The Sky This Month – July 2010
Here are a few lovely celestial sights to see in the night sky this month.
Planet Alignment at Sunset
For most of July, look for a dramatic alignment of bright planets and stars in the southwestern sky at sunset. On July 1-2, you’ll see lined up a diagonal line extending some 40 degrees the planet Venus, the star Regulus in Leo, Mars, Saturn, and the star Spica in Virgo.
*** From One-Minute Astronomer ***
Tired of just reading about the stars? Stargazing for Beginners takes you on an easy-to-follow tour of the stars and main constellations. No telescope required! Click here to learn more…
Venus, Regulus, Mars, Saturn, and Spica in the evening sky just after sunset on July 1-3 (click to enlarge).
Over the month, wander out after sunset to see how this linear arrangement evolves. On July 9, Regulus and Venus come within one degree of each other. By month’s end, Mars and Saturn come within 2 degrees of each other, with bright Venus about 7 degrees below.
Mercury
This small planet has swung around the other side of the sun again, peeking above the horizon at sunset during the second half of the month. Look for it below and north of Venus, and within half a degree of Regulus on July 27.
Solar Eclipse
Oh, how I wish we could all see this! Though few will. On July 11 at 19:40 Universal Time, the new Moon passes in front of the sun, causing one of the most awesome sights in nature: a total solar eclipse. The band of totality for this eclipse misses nearly every land mass on Earth: it lies across the open south Pacific Ocean, between Chile and New Zealand.
Some lucky travelers have packed their optics and boarded cruise ships to see this spectacle. If you’re fortunate enough to see the eclipse, please send us an email and tell us homebound astronomers of your experience! More on solar eclipses in our next article…
Jupiter
On the other side of the sky from Venus, rising around midnight, you’ll find the planet Jupiter. Still better placed for southern-hemisphere observers, the planet slowly works its way toward the celestial equator. Turn a telescope towards the big planet if you can. If offers no end of lovely viewing.
Pleiades and the Moon
