LISTEN to this week’s Sky Report
This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report through August 28th, 2020. Here’s what’s happening in the skies of southern California.
The waxing moon changes from crescent phase to first quarter on the 25th. After that it is gibbous through the nights preceding the full moon on September 1st. The moon is visible for a longer period each night. As a result, moonset changes from 9:39 p.m. on the 21st to 1:50 a.m. on the 28th.
The giant planets Jupiter and Saturn form a brilliant pair of objects that are visible high in the southeast sky during evening twilight. Separated by 8 degrees and located to the east of the “Teapot” star pattern of the constellation Sagittarius the Archer, the brighter Jupiter precedes Saturn as they arc together in a westward direction through the sky. They straddle the meridian in the south at about 10:00 p.m. Jupiter and Saturn set in the west-southwest around 3:00 a.m. The moon will appear below Jupiter on the evening of the 28th.
If you have access to a telescope, try spotting Jupiter’s colorful oval storm, the Great Red Spot, when it is on the side of Jupiter facing the west coast at 10:00 p.m., PDT as it will be on August 23rd, 25th and 28th.
And don’t miss Saturn’s spectacular rings! They may be observed through telescopes capable of a magnification of at least 20 power.
By 11:00 p.m., the bright orange gleam of the planet Mars is eye-catching above the eastern horizon. Located in front of the faint stars of the constellation Pisces the Fishes, Mars arcs high into the sky by early morning and crosses the meridian 62 degrees above the southern horizon.
The high position of Mars after midnight makes this an excellent time to examine the details of the planet through well-adjusted telescopes of three-inches or greater diameter. Look for the South Polar Cap and the dusky markings on the rust-colored deserts of Mars.
The brightest planet, Venus, clears the horizon in the east-northeast by 3:00 a.m. At sunrise, the planet is 42 degrees high. Venus is so bright that it may continue to be seen as a tiny white point against the blue sky long after sunrise.
Through telescopes, Venus currently presents a gibbous phase.
Early risers will have two opportunities to see the International Space Station, the largest and brightest artificial satellite that rivals Venus in brilliance, when it crosses high above Los Angeles on consecutive mornings.
On Monday the 24th, the ISS will move between the southwest and northeast horizons between 5:38 and 5:45 a.m. It will be highest just before 5:42 a.m. when it reaches a point 66 degrees high in the northwest.
On Tuesday the 25th, the ISS will move out of Earth’s shadow and into sunlight at 4:53 a.m., causing its sudden appearance 47 degrees above the southern horizon. It reaches its highest position, 63 degrees high in the southeast, at 4:54 a.m. It remains visible for another three minutes as it descends to the northeast horizon.
Because of measures in place that are intended to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 Corona virus, Griffith Observatory remains closed until further notice. Consequently, all public telescopes are closed, and all public events have been cancelled. Please check the Griffith Observatory homepage for current information and continued updates of the situation.
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 Anthony.Cook@lacity.org.