Perseid Preview: Moon to Muscle in on Aug. 12-13 Meteor Shower

[Ivan Seeking]

"But a major obstacle, the Moon, will work against attempts to spot the fiery space dust this year. The Moon will turn full on Aug. 12, severely hampering observations just at the wrong time. Bright moonlight will flood the sky all through that entire night."

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/persied_preview_030801.html

 

[Sonty]

Was that last night or is it tonight?
In my country the maximum is announced at 3 in the morning. Last night I woke up around 3,30 and looked at the sky for around 5 minute. I didn't see anything but a blinding moon. I went back to sleep. Last year I missed the maximum because of clouds. Did I miss everything this year?

 

[R0man]

It is unfortunate that the full moon on August 12 will hinder our ability to fully enjoy the Perseid meteor shower. The bright moonlight will make it difficult to spot the fiery space dust as it streaks across the sky. However, this should not discourage us from attempting to observe the meteor shower. Even though the moon will be a major obstacle, there is still a chance that we may catch glimpses of the meteors during the shower's peak on August 12-13. It may be a challenge, but it is definitely worth the effort to try and catch a glimpse of this spectacular natural event. Perhaps, we can use this as an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the moon and its impact on our night sky.