One of the most anticipated astronomical events of this 2019 summer is the Perseid meteor shower, formed as a result of the Earth's passage through a trail of dust particles released by the Swift-Tuttle comet. In the next few days, the meteor shower will reach its maximum. The shower density is expected to be 90-110 meteors per hour.
As part of the "Look at the Stars" project of our Orion astronomical community, with the support of the Orenburg Media online publication and the Rodnye Gorody social investment program (Gazpromneft-Orenburg), we invite you to spend time at an amazing event outside the city - an astronomical trip to Mount Goryun to observe "shooting stars"!
Event details
Organizers and support
Organizers:
- Astronomical community "Orion"
- Online publication "Orenburg Media"
Support:
- Social investment program "Hometowns" of the Gazprom Neft company
Event information
Date and time: 08/09/2019, starts at 21:20
Terms of participation:
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The event is free (but we will be glad to receive your donation support).
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Recommended age: from 6 years.
Necessary things:
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Camping mat, foam, blanket or chair for comfortable placement.
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Tea, cookies, candy, sandwiches - appetite comes quickly in the fresh air.
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Warm clothes (it's cold at night).
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Good mood!
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DSLR camera or camera with shutter speed up to 25 sec + tripod (for astrophotography).
How the astrovisit goes:
- The first part of the program is a lecture on astronomy, space objects and meteor showers.
- The second part is a tour of summer constellations, legends and orientation in the sky.
- The third part is observations through telescopes: the Moon, planets of the Solar System, star clusters.
- The fourth part is observation of the Perseid meteor shower.
Event program
- Lecture:
- Space aliens: meteorites, meteors, asteroids and comets. Why they fly to us and what good can we expect from them.
- Overview of telescopes:
- Auxiliary tools of an astronomer: how they differ in design, which are better and how to use them.
- Astrophotography School:
- The basics of nightscape photography and the secrets of hunting for meteor tails.
- Astronomical Quiz:
- Participants answer questions about space, winners receive prizes: huge maps of the starry sky and the Moon.
- Constellation Tour:
- Legends of the summer constellations of the Northern Hemisphere. The brightest stars in the sky.
- Telescope Observations:
- The Moon, Saturn's rings, Jupiter.
- Observing the Perseid Meteor Shower:
- Interesting facts about meteors and their origin.
Prohibited Actions
- Leaving litter.
- Smoking.
- Drinking alcohol.
- Being intoxicated.
- Disrespect other participants of the event.
Astrovisit Results
There are more and more of us astronomers! The #starview project gathered a record number of participants to observe the most powerful star stream of the year — the Perseids. About a hundred cars came to the astrofield, and we couldn’t even count the exact number of participants, but there were about 600 of us! This is our small record for the “starfall of the year” award.
🔭 There were telescopes on the site, in which we observed:
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The Moon.
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The rings of Saturn.
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Jupiter.
The organizers of the trip told us about space aliens: meteorites, meteors, asteroids and comets. The participants learned why they come to us and what to expect from them.
The young participants answered tricky questions about space. The winners received huge maps of the starry sky and the Moon. We were pleasantly surprised by the children's knowledge! Applause to the parents!
We shone laser pointers into the starry sky, looked for the North Star, and recalled the myth of the Big Dipper.
Perseids? They were! We managed to catch about 10 meteors during the evening. By midnight, when the clouds parted, the Milky Way appeared over Mount Goryun. The atmosphere was complemented by a mini-performance on the saxophone. Thank you for this incredible performance!
See you at the next astronomical expeditions!