PAGASA: Meteor shower due 2nd week of August

Barring moonlight and light pollution, stargazers can expect a treat in mid-August watching a meteor shower, state astronomers said Thursday. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the famous Perseids meteor shower will peak on August 12. "The Perseids meteor shower is the most reliable one, which is best seen during August 10-14 each year. Meteors are easiest to see if there is no moonlight and light pollution," PAGASA head Prisco Nilo said in the agency's astronomical diary for August. "The famous Perseids meteor shower will be observed with its peak on the late night of August 12 until dawn on the following day," he added. An exceptional shower may occasionally show tens or even hundreds of meteors per minute, but around 50 meteors per hour is more typical, Nilo said. the Perseids meteor shower radiates out from the constellation Perseus located in the eastern horizon during August. "Stargazing during the month will give fine display of celestial bodies, stars and constellations after sunset, if the weather permits," Nilo said. On the other hand, he said the famous Summer Triangle formed by the stars Vega, Deneb and Altair of the constellations Lyra, Aquila and Cygnus, respectively, is being well placed above the eastern horizon. PAGASA also said groupings of naked eye planets will adorn skywatchers as they will see Mars, Venus, Saturn and Mercury in the western horizon next month, 30 minutes after sunset. On August 13 at around 8 p.m., the crescent Moon will join the groupings of Mars, Venus, Saturn and Mercury. At around 9 p.m. of Aug. 22, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune will be at 14, 16 and 39 degrees above the eastern horizon and will be glowing at magnitude -2.8, +5.7 and +7.8, respectively. "Jupiter and Uranus will lie among the background stars of the constellation Pisces, the Fish while Neptune will be found among the stars of the constellation Aquarius, the Water Bearer. A modest size telescope will be needed to observe Neptune and the Blue-Green planet, Uranus," Nilo said. - KBK, GMANews.TV