BBC Sky at Night - UK (2021-08)

GETTING STARTED

IN ASTRONOMY

If you’re new to

astronomy, you’ll find

two essential reads on our

website. Visit http://bit.

ly/10_easylessons for our

10-step guide to getting

started and http://bit.ly/

buy_scope for advice

on choosing a scope

Naked eye

Allow 20 minutes

for your eyes to become

dark-adapted

Large scope

Reflector/SCT over 6

inches, refractor over 4 inches

Binoculars

10x50 recommended

Photo opp

Use a CCD, planetary

camera or standard DSLR

Small/

medium scope

Reflector/SCT under 6 inches,

refractor under 4 inches

Family friendly

Objects marked

with this icon are perfect

for showing to children

Universal time (UT)

and British Summer

Time (BST)

Universal Time (UT) is

the standard time used

by astronomers around

the world. British

Summer Time (BST) is

one hour ahead of UT

RA (Right ascension)

and dec. (declination)

These coordinates are the

night sky’s equivalent of

longitude and latitude,

describing where an object

is on the celestial ‘globe’

NEED TO

KNOW

The terms and symbols

used in The Sky Guide

August 2021 BBC Sky at Night Magazine 45

Thursday

The Perseid

meteor shower

reaches its peak

under favourable

conditions. The peak is

centred on 20:00–23:00 BST

(19:00–22:00 UT) so tonight’s

watch, through to dawn on

the 13th, will see the best rates.

To read more, see page 46.

12

Tuesday X

This morning’s

26 %-lit waning

crescent Moon sits

4.8Ō north of mag. +0.8

Aldebaran (Alpha (_) Tauri).

3

Sunday X

This evening,

take a look

at Jupiter to see a

double bonanza:

two moons (Ganymede and

Europa) in transit at the

same time as their shadows

are in transit. The event is

underway as Jupiter rises.

See page 47 for more details.

22

Monday

This morning, a

telescopic view

of Jupiter will show its

second Galilean moon,

Europa, virtually disappear as

it’s covered by Ganymede’s

shadow. The eclipse takes

place between 04:37–05:44

BST (03:37–04:44 UT). To read

more see page 47.

9

Tuesday
The lesser-
known Aurigid
meteor shower
could produce an
activity outburst between
22:17–22:35 BST (21:17–21:35
UT). Rates may increase to
produce a ZHR with a range
of 50 to 100 meteors per
hour. See page 47.

31

Saturday

There’s a chance to catch

a slender 2%-lit waning

crescent Moon low above the

northeast horizon from just

after 04:00 BST (03:00 UT).

Jupiter’s outer Galilean moon,

Callisto, is eclipsed by Jupiter’s

shadow this morning. Watch the

moon disappear at 03:22 BST (02:22

UT). To read more, see page 47.

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