Sky scene June to August 2001

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=22 BGCOLOR="#330099" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="040000d2erkqrf.gif"> <div> Derby and District Astronomical Society - Aries Magazine</div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=145 BGCOLOR="#333399" TEXT="#080000" background="03fa2c00erkjzj.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aries Astronomy magazine on line From th"><U>HOME</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Summer 2001"><U>Summer 2001</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id47.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Telescopes"><U>Telescopes</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mercury"><U>Mercury</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id49.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Barbie a poem"><U>The Barbie - a poem</U></A></div> <div> <B>Sky scene June to August 2001</B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=458 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="06a92963.gif"> <div> <B>Aries Astronomy magazine on line- From the Derby and District Astronomical Society</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="04107040.gif" border=0 width="263" height="4" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  <A NAME="askjeeves"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FF6666" FACE="Comic Sans MS" >Why not search the internet for more information about stars and constellations...</FONT></div> <div>  <IMG SRC="http://service.bfast.com/bfast/serve?bfmid=31103363&siteid=35044309&bfpage=football" BORDER="0" WIDTH="1" HEIGHT="1" NOSAVE > <FORM ACTION="http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click" > <INPUT TYPE="hidden" NAME="siteid" VALUE="35044309" > <INPUT TYPE="hidden" NAME="bfpage" VALUE="football"> <INPUT TYPE="hidden" NAME="bfmid" VALUE="31103363" > <TABLE CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" BORDER="0"> <TR> <TD BGCOLOR="#009900"><IMG SRC="http://www.ask.co.uk/docs/about/questionboxes/questionbox16_a.gif" WIDTH="120" HEIGHT="73"></TD> </TR> <TR><FORM ACTION="http://www.ask.co.uk/main/askjeeves.asp" METHOD="GET"> <TD BGCOLOR="#009900" ALIGN="center" BACKGROUND="http://www.ask.co.uk/docs/about/questionboxes/questionbox16_b.gif" WIDTH="120" HEIGHT="21"><INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="ask" SIZE="13"> <INPUT TYPE="hidden" NAME="scope" VALUE="web"> <INPUT TYPE="hidden" NAME="origin" VALUE="nnnn"> <INPUT TYPE="hidden" NAME="qSource" VALUE="n"></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD BGCOLOR="#009900"><INPUT TYPE="image" SRC="http://www.ask.co.uk/docs/about/questionboxes/questionbox16_c.jpg" BORDER="0" WIDTH="120" HEIGHT="40"></TD> </FORM></TR> </TABLE> </FORM>  </div> <div> ... or search Amazon for star atlases...</div> <div>  <form action="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/external-search" method="get"> <input type="hidden" name="tag" value="ariesastronommag"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#000000"> <tr> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <tr> <td align="right" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><font size="1" face="verdana, arial, helvetica"><b>Search:</b></font></td> <td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><font size="1" face="verdana, arial, helvetica"><select name="mode" size="1"> <option value="blended">All Products </option> <option value="books">Books </option> <option value="video">DVD & Video </option> <option value="music">Popular Music </option> <option value="classical">Classical Music </option> <option value="software-uk">Software </option> <option value="video-games-uk">PC and Video Games </option> </select> </font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><font size="1" face="verdana, arial, helvetica"><b>Keywords:</b></font></td> <td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><font size="1" face="verdana, arial, helvetica"><input type="text" size="10" name="keyword"> <input type="image" name="Go" src="http://www.associmg.com/assoc/uk/pdm-search-go-btn.gif?tag-id=ariesastronommag" align="absmiddle" border="0" value="Go"></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" valign="top" colspan="2" bgcolor="#000000"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/redirect-home/ariesastronommag?tag-id=ariesastronommag&placement=uk_searchbox.jpg&site=amazon"><img src="http://www.associmg.com/assoc/uk/uk_searchbox.jpg?tag-id=ariesastronommag" alt="In Association with Amazon.co.uk" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </form> </blockquote> </blockquote> </blockquote> </body> </html>  </div> <bR> <div> During the months of June, July and August, although the hours of darkness are fewer, at least we will not be as cold as earlier in the year! Almost overhead you will see the brilliant white star, Vega. It is a first magnitude star and is the main one in the constellation of Lyra, the lyre. Although it is a very small constellation, it is very obvious. Vega has the distinction of being the first star that was photographed. At one time, Vega was the pole star but, owing to precession of the polar axis of the Earth, will be the pole star again in about 11,500 years from now. Whilst looking at Lyra, spend some time observing beta Lyrae, a magnitude 3.4 star with a blue-white colour. Its brightness changes periodically, dropping to 4.3 every 13 days or so. Careful observers will note that half way through the cycle, the brightness fades to 3.8 and rises again to 3.4, before dropping to the 4.3 minimum. This star is in fact a binary star, the two components are so close together that they cannot be seen separately. Both stars are distorted into egg shapes by their mutual gravitational attraction. The variations in brightness are caused by eclipses. It is possible that there may be more bodies in this system. The variable nature was first recorded by John Goodricke in 1784, by simple naked eye observation.  Since then, the period of light variation has been lengthening by about 2 minutes per year and it is this that suggests the presence of at least one further, unobserved member of the system. Scan some of the other main stars in Lyra, you will see that several of these are wide and easy to spot double stars. The most famous double of the constellation is probably epsilon Lyrae. This is a ‘double double’ star. Some keen eyed observers with clear skies claim to have seen the principal pair with the naked eye, however the majority of us will need to use some kind of optical aid. A pair of binoculars will split the pair. In order to see the two components as doubles themselves, you will need at least a 60 mm telescope and a high power. Under good conditions, up in Scotland, I have resolved this quadruple star using my 60 mm bird spotting telescope with a magnification of about X 40. There are a couple of Messier objects in Lyra, M56, a globular cluster and the better known M57, the Ring Nebula. You will probably be disappointed with your view of M57 because you will not see any of the beautiful colours that are shown in photographs, our eyes are just not sensitive enough to see colour under such low light conditions. The ring is easily noticeable in instruments of 60 mm and above, with a moderate to high magnification. </div> <bR> <div> On the planets front, Mars, Uranus and Neptune are low in the south, setting before midnight by the end of August. By the end of July, early risers will be able to see  Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and possibly Mercury in the hour or so preceding dawn. On July 15th, Saturn and Venus will appear very close in the sky, watch out for the Moon as well. You might just be able to see Jupiter and Mercury very close too on the 13/14th. July. This could be a good time to find Mercury, despite the twilight. Jupiter, being much brighter, would act as a marker, looking below Jupiter, you should be able to see Mercury. Take great care to avoid looking at the Sun if using optical instruments.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>