SkyGuy's Blog

Hey Fellow Fox 5'ers!

Here is your July skies report.

With our long days and warm nights July is a good month to get out and watch the planets move in the sky. We have a real treat after sunset in the west involving Mars, Saturn and the bright star Regulus in the constellation of Leo the Lion. On the other side of the sky, the king of the planets, Jupiter, lays claim to his realm amongst the stars of the Milky Way.

As July begins, Saturn, Mars and Regulus are in the west right after it starts to get dark. The alignment is bright and yellow-white Saturn (the brightest of the three), then reddish Mars right next to bluish-white Regulus. Mars and Regulus are less than a finger-width apart and Saturn is several finger-widths to the left.

Watch this trio for the next several nights as the alignment will change from night to night. On the 5th and 6th the lovely crescent Moon will join the trio and make for a beautiful sight while you are enjoying the 4th of July holiday. On the 10th Mars and Saturn (brighter of the two) are now paired together less than a finger-width apart. The two planets will widen their separation and will pass ever deeper into the glow of sunset as the month progresses.

Mercury is hard to see as July begins very low in the east-northeast just before dawn. You might be able to spot it with binoculars before dawn during the first two weeks of the month.

Venus is becoming visible this month very low above the western horizon right after sunset. The view will improve in months to come.

NASA's Phoenix mission to Mars has been conducting science operations in the Martian Arctic Plain and has detected water-ice and nutrients in the Martian soil that would be hospitable to Earth plants. Read more about it

Jupiter is easy to spot in the southeast after sunset. It is the brightest "star" in that part of the sky and the Moon passes just to the right of Jupiter on the 17th. If you are lucky enough to be in dark skies when the Moon is not visible, Jupiter is very near the brightest part of the Milky Way (our home galaxy) and will be stunning to view.

New Moon is on the 2nd and the Moon is at First Quarter on the 10th and Full on the 18th. This month's Full Moon is called the "Full Hay Moon" due to the hay harvest season that occurs in July. Another, and I believe appropriate name for this month is, "Full Thunder Moon" - what with the severe thunderstorms we have been having. Last Quarter Moon is on the 25th.

Here are our down to Earth events for this month.

Open House at the Department of Astronomy at the University of Maryland, College Park Campus Observatory, will be at 8 p.m. on the 5th and the 20th. Read More About It

The National Capital Astronomers (NCA) will meet in July at 7:30 PM at the University of Maryland Observatory. The lecture and date is to be determined. Read More About It

NCA will also host a star party at Rock Creek Park on July 12th at 9 PM. Read More About It

NOVAC will meet at 7 PM at George Mason University (GMU) on Sunday, July 13th. The speaker will be determined. Read More About It.

NOVAC will also host a Crockett Public Observing Night July 12th. This is a great opportunity to get out and under the stars and look through a wide variety of telescopes. Read More About It

The United States Naval Observatory (USNO) has Monday night tours but space is limited. Read More About It

The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) has several space related activities this month. Read More About It

On Saturday, July 26th, 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm, Sky Meadows State Park, near Paris, Virginia, join Sean O'Brien, NASM staff astronomer of the Albert Einstein Planetarium, and other local amateur astronomers for public telescopic observing under dark, star-filled skies, away from city lights. The evening begins with a short night sky orientation at dusk, followed by telescopic observing of various astronomical objects. Admission is free. Read More About It

Be sure to tune into Episode 4 of Astrocast.tv as we explore NASA's Phoenix Mission.

SkyGuy