Perigee: 357 311 km on 02/08 at 07h52; 357 181 km on 30/08 at 17h54 Apogee: 406 634 km on 16/08 at 13h54
Planet Visibility
Mercury is visible near the stars of the constellation Leo in the early evening sky Venus is visibleness the stars of the constellation Leo in the early evening sky at the beginning of the month and in the morning sky near the stars of the constellation Cancer at month end Mars is visible near the stars of the constellation Leo in the early evening sky Jupiter is visible near the stars of the constellation Aries in the morning sky Saturn is visible near the stars of the constellation Aquarius later at night
Meteor Showers
Piscis Australids: 15th of July to 10th of August, peaking on the 28th of July Southern delta-Aquariids: 12th of July to 23th of August, peaking on the 30th of July alpha-Capricornids: 3rd of July to 15th of August, peaking on the 30th of July eta-Eridanids: 31th of July to 19th of August, peaking on the 8th of August
Some easy to identify bright stars
Rigel: blue supergiant in Orion Betelgeuse: red supergiant in Orion Procyon: yellowish white star in Canis Minor Sirius: brightest star in the night sky, located in Canis Major Antares: red supergiant in Scorpius Arcturus: red giant in Boötes Spica: brightest bluish-white star in Virgo Canopus: yellowish-white star in Carina Altair: a white star, brightest in Aquila Regulus: blue–white star and the brightest star in Leo The Pointers: Alpha and Beta Centauri
Credits – Sivuyile Manxoyi, SAAO
Await Dr. Kushatha Ntwaetsile presentation on Thursday 31st August 2023 at 6:30PM over Zoom