“A planetary meetup, meteor showers, and a “star forge”!

Two planets meet for a super close conjunction, the Perseid meteor shower peaks, and look for the Lagoon Nebula – a stellar nursery in Sagittarius.

“August Stargazing Highlights:

– August 4: New moon
– August 11: Perseid meteor shower peaks (best viewing after 11:30 pm)
– August 14: Jupiter and Mars meet in a close conjunction (visible in the eastern sky before sunrise)
– August 19: Full moon
– August 20: Moon and Saturn appear together in the sky
– August 27: Crescent moon joins Mars and Jupiter for a trio (visible in the eastern sky before sunrise)

All month: Observe the Lagoon Nebula (a “star forge”) in Sagittarius using binoculars or a telescope”

August Sky:

– Saturn visible alone most of the month, but joined by the Moon on August 20th
– Perseid meteor shower peaks on August 11-12, with clear skies and low moonlight making for good viewing conditions
– Expect 50-75 meteors per hour at peak, appearing to come from the northeast
– Also visible: the Lagoon Nebula, a “stellar nursery” where stars are born”

– Similar to the Orion Nebula, but a bit fainter
– Easy to find with binoculars or a small telescope in the constellation Sagittarius
– Located above the “Teapot” star pattern, about 4,000 light years away
– A hub of star formation, with young stars and glowing gas
– Appears high overhead in the Southern Hemisphere, lower in the Northern Hemisphere
– To find it, follow a line west from the Teapot’s handle to lid, twice the distance”