Supermoon plus meteor shower in store for Sunday night
Posted by: Jon Ben-Mayor on 08/09/2014 10:14 AM
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Looking for a two-for-one deal for your evening? Look no further - as we have a supermoon and the annual Perseid meteor shower lined up to light the sky on Sunday, August 10th.
Nothing in the sky is more striking than the rising of an enormous-looking full moon," Slooh astronomer Bob Berman said in a statement posted on Space.com. "And this will be largest since March, 2011. And although the size-enhancement is 11 percent compared to an apogee full moon like the the one this past January, it will seem even larger -- much larger -- thanks to the psycho-optical effect we will discuss during the show. And, thanks to the super-tides that day and the following day, Earth’s biosphere will definitely be affected by this event."
The meteor shower will peak around Aug. 10 and Aug. 13, and is expected to last at least a week after the peak.
Tony Berendsen, an outreach astronomer and founder of Tahoe Star Tours told ABC News today, “To see the meteor shower, you don’t need a telescope, binoculars or any other equipment,” Berendsen said. “All you need is your eyes.”
The Perseid meteor shower is created when space debris from the tail of the Swift-Tuttle comet strikes the Earth’s atmosphere.
“Meteors come in varying brightness, from the tiniest, quick streak of light to the blazing fireball leaving a trail across the sky,” Berendsen said.
If you happen to be in an area with clouds in the forecast that might obscure the view, you can always check out the live link from Slooh. Broadcasting begins at at 7:30 p.m. EDT (2330 GMT). This live feed is mainly for the supermoon event, however it may be possible catch a glimpse of some meteors passing in view of the telescope.
On a dark note, if you live in the UK, Express says that this weekend’s super moon will also coincide with the arrival of Storm Bertha currently hurtling across the Atlantic and due to rip into Britain on Sunday morning.
The ex-tropical storm threatens to unleash 70 mph gales and torrential downpours dumping more than half a month’s worth of rain in a few hours.
Fierce winds during already high spring tides will whip up colossal sea waves capable of tumbling over sea defenses. That combined with the gravitational disruption making high tides extra high, it might be a good idea to check that your flood insurance is up to date if you live across the pond....
Nothing in the sky is more striking than the rising of an enormous-looking full moon," Slooh astronomer Bob Berman said in a statement posted on Space.com. "And this will be largest since March, 2011. And although the size-enhancement is 11 percent compared to an apogee full moon like the the one this past January, it will seem even larger -- much larger -- thanks to the psycho-optical effect we will discuss during the show. And, thanks to the super-tides that day and the following day, Earth’s biosphere will definitely be affected by this event."
The meteor shower will peak around Aug. 10 and Aug. 13, and is expected to last at least a week after the peak.Tony Berendsen, an outreach astronomer and founder of Tahoe Star Tours told ABC News today, “To see the meteor shower, you don’t need a telescope, binoculars or any other equipment,” Berendsen said. “All you need is your eyes.”
The Perseid meteor shower is created when space debris from the tail of the Swift-Tuttle comet strikes the Earth’s atmosphere.
“Meteors come in varying brightness, from the tiniest, quick streak of light to the blazing fireball leaving a trail across the sky,” Berendsen said.
If you happen to be in an area with clouds in the forecast that might obscure the view, you can always check out the live link from Slooh. Broadcasting begins at at 7:30 p.m. EDT (2330 GMT). This live feed is mainly for the supermoon event, however it may be possible catch a glimpse of some meteors passing in view of the telescope.
On a dark note, if you live in the UK, Express says that this weekend’s super moon will also coincide with the arrival of Storm Bertha currently hurtling across the Atlantic and due to rip into Britain on Sunday morning.
The ex-tropical storm threatens to unleash 70 mph gales and torrential downpours dumping more than half a month’s worth of rain in a few hours.
Fierce winds during already high spring tides will whip up colossal sea waves capable of tumbling over sea defenses. That combined with the gravitational disruption making high tides extra high, it might be a good idea to check that your flood insurance is up to date if you live across the pond....
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