Overview

• The Sturgeon Moon will reach peak brightness on August 9, marking the full August lunar phase rooted in indigenous North American and agricultural traditions.
• A rare pre-dawn alignment of six planets—Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune—will be visible on August 10 just before sunrise.
• The Perseid meteor shower is set to peak on the night of August 12–13; however, the 84 percent illuminated moon may obscure as many as three-quarters of meteors.
• Astronomy experts advise heading well beyond urban light pollution, allowing at least 20 minutes for eyes to adjust and timing observations when lunar glare is lowest.
• Preparations are already underway for the next major event, a total solar eclipse crossing parts of Spain on August 12, 2026, the first in over a century.