On the night of August 12-13 you will be able to see meteor shower The Perseids are the biggest meteor shower of the year. Yuga.ru has collected five places from where it is best to watch the sky.
The star shower will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere, at higher elevations and away from city lighting. According to the Gismeteo forecast, from August 12 to 13 in the territory Krasnodar region Clear weather is expected, so there is a good chance of seeing more meteors. Best time to view the celestial spectacle - from 23:00 to 03:00, but the peak is at 01:00 - 02:00. Stars will be falling all over the sky, so don't worry about looking in the wrong place. Astronomers advise choosing one point and observing it - this way you will see the most.
The Perseid meteor shower appears annually in August from the direction of the constellation Perseus. At this time, the Earth passes through a plume of particles released by Comet Swift-Tuttle. Small dust particles burn up in the Earth's atmosphere, and we see what we call starfall. Comet Swift-Tuttle itself approaches Earth once every 135 years, but passes through its tail every year. The last time the comet was seen was in 1992.
100-150 meteors per hour are expected at the peak of the Perseid shower, according to the International Meteor Organization. This means that every minute at least two “shooting stars” will appear in the sky. The peak of the meteor shower falls on the night from Saturday to Sunday - an ideal time to watch the stars and at the same time think about the eternal.
Tent city at the Rosa Khutor resort
Tourists watch the meteor shower on the Bzerpinsky cornice, which is located at an altitude of 2.1 thousand m above sea level.
Telescopes will be installed at the site, there will be music and a café. Guests of the camp will enjoy yoga classes, walks along a mountain trail, open-air cinema and lectures on celestial bodies.
The mountain camp will open at 13:00 on August 12, from this time it will be possible to set up your own tent or rent it along with a sleeping bag from the organizers. You can get to the camp until 20:00. The festival will end on August 13 in the afternoon.
Sea shore
On the shore you will be guaranteed a good view and a pleasant soundtrack - the sound of the waves. The main thing is to choose a place near which there will not be a lot of light from the coastal town.
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For these reasons, Sochi and Gelendzhik are not suitable, unless you go to wild beaches, away from cafes and hotels. But Veselovka and the village of Blagoveshchenskaya are suitable, as are many other small villages on the coast of the Black and Azov Seas.
Mount Sober-Bash
The beauty of Sober-Bash is not only that you can clearly see the stars from there, but also in its accessibility - this mountain is perhaps the most popular in the region, because it is easy to climb.
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Sober-Bash is located 60 km from Krasnodar, near the village of Ubinskaya in the Seversky district. Without traffic jams, you can get there in two hours. Walking to the top takes another two to three hours, but if you have an SUV, you can drive it. Don't forget your camping essentials - water, food, something sweet, bandages, antiseptic and matches.
The name translated from Adyghe means “mountain of witches”, its height is 735.8 m. The top of Sober-Bash is quite flat and spacious, with good review.
Mezmay
In Mezmay, conditions for stargazing are close to ideal - it’s not for nothing that astronomers come here to look at the Perseids. There is an observatory in the village, so if you dreamed of counting all the meteors through a telescope, then this is your chance.
200 km from Krasnodar, three and a half hours drive - and you are in a wonderful mountain settlement with the poetic name “forest of wild apples” (this is how the word “mezmay” is translated from Adyghe). In the vicinity of the village there are several observation platforms - “St. Michael’s Stone”, “Pyramid” and “Eagle Shelf”, well known to Krasnodar residents. Going there at night, especially to the “shelf”, may not be best idea, so we recommend not to go far from the village, which itself is located at an altitude of 600 m above sea level.
Krasnodar
If you spend the weekend in Krasnodar, be prepared to see significantly fewer shooting stars - only 3-5 per hour. For sky observations, it makes sense to choose eastern part cities (Komsomolsky, Gidrostroy), which is always a little darker after sunset than the west.
In addition, you can sign up for an excursion to the KubSU observatory and look at the stars through a telescope. Astronomers will watch the peak of the Perseid shower in Mezmay, and the observatory will not work on August 12-13. But the star shower will last until August 24 - everyone will have time to make a wish.
Imagine driving through an intersection on a windy day and a dump truck full of sand has just rushed through. A dust trail trails behind it, and many grains of sand will fall into your windshield. Now let’s transfer this picture into space: instead of a dump truck there will be a comet, instead of an intersection there will be an intersection of orbits, instead of wind there will be sunlight, and instead of a windshield - the earth's atmosphere.
Where do the Perseids come from?
The meteor shower particles are produced by comet Swift-Tuttle. Moving along a highly elongated orbit, it makes one revolution around the Sun every 133 years. When approaching a star, its core partially evaporates, and gases carry away grains of sand and pebbles - from them a trail is formed behind the comet.
Over thousands of years, the pressure of solar radiation erodes it across its width and stretches it along its orbit. The width of the Perseid meteor shower exceeds 40 million km, and the Earth crosses it for more than a month, moving around the Sun at a speed of 30 km/s. However, the densest part of the flow is noticeably narrower - 1.3 million km, and we cross it in about 12 hours.
Perseid particles meet the Earth at a speed of 53 km/s. They would cover the distance from Moscow to Yekaterinburg in half a minute. A millimeter-sized grain of sand at such a speed has the energy of a record-breaking hammer blow or explosion of 1 gram of TNT. It could make a significant hole in the hull of a spaceship.
However, the concentration of particles is extremely low. For one of these to get into the ISS, one would have to wait about ten years in the densest, central part of the flow. So meteoroids, despite their speed and impressive appearance when burning up in the sky, pose a much lesser threat to flights than man-made orbital space debris.
This year, conditions for observing the Perseids are especially favorable. Firstly, the maximum activity occurs during the period when it is night in Europe and Russia. Secondly, on August 11 there will be a new moon, which means that moonlight will not interfere with observations.
The International Meteor Organization (IMO) forecasts Perseid activity at 110 meteors per hour, with two additional bursts of activity possible (but not guaranteed) on the night of maximum, presumably around 11:00 pm and 5:30 am Moscow time. They are associated with condensations of meteoric particles that were noticed in past years.
How to look at meteors
To observe an active stream, no complex preparation or equipment is required: meteors are visible to the naked eye. You just need to know when and where to look, and get comfortable.
Perseid radiant - small area in the sky, which, due to the effect of perspective, seems to be the source of meteors of the same stream - is located, as the name suggests, in the constellation Perseus. At the beginning of the night, the constellation is low above the eastern horizon, the meteors of the shower are rarely visible, but they are long, crossing the entire sky.
In the middle of the night, Perseus rises and moves south, and there are more meteors. The best time to observe the Perseids is at three to four o'clock in the morning, and in the southern regions - before five in the morning. It is not worth looking directly into the radiant, since there are not very many meteors there and they are short. It is better to monitor the area of the sky slightly away from the radiant - at the zenith, in the south and southwest.
No less interesting are photographic observations of meteors. To do this you need a digital camera with a wide-angle lens and remote control(from a remote control or computer), shooting with a shutter speed of at least 30 seconds. The camera is placed on a tripod or simply placed on a flat surface, pointing at the zenith. Long exposure shots are then taken one after another.
Catching a beautiful meteor usually requires pictures from total duration exposure two to three hours - much more than with visual observations. Firstly, even wide-angle lenses have a smaller field of view than a person, and secondly, the camera cannot turn its gaze towards a meteor that appears at the edge of the field of view. The chances increase if you place several cameras at once, pointing them at different parts of the sky, or use a fish-eye lens.
> Perseids
Perseids– meteor shower of the constellation Perseus: when to observe, peak activity, location, connection with comet Swift-Tuttle, research, interesting facts.
Perseids is an annual meteor shower that lasts from July 23 to August 20. Associated with Comet Swift-Tuttle. The peak occurs on August 12-13. It is sometimes called “the tears of St. Lawrence” because it falls on the date of his martyrdom (August 10).
Main parameters of Perseids:
- Parent body: Swift-Tuttle
- Radiant: Perseus constellation
- Radiant – coordinates: 03h 04m (right ascension), +58° (declination)
- First entry: 36 AD
- Dates: July 23 – August 20
- Peak: August 13
- Maximum quantity: 80
The name partly comes from the Greek “Περσείδες” - “sons of Perseus”. There is an association with Perseus here because the radiant (the point from which the stream appears) is located in the direction of the constellation Perseus. The radiant only creates a random alignment with the constellation, since the stars of Perseus are located several light years away, and the meteors themselves are 100 km away.
A stream of debris stretches along the comet's orbit and is called the Perseid cloud. The Swift-Tuttle orbital path is 133 years. The particles inside the cloud remained there for thousands of years. The peak occurs on August 13, but in 1865 a dust arc caused a shift of one day - August 12.
The Perseids can be observed as early as mid-July, with speeds reaching 60 meteors per hour during the peak. If you are interested in the highest speed, then it is better to observe a few hours before dawn. Most meteors burn up at an altitude of 80 km.
By focusing on the comet's path, the meteor shower provides best review for residents of northern latitudes. In the southern hemisphere, the spectacle is much fainter, since the radiant never rises above the horizon at southern latitudes.
It is best to choose dark places for observation, away from city lighting. The constellation Perseus is located in the northeastern part of the sky. Meteors should be viewed between the constellation and the zenith (a point in the sky above). But there is no particular need to look for Perseus, since meteors dot the entire sky.
Of course, visibility will also be affected lunar phase. You should look closer to sunrise, between 2-4 am. But you can start from 22:00. If you want to capture this spectacle, then install high sensitivity to the light and a very long exposure (minimum 30 seconds).
The exact days, speed of meteorites and intensity of the peak are difficult to predict as they change every year. They can be large and bright or small and dull. This occurs due to the irregular distribution of mass in the meteor shower.
The Perseids are distinguished by their fireballs, huge bursts of light that last longer than normal meteors. Most often their values reach -3. In 2013, the average peak magnitude approached -2.7, which is significantly brighter than Gemini magnitude (-2).
On July 23, you can notice the first appearance of the shower (1 meteor per hour). The intensity increases every week and at the beginning of August 5 meteors fly by in an hour. By August 12-13 – 50-80. After the peak, there is a gradual decline and by August 22 it returns to one meteor per hour.
Data
The main radiant of the stream is located in the direction of Eta Persei, the second is Gamma Persei, and the rest are near Alpha and Beta Persei. In myths Ancient Greece The Perseids were associated with the constellation. It was believed that this was a reminder of the time when Zeus (Perseus' father) visited his mother Danae in the form of a shower of gold.
The shower was first recorded in China, making a note in 36 AD, when 100 meteors were counted. Additionally, the Perseids appear in many Chinese, Japanese and Korean records in the 8th to 11th centuries, but were little talked about in the 12th to 19th centuries.
It is believed that the first to recognize the Perseids as an annual phenomenon was the Belgian astronomer Adolphe Quetelet. In 1835, he reported that in August he had recorded a meteor shower emerging from the constellation Perseus.
Comet Swift-Tuttle was independently discovered by American astronomers Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle in 1862. It is large, with a core of 26 kilometers (twice the size of the object that caused the dinosaurs to become extinct). Comet size and meteoroid size – main reason, why we can enjoy so many fireballs during the peak period.
In 1865, Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli made a connection between the comet and the Perseids. This important date, since for the first time a meteor shower was identified with comets.
Swift-Tuttle follows an eccentric orbit, approaching inside Earth's orbit, approaching the Sun, and then exiting Pluto's orbit. As the comet approaches the star, it heats up and ejects debris along its orbit.
In December 1992, the comet reached perigee (closest point to the Sun). This will happen again only in July 2126.
August is the brightest month of summer, both day and night. It is at this time that you can see the brightest starfall of the entire year -. A magical spectacle and a bit of romance are promised to every resident of Russia who is able to go out into the street in the dead of night.
What are the Perseids and where does this meteor shower come from?
Earthlings can observe the Perseids due to the blue planet's entry into the dust trail of Comet Swift-Tuttle. This comet is located in the constellation Perseus. Small dust particles following the comet's tail, burning in the earth's atmosphere, give off bright flashes, like fireworks.
How the Earth enters the Perseid radiant was clearly shown by the scientific portal Sky & Telescope - all due to the rotation of our planet:
These dust particles look something like this:
However, no one can afford such artifacts, because these pieces of rock burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere without a trace. The particles move at a speed of 20 km/s.
When and where will you be able to see the Perseids meteor shower?
The traces of Swift-Tuttle are already partially visible from Earth, but the peak of Perseid activity will occur at maximum approach - on August 12-13. However, you can observe the meteor shower, albeit not so intense, until August 20. The best time for observations is 3-4 am, and for the southern regions of Russia - up to 5 am. By the way, viewing is equally available for all of Russia.
Experts note that this year the Perseids will not be as intense as in the past, but they will be better visible due to the new moon this coming weekend on August 11th. Also at this time, you can still see another meteor shower - which is already moving away from the Earth.
Perseid radiant - how to find it in the sky:
You need to look up to the constellation Perseus in the sky, but how to find it? The guideline will be Ursa Minor and the North Star. To the right of it is the constellation Cassiopeia, it looks like the letter “W”, sloping to one side. The two stars below are the Perseid radiant and Perseus itself.
Many people like to watch stars falling from the sky, however, not all witnesses to this fascinating and unforgettable phenomenon think about its true origin. In order not to miss the starfall in August 2018, and also find out the exact date this event, we invite you to read the review of our “star” experts.
The 2018 Perseid meteor shower will peak on August 12-13. On this day, the number of falling “stars” per hour will approach 60. In general, star rain begins from July 17 to August 24.
At the end of July you will only see a few meteors per hour. Every day the number of falling “stars” increases. And after reaching the peak on August 12-13, it decreases. Closer to the 20th, only 1-2 meteors per hour remain.
- What is a starfall?
- On what date and in what part of the sky can the Perseid shower be seen?
- What does a starfall signify?
- When will the starfall occur in August 2018?
- Why does starfall occur?
- The mystical meaning of starfall
What is a starfall?
In the language of astronomers, a starfall is nothing more than a meteor shower consisting of cosmic dust and ice - the remains of comets moving in outer space. As these particles approach the orbit of the Sun, they heat up. As a result, their active splitting and dispersion occurs, which form the so-called dust cloud that accompanies the comet along the entire path of its movement. Some of its fragments invade the earth's orbit, thereby causing the illusion of falling stars in the planet's atmosphere.
As a rule, comet trails flashing in the night sky carry an incredible charge of energy that can negatively affect the Earth's magnetic field. IN in this case, it all depends on the constellation and configuration of other cosmic bodies located in the path of the meteor shower.
Not only astronomical definitions deserve special attention, but also folk signs associated with this cosmic phenomenon. For example, our distant Slavic ancestors believed that a wish made during a starfall would definitely come true. The sign has not been forgotten even today.
On what date and in what part of the sky can the Perseid shower be seen?
According to preliminary calculations by Russian scientists, star rain will fall in the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth on the night of August 12-13, 2018. It is during this short period of time that the densest accumulation of meteors, which are aliens from the Perseid constellation, is expected in the sky above our country. In total, flashes of burning particles will be visible from the 9th until the middle of the last summer month.
Representing the debris of comet Swift-Tuttle, more than 10,000 burning cosmic particles will illuminate the night sky over Omsk, Irkutsk, Novosibirsk and Tomsk. Not only residents of the Urals and Siberians, but also residents of the capital will be able to enjoy the spectacle. In Moscow, stellar flares will be observed at the same time as in other regions of Russia, although they will not be as intense. The only thing that can interfere with observing this cosmic miracle is a too bright Moon or cloudy weather.
It is worth recalling that the Perseid meteor shower is one of the “big three” largest meteor showers recorded in the Northern Hemisphere and will not appear over our country for the first time. Last time Russia visited the Perseid comet shower quite recently - in August 2017.
What does a starfall signify?
At all times, this cosmic phenomenon was perceived as some kind of sign from above. Currently, the attitude towards meteor showers has not changed much. Many people still tend to perceive it as an omen of important historical or geopolitical events. According to astrologers and psychics, the cosmic guests, named after Perseus - the son of the mythical Zeus and Danae, symbolize the eternal struggle between Light and The dark side of the universe. Some medical experts warn: during a starfall, as well as during the full moon, they can worsen chronic diseases. Therefore, meteor showers should be avoided on days conflict situations which can lead to stress and depression.
Mystical meaning
In ancient times, when humanity did not yet know about the existence of regular meteor showers, their appearance instilled fear and surprise in people. Some even believed that aliens had arrived.
There is an interesting belief: if you make a wish on a falling star, it will definitely come true. Our ancestors thought so, and today many believe in omens. Oddly enough, very often it comes true.
In 2018, the night from August 11 to 12 coincides with the first lunar day. This beautiful time to make a wish, the fulfillment of which will change your life.
To increase your chances, follow these simple rules:
Starfall is a phenomenon amazing in its beauty. Flying “stars” excite the imagination and give rise to fantasies. The starry sky is beautiful on its own, but when there is a meteor shower... it's definitely worth staying up at night.
Mystics are sure that falling “stars” carry streams of energy with them to the Earth. The characteristics of this energy depend on the constellation that is observed in the area of the center of the meteor shower.
The constellation Perseus represents, according to esotericists, the rivalry between the Light and Darkness of our World. During this period, many people will prefer to fight for justice, to stand up for good and their interests.
- show compassion to others;
- be tolerant of family and friends;
- do not rush to take the warpath.
The summer of 2018 turned out to be rich in unique natural phenomena. In addition to the partial solar eclipse, which is expected on Saturday, August 11, the largest starfall of the year will take place on the same day.
If it is not possible to observe a solar eclipse live in Ukraine, then the meteor shower in clear weather will be visible in all its beauty.
What is a “rain of stars”?
IN last month In summer, the starry sky traditionally becomes the object of close attention of lovers of astronomy, astrology and simply beautiful natural phenomena. The thing is that in August you can observe the Perseids - a meteor shower coming from the direction of the constellation Perseus, which literally represents a “rain of stars” - meteors that sweep across the sky at speeds of up to 59 km/sec.
The peak of the starfall in 2018 is expected on the nights of August 11-12 and August 12-13, the most intense shower will take place on August 13 after midnight. According to preliminary estimates by scientists, its density will be moderate: 60-70 meteors per hour. Despite the impressive numbers, the flow will indeed be moderate, because, for example, in 2016, experts recorded figures in the range of 150-200 meteors per hour.
When will the starfall occur in August 2018?
On the night of August 12-13, Russians will experience the most beautiful starfall of 2018. It will be a consequence of the maximum activity of the Perseid meteor shower. According to forecasts by the International Meteor Organization, up to 100 “shooting stars” (meteors) can be seen per hour at the peak of the August meteor shower.
Also, the convenience of observing the stellar flow on the night of August 12-13, 2018 will be positively affected by the absence of lunar illumination, since the described event occurs just a day after the new moon, and the crescent of the young Moon will not yet be visible.
In general, the August Perseid starfall will decorate the night sky not only on the night from August 12 to August 13, 2018, but also on nearby dates. You can observe the starfall starting from July 20, 2018 and ending on August 21, 2018. But it will be especially noticeable in the several days before and after August 13, 2018.
Where will the starfall be visible from August 12 to 13, 2018?
Since the August meteor shower is a consequence of the Perseid meteor shower (named after the constellation from which it emerges), meteors will appear from the direction of the constellation Perseus.
In the night sky of the northern hemisphere, the constellation Perseus is located in the northeastern part of the sky, approximately in the center between the horizon and the zenith.
Why does starfall occur?
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What is a starburst anyway? The name of this phenomenon is deceptive and misleads some people. No, the stars do not fall down.
Astronomers call a meteor shower a meteor shower, and it is created by numerous meteors - these are fragments of comets that fall into the Earth's atmosphere and burn up in it, while on their way down they glow like stars.
If we talk about the Perseid star shower, it occurs when our planet passes through a trail of particles from comet Swift-Tuttle. From Earth, it appears that the center from which the meteors are falling is located in the constellation Perseus.
But in reality, the meteor shower has nothing to do with this constellation, it simply bears its name and occurs in the same part of the sky.
The mystical meaning of starfall
In ancient times, when humanity did not yet know about the existence of regular meteor showers, their appearance instilled fear and surprise in people, and some even believed that aliens had arrived.
There is an interesting belief: if you make a wish on a falling star, it will definitely come true. Our ancestors thought so, and today many believe in the sign, and oddly enough, very often it comes true.
In 2018, the night from August 11 to 12 coincides with the first lunar day - this is a great time to make a wish, the fulfillment of which will change your life.
To increase your chances, follow these simple rules:
- wishes are made alone;
- clearly state what you want with all the details;
- name the exact date by which the wish should come true, let this date be realistic.
Material Starfall in August 2018, what date?
