The night sky itself is full of wonders. This week, there are some interesting night sky events that are worth tuning into for those in the northern hemisphere.
New Moon
According to Nine Planets, the Moon is set to be in the New Moon phase today. As part of this lunar phase, the satellite will be situated between the Earth and the Sun. It will also have an illumination of 0%. As such, this means that it may not be visible to earthlines.
Nevertheless, the lack of moonlight makes it a great night for people to go stargazing, Forbes explains.
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Start of Annual Perseids Meteor Shower
Alongside the New Moon event will be the start of the annual Perseids meteor shower. This will continue until August 24 and be at its peak on the 12th and 13th of August. During this maximum, there will be around 100 to 150 shooting stars that may be visible. As such, it may also produce as many as 60 meteors per hour during its peak, SeaSky explains,
EarthSky adds that illumination will be at 10% during the Perseids' peak. The Moon will also be in the waning crescent phase during this time, but it will not interfere with the Perseids.
Views of the Crescent Moon
On Tuesday, individuals from the northern hemisphere could get to witness the crescent Moon close to various planets. However, it will be lit by only 1.6%, which makes it hard to spot. To get a view of the Moon, one must get a clear view of the west-northwest horizon. It is also advised to use binoculars after sunset. To the left of the Moon, Mercury could be seen.
The day after, the Moon will be lit by 5% at twilight to Venus' upper right. Aside from this, the Regulus star from the Leo constellation can also be seen. To catch a glimpse of Mars, individuals can move upward and to the left.
On July 20, the Moon will be lit by 10%. It will radiantly shine beside Mars and above Venus.
On the 21st, it will have moved over Mars and aligned with both Venus and Mars. Mercury should also be visible to the right in the very low portion of the horizon.
More Night Sky Events
Aside from the Perseids Meteor Shower, the Delta Aquarids meteor shower would also be peaking on July 29 to 30. This shower annually takes place from July 12 up until August 2023, overlapping with the Perseids. At its peak, the Delta Aquarids can produce 20 meteors per hour, SeaSky reports.
The Moon will also be hitting the New Moon phase on August 16, shortly after the peak of the Perseids. It will also become a Full Moon and Blue Moon on the 31st.
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