The Stars for August 2008

When you name a star with us you can choose the constellation (area of the night sky) in which your star is located. The following chart shows which Name A Star Live constellations are visible during the first few hours after sunset this month:

Best Time to View the Stars

The best time to view the stars is when there is no moon out: Like the light pollution caused by city lights, moonlight drowns out the faint celestial objects otherwise visible through telescopes. In August 2008, it's best to view the stars during the first and last weeks of the month.

Sagittarius
When you view the planet Jupiter this month (see "The Planets This Month" below), you'll also be viewing the constellation Sagittarius. That is, in August Jupiter is said to be "in Sagittarius" (in the area of the night sky known as "Sagittarius"). The major stars of Sagittarius are outlined above. At lower right is the tail end of the constellation Scorpius (see "The Stars for July 2008" for a description of Scorpius).
	Here's another way of viewing some of the stars in Sagittarius: Astronomers refer to this group of stars as "The Teapot." This formation of stars is easy to see if you get away from city lights on a clear, moonless night. When you find the teapot, you will be looking at just about the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. In fact, when viewing the teapot, the Milky Way is interpreted as being the steam coming out of the top of the teapot. Note: If you live in Australia, South Africa, or other parts of the southern hemisphere, Sagittarius (and the teapot) will appear 'upside down' compared to these images.

How Other Cultures Have Viewed the Stars

The constellation Sagittarius is usually depicted as being a half man-half horse archer. The sun passes through Sagittarius during the time of the hunt and he has his arrow pointing straight to the star Antares which marks the heart of Scorpius, the Scorpion.

The Lagoon Nebula (M8) in Sagittarius Credit: NASA

Greek mythology says that Sagittarius avenged Orion by slaying the scorpion that killed him with one shot.
Sagittarius is considered a late constellation but its origins are with the Babylonians. Their original centaur, Pa.Bil.Sag, was a two-headed human head facing forward with an animal head facing back. Even before this there was a constellation of a scorpion-tailed man with a bow and arrow. There was war-like and aggressive imagery associated with Sagittarius in ancient times but much of this is forgotten today, although in literature there are many references to “the dreadful Sagittary,” in works such as Shakespeare’s "Troilus and Cressida."

Often there is confusion between Sagittarius and Centaurus, another constellation. Centaurs were a race of creatures in Greek mythology that were half human, half horse. According to legend, the Greek Centaur Chiron sent Sagittarius to the heavens to lead the Argonauts in their expedition through Colchis. With two Centaurs in the sky their myths have often overlapped. Chiron was seen as a very kind, gentle figure, while Sagittarius was warlike.

The Planets This Month

Special Events

There are a couple of astronomical events of note

thismonth:

• An eclipse of the sun by the Earth, as viewed by the astronauts on the Apollo 12 spacecraft, November 1969 Credit: NASA

  Solar Eclipse August 1 — A total eclipse of the sun will be visible in northern Canada, northern Europe, Central Russia, Mongolia and China. A partial eclipse will be visible that day throughout most of northeastern North America, Europe and Asia. (Warning: Never look at the sun directly, even during an eclipse -- you could damage your eyesight. Consult your local news media, planetarium, or astronomy club for details about when, and how, to observe the eclipse safely.)
• Perseid Meteor Shower ("shooting stars") August 12 — If you live in a city, drive northeast of town -- away from city lights -- and find a secluded spot away from major roads (where automobile headlights won't interfere with your observing). Take along a reclining lawn chair, some mosquito repellant, some food and drink, and possibly a blanket: No telescope or binoculars needed! Lie down, facing northeast and enjoy the show! The best time to observe the meteors streaking across the sky is during the 3-4 hours, or so, before sunrise. (You won't see many meteors earlier that night because the Moon will flood the night sky with moonlight. But the moon sets around 2 am that night.) Be forewarned: While the Perseid Meteor Shower is one of the best meteor showers each year, some years any given meteor shower may be quite impressive, other years it may not. There's no way to predict how impressive the Perseid Meteor Shower will be.

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Our Virtual Planetarium™ astronomy software shows you all the constellations and planets you can see from your location on any night of the year. We include this fascinating software in our Deluxe, Framed, and Ultimate Gift Sets. Our planisphere constellation finder is a great supplement to Virtual Planetarium™: Consider adding a planisphere to whatever gift set you buy.