Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday August 14th, and 15th, 2023
This is the Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday August 14th, and 15th, written by Joe Slomka.
The Sun sets at 7:59 PM; night falls at 9:48. Dawn begins at 4:13 AM and ends with the Sun rising at 6:02.
Cancer hosts Monday’s Moon, which rose at 3:49 AM, a thin 2% crescent sets in the Northwest at 7:38 PM. Tuesday’s Moon, now in Leo, rises at 4:53 AM and sets at 8:06 PM. This means that the night sky is virtually Moon-free all night. The Moon is officially “New” at 5:38 AM on Wednesday.
Even though the Perseid Meteor Shower peaked on Sunday and Monday night, there are enough leftovers for observers to take advantage of Moonless nights and discover remnant meteors for a few days, weather permitting. Look in the Northwest at about 10 PM.
Early evening only contains one planet and one comet. Mars, in western Leo, is the sole visible planet. It glows with 1st magnitude, almost 4 arc-seconds in size, is 7°high at 8:30 and sets before nightfall at 9:09 PM. Comet 103P/Hartley still occupies Andromeda, glowing with 9th magnitude, 85% lit, 10°altitude at 9 PM and is highest at 4:27 AM.
Saturn now appears in the late evening, rising in eastern Aquarius at 8:34 PM, glimmering with zero magnitude, almost 19 arc-seconds, 4°high at 8:30 PM and highest at 1:54 AM. Neptune, in southern Pisces, lies 22°behind Saturn, glowing with 7th magnitude, 2 arc-seconds, highest at 3:16 AM and 43°high at 4:15 AM.
Eastern Aries houses Jupiter and Uranus. Giant Jupiter rises at 11:15 PM, sparkles with minus 2nd magnitude, 41 arc-seconds and 43°at 4:15 AM. Tuesday, Telescopic observers can see moon Europa’s eclipse begin at 9:31 PM, Europa’s occultation begin a 12:19 AM and ends at 2:35 AM. The Great Red Spot is visible at 12:19 AM on Wednesday. Uranus is last, rising at 11:33 AM, 8°from Jupiter, shining with 5th magnitude, 4 arc-seconds and 50°high at 4:15 AM.
With Comet Hartley in Andromeda, let us examine that constellation. Some “Summer Constellations” are misnamed. They rise in early summer, but are best seen in late summer or early fall. All night the Andromeda saga is displayed. Her parents are Cepheus and Cassiopeia. Cepheus is house-shaped and points to the North Star. Cassiopeia looks like a “W” or “M”. Andromeda is depicted by a chain of stars that flow from the upper left of the Great Square of Pegasus, the horse. Perseus is a constellation below Cassiopeia with a long and a short leg. Cetus, the sea monster, swims low on the horizon. These constellations together account for twelve percent of the celestial sphere. All are in position to be seen tonight.