Don’t Miss: Sturgeon Supermoon + Perseids Meteor Shower, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter & Vega

The Sturgeon Moon, the following full moon, is a minor supermoon. The Esala Perahera Festival's conclusion, the Green Corn Moon, the Raksha Bandhan Festival Moon, Nikini Poya, and the Tu B'Av Holiday Moon are additional names for it.

The following full moon will emerge on Thursday, August 11, 2022, at 9:36 p.m. EDT, opposite the Sun in Earth-based longitude (6:36 p.m. PDT). For the time zones east of Cape Verde time, which includes Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the time when most business calendars are used, this will be on Friday morning. Approximately three days, from Wednesday morning to Saturday morning, will see the Moon at its fullest. Saturn will be visible close to the Moon. Just a few days later, when Saturn will be at or near its brightest for the year, it will be visible.

The Maine Farmer's Almanac began printing Native American names for the full moons in the 1930s, and many of these names are still in use today. The enormous fish that were easier to catch at this time of year in the Great Lakes and other significant bodies of water were known as sturgeons by the Algonquin tribes in what is now the northeastern United States as a result of the August full moon. The Green Corn Moon was another name for this moon.

The Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan, which honors the relationship between brothers and sisters, falls on the same day as this full moon. One of the customs is for sisters of all ages to wrap a cotton bracelet known as a rakhi around their brother's wrist as a symbol of their enduring relationship. In return, the brother will give the sister a gift. Raksha Bandhan means "the link of protection, commitment, or care" in English.

Every full moon is a holiday in Sri Lanka. Nikini Poya, the name of this full moon, honors the first Buddhist council, which took place over 2,400 years ago, around 400 BCE. This full moon coincides with the conclusion of the Esala Perahera event, popularly referred to as the Festival of the Tooth, in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Every year, a Buddhist celebration lasts for two weeks.

Supermoon over the Sturgeon

Due to the fact that it is the third closest full moon of the year, some media classify this as a supermoon. Astrologer Richard Nolle first used the word "supermoon" in 1979 to describe a new or full moon that happens while the Moon is within 90% of perigee, which is its closest approach to Earth. Full supermoons, which are the largest and brightest full moons of the year, have drawn interest because we can't see fresh supermoons (unless when the Moon passes in front of the Sun and produces an eclipse). Different publications have different criteria for determining which full moons qualify because perigee varies with each orbit. The June and July full moons were closer together.

Calendars and the Moon

Full moons occur in the middle of lunar months in several traditional lunisolar and lunar calendars. This full moon coincides with Tu B'Av, a modern-day Israeli holiday akin to Valentine's Day, and falls in the midst of the seventh Chinese lunar month and the Hebrew month of Av. According to the Islamic calendar, this full moon occurs close to the midpoint of Muharram. The first month of the Islamic calendar, Muharram, is one of the four holy months when fighting is prohibited.

An author's remark for readers of science fiction, Theodore Sturgeon (in honor of the Sturgeon Moon). Theodore Sturgeon penned nearly 200 stories, predominantly science fiction but also some mystery and horror tales, according to Wikipedia. Even though just two of his screenplays were created, for Star Trek fans, they injected significant ideas into the show. His Star Trek screenplays popularized "pon far," the Vulcan hand gesture, the proverb "live long and prosper," and the "Prime Directive" (in an unproduced script that had an impact on later scripts).

As always, it is recommended that you celebrate the full moon by dressing appropriately. Additionally, avoid starting any battles, stay in touch with your siblings, and think about reading Theodore Sturgeon.

Here is a list of astronomical events that will occur between now and the following full moon, with times and angles depending on where NASA's headquarters are in Washington, D.C.:

The length of the days in the sun gets shorter as summer goes on. On August 11, 2022, the day of the full moon, solar noon will be at 1:13:20 p.m., when the Sun will reach its highest altitude of 66.24 degrees, sunset will be at 8:08 p.m., and evening twilight will end at 9:11 p.m. Morning twilight will start at 5:14 a.m. EDT., sunrise will be at 6:18 a.m., solar noon will be Twilight in the morning will start at 5:46 in the morning, sunrise will be at 6:45 in the morning, solar noon will be at 1:05:11 in the afternoon, when the Sun will reach its maximum altitude of 55.88 degrees, sunset will be at 7:24 in the evening, and evening twilight will end at 8:23 in the evening by Saturday, September 10, the day of the full moon after that.

The Moon and the Perseids

Several meteor showers are anticipated to peak during this lunar cycle, although the most promising shower will be hampered by moonlight. The International Meteor Organization predicts that the Perseid meteor shower will peak on August 12 and 13, 2022, late Friday night until early Saturday morning. Although the Perseids can be one of the year's biggest meteor showers, visibility will be limited in 2022 due to the almost full moon. The optimum time to search for these meteors will be after midnight on Saturday morning. You will also need to be away from other lights and light pollution, as well as select a location with a great view of a clear sky devoid of clouds or haze. You must turn your gaze away from the Moon's light and toward the north. Three to six meteors per hour at most are anticipated for the three additional meteor showers that will peak during this lunar cycle (and fewer under urban viewing conditions).

Highlights of the Evening Sky

The rising Moon will be visible 7 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon on Thursday, August 11, 2022, the day of the full moon, as evening twilight ends at 9:11 p.m. EDT. Saturn will be seen 6 degrees to the upper left of the Moon. Although it will have set approximately 4 minutes prior, the planet Mercury may still be visible in the glimmer of sunset. Vega, which is located 76 degrees above the eastern horizon, will be the bright star that will look closest to directly overhead. With a distance of 25 light-years from Earth, Vega is the fifth brightest star in our night sky. It is 40 times more massive and 40 times brighter than the Sun.

Saturn will appear to move each evening toward the west as Earth revolves around the Sun as the lunar cycle advances, as will the background of stars. On August 14, Saturn will be rising around sunset and fading around daybreak. It will be at its closest and brightest for the year. Mercury will set just a few minutes before evening twilight finishes throughout the majority of August, but it will migrate to the left along the horizon farther from the Sun. Mercury is more likely to be visible in the twilight light as a result. After reaching its greatest distance from the Sun for this apparition on August 27, Mercury will stop moving away from the Sun at the end of August and start setting earlier each evening, making it more difficult to spot. On August 29, the waxing moon will pass close to Mercury, on August 30, the bright star Spica, on September 3, the bright star Antares, and on September 7 and 8, Saturn. As evening twilight fades on September 5, the bright planet Jupiter will start to emerge above the eastern horizon and join Saturn in the evening sky.

When evening twilight ends at 8:23 p.m. EDT on Saturday, September 10, the day of the following full moon, the rising Moon will be 4 degrees above the eastern horizon. Less than 3 degrees above the eastern horizon, Jupiter will be visible to the left of the Moon. 21 degrees above the southeast horizon, Saturn will be visible. Mercury will set 30 minutes after sunset, making it impossible to see it in the glimmer of dusk. Nearly directly overhead, at 89.5 degrees above the horizon, is the bright star Vega.

Sunrise Highlights

Four of the five visible planets will be visible in the morning sky on August 11, 2022, the day of the full moon, at the start of morning twilight at 5:14 a.m. EDT. Saturn will be at 14 degrees above the southwest horizon, Jupiter at 51 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon, Mars at 55 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon, and Venus at 5 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon. On the west-southwest horizon, below Saturn, the full moon will set. The planet Mars will be the brilliant celestial object that will be visible closest to overhead.

Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars will appear to move each morning toward the west as the lunar cycle goes on, while Mars will appear to move more slowly. Each dawn, Venus will appear to move in the opposite direction, getting closer to the eastern horizon. The Perseid meteor shower will peak on August 13 in the morning, although visibility will be hampered this year by the nearly full moon's light (especially with the added light pollution in more urban environments). On August 14, Saturn will be rising around sunset and fading around daybreak. It will be at its closest and brightest for the year. On August 12, the waxing moon will pass close to Saturn; on August 15, Jupiter and the Pleiades star cluster; on August 19, Mars and the waning moon; on August 20, Aldebaran and Pollux; and on August 25, Venus and the bright planet Venus. Saturn will be over the west-southwest horizon for the final time on August 26 (when morning twilight begins), while Venus will be above the east-northeastern horizon for the final time on September 6.

Only two of the five visible planets will be visible in the sky by the morning of Saturday, September 10, the day of the following full moon, as morning twilight begins at 5:46 a.m. EDT. Jupiter will be at 29 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon, and Mars will be at 70 degrees above the south-southeastern horizon, close to the bright star Aldebaran. Ten degrees above the west-southwest horizon, below Jupiter, the full moon will be visible. Capella, which is located 73 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon, will be the bright star that will look closest to overhead. Capella is actually four stars, despite the fact that we only see one of them (it is the sixth brightest star in our night sky) (two pairs of stars orbiting each other). About 43 light years separate us from Capella.

Complete Daily Schedule

Here is a more thorough, day-by-day list of the celestial events that will occur between now and the following full Moon. Some of these facts may not apply to you because the times and angles are based on the location of NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The bright star Pollux will be visible 6.5 degrees to the upper left of the bright planet Venus on Saturday, August 6, 2022, low on the east-northeastern horizon. A half-hour before morning twilight starts (at 4:32 a.m. EDT), Venus will rise. By the time dusk starts at 5:09 a.m., Venus will be 6 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon. Each morning, Venus will move closer to the horizon while Pollux moves higher, and this will be the morning when the duo will appear closest to one another.

The bright star Antares will be visible on August 6 and 7, 2022, from late Saturday night through early Sunday morning, around 6 degrees to the left of the waxing gibbous moon. At 9:18 p.m. EDT, when evening twilight ends, the Moon will be 26 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon. At 1:04 a.m. on Sunday, approximately 4 hours after setting above the west-southwestern horizon, the Moon will do so.

On Thursday night into Friday morning, August 11 to 12, 2022, Saturn will be visible above the Moon, moving from the upper left to the upper right as the night goes on. Saturn will be approximately at its brightest for the year at this time.

Peak Perseid Meteor Shower, August 12–13

On August 12 and 13, 2022, the Perseid meteor shower is anticipated to reach its apogee late on Friday night and early on Saturday. This year, it will be challenging to observe these meteors due to the moonlight. The optimum time to search for these meteors should be Saturday morning after midnight. You must have a clear view of a wide area of sky, be far from any city lights or other light sources, and be in an area devoid of clouds or haze. You must turn your gaze away from the Moon's light and toward the north.

August 14 Sunday, August 14, 2022, at noon, the planet Saturn will be in opposition to the Sun and Earth, or a "full" Saturn. Saturn will seem brightest and be closest to Earth it has been all year.

On August 14 and 15, 2022, Sunday night into Monday morning, Jupiter will be visible to the left of the waning gibbous moon. At 9:58 p.m. EDT, the pair will appear above the eastern horizon with Jupiter 6 degrees to the Moon's left. At 4:02 a.m. on Monday, the Moon will be at its highest point in the sky for the night, with Jupiter positioned about 4 degrees above it. Morning darkness will start a little over an hour later, at 5:19 a.m.

With binoculars or a little telescope on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 in the morning. To Venus's left, you might be able to glimpse the Beehive star cluster. When morning twilight begins at 5:21 a.m. EDT, Venus will be visible around 4 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon.

The half-full waning moon will be visible close to Mars and the Pleiades star cluster on Friday morning, August 19, 2022. At 12:02 a.m. EDT, Mars will be the last astronomical object to appear above the eastern horizon, appearing beneath the Moon and to the Moon's left of the Pleiades. At 12:36 a.m., the Moon will be in its final quarter. The Moon will be almost directly between Mars and the Pleiades by the time morning twilight starts at 5:23 a.m. Mars will be somewhat to the lower right of the Pleiades and the Pleiades will be to the upper left. The following morning, Saturday, August 20, Mars and the Pleiades will seem at their closest, around 6 degrees apart.

The bright star Aldebaran will be visible early on August 20, 2022, about 8 degrees to the lower right of the fading crescent moon. At 12:52 a.m. EDT, the Moon will rise first, followed by Aldebaran as it rises over the eastern horizon. At 5:24 a.m., morning twilight will start around 4.5 hours later.

The Moon will be at apogee on Monday, August 22, 2022 at 5:53 p.m. EDT, the point in this orbit where it is the furthest away from Earth.

The bright star Pollux will be visible early on August 23, 2022, about 8 degrees to the lower left of the waning crescent moon. At 3:03 a.m. EDT, more than two hours before morning twilight starts at 5:28 a.m., Pollux will rise beyond the northeastern horizon after the Moon.

On Wednesday, August 24, 2022, early in the morning, the Moon will be seen underneath the brilliant star Pollux. Pollux will join the Moon when it rises over the eastern horizon at 3:29 a.m. EDT. At 5:29 a.m., morning twilight will start around two hours later.

The bright planet Venus will be visible early on August 25, 2022, around 8 degrees below the slender, declining crescent moon. At 5:12 a.m. EDT, the Moon will rise first, followed by Venus, which will then join the Moon in the sky. At 5:30 a.m., morning twilight will start roughly 18 minutes later.

You might be able to view the thin, declining crescent moon on Friday morning, August 26, 2022, about 7 degrees to the lower left of Venus. When morning twilight starts at 5:31 a.m. EDT, the Moon will rise to join Venus over the east-northeastern horizon.

The new moon occurs on Saturday, August 27, 2022, at 4:17 a.m. EDT, when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun and is not visible from Earth.

The planet Mercury will seem half-lit via a sufficiently powerful telescope around midday on Saturday as it achieves its greatest angular separation from the Sun as seen from Earth for this apparition (called greatest elongation). When Mercury and the Sun appear to be the furthest apart as seen from Earth, however, is not the same as when Mercury is the easiest to see in the glow of sunset just before evening twilight ends because the angle of the line between the Sun and Mercury and the horizon changes with the seasons.

For the majority of lunar and lunisolar calendars, the new month begins on the day of or the day after the new moon. On Saturday, August 27, at midnight in China's time zone (which is 12 hours ahead of EDT), the eighth month of the Chinese calendar will begin. On Saturday, August 27, at sunset, the Hebrew calendar's month of Elul officially begins. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur's High Holy Days are anticipated during the month of Elul. It's customary to seek for forgiveness, offer it to others, and start or close every letter with wishing the recipient a happy new year. The first glimpse of the waxing crescent moon marks the beginning of the month in the Islamic calendar. The Umm al-Qura Calendar of Saudi Arabia, which employs astronomical calculations to begin months in a more predictable manner, is now used by many Muslim communities. Using this calendar, Safar will most likely begin at sunset on Saturday, August 27.

On Monday evening, August 29, 2022, you might be able to observe Mercury passing beneath the thin, waxing crescent moon for around 20 minutes. Before Mercury sets at 8:35 p.m. EDT but more than 30 minutes after sunset, try looking towards the western horizon. As Mercury will set about 8 minutes before evening twilight ends at 8:43 p.m., it will be difficult to see the pair without binoculars or a telescope. Mercury will set in the glow of sunset.

The bright star Spica will be visible on Tuesday, August 30, 2022, around 5 degrees to the left of the thin, waxing crescent moon. As evening twilight ends at 8:41 p.m. EDT, the Moon will be visible 9 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon. Spica will set first about 40 minutes later at 9:23 p.m.

The Moon will appear half-full when it reaches its first quarter at 2:08 p.m. EDT on Saturday, September 3, 2022. (when we cannot see it from the Washington, D.C. area).                                                                                                        

The brilliant star Antares will be visible on Saturday night about 6 degrees to the lower right of the half moon. When evening twilight ends at 8:35 p.m. EDT, the Moon will be 22 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon, and Antares will set first less than 3 hours later at 11:14 p.m.

On September 6 and 7, 2022, Mars and the brilliant star Aldebaran will be visible close to one another, at a distance of just over 4 degrees. Aldebaran will rise close to midnight at 11:45 p.m. EDT after Mars, which will rise first. On Wednesday morning at 5:43 a.m., the start of morning twilight, Mars will be 69 degrees above the southeast horizon.

Saturn will be visible above the waxing gibbous Moon on September 7 and 8, 2022, during Wednesday night and Thursday morning. As evening darkness ends, Saturn will be approximately 9 degrees to the top left of the Moon (Wednesday at 8:28 p.m. EDT). Less than 3 hours later, at 11:13 p.m., the Moon will be at its highest point in the sky for the whole night. Saturn will be visible about 6 degrees to the top right of the Moon when it sets below the west-southwestern horizon about 5 hours later (Thursday at 4:14 a.m.).

The following full moon will occur at 5:59 a.m. EDT on Saturday, September 10, 2022. Over the course of three days, from Thursday night to Sunday morning, the Moon will be in its full phase.

We suggestThe Sturgeon Moon, the following full moon, is a minor supermoon. The Esala Perahera Festival's conclusion, the Green Corn Moon, the Raksha Bandhan Festival Moon, Nikini Poya, and the Tu B'Av Holiday Moon are additional names for it.

The following full moon will emerge on Thursday, August 11, 2022, at 9:36 p.m. EDT, opposite the Sun in Earth-based longitude (6:36 p.m. PDT). For the time zones east of Cape Verde time, which includes Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the time when most business calendars are used, this will be on Friday morning. Approximately three days, from Wednesday morning to Saturday morning, will see the Moon at its fullest. Saturn will be visible close to the Moon. Just a few days later, when Saturn will be at or near its brightest for the year, it will be visible.

A Moon with Many Names

The Maine Farmer's Almanac began printing Native American names for the full moons in the 1930s, and many of these names are still in use today. The enormous fish that were easier to catch at this time of year in the Great Lakes and other significant bodies of water were known as sturgeons by the Algonquin tribes in what is now the northeastern United States as a result of the August full moon. The Green Corn Moon was another name for this moon.

The Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan, which honors the relationship between brothers and sisters, falls on the same day as this full moon. One of the customs is for sisters of all ages to wrap a cotton bracelet known as a rakhi around their brother's wrist as a symbol of their enduring relationship. In return, the brother will give the sister a gift. Raksha Bandhan means "the link of protection, commitment, or care" in English.

Every full moon is a holiday in Sri Lanka. Nikini Poya, the name of this full moon, honors the first Buddhist council, which took place over 2,400 years ago, around 400 BCE. This full moon coincides with the conclusion of the Esala Perahera event, popularly referred to as the Festival of the Tooth, in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Every year, a Buddhist celebration lasts for two weeks.

Due to the fact that it is the third closest full moon of the year, some media classify this as a supermoon. Astrologer Richard Nolle first used the word "supermoon" in 1979 to describe a new or full moon that happens while the Moon is within 90% of perigee, which is its closest approach to Earth. Full supermoons, which are the largest and brightest full moons of the year, have drawn interest because we can't see fresh supermoons (unless when the Moon passes in front of the Sun and produces an eclipse). Different publications have different criteria for determining which full moons qualify because perigee varies with each orbit. The June and July full moons were closer together.

Calendars and the Moon

Full moons occur in the middle of lunar months in several traditional lunisolar and lunar calendars. This full moon coincides with Tu B'Av, a modern-day Israeli holiday akin to Valentine's Day, and falls in the midst of the seventh Chinese lunar month and the Hebrew month of Av. According to the Islamic calendar, this full moon occurs close to the midpoint of Muharram. The first month of the Islamic calendar, Muharram, is one of the four holy months when fighting is prohibited.

An author's remark for readers of science fiction, Theodore Sturgeon (in honor of the Sturgeon Moon). Theodore Sturgeon penned nearly 200 stories, predominantly science fiction but also some mystery and horror tales, according to Wikipedia. Even though just two of his screenplays were created, for Star Trek fans, they injected significant ideas into the show. His Star Trek screenplays popularized "pon far," the Vulcan hand gesture, the proverb "live long and prosper," and the "Prime Directive" (in an unproduced script that had an impact on later scripts).

As always, it is recommended that you celebrate the full moon by dressing appropriately. Additionally, avoid starting any battles, stay in touch with your siblings, and think about reading Theodore Sturgeon.

Here is a list of astronomical events that will occur between now and the following full moon, with times and angles depending on where NASA's headquarters are in Washington, D.C.:                                                                                               

The length of the days in the sun gets shorter as summer goes on. On August 11, 2022, the day of the full moon, solar noon will be at 1:13:20 p.m., when the Sun will reach its highest altitude of 66.24 degrees, sunset will be at 8:08 p.m., and evening twilight will end at 9:11 p.m. Morning twilight will start at 5:14 a.m. EDT., sunrise will be at 6:18 a.m., solar noon will be Twilight in the morning will start at 5:46 in the morning, sunrise will be at 6:45 in the morning, solar noon will be at 1:05:11 in the afternoon, when the Sun will reach its maximum altitude of 55.88 degrees, sunset will be at 7:24 in the evening, and evening twilight will end at 8:23 in the evening by Saturday, September 10, the day of the full moon after that.

Several meteor showers are anticipated to peak during this lunar cycle, although the most promising shower will be hampered by moonlight. The International Meteor Organization predicts that the Perseid meteor shower will peak on August 12 and 13, 2022, late Friday night until early Saturday morning. Although the Perseids can be one of the year's biggest meteor showers, visibility will be limited in 2022 due to the almost full moon. The optimum time to search for these meteors will be after midnight on Saturday morning. You will also need to be away from other lights and light pollution, as well as select a location with a great view of a clear sky devoid of clouds or haze. You must turn your gaze away from the Moon's light and toward the north. Three to six meteors per hour at most are anticipated for the three additional meteor showers that will peak during this lunar cycle (and fewer under urban viewing conditions).

The rising Moon will be visible 7 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon on Thursday, August 11, 2022, the day of the full moon, as evening twilight ends at 9:11 p.m. EDT. Saturn will be seen 6 degrees to the upper left of the Moon. Although it will have set approximately 4 minutes prior, the planet Mercury may still be visible in the glimmer of sunset. Vega, which is located 76 degrees above the eastern horizon, will be the bright star that will look closest to directly overhead. With a distance of 25 light-years from Earth, Vega is the fifth brightest star in our night sky. It is 40 times more massive and 40 times brighter than the Sun.

Saturn will appear to move each evening toward the west as Earth revolves around the Sun as the lunar cycle advances, as will the background of stars. On August 14, Saturn will be rising around sunset and fading around daybreak. It will be at its closest and brightest for the year. Mercury will set just a few minutes before evening twilight finishes throughout the majority of August, but it will migrate to the left along the horizon farther from the Sun. Mercury is more likely to be visible in the twilight light as a result. After reaching its greatest distance from the Sun for this apparition on August 27, Mercury will stop moving away from the Sun at the end of August and start setting earlier each evening, making it more difficult to spot. On August 29, the waxing moon will pass close to Mercury, on August 30, the bright star Spica, on September 3, the bright star Antares, and on September 7 and 8, Saturn. As evening twilight fades on September 5, the bright planet Jupiter will start to emerge above the eastern horizon and join Saturn in the evening sky.

When evening twilight ends at 8:23 p.m. EDT on Saturday, September 10, the day of the following full moon, the rising Moon will be 4 degrees above the eastern horizon. Less than 3 degrees above the eastern horizon, Jupiter will be visible to the left of the Moon. 21 degrees above the southeast horizon, Saturn will be visible. Mercury will set 30 minutes after sunset, making it impossible to see it in the glimmer of dusk. Nearly directly overhead, at 89.5 degrees above the horizon, is the bright star Vega.

Four of the five visible planets will be visible in the morning sky on August 11, 2022, the day of the full moon, at the start of morning twilight at 5:14 a.m. EDT. Saturn will be at 14 degrees above the southwest horizon, Jupiter at 51 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon, Mars at 55 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon, and Venus at 5 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon. On the west-southwest horizon, below Saturn, the full moon will set. The planet Mars will be the brilliant celestial object that will be visible closest to overhead.

Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars will appear to move each morning toward the west as the lunar cycle goes on, while Mars will appear to move more slowly. Each dawn, Venus will appear to move in the opposite direction, getting closer to the eastern horizon. The Perseid meteor shower will peak on August 13 in the morning, although visibility will be hampered this year by the nearly full moon's light (especially with the added light pollution in more urban environments). On August 14, Saturn will be rising around sunset and fading around daybreak. It will be at its closest and brightest for the year. On August 12, the waxing moon will pass close to Saturn; on August 15, Jupiter and the Pleiades star cluster; on August 19, Mars and the waning moon; on August 20, Aldebaran and Pollux; and on August 25, Venus and the bright planet Venus. Saturn will be over the west-southwest horizon for the final time on August 26 (when morning twilight begins), while Venus will be above the east-northeastern horizon for the final time on September 6.

Only two of the five visible planets will be visible in the sky by the morning of Saturday, September 10, the day of the following full moon, as morning twilight begins at 5:46 a.m. EDT. Jupiter will be at 29 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon, and Mars will be at 70 degrees above the south-southeastern horizon, close to the bright star Aldebaran. Ten degrees above the west-southwest horizon, below Jupiter, the full moon will be visible. Capella, which is located 73 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon, will be the bright star that will look closest to overhead. Capella is actually four stars, despite the fact that we only see one of them (it is the sixth brightest star in our night sky) (two pairs of stars orbiting each other). About 43 light years separate us from Capella.

Complete Daily Schedule

Here is a more thorough, day-by-day list of the celestial events that will occur between now and the following full Moon. Some of these facts may not apply to you because the times and angles are based on the location of NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The bright star Pollux will be visible 6.5 degrees to the upper left of the bright planet Venus on Saturday, August 6, 2022, low on the east-northeastern horizon. A half-hour before morning twilight starts (at 4:32 a.m. EDT), Venus will rise. By the time dusk starts at 5:09 a.m., Venus will be 6 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon. Each morning, Venus will move closer to the horizon while Pollux moves higher, and this will be the morning when the duo will appear closest to one another.

The bright star Antares will be visible on August 6 and 7, 2022, from late Saturday night through early Sunday morning, around 6 degrees to the left of the waxing gibbous moon. At 9:18 p.m. EDT, when evening twilight ends, the Moon will be 26 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon. At 1:04 a.m. on Sunday, approximately 4 hours after setting above the west-southwestern horizon, the Moon will do so.

The Moon will be at perigee on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, at 1:10 p.m. EDT, the point in its orbit where it is closest to Earth.

The following full moon will occur on Thursday, August 11, 2022, at 9:36 p.m. EDT. Approximately three days, from Wednesday morning to Saturday morning, will see the Moon at its fullest.

On Thursday night into Friday morning, August 11 to 12, 2022, Saturn will be visible above the Moon, moving from the upper left to the upper right as the night goes on. Saturn will be approximately at its brightest for the year at this time.

Peak Perseid Meteor Shower, August 12–13

On August 12 and 13, 2022, the Perseid meteor shower is anticipated to reach its apogee late on Friday night and early on Saturday. This year, it will be challenging to observe these meteors due to the moonlight. The optimum time to search for these meteors should be Saturday morning after midnight. You must have a clear view of a wide area of sky, be far from any city lights or other light sources, and be in an area devoid of clouds or haze. You must turn your gaze away from the Moon's light and toward the north.

August 14 Sunday, August 14, 2022, at noon, the planet Saturn will be in opposition to the Sun and Earth, or a "full" Saturn. Saturn will seem brightest and be closest to Earth it has been all year.

On August 14 and 15, 2022, Sunday night into Monday morning, Jupiter will be visible to the left of the waning gibbous moon. At 9:58 p.m. EDT, the pair will appear above the eastern horizon with Jupiter 6 degrees to the Moon's left. At 4:02 a.m. on Monday, the Moon will be at its highest point in the sky for the night, with Jupiter positioned about 4 degrees above it. Morning darkness will start a little over an hour later, at 5:19 a.m.

17 August

With binoculars or a little telescope on Wednesday, August 17, 2022 in the morning. To Venus's left, you might be able to glimpse the Beehive star cluster. When morning twilight begins at 5:21 a.m. EDT, Venus will be visible around 4 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon.

19 August

The half-full waning moon will be visible close to Mars and the Pleiades star cluster on Friday morning, August 19, 2022. At 12:02 a.m. EDT, Mars will be the last astronomical object to appear above the eastern horizon, appearing beneath the Moon and to the Moon's left of the Pleiades. At 12:36 a.m., the Moon will be in its final quarter. The Moon will be almost directly between Mars and the Pleiades by the time morning twilight starts at 5:23 a.m. Mars will be somewhat to the lower right of the Pleiades and the Pleiades will be to the upper left. The following morning, Saturday, August 20, Mars and the Pleiades will seem at their closest, around 6 degrees apart.

The bright star Aldebaran will be visible early on August 20, 2022, about 8 degrees to the lower right of the fading crescent moon. At 12:52 a.m. EDT, the Moon will rise first, followed by Aldebaran as it rises over the eastern horizon. At 5:24 a.m., morning twilight will start around 4.5 hours later.

The Moon will be at apogee on Monday, August 22, 2022 at 5:53 p.m. EDT, the point in this orbit where it is the furthest away from Earth.

The bright star Pollux will be visible early on August 23, 2022, about 8 degrees to the lower left of the waning crescent moon. At 3:03 a.m. EDT, more than two hours before morning twilight starts at 5:28 a.m., Pollux will rise beyond the northeastern horizon after the Moon.

On Wednesday, August 24, 2022, early in the morning, the Moon will be seen underneath the brilliant star Pollux. Pollux will join the Moon when it rises over the eastern horizon at 3:29 a.m. EDT. At 5:29 a.m., morning twilight will start around two hours later.

The bright planet Venus will be visible early on August 25, 2022, around 8 degrees below the slender, declining crescent moon. At 5:12 a.m. EDT, the Moon will rise first, followed by Venus, which will then join the Moon in the sky. At 5:30 a.m., morning twilight will start roughly 18 minutes later.

You might be able to view the thin, declining crescent moon on Friday morning, August 26, 2022, about 7 degrees to the lower left of Venus. When morning twilight starts at 5:31 a.m. EDT, the Moon will rise to join Venus over the east-northeastern horizon.

New Moon on August 27.

The new moon occurs on Saturday, August 27, 2022, at 4:17 a.m. EDT, when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun and is not visible from Earth.

The planet Mercury will seem half-lit via a sufficiently powerful telescope around midday on Saturday as it achieves its greatest angular separation from the Sun as seen from Earth for this apparition (called greatest elongation). When Mercury and the Sun appear to be the furthest apart as seen from Earth, however, is not the same as when Mercury is the easiest to see in the glow of sunset just before evening twilight ends because the angle of the line between the Sun and Mercury and the horizon changes with the seasons.

For the majority of lunar and lunisolar calendars, the new month begins on the day of or the day after the new moon. On Saturday, August 27, at midnight in China's time zone (which is 12 hours ahead of EDT), the eighth month of the Chinese calendar will begin. On Saturday, August 27, at sunset, the Hebrew calendar's month of Elul officially begins. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur's High Holy Days are anticipated during the month of Elul. It's customary to seek for forgiveness, offer it to others, and start or close every letter with wishing the recipient a happy new year. The first glimpse of the waxing crescent moon marks the beginning of the month in the Islamic calendar. The Umm al-Qura Calendar of Saudi Arabia, which employs astronomical calculations to begin months in a more predictable manner, is now used by many Muslim communities. Using this calendar, Safar will most likely begin at sunset on Saturday, August 27.

On Monday evening, August 29, 2022, you might be able to observe Mercury passing beneath the thin, waxing crescent moon for around 20 minutes. Before Mercury sets at 8:35 p.m. EDT but more than 30 minutes after sunset, try looking towards the western horizon. As Mercury will set about 8 minutes before evening twilight ends at 8:43 p.m., it will be difficult to see the pair without binoculars or a telescope. Mercury will set in the glow of sunset.

The bright star Spica will be visible on Tuesday, August 30, 2022, around 5 degrees to the left of the thin, waxing crescent moon. As evening twilight ends at 8:41 p.m. EDT, the Moon will be visible 9 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon. Spica will set first about 40 minutes later at 9:23 p.m.

The Moon will appear half-full when it reaches its first quarter at 2:08 p.m. EDT on Saturday, September 3, 2022. (when we cannot see it from the Washington, D.C. area).

The brilliant star Antares will be visible on Saturday night about 6 degrees to the lower right of the half moon. When evening twilight ends at 8:35 p.m. EDT, the Moon will be 22 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon, and Antares will set first less than 3 hours later at 11:14 p.m.

On September 6 and 7, 2022, Mars and the brilliant star Aldebaran will be visible close to one another, at a distance of just over 4 degrees. Aldebaran will rise close to midnight at 11:45 p.m. EDT after Mars, which will rise first. On Wednesday morning at 5:43 a.m., the start of morning twilight, Mars will be 69 degrees above the southeast horizon.

Saturn will be visible above the waxing gibbous Moon on September 7 and 8, 2022, during Wednesday night and Thursday morning. As evening darkness ends, Saturn will be approximately 9 degrees to the top left of the Moon (Wednesday at 8:28 p.m. EDT). Less than 3 hours later, at 11:13 p.m., the Moon will be at its highest point in the sky for the whole night. Saturn will be visible about 6 degrees to the top right of the Moon when it sets below the west-southwestern horizon about 5 hours later (Thursday at 4:14 a.m.).

The following full moon will occur at 5:59 a.m. EDT on Saturday, September 10, 2022. Over the course of three days, from Thursday night to Sunday morning, the Moon will be in its full phase.

By GORDON JOHNSTON, NASA