Wed., August 1, 2012, 11:27 p.m. EDT. The full moon of August is usually called the grain moon.
Thu., August 9, 2012, 2:55 p.m. EDT. The last or third quarter moon rises around 11:20 p.m. and sets around 2:20 p.m.
Fri., August 17, 2012, 11:54 a.m. EDT. The moon is not visible on the date of new moon because it is too close to the sun.
Fri., August 24, 2012, 10:54 a.m. EDT. The first quarter moon rises around 2:30 p.m. and sets around 12:20 a.m.
Fri., August 31, 2012, 9:58 a.m. EDT. There is a second full moon this month, what is sometimes called a "blue moon."
Mon., August 6, 2012, morning. Multiple events involving Jupiter's moons and their shadows will take place.
Sat., August 11, 2012, morning. Jupiter and its moons will be occulted by the moon as seen from Indonesia, Marshall Islands, and Hawaii.
Sun., August 12, 2012, after midnight. The Perseid meteor shower, usually the most reliable meteor shower of the year, peaks just around dawn.
Mon., August 13, 2012, dawn. A triple conjunction frames the crescent moon with the two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter.
Tue., August 14, 2012, early evening. A close encounter between planets Saturn and Mars, along with first magnitude star Spica, Alpha Virginis.
Thu., August 16, 2012, dawn. Mercury is at maximum western elongation this morning, and Venus was at maximum western elongation yesterday morning.
Tue., August 21, 2012, early evening. The moon joins a close grouping of planets Saturn and Mars, and the bright star Spica.
Wed., August 22, 2012, morning. Multiple events involving Jupiter’s moons and their shadows will take place.
Fri., August 24, 2012, midnight. You can find Neptune with binoculars using the two easternmost stars in Capricornus, Deneb Algiedi and Nashira.
