Shooting stars: it’s time to observe the Perseids

Everyone has heard of the Perseids, one of the most active meteor showers of the year, which rains down on our skies every summer, up to 100 meteors per hour, in the best conditions. In other words, a beautiful shower of shooting starswonderful spectacle of nature which invites you to stretch out in the (dry) grass, with family or friends, in the company of crickets, to daydream about the eyes plunged into the sky scintillating with stars, on the lookout for these furtive and luminous fragments of comet. A celestial spectacle rich in interest which, we will never stress enough, requires finding a remote and peaceful site, in the countryside, far from the noise and the fury of the light pollution big cities, to take full advantage of them.

Yes, but… this year, there is a big problem: the Full moon which will shine from evening to morning during the night of peak activity, August 12-13, significantly reducing the possibility of seeing a large amount ofshooting Stars. Thus, instead of the 50 to 60 (and even more than 100, depending on the year) micrometeorites visible per hour in the second part of the night, it will be necessary to be satisfied with the brightest, reduced to ten per hour. The day before and the day after the expected peak, the conditions will not be better, because the almost full Moon will remain as troublesome to detect them. And since it is not possible to turn it off or to shelter from it, it will therefore be necessary to deal with… Or else, choose another night, when the Moon is thinner and sets earlier.

The best time to see the Perseids

All is not lost therefore, because themeteor swarm of the Perseids extends from July 17 until August 22, which offers several nights without Moon or else, with a more discreet presence (in a crescent or in the first quarter, it will go to bed quite early) as at the moment. Admittedly, the beautiful shower of shooting stars is not yet as active as during the nights of August 12 to 13, traditionally, but there are many opportunities to observe them in number. Also, nothing obliges to wait for this date of the peak of activity to take advantage of one of the most beautiful showers of shooting stars of the year.

Like every year, whatever night you choose to observe (and count) the Perseids — before, after or on the date of the peak of activity — you should wait until sunrise and sunset. ascension of the constellation of Perseus, which gave its name to the swarm, because it is within it that the radiant is located, in the second part of the night therefore, to see as much as possible. This is when the Earth enters the densest region of the debris field left by the passages of comet Swift-Tuttle (it returns every 133 years).

Finally, “last but not least”let us point out that this summer, in the second part of the night, there are not only shooting stars to see: indeed, several planets parade one after the other in the sky to form a beautiful alignment on theecliptic at thedawn. The first of these to rise is the marvelous Saturn, starting at 10 p.m., followed by Jupiterunmissable by its brilliance, from midnight. March the red arrives quietly around 1:30 a.m. and finally, the sparkling Venus arises in the gleams of Dawn (“with rosy fingers”Homer), around 5:30 a.m. Also not to be missed, using a pair of binoculars, a giant comet (C/2017 K2 PanStarrs) visible in Scorpio from the start of the night!

Very good observation to all.

NB: To withstand the coolest hours of the night, bring warm clothes.

The Perseids meteor shower in 2016

Article of Xavier Demeersmann published on August 12, 2016

On the night of August 11 to 12, the activity of the Perseid meteoritic swarm will be at its peak: around 200 shooting stars per hour could be visible. Double the other years.

One week after the 26^enight of stars, the sky offers us a new spectacle: a shower of shooting stars. Remember that this recurring phenomenon has nothing to do with shooting stars… These are micrometeorites, for the most part as big as a grain of sand or a grain of rice, and which disintegrate in the high atmosphere. A few, the brightest de facto, can be the size of a fist. Those of August belong to the meteorite swarm of the Perseids, because their radiant is located in the direction of the constellation of Perseus. It’s not the only swarm of the year, but since it occurs during mild summer nights, during holidays, and its rate of visible meteors per hour often exceeds 100 during its peaks of activity, he became very famous.

This year, the maximum is expected on the night of August 11 to 12. The specialists are enthusiastic because, at the height of the event, in the second part of the night, these small grains left in the wake of comet Swift-Tuttle should be twice as numerous as usual to penetrate the atmosphere at a speed average of 59 km/s. The forecast is for 200 meteors per hour.

Why this upsurge? Because under the gravitational influence of the planets, especially that of Jupiterthe dust currents of 1079, 1479 and 1862 left by the passages of the comet in the internal Solar System, approached our Planet.

Also, if so, the show promises to be twice as wonderful. Provided of course that the weather report is favorable and that the light pollution be minimal. As for the Moon (in conjunction with Saturn and Mars), embarrassing for its brightnessit will disappear under the horizon after midnight, i.e. when Perseus takes to the skies… to be able to take in as much of the sky as possible.