The Celestial Times, July

Click on any of the images to find out more about it courtesy of The Nine Planets. This should appear in a separate window, so that you can explore without losing your place.

The Sun Depending upon your latitude, sunrise and sunset times at the beginning and end of the month will be: 55°N 3:29 am - 8:27 pm and 3:25 am - 8:42 pm; 50°N 3:56 am - 8:00 pm and 3:55 am - 8:13 pm; 45°N 4:17 am - 7:39 pm and 4:17 am - 7:51 pm; 40°N 4:33 am - 7:22 pm and 4:35 am - 7:33 pm; 35°N 4:47 am - 7:08 pm and 4:49 am - 7:18 pm; 30°N 5:00 am - 6:56 pm and 5:02 am - 7:05 pm.
The Moon Last quarter on 7^th at 4:20 am UT, New on 13^th at 7:03 pm UT, First quarter on 20^th at 6:13 pm UT, Full on 28^th at 9:37 pm UT.
Occults first magnitude star Regulus (alpha Leonis) on the 18^th.
For nightly multimedia lunar tours, visit Inconstant Moon.
Mercury Will be at greatest eastern elongation of 26° on the 28^th, when it will set nearly 1h30m after the Sun, magnitude 0.6. Will be within 5° of first magnitude Pollux (beta Geminorum) on the 21^st.
Venus A brilliant evening object, and still brightening from magnitude -4.2 to -4.4 during the month. It begins the month in Gemini, setting around 3h30m after the Sun, passes through Cancer and ends the month in Leo, setting less than 2h after sunset. It will be at maximum eastern elongation of 45° on the 11^th. The crescent Moon will be nearby on the 16^th.
Mars A bright morning object moving in retrograde through Virgo, and reaching a stationary point on the 5^th before returning to direct motion. It will transit at around 8:50 pm at the beginning of the month and set some 3h after the Sun by the end, whilst its magnitude will decrease from -1.0 to -0.4. It is currently fairly close to the Earth, presenting the best period for observing surface detail for nine years, and one that will not be matched for another four. The gibbous Moon will be nearby on the 22^nd.
Jupiter A brilliant object moving from Pisces to Aries, and into a better position for observation. By month-end it will rise over 3h before the Sun, magnitude -2.3. The crescent Moon will be nearby on the 9^th.
Saturn Another planet returning from a recent conjunction, but slowly. It will rise some 2h30m before the Sun by the end of the month, magnitude 0.4, and may with difficulty be observer low above the north-eastern horizon in Aries. The crescent Moon will be nearby on the 10^th.
Uranus Currently in Capricorn, rises just over 3h before the Sun at the beginning of the month, and transits at about 2:40am by month-end, magnitude 5.7. Look about 1° west of iota Capricorni and 3° north-eact of theta. The gibbous Moon will be nearby on the 4^th.
Neptune Also in Capricorn at the moment, rises nearly 4h before the Sun at the beginning of the month and transits at about 1:50am by the end, magnitude 7.9. It may be found by following a line from rho to pi Capricorni, and extending it a little under twice as far again whilst curving to the south. Last quarter Moon nearby on the 3^rd and 30^th.
Pluto An extremely faint object in Ophiuchus, magnitude 13.7, transiting at 12:01am at the beginning of the month and 9:56 am by the end. It is currently about ¹/³° north-west of the 2^nd magnitude zeta Ophiuchi. Gibbous Moon nearby on the 26^th.
Asteroids Vesta is currently travelling through the sickle of Leo, beginning the month some 4° south of delta Leonis and ending it a similar distance south of gamma Leonis (Algieba), magnitude around 8.0. Juno, around magnitude 10.2, travels westward some 5° through Serpens during the month, beginning less than 1° north-east of delta Ophiuchi (Yed Prior).
The best way to observe an asteroid is to look for its tell-tale movement over several nights.
Earth The Summer Solstice will be on the 21^st at 8 pm UT, marking the beginning of summer. The Sun will be at its highest noontime altitude in the Northern hemisphere, and daylight hours will be at their longest. Earliest sunrise will actuallybe on the 17^th, and latest sunset on the 25^th
Meteors The Ophiuchid shower runs from the 17^th to the 26^th. It will peak around the 19^th, when its radiant, near theta Ophiuchi, will transit at about midnight. This is just as the gibbous Moon is setting, so observation will not be hindered.

Minerva Home Inconstant Moon The Sciences Interesting Links This Month Guest Book

	The Sun Depending upon your latitude, sunrise and sunset times at the beginning and end of the month will be: *55°N* 3:29 am - 8:27 pm and 3:25 am - 8:42 pm; *50°N* 3:56 am - 8:00 pm and 3:55 am - 8:13 pm; *45°N* 4:17 am - 7:39 pm and 4:17 am - 7:51 pm; *40°N* 4:33 am - 7:22 pm and 4:35 am - 7:33 pm; *35°N* 4:47 am - 7:08 pm and 4:49 am - 7:18 pm; *30°N* 5:00 am - 6:56 pm and 5:02 am - 7:05 pm.
	The Moon Last quarter on 7^th at 4:20 am UT, New on 13^th at 7:03 pm UT, First quarter on 20^th at 6:13 pm UT, Full on 28^th at 9:37 pm UT. Occults first magnitude star Regulus (alpha Leonis) on the 18^th. For nightly multimedia lunar tours, visit Inconstant Moon.
	Mercury Will be at greatest eastern elongation of 26° on the 28^th, when it will set nearly 1h30m after the Sun, magnitude 0.6. Will be within 5° of first magnitude Pollux (beta Geminorum) on the 21^st.
	Venus A brilliant evening object, and still brightening from magnitude -4.2 to -4.4 during the month. It begins the month in Gemini, setting around 3h30m after the Sun, passes through Cancer and ends the month in Leo, setting less than 2h after sunset. It will be at maximum eastern elongation of 45° on the 11^th. The crescent Moon will be nearby on the 16^th.
	Mars A bright morning object moving in retrograde through Virgo, and reaching a stationary point on the 5^th before returning to direct motion. It will transit at around 8:50 pm at the beginning of the month and set some 3h after the Sun by the end, whilst its magnitude will decrease from -1.0 to -0.4. It is currently fairly close to the Earth, presenting the best period for observing surface detail for nine years, and one that will not be matched for another four. The gibbous Moon will be nearby on the 22^nd.
	Jupiter A brilliant object moving from Pisces to Aries, and into a better position for observation. By month-end it will rise over 3h before the Sun, magnitude -2.3. The crescent Moon will be nearby on the 9^th.
	Saturn Another planet returning from a recent conjunction, but slowly. It will rise some 2h30m before the Sun by the end of the month, magnitude 0.4, and may with difficulty be observer low above the north-eastern horizon in Aries. The crescent Moon will be nearby on the 10^th.
	Uranus Currently in Capricorn, rises just over 3h before the Sun at the beginning of the month, and transits at about 2:40am by month-end, magnitude 5.7. Look about 1° west of iota Capricorni and 3° north-eact of theta. The gibbous Moon will be nearby on the 4^th.
	Neptune Also in Capricorn at the moment, rises nearly 4h before the Sun at the beginning of the month and transits at about 1:50am by the end, magnitude 7.9. It may be found by following a line from rho to pi Capricorni, and extending it a little under twice as far again whilst curving to the south. Last quarter Moon nearby on the 3^rd and 30^th.
	Pluto An extremely faint object in Ophiuchus, magnitude 13.7, transiting at 12:01am at the beginning of the month and 9:56 am by the end. It is currently about ¹/³° north-west of the 2^nd magnitude zeta Ophiuchi. Gibbous Moon nearby on the 26^th.
	Asteroids Vesta is currently travelling through the sickle of Leo, beginning the month some 4° south of delta Leonis and ending it a similar distance south of gamma Leonis (Algieba), magnitude around 8.0. Juno, around magnitude 10.2, travels westward some 5° through Serpens during the month, beginning less than 1° north-east of delta Ophiuchi (Yed Prior). The best way to observe an asteroid is to look for its tell-tale movement over several nights.
	Earth The Summer Solstice will be on the 21^st at 8 pm UT, marking the beginning of summer. The Sun will be at its highest noontime altitude in the Northern hemisphere, and daylight hours will be at their longest. Earliest sunrise will actuallybe on the 17^th, and latest sunset on the 25^th
	Meteors The Ophiuchid shower runs from the 17^th to the 26^th. It will peak around the 19^th, when its radiant, near theta Ophiuchi, will transit at about midnight. This is just as the gibbous Moon is setting, so observation will not be hindered.