August uses a celestial extravaganza with clear views of Saturn at its opposition, the return of the yearly Perseid meteor shower, and an unusual “super blue moon” incident. Saturn’s opposition permits it to be noticeable throughout the night, while the Perseid meteor shower is set for a grand phenomenon, accompanying the brand-new moon. The lunar cycle provides 2 moons this month, the second of which is described as a “blue moon.” Additionally, the 2nd moon is likewise a supermoon, lining up with the moon’s closest technique toEarth This uncommon mix, a “super blue moon,” takes place around every years.
< period class ="glossaryLink" aria-describedby ="tt" data-cmtooltip =(************************************************************************************** )data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" >Saturn shines brilliantly all night inAugust, while thePerseids return for an excellent program on the12 th/13 th, and aSuperBlueMoon!
(********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** )are some skywatching highlights inAugust2023?
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Saturn reaches opposition this month, suggesting it’s at its greatest and brightest for the year, and noticeable all night. The(****************************************************************** )of the yearlyPerseid meteors are a must-see, over night on August12 th.And this month brings 2 moons– the second of which is a“Super Blue Moon.”
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What’sUp forAugust?(************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** )Saturn at sunset and dawn, thePerseid meteors return, and a“super blue moon.”
In August, we have actually lost< period class ="glossaryLink" aria-describedby ="tt" data-cmtooltip ="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>Venus</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>Venus, the second planet from the sun, is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the moon, it is the second-brightest natural object in the night sky. Its rotation (243 Earth days) takes longer than its orbit of the Sun (224.7 Earth days). It is sometimes called Earth's "sister planet" because of their similar composition, size, mass, and proximity to the Sun. It has no natural satellites.</div>" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" >Venus and< period class ="glossaryLink" aria-describedby ="tt" data-cmtooltip ="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>Mars</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>Mars is the second smallest planet in our solar system and the fourth planet from the sun. It is a dusty, cold, desert world with a very thin atmosphere. Iron oxide is prevalent in Mars' surface resulting in its reddish color and its nickname "The Red Planet." Mars' name comes from the Roman god of war.</div>" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" >Mars from the night sky, however we’ll have fantastic views of Saturn all night.Saturn reaches opposition this month, suggesting it’s straight opposite theSun as seen fromEarthPlanets at opposition increase simply after sundown and show up up until dawn, and it’s when they appear at their greatest and brightest for the year.Look for the huge world low in the eastern sky around 9 pm by mid-month, appearing a bit greater each night asAugust continues.
Sky chart revealing theMoon near thePleiades star cluster on the early morning ofAugust 9.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
On the early morning ofAugust 3rd,Saturn appears simply a number of finger widths apart from the almost completeMoon(*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** )them in the west prior to daybreak. The Moon then makes a great pairing with the Pleiades star cluster on the early morning of the 9th, with < period class ="glossaryLink" aria-describedby ="tt" data-cmtooltip ="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>Jupiter</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and the fifth planet from the sun. It is a gas giant with a mass greater then all of the other planets combined. Its name comes from the Roman god Jupiter.</div>" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" >Jupiter hanging close by.And then theMoon has a super-close meetup with the reddish star Antares– brightest star in the constellation(*************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** )– on the night ofAugust24 th.
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TheMoon appears incredibly near the intense starAntares inScorpius on the night ofAugust24Viewers in theEastern andSouthern U.S. might have the ability to observe the Moon pass in front of( occult)AntaresCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
August brings among the very best recognized yearly meteor showers, thePerseidsAnd this year the phase is set for an excellent program, as the peak night–August12 th and into the 13 th– is near the brand-new moon.The meteors are littles dust– most no bigger than sand grains– that stem from cometSwift-TuttleEarth sweeps through the comet’s particles path every year about this exact same time, leading to the yearly shower.
The glowing– the point in the sky where the meteors appear to stem– is towards the northeast, appearing in-between the advantage down“W” of constellationCassiopeia and intense starCapellaObserving thePerseids is simple– simply discover yourself a safe, dark area to rest with your feet pointing approximately towards the northeast, and look directly. The finest time to see them is in between midnight and dawn, as the glowing increases higher in the sky. Meteor activity likely will be at its biggest in the hour preceding dawn.
Now, the crescent moon likewise increases in the couple of hours prior to dawn, however it’s just about 7% lit up, therefore it should not present a substantial issue for seeing the meteors. You may likewise see a couple of meteors in the morning hours throughout the week prior to and after the peak.
Super blue moons happen about every 10 years, typically– though the time in between any 2 events can differ from 2 months to 20 years or more. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
August starts and ends with a moon, producing an unique incident that just takes place every number of years. You see, a 2nd moon in a single calendar month is typically called a “blue moon.” They occur every 2 to 3 years due to the fact that the Moon’s month-to-month cycle is simply a bit much shorter than the typical length of a month. So ultimately a moon will occur at the start of a month, with adequate days left for a total lunar cycle. When that takes place, we get a blue moon.
But there’s more! The August 30 th blue moon is likewise a supermoon. The moon’s orbit isn’t a best circle, so often it’s a little further away from Earth and often more detailed. At its closest point, called perigee, it’s 14% closer than at its farthest. About 3 to 4 times a year, the moon stage takes place to accompany the Moon reaching perigee, and we call that occasion a supermoon. While it technically appears a bit larger (and a little bit better) than the typical moon, the distinction is not incredibly obvious to the eye.
Comparison of the size of a typical moon, compared to the size of a supermoon. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The mix of these 2 unique moons, producing a “super blue moon,” happens about every 10 years, typically– though the time in between any 2 events can differ from 2 months to 20 years or more.
So enjoy this month’s 2 moons. And while the 2nd one will not appear super-sized, or any bluer than normal, now you understand what makes it unique.
Here are the stages of the Moon for August:
The stages of the Moon for August2023 Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Stay approximately date with all of < period class ="glossaryLink" aria-describedby ="tt" data-cmtooltip ="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>NASA</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>Established in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the United States Federal Government that succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). It is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Its vision is "To discover and expand knowledge for the benefit of humanity." Its core values are "safety, integrity, teamwork, excellence, and inclusion." NASA conducts research, develops technology and launches missions to explore and study Earth, the solar system, and the universe beyond. It also works to advance the state of knowledge in a wide range of scientific fields, including Earth and space science, planetary science, astrophysics, and heliophysics, and it collaborates with private companies and international partners to achieve its goals.</div>" data-gt-translate-attributes ="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" > NASA‘s objectives to check out the planetary system and beyond at nasa.gov. I’mPreston Dyches from NASA’sJetPropulsion Laboratory, which’sWhat’sUp for this month.
