Jul
21
Fri
One month until USA Total Eclipse
Jul 21 @ 10:50 am – 2:02 pm

Don’t miss out on this, make some travel plans!

A total eclipse of the sun will runs smack through the middle of the USA on August 21, 2017. Plan a car trip, bus ride, or plane trip to the narrow strip of Earth stretching from Salem, OR through to Nashville, TN in which the sun will *completely disappear* for two minutes. (Not many large cities are in the path of the totality, so make your reservations early if you want to observe it from the comfort of civilization.)

If you’ve already got plans, the next total eclipse passing through the USA is on April 8, 2024…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_August_21,_2017

Jul
23
Sun
⚫ New Moon
Jul 23 @ 3:46 am – 3:46 am
Jul
28
Fri
Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower
Jul 28 all-day

The Delta Aquarids is an average shower that can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by comets Marsden and Kracht. The Delta Aquarids is an average shower that can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by comets Marsden and Kracht. The shower runs annually from July 12 to August 23. It peaks this year on the night of July 28 and morning of July 29. The crescent moon will set by midnight, leaving dark skies for what should be a good early morning show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

Jul
30
Sun
☽ First Quarter Moon
Jul 30 @ 9:23 am – 9:23 am
Aug
7
Mon
Partial Lunar Eclipse
Aug 7 @ 11:22 am – 1:18 pm

A portion of the Moon will be fully darkened by Earth’s umbra (shadow). The eclipse will be visible throughout most of eastern Africa, central Asia, the Indian Ocean, and Australia.

⚪ Full Moon
Aug 7 @ 12:11 pm – 12:11 pm
Aug
12
Sat
Mercury Retrograde Begins
Aug 12 all-day

see http://cantonbecker.com/retrograde for details…

Perseids Meteor Shower
Aug 12 all-day

The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by comet Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862. The Perseids are famous for producing a large number of bright meteors. The shower runs annually from July 17 to August 24. It peaks this year on the night of August 12 and the morning of August 13. The waning gibbous moon will block out many of the fainter meteors this year, but the Perseids are so bright and numerous that it should still be a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Perseus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

Aug
14
Mon
☾ Last Quarter Moon
Aug 14 @ 7:15 pm – 7:15 pm
Aug
17
Thu
Venus at its Highest
Aug 17 all-day

Venus will be at its “greatest eastern elongation”. This is a great time to view Venus since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for the enormously bright thing in the western sky after sunset. Look at it with a telescope, and you’ll see that Venus appears to have *phases*, just like the moon!