From Stunning Meteor Shower to Black Moon: August's beautiful sky-watching events you shouldn't miss

August brings a fresh reason to stay up late. As nights grow longer across the globe, the sky offers a stunning display of celestial events that stargazers won’t want to miss.

What to See in August’s Night Sky?
The Northern Hemisphere starts to darken after July’s brightness. Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere enjoys ideal stargazing conditions with its extended night hours. Across both hemispheres, the sky in August features a blend of meteor showers, planetary alignments, and a rare lunar event.

The Perseid meteor shower will peak between August 12 and 13. Around 60 to 100 meteors may light up the sky each hour. These shooting stars will appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus. Although the Full Moon may reduce visibility, brighter meteors should still be visible. The shower remains active from July 17 to August 24.

Planetary Close Encounters to Watch
On August 12, Venus and Jupiter will form a close pairing. The two brightest planets will be less than a degree apart. This close approach, known as a conjunction, is easy to spot after sunset. Venus and Jupiter will shine close together, offering a rare visual treat.

Mercury will also reach its greatest elongation west on August 19. This makes the planet easier to see just before sunrise. Two days later, on August 21, the Crescent Moon will appear near Mercury in the early morning sky. Though not within a telescope’s range, the pairing should still be visible to the naked eye.