Ep 237: July Sky Guide & 10-Year Anniversary Special - Dr Ian Musgrave

Celebrate a decade of stargazing with Astrophiz! 🌟 In this milestone episode, host Brendan O'Brien is joined by acclaimed scientist, educator, and amateur astronomer Dr. Ian Musgrave to celebrate 10 years of the Astrophiz SkyGuide and the 19th anniversary of his renowned 'Astroblog'. Ian delivers your comprehensive Southern Hemisphere July Sky Guide, detailing when and where to spot the planet dance as it transfers to the morning skies. Discover how to witness a spectacular close conjunction between Mars and Uranus in Taurus, and how to track Saturn as it begins its retrograde path toward September opposition. Plus, get crucial viewing tips for the Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower and learn how to navigate the brilliant winter Milky Way to find deep-sky treasures like Omega Centauri, the Carina Nebula, and Ptolemy’s Cluster. In a deeply moving and personal Tangent, Ian dedicates this anniversary edition to the memory of his late son, Jack. Shifting his gaze to our atmosphere, Ian explores the historical beauty, science, and classification of clouds—from Luke Howard's 1802 nomenclature to stunning 'asperitas' formations—while playfully dismantling modern "cloud-shaming" chemtrail conspiracies. Grab your binoculars, check your local twilight times, and keep looking up! *** TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction & Celebrating 10 Years of Sky Guides 03:15 - July Moon Phases, Solstice & Earth at Aphelion 04:45 - Evening Planets: Venus climbs through Leo, goodbye to Jupiter 06:20 - Morning Skies: Mars meets Uranus; Saturn’s retrograde track 09:15 - Deep Sky Treasures: Scorpius, Sagittarius & Omega Centauri 11:40 - Southern Delta Aquariids Meteor Shower Peak 13:10 - The Tangent: Dedicated to Jack, Luke Howard & the beauty of clouds 19:45 - Future Anniversaries, Apophis Flyby & Solar Eclipses *** LINKS & RESOURCES: • For full episode transcripts, back-catalogues, and planetarium updates, visit our website: https://astrophiz.com • Listen to our special live recording piano, violin, and cello tribute to Jack Musgrave: https://tinyurl.com/jackstribute Astrophiz is an independent, completely free, ad-free, and unsponsored science podcast produced on Yorta Yorta, Pangerang, and Kahuna Country.