Skies Above Bribie

By: Katherine Miller

The full moon on July 3rd is this year's first Supermoon. A Supermoon occurs when the moon is at Perigee. Perigee is when the moon is at its closest point to Earth. The moon will be only 361,935 km away! At perigee, the moon will appear slightly bigger and brighter. The planets are putting on a show this month with a few conjunctions. Starting on July 1st, there will be a close approach of Venus and Mars. Venus and Mars will continue to dance all month. Their closest approach will be on July 12th, at only half a degree apart. That is about the width of the Moon in the sky! On the 20th of July and the following few days, this pair meets with the bright star Regulus and a waxing crescent moon. Rising in the east early in the night is Saturn, shortly followed by Jupiter. These gas giants are getting closer to Earth as we catch up with them in our orbits. They will be getting brighter in August, but you can still enjoy their splendour in July. On the morning of July 12th, there will be a close approach of the Moon and Jupiter. The apparent distance between the pair will be just over 2 degrees.

Also rising in the east in the early hours of the morning is the Helix Nebula (pictured). The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Aquarius. It is one of the closest planetary nebulae to Earth, at a distance of about 700 light-years. It has a magnitude of 7.3 and appears as a patch of diffused light with binoculars or a small telescope. Also pictured is SH2-54. SH2-54 is a bright nebula in the constellation of Serpens. It belongs to an extended region of nebulae that includes the Eagle Nebula and the Omega Nebula. July is also a good time to watch for shooting stars, especially in the second half of the month. There are two minor meteor showers that peak in late July: The Delta Aquarids and the Alpha Capricornids. These showers produce about 10 to 20 meteors per hour at best, but they can also produce some bright fireballs. The best time to watch for them is after midnight when the radiant point (the point in the sky where the meteors appear to come from) is high enough.

The night sky in July offers many opportunities for stargazing and wonder. Whether you use a telescope, binoculars, or just your eyes, everyone can enjoy the beauty and diversity of our universe. Remember to dress warmly, find a dark spot away from light pollution, and let your curiosity guide you.

If you have any questions or want to share your astrophotography, email me at astrogirl.au@mail.com.

Clear skies, Kat