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• Create Date 1 August 2026
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BASIL August 2026

The front cover shows an image of NGC 1491, the Fossil Footprint Nebula in Perseus, recently taken by BAS member Chris Lee.

Monthly observing opportunities:

• 2 August: Mercury reaches greatest western elongation (morning)
• 12 August: See a significant partial solar eclipse (evening)
  (Join the BAS for viewing the partial solar eclipse at the Sea Walls, Clifton Downs, from 5 pm)
• 12/13 August: a favourable Perseid meteor shower peak
  (Join the BAS for the Perseid meteor shower watch and BBQ at Failand on Sat 15 Aug from 6 pm)
• 15 August: The Waxing crescent Moon lies near Venus (evening).
• 28 August: See a significant partial lunar eclipse (early morning).
• Observe the 'Sturgeon Moon' and Rupes Recta (aka the Straight Wall).
• Mars, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are all visible this month.
• 18 DSO observing targets are listed for the month.
• Constellation of the month is Aquila.

Members' images this month:

• Globular Clusters by Richard Bennett.
• The Moon and Antares by Richard Bennett.
• Gibbous Moon by Andrew Grasemann.
• Globular and Open Clusters, with explanatory information, by Chris Lee.

Observing and imaging projects for members in August:

• Partial solar eclipse (up to 93%) on 12 August.
• Perseid meteor shower on 12-15 August.
• Rupes Recta (the Straight Wall).
  (Age 8 - 9, around one day after First Quarter Moon, for dark shadow, or age 22-23, few days before Last Quarter Moon, for a bright illuminated slope).
• DSOs in Aquila, including NGC 6751, the Glowing Eye Nebula.

Society News includes information on the partial solar eclipse observing event at the Clifton Downs on 12 August and a link to a BBC Bristol news item about the eclipse and local viewing events.

The BAS programme of meetings and events for 2026 can be found on p36.