August 2009 Night Skies over Tanzania
CLICK FOR LARGER SKY MAP August 2009 sky map
Saturn is passing through a historic phase now as we speak. Its ring system has disappeared from our view since the thin flat ring system is facing us edge on. So we cannot see it from this distance, even through sophisticated telescopes. On August 11, it was exactly in line with the direction of the sun so only its edge was illuminated while on 4th September the ring plane will be exactly along our line of sight. Galileo faced a similar dilemma when the appendages around Saturn which he had described as “ears” 400 years ago this year, disappeared from his view in 1612.
While Saturn is setting in the western skies at the moment, a dazzling Jupiter rises in the east and stays up, offering enjoyment for our eyes all night. You cannot miss it in the early evening as a truly brilliant star shining with a steady light. Remember that stars twinkle as they shine, while planets shine with a steady light. The atmospheric undulations bend (refract) the light of a star away from our eyes while light from some part of the disk of the planet always manages to enter our eyes, hence we see it as a steady light.
Watch out on Saturday 22nd August, when the thin crescent Moon is in line with Mercury and Saturn in the western skies. Mercury will be at its highest elevation at sunset on that date – 25 degrees above the horizon. So you should take the opportunity to observe it with the naked eyes though it can be a challenge to view it against the glare of the setting sun. It will be about 4 degrees below and to the right of the crescent moon. Along that line lower down about 6 degrees away is Saturn, but that will be a true to challenge to spot for the last time.
Mars is a tiny red dot in the dawn skies about 45 degrees above the horizon in the north-west skies. The predictors of Mars to be seen as big as the moon this August have been silenced by all the warnings about its falsity. Rather, get up early to view Venus as glittering morning star, again in the north-west skies but lower, about 25 degrees above the horizon.
The Moon is new on 20th August and by Friday 21st August it is 14 degrees above the horizon so the thin crescent arc could be able to be spotted that evening by sharp observers.
Among the stars, there is a new arrival in the constellation Sagittarius, a constellation that is in our overhead skies in the evenings at the moment. A dying star has exploded (called a nova or a supernova), causing it to brighten and appear as a new star in that constellation. It is not yet visible to the naked eyes, but watch the news over next few weeks since it may become very bright and disappear from view after some time as the energy from the explosion is dispersed. Novas and supernovas are rare events to watch out for. The last one was seen ten years ago in May 1999.
Among the evening constellations are the long, winding Scorpio, and Sagittarius the archer. The Southern Cross lying on its side close to the southwestern horizon points south. In the north you can make out Cygnus the swan as a cross with the bright Deneb (A) at its tip. Among the bright stars you can try some with famous names. These are, from west to east, Spica (B) in constellation Virgo, Arcturus (C), Alpha (D) and Beta Centauri (E) the two bright stars in the southern skies that point to the Southern Cross, the red star Antares (F) in the neck of Scorpio, Vega (G), Altair (H) and Deneb (A) all in the north and Fomalhaut (J) just rising in the east at 8 p.m
The International Space Station (ISS) can best be seen from 1st to 4th September just after sunset. The ISS has been become so large that to be seen during the daytime if the conditions are right. In the night skies it is a truly glittering object gracefully gliding across the sky. On 1st September it will be seen from just after 7 pm for about three minutes gliding from south-south-west to east, hugging the eastern horizon reaching a maximum height of about 40 degrees in the south east. On 2nd September it will be seen around just after 7:30 pm again hugging the horizon but in the direction along the north-west horizon reaching a height of about 25 degrees. On 3rd it will be seen much higher and more brilliant along the south-east horizon at about just after 6:20 (sunset) and will rise to about 45 degrees and will pass close to Jupiter and will be in the skies for about 6 minutes. On 4th September it will be in the north-west horizon just after 6:45 and will be in the sky for about 4 minutes. These are consecutive opportunities so make the most of it to practice your directions and observation. For more exact and updated timings and information see the website http//www.heavens-above.com and enter your location (or latitude and longitude).
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