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Space News: What’s up for August 2025
What’s up for August? Jupiter and Venus have a morning meetup, we check out this year's Perseid meteor shower, and peek into the future of our own Sun.
Mars is the lone planet in the early evening sky this month, visible low in the west for about an hour after the sky starts to darken. It’s now only about 60% as bright as it appeared back in May.
Saturn is rising by about 10 p.m., and you’ll see it showing up a bit earlier each evening as the month goes on. You’ll find it in the east after dark with the constellations Cassiopeia and Andromeda. The Ringed Planet makes its way over to the western part of the sky by dawn, where early risers will find it on August mornings.
The real highlight of August is the close approach of Jupiter and Venus. They shine brightly in the east before sunrise throughout the month.
The pair begin the month farther apart, but quickly approach each other in the sky. They appear at their closest on the 11th and 12th — only about a degree apart. Their rendezvous happens against a backdrop of bright stars including Orion, Taurus, Gemini, and Sirius. A slim crescent Moon joins the pair of planets after they separate again, on the mornings of the 19th and 20th.
One of the best annual meteor showers, the Perseids, peaks overnight on Aug. 12 and into Aug. 13.
Unfortunately, this year the Moon is nearly full on the peak night, and its glare will wash out all but the brightest meteors.
While that's not so great for Perseid watchers, the good news is that another favorite annual meteor shower, the Geminids, is poised for Moon-free viewing in December.
August is a great time to see one of the easiest-to-observe nebulas in the sky.
The Dumbbell Nebula, also known as M27, is high overhead on August nights. It’s a type of nebula called a “planetary nebula.”
A nebula is a giant cloud of gas and dust in space, and planetary nebulas are produced by stars like our Sun when they become old and nuclear fusion ceases inside them. They blow off their outer layers, leaving behind a small, hot remnant called a white dwarf. The white dwarf produces lots of bright ultraviolet light that illuminates the nebula from the inside, as the expanding shell of gas absorbs the UV light and re-radiates it as visible light.
The Dumbbell Nebula, nicknamed for its dumbbell-like shape, appears as a small, faint patch of light about a quarter of the width of the full moon in binoculars or a small telescope. It lies within the Summer Triangle, a pattern of stars that's easy to find overhead in the August sky. You’ll find the nebula about a third of the way between its bright stars Altair and Deneb.
Here’s hoping you get a chance to observe this glimpse into the future that awaits our Sun about 5 billion years from now. It’s part of a cycle that seeds the galaxy with the ingredients for new generations of stars and planets — perhaps even some not too different from our own.
You can stay up to date on all of NASA's missions exploring the solar system and beyond at science.nasa.gov.
Chelsea writes for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Clearlake Police Association to host National Night Out event Aug. 12
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake Police Association is inviting city residents to join them for an evening of community fun and entertainment.
The association is hosting National Night Out 2025 at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12, at Austin Park.
The event is free.
Families are encouraged to meet at the splash pad for an evening of fun, food and entertainment.
The event will feature outdoor activities, a prize giveaway for children, a K9 demonstration, “Dunk the Chief” booth, and food and refreshments.
The association urges residents to bring the whole family and connect with your local community.
National Night Out is a community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.
Follow the Clearlake Police Department on Facebook for updates.
Clearlake Police seek missing man
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake Police Department is asking for the community’s assistance in locating a missing man.
Tye Hamilton, 31, was last seen in the Clearlake area, police said.
Hamilton is a white male, with hazel eyes and brown hair, standing 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighing 150 pounds.
If you have any information regarding his whereabouts please contact the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251, Extension 1 for dispatch, or text a tip to CLEARLAKEPD followed by your message, to 888777.
CHP welcomes 130 new officers dedicated to serving California
The California Highway Patrol proudly welcomed 130 newly sworn officers on Friday, celebrating their successful completion of 26 weeks of intensive training at the CHP Academy in West Sacramento.
This milestone marks another step in the department’s ongoing mission to increase public safety across California.
“This graduation represents more than a ceremony; it signifies a solemn pledge to protect and serve. These officers have demonstrated their dedication to keeping California’s communities safe and upholding the CHP’s core values,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee.
These new officers will now report to one of the CHP’s 102 Area offices across California to start their law enforcement careers, protecting and serving communities throughout the state's 58 counties.
This group of graduates brings a rich blend of backgrounds and experience, including several with public safety and military service, former college athletes and even one with a unique background as a public address announcer.
During academy training, cadets receive instruction in traffic enforcement, crash investigation, defensive tactics, firearms, emergency vehicle operations and community policing.
The curriculum also focuses on legal responsibilities, communication, ethics and cultural awareness to prepare cadets to serve California’s diverse population.
Following Friday’s graduation ceremony, nearly 300 cadets remain at the CHP’s live-in training facility and an additional 160 cadets are set to start instruction on Aug. 11 as part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to enhance public safety across the state.
The CHP continues to actively recruit dedicated individuals who are ready to make a difference in communities throughout California. “A career with the CHP offers comprehensive training, competitive benefits and opportunities for professional growth and advancement,” the agency said.
To learn more about joining the CHP, visit its website.
