Perseid Meteor Shower and Super Blue Moon Highlight August Astronomy Calendar

Posted: August 4, 2023 11:25 am

The nights are starting to get longer while the temperatures are still warm, making August a great time of the year to head out for some stargazing. August is also an opportune time for this activity because of a few major events happening in the night skies. Here are a few highlights to keep an eye out for in August.

Dog Star Appearance

Now is the time to try to find the dog star before it goes away. Known more formally as Sirius, this star looks like it rises and sets each night with the sun between July 3 and August 11. This star is also where the term “dog days of summer” originates.

The Sirius star will once again come out in the eastern sky by the end of the month, giving stargazers another chance to see it shining at the end of the night. You will find the star glowing below the Orion constellation just before the sun rises.

Perseid Meteor Shower – August 12 and 13

The highly anticipated Perseid meteor shower is set to peak on the night of Saturday, August 12 and into the early morning hours of August 13. You can expect to see up to 100 meteors per hour if you are lucky enough to be in an area of North America with clear skies.

Be sure to check back with the forecast in the days leading up to this weekend so that you can plan accordingly.

The Perseids are distinguished as traditionally being one of the best meteor showers each year. The only other display that boasts more shooting stars per hour is the Geminids. However, this show takes place in the middle of December when it is more difficult to get outside and enjoy the show because of the colder temperatures.

Saturn Opposition – August 27

The end of August offers a perfect time to view Saturn, one of the largest and brightest planets in the solar system. The planet with rings will reach opposition on Sunday, August 27. This is the point in its orbit when the plant is directly opposite of the sun when looking from Earth. As a result, the planet will appear as its brightest on this night.

You will not even need a telescope to spot Saturn in the sky. However, the use of a telescope will give you a view of its glowing rings. While the formal point of opposition will happen on August 27, stargazers would be able to find the planet at any time during the few weeks surrounding this date.

Look for Saturn rising in the eastern sky at about the time of sunset. It will move across the dark sky before setting in the west just as the sun is rising.

Super Blue Moon – August 30

The month of August will wrap with the rare super blue moon. A blue moon is defined as two full moons that rise within the same month. While the first full moon appeared during the beginning of the month, the next one will rise on Wednesday August 30. Both of these moons will be super moons, meaning that they are slightly larger and brighter than a typical full moon.

If you missed the first full moon of August, you will be glad to hear that the moon on August 30 is going to be brighter than its predecessor.

Blue moons are a rare happening. The last time that this happened was in October of 2020. You will have to wait until May of 2026 to experience the next blue moon.

Other nicknames given to August full moons include the Corn Moon, the Mountain Shadow Moon, the Sturgeon Moon, and the Black Cherry Moon.

Did you find this content useful? Feel free to bookmark or to post to your timeline for reference later.

Recent Posts