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The ever-shifting phases of Earth’s moon current a wealth of targets for novice astronomers to discover, starting from magnificent craters and lunar seas to unusual visible phenomena created as daylight performs throughout the traditional floor, forming acquainted shapes the place none needs to be.
So, seize your telescope and be part of us on a brief, guided “road trip” of August’s moon, wherein we’ll spotlight a collection of gorgeous targets to discover throughout every moon part.
Any yard telescope will let you pick the targets on our listing, although a scope with an aperture of 6 inches or extra will assist reveal extra element throughout historical lunar landscapes. Be certain to take a look at our roundups of the very best telescopes and binoculars for exploring the photo voltaic system if you end up wanting a more in-depth have a look at Earth’s pure satellite tv for pc.
The first quarter moon (Aug. 1)
The nights following every new moon part will see the road separating night time from day on the lunar floor creep inexorably westward. By Aug. 1, this line of demarcation — generally known as the terminator — will divide the lunar floor in two, heralding the onset of the moon’s “first quarter phase.” During this part, the moon will already be excessive within the sky at sundown, with its proper facet totally lit and its left hidden below a veil of shadow.
The nights main as much as Aug. 1 current an ideal alternative to seek for the historic Apollo 11 touchdown website on the southwestern shore of Mare Tranquilitatis (Latin for the Sea of Tranquility), from the place Neil Armstrong introduced “the Eagle has landed” on July 20, 1969. Mare Tranquilitatis is definitely seen to the bare eye as a darkish basaltic plain near the equator to the appropriate of the terminator, as indicated on the graphic beneath.
A 6-inch telescope will aid you zero in on the touchdown zone — generally known as Tranquility Base — by seeking to the decrease proper of the outstanding Ritter and Sabine craters, which will be discovered on the western fringe of the lunar mare.
Two nights later, on Aug. 4, the moon’s terminator will fall barely to the west of the Sinus Iridum affect basin, inflicting a superb “Golden Handle’ to look within the northwest area of the lunar floor. This placing impact happens when the solar’s rays pick the peaks of the Montes Jura mountain vary on the northern fringe of Mare Imbrium.
The full “Sturgeon Moon” (Aug. 9)
By Aug. 9, the relentless westward march of the terminator will have swept across the entirety of the lunar surface, setting the stage for the full “Sturgeon Moon” to slip above the horizon at sunset, local time. The Sturgeon Moon is named for the time of year when the titular fish are most readily caught; it presents a good opportunity to observe the mighty form of Tycho crater extending its influence over the lunar disk.
Tycho is easily visible to the naked eye, thanks in part to the vast streaks (or rays) of reflective material cast outward across the lunar surface in the wake of the brutal asteroid impact that created the 53-mile-wide (85-kilometer) crater. Every one of the moon’s larger impact sites would have once played host to a bright ray system like Tycho, though exposure to the harsh space environment has since caused many to fade. After all, Tycho formed a mere 108 million years ago, while other lunar craters have been estimated to be 3.9 billion years of age.
The August full moon also presents a great time to learn the locations of the many lunar mare (Latin for “seas”) that can be spotted with the naked eye as the surface of Earth’s natural satellite darkens. Each of the mare visible today were created billions of years ago, when lava flows filled the network of lunar craters carved out by powerful asteroid strikes. The lava lakes swiftly hardened to “repave” the moon, forming enormous basaltic plains that can be explored without the need for a telescope or binoculars.
Mare Crisium can be spotted as a dark oval to the northeast of the lunar surface, while Mare Tranquillitatis (the Sea of Tranquility) — which plays host to the Apollo 11 landing site — is located to its left, bordered to the north by Mare Serenitatis (the Sea of Serenity).
The equatorial region to the westward side of the lunar disk is dominated by Oceanus Procellarum (the Ocean of Storms), with Mare Imbrium (the Sea of Showers) to the north and Mare Nubium (the Sea of Clouds) to the south.
The third quarter moon (Aug. 16)
The passing of the full moon will see the terminator return to sweep over the eastern limb of the lunar surface until, finally, on Aug. 16, the third quarter moon will rise, with its right half bathed in shadow and its left illuminated by direct sunlight.
Aug. 16 is a great opportunity to observe a dramatic display of light and shadow play across the terminator and to hunt down a pair of massive craters named to honor two legendary ancient Greek philosophers, inventors and astronomers: Plato and Archimedes.
Look for the 62-mile-wide (10 km) Plato Crater just below the narrow form of Mare Frigoris soon after the moon rises around midnight on Aug. 16. Then, follow the terminator south to find the similarly sized Archimedes impact site above the pronounced sweep of the Montes Apenninus mountain range.
The following night (Aug. 17) is a wonderful time to see the Copernicus and Kepler craters brightening Oceanus Procellarum. Both impact sites are surrounded by bright ejecta rays, albeit less pronounced than those exhibited by Tycho further to the south.
The Copernicus Crater looks particularly impressive around this time, with its westward rim and central peak cast into relief by the oblique angle of the sun. Copernicus had been proposed as a candidate landing site for the Apollo 18 crewed lunar mission, though the program was cancelled long before its scheduled launch date due to budget constraints.
New moon (August 23)
During the new moon phase, the lunar disk lurks unseen in the daytime sky, leaving the night unblemished by the glare of reflected sunlight. Head away from city lights around this time to hunt the glowing band of the Milky Way’s core, which can be spotted during the summer months streaming towards the eastern horizon as dusk gives way to night in dark sky locations.
The moon will appear as a slim waning or waxing crescent on a handful of nights before and after the new moon phase, during which you may see the shadow-veiled expanse of the lunar surface infused with a soft glow. This phenomenon, known as “Earthshine,” or the “Da Vinci Glow,” happens when the moon is positioned roughly between our planet and the solar, at which level daylight mirrored off Earth’s floor bathes the unlit lunar disk in a refined glow.
Editor’s Note: If you wish to share your astrophotography with Space.com’s readers, then please ship your photograph(s), feedback, and your title and placement to [email protected].
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