August 2, 2006
August Astronomy Note 2006
For those early risers, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn are coming up just before the Sun in the morning sky this month. Mercury is the one lower and closer to the Sun. The 7th will be a good time to see Mercury, about 45 minutes before dawn.
Note that on the morning of 22 August, 30-40 minutes before dawn, the Moon, Saturn, Venus, and Mercury will appear in a cluster only a few degrees across.
Neptune is at opposition, and is high in the sky at near midnight, making this the best time of the year for viewing this blue planet, if you have a telescope.
In the evening sky are Jupiter and Mars, both getting closer, from our viewpoint, to the Sun as the month progresses.
The Perseid Meteor Shower will peak on the 12th, but a large waning Moon will impact observations.
Data for these notes are mainly obtained from the Astronomical Calendar by Guy Ottewell, Dept of Physics, Furman University.