Mon Aug 10, 2026 THE “TEARS OF ST. LAWRENCE”
Every year at this time, the earth travels through a part of its orbit that’s littered with bits of comet dust. As we plow into this region, we’re treated to a display of shooting stars, when those particles plunge through our atmosphere. The ice and dust are vaporized, lighting up the sky in brief flashes of light – meteors. This particular meteor shower is called the Perseids, so named because they seem to come out of the part of the sky near the constellation Perseus; it’s a reliable shower viewed by millions of people for many years: in medieval times it was known as the “tears of St. Lawrence,” in honor of the Christian martyr whose feast day is today, August 10th. Go outside after midnight, or as late in the evening as possible; face east, and look up toward the top of a clear, dark sky for the best views.
Tue Aug 11, 2026 PEAK NIGHT FOR THE PERSEIDS
Today’s Skywatch was written by planetarium assistant, Vela De la Mare. The Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight. A sparkling reward for staying up late, this is one of the best showers of the year, and we’re in for perfect conditions, with no moon in the sky to drown out the light. Grab a comfortable chair, or if you’re like me, some pillows and blankets, along with plenty of mosquito protection, and face toward the East. The radiant point is in the constellation Perseus, which rises northeast of Saturn around 1 am, but shooting stars can be seen all throughout the sky, all night long. A good trick is to look straight up, since you’ll have the best field of view for spotting as many as possible. Patience is key – although the Perseids produce dozens of meteors an hour, the rate varies, but every once in a while, a bright one lights up the night!
Wed Aug 12, 2026 LAST GOOD NIGHT FOR PERSEIDS
The Perseid meteor shower reached peak activity yesterday, but tonight should still be pretty good for viewing it. These “shooting stars” are bits of comet dust that fall to earth at high speeds, superheating the air and lighting it up, leaving a momentary bright streak in the night sky. Most meteor showers are best after midnight, and this one’s no exception. Dress warmly, protect yourself against mosquitoes, find a safe spot that’s away from bright streetlights. Bring a lounge chair that lets you lean all the way back, and of course refreshments such as iced tea and chocolate chip cookies, are always welcome. Meteor showers are fun, but you can go for several minutes before spotting one. And if it’s cloudy you won’t be able to see them. Face east and look toward the top of the sky for best results.
Thur Aug 13, 2026 THE DOG DAYS
These are the "dog days" of summer. The sun was highest in our noon sky on June 21st, but it takes the air a month to really sizzle. These are called the dog days because it's at this time of the year that you can first catch sight of the brilliant star Sirius, also known as the Dog Star, low in the southeast, rising just before the sun. Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky, partly because it’s a big, hot star, but mainly because it’s closer to us than most other stars, only about 54 trillion miles away! Its name is from the Greek word, "seirios," which means, “the scorcher.” Sirius is in the constellation Canis Major, the Big Dog, and that’s why it’s called the Dog Star. Sirius was feared and hated by the ancient Greeks and the Romans, who thought that when the sun and Sirius got together, their combined heat burned up the crops, drove dogs mad, and made everybody miserably hot.
Fri Aug 14, 2026 OPHIUCHUS
Today’s Skywatch was written by my student assistant, Isabella Gargiulo. If you look to the south this evening, you should see two zodiacal constellations, Sagittarius and Scorpius. Above these prominent star patterns, there seems to be an area of the sky that has no bright stars. This is actually home to the 11th largest constellation in our sky, Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer. In Greek mythology Ophiuchus represents Asclepius, an ancient god of medicine and healing. He holds a staff with a single snake wrapped around it, representing regeneration and renewal through the shedding of a snake's skin. Asclepius made the mistake of using his gift to raise the dead, which in turn worried Zeus, who thought he might teach this art to mortal humans. Zeus decided to end Asclepius’s adventures there, placing him among the stars as the large constellation Ophiuchus we see above us today.
