ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR AUGUST 2024

The Moon

Full Moon occurs on 19th at h 23-56 I.S.T.	Last Quarter occurs on 26th at h 14-56 I.S.T.
New Moon occurs on 4th at h 16-43 I.S.T.	First Quarter occurs on 12th at h. 20-49 I.S.T.
The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 5th.
The Moon is at Apogee or farthest from the Earth on 9th and at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 21st.

 

The Moon passes about 1½⁰ north of Venus on 6^th, about 7½⁰ North of Mercury on 6^th, about ½⁰ north of Saturn on 21^st, about ½⁰ north of Neptune on 22^nd, about 4½⁰ north of Uranus on 26^th, about 5½⁰ north of Jupiter on 27^th, about 5½⁰ north of Mars on 28^th.

 

The Planets

Visibility of Planets:

Mercury: The planet sets about 1 hour to ½ hour after sunset upto 6^th of the month. From 7^th planet is too close to the Sun to be visible upto 25^th of the month. From 26^th it become visible in the eastern sky, it rises about ½ hour to 1 hour before sunrise for the remaining days of the month. The motion of the planet becomes Retrograde with respect to the Earth from 5^th. The planet is in Inferior conjunction with Sun on 19^th of the month. The motion of the planet becomes Direct with respect to earth from 29^th.

Venus: The planet sets about 1 hour after sunset throughout the month.

Mars: The planet rises about ½ hour after local midnight to close to local midnight throughout the month.

Jupiter: The planet rises about 1 hour to ½ hour after local midnight time upto second quarter of the month, about ½ hour to close to local midnight time upto third quarter of the month and close to local midnight time to about ½ hour before it for the remaining days of the month.

Saturn: The planet rises about 2 hours to 1½ hours after sunset upto second quarter of the month, 1½ hours to 1 hour after it upto third quarter of the month and 1 hour to ½ hour after it for the remaining days of the month.

Uranus: The planet rises close to local midnight time to about ½ hour before it upto first quarter of the month, ½ hour to 1 hour before it upto second quarter of the month, about 1 hour to 1½ hours before it upto third Quarter of the month, about 1½ hours to 2 hours before it for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Quadrature with the Sun on 19^th.

Neptune: The planet rises about 2½ hours to 2 hours after sunset upto second quarter of the month, 2 hours to 1½ hours after it upto third quarter of the month and 1½ hours to 1 hour after it for the remaining days of the month.

 

Conjunction of Planet:

Venus passes about 1⁰ north of Regulus (Magha) on 5^th.

Mars passes about 5⁰ north of Aldebaran (Rohini) on 6^th.

Mercury passes about 5½⁰ south of Venus on 6^th.

Mercury passes about 5½⁰ south of Regulus (Magha) on 12^th.

Mars passes just north of Jupiter on 14^th.

 

Planets	Planets in Zodiacal Constellation	Magnitude
Mercury (Budha)	Moves from Leo (Simha) to Cancer (Karkata) on 22nd. (Retrograde)	+ 0.9 to + 5.2 +5.2 to + 0.9
Venus (Sukra)	Moves from Leo (Simha) to Virgo (Kanya) on 24th.	– 3.9 to – 3.8
Mars (Mangala)	Moves from Taurus (Vrisha) to Gemini (Mithuna) on 26th.	+ 0.9 to + 0.8
Jupiter (Brihaspati)	Remains in Taurus (Vrisha).	– 2.1 to – 2.3
Saturn (Sani)	Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha).	+ 0.9 to 0.6
Uranus	Remains in Taurus (Vrisha).	+ 6.0
Neptune	Remains in Pisces (Mina).	+ 8.0

Source : : Head

Positional Astronomy Centre

India Meteorological Department

Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700 091.