This event was CANCELLED due to
heavy cloud cover & threat of thunderstorms

We'll try again two Fridays from now - 8/19/2011
 .

Astronomical Observing at the Fishcreek Observing Site
Friday - 8/5/2011  9:30 pm

Click here for event status
Click here for a printer-friendly version of the information on this page.
Click here for general Information you should know about our events - Q&A of Where, When and What.
Click here for satellite passes this evening. 

Click here for chart of Solar/Lunar/planet availability for tonight. 

Tonight, we'll have a beautiful first quarter Moon.  This is the perfect time to see all kinds of lunar detail, especially at or near the terminator - the line separating lunar night from day.  It will set at 11:48pm which will provide us with a dark sky to see the dim DSOs (Deep Space Objects) that we love to view.  We'll have beautiful Saturn with its magnificent rings and moons, colorful double stars and open clusters made up of hundreds of stars that will look beautiful; the globular clusters will be fantastic as will the planetary nebula formed by dying stars.  The diffuse nebula and emission nebula where stars are being born will be visible.  Galaxies will be available to us, but difficult unless the night is perfectly clear.

Click here for a list of DeepSky Objects that will be available to us this session.

How about the planets...which ones can we see tonight? 

    Sun is obviously unavailable to us, it will be night time after all. 
    Mercury is setting 24 minutes after sunset and now totally lost in the glare of the setting sun
    Venus is now rising only 17 minutes before sunrise and now, like Mercury, totally lost in the glare of the Sun
    Earth is what you'll be standing on as you look up. 
    Mars is a morning object now, rising more than 3 hours before sunrise.
    Jupiter is a late-night object rising at 12:03am.
    Saturn is visible in the evening and night.  It sets at 11:15pm.
    Uranus rises at 10:35pm.
    Neptune rises at 9:14pm.
 
  Pluto rises before sunset, but so incredibly small and dim that we can't see a thing in our telescopes!  We can show you where it is.  OK, OK...if you want to try to see it, we'll try.  Don't expect to see anything, though!
    Moon is at first quarter and sets at 11:48pm this evening.


Click here for additional information on the planets not listed in the detail below.
Click here for a list of constellations we can see tonight before midnight.

We hope to see you here for a night under the stars - now in our sixteenth year!

- - - - - - - Our location - - - - - - -

Longitude:

 W 81° 25' 38.4"
Latitude: N 41° 11' 11.1"
Altitude:

 337m

- - - - - Click here for map - - - - -

Note: All times are shown in EDT (Eastern Daylight Time (UT-4)) as seen from Stow, Ohio
 .
 

The following Sun, Moon and planet detail was calculated as it will be
on Friday 8/5/2011 at 9:46:08pm (nautical twilight)
Source: Guide8 software available from www.projectpluto.com
Above Horizon Below Horizon Constellation Mag Rises Sets
  Sun Cancer -26.7 06:21 20:41
  Mercury Leo 2.0 08:05 21:05
  Venus Cancer -3.9 06:04 20:36
  Mars Gemini 1.4 02:59 18:14
  Jupiter Aries -2.5 00:03 13:50
Saturn   Virgo 0.9 11:24 23:15
  Uranus Pisces 5.8 22:35 10:52
Neptune   Aquarius 7.8 21:14 07:59
Pluto   Sagittarius 14.2 17:54 03:46
Moon   Virgo -10.0 13:25 23:48
Click here for information on the planets such as orbital and rotational periods, velocities, distances, etc. not listed in the detail provided below.

.

Quick links:
    Inner Solar System     Outer Solar System
.

Sun data
 
Rises:

6:21am
Transits:

1:31pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

8:41pm
Constellation:

Cancer
Distance:

1.01441051 AU = 151,753,653 km = 94,295,349 miles = 8.45 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-26.7
Apparent size:

31.53 arcminutes in angular diameter

Twilight ends...
Civil:

  9:08pm - Sun is   6° below the horizon
Nautical:

  9:46pm - Sun is 12° below the horizon
Astronomical:

10:27pm - Sun is 18° below the horizon
Summer began:

at the Summer Solstice which occurred on Tuesday Jun 21, 2011 at 1:17pm
Fall begins:

at the Autumnal Equinox which will occur on Friday Sep 23, 2011 at 5:05am
Next Solar Eclipses in Stow, Ohio:
    Partial eclipse (>80%) on Monday August 21, 2017 2:30pm EDT
    Total eclipse (an amazing sight!) on Monday April 8, 2024 2:15pm EST (3:15pm EDT)
On 8/5/2011 at 9:46:08pm the Sun will be 12° below the west-northwest horizon
 Below is the current image of the Sun in heavily-filtered white light updated each morning on the SOHO site.
Notice the graphic below the image that shows the relative size of Jupiter and Earth compared to the Sun:
Never EVER point your telescope at the Sun!!!  Instantaneous and permanent eye damage will result!!!
Very special equipment is required to provide an image like this...don't try this at home.

 Click here for additional data on the Sun

 (back to 'Quick Links')

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Moon data
 
Rises:

  1:25pm
Transits:

  6:40pm (Time of highest position in the sky, due South)
Sets:

11:48pm
Constellation:

Virgo
Phase:

45.46% illuminated (waxing crescent)
Distance:

0.0024633 AU = 368,504 km = 228,978 miles = 1.23 light-seconds
Magnitude:

-10.0
Apparent size:

32.42 arcminutes in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

84.65° (evening sky)
Age:

6d 7h 11m since last New Moon
Prior Phase:

New Moon on Saturday Jul 30, 2011 at 2:40pm
Next Phase:

First Quarter on Saturday Aug 6, 2011 at 7:08am
Next Lunar eclipse:

Total eclipse (100%) on Sunday Sept 27, 2015 at 10:10pm EDT

On 8/5/2011 at 9:46:08pm the Moon will be 17.1° above the south-southwest horizon
and will look like this in our telescopes at low power*:


*How do we change the "power" (magnification) of our telescopes?
Simple!  By changing the eyepiece to one of a longer or shorter focal length.
If the eyepiece is of shorter focal length, the "power" (magnification) is higher,
If he eyepiece is of longer focal length, the "power" (magnification) is lower.
By how much?  Here's the formula:
Magnification =F focal length of telescope objective lens (or mirror)
focal length of eyepiece being used      

Note: All graphics are correct-image representations.  A telescope will reverse this left-right and possibly invert up-down depending on type of equipment being used.

Click here for additional data on the Moon
(back to 'Quick Links')

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Mercury data
 
Rises:

8:05am
Transits:

2:35pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

9:05pm
Constellation:

Leo
Phase:

14.13% illuminated
Distance:

0.64125497 AU = 95,930,378 km = 59,608,374 miles = 5.34 light-minutes
Magnitude:

2.0
Apparent size:

10.49 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

18.03° (evening sky)
Next maximum elongations...
Morning:

Saturday, September 3, 2011 (18° 06' 39")
Evening:

Monday, November 14, 2011 (22° 44' 52")

On 8/5/2011 at 9:46:08pm Mercury will be 8.5° below the west horizon
Click here for additional data on Mercury

 (back to 'Quick Links')

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Venus data
 
Rises:

6:04am
Transits:

1:20pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

8:36pm
Constellation:

Cancer
Phase:

99.86% illuminated
Distance:

1.72937576 AU = 258,710,932 km = 160,755,522 miles = 14.4 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-3.9 (extremely bright, but lost in the glare of the Sun)
Apparent size:

9.65 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

3.07° (morning sky)
Next maximum elongations...
Evening:

Tuesday, March 27, 2012 (46° 02' 27")
Morning:

Wednesday, August 15, 2012 (45° 48' 10")

On 8/5/2011 at 9:46:08pm Venus will be 12.1° below the west-northwest horizon

 Click here for additional data on Venus
(back to 'Quick Links')

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Mars data
 
Rises:

  2:59am
Transits:

10:37am - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

  6:14pm
Constellation:

Gemini
Phase:

94.76% illuminated
Distance:

2.10971154 AU = 315,608,354 km = 196,109,942 miles = 17.57 light-minutes
Magnitude:

1.4
Apparent size:

4.43 arcseconds in angular diameter - less than 1/500th the apparent diameter of the Moon!
Elongation from Sun:

41.50° (morning sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Mars is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Friday Jan 29, 2010 at 2:21pm. Distance: 99,400,435 km. Size: 14.08 arcseconds.

Next:

Saturday Mar 3, 2012 at 3:52pm. Distance: 100,839,728 km. Size: 13.88 arcseconds.
Click here:

For a table of close encounters with Mars from 1969 to 2052

On 8/5/2011 at 9:46:08pm Mars will be 24° below the north-northwest horizon

Question: Will Mars be "as big as a Full Moon on August 27!" ???
  Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
Question: Will there be "Two Full Moons in the Sky!" ???
  Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
Mars was the closest in recorded history on August 27, but that was only in 2003, not every year!
At that time, it appeared to be 1/75th the apparent diameter of the Moon!  NOT the "same size as the Full Moon".

Please check these respected sites for their stories on the "Mars hoax" by clicking on the links below:
    Sky & Telescope
    Snopes.com
    Hoax-slayer
    Universe Today

 Click here for additional data on Mars
(back to 'Quick Links')

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Jupiter data
 
Rises:

0:03am - Aug 6
Transits:

6:56am - Aug 6 - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

1:50pm - Aug 6
Constellation:

Aries
Phase:

98.95% illuminated
Distance:

4.78076338 AU = 715,192,022 km = 444,399,725 miles = 39.82 light-minutes
Magnitude:

-2.5
Apparent size:

41.24 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

93.90° (morning sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Jupiter is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Tuesday Sep 21, 2010 at 7:28am

Next:

Friday Oct 28, 2011 at 9:37pm

Next transit of the Great Red Spot: Saturday Aug 06, 2011 at 0:35am (The Red Spot transits about every 9 hours 56 minutes)
GRS longitude: 163.4°
Jupiter moons activity (during darkness):
        Europa eclipse begins on Saturday Aug 06, 2011 at 0:41am when Jupiter is 5.6° above the horizon
        Europa eclipse ends on Saturday Aug 06, 2011 at 3:12am when Jupiter is 33.9° above the horizon
        Europa occultation begins on Saturday Aug 06, 2011 at 3:31am when Jupiter is 37.4° above the horizon
        Europa occultation ends on Saturday Aug 06, 2011 at 5:54am when Jupiter is 59° above the horizon

On 8/5/2011 at 9:46:08pm Jupiter will be 23.1° below the northeast horizon
Click here for additional data on Jupiter
(back to 'Quick Links')

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Saturn data
 
Rises:

11:24am
Transits:

  5:19pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

11:15pm
Constellation:

Virgo
Phase:

99.79% illuminated
Distance:

10.12496564 AU = 1,514,673,301 km = 941,174,367 miles = 1.41 light-hours
Magnitude:

0.9
Apparent size:

16.41 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

59.48° (evening sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Saturn is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Sunday Apr 3, 2011 at 7:48pm

Next:

Sunday Apr 15, 2012 at 2:19pm

On 8/5/2011 at 9:46:08pm Saturn will be 15.3° above the west-southwest horizon
 and will look like this in our telescopes at high power.

 Note: All graphics are correct-image representations.  A telescope will reverse this left-right and possibly invert up-down depending on type of equipment being used.
Click here for additional data on Saturn
(back to 'Quick Links')

.

Uranus data
 
Rises:

10:35pm
Transits:

  4:44am - Aug 6 - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

10:52am - Aug 6
Constellation:

Pisces
Phase:

99.96% illuminated
Distance:

19.42816851 AU = 2,906,412,641 km = 1,805,961,110 miles = 2.7 light-hours
Magnitude:

5.8
Apparent size:

3.63 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

129.02° (morning sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Uranus is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Tuesday Sep 21, 2010 at 12:51pm

Next:

Sunday Sep 25, 2011 at 8:07pm

On 8/5/2011 at 9:46:08pm Uranus will be 10.5° below the east-northeast horizon

 Click here for additional data on Uranus
(back to 'Quick Links')

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Neptune data
 
Rises:

  9:14pm
Transits:

  2:36am - Aug 6 - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

  7:59am - Aug 6
Constellation:

Aquarius
Phase:

100.00% illuminated
Distance:

29.03402785 AU = 4,343,428,744 km = 2,698,881,531 miles = 4.03 light-hours
Magnitude:

7.8
Apparent size:

2.35 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

163.32° (morning sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Neptune is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Friday Aug 20, 2010 at 5:59am

Next:

Monday Aug 22, 2011 at 7:18pm

On 8/5/2011 at 9:46:08pm Neptune will be 4.6° above the east horizon

 Click here for additional data on Neptune
(back to 'Quick Links')

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Pluto (Dwarf Planet aka Asteroid 134340) data
 
Rises:

  5:54pm
Transits:

10:50pm - Time of highest position in the sky, due South
Sets:

  3:46am - Aug 6
Constellation:

Sagittarius
Phase:

99.99% illuminated
Distance:

31.26959245 AU = 4,677,864,447 km = 2,906,690,245 miles = 4.34 light-hours
Magnitude:

14.2
Apparent size:

0.11 arcseconds in angular diameter
Elongation from Sun:

141.79° (evening sky)

Dates of Opposition (when Pluto is closest to the Earth)

Previous:

Tuesday Jun 28, 2011 at 1:23am

Next:

Friday Jun 29, 2012 at 11:03am

On 8/5/2011 at 9:46:08pm Pluto will be 28° above the south-southeast horizon

 Click here for additional data on Pluto
(back to 'Quick Links')


Inner Solar System - the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars on 8/5/2011
(Created using Software Bisque's TheSky software)
Mercury is setting 50 minutes after sunset and is lost in the glare of the setting sun.  It will reach inferior conjunction on Aug 17, 2011 at 1:34:30am
Venus is now lost in the glare of the rising sun and will reach superior conjunction on Aug 16, 2011 at 1:29:05am
Mars reached conjunction on Feb 4, 2011 and was 220,700,000 miles away.  It's now getting closer and will be closest on 3/3/2012

 (back to 'Quick Links')

Outer Solar System - the Sun, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto on 8/5/2011
(Created using Software Bisque's TheSky software)
The Earth is catching up with Jupiter which will reach western quadrature on Aug 1, 2011
Saturn reached eastern quadrature on July 3, 2011 and is now visible until it sets at 11:41pm
Uranus will reach western quadrature on July 26, 2011 and rises at 11:03pm
Neptune reached western quadrature on May 22, 2011 and rises at 9:42pm
Pluto's orbit can be seen to be extremely eccentric (non-circular) and tilted to the plane of the ecliptic.  It reached opposition on June 28, 2011

(back to 'Quick Links')


 Click here for event status
Click here for a printer-friendly version of the information on this page.
Click here for general Information you should know about our events - Q&A of Where, When and What.
Click here for satellite passes this evening. 

Click here for chart of Solar/Lunar/planet availability for tonight. 

Very sincerely yours,
Dave Jessie
"Time spent observing the heavens is not deducted from your life span"
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