The astronomical sky above Edinburgh and Lothian this month
As many readers will have seen, a new astronomical research facility came
online in the past few months: the Vera Rubin Observatory which hosts the Large
Synoptic Survey Telescope. Your present interlocutor had a (very) small part in
the design process. The telescope is designed to automatically image the
northern sky over the next decade. It will utilize the large 3.2 GigaPixel
camera footprint—equivalent to 7 full moons across—to visit each 10 square
degree tile 825 times on average. This means that any transient phenomena
should be picked up by the data pipelines. Of particular interest are near
Earth objects (NEOs and potential Earth impactors) and supernova that will
probe the dark energy content of the universe. You can explore these new images
(and more to come) via https://rubinobservatory.org/ or using their web
application at https://skyviewer.app/.
Aphelion is the term used for when a planet and Sun are furthest apart and, for
Earth, this occurs on 3 July at 9:04 pm when the Earth will be 152,087,735 km
away from the Sun. Over the whole of July, though, the Sun comes closer to
Earth by 248,314 km.
The Sun passes from Gemini (The Twins) on 20 July at 11:51 am and enters Cancer
(The Crab). We are getting longer nights now that the Solstice has passed.
Daylight shortens from 17:30 (17.493 hours) on 1 July to 16:06 (16.102 hours)
on 31 July so we gain 1 hour and 23 minutes of night time, by the end of the
month. We are still within the summer months of perpetual twilight, though, so
reducing astronomical visibility to the brightest objects in the sky. The Sun,
however, is still close to 'Solar Max' which is the peak of the 11 year Sun
spot cycle. This may herald better aurorae between now and the end of the year.
The Moon begins the month in Leo (The Lion) and ends in Virgo (The Maiden). The
first quarter of the new Lunar cycle shows up on 2 July at 8:30 pm in Virgo
(The Maiden). Lunar apogee (furthest from Earth) occurs on 5 July at 3:26 am
and takes the Moon to 404,662 km away from Earth—around 20,262 km further
than average—subtending an angle of 29.5 arc-minutes. The full Buck Moon
makes an appearance on 10 July at 9:37 pm in Sagittarius (The Archer). This is
also known as the Thunder Moon. The Moon enters last quarter on 18 July at 1:38
am in Pisces (The Fishes). Lunar perigee (closest to Earth) on 20 July at 2:48
pm finds the Moon some 368,012 km away from Earth—around 16,388 km closer
than average—subtending an angle of 32.5 arc-minutes. Finally, the new Moon
appears on 24 July at 8:11 pm in Cancer (The Crab) beginning a new synodic
(Lunar) month which will last 29 days, 10 hours and 55 minutes.
For the inferior planets: Mercury remains in Cancer (The Crab) all month but
comes closer by 43,342,913 km. The 'Swift Planet' decreases in magnitude from
0.40 to 5.41 (101.23 times in brightness) over the month. Mercury reaches
greatest eastern elongation (from the Sun) on America's Independence Day and
aphelion (furthest from the Sun) on 14 July. On 17 July, Mercury appears—at
least on sky—to reverse orbit to retrograde. From then on, Mercury approaches
Earth coming closest on 28 July but is lost for observing by 31 July when it
reaches inferior conjunction. After this time is transitions from an evening
planet to a morning planet. Venus begins the month in Taurus (The Bull) and
ends in Gemini (The Twins) but recedes by 33,872,820 km. The 'Morning Star'
planet decreases in magnitude from -4.14 to -4.00 (1.14 times in brightness)
over the month.
For the superior planets: Mars begins the month in Leo (The Lion) and ends in
Virgo (The Maiden) but recedes by 28,884,201 km. The 'Red Planet' decreases in
magnitude from 1.49 to 1.60 (1.11 times in brightness) over the month. Mars
visits the Moon on the evening of 28 July passing 1.3 degrees north of the waxing
crescent Moon. Jupiter remains in Gemini (The Twins) all month but comes closer
by 18,057,658 km. This does not alter the brightness much which remains steady
at -1.75 magnitudes. The 'Gas Giant' is emerging from (solar) conjunction last
month becoming visible just before sunrise. In fact, on 23 July, in the
pre-dawn hours, Jupiter will be 4.9 degrees south of the waning crescent Moon.
Saturn remains in Pisces (The Fishes) all month but comes closer by 70,506,621
km. Saturn increases in magnitude from 0.96 to 0.80 (1.16 times in brightness)
over the month. The 'Ringed Planet'—still appearing ringless until November
or so!—crosses to a retrograde orbit on 14 July. You may catch a glimpse of
Saturn during civil twilight on 16 July. Uranus remains in Taurus (The Bull)
all month but comes closer by 62,919,841 km. Neptune remains in Pisces (The
Fishes) all month but comes closer by 71,422,081 km. Neptune increases in
magnitude from 7.76 to 7.71 (1.05 times in brightness) over the month. The
'Blue Giant' also crosses to retrograde on 5 July.
There are four meteor showers in July but visibility is nigh on impossible
either due to twilight, Moon illumination, latitude or shooting star rates but
we mention them for completeness. The July Pegasids (175 JPE) peak on 10 July
and are radiant from Pegasus (The Winged Horse) near the star Markab. Only 3
meteors per hour are expected during a full Moon. The parent body is thought to
be comet C/1979 Y1 (Bradfield). We fare slightly better with the other 3
showers which occur between new Moon and first quarter. On 28 July, we have the
Gamma Draconids (184 GDR) radiant from Draco (The Dragon) near the star
Rastaban. The parent body is unknown but the ZHR is a lowly 5. Overnight on
30/31 July, we have the southern Delta Aquariids (005 SDA), radiant from
Aquarius (The Water Bearer) near it's namesake star. There may be up to 25
meteors per hour but, as the name implies, viewing is much better at southern
latitudes. The parent body is thought to be comet 96P/Machholz. Also on 31
July, we have the Alpha Capricornids (001 CAP) radiant near the horns of the
sea goat. The ZHR is, again, low at 5. Discovered in 1871, the parent comet is
169P/NEAT but the Earth won't pass through the main cometary debris for another
2 centuries!
Although both amateurs and professionals eagerly anticipate the recurrent nova
known as the Blaze Star, we would prefer it to be later in the year and,
certainly, outside summer's perpetual twilit sky! Vigilant observers should
continue to monitor the sky near CrB epsilon-13 to see if Corona Borealis
(The Northern Crown) gains another jewel. Alphecca (sometimes called Gemma or
alpha-CrB) is the brightest star in the constellation, at 2.2 mag, and should
guide you to this transient event.
At the time of our sky map, some constellations visible are Draco (The Dragon)
at zenith, Camelopardalis (The Giraffe) in the north, Pegasus (The Winged
Horse) in the east, Coma Berenices (Berenice's Hair) in the west, and Serpens
Cauda (The Serpent's Tail) in the south. The ecliptic hosts Pisces (The
Fishes), Aquarius (The Water Bearer), Capricorn (The Sea Goat), Sagittarius
(the Archer), Scorpio (The Scorpion), Libra (The Scales), Virgo (The Maiden)
and Leo (The Lion).
The 'Summer Triangle'—Vega in Lyra (The Lyre), Altair in Aquila (The Eagle)
and Deneb in Cygnus (The Swan)—is prominent at mid-to-high altitude in the
south-east. The 'Diamond of Virgo'—Arcturus in Bootes (The Herdsman), Cor
Caroli in Canes Venatici (The Hunting Dogs), Denebola in Leo (The Lion) and
Spica in Virgo (The Maiden)—is low in the west.
Circumpolar constellations—always above the horizon—include Cassiopeia (The
Seated Queen), Cepheus (The King) and Ursa Major (The Great Bear).
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Metro
a day ago
- Metro
Will there be a total solar eclipse on August 2? We have the answer
If there's one thing that the Earth, Moon and Sun have in common, it's that they love to get their groove on. The three celestial bodies are forever dancing around the cosmos and now and then, they line up perfectly, creating an eclipse. A solar eclipse is when the Moon slides between us and the Sun, casting a shadow of wonder as only the wispy, outer edges of the Sun are visible. Eclipses can remind us all of our place in the lonely, messy cosmos – after all, they only happen because the Moon is 400 times smaller than the Sun, but is 400 times closer to us. An incredible coincidence. They tend to last 10 seconds or so, but soon, one of the longest and most significant eclipses of the 21st century will happen. Skywatchers have been claiming online that the world will be plunged into darkness for six minutes on August 2 this year. But this isn't the case, according to astronomical data. It seems users have simply got the year of the lengthy eclipse wrong. The solar eclipse will actually take place on August 2, 2027, in 10 countries. This one will be a total solar eclipse, when the Sun fully disappears behind the Moon. The moment this happens is called totality. A line of totality will then slowly drift across the world, where for a few brief minutes the Moon will fully block out the Sun, and darkness will swallow the light of day. A halo will glow white behind the Moon, the Sun's corona. Spain Morocco Algeria Tunisia Libya Egypt Sudan Saudi Arabia Yemen Somalia Six minutes, which in the world of cosmic coincidences is a seriously long time, said Greg Brown, a senior astronomer at the Royal Museums Greenwich, told Metro. 'It varies from only a few seconds at its shortest to a theoretical maximum of 7.5 minutes,' he said. 'This variation is due to the Moon and Sun varying in apparent size, itself due to their slightly changing distance from the Earth during the Moon's orbit around the Earth and the Earth's orbit around the Sun.' But how long stargazers will have to crane their necks will depend on where they live. The total solar eclipse will only be visible across a thin, 160-mile-long strip of southern Europe and northern Africa where 89 million live, according to The skies will begin to darken above the Atlantic Ocean at 05.19am (UTC), just as the Sun is rising. While this is where totality begins, it's not where it will be the longest. As the two cosmic giants do their dance and the Earth spins, totality will only be visible above the Atlantic for three minutes. Solar eclipses occur when the Moon gobbles up the Sun, leaving a ring of fire around it. Partial solar eclipses are when the Moon, Sun and Earth are imperfectly aligned, so only a chunk is obscured. Earth can also get between the Moon and the Sun, creating a lunar eclipse. To watch one, please don't stare directly at the Sun, which can permanently damage your eyes. Even if the Moon has completely obscured the Sun, the risk is still high. People can look at the celestial event using eclipse glasses. You can also project the eclipse onto the ground using items around the house, such as a cardboard box, a kitchen strainer or even your fingers. The Moon's 258km-wide shadow will then be cast in the aptly-named Costa de la Luz, or 'Coast of the Light', in Spain's Andalusia before gobbling up the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It will also envelop Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, where it will reach its deepest, longest duration at 6 minutes and 22 seconds from 12.44pm (UTC). After it leaves Egypt, the total eclipse will last around four to three minutes as the shadow glides through the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The eclipse will end with a totally eclipsed sunset near the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Some nations just to the north or south of the totality line will be able to see a partial solar eclipse, when the Moon takes a smaller bite out of the Sun. Brown said that the UK sadly won't catch a glimpse of totality – the nation is far too north of the line. We will have another partial solar eclipse, with around 40% of the Sun covered in the south of England, dropping to around 20% in northern Scotland,' he added. 'The partial eclipse will begin around 9.20am for us in the UK, ending around 10.50am with the maximum occurring around 10am. The 2027 eclipse will be around 16 seconds shorter than the July 22, 2009, eclipse, Brown said, the longest solar eclipse this century. 'However, while the 2009 eclipse was longer, it occurred almost entirely over the ocean, making it very difficult to observe,' he said. Nasa says the next eclipse, a partial one, will happen on September 21, blanketing Australia, Antarctica and the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The next total eclipse will be on August 12, 2026. It will only be visible in a sliver of Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Russia, while Europe, Africa and North America will be treated with a partial solar eclipse. More Trending This eclipse, Brown said, is Britain's 'best bet' for seeing this awe-inspiring sight. 'The whole of the UK will experience at least a 90% eclipse and Cornwall will experience a 96% eclipse,' he said. 'Definitely one to look out for.' But if you don't manage to catch it, you'll have to wait a while, explained Matt Irvine, of the Astronomical Society of Haringey, a London stargazing club. 'Next one for us is, I think, 2090,' he told Metro. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Today's Mercury Cazimi is hugely powerful — especially for these 3 star signs MORE: Here's how to see the Delta Aquariid meteor shower in the UK this week MORE: Asteroid bigger than the Leaning Tower of Pisa to pass Earth in days
Edinburgh Reporter
2 days ago
- Edinburgh Reporter
The astronomical sky over Edinburgh and Lothians in August
An invisible 'Black Moon' ghosts the sky in August plus Venus and Jupiter rise together. The Sun passes from Cancer (The Crab) on 10 August at 10:55 am and enters Leo (The Lion) but comes closer by 854,171 km. We emerge from perpetual astronomical twilight. Daylight shortens from 16:02 (16.038 hours) on 1 August to 13:54 (13.893 hours) on 31 August so we gain 2 hours and 9 minutes of night time, by the end of the month. The Moon begins the month in Virgo (The Maiden) and ends in Ophiuchus (The Serpent Bearer) but comes closer by 2,631 km. The first first quarter (sic) of the new Lunar cycle shows up on 1 August at 1:41 pm in Virgo (The Maiden). The first Lunar apogee (furthest from Earth) occurs on 1 August at 9:37 pm and takes the Moon to 404,201 km away from Earth—around 19,801 km further than average—subtending an angle of 29.6 arc-minutes. The full Sturgeon Moon makes an appearance on 9 August at 8:55 am in Capricornus (The Sea Goat). Lunar perigee (closest to Earth) on 14 August at 7:07 pm finds the Moon some 369,254 km away from Earth—around 15,146 km closer than average—subtending an angle of 32.4 arc-minutes. The Moon enters last quarter on 16 August at 6:12 am in Aries (The Ram). The new Moon appears on 23 August at 7:07 am in Leo (The Lion) beginning a new synodic (Lunar) month which will last 29 days, 13 hours and 48 minutes. This is an astronomical 'Black Moon' being defined as the 3rd new moon within the same astronomical season. The second Lunar apogee occurs on 29 August at 4:38 pm and takes the Moon to 404,585 km away from Earth—around 20,185 km further than average—subtending an angle of 29.5 arc-minutes. Finally, the second first quarter (sic) of the new Lunar cycle shows up on 31 August at 7:25 am in Scorpius (The Scorpion). For the inferior planets: Mercury begins the month in Cancer (The Crab) and ends in Leo (The Lion) but recedes by 93,949,967 km and, contrarily, increases in magnitude from 5.41 to -1.35 (509.25 times in brightness) over the month. Mercury's see-saw orbit sees it return to a prograde path from retrograde on 10 August and reach greatest western elongation on 19 August. The 'Swift Planet' closes out the month with another perihelion passage on 27 August. Meanwhile, Venus begins the month in Gemini (The Twins) and ends in Cancer (The Crab) but recedes by 28,990,238 km. Venus decreases in magnitude from -4.00 to -3.95 (1.05 times in brightness) over August. Between 6–18 August, Venus and Jupiter will rise side-by-side around 3 am in Gemini (The Twins). The optimum day will be 12 August when Venus will be 0.9 degrees south of Jupiter in the pre-dawn hours. For the superior planets: Mars remains in Virgo (The Maiden) all month but recedes by 21,598,312 km and maintains a steady brightness of 1.6 magnitudes. Jupiter remains in Gemini (The Twins) throughout August but comes closer by 43,919,235 km. The 'Red Giant' increases in magnitude from -1.92 to -1.99 (1.07 times in brightness) over the month. On 20 August, around 4:30 am, Jupiter, Venus and the waning crescent Moon will form a triangle in the eastern sky. Keen-eyed observers may also glimpse Mercury photo-bombing the event but much nearer the horizon! Turn around, roughly 140 degrees in azimuth, and, there, in Pisces (The Fishes) will be Saturn. Saturn remains in Pisces (The Fishes) but comes closer by 45,899,569 km and so increases in magnitude from 0.80 to 0.65 (1.15 times in brightness). Uranus remains in Taurus (The Bull) but comes closer by 77,262,177 km. Uranus maintains a brightness of 5.8 magnitudes and reaches western quadrature on 24 August. Neptune remains in Pisces (The Fishes) and comes closer by 46,820,627 km. Observing Neptune requires binoculars or a telescope but it will lurk very close to Saturn all month. Our skymap shows how close they are in the south-east. If you are still unsure of how to find the elusive 'Blue Planet', try using the waning gibbous Moon on 13 August at 1:30 am to find Saturn: Neptune will then be about 1 degree north. The Perseid (007 PER) meteor shower is one of the most active of the year and peak overnight on 12/13 August with up to 100 shooting stars per hour. The radiant point is close to the principal star, Mirfak. This year, however, the 82% illuminated waning gibbous Moon will hamper observing. The parent comet is 109P/Swift-Tuttle discovered in 1862 but last seeding the meteor shower in In the Catholic church they are called the 'Tears of Saint Lawrence' because mourners first saw these shooting stars when carrying the saint's body (after he had been martyred by roasting over hot coals). 10 August is also the saint's feast day. Within Perseus (The Hero) is the 3-solar radii star Algol—sometimes unfavorably named the 'Demon Star'—whose surface temperature is 12,500 Kelvin lying at some 90 light years. It was discovered to be variable in 1667 but the reason behind the variability was not explained until the late 19th century when it was discovered to be the first ever eclipsing binary. The companion star is slightly bigger but fainter and lies less than 10 million km away. As these 2 stars rotate around their barycentre, they eclipse each other with the larger occultation dimming the magnitude from 2.1 to 3.4 over a 10-hour period. This eclipse takes place every 2.867 days but the secondary eclipse is too faint for the naked eye. Today, we know that Algol is actually a triple star system but the third companion is much fainter and much further away from the 2 principal components. You may read about the newly discovered comet 3I/ATLAS (C/2025 N1) which is designated as an 'interstellar object' (ISO). It is the fastest ISO ever discovered and, being an interstellar object, it comes from another planetary system inside our galaxy. By studying this comet in detail in the coming months, astronomers will get a fix on the chemistry and physics in potential exoplanet systems. Although it is moving fast, around 68 km/s, it will not come anywhere near Earth but will fly-by tantalizingly close to Mars. It emanates from Sagittarius (The Archer) and appears as if he has aimed a 'free sample return mission' our way! At the time of our sky map, some constellations visible are Cepheus (The King) at zenith, Lynx (The Lynx) in the north, Andromeda (The Chained Maiden) in the east, Corona Borealis (The Northern Crown) in the west (which contains our, so far, elusive recurrent nova known as the Blaze star) and Microscopium (The Microscope) in the south. The ecliptic hosts Taurus (The Bull), Aries (The Ram), Pisces (The Fishes), Aquarius (The Water Bearer), Capricorn (The Sea Goat) and Sagittarius (The Archer). The 'Summer Triangle'—Vega in Lyra (The Lyre), Altair in Aquila (The Eagle) and Deneb in Cygnus (The Swan)—is prominent at high altitude in the south. Also, highly visible in the east is the great square of Pegasus (The Winged Horse) with the sentinel stars Scheat, Alpheratz, Algenib and Markab. Circumpolar constellations—always above the horizon—include Camelopardalis (The Giraffe), Cassiopeia (The Seated Queen), Draco (The Dragon) and Ursa Major (The Great Bear). Like this: Like Related
Time Out
3 days ago
- Time Out
Catch one of the year's most dazzling meteor showers peaking over Asia this August
The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most anticipated showers of the year. It's beloved by stargazers worldwide because it's one of the most prolific – according to NASA, there could be up to 100 meteors per hour during the shower's peak. Just one little bummer this year: the Perseids pretty much coincide with a bright, waning full moon, so moonlight could very well wash out the meteors. Nevertheless, if you're keen to head out into the night to try your luck, here's when, where, and how to catch the Perseid meteor shower in Asia in 2025. What is the Perseid meteor shower? The Perseid meteor shower comes from the Comet Swift-Tuttle, which was first discovered in 1862. It orbits around the Sun about once every 133 years, leaving a wake of dust and particles as it goes. On its own journey around the sun, the Earth passes through this trail, causing the comet's cosmic debris to collide with our atmosphere. As the debris burns up, it creates glowing streaks of light visible in the night sky, which is the meteor shower that we see. When can you see the Perseid meteor shower? The Perseid meteor shower is active from mid-July until late August, but will peak on the night of August 12, before dawn on August 13. What time is best to see the Perseid meteor shower? We recommend timing your meteor-gazing session between 3am to 6am – this is when the skies are the darkest and the shower is at its most intense. The best places in Asia to watch the Perseid meteor shower For the best chance of seeing the Perseid meteor shower, you need a place with dark skies and unobstructed views. Anywhere without tall buildings and trees or bright city lights should do, but if you're down to travel to chase some meteors, consider these magical dark sky reserves and remote stargazing spots in Asia. The best ways to watch the Perseid meteor shower Thankfully, you don't need any special equipment to see the meteor shower. All you have to do is find the darkest place you can, and settle in to allow 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Locate the Perseus constellation, but don't stare directly at it. Instead, relax your gaze and take in the constellations around it – meteors further from their radiant are brighter and have longer trains.
