The month of August is the time when one of the astronomical shows of the year takes place: the Perseids or Tears of San Lorenzo . This shower of stars is one of the most anticipated astronomical phenomena that the sky offers during the summer.
However, they cannot always be seen with the same clarity, so we are going to see what times are the best to see them during this 2022 .
2022, a bad year for the Perseids
We are sorry to start this review of how to see the Perseids so ominously, but we are not saying it, but the National Geographic Institute (IGN) . This year, the maximum activity of this meteor shower is expected between Friday the 12th and Saturday the 13th of August, when up to 150 shooting stars per hour are expected.
The problem is that this date coincides with the full moon , whose full moon will take place on August 12. With the full moon at its maximum splendor, it will be difficult to observe the meteor shower, as reported in Space magazine .
“Sadly, this year’s Perseid peak will see the worst possible circumstances for observers,” said NASA astronomer Bill Cooke. “Normally we would see 50 or 60 meteors per hour, but this year during the normal peak, the full Moon will reduce that to 10-20 per hour at best.”
The Moon is much brighter than anything else in the night sky, and will block the view of all but the brightest Perseids as they pass through our atmosphere and burn up overhead.
Although its maximum activity time takes place on the nights of August 11 to 13 and coincides with this Supermoon, the Perseids usually begin to be seen around July 17 and end around August 24, so there are other alternatives to see them with less splendor, but see them, after all.
To see the meteor shower it is not necessary to have a telescope or any other visualization object . We will simply need a place with a dark sky (little light pollution) and few obstacles to the view (such as buildings, trees or mountains).
It is also convenient to look towards the darkest areas, in the opposite direction to the position of the Moon if the observation is made when it is present and looking for the Perseus constellation , from where its name comes.
The best time to see the rain
With the key weekend in full moon phase, this weekend is the most appropriate for it. More specifically, on Saturday, August 6, in which the skies will be clear at night in practically the entire peninsular territory.
As the full Moon fades, the Perseids will begin to wane on August 21 and 22 and will cease completely on September 1 .
