Star nights: the Perseids are coming!

Every summer, the Earth in its run around the Sun crosses the swarm of Perseids which are debris left by the passage close to the Sun of Comet Swift-Tuttle. These dusts, or meteors, become bright when they enter the Earth’s atmosphere and form shooting stars, which therefore have nothing stellar in spite of their name.

Observations that go back a long way

The Perseid rain, also called the “tears of Saint Laurent”, occurs between July 17 and August 24, but it is around August 10 that the phenomenon experiences its maximum activity. These shooting stars have been observed for centuries, in China it has been mentioned since AD ​​36 and in Europe since 811. This year, astronomers predict a maximum of activity for August 12, 2020 with up to 110 shooting stars per hour.

Where to look?

The shooting stars of the Perseid rain come from a specific area of ​​the sky located at the level of the constellation Perseus which is located in the direction of the North-East. It is low in the sky in the early evening and is gradually gaining height. It is therefore better to observe the celestial vault in this direction but in practice the shooting stars seem to come from all directions. It is therefore sufficient to position yourself in a site far from any light pollution and leaving the field free over the largest possible part of the sky.

When to observe the sky?

France, cette année car la Lune ne sera pas encore levée. Cette dernière pointe son nez après minuit et une fois qu'elle brille il devient plus difficile d'observer les étoiles filantes. A moins de se positionner avec la Lune dans son dos si possible occultée par un relief ou un bâtiment. En 2020, les astronomes prévoit le maximum d'activité le 12 août entre 10h et 23h. La majorité du phénomène se déroulera donc de jour et ne pourra être perçu par les observate[...]" data-reactid="29">It is best to schedule your observation session in the early evening, in France, this year because the Moon will not yet be up. The latter pops up after midnight and once it shines it becomes more difficult to observe the shooting stars. Unless you position yourself with the Moon behind your back if possible obscured by a relief or a building. In 2020, astronomers forecast the maximum activity on August 12 between 10 a.m. and 11 p.m. The majority of the phenomenon will therefore take place during the day and cannot be perceived by observers.[…]

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