The dance of Jupiter and Venus at dawn, awaiting the shooting stars of August

For many, August is the month of shooting stars, the popular Perseids whose meteor shower will reach its peak after the night of San Lorenzo, between August 11th and 12th.

But the summer sky these days offers us two other spectacles: competing for the stage is a giant Moon, at sunset, which will reach its full phase next Saturday, and the planetary dance between Venus and Jupiter, for lovers of the dawn.

An "almost" full moon on the evening of Thursday, August 7, 2025, as seen from the beach at Fregene (Rainews.it)

08/08/2025

This month's highlight will be the five lunar phases, instead of the usual four, with the Moon twice in its First Quarter phase on August 1st and 31st. Among the most spectacular events of the month is Venus, which, rising almost three hours before the Sun, reaches its longest period of visibility this year.

Don't miss the close conjunction with Jupiter: the two brightest planets meet in the constellation Gemini, where we can admire them even before dawn.

The planet Venus, although 12 times smaller than Jupiter, appears larger and brighter due to its distance and reflectivity: at this time of year, it is "only" 180 million kilometers from Earth, compared to Jupiter's 900 million. Furthermore, Venus is covered by thick clouds of sulfuric acid that reflect about 70–75% of sunlight, while Jupiter's visible surface is made of less reflective gas and clouds.