Latest news with #RoyalMuseumsGreenwich
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Best places to see meteor shower 'peak' over Hampshire skies this week
A mesmerising meteor shower is set to peak across UK skies this week, and some stargazing experts have branded five places in the New Forest as top spots to see it. The annual Delta Aquariid meteor shower will peak this Wednesday, sending a "shooting star" shower across Hampshire and the rest of England. While it will remain active until August 23, the Delta Aquariid marks the start of the summer meteor season in the Northern Hemisphere. It is one of two meteor showers that converge in the summer, alongside the more famous Perseids, which is set to peak on August 12 or 13 in the UK. The Delta Aquariids get their name from the constellation in the night sky that they appear to radiate from - the constellation of Aquarius, near the bright star Delta Aquarii. Southampton residents may have to leave the city to find the best view of the meteor shower, website Go Stargazing has suggested. READ MORE: Britain's most mysterious fish helped by river project The experts listed five car parks in the New Forest as top places to be during the shower's peak on Wednesday. For those living in Southampton, residents may have to travel a little bit away from the city to get the best view of the Perseid meteor shower. According to the website Go Stargazing there are a few spots recommended for low levels of light pollution that are within a drivable distance. In Bramshaw near Lyndhurst, Roundhill, Longcross and Cadman's Pool car parks are all considered top places to view the phenomenon. Stoney Cross and Bolderwood car parks are also highly rated as top spots by Go Stargazing. The Royal Museums Greenwich has also issued tips on how to get the best view of the Delta Aquariid shower. Its website says to ensure to check the weather forecast ahead of time, and if the forecast isn't favourable, find a different location to observe from or view the meteor shower on another day. READ MORE: The website suggests to make sure that you are in a dark sky area and have an unobstructed view towards the south. It says to lie down to ensure a wide view of the sky, and to use the naked eye rather than binoculars with narrow fields of view. Hopeful viewers should also allow their eyes to adapt to the dark and should not look at any lights, or their phones, to maintain the dark adaptation.
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Science
- Scotsman
This year, the Delta Aquariid meteor shower will peak on July 30, but is active from July 12 to August 23.
Date the Delta Aquariid meteor shower will peak and how you could see it. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Delta Aquariid meteor shower is a moderate meteor shower which peaks in late July. Royal Museums Greenwich says the Delta Aquariid meteor shower is best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere, however those living at mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere can still catch a glimpse. How can I see the Delta Aquariid meteor shower? The radiant of the shower lies above the southern horizon. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad You should make sure you are in a dark sky area and have an unobstructed view towards the south. The naked eye is the best instrument to use to see meteors. Don't use binoculars or a telescope as these have narrow fields of view. Make sure to allow your eyes to adapt to the dark. Skygazers can catch a glimpse of a meteor shower on Tuesday as the Delta Aquariids light up the night sky in the UK. | Getty After locating the Delta Aquarii on the sky, look away from the radiant point. Meteors appear longer the further away from the radiant you look, so look about 45 degrees away from Delta Aquarii.
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Science
- Scotsman
This year, the Delta Aquariid meteor shower will peak on July 30, but is active from July 12 to August 23.
Date the Delta Aquariid meteor shower will peak and how you could see it. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Delta Aquariid meteor shower is a moderate meteor shower which peaks in late July. Royal Museums Greenwich says the Delta Aquariid meteor shower is best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere, however those living at mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere can still catch a glimpse. How can I see the Delta Aquariid meteor shower? The radiant of the shower lies above the southern horizon. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad You should make sure you are in a dark sky area and have an unobstructed view towards the south. The naked eye is the best instrument to use to see meteors. Don't use binoculars or a telescope as these have narrow fields of view. Make sure to allow your eyes to adapt to the dark. Skygazers can catch a glimpse of a meteor shower on Tuesday as the Delta Aquariids light up the night sky in the UK. | Getty After locating the Delta Aquarii on the sky, look away from the radiant point. Meteors appear longer the further away from the radiant you look, so look about 45 degrees away from Delta Aquarii. This year, the Delta Aquariid meteor shower will peak on July 30, but is active from July 12 to August 23.
NDTV
22-07-2025
- Science
- NDTV
The Longest Solar Eclipse In 100 Years To Happen In August 2027, Will Be Visible In 10 Countries
On August 2, 2027, a rare and spectacular total solar eclipse will be visible across parts of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. This exceptional event will feature an unusually long duration of totality, lasting up to 6 minutes and 23 seconds. According to Metro, it will be one of the longest total solar eclipses visible from land between 1991 and 2114, making it a significant celestial occurrence of the century. Solar Eclipse 2027 The 2027 total solar eclipse will be a rare event where the Sun fully disappears behind the Moon, creating a moment known as totality. As the Moon blocks out the Sun's light, a line of totality will slowly move across the world, bringing darkness to the daytime sky for a brief period. The path of totality will cover parts of southern Europe and northern Africa, where approximately 89 million people live. This phenomenon will be visible in countries, including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Somalia. According to Greg Brown, a senior astronomer at the Royal Museums Greenwich, the eclipse will last an impressive six minutes, which is exceptionally long for such a cosmic event. "It varies from only a few seconds at its shortest to a theoretical maximum of 7.5 minutes. This variation is due to the Moon and Sun varying in apparent size, itself due to their slightly changing distance from the Earth during the Moon's orbit around the Earth and the Earth's orbit around the Sun," Mr Brown said. What is a Solar Eclipse? A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, blocking part or all of the Sun's light. This can only happen during a new moon, when the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun. Solar eclipses are relatively rare because the Moon's orbit is tilted, so it usually passes above or below the Sun in the sky. There are three types of solar eclipses: 1. Total Solar Eclipse: The Moon completely blocks the Sun's light, revealing the Sun's corona. 2. Partial Solar Eclipse: The Moon partially covers the Sun, creating a partial shadow on Earth. 3. Annular Solar Eclipse: The Moon appears smaller than the Sun, creating a ring of light around the Moon.
North Wales Live
21-07-2025
- Science
- North Wales Live
Two epic meteor and fireball displays are about to light up the night skies
Two separate meteor showers will overlap in the coming days, giving ample scope for seeing shooting stars. In fact there's a third shower happening later this month – but this one is fainter and only viewable in the southern hemisphere. Taking pride of place will be the ever reliable Perseids, often considered the year's best meteor shower. At their peak, between 50 and 100 meteors will streak across the night sky each hour. The Perseids originate from Comet Swift-Tuttle, a short-period comet that orbits the Sun every 133 years. As Earth crosses its dust trail, tiny fragments hit the atmosphere at up to 45 miles per second, igniting into rapid, glowing trails. Their displays began on July 17 and they will run until August 23, peaking overnight around August 11-12. The peak period is usually amongst the highlights of the annual stargazing calendar. Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) said: 'The Perseid meteor shower is one of the best meteor showers of the year because it produces bright meteors and is one of the most active. "There's also a high chance of seeing fireballs, which are very bright meteors, as well as meteors with long trains during the Perseid meteor shower.' This year, however, there's a complicating factor. In mid August, the full Sturgeon Moon is likely to wash out the displays, leaving only the brightest meteors visible. For this reason, it may be better to look out for Perseids either side of the peak when the skies are darker. Clouds permitting, this week is a decent time, especially around the new Moon on July 24. You won't need any special equipment. Best time for viewing them is in the early morning, between midnight and dawn. However, some may be visible earlier, said RMG. RMG, which hosts the Royal Observatory, said: 'The radiant of the Perseids is actually always above the horizon as seen from the UK, which means that observers in the UK should be able to see some meteors as soon as the Sun sets. Therefore, it is worth looking up in the early evening.' Other meteors displaying already, in both northern and southern skies, are the Alpha Capricornids. Unlike the Perseids, they will peak on July 29-30 when the Moon is in its waxing crescent phase, meaning there will be much less light pollution. This shower isn't particularly prolific, yielding only around five meteors per hour at its peak. But where they lose out in quantity, they make up for in quality, blazing brightly across the night sky, some as fireballs. Scientists estimate this meteor shower originated about 3,500 to 5,000 years ago when half of the parent comet disintegrated. The Earth began orbiting through some of the resulting dust cloud only recently. By the 24th century, most of the dust trail is expected to be in Earth's path. In two centuries from now, the Alpha Capricornids are predicted to become a major annual meteor storm, stronger than all current showers. How to view meteor showers As always, it's best to find a dark spot away from city lights – and one that gives the maximum field of view. Hills and mountains are ideal, but parks and the countryside are fine too. Chose a night with clear skies and, ideally, mimimal Moon glare. If peak shower viewing is not possible – poor weather, full Moon – Royal Museums Greenwich said the days leading up to the peak are usually better than the days after. It added: 'Give your eyes at least 15 minutes to adjust to the dark so that you can catch more of the fainter meteors – this does mean that you should avoid looking at your phone!' Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
