk on comet naming will be able to work out that this is a non periodic or long period comet, the fourth found in the second half of September 2020, by astronomers studying images taken by NASA’s robotic Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, which searches for possibly hazardous near Earth objects - and, along with other similar surveys, also finds lots of comets.

On 1st it is in Aquila, mag 6.8, rising at 02.28 and reaching 22 degrees in the SE by dawn. It moves into Ophiuchus on 14th, but it’s only a fleeting visit, the following day it goes into Hercules, rising at 22.42 and visible from a little before 01.30, reaching 45 degrees by dawn. It is at its closest to Earth, 0.46 AU, on 23rd and crosses into Corona Borealis on 24th, when it is at 30 degrees in the east as the sky darkens, highest point, 65 degrees, at 03.14 and not much lower in the SW at daybreak.   On 30th it is down to mag 8.3 but still high - 56 degrees in the east at 22.23, 69 degrees south at 00.36 and 52 degrees in the west at dawn. 

Meteor Showers

One reasonably active shower this month, unfortunately marred by the presence of the waxing gibbous Moon, which doesn’t set until around 5am, in nautical twilight, on the peak nights.

Lyrids:  active 14th to 30th, peak on 22nd but usually shows good activity on the nights before and after.  ZHR 18, under ideal conditions, from the darkest areas around Greater Manchester, maybe as many as 16.  The peak is at 14.00 on 22nd, so the best time to look is before dawn on that day, when the radiant is high in the sky.  For those who don’t like to get up early, even for astronomy, it might be worth trying in the early evenings of 21st and 22nd.  The shower does occasionally produce higher rates, in 1982 a ZHR of 90 was recorded, but nothing like that is predicted for this year.

It is thought that this used to be a much more prolific shower, in 687 AD Chinese astronomers reported seeing meteors falling like rain.

They are medium speed meteors which don’t usually leave trails, but the shower could include a few fireballs. Parent comet C/1861 (Thatcher).

Alpha Virginids: active March 10th to May 6th, peak April 7th (or maybe not - one source says 18th), ZHR 5-10. The radiant is close to Spica, very low from our latitude so likely numbers much lower. They are very slow moving, parent body is asteroid 1998 SH2.

This shower isn’t mentioned in this year’s IMO calendar, which indicates that studies of the associated dust cloud show that Earth won’t pass through it this time round.  

Pi Puppids: the radiant of this is so low that we won’t see any activity from the northern hemisphere.  For anyone south of the equator, the shower is active from 15th to 28th, peak on 23rd, ZHR variable. They are very slow moving meteors, parent comet 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup.

There may be some daytime activity from the April Piscids on 22nd, around 17.00.  Detectable only using radio or radar equipment.

This shower isn’t recognised by the IAU.

The ANT is active in April, the radiant is in SE Virgo at the start of the month, moving eastwards into LIbra.