The forecast looks clear for much of the week, giving a great chance to get out and do some sky watching!
One special thing I wanted to mention this week is a phenomenon we’ll be watching out for over the course of the next 2-3 weeks: noctilucent clouds. Noctilucent clouds, meaning night shining clouds, are a type of cloud caused by meteor smoke. Water vapor high in the atmosphere combines with smoke from meteors to create blue, tendril-like cloud structures. They are observed in the summer months in the northern hemisphere and generally peak around the summer solstice. In years past, these clouds were relegated to high latitudes, but they have been slowly creeping southward over the past decade or so. In fact, just last year, they were spotted at the lowest latitude so far of 34 degrees north. This year may put on a similar show with upper atmospheric water vapor running above normal.
The best, and really only, time to see noctilucent clouds is just before sunrise or just after sunset. 30-60 minutes on either side is best because the clouds are in sunlight while the ground is still dark. A west/northwest horizon is best at night, and an east/northeast horizon is best before dawn. If you’re out early or late in the coming weeks and spot some very high, blue clouds, you may have just spotted noctilucent clouds!
The Planets this Week: Venus continues to climb higher in the evening sky and is impossible to miss against the evening twilight. On Monday, the evening sky will show a trio of bright objects: Venus, Mars, and the Moon from bottom to top. Mercury has completely dropped out of sight, but Jupiter and Saturn both shine brightly overhead in the pre-dawn sky.
Naked Eye Object of the Week-Arcturus: Arcturus is the 4th brightest star in the night sky and the brightest in the constellation Boötes. It is located 37 light-years away from Earth and is a red giant, much larger and cooler than our Sun. You can find it easily by following the curve of the handle of the Big Dipper. Historically, Arcturus has been observed for millennia. Its constellation Boötes was one of the original 48 described by Ptolemy in the 2nd century, and Arcturus has deep roots in many ancient civilizations. From the ancient Chinese to the native tribes of Canada, this star has been at the center of many myths and legends. Its name means “guardian of the bear” or, more simply, “guardian” in ancient Greek and may refer to the myth of Arcas. Regardless of the name’s origin, Arcturus remains a sight to behold in the night sky. It is highest this time of year, so get out and check it out this week!
Telescope Object of the Week-M51: M51 is most commonly referred to as the Whirlpool Galaxy. It is actually a pair of galaxies undergoing an interaction, which makes for a spectacular sight in amateur telescopes. Long exposures of the pair reveal a large spiral galaxy face on and a much smaller dwarf galaxy right next to it known as M51B. M51 was one of many objects first discovered by Charles Messier in 1773, who believed it to be a nebula. It wasn’t until Edwin Hubble came along that M51 was recognized as a galaxy. Since then, it has been studied in great detail and is a popular target for amateur astronomers. It is located right beneath Alkaid, the last star in the Big Dipper’s handle, making it an easy target.
There’s certainly no end to the objects one can see when they venture their eyes towards the heavens.
Have a great week, and as Dr. Jones always said: Watch the skies!
