A GOOD MONTH FOR METEORS

The Perseid Meteor shower returns this month. As the moon will not be at it's fullest it means the skies will be dark enough to hopefully get a really good view of the display. The shower is active for around a month and started on 23 July and will finish on the 23 August. We should be able to see, clouds permitting, an average of 80 - 100 meteors an hour. The sharpest peak will be on the morning of 13 August between 0700 and 1000 hours BST...which means, unfortunately, that it will be daylight in the UK. The potentially best rated night will be 12/13 August at around 2300BST until dawn. Let's hope we get some clear nights to see them.

 

I'm so glad you think so, Val, I always like to broaden peoples minds

 

I have a phone line to the Cloud Gods, Fern, but they never seem to pick up.

 

Any direction will do, WT. Just try to keep your eyes out of any stray light and look up at around 60 degrees and let your eyes get aclimatised to the dark.

 

Hi Fern, yep, my scope is all set up on the patio ready as the skies have cleared somewhat. But for the meteors you will only need the use of your eyes and fairly dark skies. The supposed best viewing is from the North East but, to be honest, you should be able to see them throughout the skies.
Some update news on the Dome Observatory which is going into the garden. The Contractor is coming tomorrow to assess the area for the concrete base for the Observatory Dome and I've sent off a order confirmation e-mail for the actual Dome, the lead time for the Dome though is 10 weeks so it'll be around the end of October/beginning of November before it's installed and perhaps another two weeks for me to connect the power, paint the inside matt black or mid grey, and fit LED lighting inside, etc.

 

Just seen a real blazer of a comet going from North to South, but I didn't actually see it until it was in the South as I had my back to the North.