What's Up In The Sky Now?

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Hopefully as August rolls around the persistent cloudy conditions along with the smoke from Canada will have abated and we can once again enjoy clear sky conditions

MERCURY remains very low in the western horizon this month and is beginning to lose some of its luster. By the middle of the month it will become very difficult to spot hugging the horizon.

VENUS is still the lighthouse in the night sky this month. You may want to look well before it gets dark as Venus is dropping very quickly below the horizon much earlier than dark sky conditions.

EARTH is having troubles making up its mind whether it wants to rain or shower us with blistering heat. August can and usually is one of the hotter and muggier months of the year.

MARS is still hugging the low western horizon but you also want to look quickly as it sets early. However, around dusk on August 18 Mars can be easily spotted just under a setting sliver of the Moon.

JUPITER is quickly coming back to the night sky. Rising shortly after midnight it is still probably best seen in the very early morning hours. Early in the morning on August 8 Jupiter has a semi close encounter with a third quarter Moon.

SATURN is back for all to see and enjoy this month. Rising just after sunset and well placed in the sky well before midnight. Saturn also has a close encounter with a full moon on the evening of August 3rd.

URANUS is out in front of a rising Jupiter this month but it will be best seen in the early morning hours. It's easy to find in the southeast as it lies almost directly south of the brilliant Pleiades Star Cluster.

NEPTUNE is visible just about one hour after sunset and well before sunset by the end of the month, located close to the constellation of Pisces. In a crowded star field, the bluish color should stand out.

• Full Moon, August 01
• Last Quarter, August 08
• New Moon, August 16
• First Quarter, August 24
• 2nd (blue) Full Moon: August 30