by Anne Holt Sunrise 1st: 05.25 31st: 06.17 Sunset 1st: 21.05 31st: 20.00 Astronomical darkness 1st: 00.33 to 01.57 31st: 22.13 to 04.05 Day length 1st: 15.38.45 31st: 13.42.56 Full Moon: 3rd at 16.58 New Moon: 19th at 03.41 Lunar apogee: 9th at 10.52 (404657 km) Lunar perigee: 21st at 11.00 (363512 km) August's
Full Moon is known as the Sturgeon Moon because this is the time when
they were plentiful in the lakes where the Algonquin fished. Other
Native American tribes had different names - to the Sioux it was the
Moon When All Things Ripen, the Chocktaw called it the Women's Moon, for
the Cherokee it was the Fruit Moon and for many other tribes it was the
Red Moon, as it often took on a reddish hue when seen through the
summer haze. Other names are the Green Corn Moon, the Barley Moon, the
Old English / Anglo Saxon Grain Moon, the Chinese Harvest Moon and the
Celtic Dispute Moon. Highlights Astronomical
darkness increases considerably during August, on 1st we have 1 hour 24
minutes, increasing to almost 6 hours by the end of the month. Venus
is still shining brightly in the morning sky and Jupiter and Saturn are
visible before midnight, unfortunately still very low. Mars rises a
little later but gets much higher in the morning sky. Comet C/2020 F3
(NEOWISE) is fading rapidly and is now very low at dusk. Two more faint
comets are in the same area of sky, one of them is now getting higher,
all end the month at around mag 10. The main highlight, as in every August, is the Perseid meteor shower, marred again this year by the Moon rising around midnight. Constellations The Plough and its host constellation Ursa Major are now very low in the Northern sky which means that the W asterism of Cassiopeia is riding high in the south east and very easy to spot. Pegasus and Andromeda are now well above the horizon for most of the night and Perseus, followed by Auriga, are rising soon after midnight. Planets Mercury: in Gemini, mag -0.9 Not
easy to see this month, on 1st it rises at 03.51 but is only 6 degrees
above the horizon when the sky begins to brighten. It moves into Cancer
on 5th and reaches perihelion on 6th. At this time, because of its
highly elliptical orbit, it gets twice as much heat and light from the
Sun than it does when it's at its furthest point. On this day it rises
at 03.51 but is still only 11 degrees by dawn. On 17th it reaches
superior conjunction, on the opposite side of the Sun to the Earth.
Around this time it is at mag -2.0, but much too close to the Sun to be
seen - only 1 degree 45' to the north at its closest. It then becomes
an evening object, still too low to be visible. On 31st it sets at
20.24 and is just below the horizon at dusk. Venus: in Taurus, mag -4.4 Fades
slightly during the month but is still unmissable in the morning sky,
getting slightly higher before the sky is too bright. On 1st it rises at
02.05 and should be easily visible an hour later, reaching 23 degrees
in the east by dawn. On 6th it moves into Orion and on 14th reaches
greatest western elongation, separated from the Sun by 46 degrees. On
this day it rises at 01.58 and gets to 27 degrees before the sky
brightens. On 14th it crosses the border into Gemini and the following
day is close to the 15% lit Moon. At 5am the planet is 5.5 degrees to
the SE, they are closest at 13.44, when the Moon passes 4 degrees to the
north. On 31st Venus is at mag -4.2, rising at 02.08 and reaching 30
degrees in reasonable darkness. Mars: in Pisces, mag 1.1 Still
improving in both brightness and position. On 1st it rises at 23.14
and is at 23 degrees in the south when dawn breaks. It is at perihelion
on 3rd, when its distance from the Sun is 1.38 AU. At this time it gets
31% more radiation from the Sun than at aphelion. On 9th the 73% Moon
passes south of Mars, as the sky brightens they are 3 degrees apart,
with Mars 41 degrees above the southern horizon. They are closest, in
daylight, at 09.38 when the Moon is 41' to the south. On 31st it rises
at 21.34 and reaches its highest point, 43 degrees, at 04.18. It will
now be at mag -1.8. Jupiter: In Sagittarius, mag -2.7 Still
very bright, so should be easily visible despite its low altitude. On
1st it rises at 20.02 and culminates at 23.52, only 14 degrees above
the southern horizon. On 2nd at 00.32 the almost full Moon passes 1
degree 3' to the south. The pair should be visible from around 21.30 on
the night of 1st/2nd. They are again close on the 28th/29th, at 22.00
the 83% Moon is 3.5 degrees to the SW. They get closer during the night
but are at their closest, 1 degree 24', after Jupiter has set for
Manchester observers. By 31st it is slightly fainter at mag -2.6, and
is at 14 degrees in the south as the sky darkens, culminating at 21.43,
only a couple of degrees higher. Observers with a decent pair of
binoculars and a clear southern horizon should be able to see the
planet's disc and maybe the 4 Galilean moons. Saturn: in Sagittarius, mag 0.1 Now
about 7.5 degrees to the east of Jupiter, much fainter but slightly
higher than the larger planet. On 1st Saturn rises at 20.24 and should
be visible soon after 22.00, when it reaches 10 degrees in the SE. It
culminates at 00.28, at 15 degrees, and sets at 04.29. On 2nd the 96%
Moon passes 2 degrees 15' to the south at 14.29. By 23.00 it will be 6
degrees SE of the planet. On 29th the 87% Moon is 2 degrees 11' to the
south at 17.59. They should be visible soon after 22.00 when Saturn,
now at its highest point, is 3 degrees 30' NW of the Moon. On 31st
Saturn rises at 18.21, culminating at 22.19 and setting at 02.21. It
will also have faded slightly, ending August at mag 0.3. Uranus: in Aries, mag 5.8 Visible
in the early hours, its position improving during August. On 1st it
rises at 23.31 and reaches 32 degrees in the east by dawn. On 31st it
rises at 21.33 and gets to 50 degrees in the south by 04.45, as the sky
begins to brighten. As always, in order to see it with the naked eye,
excellent eyesight and a very dark sky site are needed - as well
as knowing exactly where to look. It should be a fairly easy binocular
target, again if you know where to look. When seen through a scope the
small disc has a greenish blue hue. Neptune: in Aquarius, mag 7.8 Fainter
and lower than Uranus but high enough for telescopic observation and
imaging for much of the night, especially later in the month. On 1st it
rises at 22.14 and reaches 31 degrees in the south by 03.30. On 31st
it rises at 20.15 and culminates in astro darkness at 01.34, still at 31
degrees. An amateur scope should show that the small disc is much
bluer than that of Uranus. A large telescope is needed to see the large
moon Triton, at mag 13.5. Dwarf Planets Ceres: in Aquarius, mag 8.1 The
closest and largest of the 5 dwarf planets - by far the largest body in
the asteroid belt, and the first to be discovered - is not easy to see
this month, as it remains low, even at opposition. On 1st it rises at
23.35 and culminates, 15 degrees in the south, at 03.42. It is at
opposition on 28th, slightly brighter at mag 7.7 but even lower. It
reaches its highest point, only 12 degrees, at 01.23. Pluto: in Sagittarius, mag 15.0 Despite
being above the horizon for most of the night, it is still too low for
imaging, reaching a maximum altitude of 14 degrees. Haumea: in Bootes, mag 17.4 On
1st it is briefly high enough for imaging from 23.00 to 23.45, when it
will be at 27 degrees in the west, setting at 02.23. By 31st it is only
at a reasonable altitude for a few minutes around 21.30, setting at
00.24. Makemake: in Coma Berenices, mag 17.3 Very
low this month. On 1st it is at 22 degrees in the west as the sky
darkens, setting at 02.03. By 31st it is down to 19 degrees in
darkness, setting soon after midnight. Eris: in Cetus, mag 18.8 The
cause of poor Pluto's demotion, appropriately named after the goddess
of discord, is higher but very much fainter and therefore only a target
for the most experienced astrophotographers using the very best
equipment. On 1st it rises at 00.20 and reaches 24 degrees in the SE by
dawn. On 31st it rises at 22.18 and culminates, 35 degrees in the
south, at 04.18, only a few minutes after the end of astro darkness. Comets C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) in Coma Berenices, mag 5.5 (maybe!) Moving
away from the Sun and fading rapidly, also very low in the evening sky -
though, for a change this one did live up to expectations. On 1st it
is best seen for a few minutes after 23.00, when it is 22 degrees above
the western horizon. It moves into Virgo on 10th, when it is only 17
degrees in the west at dusk, setting at 00.46. It is in Bootes on 12th
to 15th, then back into Virgo on 16th. On 31st it is only 8 degrees
above the horizon as the sky darkens, setting at 22.43. Predicted mag
now 10.3, but remember the advice given in in-the-sky.org - take all magnitude forecasts with a pinch of salt, as comets are very unpredictable. C/2019 U6 (Lemmon) in Coma Berenices, mag around 8 This
one, discovered by the Mount Lemmon Sky Survey in Arizona last
October, was originally thought to be an asteroid. It was confirmed as a
comet in March 2020. Unlike the other 2 comets in the area, its
position improves during August as it moves north eastwards. On 1st it
is almost midway between Haumea and Makemeke, and only about 2 degrees
from C/2017 T2 (PanSTARRS) . It will be 21 degrees above the horizon at
dusk, setting at 01.42. It moves into Bootes on 3rd, when it is at 23
degrees at 23.00, setting at 01.47. By mid month it gets to 30 degrees
and should be high enough for imaging for about an hour from 22.15,
still setting around 2am. By 31st it will have moved to about 6 degrees
NW of Haumea and have faded to mag 10. It will then be at 36 degrees
in the west as the sky darkens around 21.30 and be reasonably high until
just after 23.00, setting at 02.02. C/2017 T2 (PanSTARRS) in Coma Berenices, mag 9.9 High
enough for imaging in the first few days of the month. On 1st it is 23
degrees above the western horizon around 11pm, setting just before
2am. From then on, as Lemmon gets higher, this one gets lower. It moves
into Bootes on 6th but is down to 21 degrees at dusk, setting at
01.26. It is in Virgo from 24th, probably now around mag 10.5 and only
15 degrees in the west as the sky darkens. On 31st, predicted mag 10.7,
it's even lower, only 13 degrees, and sets at 23.06. For more information, including position charts and exact co-ordinates of any Solar System object, see For news about comets www.cometwatch.co.uk This has now been updated. Meteor Showers One really major shower this month. Perseids,
active July 17th to August 26th, peak on the 12th, between 14.00 and
17.00. ZHR figure varies according to source used - somewhere between
50 and 150 from a dark sky site. The radiant is circumpolar from
Manchester, at its highest at 07.00, so the best time for viewing is
just before dawn on 12th. It might also be worth looking after dusk on
that day. These are fast moving meteors, often leaving bright trails.
The third quarter Moon may interfere, rising at 23.41 on 11th and 00.03
on the morning of 13th. This shower occurs when the Earth passes through
debris left in the wake of Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle There are also 2 very minor showers# Kappa
Cygnids: active August 3rd to 25th. This shower is said to be
unpredictable as the dust cloud responsible is very diffuse. The peak
is given as 17th but could be as early as 12th or 14th, with a shorter
period of activity. ZHR 5, at best. The radiant is circumpolar,
highest at 22.00, so they are best seen as the sky darkens. The
uncertainty of the timing of the paek of this shower means that it
probably isn't worth going out especially to look for meteors but, if
you happen to be observing on one of the possible peak evenings,you
might just see one or two. If there is a peak on 12th, they should be
easily distinguishable from Perseids, as well as coming from a different
direction, the Kappa Cygnids are much slower moving. The parent body
is not known for sure but could be minor planet 2008 ED9. Aurigids:
August 28th to Sept 5th, peak August 31st, ZHR 6 The circumpolar
radiant is highest at 09.00, so the best time to look is just before
dawn on 31st. On the night of 30th/31st the 95% Moon rises at 19.30 and
sets at 03.39 - less than half an hour before the end of astro
darkness. Parent comet for these is C/1911 Kiess. |