Are you getting excited for those warm summer nights? There are bound to be many with clear skies, which will make for some good night sky watching. It seems like there is always something interesting to see up there, such as constellations, meteors, and full moons, to name a few. So, consider making a concerted effort this summer to spend more time observing the nighttime sky.
Full Moons and Meteor Showers
There is a full moon coming up on May 31. It is also a blue moon, the second full moon a month. Full moons are great to observe through a telescope, but even a good pair of binoculars enhances the viewing considerably. And of course, there will be other full moons coming up this summer.
Although the peak viewing period for the Eta Aquarids meteor shower is past, the shower continues until the end of May. And there are more shows coming: The Delta Aquarids meteor shower will run roughly from July 12-August 23 with the peak viewing period coming on or around July 28. Plus, the Delta Aquarids overlaps with the Perseids meteor shower, which runs from July 17-August 24 with the peak viewing period coming up on or around the evening of August 12.
Meteor showers are named after the constellation in which the meteors appear to originate. So, the Delta Aquarids will appear to originate within the constellation Aquarius while the Perseids will appear to originate within the constellation Perseus. The meteors can, however, be observed anywhere in the sky.
Learning the Summer Constellations
With the aid of a star chart (perhaps on an app), several other constellations may be identified in the summer sky, including Scorpius (the scorpion), Sagittarius (the archer), Hercules, Lyra (the lyre), and Cygnus (the swan). And of course, the Big Dipper is up there so we can tell which way is north!
Two Eclipses in August
There are also a couple eclipses coming up this summer that you might find interesting. North Dakota is on the edge of a solar eclipse on August 12. There is also a partial, or perhaps full, lunar eclipse that will be visible in North Dakota on August 28. Watch for more information on these events in the news as the dates approach.
So, take advantage of those warm summer nights with clear skies. Learn a few new constellations, see some meteors, and you will likely be surprised at all the satellites orbiting up there.
Learn more from “Tonight’s Sky” videos from the Space Telescope Science Institute:
