Better not wait for the August 12 peak

If the Perseids are the Rain of fleeting stars More popular in the northern hemisphere is for something. They appear in full summer, when the skies are clear, the nights are more pleasant and many are on vacation. But this year they have a problem.

Luna almost full at the worst moment. In 2025, the Perseidas Activity Peak The night will take place from August 12 to 13. As every year, it is the moment in which we should see the most meteor. But this time, the Perseids will share the stage with an guest star that nobody wants on an astronomical observation night: a large and brilliant moon.

According to the August lunar calendar, the full moon will come on day 9. This means that for the night of 12, our satellite It will be in the diminishing phase gibosa90%illuminated. Although we move away from the cities, the natural light pollution of the moon will complicate the visibility of the weakest meteors. Only the most spectacular and bright cars will stand out in heaven.

When to see the Perseids. According to him National Geographic Institutethe moment with the greatest abundance of meteoros will occur on August 12 just after the sunset, around 22:00. The moon will appear on the horizon approximately an hour later, so we will have a very scarce margin to accustom the eyes to the dark and enjoy the hunt for perseiders.

Our advice to have a more relaxed and lasting experience: not wait until then. The Perseids or tears of San Lorenzo They are active from July 17 to August 24, so this weekend we can see them burning in the night sky. And the growing moon will be hidden soon through the west, leaving a night with a perfect dark sky for observation.

How to locate them in heaven. Whether you decide to get ahead and if you prefer to wait, the first thing is get away from the city’s lights: Go to a beach, the field or the mountain, especially if it is “in the shadow” of the moon. The less light pollutionmore stars and persistent you can see.

The most popular meteor rain of the summer owes its name to the constellation of Perseus, but the most effective way to see them is not to look for the constellation on the map, but to stare at the darkest part of the sky (care with the neck, better to be lying) because they can appear anywhere, provided there are no clouds, and the greatest possible field of vision will be good for you.

Your eyes need between 15 and 20 minutes to adapt to total darkness, so it is best to avoid using the mobile. Anyway, perseiders are so fast that it is difficult to take pictures. A time-lapse or video are safer options. For the same reason, it is not worth using telescopes or prismatic.

Image | Giles Laurent (CC by-SA 4.0)

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