Starting this weekend and into next week, there is a great opportunity to view a nighttime double-header, the unique alignment of six planets, and the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.

Saturday, Aug. 9. August’s moon is best known as the Sturgeon Moon, but Indigenous peoples also call it the Black Cherry Moon, Ricing Moon and Mountain Shadows Moon, according to AccuWeather. Watch it climb the southeastern sky shortly after sunset for the most dramatic view.

Summer's most dazzling meteor shower, the Perseids, peaks soon. This year, a bright moon will dampen viewing at the time of peak early Wednesday morning, so some experts recommend waiting a week or so to glimpse shooting stars against a darker sky.