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AUGUST PROGRAMS

JUPITER 2019 (with the latest science from the Juno probe orbiting the solar system’s largest planet, now in our evening sky); RING WORLD (about Saturn, now also in the night sky); EARTH’S NEAREST NEIGHBOR (when the moon is visible); THE SUMMER CONSTELLATIONS when the moon is not in the sky blotting out all but the brightest stars; and ASTRO NEWS. Each program runs about 20 minutes, and they generally alternate through the evening at the discretion of the supervisor on duty.

Your Window on the Universe

  • Our Telescopes

    Featuring views of the night skies through our 3 Telescopes!

  • Presentations & Programs

    Astronomy Presentations every Saturday Night!

  • It's all FREE

    There is NO ADMISSION CHARGE

HOURS

We’re open every Saturday year-round.

Hyde may be closed if Saturday falls on or very near a major holiday. If in doubt call first: (402) 441-7094.

  • March 15-August 31

    Sundown to 11 PM

  • September 1-30

    8 PM to 11 PM

  • October 1-March 14

    7 PM to 10 PM

OBJECTS IN THE SKY FOR JULY

Solar System Objects

Jupiter rules the sky all night in August, a bit brighter and bigger than it has been in 5 years. Saturn rises about an hour after Jupiter and is in the southeast sky all evening. Both of these gas giants make great objects for the Hyde telescopes, but they are relatively low in the southern sky. That means we’re looking through more of the Earth’s atmosphere than if they were directly overhead. And hot summer days are followed by surface cooling, with ripples of heat rising in the atmosphere above our telescopes. That may cause some blurring and squirming of an otherwise big, bright image.

The Moon

Lunar phases this month: Saturday, August 3 is 3 days after New Moon, so it is a beautiful crescent low in the southwest and sets at 10:45 p.m. On Saturday the 10th, the moon is three days past First Quarter with a sharp terminator (the line between light and darkness) cutting across the disk, making for shadows that help pick out surface features. Both the 3rd and the 10th offer this month’s best moon viewing. On the 17th, the moon is just past Full phase, rising at 9:49 p.m. While visible to the telescopes, this is not a particularly good phase of the moon to view. On August 24, the moon rises long after the observatory has closed, and on the 31st it is just past New phase, a thin crescent that sets about an hour after the sun.

Deep Sky Objects

Deep Sky Objects are those beyond the solar system: galaxies, nebulae and stars. Our visual guides to these objects are the constellations. The summer constellations are prominent in our evening sky. Leo (the lion) , Virgo with its bright star Spica, and Bootes (the herdsman) defined by its bright star Arcturus are moving towards the west now as Autumn approaches. But the Summer Triangle which defines the sky during this season, is directly overhead: Deneb in Cygnus (the swan), Altair in Aquila (the eagle) and Vega in Lyra (the lyre). Scorpius with its blood-red heart star Antares is low in the south.

Check out our new Celestron 14″ Telescope

Stop by Hyde Observatory and See the Universe!