Stargazing for July

Mercury can be seen very low in the WNW in the evening twilight in July but will be lost by mid-month. Venus will be very low in the E in the morning twilight. Mars is not observable in July. Jupiter will be seen low in the SW in the evening twilight and sets in the W near midnight. Saturn will be seen in the S at dusk and low in the SW near dawn.

Saturday July 1 is Canada Day and is a major public outreach event on the Sunshine Coast Astronomy Club Calendar. The club will set up an Information booth in Hackett Park and will be open to visitors from 10am – 5pm. There will be free give-aways and a host of telescopes set up for solar viewing. On July 9 the full moon will be located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated. This full moon is known as the Full Buck Moon.

The Delta Aquarids meteor shower will peak on the evening of July 29 and the morning of July 30. This is a meteor shower that can produce up to 20 meteors per hour. It is produced by debris left behind by comets Marsden and Kracht. The crescent moon will set by midnight leaving dark skies for a good early morning show.

Last month we reported that space probe Juno had arrived at Jupiter. On it’s fifth fly-by Juno made it’s closest approach at 4,400 kms above the surface of Jupiter. Juno is sending back information on atmosphere, gravity and the electro magnetic field of the planet. Juno will continue to operate until March 2018.