ABOVE: A viewing night with North Coast Astronomy. Photo: Contributed
Susanna Freymark
Will you be getting up at 2am on Saturday, July 30 to see the meteor showers?
Mal Davies runs the North Coast Astronomy Facebook page and said 2am was the best time to view the showers but there would be plenty to see on the Friday evening at 10pm, before you go to bed.
The trio of meteor showers ‑ Piscis Austrinids, the Southern Delta Aquariids and the Alpha Capricornids coincide with a new moon on July 29.
“Jupiter will rise at the same time,” Mal said.
Cloud cover could be an issue, he said.
The meteor showers are made up of cosmic debris as it burns up on entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. They can be seen with the naked eye, although Mal will have a selection of telescopes to choose from to get a closer view.
Mal likes nothing better than sharing one of the 11 telescopes he has.
“The delight on people’s faces when they look through a telescope for the first time,” is something he loves to see.
“They say – ‘Oh my god’ or ‘Is that for real?’.”
With the North Coast Astronomy group, he is hosting a Luna and Planetary Viewing at Evans Head Bowling Club on August 6.
Evans Head was what Mal called a Class 2 location.
“It’s a dark town out there,” he said.
The event is weather dependent and may be cancelled at short notice.
Check the group’s Facebook page to find out more.
