Two noteworthy celestial shows are coming up on August 12. The Perseids meteor shower is expected to peak that evening, and a partial solar eclipse is expected to be visible in parts of the state. So, get ready and hope for clear skies.
Perseids Meteor Shower
The Perseids meteor shower runs annually from around July 17 through August 24. The peak viewing period is expected to occur the evening of August 12. If the sky is clear, viewing could be excellent this year because that is also the day of a new moon. So, no interference with moonlight! Expectations are that 30-50 or more meteors may be observed per hour during the peak viewing period.
Most meteor showers are associated with comets. Think of them as large, dirty snowballs a few miles in diameter. As they pass near the sun, the heat causes the comet to shed ice and particles. These mostly sand-sized pieces of ice and rock create a “debris field” in outer space. So, when the earth passes through these debris fields the pieces collide with the atmosphere and become glowing hot. Viewed from earth, they are “falling stars” or more accurately meteors. A lot of “falling stars” make a meteor shower.
Meteor showers, of course, have been observed for millennia, but it was not until 1862 that comet Swift-Tuttle was discovered. And there is an interesting twist here. Two astronomers independently discovered it. American astronomer Lewis Swift discovered it on July 16, 1862. Then a few days later on August 19 another American astronomer Horace Parnell Tuttle discovered it. So, I suppose to be fair it is comet Swift-Tuttle as opposed to comet Swift.
Solar Eclipse
There is also a solar eclipse on August 12. Parts of Europe will be able to witness a total solar eclipse that day, while parts of North America, including North Dakota, are in the path for a small partial eclipse.
So, you might want to monitor the night sky over the next couple weeks, and be sure to check it out the evening of August 12. With warm summer nights and no interference with the moonlight, it would be a great time to grab a lawn chair and some goodies, get away from the town lights, and have some fun observing the night sky. Falling stars, constellations, star clusters, galaxies, and of course the milky way may well put on the best celestial show of the summer.
