With the new moon darkening the skies, you’ll have a rare shot at spotting the Milky Way, deep-sky galaxies, and even the Andromeda galaxy with the naked eye.

A.M. Discover its fascinating history and names. Explore how the Sturgeon fish is connected with the nickname of this full moon, and how it will mark the start of a special planetary alignment with Saturn,

Peaking in mid-August ( Aug. 12 ), NASA considers this “the best meteor shower of the year,” noting, “With swift and bright meteors, Perseids frequently leave long ‘wakes’ of light and color behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere.”