Log Astronomy: Check out August's coming attractions!

Summer's premier meteor shower peaks, the Moon has some memorable meet-ups & much more!

Coming soon to a sky near you ...

In August, we're turning the constellation spotlight on Sagittarius, which is packed with celestial delights. One of which is the Trifid Nebula, captured here by astrophotographer Stefan Dal Pra with the aid of an Explore Scientific ED102 Air-Spaced Triplet Refractor.

Check out our latest astronomy calendar to discover what awaits in August skies!

At any moment of the day, countless awe-inspiring celestial events are unfolding in the sky. With a universe of options, it can be hard to pin down what to observe. Our monthly astronomy calendar provides a peek into what's happening in the sky and in the world of astronomy in general and gives a quick list of highlights that can jump start your own explorations.

So what's coming up in August? Highlights include summer's premier meteor shower — the Perseids — making its annual splash; the Ring Nebula glowing like a jewel in the Lyra constellation and the Moon meeting up with the "Rival of Mars"!

Click the button below to discover more about what you might see in August's night skies and track the Moon phases to plan the best time to observe.

CLICK TO VIEW AUGUST'S HIGHLIGHTS

Astrophotographer Steve Bellavia recently captured the transit of Titan's shadow across Saturn with the aid of Explore Scientific's FirstLight Series 152mm Maksutov-Cassegrain.

Are you looking for an observing challenge?

A transit season is under way for Saturn's largest moon, but you'll need perseverance and a sizable telescope to catch the show!

Every 15 years, Earth and Saturn align in just the right way to reveal Titan's shadow periodically gliding across the cloudy surface of the Ringed Planet. Thanks to a well-timed break in the clouds during a recent transit in the wee hours of July 18, astrophotographer Steve Bellavia was able to capture this shot of Titan's shadow as it raced across the face of Saturn.

Although Titan's current transit series is halfway done, five opportunities remain for astronomy enthusiasts to see an encore performance. The next chance will be August 3 and the last will be October 6. After that, you will have to wait until 2040! Click the button below to learn more about the transit and Steve's journey to capturing it in progress!

LEARN MORE IN OUR LATEST BLOG POST

Save 15% on telescopes, microscopes & other learning gear for a limited time!

To kick off back-to-school season, we're offering a 15% discount on regularly-priced items from our Back to School collection! Click the image above or the link below to start exploring all the ways our gear can fuel young minds and unleash curiosity!

CLICK TO SHOP THE FULL BACK TO SCHOOL COLLECTION