Summer stargazing goes out with a bang in August

Key Points:

• August offers prime opportunities for astronomy enthusiasts, featuring a partial solar eclipse on August 12 in New York City, where about 10% of the sun will be obscured by the moon, peaking just before 2 p.m.
• For a total solar eclipse experience, viewers need to travel to locations such as Iceland, Spain, northern Russia, Portugal, or Greenland, with events like a rave hosted by musician Bjork near Reykjavik.
• On August 27, New Yorkers can witness a 96% lunar eclipse starting at 10:33 p.m., with the moon turning blood red as it passes through Earth's shadow, visible without special glasses.
• The Perseid meteor shower, known for bright fireballs and traveling at over 133,000 mph, peaks in August, with ideal viewing spots including rooftops and parks; the Amateur Astronomers Association will host an event on August 12 at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
• August is also ideal for viewing the seasonal constellation Scorpius and the Milky Way, with the red star Antares near the moon on August 20, offering a spectacular celestial display in the southern sky after sunset.