Like every year, at the same time, dozens of events invite you to raise your nose to the sky on the occasion of the night of the stars, which will take place this weekend. But what can we really observe there? And under what conditions ? We asked the question to a facilitator of the Fleurance astronomy festival in the Gers.
The Interceltic Festival of Lorient 2022 –
Patrick Lécureuil is an astronomy enthusiast. This autodidact is a member of the Toulouse association Instant Science. He hosts observation evenings and planetarium sessions during the Fleurance Astronomy Festivalwhich runs until August 12 in the Gers. He answers our questions to tell you everything about the next night of the stars.
This summer period between August 1 and 15 is one moment privileged to see shooting stars and make a wishes.
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“It coincides with thee passage of the comet dust cloudwhose trajectory intersects the Earth’s orbitexplains Patrick Lecureuil. This cloud of debris is however not the most important of the year. There are two other equally spectacular ones in December and January. But they are necessarily less conducive to observation because of the cold and the risk of bad weather.
Over the years and its success, the night of the shooting stars has become the night of the stars. Because it would be a shame to be satisfied with shooting stars when the sky offers so many wonders. And especially this year.
If you pay attention, you can discover the brightest stars of the summerincluding with the naked eye, provided you choose a very dark place, as far as possible from any light pollution.
“We can observe the 3 summer beauties, AltairVega et Deneb which form the summer trianglesays Patrick Lecureuil. Vega will be particularly visible at the Zenith at the start of the night.“
“If you look west between the horizon and the zenith in the early evening, it is Arthur which will appear. It is the brightest star in the spring and summer sky. It is recognizable by its yellow color orange.“
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“Et above from the southern horizon, always in the early evening, we can also see Antares. This one has the particularity of being red.“
The classic constellations will also be there. They are visible throughout the year.
This year 2022 is a bit special because the Moon will be present. This is why the night of the stars takes place a little early. In a few days, the observation of the sky will be less easy with the great luminosity of the Moon. You can also discover other planets::
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“Towards 23h30it’s a magical show that awaits us“, enthuses Patrick The squirrel. “We will be able to see Saturn and its rings just above from the southwest horizon. Of course, if you are equipped with binoculars or not far from a telescope, the spectacle will be grandiose. Saturn is the only planet in the solar system visible in summer, with the exception of Venus, which is nicknamed “the Evening Star” but which is only visible in the morning. Not in the evening, contrary to popular belief.“
A the occasion of the night of the stars, astronomy clubs in the region open their doors this week-end to allow as many people as possible to admire the astrolabes in the best possible conditions. Their instruments allow, in other, to better observe the rings of Saturn. There is at least 1 per department.
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Enthusiasts will certainly go to the astronomy festival in the Gers or to the space city with its planetarium in Toulouse, but Patrick The squirrel has some tips for those who prefer solo viewing at home.
“Today we can use apps on their phone. There are dozens of them. But if you download free apps like “Carteduciel” or “Starwalk2“, You will not be disappointed. You just have to point your smartphone to the sky to know where to look. These applications are designed to geolocate stars.“
See you this Saturday evening at sunset, well settled in the dark on a deck chair for a magical moment of sharing with the Universe.
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