 For my space pod this week, we're going to be asking a pretty simple question. What's up? As in, what's up in the sky for August? This is your space pod for July 31st, 2015. Goodness me, I have been waiting a long time to finally get a space pod series like this going. From here on out, my last space pod every month will be talking about what's in the sky for the month coming up. So, before we get started, there are a few things that I need to tell you first. The targets of interest in these astronomical space pods will be limited to what you can see from light polluted areas. That means we'll be talking mostly about planets, the moon, interesting celestial events, and a handful of easy to get deep sky objects. We're going to keep it simple with a nice mix of naked eye, binocular, and telescopic targets. That way, all of us can get in on looking up with a bit more knowledge. One technique I'd like to pass on to you all that I was taught is how to measure while observing naked eye. In order to do this, you're actually going to need a fist, and two, preferably. Not because we're about to have the first astronomical fight club, but because I'm going to show you literally a handy technique. So take both of your hands and make a fist. All right, there we go. Now, stick them out in front of you, preferably without hitting anyone. Now, take one of those fists and place it on the sky. And congratulations, you're now measuring approximately 10 degrees of sky. The average human fist at arm's length will be about 10 degrees from the bottom of the pinky finger to the top of the fist. So, this is an excellent technique to use while trying to approximate altitudes or how high an object is in the sky. Now tonight, I've got a good friend of mine out in the sky. You've probably heard of them. They're quite famous. It's the moon. Yes, there it is. Now, my current astronomical software tells me that the moon is about 25 degrees above the horizon, or what we call 25 degrees in altitude. So if I'm going to measure this, I'm going to stick my hand out. There we go. All right, now it's sitting right on the horizon there. All right, so now to make 20 degrees, I'm going to put my second fist on top of the first. Very, very nice. And now keeping my second fist precisely where it's at, I will remove the first and put it on top. And there we go. About halfway up, 25 degrees. So let's go ahead and get started by saying Bon Voyage to Venus and Jupiter. Both will hang with us along the western horizon just after sunset, but that's it come mid-August. Venus will be gone and you can kiss Jupiter goodbye shortly after as the Earth pulls ahead into our orbit. Saturn hangs out in the sky, tending its position between Libra and Scorpio. Even in a pair of binoculars, you can tease out the rings, but a small telescope is needed to get any more detail. It's always a target that wows everyone who views it and there's no time of the year when Saturn looks bad, except for when it's behind the sun. Easy to find, just spot the bright red star Antares in Scorpio and then travel 10 degrees to the west. Discovered by Sir Edmund Hallean, 1714, M13, the great cluster in Hercules, is one of the largest globular clusters we know of, with a whopping 300,000 stars. In very dark skies, M13 is a naked eye object, but binoculars and a small telescope can coax it out and give you much more detail as well. And if you get some time on the Hubble Space Telescope, you can get an even more detailed view. Find the bright white star Vega high up in the sky by 11pm. Head off 15 degrees to 1 o'clock of Vega and that's where you'll find this behemoth waiting for you to see. And here's your moon for August 2015. Thanks for watching this Space Pod, I'm Jared Head. I hope you'll be heading out this month to take a look at some of my suggestions for you to peek out in the sky with your eyes, binoculars, or telescopes. So don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to us on social media. And of course, our Patreon campaign continues for the existence of our Space Pods. If you got a little extra to help us out, throw it our way. We're very appreciative of anything and everything that you can give us. So, until next week, keep exploring.