Cosmic Lure: June 2020

This month turned out to be busier than I was expecting. On the few nights that I was able to get outside, it was cloudy. Needless to say, June was a bust for stargazing, my telescope, and me. I hope that it was a good month for you!

I hope that July will be a better month for stargazing and me, as well as you! The temperature in July will likely continue to rise in Utah, making the nights even more comfortable to many people. Personally, I prefer the cooler nights, which are also better for stargazing! The nights will continue to lengthen as we have just had the Summer Solstice on June 20/21, which coincided with an annular solar eclipse. Unfortunately, we weren't able to see it in person over Utah, or any of the United States. With advances in technology, however, many were able to view a live stream of the eclipse on their mobile devices and computers. On the topic of eclipses, early July will bring a lunar eclipse which will be visible over Utah, granted that the sky is clear. We will also have a meteor shower this month and comet T2 should still be visible with the use of binoculars and telescopes. We will also have the chance to see all of the planets in one night if you are willing stay awake until sunrise.

Mercury

As mentioned last month, Mercury will return to our morning sky in July. During the early part of the month, Mercury will rise at about the same time as the Sun, making it impossible to see. As the month wears on, Mercury will rise earlier, moving away from the bright yellowish glow of the Sun. By the 14th, it should lie far enough away from the Sun to be seen, but will continue rising earlier each morning, increasing the ease of locating this tiny planet. On the 19th, a crescent Moon will be found to the left of Mercury, which might aid in locating the inner planet.

Venus

Venus will continue to be found in the morning sky throughout July. It should be easy to spot before sunrise since it will be the brightest natural object in the eastern sky until the 17th, when the Moon joins our nearest planetary neighbor. On the first morning of the month, the Pleiades can be found directly above Venus. This star cluster can be seen from my house in a light polluted city, but will be much easier to see if you can get away from city lights. Depending on how good your eyes are, you might be able to make out some of the stars of the Pleiades, for others, it may just appear as a fuzzy blob.

Mars

As the month begins, Mars will rise close to 2 in the morning for Utahns. By the end of the month, the red planet will rise about two hours earlier. This will allow the planet to rise higher in the sky before the Sun's glow wipes it from our vision. Since Mars will be able to rise higher in the sky, it will offer better views for those with a telescope. If atmospheric conditions allow, you make even be able to to make out some surface detail on the fourth planet from the Sun. The Moon will be found to the right of Mars on the 11th. The following morning, the Moon can be found just to the left of the rusty looking planet.

Jupiter

Jupiter will reach opposition on the 14th, greatly increasing the detail in the cloud bands that can be seen from Earth. The Moon will join Jupiter on 4th, 5th, and 31st of the month. For those with a telescope, you may also be able to view the Great Red Spot and the shadow of one of the Galilean Moons on the surface of Jupiter as the moon transits the planet. The app Jovemoons can show you when these transits occur as well as when the Great Red Spot is visible from your location. If you are interested in viewing these, be sure to check out the app!

Saturn

Saturn can be found rising in the east just a few hours after Jupiter. Saturn will also reach opposition this month, allowing it to be visible all night long. This occurs on the 20th. The tilt of the ring system on this date will allow the A, B, and C rings. A small telescope should show these quite nicely as well as the Cassini division found between the A and B rings. The Moon will be found between Saturn and Jupiter on the 5th this month and also on the 1st of August. Both Saturn and Jupiter will be found to the left of the Milky Way band. The bright red star Antares can be found to the right of the Milky Way band, helping those having trouble spotting the band.

Neptune

Uranus

The outer two planets are best viewed through a telescope but can still be seen through a pair of binoculars. Uranus can be found rising above the Utah mountains around 3 in the morning at the beginning of the month. By the end of the month, it will rise nearly two hours earlier at 1 in the morning. The Moon can be found to the lower right of Uranus on the morning of the 14th, possibly aiding in locating this planet.

Neptune will rise around 2 in the morning, close to the same time as Mars at the beginning of the month. The Moon will join Neptune on the 10th, with the most distant planet being just to the upper left of the Moon. By then end of the month, Neptune will rise nearly two hours earlier at just before midnight Utah time.

Meteor Shower

July will bring many smaller meteor showers and one that will peak under a nearly Moon-free sky. The Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor shower will peak on the 29th. On the peak date, it is predicted that you can see up to 20 meteors per hour. They will appear to radiate from the constellation of Aquarius, with the central point found about 20° to the left of Saturn on the peak date. Be sure to get away from city lights to increase the number and frequency of the meteors that you can see!

Spot Me....🕵️

I've had you try to spot quite a few different objects in the night sky, most of which require a telescope. This month will be your last chance to spot comet T2 as it makes its way back to the Oort Cloud. Since it is moving away from Earth, it will appear dimmer and will require a telescope of at least 4 inches to see. By using the star at the tip of the Big Dipper, Dubhe, and the star at bottom of the cup of the Big Dipper furthest from the handle, Phecda, you can trace a line to the obscure constellation of Canes Venatici and comet T2. This constellation only consists of two stars, the lower of which has comet T2 close by on the first evening of the month. As the month moves on, comet T2 will move to the left of this constellation.

This month will also allow a stargazer to see all seven planets in one night if they are willing to stay up until sunrise. This night will have to be after the 14th, when Mercury rises ahead of the morning Sun's glare. If you are interested in seeing all of the planets in one night, start your night viewing Jupiter and Saturn. After midnight, you can move on to Mars and Neptune, followed by Uranus, Venus, and then Mercury.

Finally, and perhaps the most exciting event of the month, there will be a Lunar Eclipse on the 4th of July for those in Utah. It will start at 9:07 PM when the Earth's shadow begins to pass across the surface of the Moon. The peak of the eclipse will occur at 10:29. Shortly before midnight, at 11:52 the Earth's shadow will be completely off of the Moon and the eclipse will end. This event will add to your 4th of July festivities, so in between fireworks, be sure to check it out!

As always, leave a comment to let me and others know what you see!

Monthly Breakdown

July 04: Full Moon 🌕

July 04: Lunar Eclipse begins at 9:07 PM Mountain Time
July 05: Jupiter, Saturn, and the Moon are close together

July 10: Moon passes within 4° of Neptune

July 11: Moon passes within 2° of Mars

July 12: Last Quarter Moon 🌗

July 14: Jupiter at opposition

July 17: Moon passes within 3° of Venus

July 18: Moon passes within 4° of Mercury

July 20: New Moon 🌑

July 20: Saturn at opposition
July 27: First Quarter Moon 🌓

July 29: Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower peaks

Think About This....💡

I meant to share the following pictures taken from my phone in May. These were all from the west desert of Utah on the same night as the pictures shared in June. Enjoy!