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July 7: The Moon, Saturn, and Neptune
Asteroid 18 Melpomene reaches opposition at 4 P.M. EDT. Now visible all night long, the 9th-magnitude main-belt world is located in southeastern Aquila, near the Eagle’s border with Scutum.
To track the asteroid for yourself, swing binoculars or any telescope up above the southeastern horizon around 10:30 P.M. local daylight time. We’re looking in the region between the Sagittarius Teapot and the bright star Altair in Aquila. Between these two markers in the sky lies magnitude 3.4 Lambda (λ) Aquilae, located in the tail of Aquila. Find this star, then slide about 4.7° due south to land on Melpomene.
The asteroid lies close to a field star of similar magnitude, forming an artificial “double star.” Over the course of the night, Melpomene will move westward, pulling away from the star. You may be able to note its motion if you snap a picture and then come back a few hours later to take another.
Sunrise: 5:39 A.M.
Sunset: 8:31 P.M.
Moonrise: 12:27 A.M.
Moonset: 2:28 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (36%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 10 P.M. local time from the same location.
Alison Klesman is senior editor of Astronomy magazine. She holds a Ph.D. in astronomy and has studied a variety of topics, from minor planets to supermassive black holes.
