The 1st week of August is a stargazer's delight. Here's why.

The arrival of August means two things for stargazers — "shooting stars" and the Milky Way. In 2024, you can see both at the same time if you know exactly where and when to look.

For both sights, a dark sky unhindered by light pollution is crucial. You can find a dark sky by doing two things. First, get far away from cities and any artificial light. That might mean choosing an International Dark Sky Place or, in Canada, a Dark-Sky Preserve, where artificial light is reduced and regulated. Or it may mean identifying somewhere that looks dark on a light pollution map. Second, you must look skyward when the moon is down. This month, there's a new moon on Aug. 4, which will keep the post-sunset sky dark until about Aug. 8.