CBS News reported that August’s first full moon, also known as the “Sturgeon Moon,” will appear 16% brighter and bigger than the average full moon.
According to their article, it will appear in the sky on Tuesday night and is the second of four consecutive supermoons. The last of the four consecutive supermoons this year will be the September 28 “Harvest Moon.”
The first August supermoon will impact the Perseids meteor shower, which features dozens of shooting stars. The shower will peak on August 12 and 13 but will be difficult to see because of the moon’s brightness.
From NASA’s announcement:
About the Meteor Shower
The Perseid meteor shower, which peaks in mid-August, is considered the best meteor shower of the year. With swift and bright meteors, Perseids frequently leave long “wakes” of light and color behind them as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere. The Perseids are one of the most plentiful showers with about 50 to 100 meteors seen per hour. They occur with warm summer nighttime weather allowing sky watchers to comfortably view them.
Perseids are also known for their fireballs. Fireballs are larger explosions of light and color that can persist longer than an average meteor streak. This is due to the fact that fireballs originate from larger particles of cometary material. Fireballs are also brighter, with apparent magnitudes greater than -3.
Viewing Tips
The Perseids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere during the pre-dawn hours, though at times it is possible to view meteors from this shower as early as 10 p.m.
Where Do Meteors Come From?
Meteors come from leftover comet particles and bits from broken asteroids. When comets come around the Sun, they leave a dusty trail behind them. Every year Earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to collide with our atmosphere and disintegrate to create fiery and colorful streaks in the sky.
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Photo courtesy of NASA