By Roger Chambers | Columnist
August has no major holidays. While August is generally more popular for family vacations and the better-known large summer festivals, August is still a popular month for vacation travel. Popular options include a trip to coastal beaches, or camping, boating, fishing and hiking throughout New York State. There are many New York State Parks in the Adirondacks, Finger Lakes, Catskills, and other regions of the state.
The closest we have to a holiday or Recognition in August is Women’s Equality Day. This was first officially noted by Congress in 1973, in commemoration of women being granted the right to vote in 1920 with passage of the 19th Amendment.
The Supreme Court recently overturned Roe v Wade, a court decision of 1973 that legalized abortion.
To take away what was considered a Constitutionally protected right for half a century is reprehensible. There will be many demonstrations nationwide and regionally on or about this date. Women (and men) will be strongly protesting this terrible decision, greatly restricting women’s rights back to the point of second-class citizen.
This will remain a very contentious social and political issue nationally and locally for a very long time.
Holidays and Observations for August 2022
August 1 — Colorado Day
August 3 — Ernie Pyle Day (New Mexico)
August 4 — Coast Guard Day
August 14 — Atlantic Charter Day
August 16 — Bennington Battle Day (Vermont)
August 19 — National Aviation Day; Admission Day (Hawaii)
August 26 — Women’s Equality Day
Sunset is noticeably earlier than in May to July. By August 31 August, sunset is 7:39 P.M. over an hour earlier than on the summer solstice of June 21. An average day is in the low 80s°, though there might still be a few hot and humid days over 90°F. By late in the month, one might need a sweatshirt or light jacket for outdoor evening activities as cooler overnight temperatures become more common.
In the garden, produce is coming into its peak with fresh tomatoes, peppers and green beans especially common. For those without a garden, the many regional farmer’s markets provide a wide variety of locally grown fruits and vegetables, with anticipation of apples, garlic and pumpkins peaking in September and October.
One of the most important historical events in early American History is celebrated at the Oriskany Monument, site of the Battle of Oriskany in 1777. The commemoration of this pivotal battle of the Revolutionary War of 245 years ago takes place at the 1883 Oriskany Monument on August 6 at 7 P.M.
There are several regional festivals, most of them annual. Many of these events are being held under more or less “normal” conditions, after limitations or cancellations in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19. These festivals range from county fairs to arts and music festivals, celebrating history to antiques and sporting events. A partial listing of these events celebrated during late summer is below:
August 5-7 — Durant Days Raquette Lake with Boat Parade at 7 P.M. (August 6)
August 6 — 245th Oriskany Battlefield Anniversary Commemoration, 7:00 – 8:00 P.M.
August 8-14 — Canal Celebration, Little Falls
August 10-14 — Chenango County Fair August, Norwich
August 12-14 — National Moto Cross Day Unadilla
August 15-21 — Madison Bouckville Antique Week, NYS Route 20
August 16-21 — Herkimer County Fair, Frankfort
August 18-19 — Chenango Blues Festival, Norwich
August 27 — Clinton Arts Festival Saturday, Clinton
In the Night Skies August 2022
The Full Moon of August has many different names. As sturgeon harvest peaked in August along the Great Lakes, Full Sturgeon Moon was a common name. To those harvesting corn and grains it was the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon. Further south, some tribes called it Full Red Moon due to the red coloration through summer’s hazy skies
The Perseid Meteor Shower of August 11-13 is largely spoiled by the Full Surgeon Moon. However, planetary visibility is interesting this month. Saturn is in opposition, the brightest and closest to Earth for 2022 on August 14th in the evening sky.
In the pre-dawn hours of August 1st to 3rd a bright 0 magnitude Mars is roughly halfway between Venus low on the eastern horizon and Jupiter high in the southern sky. With binoculars, one has the unusual opportunity to see the green of Uranus near Mars
The Moon has several conjunctions with planets this month. On the 14th, the waning Gibbous Moon appears near Jupiter. On the 19th, the Last Quarter Moon is above Mars, highest in the sky prior to dawn. An on the 26th, a Crescent Moon is to the lower left of Venus in the pre-dawn eastern sky.
Moon Phases for August
August 5 — First Quarter Moon: Rises 2:08 P.M., SE (sets next day)
August 11 — Full Sturgeon Moon, also known as Full Green Corn Moon: Rises 8:09 P.M., SE; Sets 5:00 A.M., SW
August 19 — Last Quarter Moon: Rises 11:55 P.M., SE Sets 2:42 P.M., NW
August 27 — New Moon: Rises 6:19 A.M., E.; Sets 8:20 P.M., W.
Rising and Setting Time of Sun, Moon and Visible Planets on August 21, 2022
Sunrise — Rises 6:12 A.M., Sets 7:55 P.M. Daylight 11 Hours and 43 minutes
Waning Crescent Moon — Rises 12:32 A.M., NE; Sets 4:44 P.M., NW.
Mercury — Sets 8:46 P.M., W
Venus — Rises 4:46 A.M., NE
Mars — Rises 11:38 P.M., NE
Jupiter — Rises 9:21 P/M/, E
Saturn Rises — 7:34 P.M., E
Uranus — Rises 10:55, NE
