July 1 - July Planets

July 1 July Planets by:

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | The moon never fails to dazzle. EarthSky friend Raul Cortes in Monterrey, Mexico, captured this waning gibbous moment in a cloudy sky on Tuesday night. He wrote: “We had a clear clear sky before the sunrise, and I happened to take a few pictures of the waning gibbous moon. Just a few minutes later it started to get cloudy again.” Thank you for sharing with us, Raul! View full-size to see the photo in its full glory.

July 2021 guide to visible planets Watch for the Venus-Mars conjunction around mid-month, in the western twilight sky. Watch Jupiter and Saturn. They're gearing up for their oppositions - their best time to be viewed in Earth's sky - in August. And, in the early part of July, watch for elusive Mercury before sunrise. Here's how to see July's visible planets. Planet makes a surprise photobomb Astronomers said this week they were observing 2 planets orbiting a star some 50 light-years away, when a 3rd planet made a surprise photobomb of their image. The star is Nu2 Lupi. It's visible with the unaided eye from Earth's Southern Hemisphere. Astronomers discovered the 3 planets around the star in 2019, whose "years" or orbital periods lasted 12, 28 and 107 days. Astronomers knew the 2 planets closest to the star would be visible as they transited - or crossed in front of - the star's bright surface. But the appearance of the outermost known planet was a welcome surprise. Because Nu2 Lupi is such a bright star - so relatively close to us - these scientists called the photobombing planet "... a golden target for future study with no known equivalent." Read more. Thuban is a former pole star Thuban is not a particularly bright star, but it holds a special place in the hearts of stargazers. That's because Thuban - a relatively inconspicuous star in the constellation Draco the Dragon - was the pole star some 5,000 years ago, when the Egyptians were building the pyramids. Read more. What we're reading   Scientists warn of climate change intensifying heat waves From The Hill … Scientists are warning that climate change is already compounding the extreme heat battering the Pacific Northwest and will do so even more as the planet continues to warm. Read more.

✨Astronomers and science aficionados, represent!✨ Everyone needs a go-to, cozy sweatshirt to curl up in, so go for one that's soft, smooth, and stylish. It's also perfect for when you’re stargazing on these cool summer evenings. What are you waiting for?   All EarthSky Store proceeds go toward keeping you updated on your cosmos and world at EarthSky.org! 🚀🙏🏼

Polaris and Thuban via the Big Dipper in July Tonight, use the Big Dipper in the constellation Ursa Major the Great Bear to find the sky's northern pole star, Polaris. This is the star around which the whole northern sky appears to turn. Polaris - aka the North Star - is located nearly above Earth's northern axis. In times past, wanderers on the northern face of Earth used Polaris to stay on course. Once you find Polaris, you can also look for a famous former pole star, Thuban, in the constellation Draco the Dragon. Read more and see more charts.

Moon and Jupiter rising over Lake Ontario View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Here's another beautiful moon photo from this week. Steven Sweet of Lunar 101 Moon Book caught it on June 29. He wrote: "What I like the most about this capture is the moonbeam and beam of light from Jupiter shining on the lake. You can also see the moons of Jupiter," especially if you view it larger. Thank you, Steven! Submit your photo to EarthSky here! Subscribe & Support Did a friend forward EarthSkyNews to you? Click here to get your own subscription. Want to help support EarthSky? Forward this email to a friend. Share our content via your social media. Consider a donation. Go shopping at the EarthSky Store. Thank you for your support!

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