Finally, August's much anticipated and formidable interplanetary phenomenon has arrived. The Perseids, regarded as one of the most luminous meteor showers annually, may produce many shooting stars and even brilliant fireballs in our sky toward the middle of the month.
Moreover, it is not the only allure deserving of nocturnal vigilance. August signifies the first supermoon of the year, and the start of aurora season in northern regions phrazle such as Iceland and Alaska – this year may see some of the most brilliant northern lights in decades. Refer to our instructions on pursuing auroras. To see the darkest sky and the brightest stars, get out tonight, coinciding with the new moon, especially from a location with little light pollution, such as our preferred stargazing hotels. During a new moon, our lunar satellite is devoid of light. Consequently, stargazers schedule their excursions in accordance with this phase of the lunar cycle. The heart of the Milky Way will increasingly become visible earlier in the night until late September.
Immediately after sunset on Monday, August 5, direct your gaze towards the western horizon to see Venus and the crescent moon approaching one another, as shown by the astronomy application SkySafari. The pair will go towards the horizon for about one hour after sunset. To their left is Mercury, but this solar proximity planet is more difficult to see with the unaided eye.
The year's most potent meteor shower will reach its zenith from midnight to early morning, approximately from August 11 to 13, with the greatest likelihood of shooting stars occurring overnight on August 12, as reported by the American Meteor Society. The Perseids, located in the constellation Perseus in the northeastern sky, may provide up to 100 meteors per hour from a location with limited cloud cover and low light pollution, such as a national park. The shower will be most brilliant after the moon's descent at about 12 a.m. The Perseids, derived from the substantial parent comet Swift-Tuttle, are recognized for their exceptionally luminous and vibrant meteors, referred to as fireballs. NASA asserts that it generates a greater number of fireballs than any other meteor shower.
Anticipate another celestial conjunction: the alignment of Mars and Jupiter on the morning of August 14. SkySafari indicates that the planets will align and be seen together using binoculars for much of the month, culminating in their closest proximity overnight on August 14, with Mars positioned to the upper right of Jupiter. Observe the pair situated above the east-northeast horizon, with optimal visibility occurring approximately 2 a.m. local time.
The first supermoon of the year will illuminate our sky on August 19, as reported by Space.com. The phenomenon, when the moon looks more luminous and bigger than usual, is best seen around sunset when it ascends over the east-southeast horizon. This month's full moon is both a supermoon and referred to as the full sturgeon moon, named for the fish that proliferate during this season, as stated by the Farmer's Almanac.
