Perseid meteor shower peaks in August

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Moon myths and fables

The Ottawa nation called August’s full moon the Sturgeon Moon since it was a time of plentiful fishing around the Great Lakes. It is also known as the Red Moon because of its color coming up through the thick, hazy atmosphere of mid-summer but most names associated with it deal with the growing crops.

These include the Green Corn Moon, Barley Moon, and Grain Moon. One source listed August’s Moon as the Wort Moon, which may refer to brewer’s wort, a solution of sugars derived from malt and used in the fermentation process to make beer.

Focus on the planets

Mercury will make a brief appearance a little above the western horizon on the 14th of the month where it sets about half an hour after sunset. Never the easiest planet to spot, this is Mercury’s lowest and poorest evening appearance of the year.

Venus passes behind the Sun, i.e. is at conjunction, on Aug. 18 and is lost to view for the entire month.

Mars is spectacular in the east-southeast about 10 p.m. as August opens and grows in size and brightness all month.

Jupiter joins Venus in its journey behind the Sun as seen from Earth and is also lost to view this month.

Saturn rises in the east about 3 a.m. where it is visible among the stars of Gemini. Castor and Pollux, the Twins, are to Saturn’s immediate lower left.

Uranus is to the west of Mars among the stars of Aquarius where it may be seen as a smallish green disk in a powerful set of binoculars. Neptune lies to the west of Uranus in Capricornus but, at a distance of 2.7 billion miles, will prove a challenge to locate. Pluto is in the constellation of Ophiuchus but even sophisticated skywatchers with an 8-inch or better telescope will have difficulty finding it.

Our celestial neighborhood

On Aug. 27, Mars will be at opposition, or directly opposite the Sun for Earth viewers, and only about 334.6 million miles from Earth its closest approach in roughly 60,000 years.

Two days later, Mars will reach perihelion or its closest approach to the Sun. All this adds up to a spectacular display with the Red Planet outshining every other planet and star visible in late August.

It will be an excellent opportunity for backyard astronomers to view Mars, which will rise at sunset and stay up all night.

Even Mars’ two moons, Phobos and Deimos, which are usually too dim to be spotted should be visible with an 8-inch telescope.

One fact that should have you shaking your head in wonder is the accuracy to which Mars’ approach can be calculated.

The distance listed is 55,758,000 kilometers plus or minus 10 meters!

August events

1 Sunrise, 5:21 a.m.; sunset, 8:02 p.m. This is Lammas, the cross-quarter day marking the midpoint between the summer solstice and fall equinox.

3 Spica lies directly below the moon tonight.

5 Moon in first quarter, 3:28 a.m.

6 The moon is at perigee, or closest approach to the Earth, today. Look for Antares to the immediate lower left of the moon this evening.

11 The Sun enters Leo on the ecliptic .

12 Full moon, 12:47 a.m. The Perseid meteor shower will peak tonight, however, the full moon will put a damper on what could have been a strong display.

19 The moon is at apogee, or farthest distance from the Earth, today.

20 Moon in last quarter, 8:49 p.m.

23 Look for Saturn to the lower left of the crescent moon during the pre-dawn hours. The Sun enters the astrological sign of Virgo but, astronomically, is situated in Leo.

27 New moon, 1:25 p.m.

28 Mars, which has just made its closest approach to the Earth in thousands of years, is at opposition or opposite the Sun in our sky.

These two facts make Mars the brightest object in the night sky excepting the moon and Venus.

31 The moon is at perigee for the second time this month. Sunrise, 5:56 a.m.; sunset, 7:15 p.m.