There will be a variety of celestial events to see this August 2022, including the last full moon of the summer and meteor showers.
Over the next month, be sure to watch the sky for the following.
People wearing face masks watch the sunset as they wait to see the planets Jupiter and Saturn during the great conjunction at the Griffith Observatory on the same day as the winter solstice, December 21, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. - The great conjunction refers to the astronomical alignment of Jupiter and Saturn, the closest for nearly 400 years.
Planetary Conjunction - Aug. 1 - 2
Mars was visible with Elusive Uranus Sunday (July 31). But there's more to look forward to this month if you love watching the sky.
In August, there will be a display of planets in the evening sky. Venus and Saturn will be moving away from each other and can be seen on the opposite sides of the sky. Mars and the icy giant planet Uranus will be nearly in line with one another, ABP News reported.
This weekend, Mars and Uranus will enter rare planetary conjunction in the constellation of Aries, appearing only two widths of a full moon apart.
Live Science said catching a glimpse of a brighter Mars and dull Uranus, which is generally difficult to spot in the night sky, is a rare opportunity.
The fourth and seventh planets from the sun won't be so close together, though. Despite being just over 1 degree apart in the early hours of Monday, Aug. 1, they will really be roughly 1.6 billion miles (2.6 billion kilometers) apart.
Any night this weekend and through the first part of next week will provide breathtaking views of Mars and Uranus in conjunction. However, the precise moment of the closest conjunction will vary depending on your location.
As seen from the Northern Hemisphere, they will rise simultaneously in the east at midnight local time and remain visible high in the southeast until just before dawn.
The absolute closest conjunctions will be visible early on Monday and Tuesday, so look at about 1:00 a.m. local time where you are.
Although it is theoretically feasible for certain astronomers to view Uranus with the unaided eye under completely black skies, using binoculars or a small telescope is a far better chance. Both planets will be visible in the same area of vision with binoculars. While Uranus will have a blue-green color, Mars will seem reddish.
Another choice is to witness a live webcast of the Mars-Uranus conjunction via the Virtual Telescope Project, which will begin streaming at 9 p.m. EDT on Aug. 1 through a telescope in Rome, Italy (01:00 UTC on Aug. 2).
Perseid Meteor Shower - Aug. 11-12
Although the Perseid meteor shower has been there since mid-July, tremendous excitement surrounds its peak on Aug. 11 and 12. The Perseids occur as the Earth travels into a track of debris left by the comet Swift-Tuttle and are timed for best viewing for people in the Northern Hemisphere when the weather typically permits late-night stargazing.
According to NASA, the Swift-Tuttle comet rounds the sun and beyond Pluto's orbit every 133 years. Each year, the Earth approaches its path, merging into the debris trail and giving us a breathtaking vantage position.
The moon will be reaching its fullest phase around the time of optimal viewing, which might drown out some of the smaller meteors, Popular Mechanics mentioned. But the Perseids' vibrant display will be strong enough to outweigh that bothersome moonlight.
Expect to still see a few meteors coming in from Comet 169P/Neat during the first few days of August after the Alpha Capricornids wrap up on July 30. Early August observation of Comet 96P/Machholz debris is made possible by the peak of the Delta Aquarids, which occurs about the same time. Those in the southern United States can see these in particular there.
Last Supermoon of 2022 - Aug. 11
Aug. 11 will see the appearance of 2022's final supermoon. The moon may look up to 7% brighter and larger than a regular full moon during these supermoon occurrences, which are full moons that occur when Earth is circling the sun closer than usual.
A full moon occurs when the moon's entire face is lighted while it is on the sun's other side of the Earth. It is known as the Sturgeon Moon in Native American history because of the abundance of sturgeon fish in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain. There are typically 12 full moons every year, each with a unique name. The Corn Moon or the Grain Moon are other frequent names for the full moon in August.
Watching the moonrise on Aug. 11 should provide enough splendor because the Sturgeon Moon peaks around 9:36 p.m. Eastern (or the days just before or after). One of the largest and brightest supermoons of 2022 will occur.
Saturn in Opposition - Aug. 14
Some stargazers, per My Herald Review, believe that one of the most majestic views a telescope can capture is Saturn and its gorgeous ring system. On Aug. 14, the planet will be in direct opposition to the sun. A planet is perfectly positioned for observation when it is in "opposition," where it is always above the horizon.
Saturn's ring system is currently open at an angle of 13.9 degrees, but by 2025, it will be almost edge-on to us, depriving the planet of its most striking feature. The diameter of Saturn's disk will be 18.7 arc seconds, while the distance between its rings, 42 seconds, is almost as wide as powerful Jupiter.
Titan, Saturn's brightest moon, is simple to see through a telescope. It will be two arc minutes away from Saturn during opposition and shine at around 8th magnitude. Other moons of Saturn are also visible using home telescopes.
Monsoon clouds may make seeing Saturn this month difficult to time, and a full moon on Aug. 11 may take some of the planet's brightness during opposition. Saturn will be a constant in our nighttime sky in the upcoming few months.
RELATED ARTICLE: Skywatching Events of 2022: Mark Your Calendars for a Supermoon, Solar Eclipse and More Celestial Shows Next Year!
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