bonitatime
12-08-2011, 12:45
http://www.eldia.es/2011-08-12/SOCIEDAD/1-Perseidas-brillantes-podran-verse-pesar-luna-llena.htm
The usual meteor shower that occurs every year on the feast of San Lorenzo, and that tonight reaches its peak, will not be easy to see due to the clarity of the full moon, but this does not prevent the brightest "Perseids" from being observed.
Although they are also known as Tears of St. Lawrence, the "Perseids" are not tears, nor stars, but, says the director of the Pamplona Planetarium, Javier Armentia, "bits" of the comet Swift-Tuttle are burning up very quickly in the atmosphere.
Tonight the Earth will pass through the area where there are more, so it will be more "Perseids", whose size is similar "to that of dust particles that sweep at home."
"They are not very big, between microns and millimeters in length, but on entering the atmosphere rapidly burn a hundred miles high and produce a light," says the director of the Pamplona Planetarium.
This year the peak of the tears of St. Lawrence can be seen from the mainland between 3.00 and 15.30 on Saturday 13 August, and the optimal time to observe them will be just before dawn, between 5:00 am and 6:00 am, according to the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC).
But this time the full moon will make it difficult, because its brightness will hinder observation of the "Perseids": "This will make the weakest invisible due to lack of contrast, but still the brightest will be visible", says Armentia.
According to the spokesman of the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) Angel Rivera, tonight there will be some cloudiness in the northwest, particularly in Aragon, Balearic Islands, some areas of Navarra, and some of the Bay of Biscay, which may also subtract visibility of the meteor shower, while the rest of the country does not appear to be major problems.
As shooting stars are "very unfriendly light pollution," Armentia recommended darker place better to "enjoy the beautiful spectacle," ie being necessary to escape the cities.
The IAC recommended a comfortable position that allows greater field of view the sky as possible and not to use or binoculars or telescopes.
The meteor shower is also used for the organization of recreational activities and events. Many of the planetariums are planning such, including Palma and Pamplona, among others.
Further information about these meteor shows can be found here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseids)
I have actually been on Teide for the meteor showers and it is outstanding to watch.
The usual meteor shower that occurs every year on the feast of San Lorenzo, and that tonight reaches its peak, will not be easy to see due to the clarity of the full moon, but this does not prevent the brightest "Perseids" from being observed.
Although they are also known as Tears of St. Lawrence, the "Perseids" are not tears, nor stars, but, says the director of the Pamplona Planetarium, Javier Armentia, "bits" of the comet Swift-Tuttle are burning up very quickly in the atmosphere.
Tonight the Earth will pass through the area where there are more, so it will be more "Perseids", whose size is similar "to that of dust particles that sweep at home."
"They are not very big, between microns and millimeters in length, but on entering the atmosphere rapidly burn a hundred miles high and produce a light," says the director of the Pamplona Planetarium.
This year the peak of the tears of St. Lawrence can be seen from the mainland between 3.00 and 15.30 on Saturday 13 August, and the optimal time to observe them will be just before dawn, between 5:00 am and 6:00 am, according to the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC).
But this time the full moon will make it difficult, because its brightness will hinder observation of the "Perseids": "This will make the weakest invisible due to lack of contrast, but still the brightest will be visible", says Armentia.
According to the spokesman of the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) Angel Rivera, tonight there will be some cloudiness in the northwest, particularly in Aragon, Balearic Islands, some areas of Navarra, and some of the Bay of Biscay, which may also subtract visibility of the meteor shower, while the rest of the country does not appear to be major problems.
As shooting stars are "very unfriendly light pollution," Armentia recommended darker place better to "enjoy the beautiful spectacle," ie being necessary to escape the cities.
The IAC recommended a comfortable position that allows greater field of view the sky as possible and not to use or binoculars or telescopes.
The meteor shower is also used for the organization of recreational activities and events. Many of the planetariums are planning such, including Palma and Pamplona, among others.
Further information about these meteor shows can be found here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseids)
I have actually been on Teide for the meteor showers and it is outstanding to watch.