This week in the sky the
δ-Aquariid meteor show peaks during a time when the Moon is almost invisible. This will allow for more meteors to be caught by the eye.
| Event |
|---|
| July 28 | South δ-Aquariid Meteors Peak |
| July 31 | New Moon |
This Sunday night the Southern δ-Aquariid Meteors peak. This is an annual shower that occurs at the end of July each year. The maximum estimated rate is usually around 20 per hour under perfect conditions. Expect to be lucky to catch 5 an hour under suburban skies. The radiant point is located just east of δ-Aquarii in the constellation Aquarius. A nearly New Moon will allow for darker skies this year!
 |
| δ-Aquariid Radiant |
There are three rocket launches scheduled for this week. A Russian Soyuz rocket will be taking off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome providing cargo to the International Space Station. Last Friday I saw the ISS fly overhead just after midnight. Following closely behind was the Dragon Capsule launched the night before. Both objects were clearly visible to the unaided eye.
An Ariane 5 rocket will takeoff on August 2nd taking a couple communications satellites into orbit. The last launch will be a Falcon 9 with a communications satellite that will be used for services over Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
| Date | Event |
|---|
| July 31 | Soyuz - Progress 73P |
| August 2 | Ariane 5 - Intelsat 39 & EDRS-C |
| August 3 | Falcon 9 - Amos 17 |
There are two public events happening this week for you to check out! We are hosting two Astronomical Sights of Summer programs at local library branches throughout Calgary.
| Date | Event |
|---|
| July 28 | Crowfoot Library (15:30-16:30) |
| July 31 | Judith Umbach Library (17:30-18:30) |
If you haven't had the opportunity to come to one of these events it is well worth the time.
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