“We made wishes while looking at shooting stars”, evokes with nostalgia Jean-Michel Faidit, Doctor of History of Astronomy. It is around 3 am, on the night of Friday August 12 to Saturday August 13, that the celestial spectacle of the Perseids will be observable for the most determined astronomy enthusiasts.
Observe the starry sky
Made up of debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, the pluie d’étoiles filante des Perseids is the most famous of the year, because of the significant space activity it manages to offer. This meteoritic swarm in the constellation of Perseus extends from July 17 to August 24, with a peak of activity on the night of August 12 to 13. It is the most spectacular of all, with 100 observable shooting stars per hour, or an average of one shooting star per minute!
But be careful this year to check the color of the Moon! An obstacle could well alter the visibility of the show: the brightness of the full moon which sets in on August 12.
“To best perceive the shooting stars of the Perseids, it is necessary know how to look carefully at the sky, during the two/three days preceding and following the long-awaited night the sky will be clearer there, and the rain of shooting stars just as beautiful to see”, advises Jean-Michel Faidit.
So all you have to do is bring your telescope, or failing that, your most enlightened gaze to observe the beauty of the starry sky.