As August approaches so do the dog days of summer. This time last year Comet NEOWISE was blowing our socks off and cyberspace was a buzz as thousands posted their “dirty snowball” images . Fortunately for us northern hemisphere dwellers as the days heat up so do a few celestial objects and events that are not to be missed. This makes August a perfect time to dust off the binoculars, find a dark sky, set up a telescope and enjoy Jupiter and Saturn as well as the Perseid meteor shower.
Up first is the ringed planet Saturn. You may recall back in December 2020 that Jupiter and Saturn cozied up to each other in the evening sky. Well the pair has been slowly separating as viewed from our vantage point but they’re still relatively close to each other. You can watch Jupiter rise about 30-40 minutes after Saturn in the southeast just after dark.
Long considered by amateur astronomers to be the jewel of the planets, Saturn’s rings are stunning for those taking their first look through a telescope, and the impression left on the observer is one not soon forgotten. Saturn is at opposition on August 2nd at 0600 UTC or 1:00 a.m. CDT. This is the point when the Earth passes between the Sun and Saturn. At opposition we are closest to the planet in question and typically that planet or object is at its biggest and brightest for the year. What this means for those looking at Saturn is the planet will rise in the east at sunset, traverse the sky all night and set as the Sun rises. You’ll find Saturn in the constellation Capricornus in the southeast after dark in late July and August.
Soon after Saturn rises so does the king of the planets, Jupiter. Jupiter is at opposition a little later in August on the 19th. The same applies for Jupiter when it comes to observing during opposition. Jupiter can be found in the neighboring constellation Aquarius.
It should be noted that even though these gas giants are best observed “around” opposition that certainly does not mean they can’t be viewed before or after those dates (or even months). Opposition is just the optimum time for observing them because of the aforementioned benefits. Mainly that they are bigger in the eyepiece, brighter and well positioned in the night sky. So if you are clouded out on the night of opposition just table your observing to the next available clear night.
What should you look for when viewing Jupiter and Saturn through a telescope? This might seem like an obvious question that a five year old could answer, however knowing what to look for can greatly enhance your observing experience at the eyepiece. 6-10″ telescopes can provide an astonishing amount of detail given good seeing conditions. There’s obviously the magnificent rings of Saturn but look closer, can you see the Cassini division? One of (and the easiest to spot) many gaps in the rings themselves. Look closely at Saturn itself. You should be able to see that the planet is not perfectly round but appears slightly squashed or oblate. This is due to its low density and fast rotation.
While looking at Jupiter you should immediately notice the equatorial bands or belts that cross the planet latitudinally. Can you spot the “great red spot” on the planet’s disk? Seeing the GRS is dependent on whether it’s on the side of the planet visible to us at the time you are looking obviously. There are resources online that will give you the transit times of the GRS. Both planets have a host of moons and rest assured you will see some sprinkled in the eyepiece near the planet itself. Jupiter has its four bright “Galilean Moons” (Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto). They should be easy to spot. Sometimes one or more of the moons can cast it’s shadow on the planet’s disk or transit in front of the planet making for an amazing sight. So be sure to take in as much as possible while viewing them at the eyepiece.
In between Saturn and Jupiter’s oppositions is one of the best meteor showers of the year. The Perseid meteor shower typically peaks on or around August 11/12th. Up to 100 meteors per hour can be see during the peak from a dark sky location. This is definitely an event that you’ll need to get out of the city lights to properly view and if you are new to watching for meteors be sure to brush up on meteor terminology.
The shower is called the Perseids because the meteors appear to originate from a point in the constellation Perseus. That point of origin is called the radiant. The Perseids meteors we see are from the debris left behind by a comet. When the Earth passes through the cometary debris we see the meteors. The comet that causes the Perseids is 109P/Swift-Tuttle. A periodic comet discovered in 1862 that has an orbital period of 133 years. The shower is actually active from mid-July to late August but the best viewing and most meteors are seen around the time of the peak as long as Mr. Moon stays out of the way. This year the moon sets around 10 p.m. making for many hours of meteor-filled skies.
The best way to view this meteor shower is not through a telescope or binoculars but simply using your eyes under a dark sky. Even though the Perseids are brighter meteors they still need to be viewed from a dark location. The city lights will drown many out and greatly reduce your ability to see them. Don’t forget a good lounge chair, bug spray and something to drink.
Where and when to look? The meteors will appear all over the sky so pick a section, kick back and watch. You do not need to focus your gaze on the point of the radiant. Instead look in other areas of the sky. The good news is when using a lounge chair you can take in a vast amount of sky with your eyes alone. Most meteors will be seen in the late night hours and leading up to dawn. This is when the constellation Perseus rises in the east.
Best of luck with your meteor hunting and viewing the gas giants! It should make from a memorable August 2021.
Clear skies,
Scott