ALERT NEWSLETTER – July 2025

Hi everyone & an early Happy 4th of July!

Guess what? Yes! It’s time for ALERT dues! Yay!!!

To maintain roster records, according to ALERT’s constitution and bylaws, members who have not paid their 2025/2026 dues (which are due on July 2025’s meeting date, per Article IV), will be removed from the roster. After this point, these members may re-apply.

Members who are not currently in good standing may be ineligible for Callouts, NWSchat access, officer positions and the right to vote in the monthly meetings.

In special cases/hardship, members may submit a confidential request to be considered by the board. Such a request will be kept ultra-hush-hush, and can be brought to any board member.

More on dues, including payment address, can be found in the ALERT Bylaws, on the ALERT-Alabama.org website under Join/Documents.

Join ALERT/Documents

The direct link to the application can be found at https://alert-alabama.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/Documents/alertapp.pdf

Existing members who are renewing can also use PayPal option via billrodgers1973@gmail.com

Also, if anyone would rather use Venmo, route it via @William-Rodgers-73

Until next month, everyone stay safe and cool!

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

A Hitch Hiker’s Guide To The Radio Frequency Spectrum – Part 5

As we continue our Grand Tour of The Radio Frequency Spectrum, we enter the upper realm of the HF spectrum. A realm that is highly influenced by the whims of solar activity. Sometimes the Sun grants worldwide propagation, other times nothing but ear crunching static. As someone said, “The Sun giveth, and the Sun taketh away.”

We are currently (July 2025) in the downward slope of Solar Cycle 25, which began in December 2019 and peaked in October 2024. It was predicted that this would be a weak cycle, but, the Sun had other ideas and produced a strong cycle instead. It is predicted that the cycle will remain near the peak for a year or two more, providing good propagation and then steadily decrease until it ends in 2030, and the new cycle will begin in 2031.

So, enjoy the good conditions while they last, for lean times are coming, when activity on the higher HF bands die out to rare band openings and ham activity migrates to the lower HF bands.

Do you like mysteries?

The “radio dial” has a few, one of which I will unravel.

On HF you will hear many strange sounds. Besides static crashes from thunderstorms, you may hear a popcorn sound which is from the Sun, a fluttering sound which may mean the aurora is active and an occasional sweeping tweet that sounds like someone is moving their VFO while transmitting.

If you are looking at the waterfall display, you will occasionally see a signal displayed that slowly moves obliquely up the entire display from, let’s say from 5 MHz to 25 MHz. This is the “tweet” you hear on your radio.

What you are seeing & hearing are called “sweepers”. Sweepers are sounder systems, or Ionosondes, also called chirpsounders.

An Ionosonde is a type of radar that examines the Ionosphere and monitors HF propagation conditions by sweeping the HF band and receiving the echoes. They are used by the military and researchers to determine the current Maximum Usable Frequency.

A sounder system consists of a transmitter that transmits signals sequentially on several frequencies, and a distant receiver which is programmed to follow the transmitter frequency and measure the signal strength of each channel or frequency.

One example is the Stanford Research Institute Granger Associates Model 900 sounder, which covers the 4 to 64 MHz range in four bands of 40 linearly spaced channels. The Granger sounders are high power, transmitting 30 kW peak pulses of 0.1 ms or 1.0 ms. The scan sequence takes 29 seconds to complete, and is repeated every 20 minutes.

The US Navy uses a system of several shore-based sounder transmitters and shipboard and land based AN/UPR-2 receivers to determine propagation conditions.

Known as the Navy Tactical Sounder System (NTSS), the FPT-11 transmits a double, biphase pulse sequence every minute on each of 80 frequencies between 2 and 32 MHz. The 80 frequencies are spaced in 100 kHz increments between 2 and 4 MHz, 200 kHz increments between 4 and 8 MHz, 400 kHz increments between 8 and 16 MHz, and 800 kHz increments between
16 and 32 MHz. The equipment is synchronized to WWV so the receivers can follow the transmitter frequency sequence.

Some systems, such as the C-3 ionosonde transmits 0.1 ms pulses and is swept linearly
between 2 and 25 MHz.

The BR Communications HF Chirpsounder System takes 5 minutes to sweep between 2 and 30 MHz, and the sweep is repeated every 15 minutes.

All of these readings result in an “ionogram” chart, which I must confess I can’t make head nor tail of.

Ionosonde – Wikipedia

I mentioned “waterfall” displays. None of my equipment sports these nifty signal “fish finders”, as I run older equipment.

Not to worry, I have found a way to access a waterfall display, while not actually having one.

“How” you may ask?

Online there is a resource called “KiwiSDR”s & “WebSDR”s. These are online receiver feeds that hams and SWLs place on the Internet.

Shortwave Radio Receiver Map | KiwiSDR & WebSDR | Listen to Internet SDRs

These receivers, which are scattered all over the globe, cover from 0 to 30 MHz and typically have wide band waterfall displays, the ability to switch transmission reception modes, good filtering and many other features using an easy to use interface.

Some things you can do with online SDRs are, using a station near you, you can see real-time band conditions at a glance, from VLF, LF, MF to the end of the HF spectrum. You can choose a frequency and listen to your own transmitted signal to check your audio and signal purity. And, if nothing else, you have access to a world class general coverage radio receiver at your fingertips.

Two WebSDRs located near Birmingham are:

http://n4dkd.asuscomm.com:8901/ Courtesy of Brian Wingard N4DKD
http://cahabatechnology.com:8073/ Courtesy Of Pat Griffin AA4PG

One thing you may run into, especially with pirate broadcast stations below 40 Meters, are images embedded in their signals, visible on waterfall displays.

Some enterprising souls found that by carefully transmitting a signal consisting of multiple frequencies and amplitudes, they can draw shapes and pictures on the waterfall or spectrogram.

Known as “spectrum painting” or “RF paint”, it is a form of slow scan television, SSTV.

Sometimes it is used to advertise the station or program, and it has been known to be used to jam Russian military transmissions.

Example:

In addition to WebSDRs, another “toy” I like to play with is “Radio Garden” https://radio.garden/search

This site will display a globe with dots representing AM & FM radio stations all over the world.

Would you like to listen to music or news from Australia? Just click on one of the dots in Australia and eventually you will find the station with the format you are looking for.

If you wish to listen to a ballgame being carried on an AM or FM station from a city, say Chicago, it will be blacked out on Radio Garden due to the League of that sport wanting you to subscribe to their internet feed in$tead. Since Radio Garden is using the internet feed directly from the station they can do this.

However, if you use a WebSDR you can listen directly to the station carrying the game unimpeded, since it is being received over the air at the SDR’s location, not via an internet feed. So, just pick an SDR near Chicago, for instance and tune in the station carrying the ballgame

We now, before we get sued, we will continue with our radio journey.

Leaving 15 MHz we find the 15 MHz Aeronautical Band which lies from 15.010 to 15.100 Mhz.

The 19 Meter Shortwave Broadcast Band stretches from 15.100 to 15.830 MHz. On 19 Meters daylight reception good and nighttime reception is variable. But usually there are Shortwave stations to be found. This band is best during summer.

The Fixed / Mobile Band lies from 15.600 to 16.460 MHz overlapping portions of the 19 Meter Shortwave Band and the Marine Band which lies above it.

The Marine Band lies from 16.360 to 17.460 MHz

The Fixed / Mobile Band lies from 17.360 to 17.550 MHz overlapping portions of the Marine Band and the 16 Meter Shortwave Band which lies above it.

The 16 Meter Shortwave Broadcast Band stretches from 17.480 to 17.900MHz. On 16 Meters daytime reception is good, and night reception varies seasonally, with summer being the best.

The 17 MHz Aeronautical Band lies from 17.900 to 18.030 Mhz.

Air Traffic Control calls to aircraft over the Gulf and South America 17.907 MHz.
LDOC or Long Distance Operations Control phone patches to aircraft from is at 17.925 MHz

Air Traffic Control calls to aircraft over the Eastern Atlantic may be heard on 17.946 MHz

The Fixed / Mobile Band lies from 18.030 kHz to 18.068 MHz.

Next we will come to the 17 Meter Amateur Band.

17 Meters, which is available to General, Advanced and Extra class operators lies from 18.068 to 18.168 MHz, which seems like a squirrely frequency assignment. But, if it works it works.

17 Meters daylight propagation is similar to 20 Meters, but tends to fade out at night. It is less crowded than 20 Meters, sometimes painfully so, for you know the band should be open, after all the digital signals you hear are whispering loudly “I’m open” and yet not a non-digital signal is to be heard. Sometimes I think it’s the best kept secret in ham radio.

When on the air, Caribbean stations come booming in stronger than on 20 Meters and one morning recently I talked to Japan using CW and, except for FT8 signals, he was the only signal to be heard on the band. And, for those who loathe ham radio contests, the WARC Bands, 30, 17 & 12 Meters are kept contest free.

The 17 Meter Band plan and usage is as follows

18.068 – 18.110 MHz – CW & Data
18.074 MHz FT8
18.100 – 18.105 MHz – RTTY
18.105 – 18.110 MHz – Packet
18.110 MHz NCDXF Beacons
18.110 MHz Begin Voice Sub band
18.680 MHz End 17 Meter Band

The Fixed / Mobile Band stretches from 18.168 to 19.990 Mhz.

This band is shared with the Marine Band from 18.780 to 18.900 and the 18 Meter Shortwave Broadcast Band, from 18.900 to 19.020 MHz.

The 18 Meter band is lightly used and may become a Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) band in future.

Also, within the Fixed / Mobile Band is the 19.680 – 19.800 Marine Band

At 20.000 MHz, you find WWV in Fort Collins Colorado & WWVH – Kekaha, HI broadcasting Time & Frequency Standard signals.

The Fixed / Mobile Band lies from to 20.010 kHz – 21.000 MHz.

Next we will come to the third largest HF Amateur Band, the 15 Meter Amateur Band.

15 Meters stretches from 21.000 to 21.450 MHz and during the peaks of the sunspot cycle can provide worldwide coverage, and certainly transoceanic and coast to coast coverage during the day. After nightfall, the band fades away.

15 has a unique characteristic in that you can be talking to someone for half an hour and them blasting your speaker out and then suddenly they just fade out never to be heard again. On other bands they may fade out and then fade back in, but, not on 15. When they’re gone, they’re gone.

As with 20 Meters, you will hear Canadian voice stations using 21.150 to 21,200 MHz, which is part of the non-voice section for US stations. This is normal. Just don’t make the mistake of talking to them here, as you will be out of band.

The Band plan for 15 Meters is as follows:

21.000 MHz Begin Extra CW/ Data Sub band
21.025 MHz Begin Novice, Technician, General & Advanced CW / Data Sub band
21.040 – 21.110 MHz RTTY / Data
21.074 MHz FT8
21.150 MHz NCDXF Beacons
21.200 MHz End Novice, Technician, General & Advanced CW / Data Sub band
Begin Extra Voice Sub band
21.225 MHz Begin Advanced Sub band
21.275 MHz Begin General Sub band
21.240 MHz SSTV Window
21.350 MHz End 15 Meter Amateur Band

The 13 Meter Shortwave Band stretches from 21.450 to 21.850. 13 Meters has long distance daytime reception, with very little night reception and is used in the Asia-Pacific region.

An Aeronautical Band lies from 21.870 – 22.000 MHz.

A Marine Band stretches from 22.000 – 22.850 Mhz

Another Aeronautical Band lies from 23.200 – 23.350 MHz.

The Fixed / Mobile Band lies from 23.350 kHz – 24.890 MHz.

Next we will come to the 12 Meter Amateur Band.

12 Meters, which is available to General, Advanced and Extra class operators, stretches from 24.890 to 24.990 MHz and has the same characteristics as 15 Meters.

The Band plan for 12 Meters is as follows:

24.890 – 24.930 MHz – CW & Data
24.920 – 24.925 MHz – RTTY
24.925 – 24.930 MHz – Packet
24.930 MHz NCDXF Beacons
24.930 MHz Begin Voice Sub band
24.990 MHz End 12 Meter Band

At 25.000 MHz, at times you find experimental signals from WWV in Fort Collins Colorado As these are on an experimental basis, there are times it will be silent.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Mark’s Almanac

Originally called “Quintilis”, the fifth Roman month, Quintilis was renamed “July” in 44 BC in honor of Julius Caesar.
July is miserably hot, as land temperatures reach their peaks in late July through early August – the Dog Days of Summer.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac lists the traditional period of the Dog Days as the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11.

The Romans on the other hand said that the Dog Days ran from July 24 through August 24, or, alternatively, from July 23 through August 23, coinciding with the Sun and the Dog Star Sirius rising at the same time & their combined heat supposedly adding to the summer misery.

As you endure this heat, remember to drink lots of fluids, hug the shade & avoid the afternoon sun.

Also please resist the temptation to take Fido for a walk during the heat of the day. Remember that the “official” temperature readings are taken 6 feet above ground level. It’s much, much hotter on the ground where Fido & Puss must walk with bare paws, where it could easily be 150 degrees.

Before taking Muttley for a walk, place your hand on the pavement and see how hot it is. If it’s miserable to you, it will be miserable to him also. Just walk him in the morning or wait until the sun is setting and it cools off to a tolerable level and try to stick to grassy areas. Then go have a good time together.

The last week of July is usually the hottest week of the year. Tropical conditions are dominant, with conditions similar to that of the Amazon Valley.

One thing that our little rainforest seems to be in short supply of this year are bugs.

I see the usual mosquitoes, which would survive a nuclear winter, but except for one small bee, the insects seem missing. I hear a few crickets, but see very few wasps, butterflies, bees and dragon flies. The birds are thinning out also, probably due to the shortage of bugs.

I remember back in the 60’s and 70’s if you drove 100 miles your windshield would be gross and disgusting from bug splat and the radiator would be plastered every type of bug on the planet.

But not today. Drive 500 miles and scarcely a splat you will see. One explanation is that “cars are more aerodynamic today and the bugs just go around the car”. Well, my car is about as aerodynamic as an oven and still no splat.

Since bugs make up 90% of the animal species on this planet, I have to wonder if it is due to pesticides, habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, or other invasive species killing them off?

So, I ask you to consider , “Where have all the bugs gone?”

July and August is the time to test the “Brown Grass Theory”. According to this theory, if the grass remains green the temperature will probably not reach 100, but, if the grass turns brown, get set for triple digits. This is a local Birmingham rule, which the Old Timers at the Birmingham NWS, such as Frank Makosky and J.B Elliott used for years.

In July, the least rainfall falls in the Northern Hemisphere.

Tornado activity drops sharply, with a 47% decrease nationwide. July has an average of 103 tornadoes.

Hurricane activity increases, but major hurricanes are not yet frequent. By months end, one hurricane will have occurred. Seven percent of a year’s hurricane total occurs in July.

Long track hurricanes are possible, forming off the African coast and crossing the Atlantic, either to threaten the US East Coast, then eventually veering off towards Bermuda. Or in the case of “Low Latitude” storms, cross the Atlantic, strike the Leeward Islands; enter the Caribbean and then striking the Yucatan, or the Western or Northern Gulf coast.

From 1851 to 2024 there have been 130 Tropical Storms and 62 Hurricanes, 29 of which made landfall in the United States.

Among notable storms are 2005’s Hurricane Emily, the only Category 5 storm to form in July, reaching 160 MPH and striking Mexico.

Hurricane Bertha, a 125 MPH storm holds the record for the longest lifespan for a July hurricane, churning for 17 days.

July Tropical Cyclone Breeding Grounds

Days grow shorter as the Sun’s angle above the noonday horizon decreases from 79.6 degrees at the beginning of the month to 74.7 degrees at the month’s end. Daylight decreases from 14 hours 20 minutes on July 1 to 13 hours 49 minutes on July 31.

Sunrise and sunset times for Birmingham are:

July 1 Sunrise 5:41 AM Sunset 8:01 PM
July 15 Sunrise 5:48 AM Sunset 7:58 PM
July 31 Sunrise 5:59 AM Sunset 7:48 PM

Looking skyward, the Sun, magnitude -26.7 is in Taurus, The Bull.

Mercury, magnitude -0.5 in Cancer The Crab, is an evening object.

At the first of the month, he becomes visible at around 8:32 PM CDT, 11° above the western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then sink towards the horizon, setting 1 hour and 33 minutes after the Sun at 9:33 PM CDT.

Mercury will disappear into the glow of the Sun on July 3 and be invisible the rest of the month.

Mercury will reach his furthest point from the Sun, or “Aphelion” on July 14 and will pass between the Sun and the Earth or be in “Inferior Conjunction” on July 31.

Venus, magnitude -4.6 in Taurus, The Bull, is a morning object.

At the first of the month, she is visible in the dawn sky, rising at 2:55 AM CDT – 2 hours and 43 minutes before the Sun and reaching an altitude of 28° above the eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 5:20 AM CDT.

At midmonth is visible in the dawn sky, rising at 2:54 AM CDT – 2 hours and 51 minutes before the Sun – and reaching an altitude of 30° above the eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 5:28 AM CDT.

Venus will reach her highest point in the sky, 34° above the eastern horizon, shining brightly at magnitude -4.3 on July 26.

By months end she is visible in the dawn sky, rising at 3:03 AM CDT – 2 hours and 53 minutes before the Sun – and reaching an altitude of 30° above the eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 5:39 AM CDT..

Earth, magnitude -4.0 as viewed from the Sun, is in the constellation Sagittarius, The Archer.

Earth will reach her farthest distance from the Sun or Aphelion on July 3 at 2:55 PM CDT or 20:55
UTC, when the distance from the Sun’s center to Earth’s center will be 94,502,939 miles from our home star, as she and the Moon wobble through space, the Moon tugging on the Earth like an unruly pup on a leash.

Mars, with his moons Phobos and Deimos, magnitude +1.5, in Leo, The Lion, is an early evening object receding into evening twilight.

At the first of the month, he becomes visible around 8:47 PM CD, 29° above the western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then sink towards the horizon, setting 3 hours and 13 minutes after the Sun at 11:13 PM CDT.

At midmonth he becomes visible around 8:43 PM CDT, 23° above the western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then sink towards the horizon, setting 2 hours and 42 minutes after the Sun at 10:39 PM CDT.

By months end he becomes visible around 8:32 PM CDT, 17° above the western horizon, as dusk fades to darkness. He will then sink towards the horizon, setting 2 hours and 14 minutes after the Sun at 10:01 PM CDT.

Dwarf Planet Ceres, magnitude +9.1 is in Cetus, The Whale.

Jupiter, and his 95 moons and (invisible from Earth) ring magnitude –1.9, in Gemini, The Twins, is lost in the glow of the Sun, at the first of the Month.

At midmonth he returns to the dawn sky, becoming visible around 4:39 AM CDT, 8° above the eastern horizon, rising 1 hour and 5 minutes before the Sun and then fading into the dawn at 5:27 AM CDT.

By months end he becomes visible in the dawn sky, rising at 3:49 AM CDT – 2 hours and 7 minutes before the Sun – and reaching an altitude of 20° above the eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 5:39 AM CDT.

Saturn, and his 274 moons and extensive debris ring system, magnitude +0.9, in Pisces, The Fish, is an early morning object.

At the first of the month, he rises at 12:18 AM CDT, reaching an altitude of 50° above the south-eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 5:00 AM CDT.

On July 12 Saturn will enter a period called “retrograde motion”, where he stops his usual eastward movement through the constellations, and starts moving westward instead. This apparent reversal of direction is a phenomenon that all the of the outer planets periodically undergo, a few months before they reach opposition, or the point exactly opposite from the Sun.

This retrograde motion is caused by the Earth’s own motion around the Sun. As the Earth circles the Sun, our view or perspective changes, and this causes the apparent positions of objects to move from side to side in the sky during a one year period. This nodding motion is super imposed on the planet’s long-term eastward motion through the constellations, causing them to appear to be moving backwards in their orbits.

A terrestrial example would be passing a car on the highway. Both are moving forward, but the car you are passing looks as if it were going backwards as you look at it through the side window.
This motion was known to ancient observers, and it troubled them to no end, as they could not reconcile this motion with their models which had the planets moving in uniform circular orbits around the Earth, since they believed that the Earth was the center of the solar system.

By midmonth he rises at 11:23 PM CDT, and reaches an altitude of 54° above the southern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 5:09 AM CDT.

At months end he rises at 12:17 PM CDT, at an altitude of 11° above the eastern horizon and will reach an altitude of 54° above the southern horizon. He will be lost to dawn twilight around 5:21 AM CDT, 51° above the southwestern horizon.

Uranus, and his 28 moons and ring, magnitude +5.8 in Taurus, The Bull, is hidden in the glow of the Sun at the start of the month.

He emerges into the morning sky on July 7

By midmonth he rises at 2:05 AM CDT – 3 hours and 40 minutes before the Sun – and reaching an altitude of 29° above the eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 4:36 AM CDT.

At months end he rises at 1:04 AM CDT and reaches an altitude of 45° above the eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 4:50 AM CDT.

Neptune, and his 16 moons and ring, magnitude 7.7 in Pisces, The Fish, has emerged into the predawn sky.

At the first of the month, he rises at 12:15 AM CDT and reaches an altitude of 47° above the southeastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 4:27 AM CDT.

Neptune enters retrograde motion, like Saturn on July 4.

By midmonth he rises at 11:20 PM CDT and reaches an altitude of 54° above the southern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 4:36 AM CDT.
At months end he rises at 12:06 AM CDT, and reaches an altitude of 55° above the southern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks at around 4:50 AM CDT.

Pluto, the largest Dwarf Planet, with his five moons shines at a dim 14.5 in Capricornus, The Sea Goat.

Dwarf Planet 136108 Haumea, her ring and moons Hiʻiaka and Namaka, shines at a faint magnitude of 17.3 in Bootes, The Herdsman.

Dwarf Planet 136472 Makemake with his moon S/2015 (136472) 1, nicknamed MK1 by the discovery team, shines faintly at magnitude +17.1 in Coma Berenices.

Dwarf Planet 136199 Eris, the second largest Dwarf Planet, and her moon Dysnomia, originally referred to as Xena and Gabrielle, is barely visible in the most powerful telescopes at magnitude +18.7 in Cetus the Sea Monster.

At least seven additional bodies with the preliminary criteria for identifying dwarf planets, and though not “officially” declared as such, are generally called dwarf planets by astronomers as well.

90482 Orcus, and his moon Vanth shines at magnitude 19.1 in Sagittarius, The Archer.

50000 Quaoar, and his moon Waywot shines at magnitude +18.6 in Cetus, The Whale.

90377 Sedna, the coldest, and at one time, the most distant known place in the Solar System, glows faintly at magnitude +20.8 in Taurus, The Bull.

225088 Gonggong, the third largest Dwarf Planet, originally nicknamed Snow White by the discovery team, and his moon Xiangli glows dimly at +21.5 magnitude in Pisces, The Fish.

2014 UZ224 nicknamed “DeeDee” for “Distant Dwarf” is 8.5 billion miles from the Sun, at magnitude +23.0 in Eridanus, The River.

120347 Salacia, and her moon Actaea glows at magnitude 20.7 in Cancer, The Crab. Salacia is considered a “borderline” Dwarf Planet. Some astronomers saying she “most certainly is a Dwarf Planet”, while others disagreeing based on her size, saying she is too small to have compressed into a fully solid body, to have been resurfaced, or to have collapsed into “hydrostatic equilibrium”, that is to assume spherical shape like a planet.

“Dwarf Planet Candidate” 2017 OF201, magnitude 23.2 is in the constellation Triangulum, the Triangle.

Currently the most distant observable known object in the Solar System, an asteroid unofficially called Asteroid 2018 AG37, and nicknamed FarFarOut, glows at a barely detectable +25.5 magnitude in Lynx.

FarFarOut is currently 12,384,346,993 miles or in Light Time, 18 hours, 28 minutes and 1.6 seconds from Earth.

The most distant man-made object, Voyager 1, still operating after 47 years, 9 month and 11 days is 15,483,809,478 miles, or in Light Time, 23 hours, 05 minutes 20 Seconds from Earth as of 4:25 PM, June 16, 2025, sailing 38,027 miles per hour through Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer.

Near Earth Object, asteroid 99942 Apophis, is expected to pass within 19,794 miles of the Earth on Friday, April 13, 2029.

Apophis, magnitude +21.5, in Gemini, The Twins, is 184,316,098 miles or 1397 days from the Earth as of 4:22, June 16, 2025.

Asteroid 2024 YR4, which will pass though the Earth – Moon system on Wednesday, December 22, 2032, dimly glows at magnitude +29.1, in Leo, The Lion. It currently is 248,419,694 Miles or 2750 days from the Earth as of 4:15, June 16, 2025.

There are 1,452,646 known asteroids and 4,021 comets as of June 16, 2025, per NASA/JPL Solar Dynamics Website JPL Solar System Dynamics (nasa.gov).

5,921 planets beyond our solar system have now been confirmed as of June 11, 2025, per NASA’s Exoplanet Archive.

First Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Western side illuminated, will occur July 2 at 2:30 PM or 19:49 UTC.

During the Quarter Moons the Moon’s magnitude is -10.0.

The moon will be at Apogee or its farthest distance from Earth on July 4, when she will be 251,424 miles from Earth.

July’s Full Moon occurs July 10 at 3:38 PM CDT or 20:38 UTC, when the Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated.

July’s Full Moon is called “Buck Moon” in Native American folklore. This moon gets its name because the male buck deer begin to grow their new antlers at this time of year. It has also been called “Full Thunder Moon” & “Hay Moon”.

During a Full Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -12.7.

Last Quarter Moon, or when the moon has only the Eastern side illuminated, will occur July 17 at 7:39 PM CDT or 1:39 UTC on July 18.

During the Quarter Moon the Moon’s magnitude is -10.0.

Though it won’t peak until the night and morning of August 12 & 13, the Perseid Meteor Shower begins July 17, and lasts until August 24. This shower, associated with comet Swift-Tuttle will peak at 60 meteors per hour in August.

The moon will be at Perigee or its closest approach to Earth on July 20, when she will be 228,694 miles from Earth.

New Moon will occur at 2:12 PM CDT or 20:12 UTC on July 24. The Moon will be located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.

The Southern Delta-Aquariid Meteor shower peaks on the night of July 28th into the morning of the 29th. This shower annually occurs from July 12 through August 23 is made up of debris from Comet Marsden Kracht and produces a ZHR or Zenith Hourly Rate of 20 meteors per hour.

The crescent moon will set early in the evening, leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent show.

Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

This month’s meeting will be on July 8 at 7PM at the National Weather Service Forecast Office at the Shelby County Airport,

Hope to see you there!

Mark / WD4NYL
Editor
ALERT Newsletter