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'37'
NIGHT SKY IN AUGUST 2000
The full moon occurs on the 15th at 10-43 a.m. IST and new moon occurs on the 29th at 3-49 p.m. IST. The moon passes about one degree north of the Venus on the 1st about two degrees south of the Saturn and about three degrees south of the Jupiter on the 23rd, about one degree north of the mars on the 28th and again about four degrees north of the Venus on the 31st.The moon is at apogee i.e. farthest from the Earth on 12th and at perigree i.e. nearest to it on the 27th. The lunar-crescent becomes first visible after the new moon day of July 31st in the evening of the 30th.
The Planets
Mercury (Budha): It is visible in the early morning sky and rises about an hour before sunrise during almost the first half of the month. Thereafter it is too near the Sun to be visible, being in superior conjunction with the Sun on 22
nd. It passes about 7 degrees south of the star Pollux ( Punarvasu ) on the 4th. The Planet is at perihelion i.e. nearest to the Sun on the 9th and in conjunction with the Mars on the 10th. It moves from Gemini ( Mithuna ) to Leo ( Simha ) on the 19th through Cancer ( Karkata ) on the 3rd. Its visual magnitude varies from -0.3 to -1.3.Venus ( Sukra ) : It is visible in the evening sky and sets about an hour after sunset throughout the month. It passes about one degree north of the star Regulus ( Magha ) on the 6
th. It moves from Cancer ( Karkata ) to Virgo ( Kanya ) on the 26th through Leo ( Simha ) on the 1st. Its visual magnitude is -3.9.Mars ( Mangala ): It is too near the Sun to be visible during the first half of the month being in conjunction with the Sun on the 1
st. Thereafter it reappears in the early morning sky and rises about an hour before sunrise. It remains in Cancer ( Karkata ) throughout the month. Its visual magnitude is about +1.8.Jupiter ( Brihaspati) : It is visible in the early morning sky throughout the month. It rises half an hour after local midnight during the first half and about an hour before it during the remaining period of the month. It remains in Taurus ( Vrisha ) during the month. Its visual magnitude is about -2.3.
Saturn ( Sani ) : It is visible in the early morning sky throughout the month. It rises at about local midnight during the first half and about an hour to one and a half hours before it during second half of the month being in quadrature with the Sun on the 23
rd. It remains in Taurus ( Vrisha ) throughout the month. Its visual magnitude is about +0.2.The diagram at the back shows the evening sky as seen from latitudes 0 to 40 degrees North. The inner circle represents the horizon as seen from latitude 22.5 degrees North. The Star Chart has been extended on the northern and southern sides for use all over India.
Inputs: Positional Astronomy Centre, India Meteorological Department, Calcutta
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