Some highlights for the night sky in August 2004
Sunday 1 August 2004
- About 45 minutes after sunset look for Mercury near horizon in West and Jupiter not far behind
- Watch for launch of MESSENGER to Mercury
Tuesday 3 August 2004
- About 1.5 hours before sunrise, look Venus in Gemini's feet in the East and Saturn low in ENE near Pollux
- If you live in the right state, you may look for Mercury, low on horizon shortly after sunset
Saturday 7 August 2004
- Last quarter Moon
- Mars at aphelion (furthest from Sun)
Monday 9 August 2004
- About 1.5 hours before sunrise look for waning crescent Moon between Pleiades and Hyades
- Consortium for Undergraduate Research and Education in Astronomy Conference at Mount Wilson Observatory
Wednesday 11 August 2004
- About 1.5 hours before sunrise look for Venus near Gemini twin Castor's foot and Saturn not too far from Pollux
- Look for the Perseid meteor shower
Friday 13 August 2004
- About 1.5 hours before sunrise look for waning crescent Moon between Pollux and Saturn
- Look for Venus before sunrise
- Don't forget the Perseid meteor shower
Saturday 14 August 2004
- About 1 hour before sunrise look for Procyon, Venus, Castor, Pollux, Saturn, and thin waning crescent Moon
- 5th anniversary of Callisto flyby by Galileo spacecraft
Tuesday 17 August 2004
- With low horizon look for Procyon low, and Venus high, about 1.5 hours before sunrise
- Asteroid 9769 Nautilus closest approach to Earth at 1.44 AU
Friday 20 August 2004
- About 1 hour after sunset, look for waxing crescent Moon near Spica
- Happy Birthday Richard Geller
Monday 23 August 2004
- First quarter Moon near Antares
- Cassini spacecraft due for orbital maneuver
Friday 27 August 2004
- About 1.5 hours before sunrise look for Venus near Saturn (about 4.5 degrees of separation)
- Uranus at opposition
Sunday 29 August 2004
- Full Moon
- Look for full Moon near delta Aquarius 1.5 hours after sunset
Tuesday 31 August 2004
- About 1.5 hours before sunrise look in the East for Castor, Pollux, Saturn, Venus and Procyon in a line (almost)
- Mars conjunction
Good skywatching resources
John Avellone's provided web sites