MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Get ready, because August is set to bring the best meteor shower of the year in the Mid-South.
July saw a lot of rainy weather in the Mid-South, but even with that, we ended up with some really great close-ups of the Moon from some of our ABC 24 Weather Watchers. Thanks to Candis and Callie for what they saw, and make sure to join the ABC24 Weather Watchers Facebook page to be featured next month.
Going into the month of August, the beginning of the month will feature plenty of clear conditions but not much to talk about. Great weather though for some general night sky viewing.
As we get into the middle of the month, the best meteor shower of the year will be visible in the Mid-South. The Perseid Meteor Shower features high meteor rates and warm night temperatures. Thankfully the Moon will set around midnight making for a great setup. Expect to see around 40-60 meteors per hour in the city with higher amounts likely in rural communities.
It is best practice to sit outside for about 15 minutes to let your eyes adjust to the night darkness to get the full experience.
On the 19th of August we will experience the Full Moon for the month of August. The "Sturgeon Moon" get its name for the abundance of Sturgeon fish that used to typically occur in the later Summer months.
The next day on the 20th, we will get a very interesting setup with the Moon once again. Saturn and the Moon will be practically touching each other in the night sky. This will be visible almost all night so take a look. If you have a telescope this is a great time to try and view Saturn's rings.
Looping back to the night time weather this week, high pressure keeps rain and clouds out of the equation for at least the next week so stargazing conditions will be great.
If you get any photos, videos, or have any questions about the night sky you can join our weather watchers page!
