Abstract
FULL moon occurs on August 12d. 22h. 26m. U.T. and new moon on August 26d. 21h. 07m. The following conjunctions with the moon take place: Aug. 3d. OM; Jupiter 4° S.; Aug. 24d. 16h., Saturn 3° S. Aug. 25d. llh., Mercury 4° S.; Aug. 29d. 18h., m 5° S.; Aug. 30d. llh., Venus 6° S.; Aug. 30d. 18h., Jupiter 3° S. In addition to these conjunctions with the moon, the following conjunctions occur: Aug. 9d. 14h., Venus in conjunction with Mars, Venus 0-6° S.; Aug. 31d. 00b., Venus in conjunction with Spica, Venus 0-2° N. Occultations of stars brighter than magnitude 6 are as follows: Aug. 15d. 23h. 00-8m., 24 B. Ceti (R); Aug. 21d. 00h. 10.7m., 129 H1 Taur. (R). R refers to reappearance and the latitude of Greenwich is assumed. Mercury rises at 3h. 27m. and 3h. 52m. at the middle and end of the month respectively, and is visible in the eastern sky before sunrise. The planet is in inferior conjunction on Aug. 2 and is stationary on Aug. 12. Venus is a conspicuous object in the west, its times of setting being 21h. 12m., 20h. 36m., and 19h. 53m., at the beginning, middle and end of the month respectively. During the month the stellar magnitude of Venus varies from –3.7 to –3.9. Mars can be seen in the earlier part of the month, setting at 21h. 18m. on Aug. 1, but as the planet sets lh. 10m. after the sun on Aug. 15, it is not well placed for observation after that date. Jupiter sets at 22h. 04m. on Aug. 1 and can be seen in the western sky in the constellation of Virgo. Towards the end of the month the planet is drawing too close to the sun for favourable observation. Saturn can be seen in the morning hours, rising at 3h. 40m. and 2h. at the beginning and end of the month respectively. The stellar magnitude of Saturn varies from 0.4 to 0.5 during August. The Perseid meteors attain their maximum about Aug. 10–12, but moonlight will prevent observations of any but very bright meteors during this period.
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The Night Sky in August. Nature 158, 127 (1946). https://doi.org/10.1038/158127a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/158127a0