What's in the night sky, Aug 29 - Sep 4? Find out here
Thursday morning's annular solar eclipse across Africa will look similar to this view of the May 20, 2012 eclipse. Credit: Smrgeog/Wikimedia Commons
Meteorologist/Science Writer
Monday, August 29, 2016, 4:05 PM - A ring of fire eclipse on the other side of the world, plus the Seven Sisters, an evening triangle, and a morning hunter. Read on for what there is to see in the sky this week!
Africa's Annular Solar Eclipse
We won't be able to see it from Canada, but starting at 2:13 a.m. EDT (6:13 UTC) and lasting for about 6 hours, the Moon will be crossing the face of the Sun, producing a spectacular "ring of fire" solar eclipse across southern Africa and the Indian Ocean.
The track of the Moon's shadow across Africa, September 1, 2016. Credit: NASA
If you're up very early in the morning, here in Canada, you can watch the eclipse live, below, as the Slooh Community Observatory streams the event online.
See the Seven Sisters to the East
Each night this week, look to the east and you'll be able to see a bright cluster of stars - The Pleiades, aka "The Seven Sisters."
Looking to the eastern horizon, starting around 1 a.m. local time. Credit: Stellarium/S. Sutherland
This tight grouping of young, blue stars tends to stand out in our night sky, even if you're dealing with suburban light pollution. This is partly due to their brightness and proximity, but also because of the faint nebula of dust that surrounds them. Even though the nebula is very diffuse, it serves as an extra source of light for our eyes to focus on.
Check it out, almost straight up from the bright star, Aldebaran. If you happen to have a telescope handy, you may be able to see the Flaming Star Nebula, off to the north. Focus between Aldebaran and the Pleiades and then pan to the north!
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The Celestial Triangle
In case you've missed it so far, the brilliant celestial triangle is still visible in the southerly sky this week.
Looking to the south-southwest, around 10 p.m. local time. The view of the planets through a telescope can reveal their bright moons (inset)! Credit: Stellarium/S. Sutherland
Saturn, Mars and the star Antares form this bright triangle to the south, which is visible from sunset until the arrangement sets around midnight. Throughout the week, Saturn and Antares will be farther away from Mars each night, stretching the triangle out towards the west.
A bright morning hunter
If you happen to be up and out during the early hours of the morning, this week, look to the southeastern part of the sky.
From around 2 a.m. until sunrise, Orion the hunter will be tracking across the sky.
Orion the hunter in the early morning sky, along with bright stars Procyon and Sirius. Credit: Stellarium/S. Sutherland
The four points of Orion's tunic and the three stars of his belt form one of the most noticeable and recognizable constellations in the sky. Spotting Orion's sword, the line of three stars below his belt, is difficult unless you have the clearest and darkest skies, but seeing the entire constellation is very rewarding.
Night Sky Conditions
Light pollution is going to have a big impact on what you can and cannot see in the night sky, but weather also plays an important part of any skywatching experience.
Here are the sky conditions for each night of this week:
Check back in the days to come for any updates on these conditions.