LISTEN to this week’s Sky Report
This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, July 10, 2013. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:
The brightest planet, Venus, can be spotted in the west-northwest by sunset and remains visible until 9:45 p.m. Venus is on the far side of the sun in its orbit, and through a telescope shows a nearly full disk, 90-percent illuminated.
The ringed planet Saturn is high in the southern sky in late evening twilight, to the left of Virgo the Maiden’s brightest star, Spica, which the planet outshines. Saturn and its spectacular system of rings are currently featured through Griffith Observatory’s public telescopes. Saturn sets in the west at 1:40 a.m.
The planet Mars, in Taurus the Bull, can be found with binoculars by 5:00 a.m., or 45 minutes before sunrise, when it will be 7 degrees above the east-northeast horizon. Mars is 16 degrees to the lower left of Aldebaran, the bright orange eye of Taurus. Aldebaran currently outshines Mars, but is similar in hue.
The waning crescent moon will last be seen in the morning sky on Saturday, July 6, and is new on Monday the 8th. The waxing crescent moon can be spotted after sunset, below Venus, by the 10th.
The absence of bright moonlight makes this week ideal for examining the evening stars. As darkness falls, a large triangle of bright white stars can be seen spanning the east and northeastern part of the sky, a formation known as the Summer Triangle. The highest and brightest of these stars, in the north-northeast is Vega in Lyra the Lyre. Midway between Vega and the northwest horizon is Deneb, the tail of Cygnus the Swan. A little lower than Deneb, in the east, is Altair of Aquila the Eagle. The region of sky between Deneb and Altair bears examination through binoculars because of the many interesting clusters of stars that reside there. When viewed from wilderness locations, free from artificial light pollution, the frosty glow of the Milky Way can be seen arcing up from Sagittarius and Scorpius in the south (mentioned last week) through the eastern side of the Summer Triangle. The Milky Way appears to split in two between Altair and Deneb, an effect caused by galactic dust and gas obscuring the stars beyond, known as the Great Rift.
Free views of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night, are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes Tuesday-Sunday before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for our schedule. The next public star party on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, hosted by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place on Saturday, July 13.
From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.