SHOOTING STARS. How to observe the magnificent Perseid meteor shower in August? All the information you need to make sure you don’t miss this spectacle that only takes place once a year.
Among the major stellar events, the most spectacular remains that of the Perseids which takes place in August. This meteor shower, known to be the most beautiful of the year, is in full swing right now and will continue until August 24, 2024. It will experience more intense activity between August 10 and 14 with a maximum peak on the night of August 11 to 12.
This year Moon should be discreet during the Perseids, reserving a splendid celestial spectacle for us. How to see the shooting stars? At what time? Where do they come from? We give you all the essential information to make the most of the spectacle that awaits us.
The Perseids are a meteor shower that occurs every year in August. They are caused by the comet 109P/Swift Tuttle whose debris cloud our planet crosses at this time of year. The name given to the Perseids comes from the constellation of Perseus where the shooting stars start. Theoretically, between 70 and 110 shooting stars occur per minute at the peak intensity of the Perseids. Depending on weather conditions, light pollution and the brightness of the shooting stars, it is unfortunately not possible to see them all. But with a little patience, you should still be able to see a show and see many shooting stars streaking across the sky.
You can see shooting stars from sunset onwards. Sun but to admire a maximum of shooting stars, you will have to wait until the Moon has passed behind the horizon to enjoy a very dark sky. Fortunately, the latter will set early in the night, around midnight at the peak. From then on, you will have until sunrise to enjoy the show whose light will be perceptible between 5am and 6am. This will therefore give you several hours to look up at the sky and multiply your wishes!
Shooting stars can be observed by anyone without any equipment, provided that the weather is good and there are no clouds to disturb the party. Just look at the sky and wait a little. With a bit of luck, you should see several in the same evening. Ideally, bring a hot drink to stay outside without getting cold and make yourself comfortable. Shooting stars generally leave a luminous trail that makes them easy to spot.
To identify the constellation Perseus, where the Perseids come from, you can get a sky map or use a mobile application like Sky Tonight, available on Google Play or on theApp Store. This application will allow you to quickly find the area of the sky to observe so as not to miss the show.