Total Solar Eclipse in August

[de officiis]

Two Eclipses, and 6 More Can't-Miss Sky Events in August

The total solar eclipse coming on August 21 dominates astronomical headlines this month. But plenty more celestial sights are slated to delight sky-watchers in the coming weeks, from a lunar eclipse to a spectacular meteor shower that is sure to light up the night sky.

So dust off those binoculars, and mark your August calendar!

SATURN AND MOON—AUGUST 2
After darkness falls, look south for the waxing gibbous moon to pair up with Saturn. To the naked eye, the giant planet looks like a bright, yellow-tinged star. However, through even the smallest of backyard telescopes, the distant world will show off its famous rings.
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PARTIAL LUNAR ECLIPSE—AUGUST 7
This evening, some lucky viewers will be able to watch as the moon skirts through the northern part of Earth’s dark outer shadow, producing a partial lunar eclipse. ...

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PERSEID METEOR SHOWER—AUGUST 12
The iconic August meteor shower officially peaks on August 12 at 1 p.m. ET (17:00 UT), so for North Americans, the best time to watch will be Monday and Tuesday evenings. However, the meteors will be contending with the glare of a nearly full moon early on both evenings, making the pre-dawn hours possibly the best bet for observing the sky show.

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MOON AND ALDEBARAN—AUGUST 16
At dawn, the brightest star-like object visible rising in the east is the planet Venus. And on August 16, the crescent moon to its upper right will be very close to the orange-hued star Aldebaran.

VENUS AND MOON—AUGUST 19
The brilliant second planet from the sun, Venus, will have the waning crescent moon as a companion in the dawn skies on August 19. The cosmic duo should make for a stunning photo opportunity near the horizon.

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE—AUGUST 21
The most talked about celestial event of the year will grace the skies of the United States on this day, as the moon covers the entire disk of the sun. The fully darkened sun will be visible for an average of two minutes to anyone inside a 70-mile-wide corridor that stretches from Oregon to South Carolina.

All other skywatchers north and south of the path of totality will see a partial eclipse, when only part of the sun will be hidden behind the moon. That includes viewers in Canada, Central America, and parts of South America. See our map of the eclipse path to find out how much of the sun will be covered where you live.

Based on historical cloud cover statistics for August 21, the best bets for clear skies will be through the U.S. West, from western Oregon through Nebraska and into Tennessee.

Find out more about the historic event with our comprehensive guide to the total solar eclipse of 2017.
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Signs and wonders...! Might have to drag out the telescope.

[The Conservative]

I'm getting a new one so I can attach my camera to it, I'm also getting a solar lens so I can take photos of the sun when this happens.

[Speaker to Animals]

I am headed down into the shadow myself. The shadow will pass by about 45 minutes from here in the mountains.

[Penner]

I am excited about this event.

[C-Mag]

MOON AND ALDEBARAN—AUGUST 16
At dawn, the brightest star-like object visible rising in the east is the planet Venus. And on August 16, the crescent moon to its upper right will be very close to the orange-hued star Aldebaran.

Signs and wonders...! Might have to drag out the telescope.

I'm going to watch this one. Cause I know what happens when a small Moon approaches Alderaan.

[Speaker to Animals]

I am excited about this event.

The shadow is a long way away from you.

Those of us in the shadow are super lucky.

[SuburbanFarmer]

I am excited about this event.

The shadow is a long way away from you.

Those of us in the shadow are super lucky.

It'll be 95% covered instead of 100%, but still an amazing thing.

[Speaker to Animals]

I will see the stars at 2:35 pm in the afternoon..

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

MOON AND ALDEBARAN—AUGUST 16
At dawn, the brightest star-like object visible rising in the east is the planet Venus. And on August 16, the crescent moon to its upper right will be very close to the orange-hued star Aldebaran.

Signs and wonders...! Might have to drag out the telescope.

I'm going to watch this one. Cause I know what happens when a small Moon approaches Alderaan.

Ya'll gonna just let this gem pass!?

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

I am excited about this event.

The shadow is a long way away from you.

Those of us in the shadow are super lucky.

Lucky enough to be



Say hello to the night!