ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR AUGUST 2023

The Moon

Full Moon occurs on 2nd  at h 00-02 I.S.T.	Last Quarter occurs on 08th at h 15-58 I.S.T.
New Moon occurs on 16th  at h 15-08 I.S.T.	First Quarter occurs on 24th at h. 15-27 I.S.T.
Full Moon occurs on 31st  at h 07-06 I.S.T.
The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 17th.
The Moon is at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 2nd and 30th and at Apogee or farthest from the Earth on 16th.

 

The Moon passes about 2½º south of Saturn on 3^rd, about 1½º south of Neptune on 05^th after midnight, about 3º north of Jupiter on 8^th, about 2½º north of Uranus on 9^th, about 13½º north of Venus on 15^th, about 7º north of Mercury on 18^th, about 2º north of Mars on 19^th, about 2½º south of Saturn on 30^th.

          

  The Planets

Visibility of Planets:

Mercury: The planet sets about 1½ hours to 1 hour after sunset upto third quarter of the month and about 1 hour to ½ hour after it upto 25^th of the month. Thereafter it becomes too close to the sun to be visible from 26^th of the month. The planet is at Aphelion or farthest from the Sun in its orbit on 10^th.  The planet is in Greatest Eastern Elongation of about 27½° from the Sun on 10^th. The motion of the planet becomes Retrograde with respect to the Earth from 24^th.

Venus:  The planet sets about 1 hour to ½ hour after sun set upto 3^rd of the month. Thereafter from 4^th the planet becomes too close to the Sun to be visible. From 18^th of the month it again becomes visible in the eastern sky before sunrise. It rises about ½ hour to 1 hour before sunrise upto third quarter of the month and 1 hour to 2 hours before it for the remaining days of the month. The planet is at aphelion or farthest from the Sun in its orbit on 7^th. The planet is in Inferior conjunction with Sun on 13^th of the month.

Mars:  The planet sets after sunset throughout the month. It sets about 2 hours to 1½ hours after sunset upto third quarter of the month and about 1½ hours to 1 hour after it for the remaining days of the month.

Jupiter:  The planet rises before local midnight throughout the month. It rises about ½ hour to 1 hour before local midnight upto first quarter of the month, about 1 hour to 1½ hours before it upto second quarter of the month, about 1½ hours to 2 hours before it upto third quarter of the month and about 2 hours to 2½ hours before it for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Quadrature with the Sun on 7^th.

Saturn:  The planet rises after sunset and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight throughout the month. The planet rises about 1½ hours to 1 hour after sunset upto first quarter of the month, about 1 hour to ½ hours after it upto third quarter of the month and about ½ hours after it too close to sunset time for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Opposition with the sun on 27^th.

Uranus: The planet rises before local midnight throughout the month. It rises close to local midnight to ½ hour before it upto first quarter of the month, about 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 and 1½ hours to 2 hours before it for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Quadrature with the Sun on 16^th. The motion of the planet becomes Retrograde with respect to the Earth from 29^th.

Neptune: The planet rises after sunset and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight throughout the month. It rises about 2½ hours to 2 hours after it upto first quarter of the month, about 2 hours to 1½ hour after it upto third quarter of the month and about 1½ hours to 1 hour after it for the remaining days of the month.

 

 

 

Planets	Planets in Zodiacal Constellation	Magnitude
Mercury (Budha)	Remains in Leo (Simha).	+ 0.1 to +2.9
Venus (Sukra)	Moves from Leo (Simha) to Cancer (Karkata) on 7th August. (Retrograde)	- 4.4 to - 4.0 - 4.0 to – 4.6
Mars (Mangala)	Moves from Leo (Simha) to Virgo (Kanya) on 18th August.	+ 1.8 to +1.7
Jupiter (Brihaspati)	Remains in Aries (Mesha).	–2.3 to –2.6
Saturn (Sani)	Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha).	+0.5 to + 0.4
Uranus	Remains in Aries (Mesha).	+6.0
Neptune	Remains in Pisces (Mina).	+8.0

Source : : Head

Positional Astronomy Centre

India Meteorological Department

Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700 091.