The ever-shifting phases of Earth’s moon present a wealth of targets for amateur astronomers to explore, ranging from magnificent craters and lunar seas to strange visual phenomena created as sunlight plays across the ancient surface.
Join us on a guided tour of August’s moon through all four major lunar phases. With any backyard telescope, you can spot these targets. A scope with an aperture of 6 inches or more will help reveal more detail across ancient lunar landscapes.
Here are the highlights for each phase:
**First Quarter Moon (Aug. 1)**
Search for the historic Apollo 11 landing site on the southwestern shore of Mare Tranquilitatis, where Neil Armstrong announced “the Eagle has landed” in 1969. Use a 6-inch telescope to locate Tranquility Base by looking at the lower right of Ritter and Sabine craters.
**Full Sturgeon Moon (Aug. 9)**
Observe Tycho crater extending its influence over the lunar disk, easily visible to the naked eye thanks to its vast streaks of reflective material. Learn about the many lunar mare that can be spotted with the naked eye as well.
**Third Quarter Moon (Aug. 16)**
Watch a dramatic display of light and shadow play across the terminator and find massive craters named after Plato and Archimedes. Look for these impact sites above the pronounced sweep of Montes Apenninus mountain range.
**New Moon (August 23)**
Hunt the glowing band of the Milky Way’s core streaming towards the eastern horizon in dark sky locations, visible during the summer months. During this phase, observe a waning or waxing crescent moon with a soft glow due to Earthshine.
Source: https://www.space.com/stargazing/august-moon-heres-what-to-look-for-during-all-4-major-moon-phases