There will be a ‘Glorious Twelfth’ this month, when Venus joins Jupiter for a spectacular conjunction of the two most brilliant planets in the morning sky.
Later in the month, the show continues when Mercury and the crescent Moon join them.
This month the Milky Way arches overhead this month, looking ever more resplendent as the skies grow darker. Set against its glowing band, three brilliant stars, Vega, Deneb and Altar mark the corners of the Summer Triangle.
This is also the time of year to look at the southern constellations and the Galactic centre of the glorious Milky Way.
The constellation of Sagittarius is supposed to be a centaur. That’s a mythical half man/half horse creature, carrying a bow and arrow. Good luck spotting the centaur in the stars!
But these same stars also make up what sky watchers call the Teapot in Sagittarius; and the Teapot is simple to spot. The Teapot is an asterism in the western part of the constellation. It’s best viewed during the evening hours from about July to September. Best of all, when you’re looking toward the Teapot, you’re also looking toward the centre of our Milky Way galaxy.
The Plough lies north west with the ‘W’ of Cassiopeia at the same height in the north east. The four stars that make the square of Pegasus are becoming more noticeable in the north east and the summer triangle of stars Altair, Deneb and Vega are still very dominant in the summer sky. Arcturus is dropping to the west while Antares is now past its best.
The southern part of the sky is still taken up by the formless Hercules, Ophiuchus and Serpens. Yet more dull constellations are appearing low in the south east; these are Capricornus, and Aquarius, and although both lie in the zodiac there is nothing else to recommend them.
An indication that summer is drawing to a close is the return of Orion the hunter in the eastern pre dawn sky. Sometimes called the ‘Ghost of the shimmering summer dawn’. If you’re up early and have an unobstructed view to the east, be sure to look in that direction in the hour before dawn, The Hunter, recently behind the sun as seen from our earthly vantage point and now ascending once more before sunrise. The Hunter rises on his side, with his three Belt stars; Mintaka, Alnitak and Alnilam pointing straight up. This August, there’s a very bright object not far from the Hunter, also in the east before sunup. It’s the planet Venus. Watch for them both.
The Planets:-
MERCURY
Towards the end of August the innermost planet appears in the morning sky to the lower left of Venus, rising above the horizon 4.15am, at magnitude –1.2. Mercury is at its greatest separation from the Sun on 19th of the month.
VENUS
On the morning of 12th August the morning star glides just 52 arcminutes below Jupiter This conjunction will be magnificent as seen in binoculars or a low power telescope. After that Jupiter rises higher in the sky among the stars of Gemini while Venus gradually sinks towards the horizon.
MARS
The red planet lies in the constellation of Virgo, shinning at magnitude +1.5 and is falling below the horizon about 10.30pm. As the month progresses Mars slips down into the twilight glow and won’t be visible again until next year.
JUPITER
This month before dawn breaks we are treated to the wonderful sight of the two most brilliant planets rising together. Look east between the hours of 3am and 4am, during the first few days of August, glorious Venus is the higher of the two, with Jupiter seven times fainter, at magnitude –1.9. But still outshining any star in the sky.
SATURN
Rising about 9.30pm the ring world can be found in the constellation of Pisces, shinning at magnitude +0.7. The Moon is just to the right of Saturn 11th August and the following night 12th the Moon is to the left of Saturn.
URANUS
You will find Uranus in the constellation of Taurus. The seventh planet rises around 11.30pm, and shines at magnitude +5.8, just 4 degrees below the Pleiades star cluster.
NEPTUNE
You will need a pair of binoculars to spot Neptune lurking in the constellation of Pisces. It has a very faint magnitude of +7.7, and rising above the horizon about 9.30pm.
PLUTO
This distant planet can be observed in a ten-inch or larger telescope. It can be found in the constellation of Capricornus. With a magnitude of +14.4 it Rises about 8.15pm, and sets around 3.20am.
CERES
The largest object in the asteroid belt can be located in the constellation of Cetus this month. At magnitude +8.3 it rises above the horizon about 11.20pm
Special events:-
3rd August – The half Moon will be near the star Antares.
11th August – the almost full Moon lies to the right of Saturn.
12th August – The Moon is to the left of Saturn.
17th August – During the early hours the half Moon passes above Aldebaran, with the Pleiades star cluster to its right hand side.
20th August – The crescent Moon lies between the two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter.
21st August – Before dawn breaks the slim crescent Moon passes above Mercury, to the left of Venus and Jupiter.
Meteor showers:-
The night of the 12th into the 13th August will be the maximum of the Perseid meteor shower. Sadly, moonlight washes out this prolific display of shooting stars, that are high speed pellets of dust from comet Swift-Tuttle which was discovered by Lewis swift and Horrace Tuttle in 1862. The comet takes 133 years to orbit the Sun.
Phases of the Moon :-
First quarter 1st August
Full Moon 9th August
Last quarter 16th August
New Moon 23rd August