Topline
For those who missed the height of the Perseid meteor shower and the uncommon total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, you haven’t missed August. The meteors are nonetheless there, fading however removed from gone, and now the night sky introduces its subsequent dominant characteristic. Now Venus enters its crescent part because it reaches its farthest from the solar, from Earth’s viewpoint, simply as a crescent moon — recent from the eclipse — passes carefully. Right here’s all the pieces you have to learn about stargazing this weekend, Aug. 14-16.
On Saturday, Aug. 15, a 13%-lit waxing crescent moon will seem beneath Venus within the west simply after sundown. At that second, Venus might be as excessive within the evening sky as it’ll get all 12 months.
Jamie Carter
Timeline
The Perseid meteor bathe is now on the wane, however look late tonight and into the small hours for meteors nonetheless seen. Count on maybe 10-20 per hour underneath darkish skies, fewer in city areas.
Venus reaches biggest elongation east — its widest separation from the solar within the night sky. A 13%-lit waxing crescent moon will seem beneath it within the west simply after sundown.
A 21%-lit waxing crescent moon will seem near vibrant star Spica, within the constellation Virgo, within the west simply after sundown.
It’s some of the counterintuitive sights in astronomy — Venus appears to be like brightest when it’s a crescent, not when it’s full — as a result of it’s a lot nearer to us. (Picture by SSPL/Getty Photos)
SSPL through Getty Photos
VENUS TAKES THE STAGE
Venus has been current all summer time, however now’s its likelihood to shine. At its biggest elongation this week, Venus sits practically 48 levels from the solar, putting it comfortably within the night sky moderately than buried in twilight — although the nearer you might be to the equator, the upper it’s. It units effectively after sundown and shines at round magnitude –4.3, outshining each star and planet. What makes this part significantly fascinating is geometry. Venus is now about half-lit, like a miniature model of 1 / 4 moon. By way of a small telescope, it seems as a clear, vibrant half-disk. Over the approaching weeks, it’ll develop bigger however thinner, turning into a crescent because it strikes nearer to Earth. On the similar time, it’ll brighten additional, reaching its peak brilliance in September, earlier than shortly fading from view. It’s some of the counterintuitive sights in astronomy — Venus appears to be like brightest when it’s a crescent, not when it’s full — as a result of it’s a lot nearer to us.
The moon, with a partial lunar eclipse, is seen behind the Statue of Freedom, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC early on November 19, 2021. (Picture by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP through Getty Photos)
AFP through Getty Photos
What’s Subsequent In The Evening Sky
Did you see this week’s photo voltaic eclipse? Eclipses virtually all the time are available pairs (or trios), and this one was no completely different. Because the moon reaches its full part on Aug. 27-28, it’ll cruise by Earth’s darkish central shadow in area to bear a deep partial lunar eclipse. Through the occasion, about 96% of the lunar floor might be immersed in Earth’s shadow. This gives some of the visually hanging lunar occasions of the 12 months. Venus continues to brighten into mid-September, reaching its peak brilliance round Sept. 18, whereas later within the 12 months, the Geminid meteor bathe will peak on Dec. 14-15.
The instances and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For essentially the most correct location-specific info, seek the advice of on-line planetariums like Stellarium.
