Star Almanack
Alexander Ferrari Miller

ISO 2027-W33

Week begins: Monday, August 16, 2027

Notation:

Calendar

DateZodiac dayEvents
Mon, Aug 16, 2027♌ 25
Tue, Aug 17, 2027♌ 26
🌕 Full Moon · Grain Moon — 07:28:42 UTC
M70 — Telescope 8 — Southern Summer
M26 — Telescope 8 — Tropical Summer
Wed, Aug 18, 2027♌ 27
β Sct — Binoculars 4 — Tropical Summer
Sheliak (β Lyr) — Binoculars 4 — Northern Summer — in the Milky Way
Thu, Aug 19, 2027♌ 28
M11 — Telescope 6 — Tropical Summer
Finest NGC 94 / NGC 6712 — Telescope 8 — Tropical Summer
M57 — Telescope 9 — Northern Summer
Fri, Aug 20, 2027♌ 29
M54 — Telescope 8 — Southern Summer
Nunki (σ Sgr) — Naked eye 2 — Southern Summer
Sat, Aug 21, 2027♌ 30
Sun, Aug 22, 2027♌ 31
C68 / NGC 6729 · R Coronae Australis Nebula — Telescope 10 — Southern Summer

Weekly Solar-System Ephemeris

Snapshot: Week begins August 16, 2027, 00:00 UTC.

(-90° to +90°; defaults +45°, 21:00 LAT)

Notation:
Body☉︎☽︎☿︎♀︎♂︎♃︎♄︎
Ecliptic♌︎ 22°56′
β −0°00′		♒︎ 8°41′
β −0°16′		♌︎ 27°40′
β +1°43′		♌︎ 24°02′
β +1°19′		♎︎ 19°04′
β −0°04′		♍︎ 4°23′
β +0°55′		♈︎ 27°51′
β −2°37′
ObservingNightNaked eye -12.2☉︎☉︎Naked eye 1.3☉︎Naked eye 0.4
Rise04:5718:1805:1905:0109:5605:5821:30
Set19:0303:4919:2219:1121:0319:3310:42

Extended targets:

Body⚳︎♅︎♆︎♇︎
Ecliptic♍︎ 6°44′
β +7°35′		♊︎ 9°34′
β −0°06′		♈︎ 6°18′
β −1°27′		♒︎ 5°33′
β −4°48′
Observing☉︎Binoculars 5.7Telescope 7.7TelescopeTelescope 14.5
Rise05:5323:1320:3718:35
Set20:1614:2808:5203:16

β = ecliptic latitude (+ north, − south).
Rise and set are Local Apparent Time for the selected latitude.
Naked-eye observing uses the Sun’s altitude at the selected Monday observer time: Daylight (Sun ≥ −0.833°), Civil twilight (−0.833° to −6°), Nautical twilight (−6° to −12°), Astronomical twilight (−12° to −18°), and Night (below −18°).
Solar Glare identifies a body too close to the Sun when the sky-state rule does not already supersede its naked-eye classification.
The Sun’s observing status uses this same five-state sky classification.

Notation:

Planet Finder

Planet Finder — Greek / Symbols
Greek / Symbols
Planet Finder — English
English
Planet Finder — Mixed Learner
Mixed Learner

Sky Notes

Kilroy: Sky Notes · generated 2026-10-22 18:39:19 UTC

View:

ISO 2027-W33 runs from August 16 through August 22. Uranus is about 0.2° in ecliptic longitude from Aldebaran in Taurus. To find Mercury, first identify Leo, trace the Sickle, and locate Regulus in that pattern. Mercury lies about 2.2° away in ecliptic longitude at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot; use the finder to transfer from Regulus to the planet.

Naked eye: 🌕 Full Moon · Grain Moon — 07:28:42 UTC. Bright moonlight favors prominent stars and planets while reducing contrast on faint deep-sky objects. Use Nunki as the week’s fixed-sky framework.

Nunki — the Teapot’s hidden pair — The bright guide on Sagittarius’s Teapot handle is two hot stars in a close orbit, with a name inherited through a historical mix-up.

Planets: Moon: Naked eye; magnitude -12.2; direct motion; 98.5% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Opposition in ecliptic longitude Aug 17 07:28 UTC. Conjunction with Saturn in ecliptic longitude Aug 22 12:17 UTC. Conjunction with Neptune in ecliptic longitude Aug 20 19:02 UTC. Mercury: In solar glare; magnitude -1.5; direct motion; 98.5% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Ceres in ecliptic longitude Aug 22 08:16 UTC. Conjunction with Jupiter in ecliptic longitude Aug 19 22:46 UTC. Venus: In solar glare; magnitude -3.9; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Mars: Naked eye; magnitude 1.3; direct motion; 92.0% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Ceres: In solar glare; magnitude 8.6; direct motion; 99.7% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Mercury in ecliptic longitude Aug 22 08:16 UTC. Jupiter: In solar glare; magnitude -1.7; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Mercury in ecliptic longitude Aug 19 22:46 UTC. Saturn: Naked eye; magnitude 0.4; retrograde motion; 99.8% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Aug 22 12:17 UTC. Uranus: Binoculars; magnitude 5.7; direct motion; 99.9% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Neptune: Telescope; magnitude 7.7; retrograde motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Aug 20 19:02 UTC. Pluto: Substantial telescope; magnitude 14.5; retrograde motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot.

Binoculars: Trace Scutum’s diamond-shaped figure in the finder, then identify β Sct at its charted position. Trace Lyra’s closed figure in the finder, then identify Sheliak at its charted position.

Beta Scuti: A Bright Star in the Scutum Constellation — An overview of Beta Scuti, its position, and significance among the celestial figures.

Sheliak: The Lyr Star in Focus — An overview of the notable binary star system in Lyra, its characteristics, and its significance in astronomy.

Small telescope: M70: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; M26: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; Wild Duck Cluster: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; NGC 6712: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; Ring Nebula: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; M54: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; R Coronae Australis Nebula: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance

M70: A Globular Treasure in Sagittarius — An enduring stellar assembly nestled in the constellation Sagittarius, M70 invites exploration of ancient star clusters.

M26: The Open Cluster in Sagittarius — An inviting stellar assembly offering a glimpse into the dynamic fabric of our galaxy.

The Wild Duck Cluster: A Sparkling Gem in Scutum — An enduring favorite among stargazers, this open cluster reveals a vibrant congregation of stars nestled in the constellation Scutum.

A Deep Dive into the Globular Cluster in Scutum — An exploration of a celestial gem nestled within the constellation of Scutum, highlighting its significance and characteristics.

The Ring Nebula: A Timeless Jewel in the Constellation Lyra — An enduring subject for astronomers, the Ring Nebula offers insight into stellar evolution and the beauty of the cosmos.

M54: A Glimpse into the Heart of the Sagittarius Cluster — An exploration of the intriguing globular cluster M54, its characteristics, and significance within the constellation Sagittarius.

R Coronae Australis Nebula: A Custodian of Cosmic Birthoffs — An inviting glimpse into a vibrant stellar nursery nestled in the constellation Corona Australis.

Substantial telescope: No fixed-sky Calendar object is classified as requiring a substantial telescope this week.

Other objects listed this week: None

Mercury

Mercury: in solar glare at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Rises 05:19; sets 19:22 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -1.5. The disk is 98.5% illuminated (gibbous). It is 5.0° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 1.958° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Regulus, 2.8° away. Venus is 3.7° away at the snapshot. Conjunction with Ceres in ecliptic longitude Aug 22 08:16 UTC. Conjunction with Jupiter in ecliptic longitude Aug 19 22:46 UTC. Mercury: 2.8° from Regulus in the Pathfinder.

Venus

Venus: in solar glare at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Rises 05:01; sets 19:11 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -3.9. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 1.7° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 1.236° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Regulus, 6.2° away. Mercury is 3.7° away at the snapshot. Venus: 6.2° from Regulus in the Pathfinder.

Moon

Moon: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 20.6° above the horizon. Rises 18:18; sets 03:49 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -12.2. The disk is 98.5% illuminated (waxing gibbous). It is 165.7° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 11.799° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Dabih, 6.4° away. Opposition in ecliptic longitude Aug 17 07:28 UTC. Conjunction with Saturn in ecliptic longitude Aug 22 12:17 UTC. Conjunction with Neptune in ecliptic longitude Aug 20 19:02 UTC. Moon: 6.4° from Dabih in the Pathfinder.

Mars

Mars: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 0.1° below the horizon. Rises 09:56; sets 21:03 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 1.3. The disk is 92.0% illuminated (gibbous). It is 56.1° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.627° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Spica, 5.5° away. Mars: 5.5° from Spica in the Pathfinder.

Jupiter

Jupiter: in solar glare at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Rises 05:58; sets 19:33 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -1.7. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 11.5° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.215° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Regulus, 4.2° away. Conjunction with Mercury in ecliptic longitude Aug 19 22:46 UTC. Jupiter: 4.2° from Regulus in the Pathfinder.

Saturn

Saturn: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 5.7° below the horizon. Rises 21:30; sets 10:42 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 0.4. The disk is 99.8% illuminated (nearly full). It is 115.1° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is retrograde at 0.011° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Alrescha, 6.7° away. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Aug 22 12:17 UTC. Saturn: 6.7° from Alrescha in the Pathfinder.

Uranus

Uranus: binoculars at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 17.0° below the horizon. Rises 23:13; sets 14:28 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 5.7. The disk is 99.9% illuminated (nearly full). It is 73.4° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 0.025° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Aldebaran, 5.4° away. Uranus: 5.4° from Aldebaran in the Pathfinder.

Neptune

Neptune: telescope at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 3.5° above the horizon. Rises 20:37; sets 08:52 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 7.7. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 136.6° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is retrograde at 0.018° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Diphda, 19.6° away. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Aug 20 19:02 UTC. Neptune: 19.6° from Diphda in the Pathfinder.

Ceres

Ceres: in solar glare at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Rises 05:53; sets 20:16 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 8.6. The disk is 99.7% illuminated (nearly full). It is 15.7° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.456° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Algieba, 6.8° away. Conjunction with Mercury in ecliptic longitude Aug 22 08:16 UTC. Ceres: 6.8° from Algieba in the Pathfinder.

Pluto

Pluto: substantial telescope at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 16.5° above the horizon. Rises 18:35; sets 03:16 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 14.5. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 162.0° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is retrograde at 0.022° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Dabih, 9.4° away. Pluto: 9.4° from Dabih in the Pathfinder.