The August Perseids and the Milky Way

When is the last time you remember observing a fairly decent meteor shower? Or even a "meteorocre" (sic) one for that matter. Well, it's been too long for us here in southern New England. Though the Moon has conspired over the years to prevent some of the major meteor showers from being seen to the best advantage, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the weather has been the primary deterrent to our being able to wish upon a shooting star.

Unfortunately the upcoming Perseids, which peak on the night of August 11-12, will be compromised once again by a bright waning gibbous Moon (between Full and Last Quarter). The best time to observe this shower is between 11:00 pm or so and dawn's early light, and unfortunately the Moon will be glaring in the sky the entire time. Despite this inconvenience, some members of the Perseid shower are bright and often produce exploding fireballs. And because this meteor shower has developed a second "peak" of activity, I would suggest you try observing on the following night as well.

Though the normal peak rate is 60 meteors per hour, under the unfavorable moonlit conditions you might see 15-20 of the brighter green, red or orange Perseids as they blaze across the sky at about 134,222 miles per hour! Try shielding your eyes from direct moonlight to increase your odds of observing even some of the fainter meteors. And don't forget to observe from a dark sky away from any light pollution to maximize your viewing opportunities.

The Perseids appear to radiate from an area of sky, called the radiant point, in the constellation Perseus. Perseus is well up in the northeast sky after midnight. As he moves up and across the sky, the number of meteors will increase as the night progresses. However the Moon will also be in this region of the sky as well.

Let's hope we at least have clear skies to observe a few shooting stars known as the Perseids.

Later in the month when the Moon is less bright or when it is not visible, look directly overhead from a dark sky and you'll see a wispy stream of stars stretching from high in the north and continuing towards the southern horizon. This feature is actually the light of billions of stars that comprise our home galaxy, the Milky Way.

Grab your binoculars and telescopes and simply pan down that river of stars. Start in the northern sky with the constellation of Cassiopeia (shaped like the letter W or M, depending upon the time of night), continue through Cygnus (the Swan or Northern Cross), and on to Aquila. It is in the Cygnus region where the Milky Way divides into two bands, separated by obscuring dust called the Great Rift. Though both streams can be traced down into Sagittarius, the eastern band is brightest as it continues into Scutum where, as described by turn of the century astronomer E.E. Barnard, "the stars pile up in great cumulus masses like summer clouds."

From there the eastern band of the Milky Way continues into Sagittarius, a star field easily recognized as a tea pot. You'll encounter many star clouds and nebulae in this region of space. A telescope of any aperture and magnification will not only enhance the view of these very distant objects, but also reveal their intricate structure and beauty.

If you visit Seagrave Observatory on any clear Saturday night this Summer, be sure to ask one of telescope operators to point out a few of these beautiful astronomical gems.

Keep your eyes to the skies.