JULY 1996

by Steve Stefanik

July began with Jupiter reaching opposition on the 4th, rising directly opposite the sun at sunset. Look for the this magnificant -2.7 magnitude gas giant above "the handle" of the teapot asterism in the constellation Sagittarius in the southeast. Through even a small telescope the alternating light and dark colored bands of its turbulent atmosphere can be seen. Its four largest moons Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto can also be seen orbiting and transiting the planet from time to time.

Just to the east is the "wing-shaped" constellation Capricorn where the planets Uranus and Neptune can be viewed through binoculars. The unusually colored aqua-green +5.7 magnitude Uranus is the easier of the two to spot. Neptune is decidely bluer and dimmer at magnitude +7.9. Neptune reaches opposition on the 18th and Uranus does so on the 25th. Both planets rise at sunset and remain visible all night and set at sunrise.

If you’d like a real challange and want to get the first naked-eye glimpse of the heralded "next great comet" Hale-Bopp, get away from city lights and look above the constellation Sagittarius along the eastern border of Ophiucus. You may see what looks like a fuzzy 6th magnitude "star". Through binoculars you might be able to discern the hint of a fan-shaped tail from the nucleus of its head. The comet will continue to brighten in the months ahead as it traces across the southern sky on its way toward perihelion and the anticipated spectacular apparition next year.

The last planet to rise just before midnight is Saturn. It rises by mid-evening at the end of the month. Look for the +0.8 magnitude ringed-planet among the dim stars of the constellation Cetus low in the southeast. You will be able to see the shadow of the planet cutting across the rings through even a small telescope. Saturn reaches opposition on September 26.

The constellation Leo is setting on the western horizon at sunset. The brilliant first magnitude star Arcturus in the constellation Bootes is high in the western sky. The constellation Hercules is directly overhead. The constellations Lyra, Cygnus, and Aquilla and their brightest stars Vega, Deneb, and Altair which form "the summer triangle" are high in the eastern sky. The "great square" of Pegasus is rising on the eastern horizon.