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Whether you are a seasoned astronomer or an astronomical novice, summer evenings are the perfect time to discover the starry sky. This particular summer is filled with opportunities for sky-based observation, including a total lunar eclipse, a spectacular meteor shower and a chance to get closer to our nearest neighbor in the solar system, Mars
Mars Opposition
Mars is generally the third brightest planet in the night sky, after Venus and Jupiter. But now, at the beginning of September, it will be brighter than all the planets except Venus, appearing as a red-orange bright spot in the southeast sky. Indeed, at the end of July, Mars approaches the Earth since 2003.
The Earth and Mars surround the Sun at different distances, and the Earth completes two orbits in the time necessary for Mars to to complete one. Every two years, the orbits of the planets synchronize, with Mars and the sun on the opposite sides of the Earth. This arrangement is known as the Mars Opposition, and this year it occurs on July 27th, with Mars coming closest to Earth at 3:50 am EDT on July 31st.
At that time, the Red Planet was about 35.8 million miles from Earth; on average, the planets are separated by a distance of 140 million miles.
Weather permitting, sky observers in the Northern Hemisphere will be able to see Mars in the southeast sky no matter when after dark. The best time to watch will be around midnight, when the red planet will be visible in the night sky
The total lunar eclipse
July 27 will also present a total lunar eclipse – the longest of this century. The eclipse will turn the moon into dark red, but this "blood moon" will only be visible in South America, East Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia [19659012LunareclipsesoccurwhenthemoontheEarthandthesunarealignedandthemoonpbadesintheshadowoftheEarthTheeclipsewillbevisiblefor3hoursand55minutesbuttheperiodwhenthemooniscompletelyengulfedintheshadowoftheEarth-calledtotality-willlast1hourand43minutes
Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses present no risk. the eyes of viewers – so there is no need for goggles. And they tend to be visible along a wide band of the surface of our planet. "Lunar eclipses are more tolerant," says Noah Petro, a planetary geologist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "With solar eclipses, you must be on the center line to see the total eclipse.For this you can be in a particular part of the hemisphere and see it."
For sky observers in North America, the best bet to see the eclipse will be online. TimeAndDate.com organizes a live stream from 14:00. EDT July 27th.
Perseid Meteor Shower
The annual Perseid meteorite rain returns annually in August, and it tends to be one of the best sky shows of the year. This summer, the Perseids will be active from July 14 to August 24, with maximum activity during the night of August 11 and August 12. On those nights, sky observers could see up to 100 "shooting stars" per hour.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Perseids are best seen during the hours before the day. The meteors seem to come from the constellation Perseus, which is visible in the northeast sky.
No special equipment is needed to see the Perseids. Just find a place with a clear view of the sky, far from the bright lights that can drown the shooting stars. So sit back and enjoy the show
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