Magnificent Trio of Celestial Bodies to Emerge in Coming Days

By Beth Dalbey

Maryland skywatchers are in for a treat over the next couple of nights when the moon, Venus and Jupiter — three of the brightest night-time celestial bodies — make an appearance in the western sky just after sunset.

Venus and bold Jupiter will appear to be on a collision course, and a waxing crescent moon completes the trio, according to Earthsky.org reports.

Those planning to watch the wondrous celestial occurrence are advised to watch the sky just past sunset on Friday evening (tonight) before all three bodies appear to drop below the horizon in the early evening hours.

However, it may be more difficult for Marylanders to see the action in the skies Friday night, as the National Weather Service forecasts showers throughout the afternoon and evening and into Saturday.

If you take part in the skywatching, keep a look out for Regulus, also known as the Heart of the Lion in the constellation Leo. As the calendar moves toward early July, Venus and Jupiter will align in what will be the planets’ closest conjunction until Aug. 27, 2016.

The planets will appear to move closer to Regulus, located above Jupiter, with each passing day, and the best nights to view Venus as it passes Jupiter are the nights of June 30 and July 1, according to EarthSky.org.

While checking out the skies, remember to watch for two major meteor showers: The Delta Aquarids and Perseids, according to the website SeaSky.org.

The Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower: The remnant of two different comets, Marsden and Kracht, this shower runs from July 12-Aug. 23, peaking overnight on July 28th and into the morning of the 29th. Normal sightings are in the 20-per-hour range, but a full moon on the 31st will wash out all but the brightest meteors.

The Perseids Meteor Shower: Leftovers from the Swift-Tuttle comet, the Perseids are favorite among many skywatchers. Visible from July 17-Aug. 24, they will peak overnight on Aug. 12 with 60 sightings per hour. The show should be amazing this year with a new moon on the 14th making for dark skies.

Image credit: Earthsky.org