GARRETT COUNTY SKIES
By Dr. Bob Doyle, Frostburg State Planetarium

Doyle writes this column for those who would like to identify the brightest stars, planets and sights in their backyards. To ask questions or get a planetarium brochure, call Dr. Doyle at (301) 687-7799 .

     Sun and Moon this month – As July begins, the Sun appears in front of the stars of Gemini, moving a degree a day eastward relative to the stars. Late in the evening of July 20th, the Sun enters the star group Cancer, where it stays through August 10th. Both of the above star groups are lost in the Sun’s glare in July. The star group Leo is to the East of Cancer so it sets after the Sun, appearing low in the western dusk. The star group Taurus (to the west of Gemini)  rises before the Sun and is visible low in the eastern dawn. In early July, sunrises in Oakland are about 5:54 a.m. while sunsets are about  8:49 p.m.(14.9 hours of daylight). Around the end of July, Oakland’s sunrises are about 6:15 a.m. and sunsets occur about 8:30  p.m. (14.25 hours of daylight). So during July, the stars are last seen around 5 a.m.(early dawn) and then reappear about 9:40 p.m.(late dusk).

        There was a full moon on June 26th, so the moon will be rising late in the evening at the start of July. On the morning of July 4^th, the moon appears half  full in the southern dawn sky (like a backward ‘D’).  On that morning, the bright planet Jupiter will appear to the right of the moon in the 5 a.m. southeastern dawn.

        On July 11th, the moon swings from the morning to the evening side of the sun (New Moon). On July  13^th, a very slender crescent moon may be seen low in the 9:15 p.m. western dusk to the right of the planet Mercury (use binoculars) On July 14^th, the crescent moon is higher and appears below the brilliant planet Venus. On July 15^th, the crescent moon appears below the planet Mars. On July 16^th, the moon appears underneath the planet Saturn. On July 17th, the evening moon appears half full and below the star Spica of Virgo. The half full evening moon offers very good viewing of the moon’s craters and mountains through binoculars or telescope.

         The evening moon appears  full on July 25^th, then to the left of the star group Capricornus. This full moon, as June’s full moon  has a low sky track. When low in the sky, the moon often appears yellowish or golden. After full, the moon rises later each night. By the last night of July, the moon rises in the late evening sky.  

      July Planets  – The five nearest planets are easily seen by eye, four of them shining steadily in contrast to the twinkling stars. Of the five, Mercury is usually the most difficult to see, at a low angle to the sun and seen very close to the horizon either at dawn or dusk. Mercury can be seen very low in the 9:15 p.m. western dusk  from mid to late July. Venus is the brilliant point of steady light in the western evening sky. At the start of July, Venus sets a little after 11 p.m. which drops to 10:20 p.m. at month’s end. To the right and above Venus is the planet Mars, creeping to the left across Leo. By the end of July, Mars will appear a few degrees from the planet Saturn. The bright planet Jupiter is the main morning planet, seen easily in the south before sunrise. 

     July Evening Stars – The Big Dipper is high in the North Northwest with its handle up and scoop below. The two lower scoop stars point rightward to the North Star, a modest star about halfway up in the North. If you extend the Big Dipper’s handle outward, you come to the bright golden star Arcturus and then the white-blue star Spica in the South. In  the eastern evening sky, there is a trio of bright stars called the Summer Triangle. At the top of the Triangle is Vega, a  bright white-blue star about as bright as Arcturus. In the first half of July (when there is no bright early evening moonlight), the Milky Way can be seen as a gentle glow in the lower portion of the Summer Triangle from a dark sky location (away from streetlights and stores).

      There are no regular public planetarium programs at  the Frostburg State Planetarium in the months of June, July and August. Our Sunday public programs will resume on September 12^th with “Calendars, Ancient and Modern”. To receive a Planetarium bookmark, call  (301) 687-7799 and state your name and mailing address. You can  also access the Planetarium section of the Frostburg State website at www.frostburg.edu/planetarium .