Skywatch Line for Wednesday and Thursday, July 24 and 25, 2024, written by Alan French

This is Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Wednesday and Thursday, July 24 and 25, 2024, written by Alan French.

The Sun rises at 5:39 A.M. on Wednesday and sets at 8:24 P.M. On Thursday it rises at 5:40 and sets at 8:23. This Thursday has just over 12 minutes 50 seconds less daylight than last Thursday.
The Moon was full last Sunday morning and is now moving toward last quarter, which it will reach this coming Saturday evening. On Wednesday the waning gibbous Moon rises at 10:35 P.M. It rises in the east and appears 82% illuminated. By 11:30 P.M. the Moon will be 9 degrees above the horizon. Look for Saturn to the upper right of the Moon, just over 4 ½ degrees away. The Moon will be due south and 28 ½ degrees high at 4:30 A.M. Thursday and Saturn will be just over 5 ½ degrees to the Moon’s upper right. The Moon sets at 10:38 A.M. on Thursday in the west. Look for a pale, ghostly gibbous Moon, 79% sunlit, toward the west southwest and 16 degrees above the horizon at 9:30 A.M. Thursday.
On Thursday night the Moon rises in the east at 10:56 P.M. When it rises its visible face will be 72% in sunlight. The 70% illuminated Moon will be due south and 51 degrees high at 5:18 A.M. on Friday, and will set at 11:54 A.M. in the west.
There is a fine pass of the ISS (International Space Station) across Schenectady skies on Wednesday night. The path and times will be similar for a large area surrounding Schenectady and the station’s brightness will make it easy to spot if the skies are clear. At maximum, when high in the sky, the station will reach magnitude -3.4.
Look for the ISS coming up from the northwestern horizon at 9:39 P.M. Its path will take it past the front of the Big Dipper’s bowl, and by 9:41 it will be approaching the bowl from the northwest. By about 9:41:20 (HH:MM:SS) the space station will be passing by the bowl.
After passing by the Big Dipper, it will be headed toward the Little Dipper, and just after 9:42 P.M. will pass through the Little Dipper’s handle just behind its bowl. Its path will then take it through Draco, the Dragon, and toward Cygnus the Swan. It will pass close by Deneb, marking the tail of the swan, just after 9:43, and will then head down toward the eastern horizon. The ISS will enter the Earth’s shadow and fade from view when 20 degrees high.
There is another chance to see the ISS on Thursday night. This pass will be low across the west to southwestern sky.
Look for the ISS low and a little north of due west around 10:28 P.M. headed toward the south. At 10:29 P.M. it will be in the west, 20 degrees high, headed to pass below reddish Arcturus, the brightest star in Boötes. By 10:29:30 the space station will be passing between Boötes and the horizon, travelling 25 degrees above the horizon and 14 degrees below Boötes. It will be approaching magnitude -2.6. As it crosses the southwestern sky the ISS will move into the Earth’s shadow and vanish from view at 10:30:45 (HH:MM:SS). How far can you follow it?