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By Mike Vergara, (951) 461-2889 August is a busy month this year! Finally, some planets are going to be in the sky. The two largest planets in the solar system, Saturn and Jupiter, return. There's a potentially great meteor shower and the Full Sturgeon Moon. First, I need to define something. "Opposition" is the term used to describe when a planet is exactly opposite the sun in the sky. It's also when said planet is the closest to Earth in its orbit, so it's the absolute best time to observe a planet through a telescope or binoculars. Even if you can't get out on the exact day (or it's cloudy), viewing of a planet near its opposition is still very good. Jupiter will be "at opposition" on Aug. 19, and at 9 pm it will be in the southeastern sky about 17 degrees up from the horizon. Saturn's opposition will occur on Aug. 2, and at 9 pm it will only be 14 degrees from the horizon in the southeast, too low for good viewing. By Labor Day weekend, both of these planets will be higher in the sky and easier to see. August's full moon, the "Full Sturgeon Moon," is on Aug. 22. It's called that because the sturgeon fish were most readily caught in the Great Lakes at this time of year. Other names for this moon include the "Full Green Corn Moon," the "Wheat Cut Moon," and the "Moon When All Things Ripen." One of the best meteor showers of the year happens the night of Aug. 11-12. The Perseids meteor shower will peak this evening. The Perseids are the dust trail left by a comet, and the Earth moves through this dust cloud every year. The moon sets early so the natural sky will be pretty dark. Around 11 pm, the number of meteors will start to increase and remain fairly steady until dawn. Meteors will be falling all day, but the constellation Perseus will be high enough in the sky for good viewing starting around then. Viewing a meteor shower is easy. Find a lounge chair, a blanket, a thermos of your favorite hot beverage and a place with dark skies. Sit in the chair, lean back and watch. No additional equipment is needed! Visit http://skymaps.com/index.html to print your own map of the sky for the month. For information about satellites or the ISS, go to https://heavens-above.com. Clear skies! August Sky August Sky 28 | THE COLONY NEWS | AUGUST 2021 | COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD By Sharon Boll, Chair, 600-2579 We're back up and running and we need you! We are counting on all Colony residents to let us know when someone returns home from the hospital or rehab or needs help with their meals for whatever reason, even if it is YOU! We have volunteers right here that will make and take a meal or two to those in need. Please help us so we can help others. We also are accepting new volunteers to join this worthwhile organization. Please call Gloria Carroll (586-764-0607) or me for more information. To demonstrate and share the importance of this mission… "The last time I took a meal to someone, she hugged me and had tears in her eyes and said she had not had anything to eat in two days." (Sharon Boll's words ~ true story!) This is truly an important program of neighbors helping neighbors. Meal Train