Summertime may seem perfect for stargazing, but short nights in June and July limit astronomical observations. With the Sun lingering low on the horizon, the sky doesn’t get dark enough to reveal the splendor of stars, especially when the Moon joins in, causing additional brightness. However, the situation improves significantly in August, offering truly dark astronomical nights. During this time, the Milky Way, with its rich tapestry of stars, clusters, and nebulae, comes into view. Nonetheless, the beginning of summer isn’t a lost opportunity, as it allows us to study prominent constellations that aid in navigating the night sky.
The Prominent Summer Triangle
The main asterism of summer is the Summer Triangle, formed by the brightest stars in Lyra – Vega, Cygnus – Deneb, and Aquila – Altair. Positioned high in the sky, within the triangle, one can spot smaller yet distinctive constellations like Vulpecula and Sagitta, as well as the Delphinus constellation to the left of the Deneb-Altair line. The Summer Triangle will reign over our skies until the end of the season and will remain visible even in autumn, albeit much lower on the horizon, as if reminiscing about the summer break.
Moon and Planets in August
Amidst clear skies, it’s worthwhile to observe bright objects like the Moon and planets. The lunar phases for August are as follows: the last quarter on August 10, the New Moon on August 17, the first quarter on August 26, and the Full Moon marking the beginning of the month. Mercury will be visible near the setting Sun, most favorably during the first ten days of August. Slightly to the left of Mercury, a faintly glowing Mars can be seen through a telescope, appearing as a small red disc. Mars is currently distant from Earth, and its next opposition is expected in January 2025. Venus approaches the Sun and will be faintly visible in the summer months, emerging as the Morning Star before sunrise towards the end of summer. Jupiter will be visible in the eastern sky, among the constellation Aries, during the latter half of the season. In a telescope, one can appreciate the changing positions of Jupiter’s Galilean moons – Io, Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto. Saturn is already visible in the constellation Aquarius in July, and telescopes may reveal its prominent rings.
August Nights and the Perseid Meteor Shower
The second half of summer, August, brings the traditional Perseid meteor shower, caused by the debris from the periodic comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. This year, the Moon won’t interfere significantly with observations, offering a chance to witness shooting stars radiating abundantly from the constellation Perseus. The peak activity is expected between August 11 and 13. Dark nights also provide an opportunity to observe celestial objects within the Milky Way. Even binoculars on a tripod can reveal countless star fields and nebulae in the Sagittarius constellation. Paying attention to the “classics” of our skies, such as the Andromeda Galaxy, the Hercules Globular Cluster, the Dumbbell Nebula in Vulpecula, and the Ring Nebula in Lyra, is highly recommended.
The treasures of the summer sky could fill a much more extensive treatise, but the ones mentioned above should inspire independent explorations. We wish you warm and clear nights for stargazing!