Moon Phases
Wed., August 1, 11:27 p.m. EDT
Full Moon
The full moon of August is usually called the grain moon. In
Algonquian it is called the sturgeon moon. Other names are red moon, green corn
moon, lightning moon and dog moon. In Hindi it is known as narali poornima or
raksha bandhan. Its Sinhala (Buddhist) name is nikini. The full moon rises
around sunset and sets around sunrise, the only night in the month when the
moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the moon spends at
least some time in the daytime sky.
Thu., August 9, 2:55 p.m. EDT
Last Quarter Moon
The last or third quarter moon rises around 11:20 p.m. and
sets around 2:20 p.m. It is most easily seen just after sunrise in the southern
sky.
Fri., August 17, 11:54 a.m. EDT
New Moon
The moon is not visible on the date of new moon because it
is too close to the sun, but can be seen low in the east as a narrow crescent a
morning or two before, just before sunrise. It is visible low in the west an
evening or two after new moon.
Fri., August 24, 10:54 a.m. EDT
First Quarter Moon
The first quarter moon rises around 2:30 p.m. and sets
around 12:20 a.m.
Fri., August 31, 9:58 a.m. EDT
Full Moon
There is a second full moon this month, what is sometimes
called a ”blue moon.” There is nothing unusual about the appearance of this
full moon; it gets its name from the fact that having two full moons in a month
is a rare event, “as rare as a blue moon.”
This is usually called the fruit moon. In Algonquian it is
called the harvest moon, a month earlier than the usual harvest moon. Other
names are corn moon and barley moon. In Hindi it is known as bhadrapad
poornima. Its Sinhala (Buddhist) name is binara. The full moon rises around
sunset and sets around sunrise, the only night in the month when the moon is in
the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the moon spends at least some
time in the daytime sky.
Observing Highlights
Mon., August 6, morning
Double shadow transit on Jupiter
Multiple events involving Jupiter’s moons and their shadows:
EDT PDT
2:47 a.m. Shadow
of Ganymede starts across Jupiter’s disk
3:27 a.m. Europa
disappears into Jupiter’s shadow
4:07 a.m. Shadow
of Io starts across Jupiter’s disk
4:38 a.m. Shadow
of Ganymede leaves disk
5:18 a.m. Io
starts across Jupiter’s disk
5:50 a.m. 2:50
a.m. Europa
emerges from Jupiter’s shadow
5:53 a.m. 2:53
a.m. Europa
disappears behind Jupiter
6:15 a.m. 3:15
a.m. Shadow
of Io leaves disk
4:27
a.m. Io
leaves disk
4:42
a.m. Ganymede
starts across Jupiter’s disk
5:15
a.m. Europa
reappears from behind Jupiter
A 90mm telescope is needed to
see the shadows; at least 125mm to see the satellites in transit.
Sat., August 11, morning
Jupiter occulted by the moon
Jupiter and its moons will be occulted by the Moon as seen
from Indonesia, Marshall Islands, and Hawaii. Elsewhere will see a close
conjunction between Jupiter and the moon.
Sun., August 12, after midnight
Perseid meteor shower peaks
The Perseid meteor shower, usually the most reliable meteor
shower of the year, peaks just around dawn. There will be a thin crescent moon
rising around 1:30, which will interfere a bit with the fainter meteors. This
shower has a broad peak, so there should be plenty of Perseids visible in the
nights before and after the peak.
Mon., August 13, dawn
Jupiter, Venus and the moon
A triple conjunction frames the crescent moon with the two
brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter. They will be surrounded by half a dozen
first magnitude stars.
Tue., August 14, early evening
Saturn, Mars, and Spica
A close encounter between planets Saturn and Mars, along
with first magnitude star Spica, Alpha Virginis.
Thu., August 16, dawn
Mercury and Venus at maximum elongation
Mercury and Venus never stary far from the Sun, but this
morning they’re both about as far as they can get from it. Mercury is at
maximum western elongation this morning, and Venus was at maximum western
elongation yesterday morning. A thin crescent moon will help you to locate
Mercury.
Tue., August 21, early evening
Saturn, Mars, Spica, and the moon
The moon joins a close grouping of planets Saturn and Mars,
and the bright star Spica.
Wed., August 22, morning
Satellite action on Jupiter
Multiple events involving Jupiter’s moons and their shadows:
EDT PDT
2:22 a.m. Shadow
of Io starts across Jupiter’s disk
3:20 a.m. Shadow
of Europa starts across Jupiter’s disk
3:40 a.m. Io
starts across Jupiter’s disk
4:30 a.m. Shadow
of Io leaves disk
5:42 a.m. 2:42
a.m. Shadow
of Europa leaves disk
5:48 a.m. 2:48
a.m. Io
leaves disk
6:03 a.m. 3:03
a.m. Europa
starts across Jupiter’s disk
5:24
a.m. Europa
leaves disk
A 90mm telescope is needed to
see the shadows; at least 125mm to see the satellites in transit.
Fri., August 24, midnight
Neptune at opposition
You can find Neptune with binoculars using the two
easternmost stars in Capricornus, Deneb Algiedi and Nashira, as shown in this
chart.
Planets
Mercury is in the
morning sky for most of the month, best observed from the southern hemisphere.
Greatest western elongation from the Sun is on August 16.
Venus is now a
morning “star,” shining brightly before sunrise. Greatest western elongation
from the Sun is on August 15.
Mars is shrinking
rapidly in size and brightness, located in Virgo. Mars is low in the southwest
at sunset and sets around 10:30 p.m..
Jupiter is in the
morning sky in Taurus. It is close to Venus all month.
Saturn is low in the
southwest in Virgo, setting around 10:30 p.m.
Uranus continues its
sojourn into the strange “waters” of the constellation Cetus this month, an
orbital anomaly.
Neptune is in
opposition in Aquarius on August 24, and is visible all night long.
Geoff Gaherty
Starry Night Software Support
