Night of stars: six reasons to observe the sky this weekend – TF1

1- To see a hundred shooting stars per hour

months August, many Perseids meteor named pour into our atmosphere. “These are cosmic dust no bigger than a pinhead. But when they enter the atmosphere they heat up and burn, explains Clément Plantureux, in charge of the organization of the Night of the Stars, member of the French Association of Astronomy (AFA). This weekend and next week, the shooting stars will be particularly visible. “We can observe more than 100 shooting stars per hour,” adds Clement Plantureux.
The phenomenon, visible this weekend, will be even more next week including August 13. That night is provided a meteor shower.

2- Because the Moon will not interfere with us
This week
Moon hides.” This is the new moon says the project manager of Stars Night, held this Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout France. During this lunar phase the moon is very difficult to see at night. “The sky will be darker by cons place to observe the stars.

3- To discover the rings Saturn

“This year, we can observe Saturn, says Pascal Descamps, an astronomer at the observatory of Paris. There are periods of visibility for each planet as they orbit the sun. For example one could observe Mars and Jupiter from the month of March and we see Saturn from April to May “

Special August. N the bed early ‘will not have to watch too long to see the sixth planet of the solar system, “Saturn falls very low on the horizon. We can see from 23h until 1am. And with a small telescope and even good binoculars we will distinguish its rings “

4. – For the weather should not be too bad

Every year it is the great unknown. Will there enough good to raise his eyes to heaven? This Friday night, Météo-France provides clear skies in the South-East of France, in the Ile-de-France but also in many western departments. The night will be clear in the Loire Valley, in Brittany and Normandy.
Saturday and Sunday evenings, all Brittany will benefit from optimal conditions for astronomical observation. It will also be the case in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Upper Normandy, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte Azur and Corsica.

What star lovers on holiday in the South West or the East can rest assured. The weather conditions will improve in the coming days, according to Météo-France. The show they will be offered the sky Monday for the Southwest and East. And is expected to continue until the end of the week for all departments of eastern France.

Throughout France, everyone should have at least a starry night.

5 – To revise its Greek mythology

Shooting stars visible from the month August are called Perseids because they come from the constellation Perseus, located next to that of Cassiopeia (constellation shaped W).
This constellation is supposed to represent Perseus, a hero from Greek mythology. Son of Zeus and Danae, it was he who confronts the Gorgon Medusa, whose gaze petrified those he met and issuing the Princess Andromeda from a sea monster.

For 6- profitable buying his deckchair

No need for a high-tech material for stargazing. “Just a deck to watch the shooting stars and constellations in the summer,” said Clement Plantureux. Some advice however to observe the sky in good conditions. “Avoid sources of light, out of the big cities and prefer the countryside, the coastline or mountain It is most impressive and one can even see the Milky Way . ”

The Night of the Stars is this Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. More than 400 free events will be proposed by the French Association of Astronomy in France for this new edition. See the map of events this weekend on link: The animations of the Night of Stars