Perseid Metor Showers - Night Sky Comes Alive
by Steve Harvey
Star Stencils and Astronomy
Astronomy Books
August is the month for astronomers, sky-watchers, and nature enthusiasts to turn their heads skywards and look to the night sky for a glimpse of the Perseid meteor showers. This annual event takes place this year between August 8th and the 22nd with the peak coming the night of the 11th and the morning of the 12th . Though meteor showers can appear throughout the sky they tend to have a source point from which they radiate. The constellation in which this radiant point is located gives rise to the name of the meteor shower. These events are a result of the earth passing through the debris trail left by a comet orbiting our solar system and that material burning up as it enters our atmosphere.
The constellation Perseus will rise about 11pm on the eleventh and the ¼ moon will rise about midnight. The interference from the light of the moon will make it less than ideal but 11 o'clock would be a good time to set yourself up with a good view of the northeastern horizon and as much of the sky in view as possible. Even though this years showers are not predicted to be as spectacular as some in the past it is still a noteworthy annual event that offers the possibility of some awesome cosmic fireworks. These meteor showers have in the past resulted in events where as many as 60 “shooting stars” an hour. It's little surprise that many of us like to escape to a lake, the desert, or high in the mountains to view these showers. Places that are far from the glare and interference of the lights of cities and towns.
The Perseids are only one of many meteor showers that occur annually. The Orionid showers take place in the later part of October each year. This year's peak is expected to be the night of the 20th and the early morning of the 21st . These Meteors tend to radiate from the star Betelgeuse in the familiar constellation Orion. This year the moon will be just a few days past new making for a nice dark sky. The constellation Orion will be in the southeast after midnight and meteors might number 15 per hour. Halley's comet is responsible for the debris trail that forms these showers.
Another good concentration of meteor showers are the Leonids. This year they fall between the 13 th and the 20th of November, peaking the evening of the 17th and the morning of the 18th. With the new moon on the 16th there will be no interference from it's light. Leo seems to be the area of origin of these stars, so look to the eastern sky after midnight. These meteors tend to be fast with bright trails streaking across the sky. It has been predicted to be a good year for the Leonids because of the unique imprint of debris left by the comet that produces the meteor shower.
In December the Geminids end the year with a display that have it's highlight on the 13th and 14th this year. The moon will be new and the area of the sky the meteors emanate from will be well up in the sky by 9pm. This is great for those who don't like to stay up late, especially since it gets dark so early at that time of year. Meteors in this shower can number up to 50 per hour making it one of the most spectacular celestial events of the year.
Telescopes aren't the only thing that sky-watchers can use to help find and understand the wonderful sights in the night sky. Star charts are a valuable tool in helping to identify constellations and galaxy clusters. Planets and comets do not appear on star charts but their position can be determined much easier when one is familiar with the other stars and constellations. A planisphere is also a great device for finding out what is in the night sky at any given time. It is a small circular star chart with an overlapping elliptical window. The window pivots around the star chart and is marked along the edge so it is easy to calculate for the time of day and the time of the year. Since planispheres are designed to serve only a limited range of latitudes it is important to be sure you know the latitude of the area you will be using them. Be sure to get a planisphere for the correct latitude. They are small enough to fit in your hand and take on any star gazing adventure.
More information on meteor showers and astronomy can be viewed at www.earthsky.org and at www.seasky.org/astronomy.
Here in southern Oregon and northern California there are many places to see the meteor showers in August. Both the Siskiyous and Cascades as well as numerous other local mountains offer good lakes, ridges, and peaks to watch the sky from. Pay attention to which direction the moon will rise in and where the “point of origin” of the meteors will be. Remember that the city lights will detract from the ability to see many of the fainter meteors and try to get a view of as much of the sky as possible.
Two opportunities to view the Perseids with others will take place this week.The Crater Lake National Park Trust will host two star parties on Wednesday the 12th and Saturday the 15th from 8pm to midnight at the Watchman Overlook on the park's west rim drive. They will have telescopes set up, free hot chocolate, as well as members of the park interpretive staff. The cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children and the fees go to help the work of the Crater Lake Trust in preserving, promoting, and protecting Crater Lake. More information can be had by calling 541-708 5125 or visiting www.craterlaketrust.org .
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