August, Mid-Northern Latitudes (August 15th, 10:30 p.m. local time)

Western Horizon
Eastern Horizon

West

We are in August, with the summer skies, that is! The skies in summer, in the northern hemisphere, are providing an access to the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, and to the Summer Triangle, a distinctive feature of the northern skies in summer. Let's turn South to see both these items! Scorpio, the Scorpio is slightly now tending low as Sagittarius, the Archer, is obviously there where the center of our Milky Way Galaxy is situated. As the Galaxy is where we are living, with the Sun, we can't see it like those famed, popularized spiral galaxies. We are seeing the Milky Way instead, the Galaxy as seen from the inside, and edge-on. In summer, Sagittarius is giving us access to the central bulge, with its old, yellowish stars as, there too, you'll have to imagine that supermassive galactic black hole lurking. Each galaxy in the Universe is now thought to harbor such a place of the highest density in the Universe, with a gravity such that nothing, not even light despite its tremendous speed, can get out of. The black hole, here, in Sagittarius, is the size of the orbit of Mercury! Some more above, now! Look for that vast triangle of stars, composed with three bright stars, high. It's the Summer Triangle, the distinctive feature of the summer sky (just like Orion and the fine winter constellations and stars are for winter). Those three bright stars are the main to constellations Cygnus, the Swan, Lyra, the Lyra, and Aquila, the Eagle. The highest of those three is Deneb, of Cygnus as Vega, of Lyra is to its lower right, and Altair, of Aquila, is the lowest spike of the triangle. The season is prone too to a fine view of Ophiuchus, the Serpent Holder, with its two Serpents, which is personifying Asclepios, the Greek god of medicine, and its serpents like its herb-finders. Should you turn back to West now, the Great Bear is seen northwest, now tending low -albeit a fine view however- Arcturus and Bootes, the Herdsman is full West, with Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, above. All that providing fine views, as are Canes Venatici, the Hunting Dogs, under the Dipper's handle. to a printer-friendly chart
West for the tropics. West for the mid-southern latitudes

East

About the East now! Just check that fine band of constellations which runs from Capricornus, the Goat, southeast, to Perseus, Perseus, which is barely rising, northeast! The upper part of Aquarius, the Water Bearer is seen as the famed Great Square of Pegasus, and Andromeda. Fine views. The Great Square of Pegasus is determined by three stars of Pegasus, the Winged Horse, and one of Andromeda. Andromeda, Andromeda is home to the famed M31, the Andromeda Galaxy. A fine and famed view albeit low somewhat for now. Cepheus, Cepheus, high, as followed with Cassiopeia is northeast too, as small constellations, high, are in the vicinity of the Summer Triangle, like Delphinus, the Dolphin or Equuleus, the Little Horse. to a printer-friendly chart
East for the tropics. East for the mid-southern latitudes

(color maps with Stellarium; printer-friendly charts with Cartes du Ciel, Patrick Chevalley)