AURORA PREDICTIONS (THE NORTHERN LIGHTS)
CLICK ON THE LINK TO SEE PREDICTED SIGHTINGS OF THE AURORA BOEALIS
Space Weather – Met Office
THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER 2024
13th August 13, 2024
Dear parents, carers, guardians, teachers,
Sunday 11th August through the night into Monday 12th, then again the night of Monday 12th August into Tuesday 13th, the Universe has honoured us with a magnificent reminder that mankind is little more than a grain of sand on a beach, when compared to the enormity of the cosmos.
Compared to the vast galaxy which came into existence with the Big Bang trillions of years ago, mankind is younger than a new-born baby.
We are in the middle or peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower. This annual event which begins in mid July and ends around 24th August is the result of the earth passing through this space dust from Comet Swift-Tuttle.
2024 has been a wonderful year to view this magnificent event because the moon has been setting in early evening allowing us to view the meteors in an almost dark sky.
Have you seen the wealth of photos and videos which have been posted on Twitter/X. If you search for “The Perseid Meteor Shower 2024”, you will be treated with an incredible display of photos from around the world.
My collage with 8 meteors from the #Perseid shower on August 12, 2024.
The result of a wonderful evening spent with my kids under a dark sky. It was my first attempt at capturing a meteor shower.https://t.co/jdPkjanXHe#astrophotography #nature
I used the legacy OM 24mm lens pic.twitter.com/PNDCMnhYVr
— Thomas Hanrath – Astrophotography (@AstrophotoCamp) August 14, 2024
On Sunday night and Monday morning, in the hours before dawn an almost unique double event occurred. Not only did we see the peak number of meteors, they were set against an “Aurora Borealis” which was visible in many lower latitudes throughout Europe and the United States.
I would not normally recommend keeping children as young as eight years old awake and outside around midnight, but as it is the school holidays and these cosmic events are not visible very often, I would implore any guardians to make an exception right now, August 2024.
You don’t have to be a child to be awe-struck by the sheer number of meteors you will see.
FOLLOW THESE TIPS FOR A NIGHT TO REMEMBER!
- Find a field or rural place where there is no light pollution.
- Allow around 20 to 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to darkness.
- No binoculars or telescope are needed. In fact, you will miss much by not being able to observe the whole sky.
- Take a ground sheet or folding chairs to make yourself comfortable for an hour or so.
- Wear warm clothing as it gets damp even on hot nights.
Good Luck with your star gazing adventure.
For helpful advice and tips, click on some of links I have added below.
ROYAL OBSERVATORY GREENWICH RECOMMENDED GUIDE
The bestselling stargazing handbook to the planets, stars and constellations visible from the northern hemisphere
This practical guidebook is an easy introduction to astronomy and a useful reference for seasoned stargazers. It includes 6 pages for each month covering January–December 2024.
It is designed for Britain and Ireland, but usable anywhere in the world between 40°N and 60°N, covering most of Europe, southern Canada and the northern United States.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW SAMPLE PAGES AND TO ORDER YOUR COPY
Homepage | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center
Ovation Aurora Forecast | AuroraWatch UK (lancs.ac.uk)
AuroraWatch UK status (lancs.ac.uk)
Perseid meteor shower 2024 — When, where and how to see it | Space
https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/perseid-meteor-shower-guide-uk-when-where-to-see
I confess that I am a fair-weather amateur astronomer so I am most enthusiastic about the Eta Aquarid and Perseid meteor showers. The Eta Aquarids peak around the start of May and the Perseids during early August, but with warm nights here in the UK, it is the best time of year to sit outside with a blanket and flask of coffee for warmth.
Despite moonlight sometimes causing one’s eyes to lose their night light adjustment, I have still seen some amazing meteor showers during a full moon by blocking it out of my sightline.
My first ever serious attempts to observe the Perseid Meteor shower were when I moved to the village just north of the South Downs a few years ago. I borrowed a few books from the library to help me but soon bought my first annual guide to the skies above the UK.
I have two excellent recommendations for anyone who wants to discover when, where and how to observe astronomical events.
The first is Collins 2024 Guide to the Night Sky by Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion. The first pages are educational information about constellations, planets, eclipses and an introduction to the month by month guides to exciting and interesting astronomical events.
These books are not limited to the annual events but build into a comprehensive guide to the study of astronomy, photography and advice on the best places to view the night skies.
