The Night Sky
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By
Duke Heath
The main night time attraction in the August sky is usually the Perseid
meteor shower, which peaks this month on the 13th.
Strong moonlight, however, will make this year's event a weak one
and not worth the mosquito bites. There are no once in a lifetime events this month, but there is a once every 60,000 years event. In all of recorded history, no one has ever seen Mars so close and so bright. In fact, it will be the brightest object in the sky other than the moon.
With a good amateur scope, it may be possible to see the highest mountain in the solar system, Olympus Mons-Mount Olympus. Olympus Mons is two and a half times higher than Everest. Rhode Island could easily fit inside the caldera of this giant volcano.
The red God of War will brighten rapidly all month and reach its peak by month's end. At this time Mars will be at its highest point about midnight in the south eastern sky. Check out Astronomy or Sky and Telescope online for more info.
The Moon will be in Scorpio on August 6. Shortly after sundown, the Moon will be just above red Antares which is the scorpion's head.
On August 8, the Moon will be just east of the scorpion and directly in the teapot of Sagittarius.
On the 12th and 13th , the Moon will be in conjunction with Mars in the south east.
One of my favorite sights will occur just before dawn on August 23 when the crescent Moon will be just above Saturn.
On the 24th, the shrinking crescent will be just to the right (south) of the Gemini Twins, Castor above and Pollux below.
The great summer constellations are at their peak this month. Scorpio rules the southern sky. If you look almost due south, just above the horizon you will see the reddish-orange Antares, which is the scorpions head. Above and to the right of Antares the pinchers are easy to see. The great tail of the scorpion falls toward the horizon and then rises showing its stinger. A huge constellation which is easy to make out. It really does look like a scorpion.
Directly overhead is the great summer triangle made up of bright Vega to the west, with Deneb being the northeastern most of the triad with Altair to the south. Deneb is also the head of Christ in the Northern Cross.
Nude Cassiopeia sits on her throne high in the northeast. The constellation can be recognized by looking for a giant "W".
To the northwest, Ursula Major, the Big Dipper reigns supreme. By following the curve of its handle and extending it out on the same arc, you reach bright Arcturus.
Continuing on in the same arc brings you to Spica.