Celebrate the Middle of Summer

Air Date: August 1, 2011

(Photo Credit: earthsky.org)Happy Cross-quarter day! A Cross-quarter day is the half-way point between a previous equinox or solstice and the next one. August 1st is the half-way point between the first day of summer and the autumnal equinox in September. This is highlighted by the diminishing light as we get closer to fall. Other Cross-quarter days include Halloween and Groundhog Day. What other Cross-quarter days dot the calendar? Get out your umbrellas for rain on Saturn, but the rain does not come from clouds— it comes from a nearby moon. Also, don’t miss what’s in the night sky this week. Now that we’ve moved into August, summer constellations are moving over for the constellations of fall. All this and more on this week’s Sky Talk. [audio: st20110801.mp3]

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