August is great month for star gazing and meteor showers

Between now and mid-August, use your binoculars about 30 minutes after sunset, looking close to the western horizon just above where the sun went down.

In the darkening twilight you will quickly spot brilliant Venus. Saturn will move from the upper left of Venus to the lower right as the month progresses. Mercury will become visible about the 12th and move closer to Venus toward Aug. 20. Mars will be a few degrees to the upper left of Venus.

As these four planets drop below the horizon and the sky darkens, turn your gaze low in the southeast and you will quickly find the king of the planets, Jupiter. You should be able to pick out its four moons with binoculars.

August also brings the Perseid meteor shower. To best observe it, try to get 40-plus miles away from city lights. Bring bug repellent, warm clothes and snacks. Set up a lawn chair facing east and allow your eyes at least 20 minutes to adapt to the dark.

About midnight the radiant point will have moved to almost directly overhead. It is best to have either no moon or a thin crescent visible.

Some meteors will be visible for most of the month. However, there should be between 60 and 90 per hour at about 2 a.m. on Monday, when the shower peaks.

— Rodney Ash,

Special to The Seattle Times

Rodney Ash is a member of Seattle Astronomical Society, www.seattleastro.org. Star Watch appears in NWWeekend the first Thursday of each month.