Today:
While the Moon approaches Full, though rather low in the southeast, look to the zenith – the top of the sky – where a bright star shines with a steely-blue light. Vega ranks as the 4th brightest star in the heavens, twice as massive as our Sun, emitting 37 times more light, while converting hydrogen to helium ten times faster than the Sun.
Saturday:
The Full “Sturgeon” Moon runs low across the southern skies. The Moon gets its name from the large fish found in the Great Lakes and other large bodies of water, which were easier to catch in August. European settlers sometimes knew this as the “Corn” Moon. Like the other summer Full Moons, this one also runs very low over the southern horizon.
Sunday:
The Big Dipper has settled into the northwest skies, about one third of the way up from the horizon at 8:45 this evening. Use the handle of the Big Dipper to “arc” westward to Arcturus, a brilliant orange-white star almost the same height, but in the west. Arcturus is the brightest star in the skies this month.