- Black Supermoon: the new Moon of July 31 is the second of the month (last was on Jul 2), it is also close enough to perigee (the closest point in its orbit to Earth, Aug 2 02:08Z, 359398 km/223320 miles) to be a Supermoon. See tweet suggestion below with 2 images from NASA.
- Aug 1: The ELaNa-20 mission plans to air-launch cubesats aboard a LauncherOne rocket released from a 747 off the California coast.
- Aug 3 6:50 pm EDT: SpaceX plans the launch of the Amos17 comms satellite from Florida
- Meteor showers in the coming
week, basically don’t make a big deal out of these with your audience.
- The Southern Delta Aquariid and alpha Capricornid meteor showers are expected to peak over the weekend but are minor showers with no more than 1 or 2 meteors per hour expected under the best conditions.
- The Perseids are technically underway though this meteor shower does not peak until the night of Aug 12, under a nearly full moon.
- So why wasn’t Asteroid
2019 OK that passed by Earth at 0.19 lunar distance (~46k miles) on
Jul 25, not on last week’s email in the Near Earth Object section? The 57
to 130 meters wide (187 to 427 feet) wide space rock wasn’t discovered
until earlier this week. Its orbit doesn’t bring it close enough for this
smaller asteroid to be detectable very often.
- Wed Jul 31 23:11:53: new moon
- Wed Aug 07 13:30:55: first quarter moon
On This Day
- July 28, 1964: Ranger 7 launches for an intentional crash landing on the Moon
- July 29, 2003: The Spitzer Space Telescope launches to study asteroids, dust-covered stars, and distant galaxies.
Super Black Moon
July 31
Some are calling the new moon pm July 31st a “Black Super Moon” because it is the second of July (Black Moon) and it falls near the nearest point in its orbit (Super Moon). Look for during the evening, in sunlight reflected from Earth.
or
Near Earth Objects (NEO)
lunar distance (LD) is the mean distance to the moon ~239k miles. Anything within 1 LD is newsworthy. For more information see NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies
This week
| object | close approach date | uncertainty | LD |
million miles |
| 2010 PK9 | 2019-07-26 15:04Z | < 1 sec | 8.2 | ~2 |
| 2019 NT1 | 2019-07-27 22:10Z | ~1 hour | 19.0 | ~5 |
| 2019 NN4 | 2019-07-29 01:22Z | < 1 sec | 6.6 | ~2 |
| 2019 ON | 2019-08-01 11:23Z | ~1 hour | 6.7 | ~2 |
Closest
| within | object | close approach date | uncertainty | lunar distances |
million miles |
| ~14 days | 2019 NN4 | 2019-07-29 01:22Z | < 1 sec | 6.6 | ~2 |
| ~1 year | 2017 MF7 | 2020-06-14 13:10Z | ~4.55 days | 3.7 | <1 |
| ~100 years | 2010 RF12 | 2095-09-05 23:53Z | ~16 hours | 0.0 | 1,098+ miles |
Planet visibility
| body (phase) | rise | transit (alt) | set | constellation |
| Mercury (9%) | 05:24:40 | 12:27:03 (67??) | 19:30:00 | Gemini |
| Venus (99%) | 05:44:37 | 13:03:22 (70??) | 20:21:30 | Cancer |
| Moon (6%) | 03:18:00 | 10:54:24 (71??) | 18:33:55 | Gemini |
| Mars | 07:04:59 | 14:07:06 (66??) | 21:10:56 | Cancer |
| Saturn | 19:10:57 | 23:56:08 (27??) | 04:37:07 | Sagittarius |
| Jupiter | 16:56:38 | 21:42:09 (27??) | 02:23:33 | Ophiuchus |
Sample rise/set times for 07/29/19
Satellite Passes
This information is best used to identify passes worth sharing or skipping. Those nearest overhead are closest, brightest, and longest. Check dates and times for each pass before your share.
International Space Station (ISS)
- below trees pass begins Fri 2019-07-26 21:33:32 EDT from the NNW (330°) reaches 12°, lasts 3 minutes
- below trees pass begins Sun 2019-07-28 21:31:58 EDT from the NNW (337°) reaches 13°, lasts 3 minutes
- below trees pass begins Tue 2019-07-30 21:29:49 EDT from the NNW (333°) reaches 17°, lasts 4 minutes
- poor pass begins Thu 2019-08-01 21:27:33 EDT from the NW (325°) reaches 26°, enters Earth’s shadow 11° above the horizon 5 minutes later
- good pass begins Sat 2019-08-03 21:25:20 EDT from the NW (313°) reaches 56°, enters Earth’s shadow 18° above the horizon 5 minutes later
Starlink (SpaceX)
The info below can and will change as these satellites are moved into their final orbits. Use the Heavens Above link below for up to date predictions
- pass exits Earth’s shadow 23° above the horizon Sat 2019-07-27 00:24:56 EDT from the NE (35°) reaches 23°, lasts 1 minutes
- pass exits Earth’s shadow 12° above the horizon Sat 2019-07-27 02:00:31 EDT from the NW (307°) reaches 18°, lasts 5 minutes
- pass begins Sat 2019-07-27 03:41:17 EDT from the NNW (330°) reaches 15°, lasts 4 minutes
- pass begins Sat 2019-07-27 05:20:37 EDT from the NW (323°) reaches 32°, lasts 7 minutes
- pass exits Earth’s shadow 31° above the horizon Sun 2019-07-28 00:18:33 EDT from the NNE (14°) reaches 31°, lasts 2 minutes
- pass begins Sun 2019-07-28 01:54:59 EDT from the NW (308°) reaches 16°, lasts 5 minutes
- pass begins Sun 2019-07-28 03:35:56 EDT from the NNW (331°) reaches 16°, lasts 5 minutes
- pass begins Sun 2019-07-28 05:15:09 EDT from the NW (320°) reaches 40°, lasts 7 minutes
- pass begins Sun 2019-07-28 22:35:35 EDT from the ENE (66°) reaches 13°, lasts 35 seconds
- pass exits Earth’s shadow 30° above the horizon Mon 2019-07-29 00:10:59 EDT from the NW (305°) reaches 33°, lasts 4 minutes
- pass begins Mon 2019-07-29 01:49:58 EDT from the NW (315°) reaches 15°, lasts 5 minutes
- pass begins Mon 2019-07-29 03:30:31 EDT from the NNW (331°) reaches 18°, lasts 5 minutes
- pass begins Mon 2019-07-29 05:09:40 EDT from the NW (317°) reaches 51°, lasts 8 minutes
- pass begins Mon 2019-07-29 22:22:41 EDT from the SW (216°) reaches 59°, lasts 8 minutes
- pass begins Tue 2019-07-30 00:02:59 EDT from the W (275°) reaches 28°, lasts 7 minutes
- pass begins Tue 2019-07-30 01:44:54 EDT from the NW (321°) reaches 15°, lasts 4 minutes
- pass begins Tue 2019-07-30 03:25:05 EDT from the NNW (330°) reaches 20°, lasts 6 minutes
- pass begins Tue 2019-07-30 05:04:14 EDT from the NW (313°) reaches 68°, lasts 8 minutes
- pass begins Tue 2019-07-30 22:17:11 EDT from the SW (226°) reaches 82°, lasts 8 minutes
- pass begins Tue 2019-07-30 23:57:55 EDT from the WNW (283°) reaches 24°, lasts 6 minutes
- pass begins Wed 2019-07-31 01:39:46 EDT from the NW (325°) reaches 14°, lasts 4 minutes
- pass begins Wed 2019-07-31 03:19:37 EDT from the NNW (328°) reaches 22°, lasts 6 minutes
- pass begins Wed 2019-07-31 04:58:48 EDT from the NW (309°) reaches 90°, lasts 8 minutes
- pass begins Wed 2019-07-31 22:11:46 EDT from the SW (236°) reaches 75°, lasts 8 minutes
- pass begins Wed 2019-07-31 23:52:54 EDT from the WNW (292°) reaches 20°, lasts 6 minutes
- pass begins Thu 2019-08-01 01:34:35 EDT from the NNW (328°) reaches 15°, lasts 4 minutes
- pass begins Thu 2019-08-01 03:14:08 EDT from the NW (326°) reaches 26°, lasts 7 minutes
- pass begins Thu 2019-08-01 04:53:25 EDT from the NW (304°) reaches 66°, lasts 8 minutes
- pass begins Thu 2019-08-01 22:06:27 EDT from the WSW (246°) reaches 56°, lasts 8 minutes
- pass begins Thu 2019-08-01 23:47:54 EDT from the WNW (300°) reaches 18°, lasts 5 minutes
- pass begins Fri 2019-08-02 01:29:17 EDT from the NNW (330°) reaches 15°, lasts 4 minutes
- pass begins Fri 2019-08-02 03:08:38 EDT from the NW (323°) reaches 31°, lasts 7 minutes
- pass begins Fri 2019-08-02 04:48:06 EDT from the WNW (299°) reaches 47°, lasts 8 minutes
- pass begins Fri 2019-08-02 22:01:12 EDT from the WSW (255°) reaches 43°, lasts 8 minutes
- pass begins Fri 2019-08-02 23:42:54 EDT from the NW (307°) reaches 17°, lasts 5 minutes
- pass begins Sat 2019-08-03 01:23:56 EDT from the NNW (331°) reaches 16°, lasts 5 minutes
- pass begins Sat 2019-08-03 03:03:09 EDT from the NW (321°) reaches 38°, lasts 7 minutes
- pass begins Sat 2019-08-03 04:42:50 EDT from the WNW (293°) reaches 34°, lasts 7 minutes
- pass begins Sat 2019-08-03 21:56:02 EDT from the W (264°) reaches 35°, lasts 7 minutes
- pass begins Sat 2019-08-03 23:37:54 EDT from the NW (314°) reaches 15°, lasts 5 minutes
- pass begins Sun 2019-08-04 01:18:32 EDT from the NNW (331°) reaches 17°, enters Earth’s shadow 11° above the horizon 5 minutes later
- pass begins Sun 2019-08-04 02:57:41 EDT from the NW (317°) reaches 24°, enters Earth’s shadow 24° above the horizon 1 minutes later
- pass begins Sun 2019-08-04 21:50:55 EDT from the W (273°) reaches 28°, lasts 7 minutes
- pass begins Sun 2019-08-04 23:32:51 EDT from the NW (320°) reaches 15°, lasts 4 minutes
- pass begins Mon 2019-08-05 01:13:05 EDT from the NNW (330°) reaches 19°, enters Earth’s shadow 19° above the horizon 3 minutes later
Atmospheric drag and other factors can and does cause orbits to change. See the European Space Agency supported Heavens Above for the latest pass predictions. Satellite pass gradings are based on altitude reached and duration of the pass. Higher altitude passes are closer to the observer and generally brighter as a result. Satellites other than ISS are much more difficult to spot.
Moon Phases
| date | phase |
| Wed 2019-07-31 23:11:53 | new |
| Wed 2019-08-07 13:30:55 | first quarter |
| Thu 2019-08-15 08:29:13 | full |
| Fri 2019-08-23 10:56:04 | last quarter |
Sun
Sunrise/set
| Date | Rise | Solar noon (alt) | Set | sunlight |
| Mon 2019-07-29 | 06:08 | 13:20 (68.21??) | 20:32 | 14 hrs 23 min |
| Tue 2019-07-30 | 06:09 | 13:20 (67.97??) | 20:31 | 14 hrs 21 min |
| Wed 2019-07-31 | 06:10 | 13:20 (67.73??) | 20:30 | 14 hrs 19 min |
| Thu 2019-08-01 | 06:11 | 13:20 (67.48??) | 20:29 | 14 hrs 17 min |
| Fri 2019-08-02 | 06:12 | 13:20 (67.22??) | 20:28 | 14 hrs 15 min |
| Sat 2019-08-03 | 06:13 | 13:20 (66.96??) | 20:27 | 14 hrs 13 min |
| Sun 2019-08-04 | 06:14 | 13:20 (66.70??) | 20:25 | 14 hrs 11 min |
| Mon 2019-08-05 | 06:15 | 13:20 (66.43??) | 20:24 | 14 hrs 9 min |
| Tue 2019-08-06 | 06:16 | 13:20 (66.16??) | 20:23 | 14 hrs 7 min |
| Wed 2019-08-07 | 06:16 | 13:19 (65.88??) | 20:22 | 14 hrs 5 min |
- lost 0:18:31 (hh:mm:ss) of daylight over this period
- daylight (HH:MM): 14:14
- mean: sunrise 06:13 sunset 20:27
- max: sun angle 68.21??
Twilight
| date | rise | set |
| Mon 2019-07-29 | 04:14 | 22:26 |
| Tue 2019-07-30 | 04:15 | 22:25 |
| Wed 2019-07-31 | 04:17 | 22:23 |
| Thu 2019-08-01 | 04:18 | 22:21 |
| Fri 2019-08-02 | 04:20 | 22:20 |
| Sat 2019-08-03 | 04:21 | 22:18 |
| Sun 2019-08-04 | 04:23 | 22:16 |
| Mon 2019-08-05 | 04:24 | 22:15 |
| Tue 2019-08-06 | 04:26 | 22:13 |
| Wed 2019-08-07 | 04:27 | 22:11 |
