Latest news with #KittPeak
Forbes
08-07-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Your Ultimate Guide To Meteor Showers And The Perseids — By An Expert
A fireball streaks across the morning sky above NSF Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), a Program ... More of NSF NOIRLab funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation. What's a summer without a meteor shower? If lying underneath a sky full of stars waiting for meteors is your thing, summer in the Northern Hemisphere brings one not-to-be-missed opportunity — the Perseids. Sadly, that's not the case this year, with an almost full moon destined to bleach the sky so much that barely any of its 75-100 'shooting stars' per hour will be visible. Luckily, there are other summer meteor showers, and it just so happens that the peak night for two others overlaps with the best night to see at least a hint of the Perseids. From the famed Perseid meteor shower to the fireball-prone Alpha Capricornids and the reliable Delta Aquariids, here's everything you need to know about seeing 'shooting stars' this summer with this ultimate guide to meteor showers in summer 2025. Perseids: Summer's Moonstruck Meteor Shower The Perseid meteor shower is the most anticipated celestial event of the year for the Northern Hemisphere, but in 2025, special care is required to avoid disappointment. Active from July 17 to Aug. 23, the Perseids peak overnight on Aug. 12–13. In 2025, however, stargazers face a challenge: a full sturgeon moon on Aug. 9 will still be bright enough to outshine all but the brightest meteors during the peak. Here's the rub — ignore the peak night and instead opt for two moonless nights as close as possible to it: July 29–30 and August 15-16. On both occasions, you'll likely get a modest showing of Perseids — about 5 to 15 meteors per hour — but under truly dark, moonless skies. Even at lower rates, the Perseids can impress. Known for fast, bright meteors with long trails, they radiate from the constellation Perseus in the northeast. However, you don't need to fixate on any one direction—its meteors, like all meteors, can appear anywhere in the sky. Plus, there's an additional reason to skywatch for "shooting stars" on July 29-30. Delta Aquariids And Alpha Capricornids Peaking on the same night as the Perseid's best early showing will be no fewer than two meteor showers — the Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids. The Delta Aquariids will bring up to 25 faint meteors, but they're consistent and can be seen for a few nights on either side of the peak. Their radiant point lies near the constellation Aquarius in the southern sky. It's a similar story for the Alpha Capricornids, which also emanate from the southern sky in the constellation Capricornus. They'll number only five to 10 meteors per hour, but what they lack in numbers, they may make up for in spectacle because these slow, bright meteors can often be fireballs. Expert Advice On Seeing 'Shooting Stars' According to NASA, the best way to watch a meteor shower is to get out of the city, away from urban light pollution, to the darkest location you can find. A good option is a Dark Sky Place or a location that appears dark on a light pollution map. Allow at least 20-30 minutes for your eyes to adjust, and refrain from looking at your smartphone to allow your eyes to dark adapt. Have a wide, unobstructed view of the sky, a lawn chair or a blanket to lay down on, and do not try to use a telescope or binoculars — a rookie error that will hugely restrict your view. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Milky Way arcs over Kitt Peak National Observatory
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. On a warm June evening, viewers in Arizona watched the sky burst with color from the clouds of gas and dust that help create our home galaxy, the Milky Way. The Milky Way galaxy is around 100,000 light-years in diameter, containing our solar system and many other objects. Our solar system orbits the galaxy's center, taking about 250 million years to make one revolution. The reason our galaxy is called "the Milky Way" is due to its milky white appearance in the night sky, which, according to Greek mythology, came from the goddess Hera. This image was captured at Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona. Kitt Peak National Observatory, a a program of the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab, hosts the recently retired McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope. According to NOIRLab, the solar telescope honors astronomers Keith Pierce and Robert McMath. For many decades, the McMath-Pierce telescope was the largest solar telescope in the world, standing at 110 feet tall (33 meters), with a 26-foot-diameter (8 m) platform. The telescope worked by reflecting light from a mirror down a 200-foot-long (61 m) concrete optical tunnel. In 2017, the telescope was decommissioned, after decades of serving the scientific community. It is in the process of transitioning to the NOIRLab Windows on the Universe Center for Astronomy Outreach, according to NOIRLab. You can read more about solar telescopes and NOIRLab's research as humans continue to study the sun.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Space photo of the day for May 30, 2025
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A bright meteor, also called a fireball, is seen falling into Earth's atmosphere. From the perspective of the camera, it appears in the sky above the dome of Kitt Peak National Observatory. Kitt Peak National Observatory is in the Sonoran Desert, in Tucson, Arizona. The area was chosen for its access to dark skies and its altitude — over a mile (2.1 kilometers) above sea level — placing the telescope above most of our planet's thick atmosphere. According to NOIRLab (National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory), which, like, Kitt Peak is a project of the National Science Foundation, a meteor streak has to be brighter than how the planets appear in the sky (an apparent magnitude of –4 or brighter) to be considered a "fireball." You can read more about meteors and learn when meteor showers are expected this year. You can also read more about Kitt Peak National Observatory.
