While Jupiter left the night sky last month, he’s back in the morning sky by mid-August, and in a spectacular display nearly merges with Venus at 5:40 a.m. Aug. 18. Only a quarter of a degree separates the two brilliant planets.
These two also line up with Mercury in the east-northeast at dawn Friday. On Aug. 31, Mercury can be found at dusk, directly on the western horizon about 8:40 p.m.
Saturn and Mars travel together through the night sky over August, with the first quarter moon between them on Aug. 3. At month’s end the three again get together on the west-southwest horizon, and by 11:15 p.m. drops out of view.
The full moon is closest to Earth on Aug. 10, 221,765 miles distant at perigee, and appears at its largest this year. The annual Perseid meteor shower peaks in the early morning hours of Aug. 13, but by that time, 83 percent of the moon is illuminated and will blot out all but the brightest meteors, the bits left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle.
A daytime occultation of Saturn can be observed through binoculars on Aug. 31. At 1:16 p.m., the ringed planet will disappear behind the darkened limb of the moon and will emerge from the bright side of the crescent almost one hour later, about 2:02 p.m. These times are for the Canton area and will vary depending upon your exact location.
Astronomers across the country will be recording exact timings of the event to further refine distances and sizes of these bodies. The members of the International Occultation Timing Association (IOTA) have been anxiously awaiting this event all year. You can join and add to their observations. Go to http://occultations.org/about-us/iota-membership/ to see how you may participate.
Q&A
Q: I’ve heard about all kinds of ideas scientists come up with that I don’t really believe. Aren’t they just a bunch of theories? — A.M., Canton
A: Yes, in most instances, they are — but not in the way most of us use the word “theory.”
When used in an informal manner, we most often are stating our opinion, or a personal belief. That is fine for casual conversation, but when it comes to science, the word “theory” has a very specific meaning. A scientific theory is not an opinion or particular belief, but the product over time of a collection of observations of natural phenomena, systematically gathered and tested again and again.
Scientists make observations of natural occurrences, come up with a hypothesis, recheck their observations, and eventually when a consistent set of observations that can predict future occurrences appears, an initial theory is born. And it gets tested through observation and consistency time and time again, becoming more and more refined. Over time, theories become scientific facts (although still subject to refinement).
For instance, 400 years ago the theory of the sun-centered solar system was heresy, actually punishable. Thanks to the scientific process undertaken first by Copernicus and Galileo, it is now deemed scientific fact.
On occasion, scientist do engage in theoretical speculation, such as “Is there life on other planets?” but until actual observations are made that can be tested and verified, any such statement is, yes, just a theory.
Program
The Hoover-Price Planetarium is presenting The Universe at Large, our ongoing program for 2014. Along with the current sky, we will be presenting and updating material to reflect new discoveries, astronomical events and NASA’s ventures. This format provides us with more flexibility to respond to questions.
The program will be shown at 1 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Through Labor Day, we will also have a presentation at 1 p.m. weekdays. The planetarium is free with admission to the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum.
David L. Richards is director of the Hoover-Price Planetarium at the McKinley Presidential Library and Museum, 800 McKinley Monument Drive NW, Canton, OH 44708, www.mckinleymuseum.org. He can be reached at 330-455-7043 or email hooverpriceplanetarium@hotmail.com.