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From Venus shining brightly after sunset to the appearance of the beautiful crescent moon and the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower, there’s a lot to see with the naked eye this week (August 5 – 11).
A good telescope or a couple binoculars will help you see some of the fainter objects in the night sky. However, the naked eye is stars And constellationswatch moonexperience meteor shower and look satellites whizzing through 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 planets and bright stars to capturing the ever-changing sky. The phases of the moonshooting stars and much more.
MONDAY, AUGUST 5 — CRESCENT MOON AND VENUS (AFTER SUNSET)
Then look west Sun set and you will see Venus a super-slim crescent moon shines very close to the moon. This will be a challenging image because the sky will still be relatively bright as the pair sinks towards the horizon.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 6 — CRESCENT MOON AND VENUS (AFTER SUNSET)
The waxing crescent moon will shine due west 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 in the moon. solar system “shining brightly with its new look”Evening Star“Over the next few nights, the Moon will grow brighter as it moves away from Venus, and by January it will climb higher in the aftersunset sky, growing brighter into the later, darker twilight.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7 — CRESCENT MOON, VENUS AND VIRGO (AFTER SUNSET)
A brighter, more prominent crescent will be positioned tonight approximately halfway between the lower right of Venus and the upper left of the bright star Spica. the brightest stars In the night sky, it is the brightest star in the constellation Spica. Virgo.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 8 — CRESCENT MOON, VENUS AND VIRGO (AFTER SUNSET)
Here’s another chance to see the crescent moon dominate the evening sky after sunset, with Venus shining stubbornly close to the western horizon. Look at the dark left side of the moon. Can you make out any details? It should be dark with no direct sunlight hitting it, right?
The light you can see is called “Planet-light”, “Earth-light” or “Da Vinci’s Light”. It is the reflection of sunlight. Soil and is reflected in the moon. It is easier to see on a crescent a few days old.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 9 — SATURDAY, AUGUST 10 — CRESCENT, SPICA, ANTARES AND SAMSUNYOLU (AFTER SUNSET)
About a quarter of the Moon’s Earth-facing side is now illuminated by the Sun. For two nights, it will be visible on either side of Spica. Arcturus in the constellation Shepherd birds will appear just above the pair, while in the south Milky Way will rise after dark. However, you will need to be well away from light pollution to see our galaxy’s arc.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 11 — MONDAY, AUGUST 12: PERSEID METEORS RISE TO THE TOP (PREVIOUS DAWN)
It may not be the most productive meteor shower of the year (that distinction goes to December) Gemini and January Quadranites), but there’s no better time to see Shooting stars more than tonight from the northern hemisphere. At its peak, the annual Perseid meteor shower About 60 meteors per hour can be seen in the night sky. The radiant point (where meteors radiate from) Constellation PerseusIt will rise in the northeastern sky around midnight.
Meteor showers can often be overshadowed by strong moonlight, but this year the Perseids won’t be because the First Quarter Moon sets around midnight. Look to the sky on Monday morning for the best chance of a shooting star, but light pollution and sky clarity will make a big difference. Avoid light pollution if possible — it’s wise to stay at least 40 miles away from a major urban area — but no matter where you watch, make sure there’s no artificial light in your field of vision. Sit back, relax in a lounge chair, stay warm, and take regular breaks. Never look at your smartphone; its white light disrupts your eyes’ ability to adapt to the dark, which takes about 20 minutes to develop, and just one second of white light does the trick.
Want to try capturing some of these events on camera? Check out our guide astrophotography for beginnersIf you don’t have everything you need, be sure to check out our guides. best cameras for astrophotography And best lenses for astrophotography.
Jamie Carter is the author of: Looking at the stars in 2024 And Stargazing Program for Beginners.
Editor’s NoteIf you have a great skygazing photo and would like to share it with Space.com readers, send your photos, comments, name and location to spacephotos@space.com.