Sri Lankan skywatchers are in line for a rare double celestial display on 12 August, with six planets visible across the morning sky and the Perseid meteor shower reaching its annual peak, according to the Astronomy Division of the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies in Moratuwa.
Six planets before dawn
Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune will form a broad arc across the eastern and southern sky before sunrise.
The best viewing window from Colombo will be between 4.30 a.m. and 5.15 a.m., roughly 60 to 90 minutes before sunrise, the institute said.
Mars and Saturn are expected to be among the easiest to spot. Mercury and Jupiter will sit very close to the horizon and may be difficult to see. Uranus will require binoculars, and Neptune a telescope.
Observers are advised to find a location with a clear, unobstructed view towards the eastern and southeastern horizons.
Perseids peak under a new moon
The Perseid meteor shower, active from 17 July to 24 August, peaks overnight and into the early hours of 12 August.
This year’s peak coincides with a new moon, leaving darker skies and favourable conditions for meteor watching. Under clear skies, observers may see up to 100 meteors an hour.
For the best view, the institute advises looking towards the northeastern sky after midnight and allowing 20 to 30 minutes for the eyes to adjust to darkness.
The Perseids are caused by debris left behind by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun roughly every 133 years. The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus.
The combination of the pre-dawn planetary alignment and the overnight meteor shower is expected to give observers in Sri Lanka a rare double display across 12 and 13 August.
