August Astronomy: What's in the North Texas sky this month?

What's happening in the skies over North Texas this month? August holds some spectacular sights in the night and morning sky. Check out the list below.

THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER

The Perseid meteor show is a great show for meteor enthusiasts. It is a must-see astrological event of the year.

The Perseids happen when Earth's orbit moves through space debris left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle. Rocky debris slams into our atmosphere at about 133,000 mph creating fiery streaks across the night sky.

You can expect up to 100 meteors per hour that leave long blazing trails and create "fireballs" — bright explosions that last longer than those made by typical meteors. The shower is due to peak on the night of August 13th.

The Perseids can be seen from anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. You are more likely to see them if you have an unobstructed view with clear skies in a very dark place far from any urban light sources.

Look above the eastern horizon an hour before sunrise.

STARLINK SATELLITE TRAIN

While a ton of stars may not be visible in the North Texas night sky, there is still plenty to look for after the sun sets. Twice during the week of Aug. 7-11, NBC 5 heard from viewers wondering about a train of lights seen crossing the sky.

In this case, those lights were from the train of hundreds of Starlink satellites bringing internet service to the world.

Starlink satellites are sometimes visible in the first few minutes after sundown and before sunrise when the sun is below the horizon, but the satellites are high enough to reflect direct sunlight.

To see when you may be able to catch a glimpse of the satellite train, click here.

FULL STURGEON SUPERMOON

The August full moon, known as the Sturgeon Moon, will make for a delight at the beginning of the month. This event will also be the second supermoon of 2023.

The name, Sturgeon Moon, originates from the time of year when it is the best time to catch sturgeon in the Northern United States. Other names include the Fruit Moon, Women's Moon, Snow Moon, and Storm Moon.

The Sturgeon Moon will reach peak illumination at 1:31 p.m. CDT. Tuesday, when it's below the horizon in the United States. However, it will still appear full when it rises above the horizon in the southeast sky Monday night after sunset.

Also, check out other phases of the moon this month. On August 2nd at 12:52 a.m. CDT., the moon will be at perigee, its closest to the Earth for this orbit at 222,022 miles. On August 16th at 6:54 a.m. CDT., the moon will be at apogee, its farthest from the Earth for this orbit at 252,671 miles.

WHEN DOES THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLY OVER NORTH TEXAS?

The International Space Station will make flybys across the North Texas sky this month. The ISS appears as a fast-moving star across the night sky.

The ISS rotates around the Earth at a speed of 17,500 mph. The ISS rotates about its center of mass at a rate of about four degrees per minute so that it will complete a full rotation once per orbit. This allows it to keep its belly towards the Earth. One revolution around the planet takes about 90 minutes (16 per day).

Also, the ISS sits at an altitude of 250 miles above the Earth. By the way, that is 1.32 million feet. Most commercial airplanes fly between 33,000 to 42,000 feet.

AN EVENING SHOW: MARS AND MERCURY

Mars will be visible in the western sky after sunset. The best opportunity to get a glimpse will happen on August 18th when it stands 11/4° south of a waxing crescent Moon. The pair sets just over an hour after the Sun and Mars becomes increasingly harder to spot as its altitude declines. Find the Moon first, then search for Mars.

Also, Mercury will be visible lower on the horizon. On the 18th, while you’re searching for Mars near the Moon, Mercury sits some 6° below the Moon. It’s very close to the horizon, too low to be easily seen.

Mars averages a distance from the Earth of 140 million miles. The closest recorded distance to Mars from Earth was recorded in August 2003 when the two were 34.8 million miles apart. According to NASA, the two will not be that close again until the year 2237.

Mercury is 48 million miles away from Earth when they are at their closest. The maximum distance between the two when they are on opposite ends of their orbits is 137 million miles.

THE SATURN REVIEW

Saturn is visible from dusk to dawn. On August 1st, Saturn rises by 9:30 p.m. local daylight time and is well placed 25° above the southeastern horizon by midnight.

The night of August 2nd and 3rd, Saturn stands within 4° of a bright, nearly Full Moon. The Moon returns to Aquarius August 30th, when the two stand 6° apart a few hours after rising.

Telescope views will reveal the sunlit northern side of the rings, which are tilted earthward by 8° in early August. Their angle increases to 9° by the 31st. Also, Saturn's moons will be visible.

Saturn's distance varies from the Earth. When the two are closest, they lie approximately 746 million miles apart, or eight times the distance between the Earth and the sun.

At their most distant, when they lie on opposite sides of the Sun from one another, they are just over a billion miles apart, or 11 times the distance between the Earth and the Sun.

THE RISING OF JUPITER AND NEPTUNE

Jupiter rises shortly after midnight on August 1st and is best placed for observing in the hours before dawn, when it stands more than 40° above the eastern horizon. With binoculars you’ll likely spot some of its moons.

Neptune rises just after 10 p.m. local daylight time on August 1st and before 8:30 p.m. on August 31st. This brings it into the evening sky not far from the Circlet of Pisces. At magnitude 7.7, the planet is easy to confuse with the background stars, but its location just northwest of a line of three stars. You can spot Neptune’s tiny and bluish 2″-wide disk through a telescope.

Jupiter's distance from the Earth varies from 336 million miles to 600 million miles.

The distance of the Earth and Neptune are constantly shifting because both bodies are moving through space. When Neptune and Earth line up on the same side of the Sun, at their closest, they are only 2.7 billion miles apart. But when the planets are on opposite sides of the Sun, they can put as many as 2.9 billion miles between them.

FULL BLUE SUPERMOON

August will feature another full and supermoon. The Blue Moon will make for a delight at the end of the month. This event will also be the third supermoon of 2023.

This year's Full Blue Supermoon will peak at 8:36 p.m. CDT. on August 30th. It will be the biggest and brightest of 2023 because the moon will be "exceptionally close" to the Earth at 222,043 miles.

A Blue Moon is when there is a second full moon in a single month. A Blue Moon occurs once every two to three years. 

The moon doesn’t turn the color blue during a Blue Moon. However, the moon can take on a blue tint because of certain types of clouds or particles from volcanic ash and smoke in Earth’s atmosphere.

Please enjoy these events happening in the night sky this month. Until then ... Texans, keep looking up!