{"id":62275,"date":"2024-08-01T08:19:59","date_gmt":"2024-08-01T08:19:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eb03a574-e669-479c-84c1-3f79fdf43fa3"},"modified":"2024-08-01T08:39:39","modified_gmt":"2024-08-01T08:39:39","slug":"your-guide-to-the-best-planets-to-observe-in-the-sky-during-august-2024","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/your-guide-to-the-best-planets-to-observe-in-the-sky-during-august-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Your guide to the best planets to observe in the sky during August 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

Make the most of Saturn at opposition this month with our guide to observing the planets. <\/p>

By Pete Lawrence\n <\/p>

Published: Thursday, 01 August 2024 at 08:19 AM<\/p>

\n\n

2024 hasn’t been a great year for observing the planets so far, but that’s about to change as we leave August and head into the darker autumnal months.<\/p>

We’ve several planetary oppositions<\/a> to look forward to in the latter months of 2024, into the opposition of Mars in January 2025.<\/p>

In August 2024, your best bet for planetary observing is Saturn, as it will be climbing higher in the sky and the nights will be getting darker.<\/p>

You can find out more about this in our guide to observing Saturn in August 2024<\/a>, and scroll down for a quick look at what the rest of the planets are like this month.<\/p>

Get more stargazing advice by signing up to receive the BBC Sky at Night Magazine e-newsletter<\/a> and listening to our weekly Star Diary podcast<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

The phase and relative sizes of the planets in August 2024. Each planet is shown\u00a0with south at the top, to show its orientation through a telescope. Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Saturn<\/strong><\/h2>
Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 August, 01:45 BST (00:45 UT)<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 30\u00b0<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Aquarius<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> South<\/li>
Features:<\/strong> Rings, banded atmosphere, brighter moons<\/li>
Recommended equipment:<\/strong> 75mm scope or larger<\/li><\/ul>
Mercury<\/strong><\/h2>
Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 August, 30 minutes before sunrise<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 8\u00b0 (low)<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Leo<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> East<\/li><\/ul>
Mercury sets less than 30 minutes after sunset on 1 August<\/strong> and is poorly placed at the start of August. Inferior conjunction occurs on 19 August<\/strong>.<\/p>
Things then improve in the morning sky, mag. +0.9 Mercury rising 90 minutes before the Sun by 31 August<\/strong>. \u00a0<\/p>
Venus<\/strong><\/h2>
Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 August, 20 minutes after sunset<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 3\u00b0 (very low)<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Virgo<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> West<\/li><\/ul>
Venus is an evening object but not especially well placed, setting 40 minutes or so after sunset all month. A 1%-lit waxing crescent Moon sits 1.8\u00b0 northwest of Venus on the evening of 5 August.\u00a0<\/p>
Mars<\/strong><\/h2>
Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 August, 04:10 BST (03:10 UT)<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 34\u00b0<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Taurus<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> East<\/li><\/ul>
Morning planet Mars rises around midnight on 1 August, within Tau<\/a>rus not far from orange star Aldebaran<\/a>. Early morning on 6 August<\/strong>, mag. \u20132.0 Jupiter, +0.9 Mars and +0.8 Aldebaran form a right-angled triangle, Mars at the right angle.<\/p>
Mars moves east over the following mornings, for a close conjunction with Jupiter on 14 and 15 August<\/strong>. On 27 August<\/strong>, mag. +0.8 Mars sits 1.1\u00b0 north of M1, the Crab Nebula<\/a>. The Moon sits near Jupiter and Mars on 27 and 28 August<\/strong>. By 31 August<\/strong>, Mars has brightened to mag. +0.7 and appears 6 arcseconds across through the eyepiece of a telescope.\u00a0<\/p>
Jupiter<\/strong><\/h2>
Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 August, 04:30 BST (03:30 UT)<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 42\u00b0<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Taurus<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> East-southeast<\/li><\/ul>
Jupiter is a morning planet visible in dark skies for a couple of hours after rising at the start of August. Mars approaches Jupiter in the first half of August, appearing 24 arcminutes to the northwest on 14 August<\/strong> and 23 arcminutes northeast on 15 August<\/strong>.<\/p>
A 42%-lit waning crescent Moon sits near Jupiter on 27 August<\/strong>. By 31 August<\/strong>, mag. \u20132.1 Jupiter reaches 40\u00b0 altitude under dark-sky conditions.\u00a0<\/p>
Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>
Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 August, 04:15 BST (03:15 UT)<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 49\u00b0<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Taurus<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> Southeast<\/li><\/ul>
Uranus is in Taurus, 5.5\u00b0 south\u00adwest of the Pleiades open cluster. On 1 August<\/strong>, it shines at mag. +5.8, reaching 16\u00b0 altitude under dark conditions. By late August, this improves to an altitude of 50\u00b0 up as darkness ends.<\/p>
Neptune<\/strong><\/h2>
Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 August, 02:30 BST (01:30 UT)<\/li>
Altitude:<\/strong> 35\u00b0<\/li>
Location:<\/strong> Pisces<\/li>
Direction:<\/strong> South<\/li><\/ul>
Neptune reaches peak altitude under dark-sky conditions from mid August, but at mag. +7.8 requires at least binoculars. On the evening of 21 August<\/strong> at 22:30 BST (21:30 UT), it lies 6 arcminutes from the northern edge of a 93%-lit Moon.<\/p>
If you are a practical observer or an astro imager, share your observing adventures and images with us by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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Saturn<\/strong><\/h2>Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 August, 01:45 BST (00:45 UT)<\/li>Altitude:<\/strong> 30\u00b0<\/li>Location:<\/strong> Aquarius<\/li>Direction:<\/strong> South<\/li>Features:<\/strong> Rings, banded atmosphere, brighter moons<\/li>

Mercury<\/strong><\/h2>Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 August, 30 minutes before sunrise<\/li>Altitude:<\/strong> 8\u00b0 (low)<\/li>Location:<\/strong> Leo<\/li>

Jupiter<\/strong><\/h2>Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 August, 04:30 BST (03:30 UT)<\/li>Altitude:<\/strong> 42\u00b0<\/li>Location:<\/strong> Taurus<\/li>

Uranus\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 August, 04:15 BST (03:15 UT)<\/li>Altitude:<\/strong> 49\u00b0<\/li>Location:<\/strong> Taurus<\/li>

Neptune<\/strong><\/h2>Best time to see:<\/strong> 31 August, 02:30 BST (01:30 UT)<\/li>Altitude:<\/strong> 35\u00b0<\/li>Location:<\/strong> Pisces<\/li>