Hakata Culture vol.186

Stargazing in Fukuoka

Now is the time of year when it’s nice to spend time outdoors at night. Many of us have more opportunities to head out of the city for fun during summer vacation, but we should remember to take time to look up at the night sky. Even without a telescope or binoculars, you can see a surprisingly large number of stars with the naked eye. August is also the time of year when the Perseid meteor shower, one of the three major meteor showers, occurs, and it's highly recommended for beginner stargazers. (In 2022, the meteor shower is expected to peak around Aug. 13.)

Sefuri Youth House is the perfect spot for stargazing. Located in the nature-rich Sefuri Mountain range in Sawara Ward, visitors can enjoy a range of  outdoor activities like nature watching and camping. It is also home to the Sefuri Observatory, which is equipped with a large telescope. Here visitors can observe the stars, planets and the sun and partake in many different activities led by astronomy experts. There are regular monthly stargazing sessions and astronomy classes for parents and children.

There are also some places in the city where you can see the stars. The Fukuoka City Science Museum in Ropponmatsu, Chuo Ward, holds regular monthly stargazing events on the roof of the building. Enjoy watching the starry sky of Fukuoka, which changes with the seasons, with your own eyes. In addition, the Dome Theater (planetarium) inside the museum broadcasts a variety of programs that allow visitors to experience starry skies that cannot be seen with the naked eye and to enjoy the night sky even on rainy or cloudy days.

Another recent trend that is gaining traction is online astronomical observation. Whenever there is a major astronomical event, such as a meteor shower or a lunar eclipse, observatories and other organizations around the world broadcast live images over the internet. Even if it is cloudy in Fukuoka, this is a convenient way to enjoy starry skies broadcast from areas where the weather is clear. There are many astronomical events coming up soon, such as the Harvest Moon in September and a total lunar eclipse in November. Why don’t you take this opportunity to turn your gaze skyward?

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福岡の空で天体観測

夜の屋外で過ごすのが気持ちいい季節になりました。夏休みで郊外に遊びに行く機会も増えていると思いますが、そんな時はぜひ夜空を見上げてみましょう。望遠鏡や双眼鏡を持っていなくても、肉眼で意外にたくさんの星を見つけることができます。8月は観察しやすい三大流星群のひとつ「ペルセウス座流星群」（2022年の極大は8月13日頃）もあり、星空初心者にもおすすめです。

天体観測にぴったりなのが脊振少年自然の家。早良区の自然豊かな脊振山系の中にあり、自然観察やキャンプなどさまざまな屋外活動を楽しむことができます。ここには大型望遠鏡を備えた「せふり天文台」があり、星や太陽などを観察できるほか、専門の天体講師によるさまざまな活動が行われています。毎月定期的に行う星空観察会や、親子で学べる天文教室などが開催されています。

星は街中でも観測できます。中央区六本松の福岡市科学館では、建物の屋上で毎月定期的に天体観測会を行なっています。季節ごとに変わる福岡の星空を、自分の目で直接観察できるのです。また、科学館にあるドームシアター（プラネタリウム）ではさまざまなプログラムを放映しているので、実際には見られない星空を体験したり、雨天・曇天の場合も夜空を楽しむことができます。

もうひとつ、最近増えてきたのがオンラインでの天体観測。流星群や月食などの大きな天文イベントがあると、各地の天文台などがネットでライブ映像を流すようになっています。福岡が曇りでも晴れている地域の星空を観察できるので便利です。9月は中秋の名月、11月は皆既月食など、これからも天文イベントはいろいろあるので、ぜひ天体観測にチャレンジしてみてください。