- the brightest astronomical phenomenon the outgoing summer of 2018. Why it is worth going out on the night of August 12-13 - we will tell you. What you need to know in order not to see this beautiful meteor shower and get the maximum aesthetic pleasure from the contemplation of beauty?

What are the Perseids and how to "catch" them?

The Perseid Starfall is an annual event as the Earth orbits Comet Swift-Tuttle, which is part of the constellation Perseus. In fact, what we call a starfall is debris from this comet, dust particles ranging in size from a grain of sand to a pea. When they come into contact with the Earth's atmosphere, they burn up, leaving behind bright flashes and stripes in the sky. At least one Perseid can be seen per minute.

When and at what time can the Perseids be trapped?

The Perseid Starfall is showing its peak of activity to the sky on the night of 12 to 13 August , that is, on Monday night. It will be visible throughout Russia, as well as on the east coast of the United States. It will be possible to see individual Perseids already with 11.00 pm until dawn ... In August 2018, the new moon on August 11 favors the best species, so the sky will be practically moonless on August 13. This means that the stream will be seen better in the night sky than last year.

How not to miss a single Perseid?

Finding the source of the Perseid meteor shower in the sky will not be a problem. You need to look in northern part sky. Let be your guide is the North Star ... There are two stars from it in a straight line, to the right of the constellation Cassiopeia, which is in the shape of the letter "W". From Cassiopeia down to the first star of Perseus from Cassiopeia - Mirfak. But it is better to look to the side in the south or southwest, since the meteors there are more intense.

Viewing recommendations: the minimum set for admiring the outdoors consists of a warm jacket, a beach blanket, mosquito spray. Optionally - a thermos with tea. Basically, the only things you need to view are your eyes, memory, and wishlist. It is also worth considering that the sky can be seen better away from city lighting. In this case, before viewing, you should not look into bright light and it is better to take care of your eyes. It is also not recommended to abruptly look away from one star to another, since in the dark a bright point may seem like a meteor.

Shooting the Perseids

Of course, many people want to get a "photo for memory", their own and real. This is also not difficult to do. You just need to observe some manipulations, and you can do without a tripod. It is enough to place the camera on a mat with the lens upwards, preferably at the zenith. Change its location as you shoot to find the best view.

What is the best way to photograph the Perseid starfall?

  1. Use a wide angle lens;
  2. Open your aperture to capture more meteors. The best way–F / 2, the parameter has a larger field of view;
  3. Use a lens or fisheye setting;
  4. Adjust the shutter speed from 30 seconds;
  5. Use burst shooting and auto mode to watch out for meteors;
  6. Adjust the ISO value to 1600.

Happy viewing!

... where, when and what time it will be visible, how to find and see a meteor shower - radiant

Viewing recommendations: the minimum set for admiring the outdoors consists of a warm jacket, a beach blanket, mosquito spray. Optionally - a thermos with tea. Basically, the only things you need to view are your eyes, memory, and wishlist. It is also worth considering that the sky can be seen better away from city lighting. In this case, before viewing, you should not look into bright light and it is better to take care of your eyes. It is also not recommended to abruptly look away from one star to another, since in the dark a bright point may seem like a meteor.

Shooting the Perseids

Of course, many people want to get a "photo for memory", their own and real. This is also not difficult to do. You just need to observe some manipulations, and you can do without a tripod. It is enough to place the camera on a mat with the lens upwards, preferably at the zenith. Change its location as you shoot to find the best view.

What is the best way to photograph the Perseid starfall?

  1. Use a wide angle lens;
  2. Open your aperture to capture more meteors. The best option is f / 2, the parameter has a larger field of view;
  3. Use a lens or fisheye setting;
  4. Adjust the shutter speed from 30 seconds;
  5. Use burst shooting and auto mode to watch out for meteors;
  6. Adjust the ISO value to 1600.

Happy viewing!

Annually on the last Saturday of March held worldwide ecological action "Earth Hour"organized by the World Foundation wildlife(WWF).

The meaning of the action is in voluntary refusal to consume electrical energy within one hour... Thus, society realizes the importance of taking measures to reduce negative impact human activity on the surrounding nature.

This great idea was first realized in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Then the action was attended by about two million residents of the metropolis, and energy savings amounted to about 10%.

Inspired by the example, more and more cities began to join the "Earth Hour" campaign every year. It is expected that in 2020 more than 7 thousand residents will take part in the voluntary power outage for 1 hour settlements of our planet (more than 2 billion people). Among the countries participating in the action, of course, there is also Russia.

What date and what time is the Earth Hour 2020 promotion:

As we wrote above, the event is held annually on the last Saturday of March except for those years when the last Saturday in March precedes Easter.

This year, Earth Hour is scheduled for Saturday March 28, 2020... Promotion starts at 20:30 local time and will last for an hour, until 21:30.

That is, the action Earth Hour 2020 - on what date and at what time:
* Date - March 28, 2020
* from 20:30 to 21:30 local time.

In August 2017, in the entire Northern Hemisphere and in Russia in particular, one can observe the most active and incredibly beautiful starfall.

According to scientists, on the night of August 12-13, 2017, it will be possible to observe a whole cluster of burning meteors, which are already heading towards Earth to fulfill the wishes of those who made their dreams.

This night is the maximum activity of the Perseid meteor shower. The Perseids are a very powerful and extraordinarily beautiful meteor shower.

The Perseids, named after the constellation Perseus, are debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle.

Comet Swift-Tuttle's large 26-kilometer core spills hundreds of massive meteorites. Comet, the largest body Solar system and it cannot fly near the Earth many times. It will not come close to our planet until 2126.

From her last visit in 1992, she left enough dust behind. As the Earth revolves around the Sun, it collides with debris.

When particles hit the Earth's atmosphere at high speeds, they ignite and create a burst that we call starfall. As a result, a fabulous and enchanting spectacle is created. This happens around the same time every August.

The Perseid meteor shower is one of the big three largest starfalls. It usually starts around July 17 and peaks on August 9-13.

In 2017, the apogee of the Perseids was reached on the night of August 12-13. The maximum amount of combustible particles can reach over 200 per hour. To see it, you need to look towards the constellation Perseus. It can only be observed in the northern hemisphere.

The Perseids are one of the brightest meteor showers of the year. It is best to observe these meteors after midnight. Usually the meteors of this rain are very bright and fast, and for observation you should not concentrate on any one region of the sky - they appear all over the sky.

In order to see the Perseid starfall, it is enough to find a place where there will be good overview sky and it is desirable at this time to be away from all sources of light. It is recommended to watch the show in the wee hours.

And do not forget to make a wish, because according to legend, it is during this period that everything that you think comes true.

To be more successful, you need to count as many shooting stars as the sum of your date of birth. Only then make a wish and remember - no negative thoughts.

Residents of the entire Northern Hemisphere of the Earth, including Russia, will be able to observe this romantic phenomenon and admire the most popular and brightest "star rain" of the year. Shooting stars are best seen after midnight and before sunrise.

The maximum intensity of the stream will be on August 13 - according to the forecasts of the International Meteor Organization, up to 100-150 meteors per hour are expected, that is, more than two meteors per minute.

The declared figure refers to observations all over the sky, far from the city with a clear horizon, said Vladimir Surdin, senior researcher at the State Astronomical Institute (GAISh) of Moscow State University.

“Astronomers calculate a little differently. All over the sky, if the conditions were the same as at the zenith, in general, the most ideal conditions. This cannot be expected for an observer in the city. It is necessary to reduce the amount by 5-6 times so that a person really feels what he expects to see, ”the expert explained.

At the same time, Surdin noted that if you stand for five minutes with your head raised, you will certainly see it, since the stream is active, and about every 2-3 minutes the meteor will "strike" across the sky.

For an observer in central Russia around midnight, the constellation Perseus is located in the northeastern part of the sky. In the evening, it begins its journey from the eastern horizon, rises very high in the morning (almost to the zenith), so that the "shooting stars" become visible throughout the entire sky.

In order not to miss the stream, you need, first of all, to find the constellation Perseus and concentrate on observation. First, you need to orient yourself to the cardinal points, then determine the east direction.

And it is there, in the center of the eastern part of the sky, just above the Pleiades star cluster, is the constellation Perseus. And in order to fully enjoy the gift of the Universe, it is necessary to choose places on a hill, not fenced off by trees and high-rise structures.

The best view will be away from cities with their blinding light. For those who will not have the opportunity to get far from home, you can follow the starfall through live broadcasts.

To observe the meteor shower, no astronomical instruments are needed - you can enjoy the nighttime starry spectacle of summer with the naked eye.

During a starfall, you can not only enjoy the beauty, but also use the opportunity to tell fortunes for the future. You will be able to mentally ask questions and get positive or negative answers to them. The long trail after the fall of the star will be positive, negative - rapid extinction.

From 11:00 pm on August 12th until dawn on the 13th of 2018, a colorful starfall will be seen. You can enjoy the spectacle throughout the entire territory of Russia, as well as on the east coast of the United States. In August 2018, the new moon on August 11 favors the best species, so the sky will be practically moonless on August 13. This means that the stream will be seen better in the night sky than last year.

Where and at what time you can see the starfall

From the Earth, the traces of Swift-Tuttle are already partially visible, but the peak of Perseid activity will occur at the closest approach - August 12-13. You can observe the meteor shower, albeit not so intense, until August 20. The best time for observations - 3-4 in the morning, and for the southern regions of Russia - up to 5 in the morning. By the way, viewing is equally available throughout Russia.

Experts note that this year the Perseids will not become as intense as in the past, but they will be better seen due to the new moon this coming weekend on August 11. Also at this time, you can still see another meteor shower - Delta Aquarids, which are already moving away from the Earth.

To find the Perseid radiant, you need to be equal to the Perseus constellation in the sky, but how to find it? The landmark will be Ursa Minor and the North Star. To the right of it is the constellation Cassiopeia, it looks like the letter "W", beveled to one side. Two stars below are the Perseid radiant and Perseus itself.

What is the starfall, which will be on the night of August 12-13, 2018

The Perseids are generated by the comet Swift-Tuttle. It moves in an elongated orbit around the sun. The comet takes 133 years to complete one circle. As Comet Swift-Tuttle approaches the star, its core gradually evaporates, and particles of dust and pebbles form a plume. For hundreds of years, the pressure of solar radiation has been stretching it along its orbit and at the same time stretching it wide.

This is how the Perseid meteor shower is formed, which is more than 40 million km wide. Planet Earth has been crossing it for more than a month. The dense part of the meteor shower is narrower: it is equal to 1.3 million km. Particles of a meteor shower at a breakneck speed - 53 km per second - meet with the Earth's atmosphere and burn up.

The Swift-Tuttle meteor shower was called the Perseids, because when looking at the sky, it seems that the source of the meteors is the constellation Perseus.

How to prepare for viewing the starfall on the night of August 12-13, 2018

The recommendations for viewing are as follows. A set-minimum for admiring the outdoors consists of a warm jacket, a beach blanket, mosquito spray. Optionally - a thermos with tea. The only things you need to view are eyes, memory, and a wishlist. It is also worth considering that the sky is seen better away from city lighting.

In this case, before viewing, you should not look into bright light and it is better to take care of your eyes. It is not recommended to abruptly look away from one star to another, as in the dark a bright point may seem like a meteor.

Many people want to get a "photo for memory", their own and real. This is not difficult to do. You just need to observe some manipulations, and you can do without a tripod. It is enough to place the camera on a mat with the lens upwards, preferably at the zenith. Change its location as you shoot to find the best view.

What it takes to successfully photograph the Perseid starfall

  1. Wide angle lens.
  2. Open your aperture to capture more meteors. The best option is f / 2, the parameter has a larger field of view.
  3. Use lens or fisheye option.
  4. Adjust the shutter speed from 30 seconds.
  5. Use burst shooting and auto mode to avoid missing meteors.
  6. Adjust the ISO value to 1600.

The Perseid meteor shower in normal years is relatively remote from the Earth's orbit and is located outside. The increase in the activity of the Perseids is accompanied by a periodic approach of cometary trails to the Earth. The next increase in meteor shower activity is expected in 2028.