Calendar creates more time for viewing

The days are getting shorter, can you tell? Since the first day of summer we have lost 21 minutes of day length, sunrise is 16 minutes earlier, and sunset is 11 minutes earlier, and we have gained 42 minutes of twilight, or dark time (14 minutes in the evening and 28 minutes in the morning).

Why all the details? Well, beside the fact that I am sort of obsessive/compulsive about details, we are getting more time to be outside using that time for viewing; and with the temperatures being comfortable it makes a big difference for us astronomers.

Especially now with the Milky Way being in a really great viewing position and all the really great star clusters and nebulae available for viewing in either binoculars or telescopes.

Last week we left off at the south end of the Milky Way in the constellations of Scorpius and Sagittarius which can be found due south just above the horizon. Scorpius is the giant "J" shape of a scorpion and Sagittarius is next door to the left in the shape of a tea pot.

A good time to start viewing is about 9:30 p m. MDT when the sky is starting to get dark. Astronomical twilight is about a half-hour later when the sky will be almost totally dark.

I would start with binoculars and scan the area to find the targets you want to zoom in on with the telescope. If you don't have a telescope, then just enjoy the beautiful binocular view, it is just about as good.

Last week we picked up M6 and M7 just above the scorpion's stinger. Now we go to the teapot of Sagittarius and look for the spout on the right side. The Milky Way will look like a column of steam coming out of the spout, and here are located several very nice objects for viewing.

Right above the spout are two objects, M8, the Lagoon Nebula, and M20, the Trifid Nebula. They make a fine pair in binoculars, also in the same binocular field of view just to the upper right is an open star cluster, M21.

If you put M20 at the bottom of the field at the top you will find another open cluster, M23.

Now, put the Lagoon at the 2 o'clock position in the field, look down to the 8 o'clock position and move the view in that direction for another nice star cluster, M22. This cluster is different from the others, it is a globular cluster where the stars are more densely concentrated in the center.

Now with M22 at the bottom of the field, nudge the view ever so slightly up for another open cluster, M25, which is another open cluster.

Now, with M25 at the bottom, look up to the 1 o'clock position and you should find two more faint fuzzies, M17, the Omega Nebula -- on the top -- and M18, the Black Swan open cluster on the bottom.

Two more objects are in the area, but with the equipment available to the average amateur astronomer are not visible. The first is almost directly above the teapot's spout. It is the center of our galaxy, but it is so hidden by dense clouds of dust and gas that without x-ray or infrared equipment it can't be seen.

The other, just above the handle is the planet Pluto. By the way, it is just a little less than one year before the New Horizons robot spacecraft will fly by Pluto giving us images and information we have never had before. Talk about exciting times.

If you would like a map of the objects listed, point your favorite browser to skymaps.com, click download latest edition, scroll down to select the northern edition and print out your sky chart.

SKYWATCH: Venus, moon, Mercury meeting tomorrow morning, July 24. New moon, Saturday, July 26

NEXT WEEK: The hole in Cygnus and more astronomical blathering.