Local Sky Events

• The Perseid Meteor Shower will peak on the night of August 12-13.The best viewing time will be between 11 pm Aug 12 and sunrise on Aug. 13. The Moon will not interfere this year.
• Saturn lies in western Virgo in the south southwest after sunset. Through a telescope Saturn's thin rings bisect the disk. Its moons tend to be in a line now.
• The brilliant Evening Star in the West, Venus, spends its time in Virgo during August near Saturn and Mars. Watch for the dance of the planets, especially when the crescent Moon joins in.
• Mars is located in Virgo in the Southwest after sunset near Saturn, Venus and Mercury. Mars has a definite reddish appearance that will contrast well with blue Spica.
• Comet 10/P Tempel should be visible telescopically in Cetus in mid-August. This periodic comet takes 5.4 years to orbit the Sun.
• Dwarf planet Ceres is visible through binoculars in southern Ophiuchus. See August Astronomy Magazine p 43 for map.
• Jupiter and Uranus will rise by 10 pm. Jupiter accompanies Pisces and blazes at -2.9 magnitude.
• See Links - Sky Watching for other events.
• See Sky and Telescope's This Week's Sky at a Glance