August 2025 presents a celestial spectacle, inviting stargazers to explore the night sky. This month offers optimal viewing conditions for star clusters. The Great Hercules Cluster, a dense globular cluster, along with the Hyades and the Pleiades, two prominent open clusters, become visible with binoculars or telescopes, revealing the universe’s beauty.

The glittering night sky is a soothing sight to behold, whether in a quiet countryside or from the balcony of a house. Stargazing has a way of reminding us how vast and beautiful the universe really is. August is one of those months when the sky offers a little more magic, cooler evenings, darker nights, and a sense of calm that invites us to pause and enjoy the beautiful moments to the fullest, as the night skies of August 2025 are offering something special.

What are star clusters?

Star clusters are groups of stars that formed together and remain held by their mutual gravity, and are mainly of two types. Firstly, Open clusters, like the Hyades and Pleiades, which are relatively young, in the form of looser formations in the Milky Way’s disk. Over time, they drift apart as nearby stars tug at them. Globular clusters, such as the famed Great Hercules Cluster, are dense, spherical congregations of hundreds of thousands of very old stars orbiting the galaxy’s halo.

How to watch the star clusters in August 2025

According to Space (dot) com, it’s best to give your eyes about 30 minutes to fully adjust to the dark. After that, using a trick called “averted vision”, where one has to look just to the side of what they’re trying to see, which helps pick up faint light more clearly. With a basic pair of 10×50 binoculars, the star clusters start to come into focus. And if someone has a telescope that’s six inches or larger, they’ll get an even more detailed and impressive view.

What clusters will be visible?

The Great Hercules Cluster

This is also known as Messier 13, the Great Hercules Cluster lies approximately 22,000 to 25,000 light‑years away in the constellation Hercules. It contains hundreds of thousands of closely packed stars, making it one of the brightest globular clusters in northern skies. To locate it, find the diamond-shaped “Keystone” asterism formed by four stars in Hercules, between Vega and Arcturus. Then sweep your binoculars between Zeta Herculis and Eta Herculis to spot this ancient stellar cluster, which appears as a soft glow, but a detailed structure can be easily visible with a through binoculars or a small telescope.

The Hyades Open Cluster

The Hyades is a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, and it’s the closest open star cluster to Earth, located about 153 light-years away. Its stars form a sideways “V” shape, which outlines the face of the bull. There’s a bright red star called Aldebaran that looks like it’s part of the group, but it’s actually much closer to us, only about 65 light-years away. The Hyades is around 625 million years old, and because of its clear shape, it’s easy to spot in the early morning sky.

The Seven Sisters

The Seven Sisters, also known as the Pleiades, is a well-known star cluster in the constellation Taurus. You can see it rising in the eastern sky before sunrise. It’s made up of over a thousand young, hot stars, but when it is seen through binoculars, the seven brightest stars stand out the most, and this is where the name “Seven Sisters” comes from. The cluster is about 444 light-years away, and its bright blue stars are so shiny that they can still be seen even if there’s some city light around. Around mid-August, the Pleiades can be easily spotted about 10 degrees above the Hyades.

Aurora Alert: Northern Lights might appear in 14 US states this week; when and where to look

The stunning light show is in town again! Get ready for an ethereal night light show, without spending big bucks or turning up at some theatre! Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, might appear across the night sky and enchant at least 14 US states this week!
According to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, a minor geomagnetic storm, sparked by solar wind arriving from a coronal hole, is lighting up the possibility of aurora sightings far beyond the usual Arctic zones. Whether you’re an avid skywatcher or just curious, this is your chance to catch a rare glimpse of swirling greens, pinks, and purples.

What’s happening?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts a minor (G1) geomagnetic storm, just enough solar wind energy to stir the Earth’s magnetic field and make auroras visible in places where they don’t usually appear. Expect a stunning light show this week, and the best viewing window between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. local time, with the most vivid light show between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. EDT. Cherry on top? A late-rising moon keeps skies darker longer, helping those shimmering curtains of light stand out better!

What is the Aurora Borealis?

Aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is a natural light display in the sky, primarily seen in high-latitude regions. It occurs when charged particles from the sun interact with the Earth’s atmosphere, producing vibrant colors like green, red, and purple.

The aurora borealis is caused by charged particles, mainly electrons and protons, from the sun’s solar wind colliding with Earth’s magnetosphere. These particles are then guided towards the poles by Earth’s magnetic field.

The colors observed in the aurora are determined by the specific atmospheric gases and the energy of the colliding particles. Green light is often associated with oxygen, while red light is also produced by oxygen, and blue and purple light can be seen with hydrogen and helium.

Although the aurora borealis is most frequently observed in regions around the Arctic Circle, including countries like Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Canada, and Alaska, this time several US states are set to witness the magic as well.

Where might the Northern Lights appear?

Not one ot two, this week, the Northern Lights are ready to take the breath away of at least 14 US States. Here’s your breathtaking cosmic map:

AlaskaWashingtonIdahoMontanaWyomingNorth DakotaSouth DakotaMinnesotaIowaWisconsinMichiganNew YorkVermontNew HampshireMaine

Best viewing tip: Head to the darkest, northern-facing skies possible. Think rural spots, hills, or open fields, for the best chance at spotting the aurora!

Why is the Aurora extending this far south?

It’s ‘Northern’ Lights, right? Not complaining at all, but why exactly is the aurora tiptoeing this far south? The magic begins with coronal holes, dark patches on the sun that release fast solar wind. When those charged particles hit Earth’s magnetic field, they excite atmospheric gases high above, producing those colorful waves of light. We’re currently in a solar maximum phase, an 11-year cycle where sunspot activity surges, and auroras become more frequent and dramatic.

How to catch the stunning light show

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance (even if you witness it for the nth time)! So, make sure you’re prepped to experience the surreal. Here’s your essential viewing guide:

Pick the peak hours: Between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., especially around midnight to 2 a.m.

Find a dark spot: Get away from bright city lights and face north for the best view.

Bring your camera: Who doesn’t want to capture a once-in-a-lifetime light show! Whether you are a photography enthusiast or just an amateur shooter, get your camera out. Set it to night mode or long exposure. Smartphones can capture more colors than the naked eye. Use tripods for better stability.

Check the forecast: Ready to be on to go. Watch NOAA updates and aurora sites for any alerts or changes in activity.

Track in real time: Apps like Aurorasaurus crowd-source sightings, helping you know where others are spotting the lights.

Whether you’re an astronomy enthusiast or just out for a midnight drive, this week’s aurora prospect is a gentle nudge from nature to look up, just soak in the moment, and enjoy. Happy sky watching, and may your night be lit with cosmic color!