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The Sky this Quarter
Summer 2010

 

Venus
The "the evening star". Venus is easily found looking W-NW about an hour after sunset from May to September. The planet reaches half-phase at the end of August, there after its phase becomes a crescent. The crescent is a wonderful sight in any telescope. Binoculars will also resolve the crescent under good conditions.

Mars (Opposition was on Jan 29th)
Now well past opposition and may be seen low in the West just after sunset.

Jupiter
Jupiter rises at 2.30am BST (0130 UT) at the start of June. The planet is in Pisces and will become more easily located in August when it will have gained some altitude. Recent observations indicate that Jupiter has lost its South Equatorial belt due to a major fade, so the view will be somewhat unusual !

Saturn
In Virgo and located in the SW during the evenings, the rings are nearly edge on, and in a small telescope might not be seen. The News letter editor would be delighted to receive accounts of the visibility (or not) of Saturn's rings in your telescope.

Saturn sets at 0030 BST on June 1st and 22.30 on August 1st.

Pluto
Is at opposition in Sagittarius (June-July) moving through a dense area of Milky Way. It is at magnitude 14. Another Dwarf Planet - Ceres - is 10 degrees to the SW of Pluto. Ceres is magnitude 7.1 when at its brightest.

Planetary alignments
Venus, Mars and Saturn will form a grouping from August 1st to 7th, 5-8 degrees above the Western Horizon 1 hr after sunset. Watch the alignment change from day to day.

Meteor Showers
The maximum night for the Perseids (August 12/13) is Moon-free, so a good display may be expected in a dark sky. Predicted maximum is at 22 Hrs BST on the 12th.

Comets
Comet 103P Hartley could become an easy binocular target in September when it will be high up in the sky passing though Pegasus, Andromeda and Cassiopeia. It might become a naked eye object in October.

Currently there is a 10th magnitude comet close to the Pole star. Search for McNaught (2009 K5) and you will find more info such as:

http://www.heavens-above.com/comet.aspx?cid=C%2F2009%20K5&lat=54.326&lng=-2.746&loc=Kendal&alt=72&tz=GMT

 

Updated June 2nd, 2010

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