It's becoming something of a mantra over recent years: If the smoke clears.
In these late summer days, the Northland is being sporadically hit with smoke from western wildfires. There are a number of cosmic happenings of note, but the whimsy of the winds might have the final say about whether or not we get a good view.
One such sight is of the smallest planet. Mercury will be visible an hour before sunrise. Look to the low eastern sky (gazing over Lake Superior is recommended,) extend your arm and stack up two fingers - that'll measure the distance between Mercury and the horizon. On the 9th of September, look for Mercury to pair up with Regulus.
Saturn is also observable. Earth is coming to the point in its orbit when it's closest to Saturn. At the opposition point (the moment that Earth laps Saturn on its journey around the sun) happening on September 8th, Saturn will be a mere 805 million miles away. For those looking closely, the rings of Saturn will be at a fairly rare angle. "The rings are nearly edgewise," says Bob King. "It looks like a kabob."
In the coming days, stargazers can look for the International Space Station as well as a new satellite - the Solar Sail 3. The satellite is very lightweight and is powered by sunlight. "It's made of mylar," says King. The Solar Sail 3 is 30 feet wide and has a very reflective surface what will appear to blink as it passes through the sky. And while you're looking up, try to get a good view of the Milky Way, stretching across the summer sky... it there's no smoke.
You can hear Astro Bob's Backyard Astronomy every other Tuesday at 8:20am on Northland Morning.
