Episode Details

Summer is almost here, and with it comes one of the richest observing seasons of the year.

In this episode, we take a road trip through the summer sky, exploring the constellations, deep-sky objects, planets, meteor showers, and celestial events that will define the next three months of stargazing. Along the way we'll visit the Summer Triangle, cruise through the star clouds of the Milky Way, stop at famous landmarks like the Great Hercules Cluster and the Lagoon Nebula, and look ahead to the Perseid meteor shower and a deep partial lunar eclipse later this summer.

Summer astronomy has its own character. The nights are warm, the Milky Way is bright, and some of the best observing experiences come not from reaching a destination, but from wandering beneath the stars and discovering something unexpected along the way.

In this episode:

• The Summer Triangle and why it signals the arrival of summer
• Exploring the Milky Way with binoculars
• The Great Rift and the crowded heart of our galaxy
• M13, the Lagoon Nebula, the Trifid Nebula, the Ring Nebula, and other summer favorites
• The myths and stories behind Scorpius, Sagittarius, Cygnus, and Hercules
• Venus, Saturn, and notable summer conjunctions
• The Southern Delta Aquariids and Perseid meteor showers
• August's deep partial lunar eclipse

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