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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report through August 15th, 2019. Here’s what’s happening in the skies of southern California.
The moon, and the giant planets Jupiter and Saturn, make the brightest targets for observing after sunset.
Jupiter, in the sprawling constellation Ophiuchus the Snake Bearer, is at its highest near the meridian in the south as the sky starts to darken. Binoculars are large enough to allow observation of the planet’s four large Galilean moons, making them appear as tiny dots next to the planet that shift position from one night to the next as they move in their orbits. A larger telescope, however, capable of a magnification of 50 or more, is needed to see the details of Jupiter’s stormy clouds. The most famous of Jupiter’s storms, the Great Red Spot, is visible when it faces observers on the West Coast, as it will at 8:30 p.m. on the 11th and 13th.
Saturn is visible in the southeast sky, to the lower left of Jupiter, during the evening twilight. Saturn’s beautiful ring system is easily visible through most telescopes, as are several of its many moons.
Earth’s moon changes from waxing gibbous to full on the morning of the 15th. Along the way, it will pose to the upper left of Jupiter on the 9th and to the right of Saturn on the 11th.
If you plan to visit Griffith Observatory, note that this is a great time to see Jupiter, Saturn, and the moon during our free public telescope sessions, weather permitting.
The timing of the bright phase of the moon this month interferes with the most popular meteor shower of the year, the Perseid shower. It is likely to reach its peak rate on the morning of the 13th, when close to 100 meteors per hour may be expected when they observed from a dark wilderness sky. The problem is that the moon, only two days before full, sets at 4:25 a.m., less than half an hour before dawn starts at 4:41 a.m. Because the Perseids build up strength morning by morning, also consider observing before dawn on the 11th and 12th. On those mornings the moon sets at 2:41 a.m., and 3:32 a.m., respectively.
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 from Tuesday through Sunday, before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for the schedule. The next free 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, August 10th, between 2:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Follow The Sky Report, All Space Considered, and Griffith Observatory on Twitter for updates on astronomy and space-related events.
From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook, and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.