The Night Sky in August

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Full moon occurs on August 2d. 01h. 50m. u.t. and new moon on August 16d. 11h. 12m. The following conjunctions with the moon take place: August 12d. 22h., Mars.2° S.; August 15d. 10h., Mercury 4° S.; August 22d. 18h., Jupiter 0·1° N. In addition to these conjunctions with the moon, Mercury is in conjunction with Jupiter on August 18d. 13h., Mercury being 0·6° N. Mercury rises 1h. 22m. before the sun on August 1, but will not be an easy object to observe. It attains its greatest western elongation on August 3, and at the end of the month is a morning star, rising only 10 minutes before the sun. Venus rises 50 minutes before the sun on August 1 and practically at sunrise on August 31, and will not be well placed for observation during the month. Mars, in Gemini, is visible in the early morning hours, rising soon after midnight during most of the month. Jupiter, in the constellation of Libra, is visible in the early portion of the night, setting at 23h. and 21h. 06m. at the beginning and end of the month, respectively. Saturn, in conjunction with the sun on August 5, cannot be seen. The following occultations of stars brighter than magnitude 6 take place: August 14d. 03h. 21·5m., A Gemi. (R); August 24d. 20h. 29·0m., 88 B Ophi. (D). R and D refer to reappearance and disappearance, respectively, and the latitude of Greenwich is assumed. The Perseid shower of meteors attains its maximum about August 10–12; the radiant is close to R.A. 3h., Dec. + 57°.