{"id":15743,"date":"2022-07-20T19:00:57","date_gmt":"2022-07-20T17:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/?p=124224"},"modified":"2022-07-21T17:08:31","modified_gmt":"2022-07-21T15:08:31","slug":"how-to-see-the-perseid-meteor-shower-in-2022","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/how-to-see-the-perseid-meteor-shower-in-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"How to see the Perseid meteor shower in 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Sara Rigby\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 20 July 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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The Perseid meteor shower has started, making it once of the best times of year for naked-eye astronomy. This is one of the most active meteor showers in the northern hemisphere, so if you\u2019re new to stargazing, this is a great way to get started.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve asked Dr Darren Baskill, an astrophotographer and astronomy lecturer at the University of Sussex, when is the best time to see it and what you\u2019ll need to take with you.<\/p>\n

Normally, we\u2019d be telling you to wait for the peak of the meteor shower to go and watch it, but not this year \u2013 in fact, the peak could be one of the worst times to go hunting for shooting stars. Read on to find out why.<\/p>\n

When can I see the Perseid meteor shower in 2022?<\/h2>\n

The Perseid meteor shower in 2022 started on 17 July, and will be visible until 24 August. \u201cThe Perseid meteor shower peaks at 1am in the early hours of Saturday 13 August this year,\u201d says Baskill. \u201cThat\u2019s the moment when the Earth passes through the heart of the steam of dust left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom a clear, dark site, a meteor (also called a shooting star) is usually visible every minute or two during the peak hours \u2013 and they move quickly!\u201d<\/p>\n

However, the full Sturgeon Moon will fall early in the morning of 12 August. \u201cIts bright glow will overpower all but the brighter shooting stars,\u201d Baskill explains. On the night of 12-13 August, London will see the moonrise at 9:18pm, and it won\u2019t set until 7:05 the next morning.<\/p>\n

So, while there will be a huge increase in the number of meteors you could see around the peak, you might instead choose to go out on a night when the Moon won\u2019t be up whenever you\u2019re out. It might be helpful to check a moonrise and moonset calendar<\/a> and look for days when the Moon rises in the early morning, say, and is set by the time the sky gets dark.<\/p>\n

In general, Baskill recommends staying up late for the best chance of seeing them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a bit like driving a car through a snowstorm: you get a better view looking forward, as snowflakes hit the car windscreen, than you would looking behind,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd we are on the \u2018front\u2019 of the Earth, as it flies through space orbiting the Sun, at 6am, so you should get a better view in the hours after midnight, weather permitting!\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u00a9 Darren Baskill\/University of Sussex<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Where in the sky should I look?<\/h2>\n

The meteors appear to originate in the constellation of Perseus \u2013 hence the name \u2018Perseid\u2019. However, you don\u2019t need to whip out a star map to work out which way you should be looking.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese shooting stars could appear any where, so it\u2019s best just to look directly up, and if you are lucky, you might see a shooting star every few minutes originating from the north-east,\u201d Baskill says.<\/p>\n

Do I need any equipment to watch the meteor shower?<\/h2>\n

No, you don\u2019t need a telescope or even binoculars to watch a meteor shower. In fact, unlike most other astronomy, you\u2019re better off without them.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re looking at a planet, full Moon<\/a> or star, your object of interest will move very slowly across the sky. That means you can set up your telescope to point in the right direction, and then gradually adjust it as the night goes on and the Earth spins.<\/p>\n

However, meteors are called \u2018shooting stars\u2019 for a reason: they zip across the sky in a bright flash, and then they\u2019re gone. While we know the area of the sky where the meteor shower originates, we won\u2019t know where any one in particular will appear. So, you\u2019re better off with a much broader field of vision.<\/p>\n

The best equipment you can use is a lawn chair, or another reclining chair you can take outside. You might also want a blanket or a thermos of something hot if it\u2019s going to be a cool night.<\/p>\n

Find a spot outside with as little light pollution as possible, and lie back so you can see as much of the sky as you can. Then, you should let your eyes adjust for up to 20 minutes without any other light sources \u2013 including your phone. As your night vision improves, you should start to see more and more in the sky.<\/p>\n

About our expert, Dr Darren Baskill<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Dr Darren Baskill<\/a> is an outreach officer and lecturer in the department of physics and astronomy at the University of Sussex. He previously lectured at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, where he also initiated the annual Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.<\/p>\n

Read more about meteors:<\/strong><\/p>\n