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From views of illuminated Venus after sunset and the appearance of a beautiful crescent moon to the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower, there’s a lot to see this week (August 5 to August 11) using your naked eyes.
Good telescope or a pair of them binoculars Will help you see some of the night sky on fainter things. However, the unaided eye is enough to learn its parts stars and constellationswatch the moonexperience meteor showers and see satellites Download the night sky.
Read on to find out what you can see in the night sky this week without any equipment, from the moon close to the planets and bright stars to the ever-changing ones moon phasesshooting stars and more.
MONDAY, AUG. 5 – CRESCENT MOON AND VENUS (AFTER SUNSET)
Look to the west immediately after the sun It is set, and you will see Venus shining very close to a super narrow crescent moon. This will be a challenging sight as the sky will still be quite bright and the pair will be sinking close to the horizon.
TUESDAY, AUG. 6 – CRESCENT MOON AND VENUS (AFTER SUNSET)
A waxing crescent moon will shine in the west just after sunset. It will no longer be close to Venus, but look to the lower right of the moon, and you will see the sixth largest planet. Solar system shining brightly in his new guise as the “Evening Star.” Over the next few nights, the moon will brighten as it passes further from Venus, which will climb higher in the sky after sunset until January, growing brighter as it descends into a brighter dark
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 7 – CRESCENT MOON, VENUS AND SPICA (After Sunset)
A brighter, clearer crescent moon will be located tonight about halfway between Venus, lower right, and the bright star Spica, upper left. One of the 20 the brightest stars in the night sky, Spica is the brightest star in the constellation Virgin.
THURSDAY, AUG. 8 – CRESCENT MOON, VENUS AND SPICA (After Sunset)
Here’s another chance to see the crescent moon dominating the evening sky after sunset, with Venus shining stubbornly close to the western sky. Look at the dark left side of the moon. Can you make out any details? Since there is no direct sunlight shining on it, it should be dark, right?
The light you see is called “Planet-shine,” “Earthshine,” or “Da Vinci Glow.” It is sunshine shining World and reflecting on the moon. It is easier to see a crescent moon a few days old.
FRIDAY, AUG. 9 – Saturday, August 10 – CRESCENT MOON, SPICA, ANTARES AND THE MILKY WAY (After sunset)
About a quarter of the Earth’s face on the moon is now lit by the sun. Over two nights, it will be visible on all sides of Spica. Arcturus in the constellation Boots It will be seen directly above the pair, and to the south, the The Milky Way it will rise after dark. To see our galaxy’s arc, however, you’ll need to be far away from light pollution.
SUNDAY, AUGUST. 11 – Monday, August. 12: PERSEID METER PEAK (PRE-DONE)
It may not be the most prolific meteor shower of the year (that distinction goes to December). Geminis and January Quatrains), but there is no better time to see current stars from the northern hemisphere than tonight. At its peak, the annual Perseid meteor shower it can produce about 60 meteors per hour visible in the night sky. The radiant point (where the meteors will appear to emanate from) is the Constellation Perseuswhich will rise in the northeast sky around midnight.
Meteor showers can often be killed by strong moonlight, but not the Perseids this year as the First Quarter Moon will set around midnight. Look at the sky during the early hours of Monday for the best chance of shooting stars, although light pollution and sky clarity will make a big difference. If you can, get away from light pollution – at least 40 miles from a major urban area is wise – but wherever you look, make sure there are no artificial lights in your sight. Sit back, relax in a lawn chair, keep warm, and take regular breaks. Don’t look at your smartphone; its white light will destroy the dark adaptation of your eyes, which takes about 20 minutes to cultivate and destroys only one second of white light.
Would you like to try some of these events with a camera? Check out our guide on Astrophotography for beginners. If you don’t have everything you need, be sure to see our guides on the best cameras for astrophotography and the best lenses for astrophotography.
Jamie Carter is an author Reality in 2024 and A program to look at the stars for beginners.
Note to the editor: If you have a great skywatching photo and would like to share it with Space.com readers, send your photo(s), comments, and name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
