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August/September

AUGUST 2001

1 Lammas; before dawn, Jupiter and much brighter Venus - the two brightest planets - are close to each other in east, and will get closer each morning until August 6.

2 This day in 1975, the mercury topped 107°F in Massachusetts; first televised lift-off from the moon, 30 years ago today, (Apollo 15 lunar module "Falcon").

3 In 1970, Hurricane Celia struck Corpus Christi, Texas causing 11 deaths and $454 million dollars damage.

4 FULL MOON (corn moon or grain moon), 1:56 A.M. EDT .

5 In 1843, 16 inches of rain fell in three hours, accompanied a tornado on Chester Creek near Philadelphia.

6 Transfiguration; Colorado Day; Venus is located closest to Jupiter in sky before dawn this morning - a spectacular sight.

7 In 1918 this day, Philadelphia had high of 106°F.

8 On this day in 1882 ships on Lake Michigan accumulated six inches of snow and slush, and snow showers were reported at shore points.

10 St. Laurence's Day (he was martyred on a hot gridiron and eventually a custom arose of naming the Perseid meteors visible around this date "St. Laurence's Tears"); sun enters constellation Leo.

11 End of the dog days, according to one tradition; look for Perseid meteors, or shooting stars, in the northeast this evening until the pre- dawn hours tomorrow; temperature hit 101 °F in Burlington, Vermont today in 1944.

12 LAST QUARTERMOON, 3:53 A.M. EDT; Perseid meteor shower peaks before dawn, but bright moonlight will reduce visibility-a few dozen per hour might still be seen in clear country skies.

13 Victory Day in Rhode Island; possible extra peak of Perseid meteors before dawn.

14 Beautiful triangle of moon, Saturn and star Aldebaran visible before dawn; Kansas City hit 113°F this day in 1936.

15 Assumption; Uranus at opposition - opposite the sun in the sky, thus rising at sunset and visible all night long, but still more than 1.5 bil lion miles away and barely visible to naked eye under excellent sky conditions.

16 Venus very near moon before dawn - quite a sight to behold.

17 In 1969, Hurricane Camille struck the Mississippi coast with 200 mph winds and 24-foot storm surge; astronomer Asaph Hall discovered second tiny moon of Mars and named it Phobos.

18 NEW MOON, 10:55 P.M. EDT.