Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><p class="source">Distant Suns</p></div><p></p></div>It can be very difficult to identify planets, stars, and clusters at home from your backyard, especially if you are a beginner.</p>
<p>But hey, there's an app for that, of course. <a href="http://appadvice.com/appguides/show/astronomy-apps" target="_blank">Astronomy apps</a> are making it possible for anyone to be astronomer - you don't even need a telescope.</p>
<p>The <keyword id="6354741" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Apps">apps</keyword> use the GPS and compass in your phone to pinpoint your location and show you where all the surrounding celestial bodies are, even if your view is blocked. Most of the apps don't even need an Internet connection to function so you can take them on camping trips.</p>
<p>Just open the app, point your smartphone at the sky, and the app will identify the planets and stars around you.</p>
<p>We've browsed through some of the <a href="http://mashable.com/2013/05/16/astronomy-apps/" target="_blank">top-rated astronomy apps</a> and put together a list of the ones that look the most awesome. Whether you are an aspiring <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/astronomy">astronomer</a> or just a casual backyard stargazer, these 11 apps can help you locate planets, stars, and galaxies - no telescope required.</p>

The 11 Best Astronomy Apps For Amateur Star Gazers

<br /><ul><li>The launch of <keyword id="6355315" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="elon-musk">Elon Musk</keyword>’s Starlink <keyword id="2348710" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="satellite-constellation">satellite constellation</keyword> has sparked a new wave of <keyword id="1084929" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Star-gazers">star gazers</keyword> who are trying to spot the ‘satellite train’ in the night sky. </li><li>Users can use cmdr2 and <keyword id="7682973" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="CalSky">CalSky</keyword> to calculate where the constellation will the passing through their neck of the woods. </li></ul>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/an-astronomer-in-the-netherlands-captured-stunning-video-of-60-starlink-satellites-zooming-across-the-sky/articleshow/69501562.cms">Starlink ‘satellite train’</a> has sparked skywatchers, old and new, to whip out their binoculars and go hunting in the night sky for the <keyword id="6360701" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="spacex">SpaceX</keyword>’s satellite constellation.<br /><br />After <a href="https://sattrackcam.blogspot.com/">Marco Langroek’s</a> video of Elon Musk’s latest venture went viral, coders jumped on board to build tools that can help you calculate when the satellite train will be overhead where you live. <br /><br />So where Langroek had to do the math, all you have to do is plug your coordinates into a platform like <a href="http://me.cmdr2.org/starlink/">cmdr2</a>. You can either just pick out your city from the menu or type in your latitude and longitude.<br /><br />
	
  <div type="image" title="satellite1" msid="69531724" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Timings to spot the Starlink satellite train overhead New Delhi, India&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>





<br />Once it has your location, the site spits out different times when you can spot the <keyword id="7682974" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="starlink-satellite-train">Starlink satellite train</keyword> and which direction to look in — give or take ten minutes.<br /><br />Even if you’re not looking for Starlink where you are, there’s a map to track the satellite’s location as it orbits the Earth. <br /><br />
	
  <div type="image" title="map" msid="69531769" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Tracking the the Starlink satellite constellation as it orbits Earth&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>





<br /><a href="https://www.calsky.com/cs.cgi?cha=12&amp;sec=2">CalSky</a>, another satellite calculator, automatically picks up your coordinates to tell you the best times to try and catch the Starlink satellite train in the sky. <br /><br />
	
  <div type="image" title="calsky" msid="69531788" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Timings for when you catch the Starlink satellite overhead in Gurgaon&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>





<br />Some stargazers say that you’ll be able to see the satellite with the naked eye while others recommend using binoculars for the best experience. Considering the pollution in Delhi skies, it’s probably best to carry along a pair of field glasses along with you. <br /><br />The current train in the sky is only 60 of the 12,000 satellites that Musk has planned to launch. Together, they will form the Starlink satellite constellation. The aim of the project is to provide connectivity worldwide, especially in areas that are currently under served when it comes to the internet.<br /><br />While the phenomenon might be a wonder to watch, astronomers around the world are concerned that the flashing lights and the sun's reflection might end up hampering the view of outer space from telescopes here on Earth.<br /><br /><em>Disclaimer: None of tools claim to be 100% accurate but </em><a href="http://me.cmdr2.org/starlink/reviews.html"><em>user reviews</em></a><em> seem optimistic about the results.</em><br /><br /><strong>See also:<br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/elon-musk-says-spacex-will-broadcast-kind-of-weird-video-of-starlinks-first-60-satellites-as-they-shuffle-into-orbit-tonight/articleshow/69364518.cms">Elon Musk says SpaceX will broadcast 'kind of weird' video of Starlink's first 60 satellites as they shuffle into orbit tonight</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/Elon-Musks-SpaceX-is-launching-the-first-of-12000-Starlink-satellites-to-cover-Earth-in-high-speed-internet-Heres-how-the-ambitious-project-might-work-/articleshow/69344117.cms">Elon Musk's SpaceX is launching the first of 12,000 Starlink satellites to cover Earth in high-speed internet. Here's how the ambitious project might work.</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/elon-musk-has-a-2027-deadline-to-surround-earth-with-high-speed-starlink-internet-satellites-but-the-service-would-work-far-sooner-than-that/articleshow/69387820.cms">Elon Musk has a 2027 deadline to surround Earth with high-speed Starlink internet satellites - but the service would work far sooner than that</a><br />

Here’s how you can spot Musk’s Starlink satellite train in the sky where you live

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Geminid meteor shower will reach its peak on the night of December 13-14, according to NASA. </li><li>This year's display will be especially brilliant because the moon will only be 1% illuminated. </li></ul><p>The last spectacular <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leonids-2023-when-how-to-watch-meteor-shower-shooting-stars-2023-11">meteor shower</a> of the year is peaking this week. It'll be a particularly exceptional one that you won't want to miss. Here's how and when to see the Geminid meteor shower.</p><p>Each mid-December, the Geminids light up the night skies and are considered one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers by <a target="_blank" href="https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/geminids/">NASA</a>.</p><p>While most meteor showers come from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/devil-comet-excites-scientists-as-it-passes-through-solar-system-2023-10">comet debris</a>, the Geminids come from a large near-Earth asteroid-like object called 3200 Phaethon that astronomers estimate is about 3.6 miles wide.</p><h2>When to see the Geminid meteor shower</h2><div type="image" title="Radar images of near-Earth asteroid 3200 Phaethon." height="600" width="800" msid="105911304" hostid="261" sizebytes="136522"></div><p>This year, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-watch-geminids-meteor-shower-colorful-shooting-stars-2020-12">Geminids</a> will peak on the night of December 13 and into the early morning hours of December 14, Bill Cooke, lead of NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office, told Business Insider.</p><p>Star gazers in the Northern Hemisphere should be able to spot the spectacular display as early as 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. local time, <a target="_blank" href="https://science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/">according to NASA</a>.</p><p>But it's not just northerners who get to view the showers — they'll be visible in the night sky worldwide, per NASA.</p><p>And the showers this year will be particularly brilliant — and <a target="_blank" href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/Watch_the_Skies/tag/geminids/">much better than last year</a> — because the moon will only be 1% illuminated on the night of Dec. 13, Cooke told BI.</p><p>Without moonlight interfering, Cooke said, you should see a Geminid about one to every two minutes on the peak side.</p><p>"So it's gonna be a very good year for the Geminids," Cooke told BI. "This is the year of the Geminids."</p><h2>Where to see the Geminid meteor shower</h2><p>For the best view of the showers, you'll need to go outside somewhere away from city lights and street lights, according to NASA. The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/darkest-skies-by-state-watch-space-events-stargazing">darker the sky, the better</a>.</p><p>"Lie flat on your back with your feet facing south and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible," <a target="_blank" href="https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/geminids/">NASA suggests</a>. "After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors."</p><p>You'll probably want to bring a few blankets and dress warmly, depending on where you live. Cooke suggests bringing some <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/best-fast-food-hot-chocolate-coffee-chains-2023-11">hot chocolate</a> along to make the experience extra special.</p>

When to watch the spectacular Geminid meteor shower this week. NASA says skies are ideal for viewing it.

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>20th Century Fox</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>There's a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/should-we-actively-try-to-contact-aliens-2015-3">serious debate</a> over whether or not humans should send messages into space.</p><p>Intellectual minds like Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk <a href="http://www.aaas.org/news/seti-debates-wisdom-revealing-ourselves-galaxy">have warned</a> that doing so could lead to an alien invasion and the annihilation of the human race. Other experts <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jill-tarter-says-stephen-hawking-is-wrong-about-aliens-2016-1">strongly disagree</a>.</p><p>Regardless of these ethical quandaries, the human race is about to send one of its most elaborate messages yet into space.</p><p>This fall, a collaboration led by the University of Edinburgh, the Royal Observatory of Edinburgh, and the United Kingdom Astronomical Technology Center will send a string of text messages into space that all answer the same, simple question:</p><p><strong>"How will our present environmental interactions shape the future?"</strong></p><p>Appropriately, the collaboration calls this cultural experiment "<a href="http://www.artcop21.com/events/a-simple-response-to-an-elemental-message/">A Simple Response to an Elemental Message</a>." By submitting a response, "participants will be contributing to ongoing dialogue concerning how our civilization collectively perceives its role within shaping the future of the environment," collaboration leaders describe on <a href="http://www.artcop21.com/events/a-simple-response-to-an-elemental-message/">the project's website</a>.</p><p>When it comes time to transmit, the collaboration will convert the responses into radio waves, and then fire them toward the North Star, Polaris - located 434 light years away, which means it will take that long for the message to reach its destination.</p><p>While humans have transmitted radio signals into space before, this is one of the most elaborate projects to date, at least according to psychologist Douglas Vakoch, who is the president of an organization that advocates deliberate attempts to make contact, called METI (<a href="http://meti.org">Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence</a>), and is not part of the collaboration.</p><p>"'While it might be confusing for an alien to understand a stream of text messages that switches between Portuguese, Arabic, Mandarin, and a handful of other languages, for the Earth-based participant, it's a significant advance over past projects that relied on English-only messages," Vakoch told Business Insider.</p><h2>Why transmit to Polaris?</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Star_Trail_above_Beccles_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1855505.jpg">Ashley Dace</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Polaris was once a key reference point for navigators like Ferdinand Magellan and it still guides star gazers today.</p><p>Therefore it holds a nostalgic and cultural appeal for humanity, <a href="http://phys.org/news/2016-02-artistic-space-odyssey-people-messages.html?utm_source=nwletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=ctgr-item&amp;utm_campaign=daily-nwletter">according to</a> project coordinator and graduate arts students at the University of Edinburgh, Paul Quast.</p><p>In fact, this isn't the first time that humans have transmitted radio signals toward Polaris:</p><p>"In 2008, NASA celebrated is fiftieth anniversary by broadcasting the song 'Across the Universe,' targeting the same star," Vakoch said. "Any aliens hearing 'A Simple Response' will have listened to the Beatles just eight years earlier."</p><p>Vakoch recently led a similar collaboration called "<a href="http://www.seti.org/earthspeaks">Earth Speaks,</a>" which asked people from around the world to submit messages, photos, and sounds that they would want to send to an extraterrestrial civilization. There are no plans, as of right now, to send those messages into space, Vakoch said.</p><p>Interestingly, Vakoch's project and "A Simple Response" have something in common:</p><p>"One of the strongest themes we see in 'Earth Speaks' is a concern with our current environmental crisis," he said. "In answering the question 'How will our present environmental interactions shape the future?' we need to reflect on what it will take to sustain Earth's civilization in the coming centuries. That can only be a good thing."</p><p>You can learn more about "A Simple Response" and even submit your own answers by <a href="http://www.asimpleresponse.org">clicking here</a>.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-galaxies-space-nasa-galaxy-milky-way-2016-2">Scientists just discovered 883 galaxies that have been hiding in plain sight</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="tpdGV0MDE6PgWCQ8-tBSSH4XyTh32nYb" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Humans are about to send elaborate messages into space that answer a fundamental question about our uncertain future

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>The Orionids meteor shower, which is generated by the famous Halley's Comet, is happening this week.<p>Halley's Comet is only visible from Earth once every 75 years, but residual chunks from its tail generate two annual meteor showers: the Eta Aquarids in May and the Orionids in October.</p><p>Meteor showers typically come from the dusty, rocky guts that comets leave behind as they fly through the solar system.</p><p>When Earth passes through a comet's tail, its gravitational pull attracts their debris, which then enters the atmosphere, burns up, and is seen as a falling star or meteor.</p><p>This week's Orionid meteor shower is your last chance of the year to catch a glimpse of this famous comet's guts as they rain down through Earth's atmosphere.</p><p>If you can't check it out in person, you can always watch the live webcast from the online observatory, <a href="http://live.slooh.com/">Slooh</a>, which will begin at 8 pm ET on Wednesday Oct. 21. We've included the webcast at the end of this post, or you can go to <a href="http://main.slooh.com/?utm_campaign=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=textlink&amp;utm_source=launch">Slooh.com</a> and check it out as well as their library of broadcasts on past cosmic events like solar eclipses, lunar eclipses, and much more.&#xa0;</p><h2>How to watch this week's meteor shower</h2><p>The best time to see the Orionids this year, which is when the most meteors will be streaking across the sky, will be in the early morning hours - right before dawn - on Wednesday, Oct. 21 and Thursday, Oct. 22, according to <a href="http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-orionid-meteor-shower">EarthSky.org</a>.</p><p>This year's shower is expected to give a pretty good show, offering between 10 to 20 meteors an hour at its peak.</p><p>You can find out the exact time dawn will approach in your area by checking out <a href="http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/new-york-ny.html">Gaisma.com</a>. For New York City, it will be 6:45 am Wednesday morning, so New Yorkers should get a decent show within the hour before that - as long as the weather holds up.</p><p>Here's a map from AccuWeather.com showing what the weather will be like across the country for Wednesday evening and early Thursday morning:</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><h2>How to spot an Orionid meteor</h2><p>Each meteor shower is named for the constellation from which they seem to appear. The Orionids, for example, are named for the constellation Orion.</p><p>Luckily for amateur star gazers, Orion is one of the easiest constellations to pick out in the night sky. A sure way to spot it is to look for what is called Orion's Belt, which is made of three bright stars in a straight line, identified in the image below.</p><p>We used the free planetarium app <a href="http://www.stellarium.org/">Stellarium</a> to figure out where in New York's night sky the constellation will be at 5:45 am on Wednesday, Oct. 21, but you can customize Stellarium to fit your specific location. Orion will be relatively high above the horizon in the southward direction of the sky, as shown below:</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>In order to spot just about any meteor shower, you need to get to a dark place, far from city lights. Sometimes the moon's light can be a nuisance, but not this year.<p>Although the moon's phase right now is a waxing crescent - meaning it is growing brighter every night - it will have set long before the Orionids peak during the pre-dawn hours. That means you'll have a better show than you otherwise might.</p><p>No special viewing equipment is needed. Just lay down on your back, look up, and enjoy the show. And if it looks like clouds are going to role in, don't forget to check out the shower online.</p><p>Slooh's live broadcast of the meteor shower starts at 8 p.m. ET on Oct. 21.</p><p><div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-are-meteor-showers-dust-space-2015-8">Here's what you'll actually see when you watch this week's meteor shower</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="lqZndzdjpOqocbwdWllDgACAN3Qx-Bic" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

How to watch October's stunning meteor shower created by Halley's Comet

<p><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">We all know the harmful effects of the sun touching our skin, so we ready ourselves with sunscreen to block the rays. But what about our eyes? What would happen if we happened to stare directly at the sun? </span></span><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following is a transcript of the video.</span></span></p><p><span>Whether it's to map the stars, spy on other planets, or study the sun, humans have been looking to the skies for millennia. But some objects are safer to observe than others. <br /><br />For example, astronomer Mark Thompson put a pig's eye behind a regular telescope aimed at the sun and it burned a hole straight through the lens in about 20 seconds.</span></p><p><span>Now, looking at the sun through a telescope is an especially terrible idea but just how bad is it to glance up with the naked eye?</span></p><p><span>On a clear day, the sun shines up to 5,000 times brighter than an average light bulb. When something that bright strikes your eye, a few things can happen.</span></p><p><span>If it's only for a moment, the worst you'll experience is a blurry splotch on your vision called an after image. </span></p><p><span>Normally, light reaches the retina at the back of your eye, where it triggers photoreceptors that relay the information to your brain. This is how you are able to see anything.</span></p><p><span>But bombard them with too much light at once, and you can actually damage the cells and proteins that help them process light. Since your retina has no pain receptors, the damage won't hurt, but it will leave that blurry splotch on your vision.</span></p><p><span>Usually, it clears up in a few minutes that is, unless you keep staring.</span></p><p><span>Now, you're doing more than just overloading your retina. For starters, you're giving your eyes an abnormally high dose of UV radiation the same stuff that causes sunburns. </span><span>Like your skin, the cornea at the front of your eye can also burn. And that will hurt.</span></p><p><span>The cornea protects the rest of your eye and is therefore covered in pain receptors that alert you whenever a pesky eyelash is on the loose. <br /><br />But UV radiation isn't the only issue. Too much visible light can penetrate your eye and damage the retinal tissue, which causes a condition called solar retinitis. This means parts of your retina can no longer process light normally, so you can end up with entire chunks of your vision blurred out.<br /><br />Depending on the extent of the damage, recovery can take weeks, months, and in severe cases over a year. But in rare cases, the damage is so extreme it never heals, leading to a rare condition called solar retinopathy. This usually only shows up in reckless eclipse gazers.<br /><br />Turns out, during a solar eclipse, most of the sun's light is blocked, which actually can trick your brain into thinking it's safe to stare.<br /><br />Normally, our bodies have a built-in defense mechanism against staring at the sun. Specifically, when we squint we look up, which minimizes the amount of light coming in and protects our cornea and retina.<br /><br />But during a solar eclipse, the sun doesn't appear bright enough to trigger our defense mechanisms so we can end up staring for longer than is safe.<br /><br />Suffice it to say, there's nothing good about staring at the sun. So do your eyes a favor and avoid looking at it.<br /><br />After all, there are around 6,000 stars in the night sky you can safely observe for as long as you wish.<br /></span></p><p> </p>

What happens when you stare at the sun

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is due to peak May 5, offering up to 40 shooting stars per hour. </li><li>This year could be particularly spectacular with experts predicting a meteor "outburst." </li></ul><p>A spectacular <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lyrid-meteor-shower-will-reach-its-peak-heres-how-to-watch-2023-4?r=US&amp;IR=T#lie-on-your-back-and-point-your-feet-east-4">meteor shower</a> is peaking, giving sky gazers the opportunity to see up to 40 shooting stars every hour. </p><p>The dazzling display is known as the Eta Aquarids and takes place in May each year when Earth travels through debris left behind by Halley's Comet.</p><p>This year is set to be even more stunning than usual, with experts predicting an "outburst" that could double the number of meteors in the sky. </p><p>"When you go outside during the Eta Aquarids this year, you'll see particles from Comet Halley that started their journey in the time of King David," Bill Cooke, lead for NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, told Insider.</p><p>The meteor shower is active this year from between April 15 to May 27, but it is expected to peak on May 5. </p><p>Here's how to get the best view of this stunning event, according to NASA.</p><h2>Prepare for a stunning spectacle </h2><div type="image" title="Side by side images show a picture of the meteor shower and a picture of Halley's comet against the sky" height="1499" width="3000" msid="99852836" hostid="261"></div><p>The Eta Aquarids are one of the few showers that favor the Southern Hemisphere. But this year, experts say that even in the Northern Hemisphere, there may be twice as many meteors visible as in previous years. </p><p>That's because Jupiter has propelled and concentrated ancient debris from Halley's comet into our planet's path.</p><p>Halley's comet passes the Earth about every 76 years, and every time, it leaves a little dust in its wake. This particular dust was left behind by the comet about 3,000 years ago, according to Cooke. </p><p>"This year, Jupiter has piled this 3,000-year-old stuff in front of us and we're gonna run into it," said Cooke, specifying that there's no risk associated with meteor showers. </p><h2>Go outside a few hours before dawn</h2><div type="image" title="An illuminated tent is set against a dark night sky." height="1414" width="1885" msid="99852837" hostid="261"></div><p>"The Eta Aquarids are not very respectful of one's sleep cause you have to get up in the early morning hours — the pre-dawn hours — to see them," said Cooke. </p><p>The shower is expected to peak around 4 a.m. UTC on May 5, but Cooke advised the best time to go out is around 2 to 3 a.m. your local time. </p><p>Unfortunately, this year the moon will be full, which means there's a chance it will outshine the meteors. </p><p>'The light from the full moon increases the background of the sky, which washes out the faint meteors," said Cooke.</p><p>Still, because of the outburst you're still in with a chance of seeing up to 40 meteors per hour, said Cooke. </p><p>"The important thing is you'll see meteors if you go outside and look," he added. </p><h2>Look for streaks and fireballs</h2><p>Look out for long trains streaking the sky caused by debris from the meteor burning up in the atmosphere.</p><p>"You can imagine meteors as snowy dirt balls, but loosely held together," Cooke said.</p><p>"When they hit the atmosphere, they not only burn up, they break apart, they fragment. And if they're big and dusty, they create these persistent trains, which are dust they left behind in their wake,"  he said.</p><p>The shower may also bring the occasional "fireball," which is a bright flash that happens when the meteor explodes upon hitting the atmosphere.</p><h2>Lie on your back and look up</h2><div type="image" title="Yound adults look up at the sky, wearing heavy winter clothes and laying on a blanket." height="1205" width="1607" msid="99852839" hostid="261"></div><p>For the best shot at seeing a shooting star, head away from city lights. Lay on your back — bring a blanket, lawn chair, or sleeping bag — and look straight up to the sky. No need to bring goggles or a telescope as the meteors are best seen with the naked eye.</p><p>NASA recommends pointing your feet east for the best view of the shower, though Cooke claims the most important thing is to look away from the moon. </p><p>Shooting stars can appear anywhere in the sky, but if you want something to point your gaze to, look for the Aquarius constellation, which is where the shower gets its name. </p><h2>Be patient, and let your eyes adjust</h2><div type="image" title="Four people are silhouetted huddling together against the night sky." height="1500" width="2000" msid="99852840" hostid="261"></div><p>Chances are you weren't driving in complete darkness and you would have been looking at your phone to get you where you need to be.</p><p>That means your eyes will need some time to adjust.</p><p>"I often get people say: 'I went outside to look at such and such meteor shower and I didn't see any. I was texting my friends and they didn't see it either.' Well, maybe that's because you were looking at your phone all the time instead of looking up," said Cooke. </p><p>Be patient. NASA says you should give your eyes at least 30 minutes to get used to the dark sky before expecting to spot the shooting stars.</p><h2>Next year's outburst will be 'even stronger'</h2><div type="image" title="An outdoor shot shows a shooting star against the milky way in the sky." height="2399" width="3199" msid="99852841" hostid="261"></div><p>If you can't go to see the Eta Aquarids this year, don't despair: experts think the same debris will be in our planet's path next year. </p><p>"Next year there will be an even stronger outburst," said Cooke</p><p>"After that, the next time they will be an outburst will be in the year 2044 through 2046. So you will have to wait over 20 years to see another Eta Aquarids outburst," he added. </p>

The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is peaking, giving you the chance to see up to 40 shooting stars an hour. Here's how to watch.

<p>There's an especially large and bright full moon coming out this Saturday night. So, if you want an exceptionally good look at some of the stunning features on the lunar surface, Saturday will be the time to see them.</p><p>One of the easiest features to spot, called the Tycho crater and shown in the photo below, will be worth a look, wrote Tim Hunter for the <a href="http://tucson.com/entertainment/outdoors/your-map-to-saturday-s-supersized-full-moon/article_e454995a-717d-55a1-a92b-c23465e8060b.html">Arizona Daily Star</a>:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon#/media/File:FullMoon2010.jpg">Gregory H. Revera on Wikipedia</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div>We call these slightly larger versions of our full moon supermoons, and they can appear between 12% to 14% larger and shine 25-30 times brighter, according to <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/lunar-perigee-apogee.html">TimeandDate.com</a></p><p>While the moon will not actually grow in size, it will appear bigger because it is slightly closer to Earth than normal, as shown in the photo below that depicts a supermoon on the right compared to an average full moon:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermoon#mediaviewer/File:Supermoon_comparison.jpg">Marcoaliaslama on Wikipedia</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Whenever any celestial body reaches its closest approach to Earth - whether it is the moon, Mars, or a comet - astronomers call that moment perigee.</p><p>The moon reaches perigee about once every time it completes its elliptical orbit around Earth, which takes about 27 days. On average, the moon is 238,800 miles from Earth, but at perigee it is 225,804 miles away.</p><p>Although the moon reaches perigee regularly, that doesn't mean that once every 27 days, we're treated to a supermoon, like this one from 2013 showing the supermoon rising above the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umaid_Bhawan_Palace" title="Umaid Bhawan Palace">Umaid Bhawan Palace</a>:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermoon#/media/File:Photograph_of_the_Supermoon_at_Umaid_Bhavan_Palace,_Jodhpur.jpg">Gk1089 on Wikipedia</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div><strong>A supermoon can only happen when two events line up in time: perigee and a full moon.</strong> (You can also have a supermoon during a new moon, but we cannot see new moons, so the event would be anti-climatic, to say the least.)</p><p>This magical alignment, shown in the illustration below, only happens between three to four times a year, according to <a href="http://earthsky.org/space/what-is-a-supermoon">EarthSky.org</a>.</p><p>And as it turns out, we'll have a pretty close match this weekend: The moon will be fullest at exactly 2:35 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 29 and reach perigee the next day, about 20 hours later, at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 30, according to <a href="http://www.space.com/30376-supermoon-full-moon-2015-explained.html">Space.com</a>.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/perigean-spring-tide.html">NOAA</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div>How close these two events line up in time helps determine how brilliant of a supermoon we can see. However, there's another factor that comes into play, which has to do with the moon's orbit.</p><p>Perigee is not a concrete number: it changes every lunar orbit. So, the distance the moon is to Earth at perigee for one orbit can be slightly larger or smaller than during another orbit.</p><p>For example, the moon's perigee this month will bring it to exactly 222,631 miles from Earth. But next month, on Sept. 28, perigee will happen when the moon is even closer: 221,753 miles from Earth.</p><p>In fact, September's lunar perigee is special because it's the closest perigee of the entire year. As a result, this perigee gets a special name: proxigee.</p><p>And lucky for supermoon gazers, the full moon will fall on that same night of Sept. 28, making September's supermoon the best of the year. We won't see another supermoon like September's until November of 2016.</p><p><em>If you get any shots of the Saturday's supermoon, send them with a description, your name, and location to our space <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">science</keyword> writer at jorwig<a href="sendto:science@businessinsider.com">@businessinsider.com</a> and she might feature them on our site.</em></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-images-dark-side-moon-earth-lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter-2015-2">NASA has released images of the other side of the Moon that we've never seen before</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="pycTc3czraI_t-TfVJrHozgrm249pNQ7" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

The first supermoon of the year will appear this Saturday

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Astronomers have spotted a "once-in-a-lifetime" comet shaped like the Millennium Falcon.</li><li>The comet will make its closest approach to the sun next year, just weeks after a solar eclipse.</li></ul><p>Astronomers have spotted a "once-in-a-lifetime" comet shaped like the Millennium Falcon — and sky gazers may soon be able to see it for themselves without a telescope.</p><p>The comet, known as Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, abruptly brightened 100-fold on July 20 as plumes of debris and ice were blasted off it into space.</p><p>This gave it a horseshoe shape, which scientists likened to the Millennium Falcon spaceship from "Star Wars."</p><p>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/comet-heading-earth-bright-outshine-stars-scientists-c-2023-a32023-3">comet</a> will make its closest approach to the sun next year, passing about 144 million miles from our planet on June 2, 2024.</p><p>What makes the event even more exciting is that its approach will come just weeks after North America's total <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-eclipse-stunning-images-show-sun-obscured-in-rare-event-2021-6">solar eclipse</a> on April 8, 2024. </p><p>"It's once-in-a-blue-moon that you see a comet next to an eclipsed sun," Richard Miles of the British Astronomical Association told Insider.</p><p>While it may be possible to see the comet with the naked eye, Miles advised using binoculars. "It should be visible, it's guaranteed to get a lot brighter, just in the normal way all comets get a lot brighter. </p><p>"What it could also do is have an outburst during the eclipse," he said.</p><h2>A decades-old mystery</h2><p>Astronomers aren't sure exactly why Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, which orbits the sun every 71 years, has brightened so drastically in recent weeks.</p><p>Miles said there may be an active ice volcano on the surface that is causing it to light up the sky. </p><p>"It's something of a revolutionary idea that you have liquid inside a comet and scientists have for decades never really come to terms with it," he said.</p><p>"When you see this comet do what it's doing, you can't really explain it without saying 'As well as solids and gases, there are liquids inside the comet making it behave in this very unusual way,'" he added.</p><p>The discovery helps back up a theory that comets not only brought water to Earth but also helped spread the germs of life on our planet, Miles said. </p><p>"Comets come from the Oort cloud which is far beyond the orbit of Neptune and Uranus," Dr Edward Gomez of the Las Cumbres Observatory in Cardiff, Wales told Insider.</p><p>"It's all the stuff which is left over from when the solar system was made. Everything that formed into planets has been evolving for 4.5 Billion years (e.g. through geophysical processes and weather) but the Oort cloud is pristine. It gives us a great snapshot of what conditions were like when the planets formed and how the planets formed."</p><div type="image" title="Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, which was first spotted in 1812 and orbits the sun every 71 years" height="844" width="1689" msid="102177210" hostid="261"></div><p>Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks' outburst was discovered on July 20 by Elek Tamás of Harsona Observatory, Nyiregyhaza, Hungary. It was later captured by members of the <a href="https://www.cometchasers.org/home/comet-12p-observations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Comet Chasers</a> education and outreach project led by Helen Usher of Cardiff/Open University in the UK, using the Faulkes Telescope.</p><p>The comet has likely streamed 10 billion kilograms of dust and ice into space, according to Carrie Holt of the University of Maryland, speaking to <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-comet-has-sprouted-icy-wings-on-a-plunge-around-the-sun/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scientific American.</a></p><p>While most people will have to wait until next year to see the comet, amateur astronomers could be in with a chance of seeing it now using a six-inch telescope and pointing it to the constellation of Draco in the Northern Sky.</p><p>"At the moment it is only really visible with a telescope at a nice dark site but around the time of the eclipse next April, it will be bright enough to easily find with a pair of binoculars from your back garden, even if you live in suburbs," said Gomez.</p>

You Searched For "Star gazers" and got 10 results

The 11 Best Astronomy Apps For Amateur Star Gazers

Kelly Dickerson

The 11 Best Astronomy Apps For Amateur Star Gazers

Kelly Dickerson

Here’s how you can spot Musk’s Starlink satellite train in the sky where you live

Prabhjote Gill

When to watch the spectacular Geminid meteor shower this week. NASA says skies are ideal for viewing it.

Grace Eliza Goodwin

Humans are about to send elaborate messages into space that answer a fundamental question about our uncertain future

Jessica Orwig

How to watch October's stunning meteor shower created by Halley's Comet

Jessica Orwig

What happens when you stare at the sun

Uma Sharma,Jordan Bowman

The Eta Aquarids meteor shower is peaking, giving you the chance to see up to 40 shooting stars an hour. Here's how to watch.

Marianne Guenot

The first supermoon of the year will appear this Saturday

Jessica Orwig

A Millennium Falcon-shaped comet heading toward Earth is so bright you'll able to see it with your naked eye, say astronomers

Ellie Zolfagharifard

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides