Tonight’s Night Sky – What to Look for in the Sky This Evening

Monday, August 12 – Perseid Meteor Shower (Night)

Early this morning, the annual peak Perseid meteor shower It’s happened, but don’t despair if you missed it due to work or bad weather. While you won’t get another chance to see 50 to 75 “shooting stars” in one hour — as you did last night — it would be wise to look up late tonight (preferably after midnight early Tuesday, August 13) if skies are clear to get a chance to see a healthy number of bright stars. MeteoritesIf you can’t escape to a really dark sky, be sure to keep any artificial lights out of your direct line of sight because there’s always a chance you’ll see two particularly bright “fireballs.” The later you look, the brighter the rain will be in the sky. Perseus It will be in the northeastern sky. -Jimmy Carter

You can also Watch the Perseid meteor shower online for free With this live stream hosted by astrophysicist Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project. The live stream will start on 9pm EST on August 12 (0100 GMT on August 13).

Monday, August 12 – First Quarter Moon (Evening)

Tonight, the moonThe eastern side of the planet will appear partially illuminated – the so-called first quarter phase – as it reaches a 90-degree angle away from The sun In its monthly orbit around the Earth. Because the first quarter Moon always rises at noon and sets at midnight, it begins to whiten the night sky in the evening, making it difficult to see stars (and shooting stars from the Perseid meteor shower). However, it is a beautiful sight to the naked eye. — Jimmy Carter

Sunday, August 11 – Monday, August 12: Perseid meteor shower peak (predawn)

There’s no better time to see meteors from the Northern Hemisphere than tonight. At its peak, the annual Perseid meteor shower can produce about 60 meteors per hour that can be seen in the night sky. The radiant (where the meteors will appear to emanate) will be the constellation Perseus, which will rise in the northeastern sky around midnight.

Meteor showers are often distorted by strong moonlight, but that’s not the case with this year’s Perseids, which will set at first quarter around midnight. Look skyward during the early hours of Monday for the best chance of catching the meteors, though light pollution and sky clarity will make a big difference. If possible, get away from light pollution — at least 40 miles from a major urban area — but wherever you watch, make sure there are no artificial lights in your field of view. Sit back and relax in a lawn chair, stay warm, and take regular breaks. Never look at your smartphone; its white light will destroy your eyes’ adaptation to the dark, which takes about 20 minutes to develop and only one second of white light to destroy.

If you can’t look for the Perseids in person, you can: Watch them live online here at Space.com. Thanks to the Virtual Telescope Project. Firstly The live broadcast will start at 9pm EST on August 11 (0100 GMT on August 12) the second You will start in 9pm EST on August 12 (0100 GMT on August 13) Coinciding with the expected peak of activity of the Perseid meteor shower.

Friday, August 9 – Saturday, August 10 – Crescent Moon, Virgo, Scorpius, and Milky Way (after sunset)

Right now, the quarter side of the Moon facing Earth is illuminated by sunlight. Over the next two nights, the Moon will appear on either side of the star Spica. Spica will appear directly above the two stars in the constellation Boa constellation, while the Milky Way will rise after dark to the south. However, to see the arc of our galaxy, you’ll need to be away from light pollution. — Jimmy Carter

Thursday, August 8 – Crescent, Venus and Virgo (after sunset)

Here’s another chance to see the crescent moon dominate the evening sky after sunset, with Venus stubbornly shining near the western horizon. Look at the dark left side of the Moon. Can you make out any details? Since the sunlight isn’t shining directly on it, it should be dark, right?

The light you can see is called “planetary glow,” “Earth glow,” or “Da Vinci glow.” It’s sunlight shining on Earth reflecting off the moon. It’s easiest to see when the moon is a few days old. — Jimmy Carter

Wednesday, August 7 – Crescent, Venus and Virgo (after sunset)

A brighter, more visible crescent will appear tonight about halfway between Venus, to its lower right, and the bright star Spica, to its upper left. Spica is one of the 20 brightest stars in the night sky and the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. — Jimmy Carter