Backyard Stargazer: The stars are bright on summer nights
By Francis Parnell
Welcome to Dog Days, which begins July 3 and lasts until Aug. 11. 40 days and nights of oppressive heat and humidity.
Francis Parnell, the Backyard Stargazer of Darlington
The name actually comes from Sirius, the Dog Star, that rises with the Sun this time of year. The ancient Greeks believed Sirius added its heat to that of the Sun, and the sultry weather caused dogs to go mad.
At 6:11 p.m. on the 4th, Earth is at aphelion, its greatest distance from the Sun all year at 94,512,071 miles. The first week in January each year, we’re at perihelion, 91.5 million miles away from the Sun. Average Earth/Sun distance is 92,955,807 miles.
At dusk on the 5th, look for a thin waxing crescent Moon less than 3 degrees right of Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, the Lion.
Saturn is at opposition, 839,390,937 miles and closest to Earth on the night of the 9th. We catch up with Saturn every 378.1 days.
Looking south-southeast at sunset from the 12th to the 15th, the Moon will be gliding through Scorpius, the Scorpion, Ophiuchus, the Serpent Holder, and Sagittarius, the Archer. By the way, Ophiuchus (offi-you-kus) is the 13th sign of the Zodiac. (Will explain in August.)
One hour after sunset on the 12th, the Moon forms a triangle with bright Jupiter to the left and fiery red Antares, the Heart of the Scorpion, about 8 degrees below.
The Moon is 4 degrees left of dazzling Jupiter at dusk on the 13th.
The Moon is above the Teapot of Sagittarius at dusk on the 14th.
At dusk on the 15th, spot the ringed planet Saturn 2 degrees left of the nearly full Moon.
The waning crescent Moon is 8 degrees upper right of bright red Aldebaran, the Eye of Taurus, about 5 a.m. on the 27th.
FAST FACT: Telescopes and binoculars are “Time Machines”! Even at the speed of light, we see the Moon as it was 1.3 seconds ago.
Under a dark sky, without optical aid, we can glimpse the faint patch of light that’s the Andromeda Galaxy, 2.5 million light-years away. If you own a telescope or binoculars, use them to observe the Moon, planets, stars, deep-sky objects; start “Touring with Time Machines”!
“Keep looking up” and traveling back in time!