Venus and Mars

As the nation celebrates another birthday, see the spangled Venus and a dim Mars in July before dawn's early light.

Mars, our neighboring red planet, rises about 3 a.m. in the northeastern sky, followed shortly by a brilliant Venus. Both can be seen high in the east before sunrise in the constellation Taurus, but the differences are striking. Venus, at a negative fourth magnitude, is very bright; Mars is much less so at first magnitude and is even harder to see in light-polluted urban areas. By the end of July, Venus is seen lower in the eastern heavens.

Late night with Jupiter: The largest planet in the solar system rises in the east-southeast about 11 p.m. After midnight you should see it snuggled between the constellations Aquarius and Capricornus. It's a negative second magnitude, very bright and easily seen from the city. By 4 a.m., Jupiter is high in the southwest.

Still loitering in the constellation Leo, see ringed Saturn high in the western sky after sundown. The planet remains visible at first magnitude. By month's end, the planet will be noticeably lower in the west after dusk.

Although it won't be visible in the United States, a total solar eclipse will occur over Asia and the Pacific Ocean -- for 6 minutes and 39 seconds -- on July 22. Eclipse expert Fred Espenak, of the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, offers details at http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html.

It's been 40 years since the lunar module Eagle landed on the moon with less than a half-minute of fuel remaining. After landing, Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong took his small step for man and giant leap for mankind July 20, 1969. A number of events noted below celebrate the anniversary.

Down-to-Earth Events



-- July 5 -- Astronomer Matthew Burger discusses "Europa: Ice, Oceans and Life?" at the open house at the University of Maryland Observatory, College Park. View the night sky afterward, weather permitting. 9 p.m. 301-405-6555; http://www.astro.umd.edu/openhouse.


-- July 11 and July 25 -- Planets and Messier objects and constellations, oh my! The Astronomical Society of Greenbelt hosts a star party at the observatory at Northway Fields Park in Greenbelt. 9 p.m. http://www.greenbeltastro.org.


-- July 16 -- Family Day -- "Countdown to the Moon!" -- at the National Air and Space Museum, the Mall. Find out about lunar missions past and future. Meet moon researchers and see 3-D, high-definition images of the moon's surface. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. http://www.nasm.si.edu/.


July 16 -- "Alan Bean: Painting Apollo, First Artist on Another World" opens, featuring the artistic works of Apollo 12 astronaut Bean, in the Flight in the Arts Gallery (211), National Air and Space Museum, the Mall. He will sign copies of his book, "Painting Apollo," from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. http://www.nasm.si.edu/.


-- July 19 -- Meet Apollo 11 astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins and Apollo 12 astronaut Bean as each signs his book at the Space Race Gallery (114), National Air and Space Museum, the Mall. Aldrin's book is "Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon"; Collins's, "Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journeys"; and Bean's, "Painting Apollo." 11 a.m. -- 2 p.m., http://www.nasm.si.edu/ .


-- July 19 -- No tickets remain for this year's John H. Glenn Lecture, "40th Anniversary of Apollo 11," but the event can be seen on NASA-TV, http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html. The Apollo 11 crew, former Johnson Space Center director Chris Kraft and former astronaut Glenn will discuss the historic mission at the National Air and Space Museum's Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater, 8 p.m. http://www.nasm.si.edu.


-- July 20 -- "The Apollo Legacy: The Moon and Beyond." Journalist Nick Clooney moderates a discussion with astronauts Aldrin, Bean, Apollo 16's Charlie Duke, space shuttle astronaut John Grunsfeld, and Laurie Leshin, deputy director of the Goddard Space Flight Center. 2 p.m. at the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. The event can be seen on NASA-TV, http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html.


-- July 20 -- Sean O'Neill answers the question, "If We Can't See Black Holes, How Do We Know That They Exist?" at an open house of the University of Maryland Observatory, College Park. Weather permitting, enjoy the heavens through a telescope afterward. 9 p.m. 301-405-6555; http://www.astro.umd.edu/openhouse.

-- July 25 -- Behold the bountiful heaven in a dark, summer night sky. Astronomer Sean O'Brien of the National Air and Space Museum provides a cosmic tour at Sky Meadows State Park near Paris, Va. Parking: $4. Arrive before dark. 8:30-11 p.m. 540-592-3556; http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/skywatching.


-- July 25 -- Heavenly visions: "Exploring the Sky" at Rock Creek Park, presented by the National Park Service and the National Capital Astronomers. Meet near the Nature Center in the field south of Military and Glover roads NW. 9-11 p.m. 202-895-6070.


-- July 26 -- Step up to the stars as the Astronomical Society of Greenbelt presents "sidewalk astronomy." The public can view the night sky through member telescopes at the Roosevelt Center in Greenbelt, near Crescent Road and Centerway. 7 p.m. http://www.greenbeltastro.org.

from the washington post