Anyone who sees a shooting star can make a wish. At least that’s what they say in the vernacular. Chances of catching a fallen star are higher in August. Because August is the month of falling stars. At night from Thursday to Friday The so-called Perseids reach their peak They are literally raining from the sky.
Experts estimate 100 meteors per hour
When the sky is clear, the falling stars can be seen with the naked eye. Astronomers suggest that most of the tallest stars In the late evening of August 12 It can be seen after sunset until about midnight. You count about a hundred meteors per hour.
It has the positive effect that moonlight does not disturb the bright star night this year. The rest of August you have a chance to spot one of the falling stars in the sky.
Rhön as a good starting point in Lower Franconia
In the region of Lower Franconia there are many places where you can see the sky well, Rhön, for example. Sabine Frank said: “The Rhone is not very densely populated. There are hardly any big cities. That’s why it’s much darker there and the area is particularly suitable for stargazing.” Star Park Run to BR24. Astronomical landmarks such as the Milky Way It can be seen there with the naked eye.
Kreuzberg or Vogelsburg – It must be dark
“In Rhön, for example, Kreuzberg or Kissinger Hütte is good – or Wasserkuppe in Hessian Rhön. In Spessart or Steigerwald you can also find beautiful places higher. In fact, any place outside the cities is a place outside the towns,” said Simon Manger of Star Park Run. According to the astrology guide, it is also important that trees or houses do not block your view.
Other places with a good view are, for example, Schenkenturm just outside Würzburg, Vogelsburg near Volkach in the Kitzingen district, the Constitution Column in Gaibach in the Kitzingen district or one of the many viewing platforms in Weininsel.
Problem: The light illuminates the night sky
“The biggest problem is the so-called Light pollution near citiesBecause of street lights, neon signs or lighting in buildings. The brighter it is, the more difficult it is to see the falling stars, says Manger.
Tip: Heavenly sights in Hesse or Thuringia
For people from Lower Franconia, it would also be useful to go to neighboring Hesse. The Rhön Star Park Society, along with the Fulda District, have set up several celestial scenes with wooden deck chairs and rotating star maps. The stars and constellations can be discovered there based on the time and date. These celestial sights can be found, for example, near Milseburg east of Fulda or in Kalbach-Eichenried. All places in the Fulda region can be found in the overview Star Park website.
There are also astronomical observation sites in the Thuringian region of the Rhone, for example in the highland region of Geba. Such a site was planned at Kissinger Hütte in the Bavarian state of Rhön.
Star guide: wear clothes that are warm enough to look at the stars
Tips from star guide Simon Manger: Bring your time and wear warm enough clothes. “People often underestimate the possibility of cold at night even in summer, especially if you watch the night sky for a long time,” says Manger. If you are also interested in constellations, you should take a star chart with you. It is available in analog form or as a smartphone app.
Star Park Weeks with Picnics and Exhibitions
2nd Star Park Weeks is currently taking place in Rhön with a whole series of events – until the end of September. For example, Star park tours, hiking tours, star hour prayers with a campfire or a meditative audio tour are offered.
You can also book a Star Park menu or go on a family gathering via Fulda’s Star City. In Hilders in the Hessian part of Rhön you can see a gallery with photos of amateur photographers. Shows stars, meteors, galaxies, and the Milky Way. full Star Park Weeks is available online.
💡 What are Perseids?
The Perseids are some of the most popular shooting stars, especially because there are so many of them and they can be seen easily on mild summer nights, sometimes as fireballs with long tails. You are a meteor showerthat crosses the Earth’s path at a steady rhythm.
Small particles of rock and dust come from Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle and burn up in the atmosphere. The Perseids are named after the constellation Perseus. In the sky it seems that the constellation is raining falling stars. Popularly they are also called “Laurentius’ tears Because it can be seen on the saint’s name day on the 10th of August.