SKYGAZERS is looking forward to not one, but two celestial showcases this week.
A supermoon will rise on August 11th, followed by shooting stars over the next few days.
What is Sturgeon Moon?
Each full moon has its own name corresponding to the month in which it appears.
The August offering is named Sturgeon Moon, and the 2022 offering is even more special.
because it is a supermoon. This means that it will appear slightly larger and brighter than normal.
A supermoon occurs when the moon's orbit is closest to the Earth at the same time as the full moon.
This year's Sturgeon Moon peaks on his August 11th, but Earth's natural satellite will be brighter than usual for the days before and after.
North American fishermen are said to have given the name to the appearance of sturgeon at this time of year, along with celestial events.
What is the Perseid meteor shower?
The Perseid meteor shower typically begins to shine in the night sky in July and remains visible until mid-August.
The celestial light show peaks on August 11, but bright fireballs can be seen before and after that.
According to NASA,the Perseus constellation is widely considered to be "the best meteor shower of the year."
The constellation Perseus arrives each year when the Earth crosses the debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle.
Swift-Tuttle is the largest near-Earth object to cross the orbit of our planet, measuring a whopping 16 miles (26 km) across.
A typical Perseus meteor is said to travel at 133,200 miles per hour. They burn up in the Earth's atmosphere and appear as bright streaks across the sky.
Very little rock debris reaches the surface of our planet. Then it becomes a meteorite.
How to Watch the Perseids
The best way to catch the meteor shower is to spend some time tonight stargazing.
Most common during the pre-dawn hours. That is, between midnight and sunrise.
It got its name because the meteors can be seen radiating from the tip of the constellation Perseus.
However, you don't necessarily need to find Perseus, as fireballs can appear anywhere in the night sky.
For the best views, go to a dark location with little light pollution and an unobstructed view of the sky.
No telescope or binoculars required. Because it is better to be able to see the sky as wide as possible.
You need a clear weather forecast and up to 1 hour of free time to find as many spots as possible.
Showers typically display about 60 meteors per hour, but at peak times, up to 100 meteors can be seen.
Starry sky app
If you're not sure what you're looking at, you can always download the Starry sky app that pinpoints objects of interest.
However, stargazing is best done after your eyes have adapted to the darkness.
Stargazing apps for Android and iPhone include SkyView Lite, Star Tracker and Star Walk 2.
Some apps are free, while others charge a small fee to download.
We recommend reading reviews before downloading the app to get the most value for your money.
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