The Planets:
Mercury:  If you have a clear view of the western horizon, you might catch this elusive planet in the first 30 minutes after sunset.

Venus:  For about two hours after sunset, you can see Venus low in the west-southwest, shining brightly.  On August 11, the eve of the Perseid meteor shower, Venus lies below a slender crescent moon.   For the last few days of August, watch Venus as it approaches the star Spica, coming within 0.8 degrees on August 31 about 45 minutes after sunset.

Mars:  Mars is not visible this month because of its conjunction with the Sun.  However, one year from now, Mars will be closer to us than it has been for thousands of years.

Jupiter:  The "King of Planets" rises about 3 hours after Saturn in the eastern sky and lies near M44, the "Beehive Cluster".  If you look at this area with a pair of binoculars, you will know why it is called a beehive!

Saturn:  At the beginning of August, look for Saturn about 3 hours before sunrise in the eastern sky.  Saturn is moving eastward in the sky, so by month's end, you can find the ringed planet about 1 AM slightly northwest of Orion the Hunter.

The Perseid Meteor Shower:
This annual shower actually began in the middle of July, but the predicted maximum activity or peak of the shower is early evening on August 12.  It is always a good idea to watch the sky for a couple of days before and after the predicted "peak" so you don't miss anything.  Fortunately for us, the moon will be only a waxing crescent.  Viewing can continue through August 24.  Comets passing through our solar system lose part of their tails when melted by the sun's heat, leaving dusty debris behind.  The Perseid shower is the orbital debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle, which last visited the inner solar system in 1992.  As the earth revolves around the sun, it spins through these pockets of space clutter.  This frictional encounter with earth's atmosphere disintegrates these particles producing "shooting stars" and the larger fireballs, sometimes called bolides. Like rain showers, meteor showers are not totally predictable.  A better view can be obtained by turning off all exterior lights.  If you don't want to view, turn off your exterior lights and give your neighbors a chance.  Of course, the best viewing is away from the light pollution of the city after 10 o'clock PM.  Astronomers estimate that we can see 60 meteors per hour during the peak of this shower.

Constellations:  Corona Austrina, Lyra, Sagittarius, Scutum, Telescopium

Looking for a Little More?  If this Skyline whets your appetite, try this website:  skymaps.com/downloads.html.  It offers a two page pdf brochure that you can print out for free.  It has a basic skymap and short lists of visual, binocular, and small telescope objects.  It is really good--check it out!