August not only has some warm summer nights in store, but also a fascinating spectacle in the night sky: the Perseid shooting stars. Some can already be observed.
In order to see the swarm of the Perseids particularly well, onlookers should leave bright cities, according to the Association of Star Friends (VdS) in Heppenheim. “At the same time, you should have as clear an all-round view as possible, for example on a hill,” said astronomer and VdS spokeswoman Carolin Liefke.
Getting up at night will be rewarded
The observation conditions are at their best around 3:00 a.m. However, Perseids could also be observed in the evening, but then there would probably be significantly fewer. It is also important to pay attention to the weather conditions. At least at the moment, these are rather mixed in Germany, as the German Weather Service (DWD) in Offenbach announced. On Tuesday and Wednesday, showers, thunderstorms and clouds are to be expected in the north, east and south. The astronomers do not expect the maximum of the Perseids until Sunday morning.
According to the administration of the Rhön biosphere reserve, Rhön municipalities in the border triangle of Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia want to temporarily switch off part of the public street and building lighting in some localities during the night from Saturday to Sunday.
The Perseids are a cloud of debris from Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle that Earth enters each year as it orbits the Sun.
