Night Sky Tonight: What to See This Week

~2 min
Topics:Skywatching
Night Sky Tonight: What to See This Week
©Vito Technology

Looking for what to see in the sky this week? This guide highlights the upcoming astronomical events. Scroll down for sky maps and viewing tips, and use the Sky Tonight app to check when and where each object will appear in your sky.

Contents

Sky Events Tonight: August 21

  • Main astronomy event tonight: Moon near Antares.
  • Moon tonight: Waxing gibbous Moon.
  • Planets visible tonight: Evening — Venus. Morning — Mercury, Jupiter (very low above the horizon), Saturn, Mars, Uranus, Neptune. Details: Planets Visible Tonight
  • Constellations visible tonight: Northern Hemisphere — Sagittarius, Lyra, Scutum. Southern Hemisphere — Sagittarius, Telescopium, Scutum, Corona Australis. Details: Constellations in August 2026

Upcoming Astronomical Events: August 21-27, 2026

DateEventBest timeEquipment
August 21Moon near AntaresAfter sunsetNaked eye
August 22Moon, Ptolemy Cluster, and Lagoon NebulaAfter darkBinoculars for M7; binoculars or small telescope for M8
August 26Mars, Betelgeuse, and Rigel form a lineBefore sunriseNaked eye

Below, you’ll find sky events arranged by date, with quick viewing tips to help you choose the best nights for stargazing. All dates are listed in GMT, so the exact calendar date may differ in your local time zone; however, the times shown on the sky maps are given in local time.

August 20-21: Moon near Antares

Night Sky Tonight: Antares near the Moon on August 21
The Moon will appear close to Antares, the bright reddish star at the heart of Scorpius. Start observing right after sunset. Antares is easy to see without equipment, and its warm color will stand out nicely next to the pale Moon.
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August 22: Moon forms a triangle with the Ptolemy Cluster and Lagoon Nebula

Night Sky Tonight: M7 and M8 near the Moon on August 22
The Moon will form a wide triangle with the Ptolemy Cluster (M7) and the Lagoon Nebula (M8) in a rich part of the Milky Way. The group will appear low in the southern sky from much of the Northern Hemisphere, but much higher from southern latitudes. Binoculars are perfect for the star cluster, while the nebula is easier to see from a dark location with binoculars or a small telescope.
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August 26: Mars forms a line with Betelgeuse and Rigel

Night Sky Tonight: Mars, Betelgeuse, and Rigel on August 26
Before sunrise, look for bright reddish Mars in the eastern sky. From Mars, follow an almost straight line to orange-red Betelgeuse and then on to blue-white Rigel. The whole pattern will stretch across roughly 37° — almost four fists held at arm’s length — so it is best viewed with the naked eye. The similar spacing between the three objects and their contrasting colors should make the line easy to recognize.
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Night Sky Tonight: Bottom Line

There is almost always something worth seeing in the night sky. Use this guide to choose the best events for tonight and the coming days, but remember that visibility depends on your location, local time, weather, and light pollution. For the most accurate view, check the exact position of each object in the Sky Tonight app before you go outside.

Want to plan beyond the dates listed here? Check the full monthly calendar of astronomical events in August 2026.

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Topics:Skywatching
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