The Nuits des étoiles will return this weekend and the conditions for observing the sky will be “ideal”

“The weekend may be very hot, but for astronomers the nights will be perfect”, enthuses Michel Viso, head of exobiology at the French space agency (CNES), partner of the event.

So busy schedule for sky lovers: to start on August 7, 8 and 9, a few 266 free events will be offered at various observation sites.

Mars, the search for life in the Universe and the protection of the night sky will take center stage. Then, the Perseids, the traditional rain of shooting stars in August, will light up the sky from August 10 to 15.

Every year, between mid-July and mid-August, small particles of comet Swift-Tuttle cross Earth’s orbit. When entering our world, small cometary debris knock into molecules in the atmosphere.

This shock, extremely violent, produces light. Each debris then turns into a “shooting star”.

This year, the show is expected to be at its peak on the night of August 12-13. “But already, from August 7, the conditions will be ideal”, notes the AFA.

Evenings

Little novelty for this 30th edition: “to alleviate the social and physical restrictions imposed during the current health crisis, the French Astronomical Association proposes to extend the Nuits des étoiles in a more intimate context, at home, with family or friends, during the following two weeks this week-end”.

The “star vigils” (with audios, videos, observation programs) can be downloaded free of charge from the AFA website.

On the program for the premiere, the green ray at sunset, Jupiter from 9:30 p.m., then Saturn. Between the two, the search for Antares or Cassiopeia. And as a final bouquet, Mars which will rise in the East at the stroke of midnight.

This year, the red planet will be particularly close to Earth (and therefore brighter). It will be closer – 63 million kilometers – in October.

“Bargain”

The two planets thus intersect every 26 months. But this time, sky lovers are lucky enough to have it in summer, the time when the weather is best for observation and the red planet is high on the horizon.

“There are years like this which are very special, once every 10 or 15 years”, recalls Michel Viso.

“This particular period is a boon for amateur astronomers, who are sure to observe and photograph the red planet, as well as for space agencies, who see it as an opportunity to send missions due to its close distance”, explains the AFA.

With a little patience, amateur astronomers will be able to guess “darker and smaller spots” on the surface of the planet. “Even with a small telescope, you can recognize large regions and one of its polar caps, like a white point”, details the AFA in the vigil program.

But to put all the chances on your side, specialists recommend avoiding the city lights, favoring the sea and the mountains and being patient (it takes at least 10 minutes for the vision to get used to the weather. ‘darkness).

“The cities would have to agree to turn off the street lights for several hours for the people of the cities to see the sky as they never see it. That would be a great phenomenon!”, suggests Michel Viso.

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