Bootleg Astronomers

The Bootleg Star Party Registration Form is available HERE (pre-registration deadline is Saturday, August 29th, 2026)

*** Due to the number of people doing imaging at the Bootleg Star Parties, Bootleg Management is indicating that Green Lasers will not be permitted starting one hour after sunset ***

2	Mercury at westernmost elongation at 8h UT (19.5° from Sun, morning sky). Mag. 0.3.
3	Moon near Saturn at 23h UT (morning sky). Mag. 0.6.
6	Last Quarter Moon at 2:22 UT.
6	Mercury 7.6° South of Pollux at 6h UT (20° from Sun, morning sky).Mags. −0.4.
7	Moon near the Pleiades at 8h UT (morning sky).
9	Moon near Mars at 7h UT (morning sky). Mag. 1.3.
9	Moon, Mars and M35 within 4.9° circle at 9h UT (48° from Sun, morning sky).
9	Moon near M35 Cluster at 13h UT (morning sky).
10	Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 11:18 UT (distance 363,284km; angular size 32.9').
10	Moon near Castor at 17h UT (morning sky).
10	Moon near Pollux at 23h UT (morning sky).
11	Moon near Mercury at 15h UT (16° from Sun, morning sky). Mag. −0.9.
12	Perseid meteor shower peaks night of Aug 12-13. Peak lasts about 12 hours. Active from July 17 to August 24. Produces swift, bright meteors (30-50 per hour) with persistent trains. Best viewed from a dark rural location in the Northern Hemisphere. • Perseids (AMS)
12	Total Solar Eclipse from 16:58 to 18:34 UT, greatest eclipse at 17:46 UT (duration 2m 18s). Totality visible along narrow path crossing Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and Spain. Partial eclipse visible across northern North America, UK, Europe and western parts of Africa. • Total Solar Eclipse of 2026 August 12 (GIF) (NASA) • 10 Things to Know About the August 2026 Total Solar Eclipse (Time & Date) • Solar Eclipses: 2021 - 2040 (Mr Eclipse) • NASA Solar Eclipse Page (NASA)
12	New Moon at 17:36 UT. Start of lunation 1282.
12	Venus at dichotomy (D-shape crescent) at 20h UT.
14	Mars 0.6° South of M35 Cluster at 23h UT (50° from Sun, morning sky). Mag. 1.3.
15	Venus at easternmost elongation at 6h UT (45.9° from Sun, evening sky). Mag. −4.3.
15	Mars at northernmost declination (23.7°) at 16h UT (morning sky). Mag. 1.3.
16	Moon near Venus at 8h UT (evening sky). Mag. −4.3.
17	Moon near Spica at 11h UT (evening sky).
20	First Quarter Moon at 2:45 UT.
21	Moon near Antares at 3h UT (evening sky). Occultation visible from Antarctica, Argentina, Chile and Falkland Islands. • Lunar occultation of Antares (In-the-Sky)
22	Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 9h UT (distance 404,642km; angular size 29.5').
27	Mercury at superior conjunction with the Sun at 17h UT (not visible). The innermost planet passes into the evening sky.
28	Partial Eclipse of the Moon from 2:34 to 5:52 UT, mid-eclipse at 4:13 UT. Visible from the Americas, Europe and Africa. • NASA Lunar Eclipses: 2021-2030 (NASA) • Partial Lunar Eclipse of 2026 August 28 (PDF) (NASA)
28	Full Moon at 4:19 UT.
31	Moon near Saturn at 3h UT (morning sky). Mag. 0.5.

>>> All times Universal Time (UT). USA Central Standard Time = UT-6 hours. (DST = UT-5 hrs,)

Zodiacal Light is caused by sunlight reflected off meteoric dust in the plane of the solar system. Choose a clear, moonless night, about 1-2 hours after sunset, and look for a large triangular-shaped glow extending up from the horizon (along the ecliptic). The best months to view the Zodiacal Light is when the ecliptic is almost vertical at the horizon: March and April (evening) and October-November (morning); times reversed for the southern hemisphere.
• Zodiacal Light (Wikipedia)
• Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)
• Photographing the Zodiacal Light (Weatherscapes)