Star Nights 2023: “Dozens of shooting stars per hour” to monitor in the sky

From August 11 to 13, 2023, the 33rd edition of Nuits des étoiles will take place, organized by the Association Française d’Astronomie. Nearly 500 events are organized in the region by astronomy clubs, planetariums, associations, tourist offices or town halls to allow you Look at the stars and notice the planets, with or without equipment. This year’s theme isHeavenly dust“.

August is the perfect time.”Summer and the mild temperatures at night encourage watchingexplains the link. The spectacle of the stars and planets isIt is free and available to everyone and does not require prior knowledge. Only curiosity is the key to that.“Discover Map events near you here .

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Perseids: showers of shooting stars

“This year we have A sky without a moonwhich makes it possible to better observe other stars, because the Moon creates light that can obscure other stars or planets in the sky“, says Clément Planteuroux, member of the French Astronomy Association and co-organizer of Nights of the Stars. Starry nights are held During the height of the Perseids, a shower of stars. “During these three nights, we will be able to observe dozens, even a few hundred shooting stars every hour. It can be observed without a machine, with the naked eye. You just need a little patience and observe the sky without light pollution.“

Observing Saturn and Jupiter

Two planets will be visible. On the other hand, Saturn will be visible all night. “To the naked eye, Saturn looks like a kind of star that doesn’t twinkle, it’s a constant light. If we use a small tool, we will be able to distinguish the famous ones Saturn’s ringsClément Busty develops.

Another planet visible is Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system. “Jupiter will be very bright in the sky, and it is also one of the brightest stars that we will be able to see during the Starry Nights.“, adds Clément Busty. When we observe them with a small measuring instrument, such as an astronomical telescope or a small telescope, we can distinguish them”Different color difference for the atmosphere and the largest moons of Jupiterwhich will take the form of very small stars around the disk of Jupiter“.

Under what conditions can we observe stars and planets?

“Shooting stars can be seen without any instrument. Planets can be observed even in the heart of Paris. Light pollution only slightly affects observations of planets such as Jupiter and Saturn“, asserts Clément Busty. With the naked eye, we cannot notice the rings of Saturn or the moons of Jupiter, but with a small instrument, a small astronomical telescope for example, we will be able to distinguish them.”There is no need to have a very sophisticated or very sophisticated instrument to spot these elements, as they are stars very close to Earth.But on Starry Night, more than 500 events will take place this weekend, and astronomers and animators will provide telescopes and astronomical telescopes to the general public.

“Obviously the best way to observe the sky is to get as far away from the city lights as possible, turn off the light if you are on the balcony or in your garden, and once everything is turned off, It takes about ten minutes for the eye to get used to the dark. So don’t look at your cell phone.recalls Clément Busty.

What’s the weather like on Star Nights?

The night from Friday to Saturday will not be ideal for stargazing in the northwest quadrant of the country, with rain and even thunderstorms. Saturday and Sunday nights will be most suitable for observing space, with only a few periods of clouds over the area.