August 2013 Celestial Highlights

Roanoke Valley's 

August Sky

Early August - 10:30 p.m. (EDT)

Late August - 9:30 p.m. (EDT)

MILKY WAY: The glow of the Milky Way stretches from the south to the northeast at 10 p.m. each night. Observe when there is no moon in the sky (from July 28 through August 12 and after August 26) and from a dark location away from city lights to best appreciate this glorious sight.

Meteor Shower: 

PERSEIDS visible in the northeast after 11:15 p.m. on August 12. Perhaps up to 60 meteors per hour can be seen from a dark site. 

Visible Planets:

MERCURY very low in the east-northeast 45 minutes before sunrise from August 1 through August 7. Above the waning crescent moon on August 5. 

VENUS low in the west at 8:45 p.m. Above the waxing crescent moon on August 9. 

MARS low in the east-northeast at 5:00 a.m. during August. The waning crescent moon sits to its lower right on August 4. 

JUPITER  rises in the east-northeast before 4:00 a.m. at the beginning of August and before 2:30 a.m. at the end of the month. Left of the moon on August 3. 

SATURN in the south-southwest at sunset. Sets after midnight at the beginning of August and at 10:30 p.m. at the end of the month. Upper left of the waxing crescent moon on August 12. 

Use the Big Dipper to locate:

The North Star

Arcturus

Spica

Cassiopeia

Deneb

To use this map:

Face south and hold the map above your head. The relative positions of the stars on the map will match those in the sky.

Such is our view from Earth...