Tonight, if the western horizon is clearly visible about 30 minutes after the sun sets, go looking for Venus and Mercury.
As twilight fades, the two inner planets, along with Regulus, will be visible very low in the west. Binoculars may be helpful; the visibility of celestial objects at twilight is greatly exaggerated here. (Courtesy of SkyandTelescope.org)
Provided by SkyandTelescope.org
On the mornings of July 30 and 31, before dawn, the waning Moon will pass Jupiter and its twins Mars and Aldebaran. (Courtesy of SkyandTelescope.org)
Provided by SkyandTelescope.org
There are lots of planets and the sun is very active!
Tonight, about 30 minutes after the sun sets and the western horizon is clear, go look for Venus and Mercury. The two inner planets are visible but hard to find, so a pair of binoculars will really help. Venus will be higher and brighter in the western sky during the summer, while Mercury will be setting towards the Sun in a few days.
In the east, Saturn begins to rise as it gets dark and will be visible throughout the night. From Earth, Saturn’s rings will form a nearly straight line in a telescope, making for a very beautiful sight.
Look for Earthlight before dawn on July 30 and 31, when the waning moon will line up beautifully with Mars and Jupiter. The winter constellations provide a starry backdrop for this view.
If you’re lucky enough to have a dark sky, be sure to check out the Milky Way as it enters its golden hour in the Northern Hemisphere. The ghostly band begins in the Southern Hemisphere in the constellations Scorpio and Sagittarius, Passing through the Summer Triangle.
For more information on this week’s weather conditions, Sky and Telescope.
The sun has been very active recently, with several Coronal mass ejection A CME is heading toward Earth and is expected to arrive on July 30, which could create favorable conditions for the aurora borealis to occur. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) The Space Weather Prediction Center will be contacted and will let us know if an alert is required.
enjoy!
Follow Greg Redfern Facebook, X And his daily blog, whatsupthespaceplace.com, To keep up with the latest news in astronomy and space exploration.
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