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In the Sky this Week – August 3, 2021

By Robert Trembley  |  3 Aug 2021

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This entry is part 203 of 248 in the series In the Sky This Week

Feature|The Sky|The Moon|The Sun|Asteroids|Fireballs|The Solar System|Spacecraft News|Exoplanets|Aurora|Light Pollution|The Universe|

What in Astronomy Makes you say WOW‽

Yesterday, I gave a presentation by this name to Michigan’s Warren Astronomical Society; I covered many of the topics that I and fellow astronomers have said WOW to, or heard members of the public say WOW to. 84 slides in about 20 minutes – this could easily have been a full hour-long presentation!

David H Levy said during the meeting that he was REALLY looking forward to my presentation when he heard it announced by the W.A.S. – THAT was a WOW moment for me! I was completely flattered!

The Sky - In the Sky

Venus and Mars appear low above the western horizon before sunset – Mars getting more difficult to see each evening.

Western horizon before sunset
Venus and Mars appear low above the western horizon before sunset. Credit: Bob Trembley / Stellarium.

Jupiter and Saturn are an all-night treat for observers.

Southeastern horizon after sunset
Jupiter and Saturn appear above the southeastern horizon after sunset. Credit: Bob Trembley / Stellarium.
Southeastern at midnight.
Jupiter and Saturn appear high in the southeastern at midnight. Credit: Bob Trembley / Stellarium.
Southwestern horizon before sunrise
Jupiter and Saturn appear above the southwestern horizon before sunrise. Credit: Bob Trembley / Stellarium.

The waning crescent Moon makes a temporary asterism with the stars Aldebaran and Betelgeuse in the eastern sky before sunrise on August 4th

The waning crescent Moon appears in the eastern sky with the stars Aldebaran and Betelgeuse before sunrise on August 4th. Credit: Bob Trembley / Stellarium.

The waning crescent Moon appears near the star Pollux in the north-northeastern sky before sunrise on August 6th.

The waning crescent Moon near the star Pollux in the north-northeastern sky before sunrise on August 6th. Credit: Bob Trembley / Stellarium.
The Moon - In the Sky
  • The Moon is a Waning Crescent – visible low to the east before sunrise.
  • The New Moon occurs on August 8th.
  • On August 9th, the Moon will be a Waxing Crescent – visible toward the southwest in early evening.
Moon
The Moon from August 3-9, 2021. Visualizations by Ernie Wright / NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio.

If you click on the Moon image above, or click this link, you will go to NASA’s Moon Phase and Libration, 2021 page – it will show you what the Moon looks like right now. If you click the image on that page, you will download a high-rez TIFF image annotated with the names of prominent features – helpful for logging your lunar observations!

Moon News:

NASA is excited to announce the U.S. crew members for the SIRIUS-21 analog mission!

It’s an 8-month Earth-based study focusing on the effects of isolation and team dynamics, preparing humans for #Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. https://t.co/iNGrpEV0UN pic.twitter.com/J5dODi4Rtg

— NASA's Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) August 2, 2021

The Sun - In the Sky

The Sun has one pretty large spot! SpaceWeather.com says “New sunspot AR2850 is growing rapidly, but not yet flaring.”

The Sun on July 13, 2021. Credit: SDO/HMI

The Sun seen in 193 angstroms on August 2nd

The northern coronal hole has opened op even more, and is HUGE! The southern hole appears to have diminished even more. A large coronal hole is in the middle-upper latitudes, and a long sinuous coronal hole is winding along the middle lower latitudes.

https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/assets/img/dailymov/2021/08/02/20210802_1024_0193.mp4

The Sun seen in 304 angstroms on August 2nd

Lots of prominence activity again – the sunspot appears as the birght spot in the lower left; something energetic is rotating into view on the left.

https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/assets/img/dailymov/2021/08/02/20210802_1024_0304.mp4
Videos courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.
You can view the Sun in near real-time, in multiple frequencies here: SDO-The Sun Now.
You can create your own time-lapse movies of the Sun here: AIA/HMI Browse Data.
You can browse all the SDO images of the Sun from 2010 to the present here: Browse SDO archive.

Amateur Solar Astrophotography

Spicules in the Sun’s chromosphere. Credit: Arturo Buenrostro

Solar Corona

Solar wind speed is 328.9 km/sec ▲ with a density of 4.8 protons/cm3 ▼ at 1500 UT.

Sun
SOHO LASCO C2 Latest Image

Click here to see a near real-time animation of the corona and solar wind from the Solar & Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).

Sun News:

Check out a mosaic image of the Sun! ☀️

The blue regions show some of the most energetic areas on the Sun. This image combines multiple images of the Sun from three different spacecraft.

Learn more: https://t.co/8ExSVpART9 pic.twitter.com/z4U1rwryNb

— NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) August 2, 2021

Asteroids - In the Sky
  • Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) discovered this month: 0, this year: 1553 (+16), all time: 26,355 (+16)
  • Potentially hazardous asteroids: 2196 (updated 2021-07-27)
  • Total Minor Planets discovered (NASA): 1,110,876 (+8,337)
  • Total Minor Planets discovered (MPC): 1,086,655 (updated 2021-06-22)

Upcoming Earth-asteroid encounters:

Asteroid Date(UT) Miss Distance Velocity (km/s) Diameter (m)
2020 PN1 2021-Aug-03 9.6 LD 4.6 30
2021 NL4 2021-Aug-03 12.8 LD 10.1 69
2020 PP1 2021-Aug-03 13 LD 3.6 16
2021 OB1 2021-Aug-04 10.2 LD 10.3 26
2021 OA1 2021-Aug-05 19.1 LD 6.5 44
2012 BA35 2021-Aug-11 6.9 LD 4.2 64
2016 BQ 2021-Aug-14 4.4 LD 4.7 16
2016 AJ193 2021-Aug-21 8.9 LD 26.2 655
2019 UD4 2021-Aug-22 14.2 LD 5.5 86
2020 BC16 2021-Aug-24 15 LD 6.7 34
2011 UC292 2021-Aug-24 9 LD 8.5 98
2021 NS8 2021-Aug-25 18.4 LD 4.2 37
2017 RK15 2021-Aug-29 13.3 LD 11.6 26
2015 SW6 2021-Sep-05 15.9 LD 9.9 45
2010 RJ53 2021-Sep-09 9.6 LD 19.3 56
2020 KR2 2021-Sep-10 14.2 LD 5.1 17
2017 SL16 2021-Sep-20 12.8 LD 6.1 23
2021 NY1 2021-Sep-22 3.9 LD 9.4 172
2019 SF6 2021-Sep-26 16.4 LD 8.6 20
Notes: LD means “Lunar Distance.” 1 LD = 384,401 km, the distance between Earth and the Moon. 1 LD also equals 0.00256 AU. MAG is the visual magnitude of the asteroid on the date of closest approach.

Asteroid News:

Rare meteorites recovered from Winchcombe meteorite fall

A piece of #asteroid seen recently falling over the UK is classified as one of the rarest. Learn more about this special space rock in this article: https://t.co/xsYDf5dsQp pic.twitter.com/DEAqVZGAnW

— Asteroid Day ☄ (@AsteroidDay) August 2, 2021

Evidence of a tsunami from an ancient asteroid impact in Louisiana

Scientists have found evidence in Louisiana of a tsunami resulting from an #asteroid impact that crashed into Earth millions of years ago. Check out the study details in this article from @SmithsonianMag https://t.co/PygvZYSjzP pic.twitter.com/nlGhTiqkbr

— Asteroid Day ☄ (@AsteroidDay) July 29, 2021
Fireballs - In the Sky

On August 2, 2021, the NASA All Sky Fireball Network reported 43 fireballs! WOW!
(37 sporadics, 3 Perseids, 1 alpha Capricornids, 1 southern Delta Aquarid, 1 Piscis Austrinid)

In this diagram of the inner solar system, all of the fireball orbits intersect at a single point–Earth. The orbits are color-coded by velocity, from slow (red) to fast (blue). Credit: SpaceWeather.com

Fireball News:

Despite the poor weather, in July Tissington meteor detection cameras (UK000Z and UK000Y in red dot on map) had 322 meteors (yellow colored) which were simultanuous with other cameras, located in UK, Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany.

Ready for the Perseid meteor shower? pic.twitter.com/AJQ83jyHvM

— Scopes4SEN (@PatrickPoitevin) August 1, 2021

If you see a bright meteor or a fireball, please REPORT IT to the American Meteor Society and the International Meteor Organization!

The Solar System - In the Sky

Position of the planets & several spacecraft in the inner solar system on August 3rd – the orbit of the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return spacecraft is highlighted:

Inner Solar System
Top-down view of the inner solar system on August 3, 2021. Credit: Bob Trembley / NASA Eyes on the Solar System

Position of the planets in the middle solar system:

Middle Solar System
Top-down view of the middle solar system on August 3, 2021. Credit: Bob Trembley / NASA Eyes on the Solar System

Position of the planets in the outer solar system– the trails of Voyager 2 and the New Horizons missions are highlighted:

Outer Solar System
Top-down view of the outer solar system on August 3, 2021. Credit: Bob Trembley / NASA Eyes on the Solar System

Solar System News:

📢 Ready to make your mark on the world? We’re partnering with nine international space agencies to host the largest space & science hackathon in the solar system!

💻 Sign up for our @SpaceApps Challenge & create inventive solutions for real-world issues: https://t.co/xeScWW9LJF pic.twitter.com/DKdzi7HEUc

— NASA (@NASA) July 28, 2021

Spacecraft News - In the Sky

International Space Station

A gentle reminder that space travel can be VERY dangerous!

Excellent story from @kchangnyt with great color on last week's fiasco with Nauka. Plus a new detail: The ISS wasn't shoved just 45 degrees out of position. It "spun one-and-a-half revolutions — about 540 degrees — before coming to a stop upside down." https://t.co/yo4e7vYuo3

— Joey Roulette (@joroulette) August 2, 2021

International Space Station

The 10th Annual International Space Station Research and Development Conference is about to kick off! Hear the latest benefits of space-based research and technology development and learn about critical work being done on the orbiting laboratory: https://t.co/V0Xi6cbHKd #ISSRDC pic.twitter.com/MbmHXBEZ1X

— ISS Research (@ISS_Research) August 3, 2021

HiRISE - Beautiful Mars

Hi3D: Flow-Like Features near Kasei Valles

Many of the flow-like features and channels in this region appear to be volcanic in origin. Yet, some appear to be associated with the flow of liquid water.https://t.co/XdL3h5h5qa

NASA/JPL/UArizona pic.twitter.com/GZmvl1Vk3z

— HiRISE: Beautiful Mars (NASA) (@HiRISE) August 3, 2021

NASA Ingenuity Mars Helicopter

NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity flew its first mile—and all-time highest flight—on the Red Planet on Saturday, Jul. 24. via @SPACEdotcom https://t.co/e1J2TjXN5j

— NOVA | PBS (@novapbs) July 28, 2021

Landsat Program

5 decades.
9 million images.
32 contenders.
Only one can be crowned champion in The #Landsat Games...

Round 1 starts today. Make your choices known:https://t.co/kSmGySP2kM pic.twitter.com/BDDm3Nh0Z8

— NASA Landsat Program (@NASA_Landsat) August 3, 2021

NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover

When your “office” is as dusty as mine, sometimes you have to roll up your sleeves and clear things away. I’ve just scoured off the weathered crust on this rock to see what lies beneath. Soon I’ll get my first rock core from nearby.

More on sampling: https://t.co/MYw9RoDbGj pic.twitter.com/J2ltSfpleU

— NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) August 3, 2021

Climate

With historic drought and extreme heat in the western U.S., 2021 is on track for another record-breaking year of devastating wildfires. Track them in our @nasa_eyes software using the "carbon monoxide" vital sign: https://t.co/SGpjRAaA3x pic.twitter.com/P2QsN1nLOD

— NASA Climate (@NASAClimate) July 29, 2021

See a list of current NASA missions here: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions?mission_status=current

Exoplanets - In the Sky

ex·o·plan·et /ˈeksōˌplanət/, noun: a planet orbiting a star other than the Sun.

All Exoplanets 4455 (+17)
Confirmed Planets Discovered by Kepler 2399 (+1)
Kepler Project Candidates Yet To Be Confirmed 2366
Confirmed Planets Discovered by K2 426
K2 Candidates Yet To Be Confirmed 889
Confirmed Planets Discovered by TESS 144 (+3)
TESS Project Candidates Integrated into Archive (2021-07-30 13:00:02) 4404 (+55)
Current date TESS Project Candidates at ExoFOP 4404 (+54)
TESS Candidates Yet To Be Confirmed 3028 (+36))

Data from the NASA Exoplanet Archive
* Confirmed Planets Discovered by TESS refers to the number planets that have been published in the refereed astronomical literature.
* TESS Project Candidates refers to the total number of transit-like events that appear to be astrophysical in origin, including false positives as identified by the TESS Project.
* TESS Project Candidates Yet To Be Confirmed refers to the number of TESS Project Candidates that have not yet been dispositioned as a Confirmed Planet or False Positive.

Exoplanet News: Take kids coloring to out of this world places!

We don't always know what exoplanets look like. They are so far away that scientists deduce conditions based on available observations. What might a planet around a red star look like? Show us! #NationalColoringBookDayhttps://t.co/rZp26xvJkq pic.twitter.com/UhrSg4q8LE

— NASA Exoplanets (@NASAExoplanets) August 2, 2021

Aurora - In the Sky
The Aurora Borealis and the Last Quarter Moon – taken by John David McKinnon on July 31, 2021 @ Tthebacha (Fort Smith), Northwest Territories, Canada.

SpaceWeather.com Realtime Aurora Gallery: https://spaceweathergallery.com/aurora_gallery.html

Light Pollution - In the Sky

Participate in the Globe at Night campaign

From 30 July – 8 August 2021, help raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by measuring the night sky brightness in your area from a computer, tablet, or smartphone. https://t.co/Riryjv1LFb#GlobeAtNight #NSFstories #NOIRLab pic.twitter.com/etYTrQjhKR

— GLOBE at Night (@GLOBEatNight) August 2, 2021

  • Visit an International Dark Sky Park: https://www.darksky.org/our-work/conservation/idsp/parks/
  • If you live in Michigan, visit the Michigan Dark Skies site: https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/darkskies/
The Universe - In the Sky

Education and STEM

'Sunny' STEM Activity

Let's start the week with a sunny STEM activity!🌞

Do you know what fuels the Sun's abundant energy output? Fusion! Learn more about this amazing process with a fun game from @NASAspaceplace. 💫

Combine protons & neutrons to keep the Sun shining bright! https://t.co/D8FU9qIpH7 pic.twitter.com/97gOQcKSqv

— NASA STEM (@NASASTEM) August 2, 2021

The GLOBE Program is hosting a month-long citizen science photo challenge

How does @NASA—a space agency—help put dinner on the table? 🍽 With a team of satellites and scientists keeping tabs on our planet’s soil, air, and water! Learn more about why NASA cares about food: https://t.co/2eA8r52wM8

— NASA Space Place (@NASAspaceplace) July 29, 2021

Hubble – Beautiful Universe: Hubble Ultra Deep Field

Hubble Ultra-Deep Field. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech. 

“The Hubble Ultra-Deep Field (HUDF) is an image of a small region of space in the constellation Fornax, containing an estimated 10,000 galaxies.

The original release was combined from Hubble Space Telescope data accumulated over a period from September 24, 2003, through to January 16, 2004. Looking back approximately 13 billion years (between 400 and 800 million years after the Big Bang), it has been used to search for galaxies that existed at that time.

The HUDF image was taken in a section of the sky with a low density of bright stars in the near-field, allowing much better viewing of dimmer, more distant objects. In August and September 2009, the HUDF field was observed at longer wavelengths (1.0 to 1.6 µm) using the infrared channel of the recently attached Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) instrument. When combined with existing HUDF data, astronomers were able to identify a new list of potentially very distant galaxies.” – Wikipedia

Just LOOK at all those galaxies! The Hubble Deep Field series of images is one I left out of my WOW! lecture, but it certainly deserves a mention… because WOW!

Feature|The Sky|The Moon|The Sun|Asteroids|Fireballs|The Solar System|Spacecraft News|Exoplanets|Aurora|Light Pollution|The Universe|

Stay safe, be well, and look up!


Software Apps used for this post:

NASA Eyes on the Solar System: an immersive 3D solar system and space mission simulator – free for the PC /MAC. I maintain the unofficial NASA Eyes Facebook page.
SpaceEngine: a free 3D Universe Simulator for Windows. Steam version with VR support available.
Stellarium: a free open source planetarium app for PC/MAC/Linux. It’s a great tool for planning observing sessions. A web-based version of Stellarium is also available.

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