August 2026 Calendar
At any moment of the day, countless awe-inspiring celestial events are unfolding in the sky. With a universe of options, it can be hard to pin down what to observe. The purpose of this calendar is to provide a peek into what’s happening in the sky and in the world of astronomy in general and provide a quick list of highlights that can jump start your own explorations.
August 2 – Mercury at Greatest Elongation
Mercury will be a bright presence in the pre-dawn sky — especially for those in the Northern Hemisphere — as the planet achieves a prime position for early morning viewing. Because it is always so close to the Sun, Mercury is usually lost in its glare. But on this day, it will be at its greatest western elongation or at its furthest point to the west of the Sun, which means it will rise well before the Sun in some places. A clear sunrise horizon is essential for viewing Mercury. While this often-elusive planet will be visible to the naked eye, a pair of binoculars or a small telescope could provide additional details.
August 3 – Moon Near Saturn
The ringed-beauty Saturn and the waning gibbous Moon will make a visually close approach in the Pisces constellation in the pre-dawn sky on August 3. If you miss the meet-up, the end of the month delivers a second chance to catch the duo on the evenings of August 29-30, also in Pisces. On both occasions, the pair will be close, but not quite close enough to see in the same field of view of a telescope or binocular.
August 3/4 – Comet 10P/Tempel Reaches Peak Brightness
If they have the right sky conditions, comet enthusiasts may be in for a treat in early August as Comet 10P/Tempel reaches peak brightness. To catch sight of this periodic visitor, you will want to find a very dark patch of sky and turn a small telescope or large binocular toward the Capricornus constellation.
August 7 – Moon Near Pleiades
The waning crescent Moon and the storied Pleiades star cluster with its brilliant blue stars will appear just over 1 degree apart in the early morning sky on August 7 – meaning it’s a great time to see the duo in a pair of binoculars. Also know by the names Messier 45 or the more poetic Seven Sisters, the Pleiades open star cluster has a rich lore that crosses cultures and goes back thousands of years. It is relatively young, having formed within the last 100 million years, and lies relatively close to Earth at about 440 light years away. Found in the Taurus constellation, it consists of more than 1,000 confirmed stars, although an average of only six are visible to the naked eye. A dark sky free of light pollution can help a dedicated observer see around a dozen Pleiades stars, but a good pair of binoculars or a low-power telescope can quickly reveal the more elusive members of this legendary cluster.
August 9 – Moon Near Mars
The Red Planet and the very thin waning crescent Moon will make a visually close approach in the Taurus constellation in the pre-dawn sky August 9. Since there will be little lunar light interference, observers might also catch some notable stars in the neighborhood. Aldebaran, which is the brightest star in Taurus, is an orange giant star often characterized as the bull’s glaring bloodshot eye. Also known as Alpha Tauri, this star is the 13th brightest in the sky and can be used to easily locate two of the constellation’s other famous features - the Pleiades and Hyades open star clusters. Another nearby stellar target is the Auriga constellation’s Capella, which is the sixth brightest star in the sky. Known as the Goat Star, Capella actually consists of two sets of binary pairs. The first is a set of large, bright yellow giants that are very close together and the second is a pair of small red dwarfs.
August 12-13 – Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks
With a peak timed to coincide with the New Moon, the always-anticipated Perseid meteor shower should produce some real stunners this year. Known for being the annual meteor shower that produces the most fireballs, the Perseids are a consistent summer hit. During its peak, the meteor shower has been known to produce 80-100 meteors per hour, and many of these display impressive persistent trains. Caused by the Earth’s passage through debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle, the annual Perseids appear to radiate from the Perseus constellation. However, observers should actually look at a dark patch of sky about 90 degrees away from the radiant point to see the most meteors. The shower does favor northern hemisphere viewers and occurs in the perfect season for a long night of languishing under the stars.
Astrophotographer Mark Stanford captured this image of totality during the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse with the aid of an iEXOS-100 Tracker Mount.
August 12 - Total Solar Eclipse / Partial Solar Eclipse
On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will treat observers in narrow portions of Greenland, Iceland, Portugal and Spain to one of the most profound astronomical experiences an individual can have.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the New Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, completely blocking the face of the Sun. When that happens, the hallmarks of night will gracefully emerge as the Moon’s shadow swallows the Sun and nudges day aside for a few fleeting moments. During a total solar eclipse, observers must use proper eye protection for observing all portions of the partial phase leading up to totality. During the brief moments of totality when the Sun is completely obscured, observers can view the event without protective eyewear.
During this total solar eclipse event, the maximum period of totality will be only 2 minutes and 18 seconds, and that will unfortunately occur in the North Atlantic and not over land.
Outside of the path of totality, millions of observers in western Europe and the northernmost portions of North America will have the chance to experience a partial solar eclipse. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the new Moon passes off center between the Sun and the Earth and temporarily obscures a portion of the Sun’s disc. In the U.S., the best views of the partial phase will be in Alaska or Maine. Other states in the partial eclipse path include Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Michigan and Ohio. The length of the eclipse and the amount of Sun coverage varies based on location. For more information on the path of the event, click here.
When it comes to viewing any solar eclipse, proper eye protection should always be your main concern. NEVER point a telescope or binoculars at or near the Sun because this action could result in immediate and permanent blindness. To safely enjoy this event, you can use solar eclipse glasses, outfit your optical device with approved solar filters or make your own pinhole projector.
Astrophotographer David Cater captured this image of the Diamond Ring moment during the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse with the aid of an Explore Scientific ED102 Air-Spaced Triplet Refractor. Observers would NEED to be wearing eclipse glasses to view this moment because a small portion of direct sunlight is still visible.
August 15 – Conjunction of Jupiter and Mercury
Early risers may have a chance to spy a conjunction between Jupiter and Mercury shortly before sunrise on August 15. The two will sit very low on the eastern horizon right and be separated by about the distance of the Full Moon.
August 20 – Moon Points the Way to Antares
In the latter half of the month, the waxing gibbous Moon and the red supergiant Antares will be making a close pass. The march toward their meet-up will begin on August 19, but the pair will be at their coziest on August 20 in the Scorpius constellation. Even though they do not really share celestial real estate, it will seem like they do as they move closer together until they are visually separated by mere degrees. The binary star system Antares, which means “Rival of Mars” in Greek, is often mistaken for Mars due to its similar reddish hue. Generally identified as the 16th brightest star in the sky, Antares is an irregular variable with a red-orange glow that makes it truly pop. Closer observations with a moderate telescope could reveal its blue companion star, which can be highly challenging to discern.
August 27/28 – Deep Partial Lunar Eclipse
The month will close with observers throughout the Western Hemisphere being treated to a deep partial lunar eclipse during which 93% of the Moon will eventually be blanketed by Earth’s shadow. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth and Moon align in a way that causes the full moon to be shrouded by Earth’s shadow. The partial eclipse begins at 2:33 UTC on August 28 (9:33 p.m. CDT on August 27) and ends at 5:52 UTC (12:52 a.m. CDT on August 28). The moment of greatest eclipse happens at 4:12 UTC (11:12 p.m. CDT on August 27). For more information on the path and timing, click here.
Astrophotographer Ernie Jacobs captured this image of the Trifid Nebula (on the left) and the Lagoon Nebula with the aid of an Explore Scientific Essential Series ED80 Air-Spaced Triplet Refractor.
CONSTELLATION SPOTLIGHT: Sagittarius
Home to our Milky Way’s galactic center, the Sagittarius constellation offers a feast of notable stars, nebulae, clusters and more that can keep your eyepiece filled for nights. Covering an 867 square degree area of sky, the loaded Sagittarius is the 15th largest constellation and is visible from 55° North to 90° South.
Before you delve into the bounty of deep sky treasures, a star tour is always a good way to get acquainted with a constellation. Sagittarius is commonly identified as the “Archer,” so it is fitting that the constellation’s brightest star – Kaus Australis — anchors the celestial character’s bow. Although it will take a larger scope to resolve it, Kaus Australis (Epsilon Sagittarii) is a binary star system that has a blue giant with an apparent visual magnitude of 1.79 as its main component. The two other stars that define the bow are Kaus Media (Delta Sagittarii), which is a multi-star system made up of a giant and three dim companions, and Kaus Borealis (Lambda Sagittarii), an orange giant with an apparent visual magnitude of 2.82 that lies very close to the ecliptic.
In addition to rendering the Archer’s bow, these three stars are part of the eight that form the constellation’s famous Teapot Asterism. Kaus Borealis marks the point of the teapot’s lid, while
Kaus Australis and Kaus Media define the body of the teapot along with Zeta Sagittarii, a binary star system with a white giant primary, and Phi Sagittarii, a giant with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.17. At the tip of the teapot’s spout lies Gamma Sagittarii, a binary system with an orange giant that also acts as the tip of the archer’s arrow. The two stars that outline the handle of the teapot are Sigma Sagittarii, a fast rotating dwarf that is the second brightest star in the constellation, and the orange giant Tau Sagittarii.
About 120 light years away, Tau Sagittarii’s fame extends beyond its place in the teapot. It is actually the closest visible star to the origin of the Wow! Signal, which was the first and only narrowband radio signal ever received that met the criteria for possible communication from an extraterrestrial intelligence source. Detected on August 15th, 1977, at the Big Ear Radio Observatory in Ohio, the signal lasted for 72 seconds but has not been detected since. It got its name because when he discovered it, SETI researcher Jerry Ehman circled the evidence on a computer printout and wrote “Wow!” next to it in big red letters.
Sagittarius is also the home of The Pistol Star, which is one of the most luminous stars known. Obscured to the naked eye by the interstellar dust of The Pistol Nebula, this variable hypergiant will pop out as a bright blue stunner when viewed through a telescope. Other stellar sights include Eta Sagittarii, a multi-star system with a red giant irregular variable, Alpha Sagittarii, a blue dwarf with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.96, Beta Sagittarii, which is actually a pair of star systems, and Ross 154, a red dwarf flare that is one of the closest stars to our Sun.
In addition to its bounty of stars, Sagittarius is rich in deep sky targets as well. Let’s begin with its nebulae. The Lagoon Nebula (Messier 8) is Sagittarius’ largest and is best viewed with low magnification. Located about three finger-widths above the tip of the teapot’s spout, this emission nebula covers an area that is about 110 by 50 light years in size and is one of a few star-forming nebulae that can be seen by the unaided eye. The massive glowing cloud is split by a dark lagoon-like rift, which gives it its name. Its numerous high points include some prominent dark nebulae and a nice open cluster. Described as a glowing checkmark in the sky, Sagittarius’ reddish Omega Nebula (Messier 17) is an emission nebula 15 light years in diameter that is lit by an open cluster of about 35 young stars. The constellation is also home to the popular Trifid Nebula (Messier 20), a glowing ball that manifests dark dust lanes in larger scopes. It is a combination of a reddish emission nebula, a blue reflection nebula, a dark nebula and an open cluster of stars. Another nebula of note is the pale blue-green Little Gem Nebula (NGC 6818), which is a planetary nebula with an inner elongated shape.
In addition to glorious nebulae, the constellation also has some worthwhile galaxies to explore. The first is the Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy, which is one of the closest satellite galaxies to our Milky Way. Boasting an apparent visual magnitude of 4.5, this loop-shaped galaxy has at least four globular star clusters including the dense Messier 54, which was the first globular star cluster discovered outside the Milky Way. Other galactic offerings include Barnard’s Galaxy, a barred irregular galaxy with an apparent magnitude of 9.3 that is best viewed in a big telescope with very low power; and the Sagittarius Dwarf Irregular Galaxy, which is the most distant galaxy that is believed to be a member of the Local Group.
The Sagittarius constellation is brimming with clusters, but one of the most outstanding is Messier 22, which is also known as the Sagittarius Cluster. One of the brightest and nearest globular star clusters, M22 can be seen by the naked eye under a dark sky but is particularly brilliant in a telescope. Located northeast of Kaus Borealis, it has an apparent magnitude of 5.1 and is one of only four known clusters of its kind to have a planetary nebula.
A final wonder to explore in “The Archer” is the Sagittarius Star Cloud (Messier 24). When you observe M24, you are looking at a spiral arm of our galaxy through a gap in the Milky Way’s dust. This is a wonderful target for binocular viewing because you can see hundreds of stars pop within a single field of view. M24 also contains two noteworthy dark nebulae – Barnard 92 and Barnard 93.
Want to navigate the night sky with ease?
The Tirion Double-Sided Planisphere is a comprehensive sky map for northern hemisphere stargazers located between the equator and latitude 60° north that makes it easy to identify what constellations and major celestial objects are up in your night sky based on the date and time.
This night sky guide, which features maps crafted by noted celestial cartographer Wil Tirion, uses a double-sided design to minimize the distortion that is inherent to any polar-centered projection. This design choice means observers can see truer representations of the constellations located outside the equator (noted by a green line) by simply flipping the planisphere over.
In addition to showcasing constellations, this planisphere indicates the location of notable variable stars, open clusters, nebulae and galaxies. Other features include a line representing the ecliptic, a faint blue band for the Milky Way and a magnitude scale that indicates the brightness of the stars that are shown.
This astronomy planisphere is made of durable plastic that easily wipes clean, and the rotating components are secured with sturdy brass rivets for smooth manipulation. Guidance for using your sky map is printed on the device for quick reference.