Meteor showers, a planetary conjunction and a rare heavenly occurrence that appears only, well, "once in a blue moon" will soar across the night sky in the coming days and weeks over Indiana.
Avid skywatchers have a lot of exciting things to look forward to, beginning with the Perseid meteor shower, considered by NASA to be among the best meteor showers to watch, followed later by a seasonal blue moon.
Here's what we know about these and other astronomical events happening in August 2024.
When is the next Perseid meteor shower?
The Perseid meteor shower happens every year when the Earth passes through a cloud of debris left behind by the Comet Swift-Tuttle. Perseids can leave long "wakes" of light, writes NASA, as they streak through Earth's atmosphere.
The meteor shower is active from July through September and its peak activity will happen Aug. 11-13 in the Northern Hemisphere, according to theAmerican Meteor Society. As a bonus, it appears Indiana's summer nighttime weather might cooperate for some excellent viewing.
Weather forecast during the Perseid meteor shower for Central Indiana
Local forecasters with the National Weather Service say Central Indiana should have mostly clear skies with lows in the upper 50s to low 60s on Sunday, Aug. 11. With the moon at roughly half its illumination, Hoosiers will have a fairly good chance at spotting the Perseids, which can average 50 to 100 meteors an hour.
How to watch the Perseid meteor shower in Indiana
The best way to watch the Perseid meteor shower is to find a nice, comfortable spot away from city lights, then look up into the night sky and find what experts call "the radiant" — the point where the Perseids appear most frequently. In this case, it's the constellation Perseus, which begins to rise at roughly 11 p.m. and Space.com says is visible year-round in the Northern Hemisphere.
The best time to watch the Perseid meteor shower, writes EarthSky, is from midnight into the predawn hours after the radiant has reached its highest point in the night sky.
Days after watching the Perseids at their most active time of year, you can catch August's full moon, which will be particularly special.
When is the full moon in August 2024?
The full Sturgeon Moon, a name derived from Native Americans, will swim across the heavens on Monday, Aug. 19. It's also a seasonalblue moon.
Normally there are three full moons during an astronomical season — the period of time from the solstice and the equinox, or vice versa — writes NASA.
This year is different, however. Four full moons will shine between the solstice and equinox. And whenever that happens, astronomers call the third full moon a seasonal blue moon.
The moon's phases in August 2024 are:
- 🌑New Moon: Aug. 4.
- 🌓First Quarter: Aug. 12.
- 🌕Full Moon: Aug. 19.
- 🌗Last Quarter: Aug. 26.
Will the moon actually turn blue?
Sadly not. The full moon Aug. 19 won't actually appear blue in color.
The moon has turned shades of blue in the past, writes NASA, but it's an extremely rare event. When it does happen, experts say it's because of water particles hurled into the atmosphere often by natural catastrophes. Ash from a volcanic explosion in 1883 caused the moon to appear blue for years.
How rare is a blue moon?
Seasonal blue moons happen once only 2-3 years, according to NASA. The last one occurred in August 2021. The next seasonal blue moon won't take place until May 2027.
When is the best time to see the full moon in Indianapolis, IN?
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, moonrise for the Indianapolis area will happen roughly 8:54 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19, crossing the meridian at 1:24 a.m. before setting at 6:34 a.m. Tuesday.
You can check both moonrise and moonset times for your zip code by visiting the Old Farmer's Almanac online.
Why does the moon sometimes appear red?
You may have noticed the moon will occasionally take on a dramatic shade of orange or red in the night sky. That's because of how sunlight strikes the moon's surface after passing through our atmosphere.
When the moon moves into the inner part of Earth's shadow, or umbra, according to NASA, some of the sunlight entering Earth's skies scatters before reaching the moon's surface.
Colors with shorter wavelengths, such as blues and violets, scatter more easily than colors with longer wavelengths, which include red and orange. The more dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere during a lunar eclipse, the redder the moon appears.
Why is it called the Sturgeon Moon?
Native American tribes around the Great Lakes region and Lake Champlain were said to catch plenty of freshwater sturgeon around this time, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
Other names for August's full moon from Native American tribes include the Black Cherries Moon, Corn Moon, and Mountain Shadows Moon.
2024 full moon names
Here's a list of the full moon names for 2024, courtesy of theOld Farmer's Almanac:
- January: Wolf Moon
- February: Snow Moon
- March: Worm Moon
- April: Pink Moon
- May: Flower Moon
- June: Strawberry Moon
- July: Buck Moon
- August: Sturgeon Moon
- September: Corn Moon
- October: Hunter Moon
- November: Beaver Moon
- December: Cold Moon
Astronomical events happening in August 2024, per NASA
If you plan on observing the night sky this month, according to NASA's skywatching tips, keep the following dates in mind for August 2024:
- August 11– ThePerseid meteor showerpeaks overnight tonight. Provided you have clear skies, viewing conditions will be favorable this year, as the moon sets by around 11:30 p.m. local time. Meteor activity picks up from then until dawn.
- August 14–JupiterandMarshave an extremely close pair-up called a conjunction this morning. They'll appear just a third of a degree apart, which is less than the width of the full Moon. Find them in the eastern sky in the couple of hours before sunrise.
- August 19–Full moon.
- August 20– The Moon chasesSaturnacross the sky tonight. The pair rise in the east shortly after dark, and trek toward the west together until dawn.
- August 27– This morning the crescent moon joins Mars and Jupiter to form a captivating trio. Look for them in the east in the hour or so before sunrise.
- All month– You can use binoculars or a telescope to observe the Lagoon Nebula in the first few hours after dark. It's located in the constellation Sagittarius near the star pattern known as "The Teapot." Similar in size and brightness to the Orion Nebula, it's a cauldron of star formation located about 4,000 light years away.
When was the last full moon?
The last full moon, known as the Buck Moon, reached peak illumination Sunday, July 21, 2024.
When is the next full moon in September 2024?
The Full Corn Moon, or Harvest Moon, should be high in the sky by Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024.
Full moons in 2024:Here's the date every full moon shines
John Tuftscovers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip atJTufts@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter atJTuftsReports.
