TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Several celestial phenomena will occur throughout August 2025. Interestingly, some of these phenomena can be enjoyed with the naked eye without the need for a telescope.
Compiled from Space, Farmer's Almanac, and When The Curves Line Up, here are the celestial phenomena that will occur in August 2025:
1. Full Sturgeon Moon (August 9)
The August full moon, also known as the Sturgeon Moon, will reach its peak on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 3:55 a.m. Eastern Time. However, the best time to witness the beauty of this summer's full moon is the night before.
2. Perseid Meteor Shower Peak (August 12-13)
The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most spectacular celestial phenomena each year. Active from mid-July to late August, it will peak on the night of August 12 and into the early morning hours of August 13, 2025.
This phenomenon originates from the dust and ice left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle as Earth passes through its path. When tiny fragments the size of sand grains enter the atmosphere at 214,000 kilometers per hour, they burn up, creating bright flashes of light in the sky. Most meteors are visible from an altitude of about 97 km and reach temperatures of over 1,650°C.
According to NASA, at its peak, observers can see up to 100 meteors per hour. Unfortunately, this year's meteor shower coincides with a full moon, which can reduce the visibility of fainter meteors.
Comet Swift-Tuttle last approached Earth in 1992 and will pass again in 2126. With a nucleus 26 km wide, this comet is the largest object to regularly approach Earth.
3. Parade of 6 Planets Aligned (August 18, 2025)
On August 18, the six planets—Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—will appear nearly aligned in the sky. Four of these—Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn—can be seen with the naked eye without the aid of instruments. Meanwhile, Uranus and Neptune require a telescope to observe.
This phenomenon generally occurs in the early morning, about 45 minutes before sunrise. To see it, you can look east. Mercury will be lowest and most difficult to see. However, above it, slightly to the right, very bright Venus will be clearly visible, followed by a dimmer but still stunning Jupiter. Higher still, the aging crescent Moon will complete the view.
4. Peak Western Elongation of Mercury (August 19)
Mercury will reach its farthest position from sunrise in the sky on August 19, 2025. This phenomenon is known as greatest western elongation, when Mercury appears furthest from the sun on the eastern horizon before dawn.
This moment is the best opportunity to observe Mercury in the morning sky, because after that date, the planet will begin to move closer to sunrise and gradually disappear into the morning twilight.
Mercury orbits the sun every 88 days, and because Earth also moves, the planet often appears to change position from the morning sky to the evening sky about every 116 days. The last time Mercury was between Earth and the Sun—known as inferior conjunction—occurred on August 1, 2025, at 00:00 UTC. After that, Mercury has reappeared in the eastern sky at dawn since early August.
The peak elongation will occur on August 19, 2025, at 10:00 UTC (around 5:00 PM WIB / Western Indonesian Time). At that time, Mercury will be 19 degrees from the Sun and shining at magnitude 0—quite bright even though it competes with the light of dawn. Through a telescope, Mercury will appear in a crescent phase with 42 percent illumination and an angular diameter of 7.33 arcseconds.
Interestingly, throughout mid-to-late August, Mercury will continue to brighten until it reaches magnitude -1.2, making it easier to see, although it will remain low in the morning sky. Furthermore, other bright planets such as Venus and Jupiter will also be near Mercury at the same time, creating a dazzling morning sky display.
5. New Moon (August 23)
The new moon will occur on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at 2:06 a.m. EDT (1:06 p.m. WIB). A new moon occurs when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun, with its dark side facing Earth. This phenomenon occurs about once a month, but does not always result in a solar eclipse due to the Moon's tilted orbit relative to Earth's.
Before and after a new moon, the Moon's thin crescent is sometimes accompanied by a faint glow across its surface, known as Earthshine or "old moon in the embrace of a new moon," due to the reflection of light from Earth.
A new moon is also often called a black moon. This term refers to the second new moon in a calendar month or the third new moon in a season with four new moons. The next black moon is expected to occur on August 23, 2025, based on the second definition.
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