The August supermoon may spoil the stargazing fun of Perseid meteor shower on Aug. 11 and Aug. 13.
The Perseid meteor showers are associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseid meteor showers are given the name because of the point from where they appear called the radiant, which lies in the Perseus constellation. Perseids originates from the Greek word Perseides, which means sons of Perseus, a demigod per Greek mythology.
According to the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), at its peak activity, the meteor count can reach up to 100 meteors per hour, which can travel at 37 miles or 59 kilometers per second.
"The Perseid meteor shower is known as one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing fast and bright meteors that frequently leave trains, but in 2014, a nearly full moon will upstage the show," per NASA.
The Perseid meteor shower usually takes place in August every year and stargazers get the opportunity to witness the meteor shower just before dawn. This year, the Perseid meteor showers are said to peak between Aug. 11 and Aug. 13. Astronomers suggest that a clear and dark sky provides the best viewing experience of meteor showers. Sometimes, local pollution can also affect the meteor shower watching fun.
Astronomers say that it may get difficult to view the Perseid meteor shower this year as the moon will be bright after the supermoon of Aug. 10. The upcoming supermoon means that the moon can appear to be about 14 percent bigger and around 30 percent brighter than normal. Moreover, a previous report suggests that the Aug. 10 supermoon will be the closest to the Earth and is expected to be the brightest supermoon of this year.
NASA says that even though the supermoon on Aug. 10 may play spoilsport for eager skygazers waiting to watch Perseid meteor showers, people may still try to see the celestial event.
"The best thing you can do to maximize the number of meteors you'll see is to get as far away from urban light pollution as possible and find a location with a clear, unclouded view of the night sky," per NASA. "Once you get to your viewing location, search for the darkest patch of sky you can find, as meteors can appear anywhere overhead."
Enthusiastic skygazers will now wait to witness the Aug. 10 supermoon and probably the Perseid meteor showers between Aug. 11 and Aug. 13.
