by Steven Burr
The Moon
We start the month off with the last quarter moon on the 6th of August. Following this, we are then treated with the moon passing in front of the star cluster Pleiades (M45) in the early hours of the 7th. The new moon arrives on the 12th followed by the first quarter on the 20th. The Full Sturgeon Moon makes its appearance on the 28th. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the name owes its origins to the giant lake Sturgeon which were harvested during this part of the summer. Other names include Flying-Up Moon (Cree), Corn Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe), Harvest Moon (Dakota), and Ricing Moon (Anishinaabe).
Partial Lunar Eclipse
On the 27th/28th of August, the County will be treated to a partial lunar eclipse commencing at 10:33 pm on the 27th, reaching its peak at 12:12 am on the 28th and ending at 1:51 am. Watch for the moon on the south eastern horizon just after sunset.
Lunar Eclipse - photo: Greg Lisk
The Planets
Venus is now visible briefly just after sunset. Mars is becoming well situated in the pre-dawn sky. Jupiter will become visible in the pre-dawn sky by the end of the month as it comes out of the sun’s glare. Saturn is continuing to become well positioned for late evening and pre-dawn viewing.
Partial Solar Eclipse
Prince Edward County will be in the path of a partial Solar Eclipse on the 12th of August. Starting at 12:54 pm the eclipse reaches its maximum at 1:43 pm covering just a portion of the Sun’s surface. The eclipse will end at 2:30 pm. Please note, never look directly at the sun without certified Eclipse glasses!
Partial Solar Eclipse 2017 - photo: Robert Bates
Perseids Meteor Shower
The Perseid meteor shower peaks during the evening of the 12th and the early morning hours of the 13th. Luckily this year, we have a new moon and thus the night sky will be dark for viewing this celestial event. The Perseid meteor shower appears to originate from the constellation Perseus and owes it origins to debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle, discovered by Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle, in 1862. To observe this event, remove yourself from as much light pollution as possible and look to the NE for the constellation Perseus. You will need to give your eyes some time to adjust to the darkness. The best time for viewing is after midnight.
Constellation Aquila
Low in the southern sky, we have Aquila the eagle. In accordance with Greek mythology, it is the eagle that brought Ganymedes to Zeus so that he could have a cup bearer. It is also said that Zeus placed the Eagle in the sky as his sacred bird, one that can fly directly towards the sun without yielding, and one who holds dominion over all other birds. For the Babylonians, this constellation rose at the month leading to the winter solstice and thus represented a dual function of bringing children and animals to birth as well as carrying off the dead or the condemned.
Aquila Urania's Mirror - 1825
The Summer Triangle
The summer triangle is an easily recognizable asterism in the summer sky. However this asterism is comprised of bright stars from three constellations: Cygnus (Swan), Lyra (Lyre) and Aquila (Eagle). The three stars that comprise the triangle are Deneb, Vega and Altair. Look overhead after sunset to see this asterism. According to Greek mythology, Zeus took the form of the swan in his efforts to seduce Nemesis, and the lyre was created by Hermes who hollowed out a tortoise shell to make the instrument. With regards to Aquila, it is the eagle that carried Ganymedes up to Zeus so the he may have a cup bearer, or Hermes being captivated by Aphrodite, Zeus sent the eagle to snatch her slipper and bring it to Hermes so they could meet. Two interesting deep sky objects within the Summer Triangle are the Crescent Nebula, an emission nebula, and the Cygnus Loop a super nova remnant, see pics.
Summer Triangle (Asterism Source: Map of the Sky)
The Crescent Nebula (Photo: Clayton Patterson)
The Cygnus Loop (Photo: Liala Halawa)
Astronomy Events - August
12 August 2026 - Mariners Park Museum
Solar viewing with RASC - 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
On the afternoon of August 12th, the Quinte region will be treated to a partial solar eclipse. Join with members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada to view this event safely. Never look directly at the sun without proper protection!
Perseids Meteor Shower
12 August 2026 – Sandbanks Provincial Park
Night Sky Observing at Lakeshore Lodge – 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Enjoy this celestial spectacle with members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. The Perseid meteor shower peaks during the evening of the 12th and the early morning hours of the 13th. Luckily this year, we have a new moon and thus the night sky will be dark for viewing this celestial event. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and thermos!
27 August 2026 - Mariners Park Museum
Night Sky Observing with RASC - 9:00 pm to 12:00 am
Residents of the Quinte region will be able to experience a partial lunar eclipse on the evening of the 27th of August. Come out to the Mariners Park Museum to experience this event firsthand with members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. Telescopes will be available for the public to view this event and other celestial objects.
Fall’N’Stars!
11 to 13 September – Johnsons RV Park
Camping and Observing all weekend
This September, the South Shore once again hosts Fall’N’Stars, Prince Edward County’s fall star party. Starting on Friday 11th September and running through to Sunday 13th September, camp under the rural dark sky or just come for an evening. What is a Star Party? It is a gathering of amateur astronomers and enthusiasts who meet to observe, photograph, and learn about the night sky. Members of RASC Belleville and Kingston will be on hand to assist you if you are new to observing the night sky. Do you own a telescope and are not sure how to use it? This is the weekend to come out to learn and dive deep into the universe. Registration available at https://rascbelleville.ca/. See you under the Stars!
Fall’N’Stars Guest Speaker - Dr. Robin Metcalfe
The guest speaker for Fall’N’Stars 2026 is Robin Metcalf. She will be providing her presentation ‘Chasing Aurorae across Time.’
Robin Metcalfe
Robin Metcalfe is an associate professor at York University in Toronto, where she has been teaching physics and astronomy for over 25 years. Her PhD research pertained to the field of Extragalactic Astronomy and involved a study of the formation of sheet-like distributions of galaxies – the walls of the “cosmic web” - found throughout the Universe in both visible and dark matter.
Dr. Robin Metcalfe (York U.)
Chasing Aurorae across Time
Historical records as old as the first millennium BCE contain reports of mysterious glowing lights in the night sky, some of which have been attributed to aurorae. But how do we know that celestial phenomena described vaguely as an “unusual red glow,” “a pre-dawn rainbow” or “a five-coloured light” can definitively be connected to auroral activity? In this talk, we will see that aurorae leave behind breadcrumbs in unusual places, enabling us to chase them across time, both deep into the past and far into the future. We will also discuss how our ability to predict their likelihood has enabled us to capture their ethereal beauty with nothing more than a mobile phone.
Aurora Borealis (Photo: Steven Burr)
Milford Fair
19 September 2026 - Milford Fair Grounds
Booth and Solar Viewing - 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Meet with members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada to learn more about the night sky, light pollution and our closest star, the sun. Members of the local club will be on hand to answer your questions, and weather permitting, you can see the surface of the sun safely. Don’t miss out!
19 September 2026 - Mariners Park Museum
Night Sky Observing with RASC - 7 pm to 10 pm
Join with members of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and observe the Moon through one of the club’s telescopes. On the 19th of September we are near the first quarter moon, which is one of the best times to observe the moon’s surface details. During this moon phase, the terminator line (line between light and dark) provides the best contrast to observe craters, mountains and valleys. Don’t miss out on viewing our closest celestial neighbour up close and personal!
References (for August/September blogs):
August 12th, Total Solar Eclipse – Picton Ontario [online]. Timeanddate, [cited 1 February 2026]. Available from: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@6104215?iso=20260812.
August 27th, Partial Lunar Eclipse – Picton Ontario [online]. Timeanddate, [cited 1 February 2026]. Available from: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@6104215?iso=20260828.
Perseids Meteor Shower 2026 [online]. Timeanddate, [cited 3 January 2026]. Available from: https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/perseid.html
Boeckmann, Catherine, Full Moon Names 2026 [online]. Almanac, updated 31 December 2025 [cited 3 January 2026]. Available from: https://www.almanac.com/full-moon-names
Edgar, James S. ed., RASC Observer’s Handbook 2026, ed. by James S. Edgar (Toronto: Marquis Book Printing, 2025)
Hard, Robin, Eratosthenes & Hyginus: Constellation Myths (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015)
Mortillaro, Nicole, Night Sky Guide 2026 (Richmond Hill: Firefly Books, 2025)
White, Gavin, Babylonian Star-Lore: An Illustrated Guide to the Star-Lore & Constellations of Ancient Babylonia (London: Solaria Publications, 2014)
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