The night of Monday 12/13 August will be the peak of the Perseids, one of the most famous prolific meteor showers Meteors (also known as shooting stars) are bright streaks of light caused by small lumps of rock or metal called meteoroids hitting the Earth's atmosphere at a very high speed (in the case of the… Continue reading 12-13 August 2019 – the Perseids
Tag: Dark sky
12-13 August 2017 – the Perseids
Anyone who is disappointed that they will be missing the total eclipse can console themselves with another astronomical event - providing that they live in the northern hemisphere, that the weather is favourable (no clouds, please) and that they can get away from populated areas with too much light pollution. This astronomical event is the… Continue reading 12-13 August 2017 – the Perseids
Twilight
Watching the Sun set below the horizon and the sky gradually get darker and darker is an almost magical experience. Twilight is that period of the day when the sky is not completely dark, and it can be used to describe the period either just after sunset, or just before sunrise. It is valued by photographers because of… Continue reading Twilight
The Perseids
On 12 August you may be lucky enough - if it's a clear night and you are somewhere without too much light pollution - to see a phenomenon called the Perseids, which is a meteor shower which appears at the same time every year, for reasons I will explain below. At its peak you… Continue reading The Perseids
Dark Skies
"All humans, everywhere in the world and throughout history, have looked up at the sky and wondered at it. This experience is now denied to most people, because of the background light in towns and cities. It is important to ensure that there will be somewhere in England where young people can fully enjoy a cosmic… Continue reading Dark Skies
