Full moon, a meteor shower & a planetary conjunction - all starting this weekend
The best part about viewing meteor showers is that all you need to do is look up! Find the darkest patch of sky out there, it doesn’t have to be in the direction of the constellation either. They will pop up almost anywhere.
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It looks like the weather may finally start to cooperate, giving us some clear skies at night over the next few days.
This should hopefully give us a chance to check out early August’s celestial sites.
First up is the full moon. In August, it’s known as the Sturgeon Moon. The moon will be full overnight Friday into very early Saturday morning. Watch it rise just after sunset in the east and travel in the southern sky all night and set with the rising sun in the morning.
Next up is a meteor shower! The Perseids will peak this weekend. This is a well-known summertime favorite. It’s been on going the last couple of weeks, but now into early next week will be the best time to view it. The only problem may be the waning bright moon, so make sure you find a dark patch of sky facing away from the bright moon.
The shower pops up every year right about this time, when the Earth travels through the debris field left from comet Swift-Tuttle.
Meteor showers are named for the constellation they appear to radiate from. This one is named for the constellation Perseus. It’s one of the 48 ancient constellations listed by the second century astronomer Ptolemy. Perseus was the Greek mythological hero who beheaded Medusa.
Perseus rises high in the northeastern sky late at night, near the constellation Cassiopeia. You may not notice Perseus at first, but Cassiopeia is unmistakable with it’s zig-zag shape that resembles the letter “M” or “W.”
How to view:
The best part about viewing meteor showers is that all you need to do is look up! Find the darkest patch of sky out there, it doesn’t have to be in the direction of the constellation either. They will pop up almost anywhere.
Head out late, the later the better. Grab the lawn chairs, blankets and bug spray and give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness. Get comfortable because it may take a while.
Last, but not least will be a bright planetary conjunction. Venus and Jupiter will be clustered together in the pre-dawn eastern sky, in the constellation of Gemini. This will be visible before the sun rises starting this weekend. Morning by morning, they will appear to get closer. The closest approach (in the our sky of course) will be early Monday and Tuesday morning.
