Sky exhibit features full moon, celestial bodies, and two meteor showers, offering a spectacle this weekend. Discover how to catch this celestial show.
Stargazers Prepare for a Celestial Spectacle this Weekend
Get ready for an exciting weekend in the world of astronomy! The Sturgeon Moon, the Perseid meteor shower, and a planetary alignment are set to dazzle stargazers from August 9-11. Here's what you can expect.
The Sturgeon Moon
The Sturgeon Moon, the 8th full Moon of the year, will be visible at roughly the same time and location on both Saturday and Sunday evening. It will rise in the southeast between 8pm and 9pm, depending on your location. The Moon illusion, where it appears larger when close to the horizon, can be observed with the Sturgeon Moon.
The Perseid Meteor Shower
The Perseid meteor shower peaks on the night of August 11-12, but in 2025 it will be strongly affected by a bright nearly full Moon illuminating 91% of the sky, which will greatly reduce visible meteors. The Perseids' radiant is in the constellation Perseus, best visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The optimal viewing time is during the predawn hours when the radiant is highest and moonlight interference can be somewhat minimized.
The Southern Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower
The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower is also active during this time with a radiant in the southern sky near the constellation Aquarius. It is best seen from the Southern Hemisphere but can also be observed at lower northern latitudes. Like the Perseids, the brightness of the nearly full Sturgeon Moon will limit visibility.
Visible Planets
Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, and Saturn will be visible to the naked eye in the morning sky around August 11 in a planetary alignment, with Mercury being close to the horizon just before sunrise. Uranus and Neptune will also be in the same region but require binoculars or telescopes to see. The Moon will pass close to Saturn and Neptune on August 12, providing good opportunities for observing these planets near the Moon in the early morning sky.
Planet Parade and Moon Names
The planet parade of 2025, featuring Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and the Moon, will be visible from mid-August onwards. Each full Moon of the year has a nickname that marks changes and events in nature during the month in question. On August 12, Venus and Jupiter will appear like a double star in the morning sky.
To get the best view, find a dark, unobstructed site with clear skies and let your eyes adapt to the darkness while avoiding looking at the bright full Moon directly during meteor watching. For more information on observing Uranus and Neptune, read the guides provided. Happy stargazing!
| Event | Best Viewing Date & Time | Location & Direction | Notes | |-------------------------|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|------------------------------------| | Sturgeon Moon | Aug 9-10 evenings after 8 p.m. | Southeast to southwest, southern horizon | Appears largest near horizon | | Perseid Meteor Shower | Predawn of Aug 11-12 | Northern Hemisphere, radiant in Perseus | Moonlight will reduce visibility | | Southern Delta Aquariids | Predawn Aug 9-10 | Southern sky, best in Southern Hemisphere | Moonlight limits viewing | | Visible Planets | Early mornings around Aug 9-11 | Eastern to southern morning sky | Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Saturn visible naked eye; Uranus and Neptune with telescope |
- Amateur astronomers and stargazing enthusiasts should prepare for an astronomical treat, as the Sturgeon Moon, the Perseid meteor shower, and a planetary alignment are set to captivate the night sky from August 9-11.
- For the Perseid meteor shower, stargazers should take note that the event will peak on the night of August 11-12, though its visibility will be affected by a nearly full Moon, decreasing the visible meteors significantly.
- Nature lovers and environmental-science students will find the Sturgeon Moon worth observing not only for its celestial display but also for the moon illusion that makes it appear larger when close to the horizon.
- Stargazers in the Southern Hemisphere will have the additional treat of observing the Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower during the same time period, although both showers' visibility will be affected by the bright Sturgeon Moon.
- The whole solar system will be in the spotlight as Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, and Saturn align in the morning sky around August 11, with Uranus and Neptune also visible but requiring binoculars or telescopes.
- As the world turns its gaze towards the night sky for this celestial spectacle, remember the importance of health-and-wellness and climate-change awareness: combining stargazing with fitness-and-exercise, such as hiking to a dark observatory site, and learning about environmental-science to understand our place within the space-and-astronomy community.
