[Misc] The Sky Tonight, June 30

I know many NSC members take an interest in our wonderful universe so I wonder if you are aware of the 'collision', or so it seems, of Venus and Jupiter tonight? Venus, the very bright one, and Jupiter, not quite so, will seem to almost touch each other peaking at the closest point tonight, and then gradually move apart over the next few days. Of course it's all to do with 'line of sight' as there's a good few millions of miles between them, never the less it's a sight not to be viewed again for a good many years.

Easily viewed by naked eye or binoculars, you don't need a telescope, just look to the west.

Saw this earlier. I shall be on it later

Thanks for the tip.
Jupiter and Venus have looked spectacular this summer in the early evening when they're the first things you see

Thanks for the info.
We need more threads like this.
More info please

Here are a couple of upcoming events
Late July and early August, 2015, the Delta Aquarids
Like the Eta Aquarids in May, the Delta Aquarid meteor shower in July favors the Southern Hemisphere and tropical latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. The meteors appear to radiate from near the star Skat or Delta in the constellation Aquarius the Water Bearer. The maximum hourly rate can reach 15-20 meteors in a dark sky. The nominal peak is around July 27-30, but, unlike many meteor showers, the Delta Aquarids lack a very definite peak. Instead, these medium-speed meteors ramble along fairly steadily throughout late July and early August. An hour or two before dawn usually presents the most favorable view of the Delta Aquarids. At the shower’s peak in late July, 2015, the rather faint Delta Aquarid meteors will have to contend with moonlight. The waxing gibbous moon will be out until the wee hours after midnight. Try watching in late July predawn sky, after moonset


August 12-13, 2015 before dawn, the Perseids
The Perseid meteor shower is perhaps the most beloved meteor shower of the year for the Northern Hemisphere. Fortunately, the slender waning crescent moon rising at or near dawn will not obtrude on this year’s shower. The Perseid shower builds gradually to a peak, often produces 50 to 100 meteors per hour in a dark sky at the peak, and, for us in the Northern Hemisphere, this shower comes when the weather is warm. The Perseids tend to strengthen in number as late night deepens into midnight, and typically produce the most meteors in the wee hours before dawn. They radiate from a point in the constellation Perseus the Hero, but, as with all meteor shower radiant points, you don’t need to know Perseus to watch the shower; instead, the meteors appear in all parts of the sky. They are typically fast and bright meteors. They frequently leave persistent trains. Every year, you can look for the Perseids to peak around August 10-13. Predicted peak mornings in 2015: August 11, 12 and 13. The Perseids combine with the Delta Aquarid shower (above) to produce a dazzling display of shooting stars on what are, for us in the N. Hemisphere, warm summer nights. In 2015, as always, the Perseid meteors will be building to a peak from early August until the peak nights; afterwards, they drop off fairly rapidly. With little or no moon to ruin the show, this is a great year for watching the Perseid meteor shower.

We always try to coincide our holiday with this one so that we can be away from the city lights somewhere camping.

What's the best time to look?

As dusk falls, they are so bright you won't miss them!

Mustafa said:

Night time

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So it's a pretty slow event, and any time at night will be fine?

Venus is really easy see to see, just above the sunset in the west - generally the first star to appear. Spotted the other star to it's left last night - didn't know it was Jupiter!

LU7 RED said:

Venus is really easy see to see, just above the sunset in the west - generally the first star to appear. Spotted the other star to it's left last night - didn't know it was Jupiter!

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Ahem! They are both planets!