RRI.CO.ID. Jakarta: August nights feel calm and warm. When the sun goes down, the sky turns dark blue, and the stars start to come out. The air is quiet. It’s the perfect time for stargazers to sit outside and enjoy the beauty of August nights.

Early in the morning, the sky is packed with action. You can see Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter before sunrise. With a telescope, you can even spot Uranus and Neptune. Around 8 to 11 August, the moon joins Jupiter, Mercury, and Mars in a striking celestial alignment above the east horizon. It offers a breathtaking view.

On 2 August, Mercury is easier to see. It moves away from the Sun, so it becomes visible in the early morning sky with the other planets.

The middle of August is the most exciting. On 7 August, the Moon passes across the Pleiades star cluster. Then on 12 August, there is a total solar eclipse in parts of Europe and Iceland. The sky will go dark for a few minutes. That same night, the Perseid meteor shower peaks. With no moonlight, you can see a brilliant display of shooting stars from midnight to dawn.

At the end of the month, the moon is in the spotlight again. On 27-28 August, there is a near-total lunar eclipse. Most of the moon will be in Earth’s shadow and take on a subtle reddish-orange hue. On 28 August, we welcome the full “Sturgeon Moon.” It rises big and bright in the evening.

On 30-31 August, the moon comes close to Saturn. They rise together after sunset and move across the sky all night. You don’t need a telescope to enjoy it.

In late August, the northern lights also start to return. In places like Alaska, Canada, Iceland, and Scandinavia, the skies become sufficiently dark again to see the aurora. All of this makes August a special month where stargazers can truly experience the beauty of August nights.

Source: Nat Geo