NIGHT SKIES THIS WEEK 10-16 JUNE 2019.

With the Winter skies here in Durban we have seen many more clear and colder nights.
So let's take a look at what can be expected from our night skies this week.
The chart below is taken from Cartes Du Ceil, a link to the software is under the "Useful Links" tab in the right column of this blog.


THE MOON AND PLANETS.

The Moon will reach first quarter on Monday the 10th and it's effect on our skies is starting to be felt as it heads toward a full Moon by the following Monday.
On Sunday the 16th the Moon and Jupiter will pass within 1°58' of each other and will share the same right ascension also called a conjunction.
They will be to widely spread for a telescope FOV but can be seen in binoculars or the naked eye.

Jupiter will be at opposition on Monday 10th.
During opposition Jupiter is also at it's closest to Earth called it's perigee, this will make Jupiter seem larger and brighter than usual, the perfect time to see it in the scope. Opposition will occur at around 17H17, since it is Winter it will be dark shortly after and Jupiter should be easily visible low on your eastern horizon in the constellation Ophiuchus. Shortly after 2AM the Great Red Spot will also be visible in the telescope.

Mercury will be visible in your North Western horizon just before dusk and will remain visible for just more than an hour after sunset, Look toward the constellation Gemini to see Mercury.
Jupiter becomes visible in the early evenings not long after dusk and Saturn follows along after 20H00.
Then we have Neptune making a n appearance just before midnight and Uranus following along after 03H30. These two are both telescope only.
Venus will then become visible almost a hour before sunrise low on your Eastern skies.


DEEP SKY OBSERVING(DSO).

With a Moon heading toward full we turn our attention back to Open clusters since they are easier under the Moons glare.
This week I thought we might take a look at NGC 5460.

NGC 5460, Open Cluster in Centaurus, Magnitude +5.59.

NGC 5460 also carries the designations Collinder 280 and Mellote 123. It is a 5th Magnitude Open Cluster in the constellation Centaurus and was first catalogued by James Dunlop in 1826.
NGC 5460 lies at a distance of 2283 light years from Earth and is approximately 160 million years old.
It should be a easy star hop from the nearby 2nd magnitude star Zeta Centauri also known as Alnair.
The basic finder chart below will give an indication of where it is located in the night skies. The chart is taken from Cartes Du Ceil.

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION(ISS).

This week we will see several passes from the ISS, only problem is you will need to rise early to catch them!
The list below is taken from Spot the Station, a link to the webpage is under the "Useful Links" tab in the right column of this blog.

Date	Visible	Max Height	Appears	Disappears	Share Event
Tue Jun 11, 6:00 AM	4 min	22°	10° above SSW	17° above ESE
Wed Jun 12, 5:12 AM	3 min	13°	11° above SSE	10° above ESE
Thu Jun 13, 5:58 AM	4 min	72°	13° above SW	38° above ENE
Fri Jun 14, 5:11 AM	2 min	34°	32° above SSE	25° above E
Sat Jun 15, 4:24 AM	< 1 min	11°	11° above E	11° above E
Sat Jun 15, 5:57 AM	4 min	28°	18° above W	11° above N
Sun Jun 16, 5:10 AM	2 min	47°	47° above N	11° above NNE

So get out there and enjoy yourself under your night skies and keep looking up!