ST. GEORGE – July brings a spectacular display in the skies above Southern Utah, where clear skies and a waning moon serve as the backdrop for close encounters between planets, astronomical lines toward the gas giant, and the debut of one of the richest meteor showers of the year.
July opened with Jupiter and Mars together in the east just before sunrise, and in the coming weeks the two planets will continue to move closer and closer culminating in a conjunction – with Mars overtaking Jupiter on August 14th.
The celestial events are explained in the video provided by NASA that can be seen at the top of this report.
As an added bonus, on Monday, July 15, Uranus will appear as if it’s right next to Mars in the night sky during a planetary conjunction that puts Mars about half a degree from the bluish-green planet that’s much further away. on Earth Heaven.
Using only the unaided eye, the bright white light of Jupiter will stand out against the fainter and significantly redder glow of Mars. After July 15th, Mars will begin to pull away from Uranus towards the Pleiades as it makes a planetary line to the gas giant Jupiter.
Two weeks later, a very bright Jupiter, Mars and an orange star called Aldebaran – the 14th brightest star in the sky – will join the Pleiades as a waning moon re-enters the sky stage to create a spectacle spectacular on July 30.
One of the liveliest meteor shows of the year, the Perseid meteor shower, will make its debut on Wednesday, July 17, for its month-long display that runs through August.
As the shower becomes increasingly active until its peak between August 11 and 12, it sends up a steady stream of meteors that are rich in color and particularly fast – making this special celestial display one of the most beloved for observers in the northern hemisphere. .
If traced back, all the meteors come from the Perseus constellation near the infamous “Double Cluster,” an area where two open clusters of stars are clustered together near the sky’s dome. The Perseids are said to originate from the large comet Swift-Tuttle.
The radiant point of the Perseids rises late in the evening, around 11 p.m., in the northeast, so this particular shower is best viewed from midnight to dawn. The moon will set around midnight, so there will be dark skies until sunrise — perfect for meteor hunting, says Space.com.
Even better, the greatest number of visible meteors at beam height will occur just before dawn.
Below are tips for viewing the Perseid meteor shower:
- An open sky is essential as these meteors range across the sky in many different directions and in front of a number of constellations.
- Try to stay away from the moon when looking for meteors.
- Getting as far away from city lights as possible will provide the best view, and the best time to see the showers is between midnight and dawn.
- Allow at least an hour of sky viewing, as it can take up to 20 minutes for the eyes to adjust to the darkness of the night.
- Put away your telescope or binoculars, as using either reduces the amount of sky you can see at one time and reduces your chances of seeing a meteor.
- Let your eyes rest and do not look at a certain place. Steady eyes will quickly pick up any movement in the sky and you’ll be able to spot more meteors.
- Make sure you dress appropriately – wear appropriate clothing for the cold temperatures at night.
- Bring something comfortable to sit or lie on. A reclining chair or pillow will make it much more comfortable to keep your gaze on the night sky.
- Avoid looking at your cell phone or any other light, as both destroy night vision.
- To find out when the moon sets each of those mornings, visit the Sunrise Sunset Calendars.
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