Penumbral eclipse, Perseid peak, Jupiter opposition likely highlights in August

The first highlight of the month is already history: the occultation of the relatively bright star 45 Cap by Jupiter, well visible from Europe. A few observers in the visible saw the star brighten just when it made contact with the planet's atmosphere, and there is even a video of this (rather typical, it seems) phenomenon. There are also an image sequence, pictures here and here and reports here and here (as well as an earlier hi-res pic of star & moons, a report of these "5 satellites" and more) - but the most important results are expected to come from big(ger) observatories working in the infrared where Jupiter is suppressed a great deal. Early reports indicate, for example, that light from the star - blinking strongly - could still be detected many minutes after ingress in the K band: Expect some exciting papers in the future! Meanwhile the next event of August (see also here and here) is imminent:

• July 6, 0:39 UTC: Maximum of a penumbral eclipse of the Moon; also an animation and an article. It should be seen as a moderate darkening of one part of the disk.
  
  
• Aug. 10: The Sun crosses the ring plane of Saturn, causing exciting shadow effects (which only Cassini can watch well); the Earth then crosses the ring plane on Sep. 4 but this is very close to conjunction.
  
  
• Aug. 11/12: Peak of the Perseids - their activity profile is already ramping up slowly and could reach 200 briefly this year because of several factors. Unfortunately the show will be bathed in moonlight - and accompanied by a Twitter event and various parties.
  
  
• Aug. 14: Jupiter in opposition at -2.9 mag. - and still decorated by the now very elongated impact cloud (for which we also have a Wikipedia entry, transit forecasts, pics of Aug. 5 and Aug. 3 [another one], a movie of July 30 [incl. a morphed version], a comparision of different dates and coverage from Aug. 5 and Aug. 3).
  
  
• Aug. 17: Neptune in opposition at +7.8 mag., still in the vicinity of Jupiter.

In other news the expected darkening of Epsilon Aurigae still had not begun by the end of July; notes from a big workshop on the eclipse can be found in this post and the following few ("Newer Post"). • The discovery of 3 new comets may be noteworthy as is this nice image of comet Garradd from July 26. • Wolfram|Alpha is reiterating its claim that it has a lot to offer for all kinds of things astronomical, we have 7 Great Discoveries by Amateur Astronomers and their role in GRB afterglow hunting and discoveries in old spacecraft images.

A lot more links about the solar eclipse of July 22nd have turned up (or finally been found by yours truly; see also this meta-list). Science-wise we now have a nice flash spectrum and many weather data (both from Wuhan). From India reports, pics & videos from Surat, Varanasi, Sarasam (crappy video with hilarious soundtrack!), Taregna (also a TV story) and Patna. From Bangladesh a report, preparations and an event at the Indian border, also hailed here. From Bhutan a video and another one. From Chengdu a report, from Chongqing a report (with a Tibetan prelude), pictures and a processed one, and from Wuhan a report and another one - and CCTV coverage.

From Wuzhen more pictures, a report (and related news story), another and another one. From Hangzhou a report in parts 1 and 2, another one and pictures, and from Tianhuangping a report. From Jiaxing a TV story, a report and another one, from Jinshan a report, another and another one, and from Shanghai a video and a news story. From Japan the NHK live TV report, with a hi-res corona/chromosphere/prominences video & horizon pans (and another one from a ship), from the Costa Allegra no eclipse, from the Costa Classica the best eclipse (more pictures and a video from the same observer and still more pictures) and from the Paul Gauguin a report.