July is a great month for staying up late to see the stars. A couple planets can be spotted in the west and the moon disappears just in time for some meteors.
Planets on July Evenings
Saturn is in the southwestern sky, shining at magnitude 0.9 after sunset. Saturn begins the month right beside the star Gamma Virginis, also known as Porrima. Saturn will drift to the left, farther from the star as the month wears on. Saturn will hang around for the rest of the summer and then sink with the sun in fall.
Mercury emerged from the western horizon in June and is visible all July as it passes from the constellation Gemini, through Cancer, and into Leo. Mercury is quite bright at the beginning of the month, shining at magnitude -0.4, but it fades to 0.7 and becomes more difficult to see in the twilight.
Partial Solar Eclipse on July 1, 2011
A partial solar eclipse will occur on July 1, 2011, near the bottom of the world. The eclipse takes place almost entirely over the Indian Ocean south of Africa, with just a portion of it brushing across the shore of Antarctica. This eclipse occurs just one month after the last partial solar eclipse.
Southern Delta Aquarid Meteors
The summer of 2011's best meteor shower is the Southern Delta Aquarids, occurring on July 29 just a night before new moon. The Delta Aquarids beats out the Perseids, which is usually the best summer shower, because it occurs around the time of full moon next month.
The Moon in July
The full moon occurs on July 15 at 2:40 a.m. EDT. This moon is sometimes called the Thunder Moon. The week following full moon is a good time to view the Milky Way, because the moon will rise a bit later each night, allowing for a window of observing in dark skies.
On July 31, the first sighting of the crescent moons marks the beginning of Ramadan.
Solar System Curiosities
For purely intellectual interest, the Earth reaches aphelion on July 4 when it passes the point in orbit that brings it 1.017 AU from the sun. Aphelion is the farthest point in its orbit from the sun. Perihelion occurred back on January 2.
On July 12, 2011, Neptune completes one year, or orbit around the sun, since it was first discovered on September 24, 1846. Next month Neptune reaches opposition and is a decent target for observers.
Source
- Celestron's The Sky Software.
Kelly Whitt - I have been a professional writer for more than a decade, covering many topics from science-based articles to do-it-yourself home ...
